236 MEAD. 



CHAPTER XXX. 

 MEAD, 



PRIOR to the introduction of agriculture into Bri- 

 tain, mead was the principal cordial beverage of 

 its inhabitants. In other northern nations also 

 it was formerly in high estimation. This must 

 have proceeded, either from their unpampered 

 simplicity of taste, or from their having a better 

 method of making their mead than has been 

 handed down to posterity ; for certainly in the 

 present day it is a liquor seldom heard of, and 

 still seldomer made ; and when made, holding a 

 very humble rank among our imperfect vinous 

 productions. It however continued in favour 

 long after the introduction of malt liquor, and 

 the northern inhabitants of Europe drank it gene- 

 rally until very modern times. To show how highly 

 it was formerly esteemed in this country, I will 

 give an extract from an ancient law of the prin- 

 cipality of Wales, where " the praises of it, accom- 

 panied by the lyre, resounded through the spa- 

 cious halls of her princes." " There are three things 

 in Court which must be communicated to the 

 king, before they are made known to any other 

 person. 



