WHyles I tra­uayled in Translation, and collection of my Droomme of Doomes daye: and was busyed in sorting of the same (for I gathered the whole out of sundry Pamphlets:) I chaunced at passage, to espye one shorte Epistle, written against Dron­kennesse. And though the rest of such Treatises, as I founde in the same Coppie, dyd carrye none expresse name of theyr seuerall Aucthours: yet this Epystle was therein entytuled: An Admonition of Saint Augustine the Bishoppe, for the eschewing of Droonkennesse.

Which Epistle, both for the credite of the Aucthour, and for the tytles sake I thought good to peruse: fynding the [Page] same compendious, and eloquent, as the same Aucthour dyd commonlye wryte.

But when I had throughly conside­red it, and therewithall had some consideration of the huge enormyties, and shames which daylie followe that sinne: yea, when I had fullye aduised mée, howe commonly it is nowe a dayes exercised amongste vs: and how slylie it stealeth into this Realme through continuall custome of chée­ring, and banquetting: I thought it shoulde not be vnprofitable, nor any way vnpleasaunt (vnlesse it be to such as can not abyde to heare of vertue, for feare least they might be ashamed of theyr vyce) to adde some Aucthory­ties and examples for the more speedy extyrpation of this monstrous plant, lately crepte into the pleasaunt Orch­yardes of Englande.

And surely it is time (yea more then tyme) that we shoulde foresée, and learne to auoyde, those Bermaydes of myschiefe, which pype so pleasantly [Page] in euery Potte, that men be thereby allured to sayle into the Ilandes of all euyll. And there (being iustly depry­ued of Gods grace,) are transfour­med into most ougly shapes of brute Beastes.

And least I séeme ouer sodainly to leape into my matter, and ouer rashly to rayle before good proofe of reproofe, let mée set downe this for my generall proposition, That all Droonkardes are Beastes: yea, let mée not shrinke to affyrme that not onely, all common Droonkardes are Beasts, but euen the wysest councellour, the grauest Phi­losopher, the cooningest Artificer, the skylfullest wryter, and the most per­fect of all sortes and Estates, if they chance at any time to bée infected, and contamynate with this Beastly vice, shall be (in that dooing) very Beastes also.

Mary, as there are on earth sundrye sortes of Beastes, so séemeth it that this Sorceresse (Drinke) doth also in her transformed Crewes, obserue a [Page] wonderfull varyetie: For some men delyghting in her onely for pleasure, and good fellowship (as they terme it) doo no furder exceede then into a cer­taine iocunde myrth, and dallyaunce: and yet therein also they chaunce most commonly to geue no small cause of offence. Then, this sorte of Droon­kards, I can best compare vnto Apes, whose péeuishe propertie, is to bee de­lyghted with euerie fonde toye, and tryfle: and whose busie nature can sel­dome or neuer be exercysed, without hurt or dommage.

Another sort of men, stepping a foote further, doo fall vnto brawlyng and quarrellyng: not vnlyke to the Beares and Boares of the For rest, whose chiefe delyght consisteth in per­tycular combat with theyr owne kind.

Another sort (of a more mallicious nature) wyll lye in wayte (in theyr droonkennesse) to entrap their compa­nions with some disceypt. And such I accoumpt (for all theyr cunning) trans­fourmed into Foxes, and wyly Wol­ues▪ What shoulde I speake of the [Page] Lecherous Droonkarde, who (lyke ā Goate) wyll spare neyther Sex, Age, Kyndred, nor companion, in the fylthy heate of his lewde concupyscence. Or of the prowde Droonkarde, whiche (Peacocklike) doth iet in euery stréete: Neyther ashamed to shew his vyle va­nytie, nor yet neuer abashed, tyll hée fall downe in the channel, as the Pea­cocks pride is abated when hée looketh towardes his féete.

To conclude, they are all eyther boggishly dronke, and then lye vomit­ting and belching with great griefe, and greater offence, or else they be­come Asses, and sluggishly consume in sleepe, that Golden tyme which is lent vs to vse and bestowe to the honour of God, and for our owne auayle.

So that (as I sayde) I dare take in hande to defende this proposition, that All Droonkards are Beastes. And since God hath made none other so notable difference betwéene Man and Beast, as that he hath endewed the one, and depriued the other of reason and vn­derstanding: [Page] I thought méete both to translate the foresayde Epistle, and also somewhat of my selfe, to wryte as an Inuectyue, against this so perryl­lous a Théefe, which so robbeth and despoyleth men of the most precious Iewell and treasure which God be­stoweth vpon them. And to beginne with the Epistle of S. Augustine, the wordes thereof are these.

