King John founded the Abbey of Beaulieu, which had a famous vineyard. Possibly the imported wines did not please the palate of the monks. Their standard may have been that of a writer of the period who has given the world an enumeration of the qualities of good wine, which he says should be as ‘clear as the tears of a penitent, so that a man may see distinctly to the bottom of his glass. Its colour should represent the greenness of a buffalo’s horn. When drunk, it should descend impetuously like thunder, sweet-tasted as an almond, creeping like a squirrel, leaping like a roebuck, strong, like the building of a Cistercian monastery, glittering like a spark of fire, subtle as the logic of the schools of Paris, delicate as fine silk, and colder than crystal.’[66] FOOTNOTES: [57] ‘Le mot en effet paraît être de l’ancienne Chaldée, où il signifiait “brûler.” En trouve-t-on des rudiments chez les peuples d’où nous vint d’abord cet “esprit” des liqueurs fermentées? On a cru longtemps que c’étaient les Arabes, mais nous pensons, avec Mongez et Pauw, que ce sont les Tartares qui en auraient appris la fabrication par les Chaldéens. Certaines liqueurs importées de Perse en Egypte semblent avoir été alcooliques.’ Edouard Fournier, _Mélanges_, vol. iii. p. 517. [58] From Ritson’s _Ancient Songs and Ballads_. [59] _Short History of the English People._ ‘The Latin poems commonly attributed to Walter Mapes,’ form a volume edited by the laborious Mr. Thomas Wright for the Camden Society in 1841. [60] Cf. Tomline and Rokewode, _Monastic and Social Life in the Twelfth Century_. [61] Rapin, _History of England_, vol. i. p. 256. [62] The old metrical romance of _Richard Cœur de Lyon_ has a similar reference to the Holy Land expedition-- ‘The cuppes fast abouten yede, With good wyn, pyement and clarré.’ [63] _Marks and Monograms_, p. 58. [64] _Took in mind = was offended._ _For-think = repent._ _Bede = give._ _Yede = travel._ [65] See Aspin’s _Manners and Customs of the Inhabitants of England_; Maddox: _History of the Exchequer_; Burton: _Annals_. [66] Neckam. CHAPTER VII. PLANTAGENET PERIOD (_continued_).--JOHN, TO THE DEATH OF EDWARD II.