the Lord ordeane these riche ornaments and gorgiouse vestments to be worne of all men or of anie so muche as to garnish bewtifie and set forth the maiesty glorie of this his earthly kingdome For as cloth of gold Arase tapestrie such other riche ornameÌ„ts pendices and hangings in a house of estate serue not onely to manuall vses and seruyle occupatioÌ„s but also to decorate to bewtifie become the house and to shewe the riche estate and glorie of the owner so these riche ornaments and sumpteouse vestments of the earthly territory of this World do not onelie serue to be worn of them to whome it doth appertaine as before but also to shew forth y e power welth dignity riches and glorie of the Lord the Author of all goodnesse And here in the prouidence and mercy of God appeareth most plainelye for wher there is store of other clothing there hath he geuen lesse store of silks veluets satens damasks and such like and wher there is plenty of them there is no clothing els almost thus the Lord did deale for that euery cuntrey ought to contente themselues with there owne kind of attyre except necessytie force the contrarie for than we are to vse our libertie in the feare of God Spud. I praye you let mee intreate you to shewe me wherefore our apparell was giuen vs and by whome Philo. Your requeste is both diffuse and intricate and more than my weake and infirme knowledge is able to comprehend yet least I might bee adiudged vnwilling to doe good I will assay to doe the best I can When the Lord our God a spiritual intellectible vnderstanding substance incomprehensible immensurable inaccessible had by his woord and heauenly wisedome Christ Iesus created and made y e world all things therin contayned y e sixte day he created man after his own similitude and likenes in innocencie holines righteousnes all kind of perfection he placed him in Paradise terestrial coÌ„maunding him to tyl manure y e same ThaÌ„ y e deuil an old maligner of mankind who before was an Angel in heaueÌ„ through sin of pride in arrogating to himselfe y e seate throne of Gods maiesty cast down into y e lake of hell enuyingâ— mans glorious estate which he than had lost came vnto man in Paradise inticed him oâ—â— torteouse serpent to eat of y e forbidden fruite wherof the Lorde God had forbidden him tâ— tast on pain of his life notwithstaÌ„ding Adaâ— condescending to his wife her perswasions oâ— rather to the Serpent hauing buzzed his venemous suggestions into their eares tooke of the apple did eat contrary to y e expresse commandement of his God This done their eyes were opened thei saw their nakednes were not a litle ashamed yet before sin was committed they being both naked were not ashamed but sin once committed they became vncleane filthie lothsome deformed sewed them garmeÌ„ts of fig leaues together to couer their shame withall Than the Lord pittying their miserie loathing their deformity gaue theÌ„ pelts felles of beasts to make them garments withall to the end that their shamefull parts might lesse appeare yet some are so brasen faced so impudent that to make y â— deuill his members sport will not sticke to make open shew of those parts which God coÌ„maundeth to be couered nature willeth to be hid honesty is ashamd once to behold or looke vpoÌ„ Spud. I gather by your words thrée speciall poynts First y t sin was the cause why our apparell was giuen vs. Secondly y t God is the author giuer therof Thirdly y t it was giueÌ„ vs to couer our shame w t all not to féed y e insatiable desires of meÌ„s waÌ„toÌ„ luxurious eies Philo. Your collectioÌ„ is very true Than seeing y t our apparel was giueÌ„ vs of god to couer our shame to kéep our bodies froÌ„ cold to bee as pricks in our eies to put vs in mind of our frailties imperfections and sin of our backslyding from the coÌ„maundements of god and obedience of the highest and to excite vs the rather to contrition and compunction of the spirit to bewayle our misery to craue mercy at y e mercifull hands of God let vs be thaÌ„kfull to God for them be sorie for our sinnes which weare the cause therof and vse them to the glory of our God the benefyte of our bodies and soules against the great day of the Lord appeare But alas these good creatures which the Lord our God gaue vs for the respects before rehearsed we haue so peruerted as now they serue in stead of the deuills nettes to catche poore soules in for euery one now adaies almost couet to deck and painte their liuing sepulchres or erthly graues their bodies I meane with all kind of brauerie what soeuer can be deuised to delight y e eyes of the vnchast behoulders wherby God is dishonored offence is encreased and much sinne daylie committed as in further discourse shall plainly appeare Spud. Did the Lord cloth our first parents in leather as not hauing any thing more preciouse to attyre them withall or for that it might be a permanent rule or patern vnto vs his posterity for euer wherafter we are of force to make all our garments so as it is not now lawfull to go in richer arraye without offendinge his maiestie Philo. Although y e Lord did not cloth theÌ„ so meanly for that he had nothing els more preciouse to attyre them withall for Domini est terra plenitudo eius the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse therof saith the Lord by his Psalmist And by his Prophet Gold is myne siluer is myne and all the riches of the world is my own yet no doubt but he would y t this their meane base attyre should be as a rule or pedagogie vnto vs to teach vs y t we ought rather to walke meanelye and simplye than gorgiously or pompously rather seruing presente necessitye than regarding the wanton appetits of our lasciuiouse mindes Not withstandinge I suppose not that his heauenlye maiesty would that those garments of lether should stand as a rule or pattern of necessytie vnto vs wherafter we shold be bouÌ„d to shape all our apparell for euer or els greeuouslye to offende but yet by this we may sée his blessed will is that we should rather go an ace beneth our degrée than a iote aboue And y t any simple couering pleaseth the Godly so that it repell the colde and couer the shame it is more than manifest as well by the legends both of prophane Historyographers Cronologers and other writers as also by the censures examples and lyues of all Godly since the beginning of the world And if the Lord would not that the attyre of Adam should haue beenâ— signe or patterne of mediocritie vnto vs hâ— both in mercy would in his almighty power could
