once fight for a whole army: Quod jucundissimum spectacu lum in vita dicit sud, the pleasantest sight that ever he saw in his life. Who would not have been affected with such a spectacle? or that single combat of Breaute the Frenchman, and Anthony Schets a Dutchman, before the walls of Sylvaducis in Brabant, Anno 1600. They were 22. Horse on the one side, as many on the other, which like Livies Horatii, Terquati and Corvini fought for their own glory and countries honour, in the sight and view of their whole City and Army. When Julius Cæsar warred about the banks of Rhene, there came a Barbarian Prince to see him, and the Roman Army, and when he had beheld Cæsar a good while, "I see the Gods now (saith he) which before I heard of," nec feliciorem ullam vitæ meæ aut optavi, aut sensi diem: It was the happiest day that ever he had in his life. Such a sight alone were able of it self to drive away melancholy; if not for ever, yet it must needs expell it for a time. Radzivilus was much taken with the Bassa's palace in Cairo, and amongst many other objects which that place afforded, with that solemnity of cutting the bankes of Nilus, by Imbram Bassa when it overflowed, besides two or three hundred guilded Gallies on the water, he saw two millions of men gathered together on the land with Turbants as white as snow; and 'twas a goodly sight. The very reading of feasts, triumphs, interviews, nuptials, tilts, turnaments, combats, and monomachies, is most acceptable and pleasant. + Franciscus Modius hath made a large collection of such solemnities in two great Tomes, which who so will may peruse. The inspection alone of those curious Iconographies of Temples and Palaces, as that of the Lateran Church in Albertus Durer, that of the Temple of Jerusalem in ‡ Josephus, Adricomius, and Villalpandus: that of the Escuriall in Guadas, of Diana at Ephesus in Pliny, Nero's golden palace in Rome, Justinian's in Constantinople, that Perunian Jugo's in Cusco, ut non ab hominibus, sed à dæmoniis constructum videatur; S. Mark's in Venice by Ignatius, with many such: priscorum artificum opera (saith that ¶ interpreter of Pausanias) the rare workmanship of those ancient Greeks, in Theaters, Obelisks, Temples, Statues, gold, silver, ivory, marble images, non minore fermè quum leguntur, quam quum cernuntur, animum delectatione complent, affect one as much by reading almost, as by sight. * Swertius in delitiis, fol. 487. veteri Horatiorum exemplo, virtute et successu admirabili, cæsis hostibus 17. in conspectu patriæ, &c. h Paterculus + Pandectæ In vol. post. i Quos antea audivi, inquit, hodie vidi deos. umph fol. 10. Amer. descript. Laet. lib. The gave over The Country hath his recreations, the City his severall Gymnicks and exercises, May-games, feasts, wakes, and merry meetings to solace themselves; the very being in the country; that life itself is a sufficient recreation to some men, to injoy such pleasures, as those old Patriarks did. Dioclesian the Emperour was so much affected with it, that he his scepter, and turned Gardiner. Constantine wrote 20. books of husbandry. Lysander, when Embassadours came to see him, bragged of nothing more, then of his Orchard, hi sunt ordines mei. What shall I say of Cincinnatus, Cato, Tully, and many such? how they have been pleased with it, to prune, plant, inoculate and graft, to shew so many severall kindes of Pears, Apples, Plums, Peaches, &c. "Nunc captare feras laqueo, nunc fallere visco, Sometimes with traps deceive, with line and string The " & nidos avium scrutari," &c. Jucundus in his preface to Cato, Varro, Columella, &c. put out by him, confesseth of himself, that he was mightily delighted with these husbandry studies, and took extraordinary pleasure in them: if the Theorick or speculation can so much affect, what shall the place and exercise itself, the practick part do? The same confession I find in Herbastein, Porta, Camerarius, and many others, which have written of that subject. If my testimony were ought worth, I could say as much of my self; I am verè Saturnus; No man ever took more delight in Springs, Woods, Groves, Gardens, Walks, Fishponds, Rivers, &c. But "Tantalus à labris sitiens fugientia captat And so do I; "Velle licet, potiri non licet." Every Palace, every