man would lend then how should y e poor doo wherfore the lawes y â— permit some small ouer-plus therin doo very wel Philo. Non faciendum est malum vt inde veniat bonum we must not doo euil that good may come of it yet the lawes in permitting certain reasonable gain to be receiued for the loane of money lent lest otherwise the poore should quaile for without some commoditie the rich would not lend haue not doone much amisse but if they had quite cut it of and not yéelded at all to any such permission they had doon better But héerin the intent of the lawe is to be perpeÌ„ded which was to impale with in the Forrest or park of reasonable and conscionable gain men who cared not howmuch they could extorte out of poore-mens hands for the loane of their money lent and not to authorise any man to coÌ„mit vsurie as though it were lawful because it is permitted Therfore those that say that the lawes there doo allow of vsury licence men to commit it fréely doo slaunder y â— lawes are woorthy of reprehension for though the lawes say thou shalt not take abooue ij.s. in y â— pound x. li in a hundred and so so foorth Dooth this prooue y â— it is lawful to take so much or rather y â— thou shalt not take more then y â— if I say to a man thou shalt not giue him abooue one or two blowes dooth this prooue y â— I licence him to giue him one or two blowes or rather that he shal not giue any at al or if he doo he shal not excéed or passe y e baÌ„ds of resonable mesure so this law dooth but mitigate y e penalty for it saith y â— the party y â— taketh but x. li for y â— vse of an C.li. loseth but y â— x. li not his principal Spud. Then I perceiue if Usurie be not lawful by the lawes of the Realm then is it not lawful by the lawes of God Philo. You may be sure of that For our Sauiour Christe willeth vs to be so far from couetousnes and vsury as he saith giue to him that asketh thée and from him that would borrow turn not thy face away Againe Lend of thy goods to them who are not able to pay thée again and thy reward shalbe great in heauen If wée must lend our goods then to them who are not able to pay vs again no not so much as the bare thing lent where is the interest the vsurie the gaine and ouer-plus which we fish for so much Therfore our Sauiour Christe saith beatius est dare potius quam accipere It is more blessed to giue then to receiue In y â— 22. of Exodus Deut. 24. 23. Leuit. 25. Nehe. 5. Eze. 22. 18. many other places we are forbidden to vse any kinde of vsury or interest or to receiue again any ouer-pluss besides the principall either in money corne wine oyle beasts cattel meat drink cloth or any thing els what soeuer Dauid asketh a question of the Lord saying Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle and who shall rest in thy holy hil wherto he giueth the solution him self saying euen he that leadeth an incorrupt life hath not giuen his mony vnto vsurie nor taken reward against the innocent who so dooth these things shall neuer fall In the â—5 of Deut. the Lord willeth vs not to craue again the thing we haue lent to our neighbor for it is the Lords frée yéer If it be no lawful then to aske again y â— which is lent for it is not the law of good conscience for thée to exact it if thou be abler to beare it then the other to pay it much lesse is it lawful to demaund any vsury or ouer-plus And for this cause the Lord saith let there be no begger amoÌ„gst you nor poore person amongst the Tribes of Israel Thus you sée the woord of God abandoÌ„neth vsurie euen to hel and all writers bothe diuine and prophane yea the very heathen people moued onely by the instinct of nature and rules of reason haue alwaies abhord it Therfore Cato béeing demaunded what vsurie was asked againe what it was to kill a man making vsurie equiualent with murther And good reason for he that killeth a a man riddeth him out of his paines at once but he that taketh vsury is long in butchering his pacient suffering him by little little to languish and sucking out his hart blood neuer leaueth him so long as he féeleth any vitall blood that is luâ—re and gaine comming foorth of him The Usurer killeth not one but many bothe Husband Wife Children seruants famelie and all not sparing any And if the poore man haue not wherewith to pay aswel the interest as the principall when soeuer this gréedy cormorant dooth demaund it then sute shalbe coÌ„menced against him out go butter-flies and writs as thick as haile so the poore man is apprehended and brought coram nobis and béeing once conuented iudgement condemnatorie and diffinitiue sentence procéedeth against him compelling him to pay aswel the vsury and y e loane of the money as the money lent But if he haue not to satisfie aswel the one as th'other then to Bocardo goeth he as round as a ball where he shalbe sure to lye vntil he rotte one péece from an other without satisfaction bée made Oh cursed Caitiue no man but a deuil no Christian but a cruel Tartarian and mercilesse Turck darest thou look vp toward heauen or canst thou hope to be saued by the death of Christe that sufferest thine owne flesh and blood thine owne bretheren sisters in the Lord and which is more the flesh and blood of Christ Iesus vessels of saluation coheirs with him of his superiall kingdom adoptiue sonnes of his grace finally saints in heauen to lye and â—ot in prison for want of paymâ—nt of a little drosse which at the day of dome shall beare witnesse against thée gâ—aw thy flesh like a canker and condemn thée for euer The very sâ—ones of the prison walles shall rise vp against thée and condemne thée for thy crueltie Is this looue Is this charitie is this to doo to others as thou wouldest wish others to doe to thée or rather as thou woâ—ldest wish the Lord to doe vnto thée Art thou a good member of the bodie which not onely cuttest of thy selfe from the vine as a rotten brauâ—ch and void lop but also he west off other members fâ—om the same true vine Christe Iesus No no thou art a member of the Deuil a limme of Sathan and a Childe of perdition Wâ—e ought not to handle our bretheren in such sorte for any worldly matter whatsoeuer Wée ought to shew mercie and not crueltie to our bretheren to remit trespasses and offences rather then to exact punishment reâ—erring all reuenge to him who saith Mihi vindictam et
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
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
these inclosures be the causes why rich men eat vp poore men as beasts doo eat grasse These I say are the Caterpillers and deuouring locustes that massacre the poore eat vp y e whole realme to y e destruction of the same The Lord remooue them Upon the other side the Lawyers they goe rufling in their silks veluets and chaines of Gold they build gorgeous howses sumptuous edefices and stately turrets they kéep a port like mightie poteÌ„tates they haue bands and retinewes of men attendant vppon them daylie they purchase castels towers Lands and Lordships and what not And all vppon the polling and pilling of the poore commons They haue so good consciences that all is fish that comes to the net thei refuse nothing that is offred and what they do for it in preferring their Poore clients cause the Lorde knoweth and one day they shall finde it If you haue argent or rather rubrum vnguentum I dare not say Gold but red oyntment to grease them in the fist withall than your sute shall want no furtherance but if this be wanting thaÌ„ farewel clyent he may go shooe the goose for any good successe he is like to haue of his matter without this sheriffes Officers wil returne writs with a tarde venit or with a non est inuentus smally to the poore maÌ„s profit So long as any of this ointmeÌ„t is dropping they wil beare him in hand his matter is good and iust all to kéep him in vre till all be gon and than will they tell him his matter is naught and if one aske theÌ„ why they tould not their clieÌ„ts so in y â— beginning they will answere I knew not so much at the first y e fault is in himselfe he tould me y e best but not the worst he shewed mee not this euidence that euidente this president and y â— presiâ—ent turning al the fault vpoÌ„ y e suggester wheras y e whole fault indeed is in himselfe as his own conscience caÌ„ beare him witnesse In presence of their clients they will be so earnest one with another as one that knew not their slaightes wold thinke they would go together by the eares this is to draw on their clieÌ„ts withal but immediatly after their clients being gon they laâ—gh in their sléeues to see how pretily they fetch in such 〈◊〉 of money and y â— vnder the pretence of equitie and iustice But though thei caÌ„ for atâ—â—e prestigiatorum instaâ— like cuÌ„ning deceiuers cast a mist before y e blind world yet the Lord who séeth suborned by none y â— secrets of all harts shall make them manifest to al the world and reward them according to their 〈◊〉 The marchaÌ„t meÌ„ by their marting chaffering and changing by their counterfait balances vntrue waights and by their surprising of their wares heap vp infinit treasures The Artificer Occupyers euen all in generall will not â—ell their wares for no reasonable price but will sweare teare pittifully y â— such a thing cost theÌ„ so much such a thing so much wheras they swear as false as the lyuing Lord is true But one day let them be sure y â— the Lord