From: awkerr@Mr-Hyde.aoc.nrao.edu (Alan Kerr) Subject: Re: NEEDED: Medieval Price Lists (BIG lists included) [I occasionally post things that I find in old books, in the hopes that someone will find them interesting. Prices here are of course Pounds(L)/Shillings(s)/Pence,(d) 12d = 1s, 20s = 1L ] A table of Provisions with their prices as established by the king's proclamation in 1314, (vide Strype's edition of Stowe, book V folio 385; the like occured in 1274, I edward's time, and in 1572, Eliz. anno) but revoked in 1326 Best grass-fed ox alive 0 16 0 Best capon at - - 2 1/2 Best grain-fed ox 1 4 0 Best hen at - - 1 1/2 Best cow alive and fat at - 12 0 Best chickett, two for - - 1 1/2 Best hogg of 2 yrs old at - 3 4 Best young pidgeons, 3 for - - 1 Best shorn mutton at - 1 2 Twenty eggs for - - 1 Best goose at - - 3 from Portfolio of fragments relative to the hist. and antiquities of the county Palatine and Duchy of Lancaster Matthew Gregson esq., 1817 [Wigan Library local history reserve collection] Lee -- Liam Quin, lee@sq.com, SoftQuad, Toronto, 416 239-4801; the barefoot programmer ``There ys a great Numbre of Dere longging to this Park, yet hath it almo{t no other Enclo{ure but Dikes to let the Catelle of the Commune to cum yn. The Dere trippe over the{e Dikes & feede al about the Fennes, & re{ort to the Park agayn. ======================================================================== Some quick and dirty numbers on the price of an inn. Three high quality taverns rented together in 14th century London for 200 pounds per year, or about 67 pounds each. From this, I guess the purchase price of an inn would be from 500 to 700 pounds. From a partial list of moveables, I would guess to furnish an inn would run from 15 to 25 pounds. It might cost 10 to 20 pounds per year in wages to the workers. To translate into game terms, a late 16th century suit of plate armor seems to have cost about 3.5 pounds at the cheapest. Prices of 14th century jewelry in London were running 15 pounds for 2 gold rings with diamonds, about 1.3 pounds for a gold ring with a ruby, three strings of pearls for 2.5 pounds, and 6 gold necklaces for 5 pounds. In AD&D terms, my best guesstimate is 400 or 500 gold pieces per pound. An inn would thus run about 200 000 to 350 000 AD&D gold pieces. Steep, but it would probably pay for itself. My primary source was A.R. Myers's _London in the Age of Chaucer_. I drew figures for the price of armor from _The Armourer and his Craft_, by Charles ffoulkes. I hope this is useful, and if anyone wants more numbers, let me know. --Kenneth Hodges hodges@math.berkeley.edu ====================================================================== The list of medieval prices which follows is by no means complete or thoroughly researched; I merely extracted references from some of the books I have, and I thought others might like to inspect it. The sources I used are listed at the end. If an item is listed several times, it is because I had several references I wished to record. Money goes as follows: 1 pound (L) = 20 shillings (s) 1 crown = 5 shillings 1 shilling = 12 pence (d) 1 penny = 4 farthings 1 mark = 13s 4d The French Livre, sou, and denier are equivalent to the pound, shilling and penny (Latin liber, solidus, and denarius, I believe, which is where the weird English abbreviations come from). For ease, I've divided this list into the following sections: tools, horses, food and livestock, books and education, buildings, cloth and clothing, armor, weapons, marriage, funerals, travel, miscellaneous goods, and wages. Of course, a price list is a misleading guide to a feudal economy, because so many goods were either produced within a household, or supplied by a lord. Retainers could get money, but they would also get food, lodging, weapons (sometimes), and cloth. Knights Templar were provided with clothes, horses, and armor. --Kenneth Hodges, hodges@math.berkeley.edu TOOLS Item Price Date Source Page 2 yokes 4s c1350 [3] 170 Foot iron of plough 5d " " " 3 mason's tools (not named) 9d " " " 1 spade and shovel 3d 1457 " " 1 axe 5d " " " 1 augur 3d " " " 1 vise 13s 4d 1514 [5] 27-28 Large biciron 60s " " " Small biciron 16s " " " Anvil 20s " " " Bellows 30s " " " Hammers 8d-2s 8d " " " 2 chisels 8d " " " Compete set of armorer's tools L13 16s 11d " " " Spinning Wheel 10 d 1457 [3] 170 HORSES Item Price Date Source Page War Horse up to 50s 12 cen (?) [7] 30 War Horse up to L80 13 cen [3] 72 Knight's 2 horses L10 1374 " 76 High-grade riding horse L10 13th cen " 72 Draught horse 10s-20s 13th cen " " Note: Horse prices varied dramatically; for instance, they doubled between 1210 and 1310. ([3], p. 37). FOOD AND LIVESTOCK Item Price Date Source Page Wine: Best Gascon in London 4d/gallon 1331 [2] 194 Best Rhenish in London 8d/London " " " Wine: Cheapest 3d-4d/gal Late 13 cen [3] 62 Best 8d-10d/gal " " " Ale (beer comes later): Good 1.5d/gal 14 cen [2] 201 Medium 1d/gal " " " Poor .75d/gal " " " Ale: First-rate 1-1.25d/gal 1320-1420 [3] 58 Second-rate .75-1d/gal " " " Ale (best): Somerset .75d 1338 [3] 210 London 1.25d " " " Beer, good 1d/quart late 16 cen [8] xx Dried Fruit (eg raisins, dates, 1-4d/lb, up figs, prunes), almonds, rice to 6d rare 14 cen(?) [3] 62-63 Spices (cinnamon, cloves, mace, pepper, sugar, etc). 1-3s/lb " " " Pepper 4s/lb mid 13 cen [9] 218 Pepper 6d/.5lb 1279-1280 [3] 11 Saffron 12s-15s/lb 14 cen(?) [3] 62-63 Cow (good) 10s 12 cen(?) [7] 30 Cow 9s 5d mid 14th [1] 99 Cow 6s 1285-1290 [3] 206 Ox 13s 1.25d mid 14 cen [1] 99 Sheep 1s 5d " " " Wether: Somerset 9d-10d 1338 [3] 210 London 1s 5d " " " Pig: Somerset 2s 1338 [3] 210 London 3s " " " Fowl 1d " " " 2 Chickens 1d 14 cen [4] 78 2 Dozen Eggs 1d " " " Goose (in London) 6d (legal) 7d-8d asked 1375 [2] 198 80 lb cheese 3s 4d late 13 cen [3] 114 Salted herring (wholesale) 5-10/1d 1382 [2] 198-199 Salt conger 6d each 1422-1423 [3] 69 Oats: Somerset 1s/quarter 1338 " 210 London 2s 2d per " " " quarter Cost of feeding a knight's or L30-L60, 15 cen [3] 199 merchants household per year up to L100 Related note: around 1380, these are the average costs per day of feeding people on an estate ([3], p. 65): lord, 7d; esquire, 4d; yeoman, 3d; and groom, 1d. BOOKS AND EDUCATION Item Price Date Source Page Monastary School L2 (approx) 1392-1393 [3] 75 per year Schoolmaster at Croyden: Board 2s/week* 1394 [2] 186 Instruction 13s 4d/year " " " Oxford: Board 104s/year 1374 " " Clothing 40s/year " " " Instruction 26s 8d/year " " " University: Minimum L2-L3/year Late 14 cen [3] 75 Student of good birth L4-L10/year " " " Fencing Instruction 10s/month Late 16 cen [8] xx 7 Books L5 (approx) 1479 [3] 76 126 Books L113 1397 [3] 77 To Rent a book .5d-1d per mid 13 cen [9] 172 pecia** * Source says 2s/day. This is not only insanely high, but the text also claims that the board was the same as at Oxford--i.e., 2s/week or 104s/year. ** A pecia is 16 columns of 62 lines of 32 letters, i.e., 31 744 letters, or about 7 500 - 8 000 words. Rental period is not specified, but I would guess a year; books were rented to be copied, and copying the Bible took 15 months. See [9], p. 172. BUILDINGS Item Price Date Source Page Rent per annum for 138 shops on London Bridge L160 4s 1365 [2] 114 Rent for the three London taverns with the exclusive right to sell sweet wines (hippocras, clarry, piments) L200 1365-1375 [2] 195-196 Rent cottage 5s/year 14 cen(?) [3] 208 Rent craftsman's house 20s/year " " " Rent merchant's house L2-L3/year " " " Cottage (1 bay, 2 storeys) L2 early 14 cen " 205 Row house in York (well built) up to L5 " " " Craftsman's house (i.e., with shop, work area, and room for workers) with 2-3 bays and tile roof L10-L15 early 14 cen [3] 205 Modest hall and chamber, not including materials L12 1289 [3] 79-80 Merchant's house L33-L66 early 14 cen [3] 205 House with courtyard L90+ " " " Goldsmiths' Hall (in London, with hall, kitchen, buttery, 2 chambers) L136 1365 [2] 114 Large tiled barn L83 1309-1310 [3] 79 Wooden gatehouse (30' long), barn, and drawbridge: Contract L5 6s 8d + 1341 [3] 81 builder's clothing Estimated total L16 " " " Stone Gatehouse (40' X 18'): with all except stone L16 13s 4d 1313 [3] 79-80 estimated with stone L30 " " " Tower in castle's curtain wall L333, L395 late 14 cen " " Castle & college at Tattershall L450/annum 1434-1446 " 81 for 13 years Transept of Gloucester Abbey L781 1368-1373 [3] 79-80 Stonework of church (125', no L113 13 cen(?) " " tower) (contract) note: tithes were often calculated at 