VVits miserie, and the vvorlds madnesse discouering the deuils incarnat of this age.

The intemperate and vnnaturall Deuils raised by Beelphogor, Prince of belly cheere.

IN that time that Gera the Emperour had made his festiuall of thrée daies long, and his messes were serued in according to the order of an Alphabet; Beelphogor gorged with multitude of dishes, and dead drunke with varietie of wines, at last fell fatally sicke of an extreame surfet. Sleepe his Phisitian was sent for, but hee could not digest it; Manna, Rubarb, and the best easie & pure drugs were ministred, but they wrought nothing in his gorged stomacke. His brother Deuils loth to loose so kind a friend, and necessary member of the common∣weale of confusion, sent to Persia for the high priest of Bel who was held a great Magitian and a Phisitian. This holy father, faced like the North wind of a map, mounted on a horned. Deuill instead of a Spanish Gen•…•…et, speedily posted to his court▪ and was atdast admitted to his presence, where after sight of his vrine and féeling of his pulse▪ with a bitter sigh (as terrible as a Tarnado on the coast of Spaine) he began in these words to tell his opinion: Palsgraue of the pipes of wine, Grand dispo∣ser of delicates, it is no receipt of the Hipocratists, nor potion of the Galtenists, can dissolue the trudities and surcharging hu•…•…rs of your stoi•…•…atke: but as among the Barbarians and Cannibuls the priests are phisitians and neuer faile of their c•…•…re, so the patient thinke thei•…•… able, & the thing possible; so I, the priest in your rights & sacrifi•…•…s, (if so your great Bellyship haue a good opinion of my experience) am both able, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ rid you of your surset without paine or trouble Beelphogor. glad of this, poured •…•… tun of Gréeke wine downe his throat for his good counsell, and assuring him that he considently trusted in his cunning, our cure-deuill at last began his Incantation. Long had he not mubled in a great cane, which he had brought

in his wide sleeue, and washt the patients temples in a Fat •…•…: vnpurged Malmsey, but Beelphogor began to cast or discharge, (let it please chast eares to let slip this vnreuerent word) and in stead of voiding corrupt fle•…•…me, Adust choller, and other in∣digested excrements, he sent forth (oh procreation incredible to be thought of) fiue fiends, dull winged like Bats, spirits of the elements next neighbouring the earth, whoin clouds of fogges and mists, hauing haunted Asia, Africa, and Europe: for the most part haue by a Southerne wind of late daies béene blown into England, and become incarnate after this maner follow∣ing (yet reseruing those names to theselues which their grand∣sire Sathan gaue them.) The first is D•…•…este of spirit, and he dwels in an English man late come out of Germany, who ha∣uing béene an apprentise to drunkennesse since the yéeres of his discretion, is lately arriued, to make a dearth of S•…•…ks in En∣gland. If you marke his gate in the stréets, it is sausages and neats tongues: he shawn•…•…es like a cow had broke her forelegs: you shall euer see him sweating, and his landresse, I know, hath a good master of him, for the very pure grease of his hand∣kerchiefe, is sufficient to find her candles for a winter time: his eies are full of cathars, and had he not a vent by them to dis∣charge his head, his braines long since had sunk in a •…•…uagmire: hée hath chéekes dropsie proofe, and a nose, such a nose as neuer nose was greater: from the wast to the foot of equall proporti∣on: his necke drowned in his head and shoulders, his body in his buttocks, and his buttocks in his calfes: all pure béefe of twenty pence a stone, a dog would not eat it. This Deuill of a drunkard hath no felicity but in a tauerne, and for euery day if he make not a man drunke, he hath spent much idle tune: he hath all the tearmes of art set downe by T. N. in his Supplica∣tion to the Deuill, Primum ad fund•…•…m, secundum his medium, tertium v•…•… primum, sic debes bibere vinum. He hath a sausage al∣waies in his pocket to driue downe drinke, and in stead of the stories of the nine worthies, he hath painted in a booke in their antiques all the faithfull drunkards of his age: he th•…•… k•…•… himselfe with •…•…uita, another with Ke•…•…h win•…•… an•…•… •…•…∣sters, another with Heringes and pickeld h•…•…rings: he 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉

their names (and Epigrams to them) of the best maker of this age. Of all nations and citizens he can not abide a Romane: aske him why, Fie on them (quoth he) the slaues kill their wiues for drunkennesse. Draw him but into the common place of wine, he will weary the whole company (with one quart & a morcell more, and so God be at your sport M. Tatlton:) first he saith that it is vitis, quasi vita, a man were as good misse his life as wine: againe, that (in Almaine and France) wine is the most honourable present to strangers: he alledgeth you these verses out of Ralblais (but with this breathing poing, One pottle more of that next the doore Ned,)

Furiena est de bon sens ne iouist, Quibeit ben vin & ne s'en reiouist.

