beholdeth nothing steadfastly with his staring eyes, believeth that the house runneth round about him. It is evident that the mind is brought clean out of frame by excessive drinking, so that whosoever is deceived by wine or strong drink, be•ommeth as Solomon sayeth, a mocker, or a mad man, so 1that he can never be wise. If any man think that he may drink much wine, and yet be well in his wits, he may aswell suppose, as Seneca saith, that when he hath drunken poison, he shall not dye. For wheresoever excessive drinking is, there must needs follow perturbation of mind, & where the belly is stuffed with dainty fare, there the mind is oppressed with slothful sluggishness. A full belly, maketh a gross understanding, 2saith saint Bernard, and much meat maketh a weary mind. But alas, now a days men pass little either for body or mind: so they have worldly wealth and riches aboundaunts to satisfy their unmeasurable lusts, they care not what they do. They are not ashamed to she we their drunken faces, and to play the mad men openly. They think them selves in good case, and that all is well with them. if they be not pinched by lack and poverty. Least any of •s therefore might take occasion to flatter him ⟨p. 211⟩self in this beastly kind of excess, by the abundance of riches, let us call to mind what Solomon writeth in the. xxi. of his Proverbs, He 3that loveth wine & fat fare, shall never be rich sayeth he. And in the xxiii. Chapter, he maketh a vehement exhortation, on this wise, Keep not 4company with drunkards and gluttons, for the glutton & drunkard shall come to poverty. He that draweth his patrimony through his throat, and eateth & drinketh more in one hour or in one day, then he is able to earn in a whole week, must needs be an unthrift and come to beggary. But some will say, what need any to find fault with this? H• hurteth no man but him self, he is no mans foe but his own. In deed I know• this is commonly spoken in defence of these beastly •elly gods, but it is easy to see how hurtful they are, not only to them selves, but also to the common wealth, by their example. Every one that meeteth them is troubled with brawling and contentious language, and oft times raging in beastly lusts, like fed Horses, they neigh on their neighbours wives, as Jeremiah sayeth, and defile their children and daughters.
beholdeth nothing stedfastly with his staring eyes, beleueth that the house runneth rounde about him. It is euident that the mynde is brought cleane out of frame by excessiue drinking, so that whosoeuer is deceaued by wyne or strong drinke, be•ōmeth as Salomon sayeth, a mocker, or a mad man, so 1that he can neuer be wyse. If anye man thinke that he may drinke much wyne, and yet be well in his wittes, he may aswell suppose, as Seneca sayth, that when he hath drunken poyson, he shall not dye. For whersoeuer excessiue drinking is, there muste needes followe perturbation of mynde, & where the belly is stuffed with daintie fare, there the mynde is oppressed with s•othfull sluggishnesse. A full belly, maketh a grosse vnderstanding, 2sayth saint Barnarde, and much meat maketh a weary mynde. But alas, now a daies men passe litle eyther for body or mynde: so they haue worldlye wealth and ryches aboundaunts to satisfie their vnmeasurable lustes, they care not what they do. They are not ashamed to she we their drunken faces, and to playe the mad men openly. They thinke them selues in good case, and that all is wel with them. if they be not pynched by lacke and pouertie. Least anye of •s therefor• myght take ocasion to flatter him ⟨p. 211⟩selfe in this beastly kynde of excesse, by the aboundaunce of ryches, let vs call to mynde what Salomon wryteth in the. xxi. of his Prouerbes, He 3that loueth wyne & fat fare, shall neuer be riche sayeth he. And in the xxiii. Chapter, he maketh a vehement exhortation, on this wise, Keepe not 4companye with drunkardes and gluttons, for the glutton & drunkarde shall come to pouertie. He that draweth his patrimonie through his throte, and eateth & drynketh more in one houre or in one day, then he is able to earne in a whole weeke, must needes be an vnthrift and come to beggerye. But some will say, what neede any to fynde fault with this? H• hurteth no man but him selfe, he is no mans foe but his owne. In deede I know• this is commonlye spoken in defence of these beastly •elly gods, but it is easye to see how hurtful they are, not onely to thē selues, but also to the common wealth, by their example. Euery one that meeteth them is troubled with brawling and contentious language, and oft tymes ragyng in beastlie lustes, lyke fedde Horses, they ney on their neighbours wyues, as Hieremie sayeth, and defyle their children and daughters.
- 1Prou, 20.
- 2Ad sororem sermona. 24.
- 3Prou. 21.
- 4Prou. 2•.