ALthough, my deerly belo­ued, I hope y ^t you through the grace of Christ, wyll feare Droonkennesse, as you feare the pit of Hell: and that not on­ly you wyl drinke no more then is conuenient, but also that you wyll not compell or allure any other to drinke more then wyll suffise: yet shall you take in good part this councell of mine, because it can not be cho­sen, [Page] but that some will be ne [...]li­gent, and are not able to keepe them selues sober. But you which doo alwayes banquette soberlie, and temperately, take not this as spoken to your re­proche: for it is necessarie that we do sometimes rebuke dron­kardes.

Then whereas (welbeloued brethren) Droonkennesse is a great euyll, and an odious sin vnto God: yet is it so growen in vse, with many menne through the whole world: that with such as wyll not vnder­stand Gods cōmaundements, it is now taken to be no great sinne: so that they mocke and scoffe in their banquettes, at suche as can not beare many Cuppes, and are not ashamed to bynde men by an enuious [Page] knotte of friendship that they shall drinke more then beho­ueth. But he which compel­leth another man to make him selfe dronken by often bybbing: it were lesse euyll for that man, if he should wounde his fleshe with the sworde, then that he kyll his soule by droonken­nesse: And because our bodyes are earthly, euē as when there hath beene some ouer greate dashe or glut of raine continu­ing long, the earth is soaked and resolued in myre, so that no tyllage can be made in the same: In lyke maner our flesh being made droonken, can neyther receiue the spirituall tyllage, nor yet the bread and foode, which is necessarie for the soule. And as all men doo desyre to haue sufficient and [Page] competent showres of rayne in their fieldes and closes, so that they maye bee able both to ex­ercise tyllage, and to enioye the plentie of their fruites and encrease: so in this field they shoulde drinke but so much as [...]ehoueth: least by excesse and droonkennesse, the verie earth of their body, (being as it were turned into a verie Fenne and Quagmyre) may better serue to breede Woormes and Ser­pentes of vice and sinne, then it should bee able to bringe forth the fruits of charitie. For all Droonkardes are euen such as Fennes & Marishes seeme to be in al respects: you are not ignoraunt (welbeloued) what groweth in Fens: for whatso­euer groweth therin, bringeth sorth no fruite, therein breede [Page] Serpentes & sundrie kinds of Worms, which doo bring more horrour & dread, then encrease of victual: Euē such are Dron­kardes, being fyt for no profite, or commoditie: for oftentimes in theyr droonkennesse they know neither them selues, nor any body else: neither can they goe, stande, nor speake any thing that pertayneth vnto reason: yea, oftentimes they are not ashamed to cramme vp their stomacks, euen to vomit­ting, and quasse (out of al mea­sure) by Cuppes of assise and measure: then he which can get the vpperhande, desireth praise of his fowle and filthye faulte.

But they which delight ther­in, doo goe about wonderfully to excuse themselues, saying: I [Page] shoulde vse my friend but vn­curteously▪ if as often as I byd him to my house, I gaue him not as many Luppes as hee would call for: But let him be no friende of thine, which wyil make thee his enemie, & which is enemie both to thee & to him selfe: if thou make both thy self & another man droonken, thou maist haue that man thy frend for a tyme: but thou shalt haue God for thy perpetual enemie. Then consider wisely, whether it bee commaunded that thou shouldest separate thy selfe frō God, to ioyne in league with a Droonkard.

And to conclude, do thou nei­ther compel any man to drink, nor binde any man by oathes to drinke: but leaue it vnto his thoyse to drinke as much and [Page] as lytle as hee lysteth: that if he wyll needes make him selfe droonken, he maye perishe a­lone, and not both of you bee cast away.

Let those which bee inconti­nent and p [...]odigall in bybbing, consider with themselues, if they be not to be iudged worse then brute Beastes: for wher­as brute Beastes wyll drinke no more then that which shall suffise[?] them, they wyl yet drink fowre tymes more then beho­ueth: and that which might haue serued to refreshe theyr bodies three or fowre dayes, with reasonable contentacion, they striue to spend and rather to cast it away in one daye: yea, woulde to God that onely the drinke were cast away, & not they themselues also shoulde [Page] perishe: But if we eschew this at any tyme, peraduenture the Droonkards are offended, and do murmure against vs.

