The Theater of Gods Judgments Part 2, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Gods Judgements against the Sinne of Gluttony.
TThis Sinne of Gluttony tooke its originall in our great The symptoms of Gluttony.Grandam Eve, as we read Genesis 2. 16. And the Lord God commanded the man saying, thou shalt eat freely of every Tree of the Garden, but of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evill, thou shalt not eate of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye the death. Againe 3. 6. So the Woman seeing that the Tree was good for meat, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a Tree to be desired to get Knowledge, took of the fruit thereof, and did eate, and gave also to her husband From the Old Testament.with her, and he did eate: For which they were most grievously punished, and all man-kinde for their sakes: For Verse 16. VntoUnto the Woman God said, I will greatly encrease thy sorrowes and thy conception: In sorrow shalt thou bring forth children; and thy defire shal be subject to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. Also to Adam he said, Because thou hast obeyed the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the Treewhereof I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eate of it: Cursed is the earth for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eate of it all the dayes of thy life: Thornes also and Thistles shall it bring forth unto thee; and thou shalt eate the herbe of the field: in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate bread, till thou returne to the earth; for out of it wast thou taken, because thou art dust, and to dust shalt thou returne.
We read Numb. 11. 32. then the people arose all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and gathered the Quailes: he that gathered the least, gathered ten Homers full; and they spread them abroad for their use round about the Host: whilst the flesh was yet in their teeth, before it was chewed the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord smote the people with an exceeding great plague: There they buried the people that fell a lusting, Deut. 6. When thou shalt eate and be satisfied, beware diligently that thou forgettest not the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, and the house of bondage. Againe, 21. 20. The Parents shall say to the Elders of his City, This our Son is stubborne and disobedient, and will not obey our commandement, but is a Rioter and a Drunkard. Then all the men of the City shall stone him with stones unto death, so shalt thou take away evill from amongst you, that all Israell may heare it and feare, Ecclesiasticus 31. 12. If thou sittest at a costly Table, open not thy mouth wide upon it, and say not, behold much meat: Remember that an evill eye is a shame; and what thing created is worse then a wicked eye; for it weepeth for every cause: Stretch not thine hand wheresoever it looketh, and thrust it not with it into the Dish. Eate modestly that which is set before thee; and devour not, lest thou bee'st hated. Leave then off first for nurtures sake; and be not insatiable, lest thou offend. When thou sittest amongst many, reach not thy hand out first of all: How little is sufficient for a man well taught? and thereby he belcheth not in his Chamber, nor feeleth any paine. A wholsome sleep commeth of a temprate Belly; he riseth up in the morning, and is well at ease with himselfe; but paine is watching and choler, like diseases and pangs of the belly are insatiable men. If thou bee inforced to eate, arise, goe forth, and empty thy stomack, and then take thy rest; so shalt thou bring no sicknesse unto thine house. Shew not thy valiantnesse in Wine, for wine hath destroyed many; the Furnace proveth the edge of the tempering, so doth Wine the hearts of the proud by drunkennesse. Wine soberly drunk is profitable for the life of man: what is life that is overcome with Wine? Wine was made from the beginning to make man glad, and not for drunkennesse: Wine measurably taken and in time, bringeth gladnesse, and chearefulnesse of the minde; but drinke with excesse maketh bitternesse of minde, brawlings, and scoldings. Drunkennesse increaseth the rage of a Foole, till he offend; it diminisheth his strength, and maketh wounds, &c. Againe 37. 28. be not greedy in all delights, and bee not too hasty of all meats: for excesse of meats bringeth sicknesse, and gluttony commeth with cholerick Diseases. By surfeit have many perished, and he that dyeteth himselfe prolongeth his life.
Thus farre the old Testament; let us now heare what the Gospel saith Texts out of the New Testament.Luke 6. 24. Woe be to you that are rich, for ye have received your consolation: Woe be to you that are full; for yee shall be hungry: Woe be unto you that now laugh; for yee shall waile and weepe. Againe 21. 34. Take heed, lest at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfeiting and drunkennesse, and cares of this life, lest that day come upon you unawares: For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore and pray continually, that yee may bee counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to passe, and that ye may stand before the Sonne of Man. Rom. 13. 12. The night is past, and the day is at hand; let us therefore cast away the workes of darknesse, and let us put on the Armour of light: so that we walke honestly as in the day, not in drunkennesse or gluttony, nor in chambering or wantonnesse, nor in strife or envying: but put yee on the Lord Iesus Christ, and take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it. And Luke 17. In the dayes of Noe they eate and dranke, they marryed Wives, and were given in marriage, even untill the day that Noe entred into the Arke, and the floud came and destroyed them all.