the same withouten stryfe Not onely for his Godly zeale And Christian life accordinglie But also for this booke in sale Heare present now before thine eye Herein the Abuses of these dayes As in a glasse thou mayest behold Oh buy it than hear what he sayes And giue him thankes an hundred sold. I. F. In Commendation of the AVTHOR and his Booke SHall men prophane who toyes haue writ And wanton pamphlets store Which onely tend to noorish vice And wickednes the more Deserue their praise and for the same Accepted be of all And shall not this our AVTHOR than Receiue the Lawrell pall Who for good will in sacred brest He beares to natiue soyle Hath published this Godly Booke With mickle paine and toyle Wherein as in a Mirrour pure Thou mayest behold and see The vices of the World displayed Apparent to thy eye He flattereth none as most men do In Hope to game a price But shewes to all their wickednesse And Gods diuyne Iustice. A Godlyer booke was neuer made Nor meeter for these dayes Oh read it than thank GOD for it Let T'HAVTOR haue his praise THE AVTHOR AND HIS BOOKE NOw hauing made thée seelie booke and brought thée to this frame Full loth I am to publish thee lest thou impaire my name The Booke Why so good Maister what's the cause why you so loth should be To send mée foorth into the World my fortune for to trye The Author This is the cause for that I know the wicked thou wilt moue And eke because thy ignoraunce is such as none can loue The Booke I doubt not but all Godly Men will loue and like mée well And for the other I care not in pride although they swell The Author Thou art also no lesse in thrall and subiect euery way To MOMVS and to ZOILVS crew who'le dayly at thée bay The Booke Though MOMVS rage and Zoilus carpe I feare them not at all The Lord my GOD in whom I trust shall soone cause them to fall The Author Well â—â—th thou wouldest so faine be gone I can thée not withhold Adieu therfore GOD be thy speade And blesse thée a hundred fold The Booke And you also good Maister mine GOD blesse you with his grace Preserue you still and graunt to you In Heauen a dwelling place The Anatomie of the Abuses in AILGNA ¶ The Interlocutors or Speakers Spudeus Philoponus God geue you good morow Maister Philoponus Philo. And you also good Brother Spudeus Spud. I am glad to sée you in good health for it was bruted abroad euery where in our countrey by reason of your discontinuance I thinke that you were dead long agoe Philo. In deede I haue spent some tyme abroad els where then in my natiue countrey I must needs confesse but how false that Report is by whom soeuer it was first rumored or how farre so euer it be dispersed your present eyes can witnesse Spud. I pray you what course of lyfe haue you lead in this your longe absence foorth of your owne countrey Philo. Truely brother I haue lead the life of a poore Trauayler in a certaine famous Ilande once named Ainabla after Ainatirb but nowe presently called Ailgna wherein I haue liued these seuen winters and more trauailing from place to place euen all the Land ouer indifferently Spud. That was to your no litle charges I am sure Philo. It was so but what thaÌ„ I thank God I haue atchieued it and by his dyuine assistance prosperously accomplished it his glorious name worthie of all magnificence bee eternally praysed therefore Spud. And to what ende did you take in hand this great trauayle if I may be so bould as to aske Philo. Truely to sée fashions to acquainte my selfe with the natures qualities properties and conditions of all men to breake my selfe to the worlde to learne nurture good demeanour cyuill behauiour to sée the goodly situation of Citties Townes and Countryes with their prospects and commodities and finally to learne the state of all thinges in generall all which I could neuer haue learned in one place For who so sitteth at home euer commorante or abiding in one place knoweth nothinge in respecte of him that trauayleth abroade and hee that knoweth nothing is lyke a brute Beaste but hee that knoweth all thinges whiche thinge none doeth but God alone hee is a God amongest men And séeing there is a perfectioÌ„ in knowledge as in euery thing els euery man ought to desire that perfection for in my iudgement there is as muche difference almost betwixt a man that hath trauayled much and him that hath dwelt euer in one place in respect of knowledge and science of things as is betwen a man lyuinge one dead in graue And therfore I haue had a great felicytie in trauayling abroade Spud. Seing that by diuyne prouidence we are heare met together let vs vntill we come to y e end of our purposed iorney vse some â—onference of the state of the World now at this daie as well to recreate our minds as to cut of the tedyousnes of oure iorneye Philo. I am very well contente so to doe beinge not a litle glad of your good companie For Comes facundus in via pro vehiculo est 1. A good Companion too trauayle withall is in steade of a Wagon or Chariot For as the one doth ease the painfulnes of the way so doth the other alleuiat y e yrksomnes of the iourney intended Spud. But before I enter combat with you because I am a countrey man rude and vnlearned you a Cyuilian indued with great wisdome knowledge and experience I most humbly beseech you that you wyl not be offended with me though I talke w t you somwhat grosly without eyther polished wordes or fyled speeches which your wisdom doth require and my insufficiencie and inabylitie is not of power to affoorde Phil. Your spéeches I put you out of doubt shal not be offensiue to mée if they be not offensiue to God first Spud. I pray you what maner of Countrey is that Ailgna where you say you haue trauailed so much Philo. A pleasant famous Iland immured aboute with the Sea as it were with a wall wherein the aire is verie temperate the ground fertile and abounding with all things either necessary to man or néedefull for beast Spud. What kinde of people are they that inhabite there Philo. A strong kinde of people audacious bold puissant and heroycal of great magnanimitie valiauncie and prowes of an incomparable feature of an excellente complexion and in all humanitie inferiour to none vnder the Sunne Spud. This people whome God hath thus blessed must needes bee a verie godly people eyther els they be méere ingrate to God the authour of all grace of these their blessinges especially Philo. It gréeueth me to remember their liues or to make mention of their wayes for notwithstanding that the Lorde hath blessed that Lande with the knowledge
