ABSTRACT
The contracts from which the prices from 1659 have been derived were signed at a meeting of the Board of Greencloth held annually between November and January. Up to 1760 the contracts covered the year of account October to September, so that the period of supply antedated the contract by one to four months. This had the incidental advantage of making it possible for contract rates to be fixed with some knowledge of the market conditions. Imprests were received by most of the purveyors in advance of the contract and it was sufficient if the new contract rates could be agreed and certified before the first quarterly settlement. After 1760, contracts were made as a rule to cover the calendar year, but owing to the system of monthly bills it has been possible in the tables to continue to give prices as for harvest years. For one or two articles, such as fodder, contracts were made by the quarter. A single price was made for the year for most commodities but seasonal rates were paid for some kinds of dairy produce, fruit and vegetables. When prices of actual purchases are not available, contract rates, distinguished by square brackets, have been used in the tables, usually not later than 1789, however, by which date the contract price usually represented only a basic rate, subject to additional allowances to cope with rising prices.
