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should take ten pence for the bushel or Wheat at the will of the
Giver； by which clause it appeareth that 10 pence was then a
large price； even in those Counties where the Bushel was bigger；
or else it had been a great Rigour to leave it to the will of the
Giver。
By the Statute of the 12th Richard the Second； the yearly
wages of a Bayliff was rated at thirteen shillings and four
pence； and by the aforesaid rate in Essex the wages of a Bayliff
is rated at three pounds three shillings and eight pence； which
is （near） five times the old Rate。 By the said Statute of 12 R。 a
master Hind is rated at ten shillings； a Carter at ten shillings；
a Shepheard at ten shillings； an Ox…heard at six shillings and
eight pence； a Cowheard at six shillings and eight pence。 By the
said Rate in Middlesex Carters are rated five pound wages； which
is ten times the old rate。 By the said rate in Middlesex the best
sort of Plough…men； Carters； or Shepheards are rated at three
pound。 The second sort of Hinds and all Servants in Husbandry at
two pound six shillings and eight pence； which amounteth in the
first； to six times the old rate； and in the second to seven
times the old rate； a woman labourer or Dairy woman by the said
Statute at Six shillings。 By the said rate in Middlesex； the best
women servants are rated at forty shillings a year； the second
sort at thirty three shillings and fourpence； which by medium
amounts to six times the old rate； and somewhat more； and by the
said rate in Essex； the best women are rated at thirty three
shillings and four pence； the second sort at one pound six
shillings and eight pence； which by a medium amounts to five
times the old Rate。
And if any many shall object； That the present rates will
not； generally through the whole Kingdome； hold thus high； though
they are thus rated in the parts near adjoyning to London：
It may be answered。 That by the old Statutes it was provided；
that in no place any higher rates than these should be given； but
they might give less； where less in former times had been used to
be given。
But on the other side it may be much more probably objected；
That the rates are now greater than they are here set down；
because it is not so strictly observed as it should be； whereas
when the old Statutes were first made it is probable that that
the Rates were with the largest； and were more strictly observed
than they now are： and although this computation of the wages and
hire of Servants and Labourers be （as I conceive） the most
certain way of comparison of the prices of all things between
that time of King Edward the third and this present； yet for
Confirmation I will add unto it another Observation； wherein we
shall find the same Proportion to hold in a Subject much more
general； and therefore so exactly calculated。 But therein I must
appeal to the well grounded Judgment of my Reader； and that is
that I will set down the entire receipts as I find them by
undoubted Records of divers years of Edward the Third； and then I
will briefly represent the actions of War in the said years；
besides the ordinary expence and the said actions of War could be
now maintained； but by a Proportion so much larger as the rates
of wages are now encreased； which I compute between six and eight
times as much a they were in the 19th year of Edward the third。
The whole receipts of the Kingdom； as appeareth by the Pell
of the Introitus amounted to 72；826 pound 11 shillings 5 pence；
in that year the King sent over six hundred men of Arms； and six
hundred Archers into Gascoign； under the Conduct of the Earl of
Derby； and divers other great Lords； who gathering unto them the
other Garrisons； did not only maintain a body of an Army in the
field a great part of that year； but recovered divers Towns by
Siege： all that year the King did likewise maintain some
auxiliary forces of good importance； the Number is not set down；
for the aid of the Duke of Brittany under the Command of Sir
Thomas Dayworth。 And that Year the King likewise made a voyage in
great magnificence into Flanders； and continued there long in
Treaty with Jacques van Arteveld and the Flemings； to withdraw
them from the Homage of their Earl unto his Allegience。 The 20th
year of Edward the Third； the whole Revenues of the Kingdom in
the Pell； amounted to 154；139 pound； 17 shillings 5 pence。 This
year the same forces were maintain'd in Gascoign； which did
freely ransack and spoil all Xaintong and Poitou； by the favour
of the Kings great Victories elsewhere。
And in July the King went over in person； and landed in
Normandy； and wasted a great part of that Province； and ransacked
many of the principal Towns： his forces transported thereto； are
by Hollingshead reckoned 4；000 men at Arms； and 10；000 Archers；
besides a great Number of Footmen； but not defined。 In the end of
Summer he fought that famous Battel of Cressey； and in the
beginning of Winter did set his Siege before Calais。 This Year
likewise was the King of Scots taken prisoner at the Battel of
Durham； by the Queen： The 21st year of his Reign his Receipts
amounted unto 226；113 pound； five shillings and five pence；
almost all this year the King continued his Siege before Calais；
having reinforced his Army； both out of England and Gascoign； and
kept the Sea by his own Shipping and the Easterlings； and in the
end of the year； notwithstanding that the King of France having
assembled all his Puissance； sought to rescue it； the Town was
yielded； and an English Colony transported thither； and Victuals
besides； all this year the King continued his auxiliary forces in
Brittany with great success。
Now if King Edward the Third had with his Revenue furnished
out Money for these great actions of War； besides the
Magnificence of his own house and other necessary expences of his
Kingdom； I do appeal to the Judgment of the Reader whether the
ordinary expences of the King's house； and other necessary things
within his Kingdom； and the like actions of War could be
maintained （not speaking of the success） at this day with any
frugality without any other increase of comings in； equal in
Proportion to the increase of the hire of Labourers and Servants
wages； which I compute at six times or rather at 8 times as much
as then it was。 And I am sure that whosoever shall exactly weigh
all Circumstances； shall find that of the two； this latter
comparison will exceed the former。
Having thus； with as much exactness as possible I can； and I
conceive is incident to this subject； made proof of the
Proportion between Gold and Silver and the things valued by them；
as it now stands compared with what it antiently was； and namely
in the 25th year of Edward the Third； the next that I have
undertaken to prove； is； that the different Proportion which is
really grown between Gold and Silver； and the things valued by
them； doth principally and indeed solely arise of the grat
quantities of the said Mettals； which in these hundred years was
brought out of the East and West…Indies。 Now although there be
many other causes which may produced this effect； as Scarcity or
Abundance of the things valued by Money； War； Depop