IF according to the saying of Saint Paul, Rom. 6.23. that he which com­mitteth but one sinne is to be rewarded with damnation, and according to the saying of Saint Iohn, 1 Ioh. 3.8.he which sinneth is of the Diuell, What shall we thinke of those desperate persons? Nay rather monsters of men, which through the loath­some vice of Drunkennesse commit all manner of sinne: For Plato saith, Drunkennesse is a monster with many heads: As first, filthy talke: Secondly, Fornica­tion; Thirdly, Wrath; Fourthly, Murther; Fiftly Swearing; Sixtly, Cursing. If these be the chiefe heads that procede from the polluted body of this vgly Monster, Filthy talke, the first bead of Drunkennes. let vs trie them by the touchstone of the holy Scripture, and see how they are allowed of thereby. And first concerning filthy talke, is is said to the Counthians, that filthy speakers and raylers shall not inherite the Kingdome of God: and the fourth to [Page]the Ephesians Saint Paul forbids vs to haue any cor­rupt communication to proceed forth of our mouthes,Eph. 4.29.30.but that which is good to the vse of edifying, that it may mi­nister grace to the hearers. And also we must put away all bitternesse and euill speaking: And further the fift to the Ephesians, S. Paul wisheth that no filthinesse nor foolish talking, Eph. 5.4. no not so much as iesting should ei­ther bee vsed, or named among Christians. But from the mouthes of Drunkards what idle talke, fil­thy speech, blasphemous oathes, and prophane words are vsed, no Christian eares can with pati­ence endure, but with griefe of minde, vexation of spirit, yea with both horrour and terrour to the soule of man. The greatest curse that euer fell on mankinde since the floud came by Drunkennesse, as appeareth in Genesis by Noah (the godliest man then liuing) auoiding all other sinnes, Gen 9.25 yet was vnawares taken with this vice of Ebrietie, and cursed his own sonne with the bitter and perpetuall curse of serui­tude, Saying, Cursed be Canaan, a seruant of seruants shall he be to all his brethren. Which thing of serui­tude was neuer either heard or spoken off, although the world had then beene the space of 1656. yeres: to the which curse, God saying Amen, added also nakednes to the posterity of Cham, as appeareth this day by the Virginians, and Indians being by the best Authors of Antiquitie noted to come from that Cham, Nakednes and seruitude are hereditary curse to all drun­kardes & their posterity. and surely by the slauerie and beggerie that happeneth generally to all that vseth this vice I can thinke no other of it, but that it is a curse heredi­tarie to all Drunkards themselues, or at least to their posteritie.

Now concerning the Description of the second head of this Monster Drunkennesse, Fornication second head. which is Forniea­tion; The Apostle in the sixt chapter to the Corinthi­ans saith, Be not deceiued, neither Fornicators, nor Adul­terers, nor Wantons, nor Buggerers,1 Cor. 6.9.15 18.19.20.shall inherite the Kingdome of heauen: And in the 15. verse he saith, Know yee not that your bodies are the members of Christ, shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an Harlot: Flye fornication, euery sinne that a man doth is without the body, but hee that committeth Fornication, sinneth against his owne body. Know yee not that the body is the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you, whom ye haue of God? And yee are not your owne: for ye are bought for a price: therefore glorifie God in your body, and in your spirit, for they are Gods. Which being thus, what glory can that partie shew vnto God in his spirit that hath neither vse of body nor sence: for as Socrates saith, Reason departeth, when drinke pos­sesseth the braine. Thrise worthy is this saying of the Philosopher, and fit to be noted with golden let­ters: Cum tibi siue Deus, siue mater rerum omnium Na­tura dederit animum quo nihil est prestantius sic teipsum (O homo) ab abiicies at que prosternes vt nihil inter te & quadrupedem aliquem potes interesse? Wheu as God hath giuen thee a liuing soule which excelleth all things (O man) wilt thou so much abase and disgrace thy selfe, that thou wilt make no difference betwixt thy selfe and a bruit beast, for Drunkennesse doth not onely disgrace, but euen slayeth the soule of man: according to Zeno his saying, It is not Death that destroyeth the soule, but a bad life. But to returne to the vice of Fornication, S. Paul to the Thessalonians saith, 1 Thes. 4.3. For this is the will [Page]led a man he should be slaine for it, and further to set out the greatnesse of this sinne, and fearing they might bee tempted through briberie to spare the murtherer, he saith, moreouer yee shall take no recom­pence for the life of the murderer,Num. 25.16.19.20.31.32which is worthy to die, but he shall be put to death: The land where the mur­ther is done is so much pollnted, that there is no way to cleanse it, but by the bloud of him that shed it. And surely it is seldome or neuer knowne that a Murtherer went in peace to his graue, as may ap­peare by Abimelech, who after hee had killed his se­uenty brethren, although God suffered him for a time to liue and to rule all Israel, yet at length hee died miserably, and was slaine by the hands of a woman. Zimri murdered Elah, but afterward by Gods iust iudgement was forced to burne himselfe. 1 Kin. 19 & 18 But this vnnaturall sinne, this monstrous deede, this abhorred fact of Murther is by no accident or oc­casion so often committed as through Drunken­nesse, not onely by Drunkards vpon others, but also many times through Gods heauy wrath vpon Drunkards themselues, as by too many examples I am able to make proofe as well of the one as of the other.

