Healthes: sicknesse. Or A compendious and briefe discourse; prouing, the drinking and pledging of healthes, to be sinfull, and vtterly vnlawfull vnto Christians by arguments, Scriptures, fathers, moderne diuines, Christian authors, historians, councels; imperiall lawes and constitutions; and by the voyce and verdict of prophane and heathen writers: wherein all those ordinary obiections, excuses, or pretences which are made to iustifie, extenuate, or excuse the drinking or pledging of healthes, are likewise cleared and answered. By William Prynne Gent. Hospitii Lincolniensis.

TO THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTIE PRINCE, CHARLES BY THE Grace of God, King of great Brittaine, France and Ireland, Defendor of the Faith, &c.

MOst Gracious and dread Soueraigne; ina whose spirituall & corporall health and welfare, the safety, health and hap∣pinesse both of our Church and State subsist: I the most vnworthiest & meanest of your true & faithfull Subiects, presuming on your Grace & Clemency, haue made bold to consecrate this meane & worthlesse Treatise, against Healthes, or Health-drinking, vnto your sacred Maiestie: & to commit my selfe and it, vnto your royall Patro∣nage. The reasons which swayed and emboldened me, to dedicate so small a Pamphlet, vnto so great

a Patron as your Maiestie, were chiefly these.

[ 1] First, because your Highnesse in regard of those infinite & many Healths, which are daily carouzed in your royall Name, throughout your Kingdome, & else where: are more interessed in the theame & subject of this compendious Discourse, then any o∣ther that I know.

[ 2] Secondly, because your Majestie of all other per∣sons within your owne Dominions, are most disho∣noured, praeiudiced and abused by these Healths; & that in these respects.

[ 1] First, in that your sacred Health, your Name, your Crowne & Dignity, by meanes of Healths, are made the daily table. complement, grace, & first salute of euery iouiallb Courtier; the grand∣serjeanty & chiefe allegeance of euery great or petty, of euery Corporation, Court or Country Officer: the principall welcome and entertein∣ment, of euery rusticke Gentleman: the piety, & meal deuotion, of many a Trencher-Chaplin: the logicke, theame & rhetoricke, of euery pot∣learned Scholler: the phrase &c valour, of e∣uery deboist and roaring Souldiour: the liuerie, & table-buttrie-sellar-talke of euery good-fellow Serving-man: the ceremonie, by-word, & ale. discourse, of euery base Mechanicke, of euery ru∣sticke

Clowne and Peasant: the first ingredient, of euery Drunkards Cup: the first Pot-seruice at euery great or meane mans Table: the song, the an∣theme, foot or musicke of euery festiuall & mer∣ry meeting: the prologue or praeludium to eue∣ry drunken match and skirmage: the orna∣ment, grace or garland, of euery ebrious Round: the onely Ramme or Pol-axe to assault, to force, & batter downe; the most flexanimous Eloquence, to sollicite; and the most energeticall and vncon∣trolable Argument, to ouercome, the sobrietie & temperance of all true-hearted, realld practicall & blessed Christians, (who make a conscience of excesse, because the Scripture doth condemne it:) the chiefe Alectiue, bait or stratagem, to draw men on to drunkennesse; and the onely Patronage and protection, to iustifie, countenance, and beare out, the intemperance & riot of all such, who deeme ex∣cesse & drunkennesse ae vertue, & no sinne at all; (at least but ventall) if your Majesties Healths occasion it. And is not this a great affront, indig∣nity & dishonor to your Majesty, that your sacred Health, your Name, and royall Crowne, should bee thus prophaned, & banded vp & downe in euery Drunkards mouth? in euery Cup & Can? in euery Tauerne, Tap-house, Hall, or Seller? (vnhallow∣ed,

