let vs leaue some token of our pleasure in euery place for that is our portion and our lot Yet in the ende they shall be forced to say in bitternesse of heart if they repent not we haue wearied our selues in the waye of wickednesse and destruction but the way of the Lord we haue not known what hath pride and pleasures of our youth profited vs. c. Horrible is the ende sayeth Salomon of the wicked generation c. YOVTH All this I must needes confesse to be true that you haue sayde yet as Salomon sayth there is a time for all things a time to play a time to worke a time to builde a tyme to pull downe c. AGE If you confesse my saying to be true and yet doe contrarie you shall be beaten with manye stripes For as Saint Iames sayth To him that knoweth howe to doe well and doth it not to him it is sinne This he spake to such as sayde in hys time as you doe nowe that confessed what was good but they woulde not doe it And as for this place of Ecclesiastes or Preacher by you alleaged to maintaine your ydle sportes and vayne pastimes is not well applied by you For he speaketh of this diuersitie of time for two causes First to declare that there is nothing in this worlde perpetuall Omne creatum finitum est All things created be finite that is it hath and shall haue an ende So Seneca sayth Nihil est diuturnum in quo est aliquid extremum Secondly to teach vs to be pacient and not grieued if we haue not all things at once according to our desires neyther enioy them so long as we would wish and not therby to maintaine ydlenesse and vayne pastimes So may the Drunkerde Adulterer Usurer Thiefe c. with the whole rabble of wicked and vngodly ones likewise and to the same effect and purpose alledge this place and applye it for their practises as you doe for yours But Syrach teacheth you another lesson saying God hath commaunded no man to doe vngodly neyther doth he giue any man licence and time to sinne c. This doth well appeare by the wordes of Saint Paule saying Whyle we haue time let vs doe good c. Saint Ambrose vpon these wordes sayth Tempus enim idcirco conceditur vitae vt iam iustè versemur that is Time is therefore graunted vnto our lyfe that wee shoulde lyue rightly and iustly all the dayes of our life The godlye man hath alwayes sayde Veritas filia temporis est mater omnium virtutum that is Truth is the daughter of time and the mother all vertues And that no time nor houre ought to be spent ydelly appeareth by that Christe himselfe sayde The Kingdome of heauen is lyke vnto a certayne housholder that wente to hire labourers into his vineyarde hee went the third the sixt the ninth and the eleuenth houre founde some standing ydle and sayde to them why stande ye here all daye ydle Goe yee also into my vineyarde c. Whereby it appeareth that wee oughte to waste and spende no time nay no houre in ydlenesse but in some good exercise c. as it maye onelye redounde to the glorie of the immortall name of God and profite of our neyghboures Uerye well was it sayde of one vppon these wordes that Christe sayde to them that stoode ydle all daye c. Tota die id est tota vita in pueritia adolescentia in iuuentute in senectute vobis nihil proficientes proximis non subuenientes Deo non seruientes hostibus non resistentes in posterum non prouidentes All the daye that is all the life to be ydle in thy childehoode in thy boyehoode in thy youth in thy age nothing profitable to themselues helpefull to their neyghbours not seruiceable to God not resisting their enuimies and lesse prouiding againste the last daye This made Seneca complayne that a great part of our lyfe perisheth in doing nothing a greater in doing euill and the greatest of all in doing things vnprofitable Chrysostome sayeth that we must be doing Corde mente ore manu corde credendo mente cōpatiendo ore confitendo manu operando With heart minde mouth and hande with heart in beleeuing with minde in pacience with mouth in confessing with hande in labouring So that you may well perceyue that to be ydle and doe no good is against the law of God the law of nature as Hesiodus sayth Illi pariter iudignātur dij homines quisquis otiosus both the Gods men detest those that are idle therfore was it said opēly Otiosos vagos solitus est appellare fratres muscas quod nihil facientes boni Idlers wanderers were wont to be called friers flees the are doing no good YOVTH Wil you haue no leysure times graunted vnto mā is it not a true saying Quies laboris remedium rest is the medicine of labors wearines Therfore breathings refreshings frō continuall labors must be had bicause it driueth awaye irkesomnesse gottē by serious toile doth repaire again that bodies minds to labor euē as too much bēding breketh a bow so to be addicted perpetually to labors neuer to refresh the minde with pastimes must nedes cause the minde not long to endure in earnest studies therfore it is said festiual dais in old time were inuented for recreatiō AGE Yes truly I do allow of honest moderate good lawfull actiue exercises for recreation quickning of our dull minds And where you say that holydayes as they are termed were inuēted in old time for pastimes I think you say truth For the Pope appointed them and not God in his word and that only to traine vp the people in ignorance ydlenesse whereby halfe of the yeare more was ouerpassed by their ydle holydayes in loytering vaine pastimes c. in restrayning men from their handy labors and occupations S. August speaking of the abuse of the Sabboth day sayth It is better to dig go to plowe on the Sabboth day than to be drunke and liue ydelly howe much more may we saye so of these festiual days neuer appointed nor cōmanded by God c. YOVTH If you do alow of exercises and recreations why then do you so bitterly inuey and speak against plays pastimes AGE As farre as good exercises and honest pastimes plays doe benefite the health of manne and recreate his wittes so farre I speake not against it but the excessiue and vnmeasurable vse thereof taketh away the right institution thereof and bringeth abuse and misuse and thereby is an hinderaunce of mans obedience to Gods word as it is seene in you this present day and therfore they are rather chaunged into faultes and transgressions than honest exercises for mans recreation Therefore we must in all our pastimes remember what Cicero sayth Non ita generati