Mad is the knaue and his wits haue the collicke, That drinkes good wine and is not frollicke.

After the company hath drunke carouse about, and sung Cho∣robent, and Gaude plurimum, forward goes he, By gots hun∣dred towsand ton a deuels, all Caesars armie had bene lost with∣out wine: and the only medicine for the flegme is (in his know∣ledge) thrée cups of Charnico fasting: he hath the Prouerbe of the old Phisitians (post crudum purum) a gallon of wine to an apple is pure simetry and proportion in drinking: fill his cup a∣gaine of Madera wine, and let him wipe his eies after his fa∣shion, you shall haue stories too, as true as the voiage of Pan∣tagruel. I was (will he say) somtime in a Tauerne, and it was with some of my neighbours that it was (this drinkes too flat Iohn, fill better, saith he, and carousing in stead of a full point he prosecutes his matter,) and it chanced as we were a drinking I saw mine host carry two pitchers full of water into his wine seller, hauing two other carried after by his apprentice full of good wine (as I supposed:) now Sir, (suspecting same knauery) I thrust my head out of the window, and cried mainly with a full throat, Fire, fire, fire; By reason it was somewhat tow∣ards night (now a bit, & then a cup more) I was quickly heard, so that at the last, the Tauerne was full of all sorts of people, some bringing water, (as the contrary to fire,) others oile, (good to quench lightning,) some ladders to clime the house

top, some vineger to lay on scalding: The people entring into the chamber where I was, and seeing neither fird, nor sinoake, fearefully aske mée where the fire was? I also hoarse with crying, at last answered them that it was in the sel∣ler, and I was sure of it, and for proofe therof (quoth I) I saw the host very now carrie down store of water. They hearing this, sodainly ran downe into the seller, where they found the Ta∣uerner with his prentice mingling wine and water together, all the companie detesting his knauerie, one cast his paile of water at his head, another his oile, another his vineger, ano∣ther broke a sticke out of his lather, and all to bebeat him: the host souced in souce like a pickled herring, ran away to saue himselfe, the people fell a drinking til they left him neuer a drop in his seller, and I (a pottle more of Charnico, Edward) with∣out paying pennie for my Wine, went away with the goblet, (and I drinke to you good man Pouling) this last period is a pottle at least, and how say you by my taleteller? Wil you haue yet more? Take him frō this his dailie exercise, he is as dead as a doore naile, hee hath no more sence then a shoat in pickle: Get him to church, hée sléepes out the sermon: persuade him to absti∣nence, tut saith hée it ingenders Cathars, & nourisheth the Me∣grim; examine him in his worldly affairs, talke of that to mor∣row: the onely meanes to wake him is to tell him the Uintage is come home, for against that time hée makes him a doublet a quarter wider in the wast then the first, because hée will walke and drinke easelie. It would make a good wit druncke to dream•…•… of his qualities, I will therefore here leaue him, and as I haue painted him out to the eie, so will I conuict his detestable course by reason. First maketh hée that which was ordained to bée the temple of the Holy-ghost a den of Deuils, next drowneth hée that spirit which was created for heauenly contemplations, in earthly and transitorie pleasures then by his Gast imargia and Epicurisme, he dulleth his conscience with an apoplery & nomb∣nes, so that it hath no power to distinguish mortall sinnes, from heauenly & intelectuall delights; lastly by detesting continency, he suffereth the plagues of excesse, and looseth the benefites of abstinence, which maintaine the soule in his harmonie, and the

bodie in health and temperature, and as Horace saith,

—Quin corpus •…•…nustum* 1.1 Hesternis vitijs animum quo{que} pergrauat vna, At{que} adfigit humi diuinae particulam aurae.

