an everlasting farewell to them that so wee may avoyd these severall cursed fruits and dangerous conâ—equences which they alwayes constantly produce together with all these imminent plagues and judgements which now without your speedy repentance they are likely to pull downe on us both to our temporall and eternall ruine ACTVS 7. SCENA PRIMA HAving thus at large related the various grounds and reasons of the unlawfulnesse of Stage-playes in such a perspicuous manner as I hope will satisfie the judgement the conscience of every impartiall Reader I come now to a particular summary enumeration of those Authorities that concurre together with me in condemning Playes and Enterludes which I shall marshall into seven distinct Squadrons The first Squadron consists of such texts of holy Scripture as are produced by the Fathers and latter Writers against Stage-playes some of them oppugning them in one kinde some in another If we survey the originall Authours Patriots Frequenters Actors together with the primary use of these theatricall Enterludes which were at first invented acted fostered frequented by Divel-Idols Pagans Idolaters lascivious dissolute gracelesse persons and devoted wholly to Idolatry Idols Divels and the lusts of carnall wicked worldly men wee shall finde these severall Scriptures that oppugne them condemne them viz. Levit 18.30 Deutr 7.2.3 4 16 25 26. c 12.3 29 30. c 20.16 17 18. Iosh 7.12 c 11.12 Iudges 2.2 Numb 33.52 Psal 16.4 Ier 10 1 2 3. Acts 15.20.29 Rom 12.2 c 13.12 13 14. 1 Cor 8.1 to 11. c 10.7 20 21. 2 Cor 6.14 15 16. Ephes 2.2 3. c 4.17 to 25. c 5.3 4 11. Col 2 8 20 21 22. Titus 2.13 14. c 3.3 1 Pet 4.2 3. 1.14 15 18. Iam 1.21 26 27. c 4.7 8 9 10. c 5.1 5. 2 Pet 2.7 8 10 13 14 19 20 22. 1 Ioh 2.15 16. c 3.8 c 5.21 Iude 4.7 8 12 13 16 18 23. Rev 2.20 c 21.8 27 c 22.11.15 All which though they condemne not Stage-plaâ—es in precise tearmes which no Canonicall Scripture doth yet they positively prohibit and censure them under the names of Idolatry things consecrated unto Idols the Cup and Table of Divels the monuments reliques ceremonies customes rites delights of Idols and Idolaters the way and fashion of the Heathen the will of the Gentiles the things the course and custome of the world carnall worldly lusts and pleasures the lusts of our former ignorance and our vaine conversation received by tradition from our Fathers revellings banquettings and abominable idolatries the rudiments traditions ordinances sports and customes of the world of worldly sensuall men the workes the will the lusts of the Divell c. under which these Stage-playes are as really as absolutely comprised as any part is under the whole or any Species under its proper Genus Hence Saint Cyprian peremptorily concludes That the Scripture hath everlastingly condemned all sorts of Spectacles and Stage-playes even then when it tooke away Idolatry the Mother of all playes from whence all these monsters of vanity of lewdnesse have proceeded Which assertion of his is seconded by Tertullian Lactantius Cyrill of Ierusalem Chrysostome Augustine Salvian with others of ancient and moderne times who doome all Stage-playes from these very Scriptures If wee consider the nature the materialls the circumstances the concomitants the effects the fruites and ends of Stage-playes together with the manner the circumstances of their Action the quality of the persons that act or else frequent them all which I have at large displayed in the foregoing Acts where their obscenity vanity effeminacy lasciviousnesse prodigalityâ— and lewd pernicious consequences are laid open to the full wee shall soone discover that not onely the seventh comâ—andement as most moderne Expositors of it witnesse but even Exod. 32.6.19 c. 23.13 Deutr. 22.5 Iosh. 23.7 Iob 21.11 12 13. Numb 15.39 Psal. 16.4 Psal. 101.3 to the end Psal. 1.1 Psal. 24.3 4. Isay 3.16 17. cap. 5.12 cap. 33.15 16. cap. 55.2 7. cap. 58.3 Hosea 2.17 Ecclesiastes 2.2 cap. 7.4 5 6. c. 11.9 Prov. 12.11 c. 14.9 c. 21.17 Amos 6.1 to 11. Zech. 13.2 Matth. 12.36 37. Rom. 13.12 13 14. 1 Cor. 5.7 to 12. c. 6.8 9. Gal. 5.16 to 26. Ephes. 2.2 3 4. c. 4.29 31. c. 5.1 to 18. Luke 1.74 75. 2 Cor. 12.21 Phil. 3.17 18 19 20. Col. 3.1 to 11. c. 4.5 6. 1 Thes. 5.15 to 24. 2 Thes. 3.6 11 14. 1 Tim. 4.7 c. 5.6 2 Tim. 3.4 Hebr. 11.25 1 Pet. 1.13 14 18. c. 2.11 12. Gal. 6.8.14 1 Ioh. 2.5 15 16 17 with infinite other Scriptures condemne all Stage-playes in regard of their subject matter circumstances fruites and manner of Action c. as I have more particularly demonstrated in the precedent Scenes Hence Tertullian positively informes us That the Scripture hath interdicted all Playes and Enterludes under the prohibitions of lewdnesse and lasciviousnesse and that those texts of Scripture which condemne all worldly concupiscence all idle words all scurrility all foolish filthy talking and jecting all standing in the way of sinners and sitting in the seate of the scornefull together with hypocrisie and dissimulation the making of any Idols image or likenesse and the putting on of womens apparell by men doe expresly inhibit and condemne both Playes themselves resort to Play-houses and the very acting and beholding of all theatricall Enterludes If we peruse St. Hilary St. Ambrose Chrysostome Cyril of Ierusalem St Augustine and others wee shall finde them encountring Stage-playes with that of Psalme 119. v. â—7 Turne away mine eyes from beholding vanity and quicken me in thy word If we reflect on Clemens Alexandrinus Lactantius Nazianzen Basil Hierom Salvian Thomas Gualesius Gualther Petrarcha Holkot Bishop Babington Mr. Northbrooke Dr. Reinolds Mr. Stubs and all the rest which I have formerly quoted in the 1 2 3 4 and 5 Scenes of the foregoing Act we shall see them battering downe Playes and Play-houses with the seventh commandement Ephes. 5.3 4. Deutr. 22.5 Prov. 14.9 c. 21.17 Eccles. 2.2 c. 7â— 3 4 5. Rom. 13.13 14 15. 1 Thes. 5.22 1 Ioh. 2.14 15 and all the forequoted Scriptures which if all their judgements may be credited doe either directly or by way of consequence conclude all Stage-playes to be sinfull yea utterly unlawfull unto Christians If we adde Apochryphall Scriptures unto these Canonicall we shall finde such expresse authoritie against Stage-playes as must needes put all their Patriots their Actors and Spectators to eternall silence For in the first Booke of the Maccabees c. 1. v. 11 12 13 14 we reade thus That in the dayes of Antiochus Epiphanes there went out of Israel wicked men who perswaded many saying Let us goe and make a covenant with the Heathen that are round about us for since we departed from them we have had much sorrow so this device pleased them well Then certaine of the people
acknowledged at first by Heathen Emperors States and Writers yea and Iewish Authors both before and after Christ and since that ratified by the concurrent voyce and verdict of the whole Church of God from age to age euen to this present day as the venerable records of all the Fathers the irrefragable Decrees of sundry Councells and the learned Treatises of diuers Moderne Christians both Protestants and Papists doe at large declare a catologue of whose names and workes shall bee presented to you in its proper Scaene Not to enter into any curious diuision or enumeration of such Playes or Enterludes as were vsuall among the Greekes and Romans such as were their Ludi Circenses with Chariots their Ludi Gladiatorij or Sword-Playes their Ludi Compitalitij Florales Gymniâ—i Lupercales Megalenses Cereales Martiales Appollinares Consuales Capitolini Laquearij Retiarij Troiani Plebeij and the like since diuers now of late as well as heretofore haue discribed them to the full in sundry Treatises nor yet to shew you the exact differences betweene Comicall Tragicall Satyricall or Mimicall Enterludes together with their seuerall circumstances inuentions parts or properties delineated likewise by the marginall Authors which differ more in substance then in forme or action in which they neere accord I shall onely informe you of one moderne distinction which some haue pleased for to make of Stage-Playes Of Stage-Playes say they there are two sorts The one popular or publike acted by hired and professed Stage-Players the Playes wee haue now in hand and these they all confesse to be abominable and vnlawfull Pas-times The other Academicall managed onâ—ly by Schollers in priuate Schooles and Colledges at some certaine seasons and these they hold at least wise tollerable if not lawfull so as these sixe prouisoes be obserued First that there bee no Obscenitie Scurrilitie Prophanenesse Amorous Loue-toyes Wantonnesse or Effeminacy mixed with these Playes Secondly that there bee no Womans part no Dalliance no Lustfull nor Lasciuious Complements Clippings or Embracements in them Thirdly that there be no mention or Inuocation of Heathen Gods or Goddesses in them Fourthly that there be no putting on of Womans apparell or any sumptuous or costly attire Fiftly that these Playes produce no prodigall or vnnecessary expence either of money or time Sixtly that they be not ordinarily but very rare and seldome Acted and that for the most part in the Latine tongue for vtterance and learning sake alone not for any gaine of money or vaine-glory If all or any of these conditions faile as what Achademicall Enterludes faile not either in all or most these very scholasticall Spectacles become vnlawfull euen by the most moderate mens confession For the lawfulnesse or Illegitimacy of our Achademicall Stage-Playes I shall discusse it in its proper place in the meane time I shall addresse my selfe vnto the probate of my precedent Conclusion by Reasons by Authorities My Reasons to euince the vnlawfulnesse of Stage-Playes I shall branch into these sixe seuerall Acts. The first is drawne from the Originall Authors and Inuentors of them The second from those Impious endes to which they were destinaâ—ed and ordained at the first The third from their ordinary Stile or subiect matter which no Christian can euer iustifie or excuse The fourth from the persons that Act and parties who frequent them The fift from the very forme and manner of their Action and those seuerall parts and circumstances which attend them The sixt from the pernitious effects and sinfull fruites which vsually if not necessarily and perpetually issue from them My Authorities doe marshall themselues into seuen seuerall Squadrons The first consisting of Scriptures The second of the whole Primitiue Church both vnder the Law and Gospel The third of Councells and Canonicall or Papall Constitutions The fourth of the ancient godly Fathers The fift of Moderne Christian writers of all sorts as well Diuines as others The sixt of Heathen Philosophers Orators Historians and Poets The last of the Acts and Edicts of sundry Christian and Heathen States and Emperours All which accompanied with the irrefragable and plaine defeates of those pretences which giue any colourable iustification to these Theatricall Enterludes will giue no doubt a fatall if not a finall ouerthrow or Catastrophe to Playes and Actors whose dismall Tragoedie doeth now begin ACTVS 1. SCAENA PRIMA THat all popular and common Stage-Playes whether Comicall Tragicall Satyricall Mimicall or mixt of either especially as they are now composed and personated are such sinfull hurtfull and pernicious Recreations as are altogether vnseemely and vnlawfull vnto Christians I shall first of all euidence and prooue it from their originall parents and primary Inuentors which were no other but the very Deuill himselfe or at leastwise Idolatrous and Voluptuous Pagans impregnated with this infernall issue from Hell it selfe from whence I argue in the first place thus That which had its birth and primarie conception from the very Deuill himselfe who is all and onely euill must needes be Sinfull Pernicious and altogether vnseemely yea Vnlawfull vnto Christians But Stage-Playes had their birth and primary conception from the very Deuill himselfe who is all and onely euill Therefore they must needes bee Sinfull Pernicious and altogether vnseemely yea Vnlawfull vnto Christians The Minor which is onely liable to exception I shall easily make good First by the direct and punctuall testimony of sundry Fathers Clemens Alexandrinus Oratio Exhortatoria ad Gentes fol. 8. Tertullian de Spectaculis cap. 5.7.10.24 Clemens Romanus Constitutionum Apostolorum lib. 2. c. 65.66 S. Cyprian De Spectaculis l. Epist. l. 1. Epist. 10. Eucratio Arnobius Disputatioâ— Aduers Gentes l. 7. Lactantius De Vero Cultu c. 20. Cyrill of Hierusol Catech. Mystag 1. S. Chrysostome Hom. 6.7 38. on Mat. S. Augustine De Ciuit. Dei lib. 1. cap. 32. l. 2. c. 6. to 23. Saluian De Gub. Dei lib. 6. pag. 206.207 All excellently learned in all the learning of the Heathen and therefore best able to determine of the Originall of Stage-Playes especially since they liued so neere vnto their birth-day All these I say to whom I might adde Pope Innocent the first Epistolarum Decretalium Epist. 2. ad Victricium cap. 11. which you shall finde in Surius Conciliorum Tom. 1. pag. 529. and in Gratian. Distinctio 51. cap. Praeterea frequenter Ludouicus Viâ—es Comment in Augustinum De Ciu. Dei lib. 1. cap. 32. lib. 2. cap. 6. to 22. Coelius Rhodiginus Antiquarum Lectionum lib. 8. cap. 7. Agrippa De Vanitate Scientiarum cap. 59. Ioannes Mariana Doct. Reinolds Gosson with sundry others in their Bookes and Treatises against Stage-Playes doe expressely testifie That all Theatricall Playes or Enterludes had their Originall birth from the very Deuill himselfe who inuented them for his owne honour and worship to detaine men captiue by them in his infernall snares Whence they all condemne them as sinfull hurtfull abominable and vnlawfull pleasures stiling all
