The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1886-10-22
THE DRINK QUESTION IN ENGLAND.
A Review II ConviyiaI Customs in Early
Times, and Legislative Restrictions on
the sale Of Alcoholic Beverages.

n Review II COnviyisI Customs in Early
Times, and Legislative Restrictions on
the sale OF AlcOhOlis Beverages.
An English exchange remarks that the
drink question has been difficult prob
lem from the dawn of English history to
the present day.
The earlier pages OF our annals record
that the Britons were frugal in their
meals, which consisted ch ely of milk
and venison. Their ordinary beverage
was water. They oceasjo jonally induiged
in a ierm-nted drink made from barley,
honey or apples, and free use of it
never failed to make them ill-natury d
and ready to quarrel.
During the Roman rule In this country
wine and other intoxicating drinks were
freely consumed. The bush, which was
for ages the sign Of an inn, is traced to
the Romans, and to them also we owe
theHatIonal custom of tOasting or health
urinRug-
The Saxon period was one in which in
teuperdnce prevailed to a fearful ext eut
1t is stated on reliable authority tAat
even the clergy spent days and nights in
drunkennes- and debauchery.
King Edgar must be creiited with do
Ing Il noble work in the reformation OF
his countrymen from the baneful effects
of strong drink. 1t is remarked by the
Rsv. DR.. French that the King nearly
anticipated by a thousand years the leg
islation proposed by the United King
dom Alliance. Acting on the advice of
Dunstan, says Strut, he put down
many ale houses, suffering ony one to
exist in village or small town; and he
also further ordained that pins or nails
should be fastened into drinking Gu,
or horns at stated distances, so that
whoever should drink beyond these
marks at one draught should be liable o
severe punishment
flh nnrrsfar1 y1yae 91l
Gus in checking intemperance in the
church. We make few extracts as fol-
lows from code drawn up 10y him:
Let no drinking be allowed in the
church.
Let men be very temperate at church
wakes and pray earnestly, and suffer
there no drinking or uncIeanlineSS.
Let priests beware Of drunkenness
and be diligent in warning and correct
l. others in this mater.
" Let no I.rlc~J De an ale scOp nor in
any wise act the Cleeman."
The Danes draua 10 a great excess
anu during the time their kings occupied
the throne OF England drunk kenness cas-.
a blight over the land.
The Normal conquest brought about
many important changes in social life.
SobrIcty was not The leaSt OF the virtue,
OF the Normans.
Cumng down to udOr times, we find
an almo sim lar statute passed to the
stringent regulation of Edgar. In the
last year of the reign of Edward VI it
was enacted tina none shall keep a
tavern for retailing wines uni. s. Ii
cense1; and that only III cities, towns
cor. .ora,e, burgs, post towns or market
towns or in the towns Of Grave5eud,
Sittin- bou ne, TuXfOrd and BaLshot, on
the forfeiture OF Ten pounds. And tine c
shall be only taverus for retailing win.
III every city or town except London
which muy have iOrty Ia, erus; in York
eight taverns ; in Norwich, four; in Wea,.
muster. three in BrisI !, six; in Lin
coin. three; III Hull, four; in Shrews
uury, three; In Glou.e ter, four; in
WeStchester (ChcsteIj four; in Here
ford, th!e-; in southampton. three il
Canterbury, four; III Ipswich three; il
vi h ,-.. three il ONiaId. three; il
C.,EI four; ia OlIEt STIR three
and in Newcastle-on-Tyne four"
II is chronicled that this Legislation
WAS the means of reducing the cons umI-
ton OF Intoxicating drink.