causes and neuer to haue offred it to the viewe of the world But notwithstanding being ouercome by the importunat request and infagitable desire of my freinds I grauÌ„ted to publish the same as now you see is extant But when I had once graunted to imprinte the same I was in greatter doubt than before fearinge to whome I might dedicate the same so rude and impolished a worke And withall I was not ignorant how hard a thing it is in these daies to finde a Patrone of such books as this which sheweth to euery one his sin and discouereth euery Mans wicked waies which indeed the vngodly caÌ„ not at any haÌ„d abyde but as it were mad-meÌ„ disgorging their stomacks Cum in AuthoreÌ„ tum in codicem plenis buccis dentibus plusquà m caninis rabidè feruntur they rage they fume and rayle both against the AVTHOR and his booke Thus vacillante animo my minde wandring too and fro and resting as it weare in extasie of despaire at last I called to mind your honorable Lordship whose praises haue pearced the Skyes and whose laudable vertues are blowen not ouer the realme of England onely but euen to the furthest costs and parts of the world All whose vertues and condigne prayses if I should take vppon mee to recounte I might as well number the starres in the Sky or grasse of the Earth For for Godly Wysdome and zeale to the truth is not your good Lordship without offence be it spoken comparable with the best For sobrietie affabilite and gentle curtesie to euerie one farre excelling many For your great deâ—otion and compassion to the poore oppressed in all places famous For Godly fidelitie to your Soueraigne loue to the CVNTREY and vertues in generall euerie where most renowmed But least I might obscure your Worthie commendations with my vnlearned penne lytle or no thing at all emphaticall I will rather surcease than further to proceed contenting my selfe rather to haue giuen a shadowe of them than to haue ciphered them foorth which indeed are both infinit and inexplicable In consideration whereof not withstanding that my Booke be simpler baser and meaner than that it may without blushing present it self to your good Lordship being farre vnworthie of such an honorable Personage yet accordinge to your accustomed clemency I most humbly beseache your good Lordship to receiue the same into your honors Patrociny and protection accepting it as an infallible token of my faithfull heart seruice and good will towardes your honorable Lordship For proofe whereof would GOD it might once come to passe that if not otherwyse yet with my humble seruice I might shewe foorth the faithfull and euer willing heart I beare in brest to your good Lordeship protesting before Heauen and Earth that though power want yet shall fidelitie and faithfulnes faile neuer And because this my Booke is subiect my verie good Lord to as many reproches tauntes and reproofes as euer was any litle book for that few caÌ„ abyde to haue their sinâ— detected therfore I haue had the greatter care to commit the same to the guardance and defence of your honour rather than to manie others not onely for that GOD hath made your honour a Lamp of light vnto the world of true nobilitie and of al integritie and perfection but also hath made you his substitute or vicegerent to reforme vices punish abuses and correcte sinne And as in mercie he hath giuen you this power and autoritie so hath he giuen you a hungrie desire to accomplish the same according to his will Which zeal in your sacred brest the LORD increase for euer And as your Lordship knoweth reformation of maners and amendement of lyfe was neuer more needfull for was pride the chiefest argument of this Booke euer so rype Do not both Men and Women for the most part euery one in generall go attyred in silks veluets damasks satans and what not which are attyre onely for the nobilitie and gentrie and not for the other at anie hand Are not vnlawfull games Playes and Enterluds and the like euery where vsed Is not whordome couetousnes vsurie the like daylie practised without all punishment or lawe But hereof I say no more referring the consideration both of these and the rest to your Godly wysdome Beseaseaching your good Lordship to perdon my presumption in speaking thus much for Zelus domini huc adegit me the zeal of my God hath dryuen me heather Knowinge that the LORD hath ordeined you to himselfe a chosen vessell of honour to purge his Church of these Abuses and corruptions which as in a table are depainted and set foorth in this litle booke Thus I cease to molest your sacred eareâ—s any further with my rude speaches most huÌ„bly beseaching your good Lord ship not onely to admit this my Book into your honours patronage and defence but also to persist the iust Defender therof against the swynish crew of rayling ZOILVS and flowting MOMVS with their complices to whome it is easier to depraue all things than to amend any thing them selues Which if I shall perceiue to be accepted of your honour besides that I shal not care for a thousand others disliking the same I shall not only think my self to haue receiued a sufficieÌ„t guerdon for my pâ—â—â—es shalbe therby greatly incoraged if GOD permit hereafter to take in hand some memorable thing to your immortall prayse honour and renowne but also shall daylie pray to GOD for your good Lordship long to continue to his good pleasure and your harts desire with increase of Godly honour reward of laudable vertue and eternall felicitie in the HEAVENS by Iesus Christ. Columna gloriae virtus Your Honors to commaund PHILLIP Stubbes A PREFACE TO THE READER I Thought it conuenient good Reader who soeuer thou art y t shalt read these my poore laboures to admonish thée least haply y u mightest take my woords otherwise than I meant them of this one thing That wheras in the processe of this my booke I haue intreated of certen exercyses vsually practised amongest vs as namely of Playes and Enterludes of dauncing gaming and such other like I would not haue thée so to take mée as though my speaches tended to the ouerthrowe and vtter disliking of all kynd of exercyses in generall that is nothing my simple meaning But the particulare Abuses which are crept into euery one of these seuerall exercyses is the onely thing which I think worthie of reprehension For otherwise all Abuses cut away who séeth not y t some kind of playes tragedies and enterluds in their own nature are not onely of great ancieÌ„tie but also very honest and very commendable exercyses being vsed and practised in most Christian common weales as which containe matter such they may be both of doctrine erudition good example and wholsome instruction And may be vsed in tyme and place conuenient as conducible to example of life and reformation of maners For such is our grosse dull nature that what
