[317] See _English Economic History and Theory_, 1888-1893, pt. ii. pp. 134, 148, 154. [318] _History of London_, vol. i. p. 171 (note). [319] _London_ (Historic Towns), p. 50. [320] _London Afternoons_, 1902, p. 88. [321] I am indebted to Sir Owen Roberts, M.A., D.C.L., clerk to the Clothworkers' Company, for this information. [322] Botfield's _Manners and Household Expenses of England_, 1841. [323] W. J. Ashley, _English Economic History and Theory_, pp. 81, 83. [324] Cal. Letter Book C, p. 35. [325] Madox's _Firma Burgi_, p. 286. [326] _Town Life_, vol. ii. p. 142. [327] The reason given for the repeal of the Act of Edward II. excluding victuallers from the office of Mayor is that 'since the making of the Statute many and the most part of all cities, boroughs and towns corporate be fallen in ruin and decay, and not inhabited with merchants and men of such substance as they were at the time of making the Statute. For at this day the dwellers and inhabitants of the same cities and boroughs be most commonly bakers, brewers, vintners, fishmongers, and other victuallers, and few or none other persons of substance.' Mr. W. J. Ashley (Introduction to _English Economic History and Theory_, part ii. 1893, p. 53), observes that, 'without further proof it were hardly safe to build on the wide language of the preamble of a Statute a conclusion which seems in obvious conflict with what we know of the generic course of events.' In London, evidently, little or no attention was paid to the original Act of Edward II., but in other places this was not the case. The Statute of Henry VIII. provided that when the Mayor was a victualler, two honest and discreet persons, not being victuallers, should be chosen to assist him in 'settling prices' of victuals. [328] _Liber Custumarum_, vol i. p. 326-333. [329] _Liber Albus_, Introduction by H. T. Riley, 1859, p. ci. [330] _Liber Custumarum_, p. lxviii. [331] _Liber Albus_, Introduction by H. T. Riley, p. lxxxi. [332] _Liber Albus_, Introduction by H. T. Riley, p. lxxix. [333] These prices, obtained from the _Liber Albus_, are of great interest. Of course, it is necessary to bear in mind the great difference in the value of money. It is impossible to fix a uniform standard of comparison, but we may put the present value broadly at between twelve and twenty times that of the reign of Edward I., the latter being more likely to be a true one. It will thus be seen that much food was dearer in the Middle Ages than at present. A rabbit and its skin are considerably less valuable now, as also a partridge. [334] _Liber Albus_, Introduction by H. T. Riley, p. lxxxii. [335] Cal. Letter Book D, p. xix. [336] Riley's Introduction to _Liber Albus_, p. lxii. [337] Riley's Introduction to the _Liber Albus_, p. lxv. [338] H. T. Riley's Introduction to _Liber Albus_, p. lxxxviii. [339] _Ibid._, p. lxxxix. [340] _Liber Custumarum_, ed. Riley, p. lxx.