Maison rustique, or The countrey farme· Compyled in the French tongue by Charles Steuens, and Iohn Liebault, Doctors of Physicke. And translated into English by Richard Surflet, practitioner in physicke. Now newly reuiewed, corrected, and augmented, with diuers large additions, out of the works of Serres his Agriculture, Vinet his Maison champestre, French. Albyterio in Spanish, Grilli in Italian; and other authors. And the husbandrie of France, Italie, and Spaine, reconciled and made to agree with ours here in England: by Geruase Markham. The whole contents are in the page following

The Vine.

CHAP. I.

Of the profit rising of a well dressed Vine and Vineyard.

HItherto wee haue intreated of the husbanding, tilling, orde∣ring and dressing of garden plots, orchards, and arable ground: it now remaineth that we speake of the vine, wher∣upon for certaintie dependeth the greatest part of the reue∣nues and riches of a house-holder, howsoeuer many make small account of the vine, and do more esteeme to haue pos∣session of meadowes, pasture, woods, and other grounds, than to stand to the reuenues growing by vines, in as much as for the most part they yeeld not the fruit which may re∣compence the charges laid out about them: But for all this the vine is not to be dis∣credited, seeing this is not the fault of the ground, but of the people that till it, and either for couetousnesse or ignorance, or negligence offend in the tilling thereof. It is true that the husbanding and ordering of the vine is chargeable, painefull, and a matter of great care, by reason of the tendernesse of the wood, which being well con∣sidered, may seeme to haue come to passe by a speciall prouidence of God, directing the same and making it so weake, tender, and feeble, to the end that this plant might not serue for any other thing, than to bring forth the excellent and pretious liquor of wine, which is so needfull for the sustentation and life of man: for if it were fit for any thing else, as the wood of other trees is, it would be imployed, and wine thereby would become a great deale more deere than it is.

The greatest part of vine dressers do not esteeme in what ground the vine be plan∣ted, but do make choice of the worst quarter in all the country, as if the worst ground, and that which is good for nothing else, were the best to plant vines in. Others haue not the iudgement to know and chuse their plants, and for that cause doe oftentimes plant their vineyards with such young vines as are nought. Againe many hauing no respect of the time to come, do in such sort order and dresse the vine, as if they thought to liue but an houre, burdening and loading it with so many branches and shootes for propagation, and leauing vpon it so much wood, as that it cannot prosper any long time. Others although they know the way to order and dresse it well, do yet continu∣ally omit certain courses and seasons, as being more busily imployed about their own profit, than their maisters wel-fare.

Likewise I would alwaies aduise the Lord of our countrie farme, that hee would not altogether commit the care and charge of his vineyard vnto his farmer, but that he himselfe would lay the chiefe burthen about it, vpon himselfe: for as the masters eie maketh the horse fat, so the carefull industrie of the Lord or chiefe owner maketh the field fruitfull and to beare great store of increase; and for that likewise the owner and Lord of the vine will not onely spare it better, but also see that it bee not defrau∣ded of any such toile and labour as it requireth, contrarie (for the most part) to the practise of such as are but secondarily interes••ed in such matters: the vine being such a peece of inheritance as wherein euerie small fault committed, doth draw after it great losse, and such as oftentimes cannot bee remedied or repaired, but by sup∣planting what is done, and replanting it a new. And that it is no otherwise, but iust so, marke and see, if euer you heare the Guespines of Orleance, or the Bea••uoies, and those of the duchie of Burgundie (which haue large grounds imployed in vine••∣yards) to complaine themselues of their vines, and that because themselues take the whole care and reserue the principall ouersight vnto themselues. On the contra∣ry, the Parisians haue no other complaints or agreeuances to talke of but of their vines,* 1.1 and that because they credit deceitfull and ignorant workemen to sway the worke; whose couetousnesse, ignorance, and negligence is for the most part of the cause that they reape not the fruit of their vines in such plentifull manner, as they should, or at the least that the fruit which they doe reape, is not so durable as it would. And this you must thinke that vines will yeeld a larger reuenue a great deale than gardens or other areable grounds, if they bee well and diligently husbanded; for there are few arpents of vines to be found which yeeld not euery yeare, one yeare helping another, ten or twelue tuns of wine which is a great reuenue, and yet remaineth vnreckoned a great benefit and auailes which may be made of small plants and impes, which may be gathered to transport or transplant into any other place, which will easily amount to more than will satisfie and aunswere all the costs and charges which are laid out any maner of way about the vines: wherefore either the reuenue rising of such plants by sale, or the hope of the vintage and gathering of wine, must be the spur to pricke forward the master of this our countrie farme, to looke to the ordering and dressing of the vines himselfe.

CHAP. II.

What soile and aire the vine doth most delight in.

THe vine groweth not but in certaine places that are fit and naturall for it,* 1.2 which is a thing to be accounted of by vs, so much the more excellent, because the speciall propertie of this plant is more commended by men than any other, in respect of the good it ministreth, which i•• that in such places as it groweth in, the men are found to be more strong and mightie by the vse of it, than other men are, which for want of it, are forced to vse other drinkes.

As concerning the soile to plant it in, there must two things be considered, the qualitie of the ground where it is to be planted, and the disposition and inclination of the aire which ruleth in that place. As concerning the qualitie of the ground, you shall chuse such a one as is not very churlish and close, neither yet very ligh•• and open, but yet of the two, more inclining vnto a small mould and open ground, nei∣ther leane nor very fat, & yet somewhat the rather inclining to the fat, not champion, nor a very plaine and flat, (and yet in such grounds there grow more wine) neither very stiffe and straight, but rather somewhat raised than otherwise, that so it may bee the better aided and succoured by the fauourable beames of the Sunne, neither dri•• nor moist and watrish (because that in such kind of ground the vine continueth not long, neither doth it bring forth good wine, but such as is quickely perished)

and yet indifferently serued with vvater: not such a one as hath any fresh springs or fountaines, either breaking out euen with the vppermost face of the earth, neither yet carried along within, in the depth of the earth below, but only in such sort, as that neere vnto them there may be water to moisten their rootes withall: and the same moisture must not be either bitter or salt, to the end that the tast and ••auor of the wine may not be spoiled. So that by this it appeareth that it is not meet to plant Vines in deepe and low valleyes, albeit they might, and would bring forth grapes in great a∣bundance, and that because they would not ripen in due time, and so there would be made of them no better than a green vvine of small value: adde hereunto, that Vines seated in low valleyes, are very much endangered by the Frosts of the Winter and Spring time, and are also subiect to haue their grapes to burst, and to runne out their iuice and to rot, vvhich vvould cause a mus••ie and foughtie taste in the vvine: and therewithall, vvhen the yeare is rainie, the kernels cleaue and burst out through the abundance of moisture; by reason vvhereof the grape being in this sort too much moistened, and nothing at all dried, the vvine becommeth vnsauorie and apt to grow sowre, and fall into many other faults. And if you happen to light on such a place, then chuse to plant there such plants, and yong shootes as may beare clusters, not too thicke set, but growing somewhat thin, that so the Sunne may pierce through them: much lesse may you plant those Vines vvhich haue their pith taken out, and bring forth a firme and solid grape, in cold and moist grounds: as neither yet in a hote and drie ground, such Vines as haue substance enough in them, and beare a grape some∣vvhat soft. But chiefly, if your place be so well appointed by nature, as that it con∣sist of and containe grounds that are fit and meet vpon the tops of great hills, toge∣ther vvith some low and small hills, then make choice of them to plant your Vines thereupon. It is true that it vvill hardly grow there at the first, but hauing once taken roote, it vvill yeeld a verie pleasant and noble vvine, such as the vvines of Ay, Hadre, Argentueil, Meudon, and Seurre be.

In generall, if you vvould plant a Vine vvhich may profite you in bringing forth abundant store of good fruit, you must see that the ground be gentle, easie, fine, and indifferent light to be stirred: not as though such a ground onely vvere good for Vines, but for that it is most kind, naturall, and best agreeing for Vines to be planted in sandie, stonie, grauelly, and flintie ground, as also such as consisteth of a Potters clay in the bottome, and couered ouer with earth is good, prouided, that they be intermingled with some fat earth, and that they be often refreshed by being digged euen to the veine of stones, or rocke. In a sandie, clayie, and churlish stubborne ground, the first digging and casting of it must be good & deepe: and such grounds also would be thrise digged or cast at the least. Such grounds bring forth strong and delicate vvines: but such grounds as haue of stones or flints great store vpon the vp∣permost face of the earth, are not fit for Vines, because in Summer they stand at a stay, by reason of the great heat of the Sunne, being beat back vpon them by the said stones: and they doe no better in Winter, because of the excessiue cold which in like manner then troubleth them. True it is, that if a Vine be planted in a grauelly, rockie and stonie ground, that then it will not be needfull to cast so deepe, because the roote is not so farre downe into the earth, as is the new planted Vineyard which is made in a sandie ••oile, and it is contented with twise digging for the most part. A soile stan∣ding vpon Walkers clay or marle, as loeg••y vpon Yonne, is verie good for Vines, but the ground standing vpon a Potters clay is not good. In like sort the grauelly ground is not altogether fit: for though it yeeld a daintie good wine, yet it yeeldeth but a ve∣••ie little: and there also the new planted Vineyard is very subiect vnto the hauing of his grapes washed away. The drie and burning earth doth yeeld leane Vines if it be not helped by the dunghill.

As concerning the power of the Sunne,* 1.3 and disposition of the ayre, the Vine de∣lighteth not to be planted vpon the tops of mountains, and much lesse in places lying open vnto the Northeast winde: but it delighteth in an ayre that is rather hote than colde, and faire rather than rainie: it cannot abide tempests and stormes: it reioice∣eth

in a small, gentle, and friendly winde, and would bee turned toward the East or South. It is true that generally in cold places vines must stand vpon the South, and in hot places vpon the North or East: prouided that they be sheltred at such time from the winds, as well of the South as of the East: if the place be subiect to Winds, it will be better that it should be to the Northerne or Westerne Windes than otherwise: in temperate places either vpon the East or West; but the best is towards the East.

Furthermore in as much as it is a very difficult thing to find all these commodi∣ties and good properties of ground and aire in euery countrie; the good workeman shall fit the plants of his vines vnto the nature of the places and countries: where∣fore in a fat and ••ertile ground he shall set the young plant of a small vine, and such a one as beareth but little, as the Morillion, the Melier and the Aubeine: and in a leane ground the plant that is very fruitfull, as that of Samoureau, Tresseau, Lom∣bard, Ouch, Muscadet, Beauuois, and Pulceau: in a thicke and close ground, the plant that is strong and putteth forth great store of wood and leaues, as that of Mo∣rillion, Morlou, Tresseau, and Pulceau: in a small mould and reasonable fat ground, the plant which putteth forth but a little wood, as that of Samoureau, Lombard, and Beaulnois: and by this meanes the defect and want, or the excesse and superfluitie of any qualitie in the young plant of the vine, shall be supplied or corrected by the nature of the ground, and that in such sort and manner as that of two excesses shall spring one meane and well tempered thing, which is a point to be wished and requi∣site in the growing of all sorts of plants. Furthermore he may not plant in moist pla∣ces the young plant which is giuen to beare tender and grosse grapes, as that of Sa∣moureau, Gouet, Mourlous, Pulceau, Cinquaine, and Tresseau. In places ••ossed with winds and stormes, he must prouide to plant such a kind of vine as is woont to bring forth hard grapes and sticking fast and close vnto the stalke: but on the con∣trarie, that which shall haue accustomed to beare tender grapes in places that are hot and giuen to be mild. In drie countries he must plant those vines, the fruit whereof is woont lightly either through raine or the dew to rot, as those be of samoureau, Gouet, Pinot, Blanke, and Beaunoies: and in a moist place, those which are woont to spoile and perish through drinesse. In countries which are troubled with haile, such as are of a hard and large leafe, for such are able the better to defend and couer the fruit.

CHAP. III.

How that there is not planted any vine by the way of making a seed nurcerie, except it be onely for pleasure.

I Am of that mind, that a man cannot but hinder and iniurie himselfe in making nurcerices of vines, for besides that the tree doth not grow soo∣ner of kernels than it doth of the plant, there is also this inconuenience, namely, that the vine growing of knernels doth not yeeld any thing of profit or good for vse. This is indeed a worke for such as loue their pleasure, and haue in their purses largely to defray the charges thereof, being able thereby to sow seeds out of some strange countrie, afterward to raise a nurcerie of stocks of the same when they are growne vp for to bee transplanted and remoued into a better ground, and that they may graft thereon, and afterward againe remoue the stockes so graf∣ted into a better ground also, that so about two yeares after they may reape the fruit thereof, which is woont to be both great and daintie enough: but yet this same new vineyard thus planted is the least durable of all others.* 1.4 Againe, in this countrie wee doe not trouble our selues in planting vines to runne vpon trees, in such sort as any

man may easily see that they doe in Lombardie and other places: neither yet with such as are raised vpon single and double shadowing arbours,* 1.5 neither yet with such as vse to creepe along and spread themselues vpon elmes or other trees; for the wine neuer proueth so good, as well because the root of the tree is corrupted, after the ma∣ner as it falleth out with coleworts; as also because this plant loueth not to be hoi••ed and mounted too high, neither yet shadowed with any building of timber-worke, higher than the stature of a perfect man.

CHAP. IIII.

How that before you plant your vine, you must learne out what wine the earth will beare, where you are pur∣posed to plant it.

WHosoeuer doth purpose to plant vines,* 1.6 must not so much trust vnto the markes and signes of a good ground, ceclared and set downe before, as first to see that he haue made trial what wine the ground will best beare, where he mindeth to plant his vine; for it were but labour lost, and mo∣ney cast away to plant a vine for so small increase as can nothing like aunswere and content your expectation. Thus then you may trie and proue your ground: make a pit in the ground where you meane to plant it, of two foot depth, and of the earth cast out of the pit, take a clod, and put it in a glasse full of raine water that is verie deane, mingle and beate together this earth and water, then let it rest, vntill such time as the earth haue made his perfect residence and setling in the bottome of the glasse, which is easily perceiued by the cleerenesse of the glasse which will follow thereup∣on: and after that the earth is throughly setled, tast the water, and looke what relish or tast it hath, such would the wine be; and therefore a vine yeelding such a relished wine fittest to be planted there: therefore if you find therein a bitter tast,* 1.7 a saltie or allum like, or any other such vnpleasant tast, auoid and cease to plant any vine in any such ground. Which if it be true, then to dung and manure vines is altogether to bee condemned, because it is very hard that earth fed and nourished with dung, should not taste and retaine the smatch of the dung, and so by consequence communicate the same with the wine. Wherefore the Parisians are fowly and foolishly ouerseene to load and lay vpon their vines yeare by yeare such great quantitie of dung, and that is the cause for the most part, why their wines haue an vnpleasant tast, and doe easily and very quickely corrupt: and yet further the dung doth cause the vines to grow old by and by and become barren, because they put forth all their goodnesse the first yeare.

CHAP. V.

Of the choice of young vine plants.

THe choice of young plants whether they bee crossets,* 1.8 marquets, or the tenais, must not be put to the discretion of the seller, who little careth to take the fit season for the gathering of the said young plants, neither yet for the goodnesse of them, but altogether to his diligent & heedfull care which is the workemaster: and for that cause it were best for men to take them of their owne vines, or else at least to haue those which hee shall buy, warranted to bee•• good: he must also haue regard to the quality of the aire and situation of the ground

where he will set his plants, that so he may fit them for the same. For and if the ground lie vpon the South, he shall chuse the young branches of vines which he will plant from the same part and quarter: if he meane to plant them in a high place, hee shall gather the plants vpon some high and tall vine: and if low, then out of some vine∣yard that is very low: planting in a hot, cold, drie, or moist ground, hee shall chuse his plants for the renewing of any failing or decaied, of the like situation: by this meanes the plant will fasten the sooner in the ground, and it will bring forth fruit soo∣ner and a great deale better than if it should bee otherwise. Likewise hee must not keepe the young plant any long time before hee plant it: for, no more than trees which are to bee remooued, can the vine well and easily endure after it is cut to bee long vnplanted: neither yet would it be carried far, or remoued out of its owne soile into another, because it feareth the change of earth and aire: and thereupon it com∣meth that the young plants brought out of strange countries, as of Beaune, Rochel, and Burdeaux cannot prosper so well in our soile, as those which grew there first. To make good choice therefore of crossets to plant new vines of, you must see that the vine from which you gather such Cros••ets bee but sparingly furnished with pith, because that such a one is not onely fruitfull and bearing aboundantly, but because also it is not so subiect to the iniuriousnesse of time, as Snow, Fogges, Frostes, and the burning of the Sunne in the time of Sommer, as those which haue much pith in them: afterward when the vines beginne to bud, you must diligently view, about the beginning of September, those that are most laden with grapes, and which are most fruitfull, and haue most eies in their branches, which haue not beene iniured or hurt by the hardnesse of weather, and which are neither young not old, but in their chiefest strength, and middle age, or not much past. Of such vines must your branches be gathered (in the increase of the new Moone, somewhat late of the day in the afternoone) not of such as grow most low, not yet of such as grow highest, but of the middle growth, and such as are round, smooth, and fi••me, ha∣uing many eies, and about three fingers of old wood together with the new. It must be planted presently, that so it may take the sooner in the earth, whiles yet it is in life: or else presently as soone as it is cut off to wrap it in its owne earth, not tying it hard, as also, if you would keepe it a long time, to put it in a vessell full of earth, well clo∣sed and stopped perfectly on euery side, that so the aire may not any way wrong it: or else, if it bee to bee carried into any far countrie, to sticke it in an onion, or wilde garlicke, and then before planting of it to steepe it in water, especially if the ground from whence it is gathered be drie by nature. The vine-dressers of the duchie of Bur∣gundie before the planting of crossets do cause them to be steeped one whole day or a night in running water, and find by experience that the said crossets do take more easily. Others cause the branch to be set and planted by and by, that so it may take the sooner.

CHAP. VI.

The manner and way to plant Vines.

THe first casting of the earth for to plant the vine, must bee done in the Spring or Sommer, in which first digging or casting of it, the ground must bee cleansed of all superfluities, as rootes, weeds, and stones: it must be digged and renewed oftentimes, to the end that the earth which is vppermost, may bee brought vnto the bottome, and that in the bottome may bee turned vppermost, to moisten and refresh that which is drie, and to heat and drie that which is moist & thick, and afterward made euen and cast into many furrows & pits of a foot and a half breadth, & depth, till you come to the hard stone in the bottom••, and the knights or guids of the one side & the other,* 1.9 of such a thicknes aboue, as may

aunswere to the depth of the furrow, which yet must be made hollower in a rough and crabb••d ground than in sandie, flintie, or wet ground: in the bottomes of the sides of which furrowes, there may bee put stones, so that they bee no bigger than a loafe and couered with earth, for the cooling of the vines in the heat of Sommer, as also to the end that vpon great raine, the water may find passage, and not stand at the rootes of the plants. Whereupon your ground being well laid with stones in this sort, and rested and setled after the first dressing of it, and being in the time of this rest turned o••er and wrought for the taking away of the couch grasse and other weeds, you must spie out some calme and quiet weather to plant in, according to the place where you shall bee, and the nature of your ground: prepare, make readie, sharpen, and cut off the root and hairie threeds of your young plants, and fit them well for the South Sunne: plant them in the middest of the furrow, in the plaine flat, where your foot vseth to ••read, and one right ouer against another, and after the ma∣ner of a Burgundian crosse, for to make them (after that they are couered with earth, and old made dung, or with the earth which hath beene cast out of the furrowes, and thrown on the ridges) leape to the two sides of the furrowes towards the ridge of ei∣ther part; for so they beare more fruit, and this is called the double plant, which must bee vnderstood of the plants onely, which are so planted in doubt that if one doe die, the other may escape, or that and if they both take, the one of them may bee ta∣ken vp, to put in place where others haue failed: For howsoeuer the plant set of a crosset may make the better foot and root, yet for certaine it is harder to take than the marquot, although the marquot be not so lasting and of such continuance, in as much as the crossets do put forth rootes of themselues. Furthermore, you must cut off the greatest wood, and most knottie from the vine stocke, which you know to bee the fairest and most fertile, and it must consist both of old and new wood: It continueth foure yeares without fruit, and on the other side, without some misfortune it is seene to continue thirtie yeares in his vigour and lustinesse. After it is cut off, it must be cut fit not leauing aboue three or foure ioints at the most, two wherof (in planting it) may stand aboue ground: and if it haue put forth any eielet, you may rub it off with your finger, or nip it off with your naile.

If you make lesser furrowes, you must plant them after the fashion called ••n godeau, after the Angeuin fashion, setting euery one distant from another two foot, one mar∣quot betwixt two knights or guides as is vsually obserued in planting of stocks in the nurcerie of fruit trees:* 1.10 and after that to leaue it foure yeares in the same state, that it may be laid downe againe when it is growne, that is, some two or three yeres after it hath put forth strong and able wood, in such sort, as that to vines so planted there need no propping or vnder bearing; for the chiefe and principall foot as it is in trees, doth sufficiently beare vp the siences putting forth of the same. In Languedoc and Prouence* 1.11 they plant them in this sort, but they pricke them downe a great deale fur∣ther off one from another, and set an oliue tree betwixt euery two, which nothing hindereth by his shadow either their growth, or the Sunne from hauing full power vpon them. And yet they leaue not so, but as is vsed in Italy, they set in euery furrow fiue or sixe rowes of pulse or wheat, and yet so as that there groweth no intangle∣ment betwixt them and the vine, as not being set or planted amongst them▪ and yet they let not to plant the oliue trees in corne fields, prouiding as hath beene heretofore said, that the shadow, thereof doe not any thing hinder the growth of the graine.

The marquot would be planted* 1.12 as soone as it is raised from his stocke, with his whole furniture of twigs, and that alone in the middest of the furrow, because of his small sprigs, seeing there is no doubt made of the taking of it: againe, it must haue a bed and spreading place of great length: it groweth sooner (as hath beene said) than the crosset; but in like manner as the grafted one, it indureth the least and shortest time of all the rest.

After that you haue planted your crossets or marquots, you must bow them wel at the foote to make them take roote, and afterward cast downe the earth of the ridges

both of the one side and the other, that so it may fall vpon the said plants. At Club∣lyes, Touuerois, and Auxerrois, in planting of marquots (but not hauing any hairie rootes) they writhe them about very gentlie, and vntill they crack and cleaue a little, not suffering them to come together againe.

There is another manner of planting of Crossets, and not the Marquots (for his hairie root cannot endure and abide it) which is called by the termes of planting, en barrhe, en fiche, or as it is called in Aniou, en godeau, and it is by pricking downe on a row the said plants, or else so as that two may stand right ouer against one that is a∣lone, as the manner is to doe with Willowes, and afterward to couer them ouer, and to pile and beate them, as hath been said.

Furthermore, to the end that the new plant may take roote verie speedily,* 1.13 it wil be good to put to the roote thereof acornes and fetches, bruised and ground together somewhat grosse, or else Beane straw, or dung that is old and made long since, or the chaffe of Wheate, which is fittest of all, if there may be found any that hath lien rot∣ting somewhere in standing water for the space of one yeare or more, or fat earth, if in case that the ground where you plant your Vine bee but a leane earth: but if it bee a fat soile, it will be fit to put therin the drosse of the pressing of grapes, mixt with dung made of the drosse of white grapes, if the plant bee of a blacke Vine, or of blacke grapes, if the plant be of a white Vine. Some doe poure Vrin thereupon, to worke the feat withall, and others the lees of Wine. It is true that some hold it for cer••aine, that Vrin is altogether contrarie to the Vine plant, and that is causeth the same to looke pale and white, and in succession of time to kil the stalke, whether it be Crosset, or a Marquot.

You must not mingle, if it be possible, any other plants amongst the Vines* 1.14 (how∣soeuer some doe sow amongst them Beanes, Gourds, and Cucumber••) because that whatsoeuer is sowen amongst the Vines, doth steale away from them their nourish∣ment, and becommeth wonderfull harmefull and iniurious: aboue all other things the Vine hateth the Colwor••, as we haue alreadie said in the second Booke.