anye wrong or iniurie Or if during the time of their play any thing be piltered or stollen out of his house hee shall haue no lawe at all for it at my handes sayth the Pretor Also whosoeuer lendeth mony in this play or lay any wagers among themselues they are not firme and good bicause it is a wicked exercise not sufferable but punishable In this Councell it was decreed that if anye Christian did vse to play at Dice would not giue ouer and leaue it he should be debarred from the Communion a whole yeare at least In the Decrees it is there forbidden that Priestes shoulde be present at Playes Qui Aleator est repellitur à promotione nec debeâ—t inspectores ludi huiusmodi That Priest which is a Dicer let him be expelled froÌ„ his promotion neyther ought they to looke vpon such play Also in the Distinctions it is forbidden theÌ„ to be drunkards and Dicers c. And the Glose therevpon sayth Simiâ—iter Laicus priuâ—tur aut verberetur Likewise let the Lay man bet restrayned or else let him bee beaten and punished Also in the Canons that are attributed vnto the Apostles this wicked Dice play is vtterly forbidden So wicked and detestable hath this play bene estemed by all lawes And at one word this kinde of play as it is reported of a truth hath ouerthrowne the kings of Asia and all their estate therefore Iuuenall counteth Diceplaye among those vices that easiâ—iest corrupt a whole houshold and is the worst example that can be in a well gouerned house saying If ancient folke before their youth doe play at Cardes or Dice Their youth will seame to doe the like and imitate their vice YOVTH I besecche you let mee heare also what our owne lawes say against this Diceplaying AGE In the time of King Richarde the seconde all vnlawfull games were forbidden vniuersally and namely Diceplaying In the time of king Henrie the fourth Diceplayers shoulde be punished by imprisonment for sixe dayes and if the heade Officers and Sherifes made not diligent search for gamesters they should forfeyte xl s. And if it were a Constable for his negligence he should paye vj. s. viij d. In the time of king Edwarde the fourth it was ordeyned that all such as kept any houses for play at dice. c. shoulde haue three yeares imprisonment and to forfeyte twentie pounde And the players to haue two yeares of imprisonment and to forfeyt ten pounde In the time of king Henrie the seauenth it was also ordeyned that diceplayers c. shoulde be set openlye in the stockes by the space of one whole day And the housekeepers that suffered them to playe to paye vj. s. viij d. and to be bounde to their good behauiour In the time of king Henrie the eyght it was ordeyned that euerye housekeeper that vsed to keepe diceplaying within their houses should forfeite fortie shillings and the players to forfeyte vi s. viii d. and be bounde by recognisance neuer to playe any more at these vnlawfull games Also in the reigne of the same king Henrie the eyght it was ordeyned that if any persons did disguise themselues in apparel and couer their faces with visors gathering a company togither naming themselues Mummers which vse to come to the dwelling places of men of honour and other substantiall persons wherevpon Murders Felonie Rape and other great hurts and inconueniences haue aforetime growen and hereafter bee like to come by the colour thereof if the sayde disorder shoulde continue not reformed c. That then they shoulde be arreasted by the Kings liege people as vagabondes and bee committed to the Gaole without bayle or Mainprise for the space of three monethes and to fine at the Kings pleasure And euery one that kepeth any visors in his house to forfeyte xx s. In the reigne of our gracious Queene Elizabeth that nowe is it was ordeyned that all those which vse to go to the countrie and play and vnlawfull games and playes shall bee taken as Roges and to be committed to prison and for the first offence to haue a hole made through the gristle of their eare with a hote yron of an ynche compasse And for the seconde offence to be hanged as a fellon YOVTH These are excellent good lawes whereby I see that in all times this Diceplaying especially hath bene abhorred detested and sharpe lawes made to correct and punish it AGE They are good lawes in dede but I feare me it may be aunswered as one aunswered the Athenians who bragged of their lawes that they had good lawes in dede but fewe or none duely executed For I see that a great many of our Rulers and Magistrates doe not onely neglect the execution of lawes herein vpon Diceplayers but are content to receyue into their houses very worthily such loytering Diceplayers and Mummers yea rather than they shall depart without play they ioyne fellowship with them and play at Dice themselues whereby they do great hurt to the people whom they rule ouer as Tully sayth Plus nocent exemplo quà m peccato They doe more hurt by their example of lewde life than by the sinne it selfe Esaye the Prophet sayde of the rulers in his time that the rulers were rebellious companions of theues c. Seneca sayth Grauissimus morbus est qui à capite diffunditur It is a moste daungerous disease that commeth from the heade YOVTH It is most certaine that you say and therefore the more pitie for in so doing they are nurses to foster their euill doings and allure the people by their examples as the olde saying is Qualis praeceptor talis discipulus As the Maister is suche is his scholers And therfore a greater account haue they to make before the throne of God at the day of iudgement AGE It is very true as Syrach sayth As the Iudge of the people is himselfe so are his officers and what maner of man the ruler of the citie is such are all they that dwell therein Syracides admonisheth rulers to be good examples in manners lyfe and doings that they maye shine and bee as lightes before the people that they whome they rule maye beholde their doings and followe their good iuste and vertuous examples saying Scilicet in vulgus manant exempla regentum Vâ—que ducum lituos sic mores custra sequunturâ— Such as doe the people rule according vnto lawe Examples they must giue to them howe they shoulde liue in awe For as the Captaines trumpe doth sounde so will his hoste prepare To followe him where as he goeth to sorrowe or to care YOVTH Is not this gaming condemned likewise by the holy Scriptures AGE Yes truly most manifestly YOVTH I pray you let me heare howe it is forbidden by the holy Scriptures AGE First it is ordeyned against the expresse and thirde commaundement of God which sayth Thou shalt not take the name of the Lorde thy God in
vnto the king Deiotarus Also Cicero aunswering for Murea sayd No man daunceth being sober vnlesse peraduenture he be madde neyther being alone neyther in the fieldes neyther yet at a moderate and honest banket He did vpbraide and cast Anthonie in the teeth for his wicked dauncing The Poet Brant sayth Than dauncing in earth no game more damnable It seemeth no peace but battaile openly They that it vse of mynde seeme vnstable As madde folke running with clamour shout and crie What place is voyde of this furious folly None so that I doubt within a whyle These follies the holy Churche shall defile YOVTH You haue alledged strong authorities agaynste this dauncing whereby I doe taste howe bitter it is vnto me for I perceyue by you howe full of filthinesse and wickednesse it is AGE It is most certayne that it is full of all wickednesse therefore come you away from it and vse it no more nor haue you anye pleasure in suche workes of filthynesse as the olde saying is He that will none euill do Must doe nothing belonging therto Saint Augustine sayth Nam qui gehennas metuit non peocare metuit sed ardere ille autem peccare metuit qui peccatum ipsum sicut gehennas odit Tantum porro quisque peccatum odit quantum iustitiam diligit He that feareth hell feareth not to sinne but to burne Therefore he feareth to sinne that hateth the very sinne it selfe ashe hateth hell So much doth euery man therefore hate sinne as he loueth righteousnesse So Horace sayth The wicked feareth to sinne bicause of punishment the godly man hateth to sinne for the loue of vertue according to this saying If I knewe that God woulde forgiue sinne and that men shoulde not knowe it Yet for the vilenesse of sinne I woulde not commit it YOVTH These your sayings haue pierced my hearte and done me very much good I pray God that I maye followe this good counsell of yours for I see nowe that we must and ought to walke in a vertuous life and conuersation that are baptised