Restraining excess

King Edgar (959-975) was convinced by Archbishop Dunstan of Canterbury to close many alehouses because of drunkenness and it was decreed that there should be only one such establishment per hamlet. This early attempt at enforcing moderate consump­tion had the additional proviso that pins should be hammered inside drinking horns at stated points and 'whoever should drink beyond these marks at one draught should be obnoxious to a severe punishment' (King 1947). One might note, however, that medi­eval drinking vessels had a capacity of about four pints (a 'pottle') (Brown & Schwartz 1996). Drinking competitions sprang up to see who could uncover the most pins - in other words to 'take each other down a peg or two'. In Norman times ale was used for casting out devils: the trick was to mix some herbs with 'clean ale', sing seven masses over the drink, add garlic and holy water and then drink it from an inverted church bell (King 1947). Ale was popular. William of Malmesbury wrote of the English in the early twelfth century (King 1947):

Drinking was a universal practice, in which occupation they passed entire nights as well as days. They consumed their whole substance in mean and despicable houses; unlike the Normans and French who in noble and splendid mansions lived with frugality. They were accustomed to . drink till they were sick. These latter qualities they imparted to their conquerors.