Nosque ubi primus equis oriens afflavit anhelis, Illis sera rubens accendit lumina vesper.

So did Petronius in Tacitus, Heliogabalus in Lampridius,

—Noctes vigilabat ad ipsum Mane, diem totum stertebat.—

Smyndiris the Sybarite, never saw the Sun rise or set, so much as once in twenty yeers. Verres, against whom Tully so much enveighs, in Winter he never was extra tectum, vix extra lectum, never almost out of bed, still wenching, and drinking; so did he spend his time, and so do Myriads in our days.

They have gymnasia bibonum, schools and rendezvous; these Centaures and Lapithæ, toss pots, and bowls, as so many balls, invent new tricks, as Salsages, Anchoves, Tobacco, Caveare, pickled Oysters, Herrings, Fumadoes, &c. innumerable salt-meats to increase their appetite, and study how to hurt themselves by taking Antidotes, to carry their drink the better:

and when naught else serves, they will go forth, or be conveyed out to empty their gorge, that they may return to drink afresh. They make laws, insanas leges, contra bibendi fallacias, and brag of it when they have done, crowning that man that is soonest gone, as their drunken predecessors have done, —quid ego video? Pl. Cum coronâ Pseudolum ebrium tuum—.

And when they are dead, will have a Can of Wine with Marons old woman to be engraven on their tombs. So they triumph in villany, and justifie their wickedness; with Rablais that French Lucian, drunkenness is better for the body then Physick, because there be more old drunkards, then old Physitians.

Many such frothy arguments they have, inviting and encouraging others to do as they do, and love them dearly for it (no glew like to that of good-fellowship.) So did Alcibiades in Greece, Nero, Bonosus, Heliogabalus in Rome, or Alegabalus rather, as he was stiled of old, (as Ignatius proves out of some old Coyns.) So do many great men still, as Heresbachius observes.

When a Prince drinks till his eyes stare, like Bitias in the Poet, —(ille impiger hausit Spumantem vino pateram)—and comes off cleerly, sound Trumpets, Fife and Drums, the spectators will applaud him, the Bishop himself (if he belie them not) with his Chaplain will stand by and do as much, O dignum principe haustum, ’twas done like a Prince.

Our Dutchmen invite all comers with a pail and a dish, Velut infundibula integras obbas exhauriunt, & in monstrosis poculis, ipsi monstrosi monstrosius epotant, making barrels of their bellies. Incredibile dictu, as one of their own Countrymen complains: Quantum liquoris immodestissima gens capiat, &c.

How they love a man that will be drunk, crown him and honor him for it, hate him that will not pledg him, stab him, kill him: A most intolerable offence, and not to be forgiven. He is a mortal enemy that will not drink with him, as Munster relates of the Saxons.

So in Poland, he is the best servitor, and the honestest fellow, saith Alexander Gaguinus, That drinketh most healths to the honor of his master, he shall be rewarded as a good servant, and held the bravest fellow that carries his liquor best, when as a Brewers horse will bear much more then any sturdy drinker,

yet for his noble exploits in this kinde, he shall be accounted a most valiant man, for Tam inter epulas fortis vir esse potest ac in bello, as much valor is to be found in feasting, as in fighting, and some of our City Captains, and Carpet Knights will make this good, and prove it. Thus they many times wilfully pervert the good temperature of their bodies, stifle their wits, strangle nature, and degenerate into beasts.

Some again are in the other extream, and draw this mischief on their heads by too ceremonious and strict diet, being over precise, Cockney-like, and curious in their observation of meats, times, as that Medicina statica prescribes, just so many ounces at dinner, which Lessius enjoyns, so much at supper, not a little more, nor a little less, of such meat, and at such hours,

a dyet drink in the morning, Cock-broth, China-broth, at dinner, Plumb-broth, a Chicken, a Rabbet, rib of a Rack of Mutton, wing of a Capon, the Merry-thought of a Hen, &c. to sounder bodies this is too nice and most absurd.

Others offend in overmuch fasting: Pining adays, saith Guianerius, and waking anights, as many Moors and Turks in these our times do. Anchorites, Monks, and the rest of that superstitious rank (as the same Guianerius witnesseth, That he hath often seen to have happened in his time) through immoderate fasting, have been frequently mad.

Of such men belike Hippocrates speaks, 1. Aphor. 5. when as he saith, They more offend in too sparing diet, and are worse damnified, then they that feed liberally, and are ready to surfet.