1d a week for every 20s of annual rent paid (4, p. 208). The following are the estimates of raw materials and labor that went into the tower of Langeais, a rectangular, tapering stone tower built in 992- 994. The source is [6], pp. 47ff. The dimensions at the base were 17.5 meters by 10 meters; the height was 16m (3 floors); the walls were 1.5m thick, made of two shells filled with loose rock. Limestone in building: about 1050 cubic meters, or 2 600 000 kg Wood in building: 47.5 cubic meters, or 34 600 kg Nails: 3 400, or 50 kg Mortar: 350 cubic meters. To make the mortar: sand: 225 cubic meters, or 360 000 kg limestone: 40 cubic meters, or 160 000 kg green wood: 540 cubic meters, or 286 000 kg Labor Costs, in Average Working Days (AWD): procurement: 14 250 transport: 2 880 labor: unskilled: 63 500 mason: 12 700 smith: 1 600 CLOTH AND CLOTHING Item Price Date Source Page Fashionable gown easily L10, late 14 cen [2] 53 up to L50 Gentry: Shoes 4d 1470s [3] 79 Boots 6d " " " Purse 1.5d " " " Hat 10d, 1s 2d " " " Craftsman's tabard and super- tunic 3s 1285-1290 [3] 206 Reeve's murrey (dark brown) robe 6s 4d 1349-1352 " 176 Reeve's red robe 5s 3d " " " Peasants (wealthy): Linen Chemise 8d 1313 [3] 175 Shoes 6d " " " Woolen garment 3s " " " Fur-lined garments 6s 8d early 14 cen " " Tunic 3s " " " Linen 1s " " " Landless serfs' tunics 1d-6d mid 14 cen " 176 Cloth for peasant tunics 8d-1s 3d early 14 cen " " per yard Best Wool 5s/yard 1380 [3] 78 "Tawny and russet" 6s/yard 1479-1482 " " Silk 10s-12s 15 cen(?) " " per yard Furs added to garment +L2-L3 to 15 cen(?) " 79 garment The worth of cloth provided yearly by a lord to: esquires 2s 11d/yard 1289-1290 [3] 78 yeomen 2s/yard " " " lesser servants 1s 7d/yard " " " Note: loose tunics take 2.25-2.5 yards. In the late 14th century, shorter doubled (lined) tunics, known as doublets, became fashionable, requiring 4 yards ([3], pp 175,176). ARMOR Item Price Date Source Page Mail 100s 12 cen(?? [7] 30 Ready-made Milanese armor L8 6s 8d 1441 [4] 112 Squire's armor L5-L6 16s 8d " " " Armor for Prince of Wales, "gilt and graven" L340 1614 [5] 20 Complete Lance Armor L3 6s 8d 1590 [5] 185 Complete corselets 30s " " " Cuirass of proof with pauldrons 40s " " " Normal cuirass with pauldrons 26s 8d " " " Target of proof 30s " " " Morion 3s 4d " " " Burgonet 4s " " " Cuirass of pistol-proof with pauldrons L1 6s 1624 [5] 189-190 Cuirass without pauldrons L1 " " " Lance Armor L4 " " " Targets of Proof 24s " " " Cuirass with cap L4 " " " Armor of proof L14 2s 8d 1667 " 68 Bascinet 13s 4d + 1369 " 88 3s 4d to line it Armor in a merchant's house (leather?) 5s 1285-1290 [3] 206 Total Armor owned by a knight L16 6s 8d 1374 " 76 Armor in house of Thomas of Woodstock, duke of Gloucester L103 1397 " 77 Fee for cleaning rust off corselets 5d each 1567 [5] 80 Fee for varnishing, replacing straps, and rivetting helmet and corselet 1s 4d 1613 [5] 90 Barrel for cleaning mail 9d 1467 [5] 79 Note: mail is chainmail; almost all the rest is plate-armor. The armor of the knight in 1374 was probably mail with some plates; same for Gloucester's. Mail was extremely susceptible to rust, and was cleaned by rolling it in sand and vinegar in a barrel. Pauldrons are shoulder plates; morions are open helms, burgonets and bascinets closed helms; and a target refers to any of a number different kind of shields. Armor of proof is tested during the making with blows or shots from the strongest weapons of the time; if a weapon is listed, the armor does not claim to be proof against everything, only that it is proof up to that weapon's strength (eg pistol proof is not musket proof, but may be sword proof). All plate armor was lined with cloth, to pad the wearer, quiet the armor, and reduce wear between the pieces. This, along with the necessary straps, was a significant amount of the expense. An armorer asking for money to set up shop in 1624 estimated production costs and profit for a number of different types of armor: I give two examples below ([5], pp. 189-190). Cuirass of proof with pauldrons: plates: 5s 6d finishing, rivets, and straps: 7s 6d selling price 26s Lance armor: plates 14s 5d finishing, et cetera 40s selling price 80s WEAPONS Item Price Date Source Page Cheap sword (peasant's) 