who saith thou shalt not sweare at all nor deceiue thy Brother in bargaining will reuenge this villanie done to his Maiestie Into such a ruinous estat hath couetousnes now brought that Land that in plentie of all things there is great scarsitie and dearth of all thinges So that that which might haue been bought heretofor within this twentie or fourtie Yéers for twentie shillings is now worth twentie nobles or xx pound That which thaÌ„ was worth twentie pound is now worth a C. pound and more Wherby the rich Men haue so balaunced their chests with Gold and siluer as they craâ—ke againe And to such excesse is this couetousnes growne as euery one y â— hath money will not stick to take his neighbors house ouer his head long before his yéers be expired Wherthorow many a poore man with his wyfe childreÌ„ whole famelie are forced to begge their bread all their dayes after Another sorte who flow in welth if a poore maÌ„ haue eyther house or Land they will neuer rest vntill they haue purchased it giuing him not the thirde parte of that it is worth Besides all this so desperately giuen are many that for the acquiring of siluer and Gold they will not sicke to imbrew their hands and both their armes in y â— blood of their owne Patents and Fréends most vnnaturally Other some will not make any conscience to sweare and forsweare themselues for euer to lye dissemble and deceiue the déerest frends they haue in the world Therfore the heathen Poët Virgill said very well O sacra auri fames quid non mortalia pectora cogis Oh cursed desire of gold what mischief is it but thou forcest Man to attempt it for y â— loue of thée This immoderat thirst of Gold monie bringeth an infinit nuÌ„ber to shameful end some as homicides for murthering killing some as latrones for robbing stealing some for one thing some for another So that surely I think maior est numerus Hoâ—minum quos dira auaritiae pestis absorpsit quam quos gladius vel ensis perâ—orauit the number of those whom the pestilence of auarice hath swallowed vp is greatter than the nuÌ„ber of those whom the sword hath destroid the Lord asswage the heat hereof with y e oyle of his grace if it be his good pleasure and wil. Spud. If I might be so bold I wold request you to shew me out of the word of god where this so detestable a vice is reproued Philo. Our Sauiour Christ Iesus the Arch-doctor of all truth in his Euangely the sixt of Mathew saith Be not carefull for to morow day for the morow shall care for it selfe Againe be not carfull for Apparell what you shall put on nor for meat what you shall eat but séeke you the Kingdome of Heauen the righteousnes therof and all these things shal be giuen vnto you He charged his Disciples to be so farre from couetousnes as not to cary two coates with them in their iorneys nor yet any money in their purses He tould his Disciples another time stryuing which of them should be y â— greattest that he who wold be the greattest must condescend to be seruaÌ„t of all When the people wold haue aduauÌ„ced him to haue béene King he refused it and hid him self He telleth vs we cannot serue two Maisters God Mammon he biddeth vs not to set our minds vppoÌ„ couetousnes inferring that wher our riches be there will our harts be also He saith it is harder for a rich Man that is for a Man whose trust is in riches to enter into the Kingdome of God than for a Camell to go thorow the eye of a néedle The Apostle biddeth vs if we haue meat drinke
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
world to haue escaped to repaire to Holofernes by some meanes or other to work his destruction who guided by the hand of God attempted the thing brought it happely to passe For she cut of his head with his owne fauchine wrapping his body in the canopie wherin he lay sléepingly possest as he was with y e spirit of drunkennesse this done the Women of Israell came together and went to visit this worthie Woman and to coÌ„gratulat her prosperous successe with instruments of musick singing of Godly songs and dauncing for ioye in hâ—nor and prayse to God for this great victorie obtained Now who sâ—eth not that these women sang dauÌ„ced and played vppon instrumentes in prayse of God not for any other lewdnes or wantonnes as coÌ„monly the world doth now adaies This also ouerthroweth the dauncinges of Men and Women together in one companie for though there was an infinite number of People by yet the Text saith there daunced none but onely Women which plainly argueth the vnlawfulnesse of it in respecte of Man And this being but a particular fact of a sort of imprudent Women shall we draw it into example of lyfe and thinke it lawfull or good because they did practife