Language Action Stile and Subject Matter fitter for the Stage from whence they were borrowed than for the Pulpit He tells us further That one Atkinson a Minister in Bedford did the Christtide before Act a private Interlude in the Commissaries House there where he made a Prayer on the Stage chose the Words Acts 10. 14. I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean for his Text preached prophanely upon it and jested to the shame and grief of most that heard him In that same place he complains that in private as well as in popular Stage-plays they represented Ministers Preaching and Praying and brought the Sacred Bible and the Stories of it on the Stage contrary to the Statute of 3. Iac. Cap. 21. The same Author tells us likewise That one Giles Widdowes in a Sermon at Carfolkes in Oxford on Psalm 68. verse 25. did avowedly justifie the Lawfulness of mix'd Dancing at Church-ales and Maypoles upon the Lords Day and confirm'd his Doctrine by his own Practise And page 700. he informs us of three Doctors of Divinity viz. Dr. Gager Dr. Gentiles and Dr. Case who writ in Defence of Stage-plays And page 979. he insinuates that diverse of the Clergy had acted and danced on publick and private Stages The Theatre having thus made so large a Conquest as to get the Court and the Governing part of the Church on its side grew Rampant and as if it disdained to have any less Adversary than God himself did boldly usurp on the Sabbath Afternoons And thus in the Year 1637. Masks were set up at Court on Sundays by His Majesties Authority while at the same time Laud and his Faction forbad Preaching any oftner than once a day and that the common People who could not bear the Expence nor have the Opportunities of Stage-plays might not want one however to prophane the Sabbath the Book of Sports and Pastimes was enjoyned by the Bishops to be read in the Churches by their Inferior Clergy on pain of Deprivation CAP. II. The Stage Encouraged by King Charles I. Sundays MASKS THAT the World may see what a Noble Exchange we had for our Afternoon Sermons and Evening Lectures I shall here give an Account of the Mask that was presented by the Kings Majesty at Whitehall in 1637. on the Sunday after Twelfth-night Entituled BRITANNIA TRIUMPHANS by Inigo Iones Surveyer of His Majesties Works and William Davenant Her Majesties Servant We are told in the Introduction That for these three Years their Majecties had intermitted those Masques and Shews because the Room where they were formerly presented having the Seeling richly adorn'd since with Painting of great Value Figuring the Acts of K. Iames of blessed Memory they were afraid it might suffer by the Smoke of the Lights but His Majesty having now ordered a New Room to be made on purpose which was performed in two Months the Scenes for this Mask were prepared Now who can say but these were Reasons becoming a Martyr and that this was a frugal way of spending his Treasure when at the same time he extorted Money from his Subjects in a Tyrannical manner by Ship-money Loans c. We come now to the Subject of the Mask Britanocles the Glory of the Western World hath by his Wisdom Valour and Piety not only vindicated his own but far distant Seas infested with Pyrates and reduc'd the Land by his Example to a real knowledge of all good Arts and Sciences These Eminent Acts Bellerophon in a wise Pity willingly would preserve from devouring time and therefore to make them last to our Posterity gives a command to Fame who hath already spread them abroad that she should now at home if there can be any maliciously insensible awake them from theif pretended Sleep that even they with the large yet still increasing Number of the Good and Loyal may mutually admire and rejoyce in our happiness This makes it evident enough that the subject was K. Charles himself who had gained some advantage against the Pirates of Barbary the praise of which there was none would have envied him but this was a new way of singing Te Deum no great Argument of Religion and far less any Presage that he should become a Martyr for it to order a Masque for his own praise upon that day which by Divine Institution was set apart for the praise of our Redeemer The next thing we have an Account of is That the Queen being sat under the State and the Room fill'd with Spectators of Quality a Stage was raised at the lower end with an Oval Stair down into the Room The first thing which presented it self to the Eye was the Ornament that inclosed the Scene In the under part of which were two Pedestals of a solid Order whereon the Captives lay bound above sat two Figures in Neeches on the right hand a Woman in a Watchet Drapery heightened with Silver on her Head a Corona Rostrata with one Hand holding the Rudder of a Ship and in the other a little winged Figure with a branch of Palm and a Garland This Woman was to represent Naval Victory In the other Neech on the left sat the Figure of a Man bearing a Scepter with a Hand and an Eye in the Palm and in the other hand a Book on his Head a Garland of Amaranthus his Curace was of Gold with a Palludamentum of Blue and Antick Bases of Crimson his Foot treading on the Head of a Serpent This Figure was to represent Right Government Above these were Ornaments cut out like Cloath of Silver tied up in Knots with Scarsings all touch'd with Gold These Pillasters bore up a large Freese with a Sea-Triumph of naked Children riding on Sea-Horses and Fishes and young Tritoâ—â— with writhen Trumpets and other Maritime Fancies In the midst was placed a great Compartiment of Gold with branches of Palm coming out of the Scrols and within that a lesser of Silver with this Inscription Virtutis Opus proper to the Subject of this Mask and alluding to that of Virgil Sed famam Extendere fuctis from this came a Drapery of Crimson which being tied up with great Knots in the Corners hung down in Foulds on the sides of the Pillasters A Curtain flying up discovered the first Scene wherein were English Houses of the old and newer Forms intermixt with Trees and a far off a prospect of London and the River of Thames So much for the Pomp of this Sunday's Theatre And let any Man who has the least sense of Religion judge whether it does not smell strong of that Pomp and Vanity of the World which Christians abjure at Baptism and was by consequence the most unbecoming Exercise for a Sabbath that could be invented as having an unavoidable Tendency to take up the Thoughts of the Actors and Spectators throughout the whole day and to wear off the Impressions of any Sermons they might have heard in the former part of it But we come now to the