City almost hath his peculiar Walkes, Cloysters, Tarraces, Groves, Theaters, Pageants, Games, and severall recreations; every country, some professed Gymnicks to exhilarate their minds, and exercise their bodys. The Greeks had their Olympian, Pythian, Istmian, Nemean games, in honour of Neptune, Jupiter, Apollo; Athens hers: Some for Honour, Garlands, Crowns; for " beauty, dancing, running, leap款 Virg. 1. Geor. 1 Boterus lib. 3. polit. cap. 1. See Athenæus dipnoso. M m 3 ing, ing, like our silver games. The Romanes had their feasts, as the Athenians, and Lacedemonians held their publicke banquets, in Pritanæo, Panathenæis, Thesperiis, Phiditiis, Playes, Naumachies, places for Sea fights, Theaters, Amphitheaters able to contain 70000 men, wherein they had several delightsome shews to exhilarate the people; P Gladiators, cumbats of men with themselves, with wild beasts, and wild beasts one with another, like our bull-baitings, or bear-baitings (in which many countrymen and citizens amongst us so much delight and so frequently use) dancers on ropes. Juglers, Wrestlers, Comedies, Tragedies, publikely exhibited at the Emperours and Cities charge, and that with incredible cost and magnificence. In the Low-countries (as Meteran relates) before these wars, they had many solemn feasts, Playes, Challenges, Artillery Gardens, Colledges of Rimers, Rhetoricians, Poets and to this day, such places are curiously maintained in Amsterdam, as appears by that description of Isaacus Pontanus, rerum Amstelrod. lib. 2. cap. 25. So likewise not long since at Friburg in Germany, as is evident by that relation of Neander, they had Ludos septennales, solemn Playes every seven years, which Bocerus one of their own Poets hath elegantly described : Г "At nunc magnifico spectacula structa paratu Quid memorem, veteri non concessura Quirino, In Italy they have solemn Declamations of certain select young Gentlemen in Florence (like those Reciters in old Rome) and publike Theaters in most of their Cities, for Stage-players and others, to exercise and recreate themselves. All seasons almost, all places have their several pastimes; some in Sommer, some in Winter; some abroad, some within; some of the body, some of the minde: and divers men have divers recreations, and exercises. Domitian the Emperour was much delighted with catching flies; Augustus to play with nuts amongst children; Alexander Severus was often pleased to play with whelps and young Pigs. 'Adrian was so wholy enamoured with dogs and horses, that he bestowed monuments and tombes of them, and buried them in graves. In fowle Ludi votivi, sacri, ludicri, Megalenses, Cereales, Florales, Martiales, &c. Rosinus, 5. 12. See Lipsius Amphitheatrữ Rosinus lib. 5. Meursius de ludis Græcorum. P1500 Men at once, Tigers, Lions, Elephants, Horses, Dogs, Beares, &c. Lib. ult. et 1. 1. ad finem Consuetudine non minus laudabili, quam veteri contubernia Rhetoru Rythmorum in urbibus et municipis, certisq; diebus exercebant se sagittarii, gladiatores, &c. Alia ingenii, animiq exercitia, quoru præcipuum studium, principem populum tragœdiis, comoediis, fabulis scenicis, aliisq; id genus ludis recreare. Orbis terræ descript. part. 3. weather, or when they can use no other convenient sports, by reason of the time, as we do Cock-fighting to avoide idleness I think, (though some be more seriously taken with it, spend much time, cost and charges, and are too solicitous about it) Severus used Patridges and Quailes, as many Frenchmen do still, and to keep Birds in cages, with which he was much pleased, when at any time he had leasure from publike cares and businesses. He had (saith Lampridius) tame Pheasants, Ducks, Patridges, Peacocks, and some 20000 Ringdoves and Pigeons. Busbequius the Emperor's Orator, when he lay in Constantinople, and could not stir much abroad, kept for his recreation, busying himself to see them fed, almost all manner of strange Birds and Beasts; this was something, though not to exercise his body, yet to refresh his minde. Conradus Gesner, at Zurick in Switzerland, kept so likewise for his pleasure, a great company of wilde beasts, and (as he saith) took great delight to see them eat their meat. Turkie Gentlewomen, that are perpetuall prisoners, still mewed up