it It was a custome in those dayes when God had powred foorth and notable blessing vpon his People from his Heauenly Pallace the People in honour praise and thankesgiuing to God for them would play vppon their instruments sing Godly Songs daunce leape skip and triumphe shewing foorth the ioye of their mindes with their thankefulnesse to GOD by all exteriour gestures that they could deuyse Which kinde of thankefull dauncing or spirituall reioycing wold God we did follow leauing all other wanton dancing to their Father the Deuill Their .vij. Reason Did not quothe they the Damosell daunce before Kinge Herode when the head of Iohn Baptist was cut of She daunced indeed And herein they maye sée the fruite of dauncing what goodnesse it bringeth For was not this the cause of the beheading of Iohn the Baptist Sée whether dauncing styreth not vp lust and inflameth the mind For if Herode with séeing her daunce was so inflamed in her loue and rauished in her behauiour that he promised her to giue her whatsoeuer she wold desire though it were half of his Emperie or Kingdome what wold he haue béene if he had daunced with her and what are those that daunce with them hand in hand chéek by chéek with bussing and kissing slabbering and smearing most beastly to behold in so much as I haue heard many impudently say that they haue chosen their Wyues and wyues their Husbands by dauncing Which plainely proueth the wickednesse of it Their .viij. reason Did not Christ rebuke the People for not dauncing saying we haue pyped vnto you but you haue not daunced They may as well conclude that Christ in this place was a Pyper or a Minstrell as that he alowed of dauncing or reproued them for not excercysing the same This is a Metaphoricall or Allegoricall kinde of speach wherin our Sauiour Christ goeth about to reprooue and checke the styfneckednes the rebellion and pertinacious coÌ„tumacy of y â— Scribes and Phariseis who were neither mooued to receiue the glad tydings of the Gospell by the austeritie of Iohn the Baptiste who came preaching vnto them the doctrine of repeÌ„taunce in mourning sort neither yet at the preaching of our Sauiour him selfe breaking vnto them the pure Ambrosia the Coelestial Manna the word of life in ioyfull and gladsome maner Ihon the Baptist he piped vnto them that is he preached vnto them austeritie of life to mourn for their sinnes to repent to fast pray and such like Our Sauiour Christ he pyped that is preached vnto them the glad comfortable tidyngs of y e Gospell yet at neither of these kinde of concions they were any whit mooued either to imbrace Christ or his gospell Wherfore he sharply rebuketh them by a similitude of foolishe Children sitting in the market place and piping vnto them that wold not daunce This is the true vndoubted sence of this place which whether it ouerthrow not all kinde of lewd dauncing at lest maketh nothing for them allowing a certen king of spirituall dauncing and reioysing of the heart vnto God that I may suspend my owne iudgement let wyse men determine Their .ix. Reason Saith not Salomon there is a time to wéep a time to laugh a time to mourn and a time to daunce This place is directly against their vsuall kinde of dauncing For saith not the Text there is a time meaning somtime now and than as the Israelites did in prayse to GOD when anie notable thing happened vnto them and not euery daye and howre as we do making an occupatioÌ„ of it neuer leauing it vntil it leaue vs. But what and if Salomon speaketh here of a certen kind of spiritual dauncing and reioysing of y e heart in praise to GOD This is easily gathered by the circumstances of the place but specially by the sentence precedent vz. there is a time to mourn a time to daÌ„ce c. that is a time to mourn for our sinnes a tyme to dauÌ„ce or reioyse for the vnspeakable treasures purchased vnto vs by y e death passion of Iesus christ How much this place maketh for defence of their nocturnall diuturnall wanton lewde and lascivious dauncings if it be censured in the imparciall ballance of true iudgement all y e world may sée aud iudge And now to draw to an end I will come vnto their vltimum refugium That is Doth not Dauid both commend and also coÌ„maunde dauncing and playing vpon instruments in diuerse of his Psal. In all those places y e Prophet speaketh of a certeÌ„ kind of spirituall dauncing and reioysing of the heart to y â— Lord for his graces benefits in mercie bestowed vpon vs. This is the true kinde of dauncing which the word of God doth allow of in any place and not that we should trippe like rammes skip like goats leap like mad men For to y â— end our féet were not giueÌ„ vs but rather to represent