ON THE PRICE OF GRAIN. 207 



the second quarter at All Souls, this entry now ceasing, is 45*. 4</. 

 The Winchester grants, really I expect based on the last year's charge, 

 are low, but the purchases are high. The price, though a high one at 

 all localities, is very uniform. Oats are very dear : 2is. +d. at Biggin ; 

 i8j. 4<J. at Cambridge, where only two entries are made; 24 s. at 

 Oxford, the high price being first noticed in April; and 24*. at Win- 

 chester ; at Votes Court, they are not so dear. Oatmeal at Win- 

 chester is not so high, considering the price of oats. Beans have not 

 been found. Peas are dear. 



1648-9. The general average is higher, being derived from all 

 four centres. But the Cambridge corn rents are a little lower, the 

 average being 56*. nj</., as are also the bakehouse purchases at 

 51*. 6J</. But the Eton and Oxford rates are higher, 86.T. at the 

 former. As regards the latter, New College purchases in the last 

 two quarters of the year (the corporation, dispersed during the siege 

 and subsequent operations, having come again into residence) at the 

 rate of 69-$-. 1 1 \d. The Oxford rents are at 66s. \d. The Winchester 

 grants are at 70^., the purchases at 56.$-. 6d. Prices are lowest in 

 the early winter. Barley is found at only one place, where it is very 

 dear. The malt rents do not differ materially in rate and sequence 

 from the year before. They are 33^. 6d. at Cambridge, 40^. o\d. at 

 Eton, 35^. 6d. at Oxford. At Winchester the grants are at 34^. 8</., 

 the purchases at 31*. $d. Oats are dearer. The average at Cam- 

 bridge, again giving full particulars, is at 23^. n\d. t at Eton 29^. 5j</., 

 at Oxford 24*., at Winchester i8j., at Votes Court 2os. 6d. The 

 price of oatmeal is enormous at Hampton and Oxford, 96*. But at 

 Winchester it is far lower, hardly more than half the price. I con- 

 clude that the oat crop was not so much a failure in the south of 

 England. 



1649-50. There is little change in prices. King's College gives 

 a register of prices for the last three quarters of the year. The average 

 of the first of these is 59*. 3 \d., of the second 58*. io|</., of the third 

 52*. 4</. But the S. John's corn rents give the highest average of the 

 three years, 6 is. 2d. t the bakehouse price being 56*. gd. At Eton 

 rents are at 75*. 2<?., the exact price paid for their purchases. An 

 entry at 371. id. extracted from their account book is unquestionably 

 an error of the scribe. During the first quarter of the year, New 

 College purchases at 701. 8</., then abandons the practice of baking 

 for itself, and buys bread of the common baker. Flour however, no 

 doubt purchased for pastry, is at the same price, 80 s., as last year. The 

 Oxford corn rents are higher, 68*. io\d. The Winchester grants and 