Againe, Vines must not be planted of diuers plants,* 1.15 because all vines do not grow at one time, neither are they all of one nature: for some beare early fruits, and some late fruits. Likewise the fruits themselues doe differ one from another: for some are redde, some blacke, some white, some sweete, some eager and sowre, some durable, and other some not durable. Wine is better old than new: some is drunke present∣ly after it is made. One delighteth in one manner of dressing, and another in ano∣ther: wherefore you must not mingle diuers plants together, for there is nothing that so much spoyleth Vines, as when the grapes that are early ripe are gathered with the late ripe ones, and the white with the blacke, because they are of contrarie natures. And if any man be desirous to haue manie sorts then hee must plant them apart one from the other, that so he may order them, inrich, cut, and gather them in their nature and season, that is to say, the more forward and fruitfull first, and the backward and late ones last: or, which is better, if a man desire to haue diuers sorts of yong plants, to the end that if one misse he may be in possibilitie to haue others that will speed, in stead of mingling diuers plants together in the same ground, hee must haue so many inclosures, or quarters for Vines (to the end they may by them bee euerie one se∣parated and distinguished from another) as hee will haue plan••s and diuersities of plants.

CHAP. VII.

In what ground, with what manner of inriching, and at what time of the yeare, the young vine ought chiefely to bee planted.

TO plant a new vineyard of a French vine, it behoueth the Lord of the farme (if he himselfe would see the fruit of his first labours) to haue care and consideration of the ground and of the young vineyard, which he meaneth to replenish with young plants, as wee haue said: for he may be well assured, that in a sturdie, stiffe, iuicie, and fat ground, the vine will beare much fruit, and requireth lesse to be inriched and helped, saue that it may after some two of three yeares stand in need to haue some little supplie of fresh and new earth, where∣in pulse haue lately growne, or else some little reliefe at the foot, according to the time and nature of the countrie. In a grauellie and flintie ground, as suppose it might be in Vaugirard and Venues, where vines yeeld not so much increase, the earth must be the ofter tilled, dressed, and dunged for the purpose, but such manuring must bee with neats dung, and not with the dung of horse, swine, sheepe, or leistals, with all which all manner of ground whatsoeuer, is made worse, rather than amended: be∣sides that such amends doth impaire the taste of wine, and maketh the vine sooner to grow old and out of date, because that the ouermuch trust that the workeman put∣teth in the heat of these, doth make him negligent, euen as it fareth with them which put vnquencht lime to the feet of plants,* 1.16 to make them beare the timelier fruit, as al∣so for to make them the sooner ripe: seeing also that the workemen giuen to follow these courses, do not vouchsafe them the labour of digging about the feet, neither yet to turne vp and dig their vineyards diuers times,* 1.17 as the season shall fit and require, lo∣uing rather to put their masters to the charges of dung, young plants, and props, then that they would in a rainy and fit time take paines and dig them oft, yea rather spending the time of their labouring in ••auerning, or else in wrangling with some of their neerest and deerest kinsfolkes, and that oftentimes for no••hing: notwithstanding that the thing which is the principal and chiefest cause of the bringing forth of wine as well commendable for goodnesse, as abounding in store, is by bestowing as many dressings vpon the vine, as can be deuised, or any way affoorded.

Wherefore you may vndertake the planting of the French vine in the increase of the Moone, when it is foure or fiue daies old, and that from about the beginning of December, or the middest of December, vntill the next frosts that follow, and then also according to their fiercenesse and sharpnesse, which if it fall out to be great, you shall ••urcease and giue ouer your worke, for to goe about to breake the ground, and lay open the earth, when it is taken and hardened by the frost, is but so much labour for you, and so much losse vnto the earth, because that vnder the crust of the frost it inwardly gathereth its s••rength together afresh, that afterward it may shew forth i••s whole force and power in the Spring. Wherefore in cold places it will bee better to plant your vine before the Spring, as on the contrarie, in hot, drie, and vnwatered pla∣ces in Autumne, to the end that the raine which shall fall all Winter, may supplie the defect of other water, and that the roots may the sooner take in the earth, and then and at that time principally when nature ministreth most nourishment vnto the rootes.

My counsell is, that in planting vines there be not any holes made, but rather little pits of a fadome and a halfe in widenesse, and as much in depth, and this is to be done in October if you mind to plant your vines in Februarie, or else in August, if you meane to plant your branches before Winter.

The principall tooles of a vine-dresser, are the mattocke to digge and turne ouer the ground withall, the forked picke axe to make pits withall, th•• spade, the weede

forke to cast vp weedes withal, the rake, a little saw, a great hedging bill, a little hedg∣ing bill, to crop and cut off the wood, and to make young branches, and an a••gar to gra••t the Vine withall.

CHAP. VIII.

Of the plant of the Blacke Vine.

COncerning the naturall plant of the black Vine, it groweth euery where: the wilde doth yeeld a sharp and rough wine, such as that which grow∣eth of ground newly broken vp: but the Vine that is intended to be for Claret wine, is planted halfe of blacke and halfe of white Wine, and thereupon standeth in neede of another manner of dressing and seat than the com∣mon Vine doth: in like sort it is harder to order well, as requiring a verie great care to be taken about it, because the wine which commeth thereof is most pleasant to the eye, and of excellent taste, albeit that it doe not nourish so much.

The yong plants of the blacke Vine are the Morillion,* 1.18 the Samoyrea••, the Ne∣grier, and the Neraut: Besides which, for to make Claret Wine, it is accustomed to adde the yong white wine plant. And for the mingling of them afterward to make a Claret, it will in a manner suffice, if among three or foure plants or branches of the blacke there be one of the white.

The best of the blacke plants is the Morillion, the wood whereof being cut, sen∣deth forth a redder liquor than any of the other: and the best of this sort is the short one, being iointed, within the bredth of euerie three fingers at the most, and growing more or lesse thicke, according as the countrie is, bearing and nourishing it: it bea∣reth a well packt fruit, and hath a rounder leafe than any other of that sort.

The other Morillion* 1.19 hath a long wood, iointed with ioints at the end of euerie foure fingers at the least, it is thicker and fuller of pith within: and in cutting also it is pithie, and so more loose: the barke, except that on the outside, is verie redde, and the leafe three forked after the manner of a goose foote, and like vnto the leafe of the ••igge-tree. This second Morillion is otherwise called wilde Pinot: it beareth but few cleere grapes, and those also small, but the wine proueth strong, yea better than that of the ••irst Morillion.

The third Morillion called Beccane hath a blackewood, and the fruit is like vnto it: in the blossome it maketh a great shew of Wine, but when it commeth to ripenes, halfe the fruit, and sometimes more, falleth away. The branch is longest iointed of all the rest, and groweth more in length and height of wood than any of the other. This third kind of Morillion is called Le frane Merillon lampereau: it ripeneth before the other Vine plants, and yeeldeth good wine and as much as both the other.

The Samoyreau is likewise found to be of three sorts:* 1.20 the best of which branches is short iointed, and of a verie hard wood: the other draweth verie neere vnto it: The third sort is called indented Samoyreau, otherwise white Prunelat, and that because that his wood is whiter than the other: the wine it yeeldeth is of an vnpleasant taste, and it beareth but some yeares. It hath furthermore this fault, that when the fruit should come to be gathered, it is for the most part found fallen down and shed vpon the earth.

The Negrier, called redde Prunelat, hath a redde bark: the wood is long iointed, of a thicke and grosse pitch, a leafe verie much cut, and the grape great, cleere, verie redde and last ripe. Wherefore there needeth to plant but a few of these red plants, for the colouring of the other blacke, and fastning of them: it keepeth and defendeth itselfe from the frost, because it hath a high stocke.

The Neraut, called the blacke Bourguignon,* 1.21 hath the same nature with the white Bourguignon, a hard and a verie blacke vvood, a fast and small pith, ioints one vpon another, an indifferent leafe and altogether round, the foot thereof being verie redde,

the fruit very thicke and close standing one by another, as though it were a piled or packed thing: it saueth it selfe better from the frost than any other: there needeth not so much to be planted of it, for it maketh a deep colour, in such sort as that they which haue great store of it planted, make wine for woollen-diers, and ••ell it very deere.

The small Rochell and Bourdelais of the same nature, are scarce to bee found, because they are not any great bearers, neither yet good for any thing but making of arbours: the wood is red, as shal be said afterward in in••reating of the white vine, ex∣cept because it is ••ound a little redder, & of a very vermillion colour where it is cut off

CHAP. IX.

Of the plants of the white vine.

THe best young plant of the white vine is the Frumenteau,* 1.22 whose wood draweth towards a yellow colour: next vnto it is the Muscadet, which beareth a red wood: next vnto the Muscadet* 1.23 is the ••ine Pinet of An∣jou,* 1.24 which hath a wood drawing neere vnto a greene, and the fruit yel∣low as wax.

There is no young plant that is more apt to beare and indure the frost than the Go∣uest,* 1.25 which beareth a tawnie coloured wood, and is very thicke in his stocke, hauing a round leafe, and yeelding much fruit. There is another kind of Gouest which is cal∣led sage Gouest, so called because of the tast that it maketh in the mouth: it is smal∣ly in request, notwithstanding that it yeeld great store of wine, and be no more sub∣iect to the frost than the other Gouest of the same ••ort.

The fruitfullest of all the white vine plants, is that which is called the white Bour∣guignon* 1.26 or Mourlon, or else the Clozier, whose ioints are distant some two fingers and a halfe, and the fruit hauing a short taile is thicker and closer grown than the Ro∣chelle, the leafe is very round, after the manner of Gouests: in continuance it defen∣deth it selfe from frosts.

That which the Parisians by reason of his operation do call Foirard,* 1.27 and the Bur∣gundians Cinquian, because it beareth but vpon the fift part of quantitie, notwith∣standing it bring forth very great fruit, and the wood thereof is drawing some∣what neere vnto a blew, and as it were affoording much worke for the hedge-bill, yet notwithstanding it is the least of all in value and goodnesse of iuice.

The Mes••ier,* 1.28 otherwise called the Saruinien, beareth much fruit: and for this cause many giue themselues to plant it aboundantly. It hath a wood of colour betwixt a yellow and a red, and yeeldeth not very much to the frost: the leaues thereof are in a manner round. As concerning the differences of this kind of vine branch, I find them to be three: the one is called the common Mes••ier,* 1.29 and this beareth great store of fruit: the other is called the grosse M••s••ier, as hauing his wood & fruit very grosse and great: and the third is called the franke Meslier, and this beareth a better and an opener fruit than the rest▪

The Bourdelais,* 1.30 otherwise named Legrais is best to make arbours of in gardens: and yet some plant it because it is a great bearer of fruit: the wood thereof is red, and grosser than any other young vine plant, and accordingly growing vp in greater hight, craueth also a longer frame to run vpon: in like manner it yeeldeth a grosser fruit, and for a good plant, there is small need of it, as there is also of the Rochelle, which hath a whiter wood than any of the blacke vines haue, and notwithstanding it is but little subiect to the frost: but howsoeuer, it ripeneth more slowly, and there must not be set aboue a quarter of a hundred of branches in a quarter, for it maketh a greene wine, notwithstanding that it giue it his sharpnesse, and make it drie, and holding little of the liquour.

CHAP. X.

Of the manner of dressing of the Vine, as well that which is newly planted, as that which is growne vp and old.

AFter that the plant hath beene dressed and ordered in such sort as hath al∣readie been said, and that you may perceiue that it beginneth to put forth wood the first yeare, and to take earth (which is a thing that should bee knowne by mid-May) when also you find that his shoot is able to endure dressing, you must begin with it and cut it with a hedge-bill: this may bee done if it haue any shoots put forth more than one principall branch, that so by this meanes it may ioine all his force and strength together into one stocke or leg, but in cutting it, you must take heed and see that it be done, as farre off from the bodie of the stocke as possibly may bee, and not betwixt two earths, least the bodie and trunke thereof might drie vp: so likewise you must see, not to let it enioie his wood, but to prune and lop it, taking away such sprigs as may grow vpon it, that so it may swell vp into a firmer stalke: as is woont to be practised in Anjou and Languedoc. It must like∣wise bee obserued that the cutting of it in the old of the Moone, causeth the fleshie parts of the grapes to be more gros••e and better fed, and that such cutting doth serue and profit much in Vines growing in a grosse ground, or in vallies, as also in those vines which are giuen to bee ouer ranke of wood: afterward you must trim them, for the first dressing of a plant hath his first manner of worke and trauell. In trim∣ming of them the second time, there must paines bee taken about the ridges, least that weeds should ouergrow and get the head of the plants, and yet alway with this charge and care, that in digging and stirring of the earth you doe not wound the rootes of the vine, being assured that it alwaies more feareth and is hurt by the en∣counter of edge-tooles than a man could thinke: and it must not onely bee digged with a mat••ocke somewhat deepe, or forked pickaxe, but also the weeds which could not be wholly cast vp, must be turned in, beaten downe, and broken in their rootes: and first before this be done, there must good regard bee taken euery where, what plants of branches or vndergrowth are dead since the first seating of them, which was in the end of December, or in the beginning of Ianuarie, and in their place to plant others in this time of May, if so bee you bee disposed: in which moneth, they are sometimes seene to grow and prosper, but and if you do not in this moneth make such supplie of those which are dead, then you shal stay till the beginning of Decem∣ber following, and you shall note very well the places where any are wanting, that so you may the better beare them in mind.

The second yeare you shall begin to giue to the young plant all such helps of dres∣sing and trimming as are thought meet for the vine that is alreadie growne, and hath beene planted a long time, the matter of propagating of it onely excepted; for the more paine and labour that is bestowed vpon this new and young plant in the new of the Moone, and in a time of mild and gentle raine, by so much alwaies it proueth the better and the more precious.

If the third yeare when you dig and trim them, there be any perceiuerance and shew that the bud will likewise blossome and flower, you must nip it off with your naile.

In the same yeare,* 1.31 the plants first planted must be dunged, and the furrowes made very cleane, and scowred of all manner of weedes, and by the same meanes there must be dung laid vnto and spread about it, which that it may bee the best and most agreeable, would bee Cowes-dung, but for want thereof, the best next is Horse-dung, and last Swines-dung, and where it cannot bee come by, then any such as the

poore workeman can get, except it be marle, or fresh and blacke mould which is the best help of all others for the vine: and yet the good vine-dresser saith that the good vine of Pierrotte or Griotte craueth and loueth more paine, and lesse manuring, that it may not be constrained to cast and let fall his fruit before the due time.

The fourth yere likewise it must be picked and freed with the hand in very nimble and fine maner,* 1.32 and not to be touched with any yron instrument, to the taking away of the feeble and bad buds, the faire and beautifull being let alone, to see if they will proue as good as the young planted braunch it selfe out of which they sprung: and this must be done about May.

Therefore to speake in generall of the tilling,* 1.33 ordering and dressing of the vine whether it be new planted or old growne, the first labour to be bestowed vpon it, is called the digging of it after the first fashion, which others call the tanning of it; for by it the earth is made the more supple and tractable. In this peece of worke is con∣tained the laying bare of the roots of the principall stocks, and if the plant be grown high, then this may be done in the calme and quiet time of March, according to the difference and alteration of places: for in this chill and cold place, which is subiect vnto frosts and blastings, as also in places seated in the vpper parts and tops of moun∣taines, this first order and fashion of dressing them, must be done in the after end of Winter which is called mid-May.

The second fashion of dressing and tilling the vine,* 1.34 is to weed, rake, and cut the same, as hath beene said before: but before this worke come in hand, the plants must bee fitted by being cut, that so they may be able to continue in the place where they are planted, and not to be tossed and carried to and fro with strong and bluste∣ring windes.

The third sort of labour to be performeed in dressing of vines, is to propagate them:* 1.35 but this worke fitteth them not, for the second yeare, no nor yet for the third yere, except in some certaine places, and in such vines as at that age are growne to very stronge wood.

The third yere besides the foresaid dressings, if the plant be strong and seated in a good ground, and that it hath put forth faire and goodly wood, it is woont to be pro∣pagated betwixt mid-Aprill, (and for surenes sake) vnto mid-May, and then the pro∣pagated branches are buried in the places where the ridges are broken & cast down, and that alike on both sides, by which meanes is made the checker whereof Columella speaketh.

In this same third yeare of the new plant, according to the strength of the wood which it hath put forth, notwithstanding for the cause aboue mentioned, you haue with your naile nipped off such buds as were readie to blossome: yet according to the store that it hath of strong wood, after you haue cut it and amended the stocke, some begin to prop, vnderset, and bind it, for the bearing vp of the faire and iolly branches therof, that they may not fall and lie flat vpon the ground: which done, you must go ouer it with the second fashion of dressing of it: and yet before this be done, it must be raised, thrust vp and bound with his first band.

Vines are propagated* 1.36 in Aduent and Ianuarie after they haue beene cut, howbeit in places that are more chill, they be let alone till Februarie and March, and for the doing hereof, they make choice of the fairest branch, that they can find growne out of the stocke, cutting off the rest of the branches some two ioints from the stalke. Sometimes if they were of a faire stocke, some vse to take two of the fairest bran∣ches of the chiefest plant, and then lay them verie gently one after another low vnder foot, in a pit that shall haue beene made in the ridges, afterward they must bee couered with earth: some do lay the chiefe branch that is to be propagated very deepe, to the end that the yeare after that it shall haue beene dres••ed, and the bran∣ches handsomely laid downe in the earth without any offence or hurt done vnto them, it may abide the manuring with dung; for the chiefe and mother braunch is not woont to bee manured at any time, but rather it is to be vncouered and layed ope•• at the foot in Ianuarie, & in the beginning of December, when the propagated

braunch is manured, to the end it may the better take in the snow and raine water which may make it to haue a thicke foot: In Chablyes and throughout all To••uer∣roies and Auuerroies, they vse to propagate their vines in October, and in the be∣ginning of December when they fall calme, in stonie and grauelly grounds. And from mid-May vnto mid-Aprill they propagate their vines in the said conutries, in their sandie grounds, and such as stand on a potters clay, and not sooner than that, because the water that would stand in the pits, would rot and kill the young braun∣ches newly planted, because of the frosts there contin••ed both in Winter and in the Spring.

After August you must dresse your vine againe, whether it be young or old,* 1.37 bin∣ding it ouer againe by reason of his former young sprigs which might haue beene hurt by the first band and withered away, and now at this time it must haue two bands bestowed vpon it, though they vse not so to do in Anjou and Tourraine, be∣cause their dressing of their vines is diuers, and differing from that which wee vse. Wee haue forgotten how that at mid-May, before the raifing of the plant, it must be stripped of his buds, and in doing hereof to bee heedy and warie, that the prin∣cipall sprigs which shall be about the blossome, be not hurt or touched, except there be too many of them vpon one stocke.

For the third dressing of the vine,* 1.38 which shall bee in August, it is woont to bee trimmed and tied again, after which in a gentle & calm weather, after some raine hath fallen, the earth must be stird with the pick-axe very gently and softly, and the weeds turned vnderneath: and sometimes it is weeded, if the yeare haue been rainie. Besides which ordinarie dressings, you must be further aduertised that indeed it is requisit•• neuer to goe without a spade in your hand, whiles you are amongst vines, if so bee that you would haue them to prosper, and that this businesse bee not posted ouer to rascally fellowes or maides, especially the propagating of them, and the stripping of them of their buds. To conclude and shut vp the whole matter of the dressing of the vine set downe in his diuers sorts heere before, it is to be vnderstood in generall, that in the moneths of December and Ianuarie, the new propagated plant must bee cut, and the old one of the yeare past looked vnto, in laying bare the foot of the old, and dressing a new the propagated one, and manuring of it, if there be any need. In March and Aprill it must bee cut,* 1.39 and moe new plants made at the same time, also some lay bare their vines, and manure such as haue need: within a sho••t time after, they must be laid bare againe, as also couered againe afterward: before they blos∣some and flowre, they must bee stripped of their buds with your hand, especial∣ly whiles the branches shall appeare so tender, as that they will scarce abide touch∣ing with ones finger, for feare of spoiling and breaking off: then shortly afterwards to prop them vp with railes and stayes, to tie them with soft and nimble bands, and of all this while, not to forget to giue them their seuerall orders, such as haue been•• m••ntioned and spoken of before.

CHAP. XI.

Of the manner of grafting the vine.

THe vine in this countrie is seldome grafted,* 1.40 notwithstanding wee will speak a word or two of it, hauing alreadie in the third booke handled this point more largely, where we haue spoken of all the sorts and pro∣perties of grafting. The vine then may bee grafted either: vpon it selfe or on other trees. The vine grafted vpon a vine, is after two maner of waies, the on•• in the stocke, the other in the branch. To graft a vine in the stocke, you must make choice of a grosse & firm one, and such as is ful of moisture, not being too old, cutting it close by the ground, or which is better a foot within ground. The grafts that you

meane to graft▪ must be round, firme, full of little eies and set one neere vnto another, and cut in the decreease of the Moone, and taken from the stocke and foot of the vine. The manner of grafting of them, is to insert and set the graft into the bodie of the vine about two fingers deepe. And you shall do the like, if you would graft the vine vpon the branches of the vine.

At Auxerrois and especially at Chablies, they haue another manner of grafting besides the former and they vse it much, it is in this sort: They cut off all the greene buds and sprigs from the stocke, except onely the shoot or branch which was put forth the yeare before, which they leaue of the length of some two ••oot. This branch they cleaue the breadth of two or three fingers, they hollow and also make fit the cleft within on euery side, to the end that the graft of the branch being made cornered, may fit the said cleft the better, and in this cleft they put the graft (consisting both of old and new wood) made sharpe at the end, which shall go into the cleft with his pith, shaped in manner of a wedge, ouer which they cause the said clouen branch so to close and come together in such proportion as that the rindes of euery part of the cleft may ioine, after which they binde it gently without straiting of it much, with a clouen ozier hauing the woodie part taken away, in such sort as that there remaine al∣most nothing but the very pilling, that so it may be the softer to tie them and the soo∣ner rotten. This done, they lay the said graft in the earth about halfe a foot, and couer it with soft earth. Neither do they forget to pick off the buds or sprigs that may grow on the same stock that yere, to the end there may be no attraction or rising of the sap, for the putting forth and feeding of any thing else but the yong graft, which for the first yere groweth for the most part about two or three foot. Then at the end of two yeares they propagate the stocke and the graft, which by such meanes will put forth many new shootes. The like may be practised in one of the twigs putting vp at the foot of the stocke.

The vine is grafted after the same manner vpon trees, as cherry-trees, plum-trees, and others such like, and thereof Columella in••reateth very largely in his Elme groue, whereunto I will refer you, seeing in this our countrie of France there is account or estimation made of the grafting of vines.

CHAP. XII.

Of certaine pettie practises and experiments touching and concerning the vines.

YOu shall haue your vines to beare aboundantly,* 1.41 and withall a very good and durable wine, if your vine-dresser weare a garland of iuie at such time as he croppeth and cutteth your vines, if we may beleeue Palladi∣us: but indeed the surest way is if there be cast into the pit with it when it is planted, the acorns of okes brayed, and ground-fetches.

You shall perceiue before the vintage, that there will bee a great aboundance of wines,* 1.42 if whiles you plucke very lightly with your fingers one grape off from the bunch, there follow and issue forth some liqour after it. In like maner a plentifull har∣uest of wheat, doth prognosticate a plentifull vintage of wine. Raines in the Spring time do foreshew that the wines comming after will be strong and mightie.

Men of old and auncient times past haue highly esteemed of the treacle vine,* 1.43 in respect of the great vertue which his win•• hath against the bitings of serpents, and other venimous beasts: and not only the wine but also his leaues stamped and appli∣ed in forme of a cataplasme vnto the greeued part, as also the ashes of the branches. The maner of preparing of it, is to cleaue three or foure fingers of the neather end of the branch, which you meane to plant: and after that you haue taken out the pith, you must put in steede of the pith some quantitie of triacle: afterward you must

couer it and wrap it in paper, and set the clouen end into the ground: som•• oth••r•• not contented with this course, doe poure treacle vpon the roots of the Vine.

