of these Enterludes they gaine perchance a little vaine applause vpon the Stage which they put off with their Players robes or at the most a little filthy gaine or ill gotten Estate which they are bound in Conscience to restore as I shall prooue anon and that so blasted with the curse of God vpon it that it either turnes Wormewood Gall or Poyson to the owners or meltes away like Snow before the Sunne in their very life time or else it prooues Rottennesse and consumes to Ashes in their next Heires hands But alas their losse transcends their gaines they lose their credit their respect their good names their time their ciuilitie their modestie their chastitie and all that was commendable in them heretofore yea they lose their God their Heauen their Sauiour their Sanctifier and Oh that I could not say their very Soules and Bodies for all Eternitie vnlesse God miraculously call them to Repentance and cause them to renounce their Vnchristian and Infernall profession Thus all are losers by their Stage-Playes none gainers by them but the Deuill and Hell the one gaines vassals to â—ffect his will and lusts here and damned Soules to associate him in his euerlasting torments hereafter the other fewell to nourish those scorching and Eternall flames in which the Soules and Bodies of all impenitent Stage-frequenting Christians shall haue thâ—ir portion Since therefore the Deuill is the onely gainer by these Stage-Playes which Saint Hierome rightly stiles the Deuils foode Since hee is onely honoured and enriched by them serued in them delighted with them puruaying for them we may safely yea infallibly conclude on all the premises that they are his proper workes and pompes For the second branch of the Assumpsion That Stage-Playes are the Pompes and Vanities of this wicked World these impregnable reasons will euince it First their very inchoation and conception as my first Act prooues was meerely from the Deuill the God and Prince of this World â—rom â—nfideâ—s and Idolaters the naturall and most genuine if not the principall parts and Agents of this world which lyes in wickednesse Secondly the common Actors frequenters and admirers of them both now and heretoâ—ore are no other but the men of the world who haue their portion onely in this life being louers of pleasures more then louers of God Thirdly their subiect matter their seuerall partes and passages as experience teacheth doe sauour onely of worldly Pompe and Vanitie if not of sinne and all prophanenesse Fourthly those Pompous and stately shewes and Scenes that effeminate rich and gorgious Attire that glittering and glorious Apparrell those mimicall antique clownish hellish amourous filthy foolish ridiculous obsceane and wanton parts those licencious complements clippings and embracements withall those other ceremonies and circumstances which attend our Stage-Playes what are they but the chiefest Pompes and Vanities which this world affordes Fiftly is not the very ground and end of all Theatricall Spectacles especially such as are acted in priuate houses and societies a vaineglorious desire of some worldly Pompe and State or an oâ—ficious compliancy to the course and fashion of this wicked World Why doe men send for Stage-Players to their houses why doe they flocke vnto their Theaters thicke and threefold on Feastiuall and Solemne seasons especially in the Christmas time Is it not out of worldly Pompe and State out of a prodigall and vaineglorious humour a degenerous and Vnchristian symbolization with this present World a voluptuous and base seruilitie to our filthie carnall lusts or at least wise out of an affected desire to post and passe away our peerelesse time which flies too faest without these winges and spurres to speed it to banish God and Christ out of our Hearts Grace out of our Soules all thankefull remembrance of Gods fauours to vs on such times as these out of our mindes and thoughts and wholly to auocate and estrange vs from all true Christian ioy and heauenly solace which expresseth it selfe in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs in diuine Meditations and discourses of Gods mercie towards vs in powring out heartie praises prayers and thankesgiuings vnto our Gracious and euer blessed God with inflamed and inlarged spirits for all his superabundant fauours and compassions to vs not in Hellish Playes and carnall merriments which Christ and Christians doe abhorre If this then bee the vse the end and â—ruite these the appendices and parts of Stage-Playes needes must wee now subscribe that they are if not the greatest and most assiduous yet not the meanest Pompes and Vanities of this wicked World to whose vse and ends they onely serue as their owne professed Apologist doeth acknowledge Now to prooue vnto you further that Stage-Playes are the very workes and Pompes of Satan yea the very selfe-same Pompes and Vanities of this wicked World which Christians haue renounced in their Baptisme I shal vouch vnto you the expresse resolution of sundry Fathers Stage-Playes saith Tertullian are the Pompes of the Deuill against which we haue renounced in our Baptisme because their originall and the materialls of which they are composed consisteth wholy of Idolatrie whence he stiles Play-houses the Deuills Church Clemens Romanus if the worke bee his calls Stage-Playes the Pompes of Idoles and Spectacles of the Deuill wishing all Christians to shunne and auoyd them The Deuills Pompe saith Cyril of Hierusalem which wee renounce in our Baptisme are those Spectacles or Playes in Theaters and all other vanities of this kinde from which the holy Man of God desiring to bee freed saith Turne away mine eyes from beholding vanitie Be not therefore diligent in the assemblies of Playes Saint Augustine likewise stiles these Stage-Playes the Pompes of the Deuill which we renounce in Baptisme Thou art apprehended thou art detected Oh Christian saith he when thou doest one thing and professest another when thou art faithfull in name faithlesse in worke not keeping thâ— faith of thy promise going one while into the Church to pray and a while after running to the Play-house to crie out impudently with Stage-Players You haue professed to renounce the Deuill in which profession you haue said I renounce not onely men but euen God and his Angels subscribing together with you What then hast thou to doe with these Pompes of the Deuill which thou hast renounce Saint Chrysostome who of all the Fathers is most Copious most Zealous and diuinely Rhetoricall against all theatricall Enterludes endeauoring out of an holy Zeale to withdraw all Christians from them vnto God doeth oft times stile these Stage-Playes the Deuills Pompes the fables of Satan Daemoniacall mysteries the imâ—ure foode of the Deuill and Play-houses the Deuils conuenticles And from hence hee doeth seriously and frequently persuade all Christians to auoyde them Yea saith hee such was his implacable indignation and holy detestation against Stage-Playes not out of passion or Puritanisme but
World which wee haue all renounced Beloued Christians consider I beseech you that God himselfe commands you to keepe your selues from Idoles and to flee from all Idolatrie as being the most capitall and dangerous sinne of all other and can you then embrace these Stage-Playes which were originally consecrated vnto Idoles as holy and religious things as parts and ornaments of their Pompe and Worship and haue therefore beene condemned by the Fathers as the Issues Limbes and Monuments of Idolatrie from whence they had their birth without any breach of these commands or of your vow in Baptisme wherein you did renounce all Idoles and Idolatrie with all their Pompes and Reliques O therefore as you are Christians as you haue Soules to saue or lose for euer be you now at last entreated to lay all these considerations close vnto your Soules before it bee to late The time will come ere long and who can tell how soone since the Apostle hath long since forewarned vs that the Lord is at hand that the comming of the Lord draweth nigh and that the Iudge standeth before the doore when that last and dismall Trumpe which should be alwayes sounding this into your earesâ— arise ye dead and come to Iudgement shall summon you before Christs glorious Tribunall to render an account of your selues to him how well you haue kept this vow these Precepts which now I presse vpon you and then alas what can you pleade or answere for your selues Can you replie that you haue kept or at leastwise endeauoured for to keepe to the vtmost of your power these seuerall Iniunctions or your vow in Baptisme that you haue renounced the World the Flesh the Deuill or Idoles and Idolatrie with all their seuerall Vanities Pompes and Workes whiles you thus iustifie magnifie and harbour Stage-Playes which not onely Fathers but euen Pagans themselues repute and stile the Worlds and Deuills Pompes Alas how haue you renounced the Deuill World or Idoles whiles you retaine their shewes or doe their workes What diuorce haue you giuen to all or any of these with which by which you liue What enmitie haue you taken vp against them whiles you are thus obliged to them Can you denie that thinke you with your tongues which you confesse with your hands Or doe you destroy that in word which you support in deed O my beloued how can you euer say that you haue liued like Christians not like Pagans that you are the Saints of God and Citizens of Heauen not Satans Minions or Burgers of this present wicked world that you haue in trueth renounced the World the Flesh and the Deuill with all their Pompes and Workes whiles you wast your time and your affections on those Heathenish and Infernall Enterludes and delights of sinne which are the chiefest Workes and Pompes of Satan the eminentest Pompes and Vanities of this wicked World to which Infidels and worldlings haue beene most deuoted Can you plead Not-guiltie of Periurie and Rebellion in all these particulars vnto God hereafter when as you cannot plead thus now to men or to your owne condemning Consciences If you hope to prooue Not-guiltie then why doe your Liues your Workes your Consciences crie Guiltie now If you confesse your selues Guiltie now how can you plead Guiltlesse or escape Christs doome and iudgement then Since therefore it is vndeniably eâ—ident by all the premises that Stage-Playes are those Pomps and Workes of the Deuill and Idoles those Pompes and Vanities of this wicked World and heathen Pagans which euery Christian hath euerlastingly renounced and solemnely abiured in his Baptisme Let this yea this alone perswade all such as are Baptized with the name of Christians vnlesse they desire onely to seeme Christians not to bee Christians as many doe to abominate and condemne all Stage-Playes not onely in iudgement but in practise too as Perâ—icious Vnchristian and vnlawfull Pompes and Vanities as the Church and Saints of God haue alwayes done in former Ages And so much the rather because Christians in the Primitiue Church how euer the times are changed now were especially knowne and discouered to bee Christians by their abstinence and diuorce from Stage-Playes Else if they approoue applaude and haunt these Stage-Playes still let them know this to their endlesse terrour that though they beare the name of Christians or yeeld some superficiall worship vnto God yet they doe in trueth renounce their Christianitie annihilate their Baptisme abiure their Religion denie their Faith their God their Iesus and bequeath themselues wholly to the Deuill yea they forfaitâ— Heauen and their owne Saluation and wrecke their deare immortall Soules for all eternitie And who is there that beleeues a God a Heauen a Hell so desperately prodigall of his owne Saluation as to incurre all these or to put himselfe to such a losse to fauour Stage-Playes but of this enough ACTVS 3. SCENA PRIMA THirdly as Stage-Playes are thus odious vnseemely pernicious and vnlawfull vnto Christians in all the precedent respects so likewise are they such in regard of their ordinary stile and subiect matter which no Christian can or dares to patronize If we surâ—ay the stile or subiect matter of all our popular Enterludes we shall discouer them to bee either Scurrilous Amorous and Obscene or Barbarous Bloody and Tyrannicall or Heathenish and Prophane or Fabulous and Fictitious or Impious and Blasphemous or Satyricall and Inuectiue or at the best but Frothy Vaine and Friuolous If then the composure and matter of our popular Stage-Playes be but such as this the Playes themselues must needes be euill vnseemely and vnlawfull vnto Christians Not to insist vpon this Generall that the subiect matter of most Comedies and Tragedies is some vile and odious sinne which should bee rather a griefe and abomination then a recreation vnto Christians I shall for the present confine my selfe to the particulars here specified First I say that the stile and subiect matter of most popular especially Comicall Stage-Playes is Amorous Scurrilous and Obscene vnbeseeming all Chast and Christian eares from whence I raise this fift Argument That whose very stile and subiect matter is Lasciuious Scurrilous and filthy must needes bee vnseemely vnlawfull and pernicious vnto Christians But the very stile and subiect matter of most if not of all our popular Stage-Playes is such Therefore they must needes be vnseemely vnlawfull and pernicious vnto Christians For the Maior I hope no Christian no Pagan dares to question it For God himselfe hath laid this peremptorie Iniunction vpon men to keepe their tongues from euill and their lips from speaking guile yea he hath giuen this in speciall charge to Christians Let your speach bee alwayes gracious seasoned with salt Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good for the vse of ediâ—ying that it may
sanguinis aliquid habes Christi Quale autem spectaculum in proximo est adventus Domini jam indubitati jam superbi jam triumphantis Quae illa exultatio Angelorum quae gloria resurgentium sanctorum quale regnum exinde justorum qualis civitas nova Hierusalem At enim supersunt alia spectacula ille ultimus perpetuus judicij dies ille nationibus insperatus ille derisus cum tanta seculi vetustas tot ejus nativitates uno igni haurientur Quae tunc spectaculi latitudo quid admirer quid rideam ubi gaudiam ubi exultem spectans tot ac tantos reges qui in caelum recepti nuntiabantur cum ipso Iove ipsis suis testibus inimis tenebris congemiscentes item praesidâ—s persecutores dominici nominis saevioribus quà m ipsi flammis saevierunt insultantibus contra Christianos liquescentes quos praeterea sapientes illos philosophos coram discipulis suis una conflagrantibus â—rubescentes quibus nihil ad Deum pertinere suadebant quibus animas aut nullas aut non in pristina corpora redituras adfirmabant etiam poeâ—as non ad Rhodamanti nec ad Minois sed ad inopinati Christi tribunal palpitantes Tunc magis Tragaedi audiendi magis scilicet vocales in sua propria calamitate Tunc histriones cognoscendi solutiores multò per ignem tunc spectandus auriga in flammea rota totus rubens tunc Xystici contemplandi non in gymnasijs sed in igne jaâ—ulati nisi quod nec tunc quidem illos velim visos ut qui malim ad eos potius conspectum insatiabilem conferre qui in dominum desaevierunt Hic est ille dicam fabri aut quaestuariae filius Sabbati destructor Samarites Daemonium habens Hic est quem à Iuda redimistis hic est ille arundinis colaphis diverberatus sputameâ—tis dedecoratus felle aceto potatus Hic est quem clam discentes subripuerunt uâ— resurrexisse dicatur vel hortulanus detraxit ne lactucae suae frequentia comeantium laederentur Vt talia spectes ut talibus exultes quis tibi praetor aut consul aut quaestor aut sacerdos de sua liberalitate praestabit tamen haec jam quodammodo per fidem habemus spiritu imaginante repraesentata Caeterâ—m qualia illa sunt quae nec oculus vidit nec auris audivit nec in cor hominis ascenderunt credo Circo utraque cauca omni stadio gratiora ACTVS QVINTVS THe unlawfulnesse of penning acting and beholding Stage-playes being thus at large evinced and those Objections answered which are most usually opposed in their unjust defence there is nothing now remaining but that I should cloze up this whole Treatise with a few words of exhortation to Play-poets Players and Play-haunters whom the love of Stage-playes hath seduced to their eternall prejudice And here I shall first of all beseech all Play-poets to ponder with themselves that they are the primary causes of all the sinnes which Players Playes or Play-houses doe occasion not any one sinne is there that any Actors Auditors or Spectators commit by meanes of acting or beholding these their Stage-playes but flowes originally from them and shall at last be set on their account for if there were no Play-house-poets there could be no Playes to see or act and so by consequence no such accursed fruits of Stage-playes as now are too too frequent in the world both to the publike and mens private hurt Now tell mee I beseech you what man what Christian is there who in Gods in mens account would thus be branded for an inventor of evill things a publike nursery