Enterludes should be banished upon Sabbath dayes and not long after many godly Cittizens and wel-disposed Gentlemen of London considering that Play-houses and Dicing-houses were traps for yong Gentlemen and others and perceiving the many inconveniences and great damage that would ensue upon the long suffring of the same not onely to particular persons but to the whole Citty and that it would also be a great disparagement unto the Governours and a dishonour to the government of this honourable Citty if they should any longer continue acquainted some pious Magistrates therewith desiring them to take some speedy course for the suppression of common Play-houses and Dicing-houses within the Citty of London and Liberties thereof Who thereupon made humble suite to Queene Elizabeth and her Privy Councell and obtained leave from her Maiesty to thrust the Players out of the Citty and to pull downe all Play-houses and Dicing-houses within their Liberties which accordingly was effected and the Play-houses in Gracious-street Bishops-gate-street that niâ—h Pauls that on Ludgate-hill and the White-Friers were quite put downe and suppressed by the care of these religious Senators And surely writes my Author had all their Successors followed their worthy steps sinne would not at this day have beene so powerfull and raigning as it is This memorable Act of suppressing Play-houses by our London Magistrates by Authority from our vertuous Queene Elizabeth and her most Sage Privy Counsell as intolerable grievances and annoyances to our chiefe Christian Metropolis is an infallible argument that they all reputed them unsufferable corruptions in a Christian State Now as these pious Magistrates demolished Play-houses and thrust out all Players from within their Liberties which now have taken sanctuary in some priviledged places without their Iurisdiction so divers sage and pious Iustices of Peace and Magistrates in sundry Citties and Counties of our Realme have from time to time punished all wandring Stage-players as Rogues notwithstanding the Master of the Revels or other mens allowance who have no legall authority to license vagrant Players and in cases where they have had Commissions to act they have oft denyed them liberty so to doe within their Iurisdictions lest their lascivious prophane and filthy Playes should corrupt the people and draw them on to vice All which sufficiently demonstrates what our Magistrates thinke of Players and Stage-playes which our whole State and Kingdome have condemned as I shall now make evident by some Acts of Parliament In 4. of Henry the IV. cap. 27. I finde this Act of Parliament made Item to eschew many diseases and mischiefes which hath hapned before this time in the Land of Wales by many Wasters Rimours Minstrels and other Vacabonds It is ordained and stablished that no Master-rimour Minstrill nor Vacabond be in any wise sustained in the Land of Wales to make commoâ—thes nor gathering upon the people there Loe here an ancient Statute banishing all Players Rimours and Minstrels out of Wales as the Authors of many commotions disorders and mischiefes In 3. Henry 8. cap. 9. there was this Law enacted against Mummers For as much as lately within this Realme divers persons have disguised and apparelled themselves and covered their faces with Visours or other things in such manner as they should not be knowne and divers of them in a company together naming themselves Mummers have come to the dwelling place of divers men of honour and substantiall persons and so departed unknowne whereupon murthers felony rape and other great hurts and inconveniences have afore-time growne and hereafter be like to come by the colour thereof if the said disorder should continue not reformed Wherefore be it enacted by the King our Soveraigne Lord c. that if any persons hereafter disguise or apparell them with Visours or otherwise upon their faces and so disguised or apparelled as Mummers or persons unknowne by reason of their apparell associate or accompany them together or apart and attempt to enter into the house of any person or persons or assault or affrayes make upon any person or persons in the Kings high-way or any other place in forme afore disguised that then the said Mummers or disguised persons and every of them shall be arrested by any of the Kings leige people as suspects or Vacabonds and be committed to the Kings Gaole there to be imprisoned by the space of 3. monethes without bayle or mainprise and then to make fine to the King by the discretion of the Iustices by whom they shall be delivered out of prison And also it is ordained and enacted by the said Authority that if any person or persons sell or keepe any Visours or Visour in his house or in any other place within this Realme afâ—er the feast of Easter next comming and after this Act proclaimed that the said person that keepeth the said Visour or Visours shall forfeit to the King our Soveraigne Lord for every Visour 22. s. And further shall suffer imprisonment and make fine after the discretion of the Iustices afore whom he is thereof convicted by examination or by inquisition after the course of the Common-law Vpon the consideration of which Statute Polydor Virgil writing of Stage-playes and Mummers records That onely England of all other Countries did not as yet behold these personated beasts neither truely will she see them since among the English who in this thing are farre wiser then others there is this law that it shall be caâ—itall for any person to put on a Visour or Players habit Which Statute as may be collected from Polydor who wrote about some 10. yeeres after it extends as well to Players as Mummeâ—s In 2. 3. of Philip and Mary cap. 9. intituled An Act to avoyd divers licenses of houses wherein unlawfull games be used upon the humble Petition of the Commons to the Queene in Parliament it was inacted That whereas by reason of sundry Licences heretofore granted to divers persons as well within the Citty of London and the Suburbs of the same as also in divers other places of the Realme for the having maintaining and keeping of Houses Gardens places for Bowling Tennise and Dicing a game prohibited as unlawfull by sundry other of our Statutes viz. By 12. Richard 2. c. 6.11 Henry 4. cap. 4. 17. Edward 4. cap. 3.11 Henry 7. cap. 2.19 Henry 7. cap. 12. 33. Henry 8. cap. 9. where Dice-play is stiled an unlawfull unprofitable ungracious and incommendable game whereby divers are utterly undone and impoverished of their goods and by meanes whereof divers and many murthers robberies and other hainous felonies were oftentimes committed in divers parts of the Realme See 17. Edw. 4. c. 3. and thereupon it is severely condemned under great mulcts and punishments the Dice-players being to forfeit ten pound a peece and to suffer two yeeres imprisonment and such as keepe any Dicing-houses to forfeit twenty pound a peece and to suffer 3. yeeres imprisonment c. for white and
to honour wealth or fame especially in declining viâ—ious turbulent or discontented times Wherefore since obsolete unknowne sinnes are alwayes freest from imitation and more â—asily avoyded then sinnes divulged though with shame disdaine or punishment whence wise Lawgivers have rather chosen to inact no publike Lawes against vnnaturall rare-committed crimes then to prohibit them by publike Edicts vnder the severest punishments for feare the publike knowledge of them by meanes of knowen Edicts should make them more frequent in mens practise it were farre more commodious lesse dangerous lesse pernitious that those vnparalleld forgotten villanies whose memory is revived on the Stage were for ever drowned in oblivion then re-imprinted in mens mindes by Vice-perpeâ—uating Stage-playes ne exempla fiant quae iam esse facinora destiterunt least our depraved times should make those moth-eaten wickednesses the patternes of their imitation which all-devouring antiquitie had expunged out of the much enlarged Catalogue of moderne sinnes Lastly if Stage-playes doe onely discover Vices for to make them odious then those lascivious Pagans who most delighted in them should have beene meliorated and morâ—alized by them But the best Christian and Pagan Authors vnanimously agree that Theatricall Playes and Poems were the chiefe corrupters of their mindes and manners the most effectuall propagators of all kinde of vice there being none so vitious and lascivious as those Pagan Greekes and Romans who most frequented Stage-playes Therefore the acting of such vices doth daily propagate and diffuse them not decrease them Since therefore the subiect matter of Stage-playes is thus heathenish vitious and prophane consisting of the fabulous histories ceremonies vices names and execrable wickednesses of Pagan gods and men which should not once be named among Christians we may hence also conclude them to be sinfull and utterly unlawfull unto Christians SCENA QVARTA FOurthly the subject matter of our stage-Playes is for the most part false and fabulous consarcinated of sundry merry Iudicrous officious artificiall lies to delight the eares of carnall Auditors From whence I forme this eight Argument That whose subject matter consists of sundry forged Fables of artificiall merry affected lies must needs be odious and unlawfull unto Christians who must abandon lies But such is the subject matter of most Comicall of many Tragicall Enterludes Therefore they must needs be odious and unlawfull unto Christians The Minor is evident not onely from experience and the concurrent suffrages of sundry Fathers and Pagan Authors who stile Stage-playes fabulous artificiall sporting lies from whence they take occasion to condemne them but likewise by the copious testimony of sundry ancient Play-Poets who stile their Playes by the very name of Fables Lies and figments The Maior needes no large dispute For since every lye is diametrally contrary to the God of Truth â—ince it proceedes originally from the very Devill who is a Lyer and the Father of lies since