and other Countries in ancient, times. 101 



prove that this system was not uniformly enforced ; local ex- 

 ceptions were evidently made; yet enough appears to explain 

 the value and the cause of the permission of Probus. 



The first positive authority for the cultivation of the vine 

 in Britain is Bede, who says, " Vineas etiam quibusdam in. 

 locis germinans*." It is important here to observe the " qui- 

 busdam in locis." Setting aside vague traditions, the next 

 authentic testimony is that of Domesday Book, which men- 

 tions vineyards in several places. At Rayleigh in Essex, we 

 are told " there is one park and six arpennis of vineyard, 

 which, if it takes well, yields twenty modii of wine." (Cam- 

 den's Essex.) But the very indication of a few vineyards 

 here and there excludes the idea of any extensive cultivation, 

 such as takes place in really wine-growing countries. At a 

 subsequent period, many authorities, for which I may refer to 

 the Archccologia, vols. i. and hi., and Miller's Gardener's 

 Dictionary, article Vitis, prove the existence of vineyards in 

 particular spots, and generally in connexion with cathedrals 

 or religious houses. What was the success of these attempts 

 of the monks to make wine, " in commodum et magnum 

 honorem," as an old writer says, of their respective houses, 

 may partly be conjectured from the accounts of a vineyard 

 at Ely given by Miller, where the sale of verjuice forms a 

 considerable portion of the profits!of the vineyard j\ Only 

 one passage has been quoted that would at all seem to imply 

 an extensive cultivation of the vine in ancient times, and even 

 in that the terms are too vague to allow of any positive con- 

 clusion. William of Malmesbury (quoted by Camden) boasts 

 of the superiority of the vineyards of Gloucestershire: " Vine- 

 arum frequentia densior, proventu uberior, sapore jucundior, 

 vina etiam ipsa bibentium ora tristi non torquent acedine, 

 quippe qua? parum debeant Gallicis du'cedine." This passage 

 does not imply much, it may be observed in passing, for the 

 English wine in general. As to what he says about Glouces- 

 tershire, it is to be considered that he seems to be an inaccurate 

 writer, and disposed to exaggeration. Daines Barrington has 

 noticed that he speaks of the bore in the Severn as a daily 

 occurrence, while it happens only at the equinox; and de- 

 scribes it in very exaggerated terms, as capable of sinking a 

 ship, though in reality not formidable to a cock-boat. 



* Hist. Ecclesiast., i. 1. The supposition of Daines Barrington, that in 

 this and other passages " vineas" refers to orchards of apple-trees and cur- 

 rant-gardens, is too improbable and unsupported to deserve serious refuta- 

 tion. 



f In the 12th Edw. II. the wine from the vineyard at Ely sold for 

 1/. 12s., the verjuice for 1/. 7*. In 9th Edw. IV. no wine, only verjuice 

 was made. 



