June 7. A great tempest of hail and rain between one 

 and two o'clock in the afternoon in Northamptonshire. 

 At Towcester six houses were borne down, and fourteen 

 more perished with the waters which rose of that tempest. 

 The hailstones were square, and six inches about. One 

 child was drowned, and many sheep with other cattle 

 (Nourished). 



About Lammas wheat $s. a bushel, after it was raised 

 to 4s., 5-f., 6s., and before Christmas to a noble and yj., 

 which so continued long after. Beef, 2od. a stone ; peas, 

 4.?. a bushel ; oatmeal, 45. 8</. (Holinshed). 



1574 After this harvest wheat fell to a little more than half 

 the average of the previous year. 



Wheat, i4s. 2\d. ; barley, &s. g\d. ; oats, 55. 8J</. ; 

 beans, 15^.; peas, 125. \\d.\ malt, 105. (Rogers). 



Wheat got as high as 64^. perqr., at one time as low as 

 24J. Average of year, 40$. per qr. This year at London 

 after harvest the price of wheat began little by little to 

 fall from seven shillings to three shillings the bushel, at 

 which price it staid all the year after ; but bay salt was 

 raised from three shillings to six shillings the bushel, the 

 like whereof had never been seen before (Holinshed). 



November 14, being Sunday, about midnight divers 

 strange impressions of fire and smoke were seen in the 

 air to proceed forth of a black cloud in the north toward 

 the south, which so continued till the next morning that 

 it was daylight. The next night following the heavens 

 from all parts did seem to burn marvellous ragingly. The 

 eighteenth day at night blew very stormy, and tempestuous 

 winds out of the south as hath not been known the like 

 (SoKnshed). 



Three earthquakes in England one in February 

 (Mallet). 



1575 Prices fluctuate greatly at Oxford ; they range from 

 I3J-. ^d. to 295. 4</. for wheat. Cambridge gives an aver- 

 age of 14-r. 6d. 



