thei dedicated to him a Temple vnder the Capitoll in Rome where were celebrated these feastes which thei commonly called Dionisians or Bacchanalia verie lassiuious and full of impudicitie And that this inuention was truelie attributed to this Denis Virgil wel assureth it vs in his firste entree into his seconde boke of Georgikes although Marcianus Capellus affirme that he only skilled the Gréekes to make wine Others write that it was Icarus father of Erigonus whiche first found the meane to make wine in Athens where after warde beyng drounke â–ª was slaine of the people In Italie they saie that Saturne there first had wine whiche he brought from out the Isle of Candia Plutarche writeth that Arâ—us an Etruscian enrichte Fraunce with the firste Vine that euer was there But the trueth is that the first inuentor of wine was Noe as also the first that euer was droncke whiche witnes besides that whiche is redde in the ninth of Genesis Lactantius Firmianus and Iosephus whiche Noe immediatly after he issued out of the Arke planted the Vine with his owne proper handes and drinking after of the fructe therof was also first drunke in whiche that his disease sleapyng he so discouered hym self that that there betided hym which is writteÌ„ of him in Genesis After this men léeking of this kinde of licour drancke it at first pure and with out water for as recordeth Plinie one named Stasius was the first that did water into wine to qualifie it By meane whereof greate good hath followed with the preseruation of health through out the whole worlde for that wine so tempered hath his most excellent effectes Plato by Macrobius in his seconde booke recordeth that wine taken moderatly fortifieth the vnderstandyng it augmenteth the puissance force and strength it yeldeth the harte ioious it taketh from man all sorroufull and pensiue imaginations Plinie saieth that the honest and resonable vse of wine delaied increaseth the force bloâ—dde and couler in mans face the vaines saieth he are streÌ„ghtned by wine the sight sharpened the stomake comforted the appetite thence groweth Vrine also prouoked it hastneth sléepe and disturneth Vomites it purgeth melancolie and reioiseth the harte in fine profiteth in many other vses Asclepiades the Phisician hath written a whole booke of the only vertue of wine Sainct Paule writyng to Timothie counseleth hym to drinke a little wine the better to strengthen and comforte his stomake The Phisicions vse wine in many their medicines for that wine wil restoreth health increaseth bloodde it offendeth not anie melancoly humours it dissipateth and drieth â—eame it moisteneth and fitteth choller to be purged Plato introducing Socrates commendeth wine saiyng euen as rain moderate geueth increase of all hearbaege tempe steous inundations vtterly destroiyng it so wine with 〈…〉 ration reioiseth man and coumforteth his spirites but coutrariwise in abundaunce scorcheth and consumeth hym Among all other sweete and pleasing odours the smel also of wine is of the Philosophers commended for that it addeth force as is saide to the vitall spirites it is very subtill and soone penetrateth but what so euer is spoken or saide any where of wine that still is mente of wine moderatly taken and delaied The auncient Romaines forbad the vse of wine to women as well as also to children as hath Valerius writyng the customes lawes of the Romaines So that as Plime saieth that in those daies when Romulus raigned in Rome a certen Citisen slewe his wife for that she had dronke wine and although the murtherer were immediatly apprehended and taken yet the Prince with out sute would pardon that offence Thei estemed it a fault so greate and ignominious to sée a woman bouse or drinke wine that as Fabian reporteth a certaine maide hauyng stolen the kaies of a wine Seller preuely to haue dronke or tasted there of wine was by famine done to die euen by her owne parentes for that faulte For this cause men vsed to kisse women on the mouth to féele or perceiue if they had drinke of wine It is recorded that N. Domician beyng ordained some tymes a iudge in Rome depriued a woman there of her Dourie for that she hadde dronke more wine then was for her health either necessarie or conuenable Salomon in his Prouerbes prohibeteth wine to kinges as well as also to there counsell for that in dronkennesse saieth he nothyng is kepte socrette or concealed the pore mans cause also is then not considered of or harde iudgmente at the leaste proceadeth then against hym We reade not with standyng that it was permitted to the kynges of Egypte to drinke wine but that moderatly and by appointed measures Aâ—… Râ—mulus inuited to a feast would hardly see or taste anâ— wine for 〈…〉 eth he mustâ—… I determen of a greate and weightie matter Auicenna saieth that who so geueth wine to a child to drinke heapeth one flamyng fier on an other Aristotle inhibiteth