Thus we see that during this period all kinds of plans were tried. There was no attempt to enforce any theory that the required sum ought to be levied according to the value of lands occupied or according to the wealth of the payer. The authorities were sorely puzzled how to raise the money and adopted any plan that was likely to be successful. [Sidenote: 4. The events of the years of scarcity 1594-1597.] We will now consider the events of the years of scarcity from 1594 to 1597, both so far as they concern the central Government and so far as they concern local officials. They are interesting both because of what the authorities did during these years and because of what they failed to do. The year from Sept. 1572 to Sept. 1573 was the last in which the average price of wheat was under 20/- a quarter. From 1594 onwards there was a succession of bad harvests owing to the excessive amount of rain. Wheat quadrupled in price, and barley and rye, which were the grains ordinarily used for the bread of the poor, rose nearly in the same proportion[274]. [274] The prices given in the _History of Agriculture and Prices_ are as follows: Wheat. Barley. Rye. Average price per quarter 23_s._ 8¼_d._ 12_s._ 10½_d._ 17_s._ 2½_d._ Prices are of 10 years 1583-1592 not given Sept. to Sept. 1594-5 37_s._ 7½_d._ 16_s._ 32_s._ in 1590 " " 1595-6 40_s._ 9½_d._ 21_s._ 4_d._ 34_s._ 2½_d._ and 1591 " " 1596-7 56_s._ 6¼_d._ 52_s._ 9½_d._ " " 1597-8 52_s._ 4½_d._ 25_s._ 5¼_d._ 36_s._ In July 1597 the price reached 96_s._ a quarter at Newcastle. Hatfield MSS. VII. p. 296.