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

CHAP. XLIX.

A briefe discourse of making of drinkes of the iuices of Fruits.

IN such Countries as the vine cannot beare fruit in, because of the cold distemperature and churlish roughnesse of the aire, and whereas not∣withstanding there grow singular good fruits, and in great aboundance in recompence of the same (as in Britaine, Normandie, the countrie of Mans, Chartraine, and Touraine) although there be the meanes to make Wine of a certaine kind of corne, called Bier: yet by reason of the lesse cost and charges, as also by reason of the greater profit, they vse to make diuers sorts of drinkes of fruits: and to giue them their seuerall and particular names from the seueral and particular fruits whereof they are made. As for example, ••hat which is made of apples, cider or citer, and so the Normans and other countries bordering thereupon doe call it, as hauing a smell or other excellent qualitie resembling the citron. Perrie which is pressed out of the Peares, and ceruise Wine, quince Wine, pomegranat Wine, mulberrie Wine, gooseberrie Wine, and slo•• Wine, vvhich are made of the juices of these fruits pres∣sed out. And hereof vve are to obserue that all fruits are not fit to make Wine of; but onely those vvhich vvill not putrifie easily, and haue great quantitie of Wine juice vvithin them, of vvhich kind these are vvhereof I haue now spoken. For of cherries there is not any Wine to be pressed, because their juice doth easily corrupt and putrifie verie quickly: neither yet of Almonds, Common nuts, Filberds, Pine, nuts, or other such fruits, for they yeeld an oylie and not a Wine-like humour. But for as much as we are not determined to speake in this place of all these sorts of fruit drinkes, but onely of them vvhich are called cider, perrie, and carasie, vvhich next vnto the juice of the vine, are the most profitable and necessarie liquor for the life and health of man: vve vvill set downe before hand a certaine summarie, and as it vvere a transition and plaine declaration of and vnto as well the making, as also of and vnto the qualities and vertues of the said cider, perrie, and carasie, and will referre the Reader vnto the Latine Booke now long agoe looked for from Moun∣sier Paulmie Doctor of Physicke at Paris, therein to read and learne the intire and perfect knowledge of this so pleasant and delightsome a drinke. And to begin with our purposed matter, I intend not here to stand about the finding out of the first in∣uentour and deuisour of this drinke; onely I will say, that as Noe carried away with the pleasant taste of the juice, vvhich he pressed out of the grape of the wild vine planted by him, was the first inuentor of making and drinking of vvine: so a certaine Norman hauing his taste vvonderfully pleased vvith a delicate and daintie taste and rellish of the iuice of Apples and Peares, inuented the making of Cider and Perrie▪ I say, a certaine Norman, for this is in base Normandie called the Countrey of Ne••z, where this drinke had first his beginning.

The way then to make these kinds of drinkes generally,* 1.1 is to gather the fruit not all out ripe, and after to let them ripen some certaine time in the open ayre or to drie them in the Sunne, for the spending and wasting of their waterie humour; then to breake and crush them with Mil-stones, or such other heauie instruments; and lastly, to presse them out: but withall you must obserue this speciall qualitie in certaine Ap∣ples, which the longer they are kept, and the riper they be, the better and greater store of iuice they yeeld, though then indeed it be not so durable.

On the contrarie, wild Peares doe yeeld more liquor, and of a better tast, and with∣all of longer continuance, than doe the tame and garden ones. When the iuice is pres∣sed out from the fruit, it must be put into caske, for to boile therein a certaine time, and to be ordered after the manner of the ordering of the iuice of Grapes, as we intend to declare more particularly.

How Cider is made.

THe drinkes made of fruits that are most commonly vsed, are Cider and Perrie, vvhich as they are pressed out of diuers sorts of Apples and Peares, so are they differing as well in taste as in goodnesse. For to make your Cider, you must see that your Apples be not wild ones, but garden and tame ones, growne and bred in or∣chards carefully and diligently dressed, kept, husbanded, and ordered all the yeare long, according to that care and diligence vvhich vve haue said to be need∣full before in speaking of the Orchard, and yet vvithout hauing any great regard vnto the place vvhere the Orchards are planted, and doe grow, as vvhether they be gardens, greene-plots, arable ground, or other such like places; alwaies prouided and foreseene, that the ground be good, and vvell seasoned. And aboue all things such Apples* 1.2 must haue a firme, solide, and fast flesh, accompanied with great store of juice, of a pleasant smell, and delightsome taste, and of a beautifull colour: such are these that follow, the Heroet, Ruddocke, Maligar, Rambur, Fairewife, Gastlet▪ Clanget, great Eye, Greening, Curtaine, Grosegraft, Rucke, long, sower, and sweet Kennet, Barbarian, Rangelet, and Ado••ill. The Shortstart, Honie-meale, and Garden-globe, notwithstanding that they be rare and singular apples, and of a more pleasant smell, and delightsome taste, then any other sorts of Apples, yet are they not fit to make any Cider of, as well in respect of the tendernesse and delicacie of their flesh, as for the little and insufficient store of juice which they yeeld, not wor∣thie the putting into the pres••e to make any quantitie of Cider of. And hereto you may put another reason; namely, that these Apples are not so plentifull, neither grow they in such store as others doe, and therefore it is better to keepe them to eate, or to imploy them in broths or sirope of king Sabor, and de succis pomorum, than about the making of any common drinke.