A bodie loaden with the nights excesse, At once the mind with dulnesse doth oppresse. Affixing to the earth by dull desire, The heauenbread soule that should to heauen aspire.

Of all detestable sinnes dronkennesse is most vildest, for it bréedeth lothsomenesse in those that most delight in it; It is a a luxurious thing as the wise man saith, and the immoderate* 1.2 vse of wine hurteth a man foure kind of waies: first it is the cause of thraldome, secondly the confusion of honestie, thirdlie, the complement of vice and vol•…•…ptuòusnesse, fourthly▪ the signe of follie: The first is manifest in this, because the origi∣nall root and occasion of disgrace was in wine, whereby Noe* 1.3 became the slaue of dronkennesse, and the scorne of his sonne Cam: That it is the confusion of honestie it appeareth, because whosoeuer is accustomed therein, hée is banished the societie of good men, and subiect to mightie discredits; What is more filthie then a droncken man, saith Innocentius? who hath stench in his mouth, trembling in his bodie, follie in his tongue, and want of secresie in his heart: his mind is aliena∣ted, his face is deformed, and no secret can bée had where •…•…brietie is soueraigne. And Seneca saith, That the mind intan∣gled by dronckennesse, hath no power of it selfe; and if it bée rightlie considered of, it is but a voluntarie madnesse. Alex∣ander transported with this sinne, slew Chtus his faithfull friend at a banquet, and after hée had recouered himselfe, hée would haue murthered and stabd himselfe for sorrow. The Romans figuring out the image of Ebrietie, painted it in this sort; First, they set downe the image of a boy, and next they painted a horne in his hand, and on his head they set a crowne of glasse: A child they painted him, in signe that it maketh a

man childish and past his sence or gouernement: They ga•…•… him a horne in his hand, in token that hée alwairs soun∣deth and publisheth secrets whatsoeuer, and they crow∣ned him with glasse, because the dronckard reporteth himselfe a glorious and rich man, where hée is as poore as Irus: Paup•…•…rior Iro, as the Poet saith. Valerius in his •…•…ixt Booke and second Chapter reporteth this Hystorie: A certaine innocent and guiltlesse woman, was condemned by Philip King of Macedon in his drunkennesse, who confident and affuted of her owne Innocencie, cried out, I appeale from Philip drunken, to Philip sober. The King ashamed at this reprehension, shakt of sléepe, re∣couered his sences, and gaue more diligent regard to the cause, and at last finding right on her side, reuersed the Iudge∣ment, and acquited the woman. By which it appeareth, that the shaking off of dronkennesse, is the establishing of rea∣son, and the custome thereof the destruction of honestie: That it is the complement of voluptuousnesse and pleasure it appeareth likewise, for modestie restraineth manie men from sinne, and where it is taken away and subdued by wine, the pleasure that lies hidden in the heart, is discouered without shame. Wherevpon Seneca saith, Plures pudere peccana•…•… qu•…•…m bou•…•… voluntate prohibiti sunt à peccato & scelere, More men are pro∣hibited from offence and wickednesse by the shame of sinne, then by good intention and will; but where the mind is possessed with too much force of wine, whatsoeuer euill lurked in the heart, is discouered by the tongue. That Wine likewise is the experi∣ment and signe of follie it is manifest, because if a man bée in∣clined to any euill whatsoeuer, a triall and experience of the same must bée made in his drunkennesse, and therefore the Germanes neuer consult before they drinke, perhaps allu∣ding and relying on that of Ecclesiastes, Vinum corda superb•…•…∣rum* 1.4 arguit, Wine openeth and argueth the secrets of prowd men: vpon all which premises I inferre, that drunkennesse and all disordinate riot, is hurtfull to all estates, for if it seize the poore man, hée shall not bée rich, if it depriue

the rich man, his substance shal be consumed; if it distraught the yong man, hée will not bée instructed; if it take hold on the old man, it makes him a foole: For this cause Origen vpon Genesis speaking of Lot saith, Ebri et as peior fuit quam Sodoma, qui•…•… quem* 1.5 Sodoma nondecepit illa caepit. Dronkennesse was worse then Sodome, for when Sodome could not deceiue, hee ouertooke: These consi∣dered, let this fiend be auoided, if not in regard that he defameth vs in this world, yet in respect that hée kéepes and excludeth vs out of heauen.

