WINE. 651 



materially differ from that which is assigned to the aum in 

 subsequent years. 



The aum of Rhenish is found in twenty-two out of the sixty- 

 two years. The aum is divided into, or reckoned to contain, 

 twenty-four scrives, sometimes also called sextaries, probably 

 because they were like the Gascon and sweet wine subdivisions, 

 allowances to a mess. It seems that the aum contained 

 36 gallons, and the scrive must have been, therefore, six quarts. 

 Such a quantity accords with the price of Rhenish by the 

 gallon, the difference between purchases in bulk and retail 

 being taken into account. For the six years 1516, 1521-3, 

 1541, 1543 the price of the aum is 30^. In 1544 it is 31.?.; 

 in 1546, 365. In 1559, the next entry, it is 43^-. 6d.\ in 1560, 

 i ooj.; in 1561-3, $os. ; in 1566 and 1568-9,43^.4^.; in 1570, 

 1572, and 1575, 40.y.; in 1573, 40*. 6d.\ and in 1574, the 

 dearest year in the Wardrobe accounts, it is again iocxs\ 



The subjoined table is an account of the prices for the years 

 prefixed to them of the entries of wine purchased for the King's 

 use, Gascony and sweet, and registered in the comptroller's 

 account of the Wardrobe. The other prices of wines will be 

 found at the conclusion of the next chapter, in conjunction 

 with other articles generally of foreign origin. 



