foote or hande Yet playeth he the foole with other in the hande What newe kinde of daunces and newe deuised gestures the people haue deuised and daylye doe deuise it will grieue chaste eares to heare it good eyes to see it or tongue to vtter it so that it may truly be verified that the wyse man sayth He that will seeke for a dauncing place Shall finde there all maners that lacketh grace YOVTH God graunt that we may leaue this filthie vyce of Dauncing among all the rest and that the Magistrates and rulers may in such sort cut downe this wicked vice that it may be no more vsed and exercised and set sharpe punishment for the vsers and teachers thereof as is most meete for them so as God may be glorified and sinne abandoned AGE You haue made a very good prayer which I praye also vnto God it may take effect for his mercies sake Amen YOVTH Nowe giue me to vnderstande I praye you good father Age what aunswere shall I make vnto them that will alledge and say there must be some pleasures in our life and pastimes whereby we may be recreated and our wits refreshed that are wearied with toyle labour and studie AGE You must graunt them that but in the meane time they must be admonished that there are other pleasures more religious and honest as Saint Paule sayth Speake vnto your selues in psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs singing and making melodie to the Lorde in your heartes Agayne he sayth Let the worde of God dwell in you plenteously in all wisedome teaching and admonishing your owne selues in Psalmes c. singing to the Lord with grace in your hearts Also Saint Iames sayth Is any among you afflicted let him pray Is any merie let him sing Saint Tertullian sayth that Christians vsed assemblies togither to their moderate shorte suppers and when they were refreshed with meat they sang diuine prayses or recited some thing out of the holy Scriptures prouoking one another by them and by this meanes they returned home soberlye So Syrach sayth Stande vp betimes and be not the last but get thee home without delay and there take thy pastime and doe what thou wilt so that thou doe no euill or vse prowde wordes But aboue al things giue thanks vnto him that hath made thee and replenished thee with his goodes c. There are other honest pleasures as Problemes wherewith the wittes may be exercised and refreshed There are notable histories as the Actes and Monumentes of the Church made by That good and blessed manne maister Iohn Foxe For hystories sayth Cicero is a witnesse of tymes the light of truth the life of memorie the mystresse of lyfe the messenger of antiquitie c. Those prayses certainlye are great and yet they agree not with euery kynde of hystoriâ—s but with those onely in which these rules are obserued namely that it sette forth no lyes or bee afrayde to tell the truth c. whiche in my conscience neuer none wrote a more true and faythfull hystorie than maister Iohn Fore hath whatsoeuer the carping Papistes prate and say to the contrarie so that I say to you there is no hystorie so slender which is not verye muche profitable for some parte of mans life But aboue all let them reade the holy Scriptures and exercise themselues therein daye and night c. Saint Chrysostome sayth He that is ignorant shall finde to learne there he that is stubborne and a sinner may finde there scourges he that is troubled may finde there ioyes and comfort of eternall life c. It is a sea sayth Gregorie for Elephants to swimme in and the sillye Lambe to walke in c. These are the exercises that we ought to take our repast and pleasure in all the dayes of our lyfe c. Plato sayth That the life of a Philosopher is the meditation of death The like I may say that the lyfe of a christian man is a perpetuall studie and exercise of mortifying the fleshe vntill it be vtterly slaine the spirit getting the dominion in vs. YOVTH These are very good and godly exercises and necessarie to bee vsed in these daungerous dayes wherein wee nowe lyue AGE In deede if they doe consider the daungerous times that we are in they haue litle cause to vse those follies for in stead of playing they woulde vse praying in steade of Dauncing repenting for ioye sorowe for laughing mourning for myrth sadnesse for pride patience for wantonnesse wofulnesse c. Is it now thinke you a time to be mery dice daunce and playe seeing before our eyes howe the blouddie Papistes murther and slaughter in all places rounde aboute vs oure poore brethren that professe the Gospell of Iesu Christ. Christ wept ouer Ierusalem for his eminent and imminent destruction and doe we laugh at our brethrens destruction Christ sayde to the Iewes Suppose ye that those Galileans were greater sinners than all the other Galileans bicause they haue suffered such things I tell you nay But excepte you amende your liues ye shall all likewyse perishe So I saye to thee Englande Doest thou suppose that