292 ON THE PRICE OF HOPS. 



Houghton's twelve years is 1 17^.9^. and of the last twelve years 

 of my register 124^. io\d. ; a very trifling difference, though 

 useful as indicating the assistance which statistics of different 

 origin give each other, for during these twelve years Houghton's 

 markets are on an average more than six times as numerous 

 as mine 1 . Width of course of acreage tends to equalise the 

 result, narrowness makes the inference uncertain. Fortunately, 

 my entries are from localities which were very accessible, and 

 therefore less open to the risk. Oxford does not buy hops 

 till 1692, when New College fitted up a College brewery.. It 

 is very likely that the excise on beer may have determined the 

 action of this corporation in resorting to private brewing. It 

 was notorious, and was often commented on during the latter 

 part of the seventeenth century, that the excise on beer gave a 

 great stimulus to private brewing and led to the malt tax of 

 1697. But as the excise on beer was continued with the malt 

 tax, the impulse towards private brewing was not met. 

 Houghton had an Oxford correspondent who supplied him 

 with hop prices for the first five years of his collections. 

 The New College accounts are lost for 1701 and 1702. 



I shall now proceed to deal with the yearly prices in detail, 

 and to try whether on looking at the facts, in the aggregate 

 or by particular years, there can be found any guide or even 

 hint as to a discovery of recurrent causes for high and low prices. 



1583. Evidence from Cambridge, Eton and Worksop. The price 

 is the lowest recorded, and the lowest rate is at Eton, where over 13^ 

 cwts. are bought. 



1584. The same localities give prices. It is again cheapest at 

 Eton. 



1585. Four localities, Kirkby Stephen in Cumberland giving 

 numerous entries. The lowest price is still Eton. The Kirkby 

 Stephen average on thirteen averages, purchases being made monthly, 

 is 54^. Sd. 



1586. Four localities. Eton is the cheapest. 



1587. Five localities. Cambridge is the cheapest. But the prices 

 are generally low when large purchases are made. 



* Houghton has 195 localities for the twelve years, I have 31. 



