Ptōchomuseion [sic]. = The poore mans librarie Rapsodiæ G.A. Bishop of Exceter vpon the first epistle of saint Peter, red publiquely in the cathedrall church of saint Paule, within the citye of London. 1560. Here are adioyned at the end of euery special treatie, certaine fruitful annotacions which may properly be called miscellanea, bicause they do entreate of diuerse and sundry matters, marked with the nombre and figures of Augrime. 2.

Sobrietie. 3.

HE whō we cal in latin sobrium, we cal in Greke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which cō¦meth of y^e verbe 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifieth to be of a soūd minde, to be wise & ware, to be chast, modest, & temperat, to behaue one gently, and liue holy. Euripides saith: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, id est, erga te sum modestus: that is, towards thee I am gentle and curteous.

Sobriety is defined (as some say) quasi sine ebrietate, without dronken∣nes, which is a sin to be abhorred in all persons. The prophet Esay saith: ve qui cōsurgitis mane ad ebrietatē sectandā, et potandū vs{que} ad vesperā.* 1.1 Vvo be vnto you which rise early in the morning and geue your selues to dronkennes vnto the euening.

This vice is described of S. Austine after this maner. Ebrietas est blā∣dus demon, dulce venenum, suaue peccatum, quam qui habet, seipsum non babet: quam qui facit, peccatū non facit, sed totus est peccatū. that is. dronkēnes is a flattring deuil, swete poysō, & a pleasāt sin, which whoso∣euer

hath, hath not himselfe, which whosoeuer doth, doth not commit sinne, but is wholy sinne him felfe.

This vice did ouercome those men which coulde not otherwise be al∣lured with more hainous sinnes (as saint Augustin writeth in Genesis.* 1.2) Ebrietas (inquit) decipit, quem Sodoma non decepit: vritur ille flammis mulierum, quem sulphuria flamma non vrebat. Dronkēnes deceued him, whō Sodoma could not deciue: he was burned with the burning cōcupis∣cance of wemen, whom the flames of brimstone could not burne.

Noe through the dronkennes of one houre, vncouered his priuities which he had kept close before, by the space of. 600. yeares.

* 1.3Apuleus rehearceth a notable saying of one Aurelius a wise man, sitting at the table: Prima cratera ad sitim pertinet, secunda ad amicitiā, tertia ad voluptatem, quarta ad insaniam. The first cuppe quencheth the thirst, the second pertaineth to frendship, y^e third to pleasure, the fourth gendreth madnes: and (as Menander writeth) Multum merum pauca cogit sapere Much wine maketh litle wisdome.

Astiages, when he demaunded of king Cyrus why he had not dronke vp the wine: because I feared (quoth he by my faith) least some poyson were mixt in the cup. For when thou in the feast of thy birth day, had∣dest thy frend to thee, I euidentlye learned, that he poured poyson vpon you. And by what meanes (saith he) O my sonne, knewest thou this? Bi∣cause (quod he) I did see you neither wel aduised in body, nor in minde.

Saint Ambrose doth say: Ebrietatis malum est pudicitiae periculum, that is: the disorder of dronkennes bringeth chastity into peril.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cap. 5.
• * 1.2

  Lib. 5.
• * 1.3

  Lib. tertio. Floridorum.