ON THE PRICE OF GRAIN. SOI 



only below the average, but of .indifferent quality, at any rate in the 

 Midlands. The Oxford market average is 42*. *j\d. Barley is rather 

 dearer, 26^. 2d. at Oxford, 23^. \\d. on D'Ewes' estate. Malt is a 

 good deal dearer. It is 30^. 6\d. in the Cambridge rents, 30*. at 

 Eton, 3ij. 4</. at Oxford, where the price is raised by the second All 

 Souls entry. But it is 28^. of</. in the market averages. Oats are 

 still rather dear, 15^. 6\d. at Cambridge, cheaper in the D'Ewes 

 accounts, but dear at Eton and Stockton. Oatmeal is also high- 

 priced. Rye, though cheap, is proportionate to D'Ewes' wheat. Peas 

 are at full prices. 



1637-8. Prices are again rather higher. The average of the Cam- 

 bridge wheat rents is 42^. lod. The bakehouse buys 143 qrs. 2 bshs. 

 for 303 ios., i.e. at 42^. 4\d. the quarter. The Eton average is 6is. 

 The New College purchases are obtained at 40^. 6d., the College 

 having bargained better than usually, for the Oxford corn rents are 

 at an average of 55-$-. $\d. t the market averages being $is. \o\d. A 

 few entries from D'Ewes gave an average of 38^. The dearest time 

 of the year is Lady Day, which is discernible in all the consecutive 

 accounts, for at Cambridge the price is 56^., and the bakehouse 

 having incautiously purchased then, has to give 52^., while at Eton 

 the price is 6os., and at Oxford 64^., the market averages giving a 

 price for March of 62$. 8d. Barley, quoted at Oxford only, is also 

 very dear, the market average rising to 38^. 6\d. The same fact 

 applies to malt, the rent averages of which at Cambridge are 37$. 8f</., 

 at Eton 49^., at Oxford 37^. id., the market averages being 39^. z\d. 

 The general average is depressed by the entries in the D'Ewes' 

 accounts, which give an average of only 19^. >j\d. Without them 

 the general average would have been 41*. $\d. Oats again at Cam- 

 bridge during the greater part of the year are at very high prices, 

 the average for the whole year being i8j. 5</., and on one occasion 

 a purchase being made at 25*. 3</. In every other account but that 

 of D'Ewes they are also dear. Meal is not however very high. 

 Beans are not found. Peas are however a great deal above the 

 average. 



With this year is completed that series of dear years to which 

 allusion is made above. The succeeding years will not be cheap, 

 though six will be below the average of the whole period, or even 

 of the century 1603-1702. 



1638-9. The price of grain is falling, the rate being steady 

 during the whole year. The corn rents at Cambridge are at an 

 average of 331. lod. But the bakehouse at S. John's is rather 



