1835 Oxford night caps (3rd edition)

the University with a visit, being regal ed with spiced win e. It a ppears from a work published some years since, a·nd entitled, Oxoniana, or Anecdotes ef the Unfoersity of Oxford, that in the Rolls or Accounts of some Colleges of ancient foundation, a sum of money is frequ en tly met with charged " pro specielms," that is, for spices used in their entertainments; for in tho se days as well as the presen t, spiced wine was a very fashionable beveragr. In the Compu– tus of Maxtoke Priory, anno 1447, is the following curious entry; " Item pro vino cretico cum speciebus et confectis datis diversis generosis in die Sancti Dionysi i quando Le Jole domini Montfordes erat hie, et faceret jocositates suas in camera Orioli." " Vinurn creticmn" is supposed to be raisin wine, or wine made of dri ed grape!;; and th e meaning of tbe whole seems to be thi s : Paid for raisin wine with comfits and spices, when S ir S. Montford's fool was here, and exhi– bited hi s merriments in the Oriel chamber.