Publication of this Our Command be made by Order of the Bishops through all the Parish-Churches of their several Diocesses respectively Here was a great difference betwixt the Exercise of the Episcopal Function in the Reigns of the Father and the Son or by this Declaration Ch. I. made the Bishops Trumpeters to the Stage and King Iames II said that in his Time they were Trumpeters of Rebellion because they petitioned against Reading the Declaration for Liberty of Conscience This Declaration for Sports was read by most of them and such of the Ministers as would not conform were turned out till the Controversies betwixt the King and Parliament and the Civil War that ensued put a stop to it Thus I have made it plain That the governing part of the Church patroniz'd the Stage in the Reign of Charles I. and by the Book call'd Centuries of scandalous Ministers we find that many of them were turned out for frequenting the Stage in the Parliament Times and the Theatre being then overturned there was so great a Reform of Manners that notwithstanding the Libertinism which usually accompanies War one might have walk'd through the City and Suburbs without hearing an Oath but when King Charles II. was restored the Play-houses were speedily re-opened and without any Publick Check or Control from the Church went on to that height of Immorality which Mr. C. complains of Nay they were thought very subservient to support the Church by jerking at the Whigs and Dissenters in their Prologues and Plays and to infuse â—rightful Ideas of them into the Heads of the Spectators whilst at the same time they run down the belief of the Popish Plot vindicated the Traitors that had been executed for it and dress'd the true Patriots of our Religion and Liberty in the Skins of Beasts of prey that they might be devoured with the better Appetite It were easie to cram a Volume with Instances of this sort but they are so well known that 't is needless There being no Body who â—requented the Play-house or read the Plays in the two last Reigns but know that the Stage was attempered to the Lascivious and Arbitrary â—umoeâ—s of those Princes and to blacken all those that opposed their Tyrannical Designs Having thus made it appear that the Church hath â—avoured the Stage by their not warning the People against it by seeming to hallow the Phrase of it in their Pulpits by approving or at least conniving at the practise of it on the Sabbath in King Charles I. by prosecuting those who writ against it Writing Plays themselves by some of them practising it in their own Persons and Writing in Defence of it by enjoining the Book of Sports by not opposing it in the Reigns of Charles II. and Iames II. and to which I shall add by their not opposing it in this Reign when they might have hopes of better success seeing both King and Parliament have declared themselves so highly against Immorality and Profaneness I come now in the next place to see how far the Schools are chargeable with the same Crime CAP. IV. The Stage Encouraged by the Schools THIS Subject hath not been so much â—reated on as the former and by Consequence is a sign that the danger of it hath not â—een so much perceived yet it hath not been altogether over-look'd for Authors both Antient and Modern have taken Notice of it Clemens Romanus Nazianzen Tertullian Ambrose Ierom Lactantius Augustine and others of the Antients The 4th Council of Carthage and divers other Councils Bishop Babington Bishop Hooper Perkins Doâ—nham Williams and all other Commentators on the 7th Commandment have Condemned and Forbid the Writing Printing Selling or Teaching any Amorous Wanton Play-books Histories or Heathen Authors especially Ovids wanton Epistles and Books of Love Catullus Tibâ—â—lus Propertius Martial Plautus and Terenâ—â— as may be seen in the Places quoted in the Maâ—â—gin The Reasons why they should not be read 〈◊〉 Youth are giv'n us by Osorius thus 〈◊〉 Poets are Obscene Petulant Effeminate and 〈◊〉 their Lascivious and impure Verses divert thâ— Mind from Shamfastness and Industry to Lust anâ— Sloth and so much the smoother they are 〈◊〉 much the more Noxious and like so manâ— Syrens ruine all those that give Ear to them The more ingeniously any of them write 〈◊〉 amorous Subjects they are so much the moâ—â— Criminal for we willingly Read and easilâ— Learn by Heart a Fine and Elegant Poem anâ— therefore the Poison of Lascivious Verse makâ—â— a quick and speedy Impression upon the Mind and by the Smoothness and Elegancy of thâ— Language kills before an Antidote can be aâ—â—plied Therefore all such Poets ought not only 〈◊〉 be banished the Câ—urt but also the Country Nay Aeneas Silvius afterwards Pope Pius 〈◊〉 in his Treatise of Education dedicated to Ladislâ—â—â— King of Hungary and Bohemia Discoursing whâ—â— Authors and Poets are to be read to Children râ—solves it thus Ovid writes many times in a Melanchollâ— Strain and as often Sweetly but is in moâ—â— places too Lascivious Horace though an Aâ—thor of admirable Eloquence yet has manâ— things I would neither have Read nor expouâ—â—ded to you Martial is a Pernicious tho' Floriâ— and Ornat Poet