Before Tea found its way to England, it had been brought to Holland, thanks to the treaty made by the Dutch with the Japanese. If the Dutchman, as a rule, did not forego his favourite lager and schnapps to take to Tea so readily as did the English, nevertheless, there were not wanting upholders of the new beverage in the land of “dykes, ducks, and Dutchmen,” as somebody construed Voltaire’s famous “cancana, canards, canaille.” The first to advocate the wonderful leaf was Cornelius Bontekoe, principal physician to the Elector of Brandenburgh, a Professor in the University of Leyden, and a man of more than ordinary eminence. In a treatise on “Tea, Coffee, and Chocolate,” published in 1679, he strongly pronounces in favour of the first-named drink, and denies the possibility of its being hurtful to health, even if taken in such an inordinate quantity as one or two hundred cups a day, a statement as extravagant as it is impracticable.
The introduction of Tea into England is by some presumed to date from the year of our Lord 1652. If such be authentic, the quantity of the leaf imported during the Commonwealth must have been extremely limited, probably not exceeding a few pounds, such as Blake and “sea-dogs” of his order discovered in the cabins of ships they had captured from the Dutch. Equally questionable is the statement of other authorities, who give the year 1666 as that wherein the first importation of Tea took place. No doubt, many important events were commonly attributed to the year 1666, which the poet Dryden had essayed to render more remarkable still by his poem on the Annus Mirabilis. Lords Arlington and Orrery are credited with having first rendered the drinking of Tea fashionable. Six years previous to the remarkable year just noticed, Pepys records in his “Diary”: “I sent for a cup of Tea, a Chinese drink, of which I had never drunk before.” So that it is evident the rare beverage was then coming into use. Shortly afterwards a measure passed the legislature, enacting that an impost of eightpence per gallon should be paid on all Tea prepared and sold in coffee-houses.
Gathering the Spring Crop.—The leaves are plucked with great care, not more than one being plucked from the stalk at a time; notwithstanding this, an expert can gather 10 to 13 lbs. per day.
A singular handbill was issued by Thomas Garway, the founder of Garraway’s somewhat famous coffee-house, in Exchange (subsequently Exchange-alley). This announcement was by chance discovered some years since in a volume of pamphlets in the “King’s Library,” British Museum, where it may still be inspected. Albeit the document bears no date, but there is ample internal evidence to prove that it had been printed about the year 1660. It purposes to be “An exact description of the growth, quality, and virtues of the leaf Tea, by Thomas Garway, in Exchange-alley, near the Royal Exchange, in London, Tobacconist and Seller and Retailer of Tea and Coffee.”
Subjoined is the quaint description given of the plant:—
“Tea is generally brought from China, and groweth there upon little shrubs and bushes, the branches whereof are well garnished with white flowers, that are yellow within, of the bigness and fashion of sweet-briar, but in smell unlike, bearing their green leaves, about the bigness of scordium, myrtle, or sumach, and is judged to be a kind of sumach. This plant hath been reported to grow wild only, but doth not; for they plant it in their gardens, about four foot distance, and it groweth about four foot high, and of the seeds they maintain and increase their stock. Of all places in China this plant groweth in greatest plenty in the province of Xemsi, latitude 36°, bordering upon the west of the province of Nanking, near the city of Luchow, the Island de Ladrones and Japan, and is called ‘Cha.’ Of this famous leaf there are divers sorts (though all one shape), some much better than others, the upper leaves excelling the others in fineness, a property almost in all plants; which leaves they gather every day, and drying them in the shade, or in iron pans over a gentle fire, till the humidity be exhausted, then put close up in leaden pots, preserve them for their drink. Tea, which is used at meals and upon all visits and entertainments in private families, and in the palaces of grandees; and it is owned by a padee of Macas, native of Japan, that the best Tea ought to be gathered by virgins, who are destined for this work.
* * * * *
“The said leaf is of such known virtues, that those very nations so famous for antiquity, knowledge, and wisdom, do frequently sell it among themselves for twice its weight in silver, and the high estimation of the drink made there-with hath occasioned an inquiry into the nature thereof amongst the most intelligent persons of all nations that have travelled in those parts, who after exact tryal and experience by all wayes imaginable, have commended it to the use of their several countries, and for its virtues and operations. The quality is moderately hot, proper for winter and summer. The drink is declared to be most wholesome, preserving in perfect health until extreme old age.”
Then the writer proceeds at considerable length to enumerate the “Vertues” of Tea, some of which are decidedly apocryphal. Amongst other properties attributed to the beverage are those of making the body active and lusty, helping the headache, giddiness, and heaviness, removing difficulty of breathing, clearing the sight, removing lassitude, strengthening the stomach and liver, causing good appetite and digestion, vanquishing heavy dreams, easing the frame, strengthening the memory, preventing sleepiness, “so that whole nights may be spent in study without hurt to the body,” strengthening the inward parts and preventing consumption, especially when drank with milk. “And that the virtues and excellencies of this leaf and drink,” continues Mr. Garway, “are many and great is evident and manifest by the high esteem and use of it among the physicians and knowing men of France, Italy, Holland, and other parts of Christendom, while in England it hath been sold in the leaf for six pounds, and sometimes ten pounds for the one pound weight; and in respect of its former scarceness and dearness, it hath only been used as a regalia in high treatments, and presents made thereof to princes and grandees till the year 1657.
“The said Thomas Garway,” so the handbill proceeds, “did purchase a quantity thereof and first publicly sold the said Tea in leaf and drink, made according to the directions of the most knowing merchants and travellers in those Eastern countries, and upon knowledge and experience of the said Thomas Garway’s continual care and industry in obtaining the best Tea, and making drink thereof, very many noblemen, physicians, and merchants, and gentlemen of quality, have ever since sent to him for the said leaf, and daily resort to his house in Exchange-alley aforesaid, to drink the drink thereof.”
Finally the writer closes his remarkable encomium in these words: “And that ignorance nor envy may have no ground or power to report or suggest that which is here asserted of the vertues and excellences of this precious leaf and drink hath more of design than truth, for its justification of himself and the satisfaction of others he hath here enumerated several authors who in their learned works have expressly written and asserted the same and much more in honour of his noble leaf and drink, viz.:—Bontius, Riccius, Jarricas, Almeyda, Horstius, Alvarez, Sameda, Martinivus in his China Atlas, and Alexander de Rhodes in Voyage and Missions, in a large discourse of the ordering of this leaf and the many vertues of the drink; printed at Paris, 1653, part x. chap. 13. And to the end that all persons of eminency and quality, gentlemen and others, who have occasion for Teas in leaf, may be supplied, these are to give notice that the said Thomas hath Tea to sell from sixteen to fifty shillings in the pound.”