of all sin and wickednesse a man borne onely for the common hurt both of himselfe and others yea an instrument raysed up from Hell it selfe to draw on thousands to that horrid place of their eternall woe Quanto autem non nasci melius fuit quaÌ„ sic numerari inter publico malo natos Better had it beene for you never to have had a being to have perished in the wombe like an untimely birth yea happier were it that a milstone had beene fastned about your neckes and you so drowned in the very depth of the Sea then that you should thus pull downe damnation eternall damnation on your owne and infinite others heads by these your prophane ungodly Enterludes which will prove no other at the last but the evidences of your vanity folly sinne and shame and without repentance your owne and others destruction O therefore deare Christian Brethren as you tender your owne the States the Churches welfare as you feare that dreadfull reckning which you must shortly make before the Iudgement Seate of Christ when all your idle wanton amorous prophane ungodly scurrilous Playes and words with all the sinnes they have produced shall be charged on your soules let me now perswade you with many a bitter sigh and teare to lament your former and seriously to renounce your future Play-making as many trâ—e penitent Play-poets have done before you endeavouring to consecrate your much applauded wits your parts and industry to Gods glory the Churches the Republikes benefit your owne and others spirituall good which you have formerly devoted to the Devils pompes and service the Republikes prejudice sinnes advantage Religions infamy and mens common hurt O consider consider I beseech you that as long as you continue Play-poets you are but the professed agents of the world the flesh the Devill whose pompes whose lusts and vanities you have long since renounced that you doe but sacrifice your wits your parts your studies your inventions your lives to these accursed Masters who can gratifie you with no other wages at the last but Hell and endlesse torments a poore reward for so hard a service Doe not O doe not then devote your pretious time your flourishing parts of Poetry Eloquence Art and Learning to these usurping hellish tyrants which you should whâ—ly dedicate to your God to whom they are onely due but since you are no longer debtors to the flesh to live after the flesh nor yet to the world the Devill or sinne to doe them servicâ— let God alone henceforth enjoy them from whom for whom you did at first receive them Alas my Brethren when you shall come to die when terrors of conscience shall seize upon your soules or when as Christ himselfe shall sit upon his Throne of Glory for to Iudge you what good what comfort yea what shame and horror will all your Play-poems bring to your amazed spirits then will you wish in earnest O that we had beene so happy as never to have pend or seene a Stage-play yea woe be to us that we were ever â—o ill imployed as to cast away our time our parts our studies our learning upon such heathenish foolish and unchristian
Philosophersâ— as the Incendiaries and common Nurseriâ—s of all Villany and Wickednesse the bane and ouerthrow of all Grace and Goodnesse the very poyson and corruption of mens mindes and manners the very fatall plagues and ouertures of those States and Kingdomes where they are once tollerated as I shall prooue anon Yet wee we miserable and gracelesse wretches after so many sentences of condemnation passed vpon them after so many Iudgements already inflicted on and yet threatned to vs for them after so many yeres and Iubilies of the glorious Gospel-sun-shine which teacheth vs to deny vngodlinesse and all worldly lusts and to liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for the comming and appearance of the great God and our Sauiour Iesus Christ yea after our very vow and sacred couenant in Baptisme which bindes vs to forsake the Deuill and all his Workes the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World and all the sinfull lusts of the flesh of which these Stage-Playes are the chiefe as if wee were quite degenerated not onely from the grace and holinesse of Christians but euen from the naturall goodnesse and moralitie of Pagans in former Ages doe now euen now in the middest of all our feares at homeâ— and the miserable desolations of Gods Church abroade the very thoughts of which should cause our hearts to bleed and soules to mourne much more our Hellish iollitie and mirth to cease as if wee had made a couenant with Hell and sworne alleageance to the Deuill himselfe inthrall and sell our selues to these Diabolicall and hellish Enter-ludes notwithstanding all that God or man haue said against them and would rather part with Christ Religion God or Heauen then with them Yea so farre are many mens affections wedded to these prophane and Heathenish vanities that as it was in Saint Augustines time euen so it is now whosoeuer is but displeased and offended with them is presently reputed for a common Enemie he that speakes against them or comes not at them is forthwith branded for a Scismaticall or factious Puritan and if any one assay to alter or suppresse them he becomes so odious vnto many that did not the feare of punishment restraine their malice they would not onely scorne and disgrace but euen stone or rent him all to pieces as a man vnworthy for to liue on earth whereas such who further these delights of sinne are highly magnified as the chiefe contriuers of the publike happinesse There was once a time if Tertullian with some other ancient Fathers may bee credited when as it was the chiefest badge and character of a Christian to refraine from Stage-Playes yea this was one great crime which the Pagans did obiect against the Christians in the Primitiue Church that they came not to their Enterludes But now as if Stage-Playes were our Creed and Gospel or the truest embleme of our Christian profession those are not worthy of the name of Christians they must be Puritans and Precisians not Protestants who dislike them Heu quantum mutatus ab illo Alas how â—arre are Christians now degenerated from what they were in ancient times when as that which was their badge and honour heretofore is now become their brand and shame Quantus in Christiano populo honor Christi est vbi religio ignobilem facit How little doe we Christians honour Christ when as the ancient character and practicall power of Religion I meane the abandoning and renouncing of sinne-fomenting Stage-Playes subiect men vnto the highest censure and disgrace Conquerar an taceam This being the dissolute and vnhappy constitution of our depraued times it put mee at the first to this Dilemma whether to sit mute and silent still and mourne in secret for these ouerspredding abominations which haue got such head of late among vs that many who visit the Church scarce once a weeke frequent the Play-house once a day or whether I should lift vp my voyce like a trumpet and crie against them to my power If I should bend my tongue or pen against them as I haue done against some other sinfull and Vnchristian vanities my thoughts informed me that I might with the vnfortunate Disciples fish all night and catch iust nothing at the last but the reproach and scorne of the Histrionicall and prophaner sort whose tongues are set on fire of Hell against all such as dare affront their Hellish practises and so my hopes and trauell would bee wreckt at once If I should on the other side neglect to doe my vttermost to extirpateâ— or withstand these dangerous spectacles or to withdraw such persons from them as my paines and briefe collections in this subiect might reclaime when God had put this oportunitie into my hand and will into my heart to doe it my Conscience then perswaded me that my negligence and slackenesse in this kinde might make mee guiltie of the death of all such ignorant and seduced Soâ—les which these my poore endeuours might rescue from these chaines of Hell and cordes of sinne and interest meâ— in all the euill which they might suppresse Whereupon I resolued with my selfe at last to endure the crosse and despise the hate and shame which the publishing of this HISTRIO-MASTIX might procure mee and to asswage at least in my endeuours if not otherwise these inueterate and festred vlcers which may endanger Church and State at once by applying some speedy corrosiues and emplaisters to them and ripping vp their noxious and infectious nature on the publike Theater in these ensuing Acts and Scoenes which I thought good to stile The Players or Actors Tragoedie not so much for the Stile or Method of it for alas here is neither Tragicke stile nor Poeticall straines nor rare Inuention nor Clowne nor Actor in it but onely bare and naked Trueth which needes nâ— Eloquence nor straine of wit for to adorne or pleade its cause as for the good effects I hope it may and will produce to the suppression and extirpation at least the restraint and diminution both of Playes and common Actors and all those seuerall mischieuous and pestiferous fruites of Hellish wickednesses that issue from them which much desired successe and reformation if I could but liue to see I should deeme my selfe an happy man and thinke my labour richly recompenced The Argument Parts and Method of the ensuing TRAGAEDIE BVt not to spend more time in Prologues I shall now addresse my selfe vnto the Argument or Subiect of this Tragicall Discourse which is no more in briefe then this Conclusion That all popular and common Stage-Playes whether Comicall Tragicall Satyricall Mimicall or mixt of either especially as they are now compiled and personated among vs are such sinfull hurtfull and pernitious Recreations as are altogether vnseemely and vnlawfull vnto Christians A Paradoxicall new and strange Conclusion or Probleme vnto many and yet an ancient and resolued trueth
vsefull ends but that they may bee better omitted then retained since they alway haue beene are and will bee scandalous and offensiue to the Church and Saints of God since their reformation is hopelesse their cure hard and desperate but their extirpation easie since their refining cannot purge out all their drosse but that they will bee more poysonous then holesome alwayes euill though lesse euill but not intirely good since their present condition makes them odious and there is no Censor no person likely to reforme them For priuate persons cannot effect it and suppose the King and State might doe it as it would take them off from more eminent and weightie affaires to the publique preiudice and misbeseeme their grauities to spend many serious and teadious consultations vpon such toyes as these so the reformation of them which would bee alwayes dubious would neuer counteruaile the care the time and cost that must be spent about it and no sooner should their corruptions be exiled but they would presently reuert againe without redresse I may safely auerre that they are irreducible vnconuertible to any lawfull good or Christian purposes which may benefit Church or Common-wealth or the bodies soules estates or names of men and so conclude that they are vtterly vnlawfull vnseemely and pernicious vnto Christians because they had their Alpha and Omega their beginning and end their birth and vse from Hell being not onely inuented by the Deuill himselfe but likewise by his owne speciall command and his greatest minions aduice appropriated and deâ—oted to his peculiar honour and immediate worship for many hundred yeeres Stage-Playes they had their rise from Hell wee Christians our natiuitie and descent from Heauen they were at first deuoted yea yet continue destinated vnto Satan we were at first Baptized into yea consecrated wholy vnto Christ they were they are the Deuills we were yet now we are not his but Gods but Christs alone this must this cannot therefore but perswade vs to abominate them to condemne them both in words and deedes as sinfull and vnlawfull CHORVS ANd here before I passe to the ensuing Act I shall propound a fourth Argument against these Stage-Playes which seuerall Fathers haue framed to my hands as a Chorus or Corollarie to the premises If Stage-Playes bee those Workes of Satan those Pompes and Vanities of this wicked World which euery Christian hath seriously renounced and solemnely vowed against in his very Baptisme they must then of necessitie be pernicious abominable vnseemely and vnlawfull vnto Christians But Stage-Playes are those workes of Satan those Pompes and vanities of this wicked world which euery Christian hath seriâ—usly renounced and solemnely vowed against in his very Baptâ—â—me Therefore they must of necessitie bee pernicious abominable vnseemely and vnlawfull vnto Christians For the former part of the assumption That Stage-Playes are the workes and Pompes of Satan it is infallibly euident For first they were inuented by him Secondly he did exact and require them of and extort them from his worshippers Thirdly they were consecrated to his honour and appropriated to his seruice by his owne speciall command Fourthly they were vsually celebrated by his followers on the Feastiualls and Birth-dayes of or at the solemne Dedication of some new erected Temples to those dunghill Deuill-gods which Pagans did adore Fiftly the Primitiâ—e Church and Christians did not onely constantly condemne but likewise vtterly reiect them as the workes and Pompes of the very Deuill all which is irreâ—ragably confirmed in the premised Acts Sixtly they neuer issued from God or from his Children but from the Factors and Minions of the Deuill who onely did frequent and Act them heretofore and applaude performe and haunt them now Seauenthly God gaines no glory by them men no good onely the Deuill workes his endes fulfills his pleasure both in vs and of vs and propagates his kingdome by them as I shall prooue anon If wee will but seriouslyâ— suruay the end and fruite or summe vp the losse and gaine that comes by Stage-Playes we shall finde that all are losers none gainers by them but the Deuill whose endes they doe accomplish God the Father he loseth his honour his worship his loue his feare his obedience the fruite of all his ordinances and the labour of his faithfull Ministers by their meanes Christ Iesus hee loseth his glory his respect the worth and dignitie of his person the eâ—ficacy and merits of his blood the honour and true solemnizing of his Natiuitie his Circumcision his Resurrection and Ascention which Stage-Playes trample vnder feete as despicable and vnholy things and cause men for to vilifie yea hee loseth the desired fruite of his Gospel his Sacraments his Ambassadours and of all his trauell whereby hee doeth sollicite and wooe vs to come in and match our soules with him who is happinesse pleasure comfort and delight it selfe The Holy Ghost by meanes of Playes doeth oft times to his griefe euen lose his blessed residence in his heauenly influence into his sweete regiment ouer his flexanimous sollicitations to those good perswasions purposes resolutions and sparkes of grace which hee hath kindled in our hearts The Angels they lose their ioy in our conuersion their office in our protection their happinesse in our Saluation their fellowship in our association The Church shee loseth her outward beautie and splendor her honour her puritie her ioy her externall tranquillitie and prosperitie her members her fruitfulnesse and fulnesse by them The Word and Sacraments they lose their powerfull efficacy their reuerend respect their due esteeme their spotlesse puritie their fruitfulnesse and their frequent resort The Ministers they lose their prayers their preaching their exhortations and reproofes their reuerend respect and loue their rewards incouragements and resort together with the ioy and fruite of all their Labours The Saints of God they lose their kinred their friends their companions their ioyes their hopes their prayers their admonitions their good names yea the glory of their Christian profession and the praise and innocency of their holy conuersation which are oft times vilified traduced and derided on the Stage The Common-wealth is put to preiudice by the generall corruption of mens mindes and manners the abundance of Idlâ—nesse Prodigalitie Riot Pride effeminacy Treachery Cruelty Whoredome Adultery Wickednesse and Prophanenesse which these Playes produce The poore are spoiled of that almes that succour and reliefe which should refresh their bowâ—ls and make glad their hearts The miserable Spectatours and Frequenters of these Infernall pleasures they sometimesâ— and if all this be not enough their very soules and bodies too without repentance too deere a price God-wot for such momentany shadowes and delights of sinne of which wee must of necessitie repent or bee ashamed vnlesse wee will be damned As for the profâ—ssed Actors