wine to be geuen Infantes as also to all Nurses that geue sucke of their bodies Plato by his lawes in hys bokes de republica though he séeme in the firste to aucthorise the drinkyng of wine yet in the seconde saieth manne must drinke little wine wel drouned in water and that also in no wise before he bee eightine yeres olde in the presence continually of olde menne vntill he be fortie to the intente that if he exceede he receaue punishment for his excesse of theim But after that age he permitteth that the quantitie be of some parte augmented to mittigate or asswage the coldnes and melancoly of those yeres How be it his minde is that a certaine measure bee prescribed theim farther he excludeth all seruauntes of what age so euer iudges also and magistrates and such as haue offices or charge in the weale publike To studentes also he geueth in counsell that they sauer not of wine and as concernyng bondmen the same order was also obserued of theim in Rome Auicenna accoumpteth Plato his lawes as good rules in Phisicke with whom also accordeth Galene in this matter Alexander Aphrodiseus in his problemes affirmeth that those that neuer drincke other licour then water haue as wel their sight as all other their senses more sharpe and fine then thei that drinke continually wine But howe to water and ordre our wine there are sundry rules and opinions Hesiodus commaundeth that to one cuppe of wine ye adde thrée of water Atheneus saieth that the auncient Greekes did fiue partes of water to be mixt commonly with twoo of wine and some tymes whiche more was thrée partes of water with one of wine which accordeth with the rule of Hesiodus And this maie here be noted that the Grekes neuer did to be poured water into their wine but wine continually in small quantitie in to their water by meane where of Theophrastus assureth vs that these twoo licours are more perfectly medled And this did our elders not onely well droune and water their wine but dranke there of
Notwithstanding it appeareth moste euidently that the yéeres mentioned in the Holy Scriptures were none others then these of our time that if there were any kinde of difference sutche it was as was not almoste sensible Which thinge is very well proued by Iosephus as also by Lactantius Firmianus but yet more perfectly and more plainely by S. Augustine by whose authoritie and reasons easily may be confounded who so leaneth to the contrarye Touchinge the firste that eche Moone in that Age gaue them one full yéere accoumptinge euermore from the one Coniunction vnto the other it resteth an eroour moste open and euidente for that wée wel know that that conteineth not thirtie dayes full so that one hundred yéeres folowing this our accoumpte would mounte vnto aboue one thousand and twoo hundred of theirs of that time Whence it woulde folowe contrarye to the opinion of all that men in our Age nowe presently lyue longer then they did immediately after the Creation of the world for that neuer was there any man that liued one thousande and twoo hundred yéeres whiche nothinge surmounteth this Age of ours It also is apparente that somme emonge vs liue an hundred yéeres somme also thoughe rare it chaunce an hundred and twelue whiche woulde rise to more then a thousande and thrée hundred yéeres accoumpting them accordinge to the course of the Moone Like errour to this was not also theirs which affirmed tenne yéeres of the firste Age paste to be iuste one and no more of this our time For had that their opinion bene true then should men haue benne able in the acte of Generation at the Age of seuen eighte and tenne yéeres which squareth with no rule or parte of Philosophie For proofe whereof wée reade in Genesis that Seth the sonne of Adam begatte Enoch beinge then olde an hundred and fiue yéeres If then ten yéeres of that Age had answeared by iust proportion but vnto one of these oures it then shoulde followe that these of the firste Age at the Age of tenne yéeres and a halfe of this time present shoulde be stronge and able in the acte of Generation Cain also hauinge issue at thréescoare and tenne yéeres should haue also benne Father followinge our accompt at the ende of his first seuen yéeres yea and that whiche more is at a farre yonger Age if one of our yéeres had counterpeased twelue of the firste Age as diuerse haue not leafte lightly to surmise But wée shall more plainly yet vnfolde this their fowle faulte and by this reason weaken their inexcusable errour If their yéere were but the tenth or tweluth parte of oures then consequently must it follow that their yéere had not twelue Moneths or at least that their Moneth had but three daies whiche is false for that the sayde texte of the Scripture saithe that the generall Floudde began the seuentiene daye of the seconde Moneth whence wee euidenily learne that the moneths of that time where none other then are oures Concerninge