22 
Longfellow. This was probably the origin of gifts of christen- 
ing cups. Vessels also accompanied the transfer of land as 
visible tokens. Pewter was, of course, in common use, as 
was also leather in the form of the “ black jack.” 
Fermented drinks which produced an agreeable taste were 
discovered in very early times. We hear of it so far back 
as the days of Noah. These drinks, were, of course, intoxi- 
cants, and mankind has ever been trying to take these fer- 
mented beverages with the pleasant effects without suffering 
from the evil effects — to enjoy the exhilaration without the 
suffering. One of the earliest attempts was that of Dunstan, 
who arranged pegs in the drinking vessels as a measure of 
precaution. This is the origin of the phrase “ in merry pin.” 
In early and mediaeval times ale and mead were the principal 
drinks. There was no choice between those and water or 
milk. Vast quantities of intoxicants were consumed. Dr. 
\\ hitaker refers to the enormous quantities of wine consumed 
at Skipton by the Clifford family, and notes that spirits did 
not seem to be used. The Saxons were noted for their deep 
potations. Ale was the chief beverage, though the immense 
quantity of honey then produced shows that the consumption 
of mead was very great. Mead continued a common drink 
down to the seventeenth century. Hops were introduced 
about 1425 and the beverage so made was called beer, as 
distinguished irom ale. More than one writer condemned 
this beer and praised ale. It was further charged against 
beer that there was heresy in hops. 
In days of universal drinking of intoxicants at all times 
there was no moral reprobation of the custom. So it was 
not regarded as out of place for each parish to hold a formal 
“ Church ale ” each year, when the wardens brewed ale and 
sold it at a great merry-making, the profits filling the parish 
exchequer. Oats were used for the making of ale. Dr. 
Whitaker tells us that the monks of Salley annually brewed 
253 quarters of oats and 104 quarters of barley for an estab- 
lishment of 70 persons. 
Wine has always been a beverage for the wealthy classes. 
There were flourishing vineyards in England in Saxon times, 
the vale of Gloucester being specially noted. In the time 
of the Commonwealth the price of wine was fixed by proclama- 
tion : Canary, Muscadel and Alicant, 1/- a quart ; Sack and 
Malaga, 9d. a quart ; Gascoigne and French wines, 6d. a 
quart ; Rochel and other thin wines, 6d. a quart. Sack and 
Malmsey were the favourite wines in the middle ages and we 
constantly read of their praises. Sack is associated with 
Falstaff and Malmsey with the Duke of Clarence. In the 
