DAIRY PRODUCE, EGGS AND POULTRY. 361 



the cheapest time. The tubs of 1594 are probably the barrel of 

 four firkins or two cwts., as the barrels of 1601, two of which 

 are bought for navy stores, are. The butter bought for the 

 navy in 1644, 26,000 Ibs. at 4^. 6d. the dozen, is y\d. the dozen 

 cheaper than the average of three localities in the same year. 

 CREAM AND MILK. Up to 1645, entries of cream, generally 

 from Cambridge and Winchester, are frequent, though not 

 regular ; beyond this date only two entries have been found, 

 in 1684 and 1702. The price greatly varies. In the early 

 years it is bought for the Oxford city feast, and the prices 

 have been procured from the city archives. Now this feast 

 was held in November, when cream would be at its dearest. 

 It is also purchased regularly at Cambridge for the College 

 feasts, but though often at an early period of the year, 

 at half or less than half the price given in Oxford. It is 

 purchased in Oxford and London in 1607 and 1608 at is. the 

 gallon, double the price of the ordinary Cambridge rate. 

 Again, it is bought at Winchester at 2s. %d. the gallon, a still 

 higher price. It is difficult to account for this discrepancy, 

 except on the ground that the dealer levied a fancy price for 

 the article in those localities. It is noteworthy too that the 

 Winchester purchases are always made between Lady Day 

 and Midsummer, the later of which is the cheapest of the 

 year. It is however possible that the Winchester cream may 

 have been thickened or drained of its milk. The last two 

 entries of cream are, one probably in London or its neigh- 

 bourhood, from Johnson's 1 accounts, he living at Deptford, 

 and from London in 1 702. Here the prices are 2s. and 4^. 

 the gallon. On one occasion, 1686, the Winchester Fellows 

 buy cream cheese. Entries of the price of cream occur for 

 forty-seven years. Sometimes the price is given without the 

 quantity. There are a few more among the Sundries, vol. vi. 

 pp. 574-610. 



1 One of Johnson's daughters married Lord Lovelace, of Revolution notoriety. 

 Johnson was a rich shipbuilder. His accounts and those of his son-in-law are in 

 the British Museum. 