the others whose opinion was that a yeere in the firste Age was but the fourth parte of one in this their yéere beinge the space of thrée moneths only is proued by the saide péece of Scripture to be in like manner false For in the same place is it readde that the Arke of Noë flottinge on the waters arrested it self the seuen and twentie daie of the seuenth Moneth whiche the waters fallen first staide it selfe in the Mountaines of Armenia Againe after is it written that the waters dayly diminished vntill the tenth Moneth and that in the firste daie of the saide moneth the toppes of highe Hilles and Mountaines eche where discouered them selues Whence nowe lie euident the errours of those whiche measured for their yéere the onely space of thrée Moneths for that mention is here made bothe of the seuenth and tenth Then may wée well learne that the auncient yéere had also twelue Moneths as haue in this laste Age semblably oures for that remembringe the tenth it mindeth lesse nothing then the ende or the last And as ill also may that be saide that their Moneth had but thrée daies onely for of the seuen and twentie daye of the Moneth plaine and expresse mention lieth open in the Texte But least of all may it be supposed that their daies had of length but twoo or thrée howers for that the same Texte againe reporteth that it raigned and the windowes of Heauen were opened by the full space of fourtie daies and fourtie nightes So now then is it euident that the daies were naturall of foure and twentie howres the Moneths and yéeres none other then are oures or at least very small and insensible was the difference Whiche thinge to that ende I onely haue spoken for that all men accompted the course of the Heauens as wée doo so that this order amonge the learned the Hebrewes I meane as well as the Egyptians hath benne reuerently eche where and alwaies obserued among whom Moyses the Historiographer was brought vp Author of those holy Bookes where these longe liues are recorded Now if wée would subscribe to the opinion of many who affirme the Hebrewes to haue measured their Moneths by the course of the Moone geuinge forth their yéere complete by the twelue Moneths Lunaries eche Moneth hauinge onely niene and twentie daies fouretene howres or at the least very litle more or lesse by meanes whereof the yéere might ende aboute twelue daies shorter then that whiche wée measure by the passage of the Sunne whiche is thrée hundreth thirty and fiue daies and sixe howres This difference notwithstandinge ne yet leaueth doubtfull or of any parte vncertaine the longe and great Age of our forepassed Fathers for a smal matter is it in niene hundred or a thousande yéeres to exempte twentie or thirtie for that the Monethes Lunaryes were not full thirtie dayes Hence then conclude wée by this authoritie certaine that the nine hundred and thirtie yéeres whiche Adam liued the nine hundred also of the others were sutch as were the hundred thrée scoare and fiuetiene of Abraham and sutch also as are the thrée scoare and tenne and foure scoare of of our time for the moste parte the extreame tearme ende of our lyues There is also one other and semblable consideration to be noted to this pourpose alleaged by S. Augustine Admitte saithe he that in the Scriptures no mention be made that Adam and his Posteritie had any other Children before these that are in the saide Scriptures remembred yet is it for a veritie assuredly to be mainteined that bothe before and after they had diuers and sundrye yea and that in theire tenderer Age also then is any where in holy Write in any wise specified Wherof to yéelde more sufficient proufe when it is saide that Caine had builte to him a Cittie the first of all others that euer was in this worlde of whiche Iosephus reporteth sayinge That it was bewtified with diuers Towers enuironed compast with
the aucthoritie of the Senate he could admitte no new God in Rome besides or beyonde their supersticious Idoles But as the diuinitie nedeth not nor yet can confirme it self by the sole and onely approbation of manne so God here in permitted that the Senate should then dooe nothyng Yea on the contrary rather as sondrie good writers haue thei helde them ill contented for that Pilate had not to them hereof writen also as he then did to the Emperour This notwithstanding Tiberius ordained by Proclamation that no man should be so hardy to touche or laie hande on any professed christian Now after this Pilate arrested hym in Rome confirmed by the deuell as his assured seruaunt did neuer any thyng iustly in any his charge or office Of whiche accused before Caius Caligula successour to Tiberius as also to haue prophaned the temples and churches erecting vnlawfull Images and Idolles and farther that he had robbed the common coafers and threasories with other greate crimes and intollerable treacheries was banished in fine and