The most common time to gather Apples is about mid-September,* 1.3 after they haue beene partakers of Sommers heat, and receiued some small raine and gentle vvinds from September: some being verie ripe; others yet not altogether ripe; principally those which haue a faster and lesse delicate flesh: the greatest part vvhereof (being kept some time) yeeldeth greater store of juice, and better conco∣cted and digested by the vvorke and operation of their owne naturall heat. In the gathering of them there is necessarily to be vsed cudgels and poles, except it be that wee lay our hands to them, vvhich vvee haue a purpose to keepe: there must in this businesse also be chosen such a day as is faire, drie, cleare, beautifull, and full of Sunne-shine, for if they should be moist with any raine or dew▪ they would rot in their garners.

Being gathered, they must not all of the sodaine be taken in hand to be made into Cider, but they must be suffered to take a heat in heapes, (as the Normans call it) and be kept some three vveekes or a moneth, more or lesse, according to their consistence and kind, seeing vnto it in the meane time (at their owne perill) that they rot not; as also, they may be layed on great heapes in Gardens, or vnder some roofe open to the ayre vvhen it freezeth not, or vvhen it freezeth, to court them with straw newly threshed, or else vvith some Mattresses or Featherbeds to keepe them from the frost. Some during the time of the frost, couer them vvith linnen Clothes steeped in water, and vvrung out, and these being frozen once themselues, doe keepe that the ayre cannot passe vnto the Apples to freeze them: the best of all it to prouide them warme garners, the ••loores being layed neither with plaster nor tiles, but with straw, hauing the windowes verie close, the doores firme and fast shut, and all the creuises or chinkes perfectly stop to resist the entrance of the cold ayre. And notwithstanding all this, yet you must not tarrie and waite vntill they be throughly ripe, and almost vpon the rotting especially: but you must take your time somewhat before that they be come to this exact maturity and height of ripenesse, for else your cider will not proue durable, but withall will gather great quantitie of lee••,

and grow couered with much vvhite mother swimming aloft: if they be frozen, then trouble not your selfe with going about to make Cider, for hauing lost their natu∣rall and accustomed smell and colour, they haue also lost all their force and vertue, and so it is not possible to make any thing of them but a raw, weake, vnpleasant, vva∣terish, vndurable, and soone sowring licour. When as therefore the apples shallbe vvell prepared, and come to a good scantling of ripenesse, not such a o••e as is exact, but rather of the first or second degree of ripenesse, and that they shall yeeld and breath out a verie pleasant and sweet smell: then it shall be high time for you to goe in hand vvith making of your Cider. Which oportunitie if you foreslow and still stay longer for their further and exact ripening▪ they vvill vvither and fall a∣way, and the Cider that you shal presse out of them, wil become waterish, weake, and sowre out of hand.

