harboured 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
jests to recreate mens mindes transforme yoâ—thes into the very habit and order of Strumpets to the great injury and dishonour of their age and sexe a thing which Moses doth much condemne Witnesse Tertullian De Spectaculis lib. c. 10. p. 17. Together with Isiodor Hispalensis Originum lib. 18. cap. 51. In all scenicall arts say they there is plainely the patronage of Bacchus and Venus which are peculiarly proper to the Stage From the gesture and flexure of the body they sacrifice effeminacy to Venus and Bacchus the one of them being effeminate by her sexe the other by his fâ—nx c. Witnesse Saint Cyprian De spectaculis lib. where he writes thus To this vile shamefull deed another equall wickednesse is super-added A man enfeebled in all his joynts resolved into a more than womanish effeminacy whose art it is to speake with his hands and gestures comes forth upon the Stage and for this oneâ— I know not whom neiâ—her man nor woman the whole Citie flocke together that so the fabulous lusts of antiquity may be acted Yea men writes he in another place are unmanned on the Stage all the honour and vigour of their sex is effeminated with the shame the dishonesty of an unsinâ—ed body He who is most womanish and best resembles the female sex gives best content The more criminous the more applauded is he and by how much the more obsene he is the more skilfull is he accounted What cannot he perswade who is such a one c. And in another Epistle of his he writes to Eucratius to Excommunicate a Player who did traine up Boyes for the Stage for that he taught them against the expresse instruction of God himselfe how a male might be effeminated into a female how their sex might be changed by Art that so the divell who defiles Gods workemanship might be pleased by the offences of ae depraved and effeminated body I thinke it will not stand with the Majestie of God nor the discipline of the Gospel that the modestie and honour of the Church should be polluted with such a filthy and infamous contagion For since men are prohibited in the Law to put on a womans garment and such who doe it are adjudged accursed How much more greater a sinne is it not onely to put on womans apparell but likewise to expresse obscene effeminate womanish gestures by the skill or tutorship of an unchaste Art The most unchaste gestures and actions of Stage-players writes Lactantius what else doe they but teach and provoke lust whose enervated bodies effeminated into an womanish pace and habit resemble unchaste women by their dishonest gestures c. One being a Youth writes Saint Chrysostome combes backe his haire and effeminating nature with his visage his apparell his gesture and the like strives to represent the person of a tender virgin which he condemnes as a most abominable effeminate act There is another sort of Actors writes Nazianzen more unhappy then these to wit those who lose the glory of men and by unchaste infections of their membersâ— effeminate their manly nature being both effeminate men and women yea being neither men nor women if we will speake truely For they continue not men and that they should become women they attaine not For what they are by nature that they continue not in regard of manners and that which they wickedly desire to be that they are not by nature By which it commeth to passe that they are certaine riddles of luxurie and intricacies of vices being men among women and women among men Whether doe these things rather deserve applauses aspections and mirth or teares and sighes Verily laughter raignes in these Nature is vitiated and adulterated and a various flame of pleasures is kindled To these I might acumulate the parallell testimony of Athanasius Contra Gentes Oratio p. 10. A. B. of Theophylus Antiochenus ad Autolicum lib. 3. of Tatianuâ— Oratio adversus Graecos Of Minucius Felix Octauius p. 70. 101.223 Of Augustine De Civitate Dei lib. 2. cap. 3. to 14. and lib. 7. c. 24. Of Salvian lib. 6. De Gubernatione Dei. Of Hierom. Epistâ— 2. cap. 6.7 Epist. 9. cap. 5. Epist. 10. c. 4. Epist. 13. c. 2. Epist. 48. c. 2. Epist. 88. cap. 4. Of Eusebius apud Damascenum parallelorum lib. 3. cap. 47. Of Cassiodorus Variarum lib. 1. cap. 27.30 lib. 3. cap. 51. and lib. 7. cap. 16. Of Damascen Parallelorum lib. 3. cap. 47. Of Iohn Salisbury De Nugis Curialium lib. 1. cap. 8. together with the concurrent suffrages of Ludovicus Vives De Causis Corruptâ— Artium lib. 2. p. 82.83 Notae in Augustinum De Civit. Dei lib. 2 cap. 3. to 14. Of Radolphus Gualther Homilie 11. in Nahum 3. p. 214.215 Of Francis Petrarcha De Remedio vtriusque fortunae lib. 1. Diologus 30. Of Agrippa de Vanitate Scientiarum cap. 20 59â—64.71 Of Peter Martyr Locorum Communium Classis 2. cap. 11. sect 62.66 cap. 12. sâ—ct 15.19 and Commentary on Iudges page 310.311 Of Bodine De Republica lib. 6â— cap. â— Of Ioannis Mariana Barnabas Brissonius and Bulengerus De Tâ—eatris spectaculis ludis scenicis of the third Blast of Retrait from Playes and