y eimage of God in vs to keep Companie with the Angels to glorifie our heuenly Father thorow good works Spud. Do you condemne al kinde of dauncing as wicked and prophane Ph. All lewde wanton lasciuious dauncing in publique assemblies conuenticles without respect either of sex kind time place Person or any thing els I by the warrant of the word of God do vtterly condemne But that kind of dauncing which is vsed to praise and laud the name of God withall as weare the dauÌ„ces of the people of the former world either priuatly or publiquely is at no hand to be dysallowed but rather to be greatly commended Or if it be vsed for mans comfort recreation and Godly pleasure priuatly euery sex distincted by themselues whether with musick or otherwyse it cannot be
what setting foorth of fucate deceiuable wares is not there frequeÌ„ted what lying swering forswering drunkennes whordom theft soÌ„etimes murther either there or by y e way thither is not euery where vsed In courtes 〈◊〉 what enuie malice hatred is nooâ—rshed what expostulation railing scoulding periuring reperiuring is maintained what opression of y â— poore what fauouring the rich what iniustice indirect dealing what bribing deceiuing what poling pilling is there practised it would make a christiaÌ„ hart to bléed in beholding it And yet notwithstanding we must haue these goodly pageaÌ„ts played vpon y â— sabaoth day in a wanion because there are no mo daies in y â— wéek And heerby y â— sabaoth is coÌ„taminat Gods woord contemned his coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts disanulled his sacrameÌ„ts coÌ„culcate his ordinaÌ„ces neglected in suÌ„ma his blood trod vnder féet and all mischéef maintained The Lord cut of these with all other sin both from their soules and thy Sabaoth that thy name may be glorified thy Church truely edified Spud. Is y â— playing at football reding of mery bookes such like delectations a violation or prophanation of the Sabaoth day Ph. Any exercise which w tdraweth vs from godlines either vpon y e sabaoth or any other day els is wicked to be forbiden Now who is so grosly blinde y t seeth not y t these aforesaid exercises not only w tdraw vs from godlines vertue but also haile allure vs to wickednes and sin for as coÌ„cerning football playing I protest vnto you it may rather be called a fréendly kinde of fight then a play or recreation A bloody and murthering practise then a felowly sporte or pastime For dooth not euery one lye in waight for his Aduersarie séeking to ouerthrowe him to picke him on his nose though it be vppon hard stones in ditch or dale in valley or hil or what place soeuer it be hée careth not so he haue him down And he that can serue y e most of this fashion he is counted the only felow and who but he so that by this meanes somtimes their necks are broken soÌ„etimes their backs sometime their legs sometime their armes sometime one part thurst out of ioynt sometime an other sometime the noses gush out with blood sometime their eyes start out and sometimes hurt in one place sometimes in another But whosoeuer scapeth away the best goeth not scotfrée but is either sore wouÌ„ded craised and bruseed so as he dyeth of it or els scapeth very hardly and no meruaile for they haue the sleights to méet one betwixt two to dashe him against the hart with their elbowes to hit him vnder the short ribber with their griped fists and with their kâ—ées to catch him vpon the hip and to pick him on his neck with a hundered such murdering deuices and hereof groweth enuie malice raÌ„cour cholor hatred displeasure enmitie and what not els and sometimes fighting brawling contention quarrel picking murther homicide and great effusion of blood as experience dayly teacheth Is this murthering play now an exercise for the Sabaoth day is this a christian dealing for one brother to mayme and hurt another and that vpon prepensed malice or set purpose is this to do to another as we would wish another to doo to vs God make vs more careful ouer the bodyes of our Bretheren And as for the reading of wicked Bookes they are vtterly vnlawfull not onely to bee read but once to be named that not onely vpon the Sabaoth day but also uppon any other day as which tende to the dishonour of God deprauation of good manners and corruption of christian soules For as corrupt meates doo annoy the stomack and infect the body so the reading of wicked and vngodly Bookes which are to the minde as meat is to the body infect the soule corrupt y e minde hailing it to distruction if the great mercy of God be not present And yet notwithstanding whosoeuer wil set pen to paper now a dayes how vnhonest soeuer or vnséemly of christian eares his