32 THE ADVENTURES 



In 1330, at a feast given at Yale Eoyal, to 

 celebrate the entrance of Abbot Peter and his 

 Monks, on their new building ; among the cost 

 of viands we have "two salmon, 6s." 



The earliest market prices of corn and provi- 

 sions at Chester begin in 1378, and in the course 

 of the following fifty years they fluctuated very 

 greatly. 



" 1379. A bushell of wheat sold for 6d ; a gallon of 

 white wine for 4d. ; a fat goose for 2d ; a fat pig for Id." 



u 1412. By appointment of the Maior, wheat was 

 prised by two bakers and two citizens, at 3s. 6d. per 

 quarter, so that if 4 bushels, as at that time it is thought 

 they had, that was but lOd. at our old bushell, that is, 

 about 3d. our new bushell. 



" 1437. Wheat sold for 7d. a bushell, being a very 

 dear rate according to that time ; so that the poore in 

 Chester and elsewhere, made their bread of peasen 

 vetches and fearn roots." 



" 1508. A plentiful year of corn ; an old bushell of 

 wheat 10."* 



An instance of uncertain fluctuation in price 

 occurs in 1586, when on the 6th May wheat was 

 sold for 24s. the old bushel, Eye for 18s. Barley 

 14s. ; and the 2nd Sept. of the same year Wheat 

 for 8s., Eye 6s., Barley 4s. t 



Adam Smith calculates that in 1341, being 

 the 16th year of the reign of Edward III., lOd. 



* King's Vale Royal. Book ii, 30 et seq. t Ibid, Book ii, 21. 



