The Drunkards Character, Section 78 – Section 80
§ 78.
ANd to mend the matter,Least Sathan should want of … due … drinke the… … their k…ees least Sathan should want of his due reverence and adorati…, or they abate of their pleasure (for the more sinfull any action, the more sweete) these wine-worshippers will be at it on their kn…es, especially if they drinke a great mans health; and so make gods of others, beasts of themselves, ranke Idolatry.
I know it's no innovation,The rise and originall of health d…inking or new thing; t…e custome is rather ancient, then warrantable; our Moderne drunkards have it but by tradition from their Elders, and they did it not without a president: fo… health-drinking upon their knees had it's rise and pedegree, it's birth and …riginall, from Pagans, Infidells, and Idolaters, yea, from …he Devill himselfe, as St. Basil and St. A…s…in witnesse,Basil ser. de …riet. A…gusti… de temp Serm. 231 who affirme that it is but a heathenish custome, savouring onelyonly of Paganisme and Gentilisme; yea, that it was but the Devills drinke offering, or a part of that honour, worship, sacrifice, and adoration which the Gentiles, Witches, Sorcerers, &c. gave to …eelzebub the prince of Devills, and those other Devill-gods, to whose honour, name, and memory these adorations were first invented and consecrated.
Neither can Sathan say,Ex…ples of Gods vengance on …ealt… drinkers. but Christendome hath alwayes afforded him men, who have yeelded him this homage: for some when they have bene pumpt dry in this case, and blest all their acquaintance, they have …ranke a health to the Devill, as Pope Iohn the twelfth, alias the thirteenth did. And was there not a Lincolne-shire man well knowne, that in his cups dranke a health to the Devill, who had no sooner dranke it off, but he fell downe dead? yea, Augustine Lachimer reporteth, that in Germany the yeare 1549. there was three, who after they had taken in their cups, painted with a cole on the wall a loathly Devill, and then dranke freely unto him, talking to him, as if he had bee… personally present; but the next morning th… were all found strangled and dead.
Yea, some have proceeded further, even to drinke a health to God himselfe, and have sped thereafter; as memorable, remarkable, and terrible is that tragicall and strange example of Gods avenging judgment, upon two drunkards and health quaffers in Nekersho…ew, a Towne in Almaine, on the fourth day of Iuly, in the yeare 1580; who comming then and there into an Inne, called for bread and wine, which being brought, they disliked the wine, for it's newnesse, calling for some older, and better wine, which being brought in great abundance, they fell to swill and carouse on to another, till they were both as drunke as swine; then one of them pouring forth wine, dranke a carouse to his fellow, who pledging him, demanded to whom he should drinke; quoth he, drinke thou unto God; he hearing this, drinkes a health or carouse to him indeed; and then demands of his companion, which wine God should pledge him in: upon which he takes the new wine into his hand, and filling the cup therewith, reacheth forth his arme as high as he could, as though God should have pledged him in good earnest, saying, God I would faine know what wine thou likest best, this wine is good enough and too good for thee, if thou hadst sen… b…ter, thou shouldest have had better, but such as it is, take it, pl…dge me quickly, and carouse it off every swo…p, as I hav… done to thee, or else thou dost me wrong (the usuall speech and phrase of our drunkards at this day) but no soon…r had he uttered these blasphemous speeches, but the Lord forthwith proceeds in judgements against him, causing his Arme, which he had stretched out, to stand stedfast and unmoveable, so that he could not pull it in; and benumming his whole body, so that he could not move it from the place, in which agony he remained a long time after (his countenance not changed) rowling his eyes to and fro in a fearefull manner, his breath and speech being taken from him, so that he could not breath▪ nor speake a word, and yet seemed to every one to be alive; after this the people (who flock thick & threefold, to see this wretched spectacle of Gods wrath … vengeance) assayed to remove him from the plac…, but they could not stirre him by any strength▪ in the end they tyed Ho…ses to him to draw him thence; but …hey could not move him; then they assayed to burne him, but no fire would take hold on him: wherefore perswading themselves, … God had made him a spect…cle, stand… president, or fixed stat… of his wrath…nd vengeance to all drunkards and all … ages, they surceased their enterpris…s, wishing the will of the Lord to be done, and in this miserable and dolefull mann… (saith my Author, Mr. S…bs in his A… tomy of Abuses) he stands to this very day, as a tragicall, dreadfull, and prodigious spectacle of Gods heauy displeasure, wrath, and vengeance, against drunkards; the very …ight, nay, the very relation, or thought of which, should strike the hearts and soules of all, who are devoted unto this sinne, with terror and amazement.
The other drunken beast his companion, who had escaped the imm…diate hand of God, was, by the just and avenging hand of the People, hanged upon a Gibbet before the dore of the same house, for an example unto others.
Now consider this all ye ryotous drunkards, who forget God, least he tare you in peeces, and there be none to deliver.
§ 79.
BUt that it may appeare they are more zealous and charitable,Not more forward to drinke healthes then zealous and …arefull that others pledge the s…e. then either to worship Sathan their god, or goe to Hell their owne place alone; and to prove that their hearts desire is, that others also may be damned, as St. Paul's was, that Israel might be saved, Rom. 10. 1 they are not more forward in drinking healthes, then they are carefull to see that others pledge them: for a health being once begun, they will looke to it precisely, that every one present shall pledge the same, in the same manner and measure, be they thirsty, or not thirsty, willing, or not willing, able, or unable; for measuring other mens palates, bellyes, thirsts, consciences, constitutions, and dispositions by their owne, they will force them oftentimes to drinke, against their wills, their stomackes, their healthes, &c. For tell them you are not a thirst, which is all the answer I can vouchsafe such, or that it will not agree with your constitution, they will conclude you an arrant foole, and ill bred. Yea, in their judgements, Ahasuerus was none of the wisest, in appointing that none should compell another to drinke. Or tell them that the Goths ordained upon pain of death, how none should drink an health to another, nor be forced, further then their owne free wills induced them; O this was the basest law that ever was enacted: and yet wise Plato decreed (for the avoiding of excesse) that no one should so much as drink to another; and the Spartans law was, Vt bibat arbitrio pocula quisque suo. Let each mans measure of drinke bee his pleasure.
§ 80.
THeir manner is,1 How they will i…tise. either to Intise or Enforce others to pledge them. First, to intise and perswade them, as let but a sober and religious man fall into their company, as a purse of money may fal into a stinking Privie, O how they will conspire to pr…v…ke his unwilling appetite with drunken healths! and if they can (like that Babyl…nish Harlot) make him tast poyson in a golden cup, O then they will sing, and rejoyce as in the division of a spoyle, and bragg that they have drenched sobriety, and blinded the light, and ever after bee a snuffing of this T…pe…, Psal. … 3. 4.
Or if they cannot perswade him,2 How they wil inforce they will hate, and revile him, perhaps stab him that will not pledge their healths, as if it were an offence not to bee forgiven; for now it is counted an injury not worthy alone of ill words, but also of wounds and stabbs, if a man will not for company grievously sin against God, wrong his own body, destroy his …oule, and wilfully le…p into hel fire: yea, they wil hate a man more for refusing, or crossing their healths then for abjuring his faith, his religion, or his God; and are more hot, more zealous, stoute, and resolute, in the defence, or maintainance of a health, then in the cause or quarrel of their Countrey; and will rather adventure their blood in the field, upon the refusal of, or quarrell about them, then for the chiefest article of their creed; whence it is they are so much moved and affected, that they are mighty impatient and angry with such as crosse them in this kinde: but nothing so with others, who hinder them in Gods service, or thwart them in their greatest good.