1200-99 5-1/2 ... 3-1/2 ... 1300-99 6-1/4 ... 4-3/4 ... 1400-99 3 ... 5-1/2 ... 1500-99 6 ... 5-1/2 ... 1600-99 9-1/4 ... 8 ... 1700-66 7-3/4 7-1/2 12 10 15-3/4 1767-89 11 11-1/2 15-1/3 12-1/2 17-1/4 1790-1803 13 16-1/2 16-1/6 16-3/4 19-1/2 1804-10 20 20 20 20 20 Thus wheat in 1804-10 had risen 233 per cent. since the sixteenth century. THE LABOURER'S WAGES. The following table, published by Mr. Barton in 1817,[768] shows the depreciation of the labourer's wages in purchasing power between 1742 and 1808:-- Weekly Price of Wages in Period. pay. wheat. pints of s. d. s. d. bread. 1742-52 6 0 30 0 102 1761-70 7 6 42 6 90 1780-90 8 0 51 2 80 1795-9 9 0 70 8 65 1800-8 11 0 86 8 60 In answer to inquiries sent by the Poor Law Commissioners in 1834 to 900 parishes in England the average weekly wages of labourers were-- in summer, s. d. in 254 parishes, with beer or cider 10 4-3/4 522 " without beer or cider 10 5-1/2 in winter, in 200 " with beer or cider 9 2-1/4 544 " without beer or cider 9 11-3/4 The annual average inclusive earnings of the labourer L s. d. himself were stated at 27 17 10 and of his wife and children 13 19 10 ------------ 41 17 8 ============ It will thus be seen that the wife and children provided a third of the income. The majority of the parishes said the labourer could maintain his family on these wages. Here is the weekly budget of a labourer with an average family in 1800:--[769] Cr. s. d. Wages 15 0 Garden 1 6 Extras 1 0 ----- 17 6 ===== Dr. s. d.