it is dirâ—ctly opposite to the Spirit and Word of Truth which enjoyneth every man especially the children of God to speake no lies to put away lying to refuse prophane and Oldwives fables with all idle fabulous tales and babblings to hate all such who delight in lying vanities and to speake nought else but truth because whosoever loveth and maketh a lie shall be excluded the new Ierusalem and have his portion in that lake which burnetâ— with fire and brimstone for ever Since sundry of the Fathers recorded in the margent have abundantly condemned all sorts of lies as well officious fabulous and sporting as pernicious And since divers Pagaâ— Authors haue positiâ—ely câ—nsured all â—udicrous lies and poems composed onely for delight we cannot but subâ—scribe unto the Maior as an undoubted truth and so by consequence to the Conclusion too Since therefore Stage-playes are but merry lies and since Saint Ambrose informes us that all those who loue a lie are the children of the Devill the Father of lies let this cause us to detest all fabulous lying Stageplayes as the very snares and traps of Satan â—or feare we prove the Divels of-spring who hath no inheritance but Hell to leave us SCENA QVINTA FIftly the subject matter of Stage-playes is oftimes impious sacrilegious blaspemouâ— and that in sundry respects First in that the sacred names of God the Father Sonnâ— and holy Ghost which ought nâ—t to be mentioned but with reverence and holy feare are frequently recited on the Stage too prophane too impious a place for such dreadfull holy names to come into and that in a sacrilegious blasphemous ridiculous impious sporting manner to their great dishonour and pollution Hence was that passionate exclamation of Clemens Alexandrinus against the Gentiles O impietie you have made the Theater heaven you have made God himselfe an Act that which is holy haue you also derided under the person of Divels you have lustfully and filiâ—ily polluted Religion and the true worship of God with the superstitions of Devils Hence was it that Tertullian in his booke De spectaculis cap. 28. Chrysost. homilie 38. on Matthew Salvian De Gubernatione Dei lib. 6. the third Councell of Carthage Canonâ— 11. with sundry others did long since stile all Stage-players Blasphemers because they did not onely deride abuse and personate their owne Idol-gods upon the Stage for which the Christians taxed them but likewise blasphemously prophane satyrically traduce the very sacred names of God the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost in their publike Enterludes whence the Fathers laid no lesse then blasphemy to their charge A sinne to frequent in our moderne Stage-playes where these dreadfull names to our shame Playes ruine be it written are most desperately prophaned most Atheiâ—tically blasphemed Witnesse our owne late religious Statute of tertio Iacobi chapter 21. Where our Soveraigne Lord the King together with the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and Commons in that Parliament â—ssembled for the preventing and auoyding â—f the great abuse of the holy name of God in Stage-playes and Enterludes which then grew common enacted this pious Law which is seldome or never put in execution because few else but such who delight in blasphemy and therefore are unlikely to prove informers against it resort to Stage-playes That if at any time or times after that Session of Parliament determined any person or persons in any Stage-play Enterlude May-game or Pageant should jestingly or prophanely speake or use the holy Name of GOD or of Christ Iesus or of the holy Ghost or of the Trinity which are not to be spoken but with feare and reverenceâ— that for every such offence by him or them committed he or they should forfeit ten pounds The one moitie thereof to the Kings Majestie his Heires and Successors the other moitie thereof to him that will sue for the same in any Court of Record in
good reaped therefore thou altogether reapest benefit from confused voyces insignificant clamors as well from him who is cast downe upon the arena as from those who cast him downe who offer vioâ—ence who are mad or foolish and dissemble before women But here verily all the Prophets and teachers doe shew the very Lord of Angels upon an high and elevated Throne and distribute to those who are worthy rewards and crownes but to the unworthy they assigne Hell and even the Lord himselfe doth ratifie this Besides thou doest verily contemne these things in which there is likewise terror of conscience redargution of thy deeds feare of punishments and accusations and inevitable torments But yet that thou maist finde a certaine excuse of thy Stage-playes on which thou earnestly gazest thou sayest thou reapost profit from them by whom thou sufferest irrecoverable losse I intreate and beseech againe and againe that we excuse not our excuses in sinnes for these are but pretences and deceites by which we procure damage to our selves In his 6. Homily upon Mathew he writes thus of laughter and Stage-playes If thou therefore power out such teares thou becommest a follower of thy Lord for he wept when he raysed up Lazarus and when he looked backe upon Hierusalem that was to be sacked He was likewise troubled with the treason and destruction of Iudas So verily thou maist oft-times finde him weeping but never laughing no nor yet so much as slightly reioycing with a smile Truely no Evangelist hath made mention of any such thing That Paul likewise wept night and day for 3. yeeres together both others testifie of him and he likewise of himselfe but thaâ—â—he ever laughed neither doth he himselfe shew any where nor any other for him Yea not one of all the Saints hath ever signified any such thing either of himselfe or of any other We read of none but Sarah onely in the Scripture that laughed yea she is presently reproved by the voyce of God and of the Sonne of Noah but for that laughter of a Free-man he was made a slave And this I speake not to take away laughter altogether but that I might quite extingush all dissolutenesse of life Our Christ therefore speakes many things to us concerning mourningâ— both by blessing those that mourne and by pronouncing those miserable that laugh For we doe not come into a Play-house that is where laughter may be moved neither doe we therefore oft-times meet together that we should recreate our selves with undecent cachinnations but rather that we might mourne and by it inherit a Kingdome to come For thou verily if thou standest but in the presence of an earthly King wilt not dare so much as to smile But yet when thou hast the Lord of Angels himselfe present every where thou standest not before him with trembling and greatest reverence but even when he is angry thou laughâ—st neither dost thou consider that by this thou dost more offend him then thou didest displease him with thy sinne Neither doth God so much detest sinners as those who are secure after their sinnes commitâ—ed And yet there are some so utterly insensible and iron-like that after all these words they will say verily I would to God that I might never chance to weepe but God grant me that I may rather alwayes play and be merry What I pray can be found more childish then such a minde For God never taught or granted men to play but the Devill Heare therefore what Players have heretofore suffered The people saith he sate downe to eate and drinke and rose up to play Such were there heretofore in Sodom such likewise were there at the time of the Flood for the Lord saith of them That they abounded with pride with fulnesse of bread and with riches Those likewise in the time of Noe When they saw the Arke building for so many yeeres together did shun all the dolor of compunction and did onely civilly serve their flattering mirth being nothing carefull of things to come and therefore the sudden punishment of the Flood did drowne them all and there was made a common shipwracke of the whole world Wherefore crave not thou that from God which thou receivest from the Devill For it is Gods use to give an humbled trembling broken chaste penitent and wounded soule These verily are the guifts of God because we likewise stand most in neeâ— of such For a great combate hangs over our heads and we must fight against invisible powers against spirituall wickednesses and against such like Principalities and Powers and it is well with us if giving all diligence and watching with all we may be able to endure their fierce assaults But if we laugh and play fostering with all perpetuall idleneâ—se we shall be most easily overcome of our owne idlenâ—sse also even before the fight Wherefore it is not our parts to laugh continually to let our selves loose to cachinnations and derisions to effeminate our selves with delight but rather of those men and women Actors who are beheld in Play-houses who are defiled in Brothel-houses of Parasites and flatterers who are made for this very purpose This is not I say the part of those who are called to an eternall Kingdome and are likewise registred in that celestial Kingdome this is not the part of those who carry spirituall armor which verily is proper onely to the Soldiers of the Devill For he it is who hath digested iests and playes into an art that by these he might draw the Soldiers of Christ unto himselfe and might weaken the nerves of their vertue Wherefore he hath likewise erected Theaters in Citties and hath prepared these incentives of laughter and filthy pleasure and by their pestilence he rayseth up the like plague upon the whole Citty Which things S. Paul commands us to flâ—e exhorting that we should put farre from us all foolish speaking surrility then which laughter is far more pernicious and â—arâ—e worse For when those Stage-players and ridiculous persons have uttered any blasphemous and filthy thing then especially all the simpler sort are most excessive in their laughter applauding them most in that for which verily they ought to have cast stones at them who kindle a furnace of dreadfull fire upon their owne heads by this kinde of pleasure For those who applaud the utterers of these things perswade them for to act them and therefore for this they deserve rather to undergoe the punishment which is appointed for these things For if there were no spectator nor maintainer of such things there would certainely be none who would care to act them But when they see you to forsake your owne callings yea the very places of your daily worke and the gaine you reape from thence and all things else for love of this vaine spectacle they are then carried to these things with a more earnest intention and bestow more study in them
