and _Parks_,
_Warrens_ and _Fish-Ponds_, and ample Lakes to furnish their Tables,
so as Men could not live by one another without Oppression: Nay, and
to shew how the best, and most innocent things may be perverted; they
chang'd those frugal and _inemptas Dapes_ of their Ancestors, to that
Height and Profusion; that we read of [115]_Edicts_ and _Sumptuary
Laws_, enacted to restrain even the Pride and Excess of _Sallets_. But
so it was not when the _Pease-Field_ spread a Table for the Conquerors
of the World, and their Grounds were cultivated _Vomere laureato,
& triumphali aratore_: The greatest Princes took the _Spade_ and the
_Plough-Staff_ in the same Hand they held the Sceptre; and the Noblest
[116]Families thought it no Dishonour, to derive their Names from
_Plants_ and _Sallet-Herbs_; They arriv'd, I say to that Pitch of
ingrossing all that was but green, and could be vary'd by the Cook
(_Heu quam prodiga ventris_!) that, as _Pliny_ tells us (_non sine
pudore_, not without blushing) a poor Man could hardly find a _Thistle_
to dress for his Supper; or what his hungry [117]_Ass_ would not touch,
for fear of pricking his Lips.

Verily the Luxury of the East ruin'd the greatest Monarchies; first, the
_Persian_, then the _Grecian_, and afterwards _Rome_ her self: By what
Steps, see elegantly describ'd in Old [118]_Gratius_ the _Faliscian_,
deploring his own Age compar'd with the former:

_O quantum, & quoties decoris frustrata paterni!_
_At qualis nostris, quam simplex mensa Camillis!_
_Qui tibi cultus erat post tot, serrane, triumphos?_
_Ergo illi ex habitu, virtutisq; indole priscae,_
_Imposuere orbi Romam caput_:----

Neighb'ring Excesses being made thine own,
How art thou fall'n from thine old Renown!
But our _Camilli_ did but plainly fare,
No Port did oft triumphant _Serran_ bear:
Therefore such Hardship, and their Heart so great
Gave _Rome_ to be the World's Imperial Seat.

But as these were the Sensual and Voluptuous, who abus'd their Plenty,
spent their Fortunes and shortned their Lives by their Debauches; so
never did they taste the Delicaces, and true Satisfaction of a sober
Repast, and the infinite Conveniences of what a well-stor'd _Garden_
affords; so elegantly describ'd by the [119]_Naturalist_, as costing
neither Fuel nor Fire to boil, Pains or time to gather and prepare,
_Res expedita & parata semper_: All was so near at hand, readily drest,
and of so easie Digestion; as ne