quarter, rye below eighteen, barley
below sixteen, the commissioners were empowered to purchase corn for the
magazines.[*] These prices then are to be regarded as low; though they
would rather pass for high by our present estimation. The usual bread of
the poor was at this time made of barley.[**] The best wool, during the
greater part of James's reign, was at thirty-three shillings a tod.[***]
At present, it is not above two-thirds of that value; though it is lo be
presumed that our exports in woollen goods are somewhat increased. The
finer manufactures, too, by the progress of arts and industry, have
rather diminished in price, notwithstanding the great increase of money.

* Rymer, tom. xvii. p. 526. To the same purpose, see also
21st lac vi. cap. 28.

** Rymer, tom. xx. p. 157.

*** See a compendium or dialogue inserted in the Memoirs of
Wool, chap. 23.

In Shakspeare, the hostess tells Falstaff, that the shirts she bought
him were Holland at eight shillings a yard; a high price at this day,
even supposing, what is not probable, that the best Holland at that time
was equal in goodness to the best that can now be purchased. In like
manner, a yard of velvet, about the middle of Elizabeth's reign, was
valued at two and twenty shillings. It appears from Dr. Birch's life of
Prince Henry,[*] that that prince, by contract with his butcher, paid
near a groat a pound throughout the year for all the beef and mutton
used in his family. Besides, we must consider, that the general turn of
that age, which no laws could prevent, was the converting of arable land
into pasture; a certain proof that the latter was found more profitable,
and consequently that all butcher's meat, as well as bread, was rather
higher than at present. We have a regulation of the market with regard
to poultry, and some other articles, very early in Charles I.'s reign;
[**] and the prices are high. A turkey cock four shillings and sixpence,
a turkey hen three shillings, a pheasant cock six, a pheasant hen five,
a partridge one shilling, a goose two, a capon two and sixpence, a
pullet one and sixpence, a rabbit eightpence, a dozen of pigeons six
shillings.[***] We must consider that London at present is more than
three times more populous than it was at that time; a circumstance which
much increases the price of poultry, and of every thing that cannot
conveniently be brought from a distance: not to mention, that these
regulations