Thus farre the Scriptures: I come now to the Fathers, St. Ambrose The Fathers of Gluttony.in one of his Sermons saith, That ill Ministers wait upon the Throat, which alwayes covets, but is never satisfied; for what is more insatiable then the belly? to day it receives, to morrow it requires; being full, it commends abstinence; being empty, it cannot endure the name of any such vertue. Hunger is a friend to chastity, an enemy to wantonnesse: But saturity betrayeth modesty, and corrupts good manners. It is not the meat, but the immoderate appetite that is condemned: For as St. Augustine saith, It was not for a Quaile or a Phesant that Eve longed for, but for an Apple; and thereby brought a curse unto all man-kinde. It was not for a Kid, or a Lamb of the flock that Esau hungred, but for a messe of Broth; for which he sold his birth-right. Elias was fed with flesh; but Iohn the Baptist with Locusts and wilde Honey: and David thirsted not for wine, but water; for which he reprehended himselfe: neither was our Saviour in the Wildernesse tempted by the Devill with flesh, but bread: and as Gregory in his Moralls saith, It is not the meat, but the lust after it that is in fault; for we oft-times may eate of dainty Cates without offence, and yet upon course and common fare may sinne by surfeit: And in another place, where Gluttony is predominant, all those honours that men winne are lost; and whilst the belly is not bridl'd, all vertues runne to havocke; but when that is curb'd and kept in moderation, many vices with it are awed and restrain'd. In vaine it is for us to enter into any spirituall Conflict against the Devill, our common adversary and his agents, unlesse we first suppresse the enemy that is within us: which is voracity and lust after eating and drinking, because if those enemies that are so neare us bee not subdued, in vaine we shall strive to have the victory over those remote and afarre off: To smal purpose it were to fight against the enemies without the Walls, when there is nothing but tumults, mutiny, and sedition within the City: after full feeding, when the stomack is supply'd even unto belching, so that it must needs say it hath enough; yet is not the curiosity of the appetite satisfied, for the eye is delighted with the colour, and the pallate pleased with the taste, when the poore suffering stomack (best pleased with a mediocrity and temperature) which neither sees the colours, nor relisheth the pleasantnesse of the Taste, is rather ruin'd then refresh'd, and confounded then comforted. Innocentius lib de Vil. Condit. Human. useth words to this purpose: Gluttony shut up Paradice, sold the Birth-right, hang'd the Baker, beheaded the Baptist; Nebuzandan the Prince of Cooleus, burnt the Temple, destroyed Jerusalem; & Baltazer sitting at his great Feast saw the hand-writing upon the Wall, and that night was slaine by the Caldeans.
Hugo in Claus. saith, That there be some who sit downe to a feast with an unquiet agitation of the members, expressing the insatiate intemperance of their mindes, they shake their heads, shrug the shoulders, they expand their hands, and not without great uncomlinesse, and unseemly gesture, as if they were rowzing and preparing themselves to ingorge and swallow the whole banquet. Other unmannerly postures and carriages at Table they use; for sitting in one place, with their eyes they greedily survey every dish that is served in; their hands ready to reach to the full length of their armes, removing this further off, and pulling that nearer; then they breake the Bread, poure wine into the Cups and Glasses, besieging themselves round with the best dishes; then they pant, swell, and breath short, through the vehemence and extremity of feeding, so that you wou'd thinke them seeking for some wide passage to tumble in their fat bits, to satisfie their craving and crooking bellies, as if the narrownesse of their chaps and jawes could not supply their voracious stomack with that superabundance which it expects: Thus sits hee like one besieging a City, doubting in what place first to begin his assault, and therefore would make irruption upon all places, and at once; and such is this Gastrimargia, or Cormorantedulitie. They were wont of old to build Temples to the gods, erect Altars, appoint Flammins and Priests to serve, kill beasts for the Sacrifice, burne Incense: and so the carnall and voluptuous men in these dayes, they make their Kitchin their Temple, their Table their Altar, their Cookes their Priests, their Veales, Lambs, Capons, &c. provided for their Dyets; the Beasts for imitation, and the fumes and steame of their sawe'd Dishes, Censary Incense. Indeed over superstitious is the industry and care they have in setting forth the services and severall courses at their great and solemne Feasts and Banquets. Infinite are the varieties and multiplicity of their decoctions, Rostings, Bakings, Fryings, Stewings, and the like; with new devised Sawces, composed of severall ingredients, now soft, then hard, now cold, then hot; some temper'd with Pepper, others with Onions and Garlick, then with Cinamon, then with Salt; mens guts longing as Women with great Bellies. Then ariseth a disputation amongst these Helnoes, whether such a Dish tastes better boyl'd or roasted, bak'd or broyl'd, carbinado'd, or otherwise: insomuch that after a dozen dishes of solid meat devovr'd, there is no impediment or let, but that the last course of more curious and dainty Cates, is as soone swallowed: and when the stomack by often belching, and eructations shall say it hath enough; yet are not their boundlesse and unlimited appetites satisfi'd: such are they who make their bellies their God: and thus far Hugo.
Augustus Caesar hearing one Erotes a Procurator of Egypt had bought a Bird which in fighting was never conquered, but had the victory of all Erotes.with which she contended, and that he in an humour had wrung her necke asunder, and eate her to breakfast; he caused the man to be sent for, and after the cause was discuss'd, and he had confess'd the act, he commanded his body to be nayl'd to the Mast of the Ship, judging him to be unworthy life, who for a little voluptuousnesse and itching desire of the throat, would not spare a poore Bird, who might have given delight to many in her single Duells; and which moreover, by her undaunted Spirit, yeelded an happy Omen to Caesar of his perpetuall prosperity in his warre. This Plutarch reports of him in his Roman Apothegmes; The vice of the Belly not onelyonly debilitates the body, but shortens the dayes of man; surfeit of meats devoures more then the sword; and the intemperance in wine devoures more then the sea.
The Devill by Wine worketh miracles; but all quite averse and opposite The Devills miracles.to those which our Saviour did when hee was upon the earth; who made the lame to walke, the dumbe to speake, the blinde to see, the deafe to heare.
The meere contrary to these hee practiseth against Gluttons and Drunkards; for let them with never so constant and steady steps walke to the Taverne, they often returne from thence indenturing and reeling this way and that way; their knees being made unserviceable; and their legs so debilitated, that they are scarce able to support them from falling to the earth.
Let the Drunkards eyes bee never so perfect and cleare at his going in, at his comming back hee shall finde them so waterish, filmy and blear'd with the fumes of Wine, that he shall scarcely see to finde his way to his owne dwelling: Be his speech never so voluble and distinct, hee shall finde a great change and alteration in his tongue; for it will falter in his mouth, he shall lispe and clip his English, and be scarce able to utter any one intelligible word: And be his hearing never so aggragate & quick, excesse and superfluity of Wine shall so dull and stupifie that sense, that he shall seem to be appoplex'd all over, that till the charme be over, and the Wine have left working, hee shall not have power to awake, or the strength to hold up his head, though a Drum should beate by him, or a Cannon be shot off by his care. Moreover, our Saviour restored the mad and lunatick to their senses; but the devill (by Wine abused) takes from the sober all sense, and from the apprehension all understanding; the moderate spirit it makes mad, and the low-minded Lunatick; and these are the Anti-maskes with which he fooles and deludes his servants, dandling, and cockering them to their utter ruine and destruction. I come now to History.
