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cause_n	adultery_n	husband_n	wife_n	1,526	5	7.7220	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10187	Histrio-mastix The players scourge, or, actors tragædie, divided into two parts. Wherein it is largely evidenced, by divers arguments, by the concurring authorities and resolutions of sundry texts of Scripture ... That popular stage-playes ... are sinfull, heathenish, lewde, ungodly spectacles, and most pernicious corruptions; condemned in all ages, as intolerable mischiefes to churches, to republickes, to the manners, mindes, and soules of men. And that the profession of play-poets, of stage-players; together with the penning, acting, and frequenting of stage-playes, are unlawfull, infamous and misbeseeming Christians. All pretences to the contrary are here likewise fully answered; and the unlawfulnes of acting, of beholding academicall enterludes, briefly discussed; besides sundry other particulars concerning dancing, dicing, health-drinking, &c. of which the table will informe you. By William Prynne, an vtter-barrester of Lincolnes Inne.	Prynne, William, 1600-1669.	1633 (1633)	STC 20464A; ESTC S115316	1,193,680	1,258

wits of slothfull youth were growne lazie neither were they industrious in the study of any honest thing Sleepe and sloath and that which was worse then either sleepe or lazinesse the diligent pursuite of evill things hath invaded their mindes The obscene st●dies of singing● and dancing pray marke his epithite doe possesse the effeminate and to frounce and curle the haire to become effeminate in speech and body is the very patterne of our youth And now observe what followed here upon they are conquerers of others chastity negligent of their owne Againe in his Naturall Questions lib. 7. cap. 32. he complaines that the house of Pyladis and Batillus two Dancing-masters and Stage-players had successors to continue it that there were many Schollers and many Masters of these arts These Masters teach privately or there is a private Dancing-Schoole thorowout the City where both men and women dance Me● and their wives strive betweene themselves which of them shall first turne the side to the Dancing-master Afterwards when as their modesty and all their shame is worne quite away they passe disguised to a Brothel-house Loe here the end the fruits of dancing which this Heathen Philosopher much deplores To passe by Iustin who stiles musicke and dances the instruments of Luxury together with Ovid Virgil Tibullus and f Horace who censure dancing as an effeminate practice of drunken lewde adulterous men and women in their luxurious ●easts and meetings and withall to omit the Story of Zenophons dancing Trull who enamored Socrates and the other Spectators with her dancing and Player-like action The Poet Iuvenal makes dancing the very badge of an adulteresse the fuell of lust the cause of adultery and much prodigall expence reputing him an unhappy Husband who hath a dancing Dame to his wife And if this be true how many happy Husbands are there now when there are so few un-dancing wives Su●tonius records this among other of Caligula his vices that he was a Singer and a Dancer that he was so transported with the pleasure of dancing and singing that hee could not so much as refraine in publike Enterludes but he must sing together with the Tragaedian that acted and openly imitate the gesture of the Stage-player either as it were praysing or correcting it He did likewise dance saith he in the night sometimes and upon a time sending for three grave men who had beene Consuls into his Palace in the second watch of the night he placed them being in a very great feare upon a Scaffold and then he leaped out suddenly with a great noyse of Pipes and Fidlers clad in a womans Gowne and a long coate and having danced out a dance he departed Polibius and Athenaeus doe both much condemne Antiochus surnamed the Illustrious yet stiled the mad by them for that in his riotous drunken Feasts he would sometimes play together with the Actors and once being vailed quite over he was brought in upon the Stage by Players and laid upon the ground as if he were one of them Afterwards oportunity calling him forth he did caper he did dance and iest with the Players so that all there present were ashamed To such miserable things as these doth that stupidity induce men which is ingendred of drunkennesse The same Athenaeus out of Theopompus doth cen●ure Strabo King of the Sydonians who exceeded all men in the study of pleasure and delights for that he made ass●mblies of Fidlers Dancing-women Lutanists and sent for many Leamons Whores or Mistresses out of Pelleponnesus for many singing women out of ●onia and for many amorous Girles out of all Greece some of which he tendred to those that danced others of them he usually offred to his friends that sung as a reward of their combate c. which verefies the former position that dancing is the occasion of much lewdenesse and that Dancers for the most part are adulterous lecherous people given up to sensuality and all kinde of vice Which is further verified in his Dipnos l. 4. c. 6. l. 8. c. 12.13 l. 10. c. 9.12 l. 12. c. 6.10.13 l. 13. c. 6.10.31 l. 14. c. 3.5.11.12 where he shewes that all common prostituted whores were expert Dancers and all Dancers whores adulterers or lascivious deboist Bacchanalian persons and that so they were reputed among Pagans Homer Odysseae lib. 14 p. 418. and out of him Sto●aeus Sermo 18. fol. 126. enumerate this among other effects of Wine and drunkennesse that they make a wise man to sing and dance Which proves that wise men anciently never danced but when they were drunken or frantique which Euripides his Tragedie stiled Bacchae and Strabo his Geograph lib. 10. pag. 48. to 55. will most plentifully evidence to those who have leisure to peruse them True it is that Plato and Aristotle approve of dancing in the Festivities and Solemnities of their Idol-Gods in which they were most in use which dances as they were very rare perchance once or twice a yeere so they were