ON THE PRICE OF GRAIN. 233 



average is foj. 6d., but the College buys at 53*. ^d. The Oxford 

 rents are at 62^. \d. The Winchester grants are at 6oj., the purchases 

 are at 6o.r. 8d., and the rents are at an average of 6os. 3 </., the prices 

 falling in the summer. On the other hand, Harting sells in August at 

 34^. Sd., and the Portsmouth assise, given in October, April, and June, 

 is 36^. I conclude therefore that the crop was deficient in quality 

 rather than in quantity, and that the rents paid to the Colleges were at 

 higher values than the fanner could ordinarily get for his produce; 

 that the harvest was not scanty, but was badly housed. Malt rents 

 are higher: the average at Cambridge is 2u. n\d. ; at Eton 

 27^. i lid., the College buying at 271-. $\d. The Winchester grants 

 are at 25^, 6d. t the purchases at 25^., while the rents are at 25*. $d. 

 Some malt is bought at one place at i6j. The Oxford average is 

 29$. \d. Oats are rather dear: at 14$. %d. in Cambridge; at i6s. in 

 Eton; at i6s. 6\d. at Harting; at 17^. 2d. in Winchester. Meal is 

 also rather dearer. Beans are very dear. 



1696-7. There is no material difference between the price of this 

 year and that of the last, though rates are a little higher. The Cam- 

 bridge wheat rent gives an average of 48*. $d. But the bakehouse 

 buys in July, when the highest prices of the year are being demanded, 

 and so pays at the rate of $is. 8d. The Eton average is 55^.; but 

 here again the College buys at a dearer rate than its rents, 59^. 2</. 

 The Oxford corn rent is lower than the last year, being 50*. 

 Portsmouth gives only one assise, that of October, which is high, 

 44s. The Winchester grants are at 48^., the purchases at 56-$-. 6d. t 

 while the rents are at 55^. 7j</., the Hampshire rents being the 

 dearest. Barley is found at Harting, the price being 2os. in November. 

 The Cambridge malt rents are at 1 9 s. i d. ; those of Eton are at 

 26s. 3d., the purchases being at 27*. id. The Oxford average is 24J., 

 but New College buys at 22*. 4</. The Winchester grants are at 

 3IJ-. iod., the purchases at 27*. 5</., the rents at 27*. ioj</. It is 

 clear that while the harvest was generally unsatisfactory, it was worst 

 in the southern counties. Oats are cheap at Cambridge, the average 

 being us. 3</. Nor are they dear at Eton or Winchester, the price 

 at the former being i6s., at the latter 131. 4</.; and at Lady Day the 

 Winchester oat rent is at 145. But at Harting they are cheap in 

 October and December, dear afterwards, if indeed we are to take the 

 load at five quarters. The price of meal is not very high. Beans and 

 peas are at proportional prices. There are two entries of tares, with 

 an average of 301. 



1697-8. Prices are very much higher. The wheat average at 