There are diuers wayes vsed in pressing out this drinke made of Apples in the countrie of Neuz:* 1.4 Some doe stampe them, putting them in fats, and afterward fill them vp with great quantitie of water, letting them ferment, boyle, and purge, so long as vntill the water haue got the force and strength of the Cider. Others stampe them in a morter, and after powre them together with a great quantitie of water in∣to some fat, not giuing them any time of concoction and purging: but these two wayes are not so much worth; this third is better than them both. First, you must breake your Apples in peeces, and after presse them out: the way to breake them in peeces, is to put them in a presser made ••ound, and containing in compasse some seuen or eight ••adome, the said compasse and round being contriued after the man∣ner of a trough of two foot broad and deepe at the least, in these troughes shall be put and contayned the said apples for the better staying and keeping of them in close together. Within these troughes there shall turne about one or two great milstones of stone, or of some hard, massie, and weightie wood, fashioned like a wheele, car∣ried about vvith one Oxe or Horse, or two, so as shall be sufficient for power and strength, as we haue said in the making of Oyles. When the Apples shall be suffici∣ently broken, you must gather into heapes the same, and cast them into ••ubs for the purpose, and there let them worke for a time as Wine doth, and when it hath wrought, then you must draw out the juice or liquor (call it as you vvill) which shall haue runne out of the substance without being prest, and turne it vp into ves∣sels, whether they be pipes or hogsheads, old, or altogether new; prouided that they haue not taken any ill taste of any vnsauourie liquor: the best vessells or caske of all other, is that wherein there hath beene Wine, and especially white Wine, for the sa∣uour of the Wine doth make this juice more acceptable, and more affected. The Ci∣der that commeth voluntarily without being pressed, is the best and sweetest, though not alwaies stronger than that which hath abode the presse: that likewise is better and more excellent which is made without any mixture of vvater: It is true indeed, that when apples haue a verie fast and solide pulpe, and haue not so much moisture, but withall some sharpe relish, that then it will not be amisse to mingle some small quantitie of vvater with them to make them breake the better, as also, after that they be broken by force of the turning stone, euen whiles they are working in their fats, or before they be put into their fats a working, euen at their going to the presse, there may vvater be mixt with them, to preuent that the Cider may not be too ranke, nei∣ther yet too sowre or greenish. The grounds of the vvorking fat shall be layed vpon the presse interlaced with long straw, to keepe the said stamped Apples steedie and stayed, that they slip not to and fro when they are pressed, (the Apples by reason of their roundnesse, not being able to stay and abide vnder the doore and other boards of the presser, except they be kept in vpon the sides with some∣thing) and that which shall run out vpon the pressing of them, shal be tun••ed vp into caske, and put to the former: or else, which is better, tunne it vp by it selfe, as is done by wine, without mingling of it with that which did run out vnpressed, the pressed being the stronger, though the vnpressed be the more pleasant and sweet. The drosse or grosse substance remayning after the pressing, shall be put againe into the

fat, and stamped, and sufficient quantitie of water powred in amongst, and it shall be let so rest, steepe, and boyle together for the space of foure and twentie houres: after which, there shall be made thereof spending Cider, or small drinke for the household. For the making of this household drinke, it shall be after the rate of gathering of one vessell thereof from so much drosse as made foure vessels of the best.

When the Cider is tunned vp into caske, you must let it boyle within the caske by the bung-hole of the caske lest open, and thereby to purge it selfe of all his froth, scumme, and other impurities, after the manner of wine: and when it is thus well purged, you must bung it vp very close, and so leaue it to boile againe within his ves∣sell: but you must see that at this time the vessell be not top full, least in the boiling it breake the vessell. And indeed this kind of Cider is a great deale more strong than that which boileth all his boiling with the bung of the vessell open, but somewhat more fuming, and not so pleasant as the other: and it must lye in some cellar for the Winter time, but in some caue in the Summer.

Cide••, as concerning the tast, doth resemble and become like vnto Wine: for at the first it is sweet; afterward, being fined, it is somewhat sharpe; and when it is alto∣gether fined, it hath then a sharper rellish, but yet altered from his former verdure: euen after the manner of Wine, as being more pleasant when it is in fining, than when it is fined.

The Cider is better to keepe than Perrie: and there are Ciders found of two or three years old, as good, in their place, as anie Wine that is made. It is true indeed, that it is subiect vnto the same accidents that Wine is, and it must be as heedily regar∣ded in the piercing of it, as if it were Wine, not giuing it any ayre in the drawing of it, if it be possible, or if you giue it any at all, to giue it when the fossest is halfe out, causing the ayre to recoyle before the fountaine be stopt vp and shut. So soone as the Cider vessell is emptie, you must looke that the less be not let stand in it any long time, because that it would breed an infinite number of wormes, which would make it to haue an ill smell and stinke, in such sort, as that it would neuer be good afterward to keepe any Cider. And thus much for the making and keeping of Cider. Now we will speake of the making of our choise of the Apples.

To haue excellent Cider, you must make it of sweet Apples, and that but of one or two sorts, and both of them in his kind verie good, of a pleasant tast, and sweet smell: and you must breake and stampe them euery sort by it selfe, but put them together vn∣der the presser. That which is made of sweet Apples mixt amongst some sowre ones, is not altogether so excellent good, and yet in the heat of Summer to be preferred be∣fore the most excellent Ciders, in that it is more cleare, heateth lesse, and quencheth thirst better. And of a certainetie experience hath taught it, that the Cider made of sweet Apples, hauing a soft and tender flesh, is more apt to sowre, if that there be not some sowre ones mingled amongst them, because that such sweet Apples haue but a weake heat, and easily ouercome and wasted. But such sweet Apples as haue a fast flesh and thick iuice, stand not in need of hauing any sowre Apples mixt with them, to the helping of them to make good Cider. It is true, that sweet Apples yeeld lesse Cider than sowre ones: but yet, in as much as the sweet haue the lesse iuice and the thicker, therefore their Cider is the better, lasteth longer, nourisheth the body more, and is a longer time in fining: But on the contrarie, those sweet Apples which haue much iuice, doe make much Cider: but this Cider is not so good, nor making so good nourishment, notwithstanding it be sooner fined and readie for drinking. Sowrish Apples doe yeeld much iuice, that is waterie, thinne, and soone fined, but nourishing verie little.

The Cider that is all neat, and of it selfe, without any mixture of water, doth fine and become cleare more slowly than that which is made with water: In like sort it retaineth his smell and tast a longer time, and all other the vertues and qualities of the Apples whereof it was made: for water added but in small quantitie, after sixe moneths once past, or if somewhat longer, yet after one yeare it causeth the Cider to sowre, and then so much the sooner, as there shall be the greater quantitie in the

mixture, as in the houshold or ordinarie drinke. Wherefore such Ciders as you would haue to last long, must be made without water, and vse rather to mixe your vvater vvith them vvhen they are drawne out of the vessell to drinke, if then you find them too strong for you: and this also is the same course taken with Wine, espe∣cially when such a sicknesse hath seised vpon the partie, as craueth a thin, weake, and vvaterish drinke.

Ciders differ one from another, especially in colour, and ••auour, or relish: for as for their colour, some represent the scarlet as it were like vnto Claret-wine, and such is that vvhich is made of Apples that are red vvithin and without: such also will last long, and fine, not vnder the colour of high Clarets, and haue a taste resembling the same somewhat a farre off, but afterward comming neere to the resembling of Hyp∣pocras. Others are of the colour of Muscadells, and resembling the same also in re∣lish. The greatest part of the rest draw neere to a yellow colour, and some of them cleare as the rocke vvater.

As concerning their relish and tast, all Ciders, if they be good, should be sweet, or a little bitter or sowre, whether they be new or old: and it is as true, that some of them haue no more relish than vvater. Some are of an euill taste, and that either of them∣selues, or of the ground, or of the vessell, or of the straw, or of some other such strange cause. The sweet, as well the new as the old, and fined, are the best of all, and nou∣rish most. But it is true withall, that the new doe swell vp a man, and cause obstru∣ctions: The fined Ciders, are good for such as haue weake lungs, or those which are subject to the stone, or haue vlcers in the reines or bladder. Such as are bitter, and hold out bitter, are naught: But such bitter Cider as after becommeth sweet, is the best of all, and lasteth long. Such as are greenish, if they continue the same colour al∣waies, are not of any value: but if in time they change this greenenesse into a maner of sweetnesse, then they proue good, and last long.

You may also make Cider of vvild Apples, but such Cider although that it last longer than that vvhich is made of tame and garden apples: yet it is not so pleasant nor profitable for the stomacke.

Good housholders doe not loose the drosse of their pressings, but (as we haue said) cast them into vessells, and vvith a sufficient quantitie of fountaine vvater, make Ci∣der for the houshold: many make no account of it, but cast it out to the dunghill, as∣suring themselues that it drieth and maketh barren the place where it commeth. In su••h places as vvhere they haue not the benefit of mill-stones, pressers, & other imple∣ments for to make Cider, they stampe apples, but not of all sorts, but onely wild ones with a stamper, and afterward put them thus stamped into vessells with a sufficient quantitie of water, and this is called Cider-pinet.* 1.5

As concerning the faculties and vertues of Cider,* 1.6 they must be measured and judged according to their taste, age, continuance, and abilitie to last, and the manner of making of them. The taste is not to be tried onely by the sauour and relish of the apples vvhereof they vvere made, vvhich vvere either sweet or sowre, or harsh, or of moe tastes than one, or vvithout any taste at all: but likewise of the age thereof, in as much as Cider if it be kept, changeth his taste,* 1.7 together vvith the time, and get∣teth another relish, after that is fined diuers from that vvhich it had, vvhiles it was in fining, or that it had vvhen it began to fine, after the manner of new vvine, which when it commeth to be old, purchaseth and getteth diuers qualities together with the time. Such Cider therefore as is sweet, because of the sweetnesse which com∣meth of temperate heat, heateth in a meane and indifferent manner, but cooleth least of all; and againe, it is the most nourishing of all Ciders, and the most profitable to be vsed, especially of such as haue cold and drie stomackes, and on the contrarie, but s••••ally, profiting them which haue a hot stomacke, whether it be more or lesse, or sto∣mackes that are full of humiditie, verie tender and queasie, and subject vnto chole∣ricke vomits: so that in such complexions as are hot and cholericke, it is needfull as with Wine, so vvith Cider to mixe water in a sufficient quantitie; vvith sweet Cider vvhen they take it to drinke, especially when such persons haue any ague vvithall,

or and if it be the hot time of Summer: foreseene, that he that shall then drinke it thus, be not subiect to the paines of the bellie, or collicke; because that sweet Cider, pressed new from sweet Apples, is windie by nature, as are also the sweet Apples themselues. This is the cause why Physitians counsell and aduise, that sweet Apples should be rosted in the ashes for them which shall eat them, that so their great moist∣nesse and waterishnesse, which are the original fountaine of their windinesse, may be concocted by the meanes of the heat of the fire. Vpon the same occasion it falleth out, that neither sweet Apples nor sweet Cider can be good for them that are subiect to distillations and rhewmes, because of their windinesse, and for that likewise, that as the Arabian Physitians doe iudge, they breed great store of windinesse in the muscles and sinewes, which cannot be discussed but with great paine and continu∣ance of time. Amongst the sweet Ciders, the best and most wholesome are those which are made of these Apples, the Hero••t, sweet Kennet, Curtaine, and Range∣let, because these Appl••s are verie sweet, of a golden colour, good smell, and long lasting.

Sowre Cider,* 1.8 whether it were made such by reason of the sowrenesse of the Ap∣ples, or become such by reason of the space of time, in as much as it is verie wa••rie, and somewhat earthie, as also verie subtill and piercing, and yet therewithall some∣what astringent and corroboratiue; becommeth singular good to coole a hot liuer and stomacke, and to temper the heat of boyling and cholericke bloud, to stay cho∣ler and adust vomiting, to asswage thirst, to cut and make thinne grosse and slimie humors, whether hot or cold, but chiefely the hot. Such drinke falleth out to be verie good and conuenient, and to serue well in place of wine, for such as haue anie Ague, for such as are subiect to a hot liuer and hot bloud, for such as are scabbed, or itchie, for such as are rheumaticke, vpon occasion of hot humors, and it needeth not that it should be tempered with water. Of sowre Ciders, those are the most wholesome which are made of sharpe sowre Apples, as of Rundockes, Ramburs, and sowre Kennets.

The Cider that is harsh and rough,* 1.9 in as much as it is verie cold and drie, is not good, but after a long time, as namely, not before that it haue lost his harshnesse, changing this his great coldnesse and drinesse into a meane and middle coldnesse, accompanied with some moisture, drawing thereby neere vnto some kind of sweet∣nesse or tart and pleasant sharpenesse: as we see it come to passe in fruits, which yet, whiles they are not ripe, haue a certaine kind of harshnesse in them, but comming to be ripe, change by little and little their harshnesse into an eager tartnesse, and after into a pleasant sweetnesse. Wherefore such Ciders would not be drunke till of a long while after they be made: or if that great necessitie should compell, then to allay them with a sufficient quantitie of water; for otherwise, they would but cause costi••e∣nesse, the strangurie, shortnesse of breath, and an infinite number of obstructions: yea, they would procure manifold crudities in the stomacke, guts, and principall veines: yea, they would ouerthrow a weake stomacke, beget a grosse, cold, and fleg∣maticke bloud in the liuer, send vp manie thicke vapours vnto the braine, which would offend the head, and hurt the sinewes and ioints: but it is as true, that they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 this commoditie with them, as to comfort the languishing stomacke, the qu••a∣sie stomacke, and that which hath altogether lost his appetite, such as commonly be∣••ideth women hauing newly conceiued, and strange appetites, for which this Cider is verie fit and conuenient: as also to stay excessiue vomiting, all sorts of fluxes of the belly, all distillations also, falling downe vpon the ioints: it quieteth the beating of the heart, and cutteth off faintings: it helpeth digestion, drunke at the end of meat, so that (as we haue said) it be allayed with a little water, to diminish and reforme the heauinesse and slownesse to pierce and passe away which is in it; following the coun∣sell of Galen, who teacheth three manner of waies to vse sowre and binding Apples and Peares, without ani•• preiudicing of the health: the first way being to boile them in 〈◊〉〈◊〉, that so they may get more moistnesse and softnesse: the second, to set them in the breath and vapour of boyling water, to moisten and ripen them: and the third

being to cut them in the middest, and to take away their core, and in place thereof to put honey or sugar, and then afterward to roast them amongst the hot ashes. These kinds of Ciders are made principally of the Apples called small Ruddocke, of wild Apples, not grafted nor husbanded, of Apple Bequet, Rellet, and such other, hauing their coats diuersly spotted.

Ciders without all tast* 1.10 become such by reason of their great waterishnesse, and are easily corrupted, and that not onely in their vessels, but also being drunken and vsed for drinke; and therefore there is no reckoning to be made of such.

As concer••ing Ciders hauing seuerall tasts,* 1.11 as ••ager and sweet, harsh and sweet, or anie such other medley; the eager sweet are much better and more wholsome than the harsh sweet, because they are not onely more pleasant, but also more speedily passing, piercing, and cutting, than the other; which by reason of their harshnesse, ioyned with some sweetnesse, and causing a thicknesse and heauinesse in them, abide and stay long about the principall parts, where they may cause crudities and manie ob∣structions.

As for the age and lasting of Ciders; such as are new made, and continue as yet troubled, not being fined, are not wholesome, and cannot be drunke without 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vnto the stomacke, without head-ach, and an infinite companie of obstructions and other accidents, tedious to the health. For such as are verie sowre, and begin apace to turne tart and eager, they are not lesse hurtfull than the former, and therefore they must not be vsed but when they are well fined, and in their middleage, as wee see it obserued in wine.

As concerning the compounding of them; those are the best, most wholesome, and easiest to be digested, which are made of verie ripe Apples, gathered in due time, and not ouer-long kept, which are likewise made of one onely kind of Ap∣ples, or else of manie kinds, but either agreeing in tast; or else being of a a diuers tast, yet are such as may be tempered together, and make a more pleasant tast, than if they were alone and seuerall: as for example, if one should mingle amongst sweet Apples such as were eager and sharpe, such a medley would make a farre more pleasant Ci∣der, and more profitable, than if either of the said sorts were alone. The Cider like∣wise that is made of Apples onely, is better than that which is made of Apples and Peares stamped and pressed together: better in like manner, and more wholesome, are those which are made without water, than that which is made with water, seeing water maketh it to lose his naturall tast, maketh it sowre and corrupt, and that it will not last or endure long: wherefore it is better not to mix any water at all with it when you make any, but rather at the time of drinking of it to dilay it, and powre in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 water, if necessitie require it, and according as there shall be any of the occasions 〈◊〉〈◊〉 mentioned.

The worst of the Ciders is that which is made of wild Apples, stampt and cast in∣to a vessell with fountaine water in sufficient quantitie: and yet worse than this, is that which is made of the dros••e remaining of the first pressing: as that also which is only cast into a vessell with sufficient quantitie of water: Wherefore, seeing that Ciders, how pleasant and excellent soeuer they be, affoord no such nourishment vnto the bo∣die as is verie profitable for them, as we will handle more at large hereafter; hee tha•• will be carefull of his health, shall vse none but the best Ciders. Wee will speake•••• gaine of the faculties of Cider in the sixt Booke, in the same place where wee 〈◊〉〈◊〉 speake of the faculties of Wine.

How Perrie is made.

PErrie is made of diuers sorts of Peares: sometimes of rough, harsh, sowre, and wild ones, neuer husbanded, planted, grafted, or otherwise hauing had anie la∣bour or paines taken with them: such Perrie will keepe long, euen three or fo••re yeares, and be better at the end than at the beginning: Sometimes of Garden, ••en∣der, and delicate Peares, such as are the Eusebian and the Marie Peare, the 〈◊〉〈◊〉,

Hasting, Rimolt, Mollart, Greening, butter Peare, the laques du four Peare, the lit∣tle the Conie Peare, the perplexed Peare, the Alablaster Peare, the two-headed Peare, the dew Peare, and the wood of Hierusalem: and such Perrie is pleasant for a cer∣taine time, but after it is once come to be fiue moneths old, it becommeth void of all tast, and dead. The best and most excellent Perrie is made of little yellow waxe Peares, and such as haue beene throughly dres••ed and husbanded, as the little muske Peare, the two-headed Peare, the Peare, Robart, the fine gold Peare, Bargamo••, Taho••, Sq••••e, and such other Peares, which haue a ••ast and solide ••lesh, and hard coat.

The A••iot Peare is commended aboue all the rest, whereof likewise is made the Perrie, called waxen Perrie, because it resembleth the colour of waxe, but which o∣therwise is called Car••sie, very pleasant and delightsome, but notwithstanding indif∣ferent hard, and not so easie to be corrupted as the later. some doe also sometime•• mingle diuers sorts of Peares together to make Perrie of. But of what sort of Peares soeuer the Perrie is made, the Peare-trees must be carefully and diligently husban∣ded and ordered, according to our former deliuered precepts, in what ground soe∣uer that the Peare-trees grow, as whether it be in Orchard, Garden, arable ground, or other such like, so that the said ground be such and so well seasoned as is requisite to bring ••orth Peares in aboundance: and such as be good Peares, must be gathered to make Perrie of, some before Apples, and some after, with ••udgels or poles: some when they are ripe, as the Amiot, the Tahou, and the Squire, and to breake and grind the same with a turning Mill-stone so ••oone as they be gathered, in such manner as hath beene said of Apples. Othersome must be gathered before they be ripe, as the Peares of Grosmeuill, and others, which haue a hard flesh, rough cote, and are hea∣uie, as those which by reason of their hardnesse and heauinesse cannot ripen well vp∣on the tree. Such as these are not to be employed to make Perrie of, till they haue layne to ripen and mellow, that so they may become the tendrer and softer, to get the greater quantitie of iuice out of them.

Whether they be Peares to be gathered early or late, pressed they must be, and the like implements and meanes vsed about them in making the Perrie, that were vsed in the making of Cider: for after the same manner must you proceed, in sometimes mingling water with it, when there is need, as also in the manner of the vsing of it in the working, boyling, and purging of it, in the tunning of it vp into vessels, in ap∣pointing it a place to be kept in, in the gouerning of it, and such other necessarie care for the defending of it from all th••ngs that might hurt it, and that it is subiect vnto, euen in as great measure, or rather greater, than you vsed about Cider, especially in respect of the cold and frost, which Perrie cannot in anie sort endure: insomuch, as that all Winter long you must keepe the windows of the cellar or caue vnder ground where it lyeth, close shut, and well stopped with straw, or some such other thing, to driue away the cold: besides that, Perrie is not so good for keeping as Cider is, ex∣cept it be the Carisie, or that which is made of the Peare Grosmeuill, or such other Peares as haue a hard flesh and skinne, the Perrie whereof may be kept two yeares vndrawne, and after they be pierced or drawne of, six weekes, foreseene they be will ordered and gouerned. Perrie maketh as great, yea greater setling then Cider, where∣of you must ••ree the vessell presently after the Perrie is drawne forth, for otherwise there will breed an infinite number of wormes in the vessell, which will infect it. The good house-holders doe make a sort of Perrie for the household, of the drosse of the Peares comming from pressing, and that by casting of them into some vessell with su••••icient quantitie of fountaine water. Some others cast away the said drosse, as a thing altogether vnprofitable. In all other things Perrie is to be ordered after the ••anner of Cider.

The faculties and qualities of Perrie* 1.12 must be considered of and weighed in such manner as we haue said of Cider, that is, by his tast, age, and making. The tast of the Perrie dependeth for the most part of the rellish of the Peares out of which it is pres∣sed, and those are either sweet, or sowre, or harsh, or of mixt tasts, or else altogether

without tast, according to which rellishes you are to find out the vertues and quali∣ties of Perrie, following such forme and manner as we haue largely laid downe in the handling of Cider. It is true, that to speake particularly of the good qualities of Per∣ries, the most wholesome, profitable, and of best iuice, are tho••e which are made of the Peares called the waxen Peares, the same being pressed out in the Summer time, and foreseene also that it be drunken so soone as it is fined, because it is not to be kept, being a verie delicate and tender iuice, and therefore apt to corrupt easily and verie soone. Next vnto this in goodnesse is the Perrie made of Peare Robart, and Musca∣del Peares, prouided that they be drunken also so soone as they be well fined, and their lees setled, but then also they must be drunke with water, and but in a reasona∣ble and meane quantitie, for otherwise by the piercing smell and subtilnesse thereof it causeth great paine of the head oftentimes. The Perrie called Carisie, or made of the Kersey Peare, though it be one of the best and most excellent, and of those which are last pressed, is yet to be drunke after it is well fined in a mediocritie, and allayed with water, to represse the fuming smell of the same, which easily would take hold of the braine. There is no cause why you should greatly esteeme, in respect of your health, of the Perries which are pressed out of wild Peares, and all such as are vn∣husbanded, vntamed, of a sharpe tast, fat, reddish, or of those which are pressed 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of diuers sorts of Peares, not agreeing together either in tast, or otherwise, neither yet of such as are made of Apples and Peares mingled and pressed together; as neither of that Perrie which is newly put vp into the vessels, and not fined▪ or that which had water mixt with it when it was made; or that which is made of the Peare called the Wood-Peare, being stampt and put into vessels with a sufficient quantitie of water. To be short, whatsoeuer we haue ••aid of Cider, it may be applyed vnto Perrie for the most part: and yet notwithstanding all this, we are not to confesse the Perrie to be a∣nie whit inferior vnto Cider: for although in some Countries, as in Britaine and Nor∣mandie, they make speciall account of Cider, and doe more esteeme of it both for the tast, lasting, aboundance, and profit thereof, than they doe of Perrie; notwithstan∣ding, if necessitie should driue a man to conferre the one iuice with the other, compa∣ring the sweet Ciders with the sweet Perries, the sowre with the sowre, the sharpe with the sharpe, and the mixt tasts with the mixt tasts, it would be ••asie to iudge, that the Perrie is more wholesome and profitable for the stomacke and whole bodie, than the Cider: for besides the astringent, binding, strengthening, and corroboratiue ver∣tue that it hath to benefit the stomacke withall, and that comming from his terrestri∣ous and earthie temperature, which all sorts of Peares doe most consist of, whether they be sweet or sowre, rough, or otherwise rellished; there is yet further in the Per∣rie a certaine secret and vnspeakeable vertue for the ouer-comming of poyson, and principally the venime engendred in the stomacke by eating of Mushrome••, which indeed is the Perries naturall qualitie, as left it of the Peares from which it is pressed, Againe, wee see by experience, that the vse of the Peares is euerie where more com∣mended than the vse of the Apples, and that for this cause there is more carefull heed and charge enioyned for the keeping of the Peares than of the Apples, as those which for that cause are wont to be preserued in sugar or honey. They are also dried in the Sunne, dried in the Ouen, and made vp in composition to serue in time and place. It is true that Cider moisteneth more than Perrie: but in recompence of tha••, the Perrie doth relieue and refresh a man more, and in cooling of him, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 withall, saue that it stirreth vp more o••t the paine of the bellie and the collicke 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Cider doth, especially the sowre or harsh Perrie, in such as are subiect vnto the col∣licke; and the cause is, for that it passeth not away so speedily by vrine through the bellie, but stayeth longer time in the stomacke, and about the principall parts, than Cider doth, as wee haue declared in the Treatise of the Peare: For which cause, it is better to drinke of it at the end of meat, than at the beginning, so that the partie haue not anie vomiting, or flux of the bellie; following the cous∣saile of Dioscorides, who sayth, That Peares eaten fasting bring harme and icon∣uenience.