salvation from day to day Declare his goodnesse among the Heathen his wonders among all people Give unto the Lord O yee Kindreds of the people give unto the Lord glory and strength Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name bring an Offring and come into his Courts O worship the Lord in the beauty of holinesse feare before him all the earth Come yee and let us goe up to the Mountaine of the Lord and to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach us of his wayes and we will walke in his pathes c. But now alas in stead of calling upon one another to heare Sermons and of these encouragements to goe up to the house of the Lord to blesse and prayse his Name which is now no better then a brand of Puriranisme we heare nought else among many who professe themselves Christians but come let us goe and see a Stage-play let us heare such or such an Actor or resort â—o such and such a Play-house and I would I might not say unto such a Whore or Whore-house where we will laugh and be merry and passe away the afternoone As for any resort to such or such a Lecture Church or pious Preacher it s a thing they seldome thinke much lâ—sse discourse of Alas that any who prosesse themselves Christians should be thus strangly that I say not atheistically infatuated as to forsake the most sacred Oracles the soule-saving Word the most blessed Sacraments house and presence of their God to runne to Playes and Play-houses the abominable Spectacles Lectures Pompes and Synâ—gogues of the Devill as thus to leave the pather of uprightnesse to walke in the wayes of darknesse reioycing to doe evill and delighting in the frowardnesse of the wicked even then when as they should solace their very soules in God Yet this is the most desperate deplorable condition of many hundred prophane ones in this age of light who admire who respect the very basest Stage-players more then the devoutest gravest Preachers and would rather heare the most lascivious Comedy then the best soule-searching Sermon their very practise proclaiming as much unto the world if not their words they being oftner weekely in the Play-house then in the Church reading over three Play-bookes at the least for every Sermon for every Booke or Chapter in the Bible O that the execrable sinfulnesse of this prodigious profanesse would now at last awake us then those who thinke a Stage-play once a day at leastwise three aweeke too little a Sermon once or twice a weeke a moneth too much would change their tune for shame thinking one Play a yeere to much one Sermon a weeke a moneth to little for Christians concluding in the words of that blessed Martyr of our Church Iohn Hooper Bishop of Glocester who constantly preached in his Dioces most times twice or at leastwise once every day thorowout the weeke without faile in the Confession and protestation of his Faith Dedicated to King Edward the sixt and the whole House of Parliament in the yeere of our Lord 1550. where we writes thus What Realme soever will avoyd the evill of Sedition and contempt of Godly Lawes let them provide the Word of God to be diligently and truely preachedâ— and taught unto the Subjects and Members thereof The lacke of it is the cause of sedition and trouble as Salomon saith Where Prophecy wanteth the people are dissipated Wherefore I cannot a little wonder at the opinion and doctrine of such as say a Sermon ONCE IN A VVEEKE IN A MONETH OR IN A QVARTER OF A YEERE is sufficient for the people Truely it is injuriously and evill spoken against the glory of God and the salvation of the people But seâ—â—ng they will not be in the whole as good unto God as before they have beene unto the Devill neither so glad to remove false doctrine from the people and to continue them in the true where as they did before occupie the most part of the forenoone the most part of the afternoone yea and a great part of the night to keepe the estimation and continuance of dangerous and vaine superstitions were it much now to occupie ONE HOVRE IN THE MORNING AND AN OTHER HOVRE TOVVARDS NIGHT to occupie the people with true and earnest prayer unto God in Christs Blood and in preaching the true Doctrine of Christ that they might know and continue in the true Religion and faithfull confidence of Christ Iesu Fifteene Masses in a Church daily were not too many for the Priests of Baal and SHOVLD ONE SERMON EVERY DAY BE TOO MVCH FOR A GODLY BISHOP AND EVANGELICALL PREACHER I wonder how it can be too much opened unto the people If any man say labour is lost and mens businesse lyeth undone by that meanes Surely it is ungodly spoken for those that beare the people in hand of such a thing knoweth right well that there was neither labours cares needs necessity nor any things else that heretofore could keepe them from hearing of Masse though it had beene said at 4. a clocke in the morning Therefore as farre as I see people were content to lose more labour and spent more time then to goe to the Devill then now to come to God as our common Players and Play-haunters doe But my faith is that both Master and Servant shall finâ— gaine thereby at the yeeres end THOVGH THEY HEARE MORNING SERMON AND MORNING PRAYERS EVERY DAY OF THE VVEEKE Thus farre this reverend Bishop whose words and practise I would the grosse and shamelesse perverters of his doctrine in the points now controverted he being a professed Anti-Arminian and Anti-Pelagian and that in terminis as his printed Workes most positively demonstrate however some pervert them together with our constant Play-haunters would now seriously consider especially in these our dayes wherein Stage-playes almost cry down Sermons and Play-books finde so quicke a sale that if Stationers doe not misinforme me there are at least a dozen Play-bookes vented for one printed Sermon so that I may safely affirme that Stage-playes exceedingly withdraw and keepe men from Gods service especially on Lords-dayes Holi-dayes and solemne Festivals set apart for better purposes which experimentall truth is so visible to the eyes the consciences of all men that it needs no further proofe If any man be so uncredulous as not to believe experience let him then attend to sundry Councels Fathers and other moderne Authors who affirme that Stage-playes withdraw men from the Church and keepe them from Gods service especially on Lords-dayes Holi-dayes and solemne Festivals which were set apart for pious exercises For Councels See the 4. Councell of Carthage Canon 88. with sundry others here recited Act 7. Scene 3. For Fathers Clemens Romanus in the 2. Booke of Apostolicall Constitutions cap. 64.65 complaines That many leaving the Congregation of the Faithfull with the Church and Lawes of God did runne to the
of their Husbands and Husbands of their Wives so that every way from foure of the clocke in the afternoone till nine at night especially over London-bridge many were carried in chaires and led betwixt their friends and so brought home to their houses with sorrowfull heavy hearts like lame Cripples A just though terrible judgement of God upon these Play-haunters and prophaners of his holy day the originall relator of which doth thus conclude And therefore for a conclusion I beseech all Magistrates by the mercies of God in Iesus Christ that by this occasion and example they take good heed to looke to the people committed to their charge that they take order especially on the Sabbath dayes that no Citizen or Citizens servants have liberty to repaire to any of those abused places and that they keepe their stragling wantons in that they may be better occupied And as they have with good commendation so farre prevailed that upon Sabbath dayes these Heathenish Enterludes and Playes are banished so it will please them to follow the matter still that they may be utterly rid and taken away For surely it is to be feared besides the destruction of body and soule that many are brought unto by frequenting the Theater and Curtinâ— that one day these places will likewise bee cast downe by God himselfe and draw with them an huge heape of such contemners and prophane persons to be killed and spoyled in their bodies Neither was he a false prophet altogether For in the yeere of our Lord 1607. at a Towne in Bedford-shire called Risley the flâ—ore of a chamber wherein many were gathered together to see a Stage-play on the Sabbath day fell downe by meanes whereof divers were sore hurt and some killed If these domestique examples together with that of Thales the Philosopher who was smothered and pressed to death at a Play will not move us let us cast our eyes upon some forraigne Tragedies of this nature I read in Munster his Cosmography that about the yeere of our Lord 1380. Lodovicke a Marquis of Nisina a man not very religious was made Arch-bishop of Magdeburge who thereupon invited many Gentlemen and others together with their Wives and Daughters into a Towne called Calven to feast and make merry with him who came accordingly The Bishop for their better entertainement provided the Towne-hall for them to dance in they being much addicted to dancing and singing and to act other vanities and whiles they were busily turning dancing and playing and every one danced merrily at the hands of their Ladies the house being oppressed with the great weight began to sinke giving a great cracke before The Arch-bishop taking the Lady who