but so full of Prickles that hiâ— Roses are not to be gathered without dangeâ— Those who write Elegies are altogether to 〈◊〉 kept up from the Boys for they are too Sofâ— and Effeminate Tibullus Propertius Catulliâ—â— and Sappho which we have now translated abound with amorous Subjects and are full of complaints of unfortunate Amours Your Preceptor ought to take special Care that whilst he reads the Comical and Tragical Poets to you he does not seem to instruct you in something that 's Vitious It is still more remarkeable that Ignatius Loyola the Founder of the Order of the Jesuites who are as little recommendable to the World for their Chastity as for their other Vertues forbad the Reading of Terence in Schools to Children and Youth before his Obscenities were expunged lest he should more corrupt their Manners by his Wantonness than help their Wits by his Latin The Jews a People noted enough for their Uncleanness yet did not permit their Children and Youth in Antient Times to read the Canticles till they arrived at 30 Years of Age for fear they should draw those Spiritual Passages of the Love betwixt Christ and his Church to a Carnal Sence and make them Instruments of inflaming their own Lusts And upon the same Account Origen adviâ—eth such as are of an amorous Temper to forbear Reading it How much more Reason is there to forbid the Reading of the Lascivious Heathen Poets and Plays seeing it is found to be true by Experience as Agrippa in his Discourse of Uncleanness hath excellently expressed it That there is no more powerful Engine to attaque and vanquish the Chastity of any Matron Girl or Widow or of any Male or Female whatever than the Reading of Lascivious
Opera it self From different parts of the Scene came Action and Imposture Action a Young Man in a rich Habit down to his Knees with a large Guard of Purple about the Skirt wherein was written with Silver Letters Medio tutissima on his Head a Garland of Lawrel and in one Hand a branch of Willow Imposture came in a Coat of Hanging-Sleeves and great skirts little Breeches an high crown'd Hat one side pin'd up â— little Ruff and a formal Beard an Angling-roâ— in his Hand with a Fish at the Hook and a Bag and Horn at his Girdle It is easie to discern that the design of this was to represent the graver sort of People in those times as Impostors and Cheats and that they only pretended to Gravity and Religion the better to hide their Covetousness and other Lusts but methinks the High-crown'd Hat turn'd up on one side the little Ruff and the formal Beard might have been forborn out of respect to the King and his Father the latter in most of his Pictures is represented to us in such a Hat and Ruff and a Beard formal to the utmost and the Son is always drawn with his Collar-Band and a Beard so formal that were it not for his Armour and Battoon of Command we should take him sooner for a Bishop than a King But we must remember it was a Mask The Court made haste enough to pull off the Vizard afterwards Action enters first and I suppose this Name was given him because he must be thought to practise what the other only pretended to He rants at Imposture not with an Oath that was not King Charles's Crime for to give him his due they say he abhor'd Swearing and therefore Action like one that would keep the middle betwixt the Dammee Ruffian and the Precise Puritan falls upon Imposture with an Adjuration as follows My variable Sir i th' Name of Heav'n What makes your falshood here where fame intends Her Triumphs all of Truth Thou art so useless to the World That thou art impudent when thou dost share What is most cheap and common unto all The Air and Light I do beseech thee my Fine false Artificer hide both thy Faces For thou art double every where steal hence And I 'll take care thou shalt no more be miss'd Than Shadows are at Night Considering how our Poets dress'd Imposture as before observ'd the Scope of this is plain enough to perswade the Spectators of Quality that such Persons as blamed and opposed those Sundâ—y-Revels and that was the best of the Bishops Benefie'd Clergy and People as well as the professed Dissenters who were then but few did not deserve to live in the Nation and that those who would not comply with the Book of Sports and other Innovations then on foot were justly prosecuted as Hypocrites and Impostors Imposture Answers at first with disdain and contempt of this Rant and then says I hide my self The Reason shall be strong that must perswade Me under Ground The Badger loves his Hole Yet is not so bashful but dares look out And shew himself when there is prey abroad I smile at thee the graver way of scorn Foâ— should I laugh I fear 't wold make thee think Thy Impudence had somewhat in 't of wit Then a little lower Wisely the jealous Scepticks did suspect Reality in every thing for every thing but seems And borrows the Existence it appears To have Imposture governs all even from The guilded Ethnick Mitre to the painted Staff O th' Christian Constable all but pretend Th' resemblance of that power which inwardly They but deride and whisper merry Questions to themselves Which way it comes And after That universally shall take which most doth please Is it not fit And almost safest to cousen all when all Delight still to be cousen'd Here the Poet explains whom he meant by Imposture when he brings him in attacking the Episcopal Dignity and would persuade the Audience that he was for Anarchy too so that the Constable shall not escape his lash though he moves in the very lowest Orb of Civil Authority This was calculated for the then Meridian of Lambeth to represent those that were against Arch-bishop Laud's Pridâ— and Innovations in the Church as Enemies likewise to the State But by the Poets leave he makes his Imposture speak quite out of Character when he brings him to an open Profession of his design to cheat Mankind