We might have a reasonable good wine growing in many places of this realme; as undoubtedly wee had immediately after the Conquest; tyll partly by slouthfulnesse, not liking anything long that is painefull, partly by civil discord long-continuying, it was left, and so with tyme lost, as appeareth by a number of places in this realme that keepe still the name of vineyardes; and uppon many cliffes and hilles are yet to be seene the rootes and olde remaynes of vines. There is besides Nottingham an auncient house, called Chilwell, in which house remayneth yet, as an auncient monument, in a great wyndowe of glasse, the whole order of planting, pruyning, stamping, and pressing of vines. Beside there is yet also growing an old vine, that yields a grape sufficient to make a right good wine, as was lately proved. There hath, moreover, good experience of late yeears been made, by two noble and honorable barons of this realme, the lorde Cobham and the lorde Willyams of Tame, who had both growyng about their houses as good wines as are in many parts of Fraunce. FOOTNOTES: [87] Cf. the Act of 1536 which speaks of ‘sakkes and other sweete wines.’ [88] ‘Now, many kinds of _sacks_ are known and used.’ Howell. _Londinopolis_, p. 103. The palm-sack, which Ben Jonson speaks of, is from Palma Island, one of the Canary group. [89] Bancroft, _Two Bookes of Epigrammes and Epitaphs_, 1639. [90] Another variety of this second version is ‘Turkeys, carps, hops, piccarel, and beer.’ Anderson. _Hist. of Commerce_, vol. i., p. 354. [91] See _Losely Manuscripts_, and other Rare Documents minutely illustrating English History, Biography, and Manners from Henry VIII. to James I., preserved in the Muniment Room at Losely House, edited with Notes by A. J. Kempe. [92] Camden Society reprint of the _Rutland Papers_. [93] _Tusser Redivivus_ (1744), p. 81. [94] _Christen State of Matrimony_ (1543). [95] _The Anatomie of Abuses_ (1583). [96] This song is given in Washington’s Irving’s _Sketch Book_, in its original orthography. [97] _Midsummer Night’s Dream_, act 2, scene i. Cf. Knight, _Pict. Hist._, vol. ii. _Gent. Magazine_, May 1784. [98] Herrick: _Poems_. [99] Scott, _Lay of the Last Minstrel_. Cf. also _Christmas with the Poets_; and the ‘Old and Young Courtier’ in the _Percy Reliques_. [100] In the time of Henry IV. there was a club called ‘La Court de bone Compagnie,’ of which Occleve was a member, and perhaps Chaucer. The word _club_ is connected with _cleave_, which has the twofold meaning of _split and adhere_; reminding one of the equivalent words _partner_ and _associe_, the former pointing to the _division_ of profits, the latter to the _community_ of interests. Cf. Timbs, _Club Life_. [101] Camden’s assertion will be found criticised towards the end of this book. [102] By Richard Carew, 1602. [103] _Anatomie of Abuses_, 1583.