39^ ON CANDLES, TALLOW, AND FUEL. 



western ports, is indirect evidence as to the cost of carriage 

 from the Newcastle coal-fields to their several markets. I 

 must not however neglect to notice that sometimes, as in 1697 

 and 1698, it does appear from the prices quoted that Falmouth 

 at least got supplies from the Welsh or Somerset pits. 



One perhaps also ought to take into account in these local 

 prices, particularly in those places which have access to the 

 sea, the possibility that coal was brought in ballast, or as a 

 return cargo from a port of origin. In this manner I accounted 

 in the earlier times (vol. i. 422-3) for the appearance of sea-coal 

 at Southampton in the year 1378. There was we know an 

 "export duty on coal as early as the fifteenth century, and in 

 the seventeenth, Charles granted, by what authority is not 

 clear, a charge on these Newcastle coal dues to the son of 

 Louisa Querouaille, whom he made Duke of Richmond. 



It should also be remembered that prices of sea-borne coal 

 are likely to be affected by the fact that this article was only 

 occasionally consumed or in demand. In London it was 

 plainly a necessity. In the Eastern Counties its use had be- 

 come habitual. But it is not clear that it was so in localities 

 where firewood was still plentiful and cheap, and such places 

 might be as near London as Kingston, Richmond and Romford. 

 I cannot argue therefore, in the absence of precise evidence as 

 to the condition of the country, from the prices of sea-coal as 

 confidently as I can from most other articles. 



I have not thought it worth while, since so little can be 

 inferred from the entries, to include such notices as I have 

 found of the sale of underwood in the accounts. All Souls 

 College however frequently sells its underwood on its Edgeware, 

 Hendon, and Willesden coppices, between 1589 and 1636, at 

 prices varying between 46s. 8d. and Jis. an acre, and at an 

 average of 53 s. 8d. In vol. iv. p. 369 comment has been 

 made on the price given in the sixteenth century. But the 

 produce from the acre is so uncertain that I do not feel justi- 

 fied in drawing any inferences from it. 



In the subjoined tables will be found the prices of candles, 



