Natural Mag ick, "BgoJ^

Chap. XXIII.

How the defects of wine may he managed and restored.

O Ur forefathers found out many remedies to preserve wine, and in our dayeswe have taken no less pains. For wine is easily corrupted, and takes to itself many strange qualities. Taxamus faith, wine either grows sow re or dead about the Solstices, and when the seven stars set, or when the dog star causeth hear,and when iris extream cold, or hot, or rainy, or winds or when it thunders. Weshall (hew remedies for all these; First, we (hall lay down out of Africanm -,the signsto know wines that will last, or will corrupt. When you have put your wine intoaveflel, after sometime change the vessel, and look well on the Lees, for thence(hall you know what the wine is, proving it by smelling to it, whether it corrupt,or weevils breed in it, these are signs it pucrifies. Others take wine out of themiddle of the vessel, they heat it, and when it is cold they taste of it, and theyjudge of the wine by the favour, some by the smell of the cover 5 a strong taste isthe best sign, a watry the worst, sharpness of duration, weaknesses corrupting. Thesigns must be taken at the times to be feared,we mentioned. Eut to come to the re-medies, we (hall (hew how

To mend weak^ wine.

The wine will be weak, when it begins to breath forth that force of heat ; sotwhen the foul of it is breathed forth, the wine grows immediately sowre: vinegeris the carcasseof wine. Then we may presently prevent it by adding aqua vita toit, for by that it may put on a new soul: the measure will be the fourth part of apound for a vessel. Another remedy will be

7 hat wine may not grow hot.

In the summer Solstice wine grows hot by the hot weather, and is spoiled: thenput qui k-silvet into a glass-viol well stopt, and hang it in the middle of the vessel,and the coldness of it will keep the wine from heating. The quantity is twopound for great vessels j for when the air is hor, the external heat draws forth theinward heat, and when that is gone, it is spoiled. We

That wine may not exhale

use this remedy. The vessel being full, we pour oy le upon it, and cover it, for oylekeeps the spirits from evaporating, which I see is now used for all liquors that theymay not be perverted. Wines sometimesare troubled: But

To clear wines,

Pronto bids us do thus. Cast three whites of egges into a large earthen dish and beatthem, that they may froth ; put some white salt to them, that they may be exceed-ing white, and pour them into a vessel full of wine, for salt and the white of anegge will make all thick liquors clear, but as many Dolia or such measures as thereare in the vessel, so many whites of egges must you have, to be mingled again withso many ounces of salt, but you must stir the mixture with a stick, and in sour dayesit will grow clear. Also it is done

That wines may mt corrupt.

J said that salt keeps all things from corrupting: wherefore for every Dostum, pow-der one ounce of Allome, and put,it into the wine vessel with the wine,for. it will keep it from corrupt ins. The fame is done if you put in oneounce of common salt, or half one, half the other: Also brimstonehinders putrefaction. Wherefore if you (hall adde to eight ounces of Allome or of