Impostors are more cunning than to do so they put on Sheeps Cloathing though they be inwardly Ravening Wolves So that he should rather have called him a professed Atheist than an Imposter when he appears thus in his proper Colours and that to his professed Enemy too Action Replys These Lectures would Subdue a numerous Sect wert thou to preach To young soft Courtisans unpractis'd Heirs Of over-practis'd Usurers But Fate takes not so little care of those For whom it doth preserve the Elements That what is chief within us should be quite Deprav'd as if we were only born to aim At Trifles here like Children in their first Estate of using Legs to run at sight Of Bubbles and to leap at noise of Bells Here 's a jerk at the Citizens whom the Court Characterized thus in those Times and a flout at Original Sin denying our Depravation by Nature a practise very becoming the Head of the Church to run down her Doctrine But more of this Anon. Imposture Answers Even to believ 't and in their chiefest growth They follow but my Grandsire Mahomets Divinity who doth allow the good a handsom Girl Or Earth the Valiant two in paradise Here again Imposture talks out of Character when he owns his lascivious Principles but a little Amour must be pull'd in by Head and Shoulders the better to edifie the young Gallants after Sermon Action upbraids Imposture in his Reply thus Thou art so read in humane Appetites That were the Devil licenc'd to assume A Body thou might'st be his Cook yet know There are some few amongst Men That as our making is erect look up To face the Stars and fancy nobler hopes Than you allow not down-ward hang their Heads Like Beasts to meditate on Earth on abject Things Beneath their Feet Here Action becomes a stout Champion for Vertue to insinuate to the Spectators that it was lodg'd at Court and not amongst its Opposers Imposture Answers with a severe scoff upon the Clergy 'T is a thin number sure And much dispers'd for they will hardly meet In Councils and in Synods to enact Their Doctrine by Consent That the next Age May say rhey parted Friends To which Action Answers 'T is possible Less you steal in amongst them to disturb Their Peace disguis'd in a Canonick Weed Nor are these such that by their Reasons strict And rigid Discipline must fright nice Court Philosophers from their belief such as impute A Tyrannous intent to Heav'nly Powers And that their Tyranny alone did Point At Men as if the Faun and Kid were
Play-Books and Stage-Plays as the Fomenters and Fewel ef Lust the occasion of Adultery and other intollerable Evils And in that same Book which its sit to observe by the way was Printed by her Majesties Authority he Inveighs against wanton and impure Books as being then too frequent and wishes the Authors of of them the same Punishment that the Emper or Severus inflicted upon Vetromus Turinus his Faâ—iliar viz. That they might perish by Smoak who liv'd by it A little further he says That many of these who profess Christianity are in respect of reading Lascivious Books worse by far than the Heathens The People called Massilienses before they knew Christ were of such pure and uncorrupt Morals that their Manners were accout the best and amongst other good Laws in their City this was one That there should be no Comedy acted there because their Arguments were for the most part of wanton and dissolute Love But alas all Places in our days are fill'd with Juglers Scoffers Jesters Players who may sâ—â— and do what they list be it never so fleshly and filthy and yet are applauded with laughing and clapping of Hands Epicharmus was punished by Hiero of Syracuse for rehearsing some wanton Verses in the presence of his Wife Sophocles rebuk'd Pericles for launching out in the Commendation of the Beauty of a Boy that passed by him and was told that not only the Hand of a Pretor ought to be free from Bribes but their Eyes clear from wanton Looks that the Athenians would suffer none of their Judges to write any Comedy or Play But I speak it with Sorrow our vicious Balladmakers and Composers of lewd Songs and Plays go not only unpunished but are largely Rewarded There was no Adulterer in Sparta because the Citizens were not suffered to be present at any Comedy or other Play lest they should hear and see those things that were contrary to their Laws The next we shall mention is Bishop Bahingtoâ— who in his Exposition on the seventh Commandment says Those Prophane Wanton Stage Plays and Enterludes what an occasion thâ—â— are of Adultery and Uncleanness by Gesture Speech Conveyance and Devices to attain ungodly Desires the World knoweth by long Experience Vanities they are if we make the best of them ' and the Prophet prayeth to have his Eyes turn'd away from beholding Vanity evil Communication corrupts good Manners and they abound with it They are always full of dangerous Sights and we must abstain from all appearance of Evil They corrupt the Eyes with alluring Gestures the Eyes corrupt the Heart and the Heart corrupts the Body till all be horrible before the Lord All things are polluted by Histrionical Gestures saith Chrysostome And Plays says he are the Feasts of Satan the Inventions of the Devil Councils have decreed very sharply against them those who have been desil'd by them have on their Death Beds confessed the danger of them and warned others for ever to avoid them The Bishop adds that Play Haunters carry away with them the Ideas and Similitudes of the lewd Representations they behold in Stage-Plays which sink deep into their Minds That they suck in the Poison of Stage-Plays with great Delight and practise the Speeches and Conveyances of Love which there they see aâ—d learn and having once polluted their Speech with the Language of the Theatre for I will never call it polishing they are never well but when they have Company to whom they may impart the Stories and Salutations they have learned at the Stage Bishop Andrews in his Exposition of the seventh Commandment Bishop Baily in his Preface to the Practise of Piety and Bishop Hall in in his Epistles agree with the former in condemning Stage-Plays Of the same Mind is Doctor Reynolds in his overthrow of Stage-Plays Doctor Griffitâ— Doctor Williams Doctor Elâ—on and Mr. Dod on the seventh Commandment Doctor Sparks in his Rehearsal Sermon at Paul's Cross April 29. 