And first to begin with that high and mighty Monarch of the world Alexander the Great, Murders in Drunkenes. who in the beginning of his Raigne was so temperate that he refused the Cookes and Pasterers of the Queene of Caria: saying, he had better then they were (viz.) for his dinner early rising, and for his supper a mo­derate dinner, notwithstanding through the viti­ous manners, and lewd customes of the Persians, he [Page]was so much giuen at last vnto the excesse of drink­ing, that he propounded sixe hundred crownes for a reward to him that drunke most, called a cup of sil­uer, being of a great bignesse after his owne name: which cup when he offered vnto Calisthenes one of his fauo­rites, he refused, saying, that he which dranke with Alex­ander had neede of Asculapius, at which words the King feeling himselfe touched, and being in his drinke was so incensed against him, that hee caused him immediately to be put in a cage with dogges (where hee poysoned himselfe) afterwards being perswaded by a common Strumpet named Thais, he burnt Percipolis the chiefe Citie in Persia, and which was worst in his intemperancie killed his deere friend Clytus: for which bloudy deede after he came to himselfe, he wept and fasted three dayes, and would had he been permitted haue slaine him­selfe. In this deede of Alexander., Seneca. Epist. 59 the saying of Se­neca is verified. Ebrietas vnius horae hilaram Insaniam longi temporis tedio pensat. Drunkennesse requireth one houres merry madnes, with a long tedious time of sorrow and repentance. The son of Cyril being drunk, wicked­ly slew that holy man his father, and mother also great with childe: hee hurt his two sisters, and de­floured one of them, which fearefull example is suf­ficient to make the haire of our head stand vpright, as often as any occasion is offered vnto vs; where­by we might fall into any inconuenience through the allurement of drinking. But I may leaue off For­raine examples, and recite too many of like nature in our owne Nation, William Purcas in Essex, Anno 1615. in his Drunkennesse being rebuked by his [Page]mother for his vice most cruelly and vnnaturally kil­led her. Anderson in his drunkennesse killed a boy and was hanged for the same in May 1616. But as I haue recited these few, so could I make mention of multitudes and examples of the same nature. For I fully perswade my selfe, that there is not a citie nor market towne in England, but it would appeare (if the records of assises were searched) that there hath not beene some one or more slaine in it through Drunkennes, which is according to the old saying, Plus crapula quam gladio, more men haue died thorugh intemperancie then with the sword, for such is the na­ture of excessiue drinking that it intoxicateth and boyleth the braines, benummeth the sences, infee­bleth the ioynts and synewes, and bringeth a man into a lethergie, Drunkards murthered. King. 16, 9. the whole body into Dropsies, Gowtes, Palsies, Opoplexes and such like. But now to returne and speake of them that haue been slaine in their drinke. Elah King of Israel being drunke in Tirzah was murthered by Zimri his seruant. Amon one of Dauids vngracious sonnes was slaine by his Brother Absolons commandement, 2 Sam. 13.18, 29. when hee was full of Wine. Fliolmus King of the Gothes was so ad­dicted to drinking, that he would sit a great part of the night quaffing and carowsing with his seruants, and as on a time hee sate after his accustomed and beastly manner carowsing with them: his seruants being as drunke as their Master; threw their master King in sport into a great vessell full of drinke that was set in the middest of the Hall, where he most ri­diculously and miserably ended his dayes.

Augustine Lachimer reporteth that in Germany in [Page]the yere 1549. there were three companions in such a iollity, after they had taken in their cups accord­ing to their brutish manner of that countrey, that with a cole they painted the Diuell in the wall, and dranke freely vnto him, and talked to him as though he had beene personally present, the next morning they were found all strangled and dead, as the flye playeth so long with the Candle, vntill at length she burneth her selfe: so these men delighted in sinne, and dallied with the Diuell so long vntill they brought themselues to vtter ruine and destruction. Which horrible and fearefull example, is sufficient to strike terrour and amazement to the greatest ca­rowsers of our age, to feare least Gods heauy wrath should bee incensed against them, and so deliuer them ouer to Sathan, and suffer them to die in their drunkennesse, and as the tree falleth so he lyeth. Luk. 21.34.35.36. But I will conclude with our Sauiours words, the 21. of S. Luke, Cauete autem vobis, Take heede to your selues lest at any time your hearts bee oppressed with surfet­ting and Drunkennesse, lest the last day come on you vnawares.

