A Mirror both for Saints and Sinners, Treatise · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. Examples of drunkennesse.
THe sinne of Drunkennesse is a bewitching sinne, Hos. 4. 11. It steales away the heart from God, and all goodnesse: It is an old sinne, it began presently after the Flood: It is a malignant sinne: it drownes the braine, wastes the time, consumes the estate, and fills the body with as many diseases as hath an horse; It is an Epidemical sinne that hath almost drowned the whole world with another deluge: In these moderne times it began in Germany, whence grew that proverbe,
Germani possunt cunctos tolerare labores:
O utinam possint tam bene ferre sitim!
The Germans can all labours undergo,
Would they as well could bear their thirst also!
But since it hath infected all Europe: It is grown into fashion to quaffe soul-sick healths till they make themselves like Swine, and worse then beasts: whence one gives us this excellent rule:
Unasalus sanis, nullam potare salutem:
Non est in pota verasalute salus,
The odiousnesse, and danger of this sinne may farther appear to us by these following Scriptures and Examples.
Dangerous, Prov. 23. 29, &…. & 31. 4. Deut. 21. 20. Prov. 20. 1. Hos. 4. 11. Nah. 1. 10. 1 Cor. 11. 21.
Threatened, Esa. 5. 11, 22. Amos 6. 6. Prov. 23. 2…. Esa. 28. 1, 3. Joel 1. 5. 1 Cor. 6. 10.
Forbidden, 1 Cor. 5. 11. Luke 21. 34. Ephes. 5. 18. Hab. 2. 15. Mat. 24. 49. Luke 12. 45. Rom. 13. 13.
Staggering is a signe of a drunkard, Job 12. 25. Psal. 107. 27. Esa. 19. 24.
And trembling of the body, Jer. 23. 9.
And vomiting, Jer. 25. 27.
It's a shameful sin, 1 Thes. 5. 7. A work of the flesh, Gal. 5. 21. Esa. 28. 7.
Scriptural Examples. Lot, Gen. 19. 32. &c. Noah, Gen. 9. 21. Amalekites, 1 Sam. 30. 16. Amnon, 2 Sam. 13. 28. Benhadad, 1 King. 20. 12. Elah, 1 King 16. 9. David made Uriah drunk, 2 Sam. 11. 13. Belshazer, Dan. 5. 2. Nabal, 1 Sam. 25. 36.
Other examples. Whilest the Gaules besieged the Romane Capitol, they sent out a great party to sack the countrey thereabouts, who being loaden with spoile were returning towards Rome, and at night being full of wine they laid them down to sleep, not fearing any enemy, at which time Camillus with his men came upon them, all his souldies giving a mighty shout, yet could the Gaules hardly be awakened, they were so deadly drunk, so that they were easily all of them slain either upon the place, or by the horsmen in the pursuit. Plut.
The Tuscans besieging Sutrium [a City that was confederate with Rome] Camillus marched privately with his Army against them, and coming upon them, found the Tuscans secure, eating, and drinking themselves drunken; by which meanes he …lew most of them without resistance, and thereby freed the City from danger. Plut.
Many Dutchmen in Joppa drinking themselves drunk upon Saint Martins day (their Arch-Saint) the Turks came in suddenly upon them, and cut every ones throat to the number of twenty thousand: and indeed they were quickly stabbed with the sword, who were cup-shot before. Ful. Holy War.
Edgar King of England perceiving that his people had learned of the Danes (many of which were in this land at that time) to drink excessively, whereupon ensued much drunkennesse, together with many other vices: he ordained certain wooden Cups with pins, or nailes …et in them to be commonly used: making also a Law, that whosoever drank past that marke at one draught should forfeit a summe of money, one part to the Informer, and the other to the Judge, or chief Officer. Sp. Chron.
AEschines commending Philip King of Macedon for a Jovial man that would drink freely: Demost henes answered, That this was a good quality in a spunge, but not in a King. Plut. in vit. Demost.
Alexander the Great having taken Persepolis, wherein was a stately Palace of the Kings of Persia, in a drunken fit by the perswasion of Lais the harlot, burned it down to the ground. Diod.
A Turk having in one of their great feasts drunk wine too freely (which is a thing forbidden by their Law) being apprehended, and carried before the grand Visier, and there found guilty, was adjudged to have boiling Lead poured into his mouth, and eares, which was accordingly executed. Turk Hist. p. 1332.
Phocas a drunken, bloody, and adulterous Tyrant, was worthily slaughtered by Heraclius, who cut off his hands and feet, and then his privy parts by peecemeale. Zonaras.
Not long since a Cavalier in Salisbury in the middest of his health drinking and carrowsing in a Tavern, drank a health to the Devil, saying▪ That if the devil would not come, and pledge him, he would not believe that there was either God or devil: whereupon his companions strucken with horror, hastened out of the room, and presently after hearing a hideous noise, and smelling a stinking savour, the Vintner ran up into the Chamber: and coming in he missed his guest, and found the window broken, the Iron barre in it bowed, and all bloody, but the man was never heard of afterwards.
At Kesgrave neere Ipswitch, three serving men having been drinking hard, when they were about to go away, the hostesse by her importunity would needs perswade them to drink the three Outs first, viz. wit out of the head, money out of the purse, and Ale out of the barrel; but as she came to them with the pot in her hand, God suddenly struck her sick and speechlesse, her tongue also swelling in her head, so that in great extreamity she died three dayes after. Beards Theat.
Two servants of a Bruer in Ipswitch drank themselves drunk for the rump of a Turkey, and afterwards as they were strugling for it, they fell backwards into a Cauldron of scalding liquor, whereof one died presently, and the other lingering died with greater paine.
