4 VINES AND VINE CULTURE. 



the Romans that we are indebted for the introduction of the Grape. 

 We are told that in Italy, about A.D. 85, the planting of Vineyards 

 had so much increased that agriculture was thereby neglected, and 

 Domitian issued an edict prohibiting the planting of any new 

 Vineyards, and also ordered one-half of those existing to be cut 

 down. The Romans trained their Vines to trees, such as the Poplar 

 and Elm : hence these trees were said to be "married to the Vines." 

 Thus in Ovid's Vertumnus and Pomona : 



" If that fair Elm, he cried, alone should stand, 

 No Grapes would glow with gold to tempt the hand ; 

 Or, if that Vine without her Elm should grow, 

 'Twould creep a poor neglected shrub below." 



Thus, also, Shakespeare in the Comedy of Errors 



" Thou art an Elm, my husband, I a Vine, 

 Whose weakness, married to thy stronger state, 

 Makes me with thy strength to communicate." 



Pliny states that the Vines in Italy would out-top the highest trees. 

 On this account the Grape-gatherers used to insert a clause in their 

 agreements to the effect that if they should fall and were killed, their 

 masters should be at the expense of burying them. 



It is uncertain at what period the Vine was introduced into 



England. Some writers think it must have been in the reign of the 



Emperor Augustus, about A.D. 10, as at that time the Romans had 



possession of a great part of this country, and largely introduced the 



luxuries of Italy. Others think that it was not introduced until about 



A.D. 280, during the reign of the Emperor Probus. It is, however, 



certain that Vineyards existed in this country at a very early period 



of our history. They are mentioned in the "Domesday Book," and also 



by Bede, who wrote in A.D. 731. The Isle of Ely was called the Isle 



of Vines by the Normans, the Bishop of Ely, shortly after the 



Conquest, receiving as tithes wine made from the Vines grown in his 



diocese. In the reign of Henry III. we read of Vineyards. Malmes- 



bury mentions the county of Gloucester as being, in his time, very 



rich in Vineyards : and there still remain traces of that at Tortworth. 



The first Earl of Salisbury planted a Vineyard at Hatfield, which is 



noted as being in existence when Charles I. was taken there as a 



prisoner. There are records of Vineyards existing in various parts of 



Surrey, and a notable one, which is still partly in existence, once 



flourished at Bury St. Edmunds. Vineyards seem to have been 



common to all monastic establishments, but the suppression of these, 



and subsequently the fact of cheap foreign wines becoming more 



easily accessible, led, no doubt, to neglect in their cultivation. 



About the year 1560, Grapes seem to have become rather scarce, as 

 we read of Grindell, Bishop of London, sending Queen Elizabeth a 

 present of Grapes every year from Fulham ; Grapes being esteemed 

 of great value, and a fruit Queen Elizabeth " stood well affected to." 