Now to proceede to the fift Head which is swea­ring forbidden by Gods commandement both in Exodus and Deuteronomie, Swearing. Exod: 20.1. Deut. 5.Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine, for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine. Which is so frequently vsed among Drunkards that scarce six words are vsed amongst them without an oath, and that vpon most vaine and idle occasions, (viz.) that you haue not pledged me, or your cup was not full, or you left a snuffe in the bottome, and vpon such [Page]like swaggering occasions, the Name of God is ta­ken in vaine, and with such horrible, detestable, and blaspheamous oathes (as me thinketh) I am affraid to mention, being by all the parts of Christ, as by his Life, Death, Passion, Flesh, Heart, Wounds, Bloud, Bones, Armes, Sides, Guts, Nayles, Foote: as if they went to crucifie Christ a new: who while hee was vpon the earth, forbid it vtterly in these words: I say vnto you, Mat. 4.34.35.36, 37.sweare not at all, neither by heauen for it is the Throne of God, nor yet by the earth, for it is his so testcole: nor yet by Ierusalem, for it is the Citie of the great King: Ne ther shalt thou sweare by the head, because thou canst not make one hayre white or blacke. But your communication shall be yea, Leuit. 19.Nay nay? In Leuitious it is said, Ye shall not sweare by my name falsly, neither shalt thou defile the name of thy God, I am the Lord. I feare me we shall haue iust cause to complaine with Iere­mie, Ier. 23.10. that because of oathes the land mourneth, In Zecha­riah we may finde that swearers are noted in a book and that euery one that sweareth, Zach: 5.3.4. shall be cut off as well on this side, as on that side, (viz:) wheresoeuer he be in the world, and that the curse of God will en­ter into the house of him that falsly sweareth, and it shall remaine in the middest of his house, and shall consum it both with the tymber and the stones thereof. The wise King perceiuing the great danger that commeth by swearing, Ecclesiast. 23.9.11. warneth vs not to accustome our selues to swearing, for in it are many fals, neither take vp for a custome the meaning of the Holy One, for thou shalt not be vnpunisht for such things: for as a ser­uant which is oftpunisht, cannot be without some scarrè, so hee that sweareth and nameth God conti­nually [Page]shall not be faultlesse, man that vseth much swearing, shall bee filled with wickednes, and the plague shall neuer goe from his house, when he shall offend his faults shal be vpon him, and if he acknow­ledge not his sinne, he maketh a double offence and if he sweare in vaine, he shall not be innocent, but his house shal be full of plagues. Iam: 5, 12 Saint Iames wisheth vs before all things, to auoide swearing, either by hea­uen or by the earth, or by any other oath: Let all swea­rers take heede, although God suffers them for a time, lest they bee suddenly stricken with death as many haue beene, and then vengeance waiting at the doore, at the houre of death, and when their bodies shall be without life, their soules shall bee e­uerlastingly without God. How did God punish the oath broken by the Gibeonites, 2 Sam: 21, 1.9 not onely with fa­mine three yeeres together, but with the death of Sauls seuen sonnes, who were hanged vp openly in the mountaines. See what the Lord saith in Ezekiel, of Zedechiah that hee shall not prosper for breaking his oath: As I liue, Ezech. 17: 15.16.19.I will surely bring mine oath that he hath despised, and my couenant that he hath broken vpon his owne head: 2 King: 25.2. and so it came to passe Nabuchadnezar by an armie ouercame him, slew his sonnes before his face, put out both his eyes, and carried him to Babel. But in these later times, and in this our land I may shew very many examples, as of Earle Godwin, who wishing at the Kings table that the bread hee eate might choke him, if he were guilty of Alphreds death, whom hee had before slaine: was presently choked and fell downe dead. Fox: actes and monu. Wee may reade in the Acts and Monuments of one Iohn Peter, a horrible [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page]swearer, with whom it was vsuall to say, if it be not true, I pray God I may rot ere I dye. To which God said, A men, and so he rotted away indeed, and died miserably. Lastly, witnesse the example of a Ser­uingman in Lincolne-shire, who for euery trifle had an vse to sweare no lesse oath then (Gods precious bloud) he would not bee warned by his friends to leaue it, at last he was visited with grieuous sicknes, in the time whereof he could not be perswaded to repent of it, but hearing the Bell to Toll, in the very anguish of death, hee started vp in his bed, and swore by his former oath that Bell tolled for him. Wherevpon immediately the bloud aboundantly from all the ioynts of his body as it were in streams did issue out most fearefully, from mouth, nose, wrists, knees, heeles and toes, with all other ioynts not one left free, and so dyed. These and such like examples, and fearefull warnings from heauen, are sufficient to terrifie the hearts of all Drunkards whose tongues being set on fire of hell, Iam. [...].6, 7.8, 9. speake no­thing without an oath, and Drunkards vsually fall into the sinnes of the tongue, against which S. Iames speaketh so bitterly, Psal. 141.3. and Dauid saith, Set a watch, O Lord before my mouth, and keepe the doore of my lips: With whose saying in the 50. Psalme, I will con­clude and wish all Drunkards and Swearers to pon­der his words: Psal. 50.21. Consider of these things yee that forget God, lest he teare you in pieces, and there be none to de­liuer you.

But to speake of the sixt and last Head, Sixtly Cursing. which is Cursing: Dauid noting the vilenesse of this sinne: Reputeth those persons that vse this vice to thinke [Page]there is no God to yeeld them vengeance for their wickednes, noteth them in the 14. Psalme, which beginneth, Psal. 14.6. The foole hath said in his heart there is no God: and so going forward to the 6. verse, saith, Their mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse: And in the hundreth and ninth Psalme, hee sheweth that God will neuer blesse them that curse. Psal. 109.17.18. But that he shall be cursed of all people: As hee loued Cursing so shall it come vnto him, and as it loued not Blessing, so shall it be farre from him: as he clothed himselfe with cur­sing like a rayment, so shall it come into his bones: Let it be vnto him as a garment to couer him, and for a girdle wherewith he shall be alwaies girded. Dauid did rightly terme Cursing the girdle of the Drunkard. For hee is compassed about both at home and abroad with cursings. At home he is cursed of his Wife, for wast­ing of her portion, and bringing her in contempt, penury and misery: Of his Family, because hee de­fraudeth their bellies, through his wasting and su­perflous excesse abroad: The good Wise is forced to pinch her houshould at home: Yea, of his owne children (if not in his life time by his daughters,) for that they are not through his vnthristinesse and base manner of liuing, preferred in marriage. Yet by his sonnes after his death, for spending their pa­trimonie (by succession due to them:) and not gi­uing them education: How many men haue I heard say, I am bound to curse the time, that euer my Fa­ther was a company keeper, which had he not been I might haue proued a Scholler, or I should haue had such lands or such liuings, which my father spent in his solly: Yea the very nourishers of his [Page]vices themselues, when his money is spent doe curse him, the Host and Hostesse curse him, because he troubleth their house (being pierce penilesse) and not giue place to other guests: that are full fraught: The Tapsters curse him, because hee cals for Beere, and runnes in score: the Chamberlaines they curse him, for tumbling the beds, polluting the roome, and he curseth them as fast, for decei­uing him of his money, are not Drunkards accord­ding to Dauids saying, girded about with curses: Which girdle the Diuell claspeth about him so fast, it is to be feared without repentance and the great mercy of God, it will neuer be vnloosed vntill hee hath him in hell, where with the damned soules he will be forced to cry:

Saint Paul the third to the Colosians bids vs to put away all malicious cursed speaking forth of our mouthes, Col. 3.8. and to the Romans hee saith, Blesse but curse not. And surely the Diuell and destruction waites at the doore, when wee fall into this humour of cur­sing, Marke. 14.17. as appeareth by Peter, before hee denied his Master, Our blessed Sauiour. First hee began to curse, and then he swore, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speake. Goliah before he was killed of Da­uid, 1 Sam. 17.43. fell a cursing, and so died in this wickednes. Da­uid held this fault so great in Shemi, for cursing him [Page]that euen vpon his death-bed: he tooke order with Salomon his sonne to put Shemei to death for the same. 2 Sam. 16.5.13 Shemei cursing. 1 King. 2.8.9.46. His death. Behold with thee is Shemei which cursed me with a horrible curse, therefore thou shalt cause his hoare head to goe downe to the graue in bloud.