One Albidinus, a young man of a most perdit and debaucht course of Albidinus.life, when he had consumed all his Lands, Goods and Jewells, and exhausted all his estate even to one house, he with his owne hands set that on fire, and despairing of any future fortune, left the City, and betaking himselfe to the sollitude of the woods and groves, hee in a short space after hang'd himselfe.
Lucullus a noble Roman, in his Praetorship govern'd Africk two severall Lucullus.times; he moreover overthrew and defeated the whole forces of King Mithrid…t…s, and rescued his Colleague Cotta, who was besieged in Calcedon, and was very fortunate in all his expeditions; but after his greatnesse growing an eye-sore to the Common-weale, he retired himselfe from all publike Offices or Imployments, to his owne private Fields, where he builded sumptuously, sparing for no charge to compasse any rarity that could bee heard of; and had in his house he made a very rich Library, and plentifully furnish'd with Books of all sorts. And when he had in all things accomodated his house, suiting with his owne wishes and desires, forgetting all Martiall Discipline before exercised, hee wholly betooke himselfe to riotous Commessations, and gluttonous Feasts; having gotten so much spoyle and treasure in the Warres, that it was the greatest part of his study how most profusely to spend it in peace.
It is reported of him, that Pompey and Cicero one night stealing upon him with a self-invitation to supper, he caused on the suddaine a Feast to be made ready, the cost whereof amounted to fifty thousand peeces of silver; the state of the place, the plenty of meat, the change and variety of Dishes, the costly sawces, the finenesse and neatnesse of the Services, driving the guests into extraordinary admiration. Briefely, having given himselfe wholly to a sensuall life, his high-feeding, and deep quaffing brought him to such a weaknesse, that hee grew apoplex'd in all his senses; and as one insufficient to governe either himselfe or his estate, hee was committed to the keeping of M. Lucullus his neare Kinseman, dying soon after.
Caesar the sonne of Pope Alexander, was one of those who much doted Caesar the Son of Pope Alexander.on his belley, and wholly devoted himselfe to all kinde of intemperance, who in daily Breakfasts, Dinners, afternoon sittings, Suppers, and new Banquets, spent five hundred Crowns of the same, not reckoning Feasts and extraordinary Invitations. For Parasites, Buffoones, and Jesters, he allowed yearely two thousand suits of Cloathes from his Ward-robe: He maintained also a continuall army of eight thousand souldiers about him; and all this hee exhausted from his Fathers Coffers.
And Galentius, the sonne of Iohn Galentius, the first Duke of Imsubria, Galentius.was ranked amongst these great Rioters, who cared not at what expence he was, so he might see the Tressells of his Tables ready to bend under the waighty and gluttonous dishes that were plac'd upon them: who at one Feast made at the Celebration of his Daughters marriage (at which Petrarch the learned Italian Poet was present) spent an hundred thousand Peeces of money, which might be rated to the value of a Spanish Piece of Eight, or a Dutch Ricks Doller. One Peter a Priest, and Cardinall in the time when Syxtus was Pope, in the space of two yeares was knowne to lavish and waste three hundred thousand Double-Duckets (rated at twelve shillings English the piece) upon vanities and unnecessary disbursements, the greatest part of which was consumed in his Kitchin and Seller, the rest in sundry kindes of excesse and prodigality.
I read also of one Belflorius by Nation a Sicilian; at first of very meane Belflorius a Sycilian.and low Fortunes, but after by parsimony (being a Banker and an Vsurer) attaining to an infinite, and almost incredible estate, hee did not take the common course of your avaritious money-masters, to imprison it in strong and Iron-barr'd Chests, but cleane contrary hee built him a faire and goodly house, and when it grew up somewhat above the Sellerage and Foundation, in stead of Stone or Bricke, his Materials were Plates and pieces of Silver, which amounted to a mighty summe; and having finish'd this argent Structure, there he spent the rest of his dayes in all voluptuous feeding: so that one would have thought Epicurus himselfe to have survived in him: So what he got lewdly, having spent lavishly, he dyed like to a Fowle which we have in England call'd a Knott, which never eats in season till it dye of Fatnesse. He began in Poverty, continued in Prodigality ended in surfeit. At first a Camelion, after a Cormorant, and lastly a Swine or Boare fatted for slaughter.
Let us therefore bethinke our selves, that whensoever wee sitdowne to Good admonitions against Gluttony.eate and drinke, we have two guests to entertaine, and those are the body and the soule: whatsoever the body receiveth departs away quickly into the draught, and is seene no more; but that on which the foule feedes, lasteth and abideth for ever; For then is the minde most apt to apprehend reason, and ghostly instruction, where the free operations of the …raine are not dull'd and molested by such vapours as the excesse of feeding distempers it withall.
Salust saith, nothing can appeare more abject and mis-becomming man, who is the Image of the Creatour, then to live as a slave to the mouth and belly. But how hard a matter is it (faith Cato) to preach Abstinence to the Belly which hath no Eares, and yet is importunate, whether the hand have wherewith to supply it or no.
Socrates inviting certaine of his friends to a Schollers pittance, or a spare Supper, when he was taxed by one of his Guests for too slender provisions, made answer; If these whom I invited be vertuous, they will say here is enough; but if they be otherwise, then I say here is too much: Intemperancy is a root that hath hand in every disease that belongeth unto mans body: and it is a Proverbe common amongst us; Much meat, much malady.
Origen tells us, that Vessells more fully fraught then they are able to carry, are forc'd to sinke; and the stomack and belly surcharged with too much meat and drinke causeth bodies to surfeit, which is the readiest meanes to prepare sicknesse, and sicknesse is the immediate path-way to death.