true Christian Zeale I will neuer giue ouer preaching vntill I haue dissipated and rent a sunder that diuelish Theater that so the assembly of the Church may bee made pure and cleane freed from its present filthinesse and enioy eternall Life hereafter by the Grace and Mercy of Iesus Christ their Lord a memorable and Christian resolution That holy man of God and professed enemie of Stage-Playes Saluian Bishop of Marcelles is very Elegant and Copious in this Theame In Stage-Playes writes hee there is a certaine Apostasie from the Faith and a deadly preuarication both from the Symboles of it and the heauenly Sacraments For what is the first confession of Christians in their wholesome Baptisme what else bâ—t that they protest they doe renounce the Deuill his Pompes his Spectacles and his workes Therefore Playes and Pompes according to our profession are the workes of the Deuill How then Oh Christian doest thou follow Stage-Playes after Baptisme which thou confessest to be the worke of the Deuill Thou hast once renounced the Deuill and his Spectacles and by this thou must needes know that thou doest returne to the Deuill when thou doest wittingly and knowingly returne to Stage-Playes for thou hast renounced both of them together and thou hast professed both of them to bee one If then thou reuert to one thou hast returned vnto both for thou sayest I renounce the Deuill his Pompes his Spectacles and hiâ— Workes And what followes I beleeue sayest thou in God the Father Almighty and in Iesus Christ his Sonne Therefore the Deuill is first renounced that God may be beleeued in because he who doeth not renounce the Deuill doeth not beleeue in God and therefore hee who returnes to the Deuill forsaketh God Now the Deuill is in his Playes and Pompes yea the Play-house the Temple of all Deuills as Tertullian obserues is alwayes full of Deuills and by these meanes when we returne to Stage-Playes wee râ—linquish the Faith of Christ and returne to the Deuill By this meanes then all the Sacraments of the Creed are abrogated and all that which followes in the Creed is demolished If then the crime of Stage-Playes seemes but small to any man let him reflect on all this which we haue said and hee may see that there is no pleasure in Stage-Playes but death All which if our Actors Play-Poets and Stage-haunters would but a whiles consider it would make them for euer to abominate and renounce all Stage-Playes as they ought to doe because they were consecrated to the Deuill as his chiefest Pompes You see now by all these concurrent Testimonies of the Fathers that Stage-Playes are those very Workes those Pompes and Vanities of the Deuill which euery Christian hath solemnely renounced and seriously vowed against in his Baptisme in the very presence of God himselfe and all his Angels That they are likewise those Pompes and Vanities of this wicked World which they haue then and there renounced the former reasons together with the expresse and punctuall suffrages of Saint Hilary Saint Ambrose Saint Chrysostome and Saint Augustine in their Comments and Expositions on the 118 alias the 119. Psalme verse 37. Turne away mine eyes from beholding vanitie to whom I might adde Saint Cyprian Lactantius Cyril of Hierusalem Clemens Alexandrinus Saint Bernard Macarius AEgyptius Saint Basil Nazianzen and Saluian omitting all those Moderne writers which are copious in this Theame doe abundantly testifie and indeed what are what should bee the Workes and Pompes of Satan the Spectacles Pleasures Pompes and Vanities of this wicked World which we renounce in Baptisme if Stage-Playes are exempted from that order If then this my Assumption be yeelded to me as of necessitie it must for who can or dares controle it against such punctuall and pregnant euidences my Sequell and Conclusion must bee granted without any more dispute For what man who dares to stile himselfe a Christian can bee so Diabolically absurd so Audaciously impious or Desperately prophane as to denie that to be abominable pernicious vndecent and vnlawfull vnto Christians which they haue all renounced and abominated in their Baptisme Doubtlesse if there be any odious hurtfull vnseemely or illegitimate thing in all the world if there bee any euills any vanities or delights of sinne that Christians must refraine then certainely those which they haue vowed sworne and solemnely protested against in the very house and presence of God himselfe and that in the audience both of men and Angels those whom they haue euerlastingly abiured in that initâ—atory Sacrament of Baptisme which giues them their primarie admission into the visible Church of Christ must needes bee they no Man no Christian no Deuill can gaine-say it Since then I haue prooued by irrefragable Testimonies that Stage-Playes are those very workes and Pompes of the Deuill those very Pompes and Vanities of this wicked world which euery Christian hath solemnely disclaimed and seriously renounced in his Baptisme who can who dares stand out to iustifie them who can who dares denie them to bee abominable incompatible and vtterly vnlawfull vnto Christians God forbid that any who haue beene dipped in the Sacred lauer of Regeneration any who haue beene bathed and purified in the Soule-cleansing and Sinne-purging blood of the Lord Iesus Christ any who haue pledged their Faith and Troth to God in Baptisme any who haue beene Baptized with the name of Christians any who haue either by themselues or others renounced the Deuill withall his Pompes and Workes together with all the Pompes and Vanities of this wicked World from which Christ Iesus hath Redeemed them should prooue such desperate incarnate Deuills such moâ—sters of Impietie such Atheisticall Prodigious and infernall Miscreants such treacherous Iudasses to their Lord and Master such periured and professed Rebells to their God such blemishes and cut-throates to their Religion such Apostates and vnderminers to their Faith and Baptisme such vnnaturall and deplored Enemies to their owne Saluation or such will-full bloody Murtherers to their owne Soules as to approoue to iustifie to practise or frequent these Stage-Playes which they haue thus abiured or to deeme them tollerable or lawfull vnto CHRISTIANS Alas what haue Christians any more to doe with Idoles what will the Deuill what with the Pompes and workes of Satan what with the shewes the pleasures and vanities of this wicked world yea what with Stage-Playes which they haue abiured Is there any late or new agreement signed betweene Christ and Belial betweene Righteousnesse and Vnrighteousnesse Beleeuers and Infidels Is there any peace or contract newly made betweene God and Satan betweene Christians and the Deuill betweene Heauen and Hell betweene the Citizens of the new Hierusalem and this present euill World which are euerlasting enemies vncapable of any truce or mixture Or hath God dispensed with our vow in Baptisme or haue we lately renounced our couenant with our God and sworne
alleageance to the World the Flesh and the Deuill or else beene Rebaptized in their names If so then let vs flocke and runne to Stage-Playes and take of them our fill I will not interrupt or keepe backe any But if the Deuill the World and God be as farre at varâ—ance now as 〈◊〉 is Righteousnesse and Vnrighteousnesse Christ and Belial Beleeuers and Infidels the Temple of God and the Temple of Idoles yea the World the Flesh the Deuill and Christians bee yet at irreconcilable and euerlasting enmitie as they are If the ancient contract betweene God and vs in Baptisme confirmed and ratified in the precious blood of our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ stand good and there bee no new league nor couenant betweene the World the Deuill Hell and vs how can how may wee then approoue of Stage-Playes how can wee tolerate act admire or frequent them as alas we doe What shall we renounce the Deuill and all his Workes shall wee abiure the Pompes and Vanities of this wicked World which serue onely to feed the sinfull lusts of the flesh and yet shall wee Pleade for them with our Tongues Cherish them with our Purses Runne to them with our Feete Applaud them with our Hands Magnifie them in our Iudgements Harbour them in our Houses yea Lodge them in our Hearts Alas poore sinfull wretches who are thus grosely Deluded thus miserably Periured How how shall we answere how excuse or iustifie this our notorious and will-full Periury to our great Creatour how shall how can we looke our God our Iudge our Sauiour or any of the blessed Saints and Angells in the face where can we appeare how can wee stand in Iudgement what shall we doe or which way shall we turne our selues when God himselfe shall challeng vs when Christ Iesus shall arraigne vs and hee together withall his holy Saints and Angells condemne vs in that great and terrible day of Iudgement for breach of this our vow O let vs now at last remember that there is an Audit a day of Iudgement comming wherein we must all appeare before the great Tribunall of the 〈◊〉 Iesus Christ 〈…〉 all the breaches of this our solemne couenant and what will then become of vs if wee thus treacherously infringe it now in frequenting Stage-Playes Excuse our selues we cannot Perish perish we must and that eternally without recouery without all pittie For is it not equall that such who readily serue the Deuill in practising all his workes and resorting to his Pompes which they haue couenanted to abiure should participate of his wages and euerlasting torments that such who follow the Pleasures Pompes and Vanities of this wicked world should likewise be condemned with the world and be partakers of its punishments who can Commiserate or Pittie such a one or deeme him worthy of Saluation who leaues his euer-blessed God to whom hee owes himselfe and all his seruice to serue the Deuill whom hee hath defied or willingly parts with Heauen and Eternall glory by departing from the wayes of Grace which lead men to it to embrace the very vainest vanities and Enterludes of this wretched world which hee hath thus abiured Certainely such a mans Damnation is exceeding iust and his Saluation without repentance desperate And is not this the case of all such persons who resort to Stage-Playes after Baptisme O then good Christian Readers in the name and feare of God and in tender compassion to your owne distressed Soules I beseech yâ—â— I intreate you euen with sobs and teares proceeding from a bleeding and lamenting spirit anxious of nothing but your Eternall good that you would now at last consider seriously what you are and what you haue done You are all Christians in name and it is my desire my prayer that you may bee such in trueth You haue all proclaimed a solemne defiance to the Deuill and all his Workes and openly renounced the seuerall Pompes and Vanities of this wicked World of which Stage-Playes are the chiefe and most assiduous as being the Seruants and Saints of God the Heires of Heauen the Vessels of Holinesse the liuing Temples of the holy Ghost the fellow Citizens of the Saints in Glory and the Inhabitants of a better World then this Oh answere therefore your profession with a correspondent conuersation If you are or would be Christians doe not you hencefoorth liue like Pagans but as you differ from them in your Faith be you likewise distinguished from them by your Workes If you haue renounced the Deuill and all his Workes O liue not any longer to them If you haue abiured the Pompes and Vanities of this wicked World O then returne not to them as Dogges vnto their vomit why should you serue why should you re-embrace how can you tollerate or approoue the things which you haue thus abiured God commands you not to giue place to the Deuill but to resist him stedfastly in the Faith that so hee may flie from youâ— how dare you then to entertaine him in these Enterludes which are his chiefest Pompes and Workes against this Precept and your Vow God commands you not to loue the World nor the things of the World not to conforme your selues to the Course the Fashions Pompes and Vanities of this present euill World which lyes in wickednesse but to keepe your selues vnspotted from it because the friendship of the World is enmitie to God and the friends of this World which is not of God are professed enemies vnto God How can you then admit or harbour Stage-Playes the greatest Pompes and Vanities that this World affords against these Precepts and your Coâ—enant without the danger of Rebellion and the highest Periury Christ Iesus informes you that you cannot serue two contrary Masters as the Deuill or the World and him and therefore you disclaime the one in Baptisme that so you may appropriate your selues and seruice to the other And can you then yoake and serue them all together Can you serue Christ Iesus and the Deuill Christ and the World Christ and Stage-Playes Or can you be so besotted by the Deuill as alas too many are as to thinke to please to honour court and entertaine Christ Iesus to welcome him into the World or celebrate his Natiuitie with infernall Stage-Playes the very Monuments and Insignes with which the Pagans did Gratifie and Court their Deuill-gods vpon their Feastiualls and solemne Birth-dayes as if Christ and the Deuill Christians and Pagans were accorded as if Stage-Playes were the chiefest workes of the Lord Iesus Christ who was borne of purpose to Redeeme vs from them and to destroy out of vs these workes of the Deuill the principall recreations and delights of Christians not the Inuentions Pompes and Solemnities of Satan not the remainders of Idolatrie not the Soule-poysoning pleasures shewes and vanities of this sinfull
of all consecrate Cirque-playes to Consus as to the God of Counsell for the Sabines that were to be ravished But other Stage-playes were procured at the intreatiâ— of the people when as a famine and pestilence had seised upon the Citty and these were afterwards dedicated to Ceres to Bacchus and to other Idols and dead men Thâ—se Grecian combates either in songs in musicall Instruments in voyces or in strength have divers Devils for their Presidents and what ever else there is which either affects the eyes or pleaseth the eares of the beholders if its orignall or instituters be sought after hath either aâ— Idoll a Devill or a dead man for the Father of it Thus the câ—nning Devill bâ—cause he knew that naked Idolatry by it selfe would be aborred hath mixed it with Stage-playes and spectacles that so thorow pleasure it might be beloved What need I prosecute this any further If thou aske a Play-haunter what are the parts of a Christian he knoweth not or else he is so much the more unhappy that he knoweth If I should againe demand of him by what way he came to that spectacle he will confesse through the Brothel-house through the naked bodies of prostituted Harlâ—ts through the common Stewes through publike shame through vulgar lascivioâ—snesse through the commoâ— reproach of all To whom that I may not obiect that which perchance he hath committed yet he hath seene that which was not to be committed and hath led his eyes thoâ—gh lust to the spectacles of Idolatry daring if he had beeâ—e able to carry the Holy Ghost along with him into a Brothel-house who hastning to a Stage-play as soone as he is dismissed the Church and whiles he carrieth the Eucharist about him as he hath wont to doâ— hath brought it among the obscene bodies of Whores deserving more damnation from the pleasure of the spectacle These so vaine so pernicious so sacrilegious Playes and spectacles are to be avoyded of all Christians as we have already oft-times said and both our eyes and eares are to be kept from them c. If then the Scripture prohibites the acting the seeing of Stage-playes as being the invention of the Devill the parts the issues of Idolatry If those who resort to Playes renounce Christ Iesus himselfe as if he were a Devill if they doe as much as in them lies even carry the holy Ghost himselfe and the very Sacrament of Christs Body and Blood into a Play-house and so prophane them in the highest manner as this Father testifies no wonder is it if Playes unqualifie men for holy duties Isiodor Hiâ—palensis and HRabanus Maurus discoursing of Cirques of Theaters of Cirque-playes and Stage-playes write thus of them that uncleane Deities possesse them Therefore O Christian let this be a strange place to thee which many spirits of Satan have taken possession of For the Devill and his Angels have filled it all up For the spectacles of cruelty and the inspection of vanity were not ordained onely by the vices of men but likewise by the commands of Devils Therefore â— Christian ought to have nothing to doe with the madnesse of the Circus with the uncleanesse of the Theater with the cruelty of the Amphitheater with the barbarousnesse of the Arena with the luxury of the Play For he denieth God a terrible sentence worthy all Players all Play-haunters saddest considerations who presumeth to act or see such things being made a Prevaricator of the Christian faith who againe desires that which he hath long since renounced in his baptisme thaâ— is the Devill his pompes and workes And is such a desperate Play-haunter thinke you fit or able to serve to please the Lord or to performe any holy duty to him in a holy manner Olympiodorus in his Enarration upon the 4. of Ecclesiastes Keepe thy feete when as thou entrest into the house of God is pregnant to our purpose Keepe thy