A man coming home drunk, would needs go to swim in the mill-pond: but his wife, and servants knowing that he could not swim, disswaded him, and once by intreaty got him out: but afterwards going in again, he was drowned.
At the Plough in Barnwel neere Cambridge, a lusty young man with two of his neighbours, and one woman in their company agreed to drink up a barrel of strong beere, which accordingly they did: but within twenty four hours three of them died, and the fourth hardly escaped after great sicknesse.
A Butcher in Has…ingfield having heard his Minister enveigh against drunkennesse, in his cups at the Alehouse fell a jesting, and scoffing at the Ministers Sermon: But as he was drinking, Gods hand fell upon him, for the drink stopping in his throat, choaked him that he died presently.
At Bung…y in Norfolk three drunkards coming out of the Alehouse in the night, swore that they thought it was not darker in hell: But as they went home, one of them fell over a bridge, and was drowned: a second fell from his horse: the third sleeping on the ground by the rivers side, was frozen to death.
A Bailiffe of Hedly upon a Lords day being drunken at Melford, gat upon his horse to ride through the streets, saying that his horse would carry him to the devil, and presently his horse cast him, and brake his neck.
Some drinking in an Alehouse at Harwich in the night over against the Majors house [Master Russel] he sent to them to depart, which they refused: whereupon he went himselfe, and took one of them by the hand as if he would lead him to prison; who drawing his knife ran from him, and three dayes after was found drowned in the Sea with his knife in his hand.
At Tenby in Pembrookshire a drunkard in his drink fell from an high, and steep rock, whereby he was dashed in peeces.
A glasier in Chancery-lane, sometimes a Professor, but afterwards one that turned a drunkard, was often admonished of it by his wife, and Christian friends; which he neglecting, shortly after in a drunken fit fell a vomiting, with which breaking a veine, he lay two dayes in extream paine of body, and torment of minde, till in the end recovering a little comfort, he died.
A young man in Northamptonshire being drunk at Welling borough, as he went home would needs ride his horse in a bravery over the ploughed lands, whereby falling from his horse he brake his neck.
A notorious drunkard of Ailesham in Norfolk was drowned in a shallow brook of water.
A drunken Knight that used often to carry out pailes of drink to make people drunken: on a time as he was drinking with some company, there came in a woman, and gave him a ring with this Posie, Drink, and Die, saying to him, This is for you: He took, and wore it, and a week after died in one of his drunken fits.
At a Taverne in Breadstreet certaine Gentlemen drinking healths to the Lords on whom they had dependance, one of them with an oath drinks off a pottle of Sack to his Lord: after which he could neither rise up, nor speak, but falling into a sleep, died within two hours after.
At a place neer Mauldon five or six appointed a drinking match, laying in Beer for the purpose, drunk healths in a strange manner, whereof all of them died within a few weeks after.
A young gentleman being drunk, as he rode homewards was throwne by his horse, and had his braines dashed out by the pomel of his sword.
Anno Christi 1629. there was one Thomas Wilson, a notorious blasphemer and drunkard, upon a small occasion being angry with his wife, not daring to proffer violence to her, drew his knife, and stabbed himself.
The same year one John Bone of Elie, a gentlemans Coachman, being exceedingly given to swearing, and drunkennesse, drinking himself drunk on a Sabbath at Sermon-time, fell from his Coach-box, and was killed by his horses.
Anno Christi 1621. one Richard Bourne of Elie, who used to travel on the Sabbath-days, seldome or never coming to Church; as he went to the market at Saint Ives, being drunk, Gods judgement overtook him: for going up the river in his boat, he fell over into the water, and was drowned.
Anno Christi 1618. one Thomas Alred of Godmanchester, being a common drunkard, was intreated by a neighbour to unpitch a load of hay: and being at that time drunk, the pitchfork slipt out of his hand, which he stooping to take up again, fell from the cart with his head downwards, and the fork standing with the tines upward, he fell directly upon them, which striking to his heart, killed him immediately.
Anno Christi 1628. John Vitner of Godmanchester, a known drunkard and scoffer at Religion, fell from the top of a Pear-tree, and brake his neck: All these are attested by sundry godly Ministers.
Anno Christi 15…. in Bohemia five drunkards were quaffing and blaspheming the Name of God: and the picture of the devil being painted upon the wall, they drank healths to him, who the night after paid them their wages: for they were all found dead with their necks broken, and quashed to peeces, as if a wheele had gone over them, the blood running out of their mouths nostrils, and eares in a lamentable manner. Fincelius.
A Vintner that accustomed himself to swearing, and drunkennesse; as he was upon a Lords day, standing at his doore with a pot in his hand to invite guests, there came suddenly such a violent whirlwinde, as carried him up into the aire, after which he was never more seen.
Alexander the Great invited many of his Captains to a feast, proposing a Crown in reward to him that should drink most: by which meanes being provoked to drunkennesse, fourty two of them died shortly after. Plut.
Armitus, and Cinanippus, two Syracusians, being drunk, committed incest with their two daughters. Plut.
The like did Lot, Gen. 19. 33, &c.
Cleomenes King of Lacedaemonia drinking himselfe drunken, fell distracted, never recovering his wits againe.
Anacreon the Poët, a notable drunkard, was choaked with a huske of a Grape.
Bonosus the Emperour was so notorious a drunkard, that he was said to be borne bibere, non vivere; to drink, and not to live: but he died a shameful death, being hanged with this Epitaph: That a Tunne, not a man was hanged there.
Zeno the Emperour was such a drunkard, that he would often lie as one dead for many hours, so that he grew odious to all, and to his own wife, who once finding him in that case, caused him to be laid in a Tomb, with a great stone on the top of it, whereby he was miserably pined to death. Platina.
Wo unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink, that continue untill night, till wine inflame them.
Esa. 5. 11.