those French men whiche were cruellye murthered and vnnaturallye slaughtered by the bloudye and vnmercifull Papistes in Fraunce were greater sinners than thou art I tell thee nay But excepte thou Englande amende thy manners and bring forth better fruites of the Gospell thou wilte likewise perishe also For thou drawest iniquitie with cordes of vanitie and sinne as with Carte roapes And yet as Salomon sayeth They knowe not that they doe euill God graunt to open the eyes of Englande that it maye see his sinnes and be ashamed thereof and fall to repentaunce and to rent their heartes and not their garmentes and turne to the Lorde God for he is gracious and mercifull c. Lette the people therfore be gathered togither sanctifie the congregation gather the Elders assemble the children and those that sucke the breastes let the Bridegrome go forth of his chamber and hys Bryde out of hir Bryde chamber let the Priestes the Ministers of the Lorde weepe betweene the Porche and the Altare and let them saye Spare thy people O Lorde and gyue not thyne heritage into reproche that the Heathen Papistes shoulde reygne ouer vs. Wherefore shoulde they say among the people Where is their God YOVTH You haue made a godlye prayer and the Lorde graunt it may take effecte in vs all But I feare me it is as it was in the tyme of Abraham whyles hee prayed the people played whyles he wept they laughed whyles he desired they deferred and whyle hee persuaded God they daylye prouoked God to anger c. AGE Yet my sonne Abraham left not to pray for them neyther ought we for no doubt but God hath his children amoÌ„g the wicked of this world as he had Lot among the Sodomits Abdias with Achab and Iesabel Nichodemus among the Pharises
my soule thou hast a great deale layd vp for thee which wil last thee for many yeares now therfore take thy rest eate drinke and be of good cheare But in this Securitie what heard he of god thou foole this night thy soule shal be také away c. markest thou not how death coÌ„meth sodainly vpó him thinking to haue had al the cómodities pleasures of the world as ease rest delicious fare pastimes delectations and safegard of al his goods For this cause then Paule commaundeth vs to awake and bee in a readinesse at al times against the comming of the lord Christ our Sauiour also saith waâ—ch and pray least ye enter into tentatioÌ„ againe take heed to your selues least at any time your heartes bee oppressed with surfeting and dronkennesse and cares of this life and least that day come on you at vnwares For as a snare shall it come onal thé that dwel on the face of the earth like as it befell and happened in the time of Noe whéal the world was drowned and in the time of Lot when Sodome was burned with fire from heauen so verily the last day shal come sodainely at the twinckling of an eye euen when men loke least for it These things might be faire examples and sufficient warnings for vs if wee were not more than senselesse The fift cause is the hope of long life Among many euilles naughty affections which folow the nature of man corrupted by sinne none bringeth greater inconuenience than the inordinate hope of long life as Cicero saith no man is so olde and aged that he perswadeth not himselfe that he may liue a whole yeare This is the cause why we defer the reformation of our liues and reméber not that we haue an account to make at the last day It is to be wondered that men do put of and defer such a great and weightie matter and loke no more of a thing which profiteth so much and is so necessarie vnto saluation The very heathen I feare me shal in the last iudgement be a reproch to vs Christians in that we are so slouthfull and haue almost minde at no time to repent and amend our liuings Pythagoras rule and custome was wheÌ„ he weÌ„t to take reste to recken and call to remembraunce what thing so euer he had said or done good or bâ—d the day before which Virgil speaking of a godlye and vertuous man painteth out to vs learnedly how he neuer slept til he called to remébráce al things that he did that day c. I can not let passe that which Seneca speaketh of this form and order Sextus saith hâ— at the euening ere he weÌ„t to rest accustomed to aske of his minde certain questions what ill and naughty condition hast thou this day amended what vice hast thou withstanded what art thou better now than when thou diddest arise And after he addeth this what better forme can there be than this to examine the whole day againe in this wise And this rule saint Paul giueth also saying let a man therfore examine himself c. if we would iudge our selues we should not be iudged But now of the contrarie let vs consider our exercises how we vse to recken our faultes and examine the whole day again at night ere we go to rest and slepe how are we occupied verily we kepe ioly cheare one with an other in banquetting surfeting and dronkennesse also we vse