[22]. The modern libbra is 12 ounces = 436·27 grains in Rome, 436·66 in Florence.
[23]. Probably in the meaning of the Dutch spijs, food.
[24]. The dram of spirits is a measure probably so called from its being 1/8 of a pint, i.e. half a quartern.
[25]. See section on the Nail and the Clove, [Chap. XX].
CHAPTER VIII
ENGLISH MEASURES OF CAPACITY
I. The Old Wine Measures
It has been seen that a cubic foot of water is very approximately = 1000 Roman ounces = 62-1/2 lb. of water at the early averdepois standard. There is reason to believe that this cubic foot was our original wine-unit, the wine-bushel, 1/8 of it = 216 cubic inches, being the wine-gallon; and that the cubic foot, increased in water-wheat ratio 1728 × 1·25 = 2160 c.i., was the corn-bushel. The corn-gallon, 2160/8 = 270 c.i., remained at this standard for centuries, 268·8 c.i. being the London measure, and 272-1/4 c.i. the Winchester measure, the slight differences being due to difficulties in casting and gauging shallow metal pans.
That the wine-gallon was originally 1/8 cubic foot is rendered very probable by the existence in Ireland of a gallon of almost exactly that capacity. This gallon was legalised for ale, beer and spirits by George II (1735) at a capacity of 217·6 c.i.
The rise of the wine-gallon in England to 219 c.i., to 224 c.i., and finally to 231 c.i. under Henry VIII, seems due to two influences: