The historie of the vvorld: commonly called, The naturall historie of C. Plinius Secundus. Translated into English by Philemon Holland Doctor of Physicke. The first [-second] tome

CHAP. I.

¶ Of Vines, their nature and manner of bearing.

VInes in old time were by good reason for their bignesse reckoned among trees. [unspec L] For in Populonia, a citie of Tuscan, we see a statue of Iupiter made of the wood of one entire Vine, and yet continued it hath a world of yeares vncorrupt, and without worme. Likewise at Massiles there is a great standing cup or boll to be seene of Vine-wood. At Metapontum there stood a temple of Iuno, bearing vpon pillars of Vine wood. And euen at this day there is a ladder or paire of staires vp to the temple of Diana in Ephesus, framed of one Vine-tree, brought (by report) out of the Island Cypres, for there indeed vines grow to an exceeding bignesse. And to speake a truth, there is no wood more dureable and lasting than is the vine. Howbeit, for my part I would thinke that these singular pieces of worke before-named, were made of wild and sauage [unspec M] Vines: for that these our tame and gentle vines here planted among vs, are by cutting and pru∣ning euery yere kept downe: so as all their whole strength is either drawne without-forth into branches, or els downward into the root for to put out new shoots euer fresh out of the ground: and regard is only had of the fruit and iuice that they do yeeld diuers waies, according to the temperature of the aire & climat, or the nature of the soile wherin they be planted. In the coun∣trey of Campaine about Capua, they be set at the roots of Poplars, and (as it were) wedded

vnto them: and so being suffered to wind and claspe about them as their husbands, yea, & with their wanton armes or tendrils to climbe aloft, and with their ioints to run vp their boughes, [unspec A] they reach vp to their head, yea, and ouertop them: insomuch as the grape-gatherer in time of Vintage, puts in a clause in the couenants of his bargaine when he is hired, that in case his foot should faile him, and he breake his neck, his master who sets him a worke should giue order for his funerall fire and tombe at his owne proper cost and charges. And in truth Vines will grow infinitly: and vnpossible it is to part them, or rather to pluck them from the trees which they be ioined and coupled vnto. Valerianus Cornelius making mention of many properties and singu∣larities of a vine, thought this among the rest worthie of especiall note and remembrance, that one onely stocke of a vine was sufficient to compasse and inuiron round about a good ferme∣house or country messuage, with the branches & pliable shoots that it did put forth. At Rome [unspec B] there is one vine growing within the cloistures of the Portches and galleries built by the Em∣presse Liuia, which running and trailing vpon an open frame of railes, couereth and shadoweth the ouvert allies made for to walke in: and the same Vine yeeldeth one yeare with another a dozen Amphores of good new wine yearely. An ordinarie thing it is, that Vines will surmount any Elms wheresoeuer, be they neuer so tall and lofty. It is reported, that Cyneas the embassador of K. Pyrrhus, wondring at the vines of Aricia, for that the grew and mounted so high; would needs taste of the wine that came of their grapes: & finding it to be hard and tart, merrily scof∣fed and said, That by good right and justice they had done well, to hang the mother that bare such vnpleasant wine vpon so high a gibbet. Beyond the riuer Po in Italy, there is a tree grow∣ing which the peasants there cal Rumbotinus, & by another name Opulus; it puts forth great armes and boughs, and those spread abroad and beare a round compasse; howbeit, the vines that [unspec C] be planted at the root of these trees, do fill and couer the said boughes: for yee shall haue the very old crooked branches of the Vine (bare as they be and naked of leaues) to wind about the armes, and crawle in manner of a serpent or dragon along the broader and flatter base of the boughes, and then the new shoots, top-twigs, and tendrils, wil diuide themselues to the vtmost branches and shoots of the tree, that they will lode and clog her withal. These vines again grow somtime no taller than the ordinary height of a man of middle stature, and beeing supported and vnder propped with stakes and forks, cleaue and cling thick together, and in this order fill whole vineyards. Others also there be, which with their excessiue creeping vpon frames, with their ouergrowne branches, and some artificiall help of the masters hand, spred so far euery way, [unspec D] that they take vp wide and large courts, ouerspreading not only the sides, but the very middest thereof. See what sundry sorts of vines euen Italy alone is able to affoord! But in some prouin∣ces without Italy, ye shall see a vine stand of it selfe without any prop or stay at all, gathering and drawing in her boughs and branches together: thus indeed she groweth but short, howbeit so close couched and trussed round, that the thicknesse makes amends for all. And yet other∣whiles in some coasts the winds are so big and boisterous, that they wil not suffer them thus to grow vpright; as namely •…•…n Affrick, and Languedoc, the prouince of Narbon Vines being thus debarred to run vp in height, resting vpon their owne ioints and branches, and euer like to those that be laid along whiles they are a trimming, by deluing about their roots, and pruning their superfluous branches, traile and creepe too and fro along the ground, as weeds and herbes; and all the way as they spread, suck the humor of the earth into their grapes: by which meanes, no [unspec E] maruell it is, if in the inland parts of Africke there be found some of those grapes bigger than pretty babes. And in no countrie are the grapes of a thicker skin than those of Africk, wherup∣on it may well be, that they tooke the name Duracina (i. hauing hard skins.) For infinite sorts there be of grapes, according to the difference obserued in their quantity and bignesse, in their colour, taste, stones, or kernels: and yet more stil, in regard of the diuers wines made of them. In one place they are of a fresh and bright purple, in another, of a glittering, incarnate, and rosate colour: and ye shall haue them of a faire and liuely greene. As for the white and black grapes, they be common euery where. The grapes Bumasti haue their name, for that they be so swel∣ling and round, like st•…•…utting paps or dugs. The Date-grapes Dactyli, are long, both grape and kernel, fashioned in manner of fingers. Moreouer, Nature seems to take her pleasure and make [unspec F] good sport in some kind of them; where ye shal find among them some that be exceeding great, others again that be as small, howbeit pleasant they are, and as sweet as the rest: and such be cal∣led Leptorrhag•…•…s. Some last al winter long, being knit in bunches together, & so hanged aloft