A Vine may after the same manner be made laxatiue,* 1.44 as, if in the clouen branch you put some soluble purge, or if the rootes thereof bee watered with some laxatiu•• things. Note notwithstanding that the branch, taken from the treacle or laxatiue Vine to be planted, will not hold the properties of the said Vine whereof it was ga∣thered, because the treacle and laxatiue drugs doe loose their force and power in the Vine in processe of time.

Your Vine will beare a Wine apt to procure sleepe,* 1.45 if after the manner vsed in your treacle wine, you put Opium, of the juice of Mandrakes, in the cleft which you shall haue made in the bodie of the Vine.

To make grapes to grow without kernels,* 1.46 take the pith out of the branch that you meane to plant, and yet not from the one end to the other, but onely so much as is to stand within the ground: afterward wrap it in wet paper, or graft it in an Onion (for the Onion helpeth the branch verie well to grow) and so plant it. There are some that doe aduise to water it oft with water wherein hath laine to steepe some Beniouin, and that so long as till it hath put forth some buds.

To haue grapes in the spring,* 1.47 you must graft the branch of a blacke Vine vpon a Cherrie tree.

To cause a Vine to budde betimes,* 1.48 you must rubbe the eies of the branch newly cut, with water wherein hath beene steeped Sal nitrum, and within eight dayes af∣ter it will budde.

To make your clusters to consist partly of white,* 1.49 and partly of black grapes, you must take two diuers branches, differing the one from the other, and cleaue them in the midst, hauing regard that the cleft run not through any of their eies, as also that there be not any part of their pith lost: then afterward you must ioine them together, and that in such sort as that their eies may be neere one vnto another, and that in such sort as that they may touch, and of two, there may become but one onely: afterward the branches must be well tied together with paper, and couer them with clammie earth, or with the leaues of the heads of Onions, and to plant them in this order, and to water them often, so long as vntill the buds doe put forth.

To keepe grapes* 1.50 all winter long, you must cut them downe after the full Moone in a faire and calme season, about eight a clocke in the morning when the deaw is va∣nished, and afterward dip them in the Sea water ouer head and eares, or else in salt brine mixt with a little boyling wine, laying them afterward vpon barley straw. Som put them in a vessell full of new wine, or else in a vessell close couered and luted: O∣ther some doe keepe them in honie, others annoint them ouer with the juice of Purs∣laine, others keepe them in Oate chaffe.

CHAP. XIII.

Of the diseases of the Vine, and the remedies for the same.

SOmtimes the Vine is troubled with violence of windes, or else by the vn∣warines of the Vine dresser, wounding the same with his pickaxe: in these cases you must couer the bruised or hurt place with go••••es dung or sheepes dung, mingled amongst verie choice earth, and cast the ground round about them oftentimes with the pickeaxe.

The Vines will not be spoiled with the frost,* 1.51 if in diuers places amongst th•••• there be made heapes of drie dung or chaffe, and when you perceiue that frosts are toward, to set the same on fire, for the smoake rising thereof will breake the force of the frost: notwithstanding, if it come to passe that the Vine bee alreadie spoiled, and the fruit destroyed, it must bee cut off verie short, that so his strength may yet

continue in the remainder; for the yeare following it will b••are twice as much fruit.

The vine will not be blasted,* 1.52 if when it is about to bud, you cut it as late as it may; for this late cutting of it, will make it to be in blossome at such time as the Sunne is in his greatest and most feruent heat.

To breake off such mists and fogs* 1.53 as are alreadie gathered in the aire, for feare they should fall vpon the vines, you must make a smoake round about the vineyard, with the dung of goats well kindled and set on fire. Against such fogs as haue already hurt the vines, you must stamp the roots or leaues of wild cucumbers, or of coloquintida, and lay them to steepe in water, and with the same to water the vines, after the mists. Some say that if there bee many bay trees planted in the vineyard, that then all the malitiousnesse of the mists wil fall vpon their boughs.

Some say that the barren vine will become fruitfull,* 1.54 if the bodie thereof bee wate∣red with man or womans water that hath beene made long before, and dropt vpon the vine stocke by little and little, and if therewithall presently after it be laid about with dung mixt with earth, and this cure must be done in Autumne.

Vines are perceiued to want moisture,* 1.55 when their leaues turne very red: this dis∣ease must be holpen by watering them with sea water, or man or womans vrine.

The vine sometimes poureth forth great store of teares,* 1.56 whereupon it commeth to passe that it looseth his force altogether. The remedie is to breake the barke of the vine vpon the bodie therof, and to annoint the wound with oyle boiled to the halfe, or else with the lees of oyle not salted, and afterward to water it with the strongest vineger that may possibly be found.

The vine sometimes falle••h into such a scattering disease,* 1.57 as that it letteth its grapes fall off: the markes and signes thereof are when the leaues thereof become white and drie, and the branch falleth broad, lenow, and soft: this is to be remedied with ashes beaten and mixt with strong vineger, and rubd about the foot of the vine, and by watering all that is round about the stocke.

The vine shooting out into ouer many branches,* 1.58 must bee cut off verie short, and if for all this it giue not ouer, it must bee barred at the rootes, and riuer grauell laid round about the stocke, together with a few ashes, or else some stones, for to coole the same.

If the grapes wither and drie away as they hang vpon the vine,* 1.59 you must take away such as are alreadie withered and water the rest with vineger and ashes of vine bran∣ches: or for the more certaintie, water the foot of the vine with strong vrine which hath stood a long time.

There are some vines that do rot the fruit which they haue newly brought forth,* 1.60 before such time as they become fully growne and ripe: to cure this mischiefe, you must put old ashes vnto their roots, or grauell, or else barley meale mixt with seed of purcelane about the stocke and bodie.

To preuent that the biting or breath of oxen and kine (which are very hurtful vn∣to vines) may not do them any hurt at all: you must wate•• the foot of euery vine stock with water wherein the hides of oxen or kine,* 1.61 or some such other beasts haue beene steept and mollified; for oxen and kine haue the stench of this water in such detesta∣tion, as that they will not abide to come neere vnto the vine.

Caterpillers,* 1.62 lice, and such other like small vermine will not hurt ••he bud, or the leafe of the vine, if the hooke or hedgebill wherewith you prune and cut away the superfluous bough•• of your vine be annointed ouer with the bloud of a male goat, or the fat of an asse, or of a beare, or with the oile wherein caterpillers, or brayed garlicke haue been boiled, or if you annoint and rub them with the purse and sheath of a badgers stones after that it hath been ground.

To driue away little noisome beasts which are called locusts,* 1.63 from the vines, you must procure smoakes to be raised amongst the vines of the dung of oxen, or Galba∣••um, or of some old shooe-soles, or of harts-horn, or of womans haire, or for to plant amongst the said plants some pionie.

To preserue the vines from being annoied of the small beasts called shrewes, you

must cut them in the night when the Moone is in the signe Leo,* 1.64 Scorpio, Sagittarius, or Taurus, or else you must water your vines with water wherein haue beene steeped in the Sunne for the space of ten daies, ten riuer or sea craie fishes.

Pismires* 1.65 fretting in sunder the wood of the vine, euen vnto the marrow, will not hurt the same at all, if you annoint and rub the stocke with the dung of kine or grea••e of asses.

The bay-tree,* 1.66 and coleworts doe likewise hurt vines very much if they be planted in the same ground, but especially the coleworts, which the vine hateth aboue all the rest, there being a naturall and deadly contrarietie betwixt those two plants, in so much as that coleworts are a preseruatiue from drunkennesse, at wee shall further declare by and by, wherefore the good vine-dresser shall neuer sow or plan•• any coleworts, baie-trees, or hasell, in his garden of vines.

CHAP. XIIII.

Of the manner of gathering grapes, or of vintage.

THe last paine and labour to be taken with the vine is the gathering of the fruit,* 1.67 which may not be attempted by the vine-dres••er, vntill the grapes be ripe,* 1.68 which is manifestly perceiued by their growing blacke, as also by hauing their kernels blacke and all bare, as being altogether sepera∣ted from the flesh or pulpe of the grape, if so be that there be any pressing of the graps. Or else, if after taking away a kernell or two out of a grape, you find that the roome whereout they were taken, doth not lessen, but abideth as large as it was, not being filled vp by the other kernells comming in place. You must gather them in faire and calme weather,* 1.69 not in rainie weather, nor when the grapes are full of dew, but when it is wasted and gone, and the aire is become somewhat hot rather than cold, for so the wine will be the better, and endure good a longer time, yea (if it be possible) in the waine of the Moone, and when it is vnder the earth; at the least after that the Moone is eighteene or twentie daies old, for so the wines will bee stronger, and last better, than if the grapes should be gathered in the new of the Moone. It is true that before the gathering of them, you must haue all the furniture necessarie thereto in readines, as baskets and vessels to••gather them into, great hedge-bills, and small oncs verie sharpe, caske well hooped, and made very cleane by washing, cleanefats, and eue∣ry way well fitted, tubbes, great and small stands, well pitched and fitted for the purpose, and presses aired, scoured, washt, and furnished with their necessarie implements.

The grape-gatherers* 1.70 shall doe their indeauour to put asunder the leaues, greene, sowre, withered, and rotte•• grapes, from those that are ripe and whole, to the end that the wine may not be i••dammaged and made worse than it would bee. And for the making of perfect good and daintie wine, to chuse ou•• the finest of the grapes from amongst the common and grosse ones, as also the white from the blacke, not mingling the two best sorts together of any kind, as if there should bee a mingling of the well tasted grape with those which are sweet, or of the white which is strong, with another which is weake and of a sad colour. The gathered grapes must be left in the ground at the least for a day or two, and that vncouered (prouided that it raine not) for so they will become better, in as much as both the Sunne, the dew, and the earth doe refine and purifie them, as taking from them whatsoeuer bad and vnpro∣fitable moisture that is in them: then after that to leaue them in the fat, but not aboue two daies, after which time, the next morning they must be troden out equally, and in such sort, as that there may not any of the grapes of the clusters remaine whole. It is true that the treaders* 1.71 must not goe into the fat before their feet be well washed, and their whole bodies be made very cleane, and couered with a shirt, to the end that

their sweat may not hurt the Wine, & they must likewise abstaine from eating therin.

The grapes being troden,* 1.72 the wine or liquor must be let boile and worke together for the space of foure and twentie houres, more or lesse, according as it is purposed that the wine should be: for the longer it worketh together, the grosser, deeper co∣loured, and mightier it will be; as the lesse it worketh together, the finer, more thinne, subtile, and delicate it will be. Likewise, if you would haue a strong & mightie wine, you must in this time of the working couer your Fat with som couer, that so the vapor thereof may not breathe out, or his force and strength spend.

The drosse and grosse parts of the grapes that are trodden, which shall haue some iuice and liquor yet left and remaining in them, shall bee carried to the presse for to bee pressed out, and there it shall abide three or foure strokes. It is true that this which is thus pressed out will make the other les••e pleasant, and therefore it will bee best to put that which floweth and runneth out of its own accord by treading, by it selfe; and the other which is pressed out, by it selfe. But howsoeuer you bestow them, the caske into vvhich you shall put them must not be quite filled vp: but haue some space left emptie for the boiling vp of the new Wine,* 1.73 and the casting forth of such scumme and forth as shall rise out of it with ease: It is true that you must be filling vp of it euerie day, so long as till it appeare that the Wine hath ridde it selfe from all its scumme and f••oth. And yet as then it may not be bunged vp, but rather some stone or wispe of Hay laied vpon the bung-hole: and after, vvhen it shall manifestly appeare that the vvine is throughly setled and pacified, then you may bung the caske. The caske must be all this while either in the open aire, or else in some barne that is vvell aired: for it is not to be layed into any Cellar vnder ground, before such time as the new vvine haue vtterly ceased and cast off his rage. And withall, you must beware not to fill vp the wine alreadie cooled and turned vp with wine vvhich is yet hote and boiling, for be it either white or claret, it will make it fat.

After that the vvine is throughly setled, and ceaseth to boile and work any more, it may be carried downe into some Cellar,* 1.74 which must stand vpon the North, paued vvith grauell or drie earth, and free and farre off from all ill smels, horse-stables, sinks, bathes,* 1.75 and marishie places, not hauing any thing shut vp and kept in it vvhich is of euill smell, as Cheese, Garlike, Onyons, Oiles, or Hides: for there is nothing more subiect to be infected than wine,* 1.76 especially that which is new.

Your vessels must be so ranked in order, as that they touch not one another, hauing some distance left betwixt them, that so they may the more easily be looked vnto all they yeare. The vessels to auoide the venting which commonly hapneth vnto vvine, must haue the bunghole very well stopt with grauell, and not stirred or touched at a∣nie time, vntill the time to drinke the vvine become. If, vpon some hap, the good housholder presently, or a little after the time of Vintage, be not minded to sell some part of his Wine, according as opportunitie may serue for his profite: notwithstan∣ding I find that men in times past (to the end they might haue a purer, neater, and more subtile wine, after that the vvine hath purged and cast forth his scumme, ceasing to boile) did vse to put it into new vessels, that is to say, did change it out of one ves∣sell into another, hauing this opinion, that vvine separated from its lees, doth make a more subtile kinde of mother in Winter, and becommeth more delicate and durable, and refineth it selfe farre better in the spring time, than it would haue done vpon the first lees; as also that when vvine standeth long vpon the first lees, which are thicke and sowre, it easily looseth its naturall verdure, and getteth a sharpe and vnpleasant ••aste, and a thicke substance. They did furthermore obserue the time and course of the heauens: for they neuer drew vvine out of one vessell into another; but vvhen the Northren vvinde did blow, vvhen the the Moone vvas either new or vnder the earth, and vvhen as Roses had put forth their first flowers, and the Vine his buddes. And Hesiodus following this custome, doth counsell men that in changing vvine out of one vessell into another, they should separate the Wine vvhich is the vppermost in the vessell, from that vvhich draweth somewhat neere vnto the lees, and both of them from that vvhich is in the middest of the vessell, because

that the wine which is next vnto the bunghole,* 1.77 is euaporated much, as being next vn∣to the aire: and that which is in the bottome corrupteth very easily, as being neere vnto the leese: but contrarily that which is in the midst is most durable and conue∣nient for nourishment. Such custome vsed by those of auncient time, is not obserued now adaies, especially in the countries of France, and therefore we will not say any thing of this changing of wine out of one vessell into another.

CHAP. XV.

Of the time of pearsing the vessells and tasting the wine and how to draw it without causing it to take winde.

MEn of auncient time* 1.78 did attribute so much vnto the influence of the star••, as that they did pearse their vessells either for tasting or drinking of their wine, at the rising of the Sunne or the Moone, hauing this opinion, that at such times the wine doth moue, and therefore ought not in any case to bee touched or dealt withall. Wee doe not so curiously prie into the matter, but wee pearse our vessells at all times, and as oft, as either necessitie or commoditie will persuade and doth require. Notwithstanding in pearcing of them,* 1.79 you must haue this wisdome, as to beware that they take as little winde as possibly may bee, and when there is but a verie little drawne of it, you must presently fill vp the vessell againe for feare of spending of it selfe. As concerning the tasting of wine,* 1.80 whether it bee to sell or drinke, or if it be to finde out whether there bee any that is in daun∣ger to bee turned, some doe giue counsell, that it is good to make the assay at such time as the North-East winde bloweth, because at such times it is more pure and neate than at others: others thinke it best when the South-wind bloweth,* 1.81 be∣cause this vvind stirreth and moueth the wine verie much, and sheweth it in deede to bee the same that it is: but howsoeuer it is, it is not good to taste the wine fa∣sting; for before meate vvine hath but a dull and dead tast, neither yet after that you haue drunke of other vvine, nor after you haue got a full bellie. Furthermore the as••aier of wines must not haue eaten any soure thing, salt, bitter, or any other thing which may alter his tast, but must only haue eaten something without hauing digested it.

When our house-holder is disposed to pearce his vvine,* 1.82 and that hee mea∣neth to draw it by a little and a little for his owne drinking, and leasurably with∣out giuing vnto it any vent at all: hee must pearce it in the vpper part of the vessell with a pearcer which is for the same purpose, and put into the hole the quill of a feather which must be open on both sides, and it must bee as long as three fingers are broad: and that vpon the top of that end of the quill which shall be vpward, hee put some cotten, couering the said cotten afterward with halfe a Walnut-shell, and vpon it againe some ashes or vvet lime laid: and when he hath done all this, let him set the tap in the vessell: and by this meanes he shall draw his vvine easily, and vnto the lees without giuing of it any vent.

CHAP. XVI.

Certaine small things to be obserued concerning Wine.

WHen the case so standeth, as that the Vintage proueth small, and that the Lord of the farme, in respect of sparing, desireth to make a small Wine, wherewith he would passe ouer the requisite prouision of his house in stead of a better and stronger wine, hee shall make it in this sort after the manner of a rappe Vine. In the time of Vintage he shall cause to bee taken a good quantitie of the knots of the grapes called Pinots and Sarminians, when they are ve∣rie ripe and haue a hard skin, and of these knots alone and whole, wi••hout bursting of them, he shall cause a vessell to be silled neere full; which hee shall cause to be set downe vpon one of the ends, and afterward cause it to be taken downe againe, and set vpon a cantling, and so shall cause to be turned into it two pints of good wine that is olde and mightie. This being done, he shall cause there to be water boiled, wherof when it is hote, he shall goe forward, and proceed to the filling vp of the vessell, and so shall leaue it vntill his small wine haue done boiling, and be become throughly cold (which is sometimes sooner, sometimes later, according as the yeare prooueth hote or cold) whereunto he may then put a ••ap to draw out of the same, and to begin to drinke thereof. And as oft as he draweth out thereof, he shall fill vp his vessell a∣gaine with so much cold water as he drew forth of his wine, and so by that meanes keep his vessell alwaies full. And by this meanes his said small wine will passe ouer the greatest part of the yeare in one state of goodnes. And when this small wine shall begin to grow too weake, he shall draw out thereof a quart, and put in place thereof as much good old wine. And in drinking of it he shall holde on (if so it seeme good vnto him) his putting in of water, as before, except that it be found too weake to put in any more wine, and then he shall make his worke-folkes to drinke of it, filling it vp still daily with vvater, as before. The colour of this small Wine is verie pleasant and faire.

The way to keepe new wine that it shedde not in the time of the boiling in the vessell,* 1.83 is to put about the hole at which the new vvine commeth forth, a wreathe of Pennie-royall, Calamint, or Organie: or else you shall annoint the edges of the said hole within with Milke, or Cheese made of Cowes milke: or else you shall cast into the vessell of Wine a morsell of Cheese, for it will keepe in the great heat of the new Wine.

To cause new Wine to be quickly purged,* 1.84 you must put into fifteene quarts of new Wine, halfe a pint of Vineger, and within three daies it vvill be sined.

If you desire to haue new Wine all the yeare,* 1.85 you must take the new Wine which distilleth by it selfe from the grapes before they be troden, and put it the same day in a vessell pitched vvithin and vvithout, in such sort, as that the vessell may be halfe full, and verie vvell stopt vvith plaister aboue: and thus the new Wine vvill continue a long time in its sweetnes: and yet it vvill be kept thus a great vvhile longer, if you put the vessell in a Well or Riuer, couered vvith some little skin, and so leaue it there thirtie dayes: for in not hauing boiled, it vvill continue alwaies sweete, and vvill bee preserued by the heate of the pitch: or else it vvill be good to bruise the grapes verie gently, vvithout much straining of them, and the new Wine vvhich shall issue out of them by that meanes, vvill keepe new a long time. Othersome do lay their vessell filled vvith sweet Wine in moist grauell: some doe pitch their vessels vvithin and vvithout, and so lay it only out of the vvater: other some do couer it vvith the drosse of the vvine presse, and afterward to heape vpon it moist grauell.

To know if there be any vvater either in new Wine or other,* 1.86 take a vvithered rush, and cast it into the Wine, and if there be any vvater in it, it vvill draw thereof vnto it: or else take raw and vvilde Peares, and cutting them in the midst, make them cleane: or, if you vvill, take Mulberries, and cast them into the Wine; for if they swimme

aloft it is a neate Wine, but and if they sinke there is water therein. Some do annoint a reed or a peece of wood, or paper, haie, or some other little bundle of berbes, or of straw, which they drie, and put into the Wine, and after drawing them out, they take triall and knowledge thereof; for if the Wine haue water in it, drops there∣of will gather vnto the oile. Others cast vnquencht lime into the Wine, and if there be water amongst the Wine, the lime will dissolue and melt, whereas if the Wine be neat, it will bind and fasten the lime together. Some take of the Wine and poure it in a frying pan, wherein there is boiling oile, and if there be any water it will make a great noise, and will boile ragiously: againe, others cast an egge into the Wine, for if the egge descend and sinke downe, then there is water in the Wine, but if it do not descend, then there is no water in it.

If the yeare fall out rainie,* 1.87 and that it happen that the grapes hanging yet vpon the vine be much wet, or if it fall out that after the time of gathering them, there fall some great store of raine, so as that the grapes are watered and wet more a great deale than is needfull, they must of necessitie be trodden, and then if you perceiue the new Wine comming of that vintage to haue small strength in it, (which knowledge you may come by, in tasting it after that the Wine shall bee put vp in vessells, and shall first begin to boile and worke in them) it must presently bee chaunged and drawne out into another vessell, for so all the watrie parts that are in it, will stay be∣hind in the bottome: for as much as the Wine will yet stand charged, you shall put to euery fifteene quarters of Wine one pint and a halfe of salt. Others do boile the Wine vpon the fire, so long, as till the third part be consumed, and the rest they vse foure yeares after.

If it should happen that the new Wine prepared in such sort as wee haue spoken of,* 1.88 after long time should begin to sowre and turne eager: to meete with this mis∣chiefe, you must cast to steepe therein a pint of grapes boiled, till they be full swolne, afterward straining them out into an eight part of new Wine, or else cause the said new Wine to run through ••iuer grauell.

If you would haue new Wine setled in foure and twentie houres without boiling of it,* 1.89 that so you might presently vse it, fill a vessell with the small chips of wood cal∣led in French Sayett••, which the inhabitants of Champagne do call Buchettes: vp∣on these chips cast your new Wine, and within the foresaid foure and twentie houres, you shall haue a settled Wine without hauing cast any scum. The inhabitants of Champagne, especially the townes men of Troy, vse this receit not onely to cause Wine to settle quickly, but also to make rap Wine withall.

If it come to passe that Wine haue water in it, and if we find it to be so, by the meanes lately laid downe: to seperate then this water from this Wine,* 1.90 you must put into the vessell of Wine melted allo••e, and after stopping the mouth of the said ves∣sell▪ with a sponge drenched in oile, to turne the mouth of the vessell so stopped downward, and so the water only will come forth: or else cause a vessel of i••ie wood to be made, and put therein such quantitie of Wine as it will be able to hold, the wa∣ter will come forth presently, and the Wine will abide pure and neate.

You shall make an odoriferous sweet smelling Wine in this manner:* 1.91 take a few myrtle berries, drie and bray the same, and put them in a little barrell of Wine, and letting them so rest for ten daies, afterward open the barrell and vse the Wine. You shall worke the like effect, if you take the blossomes of the grapes (those especially which grow vpon the shrubbie vines) when the vine is in flower, and cast them into the vessell of Wine, the brims of the Wine vessell being rubd ouer with the leaues of the pine and cypres tree, and a••ter cast into the Wine, for they make it very odorife∣rous: or more easily, you must hang therein an orenge, or a pome cytron which is not very grosse and th••cke, and pricke it full of cloues, and that in such sort as it may not touch the Wine, & after shut vp the vessell close, or else infuse and steep in Aqua vitae the simples or such matter as you haue your Wine to smell of, and afterward straining the same Aqua vitae, to put it into the vessell amongst the Wine.

