chapter 6 The English Take to Tea: Wars in Europe Tea as a Plant Species neously credited to Linnæus, was already gener- ally in use amongst botanists long before. Similarly, Rembert Dodoens of Mechelen employed the numerous binomial species names such as Cala- binomial system of nomenclature to label species mus aromaticus, Cassia fistula, Costus indicus and in the six volumes of his detailed and colourfully Nux indica abound in Dutch botanical and colonial illustrated herbal of 1554,1 and Gaspard Bauhin of references, such as the work of Isaac Commelin,4 Basel did so too in his hefty manual of plant spe- long before this system of labelling species was cies, published in 1623. Species specifications of adopted and codified by Linnæus. this format naturally developed into the binomial One of the species which Bauhin classified in system ever since they were applied with great 1623 was tea. This first attempt at a taxonom- consistency by Rembert Dodoens, who described ical classification of the plant was based on the many hundreds of species names such as Anchuſa description which had appeared in Jan Huygen van onoclia, Anchuſa alcibiadion, Capſicum oblongius, Linschoten’s work. However, Bauhin erroneously Portulaca ſylueſtris, Raphanus ſatiuus and so forth. classified tea as a species of fennel or Fœniculum Such binomial designations characteristically con- under the Umbelliferæ.5 This mistaken conjecture sist of a noun followed by a possessive or an adjectival modifier, and such labels likewise occur orvm Libri Qvatvor. Venetiis [Venice]: apud Franciſcum de in the botanical writings of Clusius from 1574.2 Franciſcis Senenſem. Prosper Alpinus, today more often known by 4 Isaac Commelin. 1646. Begin ende Voortgangh, van de the Italianate form of his name Prospero Alpini, Vereenighde Nederlantſche Geoctroyeerde Oost-Indiſche Compagnie Vervatende de voornaemſte Reyſen, by de In- in 1591 likewise used the binomial system of woonderen der ſelver Provincien derwaerts gedaen. Alles labelling plant species, with such species designa- Nevens de beſchrijvinghen der Rijcken, Eylanden, Havenen, tions as Phaſiolus rubrus, Cypervs rotundus, Sam- Revieren, Stroomen, Rheeden, Winden, Diepten en On- bac arabigvm and Ligustrum aegiptium.3 This sys- diepten; Mitſgaders Religien, Manieren, Aerdt, Politie ende Regeeringhe der Volckeren; oock meede haerder Speceryen, tem of labelling species, which is sometimes erro- Drooghen, Geldt ende andere Koopmanſchappen met veele Diſcourſen verrijckt: Nevens eenighe Koopere Platen verciert. 1 Rembert Dodoens, Medecijn van der ſtadt van Mechelen. Nut ende dienſtigh alle Curieuſe, ende andere Zee-varende 1554. Cruijdeboeck. In den welcken.die gheheele hiſtorie, dat Liefhebbers (two volumes). Amsterdam: Johannes Jans- es Tgheslacht, tfatſoen, naem, natuere, cracht ende werck- sonius. inghe, van den Cruyden, niet alleen hier te lande waſſende, 5 Casparus Bauhinus Basileensis. 1623. ΠΙΝΑΞ Theatri Bota- maer oock van den anderen vremden in der Medicijnen oor- nici Caſpari Bavhini Baſileenſ. Archiatri & Profeſſoris Ordin. boorlijck, met grooter neerſticheyt begrepen ende verclaert ſive Index in Theophraſti Dioſcoridis Plinii et Botanicorum es, met der ſeluer Cruyden natuerlick naer dat leuen conter- qui à Seculo ſcripſerunt Opera: Plantarvm circiter sex mil- feytſel daer by gheſtelt. Antwerpen: by Jan van der Loe. livm ab ipſis exhibitarvm nomina cvm earundem Synonymiis 2 Carolus Clusius. 1574. Aromatvm et Simplicivm aliqvot & differentiis Methodicè ſecundùm earum & genera & ſpe- Medicamentorvm apvd Indos Nascentivm Historia: Primùm cies proponens. Basel: Ludovicus Rex. In the section on quidem Luſitanica lingua per Dialogos conſcripta, D. Gar- the genus Fœniculum, Bauhinus refers to van Linschoten’s cia ab Horto, proregis Indiæ Medico, auctore: Nunc verò earlier report that cha from Japan is drunk as powdered Latino ſermone in Epitomen contracta, & iconibus ad viuum tea and served to honoured guests: ‘Chaa, herba in Japonia, expreßis, locupletioribusq́ annotationculis illuſtrata à Car- ex cujus pulvere decoctũ precioſum parant, & hoſpitibus olo Clvsio Atrebate. Antverpiæ: ex officina Chriſtophori dignioribus propinant: & olla in qua hujus herbæ decoctio Plantini, Architypographi Regij. facta, in eo apud ipſos precio, in quo apud nos Adamantes 3 Prosper Alpinus. 1591. Prosperi Alpini de Medicina Aegypti- sunt: Linſcot.par.2.Ind.or.c.28.’ (1623, lib. iv, sect. iv, p. 147). the english take to tea: wars in europe 369 figure 6.1 Gaspard Bauhin of Basel (1560– 1624), as depicted in the matric- ulation register of the rectorate of the University of Basel, Uni- versitätsbibliothek Basel, Vol. 2 (1586–1653), AN ii 4, f. 71r on Bauhin’s part was inspired by his medical know- nel when administering it to nursing women to ledge of the warm barley-based beverage known stimulate lactation, and that this decoction also as ptisana, in use amongst the ancients. On the acted as a diuretic.6 basis of van Linschoten’s description, Bauhin had gleaned that tea was drunk warm, just like ptisa- 6 Casparus Bauhinus. 1658. Theatri Botanici Historiæ Planta- rvmexveterumetrecentiorumplacitispropiaq.observatione na. At this time, Europeans knew soups, stews and concinnatæ. Basel: Ioannes König (col. 453); cf. ‘Fenoüil broths, but no warm beverages. Bauhin knew that commun … la decoction de la feüille priſe, eſt bonne aux the ancients mixed this medicinal brew with fen- accidens des reins & de la veſcie, parce qu’elle fait uriner’.