One Gorgius, a very temperate and abstemious man, being demanded how he came to arrive to the number of an hundred and eight yeares, and in all that time was not visited with any grievous sicknesse? made Answer, I never eate but when I was hungry, nor never drunke but when I was thirsty, and then both moderately. And King Cyrus being asked by one of his great Captaines, named Artabazus, in a long and heavy March, what he would have provided for his Supper? He answered, Bread; for Drinke (saith he) we shall finde in every Current or Fountaine by the way: To order our lives well and frugally, is to live temperately, and avoid high and voluptuous feeding; for there is a great difference betwixt living well, and living sumptuously: Because the first proceeds from Discipline, Temperance, Frugality, and moderation of the soule, contented with her owne Riches: The other of Waste, Excesse, Luxurious Riot, and contempt of all order and mediocrity; but in the Catastrophe or Conclusion, the one is attended with shame and dishonour, the other with applause and glory: They be the very words of Plato; Therfore let us suffice nature, but surfeit not, supply the bodies necessities, but offend it not: For who so shall endeavour the contrarie, let him be forewarned by the subsequent examples.
Maximinus, a Groome of base and sordid condition, borne of needy Maximinus a great Glutton.Parents, his Father being a poore shepheard; and hee being of a strong and able body, betooke himselfe to bee a common Souldier, in which practice he shewed presidents of unexampled courage; insomuch, that he was promoted by the good Emperour Alexander Severus his Lord and Master, to eminent place and Office, and grew of great remarke in the Campe: But such was his ambition, and ingratitude withall, that he conspired the death of his Prince, and caused him with his Mother Mammaea to bee slaine, leaving not one that was friend or favourite to his vertuous predecessor alive: Which done, hee usurped the Imperiall Purple; who as hee was a Barbarous Thracian by birth, so hee was by nature covetous after Bloud-shed, removing all without any mercy, whom hee either feared or hated; or if neither, so he knew him to be rich, to possesse himselfe of his estate. I will not stand to make a particular Relation of all his Insolencies, Rapines, Extortions, Massacres, and Murthers, but come unto that which is now in agitation, his Gluttony; which was in such Excesse, that every day for his owne particular allowance, he had forty pounds of Flesh, and Bread answerable to the quantity of Meat, and five Gallons of Wine for his Drink; and so much hee constantly devoured, besides Sallets, made Dishes, and other Junkets and Kickshawes that came by the bye; For though his maine repast was sollid Food, on which hee laid his foundation, yet was hee lickerish also after any other rarity that was served into his Table: And yet for all this, could not (his God) his Belly save him, but after three yeares Usurpation, in whose Imperiall Command hee had demeaned himselfe with all brutish Tyranny, returning from the siege of Aquilaea, which he was compell'd to leave to his great dishonour, he was at Rome with one Balbitinus miserably cut to pieces amongst his Souldiers.
The Emperour Bonosus was also such another. Vopiscus reports of him, The Emperor Bonosus.that as hee used to eate voraciously, so hee dranke incessantly; insomuch, that no man was able to contend with him in his great draughts, and Elbow-deep Healths: insomuch, that the Emperour Aurelianus said of him; that fellow was onelyonly borne to drinke, not to live. Upon a time when the Embassadors of the Babarians were to appeare before him, and to deliver themselves from the King their Master, in stead of hearing their Embassie, hee caused great store of Wine to bee brought, and pretending their liberall and free welcome and entertainment, hee so ply'd them with healths, that they were not able to expresse themselves for what cause they were sent thither; but cunningly withall proposed unto them such questions, that in their lavish cups they utter'd unto him the very secrets of their hearts, being much more then they would have otherwise reveal'd: and when hee had understood what he would, hee tauntingly dismist them, and would never affoord them further audience. So much as he drunke so much he could evacuate at pleasure, so that his body was never surcharged neither in all his day-riots, or nights commessations could it bee perceived either by the faltering of his tongue, or failing of his legs, that hee was any way distempered, he was of such an able constitution: but all that could not secure his life, or adde to his dayes; for after being overcome by Probus (who succeeded him in his Empire) he caused him to dye a most unworthy death, no way beseeming his former State and Dignity, but rather suiting his vicious incontinency; namely to be hanged by the neck in an Hempen Halter, like a common Fellon: From whence a Jest grew amongst the Souldiers;
Amphorum pendere non hominem;
That it was no man that hung there, but a Tun or Hogshead.
The same Author Vopiscus speakes of one call'd Phago, an insatiable Devourer, who had no other pride nor practice; in somuch, that hee Phago Edax.grew as famous for that abominable vice, as if hee had beene possess'd with some extraordinary vertue: His name and …ame spread so farre, that it came to the eares of the Emperour Aurelianus; who for novelties sake, willing to see if hee were able to doe what was reported of him, admitted him to his Table, and for whose dyet provision was made accordingly; and divers spectators to behold the Prodegy, there at one supper he devoured an hundred leaves of Bread, a fat Wether, and an Hog of a yeare old, and drank to them according to the rate of eight Gallons of Wine: insomuch, that all left eating to see him feed; and wondred the rather, because he seem'd no way mov'd or distempered: for which the Emperour at the intreaty of those who brought him thither, dismist him with a reward. But hee shortly after dyed miserably, choked in the midst of his so gluttonous feeding.
A certaine Noble Generall being told that one of his Souldiers could at once eate such an huge quantity of provant and victuall, that it seemed to him incredible, hee sent for him, and finding his other abilities no way exceeding others, hee presently commanded him to bee hanged, saying, that he and an hundred more such as himselfe, were in one moneths space able to starve him and his whole Army.