into Iesus Christ. AGE You haue sayde right and therfore you must vnderstande that there bee three kindes of liues One is occupied in action and doing the seconde in knowledge and studie the third in obiectation and fruition of pleasures and wanton pastimes Of which the last kinde of lyfe delicious voluptuous or giuen to pleasures is beastlike brutishe abiect vile vnworthy the excellencie of man Therefore Paule sayth vnto all suche as are come to the knowledge of Christ The night is past and the day is at hande Let vs therefore cast away the works of darkenesse and let vs put on the armour of light So that we walke honestly as in the daye tyme not in ryot and drunkennesse neyther in chambering and wantonnesse nor in striuing and enuying c. Neyther in filthinesse neyther foolishe talking neyther ieasting which are not comely but rather giuing of thankes It is sufficient sayth Saint Peter that wee haue spent the tyme past of our lyfe after the lustes of the Gentyles walking in wantonnesse lustes drunkennesse in gluttonie drinkings and in abhominable ydolatries Therefore sayth he let vs henceforwarde liue as much time as remayneth in the flesh not after the lusts of men but after the will of god And whatsoeuer we doe let vs doe all to the glorie of God. YOVTH O Lorde howe beastly they are which are ledde by the sensualitie and pleasures of the fleshe AGE It is very true my sonne for so sayth Saint Peter that those as bruite beastes ledde with sensualitie and made to be taken and destroyed speake euill of those things whiche they knowe not and shall perish through their owne corruption and shall receyue the wages of vnrighteousnesse as they which count it pleasure to liue deliciouslye for a season spottes they are and blots delyting themselues in their deceyuings and feastings YOVTH What can be more plainly spoken and said against Dauncing than is alreadye spoken and alledged by you I thanke God it hath done me much good more than I am able to vtter AGE What woulde these Fathers say nowe if they were presently aliue to see the wanton and filthie daunces that are nowe vsed in this cleare daye and light of the Gospell What Sabboth dayes what other dayes are there naye what nightes are ouerpassed without dauncing among a number at this time In Summer season howe doe the moste part of our yong men and maydes in earely rising and getting themselues into the â—â—lers at Dauncing what foolishe toyes shall not a man see among them what vnchast countenances shall not be vsed then among them or what coales shall there be wanting that maye kindle Cupids desire Truly none Through this dauÌ„cing many maydens haue bene vnmaydened whereby I may saye it is the storehouse and nurserie of Bastardie What adoe make our yong men at the time of May Do they not vse nightwatchings to rob and steale yong trees out of other mens grounde and bring them home into their Parishe with minstreels playing before when they haue set it vp they will decke it with floures and garlandes and daunce rounde men and women togither moste vnseemely and intollerable as I haue proued before about the tree like vnto the children of Israell that daunced about the golden calfe that they had set vp c. YOVTH I maruayle much that the Magistrates doe suffer this to be vsed especially where the Gospell is daily taught and preached AGE It is greatly to be maruayled at in dede But I may say as S. Paule sayd to the Romaines These men which knew the lawe of God howe that they which commit such things are worthy of death yet not onely do the same but also fauour them that doe them Which you know is as much as to consent to theÌ„ which is the full measure of all iniquitie as the Prophete Esaye sayth Thy rulers are rebellious and companions of theeues c. Also you shall oftentimes see what graue women yea suche as their either husbands are or haue borne offices in a coÌ„mon weale and others that make muche of their paynted sheathes vse to daunce It is for their recreation for sooth say they and then it is a worlde to see nay a hell to see howe they will swing leape turne when the Pypers and Crowders begin to play as if they had neyther wisedome grauitie chastitie sobrietie honestie or discretion in such sort doe they vse themselues in these wanton and vnchaste dauncings that I cannot tell whether that Democritus hath more cause to laugh at their follies than Heraclitus to weepe at their miseries The Poet sayth To dauncing come children maydes and wiues And flattering yong men to seeke to haue their pray The hand in hand great falshoode oft contriues The olde queane also this madnesse will assay And the olde dotarde though he scantly may For age and lamenesse stirre eyther
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
the worthy deed of the famous Persian Prince Artaxer◠xes so much of euerie one commended I humblie obtest your friendlie countenance and by my strong bulwarke against the fuming freates and belching ires of saucie sicophants Diceplayers Dauncers Players which if you do I haue my whole desire and crōinuallie I wil poure out prayers vnto the Lord of heauen and earth to sende you in this earthlie mansion continual encrease of faith knowledge and zeale in the gospel of Christ Iesu with prosperitie and accesse of manie blessed and happie yeares with your good ladie Sarah And after this life neuer ceassing endlesse ioyes in the heauenly seniorie At Bristow Yours to vse in the Lord Iohn Northbrooke Preacher ¶ To the Christian and faithful Reader IF such men as wil be taken for Christians would flee abhorre so much the deedes of the Epicures Saduces gentle Reader as they pretéd to detest the name and profession of them verylye they would refraine and temper themselues fró wickednesse and mischiefe would vse and exercise vertuous godly life no lesse than they now liue obstinatly in vice and behaue themselues in al their doings both wickedly and vngodly And again they woulde none otherwise obserue and kepe the commaundements of almighty God than they now neither feare him nor dread him at all But vndoubtedly there is not one almost which doth so much abhorre the thing it selfe in his hart which thing may plainely appeare by our dayly conuersation our maners and al that euer we do as we eschew and flee the name For how can those men be assured in their consciences that soules are immortal which for the most part liue as brute beastes do Or that there be rewards reposed for the godly in heauen or punishment ordeyned for wicked mē in hel which do inno maner thing feare to trásgresse breake the cōmaundements of God and do fal headlong into al kinde of vice and enormities as though they did imagin that either god is but a iesting stocke and a sayned thing or the soules and bodies do dye both at once as Pope Iohn the two twentith held Now I beseech thee gentle Reader what man is there whome either the feare of Gods iustice doth withdraw from vice and sin or yet doth induce and bring in minde to reforme and amende his life wherin thou mayest iustly lament and bewaile the folly state of men and much wonder at their blindnesse or rather madnesse which in such shortnesse vncertainty of life do so behaue themselues that they haue no mind of any reformation or amēdment of our life when we bee croked for olde age and haue then fearsely one day to liue far off is it that we go about or intēd that thing when we be yonkers and in our flourishing age VVhen I