23. Sir Walter Raleigh Was Once Drenched In Beer To Stop Him Burning To Death
The Elizabethan courtier, Sir Walter Raleigh, was almost as famous for smoking as he was for exploring. In fact, he was considered by many to be the patron saint of smoking! But his expensive hobby came with some unexpected health risks. While living at Durham House on the Strand, Raleigh was caught puffing away by a servant. The servant wasn't well acquainted with the newfangled habit and assumed his master was on fire. So he did what any good servant would do and tried to put out the fire by drenching Raleigh with the nearest liquid at hand. Which was, as it turned out, beer. History does not record whether Raleigh was grateful for the attempted rescue. Or the waste of beer.