1579. Doctor Whites Sermon there March 24. 1615. Dr. Bond of the Sabâ—ath in 1595. and as many more Doctors as would serve to make up a Convocation whence it is evident that the Divines of the Church in those Days were far from being silent against the Stage Nay we are told in the Preface to the second and third Blast of Retreat from Plays and Theatres Printed in 1580. That many Godly Ministers did from Day to Day in all Places of greatest Resort denounce the Vengeance of God against all such be they high or low that favoured Players Theatres or Plays Mr. Northbrook a learned Divine in his Treatise against Vain Plays and Enterludes Printed by Authority in 1579. says That to speak his Mind and Conscience plainly and in the fear of God Players and Plays are not tollerable not to be suffered in any Commonwealth because they are the Occasion of much Sin and Wickedness corrupting both the Minds and the Manners of the Spectators There 's one Book more writ in those times against the Stage that I cannot omit because of the singularity of its Title viz. The Church of evil Men and Women whereof Lucifer is the Head and Players and Play-haunters the Members And in 1625. a Treatise against Stage Plays was dedicated to the Parliament from all which it will appear that the Author of the Defence of Dramatick Poetry spoke without Book when he said Mr. Collier was the first that appeared from the Press or the Pulpit against ouâ— Stage and that the present Divines of the Church who have betraid the Cause by their Silence or encouraged the Stage by their Pens and Practice come not only short of their Ancestors but are directly opposite to them Nor was it the Divines alone who in those days attack'd the Theatre But Poets of their own who being touch'd with remorse for writing to the Stage turn'd their Pens against it and made such Discoveries of its Lewdness as no other Persons were able to do CAP. IX The Stage Condemned and Anatomized by Play-Poets THE First we shall name is Mr. Stephen Gosson formerly a Stage-Poet for which he says himself in the Epistle to his School of Abuse Printed by Authority and dedicated to Sir Philip Sidney in 1578. That his Eyes had shed many Tears of Sorrow and his Heart had sweat many drops of Blood when he remembred Stage-Plays to which he was once so much addicted This Penitent Stage-Poet in the Book just now menâ—ioned and in another called His Plays Confuted Printed in 1581. and Dedicated to Sir Francis Walsingham writes to this Effect I will shew you says he what I saw and inform you what I read of Plays Ovid said That Romulus built his Theatre as a Horse-Fair for Whores made Triumphs and set up Plays to gather fair Women together that every one of his Souldiers might take where he lik'd a snatch for his Share It would seem that the Abuse of such Plâ—ces was so great that for any chast Liver to haunt them was a black Swan and a
the Pits Galleries and Boxes but that the Poets and Actors have the principal Share of the Wickedness and I hope the Frequenters of the Play-house will take notice of this Gentlemans Ingratitude and avoid frequenting the Stage seeing the very Patrons of the Theatre charge the Wickedness of it upon them CAP. XVI The Fathers defended against the Defender of the Drama HE falls next upon Mr. Collier's Quotations from the Fathers the Defects of which I shall not now offer to supply having quoted the Fathers whose meaning the Advocates of the Stage would pervert at large already I shall only therefore take notice of the Reviewers Assertion That Tertullians Arguments are chiefly upon these two Heads viz That Pleasure was a bewitching thing and that the Magistrates discountenanced the Players and crampt their Freedoms The Falshood of this Assertion will be obvious to every one that reads what I have quoted from Tertullian under the Head of the Fathers against the Stage but as a further answer I shall give him Dr. Hornecks excellent Abridgment of Tertullians Arguments in his Book of Delight and Judgment as follows I know what is commonly objected That the Reasons why the Fathers are so much against the Christians seeing of a Play was because the Heathenish Idolatries were acted to the Life upon the Stage and that Proselites might not be in danger of being entic'd to Idolatry was a great Motive why they inveighed so much against Sights of that Nature But those that use this Plea must certainly not have read the Fathers or if they have read them have not considered all their Arguments for to go no farther than Tertullian after he had condemned those Sights for the Idolatries committed on the Stage he produces other Reasons for which they are utterly unlawful As I. Because the Spirit of the Gospel is a Spirit of Gentleness but the Actors are forc'd to put themselves into a Posture of Wrath and Anger and Fury and the Spectators themselves cannot behold them without being put into a Passion II. Because Vanity which is proper to the Stage is altogether Forreign to Christianity III. Because we are not to consent to Peoples Sins IV. Because Men are abus'd in these Places and neither Princes nor People spared and this bieng unlawful else where must be unlawful too upon the Stage V. Because all Immodesty and Scurrillity is forbid by the Law of the Gospel and not only acting it but seeing and hearing it acted VI. Because all Players are Hypocrites seem to be what they are not and all Hypocrisy is condemned by the Gospel VII Because