ON THE PRICE OF SALT. 431 



generally at higher rates, occasionally at much higher, than the 

 year's or quarter's stock costs. Thus, for instance, in 1651 

 King's College buys its stock of three quarters two bushels at 

 an average of 24^. $d., but a small quantity at 32^. I infer 

 therefore that the stock of salt was generally bought at 

 Stourbridge fair, and I think it most probable that the Oxford 

 Colleges, though not so conveniently within the range of this 

 important mart as Cambridge was, like the rest of England, 

 bought the year's stock there. 



Besides the quarter, I occasionally find the wey of five 

 quarters, as in 1596 and 1677. In one year, 1588, I find the 

 hundred, though I am clear that this is not the hundredweight, 

 but is either to be identified with the wey, or is some undis- 

 covered quantity. New College, in the later part of the period, 

 buys by the sack of four bushels, the quantity being defined. 

 At Worksop, and twice at Gawthorp, salt is bought by the load ; 

 and in the former place the quantity is called a horse-load. 

 Once at Oxford (1630) it is bought by the barrel, which appears 

 to be the same quantity as the sack. Again, on one occasion 

 it is purchased by the hoop (1600). In earlier times this 

 measure seemed to be the bushel, but the price seems to 

 preclude this interpretation here. Shuttleworth of Gawthorp 

 buys by the local met, of which it seems that six went to the 

 quarter, and by the crannock, with its sub-division the warue. 

 The crannock is common in the thirteenth century as a Welsh 

 and Irish measure, and is the same as the quarter, except in 

 the case of oats, when it held sixteen bushels. The identity 

 of the crannock and the quarter is perhaps confirmed by the 

 price. 



Purchases of salt for store purposes are most likely made 

 in the autumn, and so the produce of one year figures in the 

 charges of the next. The demand might be fairly anticipated, 

 and the price will correspond to the supply. A glance at the 

 purchases will illustrate the above. Thus for example, in 

 I593 *594, 1595, *599 King's College purchases exactly 

 the same quantity for the year's consumption. Of course, 



