Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-09-15
TEMPERANCE NOTES.
OLD COLONIAL DRINKS
now the Puritan Magistrates puni.b,a
Drunkarsls

PSoPAS, anu none of thi.
naraships which they had to endure in
the nrst bitter years of their navy lie
caused them more ANNOYANCE than the
deprivation of their malt LIQUORS. Rnt
as the Puritans grew richer. the first
luxury to be brought to the new conn.
try was beer, and they soon imported
mat and established breweries. and
also made laws governing the mann.
faeture OF ale and beer, for the pious
colonists quickly learned to cheat in
their brewing Malt liquors had be.
come SO plentiful in 1875 that Cotton
Mather said that every other house in
boston was an ale-house, and Gov.
Pownall made the same assertion a
century later. Virginia was also plen-
tifully supplied with malt liquors, the
poorer sort made of molasses and bran.
OF indian corn matted by drying in a
stove, OF persimmons baked with pota-
toes, OF cornstalks cut small and
bruised, of pompions, Jerusalem arti-
chokes, etc. Other mild drinks were
made and owned by every family in
large quantities. Metheglin, from
honey, yeast and water, was made by
the barrel A sort much esteemed in
Virginia was brewed from the bean of
the honey locust Perry was made
from pears, and drink called MODIFY
from peaches. and, above all, cider
from apples.
Unfortunately this large catalogue
of simple drinks did not long content
our forefathers. Cider was distilled
into fiery liquor called pupello, or
der-brandy. A fercer spirit still was
made from peaches, and when peaches
were not obtainable they made brandy
from cherries, plums, crabapples and
grapes. Gargoes Of molasses were
turned into New England rum. or
"kill-devil," as it was everywhere
calico This was sold in vast quanti-
ties and very cheap. The Irish and
Scotch settlers knew how to make
! whiskey from rye and wheat, and they
soon learned to manufacture it from
barley and potatoes and from Indian
corn. So universal was the desire for
these fiery liquors that it is said that in
some parts of the country there was a
still in every house. Not satisfied with
home manufactures, the thirsty colo
nists imported strong drink in large
quantities. The Dutch settlers sent for
their beloved gin and aniseseed cordial,
and many wines came from Spain, Por-
tugal and the Canaries. OF these the
strong Madeira was the favorite with
fashionable people, and all wines were
strengthened by liberal doses of brandy.
Even the children drank strong drinks
in those times. In chapter of advice
upon the rearing of children, found in
an old almanac, we read that very
young children must not drink cold
drinks. but must have their beer
heated, and must eat piece Of brown
bread before drinking beer or wine. :"
Goblet, who thought drinking ma
tional disease, said that Fat all hours of
the day little boys, at or under the age
of twelve years, go into the stores and
tip off their drains.
In Virginia the drinking among the
clergy was notorious. Parton says:
The tales we read Of the clergy Of old Virginia
stagRer belief though It is elergymen who re-
mort them We read OF one VINO was invited
after dinner TO a planters house where he
drank so much that he had to be tied in his
Cia and a servant sent to lead his horse home.
| one Jolly parson comes down 70 US, reeling up
and down the porch OF 4 tavern, bawling TO the
passers-by to come and drisk with him
| one old clergyman Is remembered as stagger-
Inc toward the altar at the time OF communion,
whom the rector ordered him back TO
his seat. The monthly dinners Of the clergy
have not vet passed out OF mind, TO which men
would ride for thirty or forty miles ana reVei
far into the night
The Puritan magistrates in New Eng
land early made a stand against excess
sive drinking. In Massachusetts IN
1895 drunkards were subject to fine
and Imprisonment in the stocks; and
sellers were forbidden to furnish the
tipplers with any more liquor. An
babitual drunlSard was punished by
having large letter d hung around
his neck. In 1899 the court ordered the
cessation of the practice of health
drinking. In Connecticut no man could
drink over half pint of wine at
time. or tipple over half an bonr' or
drinis AZ All after nine o'clock at night.
( n, some noble temperance worker TINS
climnse. looking backward at The
..oood old times. may show oy com
,s,;son much cause for congratulation
Is the condition OF things in these oet
ter present times.-Aliee Morsc ''1''e'
IN National Magazine.