COLL COOK 03

COLL COOK 03

Emptions

Sub-series

1481 - 1888

58 items

These are accounts produced by the cook showing on a daily basis what he spent on Fellows' and scholars' commons apart from the regular allowance of meat, bread and beer. (It became customary to show in addition the amount of meat consumed without costing it). The name is taken from the earliest survivor, whose cover bears the title Liber Empcion'. From 1858 the books are sometimes labelled Cook's Books or simply Cook, although /38 is described as Cook's Book and Emptions account. Many of these titles appear to be in a later hand than the contents. The first volume and its successor are simply a daily list of items, with cost. The weeks are numbered and each page is headed `recept. per manibus', the weekly totals being marked `quam recept.' From 1679 the number of messes (each of four boys) is shown and the entries include such items as the barber's fees. There are quarterly totals. However, at some time in the century separating /9 (1732) and /10 (1828) the system changed again. Mess numbers are not shown but the food is entered as `joint' on ordinary days and in detail for special occasions, with costs. These special costs are totalled weekly and quarterly, when an account of other general expenses such as charcoal, mustard, new pans, carriage of game and later printing of menus is added. The quarterly totals are signed by one of the Bursars, although from the 1860s the cook's signed receipt is often substituted and a loose sheet summarising these totals is sometimes included, with a separate sheet for Fourth of June expenses. From 1869 the separate days of the week are not given, merely the week's number e.g. January 2nd 6th week in the 1st quarter. The dates on the covers of many volumes are slightly misleading as the books cover the period audit to audit, and this included December and sometimes part of November for the preceding year.