62 TOBACCO IN EUROPE. 



Durst offer such indignity to that which I prefer, 



For all the brood of blackamoors will swear I do not err. 



In taking this same worthy wkif with valiant cavalier, 



But that will make his nostrils smoke, at cupps of wine or beer. 



When as my purse can not afford my stomach flesh or fish, 



I sup with smoke, and feed as well and fat as one can wish. 



Come into any company, though not a ci-oss you have,* 



Yet offer them tobacco, and their liquor you shall have. 



They say old hospitalitie kept chimnies smoking still ; 



Now what your chimnies want of that, our smoking noses will. 



' Much victuals serves for gluttony, to fatten men like swine, 



' But he's a frugal man indeed tbat with a leaf can dine, 



' And needs no napkins for his hands his finger's ends to wipe, 



' But keeps his kitchen in a box, and roast meat in a pipe.' 



This is the way to help down years, a meal a day's enough ; 



Take out tobacco for the rest by pipe, or else by snuff, 



And you shall find it physical ; a corpulent, fat man, 



Within a year shall shrink so small that one his guts shall span. 



It's full of physic rare effects, it worketh sundry ways, 



The leaf green, dried, steept, burnt to dust, have each their several 



praise. 

 It makes some sober that are drunk, some drunk of sober sense, 

 And all the moisture hurts the brain it fetches smoking thence. 

 All the four elements unite when you tobacco take, 

 For earth and water, air and fire, do a conjunction make. 

 The pipe is earth, the fire's therein, the air the breathing smoke ; 

 Good liquor must be present too, for fear I chance to choke. 

 Here, gentlemen, a health to all, 'tis passing good and strong. 

 I would speak more, but for the pipe I cannot stay so long. 



The four lines alluded to are appended to a well 

 executed engraving (copied on the opposite page) of the 

 time of Charles I ; which afterwards was made to do 

 duty against smokers by being printed in a most pious 

 broadside against spendthrifts published in 1641, and 

 entitled The Sticklington Faction, or {Suckling s) Roar- 

 ing boys; an evident blow levelled by the puritanic 

 party at the cavalier-poet Sir John Suckling. 



* Equivalent in meaning to penniless, from the cross then so constantly 

 impressed on the reverse of the current coin. 



