fter those
ordinary occurrences 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, roar, talk of a cock and bull over a pot, &c. Or
when three or four good companions meet, tell old stories by the fireside,
or in the sun, as old folks usually do, _quae 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. [3290]_Hic Veneri indulget, hunc
decoquit alea_--many too nicely take exceptions at cards, [3291]tables,
and dice, and such mixed 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 et damnosam_, [3292]Lemnius calls it. "For
most part in these kind of disports 'tis not art or skill, but subtlety,
cony-catching, knavery, chance and fortune carries all away:" 'tis
_ambulatoria pecunia_,

[3293] ------"puncto mobilis horae
Permutat dominos, et 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 foedissimum lucrum et
avaritiam hominum convertitur_, as Daneus observes. _Fons fraudum et
maleficiorum_, 'tis the fountain of cozenage and villainy. [3294]"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 beggared; besides swearing, wrangling, drinking,
loss of time, and such inconveniences, which are ordinary concomitants:
[3295]"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 insania cupido_, they are mad upon their
sport. And in conclusion (which Charles the Seventh, that good French king,
published in an edict against gamesters) _unde piae et hilaris vitae,
suffugium sibi suisque liberis, totique familiae_, &c. "That which was once
their livelihood, should have maintained wife, children, family, is now
spent and gone;" _maeror et egestas_