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From about 1570 to about 1640, during a period of about seventy

years, the variation in the proportion between the value of

silver and that of corn held a quite opposite course. Silver sunk

in its real value, or would exchange for a smaller quantity of

labour than before; and corn rose in its nominal price, and,

instead of being commonly sold for about two ounces of silver the

quarter, or about ten shillings of our present money, came to be

sold for six and eight ounces of silver the quarter, or about

thirty and forty shillings of our present money.