Well, though there want not such as wyll be so offended at vs, yet by Gods grace there wyll be many which (hearing this holesome counsell) shalbe deliuered from this so greuous an enormitie & sinne: and they also which are moued & angrie with suche as speake against their yoakefellowe▪ & lemmane droonkennesse, and let them geue mee leaue to pr [...]nounce this sentence with opē mouth: That whosoeuer delighteth in droonkennesse, And doeth not earnestlie repent and amende the same, but doth remaine in his droonkennesse, without cō ­trition and reformation, shall [Page] doubtles perishe for euer and euer: for the holy ghost doeth not lye by the holy Apostle, say­ing: The Droonkardes shall not enheryte the kingdom of God: And therefore as many as bee Droonkardes, shall doo better, not to be offended with you, but with themselues: and let them with the helpe of God, shake them selues out of the dyrte of dregges, or out of the fylthe of droonkennesse, whiles there is yet place and time to repent: and make al the haste that they can (by Gods helpe) to ryse a­gaine. For droonkennesse (e­uen like vnto hell) whomesoe­uer it ouercommeth,) vnlesse worthy repentaunce do folow, and amendment also beare it company,) it doeth so stoutlie challenge them vnto it selfe, [Page] that it suffceth them not (at al) to returne out of the darke py­of hell, vnto the light of Charit tie, or sobrietie.

Wherefore (brethren) whyles I put you in minde of these things, I doo absolue and dis­charge my selfe before God: and whosoeuer contempneth to heare mee, and is prone and prompte to bybbing, or wyll sweare & compel other men at his banquets to drinke, shalbe guiltie at the day of iudgement both for himselfe, and for other men: Bea▪ and (that which is more abhominabe) some of the Clergie which ought to forbid this, doo them selues also con­straine many to drinke more then is expedient for them. Well, let them begin to amend and correct them selues, and [Page] then let them chastise others, that when they come before y ^e Tribunal seate of Christ, they encurre not the danger of pu­nishment for other mens dron­kennesse, but rather that they may deserue to a [...]raine euerla­sting rewarde, whyles they a­mende them selues, and cause not to chastise & correct others also.

And this aboue al things I beseech you, and by the dread­ful day of iudgement, I coniure you, that as often as you ban­quette among your selues, you doo banishe and spew out of your Feasts and meryments, (euen as it were the poyson of the Deuyl himselfe) that filthy custome, whereby th [...]ee and three doo vse without all mea­sure, to drinke eyther against [Page] their wyls, or at the least wit h­out any appetite to drinke: for th [...]t vnhappy and mischeuous custome, doth yet smell of the smoake of Paganisme: and whosoeuer vseth it, or suffreth it eyther at his owne table, or any other company, let him not doubt, but that he maketh him selfe a sacrifi [...]e to the Deuyll, synce therefore proceedeth that not only the body is weakned, but also the Soule is thereby wounded and slaine: Where­fore, I beseech God of his mer­cie, that he vouchsafe to enspire you with such grace, that this so shamefull and lamentable an euyl and wickednesse, maye become such an hortour vnto you, as that you suffer it neuer to be committed, but that you conuert that to helpe & refresh [Page] the poore, which shoulde haue bene cast away in superfluous droonkennesse. And this by the helpe & grace of our Lorde Jesus Christ, who with the Father and the holy ghost, ly­ueth and raigneth God, world without ende. Amen.

HYtherto the words of S. Augustine, in such sort as hée wrote the sayde Epystle: where­vnto I meane nowe to adde this short Treatise following, to the same ende and purpose that the sayde Augustine dyd wryte the same Epistle: And yet doo confesse a trueth, It is common­lye seene, that as in all actiuities, or common sortes of exercises, wee straine curtsie, and refraine to shewe our cunning, immediatly after that any excellent man hath dealt in the [Page] same before vs: least thereby wée might sooner defect our owne weake­nesse, then better & amend the doings of others: (yet when Apelles was pre­sent, meaner Painters woulde not prease to take pensyl in hande: neither would Marsias wel vaunt of his gaine in cōmendation, by striuing to warble vpō the Harpe▪ which Apollo had erst layde asyde) so it may seeme no lesse wonder, that I being a simple wryter generally, and perticularly (for Diui­nitie) altogeather vnskylfull, woulde presume to take pen in hande, after so holy a Father as Augustine, so pro­foundly studied, and so well adorned with skyll to endight, both pleasantly, and pythily▪

But for that my purpose and enter­prise is not to contend in cunning, but rather to consent in doctrine, not to striue in curiositie, but to agree in vni­formitie, nor to hunt for perticular prayses, but to labour for a generall profite, therfore I am bold (in so honest a cause) to doo my best: Beseeching the [Page] Reader, neither to regard the vnplea­sauntnesse of my Style, nor the na­kednesse of my simplicitie: but only to consider the necessity of my reprehen­sions, constrained by the extremitie of this beastly vice, which Augustine in his tyme dyd so sharply rebuke.

