A A Aphorijms concerning CiJer. 



dcd for their maturity 5 his Cider proved very good, when all his 

 hleighbours {who made up their untimely fruit) as foonas it fell, 

 had a crude, auftere undigefted liq»or, not worth the name of 



Cider. 



4, The thick skin, or leathern-coat, the Cider oftentimes con- 

 tracts as well after it hath purged it felf after the ufual manner, as 

 otherwife, is the fureft prefervative of its fpirits, and the beft fe- 

 curity againfl: other inconveniences incident to this and other 

 like vinous liquors, of which the DevonJIjire Cider Merchant f arc 

 Co fenfiblc, that befides the care they take, that matters be not 

 wanting for the Contexture of this upper garment by ftopping up 

 the veflel as foon as they have filled it (ippith the allowance of a 

 Gallon or two upon the (core o(fermentation)they caft in Wheateit- 

 hran, or duft, to thicken the coat, and render it more certainly air 

 proof. And I think you will believe their care herein not imperti- 

 nentjlf you can believe a ftory which I have to tell you of its won^ 

 drous efficacy : A neer Neighbour of mine affures me,that his Wife ha- 

 ving this year filled a barrel withil/e<?<:/, which being fomwhat ftrong 

 wrought fomwhat boifterouily in the veflel, that the good-woman 

 carting her eye that way accidentally, found it leaking at every 

 chink,which afcribing to the ftrength of the liquor ^Vat thought im- 

 mediately by giving it vent to fave both the liquor and the vejfel-^xst 

 in vain, both the floppies being pulled out the leakage ftill con- 

 tinued, and the veflel not at all relieved ; till cafually, at length 

 putting in her finger at the top, ftie brake the prementioned/Zw^ 

 which done, a good part of the Mead immediately flying out, left 

 the refidue in peace, and the leakage ceafed. It may feem in- 

 credible that lb thin a skin ftiould be more coercive to a mutinous 

 liquor then a Barrel with Oak§n ribs, and flrubborn hoops. But I 

 am fo well aflured of the veritablnefs of my neighbours relation, 

 that I dare not queftion it. The reafon of it let wife men de- 

 termine. 



5. A Friend^ and "Neighbour of mine, herewith cured a veflel 

 of fo cxtream ill favour as it was thought it would little lefe thea 

 fojjon any liquor that was put into it. 



6. A Ne/^A/'f?/*?" of my acquaintance aflured me, upon his credit, 

 that coming into a Parfonage honk mDevonJfnre^ where he found 

 eleven Hogfieads of Cider, being unwilling to fell what he ne're 

 bought , he was three years in fpending that fl:ore which the for- 

 mer Incumbent had laid in for him : and it greatly amazed him (as 

 well it might , if he remembred the old Proverb, He mends as 

 jvrorc Ale in Summer) to find the fame Cider which in Winter was al- 



moft as fliarpe as Vinegar, in the Summer become potable, and good 

 natured liquor. 



7. In Devonpire, where their wrings are (b hugely great tliat 

 an Hogfiead or two runs out commonly before the y^fpp/ei'luffer any 

 confiderable preflurc , they value this much what before the 

 other, after the rate which we fet upon life-honey (that which after 

 the fame manner drops fweetly out of the Comb\) above that 

 which renders not it felf without comprejfion. In Jerfcy they 



value 