argument be is permitted to goe â—orward and his woork plausibly admitted and fréendly licensed and gladly imprinted without any prohibition or contradiction at all wherby it is growen to this issue that bookes pamphlets of scurrilitie and baudrie are better esteemed and more vendible then the godlyest and sagest bookes that be for if it be a godly treatise reproouing vice and teaching vertue away with it for no man almost though they make a floorish of vertue and godlynes will buy it nor which is lesse so much as once touch it This maketh the Bible the blessed Book of God to be so little estéemed That woorthie Booke of Martyrs made by that famous Father excellent Instrument in God his Church Maister Iohn Fox so little to be accepted and all other good books little or nothing to be reuerenced whilst other toyes fantasies and bableries wherof the world is ful are suffered to be printed These prophaÌ„e schedules sacraligious libels and hethnical pamphlets of toyes bableries the Authors wherof may vendicate to them selues no smal commendations at the hands of the deuil for inuenting the same corrupt mens mindes peruert good wits allure to baudrie induce to whordome suppresse vertue erect vice which thing how should it be otherwise for are they not inueÌ„ted excogitat by Belzebub writteÌ„ by Lucifer liceÌ„sed by Pluto printed by Cerberus set a broche to sale by the infernal furies themselues to y e poysning of the whole world But let the InueÌ„tors the liceÌ„sors the printers the sellers of these vaine toyes and more then Hethnicall impieties take heed for the blood of all those which perish or take hurt thorow these wicked bookes shalbe powred vpon their heads at the day of iudgement and be required at their hands Spud. I pray you how might al these inormities and Abuses be reformed For it is to small purpose to shew y e abuses except you shewe withall how they might be reformed Philo. By putting in practise and executing those good lawes wholsome sanctions and Goldy statutes which haue béene heretofore and daily are set foorth and established as GOD be thanked they are manie The want of the due execution wherof is y e cause of all these mischiefs which both rage and raigne amongst vs. Spud. What is the cause why these lawes are not executed as they ought to be Philo. Truely I cannot tell excepte it be thorow the nigligence and contempt of the inferiour Magistrates Or els perhaps which thing happeneth now and than for money they are bought out diffranchised and dispensed withall for as the saying is quid non pecunia potest what is it but money will bring to passe And yet notwithstanding shall it be don inuisibly in a clowde vnder benedicite I speake it the Prince being borne in hand that the same are daliâ— executed This fault is the corruption of
those that are put in trust to sée theÌ„ executed as I haâ—e tould you and notwithstanding do not Spud. This is a great corruption Abuse doubtles and worthie of great punishment Ph. It is so truely for if they be good lawes tending to the glorie of GOD the publique weale of the Cuntrey and correctioÌ„ of vices it is great pytie that money should buy them out For what is that els but to sell vertue for lucre Godlynes for drosse yea mens souls for corruptible money Therfore those that sell them are not onely Traitors to GOD to their Prince and Countrey but are also the Deuils Marchants and ferrie the bodies and soules of Christians as it were in Charons boate to the Stigian flood of Hell burning with fire and brimstone for euer And those that buy them are Traitors to GOD their Prince and Countrey also For if the lawes were at the first good as GOD he praised al the lawes in Ailgna be why shuld they be suppressed for money and if they were euill why were they diuulged but had rather béene buried in the wombe of their Mother before thy had euer séene y e light And why were lawes instituted but to be executed Els it were as good to haue no lawes at all the People lyuing orderly as to haue good lawes and theÌ„ not executed The Prince ordeining a law may lawfully repeale adnull the same againe vâ—oÌ„ speciall causes considerations but no inferiour maiestrat or subiecte what so euer may stop the course of any lawe made by the Prince with out daunger of damnation to his owne soule as the Word of GOD beareth witnesse And therfore wâ—â—e to those men that will not execut the sentence of the lawe being so Godly and so Christian as thei be in Ailgna vppon Malefactors and Offenders Uerely they are as guiltie of their blood before GOD as euer was Iudas of the death of Christe Iesus Spud. Séeing it is so that al flesh hath corrupted his way before the face of God