Theaters page 110 111 112. of Master Northbrooke Master Stubs Master Gosson and Doctor Reinolds in their severall Treatises against Stage-playes Of Bishop Babington Master Perkins Master Dod Master Lakes Master Downeham and sundry other on the seventh Commandement Yea of Plato Cicero Senica Tacitus Iuvenall Marcus Aurelius Plinie and other Pagan Authors who all with one consent not onely testifie but likewise positively condemne the grosse the execrable effeminacy which attends the acting of all Stageplayes which the very Cynicke himselfe would blush for to behold And must not our owne experience beare witnesse of the invirillity of Play-acting May we not daily see our Players metamorphosed into women on the Stage not only by putting on the female robes but likewise the effeminate gestures speeches pace behaviour attire delicacy passions manners arts and wiles of the female sex yea of the most petulant unchaste insinuating Strumpets that either Italy or the world affords What wantonnesse what effeminacy parallell to that which our men-women actors in all their feminine yea sometime in their masculine parts expresse upon the Theater was ever the invirility of Nero Heliogabalus or Sardanapalus those Monsters if not shames of Men and Nature was ever the effeminate lewdnesse of Flora or Thais comparable unto that which our artificiall Stage-players trayned up to all lasciviousnesse from their Cradles continually practise on the Stage without blush of face or sorrow of heart not onely in the open view of men but even of that all-eyed God who will one day arraigne them for this their grosse effeminacie And dare wee men wee Christians yet applaud it Pitty is it to consider how
as so many Panders Bellowes and Firebrands to their vile luscivious desires But passing by all these with a briefe quotation of their names and workes to which you may resort as being too tedious to recite at large I shall onely relate unto you what 4. other Authors of our owne have written concerning the lewde effects of Stage-playes The first of them is reverend Bishop Babington who writes thus of Playes These prophane and wanton Stage-playes or Enterludes what an occasion they are of adultery and uncleanesse by gesture by speech by convayances by devices to attaine to so ungodly desires the world knoweth by too much hurt by long experience Vanities they are if we make the best of them and the Prophet prayeth to have his eyes turned away by the Lord from beholding such matter Evill words corrupt good manners they have abundance There is in them ever many dangerous â—ights and we must abstaine from all appearance of evill They corrupt the eyes with alluring gestures the eyes the heart and the heart the body till all be horrible before the Lord. Histrionicis Gestibus inquinantur omnia saith Chrysostome These Players behaviour polluteth all things And of their Playes he saith they are the feasts of Satan the inventions of the Devill c. Councels have decreed very sharpely against them and polluted bodies by these filthy occasions have on their death-beds confessed the danger of them lamented their owne foule and grievous faults and left their warning for ever with us to beware of them But I referre you to them that upon good knowledge of the abominations of them have written largely and well against them If they be dangerous in the day time more dangerous are they in the night certainely if on a Stage and in open Courts much more in Chambers and private houses For there are many roomes besides that where the Play is and peradventure the strangenesse of the place and lacke of light to guide them causeth error in their way more then good Christians should in their houses suffer Thus this right godly Prelate of our Church who makes Stage-playes a breach of the 7. Commandement because they are the frequent occasions both of contemplative and actuall fornication and the inducements to it The second is one Master Stephen Gosson once a professed Play-poet yea a great Patron and admirer of Playes and Players as himselfe confesseth till God had called him to repentance and opened his eyes to see their abominablenesse who among other things writeth thus of Stage-playes As I have already discovered the corruption of Playes by the corruption of their causes the Efficient the Matter the Forme the End so will I conclude the effects that this poyson workes among us The Devill is not ignorant how mightily these outward Spectacles effeminate and soften the hearts of men vice is learned with beholding sinne is tickled desire pricked and those impressions of minde are secretly conveyed over to the gazers which the Players counterfeit on the Stage As long as we know our selves to be flesh beholding those examples in Theaters that are incident to flesh we are taught by other mens examples how to fall And they that come honest to a Plâ—y may â—â—part infected Lactantius doubâ—eth whether any corruption can be greater thâ—n that which is daily bred by Playes because thâ— exprâ—ssiâ—g of vice by imiâ—atien