Bit ASS. BELL-METAL. 497 



In 1645, brass for the mill, probably a gudgeon, is bought 

 by Eton at is. id. In 1649, this same price is given at Win- 

 chester for mill gudgeons. In 1650, brass pans cost is. 6d. at 

 Oxford, the old material being sold at yd. In 1651, Bering 

 buys a brass pan at &/., and a cauldron at is. I imagine that 

 the three flagons bought by New College in 1652 at is. are also 

 brass. In 1654, a brass pot at Eton costs *]\d. a pound, a 

 'mill puffe' at Winchester 6d. In 1656, a brass kettle at 

 Horstead Keynes is at is. 4d. In 1665, brass gudgeons are at 

 is. 4*/., and also in 1669. In 1670, a very large brass pot at 

 Cambridge is bought at iod., the old one selling at $d. In 

 1674, the gudgeons are at is. $d. In 1680, a kettle, the 

 material of which is not stated, but is most likely brass, is at 

 is. $d. In 1 68 1, brazen vessels at Winchester are at is. id., 

 and next year a brass pot at Cambridge is at 7</., brass 

 pans being at Sid. in 1685. In 1686, Cambridge buys brass 

 pots, &c. at nd. In 1698, Eton buys a brass furnace at 9^., 

 but Cambridge pays at the rate of 2s. 6d. a pound for two 

 brass candlesticks. 



These prices exhibit considerable variations in value, which 

 do not seem to be referable to the cost of manufacture. Of 

 course the age was one of bargaining, in which the seller in 

 order to get a customer might abate of his price, or the pur- ' 

 chaser might be able to buy cheap in the last hours of a local 

 fair. Again, the purchaser might be willing to give a fuller 

 price if he could deal advantageously with the old metal which 

 he was discarding. But the figures which I have commented 

 on will, I trust, supply adequate information as to the charges 

 at which householders were put for the necessary vessels used 

 in the kitchen and brewhouse. There remains one brewhouse 

 instrument, on the purpose of which I can give no information. 

 I n 1 696, Winchester College, where much beer was brewed, pur- 

 chased a brass * siphon,' weighing nearly io|cwt., at the great 

 price of 35. id. a pound, a rate for which I have found no parallel. 

 BELL-METAL. Between 1588 and 1674 I have found 

 several notices of the price of bell-metal. In the earlier en- 

 voi . \. K k 