likewise certaine appointed by their idolatrous Priests or by the Overseers of their dances which dances might not be altered but by publike authority by the Priests and Magist●ates speciall direction Neither were they such dances as Christians can approve For Plato even in these sacred dances dedicated to Idol-Gods would have Youthes and Girles to dance together naked that so they might the better disce●●e one anothers bea●ty or deformity and so mi●ht ●o● be deceived in their matches and marriages Which custome of dancing naked as it seemes by Tully Athenaeus Basil Euripedes and others was much in use in former times in drunken Feasts in which naked whores or women oft-times attended the more to enrage the naked Dancers and the Spectators lusts to which they were prostitu●ed a● their pleasure Such lascivious beastly dances as these did these lewde Philosophers and the dru●ken Greekes allow in the Festivals of their filthy Idols But for all oth●r private dances such onely excepted as were stiled Pirricall wherein men vaulted and danced in th●ir Armor to ●●ew their activity and strength they were evermore infamous among Pagans as the precedent Authors and Doctor Reinolds witnesse therefore they should be much more abominable to all chaste all modest Christians If any here obiect in defence of amorous mixt lascivious dancing I speake not of grave single chaste and sober measures men with men which is now so much in use and high esteeme First that there are many laudable examples of dancing in the Scripture as that of Miriam and the Isralitish women after the drowning of the Egyptians and their miraculous deliverance from them that of Iepthaes Daughters of the Isralitish women after the slaughter of Goliah and the Philistins and that of David who danced before the Arke with all his might Secondly that God commandes us

Incestuous Adulterous and Infernall Heathen-Gods or Men whose very Names and Practises should rot and perish in obliuion must needes be odious vnseemely yea vtterly vnlawfull vnto Christians But such is the Stile and Subiect Matter of most Theatricall Enterludes Therefore they must needes bee odious vnseemely yea vtterly vnlawfull vnto Christians For the Minor not onely our owne experience which is a thousand Witnesses and the truest Index but euen sundry Fathers and Moderne Authors as Clemens Alexandrinus Oratio Exhort ad Gentes Clemens Romanus Constit. Aposto lib. 2. cap. 65.66 Tatianus Oratio Aduers Graecos Theophylus Antiochenus Contr. Autolicum lib. 3. Tertullian De Spectac lib. Cyprian De Spectac lib. Epist. lib. 2. Epist. 2. Arnobius Aduers Gent. lib. 3.4 7. pag. 230. to 242. Lactantius De Vero Cultu cap. 20. Diuinarum Instit. Epit. cap. 6. Basil De Legendis libris Gentilium Oratio Nazianzen Ad Seleuchum Eusebius De Praeparatione Euangelii lib. 4. Theodoret De Sacrificiis lib. 7. Chrysostome Hom. 6 7. 38. in Matth. Augustine De Ciuit. Dei lib. 1. cap. 31 32. lib. 2. cap. 4. to 29. Saluian De Gubernat Dei lib. 6. Minucius Felix Octauius together with Doctor Reinolds Master Northbrooke Mr. Gosson Iohn Mariana in their Bookes against Stage-Playes Ludouicus Viues De Causis Corruptionis Artium lib. 2. Comment in lib. 2. Augustini De Ciuitate Dei Master Stubs in his Anatomie of Abuses with sundry others doe expressely testifie that Stage-Playes are fraught with the Genealogies Ceremonies Images Reliques Imprecations Inuocations Names Adulteries Whoredomes Incests Rapes Loue-prankes Furies Lusts Lasciuiousnesse Thefts Murthers Cheates Persons parts Histories and abominable Villanies of Heathen Idole-gods and for this very cause they vtterly condemne them as sinfull and pernicious And so much the rather because these Demonicall and Infernall Deities being delighted with these their true or feined wickednesses did purposely command them to bee Acted on their solemne Feastiualls that so men might be encouraged to imitate them and to proceede yea perseuere without redresse in these their Adulterous Inhumane and Infernall Vices which were Countenanced Authorized yea Legitimated and commended by their practicall and Diuine examples All Times all Ages yea all Ancient and Moderne Stage-Playes and Experience Subscribe and Suffragate with these our Authors to our Minor therefore we must we cannot but acknowledge it For the Maior it is cleerely euident by its owne light and by the luster of the Scripture For first of all God himselfe enioynes his People not to make mention of the names of other Gods not to let them be heard out of their mouthes but to ouerthrow their Altars breake their Pillars burne their Groues hew downe their grauen Images and to destroy their very Names out of their places Whence Dauid doeth solemnely professe that hee will not offer the drinke Offerings of Idole-gods nor yet take vp their names within their lippes The very names of Pagan-gods are so odious and displeasing vnto God so vnsuiteable vnto Christian mouthes and eares that God himselfe protesteth he will cut off the name●d of Ioles out of the Land and they shall be no more remembred yea that he will take away the names of Baalim out of his peoples mouth and they shall bee no more remembred by their name Hence was it that the Christians in the Primitiue Church would rather die then call Ioue a God as hee is oft times stiled in our Stage-Playes and truely they had little reason for to deeme him a God whose Adulteries did exceede his issues in their number Yea such was their reuerence and Pietie towards God that they would not so much as apply any Poeticall names vnto him as we Christians to our shame and his dishonour oft times doe Christians haue beene alwayes coy and charie of the very naming of Heathen Idoles vnlesse it were with detestation and dislike God forbid saith Saint Hierome that omnipotent Ioue O my Hercules my Castor or other such monsters rather then Gods should euer ●ound out of a Christian mouth A faithfull Christian writes Clement of Rome ought not to sing any Heathen verse or Meretricious song because hee may chance in singing to make mention of the names of Diuelish Idoles and so insteed of the holy Ghost the euill Spirit may seise vpon him Saint Basil and Nazianzen persuade and aduise all Christians to auoide all Heathen Poemes and Writings which treate of Heathen Gods relating either their Genealogies Histories Adulteries Loues or Rapes as being the Doctrine of Deuills or so many Traps and Snares to endanger them Saint Augustine inhibites Christian women so much as to name Minerua or any such vnluckie persons in their Spinning Dying or any other worke Saint Gregorie the great and Gratian informe vs that the Praises Histories or mention of Ioue doe not beseeme any Godly Lay-mans mouth much lesse a Byshops whence they blame Desiderius a Bishop of France for teaching the Art of Grammer in which he must discourse both of the Names and Praises of Heathen Gods vpon which ground the fourth Councell of Carthage Canon 16. together with Saint Hierome Epist. 