Innkeeper’s Bill, 1762

Today’s story comes from a favourite source - Ten Thousand Wonderful Things (1859) by Edmund Fillingham King:-

The following innkeeper's bill was sent in to the Duke de Nivernois, who supped and breakfasted at an inn in Canterbury, in 1762; and considering the value of money at that time, must be deemed extremely moderate:—

	£	s	d
Tea, coffee, and chocolate	1	4	0
Supper for self and servant	15	10	0
Bread and beer	3	0	0
Fruit	2	15	0
Wine and punch	10	8	8
Wax candles and charcoal	3	0	0
Broken glass and china	2	10	0
Lodging	1	7	0
Tea, coffee, and chocolate	2	0	0
Chaise and horse, for next stage	2	16	0

There were only twelve persons in the whole company.

By way of a reference point, the average weekly wage for an agricultural worker in England at the time was around 6 to 8 shillings a week. 

I wonder what was the story of the broken glass and china?

The Duke and his servant must have been served a fine dinner indeed for it to cost over 15 pounds. I do hope they had a good pie.

How to make a Rabbit Pie.

First cut Rabbits into Pieces, fry them in Lard with a little Flour, season them with Salt, Pepper, Nutmeg, sweet Herbs, adding a little Broth; when they are cold, put them in your Pie, adding Morels, Truffles, and pounded Lard, lay on the Lid, set it in the Oven, and let it stand for an Hour and a half; when it is about half baked, pour in the Sauce in which the Rabbits were fried, and just before you serve it up to Table, squeeze in some Seville Orange.

The Useful and Entertaining Family Miscellany, Containing the Complete English Housekeeper’s Companion, … by Mrs. Isabella Moore, who was Twenty Years a worthy and frugal Housekeeper in a private Gentleman’s Family at Duffield, near Derby (1766.)