MORE POETRY 113 
them joined in the use and spread of the custom. It has 
been said with much truth: 
“History proves that persecution never triumphs in its 
attempted eradications. ‘Tobacco was so generally liked that 
no legislative measures could prevent its use.” 
At first the use of tobacco was confined to fops and the 
hangers on at ale houses and taverns but afterwards by the 
“chief men of the realm.” Soon after the importation of 
the “durned weed” from Virginia the tobacco muse gave 
forth many a lay concerning the custom. The following 
verses describe the method of smoking then in vogue: 
Nor did that time know 
To puff and to blow 
In a peece of white clay, 
As they do at this day 
With fier and coole, 
And a leafe in a hole; 
As my ghost hath late seen, 
As I walked betwene 
Westminister Hall 
And the church of St. Paul, 
And so thorow the citie 
Where I saw and did pitty 
My country men’s cases, 
With fiery-smoke faces, 
Sucking and drinking 
A filthie weede stinking, 
‘Was ne’r known before 
Till the devil and the More 
In th’ Indies did meete, 
And each other there greete 
With a health they desire, 
Of stinke, smoke and fier. 
But who e’re doth abhorre it. 
The citie smookes for it ; 
Now full of fier shop, 
And fowle spitttng chop, 
So sneezing and coughing, 
That my ghost fell to scoffing. 
And to myself said : 
Here’s filthie fumes made; 
Good phisicke of force 
To cure a sicke horse.” 
