Weights and measures

Acknowledgement is made to all those whose glossaries have been consulted and used during the compilation of this one. They include

GLOSSARY OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
baga container used for carrying a variety of goods, almonds, alum, cotton, cumin, currants, feathers
balea measure; for alum, madder and woad equal to 4 hundredweight but less for some commodities; 3 hundredweight for almonds
baletteequal to approximately half a bale; for woad approximately 2 hundredweight
barrela container, the quantity varied with the commodity; 32 gallons of oil and wine;
basketa container for carrying goods particularly fruit e.g. apples and oranges, but also for items such as habbredashery, hats, kettles, skins see also 'frail'
bolta measurement used for cloth particularly canvas
bunchgarlic
bundlea quantity of material tied or wrapped together, of variable size; same as a fardel; examples, bundles of baskets, brushes, cork, pans, skins wrapping paper
burdena load, a variable measure. For example: on one occasion one cart carried 30 burden fish, on another, four carts carried 24 burden fish.
bushelof which there were 8 bushels to the quarter, used for commodities such as salt and malt
butta measure which held the same as a pipe, 126 gallons
Cequals a hundredweight, 112 lb for great wares i.e. woad, alum etc.; for subtle wares e.g. saffron equal to 100 lbs
Ccan also mean a long hundred of 120 pieces, e.g. bowstaves; or 100 of ells for certain cloths; 225 for garlic
cade20 cade to the last; 12 barrels herring to the last; measure of herring or sprats; here two cade equals 1 barrel herring
cakemass of solidified or compressed substance used in these accounts for resin, wax
capan indeterminate measure used in these accounts for must, oil, pork fat, wine
cart/cartload/loadinterchangeable term for load or consignment
casea box or chest, measurement for some commodities such as e.g. cinnamon, glass, saffron, soap, sugar,
chalder, chaldron a measure used for coal, equal to 4 quarters; 48 bushel
cheststorage container; in these accounts used to carry items such as cinnamon, gowns, miscellaneous goods, plums, soap
clocketmeasure of indeterminate quantity, used in these accounts for madder
consignmenta measure of indeterminate size
dickera parcel of 10 hides
dozengroup or set of twelve
doliuma tun or 252 gallons of oil or wine; 80 quarters or 2240 lb iron;
ella measure of cloth which varied in different countries; The Flemish ell equalled 3 quarters of an English yard and five Flemish ells was equal to an English ell.
endsends of iron, usually, though not always, accompanied by an exact weight
fangota small bundle of varying size, used for silk
fardela bundle which varied in size
firkinferthekyn, firkin, a small cask used for liquids and fish; approximately half a kilderkin and equal to approximately 16-18 gallons e.g. wine, and here equal to a quater of a barrel herring
fothera weight, especially used for lead; for lead equal to 2184 lb, 19.5 C
fraila basket; used for carrying goods particularly fruit, dates, figs, raisins also sugar
gallonliquid measurement equal to eight pints
gybbea measurement or quantity; in these accounts for canvas
half balehalf a bale, a balette
half fardelhalf a fardel
hogsheada measure of wine, or oil, equal to a quarter of a tun, i.e. 63 gallons
horseloadquantity brought in by one horse
indeterminateFor some commodities, where the measurement was found to be too imprecise, it was impossible to provide a reliable figure for calculations. For example, where the original mentions a bundle of goods, or a quantity for which a translation is unattainable, then this is deemed to be an 'indeterminate quantity'. On these occasions a '1' has been entered in the indeterminate quantity column. If two carts were used to carry e.g. fish (no fixed quantity) then a '2' has been entered.
kilderkinmeasure used for fish and liquids; equal to half a barrel approximately 16-18 gallons; here represents half a barrel herrings
lasta measure of hides equal to 20 dickers; for fish equal to 12 barrels
load/cart/cartload/wainquantity carried on a cart or wain
loafa moulded conical mass of hard sugar varying in size
Ma thousandweight or ten hundreds or hundredweights
modiusa measure equal to a bushel
packa quantity of a commodity packaged together; used for commodities such as carpets, cloth, coverlets, rope
piecea measure of tin or fruit; for fruit equal to four quarters or 1C; a
piece of tin weighed between 1 and a helf and 2 and a half C
pipea cask; a measure of wine equal to 126 gallons, or half a tun; a varying measure of other goods; soap generally between 6C and 8C; equal to half a tun wine and half a ton or 10 hundredweight of iron;
pocketa sack or a bag
pokebag or sack of varying size, especially for raw wool
potcontainer for conveying sugar
pouchcontainer for transporting goods, in these accounts e.g. combs, trenchers
puncheonlarge cask-like container; of soap 5 C; of wine 84 gallons or one third tun
quarterThe fourth part of some usual measure; usually quarter of a C or hundredweight i.e. 28 lb; for corn, beans etc equal to 8 to 10 bushels
quintalmeasurement equal to a hundredweight
reammeasurement for paper
roll
rundletliquid measure equal to a small barrel of about 15 gallons
sacka coarse cloth container usually for wool
sarplera large wool sack containing 2 sacks or 728 lb wool
serona bale or package made up in an animal's hide , usually of soap
skivea measure of 500 teazels
sorta measure of fruit equal to 3 pieces or 12 quarterons
sportbasket of indeterminate size
tierceapproximately one third of a pipe
toppette, toppysdry measure of uncertain size
tunlarge cask for wine and other liquids; equal to 252 gallons of wine or oil
unita single item
vatcontainer for liquids, varying quantities
waina wagon or cart, used less frequently in the accounts than 'cart'
walletbag for holding provisions e.g. mercery
weya measure of cheese, 3 hundredweight