M O N E Y. 
Stl. a fheep at is. In 104.3, a quarter of wheat was fold 
for 6od. Hence it is computed, that in the Saxon times 
there was 10 times lefs money, in proportion to commo¬ 
dities, than at prefent. Their nominal l’pecie, therefore, 
being about 3 times higher than ours, the price of every 
thing, according to our prefent language, mull: be reck¬ 
oned 30 times cheaper than it is now. 
In the reign of William the Conqueror, commodities 
were ten times cheaper than they are at prefent; front 
which we cannot help forming a very high idea of the 
wealth and power of that king; for his revenue was 
400,000k per annum, every pound being equal to that 
■weight of filver, confequently the w r hole may be eftimated 
at 1,200,000k of the prefent computation ; a fum which r 
confidering the different value of money between that 
period and the prefent, was equivalent to 12,000,000k of 
modern eftimation. 
The moft necefthry commodities do not feem to have 
advanced their price from William the Conqueror to 
Richard I. 
The price of corn in the reign of Henry III. was near 
half the mean price in our times. Bilhop Fleetwood has 
fliown, that, in the year 1240, 4k 13s. 9d. was worth about 
50k of our prefent money. About the latter end of this 
reign, Robert de Hay, reftor-of Souldern, agreed to re¬ 
ceive 100s. to purchafe to himfelf and fuCceffor the annual 
rents of 5s. in full ccmpenfation of an acre-of corn. 
Butcher’s meat, in the time of the great fcarcity in the 
reign of Edward II. w'as, by a parlimentary ordinance, 
fold three times cheaper than our mean price at prefent; 
poultry fomewhat lower, becaufe, being now confidered 
as a delicacy, it has rifen beyond its proportion. The 
mean price of corn at this period was half the prelent va¬ 
lue, and the mean price of cattle one eighth. 
In the next reign, which was that of Edward III. the 
moft neceflary commodities were in general about three or 
four times cheaper than they are at prefent. In thele 
times, knights, who ferved on Iiorfeback in the army, 
had 2s. a-day, and a foot archer 6d. which laft would now 
be equal to a crown a-day. This pay has continued 
nearly the fame nominally, (only that in the time of the 
commonwealth the pay of the horfe was advanced to 2s. 6d. 
and that of the foot is. though it was reduced again at 
the reftoration;) but foldiers w'ere proportionably of a bet¬ 
ter rank formerly. 
G65 
In the time of Henry VI. corn was about half its prefent 
value, other commodities much cheaper. Bilhop Fleet- 
wood has determined, from a moft accurate conlideration 
of every circumftance, that 3k in this reign was equivalent 
to 28k or 30k now. 
In the time of Henry VII. many commodities were 
three times as cheap here, and in all Europe, as they are 
at prefent, there having been a great increafe of gold and 
filver in Europe fince his time, occafionectby the difcovery 
of America. 
The commodities whofe price had rifen the moft lince 
before the time of Henry VII. are butcher’s meat, fowls, 
and filh, efpecially the latter. And the reafon why corn 
was always much dearer in proportion to other eatables, 
according to their prices at prefent, is, that in early times 
agriculture was little underftood. It required more la¬ 
bour and expenfe, and was more precarious than it is at 
prefent. Indeed, notwithftanding the high price of corn 
in the times we are fpeaking of, the railing of it fo little 
anfwered the expenfe, that agriculture was almoft univer- 
fally quitted for grazing; which was more profitable, not¬ 
withftanding the low price of meat. So that there was 
conftant occafion for ftatutes to reftrain grazing, and to 
promote agriculture; and no effectual remedy was found 
till the bounty upon the exportation of corn ; fince which, 
above ten times more corn has been raifed in this country 
than before. 
