Thus you see the approaches to their Suppers also: Ʋsitato more, ante Caenam, bal∣neis utebantur; item, post ambulationes, exercitationes, oper as, saith Rosinus (Antiq. 1.14.) according to the usuall fashion, before Supper, they went into the bath: so did they in like manner, after their walkings, exercises, and laboures: none conversant in Romane history, will deny, but that divers places of divers exercises, were neare to severall Baths: Tertullian (cap. 3. de coronâ Misitis) ad lavaera, ad mensas, ad lumina, ad cubilia, ad sedilia, quaecunque nos conversatio exercet, frontem crucis signaculo terimus; that is, when we goe into the Bath; when we goe to Supper; when candles are brought into the roome; when we goe to bed; when we sit downe, in our chaires; what exercise soever, almost, we goe about, wee weare our foreheads with the signe of the Crosse, from whence, (omitting the Lawfull use of the Crosse, by the Christians of those times, almost upon every occasion) I collect Bathing was, before Eating; Eating before Candle-light; Candle-light before bed (and yet I cannot but adde, against Puritanes of our Times; that the Crosse was so honoured, in the dayes of the best Christianity, after the Apostles; that the Heathen termed those holy Christians, commonly, Crucicolas, as well, as Christicolas:) Martial (11.53.)
Coenabis belle, Iuli Cerealis, apud me,
Octavam poteris servare, lavabimur unà.
Scis, quam sunt Stephani balnea juncta mibi;
that is,
Pray (Julie Cerealis) sup with me,
And welcome shall you be;
At eight a clocke, into the Bath we'le goe,
How neere to Stephens Bath, I dwell, you know.
Rich men had their Baths in their houses; and meaner sort, hired Baths for their guests; as
Martial did here, of
Stephanus; then followeth
Iulius Cerealis his Sup∣per, better set forth by
Martials Pen, then it was served in, by his servants: the same
Martial (
lib. 10.
ep. 41.) speakes, of the seasonable houres of Bathing in
Nero his Bath,
Temperat haec Thermas; nimios prior hora vapores,
Halat, & immodico sexta Nerone calet.
The Bathes at 8. a clocke are mild, at 7. the vapours toyle,
And Nero's Bathe, with fervent heate, at 6. a clocke, doe boyle.
Alexander ab Alex. Hora Balnei, hyeme, nona; aestate, octava fuit; at winter they used to goe into the Bathe at 9. a clocke; in the summer at 8. The Emperours changed the houres; no bathing was allowed in the night, but in corrupter times: In dayes of devotion, among some Romane Colonies: Balnea, & tabernacula, in nonam usque eluduntur for clauduntur saith Rigaltius; the bathes and Tavernes were shut, untill 9. a clocke; and Tabernacula are taken for Taberna; the testimony is in Tertullian (contra Psychicos, cap. 16.) and againe, (in Apolog. cap. 42.) Non lavo sub noctem Saturnalibus, nè noctem, & diem perdam; attamen lavo, de∣bitâ, horâ & salubri, quae mihi colorem, & sanguinem servet; that is, I use not to bathe my selfe in the Evenings during the Saturnalls; lest I should lose both the day and the night; neverthelesse I goe into the Bathe at a seasonable, and healthy houre; which will preserve my colour, and my blood: in the first passage, he implyeth, that the Romans bathe about twi-light, in their Saturnals, Marcus Agrippa made 170. baths, for the Romans. In the eighth of the Romane Empire, were made most costly, and Princely bathes; Thermae Agrippinae, Neronianae, Domitianae, Alexandrinae, Gordia∣nae, Severianae, Aurelianae, Constantinianae, &c. a great number of Thermae, doth Ro∣sinus recount (pag. 35.) yet all, after our Saviours time; Publius Victor reckoned a∣bove 800. so great was the later luxurie, and prodigality; Statius (5. Sylvar.)
—Argento felix propellitur unda,
Argentoque cadit, labris nitentibus instat,
Delicias mirata suas,—
that is,
The spont of silver was, the pavement silver;
Silver the brimmes, all the bath over silver
Except the waters, wondring at their silver.