100 THE VINE. 



and accordingly procured some cuttings, which he planted as standards in his 

 garden near East-lane, Rotherhithej though the soil was wholly unfavourable, 

 yet by proper care and cultivation, his vineyard produced in a few years, 

 fruit sufficiently matured to make good wine. In consequence he increased 

 his plantation, so that his vintage yielded him above one hundred gallons 

 of wine. From Mr. Warner's cuttings most of the English vineyards of 

 recent date were supplied; in particular Mr. King's, at Brompton, Sir John 

 Eyle's, at Giddy Hall, and the Earl of Tylney's, at Wanstead, in Essex.* 

 Vineyards have also existed in Norfolk, Suffolk, Dorset, and Wilts, from which 

 it appears good wine has been made. There were formerly, it is natural to 

 believe, many more vineyards in Britain, but their local situations are now 

 lost for want of being recorded; for in some situations the very Vines themselves 

 point out to us where our forefathers cultivated them, as it is not unfrequent 

 that the tendrils of Vines are found springing up among the grass of the 

 fields in some counties. In fact. Dr. Plot observes that the Britons made wines 

 anciently over (almost) all the Kingdom. The cause of the disuse and the 

 neglect of the vineyards in England are accounted for by various writers in 

 different ways. There can be no doubt, but our changeable climate was the 

 only cause, or it must have been very different in those days to the present; 

 also the cheapness and easy importation of foreign wines, and the want of 

 land for tillage and pasturage, which are far more profitable and useful to the 

 British nation. Nor is it to be supposed that at any one time this island pro- 

 duced wine enough for its consumption, although almost overrun with vineyards; 

 for we find, that when the monasteries were in the height of riches, and 

 their vineyards in the most flourishing condition they imported wine; (See 

 ^'Philipot's Villare," page 93;) "that at Canterbury, the prior of the Trinity, 

 now called Christ Church, received two-pence upon every vessel of wine com- 

 ing in the port of Sandwich." And King Philip of France made a grant of 

 one hundred modii of wine annually to the same Church, (Philipot's Visitation.) 

 At the great enthronization feast of George Nevil, Archbishop of York, 6, Ed. IV, 

 one hundred tuns of wine are said to have been consumed, and mostly imported. 

 The priory of Dunstaple, upon the failure of malt in 1274, consumed five dolia 

 of wine, which was imported. At the enthronization feast of Archbishop 

 Wareham, 1504, there was provided as follows, (See Battely's Appendix, p. 27:) — 

 De vino rubeo vi dolia prec dol. iiii'. 

 De vino clareto iv dol. prec dol. txxiii' iiii."^ 

 De vino albo elect, unum dolium (price was £S. 6s.) 

 De vino albo pro coquina i dol. (the price £>S.) 

 De malvesey i but (price ,£4.) 

 De ossey i pipe (price ^3.) 

 De vino de Reane ii Almes. (price £1. 6s.) 



* At Northfleet Vicarage, the Rev. T. Harris, A. M., so late as 1762, cultivated his vineyards of choice 

 Vines for thirty-six years, from whicli he made most of his wine, and which is said to have been of 

 a superior finality. 