If the heads that spring from this polluted Mon­ster, are so detestable dangerous, and damnable: (as by the fore-recited places of Scripture is declared:) it is requifite (that the noysome and infectious poi­son to mankinde) which doth proceede from the nature and condition of this Monster should plain­ly be made manifest, and described to the world: Drunkenes de­fined. And therefore to define it, Drunkennesse is a vice which stirreth vp lust, griefe, anger, and madnesse, ex­tinguisheth the memory, opinion and vnderstanding, ma­keth a man the picture of a beast, and twise a childe, because hee can neither stand nor speake. Saint Au­gustine saith, Ad sacram Ebrietas est flagitiorum om­nium mater culparumque materia, &c. Drunkennesse is the mother of outrages, the matter of faults, the roote of crimes, the fountaine of vice, the intoxicate or of the head, the quelling of the sences, the tempest of the tongue, the storme of the body, the shipwracke of chastitie, losse of time, voluntarie madnesse, an ignominious languor, the filthinesse of manners, the disgrace of life, the corrupti­on of the soule: Were there no more to be spoken a­gainst Drunkennes then the words of this Holy Fa­ther (if they were duely considered) my thinkes it should bee enough to deterre any Christian man from that vice. Cyrus being but a childe and a Hea­then, when he was asked by his Grandfather Astya­ges, why he dranke no Wine at a great Feast, answe­red, [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] he tooke it to be poyson, because said he those at the last Feast that dranke it were depriued of their vnder­standing and sences: The Lacedemonians would often shew their children such as were drunke, to the end they should learne to hate that vice. These being but children and Heathens by seeing ill examples loathed the vice, and grew the better. Wee being men and Christians on the contrarie, by seeing ill examples loue the vice, and grow the worse. For before we were acquainted with the lingring wars of the Low-Countries, Drunkennes was held in the highest degree of hatred that might be amongst vs: For if by chance any one had been ouertaken with his cups, and gone reeling in the streets, or lyen slee­ping vnder a Table, we would haue spit at him as a Toade, and cald him drunken Swine, and warnd all our friends out of his company: but now it is grown for a custome and the fashion of our age, euen in Ci­ties, Townes, Villages, I euen amongst the very Woods and Forrests (as shall be spoken of hereaf­ter) nay it is mounted so high, that men must in a manner blush and be ashamed as much to speake of sobrietie, or to be temperate, (in a thousand com­panies.) As in that happy time of our ancients, they were ashamed of Ebrietie in others, or to be drunke themselues. Why? He is reputed a Pesant, a slaue and a Bore, that will not take his liquor profound­ly: He is a man of no fashion that cannot drinke su­per naculum, Carouse the Hunters Hoope, quaffe Vpsey-freese crosse, Bowse in Permoysaunt, in Pim­lico, in Crambo, with Healthes, Gloues, Numpes, Frolicks and a thousand such dominering inuenti­tions, [Page]as by the Bell, by the Cards, by the Dye, A lottery vpon the card newly inuented for drinking. by the Dozen, by the Yard, and so by measure wee drinke out of measure. Thus wee spend so great a time in carowsing, as though we did not drinke to liue, but liued to drinke: and for the further main­tenance and vpholding of this most execrable vice, there are in London drinking schooles: so that drunkennesse is professed with vs as a liberall Arte and Science: all Christians haue iust cause to com­plaine, and to crie out that we haue receiued by the Low Countries the most irreparable damadge that euer fell on the Kingdome of England.

Drunkards now a dayes make meetings and mat­ches of drinking, Isa. 56.18. and incourage one an other there­unto, according to the saying of Esay: Come I will bring Wine, and we will fill our selues with strong drink, and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more aboun­dant. But you that reioyce thus in your wickednesse and in your abominable Drunkennesse heare and tremble at the reward prouided for you, and men­tioned by S. Iohn, Reu. 23.8.25.27.Your part is in the lake which bur­neth with fire and brimstone which is the second death. The gates of heauen shall he shut against you. For there shall no vncleane thing, nor none that worketh abomina­tion. Saint Paul to the Corinthians saith, that Drun­kards shall neuer inherite the Kingdome of Heauen. And likewise to the Galathians, he saith, that Drunkards, shall not inherite the Kingdome of God. 1 Cor. 6.10. Gal. 5.21. These sayings of the Apostles & Euangelists are enough to strike terrour to the soules of any Christian man, and so farre to barre them from Drunkennesse, that rather then they would be in danger to fall into it, they [Page]would drink water as Daniel & his fellows did, Dan. 12. when they refused the Wine of the Kings Table. But your common Drunkards are no Christians: For a true Christian is the childe of light, and walketh in the light, 1 Thes. 5.6.7.8 and is sober, but the Drunkard is the child of darknesse, and the workes which he doth are the workes of darknesse: And Saint Peter saith, It is suf­ficient for vs that we haue spent the time past of our life after the lust of the Gentiles,2 Pet. 4.3.walking in Wantonnesse, Lusts, Fit. 2.12.Drunkennesse, Gluttonie, Drinkings, &c. Saint Paul to Titus saith, that the grace of God that bringeth saluation to all men, hath appeared, and teacheth vs that we should deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts, and that we should liue soberly, and righteously, and godly in this World. Tit. 3.8. And in the third Chapter, It is a true saying, that they which beleeue in God must be carefull to shew forth good workes. Which makes plaine that Drun­kards are no Christians, and therefore not of God, for the Drunkard maketh his belly his God, Phil. 3.19. because he more diligently serues it, more better loues it, and more carefully pleaseth it, then God himselfe: And to speake truely of him, A Drunkard sit for nothing. a Drunkard is vnprofi­table for any honest seruice, and can make neither good Magistrate, nor good Subiect: seeing he can not rule others, that cannot rule himselfe. There­fore rightly said Saint Augustine; Ehriosus cum obser­uet obsorbetur à vino, abominatur à Deo despicitur ab Angellis, decidetur ab hominibus destituetur à virtuti­bus confunditur à Daemonib conculcatur ab hominibus. When the Drunkard deuoureth Wine, hee is deuoured of Wine, hee is abominable to God, despised of the Angels, scorned of men, abandoned of vertue, confounded by the [Page]Diuels, and trampled vnder mens feete. If the inconue­nience that followeth drunkennesse be so great; let vs search out the benefits and pleasures that com­meth thereby: The pleasures that proceed of drinke. and see whether they will counter­uaile the precedent mischiefes. And first I will be­gin with the words of him that shewed the great force of drinke to Darius, 1 Esdras. 3.20.It turneth euery thought in­to ioy and gladnes, so that one remembreth no manner of sorrow nor debt. This is a most speciall matter, that many men doe pretend to bee the cause of their drinking, because they would comfort themselues in their sorrowes, either for that they are in debt, or their wiues, parents, or friends crosse them. I must confesse drinke makes a man merry for the time, and quite forget his debt. For being drunke he thinketh himselfe as rich as Croesus, and as good as Alexander. But this ioy is deceiueable, false and fleeting; it is like a dream, ashadow, for let him drink what he can, if it were a Hogs head, it payes not of his debt a halfe-penny, and when he comes to him­selfe he findes his body is sicke, his time is lost, his money spent, his credits crackt, he hath abused his God, wronged his wife, grieued his friends, and shamed himselfe: here is an inch of pleasure bought with an ell of paine, in like manner if thy parents or friends crosse thee, and thou range from house to house, from Ale to Beere, from Beere to Wine, and so fill thy skin and head with liquor, to expell thy griefe, it will be no otherwise with the, then it was with King Saul, who while Dauid played with his Harpe was neuer vexed with the wickea spirit, 1 Sam. 16.23. &. 18; Chap. 10.but when he ceased his play, the Diuell tormented him afresh. So [Page]while the sence is lost and memory decayed, thy dis­contents are cleane forgot, but when thy drink hath played his part and force thereof is quite expelled: thy soules insnared, thy mindes perplexed, thy griefes and discontents (as bad) or worse then ere they were. I may fitly compare these ranging drun­kards to Virgils Hart:

Wherefore he doth most vnwisely that hath any cause of griefe or discontent, and thinketh to put it away by drinking, or going to their merry compa­nies, or that good fellow: for let him flye whether he will, he carries his discontent in his heart; Take Saint Pauls aduice, the second to the Corinthians, in­dure it with patience, For our light affliction which is but for a moment, [...] Cor. 1.34, 4.17.causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent and an eternall weight of glory.

If thou art troubled with a scoulding wife, whose tongue I must needs say stingeth like a scorpion (and hee that can abide a curst wife needes not to feare what company he liueth in) the bitter tempest of whose tongue I must confesse as forcibly driues a man out of his doores into euill company, as a vio­lent storm doth birds forth of the field into bushes: enter into the Etemologie of her name, she is called: in Latine Mulier quasi mugire vix: In English a wo­man, [Page]quasi woe vnto man, She is as Salomon saith, Eccl. 9.9, The portion of thy sorrow which God hath allotted thee thy tormentor vpon earth to bring thy soule to heauen. For which malady: this is the best medicine: The remedy for a scolde. ‘Vsibus edocto si quicquam credis amico.’

Eyther to stop thine eares and not here her: or else to be silent, laugh at her, and not regard her: and not to seeke reuenge like the base sonne of a no­ble man in Rome: who being taken in a robberie, and brought before a Iudge to bee arraigned, hee asked him whose sonne he was: hee answered hee would not tell him, but said hee was the sonne of him that if he were hanged would surely be reuen­ged for his death, and so was contented to be han­ged, that he might afterwards bee reuenged of the Iudge; and no otherwise doth hee that leaues his home, runnes besseling to an Ale-house, Mad men that goe to be drunke for woemens wordes. damnes his soule, hurts his body, spends his time, wasts his goods, grieues his friends, beggers himselfe, vn­doeth his children, and all to be reuenged of a wo­man: (for her tongue in which there is no gouern­ment) wherefore that is to be borne with patience, which cannot be redressed with carefulnesse. O­thers protest the delight they take in this vice is not for the drinke, but by reason of the company. To which I answere, Company the great cause of drunkennes. that is a bad fellowship which brings vs into a league with vice, and makes vs to set vertue at vtter defiance, that is a wicked knot of friendship, which tyes vs to our damnation, and mad dotage, that rather then wee will part with wicked companions, we will in foolish kindnes, ac­company them into hell. If thereforee our compa­nions [Page]delight in sinne, let not vs delight in them, but flye their societie, Exod. 23.2. as being the Diuels aduocates to solicite vs into wickednesse, and let vs take heede whilest we labor to maintaine friendship with men, we doe not proclaime omnitie against God. It is said in Exodus, Eph. 57.11.Thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe euill. And Paul to the Ephesians bids vs to haue no fel­lowship nor company with th [...]se instruments of Sathan, but rather reproue them. 2 Cor. 5.11. And to the Corinthians: Com­pany not with a Drunkard, not so much as to eate with him, much lesse to drinke. Salomon saith, Bee not of the number of them which are bibbers of Wine, for the drin­ker and the feaster shall be come poore,Pro. 23.&c. The Poet rightly said:

The greatest benefit thou shalt receiue by these swaggering and deboyst companions, A drunkard ei­ther cannot or will not doe any man good. is faire words, but faint deeds, for the most part what they promise when they are drunke, they forget when they are so­ber: or else in their vaine-glorious humour, they promise higher matters then their low estate (con­sumed with prodigalitie) can performe, for