22. cap. 13. Isiodor Pelusiota Epist. lib. 1. Epist. 63. Tertullian De Idololatria lib. cap. 18. to 24. Isiodor Hispalensis De summo bon● lib. 3. cap. 13. Gratian Distinctio 37. Prohibit Bishops and other Christians from reading the Bookes of the Gentiles least by Applauding the Names and Approouing the speaches of their Idole-gods they should incurre Idolatrie And good reason is there that Christians should not admit of the Names and Histories much lesse of the imprecations and abominable practises of Heathen Gods First because God himselfe with all these Fathers doe thus inhibit them Secondly because the second Commandement as Philo Iudaeus well obserues doeth not onely prohibit the Images and Pictures but euen the Histories and Fables of the Marriages Birthes and casualties of Heathen Gods Thirdly because the recitall of their Names and Histories by way of approbation or d●light doeth giue a tacite or secret allowance of them to be Gods where as in trueth they are but Deuills or wicked Men or rather as Saint Paul informes vs nothing in the World Fourthly because the Hearing and Reading of such Histories and Fables as these which are oft times sugred and guilded ouer with the very quintessence of Art and Rhetoricke doeth alienate and coole our loue vnto the Sacred and Soule-sauing word of God which runnes in a lesse Elegant and more humble Stile Fiftly because the recitall acting and personating of their Names their Histories and notorious Villanies doeth reuiue their names and memories which should rot and perish in obliuion It is the will and pleasure of God that the Names of the wicked should rot that the Memories Reliques Ceremonies Names and Monuments of Idole-gods should vtterly be abolished from

poverty The expences in setting forth pub●●ke Playes and Enterludes being so excessive that they could hardly be undergone by any but the Emperour as Caesar Bulengerus testifieth And if they were such to the very richest Common-weales and Monarches how much more intollerably expensive thinke you were they to private persons Flavius Vopiscus reports of Iulius Messalla that he spent his whole Patrimony upon Stage-players leaving nought unto his Heires and that he gave his Mothers Coate unto a Woman-Actor and his Fathers Cloke to a Player for which he liberally taxeth him Nicolaus and Athenaeus record of Sylla the Roman Captaine that he was so adicted to Playes he being much enamored with ludicrous sports that he gave them many acres of ground out of the Republikes revenues To which I may adde that of AElius Lampridius who writes of Commodus Antoninus that he deminished his Treasury by prodigall expenses upon Stage-playes and that he added many Cirque playes rather out of lust then out of religion that so he might enrich the Masters of those factions Gregory Nazienzen informes us that Stage-playes and Horse-races doe manifestly impoverish mens estates How many Families writes he have they sodainely over-turned how many rich men have they enforced to begge their bread how many Citties living peaceably among themselves have they u●terly overthrowne Seest thou not some men writes S. Basil prodigally consuming their mony in Play-houses upon Tumblers and Stage-players which every one should abhor to behold to gaine some momentany honour and a little popular applause It is quoth Arnobius an inexpiable sinne that gifts and stipends are alowed and appointed unto Stage-players and worne-out Pantomimes the deriders of the gods that they are exempted from publike O●●ices and imployments and crowned with Garlands Saint Chrysostome oft complaines that Stage-playes are the occasions of many prodigall vaine expenses that men did bestow innumerable yea unspeakeable gifts and consume much mony upon Stage-players that they cherished them at their owne● private houses bestowing that food that cost upon them which should be spent upon Christs poore members and that they maintained them likewise out of the publike Treasury as if they had well deserved of the Common-weale which had disfranchised and made them infamous Saint Ambrose makes mention of some whom he censureth for prodigals who spent their Patrimonies upon Stage-playes Cirques and Sword-playes out of a vaine-glorious humour to surpasse the solemnities of former times when as all they did was but vanity S. Augustine complaines that the Roman Magistrates did corrupt the publike manners by spoyling the miserable Citizens and by giving unto filthy Stage-players who received more gifts for their superfluous Playes then the ancient Roman Legions had bestowed on them for their Warres Pope Leo the first makes this complaint of the age wherein he lived I am ashamed saith he to speake and yet there is a necessity that I should not be silent there is more now spent upon the Devill at Play-houses then there is bestowed on Christ or his Apostles Asterius in his Homely against the feast of the Kalends informes us That Playes are the cause of Debt and Vsury the oc●asion of Poverty the beginning of Beggery If one hath but a small stocke of mony layd up at home for the sustentation of his Wife and miserable Children it is here drawne out and cast away and