them I doubt not but they would take care of the soules that are like to perish neither would they suffer such things on the holy dayes of the Saints as were not permitted to be done in the Bacchanalia themselves Either therefore they would recall the people by the censure of discipline from such most unworthy obscenities or would compell them to celebrate Festivals with due honesty or if they could not breake the force of pernicious custome they would rather abolish the feasts themselves lest they should bee an occasion of so great wickednesses which as it seemes to agree with the safety of soules according to the variety of manners and times are either to be discharged from observance or else more stricktly to be tied to an honest observance lest they should doe farre more hurt by being ill observed then well omitted c. By all which diâ—course of this learned Author who hath much more to the selfesame purpose which suites punctually with the practise of our present times wee may easily discerne how Stage-playes and dancing avocate and with-hold men from Gods worship especially on Lords-dayes and the most solemne Christian Festivals which of all other times are most abused to the eternall ruine of many thousand Christians soules To passe by Bucer in Psal. 92. Master Gualther Hom. 88. in Acta Apostolorum cap. 13. Master Iohn Calvin on Deut. 5. Sermo 34. Doctor Bownde of th Sabbath London 1595. p. 135.136 283 284. Master Beacon Hooper Babington Brinsly Perkins Dod Lake Downham Andrewes Williams Ames and most other Writers upon the 4. Commandement and the Sabbath who make the selfesame complaint that the Lords-day and Holi-dayes are prophaned and oft-times spent in Stage-playes Dancing Drinking Masques and Pastimes Which complaint I finde likewise seconded by learned Iohn Gerson Vincentius Bellovecensis and Cardinall Bellarmine himselfe who as they condemne all Stage-playes Enterludes Masques with all mixt lascivious amorous dancing against which Vincentius and Bellarmine have largely written at all times so especially on Lords-dayes Holi-dayes and solemne Festivals on which they are most execrable The Author of the 3. Blast of Retrait from Playes and Theaters is very copious in this point God writes he hath given us an expresse Commandement that we should not violate the Sabbath day and prescribed an order how it should bee sanctified namely in holinesse by calling into minde the spirituall rest hearing the Word of God and ceasing from worldly businesse Whereupon Isaiah the Prophet shewing how the Sabbath should be observed saith If thou tuâ—ne away thy foote from the Sabbath from doing thy will on mine Holy-day and call the Sabbath a delight to consecrate it as glorious to the Lord and shalt honour himâ— not doing thing owne wayes not seeking thine owne will nor speaking a vaine word then shalt thou delight in the Lord and I will cause thee to mount upon the high places of the earth and feed thee with the heritage of Iacob thy Father for the mouth of the Lord hath spoâ—en it Here we see how the Lord requireth that this day should be observed and what rest hee looketh for at our hands But alas how doe wee follow the order which the Lord hath set downe Is not the Sabbath of all other dayes most abused which of us on that day is not carried whether his affections leades him unto all dâ—ssolutenesse of life How often doe we use on that day unreverend speech which of us hath his heart occupied in the feare of God who is not led away to the beholding of those Spectacles the sight wherâ—of can bring but conâ—usion to our bodies and soules Are not our eyes there carried away with the pride of vanity our eares abused with amorous that is lecherous filthy and abominable speech Is not our tongue which was given us onely to glorifie God with all there imployed to the blasâ—eming of Gods holy Name or the commendation of that is wicked Are not our hearts through the pleasure of the flesh the delight of the eye and the fond motions of the minde withdrawne from the service of the Lord and meditation of his goodnesse So that albeit it is a shame to say it yet dovbtlesse whosoever will marke with what multitudes these idle plâ—ces are replenished and how empty the Lords Sanctuary is of his people may well perceive what devotion wee have We may well sâ—y we are the servants of the Lord but the slender service wee doe him and the small regard we have of his Commandements declares our want of love towards him For if yee love mee saith Christ keepe my Commandements Wee may well bee Hirâ—lâ—ngs but wee are none of his Houshold Wherefore abuse not the Sabbath day my Brethren leave not the Temple of the Lord sit not still in the quagmâ—re of your owne lusts but put to your strength to helpe your selves before your owne waight sincke you downe to Hell Redeeme the time for the dayes are evill Alas what folly is it in you to purchase with a penny damnation to your selves why seeke you after sinne as after a banket None delight in those Spectacles but such as would bee made Spectacles Account not of their drosse their treasures are too base to be laid up in the rich Coafers of your minde Repentance is farthest from you when you are nearest to such May-games All of you for the most part doe lose your time or rather wilfully cast the same away contemning that as nothing which is so precious as your lives cannot redeeme I would to God you would bestow the time you consume in these vanities in seeking after vertue and glory For to speake truely whatsoever is not converted to the use wherefore it was ordained may be said to bee lost For to this end was man borne and had the benefit of time given him that hee might honour serve and love his Creator and thinke upon his goodnesse For whatsoever is done without this is doubtlesse cast away Oh how can you then excuse your selves for the losse of time doe you imagine that your carelesse life shall never bee brought into question Thinke yee the words of Saint Paul the Apostle were spoken in vaine when hee saith We must all appeare before the Iudgement Seate of Christ that every man may receive the things which are done in his body whether it be good or evill When that account shall bee taken I feare me your reckoning will bee to seeke c By such infamous persons as Players much time is lost and many dayes of honest travell are turned into vaine exercises Youth corrupted the Sabbath prophaned c. It was ordained in Rome by the Emperour Trajan that the Romanes should observe but 22 Holi-dayes thorowout the whole yeere For hee thought without doubt that the gods were more served on such dayes as the Romans did labour then on such dayes as they rested because
surfetting and drunkennesse from drinking of healths from riot from dice from immoderate expences and feasts following the institution of the olde Testament wherein the Ministers of the temple were prohibited wine and strong drinke lest their hearts should be overcome with drunkennesse that so their sence might be alwayes vigorous and thinne And the Apostle saith Be ye not drunken with wine wherin is excesse but be ye filled with the holy Ghost And againe Not in rioting and drunkennesse c. Heretofore so great honesty was required in the Clergy that it was not lawfull for them to bee present at marriage-feasts nor to intermixe themselves in Stage-playes and assemblies where amorous poems were sung or obscene motions of the body expressed either in dances or galliards lest the hearing and sight deputed to sacred mysteries should be polluted with the contagion of filthy spectacles and words What if that ancient Church should behold the taverne-haunting Clergy men of our times who as if they had no houses are tyed to Tavernes both night and day how would she detest this wickednes From henceforth therefore let no Clergy man not onely keepe no taverne or base victualling house but let him not so much as turne aside into tavernesâ— but in case of necessity otherwise canonicall punishments hang over his head who shal attempt to stampe such a brand of infamie upon his order Part 3. c. 26. That Stage-playes are not to bee brought into the Church Heretofore Stage-playes and Mummeries were brought into Churches by a most lewd example so that there needed a canonicall provision by which this most vile abuse might bee abolished which wee rejoyce that now as wee hope it is cast out of our dioces Part 5. cap. 6. Finally let parish priests be farre from all luxurie For Paul will have a parish priest to be sober not given to much wine and using wine rather for necessity than for pleasure Let a Bishops or Ministers house therefore know no riotous feasts let it abominate all drinking of Healths binding men to pledge them by equall cuppes which healthes an ancient English Councell at Oxford Anno 1222. hath long since solemnly condemned under paine of excommunication Let him repute it a most dishonest thing to enter into a taverne unles it be in case of necessity as if he had no house to eate and drinke in Briefly let him avoid all things which either disgrace or diminish his pastoral authority Part 9. c. 9 10. The people also is diligently to be admonished why holy dayes and especially the Lords day which hath beene alwayes famous in the Church from the Apostles times were instituted to wit that all might equally come together to heare the word of the Lord and likewise to heare and receive the holy Sacrament Briefly that they might apply their mindes to God alone and thâ—t they might be spent only in prayers hymnes psalmes and spirituall songs For this is to sanctifie the Sabboth Wherefore wee desire that on these dayes all Playes should be prohibited all victualling houses shut up all riot drunkennesse dishonest Playes dances fraught with frensies wicked discourses filthy songs briefly all luxurie to be avoided For by these things and that which for the most part followes them by blasphemies and perjuries the name of the Lord is profaned and the Sabbath which admonisheth us that wee should cease to doe ill and learne to do good is polluted So that if we beleeve this Councell Stage-playes