Vinetum Britannicum, or, A treatise of cider and such other wines and drinks that are extracted from all manner of fruits growing in this kingdom together with the method of propogating all sorts of vinous fruit-trees, and a description of the new-invented ingenio, or mill, for the more expeditious and better making of cider : and also, the right method of making metheglin and birch-wine : with copper-plates / by J.W., gent.

CHAP. II. That the Juices of Fruits are the best of Drinks, and Ʋniversally celebrated. (Book 2)

SECT. I. Their Antiquity.

IT appears by the most true and antient History, that the first Liquor our Fore∣fathers used to gratifie their Palates and delight themselves withal, (besides com∣mon Water) was the Blood of the Grape; which was no sooner understood to be so excellent and pleasant a Drink, but it set them at work to plant and propagate that Tree, to dress and order their Vineyards, and to extract and preserve the Juice there∣of for their extraordinary Repast.

SECT. II. Their Ʋniversality.

It also appears from the observation of Travellers and Historiographers, that the

Natives of most of the known parts of the world, have made use of some Fruit or other, naturally growing in their own Countries, as the most delicate of their Beverages.

As the Blood of the Grape is preserved on the North-side of the Tropick of Cancer almost in every part of the temperate Zone, unto the 49 degree of Latitude, unless where the Laws of Mahomet forbid; whose Disciples often transgress that Law even to excess, and much lessen that imaginary sin (as they suppose it otherwise to be) if the Christians dress their Vineyards, and pre∣pare their Wines.

SECT. III. The Reasons thereof.

Neither is it without just cause that that Liquor is celebrated in those Countries a∣bove any other Drink whatsoever, it being so Homogeneal to the natures of those peo∣ple that inhabit there. All Wines that pro∣ceed from the Vine being of a Corrobora∣tive and Mundificative nature, and withal have an exhilerating and vivifying faculty with them, that to those whom the too fre∣quent use hath not abated or dulled the

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edge of their Vertues, they are rather Cor∣dials or Restoratives, than ordinary Nutri∣ment, or familiar Medicine.

The Juice of the Apple, Cider, is for the same cause preferred on this side the 49 degree of Latitude, where the Bloud of the Grape obtains not that degree of Matu∣rity in the Fruit, as in the more hot Coun∣tries: And the Apple being but a pulpy Fruit, not enduring those excessive heats and droughts those Countries beyond that degree, and more Southerly, are subject unto. It being observed, that in Normandy, and the Northern parts of France, Flanders, &c. their Cider far excells their Wines: Here in England also, Cider well made of Mature Fruits, not only excells any Wine made here, but the Wines that are made in the most parts of France, Germany, or any o∣ther Country on this side the 40 degree of Latitude.

The principal cause of the excellency of these Liquors above any other prepared Drinks, is, for that this Juice or Sap is not only collected out of the Earth by the small fibrious Roots of the Trees, but exhaled by the attracting power of the Sun, into the Branches and Stalks, thence descending in∣to the Fruit, where it is by the continual

animating heat of the Sun, maturated. Which natural process of Extraction, Di∣stillation, Concoction, Digestion, and Ma∣turation, far exceeds the Art of man to imitate, much less to exceed. Wherefore, not without cause, may those Liquors be worthily preferred to any other Drinks whatsoever: And more particularly and especially, the Juice of the Apple in these more Northern Regions, before any other Liquors in what Country soever prepared. Not but that those Liquors, in those places where they grow, may be much better than any other produced there: But being trans∣ported into a more remote Country, and of a different Climate, it begets an appa∣rent alteration in the Drink it self; which, together with the great difference that is between the Inhabitants of either Coun∣try, very much derogateth from the happy effects that such Liquor might produce, if made use of neerer the place of its first Ex∣traction.

And as the Inhabitants of these European, and part of the Asian Countries, do affect, and principally esteem these Juices of the Grape and Apple: so they of the more remote parts of Asia and Africa, put a great value on the Juice of Coco-nut, taken ei∣ther

before it be quite ripe, when it yields a thin, though immature, yet pleasant Li∣quor; and when more mature, then a more rich and oyly Repast.

In America, no Drink so much in esteem as Chocolate; the principal Ingredient whereof is the Nut Cacao, which in the vast Regions there subdued by the Spa∣niards, are propagated in such abundance, that the accompt thereof is almost incre∣dible; and for no other use, than to be con∣verted into that excellent Regallo, Choco∣late.

The delicious Liquor made of the A∣merican Fruit Ananas, is also much in e∣steem in Jamaica, Brasilia, and those parts.

Notwithstanding these Wines or Liquors have obtained the pre-eminence above all other Drinks throughout the greatest part of the known world, yet are there several sorts of more inferiour Fruits that yield very pleasant and wholesome Drinks (as before may be observed) that can never be advanced to that repute or universal ac∣ceptance, as these last mentioned; but may nevertheless be compared, if not preferred to any other Drinks extracted or prepared from any other Subject than Fruit.

The Juices of Fruits being Mature, are

worthily esteemed to be very grateful to the Stomach, and of easie digestion; be∣ing, by reason of their concoction and ma∣turation in the Fruits, become before-hand a semi Sanguis, or half Blood, and are not so subject to putrefaction as other Extra∣ctions of a meaner Classis; which is also the reason, that with a due ordering of them, by a meer natural Maturation, the most of them will keep in their full purity several months and years; and some of them for many years increasing still in strength, purity, and pleasantness; which no other Extracts are capable of.