PAPER. 595 



they are writing is a sample of that which they wish to dispose 

 of to the University authorities. It was these intimations which 

 led me to infer that the ordinary paper was a small quarto 

 size, and indeed most of the correspondence of the time is on 

 such paper. 



Up to 1602, all my entries are apparently of one character, 

 paper being generally 5^. a ream, and ^d. a quire. But in 

 this year Lord Spencer buys, beyond several quires of ordinary 

 paper, one quire of what the account calls * singing paper/ at 

 Hd.. by which I believe is meant paper ruled for copying music. 

 This is the price at which New College, Oxford, buys ruled 

 paper in the years 1603 and 1606, though in 1613 Eton buys 

 'ruled paper for music* at 6\d. the quire. Up to 1649 Eton 

 buys by the ream, and from 1650 always by the quire, though 

 plainly the quality of the material is very different from that 

 of the earlier purchases. In 1583, while buying by the ream 

 at 4^. 4^., Eton for once buys also by the quire at $d. From 

 1584 to 1619 the price by the ream is invariably 5^. at Eton ; 

 from 1620 to 1645 as invariably $s. 4^.; from 1646 to 1648, 

 after which it occurs to buy by the ream, it is js. 



In 1604 Corpus Christi College, Oxford, buys Marge paper* 

 at i s. ^d. the quire, other paper at $d. and yd., and a ream at the 

 Eton price. In 1622, royal paper at4Oj. the ream and id. the 

 sheet is found, the paper being said to be ruled, and quires of 

 ordinary quality being still procurable at ^d. In 1624 I find 

 gilt paper, a little dearer than ordinary. In 1627 royal 

 paper in London is at nd. the quire. In 1631 Caryll buys 

 large white at 8*/., white at 6d. 1 gilt at yd. ; and in the same 

 year Venice-cut in London is at loj. the ream, and large gilt 

 at lod. the quire. But in the next year ordinary paper is at 

 the old price, 4*/., though large white is at double this price, as 

 before. In 1633 Caryll buys white royal at lod. the quire, 

 and gilt at the same price. After 1636 ordinary paper is a 

 little dearer. 



In 1636 royal ruled is $s. id. the quire, and in 1651 a little 

 over 2s. 4\d. the dozen sheets, both purchases being made 



" 