dancing feasting and drinking are no fit holy-day or Lords-day exercises which should be wholly consecrated to Gods service The 39. is Synodus Heidelsheimensis Anno 1539. which doth thus expresse its resolution in our case Canon 14. Item ut Clericorum maximè beneficiatorum vita sit exemplaris et accepta universis Clericis beneficiatis in sacris et nostra diaecesi constitutis constitutione praesenti districtius inhibemus ne ludis taxillorum aut alijs levitatibus ac choreis hastiludijs torneamentis et alijs spectaculis publicis et prohibitis intersint aut talia exerceant prout poenas condignas in contra facientes facti exigente qualitate authoritate nostra infligendas voluerint evitare c. Vid. Ibidem Can 14. Moreover that the life of Clergy men especially of such who are beneficed may be exemplary and acceptable we strictly inhibit all beneficed Clergy men which are in orders within our diocesse by this present Canon that they be not present at any games at tables or at any other vanities dances tiltings torneies or other publike prohibited spectacles and that they practise not any of these themselves as they will avoid condigne punishments against the offenders the quality of the fact requiring it to be inflicted by our authority The 40. is Concilium Treverense Anno 1549. which in Cap De Moderandis Ferijs decrees as followeth Et si quis sive Clericus sive laicus in praenominatis celebribus festis compotationibus choreis ludis aut id genus lascivijs et levitatibus temerè aut contumaciter sese dederit aut immiscuerit ab Officialibus nostris arbitrariò pro modo delicti etiam brachij secularis auxilio si opus erit invocato puniri mandamus And if any whether a Clerk or lay man in the forenamed eminent festivalls shall rashly or contemptuously give himselfe to drunkennesse dances Playes or such like lasciviousnesse and lightnesse or shall intermixe himselfe with them we command that he be punished by our Officials as they shall thinke fit according to the measure of his offence calling in likewise if neede be the assistance of the secular power Which shewes how unseasonable Dancing Stage-playes and such other sports and pastimes are on Lords-dayes holy-dayes and other Christian festivals set apart onely and wholly for Gods worship and service not for such vanities and Playes as these as our owne Statutes as well as these recited Councels teach us The 41. is Synodus Augustensis Anno 1549. which excludes all Stage-players and Dice-players from the Sacrament Cap. 19. Item ne hoc praecellens Sacramentum aliqua afficiatur injuria et contemptu ex sanctorum Patrum decreto et institutione etiam infames omnes ab ejus perceptione prohibendi sunt Praestigiatores incantatores publicè rei et scurrae et qui ludis vacaÌ„t jure pontificio prohibitis itidemque scortae et â—enones ij inquam omnes ab Altaris Sacramento removendi sunt donec vita sua improba penitus abdicata irrogatam sibi poenitentiae mulctam persolverint Item ijs annumerandi sunt qui alearum lusui perpetuo vacant quibus non est porrigendum venerabile sacramentum donec inde abstineant Which accords well with Concilium Eliberinum Canon 79. Si quis fidelis alea id est tabula luserit placuit eum abstinere et si emendatus cessaverit post annum poterit communione reconciliari And with the 6. generall Councell of Constantinople 1 Can. 50. Nullum
Church even as the holy Canons affirme For what communion hath light with darknesse as the Apostle saith or what agreement hath the temple of God with Idols or what part hath a beleever with an infidel or what concord or agreement is there betweene Christ and Belial Can. 62. Those things that are called Kalends and those that are named winter wishes and that meeting which is made upon the first day of March wee will shall bee wholly taken away out of the Citty of the faithfull as also we wholly forbid and expell the publike dancing of women bringing much hurt and destruction and likewise those dances and mysteries that are made in the name of those who are falsly named Gods among the Graecians or in the name of men and women after the ancient manner farre differing from the life of Christians ordaining that no man shall henceforth bee clothed in womans apparell nor no woman in mans aray Neither may any one put on comicallâ— satyricall or tragicall vizards in Enterludes neither may thâ—y invocate the name of execrable Bacchus when as they presse their grapes in winepresses neither pouring out wine in tubbes may they provoke laughter exercising those things through ignorance or vanity which proceed from the imposture of the Divel Those therefore who hereafter shall attempt any of these things that are written after they shall come to the knowledge of them if they be Clergy men we command them to be deposed and if Lay men to bee excommunicated Can. 65. Those bonefires that are kindled by certaine people on New moones before their shops and houses over which also they use ridiculously and foolishly to leape by a certaine ancient custome we command them from henceforth to cease Whoever therefore shall doe any such thing if he be a Clergy man let him be deposedâ— if a Lay man let him be excommunicated For in the fourth Booke of the Kings it is thus written And Manasses built an altar to all the hoast of heaven in the two courts of the Lords house and made his children to passe through the fire c. and walked in it that he might doe evill in the sight of the Lord to provoke him to wrath Canâ— 66. From the holy day of Christ our God his resurrection to the new Lords day the faithfull or Christians ought to spend the whole weeke in their Churches rejoycing without intermission in Christ in celebrating that feast with psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs not with dancing stage-playes dice tables or such like revel-rout addicting their mindes to the reading of the holy Scriptures and chearfully and richly enjoying the holy Sacraments For thus wee shall bee exalted with Christ and rise together with him By no meanes therefore on the foresaid dayes let there be any horse-race or any publike shewe or stage-playe made Can 71. Those who are taught civill lawes ought not to use Greeke manners or customes neither ought they to be brought into the theatre or to practise any playes called Cylistrae If any man shall presume to doe the contrary let him be excommunicated Can 100. Let thine eyes behold right things and keep thine heart with diligence is the command of wisdome For the senses of the body doe easily infuse their objects into the soule Therefore wee command that such pictures as dazell the eyes corrupt the minde and stirre up flames of filthy lusts be not henceforth made or printed upon any tearmes And if any shall attempt to doe it let him be deposed Some of these recited Canons as Canon 61 65 100. condemne all Bearehards Bearebaiting Bonefires and filthy pictures which Aristotle himselfe condemnes yet withall they oppugne Stage-playes ex obliquo there being betweene them and Playes so great analogie that the censure of one is the condemnation of the other But the other Canons are so punctuall so expresse against them that there can be no evasion from them The seventeenth Synodicall authority against Stage-playes is Synodus Francica under Pope Zachary Annâ— Dom. 742. which runnes thus Illas venationes et silvaticas vagationes cuÌ„ canibus omnibus servis Dei speaking of Clergie men interdicimus Similiter ut accipitres vel falcones non habeant Decrevimus quoque ut secundum Canones unusquisque Episcopus in sua parochia solicitudinem adhibeat adjuvante Graphione qui defensor Ecclesiae est ut populus Dei Paganias non faciat sed ut omnes spurcitiÌ„as gentilitatis abjiciat et respuat sive prophana sacrificia mortuorum sive sortilegos vel divinos c. sive hostias immolatitias quas stulti homines juxta Ecclesias ritu paganico faciunt sub nomine sanctorum martyrum vel confessoruÌ„ DeuÌ„ et suos sanctos ad iracundiam et vindictae gravitateÌ„ provocantes Sive illos sacrilegos ignes quos Nedfri vocant sive omnes quaecumque sunt PaganoruÌ„ observationes diligenter prohibeant We prohibit those huntings and silvaticall wandrings abroad with bounds to all the servants of God and likewise that they keepe neither hauâ—es nor falcons Wee decree also that according to the Canons every Bishop in his parish shall take care the Graphio or Curate who is defender of the Church assisting him that the people of God make no Pagan feasts or Enterludes but that they reject and abominate all the uncleannesses of gentilisme whether prophane sacrifices of the dead or fortune-tellers or diviners c. or immolated sacrifices which foolish men make near unto Churches after the Pagan manner provoking God and his Saints to wrath and vengeance And that they diligently inhibit those sacrilegious fires which they call Neâ—fri or boneâ—ires and all other observations of the Pagans whatsoever Which Canon is likewise ratified in Synodo Suessionensi sub Childerico Rege about the selfe same yeare wherein this Synode was held The eighteenth Play-oppugning Councell is Synodus Nicaena 2. Anno Dom. 785. or 787. in which there were present 350. or 377. Bishopsâ— as some record which Councell commonly reputed the 7. oecumenicall or universall Councell determines thus of Stage-playes Canon 22. Deo quidem universum dedicare et non proprijs voluntatibus servire res magna est Sive enim editis sive bibitis inquit divinus Apostolus omnia in Dei gloriam facite c. Cuâ—vis ergo homini necesse est comedere uâ— vivat et quibus est vita quidem matrimonij eâ— liberoruÌ„ et laici constitutionis immixtim comedere viros et mulieres est ab omni reprehensione alienum simodo ei qui dat nutrimentuÌ„ gratias agunt non cuÌ„ scenicis quibusdaÌ„ studijs sive sataâ—icis canticis et citharaedicis ac meretricijs vocibus quos prophetica execratio prosequitur sic diceÌ„s Vae qui cuÌ„ cythara et psalterio vinuÌ„ bibunt Domini auteÌ„ operâ— non respiciunt et opera manuiâ— ejus non consideranâ— Et sicubi tales fuerint inter Christianos corrigantur Can 22. Verily to dedicate
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.
