s, artillery gardens,
colleges of rhymers, 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
[3278]Neander, they had _Ludos septennales_, solemn plays every seven
years, which Bocerus, one of their own poets, hath elegantly described:

[3279] "At nunc magnifico spectacula structa paratu
Quid memorem, veteri non concessura Quirino,
Ludorum pompa," &c.

In Italy they have solemn declamations of certain select young gentlemen in
Florence (like those reciters in old Rome), and public theatres 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 summer, some in winter; some abroad, some within: some of the body,
some of the mind: and diverse men have diverse recreations and exercises.
Domitian, the emperor, was much delighted with catching flies; Augustus to
play with nuts amongst children; [3280]Alexander Severus was often pleased
to play with whelps and young pigs. [3281]Adrian was so wholly enamoured
with dogs and horses, that he bestowed monuments and tombs of them, and
buried them in graves. In foul weather, or when they can use no other
convenient sports, by reason of the time, as we do cock-fighting, to avoid
idleness, I think, (though some be more seriously taken with it, spend much
time, cost and charges, and are too solicitous about it) [3282]Severus used
partridges and quails, as many Frenchmen do still, and to keep birds in
cages, with which he was much pleased, when at any time he had leisure from
public cares and businesses. He had (saith Lampridius) tame pheasants,
ducks, partridges, peacocks, and some 20,000 ring-doves 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 mind. Conradus Gesner,
at Zurich in Switzerland, kept so likewise for his pleasure, a great
company of wild beasts; and (as he saith) took great delight to see them
eat their meat. Turkey gentlewomen, that are perpetual prisoners, still
mewed up according to the custom of the place, h