sent home againe to Lions Others saie to Vienna and that he was there borne where his intertainment was suche and so muche pleasing that he incontinently murthered hym self whiche thyng assuredly chaunced hym by diuine heauenly permission to the intent he shamfully might dye by the handes of hym self the moste vileste and vniuste wretche in the whole worlde These that hereof haue written are the aboue remembred authours Beda in his booke De temporibus and in his Ecclesiasticall historie on thactes of the Apostles Eusebius reporteth that he thus slue hymself the eighth yere after the death of the innocente lambe Iesus iudged to death and deliuered to the bloodie Iewes by hym Of whose death and passion this accursed deuill neuer soughte by any meanes his remission or pardon but paste hence in dispaire to Sathan his patron for the bountie of God is suche and so greate that though in deede he had sentensed his onely soonne to death yet if he had repented hym of that his synfull crime the verie same whom he had condemned to the crosse had not withstandyng yet grauÌ„ted hym his portion in ioye with Christe Farther a lake there is or riuer whiche also menne call Pilate within the territories of Sueuia adioynyng to Lucerna in a certaine plaine inuironed on all sides with high and greate mountaines from the highest of which as some affirme for truth he threwe hymself doune and was drouned in that water The coÌ„mon opinion is that euery yere ones he maketh there shewe of hym selfe in the habite of a iudge but who so euer he be manne or woman that by happe then shall see hym dieth assuredly or the yere bee fully expired For proofe whereof I referre you to Ioachimus Vadianus a man singulerly learned whose commentaries writen on Pomponius Mela are extant who also of this lake reporteth yet an other thyng no lesse knowen for true then verie straunge and meruailous He saieth that this water is of this nature or propertie that who so casteth into it either a stone clotte of yearth a pece of woode or any other the semblable this water forthwith so rageth and rolleth with suche violente and teÌ„pestious impetuositie that it passeth his bandes drouneth and annoieth the whole countrie aboute it whence the inhabitauntes are often tymes indomaged in their corne fruites trees and cattell And againe that whiche moste straunge is if these thynges bee not throwen in willingly and of pretensed purpose but by happe or fortune as least though one do slide in it then neither altereth nor rageth in any kinde of maner Further also saieth this foresaied Ioachiamus a Swiser borne that there are lawes and constitutions forbiddyng all men vnder paine of death to caste or conueigh any thyng into the saied lake and that diuers haue been executed for infringyng this ordinaunce Whiche whither it bee naturall or miraculous I durst not affirme although waters haue straunge meruailous proprieties For some of whiche it should not be harde to yelde good reason but for others difficill or rather I iudge impossible The semblable vnto this reciteth Plinie saiyng that there is in Dalmacia a verie deepe darke dungion or denne into whiche if any throwe any stone or weightie matter there issueth thence immediatly suche a violente or blusteryng aire or rather if I so mighte saie a whirlyng winde that it tourneth into a daungerous tempest greuyng and annoiyng all the inhabitauntes of that countrie It maie bee whiche I dare not to affirme that the bodie of Pilate was throwen into that hole and that the deuill there by diuine permission to his euerlastyng shame and ignomine executeth these straunge and incredible effectes In what degrees and at what age a man and woman should marrie Chap. 3. THe auncient Philosophers morall were of sondrie opinions touching thage in whiche man should marrie hym self to a woman to the intent that the yeres of the one might aunswere in proportion vnto the others Aristotle groundyng here on so maie it be that women both naturally conceiue and beare children euen vntil the siâ—tieth yere ended of their age and that man is also able in his kinde vntill the seuenteth expleate saied that thei orderly should marrie at suche tyme as bothe parties might leaue together vnprofitable and vnable in thacte of generation in suche sorte that by the rule or prescription of the Philosopher man should haue aboute twentie yeres more then his wife Hesiodus an Xenophon graunt hym yet some thing lesse supposyng it sufficient that a manne of thirtie yeres take a wife at fowertene Licurgus lawe geuer to the Lacedemoniens conformeth hymfelf to the opinion and censure of Aristotle for generally he forbadde marriage vnto all men before thei had past the seuen and thirtie yere but vnto women the seuententh onely This Lycurgns his lawe was approued of many for that in her more perfecte and more ripe age she more easily acquainteth her self with the