Gellius and Quintilian stile them are abundantly condemned as abominable sinfull pastimes misbeseeming godly Christians First by the expresse verdict of the Scripture which as it inioynes all Christians in their Feasts their mirth and private meetings to sing Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs of prayer of praise to God with a grace and melody in their hearts a practise which all the Primitive â—hristians as the marginall Authors witnesse observed in their Love-feasts in all their private and publike meetings and I would those moderne Christians who banish these things from their Feasts and Merriments as altogether unseasonable exhilerating themselves with nought but scurrilous beastly Songs lascivious musicke wanton dancing and such unchristian mirth would now againe reviue it So it expresly prohibits all filthy corrupt unedifying communication all fornication and uncleanesse which are not so much as once to be named among Christians together with all foolish talking and iesting all ribaldry and scurrility either in songs or iests which Plato and the Athenians though Pagans did prohibite by an unanimous law as odious unto God pernicious to the manners mindes and soules of men and misbeseeming Christians whose words should be alwayes gracious seasoned with salt that so they might administer grace not poyson or corruption to the heaerers Ribaldrous amorous Songs are so unsutable for the mouthes the eares of Christians that Theophylact plainly tells us that those who sing such Songs are poâ—sessed with an uncleane spirit and S. Bernard that he who is delighted with obscene Iests and secular Ditties as alas too many are is in the very pavilion or possession of the Devill No wonder therefore if the Scripture condemnes such songs as these as unbefitting Christians Secondly as the Scripture so sundry ancient and moderne Councels expresly censure such Poems Songs and Ditties as abominable and polluted in themselves defiling the mouthes the eares of those who chaunt or heare them chaunted as allectives unto lewdnesse incentives unto lust which grieve the holy Spirit of God whereby we are sealed up to the day of redemption and wholy effeminate the mindes of men Witnesse Concilium Arelatense 3. apud Surium Concil Tom. 1. pag. 727. Concil Agathense Can. 39. Veneticum Can. 11. Toletanum 3. Can. 23. Altisiodorense Can. 9. 40. Cabilonense 1. Can. 19. Senonense Cap. 25. Surius Tom. 4. p. 742.743 Cabilonense 2. Can. 9. Moguntinum sub Carolo Magno cap. 10. 14. Rhemense cap. 17. Parisiense lib. 1. cap. 38. Moguntinum sub Raebano Archiepiscopo cap. 13. Turonense 3. cap. 7.8 Coloniense 1536. pars 2. cap. 25. pars 9. c. 10 Synodus Carnotensis Anno 1526. Concilium Burdigense Annoâ— 1582. Synodus Turonicaâ— 1583. which 17â— severall Councels inhibite all Christians especially Clergy-men both from the use the hearing and singing of such Songs as these for the precedent reasons A sufficient inducement to cause all godly Christians to abandon them together with all those Playes those Play-houses and places where they are in use Thirdly as these Scriptures and Councels so likewise the Fathers are very copious in censuring such ribaldrous lascivious songs as these which if we beleeve S. Ambrose or S. Basil defile the very earth and aire where they are breathed out Survey we but Clemens Alexandrinus Paedag. l. 2. c. 4â— 6. l. 3. c. 11. Tertullian Cyprian in their Bookes De Spectaculis Arnobius advers Gentes lib. 4. 7. Tâ—tianus Oratio adversus Graecos Lactantius de Verâ— Cultu l. 6. c. 21. Basil. Hexaëmeron Hom. 4. De Ebrietate Luxu Sermo 2. De Legendis libris GentiliuÌ„ Oratio Nazienzen Oratio 28.37 38. 48. Ad Selucum De Recta Educatione p. 1063. Hieromâ— Epist. 2. c. 6. Ep. 9. c. 5. Ep. 10â— c. 4. Adversus â—ovinianum l. 2. c. 7 Cyrillus Hierusolomitanus Chatechesis Mystagogica 1â— who makes such songs the very workes and pompes of the Devill which we renounce in baptisme Eusebius apud Damascenum Parallelorum l. 3. c. 47. Ambrose De Elia Ieiunio c. 18 Sermo 33. Sti. Asterij Homilia in Festum Kalendarum Oratio Bibl. PatruÌ„ Tom. 4. p. 706. Augustine De Civit. Dei lib. 6. c. 6.7 De Rectitudine Catholicae Conversationis Tractatus De Decem Chordis cap. 4. Tom 9. De Tempore Sermo 225. De Verbis Apostol Sermo 17. Hippolitus Martyr De Consummatione mundi Antichristo Oratio Bibl. Patrum Tom. 3. p. 16. H. 17. A.B. Gaudentius Brixiae Episc De Lâ—ctione Evangelij Sermo 8. Bibâ— Patrum Tom. 4. pag. 813. C. D. Primasius Oecumenius Theodoret Sedulius Remigius Anselmus Haâ—mo Rabanus Maurus Theophylact on Ephes. 4.29 30. on cap. 5.3 4. Salvianus De Gubernatione Dei l. 6. Fulgentius super Audivit Herodes Tetrarcha c. Sermo Chrysologus Sermo 128. Olympiodorus in Ecclesiast Enarrat c. 12. Caâ—siodorus Vâ—riarum lib. 2. Epist. 40. Bernardus Oratio ad Milites Templi cap. 4. Col. 832. L. De Nuptijs Filij Regis Col. 1725. A. Ioannis Salisburiensis De Nugis Curialium l. 1. c. 6. 8. Pâ—trus Blesensis Ep. 76. Maphaeus Vegius De Educat Lib. l. 3. c. 10.12 Paulus Wan Sermo 7. Espencaeus in Tim. 1. Digressionum l. 1. c. 11. p. 212. Gratian De Consecratione Distinctio 3. we shall finde such Songs such Poems as these abundantly condemned as filthy and unchristian defilements which contaminate the soules effeminate the mindes deprave the manners of these that heare or sing them exciting enticeing them to lust to whoredome adultery prophanes wantonnesse scurrility luxury drunkennesse excesse alienating their mindes from God from grace and heavenly things and Syren-like with their sweet enchantments entrap ensnare destroy mens soules proving bitter potions to them at the last though they seeme sweet and pleasant for the present Let S. Chrysostome that all-golden Father as Theodoret stiles him whose lips did drop with Myrre and Hony speake here for all the rest who is somewhat copious in this theame Like as Swine writes he runne thither where there is mire and as Bees doe live where there are spices and perfumes so where there are whorish Songs there are the Devils gathered together but where there are spirituall Songs thither the grace of the holy Ghost doth flie and the mouth sanctifieth the heart And as those who bring in Stage-players and Harlots into their Feasts I would those whose practise it is now would marke his words doe call in Devils thither so they who call in David with his Harpe he meanes his Psalmes of which he speakes doe call in Christ by him They make their house a Theater doe thou make thy Cottage a Church This saith David is my perpetuall Song this my constant worke and office to prayse the Lord. Let them give eare who effeminate and putrifie themselves with satanicall Songs What punishment shall not they undergoe or what
the Poets Fables which we haue put on By all which it is evident that they who resort to Playes or Play-houses have not so much as the least Symptomes of any Christianity in them that they are worse then men then beasts then Devils and carefull onely to adorne their haire their bodies but altogether carelesse to correct the grosse deformities and pollutions of their soules In his Sermon De Eleëmosyna Hospitalitate hee acquaints us That lascivious and gawdy apparell which all godly Christians should leave to Danceresses and lewde Singing-women together with filthy and unseemely pleasure are reputed comely in Theaters and Stage-playes A suâ—ficient evidence of their lewdnesse In his 42. Homily on the Acts and in his 62. Homily to the people of Antioch hee writes thus of Playes But what Wilt thou that we compare the Prison and the Play-house together That verily is a place of affliction but this of pleasure Goe to therefore let us see what things doe happen unto both There is much Philosophy For where there is sadnesse there also is Philosophy He who before did gape after riches who was greatly puffed up and would scarce suffer an ordinary man to speake unto him he is then made humble feare and sorrow being fallen upon his soule like a certaine fire and softning its hardnesse then he is made sorrowfull then he feeleth a worldly change then he is made strong to all things But in the Play-house all things are contrary laughter wantonâ—esse uncleanesse Diabolicall pompe and pride prodigality expence of time and unprofitable wasting of dayes the preparation and induction of absâ—rd and filthy lust the meditation or plotting of adultery thâ— Schoole of fornication and intemperance the exhortation of filâ—hinessâ— the occasion and matter of laughter the examples of lewdnesse But it is not so in a prison where is humility of minde exhortaâ—ion and excitation to Philâ—sophy the contempt of worldly things all things troden under foot and despised Yea feare sits by as a Schoolemaster fitting him for all things that he ought to doe But if thou wilt we will againe inquire into these places after another manner I would have thee meet with one man comming from a Play-house and with another going out of a Prison thou shouldest behold his soule loathsome distempered and truely fettered but this man 's loosed prompt and almost winged For he returnes from the Play-house bound with the eyes of the women that are there carrying bonds heavier then any iron to wit the places words and habits that are there But he who goeth from the Prison being freed by all wil not now thinke that he suffers any grieuous thing comparing his case with other mens he now gives thankes that he is not bound he contemnes human things seeing many rich men in troubles and great men there imprisoned for many and great things yea he will suffer any uniust thing so valiant is he Moreover many examples of that place will lead him to thinke of the iudgement to come and he will dread those places seeing them there already For as he who is there imprisoned is meeke to all so he also before the iudgement before the day to come will be more favourable to his wife his children his servants But men returne not so from the Theater for the husband will behold the wife more unpleasantly hâ— will be more cruell to his servants he will be more shaâ—pe to his children Play-houses cause great evils in Ciâ—tios great ones and neither doe we know by this how greaâ— In his 12. Homily upon the first Epistle to the Corinthians hee condemnes the Heathen Lawgivers for countenancing and â—recting Play-houses in these ensuing words They assemble company to Theaters bringing in thiâ—her Whole quâ—ers and troopeâ— of Harlots of lecherous Boyes or Ganimedes who abuse even nature it selfe and they make all the people to sit in a lostiâ—r place Thus they recreate the Citty thus they crowne great Kings whom they alwayes admire for their Trophies and Victories But what is more trifling thâ—n this honor What is more unpleasant then this pleasure Doest thou seeke then applauders of thy actions out of these and wilt thou I pray tell me be commended with Dancers effeminate persons Stage-players and Whores And how can this be but extreame madnesse For I would willingly demand of them Is it an hainous and unseemely thing to overturne the lawes of nature and to introduce unlawfull and wicked copulations All will say it is a grievous and unworthy act Yea they seeme verily to punish likewise this hainous offence Why then dost thou