Page:Economic History of Virginia Vol 2.djvu/218

 roasting pig, three shillings; for butter and cheese, eight and six pence a pound.

When, in 1676, English soldiers were sent to Virginia for the purpose of suppressing the insurrection which had broken out under the leadership of Bacon, an order was issued that the people should sell them the following articles at the prices named, the ratio of the purchasing power in the currency of the present day being obtained by multiplying the figures by four or five: fresh beef was to be sold at the rate of two pence a pound and dressed beef at the rate of three; fresh pork at the rate of two pence and salted pork at the rate of two and a half. The price set for dried bacon was five pence a pound; for a cock, hen, or pullet, ten pence; and for a capon, fifteen. Milk was to be sold at the rate of two pence a quart in the interval between September 30th and May 20th, and of one penny between May 20th and September 30th. During these two successive periods, the price of butter was to be six and five pence respectively. The price set for eggs was a penny for three. Indian corn was to be sold at the rate of two shillings and six pence a bushel, and wheat at the rate of four shillings. To this must be added the outlay in converting these grains into meal and flour.

It will be seen from this general statement of prices that the cost of the principal articles of food had fallen in the interval since 1642 in some cases as much as fifty per cent. Allowance must be made for the fact that the rates laid down in this schedule had been arranged at military dictation. The charges for food at this time were very