HISTRIO-MASTIX THE PLAYERS SCOVRGE OR ACTORS TRAGAEDIE Divided into Two Parts Wherein it is largely evidenced by divers Arguments by the concurring Authorities and Resolutions of sundry texts of Scripture of the whole Primitive Church both under the Law and Gospell of 55 Synodes and Councels of 71 Fathers and Christian Writers before the yeare of our Lord 1200 of above 150 foraigne and domestique Protestant and Popish Authors since of 40 Heathen Philosophers Historians Poets of many Heathen many Christian Nations Republiques Emperors Princes Magistrates of sundry Apostolicall Canonicall Imperiall Constitutions and of our owne English Statutes Magistrates Vniversities Writers Preachers That popular Stage-playes the very Pompes of the Divell which we renounce in Baptisme if we beleeve the Fathers are sinfull heathenish lewde ungodly Spectacles and most pernicious Corruptions condemned in all ages as intolerable Mischiefes to Churches to Republickes to the manners mindes and soules of men And that the Profession of Play-poets of Stage-players together with the penning acting and frequenting of Stage-playes are unlawfull infamous and misbeseeming Christians All pretences to the contrary are here likewise fully answered and the unlawfulnes of acting of beholding Academicall Enterludes briefly discussed besides sundry other particulars concerning Dancing Dicing Health-drinking c. of which the Table will informe you By WILLIAM PRYNNE an Vtter-Barrester of Lincolnes Inne Cyprian De Spectaculis lib p 244. Fugienda sunt ista Christianis fidelibus ut tà m frequenter diximus tà m vana tà m perniciosa tà m sacrilega Spectacula â—quae essi non haberent crimen habent in se et maximam et parum congruenteÌ„ fidelibus vanitateÌ„ Lactantius de Verò Cultu cap. 20. Vitâ—â—da ergo Spectaculo â—â—â—xia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ne quid vitiorum pectoribus iâ—side et c. sed ne cuius nos voluptatis consuetudo delineat atque à Deo et à bâ—riâ— operibus â—veâ—tat Chrysost. Hom. 38. in Matth. Tom. 2. Col. 299. B Hom. 8 De Poenitentia Tom. 5. Col 750. â—mmo vero â—is Theatralibus ludis eversis non leges sed iniquitatem evertetis ac emnem civitatis pestem extinguetis â—Etenim Theatrum communis luxuriae officina publicum incontinentiae gymnasium cathedra pestilentia pessâ—â—us locus plurimerâ—mone moâ—herum plena Babylonica fornax c. Augustinus De Civit. Dei l. 4 c. 1. Si tontummodo boni et honesti homines in civitate essent nec in rebus humanis Ludi scenici esse debuissent LONDON Printed by E.A. and W.I. for Michael Sparke and are to be sold at the Blue Bible in Greene Arbour in little Old Bayly 1633. TO HIS MVCH HONOVRED FRIENDS THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL MASTERS OF THE BENCH of the Honourable flourishing LAVV-SOCIETY of LINCOLNES-INNE RIGHT WORFVLL The due respect I owe unto your famous Nurserie both of Law and Piety as my last Nursing Mother and to your Worships in particular as my especiall good Friends hath at this time imboldened me to commend this HISTRIO-MASTIX to your worthy Patronage which being wholly compiled within your Walls implores no other Sanctuary but your benigne Protection of which your former Play-oppugning Actions promise it good assurance For whereas other Innes of Court I know not by what evill custome and worse example admit of common Actors and Enterludes upon their two grand Festivals to recreate themselves withall notwithstanding the Statutes of our Kingdome of which Lawyers of all others should be most observant have branded all professed Stage-players for infamous Rogues and Stage-playes for unlawfull pastimes especially on Lords-dayes and other solemne Holy-dayes on which these Grand-dayes ever fall yet such hath beene your pious tender care not only of this Societies honour but also of the young Students good for the advancing of whose piety and studies you have of late erected a magnificent Chappell and since that a Library that as you have prohibited by late publike Orders all disorderly Bacchanalian Grand-Christmasses more fit for Pagans thaÌ„ Christians for the deboisest Roarers than grave civill Students who should be patternes of sobriety unto others together with all publike Dice-play in the Hall a most pernâ—cious infamous game condemned in all ages all places not onely by Councels Fathers Divines Civilians Canonists Politicians and other Christian Writers by divers Pagan Authors of all sorts and by Mahomet himselfe but likewise by sundry Heathen yea Christian Magistrates Edicts and by the Statutes of our Kingdome as the occasions of much idlenesse prodigality cursing swearing forswearing lying cheating mispence of money and time theft rapine usurie malice envie fretting dâ—scontents quarrels duels murthersâ— covetousnes acquaintance with ill company povertie ruine of many young Gâ—ntlemens yea Tradesmens fortunes and estates with a world of such like mischiefes which as they proclaime all publike Dice-play unsufferable in a Republike so much more in an innes of Court which cannot more dishonour it selfe than in turning a professed Christmas Dice-house or publike receptacle of all sorts of Dicers of purpose to enrich the Butlers or to defray their Christmas expences as if Innes of Court Gentlemen were so beggerly that they could neither maintaine their Officers nor Christmas Commons without the infamous Almes or turpe lucrum of their Dice-boxes which empty many a young Students trades-mans apprentices unfortunate gamesters purse and bring divers unhappy Dicers yearely to the Goale if not the Gallowes whiles they seeke to repaire their losses by robbery cheating and unlawfull meanes leaving the guilt of all their sinnes with many a bitter execration upon those Societies where they have lost their money All which your Worships have piously prevented to your deserved honour by suppressing Dice-play So likewise in imitation of the ancient Lacedemonians and Massilienses or rather of the primitive zealous Christians you have alwayes from my first admission into your Society and long before excluded all Common Players with their lewd ungodly Enterludes from all your solemne Festivals not suffering them so much as once to enter within your gates for feare they should corrupt the mindes the manners the vertuous education of those young hopefull vertuous Gentlemen committed to your care by drawing them on to idlenesse luxurie incontinencie prophanesse and those other dangerous vices which Playes and Play-houses oft occasion they being no other as the Fathers phrase them but the very plagues and poysons of mens mindes and soules Which praise-worthy imitable act of yours assures me of your kinde entertainment of this my last-borne Issue which though by reason of some intervenient subjects diverting my studies into another channell it be ultimus in executione yet it was primus in intentione of all my printed Treatises as some scattered passages against Stage-playes in my former Impressions evidence For having upon my first arrivall here in London heard and seene in foure severall Playes to which the pressing importunity of some ill acquaintance
Babler say May we know what this new doctrine whereof thou speakest is for thou bringest certaine strange things to our eares wee would therfore know what these things meane But if you will doe it so much honour as considerately to revolve it you shall finde it to containe nought else but resolved uniuersally receiued ancient though now forgotten truthes so farre from any suspicion of factious Novalty or puritanicall singularity that they have the concurrent testimonies the unanimous resolutions of sundry sacred texts of Scripture of the whole primitive Church and Saints of God both before and under the Law and Gospell the Canons of 55 severall oecumenicall nationall provinciall Synods and Councels of divers ages and Countries together with the canonicall the imperiall Constitutions of the Apostles themselves of Emperours Popes and other Bishops the workes of 71 Fathers and ancient Christian Writers of chiefest note from our Saviours Nativity to the yeare 1200. the suffrages of above 150 Christian Authors of all sorts from the yeare 1200 to this present the sentence of 40 Heathen Philosophers Orators Historians Poets together with the Play-condemning Lawes and Edicts of sundry Christian yea Pagan Nations Republikes Emperours Princes Magistrates in severall ages with the Statutes Magistrates Vniversities Writers and Preachers of our owne renowned Kingdome to back to second them in all particulars who all have long since passed this heavie Censure against Stage-playes that they are the very workes the pompes inventions and chiefe delights of the Divell which all Christians solemnly abjure in their baptisme the most pestilent corruptions of all mens especially young mens minds manners the chiefe fomenters of all vice and wickednesse the greatest enemies of all vertue grace and goodnesse the most mischievous plagues that can be harboured in any Church or State yea lewd infernall pastimes not tollerable among Heathens not sufferable in any well-ordered Christian Republike not once to be haunted or applauded by any civill vertuous persons who are either mindfull of their credits or of their owne salvation Which as it controlls the grosse mistake of divers voluptuous paganizing Christians in our dayes who dote on Stage-playes as the most laudable generous if not necessary recreations so it should now at last ingage all Christians for ever to abandon them as the very best of Saints of Pagans have done in former ages Alas what goodnesse what profit doe men reape from Stage-playes that should any way ingage their affectionâ— to them Doe they not enrage their lusts adde fire and fewell to their unchast affections deprave their minds corrupt their manners cauterize their consciences obdurate their hearts multiply their heinous transgressions consume their estates mispend their time canker their graces blast all their vertues interrupt their studies indispose them to repentance and true godly sorrow for their sinnes make all Gods ordinances ineffectuall to their spirituall good draw downe the guilt of sundry Play-house abominations on their persons incorporate them into lewd ungodly company and without repentance damne their soulesâ— Doe they not dishonour their most holy God abuse their most blessed Saviour sundry wayes blaspheame and grieve Gods holy spirit prophane the sacred Scriptures and the name of God deride and jeare religion holinesse vertue temperance grace goodnesse with all religious vertuous persons advance the Divels scepter service kingdome by sowing by cherishing the seedes of atheisme heathenisme prophanesse incontinency voluptuousnes idlenes yea of all kind of wickednes both in their Actors and Spectators hearts How many thousands have Stage-playes drawne on to sinne to lewdnesse to all sorts of vice and aâ— last sunke downe to hell with the weight of those prodigious evills which they had quite avoided had they not haunted Play-houses How many Novices and Youngsters have beene corrupted debauched and led away captive by the Divel by their owne outragious lusts by Panders Players Bawdes Adulteresses Whores and other lewd companions who had continued studious civill hopefull towardly and ingenious had they not resorted unto Stage-playes the originall causes of their dolefull ruine which bring no other benefit to their Actors their Spectators at the last but this to post them merrily on to hell with a greater loade of soule-condemning sinnes quasi vivendi sensum ad hoc tantum acceperant ut perirent as if they had received life for no other purpose but to worke out their owne eternall death which needes no other instruments to effect it than lewd lascivious Enterludes O therefore deare Brethren as you tender Gods honourâ— the publike welfare or your owne soules safety abominate these glittering gawdy pompous snares these sugered poysoned potions of the Divell by which he cunningly endeavours your destruction when as you least suspect it and if any of you have formerly frequented Stage-playes either out of