remember with my selfe that such is the follie of men or madnesse rather as I may wel cal it in deferring the reformatiō of their life and manners maketh me sorowful It is a world to see and to behold the wicked people how they wrest and turne the names of good things vnto the names of vices As if a gentleman haue in him any humble behauiour thê the Roysters cal such a one by the name of a Loute a Clinchpoup or one that knoweth no fashions if a man talke godly and wisely the worldlings deride it and say the yong Fox preacheth beware your Geese and of a yong saint groweth an old deuil if a man will not dice and play then he is a nigard and a miser and no good fellow if he be no dauncer he is a foole and a blockhead c. If a man be a Royster knoweth how to fight his fight then he is called by the name of honesty if he can kil a man dare rob vpon the high way he is called a tall man and a valiát man of his hands if he can Dice playe and daunce hee is named a proper and a syne nimble man if he wil loyter and liue idlely vpon other mens labours sit al day and night at Cards and Dice he is named a good companion and a shopfellow if he can sweare and stare they say he hath a stout courage If he be a whoremaister they say he is an amorous louer and Venus byrde it is the course of youth he wil leaue it when he is olde c. Vpon these people wil fal that woe and curse that Esay the prophet doth pronounce saying wo vnto them that speake good of euil and euil of good which put dronkennesse for light and light for dronkenesse that put bitter for swete sweto for sowre Salust also speaketh of them saying I am pridem equidem ver a rerum vocabula amisimus quia bona aliena largire liberalitas malarum yerum audatia fortitudu vocatur that is to saye Now of late dayes we haue lost the true names of things bycause the giuing away of other mens goods is called liberalitie vnshame fastnesse in noughtie things is called high or gentle coutage VVhat is a man now a dayes if he know not fashions and how to weare his apparel after the best fashion to kepe company to become Mummer Diceplayers and to play their twentie forty or 100. li. at Cards Dice c. Post Cente Gleke or such other games if he cannot thus do he is called a myser a wretch a lobbe a cloune and one that knoweth no felowship nor fashions and lesse honesty And by such kinde of playes many of them are broughte into great miserie and penurye And there are fyue causes hereof as Iiudge specially among al the rest First is vnbeliefe for if we supposed not that those things were fables which are mentioned in the scriptures euery where of the last day of iudgement and of the voyce of the Archangell and of the trump of God and of the throne of Gods seate wherat al mé must stand of the punishment of the wicked of the euerlasting and blessed life which the godly after this miserable life shal enjoy of the resurrection of the bodies soules eyther to be partakers togither of certaine ioye or else of certaine paine and also shall giue his accompt of al things which he hath done either intended by thought saide or done and how he hath vsed gods giftes and creatures towards his needy members c. VVithout al doubt question they would not liue thus ydlely naughtily as they do The second cause is the boldnesse to sinne vpon gods mercie this boldnesse is great in very deede but yet it is such as they may well ynough deceiue thēselues withal For of boldnesse they haue no sure trial at al. So Salomon saith say not the mercie of God is great he wil forgiue me my manifold sinnes for mercy and wrath came from him and his indignation commeth downe vpon sinners c. with this boldnesse
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
sleepe moderately and orderly that he may the better go about those lawfull affayres that he hath to doe For otherwise as you vse your rest and sleepe shall happen to you as Salomon sayth He that loueth sleepe shall come vnto pouertie c. Our life is a watching therefore we ought to take heede that wee lose not the greatest part of our life with sleepe namely sith of the same many vices be engendred as well of the bodie as of the mynde Cato to thys effect sayth Plus vigila semper nec somno deditus esto Nam diuturna quies vitijs alimenta ministrat YOVTH You knowe that sleepe was giuen for mans preseruation for that nothing hauing lyfe is there that sleepeth not Aristotle sayeth that all creatures hauing bloude take their repose and sleepe c. Sleepe is a surceasing of all the senses from trauel which is or is caused by certaine euaporations and fumes rysing of our meate and sustenance receyued mounting from the stomacke immediately vnto the braine by whose great coldenesse these vapors warme are tempered casting into a slumber euerye the forces or senses exterior at which time the vitall spirites retiring to the heart leaue all the members of the bodie in a sleepe vntill such time againe as these sayde vitall spirites recouer new force and strength to them againe and so these vapors or ceasing or diminishing man agayne awaketh and returneth to himselfe more apt to his businesse than at any time before And therefore to sleepe and take muche rest is not so noysome or hurtfull as you affirme AGE You haue herein shewed your selfe like a Philosopher and a Phisition but farre wyde eyther from good Philosophie or wholesome Phisicke Although it be good and necessarie for the bodie yet must it not be with excesse and immoderately taken for that to much sleepe sayth Aristotle weakeneth the spirites of the bodie as well as also of the soule euen as moderate and coÌ„petent rest bettereth them increasing their vigor and their force euen so immoderate rest hurteth and weakeneth For as manye things are necessarie and needefull in mans lyfe so taking in excesse and out of season annoy and grieue much as to eate who feeleth not howe hunger vs compelleth and yet he that eateth too much repenteth it as we commonly see Sleepe then must bee taken for necessitie onely to reuiue refreshe and comforte the wearye senses the spirites vitall and other wearye members For too much sleepe besides that it maketh heauie the spirits and senses the partie also becommeth slouthfull weake and effeminate with ouermuche ydlenesse ingendreth much humiditie and rawe humors in the bodie which commonlye assaulte it with sundrie infirmities messengers of death and of finall ruine For when we sleepe too muche all the moystures and humors of the bodie with the naturall heate retire to the extreme parts therof no where purging or euacuating whatsoeuer is redundant So then vnmeasurable sleepe is not onely forbidden by Philosophers and Phisitions but also is a thing odious to the wise Ouid with other Poetes terme sleepe an Image or pourtraite of death saying VVhat else thou foole is sluggishe sleepe but forme of frosen death By setled houres of certaine rest approch thy want of breath Therefore be you and all suche as you are ashamed then that spende the greater parte of your tyme in ydlenesse and sleepe in your beddes vntill you bee readye to goe to youre dynner neglecting thereby all dutie of seruice both towardes God and man. These are the men that one speaketh of saying Diu dormiunt de mane sero cito cubant de nocte They will go verye late to bedde at night and sleepe long in the morning Surelye he that so doth his offence is nothing lesse than his that all daye doth sitte in fatte dishes surfetting