Prodigalitie is a huge vessel without a bottome, a great chest without a locke, it drawes forth all things, it layes vp nothing. Your pot friendship, is no friendship: For [Page]as long as thou hast good clothes on thy backe, and money in thy purse, thou shalt haue friends plenty, and good fellowes flocke about thee: to giue thee drinke, when thou hast too much before, and truely I thinke herevpon comes the name of goodfellow, quasi goad fellow, because hee forceth and goads his fellowes forward to be drunke with his perswasiue termes, as I dranke to you, I pray pledge me, you di­shonour me, you disgrace mee, and with such like words, doth vrge his consorts forward to be drunke, as oxen being prickt with goads, are compeld and forced to draw the Waine. But to returne to their friendship, if thou art in want & misery, these com­panions will not know thee, and if by chance thou come in house where as they are, to shun thy com­pany they strait call, Chamberlaine giues a priuate roome? And he that before would spend a crowne vpon thee to make thee drunke, will not now in thy penury lend thee sixe pence to make thee eate, al­though for lacke of foode thou staruest in the street. But I will councell you with Nash. All you that will not haue your braines twice sodden, The fruits of drunkenesse. your flesh rot­ten with the Dropsie, that loue not to goe in greasie dublets, stockings out at heeles, and weare Alehouse daggers at your backes, leaue this company keeping this slabbering brauerie, that will make you haue stinking breathes, and your faces blowed like blad­ders, deckt with pimples, your bodies smell like Brewers aprons. It will bring you in your old age to bee companions with none but Porters, Oastlers, and Carmen, to talke out of a Cage rayling as Drun­kards are wont, a hundred boyes wondring about [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page]them: It is a most bewitching sinne, and being once entred into, hard to forgoe. Saint Austen compares it to the pit of hell, into which when one is once falling there is no redemption. Therefore you that are free from it reioyce and desire God so to keep you: and you that are entring into it forgoe it in time, as S. Iames saith, Iam. 4.7.8. Resist the Diuell and hee will flie from you, draw neere to God, and he will draw neere to you. Take heede lest you take a habite in it, and so it grow to a custome, and then like the grand Drunkards of this age (of whom I know too many) you account it no sinne: For, consuetudo peccandi tollit sensum peccati, the custome of sinning taketh away the feeling of sinne. But with these Drunkards I haue not to doe, for no admonishment, but banishment will make them leaue it: For I feare the Lord hath done by them, as by Ieremiah, Iere. 51.39. he threatneth the Babylonians, he hath giuen them ouer to a perpetuall drunkennes.

Others excuse themselues, and thinke they are free from this vice, because (through the strength of their braines and bodies) they can carry more then others: and boast although they dranke as much as any in the company, and that their con­sorts were drunke. Yet they were fresh enough: it is a small conquest they haue got, when in excessiue drinking they haue ouercome all their compani­ons: seeing in conquering they are ouercome, and are shamefully foyled and ouerthrowne by Sathan, their chiefe enemy, whilest they triumph in a drun­ken victory ouer their friends: these men for want of vertue in them bragge of their vice: but Habakuk saith, Haba. 2.15.16. woe vnto him that giueth his neighbour drinke, [Page]thou ioynest thine heate, and makest him drunken that thou maist see his priuities:Isa 28.3.The Lords right hand shall be turned vnto thee, and shameful spuing shall be for thy glory. And Isaiah saith, Prouer. 11. The crowne and the pride of the Drunkard shall be troden vnder feete. And in the fift chapter hee pronounceth a woe vnto them which rise vp early to follow Drunkennes, and to them that con­tinue vntill night, &c. The Philosopher saith: Nul­la capitalior pestis hominibus à natura data est quam E­brietas, nam, ex hac fonte prodit quicquid est in homi­num vite scelerum & calamitatum.

