or Belly-chere, subs. (old).—Food; feasting; gluttony. Also as verb. = to gormandize, feast luxuriously. Hence BELLY-CHEERING = eating and drinking, see GRUB and cf. BELLY-CHETE, BELLY-FURNITURES, BELLY-TIMBER, etc.

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  1549.  UDALL, Erasmus’ Par. Eph. Prol. Onely for pelfe, BELY-CHEARE, ease and lucre …

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  1549.  UDALL, Erasmus, Par. Eph. Prol. (R.) Riotous bankettyng, potte-companyoning, and BELYCHEARYNGE.

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  1559.  ELIOTE, Dictionarie. Abdomini indulgere, to geve hym selfe to BEALYCHERE.

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  1579.  W. FULKE, A Refutation of Rastel, 712. Prophane banquets of BELLIE CHEARE.

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  1580.  T. LUPTON, Sivqila; too Good to be True, 56. That gave himself to nothing but to drincking, bybbing, and BELLYCHEARE.

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  1606.  HOLLAND, Suetonius, 235. Given most of all to excessive BELLIE-CHEERE (luxuriæ).

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  1611.  COTGRAVE, Dictionarie, s.v. Carrelure de ventre. Meat, BELLY-TIMBER, BELLY-CHEERE.

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  1612.  ROWLANDS, The Knaves of Spades and Diamonds.

        Gluttonie mounted on a greedie beare,
To BELLY-CHEERE and banquets lends his care.

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  1648.  MILTON, Tenure King’s, 41. A pack of Clergie men … to BELLY CHEARE in their presumptuous Sion, or to promote designes.

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  1699.  E. COLES, English Dictionary, s.v. BELLY-CHEER, Cibaria.

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