6d 1340s [3] 174 Pair of wheel-lock pistols, with tools for them L2 16s mid 17th [4] 208 Holsters for pistols 6d " " " Wheel-lock carbine L1 10s " " " Shoulder belt for carbine 1s " " " Pair of flintlock pistols L2 5s " " " Flintlock carbine L1 2s " " " Musket 16s 6d-18s 6d " " " Note: Sorry, folks, that's all I found. It was mandatory in England for all freemen to own certain types of weapons and armor. (In 1181 every freeman having goods worth 10 marks (1 mark = 13s 4d) had to have a mail shirt, a helmet, and a spear. All other freemen should have helmet, spear, and gambeson (quilted armor) [4], p. 39.) Later, the government stored arms and armour in churches for use; in the 13th century anyone with an income of L2-L5 (wealthy peasants) had to have bows; archery practice became compulsory on Sundays and holidays. You may know that the extreme range of the longbow was 400 yards, but did you know that a statute of Henry VIII no one over 24 could practice at a range of less than 220 yards? (See [4], p. 95 and elsewhere). Note: for guessing prices, see the section on tools (an axe for 5d). An armorer might make 24s a month; say a week to make a decent sword, and you might get a price that way. See the section on books and education for fencing instruction. MARRIAGE Item Price Date Source Page Sample peasant dowries: 13s 4d, 14 cen(?) [3] 179 35s 11d, 57s, 63s 4d For serfs, mechet (fees) to lord, depending on wealth 1s-13s 4d 14 cen(?) [3] 179 Wedding feast, wealthy peasant 20s " " " Wealthy peasant wedding total L3-L4 " " " Dowry for esquire's daughter up to L66 15 cen " 84 13s 4d Dowry for baron's daughter L1000 + " " " London parents (both sets) each offered couple L100 1385 [2] 154 Note: these costs will be wildly varying depending on circumstance. FUNERALS Item Price Date Source Page Cheap gentlewoman's funeral (bell-ringing, clergy, food) L7 1497 [3] 85 Brass monument, with a figure incised, on marble base-- fitting for lesser aristocrat L8 early 14 cen " " Bishop Mitford's funeral (with 1450 guests!) L130+ 1407 " " Memorial Chapel for Richard Beauchamp, earl of Warwick L2481 1439-1463 " " Bronze effigy on guilded tomb L400 " " " Note: Christopher Dyer gives as a rough rule of thumb 1 year's income for a funeral ([3], p. 85) TRAVEL Item Price Date Source Page Queen's chariot L400 14 cen [1] 99 Lady Eleanor's chariot L1000 14 cen [1] 99 Chariot L8 1381 [3] 72 Chariot maintence 1-3s/year 14 cen " " Barge L10 " " " Iron-bound cart 4s c1350 " 170 Guide for a night 1d 14 cen [1] 129 Ferry ride per horseman 1d " " " Keeping an earl's warhorse 82 days in summer 36s 9.5d 1287 [3] 71 Note: [1], pp 126-129, gives the following prices at an inn in 1331. For one day, 3 men with 4 servants spent: Bread, 4d; beer, 2d; wine 1.25d; meat, 5.5d; potage, .25d; candles, .25d; fueld, 2d; beds, 2d; fodder for horses, 10d. The four servants staying alone sleep 2 nights for 1d. Generally, all 7 spend 2d a night on beds; in London, it is 1d per head. MISCELLANEOUS Item Price Date Source Page 6 silver spoons 14s 1382 [2] 24 2 gold rings with diamonds L15 " " " Gold Ring with ruby 26s 8d " " " 3 strings of pearls 70s " " " 6 gold necklaces 100s " " " Fee to enroll an apprentice: with mercers (rich merchants) 2s 14 cen [2] 111 with carpenters 1s " " " Fee to join guild at end of apprenticeship: with mercers 20s " [2] 111 with carpenters 3s 4d " " " Fee to join guild 6s 8d-L3 14 cen(?) [3] 208 Fee to gain freedom of a town (to enjoy its exemption from feudal duties, I assume) 3s 4d-20s 14 cen(?0 [3] 208 To empty a cesspit in a city 6s 8d 15 cen(?) [3] 209 Candles Somerset 1.5d/lb 1338 [3] 210 London 2d-2.5d/lb " " " Candles tallow 1.5d/lb 15 cen(?) [3] 74 wax 6.5d/lb 1406-1407 " " Vat 4d 1457 [3] 170 Barrel 3d " " " Bottle 4d " " " 2 buckets 1s " " " 1 sheet 4d " " " 1 mattress 2d " " " 4 pillows 4d " " " 3 boards for a bed 4d " " " 2 sheets, 4 blankets 5s 8p 1349-1352 " " 16 bedspreads, 20 sheets, 8 featherbeds L3 1s 1285-1290 [3] 206 Duke's bed of cloth of gold, with blue satin canopy L182 3s 1397 [3] 77 Table 6d 1457 [3] 170 Chair 3d " " " Chest with necessaries thereto 2s 2d " " " 2 chests 6d each " " " Metal ewer 6d 1349-1352 " " Brass pot 2s " " " Basin and ewer 8d " " " Basin and ewer 2s 8d " " " Towel 6d " " " Coffer 1s " " " 2 stools 8d " " " Ceramic cooking pot .5d 1340s " 174 Note: most of these come from inventories of peasants' belongings. The fine goods would be more expensive. Note about lighting: great houses could use 100 lb of wax and tallow in a single winter night ([3], p. 74). Others, not as rich, would go to sleep earlier. WAGES Profession Wage Date Source Page Mercenaries: knight banneret 4s/day 1316 [4] 78 knight 2s/day " " " man-at-arms or squire 1s/day " " " Regular Army Esquires, constables, and centenars 1s/day 1346 [4] 79 Mounted archers, armored infantry, hobilars, vintenars 6d/day " " " Welsh vintenars 4d/day " " " Archers 3d/day " " " Welsh infantry 2d/day " " " Captain 8s/day late 16 cen [4] 181 Lieutenant 4s/day " " " Ensign 2s/day " " " Drummer or trumpeter 20d/day " " " cavalryman 18d/day " " " infantry 8d/day " " " Laborer L2/year max c1300 [3] 29 Crown revenues (at peace) L30 000 c1300 " " Barons per year L200-500+ c1300 " " Earls per year L400-L11000 c1300 " " Sergeant at Law (top lawyer) L300/year 1455 " 47 Chief armorer 26s 8d/month 1544 [5] 182 Other armorers in same shop 24s/month 1544 " " except "Old Martyn" who made 38s 10d/month 1544 " " Apprentices in same shop 6d/day 1544 " " Master mason 4d/day 1351 [2] 24 Master carpenter 3d/day " " " Carpenters' Guild stipend to a sick member 14d/week 1333 [2] 156 Weavers 5d/day, no 1407 [2] 146 food Chantry priest per year L4 13s 4d 1379 [2] 24 Squires per annum 13s 4d-L1 14 cen [1] 116-117 Carters, porters, falconers 5s-8s 8d 14 cen [1] 116-117 grooms, messengers per year Kitchen servants 2s-4s/year 14 cen [1] 116-117 Boys and pages 1s-6s/year 14 cen [1] 116-117 Wardens of London Bridges L10/year 1382 [2] 128 Note: sheriffs of London paid 300L per year, hoping to make a profit from the fines they collected. Note: 30 adult sheep could produce about 20s of wool per year in 1299 ([3], p. 114). Note: To get a VERY ROUGH sense of money, I reproduce the following chart from Dyer ([3], p. 206). These are averages of daily wages in pence. Decade Thatcher Thatcher's mate 1261-70 2 - 1271-80 2.5 1 1281-90 2.25 1 1291-1300 2.5 1 1301-10 2.5 1 1311-20 3 1.25 1321-30 3 1 1331-40 3 1.25 1341-50 3 1.25 1351-60 3.5 2 1361-70 3.5 2 1371-80 4.25 2.5 1381-90 4 2.25 1391-1400 4.25 2.75 1401-10 4.5 3 1411-20 4.75 3 1421-30 4.5 3 1431-40 4.5 3.25 1441-50 5.25 4 1451-60 5.5 3.25 1461-70 4.75 3.75 1471-80 5.25 3.75 1481-90 6 3.75 1491-1500 5.5 3.5 1501-10 5.75 4 1511-20 5.25 4 [1] _English Wayfaring Life in the XIVth Century_, J. J. Jusserand, trans Lucy Smith, Putnam's Sons, New York,1931 (Orig. 1889). [2] _London in the Age of Chaucer_, A. R. Myers, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, 1972 [3] _Standards of Living in the Later Middle Ages_, Christopher Dyer, Cambridge University Press, 1989 [4] _English Weapons & Warfare, 449-1660_, A. V. B. Norman and Don Pottinger, Barnes & Noble, 1992 (orig. 1966) [5] _The Armourer and his Craft from the XIth to the XVIth Century_, Charles ffoulkes, Dover, 1988 (orig. 1912) [6] "The Cost of Castle Building: The Case of the Tower at Langeais," Bernard Bachrach, in _The Medieval Castle: Romance and Reality_, ed. Kathryn Reyerson and Faye Powe, Kendall/Hunt, Dubuque, Iowa, 1984 [7] _The Knight in History_, Frances Gies, Harper & Row, New York, 1984 [8] _Methods and Practice of Elizabethan Swordplay_, Craig Turner and Tony Soper, Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale, 1990 [9] _Life in a Medieval City_, Joseph and Frances Gies, Harper & Row, New York, 1969 >From Mr-Hyde.aoc.nrao.edu!lynx.unm.edu!umn.edu!news-feed-1.peachnet.edu!gatech!howland.reston.ans.net!agate!jif.berkeley.edu!hodges Mon Aug 16 23:49:12 MDT 1993 This is an addendum to a previously posted price list (posted about 2 days ago). I since bought an intriguing book on the history of the long bow, particularly in England, and that gave me some information on the prices of weapons, as well as some other background information. That, coupled with things I left out earlier, is what I add here. The list of my sources follows after the prices. TOOLS Loom and treadle 2s 1432 [3] 172 Spinning Wheel 1s or less ? [3] 172 Plough, total 3s-4s 14 cen(?) [3] 171 FOOD Oatmeal 2s/28 lb late 13 cen [10] 