THE KITCHEN. 697 



pays \$s. a dozen. In 1697 Eton College pays 9^., and in 

 1699, Ss. 6d. a dozen. 



In 1693 Winchester College buys kniveS and forks together 

 at $6s. a dozen, in 1700 Eton College buys 'ivory handled 

 knives and forks' at 2os. a dozen, and in 1702 a dozen knives 

 and half-a-dozen forks for 14^. 6d. In 1630 oyster-knives 

 are js. a dozen or case, but at Winchester College always 35. 



This generally striking difference between the price of table- 

 knives at Winchester and those localities which come within 

 the influence of London appears to me to indicate that new 

 conveniences travelled slowly, and were scarce and expensive 

 in remote places. There was no reason why the fellows of 

 Winchester College should have bought a better article than the 

 fellows of Eton College did. This is again illustrated by the 

 enormous price which Caryll paid in 1630 for his dozen knives. 

 No doubt this gentleman was expensive in his habits, a glance at 

 his purchases in this year fully expressing this fact, but Chi- 

 chester, where he probably bought, was, like Winchester, an 

 out-of-the-way and decayed town, in which goods were few 

 and the market uncertain. 



A Turkey leather table-cover in 1679, at the cost of 44^. 6*/., 

 may be included in this account of hall furniture. 



THE KITCHEN. In a large house or college the kitchen 

 was an important and considerable department. The range 

 which cost 24$". id. in Lord North's kitchen in 1583, and 

 Oriel College Ss. 6d. in 1631, was a series of iron bars, put so 

 close to the chimney wall as to easily hold the fuel, and over 

 against which was hung the spit, revolved ordinarily by a 

 smoke-jack. The kitchin besides contained smaller fireplaces 

 for boiling and frying, in which, as long as it was cheap and 

 accessible, charcoal was burnt, and after this article became 

 over-dear, though not in Oxford till the period before me was 

 past, wood or sea-coal, with a flue from the fireplace. 



The cook's utensils were numerous. He required, in addition 

 to spits and jacks, different kinds of knives, ordinary and 

 special, the latter being known as chipping or chopping, 