brings us by â—he shadow to the substance of the same Whereupon he affirmeth tâ—â—m necessary to be banished lesâ— wickednesse be learned or with the custome of pleasure by little and little we forget God What force thâ—re â—s in the gestures of Players may be gathered by the tale of Bacchus and Ariadne which Xenophon reporteth to be â—layed at a banquet by a Syracusian his Boy and his dancing Truâ—â— In came the Syracusian not unlike to the Prologue oâ— our Playes discoursing the argument of the fable then â—ntred Ariadnâ— gorgeously attired like a bride and sate in the prâ—sence of them all after came Bacchus dancing to the Pipe Ariadne pâ—rceiving him though she neither rose to meetâ— him nor stirred from the place to welcome him yet she shewed by her gesture that she sate upon thâ—râ—es When Bacchus beheld her expressing in his dance the passions of love he placed himsâ—lfe somewhat neere to her and embraced her she with an amorous kinde of feare and strangenesse as though she would thrâ—st him away with the little finger and pull him againe with boâ—h â—â—r hands somewhat tâ—â—â—rously and doubtfully entertained him At this the beholders began to shout when Bacchus rose up tenderlâ— liâ—ting Ariadne from her seate no small store of curtesie passing betweene them the beholders rose up every man stood on tiptoe and seemed to hâ—ver over the prey when they sware the company sware when they departed to bed the company presently was set on fire they that were married posted home to their wives those that were single vowed solemnly to be wedded A very notable History for our present purpose especially as Xenophon hath related it As the stinge of Phalangion spredeth her poyson thorow every vaine when no hurt is seene so amorous gesture stickes to the heart when no â—kin is raced Therefore Cupid is painted wiâ—h Bow and Arrowes because it is the property of lust to wound aloâ—ffe which being well weighed Saint Cyprian had very good cause to complaine that Players are spots to our manners nourishers of vice and corrupters of all things by their gestures The godly Father knowing the practice of Playing to be so evill and the inconveniences so monstrous that grew thereby thinkes the Maiesty o God to be stained the honor of his Church defaced when Players are admitted to the Table of the Lord. Neâ—ther was this the opinion of Saint Cyprian alone but of the whole assembly of godly Fathers in the Councell held under Constantius the Emperour Great then is the hardnesse of our hearts when neither Fathers nor Councelsâ— nor God himselfe strikes us with any shame of that which every good man is ashamed to remember Mine eyes throughly beheld the manner of Theaters when I wrote Playes my selfe and found them to be THE VERY MARKETS OF BAVVDERY where choyce without shame hath beene as free as it is for your money in the Royall Exchange to take a short stocke or a long a faling Band or a French Ruffe The first building of Theaters was to ravish the Sabines and that they were continued in whoredome ever after Ovid conâ—esseth in these words Scilicet ex islo solennia more Theatra Nunc quoque formoâ—is insidiosa manent As at the first so now Theaters are snares to faire women And as I â—old you long agoe in my Schoole of abuses our Theaters and Play-houses in London are as full of sâ—cret adultery as they were in Rome In Rome it was the fashion of wanton yong men to place
their wives and daughters from Playes and Theaters the very marts the instructions of baudery and adultery if they would preserve them chast to which Adulterers Woers and others oft entice them that so they may more easily overcome their chastity and make them pliable to their lusts which they are alwayes sure to accomplish if they can once but draw them to resort to Playes as ancient that I say not moderne experience can too well witnesse The second are the imperial Constitutions of Honorius and Theodosius which runne thus Placuit nostrae clementiae ut nihil conjuncti Clerici cum publicis actionibus vel ad Curiam pertinentibus habeant Praeterea ijs qui Parabolani vocantur neque ad quodlibet publicum spectaculuÌ„ neque ad Curiae locum neque ad judicium accedendi licentiam permittimus c. Interdicimus sanctissimis Episcopis et presbyteris diaconis et subdiaconis et lectoribus et omnibus alijs cujuslibet ordinis venerabilis collegij aut schematis constitutis ad tabulas ludere aut alijs ludentibus participes esse aut inspectores fieri aut ad quodlibet spectaculuÌ„ spectandi gratia venire Si quis auteÌ„ ex his in hoc deliquerit jubemus hunc tribus annis a venerabili ministerio prohiberi et in monasteriuÌ„ redigi sed in medio tempore si se poenitenteÌ„ ostenderit liceat sacerdoti sub quo constitutus est tempus minuere et hunc priori rursus ministerio reddere It pleaseth our grace that Clergy men intermeddle not with publicke actions or things belonging to the Court. Besides wee permit not those who are called Parabolani to have leave to come to any publike Spectacle or Stageplay nor yet to the