The second fiend of this race is Immoderate and Disordinate Ioy, and he became incorporate in the bodie of a •…•…easter, this fel∣low in person is comely, in apparell courtly, but in behauiour a very ape, and no man: his studie is to coine bitter ieasts, or to show antique motions, or to sing baudie sonnets and ballads: giue him a little wine in his head, he is cōtinually flearing and making of mouthes: he laughes intemperately at euery litle oc∣casion, and dances about the house, leaps ouer tables, out-skips mens heads, trips vp his companions héeles, burns Sacke with a candle, and hath all the feats of a Lord of misrule in the coun∣trie: féed him in his humor, you shall haue his heart, in méere kindnesse he will hug you in his armes, kisse you on the chéeke, and rapping out an horrible oth, crie Gods Soule Tum, I loue you, you know my poore heart, come to my chamber for a pipe of Tabacco, there liues not a man in this world that I more honor; In these ceremonies you shall know his courting, and it is a speciall marke of him at the table, he sits and makes fa∣ces: kéep not this fellow company, for in iugling with him, your Wardropes shall be wasted, your credits crackt▪ your crownes consumed, and time (the most precious riches of the world) vt∣terly lost. Nemo sal: at sobrius, saith the Prouerbe, A wise man ne∣uer danceth: fli•…•… therefore this Deuill, except you long to be fooles with him, and vnfortunately end in your dancing (like Lewis Archbishop of Magdēburge) who in treading his lauo•…•…tos and corrant•…•…s with his mistresse, in trying the horsetrick broke his necke: remember your selues likewise of this verse in the old Poet,

Post flores fructus post maxima gaudia luctus,Fruits followes flowers, and sorrow greatest ioy.

Beside consider what Seneca writeth of worldly ioy, where he saith it is the messenger of future miserie; Flie it therefore, for it is alwaies seconded by some sorrow or mischiefe. Another sonne of this race is Multiplication of words, and he first incar∣nated himselfe in the bodie of an Intelligencer, this is a notable knauish fiend to intangle any man; for he neuer ceaseth to giue occasion in his cups for men to ouershoot themselues, he will of purpose cast out suspitious words of his Prince, to sée how men are affected, & talke of forbidden bookes to get some man confesse if hée conceale any of them: I would you should well know hée hath béene a trauailer, and can play the Nullifidian as well as any of Sathans succession: whittle him a little (like the King of France his Switzer when he had drunk vp the bottle of Gréek wine) hée will tell you the secrets of all the Commonweales of Christendome, he is an inward man in the Emperours estate, and dare assure you that he hath nothing of the Empire but cer∣tain summes of mony which he receiueth annually of the impe∣riall townes, and of certaine Gentlemen that hold their lands immediately of the Empire; and if you draw him to computa∣tion, he saith it is about some 200 thousand Florins by yeare; As for that in Boheme and Mora•…•…a, and places appertaining to the said Realm, he gathereth no more in them then 700 thou∣sand Florins annually: Touching Silesia, Lausatia and Hun∣gary, he saith they hold all in fée of the Empire. He can assure you that Denmarke, Sue•…•…ia, Hungary, and Boheme, are ele∣ctiues; and that in Wallachia the Turke ordaineth the gouer∣nors, yet Christians necessarily, because al the nation follow the Gréeke church. Bring him into Poland, he is able to say thus much of that kingdome, that the King hath for reuenue but six or seuen hundreth thousand Dollers for the intertainement of his house, and that when he maketh war, it is vpon the expence of the country, without the consent of whom hée can otherwise do nothing. And if you inquire of his forces, he thinks the coun∣trey may well bring 140 thousand furnisht horse into the field vpon occasion of seruice. If you fall in question of the Turke