fâ—ete c. That is saith he Let us not abuse to evill those very instruments which we use in good as if he should say Doe not I beseech thee goe to Stage-playes and obscene Spectacles with the same feete wherewith thou frequentest the Temple of God Vnderstand that the same likewise is to be done of the other members of the body And truely those who will goe to the Church of God with an undefiled foote ought altogether to with-hold themselves from wicked and prophane places as being contrary unto God Therefore those who frequent Play-houses can never serve God as they ought if this Father may be credited S. Augustine writing against Stage-playes and those Devill-Idols that were both honoured and delighted with them informes us that Christians in his time had utterly abandoned all Stage-playes and that no filthy no wicked thing was propounded to be sâ—ene or imitated where either the precepts of the true God were insinuated or his miracles declared or his gifts praysed or his benefits craved That when Christianity camâ— up the Play-houses almost thorow all Citties fell downe they being the very dens of filthinesse and the publike professions of wicked persons whereupon the Pagans complained that the Christian times were evill times And whence is it writes he that the Play-houses fall downe but through want oâ— those things by whose lascivious and sacrilegious use they are supported Did not their Cicero when as he commended one Roscius a Stage-player say that he was so skilfull that he onely was worthy to come upon the Stage that he was so good a man that he onely was worthy not to come upon it shewing most plainely nothing else but that the Stage is so filthy that by so much the lesse a man ought to be there by how much the more he is a good man and yet their gods were attoned with such dishonestyâ— as he thought ought fit to be removed from good â—en But most punctuall is that in his lib. 4. De Symbolo ad Catechumenos cap. 1. Tom. 9. pars 1. pag. 1427.1428 where he writes thus Thou art deprehended and detected O Christian when as thou doest one thing and proâ—essest another being faithfull in name and shewing the contrary in deed not keeping the faith of thy promise one whiles entring into the Church to poure out prayers and a very little while after comming into a Play-house to cry out dishonestly with Staye-players What hast thou to doe with the pompes of the Devill which thou hast renounced Why doe you halt with both â—oofâ—s If God be God follow him if the world be God follow it If God be chosen let him be served according to his will if the world be chosen to what end is the heart feined as it were fitted for God What â—ast thou to doe with the pompes of the Devill who professest thy selfe a lover of Christ Doe not deceive thy selfe for God hates such persons neither doth he repute those among his professors whom he seeth to be the forsakers of his way
straine of opposition as the premises and two next ensuing Scenes will manifest the primitive Church and Christians therefore did undoubtedly condemne reject them whose judgement remaines upon record to all posterity in the laborious writings of these Fathers and in the Canons of these most famous Councels Thirdly the primitive Church under the Gospell as sundry Councels Fathers and others testifie excommunicated all Stage-players all Play-haunters thrusting them out both from the Church the Sacraments and all Christians society as â—oysome putred contagious unworthy gracelesse persons till they had utterly abjured Stage-playes and solemnly protested to returne unto them no more this therefore is infallible that they rejected Stage-playes Fourthly If any Pagan who was a professed Stage-player or Play-haunter desired to turne Christian he was first to renounce his art of Stage-playing and to abandon all resort to Playes before hee could be baptised or admitted into the Church as the marginall authorities fully evidence This therefore is an unfallible evidence that the primâ—tive Church and Christians abominated Stage-playes Lastly every Christian that was baptized in the primitive Church did solemnly renounce all Stage-playes dancing with such like sports and spectacles as the very workes and pompes of the Divell under which all Stage-playes Spectacles and dancing are included as Clemens Romanus Tertullian Cyrill of Hierusalem St. Augustine Chrysostome Salvian Isiodor Hilpalensis HRabanus Maurus and other Fathers expresly testifie in their forequoted places to which I shall here annexe some other testimonies to make the point more plaine that Stage-playes and dancing are those very pompes of the Divell which Christians in the primitive Church and Wee now as well as they renounce in baptisme however we most perjuriously reassume them against our sacred vowes St. Cyprian in his Booke De Spectaculis is most punctuall to this purpose where thus he writes He impudently exorciseth the Divel in the Church whose pleasures hee commends in Stage-playes and when as by renouncing him once in baptisme all his pompe and furniture is lopped off whiles that after this profession of Christ he goeth to the spectacles of the Divel he renounceth even Christ himselfe as a Divell Which dreadfull sentence together with that of Isiodor Hispalensis formerly quoted That he who after baptisme agreeth either to act or see a Stage-play denieth God and becomes a praevaricator of the Christian faith since hee againe desires that which hee had long since renounced in his baptisme to wit the Divell his Pompes and Workes which is likewise seconded by HRabanus Maurus de Vniverso l. 20. c. 38 me thinkes should shake the very heart and reines of every Play-haunter and make his very soule to weepe even teares of blood Iustinian that godly Christian Emperour Codicis lib. 1. Tit. 4. De Episcopali Audientia Lex 35. expresly informes us That Stage-playes Cirque-playes Dicing and such like Spectacles are not the least part of that worship of those pompes of the Divell which Christians renounce in baptisme when they are first initiated and admitted to the sacred Mysteries whence he prohibits all Christians especially all Clergy men either to act or beholde such Enterlâ—des and Spectacles as these or to pollute their hands their eyes and eares with such damned and prohibited Playes St. Chrysostome as in sundry places before quoted so in his 21. Homely to the people of Antioch and his 69. Homely upon Matthew he stiles stage-playes cirque-playes and dancing the Divels Pompes and Lectures his words in the first of these places are remarkable Remember saith hee this speech which thou hast uttered when as thou wast baptised I renounce thee Satan thy Pompes and thy service say alwayes I renounce thee Satan Nothing will be safer than this speech if wee expresse it by our workes For this speech is a confederation with the Lord. And as we when we buy servants demand of them first whether they will serve us yea or no even so doth Christ when as he ought to receive thy service he first demands of thee whether thou wilt first forsake that mercilesse and cruell tyrant and then he receives thee into covenant for his dominion is not forced And though hee hath redeemed us wretched and ungratefull servants with such a price the greatnesse whereof the reason and minde of man is not able to comprehend even with his owne most precious blood yet after all this he exacts no witnesses nor writings from us but is contended with a word alone and if thou saist from thy heart I renounce thee Satan and thy pompe he hath received all he doth require Let us say this I renounce thee Satan and let us keepe this promise as those who are to give an account of it at the last day that we may then restore the pledge safe Now the Divels pompe are theatres stage-playes cirque-playes costly and gorgeous apparell praesages omens and every sinne To preserve thee therefore from these pompes and every other sinne when thou art going out of thy doore utter this speech first I renounce thee Satan and I am united to thee ô Christ Never goe thou abroad without this speech this will be a staffe this will be armour and an impregnable tower to thee so that neither man nor Divell shall be able to hurt thee when they shall see thee appearing every where furnished with these weapons St. Augustine as in his fore-alledged place so in his second Booke De Symbolo ad Catechumenos cap. 1â— 2. He informes us That stage-playes cirque-playes and such like spectacles are the pompes of the Divell which God hath enjoyned us to renounce Flie stage-playes therefore saith he ô my beloved avoid these most filthy dens of the Divell lest the snares of the wicked one holde you captive Alchuvinus a famous English Divine flourishing about the yeare of our Lord 790. in his Epistle De Caeremonijs Baptismi writing of that renouncing which we make in baptisme wherein we renounce the Divell with all his workesâ— and all his pompes informes us That these pompes of the Divell are vaine boasting loud-sounding Musicke in which Christian vigour is ofttimes remitted and effeminated filthy Stage-playes with all superfluous things Thomas Waldensis a famous Popish English Writer assures us that the pompes of the Divel which we renounce in baptisme before we are united to the fabricke of the Church are unlawfull desires which defile but not adorne the soule as the lusts of the flesh the lusts of the eye with the ambition or ostentation of the world belonging to the lust of the eyes as vaine Stage-playes foolish pride and the pleasures of this evill world To these I might adde Gulielmus Parisiensis Alexander Fabritius the Waldenses Honorius Augustodunensis with sundry other moderne Authours who make Stage-playes dancing and such other spectacles to be the chiefest pompes of the Divell which wee renounce in baptisme but I
execrable soule-condemning fruits of Play-acting the profession therefore of a common Player and the personating of theatricall Enterludes must needs be unlawfull even in this respect And thus much for the second Corolary That the profession of a Stage-player and the acting of Stage-playes is infamous yea sinfull and unlawfull unto Christians ACTVS 3. I Now proceed to the 3. Consectary That it is a sinfull shamefull and unlawfull thing for any Christians to be Spectators frequenters of Playes or Play-houses In which I shall be very compendious because I have so largely manifested it in the first part of this discourse Now the reasons of the unlawfulnesse of beholding Stage-playes are briefely these First because Playes themselves are evill and the appearances the occasions of evill therefore the beholding of them must bee such Secondly because it hath alwayes beene a scandalous infamous and dishonest thing both among Christians and Pagans to resort to Stage-playes and a thing of ill report Thirdly because it is contrary to our Christian vow in baptisme to forsake the Devill and all his workes the pompes and vanities of this wicked world and all the sinfull lusts of the flesh of which Stage-playes are not the meanest Fourthly because it gives ill example to others and maintaines and hardens Stage-players in their ungodly profession which else they would give over were there no Spectators to encourage or reward them Fiftly because it is an apparant occasion of many great sinnes and mischiefes as losse of time prodigality effeminacy whoredome adultery unchaste desires lustfull speculations luxury drunkennesse prophanenesse heathenisme atheisme blaspemy scurrility theft murther duels fantastiquenesse cheating idle discourses wanton gestures and complements vaine fashions hatred of grace of holinesse and all holy men acquaintance with lewde companions the greatest enemies to mens salvation and a world of such like sinnes and mischiefes as I have formerly proved at large Act 6. thorowout Sixtly because it with-drawes mens mindes and thoughts from God and from his service unto vanity and indisposeth them to all holy duties making all Gods holy ordinances ineffectuall to their soules Seveâ—thly because it tends onely to satisfie mens â—leshly lusts which warre against their soâ—les men being carried alwayes to the Play-house by the siâ—full carnall suggestions of the flesh or by the â—ollicitations of lewde companions but never by the Dictate the guidance of Gods holy Spirit or Word by which all Christians must be wholy guided even in all their actions Eightly because all Christians ought to turne away their eyes from beholding vanity Psal. 119.37 a text applyed by the Fathers unto Stage-playes and what greater what worser vanities can men behold then thâ—â—cting of lascivious Enterludes Ninthly because Stage-playes are but Pagan Heathenish pastimes yea the ordinary recreations of Devill-Idols of Idolatrous voluptuous Pagans whose pleasures and sports no Christians ought to practise Lastly because the Primitive Church and Saints of God together with the very best of Christians of Pagans in all places all ages have constantly abandoned the beholding of Stage-playes themselves and condemned it in others the very worst of Pagans onely or men unworthy the name of Christians and few or none but such alone affoording them their presence as the fore-quoted Authorities plentifully evidence Act 4. Scene 1.2 Act 6. Scene 3.4 5. Act 7. Scene 1.2 3 4 5 6 7. Which severall reasons with all the rest that I have formerly produced against Stage-playes in the first part of this Play-condemning Treatise will be a suâ—ficient conviction of the unlawfulnesse of beholding of frequenting Stage-playes as well in private houses as in publike Theaters Which should cause all Christians all Play-haunters to abandon Stage-playes as all the fore-alleaged Fathers Councels and Authors doe advise them and that especially upon Lords-dayes and Holi-dayes on which Stage-playes and dancing are especially prohibited by this pious Decree of Pope Eugenius c. 35. with which I shall cloze up this Act. Ne mulieres festis diebus vanis ludis vacent Sunt quidem maxime mulieres quifestis ac sacris diebus atque sanctorum natalicijs quibus debent Deo vacare non delectantur ad ecclesiam venire sed balando ac verba turpia deâ—antando ac choreas ducendo similitudinem PaganoruÌ„ peragendo advenire procurant Tales enim si cum minoribus veniunt ad ecclesiam cum majoribus peccatis revertuntur In tali enim facto debet unusquisque Sacâ—rdos diligentissime populum admonere ut pro sola oratione his diebus ad ecclesiam recurrant quia ipsi qui talia agunt non solum se perdunt sed etiam alios dâ—perire attendunt Die autem Dominica nihil aliud à gendum est nisi Deo vacandum nulla operatio in die illa honesta comperiatur nisi tantum hymnis psalmis canticis spiritualibus dies illa transeatur Which I would wish all grosse prophaners of this sacred Day now seriously to consider ACTVS 4. SCENA PRIMA HAving thus run over these three Corollaries of the unlawfulnesse of penning acting and beholding Stage-playes I come now to answer such Objections as may bee made against them especially against the unlawfulnesse of acting beholding Stage-playes The arguments or pretences rather for the acting of Stage-playes which I shall first reply to are these First it is lawfull to read a Play therefore to pen to act or see it acted To this I answer first that the obscenity ribaldry amorousnesse heathenishnesse and prophanesse of most Play-bookes Arcadiaes and fained Histories that are now so much in admiration is such that it is not lawfull for any especially for Children Youthes or those of the female â—ex who take most pleasure in them so much as once to read them for feare they should inflame their lusts and draw them on to actuall lewdnesse and prophanesse Hence Origen Hierom and others informe us that in ancient times Children and Youthes among the Iewes were not permitted to read the Booke of Canticles before they came to the age of 30. yeeres for feare they should draw those spirituall love passages to a carnall sence and make them instruments to inflame their lusts Vpon which ground Origen adviseth all carnall persons and those who are prone to lust to forbeare the reading of this heavenly Song of Songs Si enim aliquis accesserit qui secundum carnem tantummodo vir est huic tali non parum ex hac Scriptura discriminis periculique nascetur Audire enim purè castis auribus amoris nomina nescieâ—s ab interiori homine ad exteriorem carnalem virum omnem deflectat auditum à spiritu convertetur ad carnem nutrietque in semetipso concupiscentias carnales â—ccasione divinae Scripturae commoveri incitari videbitur ad libidinem carnis Ob hoc ergo mâ—neo consilium do omni qui nondum carnis