44 Wheat (not best quality) .75d/lb late 13 cen " " Salt 16d/28 lb late 13 cen " " Salt 3s/28 lb 1300 " " Ox carcase 3s 8d late 13 cen " " Food for a garrison of 51 men for one year (meat, fresh and salted, cheese, eggs, butter, meal, salt, bread, ale) L24 5s 1.5d 1299 [10] 45 Wine 2.5d/gallon 1300 [10] 45 Pig 2s 8d c1300 [10] 45 A bacon 9.5d 1305 [10] 45 Ox 10s 1290s [3] 116 Beef 2d/lb 16 cen [10] 201 Goose 4d 1290s [3] 115 Eggs 4d/100 1290s [3] 115 BUILDINGS Peasant house, peasant built, 3 bays L2-L3 15 cen [3] 167 Peasant house, lord built, (better quality) L2-L7 15 cen [3] 167 To build a flimsy cottage 10s early 14 cen [3] 166 CLOTH AND CLOTHING Canvas, 20 ells (25 yards) 6s 8d 1300-1305 [10] 45 ARMOR Bascinet 2s 2.5d 1300-1305 [10] 45 WEAPONS Lance 6d 1300-1305 [10] 45 Small crossbow 3-5s late 13 cen [10] 44 Large crossbow 5-7s Late 13 cen [10] 44 1000 crossbow bolts 26s-34s 4d Late 13 cen [10] 44 1000 Iron heads for bolts 14d-16d Late 13 cen [10] 44 Longbow of bough wood (heartwood is better) 12d mid 14 cen [10] 44 Long bow of heartwood 1s 6d mid 14 cen [10] 44 12 branchwood bows and 120 arrows 12s 4d 1470 [10] 44 10 bows 20s 1480 [10] 44 "White" long bow* 1s 6d 14 cen [10] 83 "Painted" long bow* 2s 14 cen [10] 83 Best longbow, max legal price 3s 4d late 15 cen [10] 44 Ann Boleyn's bows 4s 4d each 1534 [10] 135 Bowstaves (unfinished) From Salzburg L15-L16/100 1574 [10] 128-129 From Switzerland L12-L13/100 1574 [10] 128-129 From East Europe (too cold) L4-L5/100 1574 [10] 128-129 288 arrows (12 sheaves) 34s 8d 1480 [10] 44 2 Arrows .25d 1300-1305 [10] 45 4000 arrows 52s 5d 1359 [10] 83 Livery arrows 18d/sheaf early 16 cen [10] 133 Fee for refitting arrows (renocking, refeathering, reheading and trimming) 9d/sheaf early 16 cen [10] 133 Red leather quiver 9d 1480 [10] 44 Quiver belt 2d 1480 [10] 44 *The distinction between white and painted is not clear. Robert Hardy suggests white bows were not well seasoned, and that painted bows were fully-seasoned (better) bows, varnished to preserve the wood. note: in 16th century the difference between a good and bad bow could be as much as 1s ([10], p. 136). Draw-weights were huge; in bows recovered from the Tudor warship the Mary Rose, the draw weights were 100-180 lbs. ([10], p. 201). Merchants were often required to bring in bowstaves as part of a toll (for instance, 10 staves for every cask of wine, at a penalty of 13s 4d in 1483, [10] p, 130). The fine for skipping archery practice on a hoilday was 2 farthings ([10], 129). TRAVEL Cart, wooden (not fit for long trips) 1-2s 14 cen(?) [3] 171 Cart, iron-shod wheels (fit for long trips) 10s-18s 14 cen(?) [3] 171 To hire small ship (26 crew) 52s 6d/week 1355 [10] 86 MISCELLANEOUS Cask 8d each 1300-1305 [10] 45 Sea Coal 1d/bushel 1300-1305 [10] 45 Spanish iron in England 1s 6d/24 lb 1436 [5] 39 Steel L32/ton 1622 [5] 39 WAGES Armorer 18d/week 1287-1305 [10] 44 Crossbow repairer 14d/week 1287-1305 [10] 44 Plumber 3d/day 1287-1305 [10] 44 SOURCES [1] _English Wayfaring Life in the XIVth Century_, J. J. Jusserand, trans Lucy Smith, Putnam's Sons, New York,1931 (Orig. 1889). [2] _London in the Age of Chaucer_, A. R. Myers, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, 1972 [3] _Standards of Living in the Later Middle Ages_, Christopher Dyer, Cambridge University Press, 1989 [4] _English Weapons & Warfare, 449-1660_, A. V. B. Norman and Don Pottinger, Barnes & Noble, 1992 (orig. 1966) [5] _The Armourer and his Craft from the XIth to the XVIth Century_, Charles ffoulkes, Dover, 1988 (orig. 1912) [6] "The Cost of Castle Building: The Case of the Tower at Langeais," Bernard Bachrach, in _The Medieval Castle: Romance and Reality_, ed. Kathryn Reyerson and Faye Powe, Kendall/Hunt, Dubuque, Iowa, 1984 [7] _The Knight in History_, Frances Gies, Harper & Row, New York, 1984 [8] _Methods and Practice of Elizabethan Swordplay_, Craig Turner and Tony Soper, Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale, 1990 [9] _Life in a Medieval City_, Joseph and Frances Gies, Harper & Row, New York, 1969 [10] _Longbow: A Social and Military History_, Robert Hardy, Bois d'Arc Press, 1992 ====================================================================== // This is one of a very occasional series of articles from old books; I post // an installment every few months. This one is from an 1883 transcription // of a 16th Century collection of old manuscripts relating to Berkeley (in // England, not California... Pronounced `barkly'). // The document gives prices from Edward Ist's reign and for two later times. // // Notes on Orthography (letters & spelling) and on Units of Money at the end // of this document. In general, the original spelling is retained. * (The Lives of the Berkeleyes, Vol I, p. 161, 1321) * Prices of Corne Cattle Pultry &c. *Also* theis Accompts will truely informe this noble Family what were the vsuall prices of Catle, Corne, Pultry and other provisions expended in the house of this lord, and as the same were vsually bought and sold in fayres and marketts duringe that twenty and seaven yeares of Edward the first raigne, wherein this Lord lived a Baron, viz\t. Wheat the Quarter at ... ... 2s 4d, 3s, 4s and 5s Maslin the Quarter at ... ... 2s, 2s 4d, 3s and 4s Barly the Quarter at ... ... 20d, 2s 8d, 3s 4d, and 4s Beanes the Quarter at ... ... 2s, 2s 8d, 3s 4d, and 4s Otes the Quarter at ... ... 20d, 2s, 2s 4d | [f.193] Pillcorne, from the Mill, the Quarter at ... ... ... 3s, 3s 8d An Oxe at ... ... ... ... 10s---11s---12s A Cowe and Calfe at ... ... ... 9s---10s A bacon Hogg at ... ... ... 5s---5s 6d A fat porket at ... ... ... 2s---2s 2d A fat sheep at ... ... ... 17d---18d---20d---2s A Lamb at ... ... ... ... 10d---12d A Goose at ... ... ... ... 3d A Capon at ... ... ... ... 2d [p.162] A Hen at ... ... ... ... 1d ob~ A Duck at ... ... ... ... 1d 4 Pigeons ... ... ... ... 1d 20 Eggs ... ... ... ... 1d *And* in the fifteenth yeare of Kinge Edward the second, when thys Lord dyed, the prices stood thus . viz\t. *Wheat*, the quarter ... ... ... 4s Maslin the quarter ... ... ... 3s Barly the quarter ... ... ... 3s Beanes the quarter ... ... ... 3s Otes the quarter ... ... ... 2s Fetches the quarter ... ... ... 20d Malt of wheat the Quarter ... ... 6s Malt of Otes the Quarter ... ... 2s 2d Malt of Barly the Quarter, ... ... 4s A Quarter of Apples ... ... ... 10d A Sturgeon in the xix th. of Edward the } second sold for } 26s 8d An oxe at ... ... ... ... 20s An Oxe hide ... ... ... 3s 6d A Cowe and a Calfe, at ... ... 12s---13s---15s A sheep, beetweene ... ... ... 17d and 2s A Sheepskyn, accordinge to the growth of the fell, at 4d., 5d., 6d. such as were killed for provision of the house. A Lambe, at ... ... ... ... 12d A goat Skin, at ... ... ... 4d ob~ A Goose, at ... ... ... ... 3d A Ducke, at ... ... ... ... 1d q/r The rest as before. Threashing a quarter of wheat ... 2d Threashing a quarter of beanes ... 1d ob~ Threashing a quarter of Oates ... 1d Wages of a day laborer ... ... ob~ q/r // laborer _sic_. A yeomans bord wages, per diem ... 1d ob~ A groome or Pages boord wages per diem 1d // orig. p/~ di&e-bar; // p. 163 And by a proclamation in the viij th. of this kinge, none might sell wine in theire Tavernes, above iij d. the gallon. // Margin note: Claus: 8. E. 2. m: 2. *In the* tyme of Kinge Edward the third, generally about theis rates as followe, but the further in his longe raigne of fiftye yeares, the dearer. As thus viz\t. Wheat the quarter ... ... ... 5s 4d---7s---10s Barly the quarter ... ... ... 4s---5s 4d Beanes the quarter ... ... ... 4s Otes the quarter ... ... ... 2s 8d---3s 4d Bay salt the quarter, ... ... 18d An Oxe from 14s. to ... ... ... 24s A Sowe and six pigs ... ... ... 5s A boare ... ... ... ... 4s A Calfe ... ... ... ... 2s A Store pigge or shote ... ... 12d Pigeons, the dozen ... ... ... 3d---3d ob~---4d An Haggard Falcon ... ... ... 20s In the residue little variation | [f.195] *And* in the tyme of Kinge Richard the second, for the two' and twenty yeares of his raigne, the prizes of graine, Cattle and pultry, were rather cheaper then dearer, but the difference in effect that was, was in the temperature and season of the yeare. // prizes, _sic_. for prices. A weight of wool (beinge . 21 pound) called pondus, ... 5s. A sacke of wool at ... ... 7li. 6s. 8d.---8li. Onions, a Bushell ... ... ... ... ... 8d. Eggs . 20 for a peny, which in 150. yeares did never rise nor fall. *And at* this day, wherein I write, Anno 1622, the Comon prizes of the like Comodities in the same place, is generally thus. viz\t. Wheat the Quarter ... ... ... 