according to the custome of the place, have little else besides their household business, or to play with their children to drive away time, but to dally with their cats, which they have in delitiis, as many of our Ladies and Gentlewomen use Monkies and little Doggs. The ordinary recreations which we have in Winter, and in most solitary times busie our minds with, are Cardes, Tables and Dice, Shovelboard, Chesse-play, the Philosopher's game, small trunks, shuttle-cock, balliards, musick, masks, singing, dancing, ulegames, frolicks, jests, riddles, catches, purposes, questions and commands, merry tales of errant Knights, Queens, Lovers, Lords, Ladies, Giants, Dwarfes, Theeves, Cheaters, Witches, Fayries, Goblins, Friers, &c. such as the old woman told Pysche in Apuleius, Bocace Novels, and the rest, quarum auditione pueri delectantur, senes narratione, which some delight to hear, some to tell; all are well pleased with. Amaranthus the Philosopher met Hermocles, Diophantus and Philolaus his companions, one day busily discoursing about Epicurus and Democritus Tenents, very solicitous which was most probable and came nearest to truth: To put them out of that surly controversie, and to refresh their spirits, he told them a pleasant tale of Stratocles the Physitian's wedding, and of all the particulars, the company, the chear, the musick, &c. for he was new come from it; with which relation they were so much delighted, that Philo * Delectatus lusis catulorum, porcellorum, ut perdices inter se pugnarent, aut ut aves parvulæ sursum et deorsu volitarent, his maxime delectatus, ut solitudines publicas sublevaret. * Brumales læte ut possint producere noctes. laus * Miles. 4. M m 4 laus wished a blessing to his heart, and many a good wedding, * many such merry meetings might he be at, "to please himself with the sight, and others with the narration of it." Newes are generally welcome to all our ears, avidè audimus, aures enim hominum novitate lætantur (+ as Pliny observes) we long after rumour to hear and listen to it, densum humeris bibit aure vulgus. We are most part too inquisitive and apt to hearken after newes, which Cæsar in his Commentaries observes of the old Gaules, they would be enquiring of every carrier and passenger what they had heard or seen, what newes abroad? -"quid toto fiat in orbe, Quid Seres, quid Thraces agant, secreta novercæ, as at an ordinary with us, bakehouse or barber's shop. When that great Gonsalva was upon some displeasure confined by king Ferdinand, to the city of Loxa in Andalusia, the onely comfort (saith Jovius) he had to ease his melancholy thoughts, was to hear newes, and to listen after those ordinary occurrents, which were brought him cum primis, by letters or otherwise out of the remotest parts of Europe. Some men's whole delight is, to take Tobacco, and drink all day long in a Tavern or Alehouse, to discourse, sing, jest, roare, talk of a Cock and Bull over a pot, &c. Or when three or four good companions meet, tell old stories by the fire side, or in the Sun, as old folkes usually do, que aprici meminere senes, remembering afresh and with pleasure ancient matters, and such like accidents, which happened in their younger years: Others best pastime is to game, nothing to them so pleasant. "Hic Veneri indulget, hunc decoquit alea" Many too nicely take exceptions at Cardes, Tables, and Dice, and such mixt lusorious lots, whom Gataker well confutes. Which though they be honest recreations in themselves, yet may justly be otherwise excepted at, as they are often abused, and forbidden as things most pernicious; insanam rem & damnosam, Lemnius calls it. "For most part in these kind of *O dii similibus sæpe conviviis date ut ipse videndo delectetur, & postmodum narrando delectet. Theod. prodromus Amorum dial. interpret. Gilberto Gaulinio. +Epist. lib. S. Ruffino. + Hor. Lib. 4. Gallicæ consuetudinis est ut viatores etiam invitos consistere cogant, & quid quisq; corum audierit aut cognôrit de quâ re quærunt. Vitæ ejus lib. ult. Juven. They account them unlawfull because sortilegious. * Instit. c. 44. In his Judis plerumq; non ars aut peritia viget, sed fraus, fallacia, dolus, astutia, casus, fortuna, temeritas locum habent, non ratio, consilium, sapientia, &c. disports |