To make red Wine of white, and contrariwise of red Wine white: Take common

salt eight drams and put in in fiue pints of red wine:* 1.92 or else poure into red wine some whay, with the ashes of the branches of the white vine, and turne and roule it well for the space of fortie daies, then let it rest, and it will become white wine. On the contrarie, white vvine will become red, if you put into it the ashes of the branches of the red vine: or if you cast into white wine the pouder of honie boiled to the hard∣nesse of a stone, and then made into pouder, changing it from one vessell into ano∣ther to mingle them together: you may do this the more easily, if you cast into the vvhite wine the dried or greene roots of all the sorts of ••orrell.

To make clarret wine,* 1.93 beate the vvhites of three egs in a dish, vntill the froth arise, and adde thereto some white salt, and as much vvine, beate them all together againe vntill such time as that they become very white, afterward fill vp the platter with vvine, and put all into the vessell of vvine and keepe it.

You shall make a wine that wil beare great store of water,* 1.94 if drying the roots of hol∣lihockes you shaue and scrape them, casting the said shauings into the wine, which af∣terward you must roule and mingle together very carefully.

Wine will haue no flower,* 1.95 if you put in the vvine the flowers of the vine gathered and dried, or the meale of fetches, changing the vvine into another vessell, when the meale and the flowers are setled downe to the bottome.

You shall make the boiled wine called Cute,* 1.96 if you boile new vvine that is good, louely, and very sweet, vntill the third part thereof be consumed, and then when it is growne cold, you must put it into vessells for your vse.

To make sweet vvine that will so continue all the yeare,* 1.97 you must gather your grapes whole, and let them lie spread three daies in the Sunne, and tread them the fourth about noone. The sweet vvine, that is to say, the very liquor vvhich shall run out into the fat, before the drossie substance come vnder the presse, must bee taken away, be put by its selfe, and boiled, and after it is boiled, put to nineteene quarters of it an ounce of Ireos or corne flag vvell braied, and straine this vvine vvithout the lees, vvhich being done, it vvill continue sweet, firme and vvholesome for the body.

To make vvine like vnto Greekish vvine,* 1.98 you must gather from the vines earely grapes very ripe, and those you shall drie in the Sunne three daies, and tread them out in the fourth, and the vvine thus made you shall put in a vessell, hauing care to cause it to purge and cast out the filth vvithin it, as also its lees, at such time as it shall boile. And the fift day after that it shall be purged, you shall put into it two pounds of re∣boiled salt, or very small beaten salt, or at the least one pound in eighteene quartes and a halfe of vvine.

To make a vveake and feebie vvine to become an excellent good wine: take a handfull of the leaues of Tota bona, and a handfull of fennell and smallage seed, and cast them into the vessell.

To make good houshold vvine,* 1.99 you must cast how much the tenth part of the wine commeth to which you haue drawne or made in one day, and to cast as much spring water vpon the drosse, out of which the said wine was gathered and pressed: with this you must mingle the scum taken off from the wine in the boiling of see∣thing of it, as also the lees remaining in the bottome of the treading fat, which shall bee lee lie and steepe in the same a whole night: the day following, you must tread them all together with your feet, and afterward presse them out: then you must put that which shall come forth into vessells, and stop it vp when it hath boiled and purged.

To cause troubled wines and such as are full of lees to settle,* 1.100 poure into thirtie quarters of wine, halfe a pint of the lees of oyle boiled till the third part be wasted, and the wines will settle by and by and returne vnto their former estate: or else, which is better and more easie, cast into the wine vessell the whites of sixe or seuen egs, and stir them together very well with a sticke.

You may take away the force and strength of vvine,* 1.101 if you put into it some iuice of coleworts, vvhich you shall haue bruised before hand, and thereupon drawne out the iuice.

To drinke great store of Wine and not to be drunke,* 1.102 you must eate of the rosted lungs of a goate: or otherwise, eate sixe or seuen bitter almonds fasting: or other∣wise, eate raw coleworts before you drinke, and you shall not become drunke. Some say that a great drinker shall neuer become drunke, if he weare a wreath of Iua mos∣cata about his head: or, if at his first draught he repeate this vearse of Homers, Iupiter his alta sonuit clementer ab Ida, which is to say, Iu∣piter was heard speaking in a soft and gentle manner from the high mount of Ida.

To prouoke hatred of Wine,* 1.103 you must take the thin liquor which drop∣peth from the braunches after they bee cut, and put it in the drunken mans glasse against such time as he shall drinke, but so as that hee know not any thing of its; and thereupon his appetite and lust to drinke Wine will depart quite away from him: or else, cause him to drinke with white wine the blossomes of rie, gathered at such time as the rie bloometh: or else, take three or foure e••les aliue, and let them lie in wine till they die, and afterward cause this wine to be drunke off by such as are giuen to be drunke: or else, take a green frog, which is ordinarily found in fre••h springs, and let the same lie in wine till she die: otherwise, marke diligently where the owle haun∣teth, that so you may get some of her egs, frie them, and giue them to the drunken gal∣lant to eate.

To make drunken men to become sober,* 1.104 you must make them eate colewoorts and some manner of confections made of honie: or else drinke great draughts of vineger.

To be the meanes that wine shal not become strong,* 1.105 take a peece of salt lorde, and tie it to the hole by which you turne vp your wine into the vessell, with so strong a thread as may beare vp the lard, which lard must hang in such manner, as that it may but touch the vppermost part of the wine: and this will keepe the wine from becom∣ming strong, through his fatnesse and saltnesse, which hinder the separating and re∣fining of the same, which is the thing that giueth strength vnto the wine.

To cause new wine to become old by and by,* 1.106 take bitter almonds aud melilot, of each an ounce, of licorice three ounces, of the flowers of lauander as much, of alo••s hepaticke two ounces, bray them all and tie them together in a linnen cloth, and so sinke them in the wine.

You shall finde out and know whether the wine will keepe long or not,* 1.107 after this manner: when the wine shall be turned vp, you must, within a certaine time after, change it into another vessell, leauing the lees behind in the first vessell, which must be very well stopt on euery side, and then afterward you must diligently trie out and see, whether the lees do change and begin to get any ill smell or no, or whether they breed any gnats, or such other little wilde beasts, and if you perceiue that no∣thing of all these falleth out, then you need not feare the turning of your wine: but if it fall out otherwise, you may assure your selfe, that such wine is apt to corrupt and become nought. Others do put downe to the bottome of the vessell and elder pipe, or some other of such like wood, as may bee made hollow, through which they take the sent of lees, and so are throughly certified how they smell, and according as they find the lees to be conditioned, so they iudge of the state of the wine. Some take vpon them to foretell by the couers of vessels, wherein if they find and perceiue the sauour of wine, they by and by iudge the wine to bee good: but if in them they find the sauour of water, they make no great reckoning of any such wine. Others iudge them by the sauour and relish of the wine, which if they find to bee sharpe in the beginning▪ they hope well of the goodnesse thereof: but and if they tast flat and soft, then they feare the contrarie: if when the wine is put into the vessells, it be fat and glewie, it is a good signe: but if it bee void of all strength, it will easily bee turned.

To keepe wine at all times,* 1.108 cast of the powder of roch allome powdred verie finely into the vessell, whereinto you shall turne your new wine: or the powder of salt finely powdred: or pebble stones, and little flints, taken out of some brooke: or aqua vitae: or else hang in the vessel by the bung, a glasse violl ful of quick siluer, but

very well and close stopt euerie where, and let it lower and lower as the wine shall sinke lower and lower, so that the violl may hang within the wine continually: or else powre common oyle vpon it.

CHAP. XVII.

A discourse of certaine wines that serue for the vse of Physick.

AS we haue said in the second Booke,* 1.109 that the prouident huswife must sowe and plant vpon some bed in her Kitchin garden certaine medicinable hearbes: in like manner it will not be amisse, that the farmer or his wife should yeerely, in Vintage time, make and compound wines for the ne∣cessities that may grow by reason of diseases happening amongst their familie. Wherefore, to the end we may not forget any thing which may fall out to be necessa∣rie for the better keeping of our Countrey Farme, wee would not omit the manner of compounding such wines: which notwithstanding the good wife must not vse or giue others counsell to vse hand ouer head, at hap hazard▪ and without good reason: for it is not good to vse them where there is an ague, neither yet till fortie daies past after that they be made. Their vessels must be alwaies kept close shut, for else they will grow sowre, or else spend themselues very easily: and after that it is perceiued by the tast, that they retaine the relish of the simples infused, it will be good to take the said simples out of the vessels.

To make wine of Roses: take drie Roses of the mountaines,* 1.110 Annise, and Honey, of euerie one alike, and a little Saffron, bind them together, and put them in the wine: this wine is very good for the weakenesse of the stomack, and for pleurisies.

For to make wine of Wormewood: take Sea Wormewood,* 1.111 or for want thereof, common Wormewood, especially that which hath the small stalkes and short leaues, about eight drams; stampe them, and bind them in a cloth which is not ouer-thicke wouen, and so cast it into the vessell, afterward poure new wine in vpon it, and that after such a proportion, as that for euerie three pints of wine there may be an ounce of Wormewood, and so to hold on till the vessels be full, leauing a vent open, that so it may not fall a boyling againe. The vse of this wine is good for the paine of the sto∣macke and liuer, and to kill such wormes as are in the guts.

To make wine of Horehound that is good for the cough in the Vintage time,* 1.112 you must gather of the crops and tender stalks of Horehound, growing especially in such places as are leane and vntilled, and afterward cause them to be dried in the Sunne, & made vp into bundles, tying them together with a rush sinking them in the vessell: in sixtie fiue quarts of new wine, you must put eight pound of Horehound to boyle therewith, after that the Horehound shall be taken out, and the wine stopt vp verie diligently.

The wine of Annise and Dill,* 1.113 against the difficultie of vrine, the wine of Peares a∣gainst the flux of the bellie: the vvine of Bayes against the ach of the belly & wring∣ings in the same: the vvine of Asarum bacchar, against the Iaundise, Dropsie, and tertian ague: the vvine of Sage against the paines and weakenesse of the sinewes, and they are made as the vvine of Wormewood.

For to make vvine of Thyme: you must gather the Thyme wine it is in flower,* 1.114 and drying it, stampe it and put thereof the quantitie of a twelfth part in a vessell of thirtie quarts of white wine.

To make vvine of Betonie: take Betonie the leaues and seed about one pound,* 1.115 put them in twentie quarts of new wine: vvhen seuen moneths are past, change the vvine into a new vessell.

For to make wine of Hysope: take the leaues of Hysope well pouned,* 1.116 make them fast in a very fine cloth, and cast them into twentie quarts of new vvine: this vvine is

good against the diseases of the lungs, an old cough, and shortnes of breath.

Wine of Pomegranates is made of Pomegranates that are scarce ripe,* 1.117 being throughly bruised, and put in a vessell in three quarts of thicke red Wine, to vse against the flux of the bellie: to the same end serueth the Wine made of seruices, mulberries and quinces. You may see a large discourse of Wines in the fifth Booke of Dioscorides.

CHAP. XVIII.

Of such faults and accidents as happen to Wine.

WIne is not exempt from losse and inconueniencies any more than all other things which are contained vnder the cope of Heauen,* 1.118 therefore to meete with all the inconueniencies which may happen to Wine, you must carefully and often looke vnto the Wine-vessell: notwithstan∣ding, from the time that the said vessels are couered and stopped vp, vnto the Spring Equinoctiall, it will be sufficient to fill vp and handle the Wine once euerie six and twentie daies, but after this time, twice in the said space: and if the Wine begin to flower, then you must looke to it more oft, least the flower thereof should fall to the bottome and spoile the Wine. Looke by how much the heat is the greater, by so much you must visite and looke to your Wines the ofter, and euer keepe it with filling of it vp, refreshing and giuing of it vent, for so long as it holdeth cold, it will remaine and continue sound and intire.

If your Wine should begin to wax sowre,* 1.119 you must put in the bottome of the ves∣sell a pot full of water well stopt, and thereupon also, stopping the vessell, leaue there∣in some small hole to vent at, the third day after, you must draw out the pot, and you shall find the water therein stinking, but the wine sound and neate.

Wines are most subiect to turne,* 1.120 especially about the eleuenth day of Iune, being the Sommers solstice: and the time when the vine flowreth, somewhat before the dog daies enter through the great change of heate and cold, and generally when the Southerne wind bloweth, whether it be in Sommer or Winter: as also in time of great raine, of great windes, earthquakes, or mightie thunders, and whenas vines or roses begin to flower: to keepe them from turning, you must put into them when they boile vp and worke, boyled salt, or else the seede of smallage, barley bran, and the leaues of the bay-tree, or ashes of the braunches of the vine, with fennell seede brayed.

Others do appoint these remedies: take the rootes of mugwort, and cinquefoile, make them in powder, and when the Wine shall haue boiled, put them in, and it will not turne nor change. Likewise if you lay your vessells in vaulted cellars, or if you put in them a plate of yron or flint stones, or leuen made of rie paste, or a couering vpon the vessell, you keepe your Wine from all inconueniencies that might hap∣pen vnto it by thunder and lightning.

Sweet almonds cast into red Wine, keepe it from turning: the ashes of oake-wood cast into the Wine doe the like: the meale of the white fetch doth saue the Wine from turning, and keepeth it in his soundnesse: allom•• broken in peeces doth the like: as also brimsone, lime, sand and plaister.

If it happen that the Wine be turned,* 1.121 you must cast into the vessell a good quan∣titie of beaten pepper; and which is better, change its vessell: take cetaine whites of eggs, which after that you haue beaten them very well a long time, and taken off the froth rising vpon them, cast them into the vessell and roule it: or else, take twelue ker∣nels of old wal-nuts, draw a thread through them, rost them vnder the ashes, and whiles they are yet hot, hang them in the vessel within the Wine, & leaue them there so long as vntill you see the Wine to haue recouered his former colour.

If the Wine be become troubled,* 1.122 it will quickly grow cleare and become fined againe, with the kernell of a pine apple, or of peaches, or with the whites of egs and a little salt: otherwise, take halfe a pound of roch allome, and as much sugar, make a very small powder thereof and cast it into the vessell.

If it appeare and shew manifest vnto you that your Wine would marre and spoile,* 1.123 take this course with it: If it bee claret Wine, take the yelke of an egge, and if it be white, take onely the white of an egge, putting thereto onely three ounces of cleare bright stones taken out of some swift running riuer, make them into pouder with two ounces of salt poudred very small, and mingled all together: after that, put the Wine into another vessell that is neate and cleane, and not tainted with any ma∣ner of smell before hand: which done, cast into the same all the foresaid compositi∣on, and mingle it with the Wine fiue or sixe times a day, vntill three or foure daies be past: remember and marke to doe this same before such time as the Wine bee all together marred; for when it is once throughly corrupted and marred, this com∣position will serue you to no end, and the labour and time is but lost that you bestow about it.

To restore againe into his former and sound estate, the Wine that is growne fat, fustie, and hath taken winde: cast into the vessell cowes••milke somewhat salted: some cast thereinto allome, lime, and brimstone, but not without their great hurt that shall drinke the same: but indeed it would doe better, if they would put into it some Iuniper berries and Ireos roots.

If that your Wine do continue to hold and still retaine any ill qualitie by its hauing taken wind, you must make it loose the same, by making two or three towres in the vessels, and afterward setting it againe vpon his cantling, and then to fill it vp.

To take away the fustie smell of wine,* 1.124 you must take medlers ripened vpon the straw, and opening them in foure quarters, tie them with a small threed, and thereby make them fast vnto the bunghole of the vessell, in such sort as that they may hang all couered ouer in the Wine: hauing left them thus for the space of a moneth, then take them out, and by this meanes you shall likewise take away the ill smell of your Wine; or else take bay-berries, and boiling them in Wine, cast the same afterward in∣to the said vessell: otherwise, make a bag and fill it with sage, putting it in the vessell, but not laying it in the Wine:* 1.125 the same remedie serueth to recouer Wine that is be∣come soure; if you had not rather chuse for the helping of your Wine to cast into it some leeke seed.

To keepe Wines from sowring,* 1.126 you must place the vessell in a cold place, very ful and well stopped, so as they may not haue any breathing place: or else if you want the benefit of a cold place, and that you are forced to set it in a place that is hot: or else if the Wine faile through hauing beene a long time pearced: to keepe it from falling quit soure, you must hang at a small coard a great peece of larde well wrap∣ped in a linnen cloth, and let it downe by the bung-hole into the midst of the Wine: and as the Wine shall grow lower and lower, so you must still let lower the lard, that so it may alwaies continue in the midst. In the meane time, the vessell must be con∣tinually well couered and stopt: and by how much the peece of lard shall bee the greater, so much the better will it keepe the Wine from sowring. Some aduice and giue counsell for the same purpose to put into the vessell oyle oliue,* 1.127 in such quantitie as that it may only couer the vppermost face of the Wine: and when the Wine is all drawn out, the oyle may easily be seperate from the lees, and ga••dered into a vessel by it selfe.

To take away the waterishnesse and ouermuch moisture of Wine.* 1.128 you must put into the vessell the leaues of the pomegranete tree.

If any beast be fallen into the vessell of Wine,* 1.129 and dead therein, as an adder, rat, or mouse, to soone as the dead bodie is fou••d, you must burne it, and cast the cole ashes into the vessell whereinto it had fallen before, and stir it about with a wooden sticke: others giue counsell to put hot bread into the Wine, or any yron ring, and then the venime will vanish and depart.

CHAP. XIX.

Of the manner of making Vineger.

VIneger commeth through the defect of wine,* 1.130 as wee may vnderstand by that which is gone before: the riotousnesse and pleasure of men, hath beene the cause that Vineger came euer in request, not onely for sauces, but also for many other vses: It shall not therefore be thought vnreaso∣nable to vse a word or two about making of Vineger.

The most common way to make Vineger is on this sort: They vse to take good wine, and therewithall to ••ill the vessell to the halfe, leauing it vnstopt and set in a hot place, as in some corne loft, or in some gutter betwixt the tiles.

If you desire to make Vinegar in hast, you must cast into your wine, salt, pepper, and soure leuen mingled together: and yet to make it the more hastly, you must heat red hot some stone, tile, or gad of steele, and put it all hot into the wine, or else the mouth of the vessell must stand alwaies open, or else the vessell must be set in the Sunne three or foure daies▪ and therewithall a little salt put in the vessell: or else fill a new ear••hen pot that is not halfe baked with wine, and stop it well, afterward put it in a kettle full of boiled water vpon the fire, and letting it there remaine a long time in the boiling water, it will grow soure; or else put into the wine a beete root stam∣ped, or a radish root,* 1.131 or medlars, ceruises or hornes, mulberries, vnripe sloes, or a shiue of barley bread new baked: or else you must take of the blossomes of the cer∣uise tree in there season, and drying them in the Sunne after the manner of rose-leaues, either in a glasse vessell, or in one of blacke earth, fill vp the same vessell with pure Vinegar or Wine, and so set it forth againe into the Sun or in the chimny end to the heate of the fire, and in a short time it will become strong and very sharpe Vineger: but if you would restore it againe to his former state of wine, then you must cast, of colewort roots into it.* 1.132

CHAP. XX.

Of some obseruations and instructions concerning Vineger.

TO make strong vineger,* 1.133 take the fruit of the cornell tree, when it begin∣neth to grow red, and of bramble berries, such as grow in the fields, when they are halfe ripe, drie them, make them into powder, and with a little strong Vineger, you shall make little prettie balles, which you shall drie in the Sunne, afterward you must take wine, and heate it, and when it is hot put into it this composition, and it will bee turned very speedily into very strong Vineger.

To make Vineger with corrupted wine: take a rotten and corrupt wine and boile it,* 1.134 taking away all the scum that riseth in the boiling thereof, thus let it continue vp∣on the fire till it be boyled away one third part, then put it into a vessell wherein hath bin Vineger, putting thereto some cheruile, couer the vessell in such sort, that there get no aire into it, and in a short time it will proue good and strong Vineger.

To make drie Vineger* 1.135 to carrie whither a man listeth, take of wild cherries when they begin to be ripe (and yet the fruit of the cornell tree is better) of mulberies when they be red, and vnripe grapes th••t are very thicke, and of wild a cornes be∣fore they bee ripe, stampt all together, then take of the best Vineger you can finde, and mingle them all together, make vp the masse into small loaues, setting them to drie in the Sunne: and when you would make Vineger, temper some of these small

loaues in wine, and you shall haue very good Vineger. Otherwise, take the vnripe iuice of corne that is very greene, and stampe the same putting Vineger thereto, and thereof make a past, wherof you shall make little loaues to be dried in the Sunne, and when you would haue Vineger, temper of these loaues in so much wine as you shall see sufficient, and you shall haue very good Vineger.

To make rose-vineger,* 1.136 take good white Vineger, and put therein red roses, either new or dried, keeping them many daies in the vessell, and afterward taking them out, put them in another glasse, and so keepe them in a coole place: after the same manner you may make Vineger of elder-tree flowers.

To make Vineger without wine, put into a vessell soft and daintie peaches,* 1.137 and vpon them pearched barley, letting them putrifie all a whole day, then straine them and vse the liquor: or else take old figs and burnt barley, together with the inner parts of orenges, put all these into a vessell, and stir them vp very well and oft, and whenas they are become putrified and resolued, straine them out and vse the liquor.

To make sweet Vineger,* 1.138 take fiue pints of strong Vineger, and with as much new wine reserued vpon the treading out of the grapes, adde some quantitie of pitch, and and put altogether in a vessell which you must stop very carefully: and after that all these haue continued together for the space of some thirtie daies, you may vse there∣of for Vineger: otherwise, take a vessell of new wine, and mingle it with two vessels of Vineger, and boile them together till the third part be consumed. Some doe adde three vessels of spring water vnto two of new wine and one of Vineger, boiling them all together vntill the third part be consumed.

To make mightie strong Vineger,* 1.139 drie the grosse of grapes two whole daies, then put it in new wine, put thereto some of the vnripe iuice of corne, and you shall make a strong Vineger, whereof you may haue the vse within seuen daies after: or other∣wise, put pellitorie of Spaine into Vineger and it will make it strong. Furthermore, if you boile the fourth or fifth part of Vineger vpon the fire, and put it vnto that which is before prescribed, putting it after all this in the Sunne some eight daies, you shall haue a pleasant and strong vineger. The rootes of couch-grasse when they are old, boiled grapes, the leaues of the wild peare tree stamped, the roots of brambles and whay, the quicke coales of burned acornes, and boiled ciche pease and hot tiles, euen euery one of these by themselues being cast into Vineger doe make the same strong.

Pepper vineger* 1.140 is made by casting into vineger or hanging therein whole pep∣per made vp in a linnen cloth, for the space of eight daies,

You sh••ll know if there be any water in the vineger,* 1.141 if you put into it any Salni∣trum, for then if it swell vp as though it would boile, you may boldly say that there is water in it.

To make vineger good to helpe digestion, and for your health, take eight drams of the sea onion, and two pints of vineger, put them together into a vessell, and vvith them as much of pepper, mints, and iuniper berries, then vse it afterward.

To make vineger of sea onions,* 1.142 you must put ten such onions salted into fiftie quartes of sweet new vvine, and foure pints and a halfe of strong vineger, and if it be not sharp enough, then twice so much, in a pot holding fiftie four quarts, & boile them till the fourth part bee consumed: or if the wine bee sweete, it must be boiled to the spending of the third part, but such wine may be of his owne distilling out of the grapes before they be trodden and very cleere: otherwise, put into a vessell thirtie pints of strong vineger, wherein let steepe for the space of twelue daies, the inward part of a white sea onion which hath beene in the Sunne thirtie daies: after that, take the vineger and let it settle and abide in some place where you wil to vse it afterward. Dioscorides in his one and twentieth chapter of his fourth booke discribeth another manner of it.

It is to obserued and noted that all sorts of vineger are best helped to keepe their tartnesse, by putting into their vessels at the bung hole a sticke of red withie.

CHAP. XXI.

Of the manner of making of Veriuice.