of his truth aboue all other Landes in the world yet is there not a people more abrupte wicked or peruerse liuing vpon the face of the earth Spud. From whence spring all these euills in man for we sée euerie one is inclined to sin naturally and there is no fleshe which liueth and sinneth not Philo. All wickednes mischiefe and sinne doubte you not brother Spud. springeth of our auncient ennemie the Deuill the inâ—eterate corruption of our nature and the intestine malice of our owne hearts as from the originals of all vncleannes impuritie whatsoeuer But we are now newe creatures and adoptiue children created in Christ Iesus to doe good woorkes which God hath prepared for vs to walke in Wherefore wee ought to haue no fellowship with the workes of darknesse but to put on the armour of light Christ Iesus to walke in newnesse of life and to worke our saluation in feare and trembling as the Apostle saith and our sauiour Christ biddeth vs so work as our workes may glorifie our heauenlye Father But alas the contrarie is most true for there is no sinne that was euer broached in any age which florisheth not nowe And therfore the fearfull daie of the Lord cannot be farre of at which day all the World shall stand in flashing fier and than shall Christ our Sauiour come marching in y â— clowdes of heauen with his Taratantara sounding in each mans eare arise you Dead and come to iudgement and than shall the Lord reward euery Man after his owne workes But how little this is esteemed of how smally regarded to coÌ„sider it greeueth me to the very harte and there is almost no life in mee Spud. It is but a follie to greeue at them who sorowe not for them selues Let them sinck in their owne sinne lyue well your selfe you shall not answeare for them nor they for you Is it not writen vnusquisque portabit suuÌ„ onus Euery one shall beare his own burden Anima quae peccauerit ipsa morietur y e soule that sinneth shall dy wherfore surcease to sorow or greeue any more for them for they are such as the Lord hath cast of into a reprobat sence preiâ—dicat opinion preordinat destruction that his power his glorie and iustice may appeare to all the World Philo. Oh brother ther is no christeÌ„ maÌ„ in whose hart shineth scintillula aliqua pietatis any sparke of God his grace which will not gréeue to sée his brethren sisters in the Lord members of the same body coheyres of y e same kingdom purchased with one the same inestimable price of Christ his bloud to runne thus desperatlie into the gulphe of destruction and laberinth of perdition If the least and meanest member of thy whole body be hurt wounded cicatriced or brused doth not the hart and euerie member of thy body feele the anguish and paine of the grieued parte seking endeuouring them selues euery one in his office calling to repaire the same and neuer ioying vntill that be restored again to his former integritie perfection Which thinge in the balance of Christian charity consideratly weighed may mooue any good Man to mourn for their defection and to assay by all possible means to reduce them home again that their soules maie be saued in the daye of the Lord. And the Apostle commandeth vs that we be alter alterius emolumento an ayde and helpe one to an other And that we do good to all men dum tempus habemus whylest we haue tyme. To wéepe with them that weepe to mourne with them that mourne and to be of like affection one towardes an other And common reason aduertiseth vs that wee are not borne for our selues onelie for Ortus nostri partem patria partem amici partem parentes vendicant Our Countrey challengeth a part of our byrth our brethren and frendes require an other parte and our parentes and that optimo iure doe vendicate a third parte Wherefore I will assay to doe them good if I can in discouering their abuses and laying open their inormities that they séeing the gréeuousnes of their maladies daunger of theyr diseases may in time seeke to the true Phisition expert Chirurgion of their soules Christ Iesus of whome onelie commeth all health grace and so eternally be saued Spud. Séeing that so many and so haynous sinnes do raigne and rage in Ailgna as your wordes import and which mooue you to such intestine sorrowe and griefe of minde I pray you describe vnto me more perticularly some of those Capitall crimes and chiefe Abuses which are there frequented and which dishonour the maiestie of God the most as you suppose A particuler description of PRIDE the principall Abuse and how manifold it is in AILGNA PHILOPONVS YOu do well to request me to cipher foorth vnto you parte of those great Abuses and Cardinall Uices vsed in AILGNA for no man in anie Catalogue how prolixe soeuer is able to comprehend the summe of all abuses there in practise And whereas you woulde haue mee to speake of those Capitall or chiefe Abuses which both are deadly in their owne nature and which offende the maiestie of God moste Mée thinke you shake hands with the sworne enemies of God the Papistes who say there are two kindes of sinne the one veniall the other lethall or deadly But you must vnderstand that there is not the least sinne that is committed eyther in thought woorde or déede yea Vae vniuersae iustitiae nostrae si remota misericordia iudicetur Wo be to all our righteousnes if mercie put away they should bee iudged but it is damnable dempta misericordia Dei if the mercie of God be not extended And againe there is no sinne so gréeuous which the grace and mercy of God is not able to counteruaile withal if it bee his pleasure to blot it out for euer So y t you see now there is no sinn so venial but if the mercie of God be not stretched out it is damnable nor yet anie sinne so mortall which by the grace and mercie of God may not bee done away And therfore as we are not to presume of the one so wee are not to despaire of the other But to returne againe to y e satisfying of your request The greatest abuse which both offendeth god moste is there not a little aduaunced is the execrable sinne of Pride and excesse in apparell which is there so ripe as the filthie fruits thereof haue long since presented themselues before the throne of the maiestie of God calling and crying for vengeance day and nighte incessantly Spud. Wherfore haue you inteÌ„ded to speak of Pride the first of all geuing vnto it the first place in your tractation Because it is euill in it selfe and the efficiente cause of euill or for some other purpose Philo. For no other cause but for that I thinke it to bee not onely euill
