THE EFFECTS OF

ciiap. xx.

“ little we had of it, for of diversity thereof cometh“ those diversities of opinions.”

In concluding this part of the subject theknight sums up that in which all agree, “ that the“ griefes standeth in these poynts, a dearth of all“ things in comparison of the former age, though“ there. be scarceness of nothing; desolation of“ countryes by enclosures; desolation of townes for“ lacke of occupations and craftes; and division of“ opinions in matters of religion, which haleth“ men to and fro, and maketh them to contend“ one against another.”

After the picture thus presented, in the wordsof a cotemporary artist, we will now examine whatwas the actual effect of this vast increase ofmoney in the century which closed at the time ofthe publication of the “ JBriefe conceipte.” Itseems clear that the advance of price on all thecommodities that were bought and sold must havebeen alike, except as regards articles whose priceswere affected by peculiar temporary or local causes.The same quantity of cloth would purchase a hator a gown; the same measure of corn, except inyears of extraordinary scarcity or abundance fromthe state of the harvest, would procure a sheepor a cow. The value of all commodities wouldbear the same relation to each other as if nochange in the quantity of money had existed.The only alteration would be on the medium, bymeans of which the proportions between different