Nature neuer sent amongst men a more deadlier plague then Drunkennes, for it is the well-spring from whence floweth all manner of mischiefe, and calamitie that hap­pens to men. Wine hath as much force as fire, for as soone as it hath ouertaken any it dispatcheth him: For it discloseth the secrets of the soule, and trou­bleth the whole minde. A drunken gouernour and ruler of any thing whatsoeuer, bringeth all to ruine and ouerthrow, whether it be a Ship, or a Wagon, or Armie, or any other thing committed to his charge: The consideration whereof made the Phi­losopher say, when the Wine is in a man, hee is as a running Coach without a Coachman. Therefore they that delight (not onely to see) but also to force their neighbors to sinne in this vice by vrging them to drinke more then they would onely to pledge them, doe no otherwise then if they made it their glory and pastime, to see God dishonoured, his name blaspheamed, his creatures abused, and their friends and companions damned. To reioyce to see a man drunk, is no otherwise then to be glad to see a [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] the vngodly and sinner appeare. These men are imita­tors of Tiberius and Vitellius, most beastly and luxu­rious, Emperours of Rome: who were drunke and rioted all night, and sleepe and rested all day. The first, for his beastly conditions of Tiberius, was called bi­berius, Suetonius. of Claudius ca [...]dius, of Nero, Mero: in his drun­kennesse be caused Rome to be fired, yet before he died (as a iust plague vnto him) he was forced to drink puddle water. and commended the same for an admirable drinke: [...]a [...]llius. Reguat but eight-monthes. and for feare of the Citizens punishment, was forced to stab himselfe: the other was drawne through the streets with a halter about his necke, and shamefully put to death: a right reward and good example for drunken Magistrates, and go­uernours. But I could wish that ryotous persons, would note and take example by the gouernment of Antonius Pius, T. Anto. P. was the 16. Emper. of Rome 23. yeeres. in whose time (when hee percei­ued) the people of Rome giuen to drinke without measure, he made a law that none should sell Wine, but the Apothecaries in their shops, and onely for the sicke and diseased. Or behold the gouernment of Alexander Seuerus, Alex. 26. Empe. Rom. 13. yeeres who quite purged Rome from all the filthy vices, and fowle enormities, bred in the time of his predecessor, Helyogabalus, and re­duced it to the ancient and ciuill gouernment, that Cicero writeth of in his Booke of lawes, wherein he affirmeth, that no Roman durst goe in the streetes. If that he bare not a shew in his hand, whereon hee did liue. In consideration thereof, the Consull did be [...]re a Battle Axe before him, the Praetors a Hat in the maner of a Coyfe: the Tribunes a Mace: the Cutlers a Sword, the Taylors a payre of Sheares: the Smithes a [Page]Hammer: the Orators a Booke; not permitting that those that were Masters of Sciences, should bee schollars of vices: (in such sort that Marcus Aureli­us in making mention of the ancient diligence of the Romans, writeth that they did also employ with such a zeale their labours and trauely, that in Rome could not be found an idle person, to carry a letter two or three dayes iourney. But if this law of the Romans were in force with vs, how many thousands (if they made shew of the trade and arte they professed) would be forced to goe vp and down with quart pots in their hands: our Nation is so polluted with this vice of Drunkennesse, that the great drinkings of forraine Countries compared to ours, are but sippings. We haue them that drinke more in a yeere, Maximillion the Emp. is sayd to deuour forry pound of flesh, & drink a hogs­head of wine in one day. then Maxi­million the Emperour: And others that drink more at a draught, then any Hackney horse. The historie that Paulus Diacrus reporteth (of the drinking of foure Lumbards, although a thing to all the hearers in former ages reputed monstrous, yet compared to the drinkings of our times, it is scarce maruellous:) He saith, there were foure old men that made a banquet, in the which they dranke the yeeres of one another, after the manner as followeth: They ordained to drinke two to two, and counted their age of yeeres that each of them had, and he that dranke to his companion should drinke so many times, as he had liued yeeres: and the yongest of these foure was eight and fifty yeeres old: the se­cond threescore and three: the third fourescore and seuen: the fourth fourescore and twelue: so that he that dranke least dranke eight and fifty tasters of Wine: Although these drinkings were strange, [Page]monstrous & vnnaturall, and the draughts many in number, yet they were not great in quantity: nor like the draught that one of Sleuent [...]n made, A towne within two miles of Abington in Barkhamstead. who is yet liuing, he dranke a peck at a draught: one also a Dier of Barkhamsteed in Hartfordshire did the like. I haue seene a company amongst the very Woods and For­rests, drinking for a muggle, in such excessiue maner, that in my opinion it farre excelled the drin­king of the Lumbards. For sixe haue determined to trie their strengths who could drinke most glasses for the muggle. The first drinkes a glasse of a pint, the second two, the next three, and so euery one multiplyeth till the last taketh sixe. Then the first be­ginneth againe and taketh seuen, and in this manner they drinke thrice a peece round, euery man taking a glasse more then his fellow, so that hee that dranke least: which was, the first dranke one and twentie pints, and the sixt man thirty sixe: which al­though the number of draughts were lesse then the Lumbards, yet the quantitie of drinke was farre more. But if they hap to go a fourth about (as these Forresters are like enough to bee soone ready em­barqued in this bold aduenture for hel) Then they farre exceede the drinkings of the Lumbards, in quantitie and qualitie, and for the same worthy to be canonized, fit Saints for the Diuell. And to speak a truth concerning the manner of liuing of these Forresters (as well the inhabitants of the new For­rest, as the Forrest of Windsor) there is no place in England giuen to more frequent Ebrious meetings, and continuall drinkings, then they are: And al­though one may trauel a whole day abroad in these [Page]solitarie places, and not finde a man to guide him in his way. Yet if one returne to their scattering Villages, and loane houses, you shall scarce goe a furlong, but he shall finde great plenty of temp­ters, and store of directers, to bring a man out of his wit: For there is not a Hamlet amongst them, but is furnished with three or foure Alehouses at the least: Nay scarce a lone Cottage, but is a typ­ling house, and these continually haunted with true Ale-Knights, that cry out, they had rather drinke forth their eyes, then the wormes should eate them out, according to the Poet:

M. Camden in his Britania reciteth, that it is writ­ten in the Blacke booke of th'Exchequer, that a Forrest is a safe harbour and abiding place of Deere or Beasts, not of any sort whatsoeuer: but of wilde and such as delight in Woods, (and herevpon a Forrest hath the name (as one would say Feresta, that is a Station of wilde Beasts: and likewise I thinke the inhabitants of these places, learne their sauage manners, and brutish behauiour, because they conuerse chiefely with Beasts: For they haue no Magistrates, nor they will hire no Ministers, for they goe ten times to an Ale-house, before they goe once to a Church: Well they may bee likened to Dionysius the yonger, who was sometimes more then nine dayes drunke together, but in the end he lost his estate, and it is to be feared (vnlesse they re­pent and amend, their hap will bee as hard for [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page]heauen, as his was on earth: And then too late they may remember these old verses:

I remember Montague in his Essayes makes it a question disputable, whether the estate of him that is going to the Gallowes to be hanged, or hee that is a common Drunkard is more miserable, yeelding his censure: that hee which is going to dye on the Gal­lowes, of the two is the happier (by so much as hee that is entring into a surfet, is in worse estate then he that hath taken Physicke, a purgation for the same,

Miserius nihil est misero, se non miserante. There is nothing more wretched, then in a wretched man that Reakes not his owne misery: and such is the state of the Drunkard, that he both perceiues this vice, and dis­alloweth it in others, but neither seeth nor hates it in himselfe, like she in Ouid:

