A Short Treatise Against Stage Plays, Treatise
A SHORTE TREATISE against STAGE-PLAYES
Prov. 10.23.
It is a ſport to a foole to doe miſchief.
Prov. 21.17.
He that loues paſtime ſhall be a poore man.
Epheſ. 5.11.
HaueHave no fellowſhip with the vnfruitfull works of darkneſſe, but rather reproue them.
Printed in the yeere of our Lord 1625.
AN HVMBLE SVPPLICATION TENDRED to the High and Honourable Houſe OF PARLIAMENT, Aſſembled May xviij. 1625.
WHereas Stage-playes are repugnant to the written Word and Will of Almightie God, the onelyonly wiſe Gouernour & righteous Judge of the whole world; dangerous to the eternall ſaluation both of the actours and ſpectatours; breede many inconueniences whereſoeuer they come; procure the judgments of God to the whole kingdome, for ſinne tollerated pourchaſeth Gods wrath to the whole nation, as appeareth Joſhu. 22.18. and Salomon ſayth Prov. 14.34. Sinne is a reproach to any people; and hauehave beene juſtly cenſured and worthily prohibited by statutes made in the late Raigne of famouſe Queene Elizabeth, and of our Learned and Noble King James: May it therefore pleaſe this High and Honourable Houſe, which is the moſt honourable Court in all Europe, vponupon view of this ſhort Treatiſe following, to take once more into conſideration this matter of Stage-playes, and by ſome few words added to the former Statutes, to reſtreyne them for euer hereafter.
A SHORT TREATISE OF STAGE-PLAYES.
The Preface.
IN all ages the Prophets hauehave applied their preachings to the preſent occaſions: and the generall concurſſe of many baptiſed Chriſtians to Stage-playes, eueryevery where in theſe times, hauehave occaſioned the Lords remembrancers, which ſtand continually on their watch-towres, both more diligently to examine the nature of Stage-playes, which hauehave had much countenance, and ſome defenſe; to trie whether they be warrantable by the word of God or no; and alſo more earneſt prayer to God for his aſſiſtance, and ſerious indeavours to diſſwade Chriſtians from entertayning them. Hence proceede theſe fewe enſuing reaſons, briefly contracted into a narrow roome, that the reader may with facilitie conceaue the force of the arguments, and ſoundly judge of the trueth of them. And for better direction to the Reader, the whole ſumme is drawne to theſe foure heads.
Firſt, the originall beginning of Stage-playes is ſhewed: ſect. 2.
Secondly, the end is pointed out for which they were firſt deviſed. ſect. 3.
Thirdly, the generall matter or argument acted in them, is opened in few words: ſect. 4.
Fourthly, the reaſons to proue them vnlawfull are rendred: ſect. 5.
1. The originall beginning of Stage-playes.
Heathen invented playes.2. THe firſt beginning of playes proceeded from thoſe men which were not in the Church of God. When God had appointed man to get his liuing, with his labour Gen. 3.19. Iuball the ſeauenth of Cain his race invented playing. Gen. 4.21. on Inſtruments, which (as after) is a lawfull recreation. But the invention of divers ſorts of vnlawfull playes is briefly noted by Plinius Hiſtor, natur. lib 7. cap. 59. by Euſebius de praepar. euang. lib. 1. cap. 2. and lib. 2. cap. 2. by Arnobius contra gentes lib. 7. by Polydorus Virgilius de rerum invent. lib. 3. cap. 13. by Alexander ab Alexandro genialium dierum. libr. 6. cap. 19. by Caelius Rhodiginus antiq. lib. 8. cap. 7. Whether they grew vp firſt at Lydia in Aſia as ſaith Herodotus lib. 1. or at Athens in Graecia, as Polydorus Virgilius lib. 3. cap. 13. and Volaterranus lib. 29. ca. 11. report, it is not materiall. Pauſanias in Eliacis writeth that Iphitus was admoniſhed by the oracle of Apollo to reſtore the Olympike games. Ioſephus Scaliger poëtices lib. 1. cap. 22. &c. may ſatiſfie all men that deſire to reade more of this point. About the beginning of the Perſian monarchie,The ſolemn beginning of playes. which was almoſt 500 yeeres afore Chriſt, and about the time of the Iewes returne out of the captivitie of Babylon, this miſcreant author alwayes of ſome hurte, never of any good to Chriſtian or heathen, firſt came abroade with great ſolemnitie, as it may be gathered by Herodotus. Afterwards from thoſe Lydians in Aſia, or from the Grecians at Athens, came playes to Rome in the reigne of Tarquinius Priſcus, as Euſebius noteth in his Chronologie at the yeare of the world 4602.Alexander ab …and. lib. 5. c. 16. Hermanus Contractus at the yeare of the world 3341 noteth the ſame. And Titus Livius lib. 7. Pomponius Laetus in Philippo, Funccius in his worthie Chronologie at the yeare of the world 3512. and Herodianus lib. 3. witnes how the Romans augmented their playes afterwards.