he and his sit all this eminent feast hungry and indigent of all things Men now make havocke of their goods and prodigally spend them with the great losse both of manners and discipline Yea the very Consuls themselves being men of renowne advanced to the very top of humane honours exhaust their wealth through vanity not onely without fruit but likewise with sinne and it may be truely said that as sublime as their throne is so eminent is their folly For whereas they are wont to accept of many dignities and to obtaine most ample royall Leiftenantships they study to rake as much wealth out of each of them as they can Some of them convert the millitary stipends to their owne private lu●re others of them sell iustice and truth for mony other of them poll the Kings Treasures and revenues laying up all they can scrape together on every side to the offence of God pretermitting no uniust no in●amous or dishonest gaine And now when as they beare rule in a very short space they spend the Gold they have thus hourded upon F●dlers Stage●players Dancers and Eunuches And a little after But thou saith he dost empty thy Bagges upon the dishonest recreation of thy minde upon unseemely and disorderly laughter never considering how many teares of poore men thou mightest relieve by which thy wealth hath beene scraped together how many have beene cast into prison how many have beene whipt and brought to the Gallowes that thou mightest have sufficient to give to Stage-players on this day To passe by the testimony of Clemens Alexandrinus Tertullian and Cyprian in this nature with sundry other Fathers I shall close up this with that of Iohn Salisbury our owne ancient Country-man Many writes he out of a blinde contemptible magnificence care not to lavish out infinite summes of mony to Stage-players and Actors Many there are who prostitute their grace and favour unto Players and in setting forward their lewd●esse out of a blinde dishonourable bounty put themselves not so much to wonderfull as to miserable expenses and among others be sharpely tax●th Nero the Emperour for this very crime To these I shall adde the concurrent testimony of some few Pagan Authors Marcus Aurelius that worthy Roman Emperour in his 12. Epistle to Lambert hath this notable passage concerning Players and mens expences on them Sith fatall destinies have brought me into this world I have seene nothing more unprofitable to the Common-wealth nor greater folly in them that be light of conditions nor a worse invention of Vagabonds nor a more cold revocation of mortall folke then to learne of these Players triflers and such other Iuglers What thing is more monstrous then to see wisemen reioyce at the pastime of these vaine tri●lers What greater mockery can there be in the Capitoll then the foolish saying of a lester to be praysed with great laughter of wise men What greater slander can be to Princes Houses then to have their Gates alwayes open to these fooles and never open to wise folkes What greater cruelty can there be in any person then to give more in one day to a foole then to his servants in a yeere or to his kinne all his life What greater inconstancy can there be then to want men to furnish the Garrisons and Frontiers of Illirico and these trewands to abide at Rome What like shame can there be to Rome then that the memory shall be left in Italy of the Tumblers Trewands Pipers Singers of Iests Taberers Crowders

prayer Deliver not to beasts the soules that confesse to thee In that spectacle he who sets it forth is sorrowfull if the Hunter escape without harme who hath slaine him many wilde beasts but in this our combate there is a fight without Iron neither is Daniel hurt nor the wilde beast slaine and yet he is so overcome that the King wonders and is changed and the people feare and the enemies dispaire O admirable spectacle of ours truely admirable in which God assists faith impetrates strength innocency fights holinesse overcome● and such a reward is obteined that both thou and he who shall overcome may receive it and he who shall give it loseth nothing Desire these spirituall gifts come together cheerefully to the Church to behold these things and to waite for them with all security recall the purpose of your heart from all carnall lust commit all your care to be governed by God that the adversary may feare finding nothing of his owne in you and you reiecting him and renouncing his Pompes after that your liberty shall be rescued from his snares and waylayings lest that wicked one should finde you empty whom we have knowne desirous to hold those fast who are not his owne believe faithfully in God the Father Almighty c. By which excellent passage of this iudicious Father parallel to which he hath another of the same nature in his E●arration on the 39. Psalme where hee seriously bewailes the vanity and madnesse of those who delight in Stage-playes and such like Spectacles desiring all Christians to pitty their condition and to pray earnestly to God for their conversion that so they might see the vanity and sinfulnesse of this world and behold the excellency of these many heavenly Spectacles which he there musters up at large on which Christiās should fix their eyes and hearts it is most apparent that Stage-playes in his iudgement are very dangerous obscene pernicious Spectacles invented by the Devill to conquer and en●rap mens soules and that no Christians ought for to behold them since they have so many other heavenly Spectacles to contemplate Which me thinkes should cause all Christians to renounce them Not to remember Nilus an ancient Abbot about the yeere of our Lord 410. who informes us That he who is conversant in a multitude especially at Stage-playes is affected with daily wounds for the countenance of women is a Dart anoynted with poyson which wounds the soule and sends in venome and by how much the longer it continueth by so much the more the wound doth putrifie He w●o desires to avoyd these wounds pray marke it well will absteine from publike Playes and Spectacles neither will he be conversant in such Assemblies For it i● better that thou abide at home then that thou fall into the hands of the enemy whiles thou thinkest to honor such Solemnities Which comes punctuall to our purpose Nor yet to mention either Primasius in Romanos cap. 10. fol. 53. Or Remigius Explanatio in Galat. 