sacrilegium caâ—teraque hujusmodi Solae theatrorum impuritates sunt quae honestâ— non possunt vel accusari ita nova in coarguenda harum turpitudinum probrositate res evenit arguenti ut cum absque dubio honestus sit qui accusare ea velit honestate tamen integra ea loqui et accusare non possit It was this Fathers Preface to his Play-condemning Treatise and it shall be my Apologie To the fourth of these I answer that there are severall passages in this Discourse which prima facie may seeme heterogeneous to the present subject as those concerning Dancing Musicke Apparell Effeminacy Lascivious Songs Laughter Adultery obscene Pictures Bonefires New-yeares gifts Grand Christmasses Health-drinking Long haire Lords-dayes Dicing with sundry Pagan customes here refelled but if you consider them as they are here applied you shall finde them all materially pertinent to the theame in questionâ— they being either the concomitants of Stage-playes or having such neare affinity with them that the unlawfulnesse of the one are necessary mediums to evince the sinfulnesse of the other Besides though they differ in Specie yet they are homogeniall in their genericall nature one of them serving to illustrate the quality the condition of the other It is no impertinentie therefore for me to discourse at large of all or any of these the better to display the odiousnesse of Stage-playes with which they have great analogie to which they have more or lesse relation as the passages themselves sufficiently manifest But admit that some of them are heterogeniall yet it is no absurdity by way of digression to touch on such partiâ—ulars as other Writers oft times doe yea and the Fathers too who have their digressions as well as others in their Commentaries Homilies and morall Treatises where they oft times lash out into collaterall Discourses against Stage-playes Dancing Drunkennesse effeminacy lascivious songs fantastique costly apparell Pagan Customes and those other particulars which I have now discoursed against as their passages hereâ— recited plentifully manifest Their practise therefore may be my excuse And so much the rather because the particulars I have thus lightly glanced upon in the by are universall overspreading still-increasing evills which neede some present opposition especially out of those pregnant venerable Authorities of Councels Fathers and ancient Writers that are almost forgotten in the world whose memory I have here in part revived aâ— farre as opportunity would permit which manifest to all mens judgements that effeminate mixt Dancing Dicing Stage-playes lascivious Pictures wanton Fashions Face-painting Health-drinking Long haire Love-lockes Periwigs womens curling pouldring and cutting of their haire Bone-fires New-yeares-gifts May-games amorous Pastoralls lascivious effeminate Musicke excessive laughter luxuriovs disorderly Christmas-keeping Mummeries with sundry such like vanities which the world now dotes on as laâ—dable good and Christian are meere sinfull wicked unchristian pastimes vanities cultures and disguises which the primitive Church and Christians together with the very best of Pagans quite abandoned condemned however we admire applaud them now to Gods dishonour and religions shame My short Digressions therefore against these new-revived old-condemned spreading evills which most men countenance few can or dare oppose may well be pardoned in this my HISTRIO-MASTIX most of them being either concomitants or fruites of Stage-playes by the present censures of which the Reader shall be sure to reape either fuller satisfaction or greater variety of knowledge than else hee should have met with in this Treatise The third is the repetition of some quotations some passages of Fathers and others which are twice or thrice recited in severall places of this Discourse where the same things are oft debated To which I answer First that though the same things in effect are oft times touched upon especially the idolatrous originall of Stage-playes and that they are the very pompes of the Divell which Christians have renounced in their baptisme yet it is either to different purposes or where they are amplified and confirmed by new-recited Aâ—thorities which as I could not couple all together so I was unwilling to omit for feare of doing prejudice to the cause Secondly though the same Authorities and quâ—tations are oft reiteratâ—d yet it is onely in these two cases where the words and ends for which I cite them are divers or where one sentence one discourse tending to severall purposes is so intire that it could not be sundered into fractions without perverting the sense or blunting the life the edge and vigour of it Thirdly what ever is oft repeated is something or other worth remembring if therefore Seneca speakes truth Nunquam nimis dicitur quod nunquam satis discitur this fault may easily bee excused The Scripture it selfe wee know where there is no superfluity nor defect hath oft times precept upon precept line upon line yea frequent repetions of the selfesame things especially in the Bookes of Moses the Bookes of the Kings and Chronicles the Psalmes of Davidâ— the Proverbs the Prophets the foure Evangelists and St. Pauls Epistles in such cases where men are either dull to learne apt to forget â—â—ow to beleeve or when as the things repeatâ—d are very observable The like repetitions with little variation we shall finde in divers Authors and in most of those who write of the selfesame subject but principally in Commentators aâ—d the Schoolemen wee finde the selfesame matter clothed in a different method or dresse of words there being no new thing uâ—der the Sunne Et nihil dictum quod non dictum prius all being but reiterations of what hath beene written or spoken in former ages This therefore may excuse my short reiâ—erations of the selfesame passages against Stage-playes with which men are so farre inamoured that they neede many oft repeated arguments to divorce their affections from them Having thus farre apologized for this Treatise I shall here by way of advertisement for thy better satisfaction informe thee Christian Reader something concerning the Authorities quoted in it As first that I have cited the very Words of the Fathers themselves for the most part in the margent which I have faithfully englished in the Discourse it selfe and sometimes alledged them in the margent at large when as I have but touched them in the page whence I shall advise thee to reade the margent and the page together Secondly that I have oft times onely quoted the names the Workes of Fathers and other Authors for brevity sake omitting their words which the studious Reader may doe well to peruse at leisure in their workes whose severall passages had I transcribed I should have oft repeated the selfesame things and augmented this Quarto Treatise into many Folio Volumes Thirdly I have faithfully recorded the Books the Chapters Columes and pages of those Authors here alledged together with the Impressions which I follow all which you shall finde expressed Part. 1. Act. 7. Scen. 3 4 5 6. Which Editions if any
this dissolute and vnruly age For first the Scriptures doe positiuely informe vs that Righteousnesseâ— hath no fellowship with Vnrighteousnesse nor Light with Darkenesse that Christ hath no coâ—cord with Belial that he that beleeueth hath no part nor portion with an Infidell that the Temple of God hath no agreement wiâ—h Idâ—les and that we cannot drinke the cup of the Lord and the cup of Deâ—ils nor be partakers of the Lords table and of the table of Deuils If then Christ if Christians and Infidels haue no communion great reason is it that they should not intercommon in these Heathenish Spectacles and delights of sinne Secondly all Christians haue vowed in their Baptisme to forsake the Deuill and all his workes the Pompes and Vanitiâ—s of this wicked world and all the sinfull lustes of the flesh and haue they any reason then to harbour or retaine the Ceremonies of Worldlings or Enterludes of Pagans which they haue thus seriously renounced Thirdly all true and reall Christians are Redeemed by the red and precious blood of Iesus Christ from the ordinances rudiments and customes of the world from their vaine conuersation receiued by tradition from their Fathers they are purchased from off the earth and from among the sonnes of men they are ransomed and taken out of this World and made mâ—n of another world that so they might haue their whole conuersation with God in Heauen and walke on in all holy conuersation and godlinesse seruing God in holinesse and true Righteousnesse all the dayes of their liues Christ Iesus himselfe hath bought them at the dearest rate for this very end that they should no longer liue to the world or to the will and lusts of men but vnto him alone that they should cast off the workes of Darkenesse and put on the armor of Light that they should not hencefoorth walke as other Gentiles in the vanitie of their mindes following the desires of the flesh and of the minde giuing themselues ouer to Lasciuiousnesse and vncleannesse that the time past of their liues might suffice them to haue wrought the will of the Gentiles when as they walked in Lasciuiousnesse Lusts Reuellings Banquetings and abominable idolatries that they should now denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and walke soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for the blessed comming and appearance of their Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ that they should not hencefoorth walke according to the course of this world according to the power of the Prince of the ayre which now worketh in the children of disobedience but that they should be pure and vndefiled before God keeping themselues vnspotted from the World Since therefore Ieâ—us Christ haâ—h thus Redeemed all Christians from the World and all iâ—s Pagan customes pleasures ceremonies and delights of sinne that so they might be holy and blamelesse before him in loue and become a peculiar people to him Zealous of good workes great reason is there that they should abominate all Pagan practises Enterludes and Ceremonies as vnlawfull and misbeseeming Christians else they should but euacuate and make voyde vnto themselues the death of Christ yea trample vnder feete his precious blood and put him vnto open shame And would any Christian be so ingratefull so dispitefull to his blessed Sauiour whose bleeding wounds doe preach Saluation to his fiercest enemies as thus to wrong and shame him Fourthly mans nature is exceeding prone to Paganisme and Heathenish superstition as is euident not onely by the frequent Apostasies of the Israelites to grosse Idolatrie recorded in the Scriptures but likewise by that generall deluge of Heathenisme Mahometisme and hideous Idolatrie which now and alwayes heretofore hath ouerspred the greatest part of all the world God therefore out of his Fatherly care and compassiâ—n â—o his Children to anticipate all occasions which might withdraw them from him to Idolatrie doeth oft times prohibit them to imitate the Fashions Customes Vanities Habites Rites or Ceremonies of Infidels and Heathen Gentiles for feare lest one thing should draw on another by degrees till they were quite Apâ—statized to Idolatrie and seduced from the Faith Whereupon Saint Augustine exhâ—rts all Christians to prohibit the vse of all diabolicall Enterludes Vacillations and songs of the Gentiles and that no Christian should exercise any of these because by this he is made a Pagan Since therefore the imitation of Pagan customes pleasures and delights are but so many ingredients and allectiues to Paganisme and grosse Idolatrie and since they alienate or at least in some degree disioyne our affections from God and heauenly things there is ground and cause enough that Christians should reiect them as sinfull and pernicious So that vpon all these authorities and reasons the force of which no pious heart is euer able to withstand I may safely conclude this second Scaene with this short Corollary That Stage-Playes are sinfull vnseemely pernicious and vnlawfull at least wise vnto Christians because they were the inuentions ceremonies and pastimes of Idolatrous Infidels and the most Licentious Heathens who were no other but the Deuils Purueyers whom Christians must not imitate ACTVS SECVNDVS SEcondly as Stage-Playes are thus sinfull vnseemely pernicious and vnlawfull vnto Christians in regard of their originall and primitiue Inuentors so likewise are they such in respect of those Idolatrous vnwarrantable and Vnchristian ends to which they were destinated and designed at the first The chiefe and primarie end of inuenting instituting or personating Stage-Playes was the superstitious worship or at least wise the pacification or attonement of Iupiter Bacchus Neptune the Muses Flora Apollo Diana Venus Victoria or some such Deuill-gods or Goddesses which the Idolatrous Pagans did adore to whose honour names and memories these Playes which were alwayes Acted and celebrated heretofore as the insuing Authours testifie on those Festiuall and Solemne dayes which were dedicated to the speciall seruice and commemoration of these Idoles were at first deuoted That Stage-Playes yea and Theaters or Play-houses too were primarily inuented for the honour and Dedicated to the seruice or at least-wise oft times Celebrated in times of Pestilence to appease the anger of these Idole-Gods whose Images and Pictures were carried about and represented in them wee haue the expresse authorities not onely of Plutarch in the life Oâ— Romulus and Romanae Quaest. Quaest. 107. of Dionysius Hallicarnasseus Antiq. Roman lib. 2. cap. 3.5 lib. 7. cap. 9. Of Valerius Maximus lib. 2. cap. 4. Of Thucidides Hist. lib. 3. Of Liuie Rom. Hist. lib. 2. Sect. 36. l. 1. Sect. 9.20 l. 7. Sect. 2.3 l. 26. Sect. 23. lib. 5. Sect. 1. lib. 42. Sect. 20. Of Demosthenes Orat. aduersus Midiâ—m Of Horace De Arte Poetica lib. Of Athenaeus Dipnos lib. 2. cap. 1. Diodorus Siculus Histor. lib. 17. Sect. 16. with sundry other Pagan Authors but likewise of Tatianus Oratio aduersus
of the Earth and quite exiled from the Tongues and Pennes of Christians as being the originall authors and chiefe Fomentors of Idolatrie the propagators of all sinne and villany and the very Corriualls of God himselfe whose Soueraigne Deitiâ— they would yea did vsurpe the reuiuall therefore of their Names and Memories the Varnishing of them with fresh and liuely Colours in our Stage-Playes with affectation and delight must needes bee euill because it thwartes the Lords good pleasure Sixtly because those Playes and Poemes which are fraught with the Genealogies Names and Histories of Heathen Gods are a meanes to reuiue that Heathenisme and propagate that Idolatrie which the light and power of the Gospel hath long since abolished It is the vnanimous resolution of sundrie Fathers that these Comicall Tragicall and Theatricall Poemes wherein the Genealogies Marriages Birthes Ceremonies Histories and Lasciuious actions of Heathen Gods were but fâ—inedly and sportingly desciphered were the chiefe and primary cause of that Paganisme Prophanenesse and Execrable or Atheisticall Idolatrie which did formerly ouerspred the World which Poemes the Gentiles disâ— oft times embrace for good Diuintie If then these Playes and Poemes haue hatched haue propagated Idolatrie and Paganisme heretofore they may likewise resuscitate and foment it now vnlesse Gods grace withhold vs from it since wee are all by nature prone vnto it as the sundrie exhortations and cauâ—ats to auoyde it testifie No sinne more naturall more pleasing and agreeable to man then this no sinne so generally practised so hardly auoyded so ensely entertâ—ined as this one alone which hath alwayes captiuated the greatest portion of the World and oft times conquered and bewitched the very chosen people of the Lord himselfe who oft reuolted to its loue and seruice It is dangerous it is sinfull therefore to applaude such Playes admit such Poemes which may withdraw vs Christians from our God to grosse Idolatrie as they haue oft seduced others as able as resolute to withstand this insinuating and bewitching sinne as wee these Authoritiesâ— these Reasons then should cause yea force vs to condemne them Secondly the Scriptures doe expressely condemne all Imprecations all Adiurations all Admirations by all Inuocations of all Heathen Gods God himselfe commands vs to sweare by his owne Name not by the names of Idoles Baâ—l or Malcham or any creature whatsoeuer He enioynes vs to Inuocate Imprecate and Admire none but himselfe alone not Pagan Idoles not Saints or Angels who can neither heare nor helpâ— vs at our needes How then can it bee lawfull to Inuocate or Implore the alde or helpe of Ioue of Iuno Apollo Minerua Neptune Bacchus or such like Heathen Idoles How can we Sweare by Ioue by Mars by Venus by Hercules by the Celestiall Gods or such like Pagan Oathes How can we exclaime as oft we doe in Stage-Playes O Ioue O Muses O Cupid O Venus O Neptune O ye Gods O Vulcan Hercules Mars Apollo Minerua Castor Pollux Lucina and the like without a great offence Certainely if these infernall Deities may not be named much lesse may they bee Inuocated Imprecated or Sworne by among Christians their very names are odious and worthy highest indignation how then can we approoue their Oathes and â—mprecations their Praises and Applauses which our God condemnes How Execrable and Vile these names haue beene to Christians in the Primitiue times the former Section can informe you and shall not then their Oathes and Inuocations bee much more