And surely if our common custome therein practised, dyd not much more exceede in the superlatiue degree, then the shortnesse of this his Epistle be­fore rehearsed, doth minister occasion of further treatie, I coulde haue bene better contented to haue kept scilence, then thus to haue sowed a patche of Chainlette, in a garment of Satten: One comfort (I must confesse) I haue conceyued, that I can speede no worse in this small trauayle, then a number of learned & Godly teachers haue done before mee. Who calling and crying dayly against this horrible, & beastly custome, haue the deafe eare turned vnto their spirituall admonitions, and are constrayned (with great griefe of minde) to leaue this swyni [...] sorte of [Page] people, wallowing in the dyrt & myre of their most execrable droonkennesse. Such is the very nature and property of sinne generally (but of this sinne e­specially) that where it once getteth y ^e maistry and vpperhand by continuall custome, it hardneth the hart, blindeth the eyes, amaseth the understanding, bewitcheth the sences, benoometh the members, dulleth the wyte, prouoketh vnto beastlynesse, discourageth from vertuous exercise, maketh louely to seeme lothsome, hasteneth crooked age, fostereth infirmyties, defyleth the bo­dy openly, & woūdeth the soule vnseen.

This is that Circe, or Medea, which can Metamorphose, & transforme men into ougly mishapen monsters, yea▪ the gallauntest peeres, in [...]o sencelesse Stocks. and mightiest Monarkes into brute Beastes. For was not Noah Genes. 9. (euen the chosen seruaunt of God) through this beastly vice, so Metamor­phosed, that he lay in his [...]ent vnco­uered, and shewed thereby the secreets which shame and nature forbyd vs to [Page] disclose? But what punishment fell vppon his yongest Sonnes posteritie therefore? euen a perpetual bondage & seruitude, and in lyke manner, what shoulde wee accoumpt Loth and his Genes. 19. Daughters but Beasts, who in theyr droonkennesse, cōmitted abhominable incest in the sight of God? Or what preuayled vnto Sampson, the maruei­lous Iudges. 16. force & strength wherewith God had blessed him, to ouercome so many enemies in battayle, (when wallow­ing in concupiscence, which is a cosen to this lothsome vice) he bewrayed vn­to Dalyla the secreets of Gods miste­ries, and so became a mocking stocke vnto his enemies? of amighty Cham­pion, he became a mylksop: of a Giant a Gnat, and of a Patrone & defendor, a Babe & a weakling, ready to craue defence of others: suffering his eyes to be plucked out of his head, and his bo­dy to be led about as a common skorne and pastime for the Philistines.

Holofernes, in all the pompe of his Iudith. 12. 13. 14. pride, and in the very middest of his [Page] huge hoast and armie, (being brought droonke a bed) left his head in pawne with those whome he thought to haue subdued, & so discomforted his souldi­ors by the soddaine terror of his death, that the poore Cittizens of Bethulia, (whose people they earst determined to haue deuowred) could nowe boldly yssue out of their walles, & put them to shameful flight and slaughter: O won­derful exchange, the stoute Chaptaine which in his owne blynde imaginaci­on, thought hymselfe strong enough, (with his hoste) to haue subdewed the whole world, was (through the shame full defe [...]of this beastly vyce) conque­red in the middest of all his force by one weake womans hande: I might rehearse sundry famous examples out of the holy scripture, sufficient to terri­fie and withdraw any Christian mind­from this horrible and beastly abho­mination. But as I haue partly be­gonne with the best & principal autho­rity, so wyl I yet recite some examples out of Heathen Authors, who wrote [Page] of the ages passed, and then consequēt­ly descend vnto our owne age present: in which this enormity doth so farre exceede that (if dead men might be cal­led againe) the Forefathers should not want sufficient cause to woder at our impudencie, who hauing not the clo­ked excuse of ignoraunce, and lacke of instruction, which the Heathen mi [...]ht (after a sort) aledge in defence of their defects, are not ashamed to pro [...]de & to surpasse all ages, in so lothsome and beastly a transgression: whereas in all Morall vertues, we can neuerthelesse be content to come farre behind them.