lyke a grosse and swollen Epicure considering these creatures shoulde onely bee taken to the sole sustentation and maintenance of life and not to fill or pamper voluptuouslye the bellye Dionysius sayeth Non viuas vt edas sed edas vt viuere posses ad sanitatem non ad incontinentiam habenda est ratio Thou lyuest not to eate butte eate as thou mayest lyue For there must be a gouernement to vse it for thy health and not to incontinencie Chrisostome sayth Non vita est propter cibum potum sed propter vitum cibus potus The life is not appoynted for meate and drinke but meate and drinke is appoynted for the life In which sort we must take our sleepe onely for necessitie and nothing for ydle pleasure and that in due time and not out of season that we may the better serue God and our neâ—ghbours If that yong man Eutichus for sleeping at Paules sermon at Troas in a windowe fell downe as a punishment of God from the thirde lofte deade what punishment then thinke you will God bring vpon you and other like that sleepe from the sermon and neuer come to diuine seruice but sleepe oute Sermons and all which commeth to passe by your night watchings and ydle pastimes therefore no excuse will serue you herein YOVTH Why good father is not this a lawfull excuse for me to be absent from the Temple at prayer and preaching AGE It is no more lawfull excuse for you than it was for them that were called to the supper which seemed to make lawfuller and more honest excuses than you do when as one would go to his ferme another to proue his Oxen and another to abide with his newe maried wife c. All which things of themselues and by themselues are good and lawfull But when these things are occasions to hinder vs and drawe vs backe from our obedience vnto oure GOD in his worde then are they turned into sinnes as Salomon sayth He that turneth away his eare from hearing the lawe euen his prayer shall be abhominable The reason is bicause it is not of faith which fayth is grounded vpon Gods worde For whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne For where a true fayth is there is alwayes obedience to Gods worde for faith hath hir certaintie of the worde of God and true obedience wayteth vppon fayth continually as one of hir handmaydes Therefore if lawfull things of themselues as Oxen Fermes wyues children setting our housholde in order burying of our fathers praiers sacrifices good intents meanings our own liues c. are not to be preferred before Gods calling or can be any excuse to vs at all Howe muche lesse shall our vayne and ydle playes and wanton pastimes be an excuse vnto vs at the dreadfull day of iudgement though they can say as Salomon reporteth of them Come let vs enioy the pleasures that are present let vs chearefully vse the creatures as in youth let vs fill our selues with wiue and oyntments and let not the floure of life passe by vs Let vs be partakers of our wantonnesse
Minister onely c. As for the place of Ieremie you shall note that he goeth aboute to shewe the Iewes the right keeping of the Lawe For by naming the Sabboth day he comprehendeth the thing that is thereby signified for if they transgressed in the ceremonie they must needes be culpable of the rest which is meditating the spiritual Sabboth or rest hearing of Gods worde and resting from worldly trauels And doth also declare that by the breaking of this one coÌ„maundement he maketh them transgressors of the whole lawe forasmuch as the first and seconde table are therein contayned that is as I haue sayde before fayth towardes God and charitie towardes our neyghbors and not for our owne fantasie gaine and pleasure we shoulde go about our owne businesse and leaue our duty towards God and giue our selues to al maner ydlenesse and Ethnicall sportes and pastimes as is nowe vsed too muche amongst vs That day is most holy in the which we must apply and giue our selues vnto holy workes and spirituall meditations For if we doe but rest in the Sabboth day from the works of the bodie then do we take that like rest as beasts do and not as the faithfull doe Saint Hierome to this sayth Non sufficit à malis esse otiosum si quu fuerit à bonis otiosus It is not ynough for man to rest and cease from euil things if a man be ydle from good things Likewise Saint Augustine sayth Quod in otio non debet esse iners vacatio sed aus inquisitio veritatis aut inuentio that is In ydlenesse sluggish rest ought to be away and when he is at rest there ought to be either inquisitioÌ„ of the truth or inuention of the same YOVTH What doth this worde Sabboth signifie AGE It signifieth in Hebrue quietnesse or rest YOVTH Howe many Sabboths are there AGE Three The first is corporall to cease from our bodily labours Seconde is spirituall to cease from our sinne Thirde is heauenly that is after this our pilgrimage and ende of our life we shall keepe our Sabboth and rest in heauen with Iesus Christ for euer and euer YOVTH You haue throughlye satisfied me in this point I thank you good Father for it Yet I pray you let me vnderstand what Christ meaneth by saying in S. Mathewe that of euerye ydle worde that men shall speake they shall giue account thereof at the daye of iudgement AGE That is a sharpe saying and a true if we shall giue account for euery ydle worde O Lorde be mercifull to vs what shall we doe then for our ydle and sinnefull workes By these ydle wordes Saint Hierome vnderstandeth all that is spoken without profit to the hearers letting passe good and gracious talke and speake of friuolous vaine things full of scurrilitie and baudrie c. Maister Bullinger sayth Hereby is forbidden all lyes vanities and whatsoeuer springeth of the affections of the fleshe Maister Musculus sayeth That Christ hereby declareth that we shall not giue accountes to God onely for deedes but also for wicked wordes not onely for vaine wordes but for ydle words it for ydle wordes what for hurtfull wordes what for lyings what for slaunderings what for cursings what for leastings and mockings what for periuries shall be done hereafter to those at the daye of iudgement Wee see hereby that there is not a worde in our tongue but the Lorde knoweth them wholy altogither Not without great cause therefore did Dauid pray vnto the Lord that he would set a watch before his mouth to keepe the doore of his lippes Bicause sayeth Paule euill speakings corrupt good maners Saint Paule sayth that fornication and all vncleannesse or couetousnes must not be once named among vs as it becommeth Saints Neither filthinesse neither foolish talking neither â—easting which are things not comelye but rather giuing of thanks Let your speach be gracious alwayes poudred with salt He sayth also Let no corrupt communication proceede out of your mouthes but which is good to the vse of edifying that it may minister grace to the hearers In fine therefore he concludeth to the Colossians thus Whatsoeuer ye shall doe in worde or deede doe all in the name of the Lorde Iesus giuing thanks to God euen the father by him O quà m sanctum est os vnde semper coelestia erumpunt eloquia O sayeth Augustine howe holy is that mouth wherrout commeth alwayes heauenlye speaches Let them take heede therefore which speake what they list saying with the wicked in the Psalme With our tongue we will preuayle our lippes are our owne who is Lorde ouer vs But sayth the Prophet the Lorde will cut off all flattering lippes and the tongue that speaketh proud things