ON THE PRICE OF GRAIN. 229 



1688-9. In this and the two following years I have printed, as a 

 specimen of the manner in which the King's College, Cambridge, corn 

 rents were assessed, the names of the several estates from which they 

 arose. They are not a rent-roll of the College property, for this 

 corporation rarely gets its rents in on the day when they are due, and 

 therefore constantly registers considerable arrears. It will be seen that 

 seven different values are given. The general average of the corn 

 rents is 22s. g\d. The bakehouse buys in September at 2is. The 

 Eton rents and purchases are at the same rate, 25^. The Oxford 

 average is 26 s. The Winchester grants are at 28^., the purchases at 

 225. Set. Only one rent is preserved, that of Michaelmas at 2is. 4</., 

 in all other localities the cheapest of the year. On the other hand, the 

 Portsmouth assise on April ist is 22*. The average from these five 

 localities, none of them differing much, is 23^. $\d., the lowest price 

 since 1592. Now I have registered a small quantity at Cuckfield, 

 bought in December at 50*-. This is not seed ; the time of the year 

 precludes the notion, to say nothing of the fact that the low price 

 universally indicates a good crop both in quality and quantity, an in- 

 ference further assisted by the close price of the maxima and the pur- 

 chase prices. It is bought at or near the dearest time of the year, but 

 is more than double that rate. I am convinced therefore that the entry 

 contains an error in figures in the original MS. The Cambridge malt 

 rent is also very low, 14*. 2d. ; that of Eton is 2os. 5J</., the purchases 

 being made at 19*. This is also the Oxford average. The Win- 

 chester grants are at 1 7.?., the purchases at 1 6s. 1 1 \d. t the solitary rent 

 of Michaelmas at 1 *js. It is noteworthy that at Cambridge, Eton, and 

 Oxford, the Michaelmas rent is at the highest price of the year. Oats 

 are cheap; Ss. 6d. at Cambridge, i6j. at Eton, los. lod. at Win- 

 chester, though oatmeal is rather dearer. Beans are cheap at 

 Cambridge and Winchester, but the peas I suspect are again garden 

 produce. 



1689-90. Prices are still very low, though higher than in the 

 previous year. The Cambridge wheat rents give an average of 

 26s. 3</., and the bakehouse purchases were effected in July when 

 prices were at their lowest, at 2 4*. +d. The Eton average is 35*., the 

 purchases being made at 29*. +d. The Oxford average is 36*. +d. 

 The assise at Portsmouth, on June i, is 2s. The Winchester grants 

 arc at 321., the purchases at 32*. 6d. The rents are lost for this \ 

 The highest prices of the year are at Lady Day. Malt is cheaper than 

 in the previous year. The Cambridge rents give an average of 

 i2s. 3</., and the crop of barley must have been abundant and of good 