detestable and loathsome vnto vs The sixt Councell of Constantinople Canon 94. subiects all such to the penaltie of Excommunication who should sweare the Oathes of the Gentiles and shall wee then approoue them in our Enterludes as Elegant and comely Ornaments Certainely wee cannot doe it without the perill of Idolatrie or affronting God vnto his face For first these Heathenish Oathes and Imprecations or Inuocations of Pagan Gods doe giue a kinde of tacite yea attribute a manifest Diuinitie to these Idoles since nothing is â—o bee Inuocated or Sworne by either in sport or earnest but God alone Now to attribute a Deitie to these Pagan Gods whose Villanie did manifest them to bee worse then men is grosse Idolatrie Certainely if the reading of a Lecture of some Heathen God If the stiling of an Idole by the name of God without this additionâ— Heathen Idole or Dung-hill God if the receite of a blessing from a Pagans mouth which in trueth is rather a cursing then a blessing in the name of an Idole without reiecting or disapproouing it bee flat Idolatrie as â—ertullian with others hath affirmed because it giues an approbation to these Idoles and ascribes a couert Diuinitie to them then much more must the Admirations the Inuocations the Imprecations and Exclamations in these Idoles names which are frequent in our Stage-Playes be palpable and grosse Idolatrie which is the highest sinne and iussells God out of his Throne Secondly these Oathes and Imprecations as they are exceeding Heathenish and Prophane vnbeseeming Christian mouthes or eares as they are Ridiculous Vaine and Foolish and so within the verge of vaine and foolish words which God condemnes and will at last seuerely Iudge so they are a direct breach of the third Commandement thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine in that they attribute the Name and Prerogatiue of GOD to Idoles which are the greatest vanities of the World yea Vanitie it selfe and a manifest violation of these peremptory Iniunctions Sweare not at all and aboue all things my Brethren Sweare not no not by the Name of God vnlesse wee are lawfully called to it much lesse by the names of Pagan Deuill-Idoles which is the worst the vainest and prophanest Oath therefore they must needes be odious and abominable yea displeasing vnto God and dangerous vnto vs. Thirdly these Oathes these Inuocations and Imprecations as they renew those Heathenish and Infernall Deities whose memories should for euer rot so they doe likewise ingender Heathenisme and Prophanenâ—sse in mens liues and speeches they alienate mens Hearts and Thoughts from God and heauenly things they tip their Tongues with Vanitie and Prophanenesse which should flow with Grace and Holinesse they stampe their liues and actions with dissolutenesse and gracelesnesse they cause them to liue without God in this World and to admire and relish Heathen Deities and Discourses more then God or his Soule-sauing Word how may how dare wee then approoue them how can wee but condemne them Yet loe the Impious and strange Prophanenâ—sse yea the Impudent and sottish Idolatrie of our sinfull Age which not onely tolerates and applaudes but likewise iustifies and defends the naming and inuocating of the Swearing and Exclaiming by these Hellish Heathenish Deuill-Idoles in despight of Gods Command with these two Wittie or rather Impudent pretences and
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
the wives daughters and servants of their neighbours Againe a man may prove how great an evill dancing is by the multitude of sinnes that accompany those that danceâ— for they dance without measure or number And therefore faith S. Augustine the miserable Dancer knowes not that as many paces as hee makes in dancing so many leapes he makes to Hell They sinne in their orâ—aments after a five-fold manner First in being proud thereof Secondly by iâ—flaming the hearts of those who behold them Thirdly when they make those ashamed thaâ— have not the like ornaments giving them occasion to covâ—â— the like Fourthly by making women importunate in demanding the like ornaments of their Husbands And fiftly whâ—â— they cannot obtaine them of their Husbands they seeke to get them elsewhere by sinne They sinne by singing and playing oâ— instruments for their songs bewitch the hearts of those that heare them with temporall delight forgetting God uttering nothing in their songs but lyeâ— and vanities And the very motion of the body which is used in dancing gâ—ves testimony eâ—ough of evill Thus you see that dancing is the Devils procession and he that entreth into a dance entreth into the Devils possession Of dancing the Devill is the guide the middle the end and he that entreth a good and wise man into the dance commeth forth a corrupt and wicked man Sarah that holy woman was none of these Thus farre the Waldenses and Albigenses whose words I would the dancing wanton that I say not whorish Herodiasses the effeminate sinqua-pace Caranto-frisquing Gallants of our age together with our rustique hobling Satyrs Nymphes and dancing Fairies who spend their strength their time especially the Easter Whitson Midsommer and Christmas season in lewde lascivious dancing would now seriously consider And this would teach them not onely to abandon all such dancing themselves but likewise to withdraw their children especially their daughters from the Dancing-schoole as S. Ambrose long since advised all holy women all godly Parents for to doe admonishing them to teach their daughters religion not dancing as now alas too many doe that so they might keepâ— them chaste and honest leaving lust-provoking dancing unto Adulteresses and their Daughters onely as well beseeming none but such in whose roundes the Devill for the most part leades continues ends the Dance as the Waldenses and fore-quoted Fathers largely write Thirdly they condemne all dancing as being not onely a common recreation of lascivious drunken Pagans Idolaters in their Festivals and times of publike mirth as Ovid Horace Iuvenall Virgâ—ll Catullus Tibullos Propertius Homer Odysseae lib. 1. pag. 8. lib. 8. p. 214. Iliados l. 18. p. 694.700 Dionys. Hâ—lliâ—ar Antiqu. Rom. l. 7. sect 9. others cited by Bulingerus De Theatro l. 1. c. 52. together with Heâ—iodi Ascraei Scutum pag. 62.64 Arnobius adversus Gentes lib. 2. pag. 75. l. 4. p. 147 Chrysostome Hom. 6.49 74. in Matth. Concilium Arelatense 3. Surius Tom. 1. p 727. Concil Aphricanum Canon 27. Concil Constantinop 6. Can. 62.65 Isiodor Hisp. Originum l. 18. c. 50. Polydor Virgil. De Inventoribus rerum l. 5. c. 2. Agrippa De Vanitate Scientiarum c. 18. and infinite others testifie but likewise a part of that solemne worship wherewith they courted and honored their Devill-Idols whose Festivals and Solemnities were for the most part spent in Playes and Dancing as our Christian Holy-dayes oâ—t-times are Witnesse Exod. 32.6.19 1 Sam. 30.16 Iob 21.11 Isay 13.21 Mat. 14.6 Mar. 6.22 Concil Aphricanum Can. 27. Concil Arelatense 3. Surius Tom. 1. p. 727. Concil Constant. 6. Can. 62. 65. Augustine De Civit. Dei lib. 2. c. 20. Theophylact. Enarrat in Marc. 6. Christianus Grammaticus Expositio in Matth. c. 35. Bibl. Patr. Tom. 9. pars 1. pag. 901. F.G.H. Sebastianus Brant in his Navis Stutifera Calvin and Marlorat in 1 Cor. 10. v. 7. together with Horace Iuvenal Ovid Vergil Catullus Tibullus Propertius Bulinger Arnobius Chrysostome Polydor Virgil Agrippa with others in their forâ—-named places and Polybius Historiae l. 4. p. 340. Homer Odysseae l. 8. p. 214. who all testifie as much Witnesse their Corybantes Curetes Salij and such like dancing Priests who on the solemne festivall dayes of Cybele Bacchus Mars and other Pagan-deities danced about the streets and Markâ—t place with Cymbales in their hands in nature of our Morricâ—-dances which were derived from them thâ— whole multitude accompanying them in these their dancing Morrices with which they honoured these their Devill-Idols Yea witnesse the common practise of most Idolatrous Pagans who never honoured saluted or offred any publike sacrifice to their Idols but with musicke songs and dances dancing about their Temples and Altars to their honour as Virgil Ovid Plato Strabo Zenophon Horace Iuvenal Catullus â—â—bullus Aristotle Athâ—naeus Alexander ab Alexandro Genialium Dierum l. 4. c. 13. Caelius Rhodiginus Antiqu Lectionum l. 5. c. 3. Agrippa De Vanitate Scientiarum cap. 18. Purchas Pilgr Booke 5. chap. 1. Bulingerus De Theatro lib. 1. cap. 52. Euripidis Bacchae thorowout and sundry others testifie from which practice our dancing at Wakes a name an abuseâ— derived from the ancient Vigils or Church-aâ—es and our late crouching and ducking unto new-erected Altars a Ceremony much in use with Idolatrous Pagans heretoforâ— have beene originally derived Since therefore its evident by all these testimonies that dancing had its oâ—iginall from â—dolatry and Idolatrous drunken Pagans who consecrated dances to their Idols and went dancing to their Temples their Altars when they sacrificed to them in their solemne Festivalsâ— and dayes of mirth they hence conclude them to be unlawfull unto Christians who must not imitate them in their Idolatrous Pagan customes as I have here largely proved in the first and second Act on which you may reflect Fourthly dancing write they yea even in Queenes themselves and the very greatest persons who are commonly most devoted to it hath beene alwayes scandalous and of ill report among the Saints of God as the fore-going Councels Fathers and Authors plentifully evidence who have condemned dancing as a pompe a vanity of this wicked world an invention yea a worke of Satan which Christian have renounced in their baptismes a recreation more fit foâ—â—agans Whores and Drunkards then for Christians therefore a Christian who is onely to follow things of good report and to provide things honest in the sight of all men not giving any offence or scandall to Gods Church or people may not practise it Fifâ—ly dancing say they is not onely an effeminate recreation enâ—eebling the mindes yea depraving the lives and maners of men a suâ—ficient argument of its unlawfulnesse but it likewise irritates and ingenders noysome lusts it occasions much dalliance chambering wantonnesse whoredome and adultery boâ—h in the Dancers and Spectators This
as so many Panders Bellowes and Firebrands to their vile luscivious desires But passing by all these with a briefe quotation of their names and workes to which you may resort as being too tedious to recite at large I shall onely relate unto you what 4. other Authors of our owne have written concerning the lewde effects of Stage-playes The first of them is reverend Bishop Babington who writes thus of Playes These prophane and wanton Stage-playes or Enterludes what an occasion they are of adultery and uncleanesse by gesture by speech by convayances by devices to attaine to so ungodly desires the world knoweth by too much hurt by long experience Vanities they are if we make the best of them and the Prophet prayeth to have his eyes turned away by the Lord from beholding such matter Evill words corrupt good manners they have abundance There is in them ever many dangerous â—ights and we must abstaine from all appearance of evill They corrupt the eyes with alluring gestures the eyes the heart and the heart the body till all be horrible before the Lord. Histrionicis Gestibus inquinantur omnia saith Chrysostome These Players behaviour polluteth all things And of their Playes he saith they are the feasts of Satan the inventions of the Devill c. Councels have decreed very sharpely against them and polluted bodies by these filthy occasions have on their death-beds confessed the danger of them lamented their owne foule and grievous faults and left their warning for ever with us to beware of them But I referre you to them that upon good knowledge of the abominations of them have written largely and well against them If they be dangerous in the day time more dangerous are they in the night certainely if on a Stage and in open Courts much more in Chambers and private houses For there are many roomes besides that where the Play is and peradventure the strangenesse of the place and lacke of light to guide them causeth error in their way more then good Christians should in their houses suffer Thus this right godly Prelate of our Church who makes Stage-playes a breach of the 7. Commandement because they are the frequent occasions both of contemplative and actuall fornication and the inducements to it The second is one Master Stephen Gosson once a professed Play-poet yea a great Patron and admirer of Playes and Players as himselfe confesseth till God had called him to repentance and opened his eyes to see their abominablenesse who among other things writeth thus of Stage-playes As I have already discovered the corruption of Playes by the corruption of their causes the Efficient the Matter the Forme the End so will I conclude the effects that this poyson workes among us The Devill is not ignorant how mightily these outward Spectacles effeminate and soften the hearts of men vice is learned with beholding sinne is tickled desire pricked and those impressions of minde are secretly conveyed over to the gazers which the Players counterfeit on the Stage As long as we know our selves to be flesh beholding those examples in Theaters that are incident to flesh we are taught by other mens examples how to fall And they that come honest to a Plâ—y may â—â—part infected Lactantius doubâ—eth whether any corruption can be greater thâ—n that which is daily bred by Playes because thâ— exprâ—ssiâ—g of vice by imiâ—atien brings us by â—he shadow to the substance of the same Whereupon he affirmeth tâ—â—m necessary to be banished lesâ— wickednesse be learned or with the custome of pleasure by little and little we forget God What force thâ—re â—s in the gestures of Players may be gathered by the tale of Bacchus and Ariadne which Xenophon reporteth to be â—layed at a banquet by a Syracusian his Boy and his dancing Truâ—â— In came the Syracusian not unlike to the Prologue oâ— our Playes discoursing the argument of the fable then â—ntred Ariadnâ— gorgeously attired like a bride and sate in the prâ—sence of them all after came Bacchus dancing to the Pipe Ariadne pâ—rceiving him though she neither rose to meetâ— him nor stirred from the place to welcome him yet she shewed by her gesture that she sate upon thâ—râ—es When Bacchus beheld her expressing in his dance the passions of love he placed himsâ—lfe somewhat neere to her and embraced her she with an amorous kinde of feare and strangenesse as though she would thrâ—st him away with the little finger and pull him againe with boâ—h â—â—r hands somewhat tâ—â—â—rously and doubtfully entertained him At this the beholders began to shout when Bacchus rose up tenderlâ— liâ—ting Ariadne from her seate no small store of curtesie passing betweene them the beholders rose up every man stood on tiptoe and seemed to hâ—ver over the prey when they sware the company sware when they departed to bed the company presently was set on fire they that were married posted home to their wives those that were single vowed solemnly to be wedded A very notable History for our present purpose especially as Xenophon hath related it As the stinge of Phalangion spredeth her poyson thorow every vaine when no hurt is seene so amorous gesture stickes to the heart when no â—kin is raced Therefore Cupid is painted wiâ—h Bow and Arrowes because it is the property of lust to wound aloâ—ffe which being well weighed Saint Cyprian had very good cause to complaine that Players are spots to our manners nourishers of vice and corrupters of all things by their gestures The godly Father knowing the practice of Playing to be so evill and the inconveniences so monstrous that grew thereby thinkes the Maiesty o God to be stained the honor of his Church defaced when Players are admitted to the Table of the Lord. Neâ—ther was this the opinion of Saint Cyprian alone but of the whole assembly of godly Fathers in the Councell held under Constantius the Emperour Great then is the hardnesse of our hearts when neither Fathers nor Councelsâ— nor God himselfe strikes us with any shame of that which every good man is ashamed to remember Mine eyes throughly beheld the manner of Theaters when I wrote Playes my selfe and found them to be THE VERY MARKETS OF BAVVDERY where choyce without shame hath beene as free as it is for your money in the Royall Exchange to take a short stocke or a long a faling Band or a French Ruffe The first building of Theaters was to ravish the Sabines and that they were continued in whoredome ever after Ovid conâ—esseth in these words Scilicet ex islo solennia more Theatra Nunc quoque formoâ—is insidiosa manent As at the first so now Theaters are snares to faire women And as I â—old you long agoe in my Schoole of abuses our Theaters and Play-houses in London are as full of sâ—cret adultery as they were in Rome In Rome it was the fashion of wanton yong men to place
