ON THE PRICE OF GRAIN. 



203 



average of 4 ST., and the market averages at 41$. +d. Flour at New 

 College is proportionate. Barley is found at Oxford and Winchester, 

 this last centre of the Act of 1576 appearing this year for the first time, 

 but only by the house steward's or manciple's book, and thus indicating 

 the charges of the fellows only. The Oxford average is 2is. $\d. 

 At Winchester, the mean between January and August prices is 

 301. 4\d. The Cambridge malt rent is 22s. } that of Eton 29$. 8<, 

 that of Oxford 23^. 2{d. Oats are dearer, the average being 13^. g%d. 

 at Cambridge, i6s. at Eton and Winchester. Oatmeal is also a good 

 deal dearer. Beans are still absent from the accounts. Peas are 

 found at Cambridge, and always at the same price, 2os. Tares, i.e. 

 I suppose vetches, are also given at Cambridge, the price being low. 

 The entries from Winchester are of garden produce. 



1641-2. We now come to a series of five cheap years. The 

 average of the Cambridge wheat rents is 30,?. &d., there being but 

 little variation throughout the agricultural year. The bakehouse buys 

 136 quarters for 192 17^. 4d., or 28*. 4\d. the quarter. Eton 

 supplies only one price, at Michaelmas, the records of the College 

 being lost for some years, though only absolutely for 1642 and 1643, 

 the rough accounts of the bursar being existent for 1644. The price 

 of the Oxford corn rents and assise is an average of 36^. 4 J<, and of 

 the market averages 34*. i \d. The cheapest prices of the year are in 

 May and June, a sign that the prospects of the next harvest are 

 encouraging. The price of barley is 2 is. 2\d., the rate being a little 

 heightened by the Winchester purchase. Here again the lightest rate 

 is in the spring. The Cambridge malt rent is igs. 2\d. ; the only 

 entry from Eton being Michaelmas, when prices were at the highest. 

 The Oxford malt rent is 19*. lod. Oats are cheap, the Cambridge 

 account running through the whole year, and giving an average of 

 1 3 S - 31& Beans are again found at Oxford. Peas are cheap, but 

 the entries from Winchester, being plainly garden produce, are not 

 included in the average. 



1642-3. Wheat is cheaper at Cambridge, dearer at Oxford, these 

 two localities alone supplying me with evidence. The Cambridge 

 corn rents are at 28*. *j\d., the bakehouse purchases being 73 \ 

 quarters, which cost 99 14*. 8</., or 27*. i\d. on the average. But 

 that of Oxford is 44*. 10 \d., while the market averages are at 401. i}</., 

 the rate being highest in March and April. These prices arc however 

 rather deceptive. Early in the war which had now begun, it WM 

 known that Oxford would be a point of attack by the Parliamentary 

 forces, and of defence by the Royalists, and that it might, sooner or 