the Actors very often belie their Sex and put on Womens Apparel which is forbid by the Law of God VIII Because these Plays dull and damp Devotion and Seriousness which is and ought to be the indelible Character of Christians IX Because it is a Disparagement to God to lift up those Hands to applaud a Player which we use to lift up to the Throne of Grace X. Because Experience shews how the Devil hath sometimes possessed Christians in a Play-house and being afterwards cast out confessed that he had reason to enter into them because he found them in his own Place XI Because no Man can serve two Masters God and the World as those Christians pretend to do that frequent both the Church and Stage XII Because though some Speeches in a Play are Witty and Ingenious yet there is poison at the Bottom and Vice is only coloured and gilded with fine Language and curious Emblems that it may go down more glib and ruine the Soul more artificially The Reviewer comes next to play all the Artillery of his Wit and Banter against â—ertullian's instance of the Devil 's having given it as a Reason of his possessing a Christian Woman that he found her on his own Ground viz. the Play-house Such a Discovery he thinks the Devil would be the last that would make But had he considered those several Passages of the Gospel where the Devil was forc'd to own our Saviour to be the Son of God tho' he came into the World to destroy his Kingdom and to Subvert his Tyrannical Empire over the Children of Men this Confession of Satan would have been no such matter of Wonder to him I hope our Author is not a Manichee to believe that the Devil has an infinite Power or derives his Existence from himself If Scripture Authority have any Weight with him there he may find it reveal'd That the Devil can neither do all the Mischief he would nor yet resist the Commission of the Almighty tho' Rebellion be the very Essence of the Diabolical Nature He could not so much as destroy one of Iob's Cows or Sheep without a Permission tho' he would willingly have ruined that Holy Person and all that belong'd to him Nor could he forbear to destroy Ahab by his Lies when the Almighty commanded it tho' it had been more his Interest to have had that Monster of Wickedness continued on the Throne and therefore I must take the liberty tâ— acquaint the Reviewer that his Banter is propnane and occaâ—ioned meerly by want of thought when he says That if the Sworn Enemy of Man have any such generous Principle in him Dives had no occasion to supplicate Abraham to send a Messenger to caution his Friends on Earth but might e'ne have beg'd the civil favour of that kind Errant from one of his own Tormentors The Almighty never Commissioned the Devil nor yet his Chaplains of the Stage to Preach Repentance unto the World that work he reserved for more hallowed Instruments I shall hasten to absolve this point when I have told our Author that it ill becomes any Man who calls himself a Christian to question Tertullian's Veracity in a Matter of Fact like this that the Enemies of our Holy Religion could 〈◊〉 have disprov'd had it been false and that the Credit of that Learned Father for the great Service he did to the Christian Cause has set him above the Snarls and Banter of the Play-house or its Advocates As for his Scost that this is the only instance of Seizure of that kind amongst all the Millions of Christians who since that day have frequented the Play-house It s of a piece with the rest I have prov'd that the Devil though he be the God of this World is far from being absolute his Reign is consm'd to the Children of Disobedience and those he leads Captive aâ— his own Will so that his Seizures of this kind consists of infinite numbers though his Seizures of the other sort be restrain'd to a few And by the concurring Testimonies of the Fathers Councils and best of Christians in all Ages as has been already made out He triumphs no where more visibly than upon the Stage This I have prov'd by the Confession of the two Penitent Play-Poets above mentioned but that in the Mouth of two or three Witnesses every
answer in the Words of Augustus formerly mentioned in the like case That he had been powerful enough to make his Enemies stoop and is he not able now to banish Iesters and Fools His next Insinuation That it diverts the Iacobites and prevents their Plots and Conventicles is equally absur'd Let him but cast an Eye up to Westminster-Hall or the City Gates and there the Heads and Limbs of Charnock Perkins and Friend c. will tell him to his Face that he 's mistaken His Answers to the Objections from Authority in the Third Chapter I shall pass over as having said enough on that Head already in Answer to others And as for his Pretence in the rest of his Book to shew the Usefulness of the Stage to the Advancement of Religion it 's only a further proof of his Vanity and intollerable Confidence seeing Fathers Councils and the best of Divines in all Ages have demonstrated the contrary to their Arguments that I have quoted already I refer him and so bid him Farewel If he think that I have not used him with that Smoothness that he might have expected let him remember how he treated the whole Nation as Splenetick Rebels the Parliament of England in 1641. as Traitors and all the Divines of those Times as Blockheads and Hypocrites CAP. XX. The STAGE Encouraged by the Universities I Come next to consider the Encouragement given to the Stage by our Universities which may also bear date from the Reign of King Charles I. for before that time I find both of them had declared themselves against the Theatre Dr. Reynolds in his Book Entituled The Overthrow of Stage-Plays affirms That the best and gravest Divines in the University of Oxford condemned Stage-Plays by an express Statute in a full Convocation of the whole University in 1584. whereby the use of all Common-plays was expresly