In my quest for objects out of which to drink ale, I have a 1940s ceramic part pint, an 1840s pewter quart pot and have declared 2013 the year of the 1700s etched ale glass. But, what ho! Something came before my eye today that I had not only never seen before but never had heard of - the pottle! Not an actual pottle but just the concept.
As you can see, that is archaic word for a half-gallon. The image above is a handy illustration from the entry for "Ale" in 1725's smash best selling book Dictionaire oeconomique: or, The family dictionary. Containing the most experienced methods of improving estates and of preserving health, with many approved remedies for most distempers of the body of man, cattle and other creatures.... You will have to excuse me for deleting more than half the title but you get the hint. But now you know that there are 16 pottles to a firkin. That's knowledge, baby.
There are a few references to pewter pottle pots on Google mainly referencing legal cases where a whole bunch of things are listed as being stolen or being in a will. In 1267, it is recorded in The Court Rolls of Ramsey, Hepmangrove, and Bury that a number of naughty brewsters of Ramsey were brought before the rather ripely named William De Wassingle - who I have no doubt was called "Assingle" behind his back - to pay fines and pledge security. Earlier in the day there was a far more interesting case which is recorded as follows:
6 d. from Emma Powel for making unclean puddings, as presented in the last view. Pledge: Simon de Elysworth. Order that henceforth she not make pudding.
You wag, Assingle. Anyway, in the brewster cases on that day, the security pledged against failure to pay the fine included many pottles. Four centuries later but still over 400 years ago, in 1659, the court heard an action of trover and conversion brought against one Gervase Maplesden by one Gabriel Beckraan for a number of things including one pewter gallon pot, one pewter quart pot, one pewter pottle pot and one pewter pint pot. Battlin' pewterers action! Nothing like it.
But where are the pottle pots now? Not only can I find none on the internets for sale but none even pictured. Can you send an image to one of these massive drinking vessels? Have you ever seen one?
Comments
Alan - January 15, 2013 9:36 PM
And now I want a pottle posset pot.
Alan - January 15, 2013 9:50 PM
Do they hold curatorial drinking sessions at the Victoria and Albert?
Ed - January 16, 2013 6:28 AM
Strangely enough I came across the word 'pottle' myself recently, it's an excellent word. Sadly I can't remember which book though it may have been one on William Cobbett.
Brian - January 16, 2013 9:39 AM
I wonder if there is a mistake on the chart in the last entry for Gal.? Should that not be 32 instead of 36?
Alan - January 16, 2013 12:37 PM
Write the editor!
Ethan - January 16, 2013 2:50 PM
This might be your best entry ever. For realz.
Alan - January 16, 2013 3:19 PM
WooooooooooooooooooooooTTTTT-tah!!!
Why?
Ethan - January 16, 2013 4:13 PM
"pottle"
Martyn Cornell - January 16, 2013 4:18 PM
Brian: you're right, they've confused their ale barrels (32 gallons) with their beer barrels (36 gallons). Tsk! 18th-century copy editors, eh?
Ed - January 16, 2013 4:57 PM
Oh no, it was Judith Bennett's "Ale, Beer and Brewsters in England" :
"Ale and beer were measured in gallons (roughly 4½ liters—that is, today's
imperial gallon, not the smaller U.S. gallon). A gallon was itself divided into 8
pints, 4 quarts, or 2 pottles. Brewed drink was also measured in barrels, each
containing usually 3 2 gallons of ale or 3 6 gallons of beer. A barrel was divided
into 4 firkins, or 2 kilderkins."
The barrel measurements in your picture are out: a firkin is 9 gallons, a kilderkin 18 and a barrel 36.
Alan - January 16, 2013 5:12 PM
Complain complain complain. One more outburst like this and it'll be Powel's pudding for you all!!!
Alan - January 16, 2013 5:16 PM
Back to the 1267 record, I see this:
"Amercement excused from Matilda, wife of Simon Chaceden, for brewing three times, selling ale for 1 d., sometimes letting the ale deteriorate, and for not sending her measures when required. Pledge: her husband. Gallon, pottle, quart."
Maybe the "gallon, pottle, quart" reference in the judgement against each brewster is not part of the pledge of security but confirmation that these measures had been sent in for confiming that they are true measures.
Ron pattinson - January 19, 2013 5:24 AM
Ed, all the measurements are correct for Ale, except the barrel. That should be 32 not 36.
Alan - February 4, 2013 11:08 PM
Iago appears to be all about the pottle in Othello, Act 2, Scene 3.
Fiona Grubb - May 2, 2013 9:54 AM
I have in front of me a large jug with pottle written on the front. On the bottom are Z L U G(with an N underneath) B. Numbers 174 7. Around this are the words REGD. DESN. 907543.
I would like to either find out about this pot, or sell it, as it's driving me mad not being able to find any info.
Alan - May 2, 2013 10:30 AM
Do you have a photo Fiona? Can you email me a picture if you do to beerblog@gmail.com?