And surely in my opinion, there cannot be a more base, and yet hurtfull corruption in a Countrey, then is the vile vse (or other abuse) of taking Tobacco in this Kingdome, which hath moued me, shortly to discouer the abuses thereof in this 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