"The Indian weed, withered quite, Greene at noone, cut down at night, Shows thy decay; all flesh is hay; Thus thinke, then drinke Tobacco. The Pipe that is so lily-white, Show thee to be a mortal wight, And even such, gone with a touch, Thus thinke, then drinke Tobacco. And when the smoake ascends on high, Thinke thou beholdst the vanity Of worldly stuffe, gone with a puffe, Thus thinke, then drinke Tobacco. And when the Pipe grows foul within, Thinke on thy soul defiled with sin, And then the fire it doth require; Thus thinke, then drinke Tobacco. The ashes that are left behind, May serve to put thee still in mind, That unto dust return thou must; Thus thinke, then drinke Tobacco." Buttes, in a little volume entitled "Dyets Dry Dinner," (1599) says that "Tobacco was translated out of India in the seede or roote; native or sative in our own fruitfullest soils. It cureth any griefe, dolour, imposture, or obstruction proceeding of colde or winde, especially in the head or breast. The fume taken in a pipe is good against Rumes, ache in the head, stomacke, lungs, breast; also in want of meate, drinke, sleepe, or rest." The introduction of tobacco from the colony of Virginia was followed soon after by a reduction of price that led to more frequent use among the poorer classes, such as grooms and hangers on at taverns and ale-houses, who are alluded to in Rich's "Honestie of this Age": "There is not so base a groome that comes into an ale-house to call for his pott, but he must have his pipe of tobacco; for it is a commodity that is nowe as vendible in every tavern, wine and ale-house, as eyther wine, ale or beare; and for apothecaerie's shops, grocer's shops, chandler's shops, they are never without company, that from morning till night, are still taking of tobacco. What a number are there besides, that doe keepe houses, set open shoppes, that have no other trade to live by, but by selling of tobacco. I have heard it told, that now very lately there hath been a catalogue of all those new erected houses that have sett up that trade of selling tobacco in London, and neare about London; and if a man may believe what is confidently reported, there are found to be upwards of seven thousand of houses that doth live by that trade. [Illustration: Old London Ale-house.]