Court or place of judgement Wee prohibit the most sacred Bishops and Presbyters Deacons and Subdeacons and all others of the venerable colledge or livery to play at tables or to bee partners with others that play or spectators of them or to come to any spectacle or stageplay of purpose â—o behold it If any of these shall offend in this we command him to be suspended the venerable ministrie for three yeares and to be thrust into a Monastery But if in the middle of this time hee shall shew himselfe penitent it shal be lawfull for the Minister under whom hee is placed to shorten the time to restore him to his former ministery To which I may adde these ensuing Imperiall Constitutions of Gratianus Valentinianus and Theodosius Nullus solis die populo spectaculum praebeat nec divinam venerationem confecta solennitate confundat Dominico quae est septimanae totius primus dies et natale atque Epiphaniorum Christi Paschae etiam atque quinquagesimae diebus omni Theatrorum atque Circensium voluptate per universas urbes earundem populis denegata totae Christianorum ac fidelium mentes Dei cultibus occupantur Si qui etiam nunc vel ludaei impietatis amentia vel stolidae paganitatis errore atque insania detinentur aliud esse supplicationum noverint tempus aliud voluptatis Acne quis existimet in honorem numinis nostri veluti majo ri quadam imperialis officij necessitate compelli et nisi divina religione contempta spectaculis operaÌ„ daret subeundum forsitan fibi nostrae serennitatis offensam si minus circa nos devotionis ostenderit quat quaÌ„ solebat nemo ambigat quod tunc maxime mansuetudini nostrae ab humano genere defertur cum virtutibus Dei omnipotentis potentis ac meritis universis obsequium orbis impenditur Let no man exhibit any Stage-play or Spectacle to the people on the Sunday nor confound Gods worship with any acted Enterlude On the Lords day which is the first day and birth-day of the whole week and on the feast-dayes of the Epiphany of Christ of Easter also and of Whitsontide all the pleasure of Stage-playes and Cirque-playes being denied the people throughout all their Citties the whole minds of Christians beleevers shal be busied in the worship of God And if any now are deceived either with the folly of Iewish impiety or with the errour and frenzie of foolish paganisme let them know that there is one time of supplications another of pleasures And lâ—st any one should thinke himselfe as it wâ—re compelled out of honour to our Majesty with a certaine greater necessitie of imperiall duty and that perchance he shall undergoe the displeasure of our grace unlesse contemning divine religion he shall addict himselfe to Stage-playes or if hee shall shew lesse devotion towards us in this kinde than hee was wont let no man doubt that then most of all is attributed to our clemencie by mankind when as the obedience and service of the world is bestowed on the vertues and universall merits of the omnipotent God The last is that of Iulian the Apostata who in his Letter to Arsacius the Arch-Pagan Priest of Galatia writes thus by way of injunction of purpose to draw the Pagans to the discipline of the Christians Deinde sacerdotem quemque cohortare ne in theatro conspiciatur ne apud caupones potet neve arti cuiquam aut operae pudendae aut ignominiosae praesit Et morem quidem gerentes persequere rebelles vero à te repelle Moreover exhort every Priest that hee be not seene in the theatre that he drinke not at ale-houses and that hee practise or survey no ignominious no shameful art or worke And honour those who are obedient but repell the rebellious from thee So much shew of ingenuity was there even in this grand Apostate as to doome Stage-playes unfit Spectacles Playhouses Alehouses undecent places for Pagan Priests how much more then for Christian Ministers To all which Councels and Constitutions of this nature I shall adde Gratian Distinctio 33 48. Causa 21. Quaest. 3 4. Iâ—onis Decreta pars 5. cap 373. pars 11. c 76.78 79. Panormitan Tit De Vita et Honestate Clericâ—rum De Clerici Officio Alvarus Pelagius De Planctu Ecclesiae lib 2. Artic 28. fol 133. Isiodor Hispalensis De Officijs Ecclesiasticis l 2. c 2. HRabanus Maurus De Sacris Ordinibus lib 1. Operum Tom 6. p 63. A B Alexander Fabricius Destructorium Vitiorum l pars 4. c 23. Ioannis De Wankel Glossa in Breviarium Sexti lib 3. Tit 1. De Vita et Honestate Clericorum Innocentius 3. Decretalium Constit lib 3. Tit 1. De Vita et Honestate Clericorum Episcopus Chemnensis Onus Ecclesiae cap 23. sect 1 c. Ioannis de Athon Othoboni Constitutiones fol 78 79 80. Constitutiones Concilij Oxoniensis fol 122 123 124. Lindwood Provincialium Constitutionum l 3. Tit De Vita et Honestate Clericorum fol 87 88. Summa Rosella Tit Clericus sect 2. Chorea Summa Angelica Tit Chorea Clericus sect 4 9 11. Claudius Espencaeus Digressionum in Epist ad Timothaeum libâ— 2.