God let him content himselfe with the same without any alteratioÌ„ or chaunge with praise to his Creator Spud. They hold notwithstanding that it is the pride of the heart which God so muche hateth and detesteth Philo. It is verye true that GOD punisheth the pride of the heart with eternal damnation if they repent not for he will be serued and obyed either with the whole man or els with none Than if he punish the pride of heart with euerlasting damnatioÌ„ he must néeds in iustice punish the pride of Apparell with the like being booth ioyned in one predicameÌ„t of sinne and the pride of apparell much more hurting before the world thaÌ„ the other Also it is manifest that the pride of apparel riseth first from the corruptioÌ„ of the heart as the effects from the cause the fruite from the roote of the trée than if the pride of y e heart which notwithstanding it hurteth not outwardly but is secret betwixt God and himselfe be damnable in it owne nature before God than must it néeds be that the Pride of apparell which sheweth it selfe to the world both offensiue to GOD and hurtfull to maÌ„ and which also is the fruite of the pride of the heart and throweth almost as many as behold it at least as many as followe it into the déep dungion of hell is much more pernicious and damnable than the other Spud. Hath the Lord plagued this sinne of pride with any notable torture or punishmeÌ„t euer from the beginning of the World vnto this day or hath he omitted the reuenge therof as a thing of small force or importance Philo. Most fearfull plagues and dreadfull iudgements of GOD haue in all ages béene powred vppon them that offended herein as all Histories both holy and prophane do beare record For proofe wherof I wil geue you a taste but of a few wherby may appeare how wonderfully the Lord in all ages tymes kinreds peoples hath punished those that thorow pride like wicked recusants and backslyders from God haue rebelled against his maiestie The deuill who before was an Angell in HeaueÌ„ arrogating to himselfe the imperial throane of the maiesty of God was cast downe into the déepth of Hell burning with fire and sulphur for euer Adam desiring to be a God for the serpent tould him he should be as God knowing both good euill was for the sin of Pride throwne downe to the bottome of Hell not onely he but all his posteritie to the end of the World The hoast of Core Dathan and Abiram for their exceding pride in stirring vp mutenie rebelling against their lawfull Magistrate were swallowed vp quick into hell the earth opening her mouth deuouring them withall their complices whatsoeuer The People of Babylon inteÌ„ding to builde a tower whose top should tutche the Skye thinking that if God should drown y e world againe with water they would be sure inough on the toppe of their high turrâ—ts yea they intending to sit with God himselfe if néed weare weare all confounded and a diuerse language put into euery mans mouth that none knew what an other spake And thus were they forced to leaue there building and dispersed themselues abroad vppoÌ„ the face of the earth wherof spraÌ„g the first diuersitie of languages in the world Wherfore when we heare any language spoken we know not it may be a memorandum to vs to put vs in minde of our Pride which was the cause therof Goliah the great Gyant the huge Cyclops and sworâ—e enemy to the Children of Israell for his pride against the Lord was slaine by Dauid the faitfull Seruaunt of the Lord. Antiochus intending to ouerthrowe and sacke Ierusalem to spoile the Sanctuarie and Temple of the Lord and to kill the people of God was for his pride ouerturned in his charet ryding thetherward his belly brust and fil thy wormes crawled out moste lothsomly and in sine beganne so to stinke and swell as neither his Seruants nor he himselfe cold abide his owne sauoure and thus ended his lyfe in great miserie and wretchednesse Nabuchodonosor was for his pride cast out of his Kingdom and forced to eat grasse with wild beasts in the wildernesse King Saule for his pride and disobedience was deposed of his principallitie and Kingly regimente and in the end slewe him self on 〈◊〉 Gelboe most desperately Sodoma and Gomorra were both destroyed with fire brimstone froÌ„ heauen for their sin of pride contempt of the Lord. All the world in the daies of Noah was drowned with vniuersall deluge for pride contumacy of heart King Hezekiahs for his pride in shewing to the Ambassadors of the king of Babylon all his treasure for he sent Messengers vnto him w t gifte lettres congratulatorie for y e recouerie of his helth lost al his iewels tresures riches w t his owne sones also being transported captiues into Babilon K. Dauid for his pride in numbring y e people contrary the wil of god was greuouslie punished and thréescore and ten thousand of his People slaine with a gréenous pestilence for the same King Pharao for his pride against the Lord for he thought him selfe a GOD vppon the Earth and therfore asked he Moyses in derision who is the Lord was drowned in the read Sea with all his hoast The proude Pharisey iustifying himselfe for his pride was reproued of the Lord and reiected King Herode for attiring himselfe in sumpteous aray not ascribing glory to the Lord was strucken dead by an Angel and wormes consumed his flesh immediatly Al these with infinit millions moe in al ages haue perished thorow pride and therfore let not this people think that they shall escape vnpunished who drinke vp pride as it weare swéet wyne féede vppon it as vppon delicious meats and wallowe in it as a filthie swyne doth in the dirtie myrâ— will the Lord punish his peculiare people and elect vessels and let them goo frée Wherfore I wold wyshe them to be warned for it is a terrible thing to fall into y e hands of GOD who is a consuming fire a fearfull God His bowe is bente his arrowes of iudgements are drawen to the head his fire is kyndled his wrath is gone out ready to be powred vppon the contemners of his lawes Tempt not the Lord any longer prouoke not his wrath exasperate not his iudgements towards thée for as mercy procéedeth froÌ„ him so doth iustice also And be sure of it he payeth home at the last For as in mercie he suffreth no good deed to be vnrewarded so in his iust iudgmente there is no wickednes which he leaueth vnpunished And yet notwithstaÌ„ding their wickednesse and pride is such as stincketh before the face of God and maketh the Enemies to blaspheme and speake euill of the wayes of the Lord For say they the men of Ailgna are wicked licentious in all their wayes which easily appeareth
