Wenceslaus[5], king of Bohemia and the Romans, being come into France on account of some negociations with Charles the Sixth, arrived at Rheins in the month of March, 1397. When he was in that city he found the wine so good, that he got drunk more than once; and being one day in that condition, that he could not enter into any serious discourses, he rather chose to grant what was asked of him than leave off drinking.
The wines of Burgundy must not be forgotten, which some prefer to Champagne. “Baudius called vin de beaulne, vinum deorum, the wine of the gods[6].”
The wines of Ai are also very excellent. S. Evremont[7] says, that Leo the Tenth, Charles the Fifth, Francis the First, and Hen. VIII. king of England, did not think it below their dignity, amongst the most important affairs of state, to take care to have the wines of Ai. Henry IV. caused himself to be styled lord of Ai and Gonesse.
But I shall desire my readers here to observe two things, First, That artificial wines, and a many other liquors, containing a great deal of gross, viscous matter, excite a drunkenness more long and dangerous than that which is produced by ordinary wines. Another thing is, Never to get drunk with brandy, spirits, and strong waters. Patin[8] says very pleasantly, that these are sugared poisons which surely kill: they give life to those who sell them, and death to those who use them.
[1.] Rem. sur. Rabel. t. iii. p. 39.
[2.] Journ. des Sçav. June, 1706.
[3.] Plin. Natural History XIX.20 (or XIX.xix.53).
[4.] De Vit. beat. c. 17.
[4a.] Martial XIII.111.
[5.] Journ. de Sçav. June, 1706.