34 CURIOUS CREATURES. 



scarce any like him in those dayes in all Europe, or in 

 the whole World, or hardly are now, or ever shall be. 

 And amongst other Vertues he ascribes to that high- 

 spirited man, he mentions his sobriety, which is princi- 

 pally necessary for valiant men : and I thought fit to 

 annex that peculiarly to this relation, that we may, as in 

 a glass, see more cleerly the luxury of this lustful age. 

 For, as the same Saxo testifies, that valiant Starchaterus 

 loved frugality, and loved not immoderate dainties. 

 Alwayes neglecting pleasure, he respected Vertue, imitat- 

 ing the antient manner of Continency, and he desired a 

 homely provision of his Diet ; he hated costly suppers ; 

 wherefore hating profusion in Diet, and feeding on 

 smoaked and rank meat, he drove away Hunger, with 

 the greater appetite, as his meat was but of one kind, 

 lest he should remit and abate the force of his true 

 Vertue, by the contagion of outward Delights, as by some 

 adulterate sweetness, or should abrogate the Rule of 

 antient Frugality, by unusual Superstitions for Gluttony. 

 Moreover, he could not endure to spend rost and boyled 

 meat all at one Meal ; holding that to be a monstrous 

 Food, that Cookery had tampered with divers things 

 together : Wherefore, that he might turn away the 

 Luxury of the Danes, that they borrowed from ihe 

 Germans, that made them so effeminate, amongst the 

 rest he made Verses in his Country Language." Omit- 

 ting many of them, he sang thus : 



" Starchaterus his Verses on Frugality. 



" Strong men do love raw meat ; nor do they need, 

 Or love, on dainty Gates and Feasts to feed, 

 War is the thing they most delight to breed, 