Loe here, in my opinion, what wee are to iudge of the qualities of Cider and Per∣rie, as well in particular, as in comparing of the one with the other.

It remaineth, that we examine what kind of drinke the Perrie and Cider are, and whether there be anie such excellent qualitie in them as may match them and make them equall with Wine, that so famous and highly esteemed drink••, seeing that a Physitian of our time could not content himselfe with matching of them together, but went further, and preferred them before Wine in euerie thing: but this might happen (possibly) by his being more affected towards his Country, or by being car∣ried away with a paradoxicall iudgement, than vpon any sinc••re mind to find out the truth of things. But for the deciding of this controuersie, we haue thought good to set downe our iudgement thereof in our Booke, written in Latine, and entituled De Salubri Di••••a, that so wee may not in this place passe the limits of our Far•••• and Countrey house.

The making of Ceruise drinke.

CEruises must be gathered when they are halfe ripe, euen so soone as you espi•• anie of them to fall from the tree: Suffer them not to mellow and ripen, ex∣cept it be a verie little, for when they be throughly ripe, they are not worth a far∣thing to presse out to make drinke of. You must breake them lightly in the trough of the Presser, let the iuice worke together in the fat, after it is prest, and when it hath wrought, tunne it vp, and lay it in some cellar, or caue, and keepe it long; for the Ceruise drinke the longer it is kept, the better it is. You shall know his good∣nesse, by his hauing lost his sharpenesse and vnpleasantnesse, and turned the same into the tast of Wine which is of a white colour: Or if you will not stay the full ripenesse thereof, then dilay it with sufficient quantitie of Fountaine water, when you will drinke it.

This drinke, though it be the first of that kind that was put in practise, as the patterne after which all other sorts of Fruit-drinkes haue beene made, and of which, ••nd not of anie moe, Virgil maketh mention in his Georgickes▪ notwithstanding, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is so cold a friend vnto the health, as that it is not to be much set by. It is veri•• ••rue that for want of other remedies, in case of necessitie, the Countrey-man may ••erue himselfe with this Wine, when hee findeth himselfe heauily oppressed with ••he flux of the bellie, whether it be that which is called the bloudie flux, or ani•• other kind thereof.

Drinke made of Sloes.

THe good Householders of the low Countries of Normandie, being such a•• will not loose anie thing, and thereupon being more carefull to g••t goods, ••han to keepe their health▪ so soone as Autumne is come, cause to be gathered by ••heir people great quantitie of Sloes, whether they be ripe, or not: which done, ••hey powre them into certaine Vessels with sufficient quantitie of water, and stop ••p the Vessels, without touching of them. Before a moneth be at an end, this wa∣••er thus infused doth represent the colour and tast of a sharpe, vnpleasant, and ••ild Wine, which notwithstanding serueth the thirstie Labourers and Hindes of ••hat Countrey to quench their thirst withall in the great heat of burning Agues. This drinke is called Piquette.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The way in ge∣nerall to make such Wine.
• * 1.2

  What apples are fittest to make wine of.
• * 1.3

  The time to ga∣ther apples.
• * 1.4

  The manner of pressing out the drinke made of Apples.
• * 1.5

  Pinet.
• * 1.6

  The vertues of Cider.
• * 1.7

  Sweet Perrie.
• * 1.8

  Sowre Cider.
• * 1.9

  Cider that is harsh and rough.
• * 1.10

  Ciders without anie tast.
• * 1.11

  Ciders of mixt tast.
• * 1.12

  The vertues a•• Perrie.