bring in those Cynaedi exolete persons Neither dost thou only bring them in but thou lâ—kewise honorest them with innumerable and unspeakable gifts And where as thou punishest those who attempt such things in another place yet here thou spendest mony upon them and maintainest them at the publike charge as men deserving well of the Common-wâ—alth But saist thou they are infamous Why then dost thou traine them up Why dost thou honour Kings by infamous persons Why dost thou kill Citties Yea why also dost thou bestow so much upon them For if they are infamous infamous persons ought to be banished For why hast thou made them infamous Whether as one â—hat prayâ—â—st them or as one who condemnest them Verily as one who condemnâ—st them Moreover thou makest them infamous as one who condemnest them but yet thou runnest to see them yea and admirestâ— laudest and applaudest them as those who are of honest fame and good repute In his Oration of the Kalends hee writes thus There is now a war proclaimed against us not the Aâ—alekiâ—es invading us or other Barbarians making incursions upon uâ— as then they did but Devils leading their pompe in the Market place For those Diabolicall pernoctaâ—ions which are this day practised those scoffes and revilings in Playes those nocturâ—all Dances and those Comâ—dies which should be hissâ—d out doe vanquish our Citty worse then any enemy and therefore it is meet that both those that thus offend and those who offend not should be deiâ—cted mourne and be ashamed these verily for the wickednesses they have committed but those because they have seene their Brethren to have beene immodest For although you your sâ—lves doe not these things and O that our Christian Magistrates who connive at Stage-playes would consider it yet it is altogether unworthy of our religion if you suffer even others for to doe them whether they be your servants your friends or your neighbours Whom God doth hate doe not thou commend but he hates every one who liveth in iniquity though he abound in wealth It is lawfull for thee to reprove and correct them for the glory of God But how is it lawfull to chide for God If thou shalt see a drunkard or a theefe or a servant or a friend or any other that is thy neighbour either running into
a Play-house or betraying his owne soule or swearing for swearing or lying be angry with him punish him reclaime him correct him and thou hast done all this for God In his 6. Oration That all vices arise from sloath hee writes thus of Play-haunters Before the last day our speech to your charity was purposely and wholy of the Devill At which time some verily when as we were discoursing of these things out of this place did then idlely behold the pompe of the Devill in Play-houses and did then heare whorish songs but you did give your mindes to the most pleasant spirituall Doctrine Who then hath made them thus to erre Who hath avocated them from the holy Sheepefold Verily the Devill hath deceived them but he hath not deceived you Those therefore who runne to Play-houses are deceived and led thither by the Devill if this holy Father may be credited And in his 8. Homily of Repentance with which I will conclude hee hath this memorable passage against Stage-playes and Play-houses which should make all Players and Play-haunters for to tremble which passage likewise fully proves the Minor of my former Syllogisme We may undergoe the paines of a fast and yet not obtaine the fruit of a fast But how To wit when we absteine from meate but not from sinne when we fast the whole day in want and then spend what we have saved in unchaste Play-houses Loe the paines of a fast the fruit of a fast much more then of prayer of hearing reading receiving the Sacrament and all other holy duties which I beseech all Play-haunters to consider is wholy lost when as we ascend the Play-house of iniquity My speech is not directed unto you for I know that you are free from this accusation But it is the custome of those who are loden with griefe when as those are not present who give the occasion of griefe to rush upon those who are present For what gaine is it to goe up to the Play-houses of wickednesse to enter into the common shop of luxury and the publike Schoole of incontinency or to sit in the chaire of pestilence â—or if any one shall call the Play-house the chaire of pestilence the Schoole of incontinence the shop of luxury and the Scaffold of all uncleanesse he should not offend that most wicked place being a Babiâ—onish Brothell full of many diseases when thou art driven unto a Play-house thou entrest into a direct Stewes The Devill thus furnishing the Citty with infernall flames doth not now put under stalkes of hempe besmeared with Brimstone nor Marle nor Flax nor Pitch as that Barbarian did but things farre worse then these leacherous sights filthy words anointed members and songs full of all lewdnesse That Whâ—re-house then barbarous hands have burned but this Whore-house cogitations more foolish then Barbarians have kindled this being worse then that since the fire is worse which doth not waste the nature of the body but the good state and disposition of the minde And that which is worse neither those who are burned doe perceive it For if they did feele it they would not now send forth such an â—ffuse laughter in Play-houses Therefore this is the very worst evill when as one is weâ—kned and yet knoweth not this that he is diseased and burning miserably and loathsomely doth not feele the burning What profit tell me is there then of fasting when as thou drivest thy body from lawfull nutriment but yet bringest in wicked nourishment to thy soule when as thou spendest the day sitting in the Theater beholding common nature deturpated deformed and unchaste women condemned to adultery collecting there the evils of every house For liberty is there given both to see fornications and to heare blasphemies whereby both by the eyes and by the eare a disease may proceed to the very soule it selfe they imitate the calamities and mischances of others from whence the contagion of filthinesse gets into â—ur selves Tell me therefore what profit there is of fasting the soule being fed with such meates With what eyes wilt thou behold thy wife from these Theaters with what eyes wilt thou looke upon thy sonne thy servant thy friend Verily it must needs be that be that speaketh there or he that holds his peace should be confâ—unded with shame at the filthinesse that is acted But thou departest not so from hence for it is lawfull for thee with much conâ—idence to repeate all things at home Prophâ—ticall speeches Apostolicall precepts Divine lawes to furnish or set to every table of vertue and to make thy wife more chaste thy sonne more dutâ—full thy servant more deare with the same repetitions yea and thou shalt perswade thy very enemy to lay aside his hatred Dost thou see how these precepts verily are every where holsome but those sound filthily in every place What profit therefore of fasting when as thou fastest with thy body but committest adultery with thine eyes Adultery is not onely that conglutination of body to body but even an unchaste looke What benefit is there then when as thou goest to the Play-house from hence I correct the Player corrupts I administer salves to thy disease he ministers the cause of the disease I extinguâ—sh the flame of nature he kindles the flame of lust What profit is there tell me one edifying and another pulling downe what have they profited themselves by their labour Therefore let us not be occupied here in vaine but profitably whereby we may fruitfully whereby we may lesse in vaine whereby we may not unprofitably and to condemnation meete here one building and the other pulling downe leâ—â— the multitude of builders bee overcome with the easinesse of the pulling downe Truely it is a part of great uncleanesse both for yong men and old men to hasten to the Play-house But would to God the evill did extend no further For this perchance seemeth intollerable to an ingenuous man and worthy to be punished with the greatest losse with reproofe and shame but verily this correction is not at al inflicted so far as to shame But yet torments and punishments hang over Play-haunters heads for it must needs be that those who sit there should swim in the sinne of adultery not because they are coupled to women out because they behold them with unchaste eyes For with these it must of necessity be that every one is surprised in adultery Neither will I speake my owne wordâ— to you whereby you may lesse regard it but I will explicate the Divine Law where there is no place for neglect What therefore saith the Divine Law You have heard that it hath beene said of old Thou shalt not commit adultery But I say unto you that whosoever shall looke upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart Hast thou seene adultery commâ—tted hast thou seenâ— sinne finishedâ— And that which is worst in adulteries thou hast
upon their gates that so they might meditate and discourse of them day and night upon all occasions But alas our Stage-playes incorporate themselves so firmely and sinke so deepe into our Actors and Play-hâ—â—nters mindes that they quite invert these sacred precepts suppressing those heavenly Christian conferences which they command reviving and advancing those vaine lascivious discourses which they prohibite This the fore-quoted Authors this present experience testifie Wherefore I shall end this Scene with this short Syllogisme being a 37. Argument against Stage-playes Those things which banish all holy conferences all pious discourses out of their Actors and Spectators mouthes and furnish them with all variety of idle vaine unprofitable lascivious scurrilous prophane atheisticall irreligious phrases Play-house conferences and Stage-discourses must questionlesse bee unlawfull yea abominable unto Christians as the alleadged Scriptures testifie But this doe Stage-playes as the premises and experience manifest Therefore they must questionlesse bee unlawfull yea abominable unto Christians SCENA DVODECIMA THe twelfe effect of Stage-playes is this That they wholy indispose their Actors and Spectators to all religious duties that they withdraw and keepe them from Gods service that they bring the Word the worship yea all the ordinances of God into contempt making them vaine and ineffectuall to their soules First I say that Stage-playes inâ—ispose men to the acceptable performance of every religious duty be it prayer hearing and reading of Gods Word receiving the Sacraments and the like This sundry Fathers fully testifie and I would to God all Christians would well weigh their words which much concerne their soules in the very maine of Christianity to wit Gods worship and their vow in baptisme Tertullian informes us That Stage-playes defile the eyes the â—ares the souleâ— of the Spectators and make them to appeare polluted in Gods sight That none of the things deputed unto Stage-playes are pleasing unto God or beseeming the servants of God because they were all instituted for the Dâ—vill and furnished out of the Deâ—ils treasuryâ— for every thing that is not of God or displeasing unto God is of the Devill Stage-playes they are the pompe of the Devill against which we have protested in the seale of our faith That therefore which we renounce we ought not to participate of neither in deed nor word nor sight now view And doe we not then renoâ—nce and teare off the seale againe in cutting off the testimoniall of it Shall we then desire an answer from the very Heathens themselves Shall they resolve us whether it be lawfull for Christians to use Stage-playes But verily they most of all discerne a man to be a Christian even from this renouncing of Stage-playes he therefore doth manifestly deny himselfe to be a Christian who takes away this badge by which he should be knowne to be a Christian. Now what hope is there remaining in such a one No man hath revolted unto the enemies Tents unlesse he first cast away his armes unlesse he hath first forsaken the colours and allegeance of his Princâ— unlesse he hath covenanted to perish together with them Will â—e thinke earnestly of God at that time who is placed where there is nothing at all of God will he thorowly learne chastity who admires Stage-playes will he call to minde the exclamationsâ— of some prophet whiles the Tragedians are crying out will he mâ—ditate of a Psalme who â—its amidest effeminating measures or can he be moved with compassion who is wholy intent upon the biting of Beares and the spunges of retiaries God turne away from all his so great a desire of pernicious pleasure For what a desperate wicked thing is it for a man to goe out of the Church of God into the Chappell of the Devill out of Heaven as they say into the mire and clay those hands which thou hast lifted up unto the Lord in prayer to weary afterwards in applauding a Stage-player out out of the same mouth with which thou hast uttered Amen to the holy one to give testimony to a Sword-player or to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for ever and ever to any one but to God Christ Why then may not such become liable to the possession of Dâ—vils c For no man can serve two Maisters What hath light to doe with darkenesse What relation hath life to death we ought to hate these assemblies of Pagans even because the Name of God is there blaâ—phemed and because divers temptations are sent out from thence How wilt thou doe being deprehended at unawares in that over-flowing of impious suffrages not as though thou shouldest there suffer any thing from men for no man knoweth thee to be a Christian but consider seriously what may be done concerning thee in Heaven For doâ—t thou doâ—bt but that in the very moment when as thou art in the church of the Devill all the Angels looke downe from Heaven and take speciall notice of every one there present observing who he is that speakes blasphemy who that heares iâ— who it is that lends his tongue his eares to the Devill against God Wilt thou not therefore flie these seates oâ— the enemies of Chriâ—t this pestilentiall chaire and that very aire which hangs over it adulterated with wicked words and sounds c Thus he whose words sufficiently testifie that Stage-playes indispose men to all religious duties because they defile their eyes their eares their hands their soules they being the pompes the inventions of the Devill which are incompatible with Christianity because they teare of the very seale and cognisance of their Christianity and wholy inthrall them to the Devils vassalage Saint Cyprian writes thus of Stage-playes to the selfesame purpose What hath the Scripture interdicted Vâ—rily it hath prohibited that to be behold which it inhibiteth to be acted I say it hath condemned all these kindes of spectacles when as it hath taken away Idolatry the mother of all Playes from whence these Monsters of vanity and leâ—ity have proceeded For what spectacle is there without an Idoll what Play without a sacrifice c What doth a faithful Christian make among these if he flieth Idolatry why doth he speake it he who is now holy can he râ—â—pâ— pleasure from criminous things Why approves he superâ—tâ—tions against God which he affecteth whiles that he beholds them But let him know that all these are the inventions of Devils not of God He impudently exorcizeth Devils in the Church whose pleasures â—e applaudes in Stage-playes and when as by renouncing him once every thing of his was pared off in Baptisme whiles that after Christ I pray observe it all you Christians who resort to Stage-playes he resorteth to the spectacles of the Devill he renounceth Christ as if he were a Devill Idolatry as I have already said is the Mother of all Playes which that it may allure faithfull Christians to it flatters them with the pleasure of the eyes and eares Romulus did first
of their Husbands and Husbands of their Wives so that every way from foure of the clocke in the afternoone till nine at night especially over London-bridge many were carried in chaires and led betwixt their friends and so brought home to their houses with sorrowfull heavy hearts like lame Cripples A just though terrible judgement of God upon these Play-haunters and prophaners of his holy day the originall relator of which doth thus conclude And therefore for a conclusion I beseech all Magistrates by the mercies of God in Iesus Christ that by this occasion and example they take good heed to looke to the people committed to their charge that they take order especially on the Sabbath dayes that no Citizen or Citizens servants have liberty to repaire to any of those abused places and that they keepe their stragling wantons in that they may be better occupied And as they have with good commendation so farre prevailed that upon Sabbath dayes these Heathenish Enterludes and Playes are banished so it will please them to follow the matter still that they may be utterly rid and taken away For surely it is to be feared besides the destruction of body and soule that many are brought unto by frequenting the Theater and Curtinâ— that one day these places will likewise bee cast downe by God himselfe and draw with them an huge heape of such contemners and prophane persons to be killed and spoyled in their bodies Neither was he a false prophet altogether For in the yeere of our Lord 1607. at a Towne in Bedford-shire called Risley the flâ—ore of a chamber wherein many were gathered together to see a Stage-play on the Sabbath day fell downe by meanes whereof divers were sore hurt and some killed If these domestique examples together with that of Thales the Philosopher who was smothered and pressed to death at a Play will not move us let us cast our eyes upon some forraigne Tragedies of this nature I read in Munster his Cosmography that about the yeere of our Lord 1380. Lodovicke a Marquis of Nisina a man not very religious was made Arch-bishop of Magdeburge who thereupon invited many Gentlemen and others together with their Wives and Daughters into a Towne called Calven to feast and make merry with him who came accordingly The Bishop for their better entertainement provided the Towne-hall for them to dance in they being much addicted to dancing and singing and to act other vanities and whiles they were busily turning dancing and playing and every one danced merrily at the hands of their Ladies the house being oppressed with the great weight began to sinke giving a great cracke before The Arch-bishop taking the Lady who stood next him by the hand hastned to goe downe the staires with the first and as soone as he begun to goe downe the stony staires being loose before fell downe and miserably crusht to death the Arch-bishop and his consort with divers others It is storied by Froyssart in his Chronicle and by some others since that in the Raigne of Charles the sixt in the yeere of our Lord 1392. at a marriage made in the Kings Court at the hostle of Saint Pauls in Paris betweene Sir Yvan of Foiz Bastard Sonne to the Earle of Foiz and one of the Queene of Erance her Gentlewomen the Tuesday before Candlemas day A Squire of Normandy called Hogrymen of Gensay provided for a Play or Mummery against nightâ— for which purpose he had devised 6. Coates made of Linnen cloth covered with Pitch and thereon cloth and flax like haire and had them ready in a Chamber The King himselfe put on one of these Coates the Earle of Iovy a yong lusty Knight another Sir Charles of Poytiers the third Sir Yvan of Foiz another the Son of the Lord Lanthorillet had on the fift and the Squire himselfe put on the sixt Being thus apparelled and sowed fast on these Coates which made them soone like wilde wode-houses the King upon the advice of Sir Yvan of Foiz commanded an Vsher of his Chamber to enioyne all the Torch-bearers in the Hall where the Ladies were dancing to stand close to the wall and not to come neere the wode-houses for feare of setting them on fire which he did accordingly Soone after the Duke of Orleance who knew nothing of the Mummery or the Kings command entred into the Hall with foure Knights and sixe Torches to behold the dancing and begun himselfe to dance Therewith the King and the fiue other Masquers came in in these their disguises fiue of them being fastned one to the other the King onely being loose who went before and led the device When they entred the Hall every one tooke so great heed to them that they forgate the Torches The King departing from his company went to the Ladies to sport with them as youth required and came to the Dutches of Berry who tooke hold of him to know what hee was but he would not shew his name The Duke of Orleance running to the other fiue to dâ—scover who they were put one of the Torches his servants held so neere the flax that he set one of the Coates on fire and so each of them set fire on the other so that they were all in a bright flame the fire taking hold of the living Coates their shirts began to scorch their bodies so that they began to bren and to cry out for helpe The fire was so great that none durst come neere them and those that did brent their hands by reason of the heate of the pitch One of them called Manthorillet fled into the Botry and cast himselfe into a vessell of water where they rynsed pots and so saved his life by quenching the fire but yet hee was sore hurt The Countesse oâ— Berry with her long loose Gowne covered the King and so saved him from the fire two of the other were burnt to death in the place the Bastard of Foiz and the Earle of Iovy were carried to their lodgings and there died within two dayes after in great paine and misery Thus was this Comedy turned into a dolefull Tragedy The King though he escaped was much distracted in minde and his servants distressed with griefe at this unhappy accident so that he could not sleepe quiet that night The next day these newes being spred abroad in the City and every man marveling at it some said how God had sent that token for an ensample and that it was wisedome for the King to regard it and to withdraw himselfe from such yong idle wantonnesseâ— which he had used overmuch being a King All Lords and Ladies thorow the Realme of France and elsewhere that heard of this chance had great marvaiâ—e thereof Pope Boniface being at Rome with his Cardinals reioyced at it and said that it was a token sent from God to to the Realme of France which had taken part against him Sure I am it was a just judgement of God to teach