prohibited in the University lest the younger sort who are prone to imitate all kinds of Vice being Spectators of so many lewd and evil Sports as in them are practised should be corrupted by them And Mr. Prin informs us That the University of Cambridge enacted the like That no Common Actors should be suffered to play within the Jurisdiction of the University for fear they should deprave the Manners of the Scholars And whereas it was objected that the Universities approved of Private Stage-Plays acted by Scholars in private Colledges Dr. Reynolds answeâ—s in the Book above-mentioned That tho' they conniv'd at them yet they gave no publick approbation to them that they were not receiv'd into all Colledges but only practised in some private houses perchance once in three or four years and that by the particular Statutes of those Houses made in times of Popery which require some Latin Comedies for Learning sake only to be acted now and then and those Plays too were for tâ—e most part compos'd by idle persons who dâ—â— not affect better Studies and they were acted 〈◊〉 such as preferr'd Vain-glory Ostentation and Strutting on the Stage before Learning â— by such who were sent to the University not so much to obtain Knowledge as to keep tâ—â—m from the common Riotous way of living â—s Parents send little Children to School to keeâ— them out of harms way and their Spectators â— the most part were of the same sort but the raver better and more studious persons especially Divines condemn'd them censur'd them and came not at them Thus we see that our Universities formerly condemn'd the Stage and that they came afterwards to countenance them must without doubt be ascribed to the Influence of K. Charles I. and A. Bishop Laud for I find on Aug. the 30th 1636. the Students of Christ-Church in Oxford presented a Tragi-comedy call'd The Royal Slave to the K. and Queen which was afterwards presented again to Their Majesties at Hampton-Court and the 2d Edition Printed at Oxford by William Turner in 1640. The Gentlemen of Trinity-Colledge in Cambridge did before that viz. in 1634. present a Comedy to the King call'd Albumazar Printed at London by Nicholas Okes upon both which I shall make some Remarks and first upon Albumazar Remarks upon the Universities Plays before King Charles I. The Poet values himself in the Prologue upon the Dignity of his Audience but chiefly addresses himself to the Ladies whose Beauties he says made the whole Assembly glad Whether the Play was altogether so pure and chast as became His Majesties presence the Gravity of the University and the Modesty of the Ladies we shall see afterwards but this very hint of the Beauty of the Ladies cheering the hearts of the Assembly will fall under our Saviours Reproof of not looking upon a Woman to lust after her and is the very thing for which St. Chrysostom declaims against Plays as we have heard already Nor can it be reconcileable to the purity of the Christian Religion which hath set a Bar upon our very Looks for Men and Women to haunt Play-houses in order to ogle one another as the Stage-Poets themselves now express it Then for the Play it self The Dialogue betwixt Albumazar Harpax and Ronca where they applaud Theft and Robbery as that which made the Spartans Valiant and Arabia Happy and charge it on all Trades and Callings tho' guilt with the smooth Title of Merchant Lawyer or the like could have no Natural Tendency to teach Moral Honesty Whether it might have any design to justifie the after Practices of Levying Money without Consent of Parliament Exâ—orting Loan Money from Merchants and Tradesmen as being only a better sort of Thieves or to justifie Plundering the Country as the Histories of those times say was very usual amongst the King's Soldiers afterwards I know not but the Fable seems to carry some such Moral and the Authority of an University would go a great way among Libertines so that it could but be collected by the least Innuendo tho' never so much wrested Albumazar's insisting upon Great Necessity as the Cardinal Virtue and it being Printed too in Italick would seem to strengthen the Conjecture especially seeing he goes on to represent all Mankind as Thieves and that the very Members of Man's Body are fram'd by Nature so as to steal from one another which is good enough Authority for the Head to steal from all the rest The 2d Scene Containing a Discourse betwixt Pandolfo an old Fellow of 60 in Love with Flavia a Girl of 16 and Cricca his Servant is far from being Chast. I cannot imagine what Edification it could afford to the Audience to hear an old Man insist upon his Vigor and Fitness for a young Girl and his Servant on the other hand telling him that one Nights Lodging would so much enfeeble him as Flavia would make him a Cuckold This seems more adapted to expose to Laughter the Dotage that old Age is now and then subject to and to justifie the Disloyalty of a young Wife so Wedded than to bewail or reprove such Folly on both sides
Religion and Vertue and bring Vice and Corruption of Manners into Esteem and Reputation The Poets that write for the Stage at least a great part of them seem deeply concerned in this Conspiracy These are the Champions that Charge Religion with such desperate Resolution and have given it so many deep and ghastly Wounds The Stage was an Out-work or Fort rais'd for the Protection and Security of the Temple but the Poets that kept it have revolted and basely betray'd it â—nd what is worse have turn'd all their Force and discharg'd all their Artillery against the Place their Duty was to defend If any Man thinks this an unjust Charge I desire him to read any of our Modern Comedies and I believe he will soon be convinced of the Truth of what I have said The Man of Sense and the â—ine Gentleman in the Comedy who as the chiefest Person propos'd to the Esteem and Imitation of the Audience