Alexander the Macedonian, who by his valiaunce & prowesse, in lesse then twelue yeeres, conquered & subdued, Ill [...]ria, now called Slauonia, the Cittie of Thebes, with the Territories and Countreyes adioyning: yea al Greece, Asia, Persia, and India, with the East parts of the whole world: being setled in peaceable possession of his domini­ons, gaue himselfe ouer vnto vanity & pleasures, and at the last to excessiue [Page] droonkennesse: whereby hée became so obious vnto his people generally, that they priuily conspired his death, & ex­ecuted the same: So that they hauing respect to the excellencie of his singu­ler vertues, and there withall weying that his ouerthrowe came chiefly by this detestable vice: I can not better terme him then a mighty man, trans­fourmed into a brute Beast. Apitius not contented to distemper his owne body continually with wine & delicate fare, and after much & great consump­tion therof, to find an hole in his bags. as bigge as fiue hundreth fowre score & three thousand, fifty & fowre peun [...]s sterlings, did yet infect the whole City of Rome, with poisō of y ^• same abomi­nation: which in times past bad bene a perfect Myrror of temperance to other Nations: but in the ende he beas [...]ly & most vngodly, dyd wilfully drink poy­son, and destroyed himself, fearing lest the remnant of his substaunce would not minister sufficiētly vnto the plot­forme or foūdation which he had layd [Page] in this abhominable bybbing, ban­quetting, & quassing: and what shall I name this man, but a beastly Meta­morphoser, both of himself & of others? Lucullus a famous Romane, both for learning & skyl in Martial feats, after a nomber of great victories, & exceding Fame got by temperaunce in iustice, and pollitique gouerment, dyd geue him selfe ouer vnto such an Epicures lyfe, and soonke so déepe into the gulfe of this odious enormity, that in th, end he lost his wyts and memory, & with all his substaunce was lyke a chylde, committed vnto the charge & direction of others: and was not this a playne Metamorphosis? What should I re­hearse the Histories of Lucius verus, Marcus Bibulus, Sergius, and sundry o­ther Romaines? who wallowing and delyghting in this beastly vice, Meta­morphosed thēselues most monstrusly. For we must not thinke that the aun­cient Poettes in theyr most famous works; dyd dyrectly meane as the lyt­terall text of theyr Fables do import: [Page] but they dyd Clarkly in figures, set before vs sundry tales, which (being wel marked) might serue as examples, to terrifie th [...] posteritie frō falling into sundry vanities, and pestilent misgouernments: and ther­vpon, they feigned y ^t Medea, Circe, and such other coulde Metamorphose & transforme men into Beastes, Byrdes, Plantes, and Flowres: meaning therby, that whoseuer is so blinded in sensuality, that forgetting his intellectuall reasons, & the better part of his vnderstāding, he follow the appetite and concupiscence of nature, he shal with­out doubt transforme him self, or be trans­formed from a man to a Beast, &c. For what greater imperfection can we alledge in the most brute and sauage Beasts, then to follow sensuall appetyte, vnto al vaine apparaunce of delyghtes? Nay, rather we must confesse that Beasts doo by a natural enstincte obserue a certaine mediocritie, in many thinges whiche doo by extremitie turne into vice: The Beasts and Cattell. with Fowles, Fishes, and other such cre­atures, voyde of reason: doo yet couet or desyre the acte of generation, but onely at certaine times prefixed, when nature doth [Page] thervnto kindle and prouooke them. But men who challenge a perfection aboue all other creatures, doo beastly and more then beastly, and abhominably delight therein, (naye, prouoke & pamper the dayly excesse therof) to the weakning of their bodies, of­fending of their deuout & wel disposed bre­thren, & high displeasing of almighty God:

The Beasts, &c. neuer or seldome do sur­charge theyr stomacke with more meate then they maye well disgest, but men doo cramme them selues with Cates, vntyll they be constrained to vomitte: Beastes, whē they are stirred or prouoked to wrath and angre, doo yet presently passe ouer the mallice, without entent of reuenge: But men can reteyne a mallice, yéeres & ages: whereby the destruction of sundry worthy famyllies hath ensued. And now to touch our purpose more perticularly: Beasts are satisfied with drinking once or twise a day at ordinary and accustomed howres, but men are not ashamed to syt bybbing, quas­sing, and tossing of pottes, whole daies and nyghtes: So that a iust accoumpt of their lyues being called, they maye seeme ney­ther borne to do none other thing, or else to [Page] haue so guilty mispent their time, that the most brute and senceles Beastes, are able to accuse them of sundry huge enormities.

By these and sundry other reasons, I thought not impertynent to name this de­testable vice of droonkennesse, the Circe or Medea, which Metamorphoseth, & trans­fourmeth men into most ougly and mon­strous shapes & proporciōs: wherof I haue brought foorth some examples out of holy scriptures, and others some out of the Nea­then Aucthors, which wrote the factes and gouernmentes of the famous Romaines.