5.19 Or Mac●rius AEgytius Homil. 27. pag. 212. Or Isiodor Hispalensis Originum lib. 18. cap. 27.42 to 69. De Ecclesiasticis Officijs lib. 2. cap. 2. Or Haymo Anselme Exeg●sis in Ephe●ios 5.3 who ranke Players with Whores and couple Play-houses and Brothel-houses together whose words I shall at large recite in the ensuing Scene Which proves that Playes and Play-houses in their opinion are but Panders to mens lusts yea the beaten rodes to whoredome adultery and unchafte desires Nor yet to remember Prosper his verdict who stiles Stage-playes mimicall uncleanesses not onely in regard of their matter or manner of action but likewise of their lewde unchaste effects Or Damascen or Eusebius who call the Stage the publike Schoole of lust and Playes the instruments which perswade men to nothing else but lewde behaviour c. a pregnant testimony for our present purpose Not to record S. Bernard who calls Stage-playes childish sports provoking lusts with their feminine and filthy turnings and representing sordid actions a punctuall evidence for us Or Cassiodorus who stiles Stage-playes the expellers of gravity the exhausters of honesty c. Nor yet to register our own learned Country-man Iohn Saresbury flourishing about the yeere of our Lord● 1140. who informes us That Stage-playes are ●he fomentations of vices the apprentiships of vanity That Stage-players whose error had then so prevayled that they could not be expelled great m●ns houses did with their obscene actions infuse such filthinesse into the eyes of all men as the Cynicke himselfe might blush to see And that which was more wonderfull neither were they then cast out when as the people making a tumult below defiled the ayre with their frequent noyse which being filthily shut in they more filthily uttered After which he breakes out into these passages Can he seeme to thee to be a wise man who opens either his eyes or eares to these things It is verily a pleasant thing and not dishonest for an honest man to be sometimes delighted with honest modest myrth but it is an ignominious thing for gravity to be often recreated with such wantonnesse From these Spectacles therefore but especially from obscene ones the eye of an honest man is to be kept backe lest the incontinency of it bewray likewise the uncleanes of his minde Parides the Colleage of Sophocles the Pretor reproving him saith very excellently I would to God all Nobles and Magistrates would remember it It becomes Pretor Sophocles not onely to have chaste hands but eyes Yea a man to whom much might be lawfull in regard of the great Maiesty of his Kingdome saith Turne away mine eyes lest they behold vanity knowing that to be true which another lamenteth because mine eye hath preyed upon my soule To passe by I say these ancient Writers which are punctuall I shall onely remember two Fathers more with whom I will conclude The first of them is Golden-tongued Saint Chrysostome who writes thus of Stage-playes that they are the introduction of sinfull lust the Meditation of Adultery the Schoole of Fornication the Exhortation of Vncleanesse the Examples of Dishonesty the Incendiarus of men● lustfull Affections the polluters of their eyes their eares their soules yea the very originall causes of much actuall whoredome filthinesse and adultery as I shall more largely prove in the ensuing Scene out of his owne Records which I shall there recite at large The second is vice-rebuking Salvian Bishop of Massilia who thus discyphers Stage-playes Such things are committed at Playes and Theaters as cannot be thought upon much lesse uttered without sinne For other vices challenge their severall portions within us as filthy cogitations the minde unchaste aspects the eyes wicked speeches the eares so that when one of these doth offend the other may be without fault But at Theaters not one of these but sinneth for b●th the minde with lust

dreadfull mysteries are administred with the selfe-same eyes that thou diddest behold the bed on the Stage where the detestable fables of adultery are acted whiles with the same eares thou hearest an adulterer speaking obscenely and a Prophet and an Apostle leading thee into the mysteries of the Scripture whiles with the same heart thou receivest deadly poyson and this holy and dreadfull Sacrament Are not these Playes the subversion of life the corruption the destruction of marriages the cause of warres of fightings and brawles in houses For when thou shalt returne home from these Stage-playes more dissolute effeminate and wanton being made an enemy of all chastity the sight of thy wife will be lesse pleasing to thee let her be what she will For being inflamed with that concupiscence which thou hast drunke in at Stage-playes and being taken with that new sight which hath besotted thee thou despisest thy sober modest wife who is contented with ordinary diet and upbraidest her with innumerable reproches not because thou findest any thing blame-worthy in her but because thou blushest to confesse thy disease because thou art ashamed to discover that wound with which thou hast returned home maimed from Stage-playes Thou framest other excuses seeking uniust occasions of displeasure loathing all those things that are to be done at home gaping after that wicked and uncleane concupiscence from which thou hast received an wounde and whiles thou carriest in thine eares a ringing sound of a voyce and with these the face the motion briefly all those images of whorish lust thou beholdest nothing of that thou hast at ●ome with pleasure And what doe I speake of a wife or family when as afterwards thou wilt be lesse willing to visit the very Church it selfe when as thou wilt heare a Sermon of chastity and of modesty with irkesomnesse Neither are these things which are now spoken to thee for instruction