maners and behauiour of hym that is giuen her for housebande For as writeth Aristotle in his Economiques the disparitie of maners and difference in conditions let perfecte loue betwixte the parties coupled yet neither approue I this ordinaunce of Aristotle whiche willeth that man should haue twentie yeres more then woman without offence or preiudice be it ment vnto so worthie a personage my reason is this that man beyng fullie sixtie yeres olde although he yet then can doe some thyng in the acte of generation moste commonly if he liue longer in the residue of his life he is charged with infinite and daily increase of maladies so that before his wife aspire to the age of fortie he to her shall bee a greate charge and wearie paine in place of a frende a patrone and a housbande Wherefore when there is lesse difference in their ages thei are in like maner mortified as it were at one tyme their mindes and intentes are also more conformable then when there is so greate inequalitie of yeres
three tymes in the daie and night chaungeth his taste or sauour to weete from sweete to bitter and from bitter to swéete againe Of an other water also in Iudea whiche continually in the Saboth daie is founde to be drie whiche Plinie assureth vs writyng also of an other fountaine emong the Garamantes whiche in the daie is euermore so swéete and colde that it is impossible for any manne to drinke of it and contrary in the night is againe so warme that it burneth his hande that presumeth to touche it and hath to name the fountaine or welle of the Sunne Of this fountaine haue writen as of a thing moste certain Arrianus Diodorus Siculus Quintus Curtius in his historie of Alexander Solinus and the Poete Lucretius who there of hath giuen a Philosophicall and naturall reason Besides these like straunge is the nature of the welle Eleusina whose water is verie freshe cleare and standyng how be it if any man plaie on an instrument swéete and musicall by it so nigh I meane that the water maie be supposed to heare it it forthwith beginneth in suche sorte to swell that it ouersloweth bothe banke and border as though it had some pleasure or secrete likyng in musike this reporteth Aristotle in his meruailes of nature Solinus also and the old Poete Ennius Vitrunius writeth of the riuer Chimera whose water in taste is verie delectable and pleasaunte but partyng into twoo troughes or twoo sundrie chanels the one continueth swéete still the other bitter and vnsauerie how bée it it maie bée supposed that he borroweth this alrered qualitie of the soile or ground onely through which he passeth and so that alteration is lesse to be meruailed at as also it maie bée thought that these diuers proprieties of these other waters also should not so muche amase and trouble vs if wee knewe the occasions and causes of their effectes The same ones againe make yet farther mention of an other streame hayung to name Silar whiche what so euer is caste into it conuerteth it straight into a stone or stonie substaunce In Ilirica there is a welle whose water is bothe swéete and pleasaunt but burneth what so euer is throwne into it in sort as if it were a perfecte fire There is in Epirus an other fountaine into whiche if ye putte a Torche lighted it extinguisheth but if you putte hym in not lighted he taketh fire thence and burneth from noone euer more he ebbeth as it were and in the ende waxeth drie but the night growyng on he growes againe with suche spede that at midnight he is full and beginneth to ouer run his banckes or limites An other fountaine is there also in Persia of whiche who so drinketh loseth incontinētly his téeth There are in Arcadia certaine springes whiche distill and droppe out of the sides of sunderie mountaines whose waters al are so excessiue cold that there is no kinde of vessell be it of golde siluer or any other mettall that is able in any wise to holde and kepe theim but breake them all with extremitie of coldnes onely the horne of an asse his foote excepted whiche cōtaineth and kéepeth theim as if it were any other common kinde of water Wée would hardly credite in this place that there are certaine riuers bothe greate and wide that sodainly passe doune entering into the boiles of the yearth whiche afterwarde brake out againe in places farre of and farre distante from thence if wee had not experience hereof and suche as maie not bee denied for example of some Vadiana in Spaine Tigris in Armenia whiche springeth in Mesopotamia Licus in Asia There are certaine springes also of freshe water whiche passyng into the sea runne wholie vpon the sea without any commixtion in any sorte with it of whiche there is one betwixte Sicilia and the Isle Enaria adioygnyng vnto Naples In Egipte it is euidente that it raineth not at all but that Nilus ouerflowyng the countrie moisteneth it naturally whence it giueth her fruite of all sortes aboundantly