CHAPTER III.

HISTORY OF INTEMPERANCE CONTINUED

"Righteousness exalteth a nation; but sin is a reproach to any people " -PROVERBS xiv. 34.

A KNOWLEDGE of the manners and customs of the aboriginal inhabitants of the British Islands, can only be acquired from some of the Roman historians, and the well-known practices of other nations, similar in their habits and descent. They have been described as frugal in their diet, possessing much personal beauty, and great hardiness of body. The ancient Britons were not, however, proof against the influence of luxury and refinement. "From using," says Tacitus, "our language and dress, they proceeded, by degrees, to imitate our vices and luxuries; our porticos, baths, and sumptuous entertainments."*

It has been seen, that the Celtic nations were in the habit of indulging freely in intoxicating liquors; and it may reasonably be supposed, that the British, who were of the same descent, indulged also in this injurious practice. These barbarous nations, in particular, were in the habit of holding great feasts, on every important occasion. Pelloutier, thus alludes to this practice: "Among these nations, there is no public assembly, either for civil or religious purposes, duly held; no birthday, marriage, or funeral, properly celebrated, no treaty of peace or alliance rightly cemented, without a great feast. These feasts generally lasted several days, and Athenæus records one which continued for the period of twelve months.

The most important affairs were transacted at these festivals; and it has already been shown, in the instance of the Germans, that not unfrequently they were the scenes of bloodshed and murder.

Diodorus Siculus, describes the Gauls, in particular, as being passionately fond of intoxicating liquors

Tacit., vita Agricolæ, c. 21.

↑ Pelloutier. Hist. Celt. b. i. c. 2. p. 2277,

"Of

wine," says he, “which is imported to them by merchants, they are fond to distraction, and drink it to excess, until they are either overpowered by sleep, or inflamed with madness."*

At one of these feasts, two British princes, in a state of inebriation, quarrelled, and fought with such virulence, that they both died by the wounds they received.

Attila, the cruel King of Hungary, at his marriage-feast indulged so freely in intoxicating liquor, that he was found at night, suffocated. This happened, A. D. 453. With the death of Attila, terminated the important empire of

the Huns.

The ancient custom of pledging healths, by some writers, is said to have been derived from circumstances which occurred during the invasion of England by the Danes. These haughty conquerors, would not permit an Englishman to drink in their presence, without special permission, death being the penalty of disobedience. Their cruelty so intimidated the English, that even when permission had been given, they would not take advantage of it, until the Danes had pledged themselves not to endanger their lives while partaking of the liquor.

The intimate intercourse which, afterward took place between the Anglo-Saxons and Danes, and the frequent festive meetings which they established, became a fruitful source of intemperance. Henry remarks, that the laws of these times, strongly corroborate this fact, for they did not prohibit excess, but rather encouraged it, and only restrained the commission of certain abominable crimes, which were the result of excessive drinking.

William of Malmsbury adds his testimony to the exces sive drinking habits of the Anglo-Saxons and Danes. "The nobility were much addicted to lust and gluttony, but excessive drinking was the common vice of all ranks of people, in which they spent whole nights and days, without intermission."+

Many instances are recorded, of bloodshed occurring at their feasts; it was at one of these that King Edmund I. perished by the hand of an assassin. His courtiers were in such a state of intoxication, as to be unable to render him any assistance.

The long continuance of peace, during the reign of Edward the Confessor, was, according to William of

* Diod. Sicul. lib. v. c. 29, 30.

† W. Malmsbury, b. iii.

Malmsbury, marked with the luxury and vicious manners of the English. Much pains were taken in the preparation of their drinks, which principally consisted of Mead, Ale, Cyder, and similar fermented liquors. The conquest of England by the Normans appears to have been less owing to the prowess of arms than to the effects of intemperance. Previous to the battle of Hastings, the victorious Normans passed the night in fasting and prayer; the Anglo-Saxons devoted the same period to drunkenness and debauch. The Norman soldiers were as inferior to the English in numbers, as the latter sunk in comparison with their invaders in point of temperance. "For," remarks a quaint writer,* "the English, being revelling before, had in the morning their brains arrested for the arrearages of the indigested fumes of the former night, and were no better than drunk when they came to fight."† In succeeding reigns, there is sufficient evidence upon record, that the English did not lose their relish for intoxicating liquors. Wines in particular, became important articles of commerce; and a considerable revenue was derived from their importation. The marriage of Henry II. with a French princess, who possessed extensive vineyards in the south of France, contributed not a little to the increase of this branch of commerce. In the reign of King John, it had become so important, as to cause the appointment of officers in every town, to regulate the prices of wines, and other matters connected with their sale. Hoveden, the historian of those times remarks, that "by this means, the land was filled with drink and drunkards."