as a defensative to secure them from the plague their sicknesse being more effectuall to convert them then their health For those who were so weake in their health that they could not bee wonne by reasons to approve the truth were made whole in faith by this their corporall disease Loe here a man-eating pestilence sent by God from Heaven upon these Pagan Play-haunters Answerable to which I finde another Story in Plutarch who relates that in the Consulship of Caius Sulpitius and Licinius Solon the great plague then raigning in Rome devoured not onely sundry Play-haunters but even all the Stage-players then in Rome so that there was not so much as one of them left alive A just judgement of God upon these pestiferous miscreants And may we not then suspect that their toleration of and our great resort to Stage-playes hath beene a great occasion of those devouring Plagues which formerly and now of late have seised not onely upon London and her Suburbs where divers publike standing Play-houses are every day frequented but on other Townes and Cities too where stragling wandring Players though Rogues by Statute doe oft-times act their parts Sure I am that Saint Augustine Orosius and others truely stile Stage-playes the very plague and pestilence of mens mindes and manners and that Clemens Alexandrinus Tertullian and S. Chrysostome call the Play-house the â—ery seaâ—e and chaire of pestilence no wonder therefore if they produce a plague in those Kingdomes the Cities which permit them Indeed the ancient Pagan Romanes when as Rome was exceedingly pestred with the plague sent into Tuscany for Stage-players to asswage its rage but both Livy Augustine and Orosius assure us that they were so farre from mitigating this plague which â—eised on mens bodies which they did rather aggravatâ— that in stead of it they brought in among them a far more pernicious and perpetuall pestilence of their soules and manners to wit their wicked pestiferous Stage-playes which they could not shake off In the first yeere of Queene Elizabeths Raigne all Stage-plages were prohibited by publike proclamation from the 7. of Aprill till Allhallontide of purpose to cease that plague which was then begun and so in all great sicknesses since that time all publike Enterludes have beene suppressed for the selfesame reason If then the inhibiting of publike Stage-playes hath beene such a common anâ—idote to asswage those fearefull Plagues which God in justice hath inflicted on us we may then conclude from the rule of contraries that our resort to ribaldry Stage-playes which God without all question as appeares by all the new recited judgements cannot but abhorre is a grand occasion both of the engendring and propagating these late these present plagues which yet wee feele and suffer As therefore we would flie and feare this dreadfull fatall sicknesse which hath a long time hovered over our heads and hath almost quite depopulated some particular places of this Kingdome and God knoweth how soone how fast it may increase to sweepe us all away let us henceforth cast out these our lewde pestiferous Enterludes and rase downe these our Leprous Play-houses which may involue us in the selfesame miseries that these Caesarians here sustained to our utter ruine But if all these former examples will not deterre us from these Spectacles let us consider what generall Nationall judgements they have oft procured To passe by Gods judgements upon Sodom for her Cirques and Theaters as Prudentius poetically expresseth it who affirmes with all that Christians after their conversion returne backe no more to Playes and Theaters The excessive expences of the Athenians on their Stage-playes if Plutarch or Iustin may be credited was the very overthrow and destruction of their State and the occasion of their bondage to the Macedonians Arnobius informes the Gentiles against whom he wrote that all the evils the miseries with which mortality was overwhelmed and oppressed from day to day without intermission originally sprang from Stage-playes with which these Heathen Gentiles were besotted Saint Augustine at large demonstrates that the bringing in and tolerating of Stage-playes which vitiates the mindes and manners of the Romanes was the principall cause of the very ruine of their Common-weale and of all those fat all miseries which befell them Whereupon hee breakes out into this patheticall exclamation O fooles O mad men what is this your extreame I say not error but frensie that when as all the Easterne Nations as wee have heard and the very greatest Cities in the remotest Countries doe publikely grieve and sorrow for your destruction that you should runne after Theatersâ— enter into them fill them and make them much more unruly and outragious then before This plague and pestilence of mens mindes this overthrow of honesty and goodnesse did worthy Scipio feare would befall you when he prohibited Theaters to be erected when he discerned that you might be easily corrupted and overturned with prosperity when as hee would not have you secure from feare of enemies neither did he thinke the Common-weale could be happy when as the walls of it onely stood but the manners fell to ruine But in you that hath more prevailed which wicked Devils have seducingly suggested then that which provident men have laboured to prevent Hence is it that the evils which you doe you will not have them to be imputed to you and the evils which you suffer you impute onely to the Christian times Neither in your security doe you seeke for a peaceable Common-wealth but an unpunished luxury who being depraved with prosperity cannot yet be amended by adversity Saint Chrysostome as hee records that Stage-playes had brought great mischiefes upon Cities both in respect of sinne and punishment so hee with all relates That the very Heavens were made Brasse and the earth Iron that the very elements themselves did proclaime Gods wrath against men for their Stage-playes How long therefore O sonnes of men will yee be slow of heart Why writes he doe yee love vanity in Enterludes and seeke after lies in Stage-players Holy Salvian writes expresly That the very sacking of Rome the destruction of all Italy the spoyling of Ravenna Trevers Marseilles Agrippina Moguntia and a great part of France and Spaine by the Goathes and Vandals was but a iust iudgement of God inâ—licted on them for their frequenting and maintaining Playes and Theaters whose execrable filthinesse whose inconsistency with Christianity and whose odiousnesse in Gods eye-sight hee most eligantly discyphers If wee observe all the passages of the Roman History we shall easily discover that the Roman Common-weale had never so bad Emperours and Magistrates and the greatest plagues that can befall a people that it was never so ill governed never so much disordered and corrupted and that the Romanes themselves and their Allies were never so strangely oppressed afflicted dissipated and consumed with all kinde of plagues and
quod divinum officiuÌ„ impediunt et populum reddunt indevotuÌ„ Nos hanc corruptelam sacro approbante Concilio revocantes hujusmodi larvas ludos monstra spectacula figmenta et tumultuationes fieri carmina quoque turpia et sermones illicitos dici tam in Metropolitanis quaÌ„ in Cathedralibus caeterisque nostrae provinciae Ecclesijs dum divina celebrantur praesentiuÌ„ serie omnino prohibemus â—tatuentes nihilominus ut Clerici qui praemissa ludibria et inhonesta figmenta officijs divinis immiscuerint aut immisceri permiserint si in praefatis Metropolitanis seu Cathedralibus Ecclesijs beneficiati extiterint eo ipso per mensâ—m porâ—ionibus suis mulctentur si verò in parochialibus fuerint beneficiati triginta et si beneficiati non fuerint quindeceÌ„ regaliuÌ„ poenam incurrant fabricis EcclesiaruÌ„ et testi Synodali aequaliter applicandam Per hoc tamen honestas repraesentationes et devotas quae populum ad devotioneÌ„ movent tà m in praefatis diebus quaÌ„ in alijs non intendimus prohibere Because in the time wherein by the Decrees of holy Canons the solemnizing of marriages and carnall copulation are prohibited it falls out for the most part that some lay men marrie and use carnall copulation and thereupon make publicke feasts tumults and dances prohibited at marriages by sundry forerecited CouÌ„cels and solemnly celebrate their nuptialls with Stage-players and so for the most part walke unto the Churches Wee desiring to abolish this pernicious custome the holy Councell approving it prohibit such commixtures tumults dances Playes c. to be hereafter made c. So that Stage-plaies Masques Mummeries and dances are altogether unlawfull at Mariages by this Councels verdict All filthinesse is worthily to bee abandoned from the Church But because as well in Metropolitan as in Cathedrall and other Churches of our Diocesse there hath a custome growne that even in the feasts of our Lord Iesus Christs Nativity and of St. Stephen Iohn Innocents and other certain holy dayes yea in the solemnities of new Masses whiles divine things are doing Stageplayes mummeries monsters spectacles as also very many dishonest and various fictions are brought into the Churches as also tumults and filthy songs and scoffing speeches are uttered so that they hinder divine service and make the people undevout Wee repealing this corruption by the approbation of this holy Councell doe by the contents of these presents utterly prohibit these disguised Playes monsters spectacles fictions and tumults to be made and likewise all filthy verses and unlawfull speeches to be uttered as well in Metropolitan as in Cathedrall and other Churches of our province whiles divine things are celebrating ordaining neverthelesse that Clergie men who shall intermixe the foresaid Playes and dishonest figments with divine offices or suffer them to be intermixed if they shall be beneficed in the said Metropolitane or Collegiate Churches shall for this cause and this offence forfeit their pentions for a moneth but if they are beneficed in Parish Churches they shall incurre the penalty of thirty and if they are not beneficed of fifteene royalls to be equally bestowed upon the fabrickes of Churches and the Chapter house But yet by this wee intend not to prohibit honest and devout representations which stirre up the people to devotion either on the foresaid dayes or others Which last clause extends not to authorize any publike or private Stage-playes either on the stage or else where but onely to those representations of our Saviours passion or the Legends and Martyrdomes of such Saints as the Priests did use to personate in their Churches on festivall and solemne dayes Which shewes and representations were afterwards particularly prohibited condemned by the Councels of Millaine Mogunce and others before and after recorded though the Papists still retaine them to their eternall inâ—amie The 34. is Synodus Senonensis Anno 1524. in which these Canons were enacted Quoniam refrigescente nunc Christicolarum devotione intelleximus ex nimia festorum multiplicatione populum ocio et vaniloquio illis diebus deditum ebrietatibus commessationibus ludis et lascivijs magâ—s quà m rei divinae orationibus et contemplationibus vacare c. Moneant itaque Ecclesiarum rectores suos parochianos