his knowledge is this that he hath alwaies in prest for the war 130 thousand Timariste, (who are waged by lands which the Turke hath giuen them, to the end they should entertain so ma∣ny horse at his command) he hath beside them 14 thousand Ia∣nisaries, and 36 thousand Spaies, continually waged by mony: Besides all those that goe into the war or haue any place or dig∣nity vnder him, are either Apostataes, or the sonnes of Renega∣dos; as for the Turks by race, they are alwaies kept in serui∣tude and pouertie, either exercised in Marchandise or seruing in the Temples. Touching his reuenue hée hath nine millions of gold, (besides the presents which his officers send him, and the lands of his owne demeasne,) besides he hath Daces or taxes of the Iews and Christians euery one paying him a Shikin a year. And touching his gouernors, he saith they are Basshawes, and that the continuance of their authorities is but from thrée yeares to thrée yeares. Bring the Pope in question, he can tell you this (for perhaps he hath knowne his beneuolence) that hée built the Seminary of the Iesuits of an hospital, contrary to the will of the dead; and how he hath taken thrée hundreth crownes of pencion lately from them, so that now they haue but sixe hun∣dreth to maintaine themselues: he is séen in many other things likewise which I must not speake of, but beware of multiply∣ing words with him, for though hée butt not with his horns be∣cause he will not bée thought a cuckold, hée will giue a shroud wound with his tongue, that may bring a man to his necke∣verse: hee hath continually a warrant in his pocket, and vnder colour of attaching Traitors, troubles and spoiles many honest men. Blesse your selues from him Maisters, for though he hath a smooth tongue, his heart is deceitful. Of his race was Sinon that betraied Troy, and of his faction be all such most to bée fea∣red and fled from.

Qui Curi•…•…s simulant & Bacchanalia viuunt,That seeme graue men but are lasciuious knaues.

Wonderfull it is to sée his course, he is generall and open in discourse, but vnder intent to deceaue, he will play the good fel∣low

but to make 〈◊〉〈◊〉 profite of any man, he will speake in se∣rious matter, though he shew himselfe a foole, and conclude vp∣on any thing though it be without reason: & though the course of intelligence (according to Machiauell) be necessary in an e∣state, and worthy the execution of a considerate and good man (for his countries sake) yet the Sparta being laid on his shoul∣ders that hath no honestie, maketh that estate odious, which o∣therwise would be honest: Thus much in description of a disor∣dinate babler, now let vs heare somewhat against the inconti∣nencie of language, and the vnbounded babble of the tongue. He that kéepeth his tongue (saith Salomon) kéepeth his soul, and* 1.6 he that is inconsiderate in his spéech shall find mischiefe: he that hath not offended in his words is a wise and perfect man, and according to Cato it is the chiefest vertue to set a hatch before the dore of our tongues, Solon, S•…•…onides, and Zenocrates, being* 1.7 demanded why they spake so little, answered that they neuer repented themselues that they had held their peace, but contra∣riwise in speaking and returning answers. It was noted by Aeschilus the Tragedian, that God in our bodies hath planted two eies, two eares, two nosthrils, and the braine aboue the tongue, to giues vs to vnderstād, that we ought rather sée, hear, and conceiue, then speake: Ieremie in his Lamentations writ∣ten in verse; hath (contrary to the order of the Hebrew Alpha∣bet put the Letter Pe, before Ghain, (as Rabbi Salomon saith) to aduertise vs to speake nothing which we haue not heard, (for Pe in Hebrew signifieth the month, and Ghain signifieth the eies.) It is written of the Philosopher Anacharsis, that hée said that two members of the bodie ought carefully to bée kept, namely the tongue, and the parts vndecent to be named, for néerest (saith hée) approch they to God that can moderate them both; and Horace saith,* 1.8

Sed tacitus pascisi posset coruus, haberet Plus dapis & rixae multo min•…•…, inuidiae{que}.

If so the crow could feast him without prate, More meat he should receiue, lesse braule, and hate.

Let therefore this fiend and furie of the tongue bée banished from vs, for as Barnard saith, Non est capillu•…•… de capit•…•…, •…•…ec momentum de tempore, de quo rationem non reddemus: There is not a haire of our heads nor a moment of time, of which we shall not yeeld account: and as Augustine saith, Exigetur a nobis omne tempus impensum, qua∣liter fuerit expensum, Wee shall haue an account exacted at our hands how we bestowed the time, which hath beene granted vs to liue in. And as the Rabine saith, The eie of God séeth, and his ear heareth, and al our works are written in his book: let therfore lo∣quacitie be banished, and let Catos words be considered, that

Proximus ille deo est qui scit ratione tacere,The man is wise can wisely hold his peace.

