suppose that his text
was corrupt, or reject it as an absurd exaggeration. But, in fact, the
author has, through haste, mistaken 6_s._ 8_d._ for 6_l._ 8_s._, as will
appear by referring to his own table of prices, where it is set down
rightly. It is observed by Mr. Macpherson, a very competent judge, that
the arithmetical statements of the best historians of the middle ages
are seldom correct, owing partly to their neglect of examination, and
partly to blunders of transcribers. Annals of Commerce, vol. i, p. 423.

[716] The table of comparative values by Sir George Shuckburgh
(Philosoph. Transact. for 1798, p. 196) is strangely incompatible with
every result to which my own reading has led me. It is the hasty attempt
of a man accustomed to different studies; and one can neither pardon the
presumption of obtruding such a slovenly performance on a subject where
the utmost diligence was required, nor the affectation with which he
apologizes for "descending from the dignity of philosophy."

[717] M. Guerard, editor of "Paris sous Philippe le Bel," in the
Documens Inedits (1841, p. 365), after a comparison of the prices of
corn, concludes that the value of silver has declined since that reign,
in the ratio of five to one. This is much less than we allow in England.
M. Leber (Mem. de l'Acad. des Inscript. Nouvelle Serie, xiv. 230)
calculates the power of silver under Charlemagne, compared with the
present day, to have been as nearly eleven to one. It fell afterwards to
eight, and continued to sink during the middle ages; the average of
prices during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, taking corn as the
standard, was six to one; the comparison is of course only for France.
This is an interesting paper, and contains tables worthy of being
consulted.

[718] Blomefield's History of Norfolk, and Sir J. Cullum's of Hawsted,
furnish several pieces even at this early period. Most of them are
collected by Sir F. Eden. Fleta reckons 4_s._ the average price of a
quarter of wheat in his time. 1. ii. c. 84. This writer has a digression
on agriculture, whence however less is to be collected than we should
expect.

[719] The fluctuations of price have unfortunately been so great of late
years, that it is almost as difficult to determine one side of our
equation as the other. Any reader, however, has it in his power to
correct my proportions, and adopt a greater or less multiple, according
to his own estimate of current prices, or t