ON THE PRICE OF FOREIGN PRODUCE. 443 



as in earlier times, regularly laid in by rich corporations in 

 bulk, but bought for special occasions. Such, for instance, 

 are the election feasts at Eton, from which I have obtained 

 most important information. At last the custom arises of 

 buying by the bottle or the dozen bottles. Four of these 

 bottles went to the gallon, though on one occasion I find an 

 entry of small bottles. For the purpose of filling up voids in 

 my series, I have occasionally made use of the dozen pur- 

 chases. The bottles were very dear, and the price does not 

 include them. 



There are three principal kinds of wine, claret, sack, and a 

 sweet wine known as muscadine, muscadell, malmsey. I have 

 assumed that canary, tent, and palm wine are to be identified 

 with this commoner name, as I have occasionally treated 

 sherry as the same with sack. There is also a frequent entry 

 of 'white wine,' generally at the same price as claret, and 

 most likely a white Bordeaux, a kind of Grave, or Sauterne. 

 But I shall refer to this kind as I deal with the evidence in 

 detail. The sweet wine was generally, though not invariably, 

 consumed for religious offices. 



The authorities in Oxford University licensed the vintners 

 (as they still do) and regulated their prices. The Eton Fellows 

 made their occasional purchases from the landlord of the 

 Christopher, an inn on the opposite side of the way to the 

 College, and now one of the Masters' houses. At last the 

 Fellows got dissatisfied with the publican's charges, and begin 

 generally to buy in bulk. But the earlier rates are not 

 excessive. Shakspere's two gallons of sack at 2s. ic*/. is not 

 far from the price of his time, being rather lower than the 

 average. 



The origin of claret is Bordeaux, that of sack and muscadell 

 is Spain. Hence when the relations between England and 

 those countries were disturbed, or war actually broke out, we 

 might expect to see a rise in the price, other than that which 

 was due to the general stiffening of prices. Such a state of 

 things explains I conclude the great exaltation in the cost of 



