WINE. 649 



1532, for the infant Elizabeth's establishment, at 4.$-. Rhenish 

 wine is also bought by the gallon. Four such entries between 

 1522 and 1558 will be found, when the rates are u., is. \\d., 

 is., and is- %d. 



In the early part of this chapter I commented on the prices 

 at which wine bought on the Wardrobe account, that is, for 

 the use of the royal household, was valued in the comptroller's 

 annual audit. The quantities bought are large, and almost 

 always of two kinds, Gascony and sweet. The valuation was 

 real ; i. e. the quantity carried on from the account of a pre- 

 vious year as a debit to the comptroller, was occasionally set 

 at a higher or lower price in the subsequent year. But when 

 the exaltation of all prices was effected, no similar rise is 

 found in the purchases on behalf of the Crown. It is im- 

 possible that when Gascony wine is bought in Kirling during 

 the years 1577, 1578, and 1579, at 18, 20, and 17, and at 

 Ipswich at 14 in 1579, ^ e Court could have procured its 

 supplies in the open market at 7 43., 7 9^., and 6 i6s., the 

 prices at which the comptroller rates the tun in the above- 

 named years. 



The Wardrobe accounts are preserved in considerable num- 

 bers, and are sometimes in very good condition. I see no 

 reason to doubt that in the earlier years, say to the middle of 

 Henry VI IPs reign, when no material alteration had taken 

 place in general prices, these are fairly accurate estimates of 

 value, with a considerable advantage on the side of the large 

 purchaser, who could take his supplies by purveyance, but 

 would not press too hardly on the importer. In two years, 

 1574, 1575, when the Wardrobe price is very much in excess 

 of the ordinary rate for Gascony, and that of sweet wine is 

 rather high, one seems able to trace the effect of a deficient 

 market in the price. 



The interpretation of the figures was exceedingly difficult. 

 The tun, as I have said, contained 252 gallons. It is not 

 however divided, as in ordinary accounts, into two pipes and 

 four hogsheads, but into an arbitrary measure of sextaries, the 