al the night long in ranging from town to town and from house to house with Mummeries and Maskes Diceplaying Carding and Dauncing hauing nothing lesse in our memories than the day of death for SalomoÌ„ byddeth vs remember our end and last day and theÌ„ we shal neuer do amisse but they remeÌ„ber it not therfore they do amisse The bereuiti of our life is compared in Scriptures vnto the smoke vapour grasse a flower shadow a span long to a weauers web to a post c. teaching here by that we should be alwayes preparing to die for that we know not what hour it wil come therfore as wise Virgins let vs prepare oyle readie in our lampes for doubtlesse the day of the lord is not farre off Dare we take our rest and boldely to sleape in these our wicked sinnes in which if any man should die as no man is sure that he shall liue the next morow folowing he were vtterly cast away condemned body soule but alas these things they remeÌ„ber not In such wise they flatter theÌ„selues with hope of longer lyfe fith with the which so many men be deceiued how childish are they or rather how do they dote which do perswade themselues that they be exempted out of the number of those as it were by some singular priuiledge and prerogatiue These are the chiefest causes that we liue so wickedly as we do in these dayes Take away therfore the causes the effectes wil easily be remedied And for the curing of three notable vices amoÌ„g all the reste I haue here made according to my small skill a Treatise against Diceplaying Dauncing and vayne playes or Enterluds Dialogue wise betwene Age Youth wherin thou shalt finde great profit and commoditie and how in al ages times and seasoÌ„s these wicked c detestable vices of ydlenesse Diceplaying Dauncing and vaine Enterludes hath bin abhorred detested of al nations and also among the Heathens to the great shame condemnation of Christians that vse no playe nor pastime nor any exercise more than Diceplaying Dauncing and Enterludes Now therfore friendly Reader I haue laboured for thy sake with my poore penne to bring forth this small volume that thou seest VVherin I haue to request and desire thy friendly acceptaunce of the same bycause it is a pledge and token of my good hart will to thee for which if thou canst afourde me thy good worde I aske no more it shal not be the last if God leÌ„d me life that thou shalt receiue of me As for Aristaâ—chus broode and Zoilus generation lurking loyterers Dicers Dauncers Enterlude Players frantike findefaults dispraysing and condemning â—uerye good endeuour I wey them not I am not the first though the simplest and rudest that their venemous tongs typped with the Mettal of infamy and slaunder haue torne in pieces vncharitably abused god forgiue theÌ„ Accept thou therfore I beseech the cutteous Reader this my trauel good meaning in the best part Thus I bid thee farewel From Henbury Iohn Northbrooke ¶ A Treatise against Idlenes Idle Pastimes and Playes YOVTH AGE GOD blesse you and well ouertaken good father Age. AGE And you also good sonne Youth YOVTH From whence came you nowe good father if I may be so bolde to presume of your curtesie to demaunde of you AGE I came from thence whereas you oughte to haue bene and resort vnto YOVTH What place is that I pray you declare to me AGE In good sooth it is that place whiche you
religionis that is The Sabboth day was appointed of God not for Idlenesse simplye Idlenesse of it selfe is no where allowed of God therefore the ydlenesse of the Sabboth day was commended for another purpose that is for the studie and diligent desire of religion Therefore he commaunded to rest from our handie labors that wee might bestowe all that time in the exercise of religion It is likewise in the very same commaundement sayde that God rested the seauenth day c. Shall we cōclude with the heretikes that God sitteth ydelly in heauen and hath no care of his creatures by his heauenly prouidence nowe he hath once created them God forbid This rest of God as the Scripture testifieth was à creatione sed non à gubernatione it was from creating but not from gouerning and ordering them For he doth alwayes by his power sustaine them by his prouidence gouerne and rule them and by his goodnesse nourishe them Wee must rest therefore from handie and bodily workes but we must not cease from such works as pertaine vnto the true worshipping of god This seruice among the fathers were vsed in iiij things that is First in reading interpreting and hearing of Scriptures Secondly in prayers publike and priuate in celebrating and receyuing of Sacraments Thirdly in collecting and gathering for the poore and indigent Fourthly in visiting and distributing to the poore and making of peace and vnitie among neighbours where any controuersie was YOVTH Then I perceyue we must refrayne from all other labors vpon the Sabboth except those which you haue specified and so of necessitie