but for accusation and they will bring thee by little and little to despaire yea at last thou wilt suddenly sever thy selfe from the discipline administred for the publike good of all Wherefore I intreat you all that you would avoyd the wicked commemorations in Stage-playes your selves and likewise draw backe others from them who have beene led unto them For what-ever is there done is not delight or recreation but destruction but torment but punishment What good doth this temporary pleasure doe whiles everlasting torment issu●s from it and whiles being pricked night and day with concupiscence thou art troublesome and hatefull unto all Wherefore rouse up thy selfe and consider what a one thou art made returning from the Church againe what a one thou art comming from Stage-playes and compare these dayes with those if thou wilt doe thus there will be no need of my speech For it will be sufficient to have compared this day with that to shew what great profit comes from the one side and how great hurt from ●he other These things I thought good to speake to your charity at this time neither will I ever cease to speake For so we shall both admonish those who are obnoxious to this disease and we shall confirme those who are now whole for this oration will be profitable to both to the one that they may desist to the other that they may not fall into it So in his first Homily upon the 50. Psalme he is very punctuall to our purpose David writes he as he was walking upon the top of his Palace after dinner saw a woman washing her selfe and the woman was very faire and beautifull to looke upon He saw her I say and he is wounded in his eye and receiveth a dart Let curious persons heare this who contemplate the beauty of others Let those heare this who are possessed with the unruly delight or desire of Stage-playes Who say we doe in truth behold them but without detriment What heare I David is hurt and art not thou hurt He is wounded and can I trust to th● strength He who had so great a measure of the spirit received a dart and doest thou deny that thou art pierced And yet he beheld not an harlot but an honest chaste woman and that not in the Theater but at home but thou beholdest an harlot in the Play-house where even the very place it selfe makes the soule liable to punishment neither doest thou onely see but thou likewise hearest dishonest words and meritricious obscene songs and thy minde is wounded on every side to wit by the sight with those things which thou seest by the eare with those things which thou hearest by the smell with those things which thou sm●llest And when as there are so many precipices so many corruptions how can I believe thee to be free from the biting● of wild beasts Art thou a stone art thou iron Thou art a man subiect to the common fra●lty of nature Doest thou behold the fire and yet art not burned Whether is this agreeable to reason Put a candle into straw and then dare thou to deny that the straw will be burnt That verily which stubble is even that is our nature Let our Play-haunters then consider this and give this godly Father an answer to these his pithy interrogations The like passage wee finde in this 17. Homely upon the 5. of Mathew upon these words If thy right eye offend thee plucke it out c. Let those writes he heare these words who so often hasten to the Theater and doe there almost daily defile themselves with the filthinesse of adultery For if the Law command even him who is bound unto thee by familiarity if he scandalize thee to be cut off and cast away with what satisfaction now at last can they be defended who by their conversation and stay at Play-houses doe daily get the acquaintance of those lewde ones who were not formerly knowne to them also administer a thousand occasions of destruction to themselves Againe in his Homily upon the 118. alias the 119. Psalme vers 151.152 hee writes thus Let none account his life vile let none cleave fast to vanity We cannot serve two Masters he serves two masters who goes to Church one day and to Stage-playes another day Such a one hath two coates he is farre from that Coate which cannot be devided far from the Wedding garment because that is a Wedding garment which hath no spot For he who goes one day to the Church another day to Playes weares a defiled garment Every Servant standing with a blemish at his Masters Table is cast out and chastised with stripes keepe your garment pure as you received it in baptisme Let no man defile i● with his manners let no man rend so beautifull a vestment with the wickednesse of his heart You have received such a Garment in baptisme as the Angels had who attended the Lord in his Sepulcher whose ra●ment was as white as snow A●d you have received such a gift of grace● keepe

a Play-house or betraying his owne soule or swearing for swearing or lying be angry with him punish him reclaime him correct him and thou hast done all this for God In his 6. Oration That all vices arise from sloath hee writes thus of Play-haunters Before the last day our speech to your charity was purposely and wholy of the Devill At which time some verily when as we were discoursing of these things out of this place did then idlely behold the pompe of the Devill in Play-houses and did then heare whorish songs but you did give your mindes to the most pleasant spirituall Doctrine Who then hath made them thus to erre Who hath avocated them from the holy Sheepefold Verily the Devill hath deceived them but he hath not deceived you Those therefore who runne to Play-houses are deceived and led thither by the Devill if this holy Father may be credited And in his 8. Homily of Repentance with which I will conclude hee hath this memorable passage against Stage-playes and Play-houses which should make all Players and Play-haunters for to tremble which passage likewise fully proves the Minor of my former Syllogisme We may undergoe the paines of a fast and yet not obtaine the fruit of a fast But how To wit when we absteine from meate but not from sinne when we fast the whole day in want and then