childish vanity or injudicious ignorance of their oft-condemned mischievous lewd effects or through the over-pressing importunity of voluptuous carnall acquaintance or by reason of that popular erronious good opinion which our wicked times conceive of Stage-playes which humour them in their lusts or because such multitudes resort now daily to them that they carry one another headlong to these sinfull pleasures without any sense of danger or hopes of reformation be you henceforth truly penitent for what is past Quem delectabaâ— spectare delectet orare quem delectabant cantica nugatoria et adulterina delectet hymnum dicere Deo currere ad Ecclesiam qui primo currebat ad theatrum as St. Augustine sweetly councels and wholly abandon them for all future time And so much the rather that you may now at last falsifie that ignominious Censure which some English Writers in their printed Workes have passed upon Innes of Court Students of whom they recordâ— That Innes of Court men were undone but for Players that they are their chiefest guests and imployment the sole busines that makes them afternoons men that this is one of the first things they learne as soone as they are admitted to see Stage-playes take smoke at a Play-house which they commonly make their Studie where they quickly learne to follow all fashions to drinke all Healths to weare favours and good cloathes to consort with ruffianly companions to sweare the biggest oaths to quarrell easily fight desperately game inordinately to spend their patrimony ere it fall to use gracefully some gestures of apish complement to talke irreligiously to dally with a Mistresse and hunt after harlots to prove altogether lawlesse in steed of Lawyers and to forget that little learning grace and vertue which they had before so that they grow at last pasâ— hopes of ever doing good either to the Church their Country their owne or others soules Which heavie Censure if any dissolute Play-haunters have justly occasioned heretofore to the dishonour of those famous Law-Societies wherein they live I hope
in Westminster wherin no Essoigne or wager of Law shall be allowed A sufficient evidence to testifie the execrable blasphemy of our domesticke Enterludes since ex malis moribus optimae oriuntur leges emendari quam peceare posterius est Secondly as these Sacred names even so the Histories Texts and sacred passages of holy Scripture which should not so much as come within the polluted lips of gracelesse Actors especially in sports in placâ—s of prophannesse are oft-times most Atheistically irreligiously blasphemously acted vttered prophaned derided mis-applied jâ—sted at and sported with in Stage-playes This Authors this experience largely testifie to the griefe of all good Christians and if this bee not sufficient we haue the expresse Authority of an Act of Parliament even ofâ—4 â—4 and 35 of Henry the 8. chapter 1. which irrefragably confirmes this truth Now for Christians thus to abuse the Word of God and Scripture Histories on the Stage what is it but the very height of all impietie which well deserves Gods heaviest judgements It is storied of Theopompus an historian and of Theodectâ—s a Tragaedian Thaâ— God strucke the one of them with madnesse the other with blindnesse for a season the one for inserting a part of Moses sacred writing into his prophane story the other of them for intermixing some passages and histories of the old Testament with his lascivious Play-Poems neither were they restored to their sight or senses till they had particularly repented of this their wickednesse If then these Pagans for these their Scripture prophanations did undergoe so sharpe so exemplary a judgement what a severe punishment may those Christian Play-Poets Actors and Spectators looke for who wilfully prophane those sacred Scriptures on the Stage by which they must be sanctified and directed now and judged at the last What a stupendious impietie a desperate blasphemy and prophannesse is it for mâ—n for Chriâ—tians to turne the most serious Oracles of Gods sacred Word into a Play a Iest a Fable a Sport a May-game to temper the purest Scriptures with the most obscene lascivious Play-Poems that filthinesse or prophannesse can invent to pollute those sacred histories on the Theater the very house and Synagogue of the Devill which the sanctifying Spirit of God hath for ever consecrated and bequeathed to the Church of God to make the Sin-slaying the Lust-mortifying Soule-converting Word of God the onely evidence of our salvation a meere Pander to mens beastly lusts their ribaldrous mirth their gracelesse wits and carnall jollity yea a meere instrument to the very Devill himselfe who rules in Stage-playes and so an obsignation of their just damnation Doubtlesse as the damnablenesse of this most execrable impietie which is next of kinne to that unpardonable sinne of Blasphemy against the holy Ghost the Author of the Scriptâ—res transcends my narrow expressions so the eternall tormens alotted to it doe surpasse mens largest thoughts And yet it now acts it's Part so frequently so plaâ—sibly on the Stage that many cease not onely to apprehend no sinfulnesse no danger in it but also deeme it worthy of their best applause Alas with what face or confidence with what joy or hope can such heare or reade the Scriptures in the Church who thus actually prophane them or heare them thus prophaned in the Play-house With what assurance can they call upon the Name of God of Christ for mercy at thâ— last who delightfully resort unto those Theaters where they arâ— frequently blasphemed and prophaned now Can any thus abuse pollute Gods holy Name or Word and yet hope for consolation for absolution for salvation from them at the last Can any thus blaspheme the Name of God of Christ or patiently indure the audience of such blaspemies as are belched out against them on the Stage and yet dare to invocate them in their greatest exigencies Certainly God will not Christ will not thuâ— be mocked Let not such blasphemers then as these expect any thing from Gods hands but wrath vengeance thâ— onely portion of their Cup unlesse they speedily repent of these their damnable prophane blasphemous Stage-playes which thus abuse the sacred Scriptures in a transcendent manner Thirdly as the historicall passages of the Old Testament so the historie of Christs death and the celebration of his blessed Sacraments are oft times prophaned in theatricall enterludes especially by Popish Priests and Iesuites in forraigne parts Who as they have turned the Sacrament of Christs body and blood into a Masse-play so they have likewise trans-formed their Masse it-selfe together with the whole story of Christs birth his life his Passion and all other parts of their Ecclesiasticall service into Stage-playes This not onely Protestant Writers but even their owne Records where the Index Epurgatorius hath not clipt their tongues doo largely testifie to their shame AEneas Silvius surnamed Pope Pius the second as the Records of himselfe that he was much given to Wine to Venâ—ry Belly-cheere and other beastly lusts and that he begot a Bastard sonne on the body of an Eâ—glish woman whose chastity he oft solicited before hee could prevaile in which fact which sonne of his he much rejoyced as his owne Epistle witnesses such was his Pius Papall chastitie So he is not ashamed to publish to the world that in his younger yeeres he penned the wanton Comaedie of Crisid with other amâ—rous Poems and in his elder dayes in honour of Corpus Christi Feast he caused a Shew or Stage-play to be acted wherein was represented the Court of the King of Heaven and God the Father sitting in Majestie together with God the Sonne O blasphemie O prophannesse beyond all expression offering up the blessed Virgin his Mother taken out of her sepulchre unto his aeternall Father What wickednessâ— what blasphemie like to this as thus to Deifie a Player and to bring the very Throne the Majesty of God himselfe yea the persons of the eternall Father Sonne and God of glory on the Stage But peace it was an vn-erring Pope that did it and so perchance it was no sinne at all in him Honorius Augustodunensis an Author of some credit among the Romanists in his Booke De Antiquo Ritu Missarum lib. 1. cap. 83. the title of which chapter is De Tragaedijs to signifie to the world that the Popish Masse is now no other but a Tragicke Play writes thus Wee must know that those who rehearsed Tragedies on Theaters did represent unto the people by their gestures the acts of fighters So our Tragedian thus hath he stiled the Masse-Priest how aptly the ensuing words enforme us represents unto the Christian people by his gestures the combate of Christ in the Theater of the Church and inculcates into them the victory of his Redemption Therefore when the Presbyter saith Pray yee he acteth or expresseth Christ who was cast into
themselves for their amendment Now our Vice-censuring Sinne-proclaiming Actors who commonly discover but not correct their owne enormities whiles they display and censure others which makes them truely miserable transgresse in all these circumstances Their reproofes are alwayes satyricall edged with private malice or pointed with revenge they are never serious seasonable private discreet their ayme is onely mens defamation not their reformation sinâ—e they proclaiâ—e mens vices unto others not lay them open to themselves they dare not looke the delinqueâ—ts in the face but are alwayes clamouring behind their backs their rebukes proceed not from true Christian love which delights to cover not propalate and divulge menssinnes therefore they must needs be evill Fourthly as a reverend worthy of our Church observes there is nothing more dangerous in a state then for the Stage and Poet to deride sinne which by the Bishops and Pastors of the Church is gravely and severely to be reprooved because it causeth Magistrates Ministers and Stateâ—men to lose their reputation and sinne to be lesse feared Lastly admit that Players had sufficient authority to censure the vices the abuses of particular persons oâ—ficers and professions which I cannot beleeve they have till they can shew me an act of State or a Commission for it in the Scripture yet this is infallible that they ought not to receive or raise an ill report of any to deride or scoffe at any mans vices and so to make a mocke of sinne or to speake evill of any one as they doe since God himselfe prohibites it since Michael the Archangel whose example all muâ—t imitate disputing with the Divell about the body of Moses durst not bring any railing accusation against him but said The Lord rebuke thee yet our desperate wicked Players who in this are worthy the severest penalty that â—eing so superlatively vitious theÌ„selves they dare presume to censure others to testifie to the world that they are within the number of these scoffers and dispisers of those who are good which are prophecied of in the latter times dare open their blacke infernall mouthes in bitter invective Enterludes against all grâ—ce and goodnesse against the very profâ—ssion and professors of Religion against all qualities callings and degrees â—f men scarce glancing lightly at their vices Therefore their Playes must needes be inexcusably sinfull even in this respect SCENA SEPTIMA LAstly admit the stile or subject matter of Stage-playes be no wayes such as I have â—â—â—â—erto demonstrated it to be yet at the very best it is but idle frothy superfluous unprofitable as vaine as eâ—pty as vanity it selfe From whence I raise this eleventh dispute That whose stile and subject matter in its very best acception is but vaine but frivolous and ridiculous bringing no glory at all to God nor good to men must needs be sinfull and unlawfull unto Chriâ—tians But such is the stile and subject of most Stage-playes as Saint Cyprian excellently writes Therefore they must needs be sinfull and unlawfull unto Christians The Major is uncontroulable since God himselfe inhibits Christians to utter vaine knowledge to reason with unprofitable talke or with speeches which will doe no good to walke in vanity or things that will not profit and to follow after vaine things which will not profit because they are but vaine Christians must not lay out their money for that which is not bread and their labour for that which satisfieth not â—hey must not delight in vanitie or in things that increase vanity and make not man the better but they must pray with David Turne away mine eyes from beholding vanity since the Scripture is expresse that the speaking loving or lifting up of the soule to vanity folly and unprofitable things is an undoubted character of such wicked men who shall not ascend into Gods holy hill not any property of Gods children Who as they must abandon all idle fabulous unprofitable discourses Because that for euery idle word that men shall speake they shall give account at the day of judgement so they must likewise direct even