This grain may have been used for the whole country. An old chronicler of Shrewsbury relates that in 1596 "there was provision made by the bailiffs and aldermen of Shrewsburie with the commons for corne at London which cam from Dansicke, Denmark and those foren places to ease all England, and especially London. There was provided about 3,200 bushels for this town: it came by way of Brestow, and was sold to the commons after the rate of 8_s._ the bushell of rie, which was in the market at 12_s._ and better: and wheate at 14_s._ and 15_s._ Also there was prepared to be baked of the said rye 40 bushells weeakely by the towne bakers in peny bredd, two peny, three peny, and foure peny breed for the poore to have it who were not able to by any bigger portion. They were so unruly and gredie to have it, that the baylyffs, sixe men and other officers had mutche adoe to serve them. The God most mightie send plentie that his chosen flocke perrishe not, and dy for want as many in all contreis in England die and goe in great numbers myserably a begginge[287]." [287] Owen and Blakeway, _History of Shrewsbury_, Vol. I. p. 400. Wheat in Shrewsbury in May 1597 was 18_s._, rye 15_s._, beans 13_s._, while in Sept. 1598 rye was 3_s._ 4_d._ and wheat 4_s._ 4_d._ It would appear that this kind of provision was usually made in large towns, for one of the charges in a complaint brought against two Newcastle aldermen was that of making no provision of corn for the poor. The complaint was addressed to the Privy Council by the discontented burgesses of the town of Newcastle and could hardly have been made unless it were generally recognised that it was one of their duties[288] to provide a store of this kind. [288] _Cal. of State Papers_, May 31st, 1597. The Ipswich officials were careful to provide for their needy neighbours. Every year from 1594 to 1597 loans were raised to buy corn, and it is always stated that this corn was bought for the poor. In 1594 a loan of £200 was so raised, and the town consented to bear any loss: the next year £600 was thought necessary and three hundred quarters of rye were purchased. On the 15th Oct. 1596, it was ordered that "100 quarters of rye and 150 quarters of barley shall be bought for provision for the poor and so much money as the same shall be valued at shall be lent by the inhabitants of the town." Again, in 1597 three hundred combs were provided at 4_s._ 6_d._ a bushel, and the charges for keeping it and lading it were borne by the town. Nathaniel Bacon's _Annals of Ipswich_, 25 Oct. 1594, 13 Oct. 1595, and 21 Feb. 1597. How great the distress in Newcastle was at this time may be gathered from the bare statements of the town accounts. "Sept. 1597. Paide for the charges of buringe 9 poore folkes who died for wante in the streets, for their graves making 3_s._ "Oct. 1597. Paid for the charge of buringe 16 poore folkes who died for wante in the strettes 6_s._ 8_d._[289]."