is enrich'd with all the Sense and Wit the Poet can bestow This extraordinary Person you will find to be a Derider of Religion a greaâ— Admirer of Lucretius not so much for his Leâ—â—ning as Irreligion a Person wholly Idle dissolv'd in Luxury abandon'd to his Pleasure â— great Debaucher of Women profuse and extravagant in his Expences And in short this furnished Gentleman will appear a finished Libertine The young Lady that must support the Character of a Vertuous well-manner'd sensible Woman the most perfect Creature that can be and the very Flower of her Sex this Accomplish'd Person entertains the Audience with confident Discourses immodest Repartees and prophane Railery She is throughly instructed in Intreagues and Assignations a great Scoffeâ— at the prudent Reservedness and Modesty of the best of her Sex she despises the wise Instructions of her Parents or Guardians is disobedient to their Authority and at last without their Knowledge or Consent marries her self to the Gentleman above mentâ—oned And can any one imagine but that our young Ladies and Gentlewomen are admirably instructed by such Patterns of Sense and Virtue If a Clergyman be introduc'd as he often is t is seldom for any other Purpose but to abuse him to expose his very Character and Profession He must needs be a Pimp a Blockhead a Hypocrite some wretched Figure he must make and almost ever be so manag'd as to bring his Order into Contempt This indeed is a very common but yet so gross an Abuse of Wit as was never endured on a Pagan Theatre at least in the antient Primitive Times of Poetry before its Purity and Simplicity became corrupted with the Inventions of after Ages Poets then taught Men to Reverence their Gods and those who â—erv'd them none had so little regard for his Religion as to expose it publickly or if any had their Governments were too Wise to suffer the Worsâ—ip of their Gods to be treated on the Stage with Contempt In our Comedies the Wives of our Citizens are highly encouraged to despise their Husbands and to make great Friendship with some such Virtuous Gentleman and Man of Sense above described This is their way of Recommending Chastity and Fidelity and that Diligence and Frugality may be sufficiently expos'd though the two Virtues that chiefly support the being of any State to deter Men from being Industrious and Wealthy the diligent and thriving Citizen is made the most wretched contemptible thing in â—he World And as the Alderman that makes the best Figure in the City makes the worst on the Stage So under the Character of a Justice of Peace you have all the Prudence and Virtues of the Country most unmercifully insulted over And as these Characters are set up on purpose to ruin all Opinion and Esteem of Virtue so the Conduct throughout the Language the Fable and Contrivance seem evidently design'd for the same noble end There are few fine Conceits few strains of wit or extraordinary pieces of Railery but are either Immodest or Irreligious and very few Scenes but have some spiteful and envious Stroke at Sobriety and good Manners Whence the Youth of the Nation have apparently received very bad Impressions The universal Corruption of Manners and Irreligious Disposition of Mind that Infects the Kingdom seems to have been in a great Measure deriv'd from the Stage or has at least been highly promoted by it and 't is great pitty that those 〈◊〉 whose power it is have not restrained the 〈◊〉 centiousness of it and obliged the Writers to observe more decorum It were to be wished that Poets as Preachers are in some Countries were Paid and Licensed by the State and that none were suffered to write in prejudice of Religion and the Government but that all such Offenders as publick Enemies of Mankind should be silenc'd and duly punished Sure some effectual Care should be taken that these Men might not be suffered by debauching our Youth to help on the Destruction of a brave Nation But seeing the Author of the DEFENCE says without any limitation that Mr. Collier is the first who appear'd from the Pulpit or Press upon this Subject I must put him in mind of others that have Writ and Preached against the Stage long before those I have already mentioned And I think Mr. Prin Author of the Histriomastix deserves the Honour of being nam'd with the first His Treatise being perhaps the Largest Learnedst and most Elaborate of any that ever was writ upon the Subject and to which Mr. Collier has been very much oblig'd for many things in his ingenious Book as I own here once for all I am highly oblig'd my self for not a few though I have made use of them in a different Method I have already agreed with the Author of the Defence That the general Silence of the Clergy of late against the Stage is a Neglect of their Christian Duty but shall now make it appear that it has not always been thus with the Clergy which will be a further Confutation of our Authors Proposition That Mr. Collier is the first that broke Silence in this Matter and serve as a Reproof to the generality of the Church of England Divines of the present times that they come so much short of those of the former in their Zeal against the Stage Antient Church of England Divines against the STAGE IT may perhaps be reckon'd needless to go so far back as the famous Bradwardin Arch-bishop of Canterbury who wrote against the Stage in 1345. or Wickliff the Morning-Star of our Reformation who wrote against Plays in 1380. and therefore we shall descend to those times when the Reformation was arriv'd to a good hight And thus we find in 1572. Dr. Matthew Parker Arch-bishop of Canterbury in his Book De Antiquitate Ecclesiae Britannicae Page 445. asserts That Stage-Plays are not to be suffer'd in any Christian or well govern'd Commonwealth Dr. George Alley Bishop of Exeter and Divinity Lecturer at St. Pauls in 1571. the second year of Queen Elizabeth declaims against