all their actions speeches recreations to Gods glory the edification of others and their owne spirituall good to which Stage-playes no wayes tend Therefore the Major is vnquestiâ—nable For the Minor Thâ—â— the stile and subject matter of Stage-playes is in its very best acception but vaine but frivolous and ridiculous bringing no glory at all to God nor good to men is most apparant First by the concurring testimony of sundry Fathers and other learned Writers Hence Hilarie Ambrose Chrysostome Augustine Bruno and others in their Commentaries and expositions on the 118. alias the 119. Psalme verse 37. Turne away mine eyes from beholding vanity together with Iohn Salisbury lib. 1. De Nugis Curialium cap. 8. Master Gosson Doctor Reinolds Master Northbrooke and others in their Treatises against Stage-playes interpret this vanity in the Psalmist of Stage-playes and such like spectacles which they condeme as vanity Hence Clemens Alexandrinus writes of playes that they are fraught with obscene and vaine speeches rashly uttered Hence Gregory Nazianzen stiles Playes the vanities of life and the hydra of pleasures Hence Chrysostome writes of Playes that they are fraught with laughter wantonnesse and words â—ull of folly and vanitie Hence Anastatius Sianita writes of the Severiani That their positions were more ridiculous absurd and foolish then those things that are acted in any Stage-playes Hence Bernard writes That the true souldiers of Christ reject and abominate Players and Stage-playes as vanities and false frenzies Hence Iohn Salisbury stiles Playes the spectacles and rudiments of vanitie Hence Cyprian Lactantius Cyril of Hierusalem Augustine Basil Salvian Macarius AEgyptius and others formerly quoted have utterly condemned Stage-playes as the very pompes and vanites of this wicked world which Christians haue abjured in their Baptisme If then we beleeve these severall Fathers together with Plautus Maecrobius Apuleius three Heathen Authors or Master Gosson Master Northbrooke Master Stubâ— and Doctor Reinolds in their bookes against Stage-playes or the third Blast against Stage-playes and Theaters together with Caesar Bulingerus De Theatro lib. 1. cap. 11. de Ludis p. 141. We must needs acknowledge both Playes themselves together with their stile and subject matter to be meere idle uselesse vanities Since all these repute and stile them such Secondly our owne experience will readily subscribe unto it as an undoubted truth For what are all our Stage-playes but the frothy excrements of superfluous idle braines which being impregnated with some swelling words or high-towring conceited plots of vanitie which they secretly adore with highest admiration as being worthy the most suparlative Stage-applause doe travell in paine untill they have brought forth their long-conceived issues on the Theater which prove but ridiculously
them I pray you but to foster mischiefe in their youthâ— that it may alwayes abide with them and in their age bring them sooner unto hell And as for these Stagers themselves are they not commonly such kinde of men in their conversation as they are in profession are they not as variable in heart as they are in their parts are they not as good practisers of baâ—dery as inactors Live they not in such sort thâ—mselves as they give precepts unto others Doth not their talke on the Stage declare the nature of their disposition â—doth not every one take that part which is proper to his kinde Doth not the Plough-mans tongue walke of his Plough the Sea-faring maâ—s of his Mast Cable and Saile the Souldiers of his Haâ—nesse Speare and Shield and bawdy mates of bawdy matters Aske them if in the laying out of their parts they choose not those parts which are most agreeable to their inclination and that they can best discharge And looke what every of them doth most delight in that he can best handle to the contentment of others If it bee a roisting bawdy or lascivious part wherein are unseemely speeches and that they make choyse of them as best answering and proper to their manner of play may we not say by how much the more he exceds in his gesture he delights himselfe in his part and by so mach it is pleasing to his disposition and nature If it be his nature to be a bawdy Player and he delight in such filthy and cursed actions shall we not thinke him in his life to be more disordered and to abhorre virtue But they perhaps will say that such abuses as are handled on the Stage others by their examples are warned to beware of such evils to amendment Indeed if their authority were greater then the words of the Scripture or their zeale of more force than of the Preacher I might easily be perswaded to thinke that men by them might be called to good life But when I see the Word of truth proceeding from the heart and uttered by the mouth of the Reverend Teachers to be received of the most part into the eare and but of a few rooted in the heart I cannot by any meanes beleeve that the words proceeding from a prophane Player and uttered in scorning sort enterlaced with filthy lewde and ungodly speeches have greater force to move men unto virtue than the words of truth uttered by the godly Preacher whose zeale is such as that of Moses who was contented to be rased out of the booke of life and of Paul who wished to be separated from Christ for the welfare of his brethren If the good life of a man be a better instruction to repentance than the tongue or word why doe not Players I beseech you leave examples of goodnesse to their posteritie But which of them is so zealous or so tendereth his saluation that he doth amâ—nd himselfe in those points which as they say others should take heed of Are they not notoriously knowne to be those men in their life abroad â—s they are on the Stage Roisters Brawlers Ill-dealers Bosters Lovers Râ—ffians So that they are alwayes exercised in playing their parts and practising wickednesse making that an Art to the end they might the better gesture it in their parts For who can better play the Ruffian than a very Ruffian who better the Lâ—veâ— than they who make it a common exercise To conclude the principall end of all their Enterludes is to feed the world with sights and fond pastimes to Iuggle in good earnest the money out of other mens purses into their owne hands What shall I say They are infamous men and in Rome were thought worthy to be expelled allbeit there was libertie enough to take pleasure In the Primitive Church they were kept out from the communion of Christians and never remitted till they had performed publike pennance And thereupon Saint Cyprian in a certaine Epistle counselleth a Bishop not to receive a Player into the Pension of the Church by which they were nourished till there was an expresse act of penance with protestation to renounce an Art so infamous Some have obiected that by these publike-Playes many forbeare to doe evill for feare to be publikely reprehended and for that cause they will say it was tollerated in Rome wherein Emperours were touched though they were present But to such it may be answered that in disguised Players given over to all sorts of dissolutenesse is not found so much as to will to doe good seeing they care for nothing lesse than for virtue And thus much for these Players Thus this Play-Poet and sometimes an Actor too Master Stephen Gosson another reclaimed Play-Poet writes thus of Stage-Players That they are uncircumcised Philistims who nourish a canker in their owne soules ungodly Masters whose example doth rather poyson then instruct men Wherefore writes he sithence you see by the example of the Romans that Playes are Raâ—s-bane to government of Common-weales and that Players by the iudgement of them are infamous persons unworthy of the credit of honest Citizens worthy to be removed their Tribe if not for Religion yet for shame that the Gentiles should iudge you at the last day or that Publicans and Sinnes should presse into the Kingdome of Heaven before you withdraw your feet from Theaters with noble Marius set downe some punishment for Players with the Roman Censors shew your selves to be Christians and with wicked Spectators be not puld from Discipline to libertieâ— from virtue to pleasure from God to Mammon so shall you prevent the scourge by repentance that is comming towards you and fill up the gulfe that the Divell by Playes hath digged to swallow you Thus he To him I will annex the testimonie of I. G. in his Refutation of the Apologie for Actors Therefore writes he let all Players and founders of Playes as they tender the salvation of their owne soules and others leave off thaâ— cursed kinde of life and betake themselves to such honest exercises and godly mysteries as God hath commanded in his Word to get their living withall For who will call him a wise man that playes the foole and the vice Who can call him a good Christian that playeth the part of the Devill the sworne enemy of Christ Who can call him a iust man that playeth the dissembling hypocrite Who can call him a straight dealing man that playeth a cosoners tricke and so of all the rest The wise man is ashamed to play the foole but Players will seeme to be such in publike view to all the world A good Christian hateth the Devill but Players will become artificiall Divils excellently well A iust man cannot endure hypocrisie but all the acts of Players is dissimulation and the proper name of Player witnesse the Apologie it selfe is hypocrite A true dealing man cannot indure deceit
mouth not seeme to pollute him when they passe through his eyes and eares by his consent since the eyes and eares lie open to the soule neither can he be made or reputed cleane whose appariters are defiled Thou hast therefore an interdiction of the Theater from the interdiction of uncleannesse Thus Tertullian Clemens Alexandrinus Cyprian Arnobius Lactantius Tatianus Cyril of Ierusalem Saint Basil Gregory Nyssen declaime much against the lasciviousnesse the lewdnesse which attends the acting of Playes especially the Floralian Enterludes whose transcendent filthinesse was so execrably odious as I dare not to relate it Gregory Nazianzen considering the filthinesse that accompanies Playes doth from thence stile Play-houses the lascivious shops of all filthinesse and impuritie Playes the petulancies of Players fraught with all incontinency the dishonest and unseemely disciplines of lascivious men who repute nothing filthy but modesty and Players the servants of filthinesse the counterfeiters of ridiculous things who are ready in the open view of all men to suffer or act all detestable things whatsoever Eusebius Pamphilus from the selfe-same ground cals Stage-players men of waton and lewde-gestures who did wonderfully delight the Spectators and made Maximinus the tyrant sport Saint Chrysostome writes That all things which are acted on the Stage are most filthy and lascivious the words the apparell the gestures the tonsure the musicke the glances of the eyes the ditties the pipes the very arguments of the Playes themselves All things I say are full of filthy lasciviousnesse Whence they infuse so great lasciviousnesse into the hearers and spectators minds that all of them may seeme to endevour even with one consent to eradicate all modestie out of their hearts and to satisfie their lusts with pernicious pleasure Saint Augustine as he much declaimes against the obscenity of acting of Playes in sundry places so hee informes us from his own experience That on the solemne day of the lotion of Berecynthea the mother of the Gods such things were publikely chanted by most wicked Stage-players as did not beseeme I say not the mother of the Gods to heare but even the mother of any of the Senators or of any honest men yea the mothers of the Stage-players themselves For humane modestie hath such a respect towards parents which wickednesse it selfe cannot wholly take away The Players themselves might blush to act in private at their owne houses for exercise sake before their owne mothers that filthinesse of obscene words and deeds which they did publikely act before the mother of the gods in the sight and hearing of a most numerous multitude of both sexes which if â—he being inticed by curiosity could bee circumfusedly present at these Playes she ought at lâ—ast to depart ashamed from them her chastity being offended with them What things are sacrileges if these were sacrifices or what is pollution if this were lotion And these were called dishes as if some feast were celâ—brated wherewith the uncleane Devils might be fed as with their banquets For who may not discâ—rne what spirits they are which are delighted with such obscenitiâ—s unlesse â—e be ignorant whether there be at all any uncleane spirits deceiving men under the name of Gods or unlesse â—e leade such a life in which â—e may rather desire thâ— favour and feare the wrath of these than the true God Thus he That pious Father Salvian records the obscenity of acting Stage playes to be such that no chaste no modest face could once behold it no gracious tongue relate it without sin or shame If then we will give any credit to these recited Fathers with sundry other here recited in the ensuing Scene Or to the third Blast of Retrait from Playes and Theaters to Master Northbrooke against vaine-Playes and Enâ—erludes To Master Gosson his Playes confuted to Master Stubs in his Anoâ—omie of Abuses p. 101. to 107. To Doctor Reinolds in his Overthrow of Stage-playes to Barnabasâ— Brissonius Ioannis Mariana or Bulengerus De Spectaculis Ludis Scâ—nicis l. 1. c. 50 51 52. or to Bishop Babington Bishop Andrewes Osmund Lakâ— Master Perkins Master Elton Master Dod Master Downham with sundry others on the seventh Commandement who concurre with the alleaged Fathers in the lacivious filthinesse of Play-acting We must needs acknowledge the very acting of Stage-playes to be necessarily obscene and so unlawfull unto Christians as they all conclude Secondly those severall â—eretricious amorous passages ditties parts and complements which we meet with both in ancient and moderne Play-poems which can neither be acted nor vttered without much obscenity will evidently evince the very acting of Playes to be lascivious And doth not daily experience testifie as much Survay we but a whiles those venemous unchaste incestuoâ—s kisses as the Fathersâ—tile â—tile them those wanton dalliances those meretricious imbracements complements those enchanting powerfull overcomming sollicitations unto lewdnesse those immodest gestures speeches attires which inseparably accompany the acting of our Stage-playes especially where the Bawdes the Panders the Lovers the Wooers the Adulterers the Womans or Love-sicke persons parts are lively represented whose poysonous filthinesse I dare not fully anatomize for feare it should infect not mend the Reader must needs at first acknowledge the very action of our Stage-playes to be execrably obscene to be such as none but persons desparately lewde unchaste immodest can seriously affect much lesse approve or act Therefore Stage-playes themselves must questionlesse be abominable unto Christians even in this regard SCENA TERTIA. THirdly as the hypocrisie and obscenity even so the effâ—minacy of acting Stage-playes doth manifestly evince them to be evill as this eighteenth Argument will demonstrate That whose very action is effeminate must needs be unlawfull unto Christians But the very action of Stage-playes iâ— effeminate Therefore it musts needs be unlawfull unto Christians The Major is evident by the authority of Scriptures Fathers and other Authors who condemne effeminacie as an unnaturall odious shamefull sinne which not onely mis-beseemes all Christians all persons whatsoever making them vile and detestable unto others but likewise sâ—uts men out of heaven and without repentance damnes their soules The Minor is ratified by the concurrent suffrages of sundry Fathâ—rs who for this very cause among divers others condemne all Stage-playes Witnesse Clemens Alexandrinus Padagogi lib. 2. cap. 10. Where he stiles Players effeminate enervated dancers Padagogi lib. 3. cap. 3. where he writes thus Now verily the intemperancâ— of life is growne so excessive inâ—quity insulting and sporting it selfe that whatsoever is lascivious and unchaste is diffused into Cities â—â—yes being taught to deny nature doe counterfeit the female Sex c. O miserable spectacle O horrible wicked exercise O how gâ—eâ—t is this iniquity c. Witnesse Philo Iudaeuâ— De Vita Contemplativa p. 1209 1210. Those writes he who onely please with scurrilous
were so forward therein that they went to the King who gave them licence to doe after the ordinances of the Heathen Whereupon they built a place of exercise at Ierusalem according to the customes of the Heathen and made themselves uncircumcised and fâ—rsooke the holy covenant and joyned themselves to the Heathen and were solde to doe mischiefe Which storie is thus further amplified and more particularly related in the 2. of the Maccabees cap. 4. v. 7. to 18. Where we reade That Iesusâ— who stiled himselfe Iason and symoniacally purchased the High-priesthood of Antiochus Epiphanes promised to assigne this wicked King 150 talents of silver if he might haue licence to set him up a place of Exercise Iosephus stiles it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latine translations render it Gymnasium which as Calepine Holioke and before them both Isiodor Hilpalensis witnesse signifieth a publike place where vaulting wrestling running dancing throwing of the stone and all kinde of Playes and Enterludes were practised for the training up of the Iewish youth in the fashions of the Heathen Which when the King had granted and hee had gotten into his hand the rule he forthwith brought his owne Nation to the Greekish fashion and putting downe the governments that were according to the Law hee brought up new customes against the Law For hee built gladly a place of Exercise in nature of a Theatre where Playes and sports were acted under the Tower it selfe and brought the young men under his subjection Now such was the height of Greeke fashions and increase of heathenish manners through the exceeding profanesse of Iesus that ungodly wretch that the Priests had no more courage to serve any more at the Altar but despising the Temple and neglecting the sacrifices hastned to be partakers of the unlawfull allowance in the place of Exercise after the game of Discus called them forth which one kinde of Exercise is put for all the Graecian Playes and Pastimes not setting up the honours of their Fathers but liking the glory of the Graecians who were much devoted unto Stage-playes best of all By reason whereof sore calamitie came upon them for they had them to be their enemies and avengers whose customes they followed so earnestly and unto whom they desired to be like in all things for it is not a light thing to doe wickedly against the Law of God Which Apochryphall passage the Papists allowing to be Canonicall Scripture and Protestants approving to be an undoubted storie though not canonicall Text infallibly assures us First that these Playes and Enterludes had their originall from the Idolatrous dissolute Pagan Greekes and that they were the exercises ordinances and customes of the Heathen Secondly that they were never in use among the Iewes till this wicked Iasons time who is the first wee reade of that erected a Theatre or place of exercise for these and such like pastimes in Ierusalem about 174 yeares before our Saviours Nativitie where Herod likewise set up a Theatre and Amphitheatre for stage-playes sword-playes cirque-playes and such other Roman sports about some 25 yeares before our Saviours birth till which times the Iewes were utterly unacquainted with these heathenish spectacles Thirdly that those who brought in these Playes among the Iewes were desperate wicked men who made themselves uncircumcised forsooke the holy covenant and joyned themselves to the Heathen being solde to doe mischiefe Fourthly that the bringing in of these Playes withdrew the Iewes from God and from his Law to open yea professed Paganisme and Idolatry Fifthly that these Playes are directly against the holy covenant and good Law of God and that those who practise or approve them doe wickedly against Gods Law Lastly that the introducing of Stage-playes was the cause of Gods bringing in of sore calamity upon the Iewes and of those sundry judgements and afflictions which they suffered If we adde to this the apocryphall Constitutions of the Apostles recorded by Clemens Romanus we shall finde them expresly condemning and prohibiting Stage-playes with all those Graecian Enterludes which Iason introduced commanding all Christians to withdraw themselves from them yea wholly to renounce them as the very inventions and pompes of the Divel nay we shall see St. Paul himselfe expresly excommunicating and casting out of the Church all Stage-players and Play-haunters whether male or female till they shall utterly renounce their profession and take their everlasting farewell of Stage-playes It is evident then by all these Canonicall and Apochryphal Scriptures by the Apostles constitutions that Stage-playes are directly contrary to and condemned by the very sacred â—aw and word of God which administers unto us this 46. Play-condemning argument against which there can be no averment from which there can be no evasion That which is fully and really condemned by sundry sacred texts both of canonicall and apochryphall Scripture must certainly be sinfull and altogether unlawfull unto Christians who must never allow or practise that which the very word of God condemnes Bvt Stage-playes are fully and really condemned by sundry sacred texts both of canonicall and apochryphall Scripture as is undeniably evident by the premises Therefore they must certainly be sinfull and altogether unlawfull unto Christians Who if for no other reason yet for this alone should now at last without more delayes renounce suppresse all Stage-playes which the sacred Scripture the very ground and object of our faith the very rule the square both of our lives and thoughts hath thus condemned SCENA SECVNDA THe second Squadron of Play-oppugning Authorities is the venerable hoary resolution of the whole primitive Church both under if not before the Law and Gospell which hath passed such an irrepealable sentence of condemnation against all Stage-playes Players and Play-haunters as no true member of the holy Catholicke Church shall be ever able to gainsay That the whole Church of God under the Law consisting onely of Iewes and Iewish Proselites abominated and rejected Stage-playes it is most apparant by these ensuing reasons First because we finde no mention at all of any such Playes or Enterludes in any canonicall Scripture or ancient Iewish Authours nor any intimation that the Iewes approved them Secondly because Stage-playes as Iosephus and the Bookes of Maccabees informe us were most directly opposite both to the Iewish lawes their government manners rites and customes For first the Iewes and so all Christians were expresly enjoyned by Gods Law to make no image likenesse or representation of any Idol nor yet to make mention of any Idols name Now Stage-playes were alwayes fraught with the pictures images representations and names of Pagan idols which the Iewes could never brooke and thereupon they withstood Herod when he would have brought his Stage-playes into Ierusalem because of the images visours and pictures that attended them Secondly the
the Gentiles writes thus in the name and person of all the primitive Christians of his age Wee renounce your Spectacles and Stage-playes as farre forth as we reject their originalls which we know to have had their conception from superstition We have nothing at all to doe with the furie of the Circus with the dishonesty or lewdnes of the Theatre with the cruelty of the Arena with the vanity of the Xystus or Wrestling place wee come not at all unto your Playes Loe here a professed publike Protestation of all the primitive Christians against these Playes and Spectacles which we so much admire whose detestation of Playes was so notoriously knowne to the Pagans that Tertullian in his Booke De Spectaculis affirmes That the Heathen Gentiles did most of all discerne men to be Christians by this that they abandoned and renounced Stage-playes And shall this which was the eminentest badge of a Christian heretofore be nothing else but the ignominious brand of a Puritan now Certainly its a strong argument that those whom the world now brands for Puritans are in truth no other but the sincerest Christians and that those who stile them so especially for condemning or renouncing Stage-playes are little better I had almost said as bad nay worse than Pagans since he manifestly denies himselfe to be a Christian who takes away this speciall marke by which hee is knowne to be a Christian as the same Tertullian there inferres Thirdly this truth is evident by Theophilus Patriarke of Antiochia about the yeare of our Lord 170 Who in the person of all the Christians of that age writes thus unto Autolycus Wee are all prohibited to behold sword-playes lest we should be made partakers of such murthers Neither dare wee beholde those other Playes and Spectacles lest our eyes should be defiled and our eares should draw in those prophane verses that are there uttered neither dare wee so much as to heare Thyestis whiles hee commemorates tragicall villanies c. Neither is it lawfull for us to heare the adulteries of the Gods and men which they modulate with a sweete straine of words being allured unto it by rewards Farre be it farre be it I say from Christians with whom temperance and modesty flourish and chastity beares sway that wee should so much as thinke much lesse behold or act such villanies as these What fuller what plainer declaration against