Clodius Albinus, whose Guts were as a sinke or common Shore to entertaine Clodius Albinus.what trash or garbage, was conveighed into it, yet withall loved to feed with all delicacy, he is said at one Supper to have devour'd five hundred Figs, an hundred Persick Apples, ten Melons of Ostea, twenty pound weight of Libican grapes, an hundred Ficedulae, which are Birds that feed upon the Vines, much like a Nightingale, and forty Oysters.
It is spoke of one called Heterognathus, that through hasty eating, he Heterognathus.devoured the flesh from his owne Jawes and Cheeks, and sent it downe packing with the rest.
Heraclides Pictas was such an Helno, that scarce any of his time could parallell him: some he would invite to Breakfast, some others to Dinner, a third company to Supper, and feed heartily with them all, (sit as long as they would) and eate and drinke with them without Intermission, or Cessation, and at night see all the Tables cleare, that nothing were left for morning.
King Mithridatus also may truely bee call'd an insatiate eater, who would give rewards to such as would feed highest, and drinke deepest, making Mithredates K. of Pontus.it his greatest glory that hee was never exceeded in either; yet was desirous to have others companions with him in his Gluttony; setting which aside, hee was a man of admirable parts, and had so exquisite a memory, that hee was able to speake two and twenty severall Languages, and call all the Souldiers in his Army by their names: Besides, for his Valour he was feared of all; yet hee was overthrowne in Battaile first by Syllus, next by Lucullus, and lastly by Pompey quite defeated: Hee used to eate Poison; and in his last great overthrow would have poyson'd himselfe, but it had not the strength to worke upon him. Being in prison, such was the Majesty of his Countenance, that when an Executioner was sent to put him to death, hee frighted him with his very looke, and loath to have any other deaths-man but himselfe, he was found slaine by his owne hand, piercing those Bowells that had beene the receptacle of so much unnecessary dyet. With whom may be numbred Eresicthon, who after hee had consumed his whole Revenue, sold his Daughter Metra for money, by p…ng her body to every stranger, and having devoured all, he after eate the flesh off from his owne Armes, and in the end dy'd of hunger.
Eusebius reports of one Domitius Affer, who receiving more meat at Domitius AfferSupper, then his stomack could well digest, or his belly containe, dyed suddenly sitting at the Table.
Philoxenes was of that nasty and beastly greedinesse, that being invited to any Table, without respect to the honour of him who made the Philoxenes.Feast, if he perceived any to fall upon that Dish which hee had a minde to, hee would most unmannerly blow his Nose upon the meat, that they refraining it, he might ingrosse it wholly and solely to himselfe; Hee was moreover heard to wish to have the necke of a Crane, that hee might take the more delight in the going downe of his Meat and Drinke.
The Emperour Galba who succeeded Nero in the Imperiall Purple, Galba and Vitellius.reigned seven Moneths and seven dayes; and notwithstanding hee was threescore and three yeares of age, yet hee had an appetite betimes in the morning, before the rising of the Larke: He was no sooner up, but hee call'd for his Breakfast, which sometimes (if other occasions call'd him not) hee would continue till Noone, and dine never the worse; and soo make Dinner and Supper meet even till bed time. Vitellius also, (I would put their deaths together, because the manner of their lives were so alike) He was Emperour, and was so covetous, that he pillaged and robbed the very Churches and Temples, and taking away the golden Vessells and Plates, made those of Brasse to serve in their stead. But his gluttony was incomparable, for hee had served into one Supper, two thousand severall sorts of Fishes, and seven thousand severall kindes of Fowles; and more hee would have had, if more could have been compass'd: Moreover, when hee lay neare unto the Sea hee would suffer no Fish to come to his Table; but when hee kept Court farre up within the Land, hee would feede upon nothing else, because without extraordinary charges it could not bee conveighed unto him; esteeming that which was deare onelyonly dainty. But to come to their Deaths; These two Charibdes and ingurgitating Quick-sands, when they saw that they were ready to be slaine by the hands of their owne Souldiers; they both (though happening at severall times) desired to bee made drunke before their executions, which was granted them, so that when the Souldiers Swords pierced their Bowells, the Wine mixed with bloud issued out of their wounds; and thus as they were in their Lives monstrous, so they were in their deaths everlastingly miserable.
I have hitherto spoke of Eaters, I come now to Drinkers; the first onelyonly hastning their owne ruines, but the latter having been the destruction of themselves and others.
Concerning this Sinne of Bibacity and Vinosity, Infinite are the Drunkards amongst the Grecians.Examples that Antiquity hath left to posterity; of which I remember unto you some few.
Amongst the Grecians, Proteus the Macedonian had the name of an Alexander the Great.Invincible Tosse-Pot; to whom Alexander the Great having dranke a Bowle of twelve Sextaries, which is of our Measure two …ottles and a Quart, he quickly play'd it of…, and after some small pause, caused it the second time to be brim'd, and dranke to him againe. But Alexanders strength failed in the Pledge, and the Bowle slipt through his Fingers.
Hee grew to such intemperance, that after excesse of Drinking, he was forc'd to keepe his bed two dayes and two nights together, without being seeene abroad: In his Wine hee would cause his best friends to bee slaine, and then grievovsly lament them being sober. He was call'd by his owne Souldiers the Cup-Conquerer: and whosoever could poure most Wine downe his Throat, they would say of him; yea marry, this is a fellow that may drinke with Alexander; who when twenty have beene in company together, hee hath drunke to every one of them round, and then pledg'd them againe severally; which horrible vice was a mighty Eclipse to all his other Vertues. Calostiphenus the Sophist comming to him into the Symposian, the King offered him a deepe Draught, which hee refused with this Answer, I desire not, O Alexander, to receive such a Pledge from thee; by taking of which, I must bee enforc'd to enquire for a Physitian. But this great Captaine and Commander, who was Lord of the whole earth, who made his body no better then a Seller or Stowage for Wine, which he took in voluntarily: At the same passage against his will he received poison, which ended both his life and the hope of all his future Victories. And no wonder when men come to glory in a sinne, and make it their pride; for Cares Mitelenus reports of him, that when hee came to the Tombe of Calanus, the Indian Philosopher, hee celebrated to his honour and memory three prizes; for Musick, Wrastling, and Drinking; in which who excell'd in the first, had a Talent; in the second, three hundred pieces of silver, in the last ten: and in that thirty Indians contending for mastery, drunke themselves dead in the place, and six more expired some few houres after.