base & sordid places, vnworthy of so holy & great a Name and Presence:) that euery degenerous, infamous & stigmaticall Belialist: euery deboist & brutish Pot-companion, (whosef very com∣pany and acquaintance all Christians should abhor:) that the very of scouring, dreggs, & scum of men, should so farre debase & vnderualue them: as to prostitute them to their swinish sinnes & lusts; as to command & vse them at their pleasures, to en∣force & toll on others to drunkennes & excesse: & so to make the great Defendor of the Faith, the ground, the Patron, & grand Protector of all in∣temperance; as if Drunkennesse were the sole and onely Faith that Kings defend? It was no little griefe, nor trouble to great and good King Da∣uid, thatg hee was the drunkards song: and shall it not then bee your Majesties greatest griefe, and chiefe dishonour; that your royall Crowne and sacred Health, should not onely be made the song, the phrase, the complement, the ceremony, by∣word, and pot-discourse; but euen the Glosse, the Text, the Religion, the Engine, the Patronage, the Plea and Iustification, the stallion, and vi∣zard of euery drunken Tos-pot, of euery sordidh hostile, and pernitious Parasite: as if you were no better then the Diuell Bacchus, the Idol-god of

wine, of Healths, and drunkennesse? Doubtlesse though it were the honour of heathen Kings, and Diuell-gods in former ages, to haue their Healths carouzed and quaffed off at euery solemne and festi∣uall meeting; yet it is the greatest contumclie, in∣dignity and dishonour to any good or Christian King, who should bee a veryi God on earth, (not onely in respect of Soueraignty and command: but likewise in thek transcendency of grace, of holinesse, and thel exemplarinesle of his pra∣cticall, pious, regulating and reforming life:) to haue his Name, his Health, his Crowne and dignity thus vilified and abused: by sordid, beastly, wicked and vngodly men, to such sinester, sinfull, gracelesse, heathenish and infernall ends as these; to patronize their grosse intemperance, and so to drowne their owne and others soules, in drunkennesse, riot, and excesse of wine.

Secondly, as Healthes doe thus dishonour, so likewise they doe praeiudice and wrong your sacred Maiestie in two respects.

First, in merging, quenching and drowning the multitude, heat and feruency of those publike and pri∣uate Prayers, which euery loyall subiect owes vnto your Grace. It is (m) Gods owne iniunction, and it was the Christians practise euen vnder

pagann Emperours, in former ages,) that Sub∣iects should make prayers, and supplications, and intercessions for Kings, and all that are in authority: not drinke, carouze, or reuell for them: But by reason of the Divells malice, and mens pro∣digious wickednesse: these holy and feruent Prayers are turned into prophane, hellish, excessiue, and vn∣christian Healthes: (theo onely meanes to draw downe curses and diseases, yea woes and fatall indgements on a King and Kingdome:) Hence it is now accounted a part of Puritanisme, to make a conscience of praying constantly and pri∣uatly; but a part of Protestanisme, piety, and true deuotion, to make no conscience of drinking open∣ly and howerly, euen beyond excesse it selfe, for your Maiesties health and welfare: Hence is it, that most men prefer their Healths before their Pray∣ers; and therefore would rather drinke your Ma∣iesties Healthp a whole night or day, or week, or month: nay an whole yeare together, then pray in priuacy and feruency one hower for it: Hence is it that many men place their Religion Allegeance and Deuotion in these Healths; thinking themselues most pious, loyall, andq religious to their Soueraigne, when they are most prophane, and impious, most ri∣otous

and luxurious; in drinking downe his Health: whence they deeme it a greater breach of allegeance, piety, and deuotion, not to pledge your Maiesties Health, then not to pray for it. So far haue Healths incroached, and of late vsurped vpon your blessed and best inheritance of your Subiects prayers: that they haue euen quite extinguished the heat and feruency, & much abated the multitude and frequency of them throughout your Kingdome, to your incomparable & peerlesse losse.