spend what we have saved in unchaste Play-houses Loe the paines of a fast the fruit of a fast much more then of prayer of hearing reading receiving the Sacrament and all other holy duties which I beseech all Play-haunters to consider is wholy lost when as we ascend the Play-house of iniquity My speech is not directed unto you for I know that you are free from this accusation But it is the custome of those who are loden with griefe when as those are not present who give the occasion of griefe to rush upon those who are present For what gaine is it to goe up to the Play-houses of wickednesse to enter into the common shop of luxury and the publike Schoole of incontinency or to sit in the chaire of pestilence ●or if any one shall call the Play-house the chaire of pestilence the Schoole of incontinence the shop of luxury and the Scaffold of all uncleanesse he should not offend that most wicked place being a Babi●onish Brothell full of many diseases when thou art driven unto a Play-house thou entrest into a direct Stewes The Devill thus furnishing the Citty with infernall flames doth not now put under stalkes of hempe besmeared with Brimstone nor Marle nor Flax nor Pitch as that Barbarian did but things farre worse then these leacherous sights filthy words anointed members and songs full of all lewdnesse That Wh●re-house then barbarous hands have burned but this Whore-house cogitations more foolish then Barbarians have kindled this being worse then that since the fire is worse which doth not waste the nature of the body but the good state and disposition of the minde And that which is worse neither those who are burned doe perceive it For if they did feele it they would not now send forth such an ●ffuse laughter in Play-houses Therefore this is the very worst evill when as one is we●kned and yet knoweth not this that he is diseased and burning miserably and loathsomely doth not feele the burning What profit tell me is there then of fasting when as thou drivest thy body from lawfull nutriment but yet bringest in wicked nourishment to thy soule when as thou spendest the day sitting in the Theater beholding common nature deturpated deformed and unchaste women condemned to adultery collecting there the evils of every house For liberty is there given both to see fornications and to heare blasphemies whereby both by the eyes and by the eare a disease may proceed to the very soule it selfe they imitate the calamities and mischances of others from whence the contagion of filthinesse gets into ●ur selves Tell me therefore what profit there is of fasting the soule being fed with such meates With what eyes wilt thou behold thy wife from these Theaters with what eyes wilt thou looke upon thy sonne thy servant thy friend Verily it must needs be that be that speaketh there or he that holds his peace should be conf●unded with shame at the filthinesse that is acted But thou departest not so from hence for it is lawfull for thee with much con●idence to repeate all things at home Proph●ticall speeches Apostolicall precepts Divine lawes to furnish or set to every table of vertue and to make thy wife more chaste thy sonne more dut●full thy servant more deare with the same repetitions yea and thou shalt perswade thy very enemy to lay aside his hatred Dost thou see how these precepts verily are every where holsome but those sound filthily in every place What profit therefore of fasting when as thou fastest with thy body but committest adultery with thine eyes Adultery is not onely that conglutination of body to body but even an unchaste looke What benefit is there then when as thou goest to the Play-house from hence I correct the Player corrupts I administer salves to thy disease he ministers the cause of the disease I extingu●sh the flame of nature he kindles the flame of lust What profit is there tell me one edifying and another pulling downe what have they profited themselves by their labour Therefore let us not be occupied here in vaine but profitably whereby we may fruitfully whereby we may lesse in vaine whereby we may not unprofitably and to condemnation meete here one building and the other pulling downe le●● the multitude of builders bee overcome with the easinesse of the pulling downe Truely it is a part of great uncleanesse both for yong men and old men to hasten to the Play-house But would to God the evill did extend no further For this perchance seemeth intollerable to an ingenuous man and worthy to be punished with the greatest losse with reproofe and shame but verily this correction is not at al inflicted so far as to shame But yet torments and punishments hang over Play-haunters heads for it must needs be that those who sit there should swim in the sinne of adultery not because they are coupled to women out because they behold them with unchaste eyes For with these it must of necessity be that every one is surprised in adultery Neither will I speake my owne word● to you whereby you may lesse regard it but I will explicate the Divine Law where there is no place for neglect What therefore saith the Divine Law You have heard that it hath beene said of old Thou shalt not commit adultery But I say unto you that whosoever shall looke upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart Hast thou seene adultery comm●tted hast thou seen● sinne finished● And that which is worst in adulteries thou hast seene

