3804.) 
export fifty tons of ale called Brer. 
Whether we are to. underftand, by this 
fingular expreffion, that ale and beer were 
then diftinguifhed us at prefent, on ac- 
count of the larger portion of hops with 
which the laiter is fupplied, feems doubt- 
tul. 
_ In the Domefday Survey, beer, brew- 
ers, malt and brewing, fiequently occur 5 
aud in one of the inquifitions itis ftated 
br azxiabat cujufcuscue uxor, x4, that is, 
that, ** from every man whofe wife brew- 
ed, the fuperior lord received ten pence :”” 
but [ have found no mention of any thing 
which an antiquary could interpret hops. 
I have feen many books of receipts and 
payments, belonging to the religious of 
the middle ages, but do not recollect a 
fingle inttance of theirufe. ‘The Northum- 
berland Houfhold-bookf however, from 
1512 to 1525 has a particular mention 
of hops for breuing, which feems to con- 
tradict the old received account, that 
hops and herefy came into England in 
the fame reign: fee Bake:’s Chronicle, 
among the cafualties of Henry the 8th’s 
reign, wiz. 
<¢ About the r5th of Henry viii. it hap- 
pened that diverfe things were brought into 
England, whereupon this rhime was made: 
Turkies, Carps, Hopps, Piccarell and Beere, 
Came into England all in one Year.” 
This perhaps may relate only to the 
cultivation of Azps, when they were firft 
planted in England, though the produce 
might be imported béfore from Flan- 
ders. : 
The brewing of beer, however, is the 
fubjeé&t of an entire feftion in the book I 
have juft mentioned, an extract from 
which, as a few copies of the work were 
printed orily by the duke of Northumber- 
Jand, may be acceptable. 
“ A Brewyng at Wrefill. 
Fyrfie, paide at Wrelll for vi. quarters of 
mailte aftir vs. the quartir xxxS, 
Tiem paide for vilb. of Hopps for the faide 
brewynge aftir 19 ob. the 1b, ix?. 
item paide for v fcore Faggites for the faide 
brewynge aftir v Faggotts 14. ande after il, 
the C.—xx4, ; 
Summa,—xxxijs, v4. 
Whereef is made xii hoggefhedes of beyr 5 
every hogefhede contenyng xlviii gallons 
which js in all cccciiii xxxvj gall. aftir ob. 
‘qu. the gall. Save iiiS, viit. les at all— 
xxxiis, v4,” 
Wrefill was one of the duke of North- 
umberland’s caftics, fiiuated in Yorkfhire, 
which loft “its {plendor ia’ the civil 
wars. 
ri 
«ae 
Eiifiory of Matt Liquor. 
13 
Such, Mr. Editer, is all the informa- 
tion I can at prefent afford your. corve. 
fpondent: unleis.a remark or two upor 
the price of beer at diflerent pericds, be 
added. 
Ata dinner of the Salters” Company, 
in 1506, a kilderkin of ale colt as. 34, 
Among the difburfements of the Priory 
of St. Mary Huntingdon toward the ciofe 
of Henry the 8th’s reign we have 
6< Item, for adoz. and a half of goed Se the 
ale, agenft the comyng of ae } A 
vifitors of our religion 
‘¢ Item, for 10 doz. and % of good j 
ale, agenft the vifitation of tie 15 9 
Lord of-Lyncoln.””.~ 
At adinner of the Stationers’ Company 
Joly 5, 1558, a barrel of beer had got 
up to 48, 8d. ; ard in an inventory of te 
Stock in Trade belonging to the Mouth 
Tavern, Bifhopfgate, 1612, we find 
“Two duffen and 3 bottles of ale reck- 
oned at nolefs than 5s. $d. 
I wifh your correfpondent fuccefs in 
his refearches, and am, Mr. Editor, his 
and your obedient’Servant, 
A PorTeR-DRINKER. 
—Ka ee : 
To the Editor of ithe Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, ; 
T is rather furpriing, confidering the 
early attention which muff have beer 
paid to the produétions of Nature, that 
our knowledge on this fubject fiould fill 
be in many inftances very fuperficial and 
imperfect, A thorough acquaintance 
with the ftructure or compofition of na- 
tural bodies requires much laborious in- 
veftigation, and muft long, perhaps te 
the end of the world, continue defective ; 
but the hiftory of the more fenfible quali-~ 
ties of animals, vegetables, or minerals, 
and of the various circumftances atiend- 
ing them, which requires only attentive 
obfervation, it might have been preiumed 
would have rapidly improved, and readily 
difentangled itfelf from any errors which 
might have been adopted jn its infancy 
That this has been the cafe in a grea 
degree, cannot be denied; fome of tie 
many falfities refpefting different fubjecis 
of natural hiftory which formerly pafled 
current, have appeared too extravagant 
for modern credulity, fuch as the anc:ent 
accounts of the Dragon, Phenix, Un'- 
corn, Mermaid, and other fiétitious ani- 
mals, whofe exiftence, had it been real, 
muft have been long fince afcertaincd ; 
et 6 
v 
‘the Lyzx and the Salamander have bees 
found wholly devoid of the wondertu 
qualities afcribéed to them, and the ftory 
‘ relpecting 