and that there is such abhomination amongest them I am perswaded the daye of Iudgement is not farre of For when iniquity shall haue filled vp his measure than shall the end of all appeare as Christ witnesseth in his Euangelie Philo. The day of the Lord cannot be farre of that is most certen For what wonderfull portents strang miracles fearful signes and dreadfull Iudgements hath he sente of late daies as Preachers fortellers of his wrath due vnto vs for our impeniteÌ„ce wickednes of life Hath he not caused the earth to treÌ„ble and quake the same Earth to remooue from place to place the seas and waters to roare swell brust out and euerflow their bankes to the destruction of many thousands hath he not caused the Elements and Skyes to send foorth flashing fire to raine downe wheat a wonderfull thing as euer was heard and the like hath he not caused wonderfull Eclypses in the Sunne and Moon with most dreadfull coniunctions of Starres and Planets as the like this thousand yeeres haue not béen heard of haue not the clowdes distilled downe aboundance of rayne and showres with all kinde of vnseasonable wether to the destroying almost of al thinges vppon the Earth haue we not séene Commets blasing starres firie Drakes men feighting in the ayre most fearfully to behold Hath not dame Nature her selfe denied vnto vs her operation in sending foorth abortiues vntimely births vgglesome monsters and fearfull mishapen Creatures both in man beast So that it séemeth all the Creatures of God are angrie with vs and threaten vs with destruction and yet we are nothing at all ameÌ„ded alas that shal become of vs RemeÌ„ber we not there is a God that shal iudge vs righteously that there is a Deuill who shall torment vs after this lyfe vnspeakably if we repent not At that day the wicked shall find that there is a Material Hell a place of all kinds of tortures wherein they shal be punished in fire and brimstone amongest the terrible Company of vgglesome Deuils world without end how light so euer they make account of it in this World For some such there be that when thei heare mention of Hell or of the paines therof in the other World they make a mocke at it thinking they be but metaphoricall speaches onely spoke to terrifie vs withall not otherwyse But certen it is as there is a God that will reward his Children so there is a Deuill that will remunerat his Seruaunts And as there is a Heauen a Materiall place of perfect ioye prepared for the Godly so there is a Hell a Materiall place of punishmeÌ„t for the wicked and reprobat prepared for the Deuil his Angels or els the word of God is in no wyse to be credited which blasphemie once to think God kéep all his Children from Spud. But they will easily auoid this for they say it is writ at what time so euer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne I wil put all his sin out of my remembrance saith y e Lord. So that if they maye haue thrée words at the last they will wish no more What think you of these felowes Philo. I think them no men but Deuills no Christians but worse thaÌ„ Tartarians and more to be auoided than y e poison of a serpent for the one slayeth but the body but the other both body soul for euer Wherfore let euery good Christen Man take heed of them and auoid them For it is truely said cum bonis bonus eris cum peruersis peruerseris with the good thou shall learne good but with the wicked thou shall be peruerted Spud. Do you think than that that cannot be a true repentance which is deferred to the last gaspe Ph. No truely For true repentance must spring out of a lyuelie faith with an inward lothing hating and detesting of sinnâ— But this deferred repentaÌ„ce springeth not of faith but rather of the feare of death which he â—éeth imminent before his eyes of the grief and tediousnes of paine of the Horror of Hell and feare of God his ineuitable iudgement which he knoweth now he must néeds abyde And therfore this can be no true repentance For there is two maner of repeÌ„taÌ„ces y e one a true repentaÌ„ce to life the other a false repentance to death As we maye sée by Iudas who is said to haue repented and which is more to haue confessed his faulte and which is most of all to haue made restitution and yet was it a false repentance And why because it sprang not out of true faith but as before Peter repented and wéept bitterly and was saued therby though he neither made coÌ„fession nor satisfaction and why Because it sprang of a true and lyuely faith So these felowes may say they repent but except it be a true repeÌ„tance springing of faith it can serue theÌ„ no more to life than the pretensed repentance of Iudas did serue him to saluation Let them