For the vanity of words sheweth the slightnes of wit; & inconsi∣deration, breaketh no waies out sooner then by the tongue; by it hates are increased, blasphemies published, and (being but the least member) it is the onely key that openeth the dores of hell. By it we wrong our neighbour, breake commandements, de∣praue Magistrates, accuse innocents, seduce Uirgines, corrupt yong men, mocke age: briefly, if it be not gouerned in man (I meane his tongue) it is able to kindle a greater fire (as the Phi∣losopher saith) then the whole world shall be able to quench.

Let this suffise for babling, for here marcheth forth Scurilitie, (as vntoward a Deuill as any of the rest) the first time he lookt out of Italy into England, it was in the habite of a Zani: This is an onely fellow for making faces, shewing lasciuious ge∣stures, singing like the Great Organ pipe in Poules, counter∣faiting any deformitie you can deuise, and perfect in the most vnchristian abhominations of Priapisme: hée hath ieasts to set an edge on lust, and such bitter Iibes, as might driue a Ca∣to to impatience; if hée sée an old man march in the stréet, hée re∣turns him a nichil habet; by a light huswife he dare say, y^• she is as rotten as an openarse: hée that longs to know more of him let him read Bouch•…•…ts Ser•…•…s, and if hée find a leafe without a grosse ieast hée may burne the Book I warrant him. And if he require further insight into the filthy nature of this fiend, in Artine in his mother N•…•…na, Rab•…•…ais in his Legend of Ribaudrie, and

Bonauenture de Perriers in his Nouels, he shall be sure to loose his time, and no doubt, corrupt his soule. I could amplifie this title as largely as any, and point out with the finger many E∣picures of this age, that are excellent in this abomination; but I feare me to corrupt in reporting corruptions, and to infect good & chast eares, with that which many of this godles world earnestly affect. Pitty it is that toward wits should be inchan∣ted with such wickednes, or that great mens studies should en∣tertaine that, which Philosophers schooles shamefully hist a∣way. In a word, let the Apostles counsell be entertained a∣mongst them, where he saith, Fornicatio autem & omnis immundi∣tia,* 1.9 aut auaritia, &c. Fornication, and all vncleannesse or auarice, let it not so much as be named among you, as it becommeth saints, or filthinesse, or foolish talke, or scurrilitie, being to no purpose: but let men so season their behauiours and discourses, that Menan∣ders words may be falsified in them, That the vanity of the tongue hath bene the ruine of many men.

The last Erinnis of this line, is Slouenlin•…•…s & Vnclean•…•…es: this spirit at first became incorporate in the person of an Italian, who, banished Padua for buggery, trauelleth here and there in England to méet with more of his fraternity: he is a méere ene∣mie to the Sopemakers, for he washeth not a shirt in a twelue∣month, & at that time for frugality sake, hée buies not another, but lies in bed till y^• first be washed: he neuer washes his hands and face, because he faith that Sol vrit pur•…•…ora, The sunne burneth and tanneth the purest: neither weares hée apparell, except it come of beneuolence; for (saith he) Bene venit, qu•…•…d gratis venit, It comes well, that comes of free cost. In wearing his apparell he is a Cinicke, for brushing (saith he) weareth away the wooll; beating driues the dust in a mans eies, and the heauier the gar∣ment is, the better it weares: he is as frée as the king in a bau∣dy house, and so his belly be full and lust satisfied, Cuc•…•…llus non facit monachum, A man of worth is not knowne by his good ap∣parell: he shifts his lodging euery moneth, partly for necessity sake, partly for his pleasure: and his whole delight is to haue a well faced boy in his company: hée is a great acquaintance of the Brokers, and will not sticke to bring a man to a harlot:

he hath a heauy looke, a thréed bare cloake, a long fore coloured haire, and his mouth is like a Barbary purse full of wrinkles; he is the secretary to the spittle whores, and a mortall enemie to all that disdaine an Alehouse: he wild scold pretily, but a very boy may swinge him; but for lying, cogging, surfetting, whor∣dome, blasphemy, scurrilitie, gluttony, and more then these, the Epicure is a continent man in comparison. Of all men let a scholler beware of this infecting spirit, for if a man of good parts be bewitched with this beastlinesse, no man will waxe more de∣formed then he, especially let him flie dishonest and filthy wo∣men, that are able to infect nature by their societie: otherwise I may say as Martial said to Oppian:* 1.10

Illotus meri•…•…ris Oppiane.Sir you shall die a filthy slouen.