But now if we consider our own age (yea our owne Nation) the verye chiefe cause which made me prefume to adde this smal treatise, vnto the Epistle of S. Angustine, we shal find by too true experience, that we doo so much exceede al those that haue gone before vs, that if they might seeme as men transfourmed into Beasts, we shal rather appeare as Beasts mishapen & chaunged into Deuyls. And in this accusation, I doo not onely summon the Germaines (who of auncient tyme haue beene the continuall Wardens of the Droonkards fraternitye and corporation,) but I would also cyte to [Page] appeare our newfangled Englyshe men, which thinke skorne to leaue any newe fashion (so that it be euyll) vntryed or vn­followed. For now a dayes what Mar­chaunt, what Artificer, nay, what botcher, or boongler, in any occupation, can be con­tented to enuite his friende to dynner, or supper, vnlesse he doo his best, to geue him a Cap of Magis (as they terme it) and be­guile both the Coffer of their store, and the treasure of theyr soule, with counterfeyts names to cloake their beastly inuentions: Wherin I note the vyce so much the more daungerous, since they cannot denye, that they are dayly therof both admonished and reproued by sundyr learned & godly Tea­chers and Preachers: who painfully and zealously doo exhort them from this Quas­sing. Carowsing, and tossing of Pots.

But what amendment followeth in ma­ny of vs? surely I tremble to wryte it, and it greeueth mee sufficiently to thinke ther­on, that in steede of reformation, they scoffe and taunt amongst them selues, in theyr banquets, saying: Friendes we are forbid­den to Quasse, or to Carowse, and therfore let vs vse none other drynking but a harty [Page] draught: And hauing thus (in theyr owne frantike imaginations) cloaked theyr de­uyl [...]she & damnable intent, they procéede [...]ntyll this new founde harty draught, bée found flue tymes worse then theyr former Nuassing & Carowsing: O grosse blind­nesse of harte: can impudent men thinke so to deceyue the almightye God, which seeth the secreets of al harts? no surely, For hee vvhich dwelleth in heauen shall laugh Psal. 2. them to scorne: yea, the Lorde shall vexe them in his sore displeasure. Let vs but consider this one thing: in what ciuyll Realme or dominion, where the people are taught and exercised in the comman­dementes and counsels of God (England onely excepted) shall we see the vnthriftye Artificer, or the labourer, permitted to syt bybbing and drinking of Wine in euery Tauerne? or what woman (euen amongst the droonken Almaines) is suffred to fol­lowe her Husbande vnto the Alehouse or Bee rehouse? But it were folly to stand so much vpon these meane personages, who for lacke of wytte or good education, maye easily be enclyned to thinges vndecent.

I woulde (for God) that our gentrie, and [Page] the better fort of our people, were not to much acquainted with Quassing, Carow­sing, and drinking of harty draughtes, at many mery conuentions: would God that we learned not (by the foreleaders before­named) [...]for your [...]ai­streesse and best beloued sake, pledge mee this Cupfull. &c. to charge and coniure each other vnto the pledge, by the name of such as we most honour and haue in estimation: Ah las, we Englishe men can mocke & scoffe at all Countreyes for theyr defectes▪ but before they haue many times mustred be­fore vs, we can learne by lytle and lytle to exceede and passe them al, in all that which (at first sight) we accoumpted both vyle & vyllanous: The Spanish codpéece on the bellye: the Itallyan waste vnder the banch bones: the Frenche kuffes: the Polonian Hose: the Dutch Ierken: and the Turkie Bonnet: all these at the first we despised, & had in derision. But immediatly (Mu­tate opinione) we doo not onelye reteyne them, but we do so farre excéede them: that of a Spanish Codpéece, we make an Eng­lish foo [...]eball: of an Itallyan wast, an Eng­lish Petycoate: of a French ruffe, an Eng­lish Chytterling: of a Polonian Hose, an English bowgette: of a Dutch Ierken, an [Page] old English Habergeone, and of a Turkie bonnet, a Copentank for Caiphas: In lyke manner we were woont (in tymes past) to contempne and condempne the Almaines and other of the low Countreyes, for theyr beastly drinking and quassing. But nowe a dayes (although we vse it not dayly lyke them, for it séemes that they are naturally enclyned vnto that vyce) yet, when we doo make banquets and merymentes; as wée terme them, we surpasse them very farre: and small difference is founde betwirt vs and them, but only that they (by a custome. rooted amongst them, & become next Cosē to nature as beforesayd) doo dayly wallow in a grosse maner of beastlines, & we think to cloake the filthinesse therof by amore ho­norable solemnitye, & by the cleanly tytle of curtesie. The Almaines with their smal Kenish wine are contented: or rather thē faile a cup of Béere may entreate them to stoupe: But we must haue March beere, dooble dooble Béere, Dagger ale, Bragget, Renish wine, White wine, French wine, Gascoyne wine, Sack, Hollocke, Canaria wine, Vino greco: Vinū amabile, & al the wines that may be gotten: Yea wine of it selfe is [Page] not sufficient, but Suger, Limons, & sūdry sortes of Spices, must be drowned therin▪ to minister mater vnto our vaine delights & to beguile our selues with y ^e baite which dronkennesse doth therein lay for vs. And all this must be couered with the cleanlye name of curtesy, & friendly entertainment.