by their apparell new fangled fashions euery day inuented The beastly Epicures the Drunkards swilbowles vppon their ale benches when their heads are intoxicat with new wine wil not stick to belch foorth and say that the inhabitantes of Ailgna go brauelye in Apparell chaunging fashions euerie daye for no cause so much as to delight the eyes of their harlots withall and to inamoure the mindes of their fleshly paramours Thus be this People a laughing stock to all the world for their pride a slaunder to the word of God to their profession scandalles to their brethren a dishonor and reproch to the Lord and very caterpillers to themselues in wasting and coÌ„suming their goods and treasures vppon vanyties trifles Spud. Séeing that by diuyne assistance you haue now finished your â—ractation of the Apparell of Ailgna shew me I pray you what other abuses be there vsed for I am perswaded that pride the Mother of all sinne is not without her Daughters of sinne semblable to her selfe The horryble vice of Whordome in Ailgna Philo. THE horryble vice of Whordome also is ther too too much frequeÌ„ted to y e great dishonor of God the prouoking of his iudgements against them the staine and blemish of their profession the euill example of all the world any finally to their owne damnation for â—uer except they repente Spud. I haue heard them reason that mutuall coition betwixt man and woman is not so offensiue before God For do not all Creatures â—ay they as wel reptilia terrae as volatiâ—a Coeli the creping things vpon the earth as the flying Creatures in the aire and all other Creatures in generall both small great ingender together hath not nature and kynd ordained them so geuen them meÌ„bers incideÌ„t to that vse doth not y e Lord say they as it were w t a stimule or prick by his mandat saing crescite multiplicamini replete terraÌ„ increase multiplie fill the earth stirre theÌ„ vp to the same Otherwyse the World wold become barren and soone fall to decay wherfore they conclude that whordome is a badge of loue a cognizaÌ„ce of amitie a tutch of â—ustie youth a frendlie daliance a redintegration of loue and an ensigne of vertue rather meritorious than daÌ„nable these with the like be y â— exceptioÌ„s which I haue hard them many times to obiect in defence of their carnal pollutions Philo. Cursed be those mouths that thus blaspheme the mightie God of Israell and his sacred word making the same clokes to couer their sinne withall worse are they than Lybertines who thinke all things lawfull or Atheistes who denie there is any God The deuills themselues neuer sinned so horribly nor erred so grossely as these not Christians but dogges do that make whordom a vertue and meritorious but because you shal sée their deceptioÌ„s displayed their daÌ„nable abuses more plainly discouered I will reduce you to y e first institutioÌ„ of this Godly ordenaÌ„ce of matrimony The Lord our God hauing created all things in Heauen earth or Hell whatsoeuer created of euery sex two male female of both kindes and last of al other creatures he made man after his own likenesse similitude geuing him a womaÌ„ made of a ribbe of his own body to be his companion comforter lincking them together in the honorable state of venerable wedlocke he blessed them both saying crescite multiplicamini replete terraÌ„ Increase multiplie replenish y e earth wherby it is more than apparent that the Lorde whose name is Iehouah the mightie GOD of Israell is the Author of Godly matrimony instituting it in the tyme of mans inconcency in Paradice and that as mée séemeth for foure causes First for the auoydauÌ„ce of whordom Secondly for the mutuall comforte consolatioÌ„ that the one might haue of the other in all aduersities calamities whatsoeuer Thridly for the procreation and Godly propagation of Children in the feare of the Lord that both the world might be increased therby and the Lord also in them glorified And fourthlie to be a figure or type of our spirituall wedlocke betwixt Christ and his church both militant and triumphante This congression and mutuall copulation of those that be thus ioyned together in the Godlye state of blessed matrimony is pure virginitie and allowable before God and man as an action wherto the Lorde hath promised his blessing thorow his mercy notâ— by our merite ex opere operato as some shame not to say All other goinges together and coitions are damnable pestiferous and execrable So now you sée that wheras the Lord saith increase multiplie fill the earth he alludeth to those that are cheyned together in the Godly state of matrimonie and wedlock and not otherwyse For to those that go together after any other sorte he hath denounced his curse and wrath for euermore as his alsauing word beareth record And wheras they say that all crâ—atures vppon the Earth do ingender together I graunte it is true But how in suo genere in their owne kinde There is no creature créeping on the earth or flying in the aire how irrationable soeuer that dooth degenerate as man dooth but kéepethe the same state and order wherein they were made at the first and so if man did he should not commit abhominable whordom and filthie sinne as hée dooth It is said of those that write de natura animalium that almost all vnreasonable beasts and flying fowles after they haue once linked and vnited them selues togither to any one of the same kinde and after they haue once espoused them selues the one to the other wil neuer after ioyne them selues w e any other til the one be dissolued froÌ„ the other by death And thus they kéepe the knot of matrimonie inuiolable to the end And if any one chaunce to reuolte and go togither with any other during y e life of his first mate at the rest of the same kind assemble togither as it were in a councel or parliament and either kil or gréeuously punish the adulterer or adulteresse whether euer it be which lawe I would God were amongst Christians established By all which it may appéer how horrible a sinne whordome is in nature that the very vnreasonable creatures doo abhorre it The Heathen people who know not God so much lothe this stiâ—king sinne of whordome that some burne them quick some hang them on gibbets some cut off their heds some their armes legs and hands some put out their eyes some burne them in the face some cut of their noses some one parte of their bodye some another and some with one kind of torture and some with another but none leaueth them vnpunished so that we are set to schoole to learn our first rudiments like yung Nouices or Children scarce crept out of the shel how to punish whordome euen by the vnreasonable
