ON THE PRICE OF GRAIN. 245 



severely, and no other agricultural product in the same degree. Even 

 here the principal dearth was, as I have said, in the district which I 

 have mapped out in the valley of the Thames. But it was natural, 

 as the scarcity was most felt in that part of England where note would 

 be taken of the loss, that the year 1693-4 was, under the growing 

 habit of noting and recording facts, referred to as the commencement 

 of a calamitous cycle. Nor did any one know except by private 

 information, till Houghton began his collections, what was the price of 

 grain in the several towns, though by an Act of Parliament, i Jac. II, 

 cap. 19. 3, provision had been made as regards the ports that 

 returns of the price of corn should be made and certified in quarter 

 sessions. But the Act was never put in force. 



1694-5. There is a considerable fall in price in every quarter, 

 especially in the Home district, this being the one moderately cheap 

 year in the series of seven years of scarcity. In the Home district, 

 wheat is nearly 23$. a quarter cheaper than it was in 1693-4 ; in the 

 Eastern, about 2 is. ; in the Midlands, about 171.; in the South, i8.r. ; 

 in the South-west, us. 6d. ; and in the North, IQJ. I conceive that 

 wheaten bread was far less commonly consumed in the North and in 

 the South-east than it was in other parts of England. It will be seen 

 on examination that the corn rents, taking Oxford and Eton in the 

 Home, Cambridge in the East, and Winchester in the South, are at 

 37-r. ij</., while the averages from all Houghton's entries in the same 

 district are at 37*. i\d. Only two of the localities in Houghton give 

 very high prices, but then Guildford and Romford make their returns 

 in the fourth quarter only, and are anticipations of the next harvest, 

 which as we shall see was very unfavourable. 



Barley and malt are also low, both being lower than in any year 

 but one, though in the case of barley the cheaper year is the last, in 

 that of malt the first. This is to be explained by what has been 

 already stated, that the malt of one year is, to a considerable extent, 

 sold in the following year. Barley is a little dearer in the Home markets 

 than it is generally in England, but malt is a little cheaper. In the 

 malt rents this product is a little dearer than it is in the Home markets. 

 The fall in the price of barley and malt is not nearly proportionate to 

 that in wheat. Both were fairly plentiful, and there was no excess of 

 consumption, at least none sufficient to keep up prices. Oats are also 

 low, lower than in any other of the twelve years. As is usually the case, 

 they are cheapest in 'the West and North, where the average price, 

 i os. 5 \d., is the same in both districts. The lowest rate is at Pembroke, 

 from whence it seems a considerable export trade in grain was carried on. 