as many of them doe are no meete sports or entertainments for Christian Princes States and Potentates whose pietie majestie gravitie are so transcendent that they cannot but disdaine the sight the presence of such ridiculous infamous scurrilous childish Spectacles as common Stage-playes are which savour neither of state nor royaltie but of most abject basenesse though too many great ones I know not out of what reâ—pects have vouchsafed to honour them or rather dishonoured themselves with their presence For my owne part it is beyond my Creed to beleeve that Christian Monarches Peeres or forraigne Embassadours who are at leastwise should be men of highest dignity of eminentest piety severest gravity deepest wisdome sublimest spirit and most sober exemplary conversation without any mixture of levitie vanitie or childish folly the least tincture of which in men of supreme ranke though it be but in their sports is no small deformity no meane ecclipse unto their fame should so farre degenerate or descend below themselves as to admit of common Plaies or Actors the most infamous scurrilous ignoble pleasures and persons that the world affords into their royal presence We know that many Christian many Pagan States and Emperours have long since sentenced exiled Playes and Players and that the whole Church of God with all faithfull Christians from age to age have execrated and cast them out as the very greatest grievances shames and cankerwormes both of Church and State We know that many publike Acts of Parliaments even of this our Realme have branded Players with the very name the punishment of Rogues and Vagabonds and condemned Stage-playes as unlawfull Pastimes And can any one then be so brainsicke so shamelesse to affirme that these anathematized heathenish Spectacles these stigmatized varlets which all times all Christians all men of gravity and wisdome have disdained as the most lewd infamous persons are fit to entertaine the noblest Princes or to appeare before them in their royall Pallaces at times of greatest state Certainly as Eagles scorne to stoope at flies or as magnanimous lions disdaine to chace a mouse even so those generous Christian Monarches who have cast out Playes and Actors as intollerable mischiefes in their meanest Citties will never so farre grace them as to deeme them worthy to approach their Courts as necessary ornaments and attendants on dayes of most solemnitie It was King Davids godly protestation that he would set no wicked thing before his eyes that the worke of those who turned aside should not cleave unto him That a froward heart should depart from him and that he would not know a wicked person who so privily slandereth his neighbour him saith he will I cut off him that hath an high looke and a proud heart I will not suffer he that worketh deceit shall not dwell in my house he that telleth lies shall not tarrie in my sight c. Certainlie there is never a true Christian Prince or Potentate this day living but is but must or ought to be of Davids mind he being a man after Gods owne heart therefore hee can never suffer Stage-plaies which are wicked lewd and heathenish Pastimes or common Actors who are perverse yea froward wicked proud deceitfull slanderous lying persons in the highest degree to come into his presence or harbour in his pallace A King that sitteth in the throne of judgement saith the wisest King scattereth all evill with his eyes yea A wise King scattereth the wicked and bringeth the wheele over them Prov. 20.8 26. Needs therefore must a just a prudent Christian Prince abandon Playes and Players from before his eyes the one being the greatest evills to a State the other the very worst and most infamous men It is true indeed that some dissolute Roman Emperors as Caligula Nero Heliogabalus Carinus and others have beene much enamoured with Playes and Actors but this was onely the blot the infamie of these shames of Monarchy as Philo Iudaeus Marcus Aurelius Iuvenal Iohn Sarisbery and their owne Historians witnesse who have recorded it onelie for their greater shame Res haud mira tamen cytharaedo Principe mimus Nobilis c. being the sole encomium that they have lest behind them for it Their examples therefore can be no good argument to second this objection especially since the best Roman Senators Monarches both Pagan and Christian have exiled Stage-players and suppressed Playes as even Nero himselfe who was most devoted to them and most honoured Players was at last enforced to doe by reason of those intollerable oft-complained mischiefes which they did occasion I confesse that many Christian Writers both of ancient and moderne times and among sundry others whom I spare to mention Vincentius Olaus Magnus Iohn Sarisbery and Peter de Bloyes â—rchdeacon of Bath two ancient English Writers AEnaeas Sylvius afterwards Pope Pius the 2 and Mr. Radolphus Gualther have publikely complained and bewailed in their writings that Stage-players Tomblers Fidlers Singers Iesters and such like idle persons have followed Princes Courts and haunted great mens houses that they have there found accesse and harbour when as experienced vertuous well-deserving men have beene excluded contemned and