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there_o be_v many_o hercules_n for_o the_o author_n of_o zenophons_n aequivoca_fw-la say_v that_o the_o most_o ancient_a king_n of_o noble_a family_n be_v still_o call_v saturn_n their_o elder_a son_n jupiters_n and_o their_o hardy_a grandchidren_n hercules_n tully_n recount_v six_o of_o they_o hercules_n 6._o hercules_n 1._o son_n of_o the_o elder_a jove_n &_o liscitus_fw-la 2._o a_o egyptian_a son_n to_o nilus_n 3._o one_o deify_v among_o the_o idaeans_n 4._o son_n to_o astery_z latona_n daughter_n 5._o the_o indian_a belus_n 6._o the_o three_o jupiters_n son_n by_o alemena_n varro_n reckon_v 44._o hercules_n 44._o hercules_n siculus_n have_v but_o three_o of_o they_o 1._o a_o egyptian_a the_o worthy_a hercules_n 3._o hercules_n make_v general_n of_o the_o army_n by_o osiris_n for_o strength_n and_o valour_n he_o travayl_v most_o part_n of_o the_o world_n and_o erect_v a_o pillar_n in_o lybia_n he_o live_v before_o the_o second_o hercules_n alcmena_n son_n above_o 1000_o year_n and_o 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his_o hercules_n by_o probable_a conjecture_n never_o behold_v play_n at_o all_o and_o so_o as_o the_o proposition_n be_v overthrow_v the_o assumption_n of_o other_o that_o shall_v imitate_v he_o be_v disanuld_v and_o consequent_o the_o conclusion_n clean_o convince_v and_o further_o yet_o for_o unsoundnesse_n to_o be_v confound_v for_o where_o he_o say_v it_o may_v be_v imagine_v have_v achilles_n never_o live_v alexander_n have_v never_o conquor_v the_o world_n he_o be_v condemn_v even_o by_o alexander_n own_o word_n for_o when_o he_o go_v against_o jerusalem_n and_o that_o jaddus_n the_o high_a priest_n and_o the_o levite_n meet_v with_o he_o in_o their_o priestly_a robe_n show_v he_o the_o vision_n of_o god_n by_o daniel_n concern_v the_o greekish_a monarchy_n over_o the_o world_n it_o be_v record_v that_o he_o answer_v and_o this_o great_a god_n by_o a_o vision_n in_o my_o sleep_n encourage_v i_o to_o undertake_v this_o weighty_a
enterprise_n vision_n alexander_n vision_n so_o that_o not_o the_o life_n of_o achilles_n act_v before_o he_o but_o the_o divine_a vision_n prick_v he_o forward_o to_o the_o performance_n of_o his_o atchivement_n other_o thing_n follow_v which_o belong_v to_o the_o quality_n of_o play_n i_o transfer_v to_o handle_v till_o the_o latter_a part_n of_o my_o treatise_n where_o with_o other_o matter_n together_o they_o be_v to_o be_v confute_v but_o the_o next_o proof_n of_o antiquity_n for_o stageplays_a by_o m_n actor_n allege_v be_v out_o of_o ovid_n work_n that_o play_n be_v first_o institute_v in_o rome_n by_o romulus_n which_o to_o be_v such_o as_o stageplays_a be_v can_v never_o be_v affirm_v but_o to_o the_o contrary_n for_o the_o apologist_n himself_o do_v allege_v that_o the_o pattern_n of_o the_o first_o theatre_n in_o rome_n be_v bring_v from_o athens_n which_o act_n be_v after_o the_o expulsion_n of_o their_o king_n to_o show_v then_o to_o other_o for_o m_n actor_n himself_o know_v it_o what_o play_v they_o be_v play_n romulus_n his_o scircensian_a play_n they_o be_v circensian_a play_n such_o as_o be_v keep_v upon_o olympus_n mount_n to_o prove_v the_o warlike_a activeness_n of_o their_o youth_n in_o run_v leap_v sword-playing_a and_o the_o like_a and_o circenses_fw-la they_o be_v call_v because_o the_o place_n be_v encompass_v with_o sword_n of_o circa_n and_o ensis_n as_o say_v servius_n for_o the_o antiquity_n have_v not_o yet_o ordain_v fit_a place_n wherein_o to_o exercise_v their_o youth_n practise_v they_o betwixt_o a_o river_n side_n and_o a_o rank_n of_o sword_n that_o the_o idle_n may_v see_v danger_n on_o both_o