382 ON CANDLES, TALLOW, AND FUEL. 



teenth century. On one occasion in 1653, Corpus Christi 

 College in Oxford buys double rush candles at a rather high 

 price. This kind of rush candle remained in use, as I remem- 

 ber, till comparatively recent times. These double rush candles 

 are dearer than the others. 



Winchester College manufactured its own candles ; at least 

 I find none bought by this corporation, but in place large 

 quantities of tallow and what the accounts call ' sevum melius.' 

 The tallow is not what the accounts call hard or tried tallow, 

 which appears to be beef suet, melted and purified, but 

 mutton fat ; and the ' sevum melius,' generally at a lower price 

 than tallow,, is, I conclude, the best part of the dripping or 

 skimming got in roasting or boiling meat. It is purchased at 

 a much lower price than the tallow used for navy stores, or 

 the prices recorded by Houghton. Even here however it is 

 dearer than beef. In course of time Winchester College ceases 

 to buy tallow and contents itself with sevum. 



Artificial light was dear, and of poor quality. This fact 

 goes far to explain the very early habits of our forefathers, 

 and in College life the use of the Common Hall, or after the 

 Restoration the Common or Combination Room at Oxford 

 and Cambridge. The Chapel services were held by daylight, 

 for the cost of candles in the College Chapel ceases to be an 

 important item after the Reformation, the wax tapers of the 

 period before that epoch having been an act of worship and 

 a source of profit. Most of the candles purchased were for 

 the use of the Common Hall and the offices. 



There are very few qualities of candles stated beyond wick 

 and cotton. But sometimes I find white lights, a name which 

 seems to indicate that the ordinary candle was not only 

 coarse but of a bad colour, for white lights are dearer than 

 others. I have also found London candles bought at Oxford, 

 and Dutch lights bought at Oxford and Harting. But the 

 price of these articles of comparatively distant origin is not 

 higher than that which appears to be local produce, as I 

 imagine most of that which the Colleges purchased was. 



