A singular handbill was issued by Thomas Garway, the founder of Garraway’s somewhat famous coffee-house, in Exchange (subsequently Exchange-alley). This announcement was by chance discovered some years since in a volume of pamphlets in the “King’s Library,” British Museum, where it may still be inspected. Albeit the document bears no date, but there is ample internal evidence to prove that it had been printed about the year 1660. It purposes to be “An exact description of the growth, quality, and virtues of the leaf Tea, by Thomas Garway, in Exchange-alley, near the Royal Exchange, in London, Tobacconist and Seller and Retailer of Tea and Coffee.”
Subjoined is the quaint description given of the plant:--
“Tea is generally brought from China, and groweth there upon little shrubs and bushes, the branches whereof are well garnished with white flowers, that are yellow within, of the bigness and fashion of sweet-briar, but in smell unlike, bearing their green leaves, about the bigness of scordium, myrtle, or sumach, and is judged to be a kind of sumach. This plant hath been reported to grow wild only, but doth not; for they plant it in their gardens, about four foot distance, and it groweth about four foot high, and of the seeds they maintain and increase their stock. Of all places in China this plant groweth in greatest plenty in the province of Xemsi, latitude 36°, bordering upon the west of the province of Nanking, near the city of Luchow, the Island de Ladrones and Japan, and is called ‘Cha.’ Of this famous leaf there are divers sorts (though all one shape), some much better than others, the upper leaves excelling the others in fineness, a property almost in all plants; which leaves they gather every day, and drying them in the shade, or in iron pans over a gentle fire, till the humidity be exhausted, then put close up in leaden pots, preserve them for their drink. _Tea_, which is used at meals and upon all visits and entertainments in private families, and in the palaces of grandees; and it is owned by a padee of Macas, native of Japan, that the best Tea ought to be gathered by virgins, who are destined for this work.
“The said leaf is of such known virtues, that those very nations so famous for antiquity, knowledge, and wisdom, do frequently sell it among themselves for twice its weight in silver, and the high estimation of the drink made there-with hath occasioned an inquiry into the nature thereof amongst the most intelligent persons of all nations that have travelled in those parts, who after exact tryal and experience by all wayes imaginable, have commended it to the use of their several countries, and for its virtues and operations. The quality is moderately hot, proper for winter and summer. The drink is declared to be most wholesome, preserving in perfect health until extreme old age.”