we ought not to vse any labour or work what neede or necessitie soeuer there shoulde be AGE You must note that the Sabboth was made for man and not man for the Sabboth and therefore is the sonne of man Lorde ouer the Sabboth The Sabboth was instituted of God to conserue man and not to destroy man and therfore the Sabboth is to be dispensed withall as often as it shall be through our necessitie safetie or health so required Of the which thing our Sauiour Christ disputeth in Mathew and Luke for in such things the libertie of the Christians doth consist And wheras the Priests and Leuites were exercised openly in slaying of beastes in the Temple scumming seething and burning them prepared for their sacrifices were not counted guiltie of the breache of the Sabboth daye In lyke sort it shall be lawfull to prepare meate for our neede on the Sabboth day and to feede the body Mattathius thought it had not bene lawfull to fight vppon the Sabboth day but when he considered the ende of the Sabboth howe it was ordeyned to preserue and not to destroye willed all men to make battell vpon the Sabboth day bicause they might not die all of them as their brethren did whiche were murthered by their enimies So it is lawfull vpon the Sabboth daye to heale the sicke to visit the sicke and prisoners to succour the needy to fight in defence that we may preserue the creature of god If it bee lawfull as Christ sayth to drawe a beast out of a ditch or myre on the Sabboth day why is it not lawfull on the Sabboth daye to saue a house that is ready to fall or a burning or to moore a ship faster that is ready to runne against the rockes Why is it not lawfull on the Sabboth day to gather togither corne or haye which hath layne abrode a long time and to saue it least it shuld through the iniurie and force of the weather and hie floudes and springs of waters be vtterly destroyed YOVTH If it be so as you haue sayde why then did Moses and Aaron commaunde the congregation to stone to death that man that was founde gathering stickes vpon the Sabboth day And why doth God threaten such plagues on those that carie any burthen on the Sabboth day AGE In that he was stoned to death was not simplye for gathering of stickes or that he did this of necessitie or of ignorance and simplicitie as some suppose but for that he did it of set purpose consumeliously obstinately and stubbornely didde breake and violate this commaudement of God Or as it were in spite of Moses Gods magistrate woulde doe this in the open face of all people teaching others by his example to do the like therfore Moses commaunded to stone him to death according to the lawe For if he had done it of ignorance necessitie and simplicitie then shoulde not he haue died as it is expressed in the very same chapter but certaine burnt offerings had bene offered to the Lorde for him c. But sayeth the Lawe if anye person doeth presumptuously despise the worde of the Lorde and breake his commaundements he shall be vtterly cut off from among the people c. Whereby you may perceyue that he was put to death for his contempt against the Lorde And for that cause Lyra◠supposeth this man was first kept in prison vntill it was tryed out whether he did it contemptuously or ignorantly And for that God sayth He that defileth the Sabboth shall die the death c. It was repeated of God for a speciall poynte teaching hereby that the whole keeping of the lawe standeth in the true vse of the Sabboth which is to cease from our workes and to obey the will of god For the obseruation of the Sabboth doth extende as well vnto the faith we haue in God as vnto the charitie of oure neighbors Also by this example we see the authoritie of the magistrate howe it is not onelye to punishe matters and faultes committed agaynst the seconde table but also for faultes and trespasses committed against the first table for matters touching religion So S. Augustine sayth In hoc Reges sicut eis diuinitus praecipitur Deo seruiunt in quantum Reges sunt si in suo regno bona iubeant mala prohibeant non solùm quae partinent ad humanam societatem verum etiam quae ad diuinam religionem that is In this Kings as it is commaunded them of God doe serue God as Kings if in their kingdome they commaunde good things and forbid euill things not onely those things which pertayne to humaine societie but also to all godly religion Some read of Nabuchodonosor howe he serued God when he forbad by a terrible law all men dwelling in his kingdome from blaspheming god So likewise we may reade of that godly king Ezechias how he destroyed the temple of the Idols c. Whereby we see that Princes may lawfully deale in matters of religion and also may lawfully put to death open and obstinate Papistes and heretikes that holde any false doctrine manifestly against the worde and commaundement of God. Whereas Christ sayth Let both the tares and wheate growe togither vntill the Haruest c. appertayneth nothing vnto the Magistrate but vnto the