Spectacles â—re apt to poyson to contaminate the eyes the soules the lâ—veâ— the manners of the Spectatorâ— as they are what Shewes what Spectacles so lewde so obscene as those that are daily represented on the Stage If any if every of these will severally corrupt men in company in places where there is little danger as too oft they doe much more will they deprave men when they are all combined as they are in Stage-playes where all the severall scattered corruptions that usually adulterate mens mindes and manners of themselves alone unite their forces their contagioâ—s into one But what need I presse any further reasons to prove this cursed effect of Stage-playes when as our own visible experience abundantly confirmes it For alas whence is all that prodigious desperate dissolutenesse prophanesse wickednesse drunkennesse impudence lewdnesse and disorderâ— that grosse uncleanesse that exorbitant obliquity that stupendious degeneracy in life apparel speech gesture haire complements and the intire man Whence all those severall armies of corruptions of vices which infect our Nation Whence all those severall beastly diabolicall audacious crying daring sinnes of our femalized gotish males or mannish females who out-stare the very Lawes of God of Man of Nature and send up daily challenges for vengeance to the God of Heaven Whence all those common Adulterers Adulteresses Whore-masters Whores Bawdes Panders Ruâ—â—ians Rorers Swearers Duellers Cheaters Fashion-mongers Fantastiques Libertines Scoffers haters of God of grace of holinesse Despisers and slanderers of all religious men the Enemies of all modesty and common civility with such other lawlesse godlesse persons who now swarme so thicke of late in the streets of our Metropolis professing themselves openly to be the very first-borne of Satan the very factors and heires apparant of Hell in that they proclaime their sinne as Sodom in the open view of all men without the smallest blush and glory in those infernall filthy practises which should even melt their soules with sorrow and confound their Faces with the deepest shame Are not they all originall from Playes From Play-houses have they not all their birth their growth their aliment their complement their intention their support from these Are not these the Nurseries the Fountaines whence they spring the food by which they live they grow and multiply the meanes by which they roote and spred themselves Certainely he is starke blinde that cannot he most perversly wilfull that will not see it so apparant is it to the eyes the consciences of all men who priâ— into the cauâ—es of these grosse disoâ—ders Since therefore the dangerous leprosie the pâ—stiferous contagioâ— of mind-corrupting manner-depraving Stage-playes is so irrefragably confirmed by reasonâ— by experience by all the fore-quoted Auâ—horiâ—iâ—s both Pagan and Christianâ— forraigne and domestique I may safely I may confidently conclude on all the premisâ—s and I hope ere long to see our Gracious Soveraigne or Church our State our Pâ—rliament our Counsell yea all our Magistratesâ— Ministers People even really concurring with me in this right Christian Assertion That Stage-playes deprave the mindes adulterate the manners both of their Actors and Spectators and that therefore they are altogether unlawfull abominable unto Christians not tolerable in any Christian well-ordered Common-weale Which should cause us all in generall each of us in particular as wee either tender the publike or our owne private welfare for ever to abandon suppresse renounce all Stage-playes Crudelitas ista pâ—etas est This cruelty will be at least our piety if not our safety in these dangerous wicked times that cry for nought but wrath and vengeance which are likely for to come upon us to the uttermost as they did of old upon the Iewes the Greekes and Romanes for our resort to Stage-playes and our other sinnes unlesse our speedy repentance Gods great mercy ward them off SCENA SEXTA THe sixt pestiferous effect of Stage-playes is sloth and idlenesse two dangerous inchanting Syrens From whence this 32. Argument will arise That which is the constant causeâ— the common spring and nursery of much sloth and idlenesseâ— must needs be sinfull and pernitious unto Christians intolerable in any Common-weale See 1. Edward 6 cap. â— 3 Edw. 6. cap. 16.5 Edw. 6. c. 2. and all our Statutes against Râ—gues and Vacabonds accordingly But Stage playes are the constant occasions the common springs and nurseries of much sloth and idlenesse witnesse the present condiâ—ion of our English Youth who flocke to Theaters whom Seneca hath long since discyphered in the Romanes Therefore they must needs be sinfull and pernitious unto Christians intolerable in any Common-weale The Major verily must be granted to me First because sloth and idlenesse are sinnes against the expresse command of God Secondly because they are the very rust and canker of mens miâ—des mens parts mens bodies menâ— soules Thirdly because they are the occasion the fountaine of most other sinnes as adultery whoredome drunkennesse theft voluptuousnesse pride in apparell lasciviousnesse vaine discourse and a world of other sinnes which would never be committed to which the Devill could not tempt men were they imployed in their lawfull callings Fourthly because the very curse and wrath of God togetherwith penury vanity misery and destruction attend these sinnes Fiftly because these sinnes are most dangerous most pernitious preiudiciall and destructive to a State of all others both because they indispose men too and keepe them off from their honest callings from all publike imployments and services for the publike good because they occasion dearth and poverty robbing the Common-wealth of the benefit of mens industry and painefull labourâ— and likewise because they are the Seminaries Nurseries and fewell of all other vices and corruptions that either weaken trouble disorder or subvert a Republike as idlenesse and luxury have subverted many as all Polititians doe affirme who censure and exclude all idle persons as the very Caterpillers Drones and Canker-wormes of the Common-weales wherein they live inacting sundry Lawes against them as the lawes of Draco who made idlenâ—sse a capitall crime togâ—ther with the lawes of the AEgyptians of Solon of Sardoa and Pesistratus doe abundantly testifie The causes therefore of such pernicious State-subverting sinnes as these which have brought destruction to sundry great Republikes as they long since drew downe fire and brimstone from Heaven upon Sodom must needs be as dangerous as intolerable as these sins themselves and so my Major if either Divinity or Policy may be credited must be intirely condiscended to For the Minor That Stage-playes are the constant occasions the common Seminaries and Nurseries of much lasinesse and idlenesse as our reverend Archbishop Matthew Parker witnesseth it is most apparant First by their ordinary Actors and Frequenters who are commonly such idle Drones as live either altogether without any honest
his And did we withall remember that this our blessed Saviour hath called us not to uncleannesse but unto holinesse that he hath likewise enjoyned us to cast off all the workes of darknesse and to put on the armour of light to walke honestly as in the day not in chambering and wantonnesse not in rioting and drunkennesse not in divers lusts and pleasures according to the course of this wicked world according to the power of the Prince of the ayre which now worketh in the children of disobedience That he hath seriously charged us That wee walke not from henceforth as other Gentiles walke in the vanity of their mindes who having their understandings darkned and being alienated from the life of God and past all feeling have given themselves over unto all lasciviousnesse to worke all uncleannesse with greedinesse That wee put off concerning our former conversation the olde man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts and that we put on the new man which after God is created in holinesse and true righteousnesse That we take heed unto our selves lest at any time how much more at times of greatest devotion our hearts be overcome with surfetting and drunkennesse and that day come upon us at unawares That we crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof and abstaine from fleshly lusts which warre against our soules since the time past of our lives may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles when as we walked in lasciviousnesse lusts excesse of wine revellings banquettings and abominablâ— idolatries That we give up our soules and bodies as an holy and living sacrifice unto God not fashioning our selves to the course of this present evill world but keeping our selves unspotted from it walking circumspectly as in the day not as fooles but as wise redeeming the time because the dayes are evill and making no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Did we I say but seriously ponder and unfainedly beleeve all this it would soone turne our dissolute Christmas laughing into mourning our bacchanalian jollities into sin-lamenting Elegies our riotous grand-Christmasses into such pious Christian duties as would both honour our Saviours birth-day and make it welcome to our soules Let us therefore cordially meditate on all these sacred Scriptures on the ends of our Saviours blessed incarnation which was to redeeme us from all these our sinnes and sinfull pleasures to crucifie our lusts to regenerate and sanctifie our depraved natures to make us holy even as he is holy and to conforme us to himselfe in all things and then this inveterate heathenish common custome of prophaning Christs Nativitie with all kinde of lasciviousnesse wickednesse and delights of sinne which should be â—pent in honouring blessing and praising of our gracious God for all his mercies to us in his Sonne in Psalmes in hymnes and spirituall songs in holy and heavenly contemplations of all the benefits we receive by our Saviours blessed incarnation in charitable relieving of Christs poore members and mutuall amity one towards another will become most execrable to your pious soules The damnablenesse of which much applauded unruly Christmas keeping that you may more evidently discerne I shall for learning and religions sake discover whence it sprang and that was originally from the Pagan Saturnalia from whence Popery hath borrowed and transmitted it unto us at the second hand The ancient Pagan Romans upon the Ides of December consecrated to Saturne and their Goddesse Vesta not in the Moneth of Ianuary as Macrobius misreports accustomed to keepe their Saturnalia or annuall Feast of Saturne for 7 dayes together which they spent in feasting drinking dancing Playes and Enterludes at the end of which they celebrated their Festum Kalendarum on the first of Ianuary now our New-yeares day to the honour of their Idol Ianus which they likewise solemnized with Stageplayes Mummeries Masques dancing feasting drinking and in sending mutuall New-yeares gifts one to another for divers dayes together In these their Saturnalia and feasts of Ianus all servants were set at lihertie and became checke-mates with their masters with whom they sate at table every man then wandred about without controll and tooke his fill of pleasure giving himselfe over to all kinde of luxurie epicurisme deboistnesse disorder pride and wantonnesse to pastimes Enterludes Mummeries Stage-playes dan-cing drunkennesse and those very disorders that accompany our grand unruly Christmasses which Saturnalia and Festivalls the ensuing Authors thus describe Servicum Saturnalia caenant writes Plutarch aut Liberalia in agro vagantes celebrant ululatio eorum et tumultus ferre non possis prae gaudio et imperitia rerum pulcrarum talia agentium et loquenâ—â—um Quid desides quin bibimus et capimus cibos Sunt haec miselle in promptu cur tibiinvides Vocem statim hi dedêre tum Bacchi liquor Infunditur et corona aliquiâ— ornat caput Laurique pulcram ad frondem turpiter canit Inducia Phaebo januamque alius domus Pulsam operiens excludit caram conjugem c. Saturnalibus tota servis licentia permittitur ludi per urbem in compitis agitantur writes Macrobius Maxima pars Graiâ—m Saturno et maxima Athenae Conficiunt sacra quae Cronia esse iterantur ab illis Cumque diem celebrant per agros urbesque ferè omnes Exercent Epulis laeti famulosque procuraut Quisque suosâ— nostrique itidem et mos traditur illinc Iste ut cum dominis famuli epulentur ibedeus c. Parallell to which is of Seneca Decembâ—r est mensis quo maximè Civitas desudat jus luâ—â—uriae publicè datum est ingenti apparatu sonant omnia tanquam quicquam inter Saturnalia nunc intersit et dies rerum agendarum Adeo nihil interest ut non videatur mihi errâsse qui dixit olim mensem Decembrem esse nunc annum c. And that of Horace Age libertate Decembri Quando ita majores voluerunt utere narra c. Nunc est bibenduÌ„ nunc pede libero pulsanda tellus Nunc saliaribus ornare pulvinar Deorum tempus c. That the ancient Romanes yea and the Graecians too in times of Paganisme did spend their Saturnalia Feriae and other solemne Festivals in dancing drinking feasting Mummeries Masques and Enterludes the Poet Virgil Ovid Tibullus Philo Iudaeus with sundry others will plentifully informes us The first of these describes it thus Veteres ineunt proscenia ludi Praemiaque ingentes pagos et compita cirâ—um Thesaiâ— posuêre eatque inter pocula laeti Mollibus in pratis unctos saliêre per utres Necnon Ausonij Troia gens missa coloni Versibus incomptâ—s ludunt risuque soluto Oraque corticibus sumunt horrenda cavatis Et te Bacche vocant per carmina laeti tibique Oscilla ex altâ suspendunt mollia pinu The second thus
the primitive Churches Councels Fathers Chriâ—tians have earnestly spoken written declaimed against all each of these lewd sinfull practises Therefore they are Puritans To be holy in all manner of conversation even as God and Christ are holy to live rightâ—ously soberly and godly in this present evill world crucifying the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof avoiding detesting all sinne and wickednesse whatsoever in ones selfe and others and shining as lights and patternes of holinesse in the midst of a crooked and perverse generationâ— to be frequent in hearing reading preaching or meditatingâ— and discoursing of Gods word to repeate Sermons a duty warranted by Scripture and much pressed by Caesarius Arelatensis an ancient Father to pray constantly morning and evening with ones family to abandon all lewd places and companions all pleasures and delights of sinne all Christmas excesses and disorders all Pagan rites and heathenish customes and to make the holiest Sâ—ints his best his sole familiar friends the word service of God his chiefe delight to stand for God and for his truth in evill times when they are most opposed to live civilly and pioâ—sly in the middest of wicked men and not to joyne with them in the same excesse of sinne and riot of dissolutenesse and deboistnesse that they runne into to reprove or crosse men in their sinfull fashions customes disorders lusts or courses with sundry other particulars which I pretermit are now infallible arguments and symptomes of a ranke Puritan But this did Christ his Prophets and Apostles together with all the primitive Churches Councels Fathers and pious Christians as those whom the world stiles Puritans doe now therefore without all doubt they are Puritans as Puritans are now reputed even in the very highest degree Yea were our Saviour Christ St. Paul St. Iohn together with all those holy Patriarkes Prophets Apostles Martyrs Fathers and other primitive Saints which we reade of in the Scriptures or Ecclesiasticall Writers now living here among us I doubt not but they would all be pointed at hissed reviled hated scorned if not persecuted as the very Archest Puritans for their transcendent holinesse and rebukes of sin sinners since those poore Saints of God who have not attained to the moity of their transcendent grace and purity are now stiled pointed at for Puritans even for that little purity and holinesse which is discovered in their lives If therefore Christ himselfe his Prophets and Apostles together with all the primitive Churches Fathers Councels and Christians were Puritans in that very sence on the selfesame grounds that those whom the world stiles Puritans are so named now as I have fully manifested by the premises and dare make good in all particulars against any Anti-puritans whatsoever the objectors must now either disclaime their Aâ—tecedent that none but Puritans condemne Stage-playes or in case they grant all these to be Puritans they must now invert their rash conclusion that Stage-playes certainely are evill because Christ his Prophets and Apostles the whole primitive Church the Fathers Councels and primitive Christians all ranke Puritans have out of their very puritie and holinesse condemned them long agoe and none but the very shame the scumme of Christians or men unworthy that worthy title did anciently approve them as I have largely evidenced Act. 4. Scene 1 2. Act. 6. Scene 3 4 5. Act. 7. Scene 1. to 7. Thirdly