CLOTH, ETC. 573 



buys serge de Chalons at 4s. &/., ras de Cypre at 8s., and 

 Master drap de Bery at 14^. In 1650 French tabby is at $s., 

 and Spanish cloth at 26s. In 1651 Spanish cloth is at 24^., in 

 1652 at 26s., and in 1655 at the same price. Holland camlet 

 is at ioj. and 7s. in the last-named year. In 1656 serge de 

 Roan is at <$s. 6d., in 1657 Bristol carpeting at 3^. and Spanish 

 cloth at 2$s. In 1659 Spanish cloth is at 2is., in 1661 at 

 23 s., in 1662 at 2 2s. 8d., in 1663 at 23^., in 1671 at 19^., in 

 1674 at 20s. Spanish drugget is bought at 3^. 6d. in 1672. 

 In 1676 Devon cloth costs 6s. $d. In 1684 Spanish has 

 fallen in price to ios., i6s., and i$s. a yard, while Dutch is at 

 26s. In 1685 and 1686 drab Spanish is at I2s. 6d., grey 

 at I2s. Padua or Padoway serge is at 2s. in 1686 and 1687, 

 Spanish being at 14$". in the latter year. In 1688 drap de 

 Berry is at iis. t Spanish at us. and los. 



In 1689 Dorset cloth is at 6s. In 1699 Padua serge is at 

 2s. 2d., striped Barras at 2s., and Atlas at 70 s. and 65^. the 

 piece. Such are the local names of cloth which have been 

 found, unless Grasett in 1699 be another. I have referred 

 already to the origin of the Eton boys' clothing. 



Two facts are derived from the above. First, the best cloth 

 was of foreign origin, none of those which are declared to be 

 English pieces coming near in price to those which are said to 

 be Spanish, French and Dutch. Next, on the whole, good cloth 

 of first quality was dearer than velvet, if we assume, which I do 

 not venture on asserting, that velvet and broad cloth were of 

 the same width. They are not, as a rule, I believe now, but 

 with all allowances, no price of velvet equals that of scarlet 

 cloth in 1645 and 1648, when the article is at 455. the yard, the 

 quantity in each case, bought by different persons, four-and-a 

 half yards, being probably the quantity needed for doublet or 

 coat. No prices like these have been found. I may add that 

 the price of Spanish cloth sensibly declines as time goes 

 on, though very dear cloth of the best quality is not found in 

 the later years. 



It is likely that, in these comparatively lower prico, \v<- 