Antiochus was so besotted with Wine, that scarce a day passed him Antiochus the Illustrious.without dissemper; and yet notwithstanding sirnamed the Illustrious: Possedippus speaks of one Antiochus, to whom they gave the the name of Bibax, who fought a great battell against Arbaces in Media; but being slaine in the conflict, & his body brought before the Conqueror, he taunted him in these words; Thy Wine and thy boldnesse hath much deceived thee, O Antiochus, who in thy deep and lavish Cups didst promise to thy selfe to have drunke up the Empire of Arbaces.
Polybius speakes of one Agrones, King of the Illirians, who by often Agrones.and immoderate surfeits, dy'd of an extreame paine in the belly. Dionisius junior drunke out his eyes; and Cleomenes the Lacedemonian, stabb'd himself with his knife when he was extreamely cup-shot. Elpenor, having drunke hard, would needs climbe a Ladder; but his head having taken the winde, (as his body had received the Wine) his hands and feet both failing, hee fell downe and brake his neck. The like happened to one Philostratus comming from the Sinuesanian Baths; and Cleomenes King of Sparta, in striving to imitate the Scithian Vinoleuch, grew frantick, and so dy'd. Lacides the Philosopher by too much Compotation fell into the Disease call'd Paralysus, and dy'd of it▪ Armitus and Cyannippus, both of Syracusa, in their drunkennesse ravish'd their daughter; and in their sobriety were after slaine by their owne children whom they had vitiated.
It is further read of Alexander, that he was of a wondrous temperate and abstemious continence, till he had subdu'd the Persians, who liv'd the most deliciously of any nation under the Sunne: but as he Conquered them, so their vices Captiv'd him, and made him a meere slave to all sensuality and pleasure. So the Romans were a people of civill demeanour, and of a most thrifty and temperate Dyet; but having won the Monarchy from the Grecians, as they could teach the other to fight, so they could quickly learne of them to drinke and health it after their lavish and riotous manner: Briefely, you shall scarcely read of any brave and victorious Nation, who brought any forraigne people under subjection; but though the spoils he took thence were of never so great value, there came with him the greatest part of their vices, were they never so vile. I need not presse this much farther, the late Examples from the Roman Emperours and others, may sufficiently illustrate it.
I come now to the most bitter fruits that grow upon this cursed Tree of The bitter fruits of Gormundizing & Gluttony.Gluttony, and the Parricidal and bloudy effects thereof Doctor Selreccerus in Pad. pag. 211. hath this History: In the same City (saith he) where St. Augustine was borne, dwelt a very rich man, both of great power and substance who had one onelyonly Sonne, the sole heire to his meanes and fortunes, who taking very debaucht, and riotous courses, notwithstanding his Fathers dayly admonishments; yet still hee persisted in his former course of life. The Father out of his greater indulgence, as having but one, had allowed him large exhibition; and the mother too of her naturall love had still supply'd his riotous expences, both using him with gentle and courteous language, hoping by that fair course to draw him to some regularity: But finding that it nothing prevailed, but that every day he grew worse then other, he began then to change his Coppy, his Brow was more austere, and his look more supercilious, and his tongue (before altogether inur'd to advise and gently perswade) grew now to another tone, sharply to reprove and reprehend him: But that which toucht the Son nearest, was, he took away all his meanes from him, leaving him to the wide world, thinking (if any thing) want and necessity might make him look into himselfe, and in time reduce him to some goodnesse: but alas his hopes were all in vaine; for the young man grew so stupid and besotted in drunkennesse, that hee grew like one sencelesse, at least uncapable of any good and wholsome counsell. It happened some moneths after he had this neglect from his Father, and his scores abroad grew so high, that neither Taverne nor Ale-house (knowing him to be in his Fathers displeasure) would give him any further credit: He came home to the house (whence hee had been foure weekes absent) and being full of Wine, entred at the gate, whom his father meeting, and seeing him in that distemperature, he began to chide him after the old manner; which the other impatient to heare, catcht him by the throat, and having utter'd many execrable oathes, call'd him old Dotard, and said, Money he wanted, and money he would have ere he departed: The Father seeing violence offered, called out for helpe; at which the Sonne drew his Dagger, and stabb'd him into the Shoulder, most of the Servants were absent abroad; but the mother hearing her husbands An unmatchable villain….voice, comes downe, and seeing him bleed, and her sonnes Dagger bloudy in one hand, and with the other grasping his throat, shee fell downe upon her knees, and humbly besought him to spare his life; but the devill had got such power over him, that he was deafe to all intreaties, and solely ben… on the most horrid mischiefe that could be devised: For breaking suddenly from his father, he at an instant whipt out his sword, and ran him cleane through the body; and then turning towards his Mother, who fill'd the place with many a lamentable out-cry, he dispatcht her of life also; and as he was about to enter the house, purposing to rifle their Coffers, and so to be gone, in came some of the servants, and finding their Master and Mistris weltering in their blouds, they stood confounded and amazed, and not knowing what Murderers were in the House, or how strong they were, they shut fast to the Doores, and Barricado'd them, till they had called in helpe sufficient: Officers were sent for that open'd the doores, and searching the House, found the Paracide with his bloudy weapons in his hands, and his Pockets well stuft with gold, who was presently apprehended, and sent to Prison, and there laden with as many Irons as hee was able to beare: There needed no great examination, the fact being so apparent was soone confest, and hee condemned to suffer onelyonly one death, who had deserved a thousand.
