15. A fifteenth sin of London is Drunkenness; This sin hath been more visible and apparent; I believe that scarcely any Nation under Heaven hath proportionably more Taverns and Alehouses than England, and no place in England so many as London, and its adjacent parts: and of all the many thousands of these houses I believe there hath been scarce any but could give many instances of this sin. Besides the many private houses where this sin hath been practised. How have men risen early in the morning to follow strong drink, and continued unto night, till wine inflamed them? Isa. 5. 11. Come ye say they, and I will fetch wine, and we will fill our selves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant, Isa. 56. 12. The corners and beds full of vomit, the reelings about the streets, the contentions and wranglings, the wounds without cause, the redness of the eyes, and such like have been to evident a demonstration, of mens tarrying too long at the Wine, and distempering themselves with excessive drinking, Prov. 23. 29, 30. To be overtaken with drunkenness is a great sin, which makes men more brutish than their very Horses, who will not exceed their measure in drinking, except they be forced to it by Barnacles: and if none in the City had yielded to receive the drench of a cup beyond the measure without Barnacles upon their noses, I suppose that with their horses, they ⟨p. 164⟩would have been more sober; and hereby prevented many distempers of body, and worse distempers of mind, and which is worst of all, much dishonour of God, as well as of themselves, which excess in this kind hath been the cause of. But for men to follow after this sin, and make it their trade and common practice; to delight in it, and seek for their God and chief happiness, in a cup of Wine, or Ale, and to grow men of might in drinking; to exceed the bounds by many degrees without reeling, to entice others to it, yea to force them to drink healths (that ungodly practice) which would not in the least promote another's health, but was likely to destroy their own, through the excess which such practices do introduce; to take pleasure in drinking down others under their feet; and after to glory in their shame and wickedness;
15. A fifteenth sin of London is Drunkenness; This sin hath been more visible and apparent; I believe that scarcely any Nation under Heaven hath proportionably more Taverns and Alehouses than England, and no place in England so many as London, and its adjacent parts: and of all the many thousands of these houses I believe there hath been scarce any but could give many instances of this sin. Besides the many private houses where this sin hath been practised. How have men risen early in the morning to follow strong drink, and continued unto night, till wine inflamed them? Isa. 5. 11. Come ye say they, and I will fetch wine, and we will fill our selves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant, Isa. 56. 12. The corners and beds full of vomit, the reelings about the streets, the contentions and wranglings, the wounds without cause, the redness of the eyes, and such like have been to evident a demonstration, of mens tarrying too long at the Wine, and distempering themselves with excessive drinking, Prov. 23. 29, 30. To be overtaken with drunkenness is a great sin, which makes men more bruitish than their very Horses, who will not exceed their measure in drinking, except they be forced to it by Barnacles: and if none in the City had yielded to receive the drench of a cup beyond the measure without Barnacles upon their noses, I suppose that with their horses, they ⟨p. 164⟩would have been more sober; and hereby prevented many distempers of body, and worse distempers of mind, and which is worst of all, much dishonour of God, as well as of themselves, which excess in this kind hath been the cause of. But for men to follow after this sin, and make it their trade and common practice; to delight in it, and seek for their God and chief happiness, in a cup of Wine, or Ale, and to grow men of might in drinking; to exceed the bounds by many degrees without reeling, to entice others to it, yea to force them to drink healths (that ungodly practice) which would not in the least promote anothers health, but was likely to destroy their own, through the excess which such practices do introduce; to take pleasure in drinking down others under their feet; and after to glory in their shame and wickedness;