Dauid asketh what the deceitfull tongue bringeth vnto himselfe or what doth it auayle him Salomon sayeth that life and death are in the power of the tongue and they that loue it shall eate the fruite thereof YOVTH Is it not lawfull then to vse any kinde of ieasting or mery talke when companies are gathered togither to make them merie withall AGE Yes so that your talke and ieasting be not to the disglorie of Gods name or hurt to your neighbour you maye For there are diuers examples in the Scriptures of pleasant talke which is also godlye as Eliah â—easted with Baals Prophetes saying Crie loude for he meaning Baall the Idoll is a God eyther he talketh or pursueth his enimies or is in his iourney or it may be that he sleepeth and must be awaked c. When honest iesting to good honest endes be vsed it is tollerable Therefore Paule sayeth not simplye Iâ—asting but addeth whiche are things not comely meaning ieasting that is full of scurrilitie and filthinesse YOVTH Well let this passe and let vs come againe to our talke that we had before which was that you wente aboute to driue me to labour for my liuing and that euerye man shoulde walke in his vocation to get his breade in the sweate of his face Well I tell you plaine Playes must be had and we will haue them say you to the contrarie what you lyst AGE Salomon sayth He that loueth pastimes shall be a poore man. c. Agayne he sayth By slothfulnesse the roofe of the house goeth to decay and by the ydlenesse of the handes the house droppeth through againe a diligent hande maketh riche but a slothfull hande maketh poore He that tilleth his lande shall bee satisfied with breade but he that followeth the ydle is destitute of defence c. YOVTH And it please you sir Christe biddeth vs not to bee carefull for our liues what we shall eate and drinke and sayeth that the Lillies of the fielde labour not neyther spinne yet Salomon was neuer arrayed like vnto them And also that the birdes doe not sowe reape nor carie into the barne c. We are bidden also not
ytching eares and lothe that heauenly Manna as appeareth by their flowe and negligent comming vnto Sermons and running so fast and so many continually vnto Playes c Ouid was banished by Augustus into Pontus as it is thought for making the booke of the Craft of Loue. Hiero Syracusanus did punishe Epicharmus the Poet bicause he rehearsed certaine wanton verses in the presence of his wife For he woulde not haue onely in his house chaste bodies but also chaste cares Why then shoulde not Christians abolishe and punishe suche filthie Players of Enterludes whose mouthes are full of filthinesse and wickednesse Saint Paule willed the Ephesians that fornication and all vncleannesse shoulde not once be named among them Neyther filthinesse neyther foolishe talking neyther feasting whiche are things not comely but rather giuing of thankes He sheweth the reason to the Corinthians why they shoulde so abstayne Bicause euill speakings corrupt good maners sayth he Again Come out from among them and let vs seperate our selues and touche no vncleane thing and then the Lorde will receyue vs and abide with vs. For sayth he the grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared and teacheth vs that we should deny vngodlynesse and wordly lusts and that we should liue soberly righteously and godlily in this present worlde looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glorie of the mightie God and of our sauiour Iesus Christ. YOVTH Nowe I perceyue it is not good nor godly haunting of such places AGE It is truth For as the Preacher sayth It is better to go vnto the house of mourning than go to the house of feasting c. For the heart of the wise is in the house of mourning but the heart of fooles is in the house of myrth And therefore it is better sayth Salomon to heare the rebuke of a wise man than that a man shoulde heare the songs of fooles YOVTH Truly I see many of great countenance both men and women resort thither AGE The more is the pittie and greater is their shame and payne if they repent not and leaue it off Many can tarie at a vayne Playe two or three houres when as they will not abyde scarce one houre at a Sermon They will tunne to euerye Playe but scarce will come to a preached Sermon so muche and so great is our follye to delyte in vanitie and leaue veritie to seeke for the meate that shall perishe and passe not for the foode that they shall liue by for euer These people sayeth Iob haue their houses peaceable without feare and the rod of God is not vpon them they sende forth their children like sheepe and their sonnes daunce They take the Tabret and Harpe and reioyce in the sounde of Instruments They spende their dayes in welth sodenly they go down to the graue They say vnto God depart from vs. For we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Who is the almightie that we shoulde serue him and what profite shoulde wee haue if we shoulde pray to him Therefore I speake alas with griefe and sorowe of heart against those people that are so fleshlye ledde to see what rewarde there is giuen to suche Crocodiles whiche deuoure the pure chastitie bothe of single and maried persons men and women when as in their Playes you shall learne all things that appertayne to crafte mischiefe deceytes and filthinesse c. If you will learne howe to bee false and deceyue your husbandes or husbandes their wyues howe to playe the harlottes to obtayne ones loue howe to rauishe howe to beguyle howe to betraye to flatter lye sweare forsweare howe to allure to whoredome howe to murther howe to poyson howe to disobey and rebell agaynst Princes to consume treasures prodigally to mooue to lusts to ransacke and spoyle cities and townes to bee ydle to blaspheme to sing filthie songs of loue to speake filthily to be prowde howe to mocke scoffe and deryde any nation lyke vnto Genesius Aralatensis c. shall not you learne then at suche Enterludes howe to practise them as Palingenius sayth Index est animi sermo morumy ◠fidelis Haud dubiè testis The tongue hath oftentimes witnesse brought Of that which heart within hath thought And maners hidde in secret place It doth disclose and oft disgrace Therefore great eeason it is that women especiallye shoulde absent themselues from such Playes What was the cause why Dina was rauished was it not hir curiositie the Mayden woulde go forth and vnderstande the manners of other folkes Curiositie then no doubt did hurt hir and will alwayes hurt women For if it were hurtfull vnto the familie of Iacob being so great a Patriarch for a Mayden to wander abroade how much more daungerous is it for other families which are not so holye nor acceptable vnto God But the nature of women is muche infected with this vice And therefore Saint Paule admonisheth women to loue their husbands to bring vp their children and to be byders and tariers at home And when he entreateth of wanton and yong widdowes They wander abroade sayeth he and runne from house to house and at the last go after Satan Giue the water no passage no not a little sayth Syrach neyther giue a wanton woman libertie to go out abroade If thy daughter be not shamefast holde hir straitly least she abuse hir selfe thorow ouermuch libertie As men cannot gather grapes of thornes and figges of thistles neyther can anye man or woman gather anye vertue or honestie in haunting places where Enterludes are As one vertue bringeth in another so one vice nourisheth another Pryde ingendreth enuie and ydlenesse is an entraunce into lust Idlenesse is the mystresse of wanton appetites and postresse of Lusts gate For no māentreth into the pallace of Lust vnlesse he be first let in by Idlenesse and more Idlenesse can there not bet than where such Playes and Enterludes are Therfore as Christ sayth The light of the bodie is the eye If then the eye be single thy whole bodie shall be light But if thine eye bee wicked then all thy body shall be darke c. As if he would saye It thine affections and wicked concupiscence ouercome reason it is no maruell though men be blinded and be lyke vnto beatles and followe all carnall pleasures To take away this darkenesse and blindenesse the Athenians prouided well when they appoynted their Areopagites to write no Comedie or Play for that they woulde auoyde all euils that might ensue thereof c Theodosius likewise did by expresse lawes decree that daunces and wanton daliance shoulde not be vsed neyther Games or Enterludes Constantinus the Emperour made lawes wherein he did vtterly forbidde all Enterludes and spectacles among the Romanes for the great discommoditie that came thereof Saint Cyprian sayth it is not ynough for his frende Eucratius to abstayne from such Enterlude
sorts that you speake of are to be reproued but the thirde sorte is to be commended YOVTH I praye you let me heare your iudgement hereof and first of all as you promised of the beginning and institution thereof AGE As touching the first Men of the olde time were accustomed with common vowes to sing certaine solemne ditties both when they gaue thankes to God and also when as they woulde obteyne any thing of him Wherefore Orpheus Limus Pindarus and Horace and suche like Poetes which vsed the Harpe wrote their hymnes for the most part for these vses Also in the Romane publike wealth the Priests of Mars which were called Salij caried shieldes and sang their verses through the citie Furthermore it was the manner that Musicke and verses were had when the prayses of noble men were celebrated chiefly at feastes whereby they which stoode by might be admonished to imitate their noble actes and detest suche vices which were cōtrarie vnto their vertues Moreouer they vsed them to recreate the mindes and to comfort such as were pensiue beauy and sad for the deade As Saule being heauie c. caused Dauid to playe vpon the Harpe to refresh him c. The vse hereof also we maye reade in Mathews when as Christ our Sauiour came into the Rulers house to raise vp his deade daughter the Minstrels and people were making a noyse that is according to their custome to play and sing c. Contrariwise when any great cause of ioye happened it was expressed by Musicke and songs as wee maye reade many examples hereof in the holy Scriptures as of Moyses sister Miriam Iudith Iephtah his daughter c. Likewise in weddings they were wont to playe musically and to sing wedding songs All these things if they bee done moderately and in due time are tollerable For Musicke and songs containe three kindes of good things that is honest profite and pleasantnesse For although singing of it selfe delighteth the mindes of men yet when wordes are ioyned vnto it which are of a iust number and bounde by certaine feete as Uerses are is much more pleasant And vndoubtedly Poetrie had hereof his beginning and cannot be denied but it is an excellent gift of God yet this ought to bee kept pure and chast among men bicause certaine lasciuious men haue and doe filthily defile it applying it to wantonnesse wicked lusts and euery filthie thing YOVTH Why doth Musicke so rapte and vanishe men in a maner wholy AGE The reason is playne For there are certaine pleasures which onely fill the outwarde senses and there are others also which pertaine only to the mynde or reason But Musick is a delectation so put in the middest that both by the sweetnesse of the soundes it moueth the senses and by the artificiousnesse of the number and proportions it deliteth reason it selfe And that happeneth then chiefly when such wordes are added vnto it whose sense is both excellent and learned Pithagoras opinion was that they which studied his doctrine shoulde be brought in sleepe with a harpe and by the accordes thereof also wakened whereby they might quietly enioy the time both of sleeping and waking Cicero affirmeth that rockes and wildernesses doe giue a sounde and cruell beasts by singing are assuaged and made to stande still as it is reported of the Unicorne when as men will take him they put a yong mayden into the wildernesse and when the Unicorne seeth hir he standeth still and when hee heareth the mayde sing and play on an instrument he commeth to his and sleepeth harde by hir and layth his head vpon hir lap and so the hunters kill him I may also speake howe the Poetes fable that when the walles of Thebes the citie were buylt the stones of their owne motion came togither with the founde of the Harpe And no man is ignorant what the same Poetes haue written of Arion who being taken by pyrates playing so melodiously vppon his harpe the Dolphin fishe with the great Whales delyted so muche in his Musicke that when as the Pyrates cast him into the sea the fishes caried him safely vnto the shore So haue they fayned of Orpheus And also who knoweth not howe muche Dauid here and there in his Psalmes prayseth bothe Musicke and Songs Secondly we must consider whether it may be vsed in Churches In the Cast part the holy assemblies euen from the beginning vsed singing which we maye easily vnderstande by the testimonie of Plinie in his Epistle to Traiane the Emperour where he writeth that Christians vsed to sing hymnes before day vnto their Christ and therefore were called Antelucanos coetus the morning assemblies And this is not to bee ouerslipte that these wordes were written in that time that Iohn the Euangelist liued for he was aliue vnto the time of Traian Wherefore if a man shall saye that in the time of the Apostles there was singing in holy assemblies he shall not stay from the truth Paule who was before these tymes vnto the Ephesians sayth Be not drunke with wine wherein is excesse but be filled with the spirite speaking vnto your selues in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs singing and making melodie to the Lorde in your hearts giuing thankes alwayes for all things vnto God euen the father in the name of Iesus christ To the Colossians he sayth Let the worde of Christ dwell in you plenteously in all wisedome teaching and admonishing your owne selues in Psalmes hymnes and spirituall songs singing with a grace in your hearts to the Lorde To the Corinthians he sayth When ye assemble togither according as euery one of you hath a Psalme or hath a doctrine or hath a tongue or hath reuelation or hath interpretation let all things be done vnto edifying By which wordes is declared that fingers of songs and Psalmes had their place in the Church But the west Churches more lately receyued the manner of singing for Augustine testifieth that it happened in the time of Ambrose For when that holy manne togither with the people watched in the Church least hee shoulde haue bene betrayed vnto the Arrians be brought in singing to anoyde tedrousnesse and to driue away the time But as touching the measure and nature of the song which ought to bee retayned in Musicke in the Church these things must be specially noted Saint Augustine in his booke of Confession confesseth and is also sorie that hee hadde sometime fallen bicause he had giuen more attentiue hede vnto the measures and cordes of Musicke than vnto the wordes which were vnder them spoken Which thing hereby he proueth to be sinne bicause Musicke and singing were brought in for the wordes sake and not wordes for Musicke And he so repented this his faulte that hee exceedinglye allowed the manner of the Churche of Alexandria vsed vnder Athanasius who commaunded the Reader that when he sang hee shoulde but little alter his voyce so that he
