A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE 



although he could get oats at is. 2^/." Next year a live cow fetched 4_f. 6^., 

 and bacon-hogs 2J. each." Again, in the interval between 12 13 and 1215 

 the sheriff bought large quantities at the following prices : — Wheat, at 3J. 4^. 

 the quarter; barley, at is. the quarter; bacon-hogs, at 2s. jd. each; live 

 cows, at \s. yd. each ; wether muttons, at is. each ; salt, at 2s. a stone ; 

 cowhides, at lod. each ; sheephides, at 2^d. each. 



Such small industries as flourished at this time would probably centre in 

 or near the towns.** Apart from the spinning of flax and the weaving of a 

 coarse woollen cloth, they were for the most part industries connected with 

 the military and manorial requirements of that day. The building and 

 repairing of castles gave considerable employment to masons and carpenters, 

 as, for instance, at Lancaster ** and West Derby ; " and the king's expeditions 

 to Wales and Ireland raised a demand for engines and implements of war 

 that were largely supplied from Lancashire. In 1 170 Henry II required the 

 manufacture and transport of two siege engines, at a cost of ^14 lis. ioT the 

 two, for use in Ireland.'* In 1208 John also gave orders for the preparation 

 of no less than seven siege engines, which were turned out at a cost of only 

 £t, each, though it is not clear whether this included shipment." Perhaps 

 these were not towers, but great catapults. In the following year John again 

 ordered a war equipment from Lancashire, consisting chiefly of provisions, 

 but also including horse-shoes and nails. In 12 10 the king ordered a pur- 

 veyance for the Welsh expedition, including mattocks, axes and 2,000 fishing 

 nets. The fortification of the castles also gave employment to armourers and 

 bolt makers. In the sixteenth and seventeenth year the sheriff had expended 

 £s on 10,000 quarrels for crossbows for the castles of Lancashire and West 

 Derby. Lancashire was not merely famous for its arrowsmiths, but for 

 its archers. The Lancashire bowmen were noted for drawing their arrows to 

 the head ; " and because of their skill both in making and in handling the 

 bow Lancashire was a favourite recruiting ground. Its situation at a hinge 

 or angle of England, from which men could be quickly marched over the 

 Welsh or Scottish border, or shipped to Ireland, proved highly convenient to 

 the mustering of troops, and the peculiarly high-spirited, daring and hardy 

 nature of the Lancastrians made them admirable levies for the kind of rough 

 warfare they were summoned to wage, in difficult country and against a 

 wary, half-civilized enemy. The removal of several thousand rough fighting 

 men, many of them felons or outlaws," from the county could only be 

 of advantage to its peace ; though the temporary loss of the carpenters 

 and masons, who accompanied the army, may have been economically 

 inconvenient. 



The long and comparatively peaceful reign of Henry III, followed by 

 the firm and wise government of his son Edward, gave a great impetus to all * 



'^ Mag. Rot. Pip .2 John, R. 56, m. 7. » Ibid. 13 John, R. 57, m. , d. 



Reference to them may be seen in the Salford borough charter in Tait op cit 

 " C£ Mag. Rot. Pip. 16 and 17 John (1213-15), R. 61, m. 5. »'lbid 



« Ibid. 17 Hen. II (1 1 70-1), R. 17, m. 3 J. ^ 



" ^^]^- ' • J°''° (I ^°8-9), R- 55, m. 9. ' Et pro vij Breteschiis parandis ad portandum ™. li. 

 The word may refer to the use of these engines for effecting a ' breach ' in the enemy's wall ' ' ' 



Bain.,^r/i/;et Lr^zsz^f!^:oJ:':'' ''■ ■' '''• ^^° -' ^'^ ''-^^'"'^ p- ^--^^ ^r 



c.rv," ^h ^y' ?■ ^'^"■" ^'j"' "i' ^''■"'"'- (°' P"*^""' granted to felons and murderers provided they would 

 serve m the kmg s wars, and sUnd their tnal on their return if any one should implead them ^ 



266 