Spiritus est vicarius Christi in terra A TREATISE wherein Dicing Dauncing Vaine playes or Enterluds with other idle pastimes c. commonly vsed on the Sabbeth day are reproued by the Authoritie of the word of God and auntient writers Made Dialoguewise by Iohn Northbrooke Minister and Preacher of the word of God. Cicero de officijs lib. 1. We are not to this ende borne that we should seeme to be created for play and pastime but we are rather borne to say onesse to certaine grauer and greater studies AT LONDON Imprinted by H. Bynneman for George Byshop TO THE RIGHT VVORshipfull Sir Iohn Yong Knight his singular good friend Iohn Northbrooke wisheth increase of faith and knowledge in Iesu Christ continual health ioyful prosperity wyth as much increase of worship WHen I cal to minde right worshipful the excellent saying of the diuine Philosopher that saith Non nobis soluÌ„ natisumus ortusque nostri parteÌ„ patria vendicat partem parentes parteÌ„ amici c. we be borne not for our selues alone but some parte of our birth our countrey some part our pareÌ„â—s some part our friends do claime c. Plato did know only by the light of natural reason that al excellente and good giftes came of god and were giuen to the intente that a man shoulde therewith helpe and profite others Of like opinion were all the Philosophers which had tasted of honest discipline and learning made me to enterprise and take this treatise in hand that I mought therby helpe those that are diseased with any of these diseases either of diceplaying dauncing or vaine playes or enterludes whiche raigneth too too much by so much amoÌ„gst ChristiaÌ„s especially in these dayes and light of the Gospel of Christ c. who soeuer therfore doth â—hinke him self to be a member of the commoÌ„ wealth of Christ which is his mistical body he must nedes much more be inforced of Christian knowledge and charitie to imploy his labours in bestowing those giftes which God hath giuen him to the profit of others than those Philosophers which knew not god aright in his word through Iesus Christ. Saint Paul verie aptly by a similitude compareth the churche of Christ to a natural bodie c. As in the natural bodie euerie member helpeth the whole for we see that there is in a natural bodie such an affection and desire of euerie member to helpe and maintaine the other that not only the senses be readie to do their part and office as the eie to see the eare to heare the nose to smel the tong to tast c. so likewise in the rest of the senses but also al the other parts of the bodie do so much care for the whole that they refuse no danger though it be neuer so great to helpe and succour the same If anie man then which beareth the name of a Christian and of a Gospeller shal espy forth anie thing that may conduce and benefite the mystical bodie and doeth not his endeuour to the vttermost to bring the same ther vnto verily he is to be thought an vnprofitable member not worthy in my iudgemeÌ„t to be accompted of that meÌ„ber of whom Christ Iesus is the head And also that he had not tasted of the spirit of god which neither moued with example of the heathen nor with loue towards the brethren considering the great daungers that might ensue here vpoÌ„ would take some paines and endeuour to procure medicines so farfoth as in him lieth to ease help the same VVhich according to my exiled and slender learning haue made this little treatise againste Diceplaying Dauncing and Vaine playes or Enterludes giuing herein medicines and remedies against these diseases which most of al trouble the whole mébers of the body although at the first it seeme not toothsome yet I dare auâ—uch it is holesome VVe can be content for the health of our bodies to drinke sharp potions receiue and indure the operation of extreme purges to obserue precise hard diets to bridle our affectioÌ„s desires c. much more shold we so do for the health of our soules And wher should we seeke for this helth of our soules but only at Christ Iesus who is our only PhisitioÌ„ who calleth eueryone to himself that is burdened hevy lode and he will refresh theÌ„ thâ—s is that syrie serpent that as manie as toke vpon him should liue this is that I sope which purgeth vs this is that red Cow without blemish not vsed to the yoke that maketh vs white This is that sparrow which was staine c. to set vs at libertie This is the Lambe that taketh awaie our sinnes original and actual This is that Peliâ—aÌ„ which giueth out his own hart bloud to remain as his yong ones that haue ben stoong to death by the poyson of SataÌ„ As S. Ambrose saith Omnia Christus est nobis Sivulnus curare desideras medicus est S febribus estuas sons est Si grauaris inquitate iusticia est Si auxilio indiges virtus est Si morté times vita est Si coeâ—uÌ„ desideras via est Si tenebras fugis lux est Si cibÌ„u quaeris