386 ON CANDLES, TALLOW, AND FUEL. 



of supply, and especially by bad weather. It is probable too 

 that from time to time severe and prolonged frosts interfered 

 with the inland transit, in case the College had not amply 

 provided itself during settled weather and the summer. Hence 

 there are certain occasions of exalted or greatly fluctuating 

 prices, which serve to indicate the presence of storms or severe 

 weather. 



The first occasion on which such an abnormal price is 

 indicated is in 1605. Here, fortunately, the account gives the 

 purchases in each quarter of the year, these being taken from 

 September to September. The price is higher than usual 

 during the first quarter, and rises still more during the second, 

 the College making small purchases for its wants. But there 

 is a considerable drop in the third quarter, when a large stock 

 is laid in. In 1607, again in the third quarter, a small 

 quantity is bought at a very high rate. 



But the most singular instance of exceptional and continuous 

 dearness is in the five years 1640-1644. During part of this 

 time, the coal-producing district, as far as Cambridge is con- 

 cerned, was the Newcastle field, and this was now in the occu- 

 pation of the Scottish army under Leslie. In the year 1640-1 

 the price is constantly high, rising in the second quarter to 

 33 s. 4,d. In the second year, 16412, the price is a little lower 

 on the average. In 1642-3 it is still higher, and in 1643-4 it 

 is higher than in any year during the whole period. The 

 coal is described as Scotch, an indication, I conclude, that the 

 trade from Newcastle was suspended. In the first quarter, a 

 considerable quantity is bought at 46s. 8<f., and in the fourth, 

 another purchase is made at 64?. In the first quarter of 

 1644-5 it is again at 46^. &/., but sinks to the ordinary price 

 before the year is out. Curiously enough, there is an entrance 

 of chaldrons of coal at Oxford in 1642, at 6os. I infer that 

 this is sea-coal, for I have never found the chaldron used as a 

 measure for charcoal. It is purchased by Corpus Christi, which 

 College in 1644 buys a single chaldron at 50.?., as it had bought 

 nine chaldrons similarly described at 38^. in 1641. But sea- 