Stage-playes can we desire than this Fourthly Athenagoras the famous Christian Philosopher in his Apologie or Embassie for the Christians to M. Aurelius Antoninus and Aurelius Commodus two Roman Emperours about the yeare of our Lord 180 writes thus in the behalfe of the Christians of that age We utterly disaffect and condemne your gladiatory Spectacles Playes and Enterludes Fifthly Minutius Felix that famous Christian Lawyer who flourished about 200 yeares after Christ in his incomparable Dialogue stiled Ostavius in the defence of the Christians brings in Caelicius a Pagan taxing the Christians for that they resorted not to Stage-playes neither were they present at publike shewes to which Octavius in the behalfe of all the Christians gives this reply We therefore who are valued by our manners and chastity deservedly withdraw our selves from your evill pleasures Playes and spectacles whose originall we know to have proceeded from idolatry and which we condemne as pernicious allurements unto sinne Sixthly St. Cyprian that godly Martyr Bishop of Carthage about the yeare of our Lord 250. informes Gucratius in an Epistle purposely written to him to this end that it would not stand with the Majesty of God nor the discipline of the Gospell that the chastity and honour of the Church shoâ—ld be contaminated with so filthy a contagion as to permit a Stage-player either to act his Playes or to traine up others for the Stage though he had given over acting himselfe A pregnant evidence in what tearmes of opposition the primitive Church and Christians stood wiâ—h Stage-players and their filthy Enterludes which they could upon no tearmes brooke Seventhly the 3. Councell of Carthage about the yeare of our Lord 394. Can. 11. which prohibits the sonnes of Bishops and Clergie men from exhibiting and beholding Stage-playes informes us that all Christians had beene alwayes inhibited from resorting to such places where Players and blasphemers came If all Christians then have alwayes beene prohibited from resorâ—ing unto Stage-playes as this ancient Councell affirmes it is cerâ—aine the primitive Church and Christians did evermore condemne them and can we yet approve applaud frequent them now Eighthly St. Chrysostome about 400 yeares after Christ in his 15. Homely to the people of Antioch and in his 38. Homely upon Matthew writes That all the Christians of Antioch in the time of their feare and danger had of their owne accord shut up the Play-house doores and stopped up all passages to the Circus running hastily with zeale and earnestnesse to the Church to praise the Lord in stead of resorting to the Theaters which as to us and all good Christians in whose person hee speakes lie desolate and ruinated long agoe Ninthly Saint Augustine about the yeare of our Lord 410. records That when the Gospell was spread abroad in the world Stage-playes and Play-houses the very caves of filthinesse and professions of wicked persons went to ruine almost in every Citty as inconsistent with it whence the Gentiles complained of the times of Christianity as evill and unhappy seasons An apparant demonstration that the truth and power of Religion the true Church and servants of Christ were as opposite to Stage-playes to Theatres in the primitive times as the Arke to Dagon Christ to Bâ—lial and shall we now yoake them both together Lastly St. Bernard about the yeare of our Lord 1130. instructs us That all the faithfull souldiers of Iesus Christ abominate and reject all dicing all stage-players south-sayers tellers of fables all scurrilous songs and stage-playes as vanities and false frensies Neither delight they in the ravenous sport of hauking They cut their haire and weare it short knowing according to the Apostle that it is a shame for a man to nourish his haire All which concurring testimonies infallibly cleare this undoubted truth That the whole primitive Church and all godly Christians that lived in it have unanimously constantly and professedly with greatest detestation abominated renounced and condemned Stage-playes For the further manifestation of which I shall desire you to consider but these particulars more First that the Scriptures both Canonicall and Apochryphall together with the Apostles the Whole Nation of the Iewes the Sainâ—s and Church of God both before and under the Law rejected and abandoned Stage-playes as I have largely proved in the precedent Scene therefore the primitive Church and Christians under the Gospell could not but censure and oppugne them too Secondly the most the chiefest Fathers and Councels in the primitive Church have abundantly unanimously professedly condemned Stage-playes in the highest
Bishop of Halberstat Comment in Isaiam cap 56 Coloniae 1531 pag 473. Comment in Ephes 5 v 3. The 59. is Remigius Bishop of Rheemes Explanatio in Epist ad Galatas c. 5 v 19 Bibl. Patrum Tom. 5 p. 756 G in Ephes 5 v. 3 p 970 A B. The 60. is Bruno Bishop of Herbipolis Expositio in Psal 118 v 37. Bibl. Patrum Tom. 11 p. 221 B. The 61. is Theophylact Archbishop of the Bulgarians Enarrat in Marc cap 6 in his Workes Basiliae 1570 p 89. Enar in Ephes c 5 p. 509 in 1 Tim 2 p 573 584. The 62. is Iuo Carnotensis Episcopus Decretaâ— Lovanij 1561 pars 1 c 207 pars 2 c 31 parsâ— c 77 pars 4 cap 8 162 166 167. pars 5 cap 370. pars 7 cap 110. pars 11 cap 7 16 64 76 to 85. The 63. is Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury Comment in Epist ad Epheâ—â—os l. 5 v 3â— Tom 2. Operum Coloniae Agrip. 1612 p 285 C D. in Epist ad Philip c. 4 p 306 A. in 1 Tim c 3â— p 356 C. The 64. is Honorius Augustodunensis De Antiquo ritu Missarum lib 3 cap 58. Bibl. Patrum Tom 12 pars 1 p 1069 E. where he stiles dancing and Stage-playes the very pompes of the Divell which we renounce in Baptisme The 65. is elegant St. Bernard Abbot of Clarevale Oratio ad Milites Templi cap 4. Opera Antwerpiae 1616 Col 832 L M. Epist 87 Col 1477 A. The 66. is Ranulphus Cirstrensis in his Polychronicon London 1527. Booke 3 cap 34 fol 131. The 67. is our famous Countrey-man Iohn Saresbery Episcopus Carnotensis in France De Nugis CurialiuÌ„ l. 1 c. 4 5 7 8. l. 8 c 6 7. Bibl. Patr. ToÌ„ 15 p. 358 463 466. The 68. is Petrus Blesensis Archdeacon of Bathe Ep 14. Bibl. Patr. Tom 12. pars 2 p 714 B. Epist 76 p 761 E. Epist 85 p 769 E. The 69. is AElredus Abbot of Rivaulx in Yorkeshire Anno 1160. in his Speculum Charitatis lib 1 cap 26 p 95 G. lib. 2 c. 23 p 111 G H. l 3 c 12 p 118 A. and his Fragmentum conteining the memorable exhortation of King Edgar to his Bishops and Abbots Ibidem p. 144 A. The 70. is Gratian. Distinctio 33 34 48â— 86. Editâ— Parisijs 1531 folâ— 56 58 78 130 139 140. Causa 4 Quaest 1 f. 260. de Consecratione Distinctio 2 fol 663. The 71. is Pope Innocent the 3. Decretal Constitutionum lib. 3 Tit. 1 Constit. 3. Operum Coloniae Agrip. 1606 Tom. 2 p 713 714. These 7â— eminent ancient Fathers and Writers in these their recited works to which I might adde Iustinian that famous Christian Emperour in his forequoted â—awes and workes have constantly even from our Saviours death till the yeare 1200. abundantly oppugned censured and condemned not onely Sword-playes Cirque-playes and Amphitheatricall bloudy Spectacles but even Stage-playes themselves as diabolicall heathenish sinfull lewd ungodly Spectacles not sufferable among Christians condemning withall not onely the acting but even the beholding of such lascivious filthy and contagious Enterludes the seminaries of all those prodigious execrable wicked effects which I have more fully anatomized in the pâ—ecedent Acts. And if all these worthy ancient Fathers did thus abominate oppugne the Stagâ—-playes Actors and Play-haunters of their times ô how would they censure and abhorre the scurrilous obscene blasphemous impious Playes and Players of our age which are farre more execrable prophane and lewd than the very worst in former dayes From these authorities therefore thus recited I shall frame this 49. invincible Argument against Stage playes That which 71 severall Fathers and eminent ancient Writers of the Church have constantly professedly condemned as sinfull and abominable in these their recited workes must certainly be desperately sinfull unseemely unlawfull unto Christians intollerable in any Christian Commonweale But these 71 severall Fathers and eminent ancient Writers of the Church have thus constantlyâ— professedly condemned Stage-playes and Stage-Players in these their recited workes Therefore they must certainly be desperately sinfull unseemely unlawfull unto Christians intollerable in any Christian Commonweale The Minor is evident by the premises the Major I dare challenge the most impudent Player or Play-patron to denie For what man what Christian is there so peremptorily audacious so unchristianly immodest so erroniously schismaticall as to controll and quite reject the unanimous resolutions of so many reverend pious incomparably learned Fathers whose Play-condemning censures seconded by the definitive sentence of the whole primitive Church both under the Law and Gospell not onely challenge our reverend respect but our subscription too We are all exceeding ready in matters of faith to give credit to Councels to the renowned Fathers and ancient Writers especially where all or many of them concurre and shall we then reject and undervalue them here in the case of Stage-playes in which they all accord without the least dissent Never I dare positively affirme it did Fathers Councels and Writers of all sorts all ages more plentifully more unanimously accord in passing sentence against any abuse or wickednesse whatsoever then in censuring in condemning Stage-playes as the precedent and subsequent Scenes will evidence and shall we then desert them where they all concord Could Players Play-haunters or lewd lascivious persons finde out but one Councell one Father or two to countenance Stage-playes dancing dicing Health-quaffing face-painting Love-lockes or their strange fantastique habits and disguises they would so hugge it so adore it that neither the lawes of God or man the authorities of Christ his Prophets and Apostles the concurring resolutions of all other Fathers Councels or Writers to the contrary should be able to convince them that these things are evill so pertinaciously doe men adhere not onely to their opinions but their errors too who justifie or foment their vices in the least degree And shall not then the uncontrolled authority of all the precedent Christian Councels and Fathers be much more prevalent to withdraw them from pernicious Stage-playes with other oft condemned vanities which have not so much as one Father one Councell to defend them shall men beleeve yea sometimes preferre the Fathers before the Scriptures where they seeme to give any countenance to their errours or superstitions and yet reject them where they all unanimously condemne their sinfull pleasures O let us not so farre undervalue these their pious judicious unanimous resolutions against Stageplayes and Actors as still to magnifie frequent or patronize them in despite of all these their determinations but let us joyne hearts and hands and pens and judgements yea and our practise with them passing the very selfesame doome on Players on Stage-playes as they all have done before us for feare their pious resolutions prove so many unavoidable endictments of condemnation against us at the last We