alimentuÌ„ est Gustate igitur et videte quam suauis est dominus beatus vir qui sperat in eo That is If thou desire to be healed of thy disease Christ is thy Phisition if thou wilt haue awaie the burning ague of sinne he is thy colde fountaine If thou be grieued with thine iniquities he is thy righteousnesse if thou be weake he is thy strength if thou fearest death he is thy life if thou desirest heauen he is the way if thou wilte auoyde darknesse hee is light if thou be hungry he is thy nourishment O taste therefore and see how sweete the Lord is blessed is the man that trusteth in him After I had gathered togither this simple worke which lay far abroad so had finished this treatise I mused with my selfe vnto what Patron I mought best direct the same In fine I found none more fit than your worship cosidering your vertuous and godly dispositioÌ„ which answereth your zelous and true profession of the gospel for I am assured you vtterlye defie and detest al kinde of Poperie whatsoeuer and for that I perceiue my selfe something addict and tyed with the bondes of singular great friendship flowing from you to me In recoÌ„pence wher of bicause I haue none other treasures to exhibite vnto you but onlie this little talent of my base and simple learning I do here dedicate vnto youre worship this hooke named a treatise against Diceplaying Dauncing and vain playes or Enterluds although rude homely yet I doubt not plaine profitable for these times of ours wherein we liue wherin I haue to craue that nothing more hartily I can obtest then your friendly acceptance of the same for it is a token of my hearty good wil remembring
what not to deceyue And therefore to conclude I saye with that good Father Saint Cyprian The playe at Cardes is an inuention of the Deuill which he founde out that he might the easilier bring in ydolatrie amongst men For the Kings and Coate cardes that we vse nowe were in olde time the images of Idols and false Gods which since they that woulde seeme Christians haue chaunged into Charlemaine Launcelot Hector and such like names bicause they would not seeme to imitate their idolatrie therein and yet maintaine the playe it selfe the verye inuention of Satan the Deuill and woulde so disguise this mischiefe vnder the cloake of suche gaye names YOVTH They vse to playe at Cardes commonly alwayes after Supper c. AGE I will condemne no man that doth so But Plato sayth in his Banket that Players and Minstrels that are vsed after suppers is a simple pastime and fit for brutish and ignorant men which knowe not howe to bestowe their time in better exercises I may with better reason say the lyke by all Carders and Diceplayers YOVTH What say you to the play at Tables AGE Playing at Tables is farre more tollerable although in all respectes not allowable than Dyce and Cardes are for that it leaneth partlye to chaunce and partly to industrie of the mynde For although they cast in deede by chaunce yet the castes are gouerned by industrie and witte In that respecte Plato affirmed that the liâ—e of manne is lyke vnto the playe at Tables For euen as sayeth he in Table playe so also in the lyfe of man if anye thing go not verye well the same must bee by arte corrected and amended c. as when a caste is euill it is holpen agayne by the wysedome and cunning of the Player YOVTH What say you to the play at Chesse is that lawfull to be vsed AGE Of all games wherein is no bodilye exercise it is most to be commended for it is a wise play and therefore was named the Philosophers game for in it there is no deceyte or guyle the witte thereby is made more sharpe and the remembraunce quickened and therefore maye bee vsed moderately Yet doe I reade that that notable and constant martyr Iohn Hus repented him for his playing at Chesse saying I haue delighted to play oftentimes at Chesse and haue neglected my time and thereby haue vnhappily prouoked both my selfe and other to anger many times by that playe wherefore sayth he besides other my innumerable faultes for this also I desire you to inuocate the mercie of the Lorde that he would pardon me c. O mercifull Lorde if this good and gracious Father and faythfull martyr of Christ did so earnestly repent him for his playing at Chesse which is a game without hurt what cause then hath our Dice and Cardplayers to repent and craue pardon at Gods hands for their wicked and detestable playing And I pray vnto God for his Christes sake that this good martyr maye be a patrone and an ensample for all them to followe YOVTH Well nowe I perceiue by you that Table playing and Chesse playing may be vsed of any man soberly and moderately â— in my iudgement you haue said well for that many men who by reason of sickenesse and age cannot exercise the powers of their bodies are to be recreated with some pleasure as with Tables or Chesse playing AGE The sicke and aged haue more neede to pray than to play