724 ON PRICES GENERALLY BETWEEN 1401 AND 1582. 



explained by improvements in the process of production, or 

 more regular demand and supply, or both combined. 



Lastly, I have to deal with articles of entirely foreign origin. 

 These articles are of two kinds, those which are derived from 

 the Continent, and Eastern produce, originally supplied through 

 Egypt, but in later times principally introduced into Europe by 

 the Cape passage. 



Of the first kind I find the following : 



s. d. s. d. 



I have designedly excluded sugar by the doz. Ibs. (12^., 

 I2,s. jof^., 1*07), for reasons already referred to in the chapter 

 on the price of foreign products, to which I shall recur. 



For other reasons I have omitted saffron from the list, the 

 proportion of which by the pound, us. 115^., i6s. 6\d.> is r$8. 

 Some of it was of English origin, and there is reason to think 

 that the belief in its extraordinary therapeutic virtues was 

 being weakened by the progress of medical science. 



The second is that of Indian produce. 



The rise represented by the figures given for foreign produce of 

 European, or at least of Mediterranean origin is 2*03, the prices 