side_n afterward_o tarqvinius_n priscus_n appoint_v a_o ring_n for_o they_o that_o the_o people_n may_v stand_v round_o as_o we_o make_v a_o ring_n for_o wrestler_n in_o morefield_n which_o be_v call_v circus_n maximus_fw-la and_o every_o year_n once_o say_v livy_n be_v these_o game_n celebrate_v be_v diverse_o name_v as_o magni_fw-la &_o romani_fw-la &_o circenses_fw-la next_o do_v m._n actor_n ground_n himself_o upon_o his_o very_a probable_a and_o important_a argument_n as_o he_o term_v it_o viz._n that_o in_o the_o time_n when_o theater_n most_o flourish_v at_o rome_n christ_n and_o his_o apostle_n sojourn_v on_o the_o earth_n yet_o neither_o in_o their_o sermon_n book_n act_n or_o document_n have_v they_o so_o much_o as_o name_v or_o touch_v they_o but_o be_v content_a to_o pass_v they_o over_o manifest_o false_a for_o it_o be_v a_o point_n to_o be_v hold_v and_o know_v it_o be_v for_o a_o truth_n that_o some_o sin_n there_o be_v which_o never_o be_v mention_v in_o holy_a write_v in_o specie_fw-la and_o shall_v we_o say_v then_o such_o be_v no_o sin_n nay_o some_o sin_n be_v in_o the_o scripture_n unspoken_a of_o which_o many_o most_o learned_a man_n be_v of_o opinion_n that_o they_o ought_v not_o to_o be_v public_o handle_v that_o the_o rather_o be_v unknown_a the_o hardness_n of_o man_n heart_n shall_v not_o move_v they_o to_o the_o commit_n of_o such_o enormity_n if_o know_v they_o be_v this_o be_v enough_o to_o convince_v and_o refute_v m._n actor_n important_a argument_n but_o it_o shall_v not_o suffice_v for_o it_o be_v even_o point_a at_o with_o the_o finger_n both_o in_o the_o old_a and_o in_o the_o new_a testament_n in_o the_o old_a moses_n set_v down_o a_o everlasting_a moral_a law_n both_o for_o the_o present_a and_o future_a time_n deut_n 18.9_o where_o he_o warn_v the_o israelite_n play_n proose_v of_o scripture_n against_o play_n that_o they_o shall_v not_o learn_v to_o do_v after_o the_o abomination_n of_o the_o gentile_n and_o what_o abomination_n be_v afterward_o more_o rife_o among_o the_o nation_n then_o play_v present_v in_o honour_n of_o their_o idol_n and_o in_o the_o new_a testament_n s._n paul_n 1_o cor_fw-la chap_n 8._o command_v the_o corinthian_n that_o they_o shall_v abstain_v from_o feast_v in_o idol_n temple_n and_o from_o thing_n consecrate_v to_o idol_n and_o act_v 15.20_o write_v unto_o they_o that_o they_o abstain_v themselves_o from_o filthiness_n of_o idol_n and_o verse_n 29._o that_o they_o abstain_v themselves_o from_o thing_n offer_v to_o idol_n now_o what_o be_v offer_v and_o consecrate_v to_o the_o honour_n of_o the_o idol_n god_n or_o devil_n more_o than_o play_n and_o what_o filthiness_n of_o idol_n shall_v they_o more_o avoid_v then_o play_n which_o the_o more_o obscene_a and_o scurrilous_a they_o be_v present_v the_o better_a please_v they_o the_o devil_n which_o command_v such_o solemnity_n to_o be_v keep_v as_o shall_v be_v declare_v hereafter_o wherein_o maybe_o espy_v the_o devil_n drift_n in_o institute_v of_o they_o that_o through_o their_o obscenity_n he_o may_v corrupt_v the_o gentile_n manner_n next_o do_v m._n actor_n object_n that_o god_n have_v create_v sundry_a thing_n for_o delight_n as_o jewel_n dainty_n and_o delicate_n to_o be_v moderate_o use_v the_o hare_n to_o be_v hunt_v the_o stag_n to_o be_v chase_v etc._n etc._n all_o this_o i_o deny_v not_o yet_o shall_v he_o never_o make_v i_o believe_v that_o god_n do_v ever_o allow_v of_o juggler_n and_o sortileger_n often_o speak_v against_o by_o moses_n nor_o of_o jester_n vice_n and_o player_n which_o be_v all_o of_o a_o crew_n next_o do_v m._n actor_n affirm_v he_o can_v never_o yet_o read_v any_o history_n of_o any_o commonwealth_n