sent away without reward these caterpillars and pests of the commonweale not onely anticipating in the meane while their charity to the poore their bounty to men to best desert but even exhausting their treasures depraving their manners fomenting their uices to the publike prejudice and their owne eternall perdition But this they censure as their shame their folly and oversight not their praise as did St. Chrysostome long agoe whose words I would these Objectors would observe Wilt thou heare againe saith he some other things which shew the folly and madnesse of these wise Law-givers They gather together Players Theatres bring in thither troopes of harlots of adulterous youthes c. making all the people to sit on scaffolds over them Thus recreate they the Citty thus doe they crowne great Kings whose victorious trophees they admire But alas what is more cold than this honour What more unpleasant than this pleasure Doest thou then seeke applauders of thy actions among these Tell me I pray thee wilt thou be praised with dancers with effeminate persons Stage-players whores And how can this be but the very extremity of folly and frenzie But thou wilt say these are infamous persons Why then doest thou honour Kings why doest thou murther Citties by such who are infamous Why doest thou bestow so much upon them For if they are infamous they ought to be cast out c. It is therefore no lesse then madnesse then extremest folly in St. Chrysostomes judgement to honour to Court Kings or great ones with Playes or common Actors and a farre greater frenzie is it for such to foster to applaud them and to be praised
88 89 94.175 to 178. c. Secondly in respect of the subiect matter of Stage-playes which is either prophane or heathenish fraught with the names the histories ceremonies applauses acts and villanies of Pagan Idols or ribaldrous wicked obscene consisting of Adulteries Whoredomes Rapesâ— Incests Treasons Murthers sollicitations to lewdnesse ribaldrie bawdrie treacherie prodigious periuries blasphemies oathes execrations and all kindes of wickednes Or impious and blasphemous abusing Scripture God Religion Grace and Goodnesse Or Satyricall slanderous and defamatorie or vaine and frothy at the best full of amorous effeminate wanton dalliances passagesâ— pastorals or of idle words actions All which can neither be uttered nor acted without sinne and shame as I have more largely proved Act. 3. 5. throughout and as Tertullian Chrysostome Cyprian Lactantius Saluian Northbrooke Gosson Stubs Doct. Reynolds and others witnes because such things as these ought not to be named much lesse then Personated among Christians they are evill in their owne nature their representations therefore being the appearances of evill which Christians must abstaine from cannot be good Thirdly in regard of the very manner of acting Playes consisting of sundry particular branches which I have at large discussed Act. 5. Scene 1.2.3.4.5 6.7 c. on which you may reflect and therefore shall passe more breifly over them now reciting only some passages some authorities that I there omitted The first considerable particular in personating of Stage-playes is the hypocrisie of it in counterfeiting not onely the habits gestures offices vices words actions persons but even the gestures and passions of others whose parts are represented which I have proved hypocrisie Act. 5. Scene 1. p. 156. to 161 Hence Philo Iudaeus compares hypocrites and secret enemies unto Stage-players tanquam in theatro personatos sub alieno habitu tegentes veram faciem Hence Athanasius stiles the hypocriticall Epicritian heretiques who covered their foule heresy with a faire outside Stageplayers Hence also is that passage of Zeno Veronensis an ancient Father Denique hypocrita ille dicitur qui in theatro persona vultui superimposita cum â—lius sit alius esse simulatur verbi causa interdum regis persona vtitur cum sit ipse plebeius aut etiam Domini cum forte ipse sit servus Ita ergo in hac vita complurimi hominum tanquam theatro simulatis personis vtuntur et fictis as too many likewise doe in this our age et cum sunt extrinsecus aliud aliud se esse hominibus ostendunt Parallel to which is that of Paschatius Ratbertus Nunc autem quia hypocritae vt Mimisecundum tragicam pietatem in theatricis Ludorum coram hominibus Diabolo astipulante permulcent se et cupiunt iusti videri cum rex militum venerit invenient non se fuisse quorum partes agebant in superficie sed scenicorum imitatores quorum speciem tenebant in corde Which being added to that of learned and laborious Mr. Fox who stiles hypocrites and false teachers histriones pietatis as Dr. Humphries and others call the Masseâ— Histrionicam fabulam et theatricum Papismi Spectaculum is a sufficient evidence that Stage-players are hypocrites and the acting of Playes hypocrisie therefore unlawfull unto Christians The second unlawfull circumstance in the acting of Playes is the grosse obscenity amorousnesse wantonnesse and effeminacie that attends it which heâ—e I shall but name because