ON THE PRICE OF TEXTILE FABRICS. 



Narrow cotton is found eleven times, at an average of nearly 

 8s. lod. the dozen. Broad is bought once at 44^. It was I 

 believe generally employed as lining. In 1691 Shuttleworth 

 buys three pieces of black cotton, one of fifteen yards, another 

 of sixteen, and the third of ten yards. 



Cambric is found in fourteen years, generally bought by the 

 ell, occasionally by the yard, once by the piece. In 1608 it is 

 bought for Prince Henry, is called fine, and costs 20.?. and i$s. 

 the ell. In 1658 Master buys it at IQS. Generally however 

 the price appears to decline. In 1583 Lord Pembroke gives 

 8s. an ell, in 1601 Archer of Theydon Gernon pays qs. In 1627 

 the owner of Mendham gives 8s. But the rest of the entries 

 are between 4s. and 6s. the yard or ell. The piece at 45 s. is 

 bought for the Duchess of Richmond, and I judge contained 

 ten yards or thereabouts. The average price by yard or ell, 

 omitting the Prince's purchase, is 6s. ^d. 



Lawn is a little dearer than cambric. In 1584, Lord North 

 buys two ells at the high price of i$s. the ell. It is most 

 commonly sold by the yard. Omitting this entry of 1584, the 

 average price of twelve other entries is 6^. $d. A cobweb lawn 

 apron costs los. in 1685. 



Calico, an Indian product, is bought by the yard. Lord 

 Pembroke gives zs. 8d. the yard in 1583, and it cost 3^. 

 in 1626 and 1665. In other years its price is much lower, 

 between is. and 2s. The average of eleven entries, including 

 the above, is is. n\d. It was used for curtains. 



Dimity is found seven times. It is generally in the latter 

 period bought by the piece of twenty yards. The earliest 

 entry which I have found is in 1631, when Lord Spencer buys 

 it at is. lod. the yard, describing it as white. This is the 

 highest price paid. In 1650 Dering gives 8d. a yard for it, 

 under the name of Indian dimity. The other purchases were 

 made by Master, at a little over or under is. a yard. It 

 appears to have been used by women only. 



In 1594 I find bone lace at is. ^d. the yard. In 1685 there 

 are several entries of this material at prices ranging from zs. ^d. 