For a Drunkard although hee cannot speake a plaine word, will neuer yeeld himselfe to be drunke, and after their rule a man is not accounted drunke, altheugh hee cannot speake, goe, nor stand, nor is able to craule forth of the high way, so as hee can hold vp his finger, if he see a Cart comming vpon him. After this Rule it is a thing questionable whe­ther [Page]of their consorts, named Iohn Lawrence being at Windsor, and drunke so hard, that hauing a Cart and three Horses, he was not able to stand to driue them out of towne, but some of his company helpt him vp into the Cart, thinking the horse would bring him home. (But so it chanced he fell a sleepe in the Cart) and the Horse going in the middest of the Forrest, and there stayed feeding, came a good fellow by, and stole away two of the Horse: The Filhorse making after his fellowes, drew the man in the Cart so farre that it was out of his knowledge where he was: and either by the braying of the horse, or some Iut of the Cart, hee by chance awa­ked before hee was come to himselfe: (which be­ing) and he seeing but one Horse in the Cart, cried out, Lord, where am I? Or who am I? If I am Iohn Lawrence, then haue I lost a Cart and three Horses: But if I am not Iohn Lawrence, then haue I found a Cart and one Horse. Nor by their rule a Marchant of Bristow (which shall be namelesse) comming to a house of a Gentlemans of good hospitalitie, with­in two miles of Hungerford, and two of his friends with him, where they all dranke most free of this Gentlemans Beere, because they found him liberall of his loue, in so much as when they came in the middest of a great water leading into Hungerford towne, this Marchants eyes dazeled: and hee asked his friends why they did not alight vp that great Hill: they answered it was water, but that could not perswade him, but in the middest of the water he alighted, swearing he would not ride vp so great a Hill, and so waded through the rest of the water, [Page]being halfe a furlong of length, & of a great depth, yet by their rule hee was not drunke. Nor hee that cralled vnder all the signes from Holborne Bridge to Saint Giles, because in a Moone-shine night his eyes being glazed (with the mist of Mallego Sacke) and seeing the shaddow of the Signes vpon the ground. swore they were arrant knaues for setting the Signes so low, that a man could not goe vp­right vnder them. But letting carowsers alone with their owne definition, because a Drunkard cannot be expressed without some diuision wee will (be­fore wee enter therevnto set downe a learned mans description, who saith, A Drunkard is the annoyance of modestie, The di [...]cription of a drunkard.the trouble of ciuilitie, the spoile of wealth, the destruction of Reason, he is one ly the Brewars agent, the Alehouse benefactor, the Beggars companion, the Constables trouble, hee is his wiues woe, his Childrens sorrow, his Neighbours scoffe, his owne shame, in some: hee is a tub of swill, a spirit of sleepe, The nyne sorts of drunkards.a picture of a Beast, a Monster of a man. 1 But now concerning the diuision, there are of Drunkards nine sorts. The first is Lyon drunke, which breakes glasse windowes, cals his Hostesse Whoore, strikes, fights or quarrels, with either Brother, 2 Friend or Father. The se­cond is Ape-drunke, who dances, capers, and leapes about the house, sings and reioyces, and is wholly rauisht into iests, mirth and melodie. The third is sheepe drunke, 3 who is very kinde and liberall, and sayes, by God captaine I loue you? Goe thy wayes, thou thinkest not so often of mee, as I doe of thee, and in this sheepish hu­mour [Page]giues away his Horse, his Sword, the clothes off his backe. The fourth is Sow drunke, 4 vvho vomits, spewes, and wallowes in the mire, like a Swine, and seeing the Moone shine, sayes, put out the Candle lets goe to bed, lay a little more on the feete and all is well. 5 The fist is Foxe drunke, who being of a dull spirit: vvill make no bargaine till hee hath sharpened his wit with the essence of good liquor, and is then so craftie and politique, Aebritas prodit quodamat cer siue quod odir. that hee deceiues any man that shall deale with him: of this nature are ma­ny of the Dutch-men, that when they drinke most, they bargaine best. 6 The sixt is Maudlin drunke, who weepes, cryes, and whines, to see the goose goe barefoote. 7 The seuenth is Goate drunke, who is in his drinke so lecherous, that hee makes no difference of either time, or place, age or youth, but cryes out a Whoore, a Whoore, ten pound for a Whoore. 8 The eight is Mar­tin drunke, which will bee drunke betimes in the morning, or alwayes the first in the company, yet will he neuer cease drinking, till he hath made him­selfe fresh againe. The ninth and last is Bat drunke, 9 which are a sort of Drunkards that will not openly be seen in such actions, but as the reremowse or Bat, delights in secret places and flies by night: so they will drinke priuately, and chiefely in the night: of this sort may be some of your damask coated Citi­zen, that sit in their shops both forenoone & after­noone, & looke more sowerly on their poore neigh­bours, then if they had drunke a quart of Vine­gar at a draught, yet at night sneake out of their [Page]doores and slip into a Tauerne, where either a­lone, or with some other that battles their mo­ney together, they so plye themselues with peny pots, (which like small shot) goe of powring in­to their fat paunches, that at length they haue not an eye to see with all, nor a good legge to stand on, and on this sort are many hypocriti­call professors which abuse sacred Religion, car­rying in the day times Bibles vnder their armes, but in the night they slip into Alehouse or Tauernes.

And therefore to draw toward a conclusion, I ac­count that party to bee within the predicament of Drunkennesse, that in any sort through drinking doth at all enter into any of these precedent passi­ons, beyond his naturall inclination: and for the more surer remedy of this dangerous and detesta­ble sinne, the best course is to auoide that which was the first, and is the chiefest occasion thereof: (viz.) pledging and drinking one to another: which thing first arose in this Kingdome, vpon a good reason, because men were so brutish, that at Feasts and meetings when one was drinking his e­nemie would take an occasion to stab him. Where­vpon generall meetings were auoided: vnlesse they had in their company some sure Friend to bee his pledge while he was drinking, that none should hurt him: Which thing (God be thanked) needeth not to be feared by vs, in regard we haue the lawes of God to guide the vertuous, and the lawes of the Land to rule the wicked, and this thing of vrging one another was most carefully preuented by Ashue­roshe at his great Feast made to an hundred and se­uen Hest. 1.8. [Page]and twentie Prouinces: wishing that none should force other, but that they should drinke in order: May not we that are Christians be ashamed to thinke that Heathens should haue more care to preuent this great and capitall sin, then our selues, considering there is no sinne so vnnaturall to our bodies, so pestiferous to our soules, more wasting to our estates: Wherefore (gentle Reader) God grant thee grace to auoide it, by my slender instruction: and mee power to giue example by my life and and conuersation, and then hast thou suffici­ent recompence for thy reading, and my selfe full satisfaction for my writing.