22 AN AGRICULTURAL FAGGOT. 



In 1436 an Act was passed authorising the exportation of 

 wheat whenever the home price did not exceed 6s. 8d. per 

 quarter, and of barley when the price did not exceed 

 35. ^d. In 1463 the importation of corn was prohibited 

 until the price exceeded that at which exportation ceased. 

 These enactments continued in force until 1562, when the 

 prices at which exportation was allowed were extended, 

 and in 1570 a new principle was introduced, viz., that of 

 imposing a duty on the exportation of corn. During the 

 following 100 years various minor alterations were made, 

 and in 1670 the exportation price was raised to 535. 4^. per 

 quarter for wheat and other grain in proportion, and at 

 the same time a duty of i6s. per quarter was imposed on 

 the importation of wheat until the price rose to 535. 4^., a 

 duty of 8s. between that price and 8os., and poundage 

 of 4-d. when the price exceeded 8os. 



At the accession of William III. (1689) another new 

 system was adopted by the grant of a bounty of 55. on 

 every quarter of wheat exported when the price was not 

 above 485., and on oats, barley and rye proportionately. 

 This combined system of duties on imports and bounties 

 on exports under the Acts of 1670 and 1689 continued, 

 except for temporary suspensions and modifications for 

 short periods, for nearly a century. In 1774 an Act was 

 passed which stated that the several Acts heretofore made 

 concerning the duties and bounties on the importation and 

 exportation of corn had greatly tended to the advance- 

 ment of tillage and navigation ; yet, nevertheless, it 

 having been of late years found necessary, on account of 

 the small quantity of corn in hand and of the shortness 

 of the crops, to suspend the operation of these laws by 

 temporary measures, it was desirable that a permanent 

 law should be passed, to render such temporary expedients 

 unnecessary. This Act permitted wheat to be imported 

 at a nominal duty of 6d. per quarter, whenever the price 

 reached 485. Exportation was forbidden unless the price 

 was below 445., and then a bounty of 55. per quarter was 



