1879 Facts About Champagne and Other Sparkling Wines

18

Chcvmpagne and Other Sp{Jj)·lcling Wines.

decorate some of the more ancient columns inside the church, and grotesque medireval monsters, such as monkish architects habitually delighted in, entwine themselves around t he capitals of others. The stalls of the choir are elaborately carved with cherubs' heads, medallions and figures of saints, cupids support– ing shields, and free and graceful arabesques of the epoch of the Renaissance. In the chancel, close by the altar steps, are a couple of black marble slabs, with Latin inscriptions of dubious orthography, the one to Johannes Royer, who died m 1527, and the other setting forth the virtues and merits of Dom P etrus Perignon, the discoverer of champagne. In the central aisle a similar sla:b marks the resting-place of Dom Thedoricus Ruy– nart-obit 1709-an ancestor of the Reims Ruinarts, and little square stones interspersed among t he tiles with which the side aisles of the church are paved record the deaths of other mem– bers of the Benedictine brotherhood during the l 7th and 18th. centuries. Several large pictures grace the walls of the church, the moi;t interesting one r epresenting St. Nivard, Bishop of Reims, and his friend, St. Berchier, designating to some medireval architect the site the contemplated abbey of St.P eter was to occupy. There was a monkish legend that about the middle of ,the 7th century this pair of saints set out in search of a suitable site for the future monastery. The way was long, the day was warm, and St. Nivard and St. Berchier as yet were simply mortal. Weary and faint, they sat them down to rest at a spot identified by tradition with a vineyard at Dizy, belonging to-day to the Messrs. Bollinger, but m that period forming part of the forest of the Marne. St. Nivard fell asleep with his head on his com– panion's lap, and the one in a dream, and the other with waking eyes, saw a snow-white dove- the same, firm believers in miracles suggested, which had brought down the holy oil for the anoint– ment of Clovis at his coronation at Re~s-£1.utter through the wood, and finally alight on the stump of a tree. In those superstitious times su'ch a significant omen was not to be disregarded, the site thus miraculously indicated was at once decided upon, the high altar of the abbey church being