It is curious, even to notice the London prices of poultry, two or three centuries ago, although regard must of course be had to the difference in the value of money now and then.
Sir James Hawes, during his mayoralty, in the year 1575, fixed the following prices within the City of London:—
| s. | d. | ||
| Blackbirds, per dozen | 0 | 10 | |
| The best capon, large and fat | 1 | 8 | |
| Ditto, second best, being fat | 1 | 4 | |
| The best green goose, until Whitsuntide | 0 | 8 | |
| Ditto ditto, after Whitsuntide | 0 | 10 | |
| Ditto, in winter, being fat | 1 | 2 | |
| Pigeons, per dozen | 1 | 4 | |
| Chickens, the largest, each | 0 | 4 | |
| Ditto, second sort | 0 | 3 | |
| The best coney rabbit, from and after the summer | 0 | 5 | |
| Eggs, four | 0 | 1 | |
| Cygnets, fat until Allhalloweentide, each | 6 | 0 | |
| Ditto, from then to Shrovetide | 7 | 0 | |
| Cranes, the best, each | 6 | 0 | |
| The best heron, pheasant, shoveller (duck), and bittern, each | 2 | 6 | |
| Turkey-cock, fat and large | 3 | 0 | |
| Turkey chicken, fat and large | 1 | 4 | |
| Woodcocks, each | 0 | 6 | |
| Snipes, each | 0 | 2 | ½ |
| Hens, being fat and the best, each | 0 | 9 | |
| Ditto, second sort | 0 | 7 | |
| Green plovers, fat | 0 | 4 | |
| The best wild mallard | 0 | 6 | |
| Teals, each | 0 | 3 |
At a feast given at Ely House, by the serjeants-at-law, November, 1531, (23rd of Henry VIII.) on the occasion of making eleven new serjeants, open house was kept for five successive days. On the fourth day, King Henry, his Queen, the Foreign Ambassadors, the Judges, and Lord Mayor and Aldermen, were feasted, as also numerous guests, knights, and gentlemen. Stow particularizes the following articles and prices, in order to furnish data for computing the relative value of money at different periods:—
| s. | d. | ||
| Great beeves, from the shambles (twenty-four) each | 26 | 8 | |
| One carcase of an ox | 24 | 0 | |
| Fat muttons (one hundred), each | 2 | 10 | |
| Great veals (fifty-one), each | 4 | 8 | |
| Porks (thirty-four), each | 3 | 8 | |
| Pigs (ninety-one), each | 0 | 6 | |
| Capons of Greece (of one poulterer, for they had three) ten dozen, each capon | 1 | 8 | |
| Capons of Kent (nine dozen and six), each | 1 | 0 | |
| Capons, coarse (nineteen dozen), each | 1 | 0 | |
| Cocks of grouse (seven dozen and nine), each cock | 0 | 8 | |
| Cocks, coarse (fourteen dozen and eight) | 0 | 3 | |
| Pullets, the best, each | 0 | 2 | ½ |
| Other pullets, each | 0 | 2 | |
| Pigeons (thirty-seven dozen), at per dozen | 0 | 10 | |
| Swans (twenty-four dozen) | no price | ||
| Larks (340 dozen), per dozen | 0 | 6 | |
The consumption of liquids, pastry, and trifles, can easily be guessed at.
Here is an ancient receipt for making a Christmas game pie, found in the books of the Salter’s Company, which is presumed to have often furnished an annual treat to the members in the olden times; and when made after this receipt, by the Company’s cook in modern days, has been found to be excellent.
‘For to make a mooste choyce paaste of Gamys to be etin at ye Feste of Chrystemasse.
‘(17th Richard II., A.D. 1394.)
‘Take Fesaunt, Haare, and Chykenne, or Capounne, of eche oone; wᵗ. ij. Partruchis, ij. Pygeounes, and ij. Conynggys; and smyte hem on peces and pyke clene awaye p’fro (therefrom) alle pᵉ (the) boonys pᵗ (that) ye maye, and p’wt (therewith) do hem ynto a Foyle (a shield or case) of gode paste, made craftily ynne pᵉ lykenes of a byrde’s bodye, wᵗ pᵉ lyuours and hertys, ij. kydneis of shepe and farcys (seasonings or forced meats) and eyren (eggs) made ynto balles. Caste p’to (thereto) poudre of pepyr, salte, spyce, eysell,[14] and funges (mushrooms) pykled; and panne (then) take pᵉ boonys and let hem seethe ynne a pot to make a gode brothe p’ for (for it) and do yᵗ ynto pᵉ foyle of paste and close hit uppe faste, and bake yᵗ wel, and so s’ue (serve) yᵗ forthe: wt pᵉ hede of oone of pᵉ byrdes, stucke at pᵉ oone ende of pᵉ foyle, and a grete tayle at pᵉ op’ and dyvers of hys longe fedyrs sette ynne connynglye alle aboute hym.’