I have manifested that many moderne Christians not onely Protestants but Papists too have utterly condemned Stage-playes And I hope all Papists the originall inventors of this stile of Puritans which they have cast on orthodox Protestants as a very Motto or by-word of disgrace are exempted from this number of Puritans intended in the Objection Either Papists therefore must be Puritans for condemning Playes which many of the chiefe Objectors being Papists as are most of all our Players will hardly grant or else the Objection must be false Fourthly admit that none but Puritans condemne or censure Stage-playes consider then I pray you with an impartiall eye what kinde of persons these Play-abhorring conformable Puritans and Precisians are Are they not the holiest the devoutest the eminentest and most religious gracious Sâ—ints who leade the strictest purest heavenliest godliest lives outstripping all others both in the outward practise and inward power of grace Are they not such whose piety whose universall holinesse in all companies times and places are an eye-sore a life-sore an heart-sore yea a shame and censure unto others Are they not such as Lactantius writes of Sunt aliqui â—ntempestivè boni qui corruptis moribus publicis convicium benè vivendo faciunt Ergo tanquam scelerum et malitiae suae testes extirpare funditus niâ—â—â—tur et tollere gravesque sibi putant tanquam eorum vita coarguatur Idcirco auferantur quibus coram vivere pudet qui peccantium frontem etsi non verbis quiâ— tacent tamen ipso vitae genere dissimili feriunt et verberant Caâ—tigare enim videtur quicunque dissentiâ— The case of the primitive pious Christians amongst the dissolute vitious Geâ—tiles And they not such who are peremptory in the coâ—scionable performance of every holy duty resolute in the hatred of every customary sinne refusing to runne into the same excesse of wickednesse into the grosse corruptions of the times into which most men rush with greedinesse as the horse into the battell Doubtlesse what ever the malice of others may conceive of them yet they are no other but such as these as the very fiercest Anti-puritans consciences whisper to them qui suspectis omnibus ut improbos metuunt etiam quos optimos sentire potuerunt If any man doubt of this these few experimentall arguments may convince him For first there is never a sincere deâ—out or pious Christian this day living in England who excells in holinesse of life in integrity of conâ—ersation avoiding all the corruptions that are in the world through lust and living righteously soberly and godly in this present evill world refusing to conforme himselfe to the fashions vanities pleasures sinnes and wicked humours of the times which perchance he hath too much followed heretofore before his true conversion but is commonly reputed and oft times stiled a Puritan a Precisian and the like be his place or condition what it will Hee who hath more grace and goodnesse more chastity modesty temperance or sobriety more love and dread of God more hatred of sin and wickednes lesse tincture of atheisme impiety voluptuousnesse and prophanesse than others among whom he lives let him be never so just in his dealings towards men never so conformable to the doctrine and ceremonies of the Church is forthwith branded for a notorious Puritan and Precisian all England over and the more eminent his graces and holinesse are
experience in despite of scandall and all lying rumours hath manifested that these Puritans and Precisians are such persons as both feare God and honour the King though they oppugne the corruptions sinnes profanesse and Popish and Pelagian Errors of the times with all such factious Innovators who either broach new heresies and superstitions or revive olde As for their loyalty to their Prince his power and prerogative it is so apparant that however Papists and persons popishly affected now slander them as enemies to Monarchie and Princes Prerogatives in words to take off this merited imputation from themselves yet they bâ—ame them even under the very name of Puritans as over-great advancers and chiefest patriots and propugners of Monarchy of Princes supremacy in their printed workes none going so farre in suppressing the Popes usurped Authority or eâ—larging the Kings and temporaâ—l Magistrates prerogatives and supremacy as they as even the Iesuite in his Answer to Deus et Rex hath proclaimed uâ—to all the world Let therefore the Moguntine Iesuites Contzen disciples following the desperate plot of their Master to cheat a Protestant Church of her religionâ— and to scrue in Popery into it by degrees without noyse oâ— tumult by raising slaunders upon the Doctrines and persons of the most zealous Protestant Ministers and Protestants to bring them into the Princes and peoples hatred and thrust them out of office accuse Puritans of faction sedition and rebellion now without any ground or proofe at all as the Pagans did the Christians long agoe or let the Epicures and prophane ones of our voluptuous times repute them such because they wage warre against their sinnes and sinfull pleasures yet now upon the serious consideration of all these premises I hope their consciences will acquit them of these malicious slaunders and readily subscribe to this apparant truth that they are the holiest meekest and most zealous Christians and that they are onely hated and reviled for their goodnesse Since therefore these Play-censuring conformable Puritans and Precisians in their proper colours uncased of these odious persecuted termes of scandall which represent them to mens fansies in a most ugly forme there being never poore persecuted word since malice against God first seized upon the damned Angels and the graces of heaven dwelt in the heart of man that passed through the mouthes of all sorts of unregenerate men with more distastfulnesse and gnashing of teeth than the name of PVRITAN doth at this day which notwithstanding as it is now commonly meant and ordinarily proceedes from the spleene and spirit of prophanesse and good fellowshippe is an honourable nicke-name of Christianity and grace as a worthy reverend Divine observes are the very eminentest choicest and most gracious forward Christians let us not thinke the better but farre worse of Stage-playes because they all abominate condemne them as all good Christians have done before them and if any have thus persecuted hated or reviled them out of ignorance or malice heretofore let them heartily bewaile it and give over now because it is not onely a kinde of sacriledge but even an high indignity and affront to God himselfe to hate to slaunder persecute or wrong his servants especially for controlling us in our delights of sinne of which these constantly condemned Stage-playes are the chiefe And for a close of this Objection and Scene together let us all remember that worthy sentence of St. Hierom Apud Christianos ut ait quidam non qui patitur sed qui facit contumeliam miser est and then these maliciouâ— calumnies against Puritans and Precisians will quickly vanish CHORVS YOV have seene now Christian Readers the severall arguments and Authorities against Stage-playes together with the â—lender Apologies for them which how poore how illiterate and weake they are the very meanest capacity may at first discerne I beseech you therefore by the very mercies of God as you tender the glorie of Almighty God the honour and credit of religion the happinesse and safety both of Church and State the serious covenant you have made to God in baptisme to forsake the Divell and all his workes the pompes and vanities of this wicked world with all the sinfull lusts of the flesh whereof Stage-playes certainly are not the least as you regard that solemne Confession you have publikely made to God and ratified in the very sacred blood of the Lord Iesus Christ at every receiving of the Sacrament that you doe earnestly repent and are heartily sorrie for all your misdoings that the remembrance of them is grievous unto you the burthen of them intollerable and that you will ever hereafter serve and please God in newnesse of life to the honour and glory of his name offering and presenting unto the Lord your selves your soules and bodies to be a reasonable holy and lively sacrifice unto him or as you respect your owne or others soules whom your evill examples may leade downe to hell that upon the serious perusall of all the premises you would now at last abominate and utterly abandon Stage-playes as the very fatall pests both of your mindes and manners and the most desperate soothing enemies of your soules as all ages all places have found theÌ„ by experience It may be some of you through ignorance and incogitancy have formerly had good opinions and high thoughts of Playes and Players as being altogether unacquainted with their infernall originallâ— and most lewd effects which I have here displayed to the full and that made you so diligently to frequent them Let not this then which was only the â—in of ignorance of weaknesse heretofore become the sinne of wilfulnesse or presumption now but as God by these my poore endeavours hath opened your eyes to see so doe you pray unto him for strength and grace to reâ—orme your ancient errour in this case of Playes Repent thereforâ— with teares of griefe for what is past and then speedily divorce your selves from Playes and Theaters for time to come that as your consciences upon the serious perusall of all the premises cannot but now subscribe to this strange Paradox as some may deeme it which I have here made good That all popular and common Stage-playes whether Comicall Tragicall Satyricall Mimicall or mixt of either especially as they are now compiled and personated among us are such sinfullâ— hurtfull pernicious recreations as are altogether unseemely yea unlawfull unto Christians so the lives and practise likewise may say Amen unto it So shall you then obtaine the intended benefit and I my selfe enjoy the much desired end of these my weake Endeavours which was which is no other but Gods owne glory your temporall and eternall happinesse and the Republickes welfare For which as I have hitherto laboured so I shall now by Gods assistance proceede to endeavour it in the ensuing part of this Play-scourging Discourse which now craves your favour and
juvenes mancipia pantomimorum remember that holy covenant which you not long since made to God in baptisme to forsake the Devill and all his workes the pompes the vanities of this wicked world with all the sinfull lusts of the flesh of which Stage-playes as the Fathers teach you are the chiefe O perjure perjure not your selves renounce not your christianity your faith your vow your baptisme by frequenting Playes in your youth your child-hood bequeath not your selves so soone unto the Devill after your solemne consecration unto God in Christ let not him gaine possession of your persons your service in your youth that so hee may command and challenge them in your age Non enim obtinâ—bis ut desinat si incipere permiseris ergo intranti resistamus c. But as you have given up your soules and bodies as an holy living sacrifice unto God in baptisme to serve him with them in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of your lives so be yee sure to make good your promise by remembring by serving your Creator in the dayes of your youth your strength your health and life who will then crowne you with glory and immortality at your death Pitty it is to see how many ingenious Youthes and Girles how many young that I say not old Gentlemen and Gentlewomen of birth and quality as if they were borne for no other purpose but to consume their youth their lives in lascivious dalliances Playes and pastimes or in pampering in adorning those idolized living carcases of theirs which will turne to earth to dung to rottennesse and wormes-meat ere be long and to condemne their poore neglected soules casting by all honest studies callings imployments all care of Heaven of salvation of their owne immortall soules of that God who made them that Saviour who redeemed them that Spirit who should sanctifie them and that Common-weale that fosters them doe in this idle age of ours like those Epicures of old most prodigally most sinfully riot away the very creame and flower of their yeeres their dayes in Play-houses in Dancing-schooles Tavernes Ale-houses Dice-houses Tobacco-shops Bowling-allies and such infamous places upon those life-devouring time-exhausting Playes and pastimes that I say not sinnes beside as is a shame for Pagans much more for Christians to approve O that men endued with reason ennobled with religion with immortall soules fit onely for the noblest heavenliest sublimest and divinest actions should ever bee so desperately besotted as to wast their precious time upon such vaine such childish base ignoble pleasures which can no way profit soule or body Church or State nor yet advance their temporall much lesse their spirituall and eternall good which they should ever seeke You therefore deare Christian Brethren who are who have beene peccant in this kinde for Gods sake for Christs sake for the holy Ghosts sake for Religions sake which now extremely suffers by this your folly for the Church and Common-weales sake for your owne soules sake which you so much neglect repent of what is past recalling and for the future time resolve through Gods assistance never to cast away your time your money your estates your good names your lives your salvation upon these unprofitable spectacles of vanity lewdnesse lasciviousnesse or these delights of sinne of which you must necessarily repent and be ashamed or else be condemned for them at the last passing all the time of your pilgrimage here in feare and imploying all the remainder of your short inconstant lives in those honest studies callingsâ— and pious Christian duties which have their fruit unto holinesse and the end everlasting life And because we have now many wanton females of all sorts resorting daily by troopes unto our Playes our Play-houses to see and to be seene as they did in Ovids age I shall only desire them if not their Parents and Husbands to consider that it hath evermore beene the notorious badge of prostituted Strumpets and the lewdest Harlots to ramble abroad to Playes to Play-houses whether no honest chast or sober Girles or Women but only branded Whores infamous Adulteresses did usually resort in ancient times the Theater being then made a common Brothell And that all ages all places have constantly suspected the chastity yea branded the honesty of those females who have beene so immodest as to resort to Theaters to Stage-playes which either finde or make them Harlots inhibiting all married Wives and Virgins to resort to Playes and Theaters as I have here amply provedâ— Since therefore Saint Paul expresly enjoynes all women especially those of the younger sort to be sober chaste keepers at home yea therefore keepers at home that they may be chaste and sober as ancient and moderne Commentators glosse it that the Word of God be not blasphemed where as the dissolutenesse of our lascivious impudent rattle-pated gadding females now is such that as if they had purposely studied to appropriate to themselves King Solomons memorable character of an whorish woman with an impudent face a subtile heart and the attire of an Harlot they are lowde and stubborne their feet abide not in their houses now they are without now in the streets and lie in wait at every corner being never well pleased nor contented but when they are wandring abroad to Playes to Play-houses Dancing-matches Masques and publike Shewes from which nature it selfe if we believe S. Chrysostome hath sequestred all women or to such suspicious places under pretence of businesse or some idle visits where they oft-times leave their modesty their chastity behinde them to their eternall infamy Let me now beseech all female Play-haunters as they regard this Apostolicall precept which enjoynes them to be sober chast keepers at home or good carefull House-wives as somâ— have rendred it adorning themselves in modest apparell with shamefastnesse and sobriety which now are out of fashion not with broidered cut or borrowed plaited haire or gold or pearles or costly array the onely fashions of our age but which becommeth women professing godlinesse with good workes As they tender their owne honesty fame or reputation both with God and men the honour of their sex the prayse of that Christian Religion which they professe the glory of their God their Saviour and their soules salvation to abandon Playes and Play-houses as most pernicious Pests where all females wrecke their credits most their chastity some their fortunes not a few their soules and to say unto them as the Philosopher did unto his wealth which he cast into the Sea Abite in profundum malae cupiditates ego vos mergam ne ipse mergar à vobis CATASTROPHE I Have now deare Christian Readers through Gods assistance compleatly finished this my Histrio-Mastix wherein I have represented both to your view and censures to as well as my poore ability and other