stood next him by the hand hastned to goe downe the staires with the first and as soone as he begun to goe downe the stony staires being loose before fell downe and miserably crusht to death the Arch-bishop and his consort with divers others It is storied by Froyssart in his Chronicle and by some others since that in the Raigne of Charles the sixt in the yeere of our Lord 1392. at a marriage made in the Kings Court at the hostle of Saint Pauls in Paris betweene Sir Yvan of Foiz Bastard Sonne to the Earle of Foiz and one of the Queene of Erance her Gentlewomen the Tuesday before Candlemas day A Squire of Normandy called Hogrymen of Gensay provided for a Play or Mummery against nightâ— for which purpose he had devised 6. Coates made of Linnen cloth covered with Pitch and thereon cloth and flax like haire and had them ready in a Chamber The King himselfe put on one of these Coates the Earle of Iovy a yong lusty Knight another Sir Charles of Poytiers the third Sir Yvan of Foiz another the Son of the Lord Lanthorillet had on the fift and the Squire himselfe put on the sixt Being thus apparelled and sowed fast on these Coates which made them soone like wilde wode-houses the King upon the advice of Sir Yvan of Foiz commanded an Vsher of his Chamber to enioyne all the Torch-bearers in the Hall where the Ladies were dancing to stand close to the wall and not to come neere the wode-houses for feare of setting them on fire which he did accordingly Soone after the Duke of Orleance who knew nothing of the Mummery or the Kings command entred into the Hall with foure Knights and sixe Torches to behold the dancing and begun himselfe to dance Therewith the King and the fiue other Masquers came in in these their disguises fiue of them being fastned one to the other the King onely being loose who went before and led the device When they entred the Hall every one tooke so great heed to them that they forgate the Torches The King departing from his company went to the Ladies to sport with them as youth required and came to the Dutches of Berry who tooke hold of him to know what hee was but he would not shew his name The Duke of Orleance running to the other fiue to dâ—scover who they were put one of the Torches his servants held so neere the flax that he set one of the Coates on fire and so each of them set fire on the other so that they were all in a bright flame the fire taking hold of the living Coates their shirts began to scorch their bodies so that they began to bren and to cry out for helpe The fire was so great that none durst come neere them and those that did brent their hands by reason of the heate of the pitch One of them called Manthorillet fled into the Botry and cast himselfe into a vessell of water where they rynsed pots and so saved his life by quenching the fire but yet hee was sore hurt The Countesse oâ— Berry with her long loose Gowne covered the King and so saved him from the fire two of the other were burnt to death in the place the Bastard of Foiz and the Earle of Iovy were carried to their lodgings and there died within two dayes after in great paine and misery Thus was this Comedy turned into a dolefull Tragedy The King though he escaped was much distracted in minde and his servants distressed with griefe at this unhappy accident so that he could not sleepe quiet that night The next day these newes being spred abroad in the City and every man marveling at it some said how God had sent that token for an ensample and that it was wisedome for the King to regard it and to withdraw himselfe from such yong idle wantonnesseâ— which he had used overmuch being a King All Lords and Ladies thorow the Realme of France and elsewhere that heard of this chance had great marvaiâ—e thereof Pope Boniface being at Rome with his Cardinals reioyced at it and said that it was a token sent from God to to the Realme of France which had taken part against him Sure I am it was a just judgement of God to teach
even as the holy Canons affirme For what communion hath light with darknesse as the Apostle saith or what agreement hath the temple of God with Idols or what part hath a beleever with an infidel or what concord or agreement is there betweene Christ and Belial Can. 62. Those things that are called Kalends and those that are named winter wishes and that meeting which is made upon the first day of March wee will shall bee wholly taken away out of the Citty of the faithfull as also we wholly forbid and expell the publike dancing of women bringing much hurt and destruction and likewise those dances and mysteries that are made in the name of those who are falsly named Gods among the Graecians or in the name of men and women after the ancient manner farre differing from the life of Christians ordaining that no man shall henceforth bee clothed in womans apparell nor no woman in mans aray Neither may any one put on comicallâ— satyricall or tragicall vizards in Enterludes neither may thâ—y invocate the name of execrable Bacchus when as they presse their grapes in winepresses neither pouring out wine in tubbes may they provoke laughter exercising those things through ignorance or vanity which proceed from the imposture of the Divel Those therefore who hereafter shall attempt any of these things that are written after they shall come to the knowledge of them if they be Clergy men we command them to be deposed and if Lay men to bee excommunicated Can. 65. Those bonefires that are kindled by certaine people on New moones before their shops and houses over which also they use ridiculously and foolishly to leape by a certaine ancient custome we command them from henceforth to cease Whoever therefore shall doe any such thing if he be a Clergy man let him be deposedâ— if a Lay man let him be excommunicated For in the fourth Booke of the Kings it is thus written And Manasses built an altar to all the hoast of heaven in the two courts of the Lords house and made his children to passe through the fire c. and walked in it that he might doe evill in the sight of the Lord to provoke him to wrath Canâ— 66. From the holy day of Christ our God his resurrection to the new Lords day the faithfull or Christians ought to spend the whole weeke in their Churches rejoycing without intermission in Christ in celebrating that feast with psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs not with dancing stage-playes dice tables or such like revel-rout addicting their mindes to the reading of the holy Scriptures and chearfully and richly enjoying the holy Sacraments For thus wee shall bee exalted with Christ and rise together with him By no meanes therefore on the foresaid dayes let there be any horse-race or any publike shewe or stage-playe made Can 71. Those who are taught civill lawes ought not to use Greeke manners or customes neither ought they to be brought into the theatre or to practise any playes called Cylistrae If any man shall presume to doe the contrary let him be excommunicated Can 100. Let thine eyes behold right things and keep thine heart with diligence is the command of wisdome For the senses of the body doe easily infuse their objects into the soule Therefore wee command that such pictures as dazell the eyes corrupt the minde and stirre up flames of filthy lusts be not henceforth made or printed upon any tearmes And if any shall attempt to doe it let him be deposed Some of these recited Canons as Canon 61 65 100. condemne all Bearehards Bearebaiting Bonefires and filthy pictures which Aristotle himselfe condemnes yet withall they oppugne Stage-playes ex obliquo there being betweene them and Playes so great analogie that the censure of one is the condemnation of the other But the other Canons are so punctuall so expresse against them that there can be no evasion from them The seventeenth Synodicall authority against Stage-playes is Synodus Francica under Pope Zachary Annâ— Dom. 742. which runnes thus Illas venationes et silvaticas vagationes cuÌ„ canibus omnibus servis Dei speaking of Clergie men interdicimus Similiter ut accipitres vel falcones non habeant Decrevimus quoque ut secundum Canones unusquisque Episcopus in sua parochia solicitudinem adhibeat adjuvante Graphione qui defensor Ecclesiae est ut populus Dei Paganias non faciat sed ut omnes spurcitiÌ„as gentilitatis abjiciat et respuat sive prophana sacrificia mortuorum sive sortilegos vel divinos c. sive hostias immolatitias quas stulti homines juxta Ecclesias ritu paganico faciunt sub nomine sanctorum martyrum vel confessoruÌ„ DeuÌ„ et suos sanctos ad iracundiam et vindictae gravitateÌ„ provocantes Sive illos sacrilegos ignes quos Nedfri vocant sive omnes quaecumque sunt PaganoruÌ„ observationes diligenter prohibeant We prohibit those huntings and silvaticall wandrings abroad with bounds to all the servants of God and likewise that they keepe neither hauâ—es nor falcons Wee decree also that according to the Canons every Bishop in his parish shall take care the Graphio or Curate who is defender of the Church assisting him that the people of God make no Pagan feasts or Enterludes but that they reject and abominate all the uncleannesses of gentilisme whether prophane sacrifices of the dead or fortune-tellers or diviners c. or immolated sacrifices which foolish men make near unto Churches after the Pagan manner provoking God and his Saints to wrath and vengeance And that they diligently inhibit those sacrilegious fires which they call Neâ—fri or boneâ—ires and all other observations of the Pagans whatsoever Which Canon is likewise ratified in Synodo Suessionensi sub Childerico Rege about the selfe same yeare wherein this Synode was held The eighteenth Play-oppugning Councell is Synodus Nicaena 2. Anno Dom. 785. or 787. in which there were present 350. or 377. Bishopsâ— as some record which Councell commonly reputed the 7. oecumenicall or universall Councell determines thus of Stage-playes Canon 22. Deo quidem universum dedicare et non proprijs voluntatibus servire res magna est Sive enim editis sive bibitis inquit divinus Apostolus omnia in Dei gloriam facite c. Cuâ—vis ergo homini necesse est comedere uâ— vivat et quibus est vita quidem matrimonij eâ— liberoruÌ„ et laici constitutionis immixtim comedere viros et mulieres est ab omni reprehensione alienum simodo ei qui dat nutrimentuÌ„ gratias agunt non cuÌ„ scenicis quibusdaÌ„ studijs sive sataâ—icis canticis et citharaedicis ac meretricijs vocibus quos prophetica execratio prosequitur sic diceÌ„s Vae qui cuÌ„ cythara et psalterio vinuÌ„ bibunt Domini auteÌ„ operâ— non respiciunt et opera manuiâ— ejus non consideranâ— Et sicubi tales fuerint inter Christianos corrigantur Can 22. Verily to dedicate all
c. to which the forequoted Authours suffragate Lastly King Edgar and Canutus enacted by their Lawes That the Sunday should be kept holy from saturday at noone till monday in the morning And Charles the Great Capit. lib. 6. enacted that the Lords day should be kept holy from evening to evening By all which testimonies and reasons it is most apparant that Lords dayes and holy dayes begin at evening and so ought to be celebrated and kept holy from evening to evening Therfore all dancing dicing carding masques stageplaies together with all ordinary imployments of mens callings upon saturday nights are altogether unlawfull by the verdict of the forequoted Councels because the Lords day as all these ancient Authorities and reasons against all new opinions prove is even then begun Neither will it hereupon follow that we may dance dice see Masques or Playes on Lords-day nights as too many doe because the Lords day is then ended since these Councels prohibit them altogether at all times whatsoever But put case they were lawfull at other times yet it were unseasonable to practise theÌ„ on Lords day nights For this were but to begin in the spirit and end in the flesh to conclude holy daies duties with prophane exercises and immediately after the service of God to serve the Divell and to commit our selves to his protection Wee must therefore know that though the Lords day end at evening yet there are then evening-duties still remaining answerable to the workes of the precedent day as the repetition meditation and tryall of those heavenly instructions which we have heard or read in the day-time prayer to God for a blessing upon all those holy ordinances of which wee have beene made partakers thanksgiving to him for his manifold mercies singing of psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs instruction and examination of our children servants and families examination of our owne hearts estates and wayes by the touch-stone of Gods word together with a serious commendation of our soules and bodies into the hands of God by prayer and well-doing when as we are lying downe to our rest All which most serious necessary duties with which wee should close up every day and night it being for ought we know the utmost period of our lives will out all dancing dicing Masques and Stage-playes which are incompatible with these holy duties and altogether unseasonable for the night which God made for sleepe and rest not for these dishonest workes of darknesse in which too many spend whole nights who never imployed one halfe night or day in prayer as their Saviour and King David did Since therefore we never reade of any faithfull Saints of God in former times who practised dancing dicing Masques or Enterludes on Lords day nights no nor yet on any other dayes or nights for ought appeares by any Author though they have oft times spent whole dayes and nights in prayer let us not take up this godlesse practise now which will keepe us off from God and better things But let us rather follow Edgars and Canutus Lawes keeping the Sunday holy from saturday evening till monday morning spending the whole day and night in prayer and praises unto God and in such holy actions as we would be content that Christ and death should finde us doing No man I am sure would be willing that Christ that death or the day of judgement should deprehend him whiles he is dancing drinking gaming Masquing acting or beholding Stage-playes yea who would not tremble to be taken away sodainly at such sports as these especially on a Sunday night when every mans conscience secretly informes him that they are unexpedient unseasonable if not unlawful too Let us therfore alwaies end the Lords day yea every weekday too with such holy exercises in which we would willingly end our dayes then neede we not be ashamed for to live nor feare to die Lastlyâ— it is evidently resolved by the foregoing Councelsâ— that the very beholding and acting of Stage-playes either in publike or private is altogether unlawfull unto Christians and more especially to Clergy men who now are not ashamed to frequent them against the expresse resolution of all these Councels who are neither to behold nor countenance any dancing dicing carding table-playing much lesse any publike or private Stage-playes the very acting or beholding of which subjects them both to suspension and degradation as the recited Canons witnesse to the full which I wish all Ministers would now at last remember If any man here object that many of the alledged Councels prohibit Clergy men onely from acting and beholding Stage-playes therefore Lay men may safely personate and frequent them still To this I answer First that most of these Councels expresly inhibit as well Lay men as Clergy men both from acting and beholding Stage-playes therefore the objection is but idle Secondly the very reason alledged by these Councels why Clergy men should abstaine from Stage-playâ—s to wit lest their eyes and eares deputed unto holy mysteries should be defiled by them c. extends as well to the Laity as the Clergie since every Lay Christian is as apt to be defiled by Playes and ought to be as holy in all manner of conversation as Clergy men Every Lay Christian is or ought to be a spirituall Priest to offer up spirituall sacrifices of prayer and praise to God both morning and evening and at all other seasons whence God himselfe enjoynes even Lay men as well as others to cleanse themselveâ— from all pollution of flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God to keepe themselves unspotted of the world to abstaine from fleshly lusts which warre against the soule and to be holy even as God is holy There is the selfesame holinesse required both of the Laity and Clergy both of them ought to be alike spirituall Priests to God at leastwise in respect of family-duties and private exercises of piety and devotions if therfore Stage-playes unsanctifie or pollute the one and indispose them to Gods service needes must they defile the other too and so they are equally unlawfull to both by these Councels verdict Lastly though many of these Councels prohibit only Clergie men froÌ„ acting or beholding Stage-plaies partly because their Canons bound none but Clergy men not the Laity untill they were received and partlie because the reformation of the Clergie whose resort to Stage-playes did seduce the Laity was the â—peediest meanes to reclaime all Laicks yet they intended not to give anie libertie to Lay men to haunt Plaies or theatres for as they inhibit Ministers themselves from Plaies so they charge them likewise both by preaching by ecclesiasticall censures all other meanes to withdraw their parishioner and all others from them So that the objection is meerelie frivolous and
or beheld them heretofore But likewise the patterns of Constantine Theodosius Leo Anthemius Iustinian Valentinian Valens Gratian Charles the Great Theodoricus Henry the 3. Emperour of that name Philip Augustus King of France our famous Queen Elizabeth her Counsel with our London Magistrates and Vniversities in her raigne who all suppressed inhibited Stage-playes Sword-playes and Actors as unsufferable mischiefes in any Christian State or City To these I might adde Lodovicus the Emperour who by his publike Edicts agreeing verbatim with the the 7. 8. forequoted Canons of Synodus Turonâ—nsis 3. p. 589 590. inhibited all Ministers all Clergy men from Stage-playes hunting hauking c. Together with Charles the 9. and Henry 3. of France who by their solemne Lawes and Edicts prohibited all Stage-playes all dancing on Lords-dayes or other solemne annuall festivals â—nder paine of imprisonâ—ment and other penalties to be inflicted by the Magistrates and our owne most gracious Soveraigne Lord King CHARLES who together with the whole Court of Parliament in the first yeare of his Hignesse Raigne enacted this most pious Play-condemning Law intituled An Act for publishing of divers abuses committed on the Lords day called Sunday Forasmuch as there is nothing more acceptable to God than the true and sincere worship of him according to his holy will and that the holy keeping of the Lords day is a principall part of the true service of God which in very many places of this Realme hath beene and now is profaned and neglected by a disorderly sort of people in exercising and frequenting Beare-baiting Bull-baiting ENTERLVDES COMMON PLAYES and other unlawfull exercises and pastimes upon the Lords day And for that many quarrells bloodsheds and other great inconveniences have growne by the resort and concourse of people going out of their owne parishes to such disordered and unlawfull exercises and pastimes neglecting Devine service both in their owne parishes and elsewhere Be it enacted by the Kings most excellent Majesty the Lords spirituall and temporall and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same That from and after 40 dayes next after the end of this Session of Parliament assembled there shall be no meetings assemblies or concourse of people out of their owne parishes on the Lords day within this Realme of England or any the Dominions thereof for any sports or pastimes whatsoever nor any Bull-baiting Beare-baiting ENTERLVDES COMMON PLAYES or other unlawfull exercises or pastimes used by any person or persons within their owne parishes and