Secondly, they praeiudice your Maiesty exceedingly [ 2] in interessing and engaging you, in the excesse and drunkennes of many others; your Name being made a party to it, and your Health an occasion, apologie, praetence or iustification of it. Alas, how many thou∣sand persons, both are, & haue been drawn on (especi∣ally at festiuall and solemne times of ioy and thank∣fulnes) to drunkennes & excesse: drinking their wit out of their heads, their health out of their bodies, & God out of their soules; whiles they haue beene too busie & officious in carouzing Healthes vnto your sacred Maiesty? Manifold are the mischiefs, sins and inconueniences, which your Maiesties Healths occasion in euery corner of this Iland, (which flotes in Seas of sin and drunkennes,) & more are they like to grow, if you preuent them not in time: Now

this is certaine, (if I may be so bold as tor speake the truth vnto your Grace, in this our flattering age;) if that your Maiesties giue any tacite, allowance, consent or approbation to these luxurious and excessiue Healths, not laboring with care and conscience to suppresse them; you are then vndoubtedly made a party both to the guilt and punishment of all the sinne, the drunkennesse, and intemperance, that is oc∣casioned or produced by them, in any of your Subiects or Allies, (especially within the Verge and compasse of your Court and Pallace:) which thet King of Kings, and Lord of Lords will certainly require, at your hands, when asv all mankind shall be arraigned before the barre of his Tribunal, there to receiue an euerlasting doome and finall censure, according to their works, without respect of persons. Since there∣fore these Healths doe not onely dishonour, but like∣wise damnifie and praeiudice your sacred Name, your Health, your Crowne and Person, in all these respects: (which should cause your Maiesty, as you tender the honor of your Name, and the eternall welfare of your Souls, with care and speede for euer tow suppresse them:) I thought my selfe in some sort ingaged by Duty and Allegeance, to appropriate

this Treatise to your Grace aboue all other Patrons euen in this respect, to preuent all further mischiefs that Healths might bring vpon your sacred Person, Crowne or State.

Thirdly, I dedicated this Pamphlet to your Majesty aboue all other persons; because as none are so much interessed in this Theam and Subject, so none are so able in respect of place and power; none more obliged in regard of Duty, (you being, the supremest Magistrate, andz State-physiti∣on vnder God himselfe,) to purge these hydro∣picall, noxious, and superfluous humours, and vn∣healthy Healthes, out of the body of our State and Kingdome, which are now so much distempe∣red, molested and ouercharged by them, as your sa∣cred Maiesty: Whosea Duty, Honor, & solemn Oath it is: not onely to protect your Subiects, from all externall violence, wrongs, and dangers; to preserue their liues, their states, their peace, and liberties; and to seeke their temporall welfare, good, and happinesse, to the very vtmost of your power: but likewiseb to rule them in the feare of God, by vnsheathing, and drawing out the sword of Soveraigne Iustice against all sinne and wickednesse: by execu∣ting wrath and vengeance vpon all them that

doe evill without respect of persons, as the mi∣nister and avenger of God, designed for this purpose. andc by cutting off all the wicked of the Land:d (especially all gracelesse, swinish, and vnthrifty Drunkards, the very Drones and Cater∣pillars of a Common-wealth; and the most vnusefull, vnnecessarie, ande superfluous creatures of all others) that so you may cut off all wicked doers from the Citty of the Lord, and from your Court and Kingdome. on which they will pull downe wrath & indgements, vnlesse the arme & sword of iustice lop them off.

Fourthly, I did it to interest and ingage your Ma∣iestie, (if it may stand with your Princely will and pleasure,) in the defence and Patronage of this di∣stressed Treatise: which by reason of the prauitie, coldnesse, luxurie, and miserie of the times, can find no license for the Presse, though it hath sought it fa•• & neare: and therefore doth here humbly craue your Maiesties most royall Protection, and Allo∣wance: that so it may passe for currant Coyno: & divulge & spread it selfe in despite of Bacchus, and his ebrious Crew, to the affronting and suppressing of Healths and drunkennesse, (the Epidemical Diseases of our Nation, and thef world it selfe:) else it is like to proue abortiue, for want of

