208 ON THE PRICE OF GRAIN. 



purchases are at an average of 68j>. gd. I have still an entry of barley 

 from the same locality as last year, at a high, but lower price, 34^. Sd. 

 Malt slightly declines in price in the spring, more in the summer. In 

 the same quarters of the year at King's College it is 34.?. at Christmas 

 and onwards, 33^. i\d. in the Lady Day quarter, 27^. i\d. in the sum- 

 mer quarter. At S. John's the rents are at %is. 6d., or a penny less 

 than the King's College average. Only one entry has been found at 

 Eton. At Oxford the average is 36^., at Winchester 30^. $d. Oats 

 begin at a higher price at Cambridge, but decline very much as sum- 

 mer advances. They are iSs. i\d. at Cambridge, 17^. 2d. at Eton, 

 2os. 2d. at Winchester, 19.$-. ^d. at Votes court. At Oxford, they are 

 bought only at the end of the year when prices are declining, and the 

 character of the crop is suggested by the contrast between the dried 

 and undried article. Here the price is lowest of all, 14^. ^d. Oat- 

 meal at Oxford is still dear. For this and the next year, Winchester 

 buys no oatmeal. For this and for several years almost consecutively, 

 New College buys 8 quarters of beans from two of its Essex tenants, 

 and has them sent to Oxford, the cost of carriage being considerable. 

 Peas are exceedingly dear, beans cheap. This is the last year of real 

 famine, though prices during the following year are generally very 

 high. 



1650-1. Prices have fallen. The wheat rents at Cambridge are at 

 44s. 6d., the bakehouse purchases, now assuming their former dimen- 

 sions, are at 41^. ^d. But the Eton corn rents, the College having in- 

 creased the number of its rent days, are at fu. 8d., while the purchases 

 for domestic consumption are at 63 s. 8%d. The flour purchases at 

 New College suggest a higher price than the rent~averages, which are 

 at 53^. 6d. The average of the Winchester grants and purchases is 

 at 57-r. Sd. Though wheat is still dear, malt is cheaper. The 

 Cambridge rents are at 23^. iQ\d., those of Eton at 30-5-. ioj</., while 

 it purchases for its brewhouse at an average of 29^. i\d. The 

 Oxford rents are at 27.?. Sd. The Winchester average is 24*. gd. 

 Oats are a great deal cheaper, though they rise in Cambridge towards 

 the end of the year. Here the average is 13^. 2\d. At Eton it is 

 i6j. o$d., at New College, Oxford, 13.$-. 6f</., at Votes Court i2s. 5</., 

 most of these being dated entries. At Winchester the yearly average 

 is 14^. 8\d. The price of old oats at Votes Court is significant. 

 Beans are cheaper on the two New College farms, and peas have 

 greatly fallen in price. Oatmeal is supplied for every quarter at Oxford. 



1651-2. Prices, though still above the average, have fallen con- 

 siderably. The Cambridge corn rents give an average of 39.?. for 