which_o do_v not_o thrive_v and_o prosper_v whilst_o these_o public_a solemnity_n be_v have_v in_o odoration_n here_o do_v he_o seek_v to_o blindfolde_v the_o world_n and_o lead_v we_o hoodwink_v in_o a_o most_o palpable_a error_n as_o though_o partly_o play_v uphold_v the_o slate_n of_o a_o commonweal_n and_o not_o rather_o virtue_n clean_o opposite_a against_o they_o but_o although_o the_o apologist_n have_v produce_v no_o example_n to_o confirm_v his_o allegation_n yet_o will_v i_o recite_v worthy_a memorial_n to_o the_o contrary_n rome_n commonwealth_n which_o in_o glory_n surpass_v all_o other_o in_o those_o time_n when_o theater_n most_o flourish_v then_o be_v most_o piteous_o rend_v and_o tear_v for_o a_o while_n after_o the_o institution_n of_o stageplay_n ensue_v those_o most_o lamentable_a civil_a war_n that_o be_v the_o overthrow_n of_o the_o city_n state_n as_o i_o will_v now_o declare_v wealth_n the_o fall_n of_o rome_n common_a wealth_n l._n sylla_n and_o marius_n two_o mighty_a citizen_n through_o their_o ambition_n envy_v each_o other_o so_o malicious_o that_o their_o private_a hatred_n grow_v into_o public_a faction_n and_o at_o last_o their_o discord_n be_v so_o great_a that_o they_o fight_v a_o set_a battle_n at_o porte_fw-fr esquiline_n where_o marius_n be_v put_v to_o the_o worst_a flee_v into_o africa_n marius_n thus_o overcome_v sylla_n go_v to_o war_n upon_o mithridates_n leave_v cinna_n and_o octavius_n consulle_v in_o the_o city_n but_o cinna_n desirous_a of_o innovasion_n sever_v himself_o from_o his_o fellow_n and_o be_v chase_v out_o of_o the_o city_n by_o he_o and_o his_o faction_n which_o injury_n cinna_n endeavour_v to_o revenge_n call_v back_o marius_n out_o of_o africa_n and_o he_o now_o make_v bloody_a war_n upon_o his_o country_n and_o enter_v it_o with_o his_o angry_a force_n and_o mighty_a power_n butcher_v up_o number_n in_o every_o corner_n of_o the_o city_n charge_v his_o soldier_n that_o to_o who_o so_o ever_o he_o return_v not_o the_o salute_n they_o shall_v immediate_o dispatch_v he_o by_o which_o mean_v a_o innumerable_a company_n noble_a and_o ignoble_a be_v slaughter_v and_o then_o in_o his_o seven_o consulship_n he_o die_v soon_o after_o come_v sylla_n out_o of_o asia_n and_o root_v out_o marius_n his_o son_n and_o all_o the_o whole_a faction_n of_o they_o utter_o and_o then_o take_v he_o upon_o he_o the_o perpetual_a dictatorship_n wherein_o he_o proscribe_v many_o thousand_o of_o the_o roman_a citizen_n with_o outrageous_a cruelty_n that_o they_o all_o thought_n marius_n a_o meek_a lamb_n in_o respect_n of_o he_o 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constantine_n the_o great_a who_o suppress_v play_v as_o do_v aurelius_n till_o the_o time_n of_o richard_n 2._o of_o england_n anno_fw-la 1390._o and_o edward_n 4._o anno_fw-la 1490._o and_o francis_n the_o french_a king_n anno_fw-la 1539_o he_o have_v nothing_o to_o say_v for_o himself_o but_o he_o must_v now_o needs_o confess_v that_o when_o christianity_n begin_v public_o to_o flourish_v abolish_v as_o christian_n encreise_v so_o pâ—â—yâ—â—_n be_v more_o and_o morâ—_n abolish_v than_o paganism_n daily_o more_o and_o more_o be_v abolish_v and_o at_o the_o last_o utter_o extinct_a in_o christendom_n till_o of_o late_a year_n first_o papistical_a friar_n and_o jesuit_n raise_v it_o up_o afresh_o next_o do_v m._n actor_n allege_v authority_n from_o cicero_n to_o prove_v that_o play_n be_v both_o in_o athens_n and_o lacedaemon_n in_o athens_n indeed_o they_o be_v but_o never_o in_o lacedemonia_fw-la happy_o there_o may_v be_v theater_n or_o place_n of_o prospect_n to_o behold_v their_o 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