SUNDRIES. 751 



have been put under the following heads : soap, bacon, oil of 

 different kinds, drugs, iron, and spirits. Soap is sold by the 

 barrel of 256 Ibs. or the firkin of 64 Ibs. In the first year, 

 1691, it is quoted by the barrel at an average of 72*. In the 

 second year it varies by the barrel from 72^. to 74^., and by 

 the firkin from 19^. to i8j. In 1693 it is from 28^. to 22s. the 

 firkin. In 1694 it is 19^. in the second quarter, and rises to 

 26s. 4d. in the fourth. In 1695 it is between 2is. and 2$s.; in 

 1696 between 21 s. and 2is. 6d. It is therefore dearer than in 

 the earlier years of the century. 



Bacon is 35. the stone (of 8 Ibs.) in 1691, ranges from $s. 8d. 

 to 4^. 4d. in 1693, k from 43. to 35. 8d. in 1694, is steady, at 

 3J. 8*/., in 1695, and from 3^. 8d. to 4^. in 1696. 



Olive oil is from 4^. 6d. to $s. 8d. a gallon in 1692, from 

 2s. %d. to 4s. ^d. in 1693, after which no intimation is given 

 of its price. In 1693 Houghton also gives the prices of rape 

 oil by the tun. This article I presume was of foreign origin. 

 It fluctuates in the first and second quarters, that is, dur- 

 ing the late autumn and winter most, between 27 los. and 



24- 



The price of oil of turpentine by the cwt., used I conclude 

 chiefly to mix with paints, is regularly supplied till no infor- 

 mation of the kind is given. In 1693 the price is between 72^. 

 and 655-., in 1694 between 565. and 8oj., this last price occurring 

 at the end of the year. In 1695 the price is greatly exalted. 

 It rises steadily from Sos. to 128^., and then falls to noj., at 

 which it stands for the whole of the year 1696. 



The drugs and chemicals which Houghton gives are alum, 

 cerussa, potash, and copperas. He also quotes the price of 

 civet by the ounce, and of saffron by the pound. Alum rises 

 from 22s. to 24s. the cwt. in 1693, falls from 24*. to 2os. in 

 1694, and is at 2os. in 1695 and 1696. Cerussa is at 24 s. the 

 cwt. till the end of the year 1696, when it falls to 2os. Potash 

 is at 16 the ton till the middle of 1694, when it rises to more 

 than double, and no further quotations are given. Copperas, of 

 course sulphate of iron, is from 7*. to 7s. 6d. a cwt. in 1693 ; 7*. 



