3 oo HIST 0 RT OF ENGLAND.

Appendix tbem died on the road , to pay the owner 30shillings a-piece of our present money It isto be remarked, that in all ancient times, theraising of corn , especially wheat, being a speciesof manufactory , that commodity always bore ahigher price, compared to cattle, than it does inour times I0! . The Saxon Chronicle tells us I0 ‘,that in the reign of Edward the Confessor therewas the most terrible famine ever known ; in somuch that a quarter of wheat rose to sixty pennies,or fifteen shillings of our present money. Conse-quently it was as dear as if it now cost seven poundsten shillings. This much exceeds the great faminein the end of queen Elizabeth ; when a quarterof wheat was fold for four pounds. Money inthis last period was nearly of the fame value as inour time. These severe famines are a certainproof of bad husbandry.

On the whole , there are three things to beconsidered, wherever a sum of money is mentionedin ancient times. First the change of denomination,by which a pound has been reduced to the thirdpart of its ancient weight in silver. Secondly,the change in value by the greater plenty ofmoney, which has reduced the fame weight ofsilver to ten times less value , compared to com-modities ; and consequently a pound sterling tothe thirtieth part of the ancient value. Thirdly ,the fewer people and less industry, which were

101 Mat. Paris. 101 Fleetvvood, p. Zz. 94. 9 6 . 98-

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