I could almost parallell this Story, even here in our Countrey, with a Almost the like done in England.young Gentleman, that dwelt with his Mother not farre from Salisburie, whose Father being dead, his mother continued a grave and religious Matron. This young man seldome comming sober home, she had often disswaded gently from such debaucht courses, but found in him no amendment: One night he staying abroad very late, she resolved not to goe to rest till hee came in, and if he were any way intoxicated, or overcome with Wine, to chide him soundly, which happened according to her feare; for that night hee was extraordinarily in drinke, which shee by his uncertaine steps, and justling the walls perceiving, intercepted him in his way to his Chamber, and began to chide and rate him soundly, which he not having the patience to endure, the devill so wrought with the Wine, that he drew his Rapier and runne her through the body: and this hapned within these few yeares, whose name I conceale as loath to offend his Worshipfull friends and kindred yet living, who might thinke the fact being so horrid, (howsoever themselves bee innocent thereof) a blemish to their name and posterity: and in consideration of the premisses, I leave to all Parents, who are too cockering and indulgent over their children, in bringing them up, this Counsell from Solomon, With-hold not correction from the childe, if thou smite him with the rod hee shall not dye; thou shalt smite him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soule from hell.
Notwithstanding these fearefull judgements, how many may we meet in the day-time come either led, or else reeling from the Tavernes, but The effects of too much wineespecially in the night, where some have beene almost stifled by falling into kennells, others found sleeping upon Dung-hills, on which stumbling, have not beene able to rise, but there have took up their lodging for all night; some that have been conducted home, yet in going up staires to bed, have falne backward and broke their necks. But of all miraculous escapes that I have heard of; I my selfe knew two Gallants come from the Taverne, so strangely overtaken with Wine, that when they came into the street, they were scarce able to stand, or goe, or move one foot before another; the night was darke, and loath they were to take the benefit of a light, because their indenturing should not bee observ'd: and because they would both take one fortune, they catcht fast hold one of the other, and on they went; it happened in the way that a Seller doore being left open, downe they both fell into a Vault: but here is the wonder, one of their Rapiers slipt out of the scabbard, and fell with the pummill A miraculous escape.downwards, and the point up-right; these tumbled after it, and it ranne one of them through the Breeches at the knee, up to the waste, and thence through the body of the Dublet up to the shoulder, where the point appear'd an handfull bare at his neck, and yet in the whole passage not so much as once raz'd any part of his skinne. The noise of the fall suddenly commanded a light; but when they saw the Rapier so strangely scabbarded, and by search found that the party had no hurt, they were all amazed, and the two Drunkards with the apprehension thereof made almost sober: This was one of Gods miraculous deliverances; but let none presume to make that a president for his security: for doubtlesse, hee hath lesse wit then an Ideot, who being in his best sobriety, would hazard the like danger.
But it hath not happened so to others; for a Butcher who was observed A drunken Bu….for a common Drunkard, being Pot-shot, and in his Cups, was got into a Car… to receive some hides, or such like commodity to lade it with, and stooping his body to take something in, his Head was too heavy for his Legges that should have supported him, and downe …ee fell upon a Forke which stood by the Cart side with the pikes upward, hee pitcht his breast upon it, which pierc'd him to the heart, so that he dyed immediately without calling to God for mercy: and this is knowne not long since to have happened.
In Norfolke three men comming drunke out of an Ale house, late in the A judgement upon three drunkards.night, amongst many other prophane and blaspemous speeches, they began to jest at Hell, and withall to sweare, that in the most obscure place of it, it could not be so dark as that night was; at length they were to take leave and part every man to his home; and after a drunken farewell, the one of their wayes lying over a Bridge, his feet failing he slipt into the water, and was drowned: The two other were Horse-men, one of which, by the stumbling of his horse, was cast upon the ground, where he was after found dead, with his neck broken; neither did the third escape without a most remarkable Judgement; for his horse was found grazing in one place, and he dead in another, but without any wound; for some conjectur'd that hee perish'd with the extremity of cold, it being a bitter frosty night, and snow falling withall.
A Glasier in Chancery lane, not long since so overcharged his stomack A Glasier.with wine, that comming home he fell a vomiting in that extreame and extraordinary fashion, that breaking a veine within him he dyed within two dayes after: and a Barber in Drewry-lane comming from the Taverne in the like distemper, his wife with much adoe got him to bed, A Barber.where he fell into a sound and dead sleep; for that night being very tempestuous, and a mighty winde stirring, and they lodging in an upper roome or Garret, the Chimney was blowne downe and he kill'd in his bed, his wife that lay close by his side, having no hurt at all: To reckon up all the knowne judgements in this kinde would make this Tractate voluminous: these therefore for the present I hope may satisfie the indifferent reader, who if he shall but enquire from man to man of the disasters hapning in that kinde, shall heare from their owne motion, Stories too many of all good Christians to bee charitably commiserated, and lamentably deplored.
These have been examples of such as wee call downe-right Drunkards, One that drank himself to death.and like selfe-murderers have beene not onelyonly accessaries, but the Agents of their owne deaths: of which nature one accident of which my selfe was eye-witnesse, comes fresh in my remembrance, and happened some seven or eight yeares since at the most: Five young men comming from Islington upon a Sunday, where they had beene drinking good store of Ale, in their way home came to the Nags-head Taverne upon Clerken-well hill, where they cal'd for Wine, (what quaintity they dranke I am not certaine) but in the midd'st of their carrowsing, one of them (being a young man a Barber in Ivy-lane, and lately married) grew to to bee drowsie, and at length dropt under the Table; which the rest not minding, put it off with a jest, and said, he did but counterfeit sleep till the reckoning was paid; another said, hee had knowne him doe the like before; and thus they past the time till they were ready to part; when calling for a reckoning, they also call'd for their drowsie Companion to rise, and to goe along with them: but hearing that he made no answer, they pusht him and jogg'd him, yet all in vaine; till at length by the helpe of the Master of the House, they lifted up his body, and set him on one of the Benches; but his head fell downe into his bosome, for there was no life in him: at which they grew all amaz'd; neither can I blame them, who for every Glasse of Wine they enforc'd him to drinke beyond his strength, might as well to have given him a stabbe in the breast with a Puniard: The next day came his weeping Wife, and some of his sorrowfull kindred, and conveighed his body from the Taverne to the Church to be buried.
