CXX. Mr. Russell's Project touching Artificial Wine in Virginia
July, 1620
Smyth of Nibley Papers, Smyth, 30
Document in New York Public Library. Autograph Signed
List of Records No. 186
There is in Virginia and is like to be shortly .3000. people, And the greatest
want they complayne of is good drinke, wine beinge too deere, and barly
chargeable, wch though it should there be sowen, it were hard in that
Country beinge soe hote, to make malt of it, or if they had malt to make
good beere.
Theis .3000. people I accompt beinge lab most labouringe men, and the
country very hote, will drink one wth an other a wine pottle a day, wch for
.3000. people is .23. tunne and .28. od gallons accomptinge .4. hoggesheads to
the Tunne and each hoggeshead to contayne .64. gallons wyne measure.
There shalbe shewen a way to make an artificiall wyne of a vegetable wch
there growes plentifully wthout any manner of charge or labour in plantinge
wch artificial drink shall not cost accomptinge all charges of gettinge the
said comodity and makinge it into drink above vjs a Tunne, wch is .xijd a
barrell accomptinge .6. of our beere barrells to a Tunne.
Each houshold if they please may brewe it themselves, wherin they cannot
miscary as vsually they doe in makinge of beere or ale.
This artifitiall wyne beinge as cleere as any well-fyned wyne wthout any
hipostesis, grounds or lees, shall be as harty, holsome pleasinge and com-
fortable for the body as any beere or wyne whatsoever.
This kind of drink shall not growe flat decay or sower, though it be kept
a wholl yeare, wch all sorts of beere and wyne are subiect to, especially in
such hot countries.
Though there be never soe much drunk of it at a tyme, it will make noe
man drunk.
It is an excellent p̢servative against the scurvy scurvy and other diseases,
and infections wch are incident to people at the sea in longe voyages, there
being many in a shipp, As also very medicinable for all such as live in
lowe marshe grounds subiect to many vnholsome fogs and damps.
It may be caryed to sea in longe voyages insteed of water beere or wyne,
for neyther heat nor cold nor any alterac̃on of the ayre or contry will
cause it to putrify decay or growe sower.
This artificiall drink is as good the first day it is made as ever after, wheras
beere or ale newe brued, or wine in the must, requyre tyme, as well before
their grounds or lees be sep̱ated, as also before they come to p̱fection.
And then being come to p̱fection they keep not longe, but growe hard,
eager, sower and lastly turne to vineger.
It maketh noe body heart burnt at sea, as sharp, eager and sower wyne
or beere doth.
If there were in the collony ten tymes as many people, they may have
sufficient of this drinke at the foresaid rate.
The makinge of this artificiall wyne may here be showne either in a Tonne
or .10. tonne, or what one pleaseth: we have likewise of that comodytie
in England.
The propounder desireth vpon demonstrac̃on of it here to the company
that he may have but .1000li besides the benefit in Virginia of serving the
collony, wth the said artifitiall drinke at the said rate of vjs the Tunne.
Agreed[216]
wth some litle varyac̃on wth Mr Russell: the Acmunist & chimist.
Sr John Brooke .2. Apr. 1621. told mee, that of his c[orrec]t knowledg, this
wine was made of sassaphras, & licoras boyled in water: he had of ye drynk.
[Indorsed:] Mr Russells proiect touchinge artificiall wyne in Virginia.
July .1620.