36s Maslin the Quarter ... ... ... 26s 8d Barly the Quarter ... ... ... 20s Barly malt the Quarter ... ... 24s Beanes the Quarter ... ... ... 20s A draught Oxe, about ... ... 5l. // l. [sic] for li. // page 164 A Cowe and a calfe about ... ... 3li.10s. A Sheepe about ... ... ... 8s Eggs 5 for ... ... ... ... 1d *And* theis prizes stand in resemblance of the like corne and Cattle in my old former valuations; which as well for the instruction of him that delights herein, As for avoydance of the like error this lord fell into, I have clustered here togeather. *As for* horses in those active old ages of the three Edwards, and of kinge Richard the second, the lord Berkeleys have payde for horses of service in the warrs, and for the saddle, and draught, as deere as nowe in our dayes; 100li., 100 markes, 50li., 30li., 20li., 10li. 20 nobles, 5li., &c. // Margin note: // Polichr: lib: 7 // cap: 38. *But* of yeares of dearth and of extremities, when through scarcity prizes were as deere as nowe, mentioned in divers Chronicles, I have not spoken; But desire to bee vnderstoode of the comon and usuall prizes in each ordinary and temperate yeare. // Margin note: // com&p-tilde;i predc&t-tilde;. in // Castro de Berkeley. *And* theis Accompts will further informe this noble family, That when this lord was free from forren imployments, hee went often in progress from one of his Manor and farme houses to an other, scarce two miles a sunder, making his stay at each of then for one or twoe nights overseeing and directinge the forementioned husbandries, And soe backe to | his standinge houses // [f.196] where his wife and family remayned, which was very great, as after appeareth, sometymes at Berkeley Castle, at Wotton, at Bradley, at Awre, at Portbury, And vsually in Lent, at Wike by Arlingham, for his better and neerer provision of Fish: where, for his famous // Margin note: // Com: 6. et 7. E: // 2.inCastro do Berk: weares of Rodly, Geron, and Put'house, he had a spetiall Officer called Piscator de Berkeley, whose annuall Accompts, comonly came vnto 30li. per Ann~; for fish there taken: Some of which doe speake, That of antient custome, the Constable of Berkeley Castle was vpon the first sunday in Lent allowed a salmon for his dinner, which in this Seaventh of Edward the second, cost---x d. ob~. * Monies, Weights and Measures, and Other Terms: Taken from Chambers' English Dictionary, except some marked [SOED] which are from the Shorter Oxford English Dictionar (2 Vols, Oxford). q/r = quadrans = farthing = quarter of a penny (0.25d) ob~ = obulus = halfpenny (0.5d) 1d is a penny (denarius, plural is danarii) 1s is a shilling (solidus, plural is solidii), worth 12d 1li is a pound (librum, plural libra), woh 20 shillings, i.e. 240d. a noble was a gold coin worth 6s 8d. (80d, or 1/3 of a pound) a mark was the value of 8 ounces of gold or silver; 123 4d (!) a Quarter is eight bushels. a bushel is (a dry measure of) 8 gallons. A Quarter of corn may have weighed about a quarter of a ton at one time, I don't know if it still would! Fetch = Vetch, a grain [SOED] Maslin = Mixed Grain, esp. rye mixed with wheat. Also, bread made of the same. [SOED] Pilcorn = A kind of oat, in which the glumes or husks do not adhere to the grain, but leave it bare. Also called pilled oats. [SOED] Porket = a small or young pig or hog; a young hog fattened for pork [SOED] Orthography: \t. is a superscript t with a dot centred below it; ob~ shuld have the ~ through the ascender of the b, for obulus, halfpenny q/r should be a q with a subscript 3 at a slight angle, for quadrans, farthing. (the "3"is actually a kind of terminal r) The signs for currency (li, s, d) are superscripted with a centred dot beneath them on the baseline. Simarly the th in xix th. *Blackletter* is thus marked. A | indicates a new page in the original, together with the folio; I am using the 1883 (and only printed?) edition, and page numbers (marked with p.nnn rather than f.nnn) refer to that edition. An em dash is indicated as --- and is set (1883 edition) with no spaces on either side. Notes in [brackets] are as printed; // Notes like this are mine (i.e. Liam's)