THe most common manner of making of Veriuice in this countrie, is to gather the greene grapes from of the vine frames, or the grapes which are not yet ripe, and are left vpon the vines after vintage, and hauing gathered them, to tread and presse them afterward, after the manner of ripe grapes, putting the liquor or iuice thereof into vessells, and salting the same by and by, after that it hath purged out all its scum and filth, by boiling as new wine doth. In the Northern countries they do also make Veriuice of crabs mingling a lit∣tle salt therewithall. Some make a drie Veriuice after this manner: they take the gree∣nest that they can get, pressing the iuice thereout, which afterward they boile in a brasen vessell vntill it become thicke, and as it were congealed, then they drie it in the Sunne, and keepe it for their vse: othersome boile it not at all, but drie it in the Sunne, till it come to the thicknesse of honie.

To make your Veriuice looke more greene, and to be better, and to preuent that it may not turne and become mouldie or hoarie, you must the day after it is turned vp into its vessell, plucke a bunch or two of blacke grapes, and cast them into the ves∣sell at the bung-hole, euen in whole clusters, and then to salt it after that it hath beene boiled.

CHAP. XXII.

Containing certaine discourses by the way of inuention, nature, faculties, differences, and necessitie of Wine.

AS we haue in the former booke at large intreated of bread, and of the diffe∣rences thereof, according to the vse wherein it is imployed, namely, the nourishment of mans bodie; so now after the manner of ordering and husbanding of the vine, and so of the fruit which commeth of such hus∣banding thereof, which is Wine, it shall not seeme vnreasonable, if summarily, wee discourse and stand vpon the necessitie, nature, faculties, and differences of Wine, whereof we make so great account ordinarily in our drinking thereof.

And to the end that we may now come to the matter:* 1.143 Seeing not only the substance of mans bodie, but of all other liuing creatures is subiect, (through vitall heate con∣tinually working in them) vnto a perpetuall wast, and expending of it selfe: na∣ture being prouident ouer her owne workes, hath giuen vnto and put in all sorts of liuing creatures, an incredible desire of eating and drinking, to the end that this waste and losse of substance might bee repaired and restored by the well bounded increase comming of eating and drinking; for otherwise, naturall heate destitute of such her food and nourishment, would quickly be choked and quenched. Now the substance of euery liuing bodie is threefold: the first is, and consisteth of spirits: the second of humours: the third of solide parts: all which three substances may pos∣sibly be repaired by a solide substance, if so be that such solide nourishment could ea∣sily bee digested and distributed, throughout the whole habite and vniuersall masse of the bodie. But seeing that such is the solidnesse, hardnesse, and grosenesse therof, as that it cannot, it was needfull that it should be accompanied with some floting and fluide liquor, which might stand in steed of a wagon or chariot to conueigh and carrie it vp and downe the bodie. Ioine also thereunto, that this fluent liquor hath without comparison a greater power than the solide nourishment to let and hinder

the drying vp of the solide parts, and to temper all such heat, as otherwise, vpon eue∣rie light motion, might at euerie moment offend and hurt them. This losse and con∣tinuall expence of this threefold substance (which in the end doth first bring old age; and afterward death) doth grow through that iarre and disagreement which is in the foure elements, vvhereupon the whole bodie is compounded and framed: vvhich elements also, notwithstanding that they may seeme vnited and ioyned toge∣ther in a certaine kind of harmonie, consent, amitie, and inuiolable bond, yet by rea∣son of secret rancour and mutuall disagreement happening through their contrarie qualities, they doe so warre one vpon another, as that by little and little they do pro∣cure the ruine, dissolution, and vtter ouerthrow of that bodie which before they had consented to frame and compose. Physitions ouer and besides this, do acknowledge another cause of this expence of nature, and bringing in of old age, and lastly death, vvhich is fore-slowed and kept off by eating and drinking; and that is naturall heat, vvhich feedeth vpon the radicall moisture, seated in the substance of the solide parts: vvhich moisture, the sooner that it is dried vp, wasted, and consumed by the foresaid heat, so much the shorter is the course of life. But this radicall moisture, and the con∣tinuall losse of spirits, it repaired by the addition of eating and drinking, and so the life drawne forth to a longer terme. Wherefore, Nature being carefull of the preseruation and long continuance of the bodies of liuing creatures, vvhich other∣wise, for the occasions aboue named, vvould grow old and perish in a few houres, taketh not anie other course for the same but by eating and drinking, vvhich are the two meanes to sustaine and preserue (so much as is possible) the liues of all li∣uing things. And as for eating, let vs leaue off to haue anie thing to doe with it, as hauing spoken thereof in the former booke, and let vs come to the second, vvhich is drinking.

The common drinke of all liuing creatures is water.

OLd and ancient Histories doe sufficiently testifie, that water was the first drinke which men vsed generally throughout the world, and wherewith they con∣tented themselues a long time, to vse it onely for the quenching of their thirst: but afterward, vvhen voluptuousnesse seized vpon mens appetite, they inuented and set before them diuers sorts of drinkes. Wherefore hauing reiected water as a tastlesse and vnsauourie thing, they haue in place thereof (in all such Coasts and Countries as where the heat of the Sunne might bring forth and lead along the grape vnto his full ripenesse) chosen Wine for the most excellent and delightsome drinke of all o∣thers: as in other cold Countries, and such whereas the Vine could not grow, they haue either still continued their drinking of vvater, or fetched and procured vvine from other places, or else haue prepared some other kind of drinke comming neere in some measure vnto vvine, vvhich by the delicatenesse thereof might reioyce the heart, and gratifie the tast. Whereupon, some in stead of vvater haue taken vp the vse of Wine, and others of Beere and Ale: some of Cyder and Perrie, and others, of all sorts: some of honied vvater, or vvater sweetened vvith sugar: and others, of other drinkes pressed and strained out from fruits, or the decoctions of rootes. All France, Italie, Sicilie, Spaine, and all other Countries which are farre off from the North, doe content themselues with vvine, the Nation of the Turkes excepted: vvho, being incensed either by the superstition of Mahumet, or stirred up thereun∣to by the ancient custome of Turks, do vtterly abhorre vvine, and vse in stead there∣of honied water. England, Scotland, Dalmatia, Polonia, Sarmatia, and other Nor∣thren Countries doe vse partly vvine, as procuring the same from other places, and partly Beere, in such sort, as that by how much the Countries are the colder, by so much the more they are giuen and addicted to vvine and drunkennes: vvitnesse here∣of is not onely Germanie, but also Frizeland, Dalmatia, and Flanders, the inhabitants of which countries doe not onely striue who shall drinke most, and extoll drun∣kennesse vnto the skies, but also doe scoffe at sobrietie, and so highly disdaine such

people as striue to liue soberly and temperately, as that they think them the most vn∣worthie of their alliance and companie. And yet (notwithstanding that so many sorts of drinks be growne in request in stead of water in many countries) wine seemeth to me to beare the bell, as being the most pleasant, delightsome, and excellent drink that can be found or thought vpon.

What is meant by wines.

THe iuice then of the grape, which either runneth from the grape being full ripe, or is pressed out with feet, or the presse, before it be boiled, is called new or sweet wine, but after that it hath boiled, and thereby cast forth all his scumme and dregges, it is properly called wine. Wherefore this boiling or working, by which in fine it is fined and setled from all his excrements, is not any manner of putrifaction, but rather an effect of naturall heat engendred and naturally rooted in the same: for whereas the iuice newly drawne out of the grape, doth containe in it many excrements, and those diuers in nature, which the naturall heat thereof cannot (without great strife, enforcement, and contending) concoct and ouercome: it is necessarie, that in this contention it should worke out a heat, boyling, and verie great perturbation, by rea∣son of the struglings of the two contrarie heats: that is to say, the naturall, which doth concoct the crude and raw matter of the new wine, and by that meanes separateth the excrementous parts from it: and on the other side, the strange and accidentall heat which is kindled and raised in the crude and raw parts of the new wine, which en∣countring the naturall heat no otherwise than is done in the crises of sharpe sicknes∣ses, at such time as naturall heat doth concoct the crude and raw matter of the disease, and attempteth to make separation of the noysome and annoying matter, many di∣sturbances, shakings, heats, and other grieuous symptomes doe fiercely assaile the par∣tie, vntill such time as naturall heat (hauing ouercome) proceed to the separating of the good and naturall humors from the excrementous ones, and expell those which were the cause of the maladie. And euen so it falleth out in the boiling or working of new wines, wherein the accidentall heat is ouercome by the heat of nature, without any worke of putrifacation: the heterogene and vnnaturall matter being separated from the homogene and naturall: the vnprofitable and excrementous humour con∣sumed, and the flatulent or windie parts thereof discussed: and to be briefe, all the profitable iuice is in such sort concocted and digested, as that that which before was crude, flatulent, and hard to be digested, is become gentle, tractable, fauourable, and verie agreeable for mens vse, as though it were quite changed and altered from his nature. Of new pressed wine is made the wine called Cute, in Latine Sapa:* 1.144 and it is by boiling the new pressed wine so long, as till that there remaine but one of three parts. Of new pressed wine is also made another Cute, called of the Latines De∣frutum:* 1.145 and this is by boiling of the new wine onely so long, as till the halfe part be consumed, and the rest become of the thicknesse of honey. Sometimes there is a wine made called Passum,* 1.146 and it is when the grapes haue endured the heat a long time vpon the Vine.

The inuenters and first finders out of wine.

SVch as haue written in Hebrew, as also the Scripture it selfe, doth testifie, that Noe* 1.147 was the first author of wine. Nicander Colophonius saith in his verses, that wine was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in Greeke,* 1.148 of the name of a man which was called Oenus, and first pressed out the new liquor out of the grape into his drinking cup. Others write, that Icarus* 1.149 was the first inuenter thereof: and that verie shortly after his inuention he had con∣digne punishment therefore, as being slaine of the dressers of his vineyards, they be∣ing drunke. Whereupon Propertius saith,

O Icarus, th'Athenian clowne Deseruedly thy life throwes downe.

Athenaeus saith, That the Vine was first found neere vnto the Mount Etna, and that a dogge passing that way, plucked vp a little branch of a Vine tree out of the earth, and that Oresteus, sonne of Deucalion, which raigned in that Countrey, caused the same branch to be planted againe, vvhereout there sprang manie shoots of Vines, vvhich he called Oenus, of the name of the dogge which had pluckt the same branch out of the ground: vvhereupon also the auncient Greekes called Vines Oenas. The Latines say, That the Vine is called Vitis, quasi vita, because that vvine doth quickly restore the vitall spirits being wasted and spent, and doth comfort, repaire, encrease, and strengthen the naturall heat that is weakened, vvhich is the principall instrument of life, insomuch, as that by the vse of vvine it is made more freely disposed than it was before to performe all manner of actions requisite for the life of man. Old Writers are not of one mind concerning the first originall and inuention of the Vine, for eue∣rie one of them almost hath his seuerall opinion. But as concerning my selfe, I thinke that the Vine was brought forth of the earth, as other grasse, hea••bes, and trees were from the beginning of the world, and that it brought forth grapes of it selfe with∣out any tilling or dressing, and those like vnto them which the wild Vine (called of vs Labrusca) doth now bring forth, but that the first fathers did not so quickly know the vse and profit of the Vine. For in America, Florida, and the new-••ound Coun∣tries, there are great store of Vines growing plentifully, and in great aboundance, without any art or industrie of men, although the vse of wine be as yet vnknowne to the inhabitants of those Countries. Plato in his C••atylus saith, That wine is called in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 quasi 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is to say, iudgement, consideratenesse, and aduised∣nesse, because it furnisheth the intellectuall part with iudgement and aduise, because by his quicknesse it restoreth the spirits, whereby it strengtheneth the mind as well as the bodie, as Mnestheus hath verie well reported of it. Some likewise say, That the Greekes call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 quasi 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is to say, profit and vtilitie, because it is infinitely profitable.* 1.150 The Latines call it Vinum •• vi, by reason of the violence it offereth to the spirit of man, when it is taken out of measure. The cause likewise why the old Writers called it Temetum, was because the immoderate vse thereof holdeth captiue and corrupteth the mind,* 1.151 that is to say, the vnderstanding. We will define wine to be a iuice extracted and pressed out of ripe grapes, purified and fined, contained in vessels sit for the receiuing of the same, conuenient and agreeable vnto mans life, and therefore the liquors of the grape newly pressed out, is not to be called wine, because it is not fined,* 1.152 neither yet doth veriuice deserue the name of wine, because it is pressed out of grapes as yet not ripe.

The temperature of Wine, and of the liquor newly pressed out of the grapes.

THe new pressed iuice of the grape is of temperature hot in the first degree, but wine is hot in the second degree, yea in the third, if it be old: it is likewise of drinesse proportionable to his heat. It is true, that according to the regions, grounds, inclination, and disposition of the yeare, and such other differences, which doe alter and change his temperature very much, it falleth out to be sometimes more, some∣times lesse, hot. The wines that Spaine, Italie, Langu••doc, the Countrey of Nar∣bone in France, Gascoigne, and other hot Countries doe bring forth, proue hot and drie in the end of the second, yea in the beginning of the third degree, especially when the constitution of the yeare falleth out to be hot and drie, and when they are of a middle age. But such wines as grow in grounds about Paris, or other Countries vvhich draw toward the Westerne or Northerne quarter, doe scarcely fall out to proue hot in the beginning of the second degree, no not in a hot and drie yeare, and though they be growne to a middle age, as not hauing passed the age of the first yeare. For when the yeares fall out cold and moist, all these kinds of wines for the most part growing in these Countries, become greene and raw, and for the same cause called greene wines, and those so weake, that hardly may they be iudged to be hot

in the first degree, and the yeare expired and gone about, their heate being likewise expired and spent, they either become altogether sower, or hauing lost their smell and taste proue to be naught and corrupted.* 1.153 Whereupon that which the old writers haue deliuered concerning the temperatures and qualities of old Wines cannot bee proued true of such Wines as grow in these countries, wherein the greatest part of French Wines within three or sixe moneths, or at the furthest by the end of the yere, grow to the ••ull top and perfection of their goodnesse: whereas on the contrarie, such as grow in hot countries, and become themselues more hot, will not bee at the best, before the fifth, sixth, yea before the tenth yeare; which if it bee so, you must thinke that the sinewes and other senses of the bodie, doe receiue most harme by old Wines which grow in hot and drie countries: and that they are the lesse offen∣ded and hurt of the old Wines which grow in this our French soile which is more cold. In this countrie new Wine being sufficiently boyled vp and fined, as it is more pleasant to the tast,* 1.154 so it is more hot, cleane contrarie to that which groweth in hot countries. Dioscorides writeth that old vvine, for as much as it is hotter, doth hurt them very much which feele some weakenesse in some of their inward parts; but wee cannot say the like of our vvine vvhen it is old, but rather of our vvine when it is new, for the same reasons. Wherefore it followeth, that the opinion of Diosco∣rides and diuers other Physitians, touching the heat and temperature of old wines, is to bee vnderstood of vvines that grow in countries that are more hot, and not of such vvines as (if they bee daintie and delicate vvines) vvill attaine the height of their goodnesse, and summe of their perfection in sixe or eight moneths, or at the furthest by the end of the yeare, in such sort, as that the same being ended, they waxe sower: yea, if they be right noble vvines, they bee well forward vpon and to∣ward their perfection in the beginning of the second yeare, or somewhat after. The force and naturall heate of the dilicatest French vvines is gone after the first yeare is once past: but in a noble vvine it fadeth and falleth away by little and little, not before the second yeare be past. The vvines of Gascoigne and Aniou, growing in a hot and drie season, draw very neere vnto the nature and temperature of the vvines, whereof old vvriters haue spoken: because the greatest part of them may be kept vnto the the third yeare. The vvines of Orleance are at the best the second yeare, and it stayeth with them to the end, but when the second yeare endeth, they be∣gin to loose their goodnesse.

Now if the case stand thus in hot countries, it is better to abstaine from old vvines, than from new which are altogether fined: for their old vvines do heate out of mea∣sure; but the new vvines stir not vp any heate that may molest and trouble, and yet they also be very hurtfull, because they digest very hardly, and beget many obstru∣ctions. Wherefore in countries that are more hot, new vvines may be drunke with∣out any preiudice to the health, being of a thin substance and wel fined, because they haue but a weake heat. But in these our countries which are cold and moist, old wines may be vsed, as also the new which are of a thinne substance, well purged and fined. Notwithstanding our countrie old vvines, in as much as after some long time they loose their heat, and thereby heat the lesse, are not so hurtful▪ vnto the head as the new, or those which are of a middle age.

The iuice thereof newly pressed from the grape (in as much as it is raw,* 1.155 windie, and of hard digestion, if therewithall it do not ouerturne the stomach, and prouoke flux of the bellie) doth stay a long time in the stomach and places thereabout, swel∣ling and blowing vp the same, and therein begetting rebellious obstructions hardly taken away and remoued, as also it causeth troublesome dreames, and cold and dura∣ble diseases.

New wines which are not as yet throughly digested,* 1.156 are in temperature and facul∣tie very like vnto the new pressed liquor of grapes, for euen they are so far off from perfection, as that they also become of hard digestion, and which is more, doe not easily passe through the bowels and veines, or prouoke vrine any thing at all, being the great and soueraigne helpes which are to be looked for to come from wine. Yea

Yea furthermore, they oftentimes hang and lie long in the bodie, and become very subiect to soure in the stomach, if there bee but some small quantitie thereof taken more than is conuenient.

Wine which is well and sufficiently digested and wrought,* 1.157 and thereby purified and fined from all such excrements and lees, as either the new pressed liquor is woont to cast vp, or the same after further digestion is woont to settle downe to the bot∣tome, hath its vertues and properties all quite contrarie, vnto the vices and inconue∣niencies which accompanie the raw liquor and newly concocted wines: for it is con∣cocted easily, and caried through the bowels and veines quickly, it bringeth downe and asswageth the fulnesse and swellings rising about the principall parts of windie or distending causes, as crudities and such like: it deliuereth the wombe or matrix from such obstructions, as the naturall excrements thereof are woont to breed there∣in: it increaseth the strength of all the instrumentall parts: it maketh way for the euacuation of all manner of excrements, and so prouoketh sweat, but principally vrine: it causeth sleepe, and cureth cold poisons: it strengthneth the stomach more than all the rest of the parts of the bodie, as being first receiued and intertained into the same, and hereupon in becommeth a great friend to digestion, prouoketh appe∣tite succoureth and relieueth the heart by speciall propertie, thereby speedily repai∣ring such naturall and vitall spirites, as haue beene wasted by sodaine euacuation, wastings, or other occasions: it nourisheth also, preserueth, sustaineth and strength∣neth naturall heate, whereas it beginneth to faile. Heereby it worketh vpon the vn∣derstanding awaking, and raising it vp, cheereth, and encourageth the faint and lan∣guishing, and recreateth and reioiceth the spirites, in regard whereof, Homer saith, that the Gods haue giuen wine to men, for the driuing away of their cares and trou∣bles. And Socrates a guest at Platoes feast, praiseth the moderate vse of wines in feasts and banquets, because (as he saith) it quickneth a man to that which is good, and maketh the minde more readie to execute his offices and dueties. Lastly, wine maketh the colour more liuely and cherri-like and is found a most excellent, spee∣die, and singular remedie against all sownings and faintings which happen through excessiue euacuation, or crudities molesting and troubling the vpper mouth of the stomach. And in as much as it attenuateth, concocteth, and discusseth crud and cold humours, and flatuosities abounding in flegmaticke and melancholicke per∣sons, it becommeth a most excellent drinke, not onely for flegmaticke and me∣lancholicke ones, but also for all such as are of a cold and moist disposition of bodie, but especially for old folkes, and principally in Sommer, in such countries as are giuen to be cold.

The annoiances, hurts, and discommodities of wine.

ANd yet notwithstanding that wine surpasse in excellencie and goodnesse all other sorts of drinkes, it worketh many annoiances by reason of its quantitie, qualitie, or vaporousnesse.* 1.158 The most notorious and common annoiance that the va∣porousnesse of the wine doth cause, is drunkennesse,* 1.159 which as Athenaeus recordeth, maketh men sots and senselesse, and yet so talkatiue and pratling, as that they cannot hold their peace, neither yet conceale any thing they know: wherupon the prouerbe groweth, that wine goeth barefoot,* 1.160 because the drunkard lieth open and naked on euery side, and couereth or hideth things no more than the steele-glasse, for which cause the Poet Aeschilus hath written, that the pictures of mens bodies are common∣ly to be seene in brasse: but the shape and fashion of the mind in wine; And Plato affirmeth, that the manners and disposition of euerie man is knowne by wine. The Poet Theognis doth likewise aduertise vs, that as gold is proued in the fire, so the vn∣derstanding part of man by wine, in these verses:

Quale sit admotis explorant ignibus aurum: Mens hominis vinum, sana sit anne probat.

Notwithstanding, when the braine is full of flegme, the immoderate vse of wine

doth not so much make such men to be giuen to much talke, as to feele great heaui∣nesse in their heads, and to fall into deepe and sound sleepe. Auncient writers, as sai∣eth Plutarch, consecrated the disease called the Lethargie, vnto Dionysius, because that such as spoile themselues with drinking of wine, for the most part fall into such kind of blockishnesse, feeling such a drowsie heauinesse in the head, forgetting to remem∣ber what they should do, and suffering themselues to fall right downe like dead men: For wine (as Aristotle obserueth) fitteth the seuerall natures of diuers humours,* 1.161 and applieth it selfe thereunto, howsoeuer that when it maketh drunken, it driueth the vnderstanding from her accustomed estate, corrupteth the memorie, and disturbeth all the senses. Notwithstanding, it maketh not all drunkards in all points alike, for some it maketh lumpish and drowsie, as such (as I haue said before) as haue their braines replea••e with ••legme: other merie and iocund, and those which are sanguine∣••: many to be giuen to contentions, and much prattle, as such as are subiect to yellow choler: othersome be giuen to picke quarrells, doe wrongs, and worke much harme, and those are such as are subiect to blacke choler: and againe, other some mute and dreaming, as those which are subiect to a cold melancholicke humour. Further∣more, such as become foolish and senselesse by hauing drunke too much wine, their braine being silled with great quantitie of bloud and spirite, do•• feele a heate throughout their whole bodie, but chiefely in their head, except they be such as wax cold and benummed through their folly, as in whom the naturall heat is not quick∣ned and kindled, but rather smoothered and choaked by reason of the excessiue quantitie of wine which they haue taken: no otherwise than the fire is quenched when there is too much wood heaped vpon it, and the flame of the lampe put out when there is too much oyle in the lampe. For as a little deale of fire is choaked through a great heape of wood: euen so naturall heate is oftentimes strangled vp∣on the sudden, by the excessiue and immoderate drinking of wine. But and if it be yet so drunke immoderately, as that it cannot extinguish and suddenly destroy the naturall heate, at the least by snubbing and checking of naturall heate, hur∣ting and infeebling his actions, as also in diminishing the strength of the bodie by surcharging of it with heauie loades of superfluities: accidently it cooleth in such sort, as that it bringeth to nothing and quite vndoeth the prouocations and acts of lust, which of it selfe and by its owne nature it might otherwise maruellou∣sly prouoke.* 1.162 And hereupon it is that Aristotle sayeth, That the seed of drunkards becommeth dead and fruitlesle, and their children blocke-headed groutndles. Wherefore euen as wine (when as by its feruent vapours it assaileth the head, and ••illeth the braine) prouoketh drunkennesse and foolishnesse: so when the said va∣pours are thick••ed somewhat and congealed into a serous and waterish substance, by the coldnesse of the head, if they bee not discussed and spent by the power and force of nature, the excrement which shall be thereby ingendred (although that the drunken sit being passed ouer, the partie come againe to the enioying of his former estate, and seeme to bee well) if it remaine long time in the braine, and being fast setled therein, grow further and gather more vnto it, doth in the end stirre vp many diseases of the head, as hardnesse of hearing, deafenesse, noyses in the eares, blind∣nesse, the falling sicknesse, conuulsions, palsi••s, apoplexies, and many other such like, of all which, it is not otherwise to be accounted the cause and originall, than by way of accident, as also of that sudden strangling disease, which it causeth not but very sel∣dome. On the other side, if this excrement gathered in the braine by the immode∣rate vse of wine, happen to fall downe vpon the inferiour parts, it will breed many distillations, and catarrhes, hoarsnes, rheumes, coughs, gouts, difficulty of breathing▪ and many other symptomes, very hard to be cured: yea and by its vaporoushes, how soberly, and in how moderate quantitie soeuer it be drunke, it becommeth noysome and hurtfull to such as haue a weake braine, and their sinewes and ioin••s infirme and feeble; for vnto such people it becommeth so egregious an aduersarie, as that if one troubled with the gout, should at the same time that this paine is vpon him, tast but some few drops thereof washing his mouth onely therewithall, he shall presently

feele his paine increased, and falling into a far greater rage. Yea which is more, such excrement ingendred in the head, getteth there such a kind of enimitie and aduerse qualitie, and that so at iarre and malitiously bent against the ioints, as that it rusheth it selfe in its distillations, rather vpon the ioints than vpon any other parts, and so causeth gouts and ioint aches. Finally, this excrement being of a subtile and sharp substance, falleth and penetrat••h easily into the lungs, as also corrupteth and ex∣ulcerateth them. There are also other most daungerous annoy••nces which wine of it selfe and by its very nature causeth. For in as much as it is of a hot and drie tempe∣rature, if it be not drunke moderately and well delaied, by the long vse thereof in hot and drie bodies, it is woot to ouer heat and drie their noble parts, to ingender great of cholericke humours, which standing without remooue and motion, must needs breed many maladies and diseases.

