ON THE PRICE OF GRAIN. 195 



meal for the navy at Rochester, at 50*. The quantity is probably 

 a quarter, but I have not taken it in the average. Beans are dearer 

 than peas, the latter being at Cambridge i6s. sf</. 



1625-6. Wheat is rather dearer this year, being at an average of 

 48.T. 3f</. In the Cambridge rents it is at 46^. 6J</., the highest price 

 being noted in August. The bakehouse purchases amount to 198 qrs. 

 4bshs., and cost 454 1 1 s. 4<t., or 45^. ^d. the quarter, the College having 

 secured its stock before the August rise, which must have been due to 

 temporary alarm as to the coming harvest, this alarm not being verified 

 by results, and being probably local. The Eton average, 52*., is the 

 same as last year. The New College purchases are a little lower, 46^. 

 The Oxford corn rents give an average of 48^. 4</., the market series one 

 of 46s. *jd. The wheat harvest must have closely resembled that of the 

 year before, the general rise being due to the Cambridge returns. Barley 

 is found at Oxford only, the Theydon accounts ceasing with this year. 

 Here the average is a good deal higher, 25*. 2d. The malt rents at 

 Cambridge are at 26^. 8J</., at Eton 25^. +d. The Oxford malt rents 

 are at 25*. 2</., the market averages at 25^. 4f d. Here again malt is 

 dearer at Cambridge than it is in any other locality, though prices are 

 on the whole very level. Oats are dear at Biggin, and not cheap in 

 spring at Oxford. But oatmeal is at a moderate price. Both beans 

 and peas are rather dear, the former 29*. ^d. at Oxford, the latter 

 2 is. +d. at Cambridge. 



1626-7. Prices fall considerably, though they are fairly even at 

 Cambridge throughout the year. The rent averages are 30^. 6d. 

 The bakehouse purchases, 241 qrs. i bsh. 2 pks. in quantity, are made at 

 lower rates, for the whole costs 318 15*. nd. t or 26^. 4\d. the quarter. 

 The Eton average is 411. 8d. The New College purchases are made 

 at an average of 36*. 4</., a higher rate than the Oxford corn rents 

 come to, this being 341. 9 \d., while the market averages are at 34*. 7</. 

 The wheat crop then must have been plentiful, but I think of generally 

 inferior quality, at least in Cambridge. I have omitted one of the Mend- 

 ham entries, which is described as ' coarse.' In the second entry from 

 Cambridge under Christmas, 191. should be read 32*. Barley 

 at Mendham is very cheap, as barley in Norfolk generally was. It is 

 a good deal dearer at Oxford, where it is i8j. i\d. Malt is 181. 4^. at 

 Cambridge, 231. Sd. at Eton, 2is. in the Oxford rents, and igs. io\d. 

 in the market averages, the price declining through the year. Oats are 

 ly everywhere cheap, and oatmeal, low in price, is unchanged 

 through the year. Rye is found in a series of prices from Norfolk, and 

 is cheap. Beans and peas are very cheap. 



o a 



