TAVERN RATES

 

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF Pennsylvania, considering that inn holders exacted excessive rates for their wines, provender, etc., enacted a law on the 31^st of May, 1748, by which the justices of the peace, in their quarter sessions should set such reasonable prices as they should see fit.  The justices of York County, on the 28^th of January, 1752, established the following rates and prices, given from an extract taken word for word from the records of the court of quarter sessions:

                                                                                                                                       s.       d.

One quart sangaree made with one pint of good Madeira wine and with loaf sugar                                  1            6

 

A bowl of punch made with one quart water with loaf sugar & good Jamaica Spirits                               1            6

 

One pint good Madeira wine                                                                                                                               1            3

 

One pint good Vidonia wine                                                                                                                               0            10

 

One Pint good Port wine                                                                                                                                       1            0

 

One quart mimbo made with West India rum and loaf sugar                                                                          0            10

 

One quart mimbo made with New England rum and loaf                                                                                 0            8

               

One gill good West India rum                                                                                                                              0            4

 

One gill good New England rum                                                                                                                          0            3

 

One gill good whiskey                                                                                                                                         0            2

 

One quart good beer                                                                                                                                             0            4

 

One quart good cider                                                                                                                                            0            2

 

One man’s breakfast                                                                                                                                              0            6

 

One man’s dinner                                                                                                                                                   0            8

 

One man’s supper                                                                                                                                                  0            6

 

One horse at hay twenty-four hours                                                                                                                   0            10

                               

One horse at hay one night                                                                                                                                  0            8

 

Half a gallon of good oats                                                                                                                                    0            3

 

“The above rates were settled by the court and proclaimed by the crier in open court of general quarter sessions, in pursuance of an act of general assembly of this province in such case made and provided.”

 

The above continued for some years to be the tavern rates within the county of York.  But the statutes requiring them have long since been repealed.