Bel-vedére, or, The Garden of the muses

Of Gluttonie, &c.

Gluttonie, drunkennesse, and leud excesse, Is the high-way to woe and wretchednesse.

VVHo daily taste neat wine, do water loath. Disorder breeds by heating of the blood. Aduantage feeds him fat, while men delay. In Italie, the fat, faire, slick•• and full, Are better lik'd than leane, lanke, spare and dull. Staru'd men best gesse the sweetnesse of a feast. Worldlings (like Antes) eat vp the gaines of men.

Things vndigested, neuer turne to blood. Steele is the glasse of beautie for our sight, But wine is tearm'd, the mirrour of the mind. A beastly shape with brutish soule agrees. Set-banquets made by Courtiers, want no cates. It's good in health to counsell with a Leach. It's good abstaining from superstuous feasts: Where too much feeding maketh men bruit beasts. Wine burnes vp beautie, and prouokes on age. No secrecie abides, where liues excesse. Excesse is nothing else, but wilfull madnesse. He that delights in pampering vp himselfe, Is chiefest seeker of his bodies shame. Chastities daunger waits on drunkennesse. Wine is the earths blood, and th'abusers blame. A double fire in man, is wine and youth. Gluttonie dryes the bones, more thereby die Than in a kingdome perish by the sword. Surfet hath sicknesse to attend on him. Gluttonie causeth many maladies. Excesse is that which soone dispatcheth life. Rich men may feed their bellies when they please, But poore mens dinners stay till they haue meat. Much feeding causeth much infirmitie. The belly alwaies is a thanklesse beast. Drunkennesse is a many headed monster. Moderate diet is a wise mans badge, But surfetting, the glory of a foole. Women and wine haue made the wise to dote. Too much of any thing conuerts to vice. A meane in all things is most commendable.

Similies on the same subiect.

AS corporall fasting quickens vp the soule, So too much feeding doth depresse it downe. As sable clouds obscure the siluer Moone, So gluttonie dimmes glorie of the mind. As birds with weightie bodies hardly flie, So men o're-come with drinke, scant rightly goe. As too much wet doth cause a moorish ground, So too much drinke doth make a muddie mind. As ships of lightest burden lightliest saile, So minds of quickest motion are most apt. As drowsie souldiours are vnfit for fight, So drunken humours are not meet for men.

Examples likewise on the same.

THe Tyrant Dionysius, by much drinke, Lost vtterly the benefit of sight. Aruntius in his beastly drunkennes, With his owne daughter incest did commit. Ptolomie slew his father and his mother, Through wine and women, dying like a beast. Geta the Emperour three dayes feasting sate, Seru'd by the order of the Alphabet. Men giuen to belly-seruice, Plato saith, Deserue no better name, than brutish beasts. Excesse (saith Tullie) is a testimonie Of soules incontinence, and base desires.