ON THE PRICE OF GRAIN. 219 



in Cambridge on Lady Day. Here the general average of the wheat 

 rents is at 37^. $d. t while the bakehouse buys at an average of 

 33.$-. g\d. The Eton average, the highest prices being in the summer, 

 is 47^. The numerous purchases effected in winter and early 

 summer are at an average of 43^. if</. The Oxford average is at 44$., 

 the highest price being also at Lady Day. A low price on Ocotber i 

 is given in the Portsmouth assise. The Winchester rents are at an 

 average of 39^. 9f<, the grants being at 32^., and the purchases at 

 36 s. 6d. The Cambridge malt rents give an average of 22*. 7f</. 

 The Eton average is 25*. 4</., while the purchases are effected at 241. 

 At Oxford the average is 23^. 4</.; at Winchester the average is 

 17-r. 5i<, the grants being at 22*., the purchases at 2OJ. $\d. There 

 is no material change in prices throughout the year, but the highest 

 rates as a rule are from Candlemas to Lady Day. Oats are cheaper, 

 even at Eton ; but the Cambridge entries, at which the average is 

 loj. $\d., are marked by the entries of what is plainly a low quality 

 of grain under the name of fen oats. These occur this year for the 

 first time by name, though it by no means follows that they have not 

 been bought previously. The Eton average is i6s. ; that at Winchester 

 is i2s. 2\d. ; while oatmeal, the best test, has further fallen in price. 

 Beans and peas are both cheap. 



1669-70. The price of wheat is falling. The Cambridge wheat 

 rents are at an average of $is. i\d.; the purchases, mainly made in 

 March when the price was the lowest of the year, are at an average of 

 3oj. 3</. The Eton average is 40 s. ij</. ; while the purchases for the 

 College, made at fourteen different occasions, are at 37^. $$d. The 

 Oxford wheat rents are at the same price through the year, 38*. 8d. 

 The Winchester wheat rents are at an average of 39^. Sd. ; the grants 

 are at 421. 8</., and the purchases at 29*. g$d. The malt rents are not 

 quite so low. The Cambridge average is 2OJ. o$d. The Eton rents 

 are at 20;. 8</., the purchases at 251. 6d. The Oxford rents are at 22-r., 

 the price falling as the year goes on. The Winchester average is at 

 2os. iof</. ; the grants being at 221., the purchases at 2is. 4</. The 

 average price of oats at Cambridge is 1 3*. 9</., three of the entries 

 being described as ' fen,' and these entries extending from November 

 to August. At Eton oats are dear. The Winchester average is 

 1 2s. 6d. t and oatmeal is at a little higher price than in the previous 

 Peas are at a fair price in Biggin and Cambridge. Beans are 

 cheap on the Essex estates, but a small quantity is purchased at a very 

 high rate at Eton. On the whole prices are very level through the 

 year, though they decline towards its conclusion. 