From hence spring out agues both continuall and intermittent, inflamations of the inward parts, as the liuer, spleene, and lungs, the plurifie, passion of the reines, and such other inflamations of many other parts, which haue not as yet any proper name assigned them. Hence likewise grow all itches, tetters, wild fires, flying fires, can∣kers, and all sorts of vlcers. Those therefore that are prone and apt to fall into such inconueniencies of diseases, or which are alreadie through the ill ordering of their life fallen into the same, must altogether abstaine the drinking of wine, or at the least drinke but a very little, yea though it should be very weake and well delai∣ed with water. The old writers, and amongst others, Cicero in his third booke of the nature of the gods, thought it good, that seeing wine doth seldome profit, and hurt very often, that it were better not to permit it at all to be vsed of those which are sick, rather than vnder a conceited hope of some doubtfull health, to expose and lay them open to manifest daunger by the vse thereof. Notwithstanding we dayly find, that the vse of wine is very commodious and profitable for cold and moist complexi∣ons being such as are troubled with cold and moist diseases. Wherefore the wise and well aduised Physitian may tollerate the vse thereof, when he knoweth that there is need for the concoction of some cold diseases: yea and oftentimes also in cold diseases, as in such whose conioyned and next cause, he findeth to be nourished and maintained by some primitiue and antecedent cause that is hot.

That it is not good for such as are in health to vse pure and vnmixt wine.

THe learned of auncient time haue alwaies permitted the moderate vse of wine being delayed with water,* 1.163 when it should be vsed of them which were whole, but haue alwaies reiected and disallowed pure and vndelayed wine, as also surfetting, and that in their feasts and bankets. For Hesiodus commaundeth that there should be three thirds of water mixed with one fourth part of wine, and this not to be vsed commonly, but at some solemne feasts and bankets. Athenaeus writeth, that the Gre∣cians vsed to drinke two glasses of wine, delaied with fiue glasses of water, or one glasse of wine delaied with three glasses of water.* 1.164 And in very truth, our ancient pre∣decessors did put and mingle wine amongst water, and not water amongst wine: for they put but a very little quantitie of wine into their water, as Theophrastus repor∣teth. Which custome and vse of sobrietie must be followed and immitated by the de∣crees and appointment of Phisitians. And as for the quantitie of wine to be drunken, the poet Eb••lus bringeth in Dionysius speaking to that end in this sort.

Tres tantum pater as, quibus est mens sana propin••: Quarum quae fuerit prima, salubris erit. Proxima delicias factura est, tertia somnnm: Luxus erit positum transiliisse modum.

This decree and ordinance hath bin approued by them which haue forbidden by their laws, that the Romane priests should not drinke any more than three glasses at a meale.

And as concerning age, vvine is hurtfull vnto young children, as also vnto them which are growne vp to greater yeares,* 1.165 because that vvine by his very much drinesse destroyeth and ouerthroweth their hot and moist constitution, vvhich Hippocrates commandeth to be maintained by things that are moist. And that it is so, we see, that such children as vse to drinke vvine, howsoeuer it be dilayed (their liuer being dri∣ed and ouer-heated by the conti••all vse of the said vvine) doe fall, for the most part, into a long and lasting flux of the belly, and in the end into an irrecouerable hectick feuer, vvhich the common people call a withering and pining away, and out of which there is not one of a hundred that escapeth. For this cause Galen was altoge∣ther against the giuing of children any tast of vvine, as also any others, who like chil∣dren are of a hot and moist temperature and constitution, because that by his vapo∣rousnesse it filleth the braine, and doth infinite hurt and mischiefe. Plato in his pre∣cepts of ordering a Commonwealth, commaundeth children to be kept from vvine till they be fifteene yeares old, and his reason is, for that fire must not be added vnto fire: from fifteene vnto fortie he permitteth the moderate vse thereof: and after this age he aduiseth to drinke much, and that very good, for the mitigating and qualify∣ing of the discommodious, troublesome, and noysome occurrences which may hap∣pen in the life of man. And this his opinion is not altogether to be reiected: for as vvine is altogether enemie vnto children, so it maketh recompence in the good it doth vnto old persons. Plinie saith, That vvine hindereth those which prepare them∣selues to doe, speake, or enterprise any good thing: and this was the cause why Plato forbad the vse of vvine to sage and learned men, except it were in their feasts or sa∣crifices. The Romans for sundry reasons did likewise forbid the vse of vvine to wo∣men and seruants. We reade in histories, That the vertues of many famous and great personages, haue beene obscured and eclipsed by the vse of vvine. Of this, wee haue Lysander, Captaine of the Lacedemonians, for a vvitnesse, who was a prudent, wise, and good disposer of all his matters and affaires, saue that of the vse of vvine; Antio∣ch•••• the great, Demetrius lying for a pledge and hostage at Rome, Alexander of Ma∣cedonie, Dionysius the younger, the tyrant, Zenocrates the Philosopher, Anacreon and Alcaeus the Lyricke Poets, and Aristophanes the Comedian, Ennius, Marcus Antonius Triumuir, Cato Vticensis, and such others. For this cause the Locri inhabiting the Promontorie Zephirium in Greece (as Athenaeus recordeth) thought it to be an of∣fence worthie death for to drinke vvine. Of the same opinion at this day are the Sa∣razins, moued thereto as well by Mahomets law, as also by the imitating of the anci∣ent custome of the Gentils and Arabians. Let vs then conclude, that vvine, not onely in excessiue quantitie,* 1.166 and by reason of his vaporousnesse, doth cause all the annoyan∣ces alreadie set downe, but that also in respect of his heat and drinesse it is most per∣nicious vnto hot and drie natures, as also vnto hot and moist ones, if it be not well di∣layed, especially if it be continually vsed, though it be taken in neuer so moderate a quantitie: And yet notwithstanding more or lesse, according to age, custome, and manner of liuing, the season of the yeare, and constitution of the ayre: because that in old folke, and all such as in vvhom crude flegme and melancholike iuice doth a∣bound, his heat and drinesse is in such sort rebated, that for the most part it is vsed of them very safely and securely, both as a well nourishing, and likewise as a good Physicall helpe, especially in Winter and cold Countries. You must therefore, in all sorts of natures, so temper all his noysome qualities by the mingling of water, as that it may be taken with the least hurt that possibly may be. When as therefore the vvine is mixt with the water, the parts both of the one and the other are broken and parted (as it were) into small inuisible portions, vvhereupon there ariseth betwixt them both a mutuall doing and suffering, and their qualities so confounded and becom∣ming one (notwithstanding their former contrarietie) as that into how much the lesse parts the diuision is made, by so much the more apt and easie they proue to be mingled and made one. Whosoeuer therefore shall mingle vvine vvith vvater, or vvater vvith vvine, must first stirre them a long time, and then before he drink them, let them settle and rest a while: because for certainetie, the contrarie qualities of

the wine and water will be so much the more repressed, corrected, rebated and vni∣ted, by how much they are the longer time and the more exactly mingled together. Although that (if we will examine the things a little neere) we shall ••ind that euen wine delayed, ceaseth no•• to offend and do harm, if it be taken in ouer great quanti∣tie, or at vnseasonable times, especially of such as are of a hot and drie disposition, as we shall declare hereafter. But this is enough which hath beene said of wine in generall: now let vs examine all the particular differences of the same.

The differences of Wine.

IN wine wee are to consider the colour,* 1.167 relish, smell, facultie, and consistence, for from these are taken and gathered the principall differences of Wine. As concer∣ning the colour, some is white, some of a light, some of a sad yellow, some betwixt red and white, like to the colour of honie, other some of a deep red, and others of a plea∣santer red, blacke, or darke shadowed.

White wine generally is of a thinner s••bstance than the red, it is easily concocted and digested, it pierseth speedily through the whole bodie, worketh more vpon the veines, but no••risheth lesse. That sort of white Wine which is thinne, hot and full of Wine, is concocted and distributed more speedily than any of the rest, purging the bloud by vrine: but it offendeth the head most of all, especially French white Wine. Water by reason of its coldnesses, and red or darke shadowed Wine by reason of its thicknesse doe slowly passe away by vrine. The contrarie is found in white Wine, especially such as is of a thin substance, and which is hot. That which is of a deepe yellow, or somewhat inclining to a yellow, hath his vertues, approching very neere to those of the white Wine.

Red Wine is woont to be more slow of concoction than all the rest, as also to bee distributed throughout the whole bodie,* 1.168 or carried away by vrine, because it is of a grosser substance than any of the rest; but yet to recompence these discommodi∣ties withall, it nourisheth more, and offendeth the head lesse. The lighter red Wine holdeth the meane and middle catch of all the rest. White Wine which is of a thin and waterie substance without any verdure or sharpnes of tast, such as we haue great store of here in our countrie, is likewise of an easie digestion, and quickly passing and distributed through the body, and yet notwithstanding hurteth not the head, nei∣ther increaseth any great store of heate, in so much as that this kind of white Wine is more wholesome and safe both for the sound and sicke, than the white Wine which is thinne and full of Wine in taste, especially in persons that are fat and full bodied, because it nourisheth lesse than all the rest. Galen is of iudgement, that red and thick Wines are turned without any great paine into bloud, and so next vnto them the blacke or deepe red and grosse wines, if so be they be accompainied with some small smatch of sweetnesse: and next vnto these which are of a light red, those which are of a deepe red, thicke substance, and astringent facultie, nor for that they can be digested more easily, or distributed more speedily, than white or yellow Wines, but because that being once concocted in the stomach, and sent vnto the liuer, they are easily changed and turned into bloud, notwithstanding they seeme not the least remoued and differing from the nature of the same: for white and yellow Wines of all other are woont to be the speediliest concocted in the stomach, and to bee con∣ueied vnto the liuer: but they yeeld lesse store of bloud then those which are thick and red, and so doe fat lesse. Wherefore yellow Wine, or the redlike Wine being of a thinne and pearsing substance, by how much it approcheth the neerer vnto the fa∣culties of thinne white Wine, by so much it begetteth the thinner and more fluent bloud, and therewithall hot if it be hot, or temperate if it bee waterish and weake, such as the Grecians vse to call Oligophorum, which signifieth a Wine admitting but small quantitie of water to be mixed therewith: yea a reasonable cold bloud, if it be yet somewhat greene and vnripe. But the deepe red Wine which is harsh and rough, whereas for its thickenesse it is profitable to comfort the loose and wearish

stomach, but nourisheth not much: so in like manner it increaseth and redoubleth the obstructions of the liuer, spleene, and reines, as also it maketh a thicke, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and melancholike blood, & so withal begetteth many melancholike diseases. The red wine that is somewhat cleere and thin, seemeth to hold of both, and so standeth as a meane betwixt them both. Wherefore Dioscorides following the opinion of Hippo∣crates hath rightly said, that deepe red wines were thicke, and of hard concoction and digestion: for all thicke wines, whether they be of a deepe or light red, do nou∣rish (to speake the trueth) aboundantly, and fat the bodie, but they put the sto∣mach to more paine in concocting of them, than those which are somewhat cleere and of a thinne substance. Furthermore, they being of hard digestion and distri∣bution, and not easily passing away by vrine, through the long and continuall vse of them, they ingender flatuous swelling, and windieneffe in the bellie and bowels. Wherefore yellow and white wines, that are of a subtile substance and very ripe, are to bee better accounted of, and esteemed as more wholesome for all such as haue need, or desire to bee heated, as old folkes, flegmaticke, and melancholike persons that be cold of nature, as also for them that lead their liues in idlenesse, in cold co••••∣tries and cold seasons, as in Winter, heapinging vp great store of sup••rfluities and raw humours in the veines: for they are likewise more profitable for the furt••••∣rance of concoction to bee made in the stomach, liuer, and veines, than those which are waterish and sweete; but very many times they offend and hurt the head and si∣newes, and make a full braine: for this cause they are enemies and contrarie to such as are hot by nature, or haue a moist braine, or their sinewes and ioin•••• weake and subiect to distillations: for vnto such bodies, the wines that are a littlered and some∣what astringent, are farre more meete and conuenient, because they bee not so fu∣ming, and therefore doe not charge the head so heauily. But as for deepe red wines, they are most fit and conuenient for diggers and deluers, husbandmen, dressers of vines, and others which liue a toilesome and painefull life. Wherefore white wines, yellow, red, or claret, and of those onely such as are of a subtile substance, delicate and wat••ie, (called of the Greekes 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which is to say, admitting but small store of water to be mingled with them) are harmelesse to all, and to be vsed with all safe∣tie and securitie.

The white and yellow, or redlike wines which are of a thin and subtile substance, together with the claret, weake, waterie, rawe, and greenish, being of a cold and moist temperature, (such as are very vsuall and common in the grounds about Pa∣ris) do nourish the bodie very little, and are harder to be digested, than those which will beare but a little water, but they coole and moisten more than the ••est, and where as they nourish but a little, they are said on the other side to make the body leane. They bring not any detriment or harme vnto the head, liuer, reines, or bladder, but being long vsed, they hurt the stomach, bowels, matrix, and spleene very much: and which is more, are professed enemies to all such as are cold and moist by na∣ture, and especially vnto old folkes. Contrariwise, they are somewhat profitable for hot and drie natures, and if naturall heat be strong, they passe away, and are euacua∣ted easily by vrine, and this is a thing that is common to all greene wines which are of a subtile substance. The like iudgement is to bee had of diseases, for as they are to∣lerated with all securitie in hot natures, so in like manner they prolong and increase cold diseases. And thus sufficiently as it seemeth vnto me, concerning the nature, qua∣litie, and vse of wine, gathered from the colour thereof.

As concerning the relish: some wines are sweet: some sharp: some bitter: some rough and harsh: some sower and tart, and both of them astringent: others of a mixt nature, betwixt sweet and rough; others greene or greenish, and these are very com∣mon and vsuall in the grounds about and belonging to Paris.

In generall, all sweete wines,* 1.169 whether they be white or red, do nourish more than other, heat indifferently, prouoke thirst, swell and stop through the much vse there∣of the prnicipall parts, but the liuer and the spleene more than all the rest, especi∣ally if they be grosse and thicke, for looke how much the thicker they bee, so much

the more vnwholesome they are. Sweet wine (saieth Hippocrates) doth lesse burthen and charge the head, then that which is strong and full of wine, it lesse offendeth the vnderstanding also, yea it looseth the bellie, but it is not good for such as abound with colericke humours, for that it prouoketh thirst and windinesse. True it is that it is good for such as are much troubled with the cough, because it raiseth vp flegme the more easily in all such, except they be subiect to thirst and drinesse.

Sweet white wine* 1.170 is of a thinner substance, than sweet red wine. It helpeth spit∣ting more than any other, so that it bee not too grosse and thicke, for it concocteth raw flegme in the brest, it smootheth and maketh plaine the roughnesse of the in∣ward parts, and in that respect is profitable for the l••ngs, reines, or bladder being rugged or rough: but in the meane time it hurteth the liuer, because that as I haue here while said, it swelleth and puffeth it vp, and causeth obstructions therein. It causeth thirst likewise in hot and drie natures, because it maketh obstructions, and is easily turned into choleticke matter, as all other things are which are sweete. Not∣withstanding, it procureth drunkennesse lesse than any other, in as much as it offen∣deth the head but a little. Dioscorides hath spoken very rightly thereof, saying, that such sweet wine is of thicke substance, that it passeth not so easily through the bodie, and that therefore it nourishet•• more than that which is of a thinne consistence and substance. Hee saieth further, that it swelleth vp the stomach, and like the li∣quor of grapes before it hath wrought, it looseth and troubleth the bellie and in∣ward parts. And this must bee vnderstood of sweet wine, which is not come yet to his full ripenesse, and not of that which is thinne, cleare, ripe, and alreadie throughly concocted. Which kind of sweete white wines are sent hither in great aboundance from the countrie of Aniou, and they hold their sweetnesse two or three yeares.

Such sweet white wines are not so hurtfull as those which are not ripe, or which are thicke: they prouoke vrine sufficiently, loosen the bellie, and moisten. Wherefore you must diligently and wisely discerne and distinguish the sweet wine which is crud and vnconcted, from that which is already ripe, and fit for to be vsed.

All sweet white wines do nourish aboundantly, but yet more or lesse, according to the proportion of their thicknesse and grosnesse, and for this cause such as haue need of restoratiues must vse sweet wines, especially if their reines liuer, and spleene stand sound and free from all infermitie: for when the principall parts be obstru∣cted, and the veines full of grosse bloud, then wine that is of subtile substance is most needfull and profitable. When the veins are replete with cold and grosse bloud, then sharpe, strong, and mightie wines are more conuenient. If the veines be full of hot and thicke bloud, the wine that is sharpe and old is not good, but rather a claret or white wine that is very watrie, yea, and somewhat greenish, if the stomach wil beare it, and the soile of the countrie permit it.

Galen affirmeth that no white wine heateth greatly,* 1.171 and that such as heateth much, cannot bee sweete. And yet notwithstanding, there are brought vnto vs out of hot countries many white wines that are very hot. And we haue likewise sweet vvines partly growing in our owne countrie of France, as at Longiumeau, and Tonnerrois, called vvhite beaten vvine: partly brought from the countrie of Anjou, excellent good, and very hot, which in taste resemble the sauour and relish of a Hippo∣cras made of vvhite vvine, and will hold and continue sound and perfect good, three, foure, yea sixe yeares. In Greece their vvhite vvines are not found to bee very pleasant and sweet, as in this our countrie there are not to be found any red wines very pleasant, except vpon their new pressing out. Notwithstanding the countrie of Bordelois doth furnish vs with sufficient quantitie of red wines, that are very sweet, but they are all of them of a thicke substance, and their iuice or liquor breedeth very many obstructions.

Harsh and course vvines do procure vrine more than the sweet,* 1.172 but lesse than such as are of a middle kind betwixt both, and yet againe, those which are tart and sower, doe also prouoke vrine more weakely than those vvhich are of a middle temper.

The rough and course wine doth corroborate the stomacke and principall parts by his astringent facultie, prouided that the stomack be furnished with sufficient strength and force of heat, for otherwise in a cold and weake stomack it proueth, for the most part, to be hardly concocted and digested. Of all other vvines, it least hurteth the head, but therewithall it proueth to be the slowest in distributing it selfe abroad into the veines and substance of the bodie: for which reasons, it falleth out to be vnfit to be vsed in swownings, sodaine faintings, and all other feeblenesse, loosenesse, and lan∣guishing of the strength, as also where there are any notorious obstructions in the principall parts. But which more is, it bindeth the bellie, or else looseth it not sufficiently.

We haue spoken of greenish white wines,* 1.173 whereunto the reddish greene wine hath like qualities, especially if it be of a thinne substance and waterie, and yet more, if it be thinne, waterie, and pale.

Generally, the greene or raspe wine, in as much as it containeth more water than wine, nourisheth the bodie but a little, is of hard digestion, and so it moueth windi∣nesse and wringings in the belly, because it is of a cold temperature. Hence it com∣meth, that old folkes, cold and moist natures, and such as haue weake stomackes, re∣ceiue damage by it: and next vnto these, such women as haue not their termes aright, and are subiect to pale and swarth colours. Notwithstanding it passeth away speedi∣ly by vrine, because it is thinne, and annoyeth not the head: and for this reason it is very profitable for all hot and moist natures, as for young folkes, vvhich haue a boy∣ling and burning bloud in them, if their stomacke be in good state, especially in Summer time: for which respect, being dilayed with a sufficient quantitie of vvater, it will serue very fitly (in like manner as the vvine called of the Greekes Oligopho∣rum) in all such agues as wherein wine may be permitted, saue onely that it is some∣what hard of digestion, and causeth many obstructions. Such greene vvines, as toge∣ther with their greenenesse are astringent or sowre, are without comparison more hurtfull than any other euery way, and in all respects, because they hardly ripen, and concoct, ingender obstructions, and passe very slowly either by vrine or stoole. Not∣withstanding, they become ripe in time, if they be let alone in cellars till the raw and crude parts thereof be ouercome by their owne proper and naturall heat. But it shall not seeme to exceed the bounds of reason, if wee discourse somewhat more freely of the verdure of our vvines, to the end wee may be able to discerne and find out that which is in vvines by way of purchase, from that which is naturally in them. Galen writeth, That the astringent qualitie in vvines is separated and remaining apart from their verdure, as their goodnesse is from their badnesse: besides, it is very like∣ly, that in hot and drie Countries there are not any greene vvines growing naturally: but in this our Countrie of France there are many greenish vvines pressed out from grapes that are not yet ripe: but especially in cold and moist yeares, some which are verie thinne and waterie: others more thicke and grosse, and by that meanes either astringent, or else rough and harsh: strong and mightie vvines, if they be neuer so little tainted with greenenesse, presently they become sowre, and altogether vnmeet to be drunke. But such as being pressed out from grapes, scarce halfe ripe, differ not much from the greenenesse or sharpenesse of common veriuice, if they be not concocted by little and little through a strong and forcible heat contained in their crude and raw matter, and so in the end become ripe, their greenenesse being by little and little diminished: and such are not passing of a yeares continuance; ser∣uing rather for the rude and homely people, than for daintie and delicate persona∣ges. For certaine, all greenenesse in vvine is a fault in those vvines vvherein it is: but yet that is the worst of all the rest which happeneth vnto vvines sometimes good and commendable, either by being kept too long, or else by hauing beene ill kept, or otherwise by some other occasion: lesse dispraiseable and hurtfull, vvithout comparison, is that which happeneth in our French wines, which by the weakenesse of the heat of the Sunne, comming short of their sufficient concoction, become greene from their first originall and growth, as they which are greene, by reason of the greene