I come now to that from which I late deviated, as to those who through excesse of Gusling (for manners sake call'd good fellowship) destroy not themselves with suddaine Deaths, but rather Consumptions and lingring Maladies, which also by degrees bringeth on an assured and untimely end, one of the branches thereof is luxurious Prodigality, mixt with intemperate Vinocity, of which I will give you but one President.
A rich Citizens sonne, and well ally'd amongst the Aldermen, being a personable and proper young man, daring, and valiant, of a wondrous A true relation of a Prodigall Citizen.active body, acute wit, and a seeming sollid apprehension; his Father dying, left him (what estate in land I know not) thirty thousand pound in ready Cash, besides Plate, Jewels, and houses furnish'd with rich hangings, with all Utensills suitable to the state of Aldermen. Now this man who was no Gamster to lavish his meanes that way, yet spent all his whole and entire estate within the space of three yeares: Would any man beleeve how this could be possible? Well, I will tell you how; he kept two or three tall fellowes in Skarlet Liveries, dawb'd with gold lace; and for his owne particular would shift his Cloathes twice a day, wearing one suit in the morning, another after dinner: his most frequented Taverne, was the Kings Head in new Fish-street, where hee usually din'd and supt in the long Roome, at the long Table, where though hee were but himselfe and his friends, hee would have the Boord throng'd with variety of Dishes, from the top to the bottome; and as his meat was beyond rule, so many times his drinke was beyond reason: and though he could not be without flatterers or Sycophants about him, yet could they never foole him out of any bounty: His Table was free for them, but his Pockets shut, keeping alwayes a brace of principall good Geldings; his delight was to ride them off from their legges, and when they were foundred, or past present service, give them to one of his Groomes.
He had a great longing to please all his five senses at once; nor could he bee at peace within himselfe till he had accomplish'd it; and allow'd to A strange and unheard of prodigall.the delight of every sense a severall hundred pound, for which hee bespoke a curious faire roome, hung with the richest Arras that could bee hir'd, and furnish'd with all the most exquisite Pictures that might bee bought or borrowed, to please the eye.
Hee then had all the choicest Musicke that could be heard of, and how farre off soever to be sent for, with all the varieties or rarities that could be raised from any Instrument, to give him content to the eare. Then he had all the Aromaticks, and Odoriferous Perfumes to delight his sent in smelling: Next all the Candies, Preserves, all the Junkets, even to the stretching of the Apotecaries, or Confectionaries Art to palliate his taste: and lastly a beautifull and faire strumpet lodg'd with him in a …e compass'd, to accommo… …ore then ever Sardanapalus did) …
To tell of his mea… …, … these (though they were great in themselves) yet in the relation would appeare nothing, and therefore I omit them: Briefly, as he grew in an instant to wealth, so he fell as suddenly to want; and then those who had been his greatest sycophants, would shun the way of him: He drew to all the debauchtnesse that could be nam'd, being a brother of the Broom-staffe, not worth a cloak, though never so thred-bare, being forc'd most shamefully to beg of his acquaintance, and those he had knowne; hee was after prest for a common souldier, and for running away from his Captaine should have been hang'd (but for his Worshipfull kindred, for whose sake I also forbeare to name him) the matter was put off: But now followes the wonder, after all this contempt, misery, and penury, two or three Gentlemen call'd him up into a Tavern, of purpose to have some discourse with him; and one amongst them desired him to resolve him faithfully of one question he would aske him, who protested unto him that he would unfaignedly doe't: He then said to him, you have been a Gentleman well bred, and have spent a very faire Fortune, you are now cast downe to the lowest disgrace that can be, as having tasted of all miseries whatsoever; and you know them both, plenty & poverty, in a full measure; now my demand of you is, (the premisses considered) if you had all your former estate in your hands entire (knowing what you now know) would you not be a very good Husband? To whom he made answer, and bound it with a great oath; if I had, said hee, all the estate I before enjoyed, and ten times a greater, I would spend it all to liveone week like a God, though I were sure to be dam'd to hell the next day after: which strook the Gentlemen into such astonishment, and anger withall, that instead of giving him money, which was their purpose, they thrust him out of the roome as a prophane and blasphemous wretch, and would never look upon him after.
Who that shall look upon all the Prodigalls and spend-thrifts that have had great fortune, and have wasted them to nothing; or consider how many young Shop-keepers that have had good and sufficient stocke to set up with, and through Drinking and Company-keeping, (neglecting their home-affaires) have suddenly proved Trade-falne; and what hath been the end? but to fill Gaoles, and furnish prisons; or if they escape with Liberty, to fall into dissolute and desperate courses, which bring them into certaine disgrace, but most commonly unto untimely end. Besides, how many young heires in the Countrey, borne to faire Revenues, and possest of great estates, who having liv'd formerly in the Countrey, and after come to see the fashions of the City, what by Tavernes, Ordinaries, Gamehouses, Brothell-houses, and the like, have been so besotted and stupified, that they have suddenly run themselves out of all their fortunes; and then growing desperate, having spent their own, forc'd from others, and taking purses by the high-way side, have come at length to disgrace their gentry by their infamous deaths at the Gallows. And these and the like are the remarkable judgments continually exercis'd upon gluttons & drunkards: from which sin of Gurmandizing, as from all the rest, God of his infinite mercy, even for the merits of his Sonne Christ Jesus deliver us all.
Amen.
FINIS.