considering they hasten to their graue and therefore haue neede to say alwayes with Iob The graue is my house darkenesse is my bed rottennesse thou art my father and wormes are my mother and sister c. Salomon sayth Though a man lyue many yeares and in them all he reioyce yet he shall remember the dayes of death all that commeth is vanitie c. Yet I doe not vtterly deny but that these kinde of playes serue suche that sometime they may be permitted so that they bring no hurt refreshe the powers be ioyned with honestie without playing for any mony at all And that that time which shoulde be spent vpon better things be not bestowed vpon these playes in anye wise that henceforth sayth Saint Peter they shoulde liue as muche tyme as remayneth not after the lusts of men but after the will of god c. ¶ A Treatise against Dauncing NOwe that you haue so well contented my minde as touching Diceplaying c. I beserche you let me trouble you a little further to knowe whether Dauncing be tollerable and lawfull to be vsed among Christians or no AGE If your demaunde be generall of all kynde of Dauncings then I must make a distinction If you speake speciallye of our kynde and maner of Dauncing in these our dayes then I say it is not lawfull nor tollerable but wicked and filthie and in any wyse not to be suffered or vsed of any christian YOVTH Are there diuers kyndes of Dauncing AGE Yea that there are YOVTH I am desirous to knowe them least I do through ignorance confounde one in another and one for another AGE There are Daunces called Chorea which signifieth ioye bicause it is a certayne testification of ioye And Seruius when he interpreteth this verse of Uergil Omnis quam chorus socij comitantur onantes that is When all the Daunce fellowes folowed with myrth sayth that Chorus is the singing and dauncing of such as be of like age There is also another kynde of dauncing whereby men were exercised in warrelike affayres for they were commaunded to make gestures and to leape hauing vpon them their armour for that afterwarde they might be the more prompt to fight when neede for the publike weale should require this kynde of dauncing was called Saltatio Pyrrhica bicause it was exercised in armour Of those Daunces Plato speaketh largely c. There is another kynde of Dauncing which was instituted onely for pleasure and wantonnesse sake this kynde of Daunces Demetrius Cynicus derided calling it a thing vayne and nothing worth And if you speake onely of this kynde of Daunce I say as he sayth it is vaine foolish fleshly filthie and diuelishe YOVTH Who was the first inuentour and deuisor of thys latter kinde of Dauncing AGE There are diuers opinions hereof For as Solynus sayth it was first deuised in Crete by one Pyrthus that was one of Sybilles priestes Others saye that the Priestes of Mars called Salij inuented it for they were had among the Romanes in great horrour for their dauncing Others doe referre it to Hiero a tyrant of Sicilia for that he to establishe his tyrannie forbade the people to speake one to another Wherevpon men in Sicilia began to expresse their meanings and thoughts by books and gestures of the body which thing aftewarde turned into an vse and custome Some others suppose that men when they behelde the sundrie motions of the wandring starres founde out dauncing Others affirme that it came from the olde Ethnickes
Matthew and Zacheus among the toll takers Paule among the persecuting lawyers and Scribes c. YOVTH Truely good father I see that as they vsed Lot so are the preachers now vsed for the more they call them backe froÌ„ playing and Dauncing the faster they runne forwarde the harder they crye the deafer they are the more they loue them the worse they hate them AGE That is lamentable that the preachers are become their enimies for telling them truth and their foes for helping them The old saying is true Veritas odium parit Truth getteth hatred yet they must not leaue off to preach the word continually in season and out of season improue rebuke exhort with all long sufferings and doctrine let them cast out the seede of Gods word and let the Lord alone with the increase thereof YOVTH There was neuer more preaching worse liuing neuer more talking and lesse following neuer more professing and lesse profyting neuer more wordes and fewer deedes neuer trewer faith preached and lesse workes done than is now which is to be lamented and sorowed AGE You must not nor ought not to impute it vnto the preaching of Gods word but vnto the wickednesse and peruerse nature of mans corruption you know my sonne by the buds and fruits of trees times are discerned and known So truely by these their fruites which springeth of their corrupt and rotten trees of their flesh we are taught in the Scriptures that the time of haruest is at hand For Christ sayth that as the dayes of Noe were so likewise shall the comming of the sonne of man be for in