ON THE PRICE OF GRAIN. 211 



bridge corn rents are at an average of 30*. 7 \d., the bakehouse buying 

 on the whole at 28^. The Eton corn rents are at 42^. 2\d. The 

 average Mounthall prices, extending from October to February, is 

 3U. n%d. The Oxford corn rents are at 37*. Sd.; the market 

 averages at Oxford are at 36^. 2d. The grants at Winchester are at 

 33J. 4</., the purchases for consumption at 32$. 2d. There is a single 

 entry at 26s. from Horstead Keynes. Barley is found at Mounthall 

 and Oxford. The average at the former is 17*. 6d., at the latter 

 iyj. g\d. The Cambridge malt rents are at i6s. Sd., those of Eton at 

 2os. 4^</., those of Oxford at iSs. Sd. The Winchester grants are at 

 24.$-., the purchases at 17^. Prices are generally uniform, but there is 

 a slight rise at the end of the agricultural year. The entries of oats, 

 particularly at Cambridge, are very copious. The Cambridge average 

 is 13^. 3$</., purchases being made almost always at dates throughout 

 the year, and prices rising towards its conclusion. Small quantities 

 are bought at Eton and Horstead Keynes, and in both at high prices. 

 The Mounthall average is 1 1 s. 7f </., extending from October to January. 

 The Winchester average is us. id. Votes Court buys at los. 6d. 

 Beans and peas are at fair prices. Tares are quoted four times, 

 in one place very cheap, in the other at a moderate rate. 



1656-7. There is a further rise, though the price is still below the 

 general average. The Cambridge corn rents are at 35^. 3</., the 

 bakehouse purchases at 32*. io\d. At Eton the rents are rather lower 

 than they were the year before, at 415. i^d. The Oxford wheat rents 

 are at 39 s. iod., and the market averages at 38^. 2\d. The Win- 

 chester grants are at $6s., its purchases at 32$. 7 \d. The dearest times 

 of the year are at Michaelmas and Lammas, the cheapest at Mid- 

 summer, so that in all probability the price was heightened by the 

 prospects of the coming harvest. Barley has been found at Oxford 

 only, and at a corresponding exaltation of price. The malt rents in 

 Cambridge are at an average of 225. nd., in Eton at 261. Sd., in 

 Oxford at 24*. 6d. The Winchester grants are at 26s. Sd., the pur- 

 chases at 23^. 7</. In the early part of the agricultural year, oats are 

 dear at Cambridge, but fall towards the summer. The price at Cam- 

 bridge, from which entries are very numerous, is 1 6s. $d. ; at Eton it 

 is 17*. Sd.-, at New College, Oxford, 13*. io\d.; at Winchester, 

 i $j. 4\d.\ at Votes Court, where the price is high in September 1656, 

 low in September next year, the average is 15*. io\d. But meal is a 

 little dearer. Beans and peas are at the same price, and rather high, 

 It appears to me that oats were a comparative failure in the Eastern 



p a 