I have at large debated it Act 5. Scene 2 3 4 5. to which I shall referre you The third is the apparent vanity follie and fantastique lightnesse which appeares in those ridiculous antique mimicall foolish gestures complements embracements smiles nods motions of the eyes head feete hands whole intire body which Players vse of purpose to provok their Spectators to profuse inordinate laughter which absurd irrationall unchristian if not inhumane gestures and actions more fit for skittish goates then men or sober Christians â—f grave men if reason or religion may be judges are intruth naught else but the very extremitie of folly of vanity if not of Bedlam frenzy For what greater evidences can there be of vanity folly or frenzy then to see a wise man act the fooles or clownes a sober man the drunkards bedlams wantons fantastiquesâ— a patient man the furies murtherers tyrants c. a chast man the Sodomites whoremasters adulterer adultresses whores bauds or Panders an honest man the theefs or cheaters yea a reasonable man the horses Beares Apes Lyons c. or a male the womans part What more absurd then to behold a base notorious Rogue representing not only the person of a Maiestrate minister Peere Knight c. but even the Maiestie Pompe State office of the greatest Monarch the vanity that Salomon reprehended long agoe when he saw folly set in great dignity When he beheld Servants to ride on horses and Princes walking as servants on the earth Or what can be more impious or prophane then to be hold a Christian who beares the image of God of Christ ingraven on his Soule perdiditâ— as St. Augustine speakes to act the part the person to put on the habit the Image of a pagan an Idol yea a heathen-God and Goddesse on the Stage the very recitall of whose names whose rites the very making of whose images is grosse Idolatry condemned by the expresse letter of the second commandement and infinite other Scripture as all Christian writers iointly witnesse Certainely if the Scriptures be so rigid as to prohibit all idle wanton foolish words all unseemely gestures and lasciuious motions of the body as the pride the loftines of the countenance the amorous glances of the eye the walking with stretched out neckes and wanton eyes the mincing and tinckling of the feete c. commanding Christians to put away vanitie folly and madnes with all a unseemely things and confineing them to gravitie modestie comlines and sobrietie both in their actions gestures apparell haire words thoughts things of smallest moment the gravitie of Christ Christians being such in former time that they were never seen to laugh seldome to smile much lesse to use any light dishonest gestures or play any wanton Childish pranks as actors doe we cannot but from thence conclude that it condemns these wanton postures Complements dalliances motions representations that alwayes attend the acting of Playes which in their very best acception are vanity the appearance of evill if not impiety and sinne it selfe so vnlawfull unto Christians The fourth is the apparell wherein Playes are acted in which two things are considerable which make the acting of Playes unlawfull First the abuse Secondly the excessive gawdinesse amorousnesse and fantastique strangenesse of theatricall apparell For the first of these not to insist upon this particular that infamous sordid Actors oft usurpe the
to bow head legge knee or any part of the body unto them as all those doâ— pray marke it that say with good conscience they may bee suffred in the Church of Christ c. Seeing thâ—n there is no CoÌ„mandement in any of both Testaments to have Images but as you see the contrary and also the universall Catholike and holy Church never used Images as the writings of the Apostles and Prophets testifie it is but an Ethnike vâ—rity and Gentile Idolatry to say God and his Saints be honoured in them when as all Histories testifiâ— that in manner â—or thâ— space of 500. yeeres after Christs Ascention when the doctrine of the Gospell was most sincerely preached was 〈◊〉 Image used c. Therefore S. Iohâ— biddeth us not onely beware of honouring of Images but of the Images themselves Thou shalt finde the originall of Images in no place of Gods Word but in the writings of the Gentiles and Infidels or in such that more followed their owne opinion and superstitious imaginations than the authority of Gods Word Herodorus saith that the AEgyptians were the first that made Images to represent their gods And as the Gentiles â—ashioned their gods with what figures they lusted so doe the Christians To declare God to be strong they made â—im in the forme of a Lion to be vigilant diligent in the forme of a Dog c. So doe they that would be accounted Christians paint God and his Saints with such pictures as they imagine in their fantasies God like an old man wâ—th a â—orie head as â—hough his youth were past which hath neither beginning nor ending c. No difference at all betâ—eene a Christian man and Gentile in this Idolatry saving onely the name For they thought not