पृष्ठ 684 / 2651

In 1463, being the 3rd of Edward IV. it was enacted, that "no

servant in husbandry nor common labourer, nor servant to any

artificer inhabiting out of a city or burgh, shall use or wear in

their clothing any cloth above two shillings the broad yard." In

the 3rd of Edward IV., two shillings contained very nearly the

same quantity of silver as four of our present money. But the

Yorkshire cloth which is now sold at four shillings the yard, is

probably much superior to any that was then made for the wearing

of the very poorest order of common servants. Even the money

price of their clothing, therefore, may, in proportion to the

quality, be somewhat cheaper in the present than it was in those

ancient times. The real price is certainly a good deal cheaper.

Tenpence was then reckoned what is called the moderate and

reasonable price of a bushel of wheat.