The State Protection of Agriculture. 197 



there might very easily have been famine in one county, while 

 in the next corn was being wasted for utter lack of consumers. 

 Then ensues that series of Acts^ briefly mentioned already in 

 Part I. of this work, commencing in 1553 and ending in 1670, 

 during which the export limitation rises from 6.s-. 8rf. per 

 quarter to 48.s'. By 13 Eliz. c. 13 the law of 1394 was re- 

 stored, and the right of exportation made absolute. It was an 

 exceedingly wise measure, being entitled " An Act for the in- 

 crease of tillage and the maintenance of the navy," and it left 

 in the hands of the Lord President powers, after due consulta- 

 tion with the local authorities, to prohibit exportation if he 

 thought it advisable. The policy of gradually increasing the 

 exportation price, which is the first feature in this series of 

 Corn Laws to strike the reader, has been attributed to the 

 lowering of the value of specie, caused by the wealth brought 

 from America. The statute of 35 Eliz. c. 7 in the year 1 593, for 

 example, coincides with a season when precious metals were 

 being poured into the kingdom by the large capture of Spanish 

 treasure ships.^ James I. allowed exportation at first till wheat 

 was 26.S'. 8£?., afterwards till it was 32.s\ In 1660 a more hearty 

 encouragement was bestowed by the State on exportation, 

 which was allowed until wheat exceeded 40,'>;. per quarter. 

 Ten years later the exportation price was raised to 53,s'. 4c?. 

 The first of these two Acts was, no doubt, intended by a grate- 

 ful king as a boon to that loyal portion of his restored subjects 

 who had sacrificed all their available personalt}' in his cause ; 

 but it was soon found to press hardly upon the cottager class — 

 a circumstance which opened men's eyes to the advantages of 

 a free circulation of grain within oiu* borders ; and in 1664 the 

 statute against engrossing, forestalling, etc., was so far modified 

 as to allow the free barter of corn in market overt ; ^ and after 

 the harvest of 1665 the salutary effects of this step on prices 

 became evident. 



' 1 and 2 Ph. & M. c. 5 ; 1 Eliz. c. 11 ; 5 Eliz. c. 5 ; 13 Eliz. c. 13 ; 35 Eliz. 

 c. 7 ; 1 Jac. I. c. 1 ; 21 Jac. I. c. 28; 3 Car. I. c. 4 ; 12 Car. II. c. 4 ; 15 

 Oar. II. c. 7. 



" Considerations on the Exportation of Corn, etc. London, 1770. 



' 15 Car. II. c. 7. 