ut illis diebus easdem Ecclesias frâ—quentent orationibus insistant Deum et Sanctos quoâ—um solennia aguntur pia mente et devoto affectu venerentur et colant verbum Domini seu praedicationes vigilanter et attentè audiant Cessent his diebus ludi choreae commessationes ebrietates vaniloquia lasciviae ab omni vitio abstineatur c. Which are no fit holy-day exercises and recreations if this Councel erre not Non solum omnem alearum taxillorum et sortis ludum aut interesse dictis interdictum Clericis esse constitutionis Concilij generalis denunciamus prout eisdem autoritate dicti Concilij interdicimus sed et turpes plausus cachinnos risus inconditos larvales et theatrales jocos et tripudia et his similia ludibria nec non omnem alium ludum per quem Ecclesiae honestas inquinari potest praedictis Clericis prohibemus Non immisceantur caetibus ubi amatoria cantantur et turpia ubi obâ—scaeni motus corporis choreis et saltibus efferuntur ne Clerici qui sacris mysterijs deputati sunt turpium spectaculorum atque verborum contagione polluantur Because the devotion of Christians now waxing cold we have understood through the multiplication of holydayes that the people given to idlenesse and vaine discourse doe in these dayes addict themselves more to drunkennesse surfetting Playes and wantonnesse than to divine things prayers and contâ—mplations c. Therâ—fore let the rectors of Churches admonish their Parishioners that on those dayes they frequent their Churches and be instant in prayers that they reverence and worship God and the Saints whose solâ—mnities are observed with a pious minde and devout affection that they vigilantly and attentively heare the word of the Lord and preaching Let Playes dances surfetting drunkennes idle discourses lasciviousnesse cease on these dayes and let there be an abstinence from all vice c. We denounce not onely all Playes of dice tables and lot or to be present at them to be inhibited Clergy men by the constitution of a generall Councell as we forbid them by the authority of the said Councell but wee likewise prohibit the aforesaid Clergy men all unseemely applauses cachinnations uncivill laughter disguised and theatricall Playes and dances with all such ridiculous Enterludes and likewise all other Pastimes by which the honestie of the Church may be defiled They may not mix themselves with such assemblies where amorous and filthy things are sung where obscene motions of the body are expressed in dances and galliards lest Clergy men who are devoted to holy mysteries should bee polluted with the contagion of filthy Spectacles and words Which reason extends as well to the Laity as the Clergie since filthy Spectacles and words
ebrietates vaniloquia et quaecunque divinam possunt offendere majestatem c. Fraternitates eas quae ad commessationes et ebrietates ut pluâ—imum fiunt reprobamus Insuper baculorum cum imaginibus conductum ad domos laâ—corum cum turba sacerdotum mulierum et mimorum districtè sub poena excommunicationis et emendae arbitrariae inhibemus et praecipuè clericis ne talibus sese immisceant aut asiensum quovis modo praestent The Church hath added other holy-dayes to Lords-dayes that wee might be mindefull of the benefits bestowed upon us by God and his Saints that wee might follow the examples of the Saints that wee might devote our selves to prayer not to idlenes and Playes Therfore let Rectors of Churches admonish their Parishioners that on the foresaid feast dayes they come together into the Church and that they frequent it piously and religiously to heare those holy things that are done in them Let theÌ„ attentively heare sermons let them reverence and worship God with a pious minde and religious affection And on these dayes as it is said let playes dances drunkeÌ„nes vain discourses and what ever may offend Gods majesty cease c. We reject those fraternities which are for the most part made for rioting and drunkennesse Moreover we strictly inhibit under paine of excommunication and an arbitrary mulct the carrying about of staves with images to the houses of lay men with a company of Priests of women and Stage-players and specially wee prohibtt Clergy men that they joyne not themselves with such assemblies nor yet assent unto them by any meanes The 45. is Concilium Tridentinum which the Papists boast to be oecumenicall though Protestants gainsay it Which Councell Sessio 24. Anno Dom 1563. DecretuÌ„ de Reformatione Can. 12. decreeth as followeth Omnes vero Clerici per se et non per substitutos compellantur obire oâ—ficia c. Ab illicitisque venationibus aucupijs choreis tabernis lusibusque abstineant atque ea morum integritate polleant ut merito Ecclesiae Senatus dici possint Let all Clergy men be compelled to discharge their duties or cures by themselves not by their substitutes Let them abstaine from hunting haâ—king dances tavernes and Playes and let them excell in that integrity of maners that they may be deservedly called the Senate of the Church So much pretended goodnesse at least was there in this Trent Councell as to prohibit all Clergy mens resorâ— to tavernes dances Playes and such like sports and to enjoyne them even in proper person for to feede their flockes and not by proxie Non-residence being such aâ— odious crime in those Bishops Pastors and Ministers who have the cure of soules that this very Trent Coâ—ncell together with some 54 others and sundry Canonicall Constitutions have solemnly condemned it as our owne Canons and Writers doe The 46. is Concilium Mediolanense 1. Anno 1560. where I finde these following Constitutions Et quoniam piè introducta consuetudo repraesentandi populo venerandam Christi Domini passioném et gloriosa martyrum certamina aliorumque sanctorum res gestas hominum perversitate eo deducta est ut multis offensioni multis etiam risui et despectui sit ideo statuimus ut deinceps Salvatoris passio nec in sacro nec in prophano loco agatur sed doctè et graviter eatenus à concionatoribus exponatur ut qui sunt uberes concionum fructus pietatem et lachrymas commoveant auditoribus quod adjuvabit proposita crucifixi Salvatoris imago caeterique pij actus externi quos Ecclesiae probatos esse Episcopus judicabit Item sanctorum martyria et actiones ne ne agantur sed ità piè narrentur ut auditores ad eorum imitationem venerationem et invocationem excitentur Cap. De Festorum dieruÌ„ cultu Ijs etiaÌ„ diebus studebunt Episcopi ne personati homines incedant ne ludi equestres certamina aut alia ludicra aut inania spectacula adhibeantur Choreae saltationes in urbibus suburbijs opidis vicis aut usquam omnino ne patiantur Cap. De armis ludis spectaculis et ejusmodi à Clerico vitandis Clerici personati non incedant choreas publicas vel privatas non agant A venatione abstinebunt fabulis comaediis hastiludijsâ— alijsque prophanis et inanibus spectaculis non intererunt ne aures et oculi sacris officijs addicti ludicris et impuris actionibus sermombusque distracti polluantur Clericalis ordinis hominibus omni genere saltationis et ludi praesertim veâ—ò aleae â—t tesserarum ac talorum interdicimus Nec solum ludere vetamus sed eos ludorum spectatores esse noluimus aut quenquam ludentem in aedibus suis permittere Cap De Histrionibus et Aleatoribus De his etiam Principes et Magistratus commonendos esse duximus ut histriones et mimos caeterosque circulatores et ejus generis perditos homines è suis finibus ejiciant et in caupones et alios quicunque eos receperint acriter animadvertant Et quoniam usu compertum est ex aleae ludo saepe furta rapinae fraudes blasphemias aliaque id generis flagitia proficisci prohibeaÌ„t taxilis aut alea ludi et graviter in publicos aleatores et in eos qui hujusmodi ludis intersint quive domum ad recipiendos â—udentes expoâ—itam habent animadvertant Maximè vero efficiant ut bonis artibus instituendis vel renovandis otia quantuÌ„ fieri poterit è civitatibus tollantur And because the piously introduced custome of representing to the people the venerable passion of Christ the Lord and the glorious combates of martyrs and acts of other Saints is brought to such a passe by the perversenesse of men that it is an offence to many and likewise a matter of much derision and contempt to many we therefore decree that from henceforth the passion of our Saviour be no more acted neither in any sacred or profane place but that it be learnedly and gravely declared by the preachers in such sort as that they may stirre up piety and teares in the auditors which are the most profitable fruites of sermons which the picture of our crucified Saviour set before them and other externall pious actions which the Bishop shall judge to be approved by the Church will helpe to further Likewise let not the martyrdomes actions of the Saints be played but so piously related that the auditors may bee excited to their imitation veneration and invocation Cap. Of the observation of holy-dayes On these dayes the Bishops shall endeavour that no man goe disguised that no Cirque-playes combates or other pastimes or vaine spectacles be exhibited Let no morrice-dances be suffered in Citties suburbes townes villages or in any other place whatsoever Cap. Of weapons playes spectacles and such like to be shunned by Clergy men Clergy men may not disguize themselves or put on
a vizard they may not lead any publike or private dances They shall abstaine from hunting tables comaedies and tiltings neither shall they be present at other profane or ridiculous spectacles lest the eyes and eares devoted to sacred offices being distracted should be polluted with impure actions and speeches We prohibit Clergy men all kinde of dancing and of play but especially of dice and tables Neither doe we onely forbid them to play but wee will not so much as have them spectators of plaies or to admit any one to play in their houses And were not these ranke Puritans thinke ye Chapter Of Stage-players and Dicers Of these also wee have thought good to admonish Princes and Magistrates that they banish out oâ— their territories all Stage-players tumblers juglers jesters and other castawayes of this kinde and that they severely punish victuallers and all others whatsoever who shall receive them And because it is found by experience that robberies thefts fraudes blasphemies and other wickednesses of this kinde doe oft proceede from dice-play let them forbid all playing at tables and dice and severely punish all common dicers and those who are present at such games or keepe houses to receive such gamesters But let them chiefly endeavour to effect that idlenesse may as much as may bee quite banished out of Citties by instituting or renewing good arts If therefore all Stage-players tumblers and common dicers are thus to be banished and cast out of the common wealth and all those to be severely punished who entertaine or harbour them their Playes must certainly be execrable intollerable which make their persons such The 47. is Synodus Ebroicensis Anno 1576. where I finde these following Canons Dies festos secundum Scripturas instituit Deus in monumentuÌ„ ac memoriaÌ„ suoruÌ„ beneficioruÌ„ ut ea homo agnosceret et de ipsis gratias ageret c. quoniâ—m festa à creatione mundi fuerunt introducta ut animus cum corpore cessaret à saeculo et avocaretur à solicitudinibus