him that is taken in adultery to be guilty of adultery not under any humane but under a Devine Sentence hence deadly punishments For whosoever shall looke upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery already with her in his heart He doth not onely ●xtirpate the disease but likewise the roote of the disease for unchaste concupiscence i● the roote of adultery So likewise doe Phisicians they looke diligently not onely to diseases but likewise to the taking away of their causes although they see the eye diseased yet they represse the evill rewme that is above in the temples Thus Christ also doeth Adultery is an evill blindnesse it is a disease of the eyes not of the body onely but first of the soule Therefore he stops the re●me of uncleanesse from thence by the feare of the law Wherefore he not onely punisheth adultery but avengeth concupiscence likewise He that looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath already committed adultery with her in his heart These bare words repeated are sufficient to purge away all the disease of sinne But pardon us we cleanse wounds and he who purgeth wounds must apply bitter medicines But by how much the more they shall indure my words by so much the more shall the poyson be purged out By all these faithfully recited passages of holy Chrysostome which I would Players and Play-haunters would seriously would frequently read over it is most apparant that Stage-playes are the immediate common occasions of much actuall lewdnesse adultery and other grosse uncleanesse which should cause all Christians to abominate them and to keepe their wives and children from them as th● ancient Pagan Germans did for feare they should corrupt their chastity and draw them on to publike lewdnesse To passe by the concurrent testimonies of Authors● quoted in the precedent Scene who give punctuall testimony of this truth as their words there cited will su●ficiently manifest I shall confine my selfe onely to foure of our owne English Authors for finall confirmation of my Minors verity The first of them is Alexander Fabritius in his Destructorium Vitiorum pars 4. cap. 23. De Ludis inhonestis or dishonest Playes The second kind writes he of unlawfull Playes is the Play of lascivious vanity such as are Dancing Enterludes and other Theatricall Playes which are called Playes from the Theater or Play-house which is a publike place where the people hath accustomed to meet together ●o Play because after such Playes ended Whores are oft times prostituted in such Playes And so such Playes are very often the cause of fornication whoredome and adultery and therefore the Devill is delighted in such Playes and as it appeareth a perfect man ought not to give his minde to such sports with which the Devill is delighted And therefore worthily sa●th Saint Augustine Let him wil●draw himselfe from the Spectacles of the world who will obtaine the perfect gr●ce of remiss●on For Dyna the Daughter of Iacob of whom it is writt●n in th● 34. of Genesis when Iocob came into the Land of Canaan Dinah his Daughter walked abroad to wit● to the spectacles of the world that she might see the women of that Country whom Sychim the Sonne of the King of that Country seeing he was inamored with her tooke her and ravished her perforce But as Saint Augustine s●ith if she ●ad conti●●ed at home among her owne she had not beene defloar●d by a forraigne ravisher Therefore the soule ought by so much the more to beware and to restraine it selfe because she is not once but oft-times r●vished and defloured let her feare now having had experiment of that which she ●as ignorant of being yet a V●rgin Adde wee to him the testimony of Master Philip Stubs in his Anatomy of Abuses Doe not Playes writes he maintaine Bawdry insinuate foolery and renew the remembrance of hea●●en Idolatry Doe they not in●●ce to who●edome and unclean●sse Nay are they not rather plaine devo●rers of Ma●denly virginity and chastity For proofe whereof but marke the flocking and running to Theaters and Curtens daily and hourely night and day time and tide to see Playes and Enterludes where such wa●ton gestures such bawdy speeches such laughing and ●●ee●ing such kissing and bussing such clipping and culling such w●●king and glancing of wanton eyes and the like is used as is wonderfull to behold Then these goodly Pageants being ended every mate sorts to his mate every one brings another homeward on the way very friendly and in their secret conclaves covertly they play the Sodomites or worse And these be the fruits of Playes and Enterludes for the most part And whereas you say there are good examples to be learned in them truely so there are If you will learne to play the vice to teare sweare and blasp●ame bo●h Heaven and Earth if you will learne to become a Bawde to be uncleane to devirginate Maides to def●oure ●onest Wives c. If you will learne to sing and ta●ke of bawdy love and venery c. If you will learne to play the Whore-master the Glutton Drunkard or Incestuous person and finally of you will learne to contemne God and all his Lawes to care neither for Heaven nor Hell and to commit all kinde of sinne and mischiefe you need goe to no other Schools for all these good Exampl●s you may see painted before your e●es in Enterludes and Playes Wherefore that man who giveth money for the maintenance of them must needs incurre the inevitable sentence of eternall damnation unlesse he repent Thus hee Stephen Gosson a penitent reclaimed Play-poet Stage-playes● to which he was once addicted writes much to this effect I will shew you writes hee what I see and informe you what I read of Playes Ovid said that Romulus built his Theater as a Horse-faire for Whores made Triumphes and set up Playes to gather the faire women together that every one of his Souldiers might take where he liked a snatch for his share c. It should seeme that the abuse of such places was so great that for any chaste Liver to haunt them was a blacke Swan and a white Crow Dion so straitly forbiddeth the ancient Families of Rome and Gentlewomen that tender their name and honour to come to Theaters and rebukes them so sharpely when he takes them napping that if they be but once seene there he iudgeth it sufficient cause to speake ill of them and thinke worse The shaddow of a knave hurts an honest man the sent of a Stewes an honest Matron and the shew of Theaters a simple gazer c. Cookes doe never shew more craft in their iunkets to vanquish the taste nor Painters in shadowes to allure the eye then Poets in Theaters to wound the conscience There set they abroach strange consorts of melody to tickle the eare costly apparell to flatter the sight effeminate gesture to ravish the sence and wanton speech to whet desire to inordinate lust