being so weake so few that they cannot bring one Councell one Father one ancient one moderne Christian or Pagan Writer of any note into the field to maintaine their cause against this army-royall of Play-condemning Authorities which I have here mustered up against them It is not their long since conquered and confuted Lodge or Haywood two scribling hackney Players their onely professed printed Play-Champions that I know of who can withstand their all-conquering troopes which either severall or united are impregnable able to over-power to vanquish all the forces that the whole world can raise agaiâ—st them Let it therefore be your wisdome now at last to take the best the strongest side not onely in quality but in number too Stage-playes and Actors as the foregoing Scenes declare have bin oppugned condemned in all ages all places by all sorts of men Iewes and Gentiles Greekes and Barbarians Christians and Pagans Emperours Magistrates people Writers of all sorts have bent not onely their hearts and judgements but their very hands their tongues their pens and power against them Yea those who are dead and rotten long agoe still fight against them in their surviving workes Licet ossa jacent calamus bella gerit and they will one day rise up in judgement as they doe now in armes against us if we submit not to them Let us O let us not therefore be any longer beso â—e befooled with these lewd stigmatized Playes or Actors as we have beene in former times but since all Ages all Nations yea those who loved them best and most at first to wit the Greeks and Romans together with all primitive and moderne pious Christians Fathers Councels Writers have thus unanimously successively condemned renounced them let us abominate and reject them too It was the branded infamie of the Iewes that they pleased not God and were contrary to all men and will it not be ours too if all these Authorities will not sway us If Scriptures Councels Fathers if Christian if Pagan Writers Nations Citties Republickes Emperours Magistrates Kings and Edicts thus severed thus united will not stir nor draw us from our Stage-playes Play-houses and Actors what then can we conclude of our selves but this that God hath given us over to an impenitent heart a reprobate sence a cauterized conscience if not to strong delusions to beleeve to affect these lying Playes and Fables that we all might be damned who will not beleeve the truth which all these Witnesses have confirmed but take pleasure in unrighteousnesse in ungodly Playes and Actors which leade their followers to destruction and without repentance plunge them into hell for ever amids those filthy Divels whose disavowed pompes and workes they deeme their chiefest pleasures Let us therefore earnestly pray to God to open our eares that we may heare to incline our hearts that we may beleeve what all these testifie and averre of Stage-playes that so now at last we may take our finall farewell of them as all true penitent Christians have done before us and never returne unto them more to Gods dishonour the Republickes dammage or our owne eternall ruine concluding from henceforth of all Stage-playes all amphitheatricall Spectacles as Prudentius that worthy Christian Poet did many hundred yeares agoe Heu quid vesani sibi vult ars impia ludi Hae sunt deliciae IOVIS INFERNALIS in istis Arbiter obscuri placidus requiescit Averni And then we neede no more no other arguments to disswade us from resort to Stage-playes when we shall thus adjudge them the chiefest delights of the infernall Divel Iove who rests well pleased well delighted with them as too many carnall Christians doe who will one day rue it when it is too late if they now repent it not in time ACTVS 8. SCENA PRIMA HAving thus at large evinced the unlawfulnesse of Stage-playes by Reasons by Authorities I come now to refute those miserable Apologies those vaine pretences or excuses rather which their Advocates oppose in their defence the most of which are already answered to my hands Apologies for Stage-playes are of great antiquity Tertullian in his booke De Spectaculis cap. 1 2 3. 8. brings in the Pagan Romans whose consciences the pleasures of these enchanting Enterludes had bribed apologizing for their Playes with great acutenesse the feare of losing these their secular pleasures adding a kinde of sharpnesse to their wits I finde St. Cyprian complaining that the vigour of Ecclesiasticall discipline was so farre enervated in his age and so precipitated into worse in all dissolutenesse of vice that vices were not onely excused but authorized there wanting not such flattering Advocates and indulgent Patrons of naughtinesse who gave authority unto vices and which was worse converted the very censure of the heavenly Scriptures into a justification of crimes and Stage-playes producing some texts of Scripture in defence of Playes as well as reasons which this Father at large refells The like Play-apologies of voluptuous Pagans I reade recorded in Arnobius Chrysostome Augustine and Salvian who answer them to the full And as these Pagans of olde so some who would be deemed Christians now as namely one Thomas Lodge a Play-poet in his Play of Playes and one Thomas Haywood a Player iâ— his Apology for Actors have lately pleaded as hard for Stage-playes as ever Demetrius did for his great Diana whose severall allegations in the behalfe of Playes are soledly refelled by Mr. Stephen Gosson in his Playes confuted by the Authour of the 3. Blast of Retrait from Playes and Theaters by Mr. Iohn Northbrooke in his Treatise against vaine Playes and Enterludes by Dr. Rainolds in his Overthrow of Stage-playes by I G in his Refutation of the Apologie for Actors which you may peruse at leisure and by sundry others forerecited whom I spare to mention The Players the Play-patrons of our present age as their cause is worse so their Pleas for Playes are no other no better than those of former times which neede no other replies then what these Fathers these Authours have returned yet since their answeres are now growne obsolete and our Play-Advocates persevering in their former folly proceede to justifie one vanitie one falshood with another disputing much for the lawfull use of Stage-playes perchance to exercise or declare their witts in the unhappy patronage of evill things I shall therefore addresse my selfe to give a satisfactory answer to all their chiefe Play-propugning Objections that so I may puâ— them to perpetuall silence The first if not the best Argument in defence of Stage-playes may be cast into this forme That which is not prohibited but rather approved and commended by the Scripture cannot be sinfull nor unlawfull unto Christians But Stage-playes are not prohibited but rather approved and commended by the Scripture Therefore they cannot bee sinfull nor unlawfull unto Christiâ—ns The Major being unquestionable the Minor may be
but in all the quarters of the world Or as others of them paraphrase it They were made a wonderment a laughing-stocke to uncleane spirits and to the wicked of the world who rejoyced at their miseries their torments being glad to see them drawne to the place of execution called Theatrum a Theatre where the innocent Martyrs for the most part suffered in the view of all the people as our Traytors usually suffer on a Stage or scaffold erected for that purpose both which expositions some good Interpreters have conjoyned yet this no wayes justifies but oppugnes our Stage-playes For first the Apostles did not make themselves a voluntary Spectacle as all Players doe but they were made Spectacles by others Secondly they were no Spectacles of lasciviousnesse vanitie follie mirth or wickednesse as Plaies and Plaiers are but of grace of faith of pietie patience constancy martyrdome and the like which Plaies and Plaiers are not Thirdly they were Spectacles of Gods owne institution they being appointed called destinated to their sufferings by God himselfe whereas Plaies and Actors are Spectacles not of Gods but of the very Divels owne invention and appointment Fourthly they were memorable publike Spectacles of admiration of imitation both to the world to Angels and to men Playes Players and Play-haunters were yet never such Fifthly they were reall not hypocriticall histrionicall personated Spectacles consisting of representations onely as all Playes and Actors are Sixthly they were Spectacles appointed onely unto death not to laughter Spectacles of passion of compassion not of mirth and pleasure Spectacles onely at a stake appointed unto martyrdome not on a stage to stir up laughter Spectacles they were which the very Angels and Saints applauded not condemned which Divels and wicked men derided persecuted not applauded Spectacles which were the crowne the honour not the reproach and infamy of Christianity as Playes and Players are therefore they give no colour no approbation to our Play-house Spectacles with which they have no Analogie but this alone that as the chiefe agents in the Apostles and Martyrs tortures were desperate wicked men envenomed enraged with bitter rancor against all grace all goodnesse even such are the common Actors and Abetters of our theatricall Enterludes All the argument then that our Play-patrons can collect from hence is from the allusion which the Apostle hath to Theatres to Spectacles which being an allusion onely to the spectacle of a Martyr at the stake or of a malefactor at the place of execution as all Expositors accord not to a Play or Enterlude on a Stage subverts their very foundation and takes them off from this their hold in which they had most repose But admit it were an allusion to a Play-house Theatre yet as theeves can never justifie their stealing nor uâ—urers their usurie to be lawfull because the Scripture saith that Christ that the day of the Lord shall come as a theefe in the night and that he will require his owne with usurie no more can our Play-champions conclude from hence that Stage-playes are warrantable or lawfull among Christians because St. Paul by way of similitude writes thus of himselfe and his fellow-Apostles Wee are made a Theatre or Spectacle to the world unto Angels and to men These two maine Scriptures being thus fully vindicated from our Play-proctors wrestings the other will fall away of themselves there being no analogie at all betweene a race and a Stage-play an horse or chariot for warre and a Comedie for sport I shall therefore answer them all together in St. Cyprians words In this place I may say that it had beene better for these Objectors never to have knowne the Scriptures than thus to reade and wrest them For these words and examples which are laid downe as exhortations to evangelicall vertue are translated into apologies for vice For these things are written not that they should be gazed upon but that a more earnest vehemency should be stirred up in our minds in profitable things whiles there is so great a diligence in Ethnickes in unprofitable things It is an argument therefore of exciting vertue not a permission or libertie of beholding the Gentiles error that by this the minde may be more enflamed to evangelicall vertue by divine rewards when as men must passe through the miserie of all toyles and griefes before they can come to terrene emoluments That Elias is the horseman or charioter of Israel it yeelds no patronage to the beholding of Cirque-playes for he never ranne in any Circus That David danced in the sight of God it no wayes availes nor justifieth the sitting of faithfull Christians in the Theatre for by distorting none of his members with obscene motions hee hath ended the dance and put a period to the Play of Graecian lust His Lute his trumpets flutes and harpes have resounded Gods praises not an Idols It is not therefore hence determined that unlawfull things may be looked on those lawfull things by the Divels cunning being now changed from holy into unholy things Let shame therefore instruct or restraine these men although the holy Scriptures cannot doe it For is it not a shame is it not a shame I say for faithfull men who challenge to themselves the name of Christians to justifie the vaine superstitions of the Gentiles intermixed with their Stage-playes out of the sacred Scriptures and to give authority to Idolatry For when that which is done by Ethnickes to the honour of any Idol is frequented by Christians in a Stage-play both heathen idolatry is maintained and in contumely of God true religion is trod under foote This is St. Cyprians answer to the objected Scriptures and with it I rest SCENA SECVNDA THe second Objection in defence of Playes is this That they are innoxious pleasant honest laudable recreations which the ancient Greekes and Romans not onely tollerated but applauded therefore they are tollerable among Christians Not no answer this objection with that exclamation of Volateranus in this very case of Playes Sed quid nunc de faece hujus saeculi dicam quum virtutem ac gloriam veterum imitari nullo pacto valeamus vitia tamen omni studio imitamur Iam scena ubique renovata est ubique comâ—dias spectaâ— uterque sexus quodque longe impudentius ipsi Sacerdotes et praesules quorum erat officium omnino prohibere Multo igitur severiores in hac parte Graeci qui omnes suos comicos jamdiu aboluerunt propter unum Aristophanem quamvis moribus miâ—ime officeret I answer first that Playes are no harmelesse honest or laudable recreations as all the premised Authorities and this whole treatise prove at large this objection therefore is but a begging of the cause in question Secondly I answer that although some Pagan Greekes and Romanes approved Stage-playes at the first in lewd and dissolute times yet at last after long experience of
him that is a Pretor ought to refraine from lucre of money but also thâ— eyes to bee continent from wanton lookes The Athenians provided very well for the integrity of their Iudges that it should not be lawfull for any of the Areopagites to write any Comedy or Play and Epicharmus suffred punishment at the hands of Hiero for the rehearsall of certaine unchaste verses But I speake it with sorrow of heart to our vicious Ballad-makers and indictors of lewde Songs and Playes no revengment but rewards are largely payd and given Gerardas a very ancient man of Lacedemonia being demanded of his Hoste what paine adulterers suffred at Sparta made this answer O mine Hoste there is no adulterer among us neither can there be prey marke the reason For this was the manner among them that they were never present â—t any Comedy nor any other Playes fearing lest they should heare and see those things which were repugnant to their lawes But to revert to our purpose Wanton Bookes can bee no other thing but the fruits of wanton men who although they write any one good sentence in their Workes yet for the unworâ—hinesse of the person the sentence is rejected The Senâ—te of Lacedemonia would have refused a very worthy and apt saying of one Demosthenes for the unworthinesse of the Author if certaine men of authority called among them Ephori had not come betweene and caused another of the Senators to have pronounced the sentence againe as his owne saying Plutarch writeth that there was a law among the Grecians that even the good Bookes of ill men should be destroyed that the memory of the Authors also should thereby utterly be blotted out and cleane put away Gerson sometimes Chancellor of Paris speaking of a certaine Booke made by Ioannes Meldinensis the title whereof is the Romant of the Rose writeth of that Booke two things First he saith if I had the Romant of the Rose and that there were but one of them to bee had and might have for it 500. Crownes I would rather burne it then sell it Againe saith he if I did understand that Ioannes Meldinensis did not repent with true sorrow of minde for the making and setting forth of this Booke I would pray no more for him then I would for Iudas Iscariot of whose damnation I am most certaine And they also which reading this Booke doe apply it unto wicked and wanton manners are the Authors of his great paine and punishment The like Ioannes Raulius said of the Booke and Fables of one Operius Danus that hee was a most damned man unlesse he repented and acknowledged his fault for the setting forth of that Booke I would God they heard these things whom it delighteth to write or read such shamelesse and lascivious workes Let them remember the saying of Saint Paul A man shall reape that which hee hath sowen Chrysostome a great enhaunser of Pauls prayses writeth that so long shall the rewards of Paul rise more and more how long there shall remaine such which shall either by his life or doctrine be bronght unto the Lord God The same may we say of all such who while they lived have sowne ill seed either by doing saying writing or reading that unlesse they repented the more persons that are made ill by them the more sharpe and greater growth their paine as Saint Augustine wrote of Arrius God save every Christian heart from either the delighting or reading of such miserable monuments Thus concludes this reverend Bishop and so shall I this first reply Secondly admit it be lawfull to read Playes or Comedies now and then for recreation sake yet the frequent constant reading of Play-bookes of other prophane lascivious amorous Poems Histories and discourses which many now make their daily study to read more Playes then Sermons then Bookes of piety and devotion then Bookes or Chapters of the Bible then Authors that should enable men in their callings or fit them for the publike good must needs be sinfull as all the forequoted authorities witnesse because it avocates mens mindes from better and more sacred studies on which they should spend their time and fraughts them onely with empty words and vanities which corrupt them for the present and binde them over to damnation for the future The Scripture we know commands men not to delight in vanity in old wives tales in fabulous poeticall discourses or other empty studies which tend not to our spirituall gooâ—â— Not to lay out our money for that which is not bread and our labour for that which satisfieth not but to redeeme the time because the dayes are evill Yea it commands men to be fruitfull and abundant in all good workesâ— to be holy in all manner of conversation to be alwayes doing and receiving good and finishing that worke which God hath given them to doe growing every day more and more in grace and in the knowledge of God and Christ laying up a good foundation against the time to come and perfecting holinesse in the feare of God giving all diligence to makâ— their calling and election sure doing all they doe to the praise and glory of God Now the ordinary reading of Comedies Tragedies Arcadiaes Amorous Histories Poets and other prophane Discourses is altogether inconsistent with all and every of these sacred Precepts therefore it cannot bee lawfull Besides the Scripture commands men even wholy to abandon all idle words all vaine unprofitable discourses thoughtâ— and actions If then it gives us no liberty so much as to thinke a vaine thought or to utter an idle word certainely it alots us no vacant time for the reading of such vaine wanton Playes or Bookes Againe God enjoynes us that our speech should be alwayâ—s profitable and gracious seasoned with salt that so it may administer grace to the hearers and build them up in their most holy faith Therefore our writings our studies our reading must not be unedifying amorous and prophane which ought to be as holy as serious and profitable as our discoâ—rses Moreover it is the expresse precept of the Apostle Paul whom many prophane ones will here taxe of Puritanisme Eph. 4.29 c. 5.3 4. But fornication and all uncleanesse or covetousnesse let it not be once named among you as becommeth Saints neither filtâ—inesse nor foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient c. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouthes but that which is good to edifie profitably that it may miniâ—ter grace to the hearers c. And may wee then read or write these sinnes and vices which we ought not to name or study or peruse such wanton Playes and Pamplets which can administer nought but gracelesnesse lust prophanesse to the Readers Lastly wee are commanded to search the Scriptures daily to meditate in the Law of God day and night and to read therein all the dayes of
p. 23.24 Shaving and polling of Nonnes censured p. 202. to 205. Socratâ—s traduced in Playes pag. 121. his censure of Playes p. 450. Sodoms Theaters and punishâ—ent f. 561. Sodomie occasioned by acting in womens apparell by wearing long compt haire and Love-lockes p. 208. to 214.882 884 885 1001 10â—5 Players Play-poets guilty of it pag. 125.211 Popes Popish Prelates Priests Monkes addicted to it pag. 213.445 446 881 767 100â— 1005. See Balaeus Oâ—nt Script Brit. pag. 665. Many Nations and mans nature prone unto it pag. 20â— to 214.1001 1005. An execrable sinne stiled abomination in Scripture p. 208.212 Capitall by our English Lawes p. 214. Sodomites uâ—ually clad their Ganymedes in womens apparell caused them to nourish to frizle their haiâ—e to weare Periwigs and Love-lockes pag. 208. to 214. 882. to 890. Solon his censure of Stage-playes p. 449.484 516 838 839. Songs lascivious and ribaldrous frequent in Stage-playesâ— condemned p 261. to 274.412 413 420 435 518 572 578 579 588 606 610 611 613 771 774 532. See Viâ—câ—nâ—ij Speculum Histor. lib. 29. cap. 144. Agrippâ— De Vanitate Scienâ— cap. 64. Sopâ—ocâ—es the Tragedian his death f. 553. Spoctaclâ—s of Christians whatâ— Epist. Ded. 2. pag. 245. to 249.971 to 975. Speeches of Christians ought to be gracious and profitable fol. 521.528 529 6â— 128.924 Spels unlawfull pag. 21.583 Stage-playes condemned by Scripture p. 545. to 551 7â—3 to 727. By the whole Church of God both under the Law and Gospell p. 551. to 570. By 55. oecumenicall Nationall Provinciall Synodes Councels the Apostles Canons sundry Imperiall Canonicall Constitutions p. 570. to 668. By 71. Fahers ancient Christian Writers from our Saviours Nativity till An. 1200 p. 668. to 688â—329 to 354.392 to 434 47â— to 478. f. 522. to 528. By above â—50 moderne Christian Writers from An. 1200. to 1632. p. 688. to 702. pag. 68.69 355. to 366.434 to 445.485 to 488. By 40. Heathen Authors p. 702. to 713.365 to 361â—447 to 467. By divers Pagan Christian Nations Republikes Emperors Magistrates Kings c. both ancient and moderne p. 455. to 472.713 to 718. 137.138.847 to 862. By our owne English Statutes Princes Magistrates Vniversities Writers Divines p. 68.69 357. to 434.485 to 499.698 699 700 715 716 919. to 923. Proved unlawful in sundry respects First of their inventors which were Devils Pagans p. 9. to 48 96. See Devils Pagans Secondly of the ends for which they were inveÌ„ted to wit the solemne worship honor of Devil-Idols on whose Festivals they were acted or other unlawfull ends p. 28. to 54. See Devils Thirdly of their subject matter which is first amorous obscene p. 62. to 72.327 to 480. 914. to 9â—4 Secondly tragicall tyrannicall p. 72. to 75. Thirdly Heathenish prophane p. 75. to 106.176 177. Fourthly false fabulous p. 106. to 109. Fiftly sacrilegious impious blasphemous abusing the Scripture our Saviours Passion p. 108. to 125.763 to 767.929 999 1000. See Christ. Sixtly Satyricall invective especially against religion and religious men p. 120. to 127â— fol. 542.543 8.4 815. Hence the beleeving Iewes and Christians Hebr. 10.33 1 Cor. 4.9 are said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be made a Play a Spectacle or gazing stocke through reproaches and afflictions or to bee brought on a publike Stage there derided personated traduced as Chrysostom Ambrose Primasius Haymo Anselme Remigius most other interpret it because nothing was more usuall in the idolatrous Gentiles Stage-playes then to personate jeare â—lander Christians as now they doe Puritans on the Stageâ— See pag. 814.815 Seventhly vaine unprofitable bringing no glory to God or good to men p. 38.43 44 127. to 132. Fourthly in regard of their Actors Spectators which are commonly lewde wicked persons p. 132. to 155â— f. 547. to 550. See Players Play-haunters Whores Fiftly in regard of their manner of acting and those circumstances which attend it as first hypocrisie dissimulation p. 156. to 161.876 877. Secondly lasciviousnesse p. 161. to 176. Thirdly effeminacy p. 167. to 173. f. 546. p. 877. Fourthly vanity ridiculous folly p. 173. to 175.877 878. Fiftly lewde Diabolicall sinfull parts and pasâ—ages p. 75. to 106.175 to 178.890 904. Sixtly mens acting in womens apparell p. 178. to 216.879 to 894. Seventhly gawdy lascivious fantastique apparell vizards disguises pag. 216. to 220.890 to 904. Eightly effeminate lascivious mixt dancing p. 220. to 261. See Dancing Ninthly amorous scurrilous Songs and Poems p. 261. to 273. See Songs Tenthly effeminate lust-provoking Musicke p. 273. to 290. See Musicke Eleventhly profuse lascivious laughter and applauses p. 290. to 302. See Laughter Applauses Sixtly in respect of those mischievous fruits that issue from them as first mispence of time p. 302. to 310.39 45 1002. See Time Secondly prodigality and vaine expence p. 39.45 302. to 312 1004. See Prodigalâ—ty Thirdly the inflamation and irritation of mens lusts p. 327 to 446.1000.1002 Fourthly much contemplative actuall adultery whoredome uncleanes p. 328. to 446.1002 1003. See Adultery Whores Fiftly a generall depravation of the Actors the Spectators mindes manners and the Republikes hurt p. 42.132 140 447. to 501. 734 735 740 784 795 796. Sixtly â—loath and idlenesse p. 501. to 508.709 710 1002 1003 1006. Seventhly luxury drunkennesse and excesse p. 508. to 512. Eightly impudency and shamelesnesse even in sinfull things f. 512. to 516. Ninthly cosinage fraude theft f. 515.516 Tenthly cruelty fiercenesse quarrels seditions murthers fol. 516. to 520. Eleventhly unprofitable vaine lewde discourses f. 520.521 Twelfely indisposition to all holy duties avocation from Gods service prophanation of Lords-dayes and religious Festivals contempt of Gods Ordinances Wordâ— Ministers and the making of all Gods Ordinances ineffectuall to mens soules p. 393. to 404.407 408 431 432. f. 521. to 54â— 988 989 1004. Thirteenthly an emnity against disesteeme of grace of virtue and all religioâ—s men f. 542.543 p. 120. to 127. p. 814.815 Fourteenthly inamoring men with sin vanity and indisposing them to repentance f. 544.545 Fifteenthly effeminacy in words apparell haire actions p. 167. to 212. f. 546.547 p. 708.740 Sixteenthly acquaintance with lewde companions p. 131. to 155. f. 547. to 550. Seventeenthly Atheisme Paganisme grosse Idolatry p. 75. to 106. fol. 550.551 Eighteenthly the breach of all the 10. Commandements f. 551.522 Ninteenthly the drawing down of Gods heavy Iudgements both upon their Penners Actors Spectators with those Republikes and Cities which suffer them p. 484.485 â— f. 552. to 565. Twentiethly eternal damnation of mens soules without sincere repentance p. 45.46 61.476 f. 565 566.567 p. 910. See Players Authorities against them pâ— 305 to 721. Sparsim Objections in defence of them answered p. 721. to 830. The penning acting beholding of them prooved unlawfull p. 831. to 914. Objections in defence of the penning acting seeing of them answered pag. 913. to 989. Stage-playes the very pompes of the Devill which we renounce in baptisme See Baptisme Devill Pompes Stiled by the Fathers and