and vnripe grapes, from whence they are pressed. For such greenenesse as happe∣neth vnto vvines once good and commendable, is hurtfull vnto all men, and cannot be redressed, thereby making such vvines vnfit to be employed about any other vse than either for medicine or sawces: vvhereas that which is borne and ingrafted into such greene vvines, if it be not suppressed and digested by naturall heat, becommeth onely hurtfull to cold and moist constitutions and old folkes, but not vnto strong, Iustie, and hot natures, neither vnto them which are accustomed to trauaile, and to a∣uoid idlenesse. You shall find many harsh, rough, and sowre vvines, vvhich are also greene: and in like manner, you shall find some that are greene, and yet not rough and course. Such as are rough and greene, through their vehement astringencie, doe close, shut vp, drie, and dull the throat, tongue, and other parts of the mouth: where∣as such as are simply greene, doe not the like, but coole them onely. The rough and harsh vvines, in as much as they are raw and crude, and cannot be concocted and digested of their naturall heat that is but weake; yet they close and bind the sto∣mack, and by such occasion stay the ••lux of the bellie. Wines that are simply greene, doe not the like, if they be not harsh, rough, and astringent withall: and they doe rather annoy the stomacke and all the membranous and neruous parts by reason of their cooling propertie and qualitie: vvhich being situate in a thinne and subtile mat∣ter, and therefore apt to pierce deepely into the parts, and by their qualities prouo∣king and disquieting the substance of the said parts, doth corrupt and dissolue the laudable temperature, force, and constitution of the said stomacke, and of the said membranous and sinewie parts. Whereupon it ensueth, that such greene vvines doe for the most part cause crudities, wringings, and the flux of the belly, manifold obstructions of the liuer and spleene, besides the disease called the Hypochondriake melancholie. Galen denieth, that vvines which are hard and greene, doe heat at all, and that the sowre, rough, and harsh rellish doth actually consist in a meane mat∣ter, participating both of the waterie and earthie elements: but that the hard, greene, and sowre relish doth consist in an earthie and drie substance, vvhich doth not mani∣festly participate of the water, or any moisture. Whereby it may manifestly appeare, that neither the one nor the other relish hath any heat ruling in it, but cold, and that in the tart, harsh, and rough relish accompanied with moisture, but in the sowre with drinesse. But for as much as vvines are seldome consisting of one onely simple and pure relish, and that all vvines (of what tast or relish soeuer they be) are in tempera∣ture hot and drie, you must vnderstand, that sowre and harsh vvines are accounted cold, or else not hot, not simply, but by comparison, because indeed they heat lesse than other vvines, and that not quickly, and so soone as they be drunk, but in the end, and aftersome continuance of time: for otherwise the opinion of Galen were not to be receiued, seeing that we obserue and see euerie day, that all sorts of vvines, of what tast or relish soeuer they be, be they hard or harsh, doe heat manifestly, and make men drunke sooner or later, if they be receiued into a hot and strong stomacke: for their heat, as a thing buried in crude and raw matter, although it be a long time first, and with great difficultie, breaketh forth at the last, manifesting it selfe in the end, and bringing forth the fruits of his maturitie: and this wee may finde in our French vvines, which nourish, maintaine, recreate, yea, and make drunke the Hus∣bandmen, Vine-dressers, and other persons of poore handicrafts vsing to drinke the same. But let this suffice which hath beene said of the naturall tast and relish of vvines: and now let vs search out the causes of the sowrenesse or tartnesse, incident to good and commendable vvines.* 1.174 Some thinke, that vvines grow sowre through heat, because that daintie, weake, and feeble vvines are changed and turne sowre in the Spring time and Summer, and in Winter retaine their naturall qualities entire and sound. This opinion is confirmed, because that weake vvines being stirred and tumbled in forcible sort, or carried farre, or laid in cellars that are open vpon the South or Easterne quarter, doe quickly become sowre. And contrarily, such as are not tossed to and fro, or remoued, but kept in cellars lying vpon the North, doe not sowre at all: as if it were by the cold, that their vertues and good qualities were preserued,

and by the heat, that they were changed and corrupted. So as the like in all points doth befall vvines which are weake and waterish, to that which happeneth vnto a burning candle, and to small and weake sparkes of fire, vvhich if you lay open in the hot Sunne, or before any great and vehement flame, you shall see them languish, yea waxe darke, and altogether to fade away and goe out. It is then through heat, that all the weakest vvines turne sowre, and that by hauing their weake heat spent and ouercome by an outward and accidentall heat, which is more strong, causing the same to fade, and for the most part vanish quite away: For a weake nature can∣not endure either any strong heat, or vehement motion, but fainting vnder them, it becommeth wasted and spent, and in fine perisheth. But contrariwise, wines which haue their heat strong, and consist of such matter as is not easie or apt to be wasted and spent, being remoued, rolled, transported, or else laid open to the South Sunne, or kept in any hot place, doe not onely not sowre quickly, and in a short time, but rather become a great deale the more ripe, and are made more readie and better to be drunke. For that which befalleth through long continuance of time to strong, mightie, and noble vvines, vvhich are shut vp and layd in cold ca••es vnder the earth, by the meanes, power, vertue, and ••fficacie of their owne and naturall heat, which concocteth, digesteth▪ and ripeneth by little and little their crude and raw matter: the same is effected and wrought in a short time in vvines which are hea∣ted by art, that is to say, by stirring and rowling, and by the heat of the Sunne, or of some fine subtill fire, vvhich doth concoct and digest the most crude and raw matter that they can be found to haue. For as the enduring of the heat of the Sunne, and the vnder-going of vehement exercises, maketh stronger and more able the bo∣dies of men that are hot and lustie, but on the contrarie, doth ouerthrow, weaken, dissolue, and coole weake bodies: euen so, hot vvines are sooner ripe, concocted, and digested, by heat, or mouing either of the Sunne, or of some hot fire made neere vnto them: but those which are more weake and waterie, if you heat them ouer-much, doe take great dammage and harme, and are weakened more by the working of such vehement heat, either of the Sunne, stirring, or fire, vvhich corrup∣teth and spendeth at once, and in a moment, some part and portion of their weake and feeble heat, vvhich afterward, in like manner, by little and little, will be ouer∣come and wasted, and thereupon such vvines weakened and made vnsauourie. It is the meane and middle heat therefore that all things receiue profit by: seeing the immoderate and extreame is no lesse harmefull than cold. Wherefore, after that the weake heat of vvine shall, for the most part, become wasted and spent, by the outward heat of the ayre compassing it round about, it groweth sowre: and so like∣wise it is wont to fall out by the maliciousnesse of strong and piercing cold, brea∣king the heart of the weake heat in the vvine, and thereby killing the same. For when the said heat is quite ouercome and banished, so as that the vvine looseth his fragrant odour and pleasant sent of vvine, it is not said to sowre, and therefore not called vineger, but indeed is called by the name, not of vvine, but of decayed and spent vvine, which the Latines call Vappa. Furthermore, vvhereas amongst waterie, weake, and feeble vvines, there are some raw and greenish ones, vvhich wee haue declared alreadie to be enemies vnto cold and moist natures: and other, which are neither raw, not greenish, but delicate ones, and throughly ripe, but therewithall of a thinne and subtile substance, and which for their easinesse to be concocted, and spee∣dinesse in being distributed, become very good and profitable both for sound and sicke, and are called of the Greekes Oligophora, because they will not admit the mingling of any great quantitie of water with them: The first may, without any in∣iurie offered vnto their strength, abide to be stirred and carried to and fro, especi∣ally if with this naturall greenenesse there be ioined some harshnesse and roughnesse. But the second cannot endure to be remoued or carried to and fro: the reason is, the heat of the first is hid, and lyeth in a crude and raw matter, whereof it standeth it vp∣on, as much as lyeth in it, to acquite and rid it selfe: a readie helpe whereunto, is the moouing and stirring of the same, because hereby it is enabled the sooner to shew

forth it selfe, and to manifest his force in more powerfull and chearefull manner than before, because the crude and raw matter wherein it lay, as it were couered and hid, is become refi••ed and concocted in processe of time. Contrariwise, the weake heat of the second sort, which consisteth in a thinne matter or substance, and that alreadie concocted, is spent and ouerthrowne with the least motion and hea••, and therefore doth very easily euaporate and breath out all his force and strength. It seemeth that the opinion of Galen and other auncient Writers, affirming that no greene wine doth heat, must be vnderstood of this second sort of vvine, called of the Grecians Oligo∣phora, for that it is possible, that the old Writers neuer knew, neither euer heard tell, that any greenish vvines were naturally growing in places and countries that are hot and scorching.* 1.175 Certainely, there is great difference betwixt that tartnesse or sowre∣nesse, which is an accidentall vice or fault in vvines, and that greenenesse or sharpe∣nesse, which is a naturall tast and relish in them, pressed out either from grapes natu∣rally greene, or else from grapes which haue not as yet growne to their full maturitie and ripenesse. For the tartnesse of vvines, besides the great sharpenesse and acrimo∣nie therein, being such as is in vineger, whereby it disquie••eth and offendeth the sto∣macke, membranes, and all the sinewes, is likewise of that nature, as that it cannot by any skill or cunning be subdued and corrected in such manner, as that the vvine once tainted therewith, can at any time be restored vnto his former goodnesse, and made such as may be drunke without the preiudice and hazard of mans health. But on the contrarie, the greenenesse which continueth in vvines, as bred in them, besides that it is alwaies free from the foresaid sharpenesse and acrimonie, is found not to continue any long time, in as much as the raw and cold matter, vvherein the heat of greene vvine consisteth, is concocted by little and little, and thereupon this heat (thus as it were buried in this crude matter) doth by little and little grow strong, and sheweth ••orth his force more effectually: so that the said greenenesse is by degrees dimini∣shed and wrought out, and the vvine made a conuenient and profitable drinke for the vse of men: yea, and that also euen where this greenenesse, through the weake∣nesse and imbecilitie of heat, cannot any whit be wrought out and taken away: for so wee finde it, seeing that greene vvines are not refrained, but ordinarily drunke, and vsed.

Dioscorides was of iudgement, That sowre and rough vvines caused headach and drunkennesse, vvhereas our harsh and rough vvines, the rougher they are, doe offend and annoy the head so much the lesse. And for a certaintie, all manner of drinke, by how much it is the more odoriferous, and of a thinne and subtle substance, so much the more it disquieteth and disturbeth the braine with his vapours, and ministreth larger matter for the nourishment of rhewmes and distillations. Notwithstanding, if sowre and rough vvines doe happen once to cause drunkennesse, then such drun∣kennesse fall••th out to be of the worst sort, and most rebellious and hard to be ouer∣come. So then, all our sowrish, harsh, and rough vvines, such as are those of Burgun∣die, as they are nothing so odoriferous, so neither doe they cause any whit like so ma∣ny exhalations and vapours, and therefore also doe they lesse offend the head, and procure drunkennesse, than any others: And so as that Galen hath therefore restified of them, that they ought to be well accounted of and esteemed profitable and fit to be vsed of such as haue the gowt, as also of all others which are subiect to the distilla∣tions of the braine.

Such vvines are called mungrell or bastard vvines,* 1.176 vvhich (betwixt the sweet and astringent ones) haue neither manifest sweetnesse, nor manifest astriction, but indeed participate and containe in them both the qualities.

Of the consistence of Wine.

AS concerning the consistence of vvine, some is of a thinne, subtle, and cleere substance,* 1.177 and othersome of a thicke and grosse, and some of a meane and mid∣dle consistence betwixt both. Of those which are of a thinne and subtle substance,

some are weake and waterish, which the Grecians call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is to say, not ad∣mitting the mixture of any quantitie of water, of which we will speake more amply hereafter, being (as it were) like vnto water in thinnesse and colour, and hauing little or no sent in them, neither yet any manifest heate. They nourish but very little, for there is is but a very little of their substance turned into bloud: but they cause great store of vrine, and agree better than any other wines, with all sorts of natures, if wee may beleeue Gal••n. There are other weake, waterish, and greenish wines, very ordi∣narie in this countrie, which are hurtfull vnto old men, and all other cold constituti∣ons, as hauing in them very small store of heate: and yet sometime profitable vnto hot constitutions, as in Sommer, according to our former aduertisement. There are others that are very good, but hot and strong, of an easie concoction, and speedily distributed, but nothing lesse vapourous than white wines, whereupon they trouble the braine, and make men drunken, and so proue hurtfull to such as are rheumatike and subiect to distillations. Such wines are brought hither out of Gascoigne, very well pleasing princes, and men of great estate, all of them being of a yellow colour, either deeper or lighter. The wines of Ay, as they are inferiour to them of Gas∣coigne in strength, so they are better, and without comparison more wholesome.

The grosse and thicke wines, some of them are simply such, and consist in medio∣criti••, and othersome are very grosse and thicke. We haue heretofore declared that grosse wines are of a more hard concoction, and slow digestion than other wines are; but being once concocted and digested, they yeeld a more firme and solide nourish∣ment vnto the bodie. And of them more than the rest, such as are very grosse and thicke, which for certaine are hardest to be concocted and digested of all others. These sorts of wine, for that they ingender many rebellious and obstinate obstructi∣ons, are not fit to be vsed but of dressers of vineyards, and such other as leade a toile∣some life, as wee haue declared before. Such wines as are indifferent thin, and indif∣ferent thicke, are profitable for many purposes, and the rather in that they charge not the head as the strong wines do, and those which are of subtile substance: neither yet ingender obstructions, as those which are thicke and grosse doe. The wine called of the Grecians Oligophorum, is the holesomest of all others.

Wine smelleth well,* 1.178 or else nothing at all. The odoriferous wines are very apt and commodious for the begetting of good humours, and to recreat and fetch againe the powers of the bodie, but they assaile and charge the head, especially, if it be of a subtile substance, and of a reddish or yellowish colour, or of a deepe yellow: they are also more hot than the other sorts of wines. For that which is such, doth help very much for the making of concoction easie, and for the begetting of fine and subtile bloud, but it filleth the head full of vapours and heate, and greatly offendeth the si∣newes and vnderstanding: whereupon it proueth very apt to cause headach and a world of rheume. The wine that hath small or no smell, no not any more than water, is called waterish. Such vtter depriuation or want of smell in wine, is a mightie note, and most certaine marke that the same is but a weake and cold wine: as the strong and mightie smell of the same, is a very notable signe of his force and strength. Such wine as is neither of an ill smell, neither yet without smell, but hath a certaine s••in∣ging and vnpleasant sent, which it hath gotten either of the soile, or of the vessell, or by some other occasion, is not good for any bodie. For as nothing (as Columella testi∣fieth) draweth to it strange and vnnaturall sents more speedily than wise. In like sort nothing impaireth or communicateth his hurtfull qualities sooner to the heart and noble parts, than wine when it is drunke.

Amongst wines,* 1.179 some are generous and noble wines, and therefore said to be full of wine, contrarie to those which are waterish, and admitting the mixture of much water. These heate much, hurt the sinewes, make a full braine, stir vp frensies, migh∣tily increaseth the heate of agues, and to be briefe, they are not delayed with a great quantitie of water, and doe good but to a few. There are other which are weake, and for this cause called Oligophora and waterie.* 1.180 These wines are of two sorts, some gree∣nish which haue a sensible cooling facultie, fitting cholericke stomaches and hot

countries, if so be that a strong stomacke can beare them, and of these wee haue spo∣ken before: others which are waterie, and of a thinne substance, not retaining any smell, but agreeing with all natures, be the stomacke neuer so weake, and especially with those which are often tormented with the megrim or long continued head-ach: they comfort concoction, prouoke vrine and sweat, and offend the head nothing at all: more harmelesse than any other sort of vvine: they may be permitted to such as are sicke of agues, for that they cannot be said to be of any manifest qualitie, as other vvines may: for they are neither sowre, nor astringent, neither yet sweet or sharpe, nor yeelding any kind of smell. Of these kinds of vvine, some (as Galen saith) grow in euery countrey and coast, but much more in this of France than in any other, the greatest part whereof doe participate a certaine greenenesse, especially vvhen the yeares fall out cold and moist. Such vvines are called of the Grecians 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. They are not any way noysome or hurtfull to the head, but very profitable, because (as Galen saith) they asswage and take away head-ach, rising of the cruditie of the stomacke: that is to say, when the stomacke being weakened, and (as it were) relax∣ed by the eating of some hurtfull victuals, or by the drinking of some such like wa∣ter, is made the receptacle of some offending humour, ••lowing thither from the whole bodie. Which offensiue humour so contained in the stomacke, becommeth corrupt, and from that corruption sendeth vp burne and adust fumes vnto the braine, which cause like paine in the head to that which commeth of fasting: and from these annoyances the head is deliuered by the vse of this vvine▪ vvhich by and by tempe∣reth these putrified ••umes, especially if the vvine haue any astringencie in it, where∣by the stomacke may be fortified and strengthened. For such vvines doe by and by driue downeward that which is hurtfull in the stomacke, carrying it along with it selfe, and casting it forth: and therefore verie auaileable for such as liue a loitering and sitting life, and apply themselues wholly vnto the reading and studying of good Authors.

The differences of Wines, according to the properties of the Countries.

IT remaineth now, that we briefely discourse of the wines which we vse in Paris, and those such as are either growne there, or brought thither out of other Countries and Regions. The French wines offer themselues in the first ranke, which growing in the grounds & borders neere about Paris, and the whole Isle of Fraunce, and other places adioyning thereunto, are amongst all others, and aboue all others, best agreeing with students, Citizens of Townes: and to be briefe, with all such as liue a quiet, idle, and restfull life, especially those which are made in well seasoned yeares, or such as shew forth their seuerall qualities, euerie one in his proper and due season. For such wines doe not heat, burne, and dry the inward parts of the bodie, as the wines doe which are brought vs from Gascoignie, Spaine, and other countries more hot, vvhich by reason of excessiue heat, and too great drinesse, do burne the liuer and spleene in such as drink them: Such wines doe not make a replete, heauie, or offended head with multitude of vapours, as other vvines of Orleance doe. In like manner, such wines doe not load the bodie with superfluousnesse of serous excrements, as doe the crude & greenish wines, which grow in these grounds in cold and moist yeares, or which are brought vs hither from other cold Regions and Countries. Such wines likewise ingender no obstructi∣ons, neither doe they gather any quantitie of melancholike humour, as doe the thicke and red vvines, vvhich are sent vs by sea from Burdeaux. These vvines, vvhen they be through ripe, they are of a very p••easant tast, especially such as are yellow, clarert, and white, which are of a hot & dry temperature, as other wines, but not aboue the first de∣gree, or the beginning of the second: on the contrarie, the wines of Spaine, Gascoigne, and others such like, are hot & drie in the end of the third degree. Wherfore these our French and natiue wines ought to be preferred before all strange & forraine ones, see∣ing they burne and heat the bowels & inward parts ouer-much, and that as wel for the

vse of such as are in health, as of those that being sicke, are yet permitted their vvine. Amongst these our French vvines, some are white, othersome are of a deepe yellow, commonly called clarets, or reddish vvines, vvhich are the most wholesome of all, so that they be not accompanied with any sowrenesse and harshnesse: for rough & harsh vvines, and others which are greene, if they become not ripe and mellow in time, by the concocting of their cruditie & greenenesse, they stand for things not fit to be vsed of any but rude and rusticall fellowes, vvhich liue by toyling their bodies vvith great labour and trauell. The rest are all red, more or lesse. But of all other French vvines, there is very small store of sad and light red coloured ones.

White claret vvines being bright, cleare, and through ripe or mellow, in as much as they are of a subtle substance, are easily concocted, digested, and distributed: they prouoke vrine, nourish the bodie but a little, but they reioyce the spirit, and are for the same cause taken, longed after, and desired of all. Some of them are readie to be drunke the second or third moneth: othersome not before the seuenth or eight moneth. All of them begin to fade and loose their goodnesse in the beginning of the second yeare. The red, although they be bright and cleare, are not of so subtile a substance as the former, and therefore they nourish more, and are more fit for such as liue hardly, than for such as liue delicately and nicely: and what although they can∣not bee so easily concocted and digested, nor so speedily distributed, neither yet cause such aboundance of vrine, as those which are yellow, claret or white: yet tra∣uell, often exercises and labour doth ouercome all these inconueniencies, yea, and whatsoeuer greater that such red wines may ingender and breed. Amongst them, those which participate and haue any sourenes or astriction, become not mellow be∣fore the Sommer heat, whereupon it followeth, that the second yeare, their crud and raw parts being concocted and digested, they grow to bee more excellent than they were in the first.

The deepe red and vermillion coloured are for the most part harsh and rough, and so the most vnpleasant and vnwholesome of all other: for that they are woont to bee ill concocted and digested, and slowly distributed, as also to ingender ma∣ny obstructions, and beget a grosse and melancholicke bloud. And for these causes are not conuenient but for such as labour and lead a very toilesome life, in whose bo∣dies they being once concocted and digested, do nourish very much, and make them more strong and lustie to go about and finish their worke, and therewithall corro∣borate their stomacke.

Of white French wines, those are most accounted of, which are cleere and bright as rocke water, of a subtile substance, neither sweet nor greene: such do nourish the bodie a great deale lesse than the yellow and claret wines; but in recompence there∣of, they are more easily concocted, digested, distributed, and carried more speedily and readily through all the veines. True it is, that they are accompanied with this inconuenience, namely, that they do more assault the head, (and therefore are to bee accounted greater enemies vnto gourie persons, such as haue weake braines, and are subiect to rheumes and diseases of the ionts, and such likewise as haue weake ioinus) than the red which are not yet come to their liuelyhood and maturitie, which streng∣then and corroborate the mo••th of the stomacke, by reason of some easie astringen∣cie that is in them. Such as in the first moneths become somewhat sweet, if they bee kept any time, in the end grow so concocted and rip••, that hauing le••t their sweetnes, they proue strong, mightie, and most excellent wines.

Greene wines whether they be white or red, (such as we oftentimes see in these countries, especially in cold and moist yeares) if they containe any strong heate, as it were buried in their crud and raw parts, if they be kept any time, are woont to con∣coct themselues, and attaine to such a degree of ripenesse, as that they are ••ound good, well contenting the taste, and pleasant vpon the tongue: such as those are which are not simply greene, but together with their greenenesse doe taste some∣what rough and sower: the other become spent, faded, & decayed in the beginning of Sommer, by reason of the said euaporating and wast of their weak & feeble hea••e.

Wherefore you must drinke such vvines as are greenish and waterie, not hauing any sharpenesse or sowrenesse in them, in the beginning of Summer, that so you may be sure, that the great Summer heat shall not cause them to fade vtterly, and quite fall a∣way, by the spending of their feeble heat, caused through the vehemencie of the Summer heat: but those which are greene, rough, and harsh, hauing a strong heat couched and lying in grosse and thicke matter, may be kept very securely vnto Au∣tumne or Haruest time. Such as are onely and simply greene, are good and fit for ser∣uants drinke, and other such folke as liue hardly and in great labour, as also for all such as feele a fire and extreame heat in the liuer and other inward parts: for such vvines in idle and delicate persons, as also all such as are of a cold temperature, or are growne into old age, doe not onely not become well concocted and digested, but withall engender a masse of many crudities, and much flatuousnesse, become slowly distributed, procure many obstructions, offend the stomacke, entrailes, and matrix: notwithstanding, they sometimes appease the paines of the reines, and become so∣ueraigne for the weake head. And thus much in generall, and summarily, of the na∣ture, temperature, qualities, and differences of French vvines. For the diuersitie which is found in them, by reason of seuerall Soiles, Townes, Villages, and great or small Boroughs, where they grow, doth in such sort alter and change yerely, through the variablenesse of the constitutions of the yeares, as that it would be hard, yea im∣possible, to lay them downe in a certaine and assured description. Notwithstanding, the most excellent of and ouer all the rest, are the French vvines of Cous••ye, appoin∣ted and ordinarily taken for the Kings vse. Then those of Seure, both of them being red or claret, noble, strong, and mightie vvines, most proper and sit for such as are al∣together cast downe, and in whom nature is (as it were) wholly spent, falling thereby into many faintings and swounes, whether they be fallen hereinto by excessiue and in∣satiable vse of vvomen, or through any other notable and immoderate euacuation. The vvines of Vanues, Argentoile, and Montmatre, and all other vvines which grow in grauelly or sandie grounds about Paris, are the more healthfull. For all these wines, in as much as they are of a thinne and subtill substance, without all greene or manifest harsh tast (especially in hot and well tempered yeares) keeping their proper and na∣turall temperature, are easily concocted and digested, and speedily and quickly distributed through the veines: and vvhich yet notwithstanding doe not much pe∣ster the head, and that because they are not very strong, and therefore doe not heat much.

The vvines of Burgundie, which are sent vs from Sens, Auxerres, Tonnerre, Ioig∣ny, and Chablie, are generally all of them red: manie of them, yea the greatest part of them, are in their first moneths astringent and somewhat rough, and thereby doe make more solide, bind, comfort, and corroborate a lanke and loose stomacke, and so they nothing annoy the braine by any great store of vapours or fumes carried vp from them: by which reason they proue the most wholesome and conuenient of all other for such as haue the gout, and are subiect to haue the distillations of the head falling vpon the inferiour parts. Notwithstanding if you drinke them before they be come to their full and perfect ripenesse, you shall well perceiue them somewhat the harder to be digested, and to bee more slowly distributed than the French claret wines are.

