CHAP. xn. ENTERTAINMENTS. 331 



sixty-two pounds. If this entertainment had 

 occurred in 1299, ten years before, or in 1336, 

 twenty-five years later, the cost would not have 

 amounted to one-third of the sum which was 

 expended in this year of great scarcity. 



The cattle varied in price like every other 

 production of the soil, very far beyond any fluc- 

 tuations that have been experienced in modern 

 times ; but even when dearest they were at prices 

 so low as to indicate very clearly the high value 

 of the precious metals. Bishop Fleetwood, in 

 the Chronicon Preciosum, says that in the year 

 1000 an ox was sold for 7s. 6d., a cow at 6s., a 

 sheep at 3s., and a pig at 2s. In the year 1145, 

 the same author gives sixty shillings as the price 

 of forty sheep, or 1*. Qd. a head, and oxen he 

 reports at 9*. each. 



Madox, in his Baron ia Anglica (cap. xiv.), 

 relates that the live stock of a farm was sold in 

 1184, as follows : 33 cows and 2 bulls for 25l. Is. ; 

 500 sheep at Qll. 10*. ; 66 oxen for 54/. 9*. ; 15 

 brood mares, 7/. 17*. 6d. ; 22 pigs for 31. 6s. ; 

 and 11 heifers for 81. 2s. ; being at the rate of 

 14*. 3f /. for the cows ; 2s. 8^d. for the sheep ; 

 16*. 6d. for the oxen ; 10*. for the mares ; 14*. 

 S^d. for the heifers ; and 3*. for the pigs. 

 Bishop Pearson, in this year, says that four hens 

 were valued at 6d. 9 and a ram at 2s. 



Madox, in his History of the Exchequer, re- 



