The Holy State, Book 3 · Chapter 13
CHAP. 13. Of Recreations.
REcreation is a second Creation, when wearinesse hath almost annihilated ones spirits. It is the breathing of the soul, which otherwise would be stifled with continuall businesse. We may trespasse in them, if using such as are forbidden by the Lawyer, as against the statutes; Physician, as against health; Divine, as against conscience.
Be well satisfied in thy Conscience of the lawfulnesse of the recreation thou usest. Maxime 1Some fight against Cockfighting, and bait Bull and Bearbaiting, because man is not to be a common Barretour to set the creatures at discord; and seeing Antipathy betwixt creatures was kindled by mans sinne, what pleasure can he take to see it burn? Others are of the contrary opinion, and that Christianity gives us a placard to use these sports; and that mans Charter of dominion over the creatures enables him to employ them as well for pleasure as necessity. In these, as in all other doubtfull recreations, be well assured first of the legality of them. He that sinnes against his Conscience sinnes with a witnesse.
Spill not the morning (the quintessence of the day) in recreations. 2For sleep it self is a recreation; adde not therefore sauce to sauce; and he cannot properly have any title to be refresh'd, who was not first faint. Pastime, like wine, is poyson in the morning. It is then good husbandry to sow the head, which hath lain fallow all night, with some serious work. Chiefly intrench not on the Lords day to use unlawfull sports; this were to spare thine own flock, and to sheere Gods lambe.
Let thy recreations be ingenious, 3and bear proportion with thine age. If thou saist with Paul, When I was a child I did as a child, say also with him, But when I was a man I put away childish things. Wear also the childs coat, if thou usest his sports.
4Take heed of boisterous and overviolent exercises. Ringing oftentimes hath made good musick on the bells, and put mens bodies out of tune, so that by overheating themselves they have rung their own passing-bell.
5Yet the ruder sort of people scarce count any thing a sport which is not loud and violent. The Muscovite women esteem none loving husbands except they beat their wives. 'Tis no pastime with country Clowns that cracks not pates, breaks not shins, bruises not limbes, tumbles and tosses not all the body. They think themselves not warm in their geeres, till they are all on fire; and count it but dry sport, till they swim in their own sweat. Yet I conceive the Physicians rule in exercises, Ad ruborem but non ad sudorem, is too scant measure.
6Refresh that part of thy self which is most wearied. If thy life be sedentary, exercise thy body; if stirring and active, recreate thy mind. But take heed of cousening thy mind, in setting it to do a double task under pretence of giving it a play-day, as in the labyrinth of Chesse, and other tedious and studious Games.
7Yet recreations distastfull to some dispositions rellish best to others. Fishing with an angle is to some rather a torture then a pleasure, to stand an houre as mute as the fish they mean to take: yet herewithall *In his life writ by Mr. Ashton.Doctour Whitaker was much delighted. When some Noblemen had gotten William Cecill Lord Burleigh and Treasurer of England to ride with them a hunting, & the sport began to be cold; What call you this, said the Treasurer? Oh now said they the dogs are at a fault. Yea quoth the Treasurer, take me again in such a fault, and Ile give you leave to punish me. Thus as soon may the same meat please all palats, as the same sport suit with all dispositions.
8Running, Leaping, and Dancing, the descants on the plain song of walking, are all excellent exercises. And yet those are the best recreations which besides refreshing enable, at least dispose, men to some other good ends. Bowling teaches mens hands and eyes Mathematicks, and the rules of Proportion: Swimming hath sav'd many a mans life, when himself hath been both the wares, and the ship: Tilting and Fencing is warre without anger; and manly sports are the Grammer of Military performance.
But above all Shooting is a noble recreation, 9and an half Liberall art. A rich man told a poore man that he walked to get a stomach for his meat: And I, said the poore man, walk to get meat for my stomach. Now Shooting would have fitted both their turns; it provides food when men are hungry, and helps digestion when they are full. King Edward the sixth (though he drew no strong bow) shot very well, and when once John Dudley Duke of Northumberland commended him for hitting the mark; You shot better (quoth the King) when you shot off my good uncle Protectours head. But our age sees his Successour exceeding him in that art, whose eye like his judgement is clear and quick to discover the mark, and his hands as just in Shooting as in dealing aright.
Some sports being granted to be lawfull, 10more propend to be ill then well used. Such I count Stage-playes, when made alwayes the Actours work, and often the Spectatours recreation. *Plin. nat. Hist. lib. 35. cap. 10.Zeuxis the curious picturer painted a boy holding a dish full of grapes in his hand, done so lively that the birds being deceived flew to peck the grapes. But Zeuxis in an ingenious choller was angry with his own workmanship. Had I (said he) made the boy as lively as the grapes the birds would have been afraid to touch them. Thus two things are set forth to us in Stage-playes: some grave sentences, prudent counsells, and punishment of vitious examples; and with these desperate oathes, lustfull talk, and riotous acts are so personated to the life, that wantons are tickled with delight, and feed their palats upon them. It seems the goodnesse is not portrayed out with equall accents of livelinesse as the wicked things are: otherwise men would be deterr'd from vitious courses, with seeing the wofull successe which follows them. But the main is, wanton speeches on stages are the devils ordinance to beget badnesse; but I question whether the pious speeches spoken there be Gods ordinance to increase goodnesse, as wanting both his institution and benediction.
11Choak not thy soul with immoderate pouring in the cordiall of pleasures. The Creation lasted but six dayes of the first week: Prophane they whose Recreation lasts seven dayes every week. Rather abbridge thy self of thy lawfull liberty herein; it being a wary rule which S. *Lib. 5. moral. & Homil. 35. supra Evang.Gregory gives us, Solus in illicitis non cadit, qui se aliquando & à licitis caute restringit. And then Recreations shall both strengthen labour, and sweeten rest, and we may expect Gods blessing and protection on us in following them, as well as in doing our work: For he that faith grace for his meat, in it prayes also to God to blesse his sauce unto him. As for those that will not take lawfull pleasure, I am afraid they will take unlawfull pleasure, and by lacing themselves too hard grow awry on one side.