The Norman conquerors of England were, it appears, of comparatively sober and temperate habits, until vitiated by their intercourse with the less sober English. William of Malmsbury, who may be considered as the most correct historian of that age, writes thus: "The English were much addicted to excessive eating and drinking, in which they sometimes spend both day night, without intermission. The Normans were very unlike them in this respect, being delicate in the choice of their meats and drinks, but seldom exceeding the bounds of temperance. By this means, the Normans lived with greater elegance and at less expense, than the English."§

Fuller's Church History of Britain. B. iii. sect. 1.

Manè adhuc ebrii contra hostes incunctanter procedunt.-M. PARIS. Hoveden Annals. § W. Malmsbury, b. iii.

This sobriety, however, unfortunately did not long continue. The Normans gradually adopted the vicious. practices of the English, and a corresponding deterioration in their general character immediately succeeded. Peter of Blois, in one of his letters thus remarks: "When you behold our Barons and Knights going upon a military expedition, you see their baggage-horses loaded, not with iron, but wine; not with lances, but cheeses; not with swords, but bottles; not with spears, but spits. You would imagine they were going to prepare a great feast. rather than to make war.'

The same author goes on to say: "There are even too many who boast of their excessive drunkenness and glut tony and labour to acquire fame, by swallowing great quantities of meat and drink."†

King Henry I., commonly called Beauclerc, in the midst of his prosperity, received from an act of intemperance, a shock, which ever afterwards rendered him miserable. This was the death of his only son, a prince on whose education he had bestowed the greatest care, and who was he expected to succeed him on the throne.

The marriage of the young prince, to a princess of France, and the possessions he thereby obtained had unfolded to him prospects of great wealth and honour. He embarked for England, in a vessel with fifty rowers, from Harfleur on the coast of Normandy. Turner thus describes the melancholy catastrophe, and its cause: "Unfortunately the sailors solicited him for wine, and in the gayety of youth he distributed it profusely. The seamen, the captain, his friends, all became intoxicated, and in this state a giddy desire arose to pass by every ship that was before them. The emulatory whim was instantly adopted; every arm was exerted, every eye was intent on this single object, and the ship was flying with all the velocity that unusually exerted strength could give her, in a fine calm moonlight night; when by the heedlessness of the inebriated helmsman, she struck suddenly on a rock near the shore, then covered with water, but known and visible at low water. The shock burst through two planks on the left side of the vessel, and the sea entered fast. The prince got into a little boat, and was escaping, when he heard the voice of his sister shrieking to him to help her; he put back to the ship to take her in, but at the same † Ib. Ep. 86.

P. Bleseus, Ep. 24.

time so many leaped into it, that it sunk, and every one on board perished. The ship soon disappeared under the waves with all its crew, 300 in number, excepting two persons, a young nobleman and a butcher, who held clinging to the top of the mast." The butcher only, however, escaped to tell the woful disaster to the king, who is said to have been so depressed by the news as to have “never smiled again."

During several centuries immediately succeeding this period, it does not appear that the English became more temperate in their habits. The immense quantities of food and drink consumed at feasts, which were frequently held, appear almost incredible, were it not for authentic records, wherein an accurate description of them is given.

Henry II., A.D. 1216, issued a proclamation wherein it is stated that "the outrageous and excessive multitude of meats and dishes which the great men of our kingdom have used and still use, in their castles and by persons of inferior rank, imitating their examples beyond what their stations require, and their circumstances can afford, many great evils have come upon our kingdom, the health of our subjects has been injured, their goods have been consumed, and they have been reduced to poverty." This ordinance restricted the number of dishes to be used by the great men of the land, and attached severe penalties to every transgression. In the reign of Edward III., A.D. 1363, sumptuary laws were enacted for arresting the progress of extravagant living among various ranks, but historians remark that they produced little beneficial effect. Immense quantities of wines were consumed at these feasts, and the utmost care was taken to procure them of the richest quality. It appears from Hollinshed, that the strongest wines were in most repute at this period, the weaker sort, such as claret, not being in common demand.

At a later period, Sir John Fortescue, while illustrating the diet of the rich, and with the view of exhibiting the comparative comforts and privileges enjoyed by the En-· glish people, thus remarks: "They drink no water, except when they abstain from other drinks, by way of penance, and from a principle of devotion." At this period, the clergy in particular indulged in luxurious habits, and convented religious festivals into intemperate carousals. In the Northumberland Family Book, are found the following curious items, for the Earl and Countess, during the Lent fast-days, viz.: "a loaf of bread on trenchers, two man