after that in effect 2000. yéeres he iterated this Commandement when he gaue the law iâ— mount Horeb to Moyses in him to all the Children of Israel saying remember forget it not that thou kéep holy the seuenth day c. If we must kéep it holy then must we not spend it in such vain exercises as please our selues but in such godly exercises as he in his holy woord hath commaunded And in my iudgement the Lord our God ordained the seuenth day to be kept holy for foure causes especially First to put vs in minde of his wunderful woorkmanship creation of the world and creatures besides Secondly y â— his woord the Church asseÌ„bling togither might be preached interpreted expounded his sacraments ministred sincéerly according to the prescript of his woord that suffrages praiers bothe priuat publique might be offered to his excellent Maiestie Thirdly for that euery christiaÌ„ man might repose himself from corporall labour to the end they might y â— better sustain the trauailes of the wéek to ensue and also to y e and y â— all beasts cattel which the Lord hath made for mans vse as helps adiuments vnto him in â—his daylie affaires businesse might rest and refresh them selues the better to go thorow in their traueiles afterward For as the hethen Man knew very wel sine alterna requie non est durabile quicquà m Without some rest or repose there is not any thing durable or able to coÌ„tinue loÌ„g Fourthly to th'end it might be a typical figure or signitor to point as it were with the finger and to cypher foorth and shadowe vnto vs that blessed rest thryse happie ioye which the faithfull shall possesse after the day of iudgement in the Kingdome of Heauen Wherforâ— séeing the Sabaoth was instituted for these causes it is manifest that it was not appointed for the maintenance of wicked and vngodly pastymes and vaine pleasures of the flesh which GOD abhorreth and all good men from their hartes do loth and deteste The Man of whome we read in the law for gathering of a few small stickes vpoÌ„ the Sabaoth was stoned to death by the commaundement of God from the Theator of Heauen Than if he were stoned for gathering a few sticks vppon the Sabaoth day which in some cases might be for necessities sake and did it but once what shall they be who all the Sabaoth dayes of their lyfe giue them selues to nothing els but to wallow in all kind of wickednesse and sinne to the great contempt both of y â— Lord and his Sabaoth And though they haue played the lazie lurdens al the weke before yet that day of set purpose they wil toile and labour in contempt of the Lord and his Sabaoth But let them be sure as he that gathered stickes vpon the Sabaoth was stoned for his contempt of the same so shall they be stoned yea grinded to peeces for their conteÌ„pt of the Lord in his Sabaoth The Iewes are verye strict in kéeping their Sabaoths in so muche as they will not dresse ther meats and drinks vppon the same day but set it on the tables y e day befor They go not aboue ij miles vpoÌ„ y â— sabaoth day they suffer not the body of any Malefactor to hang vppon the gallowes vppon the Sabaoth day with legions of such like supersticioÌ„s Wherin as I do acknowledge they are but too scrupelous and ouershoot the marke so we are therin plaine contempteous and negligent shooting short of the marke altogether Yet I am not so strait laced that I would haue no kinde of worke done vppon that daye if present necessitie of the thing require it for Christe hath taught vs the Sabaoth was made for Man not Man for the Sabaoth but not for euery light trifle which may as well be done other dayes as vpon that day And although y e day it self in respect of y e very nature and originall therof be no better thaÌ„ another day for there is no difference of dayes except we become temporizers all béeing alike goodâ— yet because the Lord our God hath commaunded it to be sanctified kept holy to him self let vs like obedient obsequious Children submit our selues to so loouing a Father for els we spit against heauen we striue against the stream and we contemn him in his ordinances But perchance you wil aske me whither the true vse of the Sabaoth consist in outward abstaining from bodilye labour and trauaile I answere no the true vse of the Sabaoth for Christians are not bound onely to the Ceremonie of the day consisteth as I haue said in hearing the woord of God truely preached therby to learn and to doo his wil in receiuing the sacraments as seales of his grace towards vs rightly administred in vsing publique and priuate prayer in thanksgiuing to God for all his benefits in singing of godly Psalmes and other spirituall exercises and meditations in collecting for the poore in dooing of good woorkes and bréefly in the true obedience of the inward man And yet notwithstanding wée must abstain from the one to attend vpon the other that is wée must refrain all bodily labours to the end that wée may the better be restant at these spirituall exercises vppon the Sabaoth day This is the true vse and end of the Lord his Saboth who grauÌ„t that we may rest in him for euer Spud. Hauing shewed the true vse of the Saboth let vs go forward to speke of those Abuses particularlye wherby the Saboth of the Lord is prophaned And first to begin with stage playes and enterluds What is your opinion of them Are they not good examples to youth to fray them from sinne Of Stage-playes and Enterluds with their wickednes Philo. ALL Stage-playes Enterluds and Commedies are either of diuyne or prophane matter If they be of diuine matter than are they most intollerable or rather Sacrilegious for that the blessed word of GOD is to be handled reuerently grauely and sagely with veneration to the glorious Maiestie of God which shineth therin and not scoffingly flowtingly iybingly as it is vpon stages in Playes Enterluds without any reuerence worship or veneration to y e same the word of our Saluation the price of Christ his bloud the merits of his passion were not giuen to be derided and iested at as they be in these filthie playes and enterluds on stages scaffolds or to be mixt and interlaced with bawdry wanton shewes vncomely gestures as is vsed euery Man knoweth in these playes and enterludes In the first of Ihon we are taught that the word is GOD and God is the word Wherfore who so euer abuseth this word of our God on stages in playes and enterluds abuseth the Maiesty of GOD in the same maketh a mocking stock of him purchaseth to himselfe eternal daÌ„nation And no marueil for the sacred word of GOD and God himselfe is neuer to be thought
