Appendix. paid only in the county where he lived, though he fhould poffefs eftates in other counties; and the affeffors formed a loose estimation of his property, and rated him accordingly. To preserve, however, fome rule in the estimation, it feems to have been the practice to keep an eye to former affeffments, and to rate every man according as his ancestors, or men of fuch an estimated property, were accustomed to pay. This was a fufficient reafon, why fubfidies could not increase, notwithstanding the great increase of money and rife of rents. But there was an evident reason, why they continually decreased. The favor, as is natural to suppose, ran always against the crown; especially during the latter end of Elizabeth, when fubfidies became numerous and frequent, and the fums levied were confiderable, compared to former fupplies. The affeffors though accustomed to have an eye to ancient estimations, were not bound to observe any such rule; but might rate a-new any perfon, according to his present income. When rents fell, or parts of an estate were fold off, the proprietor was fure to reprefent these loffes, and obtain a diminution of his fubfidy; but where rents rofe, or new lands were purchafed, he kept his own fecret, and paid no more than formerly. The advantage, therefore, of every change was taken against the crown; and the crown could obtain the advantage of none. And to make the matter worse, the alterations, which happened in property during this age, were, in general unfavor

able to the crown. The fmall proprietors, or Appendix, twenty pound men, went continually to decay; and when their eftates were fwallowed up by a greater, the new purchaser increased not his fubfidy. So loose indeed is the whole method of rating fubfidies, that the wonder was not how the tax should continually diminish; but how it yielded any revenue at all. It became at last so unequal and uncertain, that the parliament was obliged to change it into a land tax.

THE price of corn, during this reign, and that of the other neceffaries of life, was no lower, or was rather higher, than at prefent. By a procla mation of James, establishing public magazines, whenever wheat fell below thirty-two fhillings a quarter, rye below eighteen, barley below fixteen, the commiffioners were empowered to purchase corn for the magazines". These prices then are to be regarded as low; though they would rather pafs for high by our prefent estimation. usual bread of the poor was at this time made of barley". The beft wool, during the greater part of James's reign, was at thirty-three fhillings a tod : At prefent, it is not above two-thirds. of that value; though it is to be prefumed, that our exports in woollen goods are fomewhat

28

30

The

Rymer, tom. xvii. p. 526. To the fame purpose, fee alfo 21 Jac. vi. cap. 28.

29

30

Rymer, tom. xx. p. 157.

See a compendium, or dialogue inferted in the Memoirs of Wool, chap. 23.

Appendix. increased. The finer manufactures too, by the progress of arts and industry, have rather diminished in price, notwithstanding the great increase

of money. In Shakespeare, the hoftefs tells

Falstaff, that the fhirts fhe bought him were holland at eight fhillings a-yard; a high price at this day, even fuppofing, what is not probable, that the best holland at that time was equal in goodness to the best that can now be purchased. In like manner, a yard of velvet, about the middle of Elizabeth's reign, was valued at twoand-twenty fhillings. It appears, from Dr. Birch's life of prince Henry that that prince, by contract with his butcher, paid near a groat a pound throughout the year, for all the beef and mutton used in his family. Besides, we must confider, that the general turn of that age, which no laws could prevent, was the converting of arable land into pasture: A certain proof that the latter was found more profitable, and confequently that all butcher's meat, as well as bread, was rather higher than at prefent. We have a regulation of the market with regard to poultry and fome other articles, very early in Charles I.'s reign "; and the prices are high. A turkey cock four fhillings and fixpence, a turkey hen three fhillings, a pheasant cock fix, a pheasant hen five, a partridge one fhilling, a goofe two, a capon two and fixpence, a pullet one and fixpence, a rabbit eight pence, a dozen of pigeons fix fhil

32

61 P. 449.

32

Rymer, tom. xix, p. 511.

lings

lings " We must confider, that London at Appendix. present is more than three times more populous than it was at that time: A circumftance, which much increases the price of poultry, and of every thing that cannot conveniently be brought from a distance: Not to mention, that these regulations by authority are always calculated to diminish never to increase the market prices. The contractors for victualling the navy were allowed by government eight pence a-day for the diet of each man, when in harbour, feven pence halfpenny when at fea "; which would fuffice at. present. The chief difference in expense between that age and the present confifts in the imaginary wants of men, which have fince extremely multiplied. Thefe " are the principal reasons, why James's revenue would go farther than the fame money in our time; though the difference is not near fo great as is ufually imagined.

34

THE public was entirely free from the danger Arms. and expense of a standing army. While James was vaunting his divine vicegerency, and boasting of his high prerogative, he poffeffed not fo much as a fingle regiment of guards to maintain his

33 We may judge of the great grievance of purveyance by this circumftance, that the purveyors often gave but fixpence for a dozen of pigeons, and two pence for a fowl. Journ. 25 May, 1626.

34

Rymer, tom. xvii. p. 441. et feq.

35 This volume was writ above thirty years before the prefent edition of 1789. In that short period, prices have perhaps rifen more, than during the preceding, hundred and.

fifty.

Appendix. extenfive claims: A fufficient proof, that he fincerely believed his pretenfions to be well grounded, and a strong prefumption, that they were at least built on what were then deemed

36

37

plaufible arguments. The militia of England, amounting to 160,000 men , was the fole defence of the kingdom. It is pretended, that they were kept in good order during this reign ". The city of London procured officers, who had ferved abroad, and who taught the trained bands their exercises in Artillery garden; a practice which had been difcontinued fince 1588. All the counties of England, in emulation of the capital, were fond of showing a well-ordered and well-appointed militia. It appeared, that the natural propenfity of men towards military fhows and exercifes will go far, with a little attention in the fovereign, towards exciting and fupporting this fpirit in any nation. The very boys, at this time, in mimicry of their elders, inlifted themselves voluntarily into companies, elected officers, and practifed the difcipline, of which the models were every day exposed to their view ". Sir Edward Harwood, in a memorial compofed at the beginning of the fubfequent reign, fays, that England was fo unprovided with horfes fit for war, that 2000 men could not poffibly be mounted throughout

36 Journ. March, 1623.

37 Stowe. See alfo Sir Walter Raleigh of the preroga tives of parliament, and Johnstoni hift. lib. xviii.

38

Stowe.