The price of corn in the time of James I. and confe¬ 
quently that of other necelfaries of life, was not lower, 
but rather higher, than at prefent: wool is not two thirds 
of the value it was then ; the finer manufactures having 
funk in price by the progrefs of art and induftry, notwith¬ 
ftanding the increafe of money. Butcher’s meat was 
higher than at prefent. Prince Henry made an allowance 
of near4d. per pound for all the beef and mutton tiled in 
his family. This may be true with refpeCt to London ; 
but the price of butcher’s meat in the country, which 
does not even now much exceed this price at a medium, 
has certainly greatly increafed of late years, and particu¬ 
larly in the northern counties. 
We fliall conclude this article with a Table, in which 
feveral of the foregoing particulars are brought into one 
'view. iLwas compiled, from moft relpecftable authorities, 
by fir George Shuckburgh Evelyn, and inferted in the 
Phil. Trank vol. lxxxviii. for the year 1798. 
Table, exhibiting the Prices of various Necelfaries of Life, together with that of Day-Labour, in Sterling Money, 
at different Periods, from the Conqueft to the Year 1795. By Sir George Shuckburgh Evelyn. 
Dates. 
Wheat per 
Bulhel. 
Horfe. 
Ox. 
Cow. 
Sheep. 
Hog. 
G 
jofe. 
Hen. 
Cock. 
Butter, 
per lb. 
Cneefe, 
per lb. 
Ale, p-r 
gallon. 
SmallBeer, 
per gallon. 
$. 
d. 
£ 
s. 
d. 
£ 
s. 
d. 
£ 
s. 
d. 
£ 
§. 
d 
of 
S' 
d. 
S. 
d. 
S' 
d. 
s. 
d. 
d. 
d. 
d. 
d. 
1050 
O 
I 
17 
6 
O 
7 
6 
O 
6 
0 
O 
I 
3 
0 
2 
O 
I I 50 
O 
4 i 
O 
I 2 
5 
O 
4 
H 
O 
I 
■8 
0 
3 
0 
0 
3 
4 h 
1250 
I 
7 i 
I 
I I 
0 
I 
0 
7 
O 
17 
0 
0 
I 
7 
I 
0 
0 
3 
0 
1350 
I 
IQi 
0 
18 
4 
I 
4 
6 
O 
17 
2 
O 
2 
7 
0 
2- 
6 
O 
9 
0 
2 
0 
3 i 
1450 
I 
5 
I 
*5 
8 
O 
15 
6 
O 
4 
ll i 
0 
5 
1 
O 
155 .° 
I 
10 2 
2 
2 
O 
I 
l6 
7 
0 
l6 
O 
O 
4 
3 i 
0 
5 
6 
I 
0 
0 
H 
I 
0 
5 
2 
O 
1 
1600 
4 
c i 
O 
4 
a 
1625 
4 
I I 
2 
0 
I 
6 
1650 
5 
6 
4 i 
O 
4 
2 . jj 
j 1675 
4 
6 
5 
IO 
0 
3 
6 
O 
2 
17 
0 
O 
II 
0 
0 
14 
0 
3 
0 
I 
3 
I 
3 
2 
O 
8 
2 § 
1700 
4 
9 i 
O 
IO 
3 f 
17 20 
4 
4 i 
I 
0 
3 f 
174:0 
3 
8 
IO 
O 
0 
8 
0 
O 
7 
7 
0 
I 
6 
0 
I 
*5 
0 
3 
6 
I 
6 
I 
6 
9 
3 i 
I 
0 
3 
1760 
3 
9 t 
r 4 
0 
0 
8 
IO 
O 
7 
O 
0 
S 
7 
0 
I 
15 
0 
5 
0 
I 
10 
I 
IO 
IO 
Si 
I 
2 
3 ‘ 
*0 
cc 
0 
4 
Si 
s 
179s 
7 
IO 
1 9 
0 
0 
16 
8 
O 
16 
8 
0 
I 
18 
0 
5 
8 
0 
3 
0 
I 
6 
I 
6 
1 '2 
5 
I 
2 i 
* 2 
2 3 \ 
S G 
Vol. XV. No. 1074. 
MONEY- 