It resteth now (according to course) that I speake some∣what of the deformity of Beelphogor the father, since I haue in part scored out the vncleannesse of his children. Gluttony (as the Schoolemen write) is (both according to the habitude and act) a disordinate delight in eating and drinking, a mortall enemy of the vertue of temperance; of∣fending both in quantity, quality, time, and manner. It was first introduced from Asia into Rome, where (corruptions commonly being the swiftest in springing) it became from a seruile thing, the delight of the soueraignes: so that Apicius (an abiect cooke that profest the art of cookery in the kitchin) was not ashamed afterward to step into the schoole, and declaime in praise of it, whome for his insatiable abuses and inuentions, Pliny (and that rightly) called the Gulfe of prodigality. To this sinne Milo Crotoniates and Tagon (the belly-ged) were so addi∣cted, that the one bare an Oxe on his shoulders, and after de∣noured it; and the other (at the table of Autelian the Emperor) eat a Goat, a Hog, and drunke a Tierse of wine, and far more in boast of his intemperance. A•…•…boinus and Maximinus Empe∣rours, yéelding nothing in sensuality to this; for y^e one deuoured at a supper an hundred Peaches, ten Pepins, fiue hundred figs, beside diuers other things: the other, in one day eat forty pound

of flesh, and dronke a whole vessell of nine gallons of wine, to digest it. And now a daies our world rather superior then infe∣riour to other ages, in these kind of infirmities, neglecteth no∣thing in sensuality: our bankets are sauced with surfets, so that Beelphogor may (I feare me) claime as many followers and fautors in our age, as either he had in Persia, Rome, or Media: for our bankets excéed nature, and where our fathers were con∣tent with bread and water, which at first nourished mans life after the creation of the world: now neither the fruit of trées, nor the variety of corne, nor the roots of hearbs, nor the fishes of* 1.11 the sea, nor the beaste of the earth, nor the foules of the aire, can satisfie our intemperance: but (as Innocentius saith) paintings are sought for, spices are bought, foules are nourished, & cookes hired, to please appetite: one stampes and straines, another in∣fuseth and maketh confections; turning the substance into the accident, and nature into art. For which cause Seneca (deriding the variety of banquets) saith, Vna s•…•…lua pluribus Elephantibus suf∣ficit,* 1.12 homo vero pascitur terra & mari. One wood sussiseth to nou∣rish diuers Elephants, but man feedeth both on sea and earth. And in his tenth booke of his Declamations, he saith, Whatsoeuer bird flieth, whatsoeuer fish swimmeth, whatsoeuer beast runneth, is buried in our bodies: all which in the truth of things is both a∣gainst nature and Art: for both Art and nature, forbiddeth that contraries should be mixt togither: which not withstanding in our festiuals are often done. But if we consider how hurtfull it is to our bodies, and damnable for our soules, doubtlesse ex∣cept wée be blinded in heart, wée shall quickely detest it. In many meates (saith Ecclesiastes) there is much infirmi∣tie; and (according to Seneca) wée therefore die suddenly, be∣cause we liue vpon dead things. Why then should we de∣light* 1.13 in that which causeth our detriment? Policrates saith, that the intemperancy of meate subuerteth manners, and preiudizeth mans health: and Hippocrates maintaineth this, that grosse and fat bodies, growen beyond measure, except by letting blood, they be somewhat abated, become numme and insensible, and fall into most dangerous diseases. Chrysostome saith, that excesse of meat consumeth and rotteth