which pleased the flesh Therefore whereas nowe a dayes we see many seeke nothing but to royst it insomuche as they haue none other countenance but in seeking to hoppe and daunce like stray beastes and to doe suche other like things Let vs vnderstande that it is not of late beginning but that the deuill hath raygned at all times Howebeit let vs knowe also that the euill is neuer the more to be excused for the auncientnesse of it Men haue alwayes done so yea and that was bicause the deuill hath alwayes reigned but must God therfore be quite dispossessed Musicke of it selfe cannot be condemned but forasmuch as the worlde doth almost alway abuse it we ought to be so much the more circumspect we see at this daye that they which vse Musicke doe swell with poyson against God they become hard hearted they will haue their songs yea and what maner of songs Full of all villanie and ribauldrie And afterwarde they fall to Dauncing which is the chiefest mischiefe of all For there is alwayes such vnchast behauiour in dauncing that of it selfe and as they abuse it to speake the truth at one worde it is nothing but an enticement to whoredome Wherefore we ought to take warning to restrayne our selues and whereas we see there are manye whose whole delight is to seeke such pastymes let vs saye a mischiefe on them And if we will not haue the same curse to light vppon our selues lette vs learne to absent our selues from such loose and wanton pastimes but let vs rather aduisedly restrayne our selues and set God alwayes before our eyes to the ende that hee maye blesse oure myrth and we so vse his benefites as wee maye neuer cease to trauaile vp to heauenwarde so must we apply all our myrth to this ende namelye that there maye bee a melodye sounding in vs whereby the name of God maye be blessed and glorified in our Lorde Iesus Christ. To Musicke belongeth the arte of Dauncing very acceptable to Maydens and Louers which they learne with great care and withoute tediousnesse doe prolong it vntill midnight and with great diligence doe deuise to daunce wyth framed gestures and with measurable paces to the sounde of the Cymball Harpe or Flute and doe as they thinke very wisely and subtilly the sondest thing of all other and little differing from madnesse whiche except it were tempered with the sounde of Instrumentes and as it is sayde if vanitie did not commende vanitie there should be no sight more ridiculous nor more out of order than Dauncing this is a libertie to wantonnesse a friende to wickednesse a prouocation to fleshlye lust enimie to chastitie and a pastime vnworthye of all honest persons There oftentimes a matrone as Petrarcha sayth hath lost hir long preserued honor oftentimes the vnhappie mayden hath there learned that whereof she had bene better to be ignorant there the fame and honestie of many women is lost Infinite frō thence haue returned home vnchast many with a doubtfull minde but none chaste in thought and dede And we haue often seene that womanlike honestie in dauncing hath bene throwne downe to the grounde and always vehemently prouoked and assaulted yet some of the Greeke writers haue commended it as they haue many filthie and wicked things But it is no maruaile that the Greekes doe in this sorte studie Philosophie which haue made the Goddes authors of Adulterie of whoredome of murther and finallye of all wickednesse They haue written many bookes of Dauncing in whiche is contayned all the kindes qualities and measures and haue reckened vp the names of them and of what forte euerye one of them shoulde be and who inuented it wherefore I will speake no further of them The auncient Romaines graue men by reason of their wisedome and authoritie did refuse all Dauncing and no honest matrone was commended among them for dauncing Dauncing is the vilest vice of all and truly it cannot easily be sayde what mischiefes the sight and the hearing do receyue hereby which afterwarde be the causes of communication and embracing They daunce with disordinate gestures and with monstrous thumping of the feete to pleasaunt soundes to wanton songs to dishonest verses Maydens and matrones are groped and handled with vnchast handes and kissed and dishonestly embraced and the things which nature hath hidden modestie couered are then oftentimes by meanes of lasciuiousnesse made naked and ribaulorie vnder the colour of Pastime is dissembled An exercise doubtlesse not descended from heauen but by the Deuilles of hell deuised to the iniurie of the Diuinitie when the people of Israel erected a calfe in the desert whiche after they had done sacrifice began to eate and drinke and afterwarde rose vp to sport themselues and singing daunced in a rounde I coulde alledge you many more if I thought these did not satisfie your minde YOVTH Satisfie quoth you yea I assure you they haue euen cloyed me and filled me to the full I neuer hearde so many worthy fathers alledged as you haue done both of olde and later writers against Dauncing which begynneth to make mee lothe and euen detest this vice and filthie Dauncing Yet for promise sake I pray you let me heare what Councels and examples there are against this dauncing AGE In the Counsell of Laoditia holden in the yeare of our Lorde God 364. vnder Pope Liberius it was decreed thus It is not meete for Christian men to daunce at their mariages Let them dyne and suppe grauely and moderately giuing thāks vnto God for the benefite of mariages Let the Cleargie aryse and go their wayes when the players on the Instruments whiche serue for Dauncing doe begynne to playe least by their presence they shoulde seeme to allowe that wantonnesse In this Councell which was holden in the time of Theodoricus the king it was decreed namely that no Christian should daunce at any mariages or at any other time Iustinian the Emperour made a decree saying We wyll not haue men giue themselues vnto voluptuousnesse wherefore it shall not be lawfull in the Feast dayes to vse any dauncings whether they be for lustes sake or whether they be done for pleasures sake Emilius Probus in the lyfe of Epiminonda sayth That to sing to daunce was not very honorable among the Romaines when the Grecians had in it great estimation Salust writeth that Sempronia a certayne lasciuious and vnchast woman was taught to sing and daunce more elegantlye than became an honest matrone saying also that singing and dauncing are the instruments of lecherie Cicero sayth that an honest and good man will not daunce in the market place although he might by that meanes come to great possessions And in his oration that he made after his returne into the Senate he calleth Aulus Gabinius in reproche Saltator Calamistratus a fine mincing dauncer It was also obiected to Lucius Murena for a great fault bicause he had daunced in Asia The same thing also was obiected
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