——puncto mobilis horæ Permutat dominos, & cedit in altera jura.

They labour most part not to pass their time in honest disport, but for filthy lucre, and covetousness of money. In fœdissimum lucrum & avaritiam hominum convertitur, as Daneus observes. Fons fraudum & maleficiorum, ’tis the fountain of cosenage and villany. A thing so common all over Europe at this day, and so generally abused, that many men are utterly undone by it, their means spent, patrimonies consumed, they and their posterity beggered; besides swearing, wrangling, drinking, loss of time, and such inconveniences, which are ordinary concomitants:

For when once they have got a haunt of such companies, and habit of gaming, they can hardly be drawn from it, but as an itch it will tickle them, and as it is with whoremasters, once entered, they cannot easily leave it off; Vexat mentes insana cupido, they are mad upon their sport.

And in conclusion (which Charles the seventh that good French King published in an edict against gamesters) undè piæ & hilaris vitæ suffugium sibi suisque liberis, totique familiæ, &c. That which was once their livelihood, should have maintained wife, Children, family, is now spent and gone; mœror & egestas, &c. sorrow and beggery succeeds.

So good things may be abused, and that which was first invented to refresh mens weary spirits, when they come from other labours and studies to exhilarate the minde, to entertain time and company, tedious otherwise in those long solitary winter nights, and keep them from worse matters, an honest exercise is contrarily perverted.

Chesse-play, is a good and witty exercise of the minde, for some kinde of men, and fit for such melancholy, Rhasis holds, as are idle, and have extravagant impertinent thoughts, or troubled with cares; nothing better to distract their mind, and alter their meditations: invented (some say) by the generall of an army in a famine, to keep souldiers from mutiny:

but if it proceed from over much study, in such a case it may do more harm then good; it is a game too troublesome for some mens braines, too full of anxiety, all out as bad as study; besides, it is a testy cholerick game, and very offensive to him that loseth the Mate.

William the conqueror in his younger years, playing at chesse with the prince of France (Dauphine was not annexed to that crown in those days) losing a Mate, knocked the Chesse-board about his pate, which was a cause afterward of much enmity betwixt them. For some such reason it is belike, that Patritius in his 3. book Tit. 12. de reg instit. forbids his prince to play at chesse: hawking and hunting, riding, &c. he will allow; and this to other men, but by no means to him.

In Muscovy, where they live in Stoves and hot houses all winter long, come seldome or little abroad, it is again very necessary, and therefore in those parts (saith Herbastein) much used. At Fessa in Africk, where the like inconvenience of keeping within doors is through heat, it is very laudable; and (as Leo Afer relates) as much frequented.

A sport fit for idle Gentlewomen, Souldiers in Garrison, and Courtiers that have nought but love matters to busie themselves about, but not altogether so convenient for such as are Students. The like I may say of Cl. Bruxers Philosophy game, D. Fulkes Metromachia and his Ouronomachia, with the rest of those intricate Astrologicall and Geometricall fictions, for such especially as are mathematically given; and the rest of those curious games.

Dancing, Singing, Masking, Mumming, Stage-plaies, howsoever they be heavily censured by some severe Catoes, yet if opportunely and soberly used, may justly be approved. Melius est fodere, quam saltare, saith Austin: but what is that if they delight in it? Nemo saltat sobrius. But in what kinde of dance?

I know these sports have many oppugners, whose volumes writ against them; when as all they say (if duly considered) is but ignoratio Elenchi; and some again, because they are now old and wayward, past themselves, cavel at all such youthful sports in others, as he did in the comedy; they think them, illico nasci senes, &c.

Some out of preposterous zeal object many times triviall arguments, and because of some abuse, will quite take away the good use, as if they should forbid wine, because it makes men drunk: but in my judgement they are too stern: there is a time for all things, a time to mourne, a time to dance. Eccles. 3. 4. a time to embrace, a time not to embrace, (vers. 5) and nothing better then that a man should rejoyce in his own works. vers. 22.

for my part, I will subscribe to the kings declaration, and was ever of that mind, those May-games, Wakes, and Whitson-ales, &c. if they be not at unseasonable hours, may justly be permitted. Let them freely feast, sing and dance, have their poppet-playes, hobby-horses, tabers, crouds, bag-pipes, &c. play at ball, and barley-breaks, and what sports and recreations they like best.

In Franconia a province of Germany (saith Aubanus Bohemus) the old folks after evening prayer, went to the ale-house, the younger sort to dance: and to say truth with Salisburiensis, satius fuerat sic otiari, quam turpius occupari, better do so then worse, as without question otherwise (such is the corruption of mans nature) many of them will do.

For that cause, Playes, Masks, Jesters, Gladiators, Tumblers, Juglers, &c. and all that crew is admitted and winked at: Tota jocularium scena procedit, & ideo spectacula admissa sunt, & infinita tyrocinia vanitatum, ut his occupentur, qui perniciosius otiari solent: that they might be busied about such toyes, that would otherwise perniciously be idle.

So that as Tacitus said of the Astrologers in Rome, we may say of them, genus hominum est quod in civitate nostra & vitabitur semper & retinebitur, they are a deboshed company most part, still spoken against, as well they deserve some of them (for I relish and distinguish them as fidlers, and musicians) and yet ever retained.

Evil is not to be done I confess that good may come of it: but this is evil per accidens, and in a qualified sense, to avoide a greater inconvenience, may justly be tolerated.

S. Thomas Moore in his Utopian Common-wealth, as he will have none idle, so will he have no man labour over hard, to be toiled out like an horse, ’tis more then slavish infelicity, the life of most of our hired servants, and tradesmen elsewhere (excepting his Utopians) but half the day allotted for work, and half for honest recreation, or whatsoever imployment they shall think fit themselves.

If one half-day in a week were allowed to our houshold servants for their merry meetings, by their hard masters, or in a year some feasts, like those Roman Saturnals, I think they would labour harder all the rest of their time, and both parties be better pleased: but this needs not (you will say) for some of them do nought but loyter all the week long.

This which I aim at, is for such as are fracti animis, troubled in mind, to ease them, over-toiled on the one part, to refresh; over idle on the other, to keep themselves busied. And to this purpose, as any labour or imployment will serve to the one, any honest recreation will conduce to the other, so that it be moderate and sparing, as the use of meat and drink; not to spend all their life in gaming, playing, and pastimes, as too many gentlemen do; but to revive our bodies and recreate our souls with honest sports: