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DRINKS,
To
keep
the
House
more
Quiet,
and
from
Blame,
We
Banish
hence
Cards,
Dice
and
every
Game
Nor
can
allow
of
Wagers,
that
Exceed
Five
Shillings,
which,
oft-times,
much
Trouble
Breed
;
Let
all
that's
Lost
or
Forfeited
be
spent
In
such
Good
Liquor
as
the
House
doth
Vent,
And
Customers
endeavour
to
their
Powers,
For
to
observe
still
seasonable
Howers.
Lastly,
Let
each
Man
what
he
calls
for
Pay^
And
so
you're
welcome
to
come
every
Day."
To
know
of
coffee-houses
in
their
prime,
v^e
must
turn
to
the
pages
of
Addison
and
Steele,
to
the
Guar-
dian,
the
Spectator,
the
Tatler,
etc.,
but
they
are
well
epitomised
in
the
following
poem,
which
bears
date
1667
'-
—
"NEWS
FROM
THE
COFFEE-HOUSE.
"
In
which
is
shewn
their
several
sorts
of
Passions,
Containing
Newes
from
all
our
Neighbour
Natiom.
"A
Poem.
"You
that
delight
in
Wit
dnd
Mirth,
And
long
to
hear such
News,
As
comes
from
all
Parts
of
the
Earthy.
Dutch,
Danes,
and
Turks,
^ndi
Jews,
rie
send
yee
to
a
Rendezvouz,
Where
it
is
smoaking
new
Go,
hear
it
at
a
Coffee-house,
It
cannot
but
be
true.
There
Battles
and
Sea- Fights
are
Fought,
And
bloudy
Plots
display'd
;
They
know
more
things
than
'ere
was
thought
Or
ever
was
betray'd
:
No
Money
in
the
Minting
House
Is
halfe
so
Bright
and
New";
And,
comming
from
a
Coffee-House
ft
cannot
but
be
true.