Mid-wife Authority to bring it forth: as many o∣ther workes and writings haue done of late, if the complaint of Stationers or Printers may be credi∣ted. These are the reasons, (Gracious Soveraigne) that animated and induced mee, to commend this worthlesse and forlorne Babe of mine, vnto your roy∣all Patronage: Not doubting but your Grace, vp∣on these praeuious considerations, seconded by the noualty and rarenesse of the subiect, which few haue largely handled: will most graciously owne it, and proue a safe and sure Sanctuary, both to me, and it, against the malice, spleene, and power, of all who shall oppose it. So shall this petty worke of mine, (which here I once more humbly offer vnto your sa∣cred Maiesty,) proue vsefull & profitable vnto men, whose good: but fatall and pernicious vnto Healths and Drunkennesse; whose finall ruine and subuer∣sion I cordially affect: (as being theg very bane of fortitude and prowesse, the things which now we need; and theh ouerthrow of all martiall attempts, and ciuill enterprises:) and I your humble, loyall, and obedient Subiect, shall still con∣tinue, (though not to drinke, carouze, and swill, as others doe;) yet heartily to pray, for your Ma∣iesties Health, and happy Raigne: which God continue & prolong among vs, to our tempo∣rall,

and your owne both temporall, and eter∣nall ioy, and blisse.

Your Maiesties humble and loyall Subiect: WILLIAM PRYNNE.

Notes

• a

  Vt partes ho∣minis in corde vivunt, it a par∣tes Reipublicae in Rege. Case Poli••. li 3. ca 7.
• b

  ••erpetuat brie∣tas auli••a vita mode est. Obso∣paeus de A••tc Bib••ndi. lib: 2.
• c

  His omnis in b••bendo est forti∣tud••. De Elia et Ieiun: cap: 12. Ta•• inter ••pulas fortis vir esse po∣test, quam in bel∣••o. Eurip: Pany∣asides Stobaeus de Incontinea∣tia sermo 18.
• d

  Bedlus, qui di∣uinas Scriptur as legens, verb a ver••it in opera. Bernard. De or∣dine vitae: Col. 1116 h.
• e

  Ducitur ebrie∣tas nunc virtus maxima. Nec vi∣tium ebries as quaelibet esse po∣test. Obsopaeus de Arte Biben∣di. lib. I. & 2.
• f

  I Cor. 5. 11. Ephes 5. 11. Turpe est vi∣rum ebrium a∣pud sobrios es∣se: Turpe item est, si sobrius cum ebriis fue∣rit. Theogmede 〈…〉〈…〉 stobaenm: de••ncontineusia, Sermo 18.
• g

  Psal: 69: 12.
• h

  Pessimum i∣nimiconim ge∣nus laudantes. Ta••ius: Agrito∣la Sec. 13 Genus hominum adu∣latoribus pesti∣lentius nullum est: Plu••arch: de lib. E••••candis.
• i

  Psal: 82: 1: 6. Rex si officio suo suerit cum laude perfunc∣tus, quasi qui∣dam Deus in terris est: sin∣gulari cu••tu•• ac veneratione dignissim••is: O∣sorius de Regum Inslit lib: 4.
• k

  Reges 〈…〉〈…〉 meliores priva∣tis hominibus esse debent, quanto cis ho∣noratiores ex istunt ••••••rates Panig••r Oser: lib: 4: de Regum Inssit.
• l

  Facere recte cines suos Prin∣ceps optimus saciendo•• ••oc••t ctiam hic em•• imperio maxi∣mns sit. 〈…〉〈…〉 plo maior est: 〈…〉〈…〉 Rom l 2: p: 134. I Tim 2. 1: 2, 3
• n

  Nos pro saluse imperatorum Deumi••coeamus aete••num, Deum viuum, et Deum vuitum, quem et if si Imperatores propicium sib•• in•• ter caeuros ma∣lune: pratantes ••umus omnibus Imperatoribus, vitam illis pro∣lixam, imperium securum, domum tutam, exercitus fortes, senatum fidelem, populam probum, orhem quietum, quae∣cun{que} ••ominis et Caesaris vota sunt. Tertul. A∣pol. adv. Gentes cap. 30. 39.
• o