Wherefore I would aduise men, not to vse them in the beginning of the yeare, but rather in the latter end, if so be they be subiect to the obstructions of the liuer, spleene, and Mesenterium, or such as li••e idly, or yet such as are dilicately giuen, and haue but little naturall heate within them, as forsooth being the time wherein they abound with much harshnesse and astringencie: which yet may euen then bee ve∣rie well vsed of them which are accustomed to trauell, and haue a strong and good stomake. Likewise if you let them ripen and loose by little and little their astringencie and harshnesse, you shall find them as good and pleasant as the French wines. This is the cause why good housholders do lay them in cellars, & reserue them diligently to the end of the first yeare, or to the beginning of the second to send them

in••o forreine countries by sea: which being so transported proue better and more excellent than they did in France, or whiles they lay couched vpon their cant∣ling, as men call it, because the carrying and transporting of them, increaseth their naturall heate, as wee haue before declared, and causeth it by such motion to growe more ripe and concocted. Notwithstanding, very many of these Bur∣gundian wines in hot and d••ie yeares, are in some countries found good the first yeare.

Amongst the Burgundian wines, those of Beaune are most highly commended, for they are so good as that I dare bee bold to prefer them before the wines of Orle∣ance and Ay, which are so much esteemed of in Paris, because they are of a subtile substance, of the colour of a partridges eie, not giuen to ••ume or fill the head full of vapours, and thereby les••e as••ailing the head, and hurting the braine, than those of Orleance. Likewise the common verse made of the wine of Beaune, hath beene al∣waies receiued for true and currant.

Vinum Belnense, super omnia vina recen••e.

Such as take a very good tast of those wines,* 1.181 doe compare and match them with the wines of the Kings yard at Coussy, whose plants when they were young, were otherwise brought from Greece, in such sort, as that the wines of Coussy and Beaune come very neere vnto the goodnesse and perfection of the Greekish wines. Some also do compare the wines of Beaune to the wines that grow in the yard of the King of Nauarre,* 1.182 which is some ••iue leagues from Vendosme, called Prepaton, and this name was giuen it because the plants therein were chosen and taken out of the best in all places. The wine is a claret, of the colour of a partridges eie, of a thin substance, not fuming or being vaporous, of a pleasant tast, and delicat to drinke, if there be any wine in the world so qualified. All these three sorts of wine, of Coussy, Beaune, and Prepaton, are the most excellent that are to be••ound in all Fr••••ce, & that because both in good and euill yeares, they are found and tried to be better than any other, and rea∣dier to bee drunke vpon.* 1.183 Amongst the wines of Beaune, the wine of Dijon must be reckoned, and they are those which grow in the Kings vineyard at Cheno••e, Fon∣taine, Plombiere, and Tolent. True it is, that before a man iudge of the goodnesse and qualities of wines, he must euery yeare consider the estate and constitution of the seasons of euery yeare, as also take a diligent taste of the wines, thereby to giue the more assured iudgement: because it falleth out somtimes the French wines, some∣times the Burgongni•• wines, and other some yeares the wines of Orleance doe proue most excellent, and some••imes the wines of Anjou proue better than all the rest. Yea, and as the number, and to be reckoned vp amongst the rest, are the wines of Ay and Isancy, and d••e for the most part hold the first and principall place for their goodnesse and perfection, wherein they excell all other wines, and are in all good or euill yeares found better than any other, whe••her they be French, Bour∣gongnie, or Anjou wines. The wines of Ay are claret and yellowish, subtile, fine, and in tast very pleasing vnto the pala••e, and therefore eagerly ••ought after, for the vse of Kings, Princes, and great Lords, being yet therewithall such wines as the Greekes call Oligophora, and will not admit the mixture of much water. The wines of Isancy are of a middle consistence and red of colour: when they are come to their ripenes, they proue strong and noble wines, in so much as that you may iustly compare them in goodnesse with the wines of Nera••, notwithstanding they be so highly esteemed of, and had in request for great personages.

The wines of Orleance are set in the first ranke and chiefe place for goodnesse and per••ection, amongst all the wines of France: Such are red, for the most part, of a middle consistence betwixt thicke and thinne, of a good tast, strong, and profitable for the stomach and inward parts. They heate more without comparison, and more nourish the bodie than any French wines, as few excepted, as the wines of Coussy, and Seure. But in the meane time they fill the head and hurt the braine, more than any other, if you continue the vse of them any long time, especially in such as haue a weake braine, and are subiect to cause many distillations, as also in those which

are subiect to inflammations of the lungs, and disposed by their bodily constitution to fall into pleurisies: yea, these vvines are worse than any other for gowtie folke, as also for such as are troubled with agues, and others, which haue their principall and inward parts of a hot and drie constitution, and to them that are troubled with the diseases of the skinne, as the itch, leprosie, benummednesse, tettars, wild fire, scabs, and others such like. But on the contrarie, they are most apt for, and best agreeing, with natures and diseases that are cold, and mooued of cold causes, in swounes and faint∣nesse comming of aboundant and excessiue euacuation, by too much vse of vvomen, vvatching, or other such like causes, and in like manner, of them which languish vp∣on cold and long diseases. And thus much of that which wee can iudge to be in the vvines of Orleance.

For as in other Countries and Soiles,* 1.184 so likewise in the grounds about Orleance the earth doth naturally engender diuers qualities and faculties in wine. For amongst others, such as are yellowish, claret, and bright cleare, are accounted the excellentest and best of all: such are they which grow and are gathered neere vnto Orleance, in the boroughes of Sainctay,* 1.185 S. Hillaries Chappell, S. Mesmain the long, of the Loyre, or at Checy. Those which grow at the village of S. de Bouc, are (in good sooth) all of them right noble and excellent vvines, but somewhat of a more gros••e and r••ddish consistence, vvhich is the cause that they come not to their best till about Easter. The weakest and feeblest are those of Liuet, S. Gy, and Nigray, vvhich yet are more healthfull for such as liue idly, and follow their studie, than the vvines vvhich are stronger. At Paris wee account for very precious those vvhich are brought vs from Messay,* 1.186 vvhich although they be farre behind in goodnesse and perfection vnto the best vvines of Orleance, because they are of a thicke consistence, and cost not much: notwithstanding, seeing that by transportation and carriage they be∣come thinner and more ripe, they are the better accounted of, of the Marchants.

Such as grow neere the Abbey of Neighbours,* 1.187 are cousin germans and much alike to the vvines of Messay.

The vvhite vvines of Orleance doe surrender and partly giue ouer the praise vnto French vvhite vvines,* 1.188 vvhich is the cause that they are transported but as little as may be out of the Countrey.

The vvines of Lourye, which doe tast somewhat sweet, are accounted the chiefe of all the rest in that place, as likewise those of Rebechi. The vvines of Aniou, such of them as are good, are (in a manner) all of them white and sweet, and for the most part temperate, or hot and drie (when the temperature of the yeare falleth out hot and drie) strong, noble, and mightie; in such sort, as that amongst all French vvines they keepe the first place for goodnesse. All the while they are sweet, thick, and vn∣concocted, they swell the stomacke and the ••lankes, stoppe the veines, swell the no∣ble parts, and prouoke thirst, especially in cholericke natures: and sometimes also they loosen the belly. But when as, through their working and boyling vp, they haue cast out all their drosse and dregges, and that they are become sufficiently ripe, concocted, and digested, that is to say, in their middle age (vvhich they attaine vnto the second yeare) as then they become faire, bright, and cleare, as also very pleasant: so, hauing lost their ill qualities, mentioned before, they get such qualities, powers, and vertues, as are altogether contrarie vnto those which they had, at such time as they were sweet, and of a grosse consistence: for they become easily concocted, quickly piercing, sufficiently prouoking vrine, and causing to spit aboundantly. When the yeare falleth cold and rainie, the most part of the vvines of Aniou be∣come raw and greenish, as by experience wee plainely saw in the yeares 1576. and 1577.

When the yeare is hot and drie, the wines growing in Aniou are strong and migh∣tie, and keepe their vertues and qualities entire and whole till they be sixe or seuen yeares old. But when the yeare falleth out cold and moist, they proue to be of cleane contrarie qualities.

The vvines of high Normandie* 1.189 (I meane not those which are gathered and beaten

downe with poles) doe somewhat resemble the French vvines, vvhen the yeares fall seasonable, and keepe their naturall temperature: such, for the most part, are of a yel∣low colour: but not continuing so any long time, they by and by loose their force: which is the cause, that they are easily digested, and quickly distributed and carried along all the veines, vvithout annoying the braine any whit, in as much as they be not strong, or mightie, but oligophorous. But when the yeares fall out cold and moist, the greatest part of them will not keepe well, because they be greene, and that in such sort, as that their greenenesse cannot be concocted and digested by reason of the weakenesse of their heat, and therefore it behoueth to drinke them in the begin∣ning of the first yeare.* 1.190 The vvines which grow in Compiegne, and other parts of Picardie, are of the same consistence, qualitie, and vertue that those of Normandie are, and therefore deserue not to be much set by, or desired, but when others are wasting.

The Countries of Guyenne send vs varietie of vvines.* 1.191 The best of them, are those which grow about Nerac, vvhich come very neere vnto the goodnesse of the French vvines of Cous••y, which, by reason of their russet colour, are called in the Countrey Rus••e•• vvines: in the number whereof, are contained the red vvines, or sad, and light red. They nourish sufficient aboundantly: but in that they make obstructions, and encrease great masses of melancholike humors (especially those which are sweet) they must not be vsed but of them which liue in toile and trauaile. Those which are of a thinne and subtle substance, whether they be white, claret, or of a light yellow, for as much as they haue a very pleasant tast, and are easily concocted, and quickly distri∣buted, they are desired and much required at the Tables of great men.

L••t vs conclude then, that amongst all the vvines vvhich we vse at Paris, as concer∣ning the red, the best are those of Cous••y, Seu••e, Vanues, and Meudon: and as concer∣ning the white, those of Argente••ell: and then those of Ay, Isancy, & Beaune in Bour∣gongnie, being wel ripened: next, those of Orleance. As concerning white, the wines of Longiumeau, Palesiau, Massy, Pont d' Anthony: then those of Bar••urabe, Aniou, and others, which are brought vs from Arbois, Gascoigny, & Languedoc. The wines of the grounds neere vnto Paris, as of Villeiui••ue, Vitry, and Iury, which are white; of Fontenay and Montreuill, which are reddish; are not to be much set by, because they are greenish, and of an vnpleasant tast. The vvines of Gascoignie are vvithout comparison more hot and drie than the vvines of Orleance, and yet they be not so vaporous, neither yet assaile the head so mightily, as I haue proued that the vvines of Orleance doe.

The vvines vvhich Greece, Languedoc, and Spaine doe send vs, or rather, vvhich the delicacie and voluptuousnesse of our French throats cause to be fe••ched from be∣yond the Sea, such as are Sacks, Muscadels of Frontignan, Malmesies, Bastards (which seeme to me to be so called, because they are oftentimes adulterated and falsified with honey, as we see vvine Hydromell to be prepared) and Corsick vvines, so much vsed of the Romanes, are very pernicious vnto vs, if we vse them as our common drinke. Notwithstanding, we proue them very singular good in cold diseases, caused of cold humours, without the hot dist••mperature of the liuer, or of any other noble part: but chiefely and principally Malme••ey, vvhich we daily note and obserue to be very so∣ueraigne in the crudities of the stomacke, and collickes, by reason of the singular force and vertue it hath in concocting of crude and raw matter, and in dissoluing of vvinde and flatuousnesse. But howsoeuer ••orraine vvines, vvhich are fetched from farre Countries, may seeme pleasant vnto our taste, yet indeede the truth is, that we are not to vse them, except it be with as great aduise and iudgement as may be, because that besides their manifest outward qualities, they haue also close and hidden ones, vvhich indeed may become familiar and well agreeing, through some▪ sympathie, vvith the inhabitants of those Countries vvhere the said vvines grow: but vnto vs they are enemies, by an antipathie or contrarie••ie vvhich is betwixt them and vs, which are of a soyle and countrey farre vnlike. Which point if we re∣gard not, we cannot but for the most part offend against the rules of art, and commit

infinite faults in prescribing and laying downe such diet, and order of gouernment, as shall be for the direction of other mens liues.

Some do make and compound spiced wines which somewhat resemble the fore∣said forraine wines, and that not so much for the necessitie of life or health, as for plea∣sure, and the deligthing of the swallow: of which sort are the claret, the preparing whereof we haue set downe before, and hipocras, so called, not that Hipocrates did euer inuent it or vse it, but (of the mixture and temperature according whereunto the said wine is compounded and made) it is so called of the Greeke verbe 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifieth to temper. Men ought seldome to temper these wines, because that by their vnwoonted heate and great vaporousnesse, they procure many troublesome diseases, as the squinancie, strangurie, apoplexie, pallie, and other such like: not∣withstanding such as feele a certaine coldenesse and weakenes in their stomake, may vse them, not as their common drinke, but sometimes only as remedie or medicine.

And thus in briefe you haue what I thought good to deliuer concerning the qua∣lities and vertues aswell of such wines as grow in France, as also of them which are brought vs from strange countries. By the reading of this slight discourse, the Rea∣der which is carefull of his health, may learne to make choice of such wine as is fittest for his owne drinking, as he shall perceiue to be agreeable and profitable, not onely for his nature and disposition, but also for his health. As for example, he that hath a very hot and drie liuer, his lungs subiect to inflammation, and readie to receiue sharp distillations from the braine, and his braine very moist, shall not vse hot and drie wines, such as are those of Languedoc, Gascoignie, and Orleance: but he shall con∣tent himselfe with some small French wine, somewhat greenish, and which bea∣reth but small store of water. He likewise which hath a cold stomake, and is subiect to cold and windie diseases, shall vse the wine that is good, and haue nothing to doe with the small and greene wines, and for this purpose shall make his aduantage of this our discourse, which will instruct and teach him the diuersitie and qualities of wines.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Parisians negligent ouer∣seers and hus∣bandes about their vines.
• * 1.2

  Two things to be considered in the planting of vines.
• * 1.3

  ••hat aire is fit and requi••it for the Vine.
• * 1.4

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.5

  Vines after the fashion of an arbour.
• * 1.6

  How to trie what wine the ground will best bea••e.
• * 1.7

  To manur•• vi••es is a dan∣gerous thing.
• * 1.8

  The choice of young vine plants.
• * 1.9

  〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.10

  Cheualiers.
• * 1.11

  The manner of plāting of vines in Languedoc and Prouence. The oliue tree is no hinderanc•• to the vine.
• * 1.12

  To plant the marquot.
• * 1.13

  To ••ause the new plant to take root verie speedily.
• * 1.14

  That nothing must be sowne amongst the Vines.
• * 1.15

  That vines must not be planted of diuers plants
• * 1.16

  To put vnquēcht lime to the roots of vines.
• * 1.17

  The qualities of bad vine dres∣sers.
• * 1.18

  Foure sorts of the blacke Vine
• * 1.19

  There be three sorts of the Morillion.
• * 1.20

  There bee three sorts of the Sa∣moy••ea••.
• * 1.21

  Neraut Bour∣g••ignon.
• * 1.22

  Frumenteau.
• * 1.23

  Mauscadet.
• * 1.24

  Pinet of Aniou
• * 1.25

  Gouest.
• * 1.26

  The Burguig∣non.
• * 1.27

  The Foirard.
• * 1.28

  The Mes••ier▪
• * 1.29

  Three sorts of M••s••••er.
• * 1.30

  The Bourdelais▪
• * 1.31

  To dung the young vine.
• * 1.32

  To prune and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the new vine.
• * 1.33

  To digge and turne ouer the ground after the first manner and fashion.
• * 1.34

  To dig it after the second man∣ner and fashion.
• * 1.35

  Propag••tion the third man∣ner and fashion of vines dressing.
• * 1.36

  The propagate vines.
• * 1.37

  The sec••nd dressing of the vine.
• * 1.38

  The third dressing of the vine.
• * 1.39

  The conclusion of the three sort•• of ••••essing due to the vine.
• * 1.40

  To graft vines.
• * 1.41

  Aboundance of grapes.
• * 1.42

  Abundance of wine.
• * 1.43

  The ••reacle vin••
• * 1.44

  The laxatiue Vine.
• * 1.45

  To plant a Vine whose wine shal procure sleepe.
• * 1.46

  Grapes without kernels.
• * 1.47

  Grapes in the Spring.
• * 1.48

  To make a Vine to bud early.
• * 1.49

  Clust••rs bearing both redde and white grapes.
• * 1.50

  To keepe grapes.
• * 1.51

  To gard the Vine from the ••rost.
• * 1.52

  The blasting of vines.
• * 1.53

  Against mist and fogs.
• * 1.54

  To make the barren vine fruitfull.
• * 1.55

  The withered vine.
• * 1.56

  Remedies for the weeping of the vine.
• * 1.57

  The scattering vine.
• * 1.58

  The vine that is too full of bran∣ches.
• * 1.59

  Withering grapes.
• * 1.60

  The rotting of grapes.
• * 1.61

  The byting of the oxe or cow.
• * 1.62

  Against ca••••r∣pillers and lice.
• * 1.63

  Against locusts.
• * 1.64

  Agai••st the ••ouse-like beast alled a Shrew.
• * 1.65

  Pismires.
• * 1.66

  That Colewort•• are hartfull to vines.
• * 1.67

  The gathering of the fruit of vines.
• * 1.68

  To know when grapes are ripe.
• * 1.69

  The time and houre of gathe∣ring grapes.
• * 1.70

  The dutie of grape gathe∣therers.
• * 1.71

  Treaders of grapes.
• * 1.72

  What time Wines must worke together after they be troden.
• * 1.73

  Vessels to put Wine in.
• * 1.74

  The couching of the Wine in the Cellar.
• * 1.75

  What maner of Cellar must be prouided.
• * 1.76

  Wine ••pt to be infected.
• * 1.77

  The wine in the midst of the ves∣sell is the best.
• * 1.78

  The time to pearce wines according to those of aunci∣ent time.
• * 1.79

  The way to pearce wines.
• * 1.80

  To tast wine.
• * 1.81

  At what time and how wine is to be tasted.
• * 1.82

  To giue ven•• vnto wine.
• * 1.83

  Of the boyling ouer of the new wine, while it is in working.
• * 1.84

  How new Wine is p••rged.
• * 1.85

  To haue new Wine all the yeare long.
• * 1.86

  To know if there be any Water in the Wine▪
• * 1.87

  The way to correcti••e ouer∣much wa••rish∣hesse of Wine.
• * 1.88

  To recouer the new Wine which beginneth to sowre.
• * 1.89

  To cause new win•• to s••ttle quickly.
• * 1.90

  To separate water from wine.
• * 1.91

  To make an od••riferous Wine.
• * 1.92

  To make white wine red, and red wine white▪
• * 1.93

  To make claret wine.
• * 1.94

  Wine be••ring great store of water.
• * 1.95

  Wine that flow∣reth not.
• * 1.96

  Boiled wine.
• * 1.97

  To continu•• wine sweet all the yere long.
• * 1.98

  Greekish wine▪
• * 1.99

  Good houshold wine.
• * 1.100

  To cause trou∣bled wine to settle.
• * 1.101

  The taking away of the strength of the wine.
• * 1.102

  To drinke much wine and yet not to be drunke.
• * 1.103

  To hate wine.
• * 1.104

  To make them which are drunke sober.
• * 1.105

  To cause wine that it shall not become strong.
• * 1.106

  To make old wine of n••w.
• * 1.107

  Wine that will keepe long.
• * 1.108

  The keeping of wine.
• * 1.109

  To make medi∣cinable wines.
• * 1.110

  Rose-wine.
• * 1.111

  Wormewood-wine.
• * 1.112

  Wine of Hore∣hound.
• * 1.113

  Wine of Annise, Dill, Peares, Bayes, Asarum bacchar, and Sage.
• * 1.114

  Wine of Thyme.
• * 1.115

  Betonie wine.
• * 1.116

  Hysope wine.
• * 1.117

  Wine of pome∣granats, quin∣tes, mulberries, and seruices.
• * 1.118

  How Wines must be ordered in cellers or roomes vnder ground.
• * 1.119

  Against the eagernesse or sowrenesse of Wines.
• * 1.120

  At what time Wine is most apt to turne and corrupt.
• * 1.121

  To helpe the ••ine that is turned.
• * 1.122

  For troubled Wine.
• * 1.123

  To helpe Wine the beginneth to wax away and di••.
• * 1.124

  To take away the fustie smel of Wine.
• * 1.125

  To helpe the sowrenesse of Wine.
• * 1.126

  To keepe the Wine from sowring.
• * 1.127

  Oyle oliue a preuenter of the the sowrenesse of Wine.
• * 1.128

  For wattrish Wine.
• * 1.129

  Against ve∣nime or veni∣mous beasts falling into Wine.
• * 1.130

  Vineger is a ••ault of wine.
• * 1.131

  Rad••sh and beete roots ma••e vineger.
• * 1.132

  The roots of cale-words make Vineger to ••u••ne againe into wine.
• * 1.133

  Strong Vineger.
• * 1.134

  To make Vine∣ger o•• marr••d wine.
• * 1.135

  Dri•• Vineger.
• * 1.136

  Rose Vineger.
• * 1.137

  To make vine∣ger without wine.
• * 1.138

  Sweet vineger.
• * 1.139

  Mightie strong vineger.
• * 1.140

  Pepper vineger
• * 1.141

  Water in vine∣ger.
• * 1.142

  Vineger of sea onions.
• * 1.143

  The necessitie of drinke.
• * 1.144

  Sapa.
• * 1.145

  Defrutum.
• * 1.146

  Passum.
• * 1.147

  Noe.
• * 1.148

  Why wine is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in Greeke.
• * 1.149

  Icarus.
• * 1.150

  Why it is called Vinum.
• * 1.151

  Why Temetum.
• * 1.152

  The definition of wine.
• * 1.153

  Olde wines are hotes than the new.
• * 1.154

  New wine 〈…〉〈…〉 in France.
• * 1.155

  The iuice of the grapes not 〈…〉〈…〉 wrought.
• * 1.156

  New wines or the iuice of grapes which haue ••ately wrought vp.
• * 1.157

  The benefit of wine.
• * 1.158

  The hurts and inconueniencies that wine worketh.
• * 1.159

  Drunkennesse.
• * 1.160

  Wine goeth bare-foot.
• * 1.161

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 filleth the d••spositions of the d••••nkers.
• * 1.162

  That drunkards their seed and nature is not apt for generation.
• * 1.163

  That vndelai∣ed wine is not wholesome for such as be in health.
• * 1.164

  What qu••ntitie of water is to be put to ••••ine.
• * 1.165

  For what ages wine is m••st fit.
• * 1.166

  That wine is hurtfull vnto hat and drie na∣tures, and good vnto moist ones.
• * 1.167

  The differences of Wine.
• * 1.168

  Red Wine or darke coloured.
• * 1.169

  Sweet wines.
• * 1.170

  Sweet white wine.
• * 1.171

  Galens iudge∣ment of white wine.
• * 1.172

  Rough and harsh wines.
• * 1.173

  Greene wines.
• * 1.174

  The cause of sowrenesse in wines.
• * 1.175

  That there is great difference betwixt sowre∣nesse and green∣nesse in wines.
• * 1.176

  What wines are to be called ba∣stards.
• * 1.177

  The consistence of wine.
• * 1.178

  The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or smell of wine.
• * 1.179

  The vertues of wine.
• * 1.180

  W••ake wines.
• * 1.181

  Wines of Coussy.
• * 1.182

  Wines of Pre∣paton.
• * 1.183

  Wines of Dij••n.
• * 1.184

  The diuersities of the wines of Orleance.
• * 1.185

  Wines of Sain∣ctay, S. Hillaries Chappel, S. Mes∣main, and S. de Bouc.
• * 1.186

  Wines of Mes∣say, of Orleance.
• * 1.187

  Orleance wines of the grounds of the Abbey of Neighbours.
• * 1.188

  White wines of Orleance.
• * 1.189

  Wines of high Normandie.
• * 1.190

  Wines of Com∣peigne.
• * 1.191

  Wines of Nerac.