that every person or persons offending in any the premises shall forfeit for every offence 3 shillings 4 pence the same to be employed and converted to the use of the poore of the Parish where such offences shall be committed And that any one Iustice of the peace of the Countyâ— or the chiefe Officer or Officers of any Citie Borough or Towne Corporate where such offence shall be comitted upon his or their view or confession of the partie or proofe of any one or more witnesse by oath which the said Iustice or chiefe Officer or Officers by vertue of this act shall havâ— authority to minister shall finde any person offending in the premises the said Iustice or chiefe Officer or Officers shall give warrant under his or their hand and seale to the Constables or Church-wardens of the Parish or Parishes where such offence shall bee committed to levie the said penalty so to bee assessed by way of distresse and sale of the goods of every such offendor rendring to the said offendors the overplus of the monie raised of the said goods so to be solde And in default of such distresse that the party offending be seâ— publikely in the stockes by the space of three houres Which Act being to continue unto the end of the first Session of the next ParliameÌ„t only was since recontinued by the Statute of 3. Caroli cap. 4. and so it remaineth still in force So that if it were as diligently executed as it was piously enacted it would suppresse many great abuses both within the letter and intent which is very large that are yet continuing among us to Gods dishonour and good Christians griefe in too many places of our Kingdome which our Iustices our inferiour Magistrates might soone reforme would they but set themselves seriously about it as some here and there have done If then all these Pagan these Christian Nations Republickes Emperors Princes Magistrates have thus abandoned censured suppressed Playes and Players from time to time as most intollerable pernicious eviâ—s in any State or City how can how dare we now to justify theÌ„ as harmelesse coÌ„mendable or usefull recreations What are we wiser are we better than all these Pagan Sages than all these judicious Christian Worthies who have thus abandoned suppressed Playes and Actors out of a long experimentall knowledge of their many vitious lewd effects Or are we ashamed to be like our ancestors in judgement in opinion as wee are in tonsure complement habit and attire in this age of Novelties which likes of nothing that is old or common though such things commonly are the best of all that wee thus undervalue the resolutions of all former ages in this caâ—e of Playes and Players preferring our owne wits and lusts before themâ— O let us ashamed now at last to countenance to pleade for that which the very best the wisest Heathen yea Christian Nations States and Magistrates of all sorts have thus branded and cast out as lewd as vitious as abominable in the very highest degree let us now submit our judgments our practise lusts and foolish fansies to their deliberate mature experimentall censures abominating condemning Playes and Players if not exiling them our Cities coasts and Countrey as all these have done arming our selves with peremptory resolutions against all future Stage-playes with this 52 Play-oppugning Syllogisme with which I shall terminate this Scene That which the ancient Lacedemonians Athenians Graecians Romans Germanes Massilienses Barbarians Gothes and Vandalsâ— the whole Iewish Nation of old divers Christian Countries and Citties since together with many Pagan many Christian Republickes Magistrates Emperours Princes in severall ages and places have censured abandoned rejected suppressed as a most pernicious evill as a very seminary of all vice and wickednesse must certainly be sinfull execrable and altogether unlawfull unto Christians Witnesse Rom. 13.6 c. 13.1 to 8. 1 Pet. 2.13 14. But such is the case and condition of Stage-playes as the premises and Act. 6. Scene 5. c. most plentifully evidence Therefore they must certainly be sinfull execrable and altogether unlawfull unto Christians CHORVS YOV have seene now Courteous Readers 7 severall Squadrons of unanswerable Authorities encountering Stage-playes and Actors and giving them such an onset as I hope will put them with their Patrons quite to route so that they shall never be able to make head againe their forces being
to reduce the golden age and of Pope Nicholas the 5. that he instituted secular Playes at Rome contrary to the Councell of Constans and that 560 persons were crushed to death and drowned with the fall of the Tiberine bridge who flocked to Rome to behold those Enterludes Hence Polydor Virgil Lodovicus Vives Ioannes Langhecrucius and Didacus de Tapia cry out against the popish Clergie for acting and representing to the people the passion of our Saviour the Histories of Iob Mary Magdalen Iohn the Baptist and other sacred Stories together with the lives and legions of their Saints and for erecting Theaters for this purpose in their Churches on which their Priests and Monkes together with common Enterlude-Players and other Laickes did personate these their Playes Which grosse prophanesse though thus declaimed against by many of their own Authors condemned by their Conncels is yet still in use among them as not onely Didacus de Tapia and others who much lament it but even daily experience the Iesuites practise together with Iohn Molanus Divinity-professor of Lovan witnesse who in his Historia SS Imaginum Picturarum Antwerpiae 1617. lib. 4. cap. 18. De Ludis qui speciem quandam Imaginum habenâ— in quibusdam anni solennitatibus p. 424 425 426 427. out of Conradus Bruno and Lindanus writes thus in justification of these their Enterludes Now even Stage-playes have a certaine shape of Images and oft times move the pious affections of Christians more than prayer it selfe And after this manner truly Stage playes and shewes are wont to be exhibited on certaine times of the yeare the certaine pictures of certaine Evangelicall histories being annexed to them Of which sort is this that on Palm-sunday children having brought in the picture of our Saviour sitting upon an Asse sing praise to the Lord cast bowes of trees on the ground and spread their garments on the way And that likewise upon Easter Eve when as the presbyter after midnight receiving the image of the crucifixe out of the sepulcher goeth round about the Church and beates the doores of it that are shut saying Lift up your gates yee princes and bee yee lifted up yee everlasting gates that the King of glory may come in and he who watcheth in the gates demanding Who is this King of glory the Presbyter answers againe The Lord strong and mighty in battaile the Lord of hoasts he is the King of glory Likewise that on the day of the resurrection of our Lord in the morning after morning prayers Angels in white garments sitting upon tâ—e sepulcher aske the women comming thither and weeping saying Whom seeke ye women in this tumâ—lt weeping he is not here whom ye seeke but goe ye quickly and tell his Disciples Come and see the place where the Lord lay And that on the same day the image of our Lord bearing an ensigne of Victorie is carried about in publike procession and placed upon the altar to be gazed upon by the people Likewise that of Ascention day in the sight of all the people the Image of the Lord is pulled up in the midst of the Church and shewed to be taken up into heaven In the meane time about the Image are little winged images of Angels carrying burning tapers in their hands and fluttering up and downe and a Prâ—est singing I ascend unto my Father and your Father and the Clergy singing after him and unto my God and your God with this solemne hymne Now is a solemne c. and this Responsory Goe ye into the world c. And that upon White sunday the image of a dove is let downe from aboue in the midst of the Church and presently a fire falls downe together with it with some sound much like the noyse of guns the Priest singing Receive ye the holy Ghost c. and the Clergy rechanting There appeared cloven tongues to the Apostles c. By all which and other such like spectacles and those especially which represent the passion of our Lord nothing else is done but that the sacred histories may be represented by these exhibited Spectacles and Enterludes to those who by reason of their ignorance cannot reade them And these things hiâ—herto out of Conradus Bruno in his Booke of Images cap. 17. Thou hast the like defence of these shewes and Enterludes in William Lindane the reverend Bishop of Râ—remond in his Apologie to the Germans where among other things he saith For what other are these Spectacles and Playes than the living histories of Lay-men with which the humane affection is much more efficaciously moved than if they should reade the same in private or heare theÌ„ publikely read by others c. Thus he O the desperate madnesse the unparalleld profanes of these audacious Popish Priests Papists who dare turne the whole history of our Saviours life death Nativitie Passion Resurrection Ascention and the very gifâ— of the holy Ghost descending in cloven tongues into a meere prophane ridiculous Stage-play as even their owne impious Pope Pius the 2. most prophanely didâ— contrary to the forequoted resolutions of sundry Councels and Fathers who would have these things onely preached to the people not acted not represented in a shew or Stage-play No wonder then if such turne the sacred solemnity of our Saviours Incarnation into a Pagan Saturnal or Bacchanalian feast who thus transforme his humiliation his exaltation yea his whole worke of our redemption into a childish Play But let these Playerlike Priests and Friers who justifie this prophanesse which every Christian heart that hath any sparke of grace must needes abominate attend unto their learned Spanish Hermite Didacus de Tapia who reades this Lecture both to them and us That this verily is altogether intollerable that the life of Iob of St. Francis of Mary Magdalen how much more then of Christ himselfe should be acted on the Stage For since the very manner and custome of Play-houses is prophane it is lesse evill if it were tollerable that prophane things onely should be acted and that holy things be handled onely in a holy manner c. But now that a Theatre A PLACE SO FAMILIAR TO DIVELS AND SO ODIOVS VNTO GODâ— pray marke it should be set up in the very middest of the body of the Church before the high Altar and the most holy Sacrament for Playes to be acted on it he onely can brooke it who by reason of his sins hath not yet knowne or felt HOVV CROSSE AND OPPOSITE THESE THINGS ARE TO THE HOLINES OF GOD. It is evident then by all these premises that our riotous ludicrous voluptuous Christmasses together with Stage-playes dancing Masques and such like Pagan sports had their originall from Pagan their revivall and continuance from Popish Rome who long since transmitted them over into England For if Polydor Virgil may be credited even in the 13. yeare of Henry the
how to flatter Did not the governours who conspired together against the Prophet Daniel put in this information against him to King Darius that he neither regarded him nor his decree which hee had signed accusing him of disobedienceâ— faction and opposition to his lawes and royall authority Yea was not our blessed Saviour himselfe though he payed tribute to Caesar injoyning all his followers to give unto Caesar the things that were Caesars being as free from all sedition or rebellion against Princes as from all other sinnes accused condemned as a seditious Anti-monarchicall person Did not the whole multitude of the people with the chiefe Priests and Scribes accuse him before Pilate saying We found this fellow perverting the Nation and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar saying that he himselfe was Christ a King and did not they thereupon cry out against Pâ—tate when as he sought to have released him saying if thou let this man goe thou art not Caesars friend for he speaketh against Caesar And if our most innocent Saviour were burthened with these most false and scandalous reproaches of sedition faction treason and rebellion against Caesar no wonder if none of all his followers can be exempted from these calumnies For if they have thus falsely called the Master of the house Belzebub how much more will they stile those of his houshold so the Disciple not being above his Master nor the servant above his Lord as himselfe doth argue in this very case To confirme this further by some other pregnant examples Was not St. Paul himselfe together with all the Disciples and beleeving Christians both at Philippi and Thessalonica accused by the Iewes and other lewd companions as men who did exceedingly trouble the Citty and teaching new customes which it was not lawfull for men either to receive or observe that did all contrary to the decrees of Caesar and that they had turned the whole world upside-downe insomuch that their sect was every where spoken against Did not the Iewes cry out against this most laborious Apostle St. Paul saying Men and brethren helpe this is the man that teacheth all men every where against the people and the law and this place and hath likewise defiled this holy place and did not all the people thereupon lay violent hands upon him intending to put him to death as a most seditious factious person Yea did not Tertullus the Iewish Orator accuse him before Felix and the high Priests Pharisees traduce him before Festus for a pestilent fellow a mover of sedition among all the Iews throughout the world a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarens And yet who so free from sedition faâ—tion rebellion or discord as this most blessed Apostle who commandeth every soule to be subject to the higher powers to obey those who have the rule over them and to submit unto them even out of conscience sake who exhorts all men to make supplications prayers intercessions and thanksgivings for Kings and all that are in authority to keepe the unity of the spirit in the boud of peace to marke those who cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine they had received and to avoid them blaming the Corinthians for their dissentions Besides this doth not St. Peter informe us that albeit the Christians in his time had their conversation honest among the Gentiles submitting themselves to their Governours Kings and lawfull ordinances for the Lords sake yet the Gentiles were alwayes speaking against them as evill doers and falsly accusing their good conversation in Christ as if they were nought but seditious factious people and rebels or enemies to Governours and government To passe by many notable texts of Scripture which ratifie this notorious truth Doe not Tertullian Arnobius Lactantius Iustin Martyr Minutius Felix St. Chrysostome with all Ecclesiasticall Historians both ancient and moderne expresly informe us that the primitive Christians who were oft nicknamed by the ignominious titles of Galilaans Sibyllists Impostors Greekes Sarmentisij Semassij Biothonati Magitians Ioannites and the like as they are now derided under the names of Puritans and Precisians though they were neveâ— detected of any treâ—son rebellion mutinie or sedition whatsoever the case of those whom men stile Puritans and Precisianâ— now yet they were alwayes slandered accused traduced persecuted as refractory seditious factious mutineers as enemies and rebels to the Emperours and Governours under which they lived and as the authors of all the mischiefes and troubles that hapned in the world by which false pestilent suggestions in the eares of Princes continuall bloody persecutions were raised up against these innocent lambes who had no other offensive or defensive armes but prayers and teares and doe not the Century-Authors thence conclude eveÌ„ for our present times Solenne est ut Christianis crimina seditionis blasphemiae et lesae majestatiâ— Ã persecutoribus affingantur quibus tamen non sunâ— obnoxij Doe we not likewise reade that Athanasius Basil Nazianzen Chrysostome with sundry other ancient sinne-reproving error-confuting Bishops were accused of faction and sedition for â—pposing the sinnes and vices of the times and was not our owne worthy Bishop Latimer with other pious Martyrs accused slandered as raisers of sedition as factious turbulent and seditious persons by those whose sinnes and errours they reproved and that even in good King Edward the 6â— his dayes Survey wee all the Fathers all Ecclesiasticall Stories we shall finde poore innocent peaceable harmelesse conscionable Christians in all times and places maliciously slaundered with the crimes of sedition faction rebellion disobedience to Princes and their laweâ— of purpose to make them odious both to Prince and people even without a cause they being but as lambes in the very midst of wolves And is it any wonder thenâ— that Puritans and Precisians should suffer the very selfesame calumnies now Alas what powder treasons what conspiracies have these poore Play-condemning Puritans and Precisians hatched against King or State what rebellions have they raised what publike upâ—ores have they ever caused from the beginning of reformation till this present what treacheries what mutinies are they guilty of that they are thus condemned as if they were as bad or worse than Papists Priests or Iesuites for so some aâ—firme whose very faith is faction whose doctrine rebellion and their practise Treason Certainly were these whom the dissolutenesse of the times now brand for Puritans and Precisians though every way conformable to our Churches discipline such rebels factionists mutineers disobedient antimonarchicall persons as the world conceives them as Papists Priests Iesuites prophane dissoluâ—e companions proclaim theÌ„ for to be we should have seene some fruits experiments and detections of it ere this But blessed be God we have heard of no Puritan treasons insurrections or rebellions in our age and experience
Parisiiâ— 1537. fol. 16. * That is such Ministers as were appointed to cure the bodies of those who were weake and sicke See Iustinian Cod. l. 1. Tit. 6. Lex 18. accordingly r Codicis Theodosiani lib. 15 Tit. 5. De Spectaculis Lex 2. Parisiis 1598. p. 471. s Ibidem Lex 5 p. 432. See Valentinianus Theodoâ—ius Arcadius Iustinian Codicis lib. 3. Tit. 12. De â—eriis Lex 7. accordingly * Kings then are most honoured when as God is best served by their subiects and Courtiers * Therefore Lords day nights are no fit times for Masques or Stage-playes t Zozomeni Eccles. Hist. l. 5. c. 17. Nicephorus Callisius Eccl. Hist. l. 10. c. 22. Eutropius Rerum Rom. Histor l. 11. p. 150. Centur. Magdeburg Cent. 4. Col. 458. Baronius Spondanus Annal. Eccles. Anno 362. sect 60. v Operum Tom. 2. pag. 717. x 1 Tim. 4.12 See Ambrose Remigius Chrysostome Theodoret Theophylact Anselme Beda HRabanus Maurus Primasius Haymo Sedulius Lyra Calvin Marlorat Aretius with others Ibidem accordingly Concilium Mediolanense apud Binium Tom. 4. p. 891 892. y See my Survey of Mr. Cozens his cozening Devotiâ—ns p. 72. the Epistle Dedicatory to the Archbishops Bishops c. before my Anti-Arminianisme * I would all inconformable Ministers in manners would remember it Argum. 48. The ancient Fathers of the Church against Stage-playes * See Act. 6. Scene 3 4 5 12. Act. 4. Scene 1 2. Act. 5. Scene 1. to 12. 1 Philo Iudaeus Hec flourishâ—â— Anno Châ—â—â—ti 50. 2 Clemens Romanus Anno Christi 70. 3 Iosephusâ— Anno 90. 4 Athenagoâ—as Anno 150. 5 Theophilus Antiochenus Anno 175. 6 Tatianus Anno 180. 7 Irenaeus Lugd. Anno 180. 8 Clemens Alexandrinus Anno 200. 9 Tertullian Anno 200. * See Edit Iunii Franech 1597. where the chapters are thus distinguished 10 Hyppolytuâ— Anno 220. 11 Origen Anno 230. 12 Minutius Felix Anno 230. 13 Cyprian Anno 250. 14 Zeno Veroâ—nensis Anno 260. 15 Arnobius Anno 290. 16 Lactantius Anno 300. 17 Eusebius Caesariensis Anno 330. 18 Iulius Firmicus Anno 350. 19 Hilaâ—ius Pictâ—viensis Anno 360. 