58 Malmeshury Abbey in its Best Days. 



The subject of this Paper has strictly been Malmesbury Abbey in 

 its best days before the Dissolution : and all I have attempted to do, 

 is just to give a slight outline of the position which, when in its full 

 strength and efficiency, the monastery filled. How it and the rest of 

 the great Monastic System came to be dissolved is a very wide field oa 

 which we cannot enter. The monasteries being such large land- 

 owners, filled for centuries a most important space in the social 

 history of England. Their influence extended to every department 

 in the very daily life of the country. Many years have now passed 

 away since the mighty step of abolishing them was taken. 



So many other changes have taken place, that we can very well 



They equalled many of the lighter wines of France ; and while due care was 

 taken of the vineyard at Hammersmith, a great deal of very good wine was obtained 

 there for sale, yet neither of these were favourable spots. The Bath vineyards might 

 serve as a better example for the husbandman, who should consider only profit 

 from them : the juice of the grapes was sold there as it was pressed from the 

 fi-uit, and the owners had no further care than managing the ground and gathering. 

 ' I have known ' says Mr. Hanbury, ' good wine made and grapes growing in 

 England, and have drank our Burgundy no way inferior, as my taste could find 

 out to that noted wine which we have constantly imported from that country.' " 

 The Dean of Ely, Dr. Thomas, supplied the following extract from the 

 archives of the church : — 



Exitus Vineti 



Ditto Vinese 



Ten Bushels of Grapes from the vineyard 



Seven Dolia Musti from the vineyard, 12 Edward II. 



Wine sold for 



Verjuice 



One Dolium and one pipe filled with new wine 



For wine out of this vineyard 



For verjuice out of the same 



No wine but veijuice made 9 Edward IV. 

 Mados History of Exchequer, i., p. 364, wi-ites : that the Sheriffs of North- 

 hamptonshire and Leciestershire were allowed in their account, for the livery of 

 the Kino^'s Vinedresser, at Mochingham, and for necessaries for the vineyard. 

 Sii- Edward Barry, describes the vineyard at Pain's HiU, p. 468. " The 

 ingenious Mr. Miller shews from ancient Records that in many parts of England, 

 and particularly near abbeys and monasteries, good wines were made, and that 

 these places are still distinguished with the name of Vineyards : but how they 

 were rooted up and neglected, there are no clear accounts left. (Speechly on the 

 Vine, 4to, 1790, p. 197.)" 

 See also Gentleman's Magazine, 1775, p. 513, aad 1786, p. 918. 



