ALE AND THE CROSS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8178, 20 July 1912, Page 12

ALE AND THE CROSS

Queen Elizabeth, whom some believe to have been a man, was a splendid judge of ale. She took a quart with her breakfast, and when she visited Leicester at Kenilworth her host was worried, as to where he should find ale to suit hid guest’s palate, for ale of sufficient strength was not always to be obtained. A ROYAL DRINK. But even more womanly royalties than Elizabeth were fond of their glass of ale. When Mary Queen of Soots was being moved from prison to prison one of the first inquiries invariably made by her secretary was where a sufficient supply of suitable ale could be procured. In due time she came to Tutbury. The usual inquiry was made and the castellan was able to recommend Burton, a short three miles away. The water, of Burton had been noted since the reign of Eichard tho First for its excellence for the brewing of ale. The monks of an. abbey situated on its banks were the first to discover its virtues, and they swore by the cross that it was "good and fit," and to prove their belief they branded a cross upon the . barrel. Then ,some worthy brewer seized upon the cross as a convenient method of indicating the strength, hence we get X or XX or XXX—in the beginning a sign of an oath, now an indication of strength of the beer.—"T.P’s Weekly.” The homeliest squaw has the softest tongue. , , , Borrow from your enemies, lend to your friends —then no one is cheated. —Pawnee Proverbs.