agilitie and curious nicitie and to procure lustful looue and such like wickednes infinit But to their second allegation y e Children say they of Israel danced being deliuered out of the seruitude of Pharo and hauing passed ouer the red sea I graunt they did so and good cause they had so to doo For were they not emancipate and set frée from thrée great calamities and extreame miseries First froÌ„ the seruiâ—e bondage of Egipt from the swoord of Pharo who pursued the rereward of their hoste and from the danger of the red sea their enemies béeing ouerwhelmed in the same For these great and inestimable benefits and blessings receiued at the hands of God they played vpon Instruments of musick leaped daunced and sung godly songs vnto y e Lord shewing by these outward gestures y e inward ioy of their harts and mindes Now what conduceth this for the allowance of our luxurious dauncings Is it not directly against them They danced for ioy in thanks to god wée for vainglorieâ— they for looue to God wée for looue of our selues they to shew the interior ioy of the minde for God his blessing heaped vpon them we to shew our concinitie dexteritie and vain curiositie in the same they to stir vp and to make them selues the apter to praise God we to stir vp carnall appetites and fleshlie motions they to shewe their humilitie before God and we to shew our pride both before God and y e world But how so euer it be sure I am their dauncing was not like â—ures coÌ„sisting in measures capers quauers I cannot tel what for thei had no such leasâ—re in Egigt to learne such vaine curiosity in that lustfull bawdie schoole for making of brick and tyles And notwithstanding it is ambiguous whether this may be called a dauÌ„cing or not at lest not like oures but rather a cerâ—â—Ì„ kind of modest leaping skipping or moouing of the body to expresse the ioye of y e mind in prayse of God as the Man did who being 〈◊〉 by the power of our Sâ—uiour Christe â—â—alked in the Temple leapping skipping praising God We neuer read that they euer daunced but at some wonderfull porâ—ent or straunge iudgment of God and therfore made not a common practise of it or a daylie occupation as it were much lesse set vp schools of it and frequenting nothing els night and day Sabaoth day and other as we do But to their third Reason The Israelits dauÌ„ced before the Calf in Horeb. And what than They made a Golden Calf and adored it maye we therfore do the like They committed ydolatrie there therfore is ydolatrie good because they committed it Adam disobyed GOD and obeyed the deuil is obedience therfore to the deuil good because hee did so Therfore wée must not take héede what man hath doon héertofore but what God hath commaunded in his woord to be doon and that followe euen to the death But to be short as it is a friuilous thing to say because they committed Idolatrie therfore may wée doo the like so it is no lesse ridiculous to say because they daunced therfore wée may doo the same for as it is not lawful to commit Idolatrie because they did so so is it not lawfull to daunce because they daunâ—ed So that if this place inferre any thing for dauncing it inferreth that wee must neuer daunce but before a golden Calf as they did but I think by this time they are ashamed of their dances therfore of this place I néed to saynâ— more giuing theÌ„ to note that this their dauncing in respect of the end therof was farre dissonant from ours for they daunced in honour of their Idol wee clean contrary though neither the one nor the other be at any hand tollerable Their fourth reason Did not Dauid daunce before the Ark say they very true and this place as the rest before refelleth their customarie dauncings of men and women togither moste excellentlie For Dauid danced him selfe alone without either woman or musicall Instrument to effeminate the minde And this dauncing of Dauid was no vsuall thing nor frequeÌ„ted euery day but that one time and that in prayse of God for the deliuerie of the Ark of God his testament out of the hands of the Infidels and hethen people the ioy of this holy Prophet was so vehement for this great blessing of GOD such a ferueÌ„t zeale he bore to the trueth that it burst foorth into exterior action y â— more to induce others to prayse God also Would God we would dance as Dauid daunced héer for the deliuerie of his alsauing woord out of the hands of that Italian Philistin archenemy of all trueth the Pope of Roome for in this respect I would make one to daunce to leap to skip to triumph and reioyce as Dauid did before the Ark. By this I trust any indifferent man séeth that by this place they gain as much for the maintenance of their leude dancings and baudie chorusses as they did by citing the former places that is iust nothing at all which they may put in their eies and see neuer the wâ—rsse Their fift reason Did not Ieptath his daughter méet her Father when he came from war dancing before him and playing vppon Instruments of Ioy. Ieptath going foorth to warre against the Amonites promised the Lord making a rashe vowe that if it would please his Maiestie to giue him victorie ouer his Ennemies he wold sacrifice the first lyuing thing that shuld meet him froÌ„ his house It pleased GOD that his sole daughter and heire hearing of her Fathers prosperous return as the maner of the Cuntrey was ran foorth to meete her Father playing vppon instruments in praise of GOD and dauncing before him for ioye Now what prooueth this for their daunces Truely it ouerthroweth them if it be well considered for first we read that she did this but once we daylie She in prayse of God we in prayses of our selues she for ioy of her Fathers good successe we to stere vp filthie and vncleane motions She with a virginall grauitie we with a babish leuitie she in comly maner we in bawdie gesture And moreouer this sheweth that women are to daunce by themselues if they wil néeds daunce and men by themselues for so importeth the Tert making no mention of any other her collegues or Companions dancing with her Their .vi. Reason Did not y â— Israelitish wemen daunce before Iudith comming to visit her I graunt they did sâ— the storie is thus Holofernes opposing himselfe against the Israelits the chosen people of GOD and intending to ouerthrowe them and to blot out their remembrance for euer from vnder heauen assembled a huge power and besieged them on euery side The Israelits séeing themselues circumvalled and in great daunger on eachside suborned good Iudith a vertous Godlye Woman for without some stratagem or pollicie wrought it was vnpossible for them in the eyes of y e