338 ON THE PRICE OF STOCK AND MEAT. 



dearer, as in 1600 and 1638, when I find an average of $s. 

 and 6s. $d. the dozen pounds. 



CALVES. The evidence on this subject, though sometimes 

 copious for trie year, is very broken, and disappears in the last 

 decade. The greater part of the information comes from 

 College expenditure, particularly in the earlier part of the period 

 from Magdalen College, Oxford, which buys these animals 

 very extensively. I find under the year 1645 that veal is 

 bought for Lord Spencer's house by the stone at 2s. *]\d., and 

 again in 1678 at Hickstead at from id. to i\d. and z\d. the 

 pound. The stone is no doubt that of fourteen pounds, 

 and I should infer from the average price of the highest priced 

 calves and those two entries of veal by the stone and the 

 pound that the animal was slaughtered when its carcass would 

 come to about 94 Ibs. weight. Calves are almost always 

 bought, in such accounts as determine the time of purchase, in 

 the fourth quarter, i.e. from Midsummer to Michaelmas. 



SHEEP. There is no year without entries of sheep, though 

 I have failed to give average prices of sheep for a few years 

 during the latter part of my enquiry. As before, I have given 

 two tables, one containing the highest priced animal of 

 the year, the other an average from all the entries. But as 

 the regular presence in one account of a very large and high- 

 priced animal would have completely vitiated the averages 

 of the commoner sort, I have omitted this particular sheep 

 from the general average. 



In the year 1668 the Fellows of Eton begin the custom of 

 purchasing what the College accounts designate as the ' Elec- 

 tion ram,' and except in one year, 1669, regularly give the 

 weight of the animal. In this year, as the price is exactly 

 the same as that of the previous year, I make no doubt it was 

 of the same weight. The price per pound varies from $d. 

 to 4//., and it is sometimes given. This was I conclude a full- 

 grown wether carefully fatted for the Election feast, the College 

 taking pride in the bigness to which they could get the animal 

 fed. Towards the end of my period they get it up to actually 