arch-wise in manner of a vault: with others they make no more adoe, but put them vp presently [unspec G] as they come from the Vine, into earthen pots, whiles they be fresh & in their vigor; and after∣wards they are bestowed, well lapped ouer with their leaues, in other greater vessels ouer them; and for to keep them better, they be stopt close with kernels heaped and piled vpon, sweating round about, to condite and preserue them in their naturall heat. Others they suffer to be dried in the smoke of smiths forges, wherby they get the very tast of infumed wine, so ordered in the smoke. And in truth, Tiberius Caesar the Emperor gaue especial credit & name by his example to such grapes dried in the furnaces of Africk. For before his time, the Rhetian grapes & those that came out of the territory of Verona, were ordinarily serued vp to the table first, for the ve∣ry best. As for the Raisins called Passae, they took that name in Latine of their patience to in∣dure their drying & confiture. Some grapes there be that are condite in Must or new wine, and so they drinke their owne liquor wherein they lie soking, without any other seething. Others a∣gaine [unspec H] are boiled in Must abouesaid, vntill they lose their owne verdure, and become sweet and pleasant. Moreouer, yee shall see old grapes hang still vpon the Vine their mother, vntill new come: but within glasses, that a man may see them easily through: howbeit, to make them to last and continue in their full strength, as well those which be preserued in barrels, tuns, and such like vessels aforesaid, they vse the helpe of pitch or tarre, which they poure vpon the stalks that the cluster hangs to, and wherewith they stop close the mouth of the said glasse. It it not long since that there was a deuise found, that wine of it selfe (as it came naturally from the grape growing vpon the vine) should haue a smack and sent of pitch. And surely this kind of Pitch wine, brought the territory about Vienna into great name reputation: & before that this vine was known, those of Auern, Burgundy, and the Heluij, were in no request at all. But these deui∣ses [unspec I] as touching vines & wines, were not in the daies of the Poet Virgil, who died about 90 yeres past. But behold what I haue to say more of the Vine tree: the vine wand is now entred into the camp, and by it our armies are ranged into battalions: nay, vpon the direction thereof depends the main estate of our soueraigne Empire: for the Centurion hath the honour to carry in his hand a Vine-rod: the good guidance and ordering whereof aduanceth after long time the cen∣teniers (for a good reward of their valorous and faithfull seruice) from the leading of inferior bands, to the captainship of that regiment and chiefe place in the army, vnto which the maine standard of the Aegle is committed: yea, and more than that, the Vine wand chastiseth the tres∣passes and lighter offences of the souldiers; who take it for no dishonor nor disgrace to be thus punished at their Centurions hand. Ouer and besides, the planting of Vineyards hath taught [unspec K] martiall men how to approach the wals of their enemies, to giue an assault vnder a frame deuised for the purpose, which therupon took the name of Vinea. Lastly, for medicinable vertues in phi∣sick, the Vine is so profitable to mans health, that the vse of it alone is a sufficient remedy for the distemperature of mans body, caused by wine it selfe.

Notes

• Opiet•…•…
• Quasi du∣ris acini•…•….
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Plutarch.