Twoo riuers are there also in Boecia in the one of whiche all shepe that are watered beare onely blacke wolle and besides that none other the other contrary cause theim that drinke thereof to beare white wolle onely In Arabia there is a welle at whiche as before what sheepe so euer water theim beare there wolle not as the others white or blacke but redde all Of all these waters hauyng suche straūge proprieties Aristotle disputeth at fulle and copiously The riuer Lincestis maketh hym drunke as sone as any wine that drinketh of hym In the Isle of Cea as recordeth Plinie there was a fountaiue of whiche who so dranke ones became forthwith stupide and insenseble of no more felyng or witte then an Asse In Thrace there is an other lake of whom who so drinketh or swimmeth in hym sterueth without more neuer to be recouered There is also in Pontus a riuer in whiche are founde certaine stones that will burne whiche also then take on fire when the winde is euer more greatest and by how muche the more thei be couered in the water so muche the better and soner burne thei Besides these diuers haue written of diuers other kindes of waters as of some that heale certaine griefes or maladies of whiche sorte there is one founde in Italie called Zize whiche remedieth or salueth all hurtes what so euer in the iye an other in Achaia of whiche if a woman with childe drinke she shall be assured of good and spéedie deliueraunce Others also there are that remedie many other infirmities as the stone the leprosie the feuers both tertian and quartain of which Theophrastus Plinie Vitruuius remēber vs In Mesopotamia also is founde an other riuer whose water if you smell to it is bothe pleasaunte and odoriferous Baptista Fulgotius in his recollection writeth that there is also a welle in Englande into whiche if you throwe any kinde of wood it will within the space of one yere bée conuerted into a stone He also faithfully confirmeth that whiche Albertus surnamed the greate in persone experimented in a certaine well in high Almaignie and Albertus writeth that he puttyng his hande into the water hauyng in it a bough that part that was vnder the water chaūged into a stone the other parte as before continuyng that it was The saied Fulgotius reporteth yet another matter as straunge of a welle also about whiche if happely you walke not vtteryng any worde or voice at all the water then continueth as before still and cleare but if you speake any thyng be it neuer so softe or little it then beginneth to rage and to trouble as to behold it were verie straunge and meruailous he notwithstandyng reporteth to haue experimented it in persone who while he attentiuely behelde it with silence found it as is aboue said bothe quiete and cleare but when he ones spake it then began to trouble as if one within of purpose with some instrument had laboured it In Fraūce also
also in very small quantitie Eubolus the Greke Poete bringeth in Bacchus speaking to the Elders or Sages of that age I will geue you to drinke of wine but thre times at your refection the first for health the seconde for the good smell there of the third to inforce sleape how oftē so euer you more drinke it al sauoureth of disorder and dronkennes Apuleus Paniasis the same that wrote of the diuersitie of meates is with the other of one and the same iudgement saiynge that ye may once drinke incontinently after grace the seconde cuppe moueth or quickeneth in vs Venus the thirde is cause of shame and dishonor Iulius Caesar verie sildome woulde taste or drincke of wine which thinge Suetonius reporteth by the testimony of Cato the same I meane that was ennimie vnto Caesar The excellente Demosthenes also or fewe times or neuer dranke of any wine Apollo Tianeus of whom so many thinges are so famously written as hee neuer did eate any kinde of fleashe so also did hee neuer drinke any droppe of wine And among all Christians in these daies temperancie in drinkyng is highly commended Saincte Iames the lesse neuer dranke in his life ether wine or Ale nether would he eate of any kinde of fleashe imitating there in Sainct Ihon the Baptiste The semblable finde we of Fulgentius the Bishoppe of Emerys also the soonne of Steuen kinge of Polonia Iosephus in his antiquities highly extolleth that vertuous modesty of the Esseiens whiche were one of the three sectes that were among the Iewes the Pharasies and Saduces the other two whiche as he saieth neuer dranke wine In a certen Epistle Saincte Hierome sharpely reproueth Preestes bousinge or pleasinge any thing at all in wine addyng that Sainct Paule aduiseth theim to the contrarie and farther saieth that in the old lawe these that had charge or office in the Churche neuer dranke either wine or other kinde of licour that coulde or might force theim any waie to lightnes Good potte men in these daies and gallant tasters approue their wines by these fower qualities he must be delectable in mouth to please the taste he must smell well and farre of to content their riche Noses he muste bee well coloured pure and neate to please the eye and in fine it must haue his commendation of the soile to wéete that it came from a hoate and high countrie and of this good wine they quickly can make vinegar but of the commodities or discōmodities herof I presently leaue to speake more in this place Of infinite discommodities whiche take their springe of wine immoderatly vsed as also what Phisicians they were that thought it good and medicinable some tymes to be dronke Chap. 11. THough Wine in some diseases bothe healpe and comforte nature yet thence rise so manie mischiues if it immoderatlie be taken that the discommodities thereof passe and surmoūt the commodeties in suche sort that it might séeme better wée neuer had séen or knowen it contentyng our selues with water whiche in the beginnyng was onely geuen vs of parte for that we can imagen nothing to be better of parte also that all other creatures content theim selues with the same Consider wee also that by wine sundrie haue loste the vse of their senses some their liues some also all hope of saluation and their soules And although men well knowe the greate inconueniences that betide theim by wine yet so farre of be they from any intention to eschwe it that they nothing so much séeke as continuall occasions to bouse and drinke incessantly in suche sorte that fewe houres in the daie may passe theim in whiche they kisse not the cuppe at least fiue or sixe tymes not slightly and for facions sake but with staryng eyes gladly and with right good deuotion Plinie writeth that where as many eftsones drinke nether for any néede or thirst thereto prouoking theim that wine amōg al other licours hath this nature or proprietie that with ease it will be dronke ye though you nothing nede it But afterward it handleth those accordyng to their demerites paiyng theim the paine of that sinne and excesse the vapours thereof mountyng alofte in to the braine depriuyng theim incontinentlie of the vse of eche their senses resemblyng for the tyme some dull and brutishe beaste and after thei at times by vse haue learned well to abuse theim selues this infirmitie then taketh holde and full possession of theim and ordereth theim as doeth the hungrie Catte the Mouse I meane it either killeth theim or at leaste it chargeth them with infinite discommodities and ineuitable infirmities tormentes muche worse then present death in déede as the Goute the Palsie both in handes and féete the dropsie the eies stand staring full of blooddy humors the Liuer inflamed the face full of fier and verie richely coulered the Nose ful of rubies with many other honest and pretie commodities of very good grace and much to be desired Cato saied that dronkennes was a voluntary folly Plinie saieth that it dulleth and weakeneth the memory prouoking dreames very terrible and fearful Seneca writyng to Lucullus affirmeth that it meameth and féebleth both the armes and legges prouokyng men to lasciuious thoughtes and venerie Deonisins Areopagita alleageth out of Plato drounkennes to resemble some lustie yong daunser whose thighes in the beginnyng are sore hardly able to beare hym néedyng some staffe or croache to rest or staie on she also is well skilled to alure and drawe vnto her with frēdly face reioysing her dronken Souldiars daily Sainct Paule writing to the Ephesians aduertiseth theim to flie and to forsake wine the spring and beginnyng of all vnchaste liuynge Salomon also who so drinketh wine in abundance and excesse neuer keepeth counsell or secrette what so euer Whence grewe for iuste cause this olde and auncient Prouerbe wine runneth without showes to wéete secretly priuely pleasantly hardly séen or perceiued shamefully discoueryng mans foule and vitious apetites To this purpose the Poete Eschilus also saide that as in a glasse is sien the true fewture of the body so also is sien in wine the affections of the minde Plato saieth that wine maketh plaine and euidente demonstration of the manners and conditions of all menne Hence haue wee good exāples in Noe both and in Loth for the one beyng dronke discouered his secrete partes whence he became infamous to al men and Sodome against Loth had at all no powre whom wine notwithstandyng not hardly after conquired blindyng hym to abuse his owne naturall doughter Beholde here the fructes then and forces of wine Among the lawes of Solon one of the seuen wise men or sages of Grece it was ordained that what prince so euer was founde or knowen dronke should therefore immediatly be executed to death Pitacus also decréed an other of the saied sages that who so beyng dronke committed any offence shoulde assuredly receiue double punishement there fore once for the trespas and fault by hym committed and the seconde tyme for his