their Images to be God but supposed that their Gods would be honoured that wayes as the Christians doe I write these things rather in contempt and hatred of this abominable Idolatry then to learne any Engâ—ishman the truth c. The third part declareth that it is no nâ—ed to shew God unto us by Images and proveth the same with 3. reasons First I am the Lord thy God that loveth thee helpeth thee defendeth thee is present with thee beâ—ieve and love mâ— so shalt thou have no need to seeke me and my favourable presence in any Image The second reason I am a jealous God and cannot suffer thee to love any thing but in me and for me I cannot suffer to be otherwise honoured than I have taught in my Tables and Testament The 3. reason is that God revengeth the prophanation of his Divine Majesty if it be transâ—ribed to any creature or Image and that not only in him that committeth the Idolatry but also in his posterity in the third and fourth generation if they follow their Fathers Idolatry Then to avoyd the ire of God and to obtaine his favour we must use no Image to honor him with all Gods Lawes expulseth and putteth Images out of the Church then no mans lawes should bring them in All which he thus seconds in his briefe and cleare Confession of the Christian Faith in an 10â— Articles according to the Order of the Creed of the Apostles London 1581. Artic. 79. 87. I believe writeâ— he that to the Magistrate it doth appertaine not onely to have regard unto the Common-wealth but also unto Ecclesiasticall matters to take away and to overthrow all Idolatry and false serving of God and to advance the Kingdome of Christ to cause the Word of the Gospell every where to be preached and the same to maintaine unto death to chasten also and to punish the false proâ—hets which leade the poore people after Idols and strange gods c. I believe also that the beginning of all Idolatry was the finding out and invention of Images which aâ—so were made to the great offence of the soules of men and are as snares and traps for the feete of the ignorant to make them to â—all Therefore they ought not to bee honoured served worshipped neither to be suffred in the Temples or Churches where Christian people doe meet together to heare and understand the Word of God bâ—t rather thâ— same ought utterly to bee taken away and throwne downe according to the effect of the 2. Commaâ—dement of God and that ought to be done â—y the common authority of the Magistrate and not by the private authority of every particular man For the wood of the Gallowes whereby justice is done is blessed of God but the Image made by mans hand is accursed of the Lord and so is he that made it And therefore we ought to beware of Images above all things This was this Godly Martyrs faith concerning Images this was the faith and doctrine of all our pious Martyrs and Prelates in King Henry the 8. King Edward the 6. Queene Maries and Queene Elizabeths Raignes this is the authorized doctrine both of the Articles and Homilies of our Church which every English Minister now subscribes to and is enjoyned for to teach the people as the undoubted truth Yea this was one of the Articles propounded by Doctor Chambers to which the reverend Bishop Iewell and all other yong Protestant Students in both our Vniversities subscribed in Edward the 6. and Queene Maries Raigne Imagines simulachra non esse in Templis habenda â—osque gloriam Dei imminuere qui vel fuderint vel fabricati fuâ—rint vel finxerint vel pinxerint vel fabricanda facienda locarint as Doctor Humfries De Vita Morte Iuelli pag. 43. informes us which I wish our moderne Innovators and Patrons of Images would remember Horace his censure of Playes Players p. 370.452 711 834. Hybristica sacra how solemnized p. 204. Hylas the Player whipped p. 459. Hypocrisie a necessary concomitâ—nt of acting Playes and a damnable sinne pag. 156. to 161. 876. 877. Christ his Apostles the primitive and moderne Christians unjustly taxed of it p. 816. to 821. Hypocrites and Players the same p. 158. 159. 876. Hypolitus his censure of Stage-playes and lascivious Songs f. 565.566 I King Iames his Statute against prophaning Scripture and Gods Name in Playes p. 109.110 his Statutes make Players Rogues and Playes unlawfull pastimes pag. 495.496 expresly condemned the making of God the Fathers Image or Picture p. 901. Iason the first introducer of Heathenish Playes among the Iewes p. 548.549 550 552 553. Ianus the author of New-yeeres gifts c. See Kalends and New-yeeres gifts Idlenesse a dangerous mischievous sinne occasioned fomented by Stage-playes p. 141.471 501 to 504.909 947 951. to 956.480 1002. Idols and Devils parts and stories unlawfull to be acted their Images shapes and representations not to be made p. 75. to 106.141 176 177 f. 550.551 552. pag. 547.865 866 890. to 904. The mentioning of their names and imprecations adjurations or exclamations by them unlawfull p. 32.33 36 77. to 89.891 925. Things originally consecrated to them unlawfull pag. 28. to 42.81 to 90. Stage-playes invented