20 Macarius Egyptius Anno 370. 21 Cyrillus Hierosolomytanus An. 370. 22 Asterius Anno 370. 23 St. Ambrose Anno 370. 24 St. Basil Anno 370. a Ariani Gregorium utpote in sua ipsorum doctrina stabilienda tardum et negligentem c. inde transtulerunt inque eius locum substituerunt Georgios os â—o menâ— genos en Kappadokes Which Ioan. Christophorsonus renders Georgium genere Cappadocem qui ab illis maxime aestimabatur tum quod in rebus agendis promptus ac diligens tum quod eiusdem cum ipsis opinionis perstudiosus esset Eccles. Hist. l 3. c. 6. b Georgion vs ek Kappadokâ—as ormato c. Which Christophorsonus and Suffradus Petrus render Georgium itaque accerserunt qui et ex Cappadocia oriundus Meridith Hanmer in his English translation out of the Greek Copy reads Georgius borne in Cappadocia et opinione et religione quam illi tuebantur imbutus suit Eccles. Hist. l. 2. c. 10. * Interea Aâ—iani Gregorium c. Episcopatu movent et Georgium quendam Cappadocem genere as Ioannis Langus translates it qui circa panem viliorem et furfur aetatem egerat succiduaeque adeo suillae promus condus fuerat quod in religione tuendo industrius esset pro eo in Alexandrino sede collocarunâ— Eccles. Hist. l. 9. c. 7. e Edit Lat. Petri Nannii Parisâ—is 1608. p. 57. D. Edit Graec. Lat. 1611. Tom. 1. p. 117. f Pag. 238. A. Latâ— Gr. Lat. Tom. 1. p. 666. h Page 170. b. Lat. Edit Gr. Lat. p. 727. D. k Edit Basiliae 1571. p. 527 528. l Gregorius Presbyter De Vita Gregorii Nazianzeni Oratio Gregorii Nazianz. Monodia in Basilii Magni Vitam Isiodor Pelusiota l. 1. Epist. 158. Munster Cosmogr l. 5. c. 14. Purchas Pilgr l. 3. c. 15. Vincentius Speculâ—m Hist. l. 14. c. 88. Opmeeri Chronog p. 288. m See Nazianz. Opera Lat. Basiliae 1571. p. 535. Scholia 13. * For the 4. Century was published Anno 1560. Dr. Rainolds de Idololatria c. Anno 1596. n Centur. 4. Col. 1358. o Annal. Eccles. Anno 341. sect 5. 356. sect 10 11. Spondanus sect 3. p Lib. 4. cap. 14. q Chronolog Biblioth Patrum Coloniae Agrip. 1618. Tom. 9. pars 1. p. 15. H. r Athanasii Apologia secunda p. 203.207 Socrates Eccles. Hist. l. 1. c. 24. l. 2. c. 26 Centur. Magd. 4. Col. 708 750 758 819. The History of St. George p. 110 111 115. s Nicephorus Constant. Chron. Bibl. Patr. Tom. 9. pars 1. p. 16. t Biblioth cap. 96. The History of St. George p. 113. v Edit Athanasii Lat. Parisiis 1608. p. 161. 238. in the margent x Edit Nazianzeni 1571. p. 528 535. y Centur. Mag. 4. Col. 104 â—55 1050. z Annal. Ecclesiast Anno 356. sect 3. a Praefatio in Sancti Hilarii Fragmenta in Hilarii Oper. Coloniae Agrip. 1617. p. 121. b History of St. George p. 103 104 105. c Patria mea Cappadocia sacra est et apud omnes pietatis laude clara et illustris Oratio 31. in laudem Athanasii p. 527. Permultaministrat veneranda haec patria mea Cappadocla non minus bona iuvenum nâ—trix quam equorum Oratio 31. in Laudâ— Baâ—ilii p. 494. d Altera â—urâ—um Cappadocum pars est quam optima ex qua illi extiterunt qui vitae suae ac praeceptionum luce orbis terrae â—inibus praeluxeruâ—t Epist. Lib. â— Epist. 158. Prisâ—o Cappadocâ— Bâ—bl Pâ—tr Tom. 5 pars 2. p. 493. * Oratio 31. p. 531. f Centur. Mag. 4. Col. 618. l. 5. See Acts 2. v. 9. Eusebius De Vita Constantinil 3. c. 8. g Opmeeri Chronogr p. 28â— h Whom Vincentius Leâ—â—nensis cap. 41. and Opmeerâ—s Chronogr pag. 288. stile illa or duo Cappadociae lumina i Cassiodorus Histor. Tripartita lib. 6. cap. 37. Nicephorus Calliâ—tus Hiâ—t Eccles. lib. 10. cap. â—â— k Socrates Scholast Eccles Hist. l. 4. c. 18. Bibl. Patr. Tom. 5. pars 2. p. 314. Spondanus Epit. Baronii Anno 354. sect 5. l Nicephorus Cassiodor qua i supra See Centur. Mâ—gd 4. passim m See Vincentius Speculum Hist. l. 12. c. 131 The History of St. George Mr Seldens Titles of Honor part 2. c 5. p. 794 to 819. n Purchas Pilgrimage l. 3. c. 13. Dr. Featly his Handmaid of Devotion p. 413. with sundry others quoted in the History of St. George part 1. c. 3 4. o See Ibid. p Chronogr p. 309. q De Retione Studii Theologiae l. 3. c. 7. r Quoted by Molanus Hist. SS Imaginum Antwerpiae 1617. l. 3. c. 14. p. 277 278. s In his Pilgrimage l. 3. c. 13. t In his Hymne of St. George on St. George his day v In his Postils set out by Dr. Christopher Pezelius intituled Philippi Melancthonis viri summi et
l. 15. c. 5. Enar. in Psal. 128. p. 751. * Qui odio nostri non secus atque rei honestae student turpe forsan putantes si absque ratione nos odio persequi videantur causas odii contra nos et crimina fingunt Nihil autem eorum quae contra nos feruntur constanter tuentur sed nunc hanc paulo post aliam et rursus quoque aliam inimicitiae causam contra nos assignant atque ita nulla in re malitia â—orum consistit sed mox atque ab hac intentata culpa resiliunt alii incumbunt et rursus illa neglecta aliam apprehendunt et si omnia de quibus nos accusant diluerimus ab odio tamen non recedunt Basil. Epist 80. Euâ—tatâ—io Medico Tom. 2â— p. 74. Vid. Ibidem q Mat. 27.63 Ioh. 7.12 47. r Epist. 10. ad Furiam c. 1. See Spondanus Epit. Baronii Anno 56. sect 3. * Ier. 17 9â— 10. Acts 1.24 1 Chron. 22.9 1 Cor. 2.11 s Dat veniam corvisâ— vexat censura columbas Iuveâ—al Satyr 2. * Fideles se spondent ut oportunius fidentibus noceant Bernard De Consideratione l. 9. c. 2. Col. 884. M. x August Enar. in Pâ—al 30. p. 201 â—02 y Christianus si sit improbus ne accuses professionem sed re bona utentem male Non enim oportet damnare reâ— sed eum quire bona male utitur QuandoquideÌ„ et Iudas proditor fuit verum ob id non accusatur ordo Apostolicus sed illius animus nec crimen est sacerdotii sed malum animi Chrysost. HoÌ„ 4. de Verâ—is Esaiae Tom. 1. Col. 1302 Vid. Ibidem z Caecitatis duae â—pecies facile concurrunt ut qui non vident quae sunt videre videantur quae non sunt Tertul. Apol adv Geâ—â—â—â— c. 1. See Wisdom 2.12 to 20. c. 5.1 2 3 4. a Cicero Tuscul Quaest. l. 5. Seneca Consolatio b Natura invidiosi erant Athenienses et ad optimis quibusque detrectandum proclives non solum iis qui in administratione reipubl et magistratu excellerent veruÌ„ etiam qui vel doctrina literarum vel vitae gravitate praefulgerunt AEhan Vanâ— hisâ— l. 2. c. 13. c 1 Cor. 2.6 to 16. * Tertul. Apolog adversus Gentes c. 50. * Seneca de Vita â—eata c. 19 20 21. b This therefore was an ancient common obiectiou against the best heathen Philosophers who were maligned for their vertues * This then is the cause why men so hate and slander Puritans because their goodnesse shames other mens badnes * Note this c 2 Chron. 6.36 Prov. 20.9 Eccles. 7.20 Iames 3.2 1 Iohn 1.8 Acts 14.17 d Rom. 7 14â— to 25. Gal. 5.16 17. e Rom. 7.24 25. f Rom. 6.12 13 14. g Gal. 5.17 Rom. 7 15â— 18 19 20 21 22 23. h Rom. 7.16 to the end i Rom. 7.16 to the end c. 8.13 Gal. 5.24 Col. 3.4 5 6. k 1 Cor. 11.31 Psal. 32.3 5. Psal. 51.1 to 14. Psal. 38.6 l Iob 42.6 Ezech. 16.61 63. m Psal. 39.1 Psal. 141.3 Iob 11.1 Mat. 26.41 2 Cor. 7.11 n Iob 31.1 Ps. 61.8 Eccles. 5.4 5. o Ezra 9.5 to 5. Dan. 9.4 to 20. 2 Cor. 12.7 8. p Rom. 7.15 16. Psal. 139.23 24. Ps. 119.104 q Psal. 19.13 r 1 Pet. 1.12 to 16. s Psal. 119.20 47 48 55 57 72 97 113. Psal. 1.1 2. t Ps. 119.5 10 33 34. Phil. 3. â—3 14. t Exigo a me non ut opâ—imis par sim sed ut malis melior Senâ—ca De Vita Beata cap. 16. d See Exod. 5.4 5. 10â—8 e 1 King 18.17 18. f 1 Kings 22.8 24 to 29. g Ester 3.8 9 to the end h Ezra 4.10 to 17. * Nehem. 6.5 6. i Ier. 15.10 c. 20.1 2 3. c. 32.1 to 6. c. 38.1 to 14. k Amos 7.10 to 15. l Dan. 6.12 to 17. m Matth. 17.24 25 26 27. n Matth. 22.21 o Luk. 23.1 2 10. Iohn 19.12 * Fundendo sanguinem et patiendo maâ—gis quam faciendo contumelias Christi fundata est Ecclesia peâ—secutionibus crevit martyriis coronata est c. nos solos expelleâ—e cupiunt nos soli qui Ecclesiae communicamus Ecclesiam findere dicimur Hierom. Epâ—â—t 63. Cap. 4. â— 226 227. p Matth. 10.24 25 26. Iohn 13.16 15.20 q Acts 16.20 21. c. 17.5 6 7 8. r Acts 28.21 s Acts 21.28 c. t Acts 24.5 25.2 u Rom. 13.1 2 c. x Heb. 13.17 y 1 Tim. 2.1 2. z Ephes. 4.3 a Râ—m 16.17 b 1 Cor. 1.12 13. c 1 Pet. 2.12 to 18. c. 3.16 17â— compared together d See 1 Cor. 4.9 to 15. 2 Cor. 4.8 to 12. c. 6. â— to 11. 2 Tim. 3.3 4. 2 Peâ— 2.10 11 22 Hebr. 11 36 37 38. Iude 15. Rev 12.10 e Ventum est igiâ—ur ad secunâ—dum titulumâ— Iaesae augustioris mâ—ieâ—tatis c. Propterea iâ—itur publici hoâ—tes Châ—istiani quia imperatoribus neque vanos neque mentientes neque teniâ—rarios honores dicunt c. Apologiâ— adâ—â— Gentes Tom. 2. p. 673. to 685. f Advers Gentes l. 1 2 3. g De Iustitia lâ— 1. 9. h Apologiaâ— 1. 2. pro Christianis i Octavius passim k Hom. 23. in cap. 13. ad Romanoâ—â— Tom. â— Col. 213â— A. l Euâ—ebius Eccleâ— Hist. l. 7â— c. 10 14â— Nicephorus Callistus Ecclesiast Hist. l. â— c. 3. to 8. Centuriae Magd. 2. Col. 419 420. Centuria 4. Col. 10 11 121 314. Baronius and Spondanus Annales Eccles. Anno Christi 9. sect 2 14. An. 56. s. 2. An. 66 â— 3. An. 94. s. â—â— An. 98. s. 1. An. 100. s. 2. An. 200. s. 2. An. 202. â— 2 3. An. 203 s. 3. An. 273. â— 1 2. An. 253â— s. 15. An. 38. s. 3. An 286. s. 4. Mr. Fox Booke of Martyrâ— 1610 p. 42 48 50. Antonini Chron. pars 1. Tit. 4 6 7. See Hierom. Epist. 63. cap. 3â— 4. m Nicephorus Callistusâ— Eccl. Hist. lâ— 10. cap 4. pag 558 cap. 20. pag 571. Origen contra Celsum lib. 5. Bibl. Patrum Tom. 1. p. 188. H. Tertullian Apologia advers Gentes c. 50 Hierom. Epist. 10. ad Furiam c. 1. Arnobius lib. 1. contra Gentes and Baroniâ—s and Sponâ—anus qua l. n Socrates Scholast l. 6. c. 4 5 16. To which I might adde the name of Lollardâ— o Centur. Magâ— 2. Col. 420. p Socrates Eccles Hist. l. 1. c. 20. l. 2. c 22 23 Theodoret Eccl Hist. l. 1. c. â—o Sozomen Eccles Hist. l. 2. c. 21. Baronius Spondanus Anno â—29 s. 1. Anno 362. s. 18. q â—asâ— Epist. 63. Spondanus An. 362. s. 18. r See Oratio de Vita Gregorii Nazianâ—zeni prefixed to his workes s Socrates Eccles Hist l. 6. c. 4 5 16. Sozomen l. 8. c. 20. Spondanus An. 398. sect 19. An. 404. s. 3 t See Bp. Latimers 2.3 4. Sermon before King Edward and his 4. Sermon on the Lords prayer accordingly And Bishop Hoopers Apologie to Qu. Mary