DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70267#0105
A REMARKABLE TUN. 85
the reign of James I. mentions this great tun, as the
strangest spectacle he saw in his travels, and the greatest
size of a vessel that he had seen in his time. In the re-
presentation he gives of it, his effigy appears standing
on the top of it, with a glass of Rhenish wine in his
hand. It is enclosed in an apartment representing a large
hall, and was nearly three years building. It is not com-
posed of boards as other vessels of this kind are, but of
great solid beams one hundred and twelve in number,
and every one of tlrem twenty-seven feet long. Each
of the extremities is sixteen feet high, and the belly
swelling to eighteen. It is hooped with sixteen iron
hoops, so massy as to enclose eleven thousand pounds
weight. Its sides are supported by five pillars each,
made of timber, ornamented at the top, and the ends
with figures of lions; a fair escutcheon being affixed to
every image. When the person who serves out the wine,
ascends to the top of it for that purpose, he goes up a
flight of wooden stairs. The bung as it is called, is
about the middle. The instrument he makes use of is
about a foot and a half long.; resembling a spout. It
contains, he observes, 132 suders, 3 omes, and as many
strikes. Every suder contain one tun, or 4 hogsheads ;
so that 132 suders, reckoning the value of the wine at
15Z. sterling each, the whole is worth 1Q8OZ. 8s. English
money. Yet, says this author, I heard it reported at
Frankfort, that this famous tun was drank out in eight
days, at a time when there was a certain noble meeting
of princely gallants at that court. Another writer says,
that in measure the Tun of Heidelberg contains 200
English tuns. Heidelberg is the capital of the Palati-
nate of the Rhine, and formerly belonged to the Elector
of Bavaria; but though the city was nearly destroyed
by the French in 1693, they spared the tun, which was
first made in 1591.
No. IL n Large
the reign of James I. mentions this great tun, as the
strangest spectacle he saw in his travels, and the greatest
size of a vessel that he had seen in his time. In the re-
presentation he gives of it, his effigy appears standing
on the top of it, with a glass of Rhenish wine in his
hand. It is enclosed in an apartment representing a large
hall, and was nearly three years building. It is not com-
posed of boards as other vessels of this kind are, but of
great solid beams one hundred and twelve in number,
and every one of tlrem twenty-seven feet long. Each
of the extremities is sixteen feet high, and the belly
swelling to eighteen. It is hooped with sixteen iron
hoops, so massy as to enclose eleven thousand pounds
weight. Its sides are supported by five pillars each,
made of timber, ornamented at the top, and the ends
with figures of lions; a fair escutcheon being affixed to
every image. When the person who serves out the wine,
ascends to the top of it for that purpose, he goes up a
flight of wooden stairs. The bung as it is called, is
about the middle. The instrument he makes use of is
about a foot and a half long.; resembling a spout. It
contains, he observes, 132 suders, 3 omes, and as many
strikes. Every suder contain one tun, or 4 hogsheads ;
so that 132 suders, reckoning the value of the wine at
15Z. sterling each, the whole is worth 1Q8OZ. 8s. English
money. Yet, says this author, I heard it reported at
Frankfort, that this famous tun was drank out in eight
days, at a time when there was a certain noble meeting
of princely gallants at that court. Another writer says,
that in measure the Tun of Heidelberg contains 200
English tuns. Heidelberg is the capital of the Palati-
nate of the Rhine, and formerly belonged to the Elector
of Bavaria; but though the city was nearly destroyed
by the French in 1693, they spared the tun, which was
first made in 1591.
No. IL n Large