  Isay 5 11, 12, 13, 22, 24, 25. Prov. 23 29. 30. Ioel. 1. 5, 6. Na∣hum: 1: 10. A∣mos 6: 6: 7: Isai: 27: 1, 2, 3: Hos: 4: 3: 11: cap: 7: 5: Deutr: 28: 59, 60, 61: Matth: 24: 49, 50: Luke 21: 34: compa∣red together.
• p

  Dies admodum parna, breuis eti∣am nox vel ki∣berna potando vi∣detur. Basil de E∣brietate et Luxu Sermo.
• q

  Non prophanus molius esses quāsic vel••gi••su? Minuc. Felix: Octav: pag: 77. Sic tum so maxim•• pios putans, tum maxime fiune impij. Lactant: de Iustit. lib: 5: cap: 10.
• r

  Ma••uerim ve∣ris offendere quam placere•• adulando. Sene∣de Clementia. cap. 2.
• s

  Seruorum fi∣liorum{que} pecca∣ta non coercere peccatum est: Lactantius de I∣ra Dei••cap. 18: Ioannes: Frid: de Ritu, Rib: ad San: lib: 2 cap. 2. see Deut: 13: 8. Psa: 50: 18, 21. Prover 1. 10. 1 Sam: 15: 9. to 24. ludg: 5. 23. 2 Chro 19 2. Hal••: 2: 15, 16. Acts 8. 1. Rom: 1. 32. 1 Tim: 5: 22: Ioh: 10: 11: compared to∣gether.
• t

  1 Tim: 6. 15: Rev,: 17: 14: cap: 19: 16.
• v

  〈…〉〈…〉 25: 31. to 46. Rom: 14: 10, 12. 2 Cor: 5: 10. Rev: 20: 12, 13.
• w

  Principis b••∣ni est, non tan∣tum id agere vt ipse bonus sit, sed et hoc essi∣cere, vt alii ma∣li esse desist∣ant. Salu. de Guber. Dci: lib 7.
• z

  Rex medicu•• est; et medico comparamr, vt saret. Plato de Regn; Case. Polit. lib 3 cap: 4.
• a

  Iudg. 9. 15 Ps. 78: 71, 72. Deu: 17: 16. 18, 19, 20 2 Sam: 24: 17 Nehem 2: 10 2 Chro: 1: 10, 11. cap: 7. 10 Neh: 5: 1: to 19. •• K•••••• 21: 18, 19 2. King: 8: 3: to ••. Nullum orna∣mentum Prin∣cipis fastigio dignius pu••∣chrius{que} est quam illa cor•• na ob ciues seruatos sen: de Clement: cap: 26. Principi et im∣peratori hoc consulendum est, vt cives set vent, 〈…〉〈…〉 heg. Populi satus, est gloria Principum: Cas∣si. 〈…〉〈…〉: lib: 2: 〈…〉〈…〉: 41.
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• b

  1 Sam: 23: 3.
• c

  Rom: 13: 3, 4. Prov 20 26: ca. 25: 5. Rex regendo dictus est; non autem regit qui non corrigit. August: Enarun Isa: 44.
• d

  Psal: 101. 5, 6, 7, 8.
• e

  Quid est homo ebrius nisi su perflua, creatu∣ra? cuius vita somnium est: cuius somnus mors est: Am∣br: de Elia cs Ie∣i••v. cap. 16.
• f

  Nulla in par∣te mundi cessat ebrietas. Plin: Mat Hist li. 14. cap 22. Ebrietas toto breviter non cessat in orbe. Sunt pas∣sim bibulis om ••ia plena yiris. Obsopaus de Ar∣te Bibendi: lib: 3.
• g

  Ebrietas for∣titudinis perni∣cies: Basil de E∣brietate et luxu Sermo.
• h

  Gubernator ebriosus, et qui vis cuiuseun{que} rei praefectus, omnia subver∣tit, si••e naui∣gium, siue cur∣rum, siue exer∣citum, siue quamcunque rem fidei su••e commissam Pl•• to. li 2. de Repub. St••b ••u•• Ser. 1••.