mans body by continuall sicknes, and at last bringeth cruell death. Galen (the interpreter of Hypocrates) saith, That they that are grossesed, can not be long time healthfull: concluding, that those soules can not meditate or conceiue celestiall things, whose bodies are ouergrowen with blood, flesh, and fat. It is re∣ported of Dionysius the tirant, that being too much swallowed vp by surfet and drunkennesse, he lost his eie sight; for there is nothing sooner dulleth the eie, then excesse: because (as Portu∣minus saith) Edacitas cibos terit, sed oculos v•…•…rat, Gluttony spendeth meat, but deuoureth the eies. Macrobius in his Saturnals, pro∣poseth a very prety and disputable question; namely, whether vniforme and simple meat, be better and easier of digestion, then diuers and different? and to this a certaine Philosopher answereth, that diuers and different meat is the hardest of dige∣stion for these causes: first it appeareth in beasts, which be∣cause they féed on a simple and pure nutriment, are most helth∣full; and if any of them be diseased, it is when by variety of medicine and mans folly, they are nourished against the course of their nature: secondly, because all simple meat is more easily digested, in signe whereof, euery Phisitian recouereth and mi∣nistreth to his patient in one kind of food, that nature may more easily conuert the simple meat into her selfe: thirdly, because as the variety of wine, hurteth more then one sort of wine in the same quantity, in like sort doth the variety of meat: fourthly, because he that obserueth one kind of simple diet, may more ea∣sily iudge and gesse at the cause of his infirmitie (if at any time he féele himselfe distempered) and consequently can more easily auoid such kind of food: whereas if hée should haue vsed diuers, he should vtterly be ignorant, to which of many he should im∣pute the cause of his sicknesse: fistly, because in the stomacke, the nature of diuers meats is very different, therefore (nature working vniformitie for her owne part) certaine are sooner di∣gested then other, (the rest remaining in the stomacke being crude) and consequently that r•…•…ts which is afterwards to be di∣gested: by which reasons it followeth, that these rich men v∣sing diuers kind of dishes, do by that means shorten their owne liues. But perhaps to particularize diseases will be held more

forcible argumenes, I will therefore tell you what infirmi∣ties surfet bréedeth. First (as Auicen saith) it hindreth the braine, the liuer, and the nerues, it causeth conuulsions, sown∣dings, Epilepsies, the falling sicknesse, and the palsey: it ingen∣ders the lamenesse in the legges, the gout, the Sciatica, the A∣poplexie, and a thousand defluxions, cathars, and crudities of the stomacke, which procéed from nought els, but from the insa∣tiable desire of drinking and eating. All philosophie will con∣fesse vnto me, that the more a man stuffes and chargeth his sto∣macke, the more he gréeueth it; for first of all it is necessary that he surmount and excéed the nutriment and meat, and digest it also; and in the surmounting he must striue, and in striuing he wearieth himselfe, and in wearying himselfe he waxeth féeble, and in waxing féeble he finally consumeth, and then his cooke (I meane his stomacke) vnable to worke or boile, it followeth of necessity that he must die. But leaue we this to Phisitians to decide, and like Christians let vs learne to say with Seneca (though a Pagan) Maius sum, & ad maiora natus sum, quam vt fiam mancipium corporis mei, I am greater, and borne to greater things, then to become the bondslaue of mine owne body. Brief∣ly, (since according to Augustine) Gluttony marcheth neuer* 1.14 but accompanied with other vices: and (in his fourth booke ad Sacras virgines) since Ebrietie is the mother of all vice, the trou∣ble of the head, the subuersion of the sense, the tempest of the tongue, the storme of the body, the shipwracke of sanctity, and the soule; let vs conquer this monster by our abstinence, liuing according to the examples of Paul, the first Hermite Hilarius, Macharius, and others; that that saying may be truly verified in vs, that In carne esse, &c. To be in the flesh and not to liue after the flesh, is rather the life of Angels then men. And thus far for Gluttony and Beelphogor, whome (I hope) I haue so coniured, as he shall haue little welcome to those that haue any sparke of piety: the vantgard and battell are already discoinsited, now Astaroth looke to your rereward, for I assure my selfe to dis∣comfit you.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Satura. 2. lib. 2.
• * 1.2

  Prouerb. 20.
• * 1.3

  Gene. 6.
• * 1.4

  Eccles. c•…•…. 31.
• * 1.5

  Orig. hom 5. •…•…n Gen.
• * 1.6

  Prouerb 13. Lac. 3.
• * 1.7

  〈1 line〉〈1 line〉.
• * 1.8

  〈1 line〉〈1 line〉
• * 1.9

  Ephes. 5.
• * 1.10

  Mart. lib. 6. Epigram. 42.
• * 1.11

  Lib. de •…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ con•…•…t.
• * 1.12

  Epist. 8.
• * 1.13

  Lib. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 10. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 8. cap. 6.
• * 1.14

  Lib. 4. de b•…•…i. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.