But geue mee leaue (O Droonkards) to aske you this question, if by this curtesy, & friendly entertainement of yours, a friend which is constrayned thus to pledge you, doo chance to surfeyte, & to fal thereby into such distemper, that he dye thereof: what kind of curtesie shall we then accoumpt it? or what friendship can be found in such en­tertainment? yea, if he escape surfeyting or daunger of death, (which is seldome a­uoyded in them that vse drinking vnmea­surably) yet if his former good fame & cre­dyte be thereby so much touched, that his grauest friends take iust occasion to repre­hend him, & to withdrawe theyr good wyls from him: shall hee not haue iust cause to condempne this curtesy as coūterfayt, and curse this feyned friendship? At the least, though his worldly friendes wynke, and temporall death forbeare him a whyle, let [Page] him yet not thinke to escape the iust iudge ment of God, who punisheth the abhomi­nation of iniquitie, vnto the third & fowrth generation. And in these thrée poynts, e­specially haue I considred the enormity of this sinne: For that it weakeneth and en­daungerth mans body dayly, it impayreth his credite openly, and woundeth his soule secréetly. So that for mine owne perticu­lar opinion, I could wyshe that ( Italian or Spaniard lyke) we dyd altogether banishe from our banquets, the common curtesy of drinking one to another at all: not that I would see me thereby to condempne it (of it selfe) if it be but temperately vsed, but be­cause I finde that the pleasauntnesse of the drinke, and the infirmity of our nature doo beget one draught vpō another, so that be­ginning with curtesie, we ende with mad­nesse and beastlynesse. And well wrote hée which sayd, that the first Cuppe quenched thyrst, the seconde enduced myrth, and re­ioysing in hart, the thyrd voluptuosnesse, the fowrth droonkennesse, the fifth wrath­fulnesse, the syxt contenciousnesse, the se­uenth furiousnesse, the eyght sluggishnesse, and the nynth, extremitie of sycknesse.

[Page]But with vs, nyne dranghts: yea, nyne­teene draughts: nay, somtime nine & twēty doo not suffice. And whereas the Forefa­thers gaue no further warrāt, then for the second draught, and séemed to thinke that (passing further then that) concupiscence straight waies crept in, we ar not abashed to breake their boundes, & make concupis­cense but a tryfling fault in comparison of our beastly excesse. For fyrst to speake of sicknesse and infyrmities, what knoweth be which taketh the Cup in hand to drink vnto another, whether he haue asmuch de­lyght to pledge, as he hath to drinke vnto him? or whether the constitution of his body, wyll so well awaye with excessiue drynking, as his owne wyll? then must it follow, that if the Pledger be not of lyke disposition, the Bryncher is guyltie of al­luring vnto sinne: And if he were as for­wardly disposed as hée, yet at the least hee must bee guyltie in styrring him to conti­nuaunce thereof: In lyke manner, if the Pledger bée inwardlie sicke, or haue some infyrmitie, whereby too much drinke (or drynking, when nature doeth not desyre it) doo empayre his health, and shorten [Page] his lyfe, then doeth the Bryncher séeme to bee guyltie of his death: Yea, though he bée of a lustye dysposition and constitution of body, (considering the sundrie sicknesses which growe vppon surfeytes) the Bryn­cher doth at the least, put a naked Sworde in a mad mannes hande: and is culpable both of his owne transgression, and of his fellowes faulte: this is then one braunche of this droonken curtesie.

