[185] The justices of Gloucestershire say that in their several allotments they have "visited the marketts, seen the poore relieved as we may, searched the barnes, storehouses and grenyers of farmers and others hable to furnishe the marketts with corne, and having consideration to theyr private families have in discretion appointed them a certeyne quantytie of certen kindes of graine to be by them brought weekelie to the markett accordinglie, and of such our appointments have kepte books in writinge and doe finde therapon, that as yet the said farmers and others doe fullfill our appointments in this behalfe without any disobedyence. And further according to the said your lettres we have sett downe several prices upon everie kinde of graine within the severall divisions of this Shire, as in respecte of the distaunce of the places and the present tyme of necessytie we have thought most convenyent, after which rate we will herafter in our several limitts have care to see the same solde as may be beste for the relief of our poore neighbours." _Dom. State Papers, Queen Eliz._, Vol. 189, 50. The Privy Council certainly trusted much to the justices, and both farmers and markets were thoroughly regulated. One cannot wonder that sometimes the corn owners were disobedient[186], though on the whole the orders seem to have been loyally carried out. Even in our own time the poor of Italy and Spain have suffered much from an attempted "corner" in grain in spite of our rapid means of communication and worldwide source of supply. The circumstances of 1587 must have made organisation necessary, for the orders were successful, and when reissued in 1594 it was especially noted that in 1587 they had done "much good for the stay of y^e dearthe and for y^e relieving of y^e poore[187]." [186] A letter was written from the Council to the justices of Notts stating that the greate quantitie of corne of one Freston "should be employed for relieving the necessitie of the shire." If he refuse to follow their directions they are to take the corn and cause a "quantitie to be solde at reasonable prices in the markettes adjoyning for the reliefe of the poore people." [187] Egerton MSS. 2644, f. 55. Already in 1586 additional measures were occasionally taken for the relief of the labourers and handicraftsmen. In Norfolk, "the poorer sorte are by persuasion sarved at meaner pryces[188]"; while in the county of Nottingham a philanthropic Duke of Rutland adopted the following expedient, afterwards employed by public authority. When it was known that there was likely to be a scarcity of grain, the Duke caused his corn to be sold in small quantities to the poor two shillings and eight pence under the market price. The justices tell us that by these means "the greedines of a number was frustrated, the poore releved, and the expectancy of excessive dearthe stayed[189]."