Notes and Queries, Number 15, February 9, 1850   By: Various

A MEDIUM OF INTER COMMUNICATION FOR LITERARY MEN, ARTISTS, ANTIQUARIES, GENEALOGISTS, ETC.

"When found, make a note of." CAPTAIN CUTTLE.

NO. 15] SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1850. [Price Threepence. Stamped Edition 4d.

{225}

CONTENTS.

NOTES: Page Wages in 17th and 19th centuries, by Rev. L.B. Larking ..225 Marlowe and the old Taming of a Shrew, by S. Hickson ....226 Notes from Fly Leaves, No. 6., by Rev. J. Jebb ..........227 Shakspeare's Use of Monosyllables, by C. Forbes .........227 Notes on Cunningham's London, by E.F. Rimbault ..........228

QUERIES: Folk Lore (Metrical Charms), by William J. Thoms ........229 Allusions in the Homilies ...............................229 Minor Queries: Pope's Translations of Horace Havior Arabic Numerals Eaton's Edward III. Dog Latin Cuckoo, Welsh Ambassador A recent Novel Authorship of a couplet Seal of Killigrew .....230

REPLIES: Selago and Samolus ......................................231 Ælfric's Colloquy, by B. Thorpe .........................232 Portraits of Luther and Erasmus .........................232 Replies to Minor Queries: Praise undeserved French Maxim Singular Motto Discurs, Modest. Pallace Litany Version of the Psalms Tempora Mutantur, &c. Pandoxare St. Thomas of Lancaster Fall of Rain in England Judas Bell Boduc on British Coins Lord Bacon's Version of the Psalms A "Gib" Cat Lay of the Phoenix, &c. ....................233

MISCELLANIES: Execution of Duke of Monmouth By Hook or by Crook Cupid Crying Miry land Town ..........................237

MISCELLANEOUS: Notes on Books, Sales, Catalogues, &c. ..................238 Books and Odd Volumes Wanted ............................238 Notices to Correspondents ...............................238 Advertisements ..........................................238

WAGES IN 17TH AND 19TH CENTURIES.

Running my eye accidentally through the household book of Sir Roger Twysden, from 1659 to 1670, it occurred to me to make a comparison between the relative prices of meat and wages, as there given, in order to ascertain the position of our peasantry in these parts, at the close of the 17th century. I send you a few extracts, by which it will be seen that, in Kent, at least, our agricultural labourers appear to have been in far better condition than those of the rest of England, who, in Mr. Macaulay's brilliant work, are represented as living "almost entirely on rye, barley, and oats," owing to the exorbitantly high price of meat, as compared with the ordinary scale of wages.

As to meat, I find the following entries:

"1659. Beef 2s. and 1s. 8d. per stone. a loin of mutton 1s. 6d. 1662. Beef 2s. per stone. a shin of beef 1s. 10d. a loin of veal 3s. 4d. a calve's head 1s. 2d. a quarter of mutton 4s. 4d. and 5s. a side of mutton 9s. 1664. 8 quarters of mutton 32s. 1 quarter of do. 4s. 6 stone of beef 10s. 4d. 1666. 6 stone of beef 10s. 4d. a fat weather 12s. 8d. 32 fat weathers 19l. 1667. 10 stone of beef and 2 lb. of suet 18s. 22 stone of beef 2l. 23 stone of beef 2l. 3s. a chine and a quarter of veal 8s. 1670. A chine and a quarter of mutton 5s. a quarter of lamb 2s. 6d."

Through this period we have: