The boke named the Gouernour, deuysed by syr Thomas Elyot knight

Of other exercises, whiche if they be mo∣derately vsed, be to euery astate of man expedient. Cap. xxvi.

I Haue shewed howe huntyng and daun∣synge may be in the nombre of commen∣dable exercises, and passetymes, not re∣pugnanute to vertue. And vndoubted, it were moche better to be occupyed in ho∣neste recreation, than to do nothynge. For it is sayde of a noble autour, In doinge no∣thynge, men lerne to do yuell. And Ouidi∣us the poete sayth,

If thou flee idlenes, Cupide hath no myghte, His howe lyeth broken, his fire hath no lighte. * 1.1

¶ It is not onelye called idlenes, wherin the body or mynde cesseth from labour, but specially idlenes is an omission of all honest exercise: the other maye be better called a vacation from seryouse busynesse, whiche

was some tyme embraced of wyse men and vertuous.

¶ It is writen to the praise of Xerxes king * 1.2 of Persia, that in tyme vacaunt from the af∣faires of his realme, he with his owne hā∣des had planted innumerable trees, which longe or he died brought forthe abundance of fruite, and for the craftie and dylectable ordre in the settynge of them, it was to all men, beholdynge the princis industrye, ex∣cedynge maruaylous.

¶ But who abhorreth not the hystorye of * 1.3 Serdanapalus, kynge of the same realme? whiche hauynge in detestation all princely affaires, and leuyng al company of men, en∣closed him selfe in a chamber with a greate multitude of concubynes: and for that he wold seme to be some time occupied, or els that wanton pleasures and quyetnesse be∣came to hym tedyouse, he was founde by one of his lordes in a womans attyre spyn∣nynge in a distafe amonge persones defa∣med, whiche knowen abrode, was to the people so odiouse, that fynally by them he was burned, with all the place wherto he fledde for his refuge.

¶ And I suppose there is not a more plain * 1.4 fygure of idelnesse, than play inge at dyse. For besides, that therin is no maner of ex∣ercyse of the body or mynde, they whiche

playe therat, muste seme to haue no porti∣on of wyt or kunnynge, if they wyll be cal∣led fayre players, or in some cōpany auoide the stabbe of a dagger, if they be takē with any crasty conueyaunce. And by cause al∣waye wysedome is therin suspected, there is seldome any playinge at dyse, but therat is vehement chydyng and braulynge, hor∣rible othes, cruell, and some tyme mortall menacis. I omytte strokes, whiche nowe and than do happen, often tymes betwene bretherne and most dere frendes, if fortune brynge alwaye to one man yuell chaunces, whiche maketh the playe of the other sus∣pected. O why shulde that be called a play, whiche is compacte of malyce and robry? Undoubtedly they that wryte of the fyrste inuentions of thinges, haue good cause to suppose Lucifer, prince of diuels, to be the firste inuentour of dyse playing, & helle the place where it was foundē, although some do write, that it was first inuēted by Attal{us}. For what better allectiue coulde Lucyfer deuyse to allure and bringe men pleasantly into damnable seruitude, than to pourpose to them in fourme of a playe, his principall * 1.5 treasory, wherin the more parte of synne is contained, and all goodnes and vertue cō∣founded?

¶ The first occasion to play, is tediousnes

of vertuous occupation: Immediately suc∣cedeth couaytynge of an other mans goo∣des, whiche they call playinge: therto is annexed auarice and strayte kepynge, whi∣che they call wynnynge: sone after cometh sweryng, in rentinge the membres of god, whiche they name noblenesse (for they wyl saye, he that swereth depe, swereth lyke a lorde) than foloweth fury or rage, whiche they call courage: among them cometh in∣ordinate watche, whiche they name paine∣fulnesse: he bryngeth in glotony, and that is good felowshyp: & after cometh slepe su∣persluous, called among them naturall rest: and he some tyme bringeth in lechery: whi∣che is nowe named daliance. The name of this treasory is veryly idelnesse: the doore wherof is left wyde open to dyse players: if they happe to brynge, in theyr company, lernyng, vertuous busines, liberalitie, pa∣ciencie, charitie, temperance, good diete, or shamefastnes, they muste leaue them with∣out the gates. For yuell custome, which is * 1.6 the porter, wyll not suffre them to entre.

¶ Alas what pite is it, that any christen mā shulde by wanton company be trayned, I wyl no more saye into this Treasory, but in to this lothesome dungeon, where he shall lye fetored in chaynes of ignoraunce, and bounden with the stronge chayne of obsti∣nacie,

harde to be losed but by grace?

¶ The most noble emperour Octaui{us} Au∣gustus, who hath amonge writers in diuers of his actes an honorable remembraunce: onely for playinge at dyse, and that but sel∣dome, susteyneth in hystories a note of re∣proche.

¶ The Lacedemoniens sent an ambassade * 1.7 to the citie of Corinthe, to haue with them aliance: but whan the ambassadours founde the princis and counsaylours playenge at dyse, they departed without exploytynge their message, sayenge, that they wold not maculate the honour of theyr people with suche a reproche, to be saide, that they had made aliaunce with disars.

¶ Also to Demetrius, the kynge of Par∣thians sente golden dyse, in the rebuke of his lytenesse.

¶ Euery thynge is to be estemed after his value. But who herynge a man, whom he * 1.8 knoweth not, to be called a dysar, doth not anone suppose him to be of lyght credence, dyssolute, vayne, and remisse? who almoost trusteth his brother, whom he knoweth a dyse player? yea amonge them selfes they laughe, whan they perceyue or here any doctrine or vertuouse worde procede from any of theyr companyons, thynkyge that it becometh not his persone: moche more

whan he doth any thynge with deuotion or wysdome.

¶ Howe many gentyll menne, howe many marchauntes, haue in this damnable passe∣tyme consumed theyr substaunce, as well by theyr owne labours, as by theyr paren∣tes, with greatte study and peynefull tra∣uayle in a longe tyme acquyred, and fynis∣shed theyr lyfes in dette and penury? How manye goodly and bolde yemenne hath it broughte vnto thefte, wherby they haue preuented the course of nature, and dyed by the ordre of lawes myserably? These be the fruites and reuennues of that dyuy∣lyshe marchaundyse, besyde the fynall re∣warde, whiche is more terryble, the re∣porte wherof I leaue to dyuines, suche as feare not to shewe theyr lernynges, or fille not theyr mouthes so full with swete mea∣tes, or benefyces, that theyr tonges be not let to speke trouth: for that is theyr duetie and office, excepte I with many other be moche dysceyued.

¶ Playinge at cardes and tables is some * 1.9 what more tollerable, onely for as moch as therin wytte is more vsed, and lesse truste is in fortune, all be it therin is neyther lau∣dable study nor exercise. But yet men deli∣tynge in vertue, moughte with cardes and tables deuyse games, where in moughte be

moche solace and also study commodiouse, as deuising a bataile, or contentiō betwene vertue and vice, or other lyke pleasant and honest inuention.

¶ The chesse of al games, wherin is no bo dily exercise, is most to be commended, for * 1.10 therin is ryght subtile engine, wherby the wit is made more sharpe, and remembrance quickened. And it is the more commenda∣ble and also cōmodious, if the players haue red the moralization of the chesse, and whā they playe do thynke vpon it: whiche bo∣kes be in englysh. But they be very scarse, bicause fewe men do seeke in plaies for ver tue or wysedome.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ouid de re¦medio a∣moris. Idelnes.
• * 1.2

  Kyng Xer∣xes.
• * 1.3

  Sardana∣palus.
• * 1.4

  Playing at dise.
• * 1.5

  The trea∣sory of Lu¦cifer.
• * 1.6

  Il custome
• * 1.7

  Counsail∣lors disers
• * 1.8

  The esti∣mation of dysars.
• * 1.9

  Cardes & Tables.
• * 1.10

  Chess.