SC - prices in 1520

[Christina van Tets]

Hello the list!

I have been reading a text which we bought recently, called 'De Edel Conste 
Arithmetica', by Christianus van Varenbrakens.  It is an arithmetics 
textbook, intended to explain to readers why Arabic numerals are better than 
Roman ones (thinking of which, can anyone explain why this current mundane 
year is being touted as MCMXCIX, instead of MCMIM or just plain MIM?).

Anyway, the books lists lots of arithmetical examples using everyday prices. 
  While I recognise that he is using certain numbers to illustrate his 
point, he is fairly consistent throughout the book with his prices of 
commodities.  He was writing in the 1530s in Flanders, but apparently has 
pinched a few examples from a work from 1510, hence the compromise date 
given in the subject.

Here are some of the prices (I'll only give the food ones here;  if you want 
the others, please email me privately):

Almonds  2d 20m / lb
Apples  1m / 6 (approx 2 lb?)
Butter  3d / lb
Cheese  1/2d / lb
Cinnamon  1s 4d / lb
Eggs  3d each
Ginger  1s 4d / lb
Nutmeg  2s 8d / lb
Pepper  1s 3d / lb
Saffron  8s 6d / lb
Sugar  6d / lb

I think I worked out last night that 1g of saffron was roughly equal in 
price to 30 apples.  Now I really understand conspicuous consumption.

So, as said earlier, these are just maths examples.  How accurate are they?  
Does anyone have any prices from the same sort of period that we can 
compare?  It would be rather fun to put the period price per head for the 
food into the feast notes, or even to create a 'penny feast', where the food 
used doesn't add up to more than that per head in the period prices.

Anyway, I'd like to know.  Anyone got any input?

Cairistiona

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