the dayes before the floude came they did eate and drinke mary and gaue in mariage plant buy and sel c. and knew nothing til the floud came and tooke them al away c. he sayth also iniquitie shal be increased and the loue of many shall abate the preachers shal be hated and euil spoken of they shall bee excommunicated and killed c. And Paul also speaketh of those fruites largely that men shall bring forth in the last dayes saying This knowe also that in the latter dayes shal come perillous times for men shal be louers of their owne selues couetous boasters proude cursed speakers disobedient to parents vnthankful vnholy without natural affection trucebreakers false accusers intemperate fierce despisers of them which are good traytours heady high minded louers of pleasures more than louers of god hauing a shewe of godlinesse c. al which fruites wee may see euidently with our eyes raigning too much in al estats degrees Therfore it is no marueyle if they hate the light of Gods word for that their deedes are so euill and nowe made manifest to the world for he that doth euil hateth y light saith our sauior Christ c. YOVTH Truely you haue declared their fruites wherby we may easily gather that the day of iudgement is not far off but al this while they passe not for any exhortations nor haue any regard and consideration in the day of iudgement for they doe imagine with themselues that there is no immortalitie of the soule and that it is but a fable of Robyn hoode to tel them of the day of iudgemente and thinke death ought neuer to be remembred of them AGE These are the same people that saint Peter speaketh of saying This first vnderstand that there shal come in the last dayes mockers which wil walke after their lusts and say where is the promise of his comming for since the fathers died all things continue alike from the beginning of the creation Euen such as those Epicures and Atheistes which you speake of And Syrach sheweth the reason why these wicked ones cannot abide death O saith he how bitter is the remembrance of death to a maÌ„ that liueth at rest in his possessions and pleasures c. Althoughe they vse to say for a little time come let vs inioy the pleasures that are prâ—sent let vs al be partakers of our wantonnesse let vs leaue some token of our pleasure in euery place For that is our portioÌ„ and this is our Lot but one day they shal cry out and say in bitternesse of conscience if they repent not in time what hath pride profyted vs or what profit hath the pompe of riches and pleasures brought vs al these things are passed away like a shadow and as a post that passeth by Therfore sayth Salomon the hope of the vngodly is like the dust that is blowen away with the winde and like a thinne fome that is scattered abroad with the storme and as the smoke that is dispersed with the winde and as the remembraunce of him passeth that tarieth but for a day but the righteous shal liue for euer their reward also is with the Lord the most high hath care of them c. Now my sonne Youth time calleth me away I wil take my leaue and commit you to the tuitioÌ„ of the Almightie for I must hasten homeward and loke what I haue sayde to you kepe it practise it all your life long loke backe no more to filthy Sodom least it happen to you as did to Lots wife neither turne to your vomet like a dogge neyther yet to your filthy puddle and myre like a swyne for if you do â–ª your portioÌ„ wil be with those that shal be shut out of gods kingdome For if you after you haue escaped from the filthinesse of the worlde through the knowledge of the Lord are yet intaÌ„gled again therin and ouercome the latter end is worse with you than the beginning c. Therfore be neuer obliuious for as the wiseman saith Tantum scimus quantum memoria tenemus So much we know assuredly As we do hold in memory YOVTH I giue you most humble thankes for your good and godly counsel and fatherly instructioÌ„s and by gods grace I shall hereafter hate among al other vices this naughty loytering idlenesse prodigal wastful Diceplaying and filthy wanton Dauncing I wil draw and perswade as many as I can or may by any meanes froÌ„ it likewise by the grace of Iesus Christ I shal neuer let slip out of my minde these your godly sayings and fatherly instructions but wil write them vp in my hart AGE If you so do it is very wel and in al your actions and doings what soeuer you take in hande remember the ende and you shal neuer do amisse YOVTH God graunt that I may so do AGE Farewel my son Youth God blesse thee and rule thee alwayes with his holy spirit in the end and to the end YOVTH And you also good father for his Christes sake Amen FINIS Cicero Lib. 1. de officâ—s 1. Cor. 10.24 Iames. 1.17 1. Cor. 12.12.14.20 Col. 1.18 Rom. 12.4.5.6.7 2. Cor. 11.15.16.17.21.22.27 1. Cor. 12.26 Gal. 6.12 Col. 3.16 Prouerb 27.23 Col. 1.18 Ephe. 5.23 Esay 53.4 Luke 9.17 Cap. 11.28 Numb 21.9 Cap. 3.16