et laboribus hujus mundi occuparetur vero in Dei obsequio recognoscendis ejus beneficijs et gratijs referendis Arbiâ—ramur vero nuâ—lo secuâ—o gravius nec frequentius peccari contra festorum sanctaÌ„ et legitimaÌ„ observationeÌ„ quam in nostro quandoquideÌ„ plures ipsa insumuÌ„t voluptatibus hujuâ— seculi sectandis in tabernis ganeis lusibus illiciris ac alijs vanis atque etiam viciosis actionibus c. Ecclesiae hostiarij ergo diebus festis observeÌ„t et noteÌ„t qui de presbyteris et parochiaâ—is abfuerint ab Ecclesijs et inquirant qua de causa defecerint an interea cauponis et â—â—sibus tempus insumant c. God according to the Scriptures hath appointed holy-holy-dayes for a monument and remembrance of his benefits that men might acknowledge them and give thankes for them c. because feasts were introduced from the beginning of the world that the minde with the body might cease from the world and might be avocated from the cares and labours of this world but yet occupied in the service of God in recognizing his benefits and rendring thankes But wee thinke verily that in no age men offended more grievously and frequently against the holy and lawfull observation of festivalls than in ours since many consume them in following the pleasures of this world in tavernes in brothels in unlawfull Playes and in other vaine yea and vitious actions c. Let therefore the doore-keepers of the Church upon holy-dayes observe and note which of the Presbyters and Parishioners shall be absent from the Churches Offices and inquire for what cause they were absent whether they spend the time in Ale-houses or in Playes c. The 48. is Synodus Rothomagi Anno 1581. which decreeth thus as followeth Curatis Ecclesiaâ—uÌ„ praecipimus ne sinant in Caemeterijs choreas duci aut alios lusus et infanias fieri sed potius ea quae luctus et mortis memoriam inducunt Novimus et experimur aâ—tutias Diaboli ad derogandum cultui Dei et ad suuÌ„ substituenduÌ„ in illius locum In nostris enim diaecesibus per omnia festa solennia Apostolorum et aliorum sanctoruÌ„ ad augenduÌ„ sacrilegiuÌ„ impudica atque obscaena ludicra in his admiscet ut totuÌ„ hominâ—m perdat in sabbatho â—ibique subjiciat Dies vero Dominicos videbatur à nuÌ„dinis eximere sed eos noÌ„ dissimili ratione foedavit ac prophanavit c. Eleemosynam enim vertit in crapulas orationem in choreas et concionem in scurrilitateÌ„ Ad has festoruÌ„ prophanationes mundandas c. praecipimus Curatis ut paratuÌ„ habeaÌ„t concionatoré qui verbuÌ„ Dei praedicet bis in die pray marke it â—i fieri possit ut contineatur populus in piâ—tate mane scilicet et à prandio CoÌ„messationes ebrietates sumptus lites lusus improbos et inhonestos choreas plenas insanijs cantilenas turpes breviter omneÌ„ luxuÌ„ et lasciviaÌ„ atque omneÌ„ festoruÌ„ prophanationem damnamus et reprobamus Wee command the Curates of Churches that they suffer no dances or other Playes or fooleries to be made in Church yards but those things rather which may put men in minde of sorrow and death We have knowne and tried the subtleties of the Divell to derogate from Gods worship and to substitute his owne in its roome For in our Diocesse through all solemne feasts of the Apostles and other Saints to augment sacriledge he admixeth unchast and obscene Playes in these that hee may destroy the whole man upon the Sabbath and subject him to himself But he thought good to exempt Lords-dayes from faires yet he hath defiled and prophaned them with a like sacriledge for hee turneth almes into riot prayer into dances and Sermons into scurrility To cleanse these prophanations of holy dayes c. wee command Curates that they provide a Preacher which may preach the word of God twice in a day pray marke it if it be possible that the people may be kept exercised in piety both morning and evening even from dinner Wee condemne and reprobate rioting drunkennesse prodigality contentions wicked and dishonest plaies dances fraught with fooleries filthy songs briefly all luxurie lasciviousnesse and all prophanation of holy-dayes under paine of excommunication Vide Ibidem So abominable so unlawfull are dances Playes and amorous Pastorals on Lords-dayes holy-dayes and all solemne festivals devoted to Gods service The 49. is Concilium Burdigense Anno 1582. Which as it complaines that Lords-dayes and holy-dayes were much prophaned with Playes Pastimes drunkennesse and other villanies in these words Tamersi Dominici festique dies ad hoc unum instituti sunt ut fideles Christiani ab externis operibus abstinentes liberius et majori cum pietate divino cultui vacarent c. Nihilominus nostris temporibus praeposterè fieri solet ut tà m solennes et religiosi dies non solum in illicitis
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
performe towards God how many graces and degrees of grace we want how many daily sinnes and lusts we have to lament and mortifie how many offices of piety of charity of courtesie duty and civility wee have to exercise towards our selves our friends our neighbours our families our enemies as we are men or Christians in all those severall relations wherein wee stand to others considering withall what time we ought to spend upon our lawfull callings upon the care and culture of our soules which are then most neglected when as our bodies are most pampered most adorned all which are suâ—ficient to monopolize even all our idle dayes more And if we would adde to this these strict commands of God Exod. 20.9 Sixe dayes shalt thou labour and doe all thy worke Gen. 3.19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate bread till thou returne unto the ground a curse a precept layd on all mankinde Ephes. 5.15 16. See that yee walke circumspectly not as fooles but as wise redeeming the time because the dayes are evill 2. Thes. 3.10 11 12 13 14. For even when we were with you this we commanded you that if any would not worke neither should he eate For we heare there are some and O that we did not now heare of many â—uch among us which walke among you disorderly not working at all but are buste-bodies Now them that are such weâ— command and exhort by our Lord Iesus that with quieâ—nesse they worke and eate their owne bread not being weary in well doing And if any obey not our Word by this Epistle note that man and have no communion with him that he may be ashamed Did we I say consider all this or did we remember how narrow steepe and difficult the way is unto Heaven and what paines all those must take who meane to climbe up thither We should then speedily discover how little cause men have to run to Stage-playes to passe away their idle houres which flie away so speedily of themselves But suppose there are any such as alas our idle age hath too too many who though they are loath to die as all men should be willing to depart who have finished or survived their worke or else want good imployments yet they have so much idle time that they know not how to spend standing all the day idle like those lazy Loyterers Matth. 20.1 to 8. even for want of worke or loytring abroad like our common Vagrant Sturdy-beggers not so much because they cannot but because they will not worke let all such idle Bees know that Christ Iesus their Lord and Master hath a Vineyard in which they may and ought to spend their time he hath store of imployments for them though themselves have none even enough to take up all the vacant houres of their lives When therefore any Play-haunters or others have so much idle time that they know not how to bestow it let them presently step into the Lords Vineyard let them repaire to Sermons and such other publike exercises of Religion calling upon one another and saying Come and let us goe up to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and hee will teach us his wayes and we will walke in his pathes or else betake themselves to their owne private prayers and devotions Let them read the Scriptures or some other pious Bookes which may instruct them in the wayes of godlinesse or sing Psalmesâ— and Hymnes and spirituall Songs to Godâ— let them seriously examine their owne consciences hearts and lives by the sacred Touch-stone of Gods Word let them bewayle their owne originall corruption with all their actuall transgressions and sue earnestly to God for pardon for them let them labour after all the graces and degrees of grace which yet they want and bee ever adding to those graces which they have let them renew their vowes and covenants with God and walke more closely more exactly with him every day let them muse and meditate on God on all his great and glorious workes and attributes on Christ and all his suffrings on the holy Ghost and all his graces on the Word of God and all its precepts promises threatnings on Heaven and everlasting happinesse on Hell and all its torments on sinne and all the miseries that attend it on their owne frailty and mortality on the vanity of all earthly things on the day of death and judgement which should be alwayes in their thoughts and on a thousand such like particulars on which they should imploy their mindes and vacant houres If men will but thus improve their idle time which now they waste on Playes and such like vanities which onely treasure up wrath unto their soules against the day of wrath and plunge them deeper into Hell at last what benefit what comfort might they reape their idle vacant seasons would then prove the comfortablest the profitablest of all others and bring them in a large returne of grace here of glory hereafter Let us therefore henceforth labour to improve our cast our leisure times to our eternall advantage ab hoc exiguoâ— caduco temporis transitu in illa nos toto demus animo quae immensa quae aeterna sunt quae cum melioribus communia Haec nobis dabunt ad aeternitatem iter nos in illum locum ex quo nemo eijciet sublenabunt haec una ratio est extendendae mortalitatis imo in immortalitatem vertendae and then we need not run to Masques to Playes or Play-houses to passe away our time Lastly I answer That men cannot be worse imployed then in hearing or beholding Stage-playes Nihil enim tam damnosum bonis moribus quà m in aliquo Spectaculo desidere tunc enim per voluptatem facilius vitia surrepunt It was Seneca his resolution to his friend Lucilius when he requested his advice what thing hee would have him principally to avoyd and it may be a satisfactory answer to this Objection For how can men be worse imployed then in hearing seeing learning all kinde of vice of villany and lewdnesse whatsoever then in depraving both their mindes and manners and treasuring up damnation to their soules This is the onely good imployment that our Play-haunters have at Playes which is the worst of any This Objection therefore is but idle The 3. Objection which Play-frequenters make for the seeing of Playes is this That the frequenting of Stage-playes as their owne experience witnesseth doth men no hurt at all it neither indisposeth them to holy duties nor inticeth them to lust or lewdnesse therefore it is not ill An Objection made in Chrysostomes time as well as now To this I answer first that Play-haunters are no meete judges in this case because most of them being yet in the state of sinne and death are altogether sencelesse of the growth and progresse