But to speake of empayring the credite both of himselfe, and his companion, what greater shame can bée shewed, then to weaken reason and vnderstanding, which are the pryncipall gyftes that we receyue of God? to lee [...] the power, to guyde or go­uerne our handes? feete? tongue? and other members, whiche are lent vs of God, to serue him with honour? to bleare our eyes? puffe vp our face? and to cast our heayre? whiche are the ornamentes of nature, to bée vsed vnto the glorye of our creatour? to buylde a kingdome for lust and concu­piscence? to chase vertue from our compa­ny? to bewraye secréetes? to become our enemies iesting stocke, and our friendes cause of lamentation? to ronne headlong [Page] into euery peryll, to begyn lyke Apes, & to ende lyke Asses? to geue occasion of strife lyke wrathfull Boares, and to yéelde vnto the slaughter lyke weaklings and Calues? To conclude, I knowe nothing that maye more impayre mans credite, then of a rea­sonable soule to become a brute & senceles Beast: and this is the second braunche of this curtesie & friendship which we vse in drynking and Duassing: Nowe finally to proue that it woundeth mans soule, is e­uident, in that almighty God hath aswell by his Prophets, as also by his Apostles, so often and so manifoldly reproued & forbyd­den the same. And we must fyrmely be­leeue, that whosoeuer doth wyttingly trās­gresse the counsels or commandements of almighty God, conteined in his holy word, doth manifestly wound and hurt his own soule: in that he doth aggreuate his origi­nal imperfections, & render himselfe more and more culpable of Gods iudgementes. For the Prophet Esai in his fowrth Chap. hath these words: VVo be vnto them that ryse vp early to folow droonkennesse: now this word (VVo) in the holy Scriptures is commonly taken for a gréeuous curse and [Page] threatning: but the Prophet doth procéede more plainly, saying: In their feastes are Harps and Lutes, Tabrets, Pipes, & vvine: but they regard not the Lord, and consider not the operatiou of his handes: therefore commeth my folke vnto captiuity, because they haue none vnderstanding: their glory is famished with hunger, aud their multy­tude (or plentye) dried vp with thyrst: ther­fore gapeth hell (sayth he) and openeth hir mouth maruailous wyde, that their glory, multitude, and wealth, with such as reioyce therein, may descend into it: And againe in his. xxviii. Chapt. speaking of the prowde Potestates, he sayth: VVo bee vnto the crowne of pryde, euen vnto the droonken people of Ephraim, whose great pompe is as a flowre, &c. And speaking against false Iudges and Teachers, he sayth: They are out of the way, by reason of wine, yea, farre out of the waye, through strong drinke. And Salomon in his Prouerbs hath sūdry passages against this lothsome vyce: as in the. xx. Chap. he sayeth. VVine maketh a man scorneful, and strong drinke causeth a mā to be vnquiet: who so delighteth therin shall not be wyse. And in the. xxxi. Cha. he [Page] sayth: O Lamuel, it is not for Kings, it is not for Kings (I saye) to drinke vvine, nor Princes strong drinke: least they by drin­king forgette the Lawe, and peruert the iudgement of all poore mennes chyldren: The Prophete Amos in the sixt Chapter, reprouing the Princes of Israell, for wal­lowing in vayne delyghtes, reckeneth on the abhomination of a Droonkard, in these words: They drinke wine in Bowles (sayth hee) and annoynt them selues with chiefe oyntmennts, but no man is sorie for the af­fliction of Ioseph. Micheas also in his se­conde Chapter, taunting and reproouing the chyldishnesse, and ignoraunce of the people, sayth: If a man lye falsely: saying, I wyll prophesie to thee of vvine, and strong drinke, that were a meete Prophet for this people. And the Prophete Abacuc in his seconde Chapter, seemeth to ioyne the prowde man and the Droonkard together, where he sayeth: Yea in deede the prowde man, is as hee that transgresseth by vvine, therefore shall he not endure: because hee hath enlarged his desyre as the hell, and is as death: And in the end of the same Chap­ter [Page] he sayeth: VVoo bee vnto him that geueth his neyghbour drinke: thou ioy­nest thy rage, and makest him droonken also, that thou mayst see theyr priuities: thou arte fylled with shame, for glorie: drinke thou also, and bee made naked, the Cuppe of the Lordes right hande, shall be turned vnto thee, and shamefull spewing shalbe for thy glorie.

But to conclude this proposition, al­though I myght héere alledge, very many other textes of holy Scriptures, which doo expressedly reproue this lothsome abhomi­nation, I thinke it sufficient to recyte the wordes of Paule, in the sixt Chapter of his fyrst Epistle to the Corinthians, where (amongste sundrye other vyces) hée pro­nounceth playne sentence against Droon­kardes, saying: That they shall not inhe­ryte the kingdome of God: And in his fyfth Chapter to the Galathians, and to the Ephesians, hée repeateth (in manner) the selfe same wordes. This is then the thyrde branche of the fruites which grow by this beastly vyce, euen the wrath of God, and losse of the heauenly habitation.

Nowe if these aucthorities, examples, [Page] counsels, and commandements, séeme not sufficient to terrifye vs from falling into this swynish and filthye abhomination. I can doo no more. but praye vnto God, that some better learned, and more eloquent then I, maye (by assistance of his holy spy­rite) be made able to set downe such whol­some lessons for the auoyding thereof, that the excesse and custome of the same, maye generallye throughout all Christendome, and especially héere in England, be refor­med: And the plagues and punishmentes by him threatened and pronounced (by his clemency and mercy) may be withdrawne and remytted: So that in all cleanesse and purenesse of hart, we maye praise his name: To whome with the Sonne and the holy Ghost, bée all do­minion, power and glory, nowe and for euer. So bée it.