26 
time, or upon what occasion, the use of 
cotfee passed from Constantinople to the 
western parts of Europe, It is however 
likely, that the Venetians, upon aceount 
of the proximity of their dominions, and 
their great trade to the Levant, were the 
first acquainted with it; which appears 
from part of a letter, wrote by Peter 
Della Valle; a Venetian, in 1615, from 
Constantinople, in which he tells his 
friend, that, on his return, he should 
bring with him some coffee, which he 
believed was a thing unknown in his 
country. 
Mr. Galland tells us, he was informed 
by Mr. De la Croix, the king’s interpre- 
ter, that Mr. Thevenot, who had travel- 
led through the East, at his return in 
1657, brought with him to Paris some 
coffee for his own use, and often treated 
his friends with it, amongst which num- 
ber Mons. Dela Croix was one; and that 
from that time he had continued to drink 
it, being supplied’ by some Armenians 
who settled at Paris, and by degrees 
brought it into reputation in that city. 
It was known some years sooner at 
Marseilles; for in 1644, some gentlemen 
who accompanied Monsieur de la flaye 
to Constantinople, brought back with 
them, on their return, not “only some cof- 
fee, but the proper vessels and apparatus 
for making and drinking it, which were 
particularly m agnificent, and very differ- 
ent from what are now used amongst us. 
However, until the year 1660, coffee 
was drank only by such as had been ac- 
customed to it in the Levant and their 
friends ; but that year some bales were 
imported from Egypt, which gave a great 
number of persons an opportunity of try- 
ing it, and contributed very much to 
bringing it into general use; and in 1671, 
certain private persons at Marseilles de- 
termined for the first time to open a cof- 
fee-house in the neighbourhood of the 
exchange, which succeeded extremely 
well; people went there to smoke, talk 
of business, and divert themselves with 
play: it was soon crowded, particularly 
by Turkey merchants, and traders to the 
Levant. These places were found very 
convenient for discoursing on, and set- 
tiling matters relating ‘to commerce, and 
shortly after the number of coffee-honses 
increased amazingly; notwithstanding 
which there was not less drank in private 
Paces, but a much greater quantity ; so 
that it became universally in use at Mar- 
seilles, and the netvl.bouring cities. 
Before the year 1669, coffee kad not 
been seen in Paris, except at Mr, 
a 
A History of Coffee, by the late Dr. Fothergill. 
(Feb. 1, 
Thevenot’s, and some of his friends; nor 
scarce heard of, but from the account of 
travellers. That year was distinguished 
by the arrival of Soliman Aga, ambassa- 
dor from Sultan Mahomet the Fourth.’ 
This must be lvuoked upon as the true 
period of the introduction of coffee into 
Paris; for that minister and his retinue 
brought a considerable quantity with 
then, which they presented to so many 
persons of the court and city, that many 
became accustomed to drink it, with the 
addition of a little sugar; and some who 
had found benefit by it, did not chuse to 
be without it. The ambassador staid 
at Paris from July, 1669, to May, 4670, 
which was a sufficient time to establish 
the custom he had introduced. 
Two years afterwards an Armenian, of 
the name of Pascal, set up a cofice-house, 
but meeting with little encouragement 
left Paris and came to London; ‘he was 
succeeded by other Armenians ‘and Per- 
sians, but not with much success, for 
want of address, and proper places to 
dispose of it; genteel people not caring 
to be seen in those places where it was 
to be sold. However, not long after, 
when some Frenchmen had fitted up for 
the purpose spacious apartments in an. 
elegant manner, ornamented with tapes- 
try, large looking-glasses, pictures, and 
magnificent lustres, aud began to sell cof- 
fee, with tea, chocolate, and other re- 
freshments, they soon became frequented 
by people of fashion and men of letters, 
so that in a short time the number in Pa- 
tis increased to three hundred. 
~ For this account of the introduction of 
the use of coffee into Paris we are indebted 
to La Roque’s Voyage into Arabia-Felix. 
We now come to trace its first appear- 
ane in London. 
It appears from Andcrson’s Chronolo- 
gical History of Commerce, that the 
use of coffee was first introduced into 
London some years earlier than into Pa- 
ris, for in 1642, one Mr. Edwards, a 
Turkey Merchant brought home with 
a Greek servant, whose name was Pasqua, 
who understood the roasting and making 
of coffee, till then unknown in England. 
This servant was the first who sold cofiee, 
and kept a house for that purpose in 
George-yard, Lombard-street. 
Nea first mention of coffee in our sta- 
ute books, is anno 1660 (12 Car il. cap, 
Pon when a duty of four-pence‘was laid 
upon every gallon of coffee made and 
sold, to be paid by the maker. 
The statute of the 15 Car. i. cap. xi. 
§ 15, anno 1663 directs thas all coffee 
houses 
