most in proportion. After the disastrous
harvest of 1800 the year of 1801 became the "memorable year of
scarcity," in which some wheat was sold as high as 25s. a bushel, and
the average official price is given at 119s. 6d. per quarter. The
average in Royston was a little below this, but both here and at other
Hertfordshire markets the price occasionally went up to 24s. a bushel.
In November, 1800, Parliament, by means of bounties, practically
guaranteed to every person importing foreign wheat that he should be
paid 100s. per quarter for it, and proportionate rates for barley, rye,
oats, flour, rice, &c. That the foreigners did not send much, even on
these terms, is shown by the straits to make the wheaten flour hold
out. Not only did the poor suffer and have to put up with such bread
as they could get--and a large part of it was made of barley-meal,
rice, &c.--but all classes suffered. Those who "farmed the paupers"
pleaded to be released from their contracts or for special
compensation; proprietors of Boarding Schools, or "Academies," as they
were generally called, had to modify their terms and to plead for
compensation, while the King on his throne found the Civil List
insufficient even with that Spartan order adopted by His Majesty,
George III., that the bread in his household was to be made of meal and
rye mixed, and that the Royal family were to eat the same bread as
their servants.

The first traces of the hard times which closed the century occur in
Royston as early as 1795, but the worst part had not come yet. In the
following year (1796) we find the principal inhabitants in public
meeting assembled, at the Red Lion, passing sumptuary laws binding
themselves to economy in the use of wheaten flour, with a view to
reduce the consumption of wheat. The meeting set forth its opinion in
the following statement, or pledge:--

"We, the undersigned, impressed with a sense of the evils which may be
experienced by His Majesty's subjects in consequence of the deficient
supply of wheat unless timely and effectual measures are taken to
reduce the consumption thereof; Do hereby jointly and severally pledge
ourselves in the most solemn manner to Execute and maintain to the
utmost of our Power, the following Resolutions, _and also most
earnestly recommend the same to be adopted in our respective
Neighbourhoods_.

"To reduce the usual quantity of wheat consumed in our families by at
least one-third, either by limiting