A Counter-Blaste to Tobacco | Page 2

following little Pamphlet._
_If any thinke it a light Argument, so it is but a toy that is bestowed
upon it. And since the Subiect is but of Smoke, I thinke the fume of an
idle braine, may serue for a sufficient battery against so fumous and
feeble an enemy. If my grounds be found true, it is all I looke for; but if
they cary the force of perswasion with them, it is all I can wish, and
more than I can expect. My onely care is, that you, my deare
Countrey-men, may rightly conceiue euen by this smallest trifle, of the
sinceritie of my meaning in great matters, never to spare any_ paine
that may tend to the procuring of your weale _and prosperitie._

A COVNTER-BLASTE TO TOBACCO.
That the manifolde abuses of this vile custome of Tobacco taking, may
the better be espied, it is fit, that first you enter into consideration both
of the first originall thereof, and likewise of the reasons of the first
entry thereof into this Countrey. For certainely as such customes, that
haue their first institution either from a godly, necessary, or honorable
ground, and are first brought in, by the meanes of some worthy,
vertuous, and great Personage, are euer, and most iustly, holden in great
and reuerent estimation and account, by all wise, vertuous, and
temperate spirits: So should it by the contrary, iustly bring a great
disgrace into that sort of customes, which hauing their originall from
base corruption and barbarity, doe in like sort, make their first entry
into a Countrey, by an inconsiderate and childish affectation of
Noueltie, as is the true case of the first inuention of Tobacco taking,
and of the first entry thereof among vs. For Tobacco being a common
herbe, which (though vnder diuers names) growes almost euerywhere,
was first found out by some of the barbarous Indians, to be a
Preseruative, or Antidot against the Pockes, a filthy disease, whereunto
these barbarous people are (as all men know) very much subiect, what
through the vncleanly and adust constitution of their bodies, and what
through the intemperate heate of their Climate: so that as from them
was first brought into Christendome, that most detestable disease, so
from them likewise was brought this vse of Tobacco, as a stinking and
vnsauorie Antidot, for so corrupted and execrable a Maladie, the
stinking Suffumigation whereof they yet vse against that disease,
making so one canker or venime to eate out another.
And now good Countrey men let vs (I pray you) consider, what honour
or policie can mooue vs to imitate the barbarous and beastly maners of
the wilde, godlesse, and slauish Indians, especially in so vile and
stinking a custome? Shall wee disdaine to imitate the maners of our
neighbour France (hauing the stile of the first Christian Kingdom) and
that cannot endure the spirit of the Spaniards (their King being now
comparable in largenes of Dominions to the great Emperor of
_Turkie_). Shall wee, I say, that haue bene so long ciuill and wealthy in
Peace, famous and inuincible in Warre, fortunate in both, we that haue

bene euer able to aide any of our neighbours (but neuer deafed any of
their eares with any of our supplications for assistance) shall we, I say,
without blushing, abase our selues so farre, as to imitate these beastly
Indians, slaves to the Spaniards, refuse to the world, and as yet aliens
from the holy Couenant of God? Why doe we not as well imitate them
in walking naked as they doe? in preferring glasses, feathers, and such
toyes, to golde and precious stones, as they do? yea why do we not
denie God and adore the Deuill, as they doe?[A]
Now to the corrupted basenesse of the first vse of this Tobacco, doeth
very well agree the foolish and groundlesse first entry thereof into this
Kingdome. It is not so long since the first entry of this abuse amongst
vs here, as this present age cannot yet very well remember, both the
first Author,[B] and the forme of the first introduction of it amongst vs.
It was neither brought in by King, great Conquerour, nor learned
Doctor of Phisicke.
With the report of a great discouery for a Conquest, some two or three
Sauage men, were brought in, together with this Sauage custome. But
the pitie is, the poore wilde barbarous men died, but that vile barbarous
custome is yet aliue,[C] yea in fresh vigor: so as it seemes a miracle to
me, how a custome springing from so vile a ground, and brought in by
a father so generally hated, should be welcomed vpon so slender a
warrant. For if they that first put it in practise heere, had remembred for
what respect it was vsed by