evil _per accidens_, and in a qualified sense, to avoid a greater
inconvenience, may justly be tolerated. Sir Thomas More, in his Utopian
Commonwealth, [3307]"as he will have none idle, so will he have no man
labour over hard, to be toiled out like a horse, 'tis more than 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 employment they shall think fit for
themselves." If one half day in a week were allowed to our household
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 loiter 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
employment 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: of which as there be diverse sorts, and peculiar to several
callings, ages, sexes, conditions, so there be proper for several seasons,
and those of distinct natures, to fit that variety of humours which is
amongst them, that if one will not, another may: some in summer, some in
winter, some gentle, some more violent, some for the mind alone, some for
the body and mind: (as to some it is both business and a pleasant
recreation to oversee workmen of all sorts, husbandry, cattle, horses, &c.
To build, plot, project, to make models, cast up accounts, &c.) some
without, some within doors; new, old, &c., as the season serveth, and as
men are inclined. It is reported of Philippus Bonus, that good duke of
Burgundy (by Lodovicus Vives, in Epist. and Pont. [3308]Heuter in his
history) that the said duke, at the marriage of Eleonora, sister to the
king of Portugal, at Bruges in Flanders, which was solemnised in the deep
of winter, when, as by reason of unseasonable weather, he could neither
hawk nor hunt, and was now tired with cards, dice, &c., and such other
do