The entrance of playes into the Church of the Iewes.The firſt authoriſed entrance that any ſuch kinde of playes or heathen exerciſe had into the church of God, ſeemeth to be about 170 yeares before the birth of Chriſt, when that wicked Ieſus affecting heatheniſme, changed his name into Iaſon, and for 150 talents of ſilver purchaſed a commiſſion of Antiochus Epiphanes king of Syria, that he might erect a place for heathen exerciſes at Ieruſalem, and traine up the youth of the Iewes in the cuſtomes of the Gentiles, 1 Maccab. 1.12. Ioſeph. antiq. lib. 12. cap. 6. but more ſpecially 2 Maccab. 4.7. &c. Which exerciſe though it was not to play on the ſtage, but for activitie of their bodies, yet it may here be obſerved as an entrance to other heathen cuſtomes, and as that which maketh way to bring in Stage-playes afterwards. Then Herode the greate increaſed heatheniſh playes and exerciſes greatly in his dayes, building one theater at Ieruſalem; Ioſeph. antiq. lib. 15. cap. 10. or 11. and an other at Caeſarea Stratonis; Ioſeph. antiq. lib. 15. cap. 13. and lib. 16. cap. 9. The horrible ſinnes of the Iewes cutte them off ſhortly after from being the Church of God, and therefore no more can be ſayd of their heatheniſh exerciſes.
Their entrance into the chriſtian church.How or when Playes came into the Chriſtian Church, and who firſt gaue them intertainment, is more incident to this preſent purpoſe, and fitter teſtimonie to giuegive evidence hereafter either for them or againſt them. When the Roman Emperours delighted too much in all kind of playes, and when chriſtian religion grew mightily under them in Europe eſpecially, chriſtians imbraceing the Goſpel could not be altogether ignorant of theſe ſtage-playes, but ſometimes ſome chriſtians reſorted to theſe playes, as by the complaints and invectiues of ſome ancient fathers againſt them, it doth appeare. And though ſecretly by ſuch meanes playes through ſatans ſubtilties approached neare to the church doore, yet all this while neither the Emperours power thruſt them upon the Church, nor the reverend Fathers and faithfull Paſtours of thoſe times gaue way to ſuch open wickednes by theire ſilence. But when that great ſcarlet coloured whore of Babylon with her golden cup of abhominations in her hand, which hath a name written in her forehead, a myſterie, great Babilon the mother of whoredomes, and which reigneth over the kings of the earth, was ſet in Peters chaire at Rome as the Papiſts ſay; then did the king of the Locuſts, called Abaddon and Apollyon, hauing the key of the bottomeles pitt, with full power for ſuch a purpoſe, ſette the church doore wide open for ſundrie ſportes and playes to enter freely into the houſe of God, as Platina reporteth Paulus II. did. And that not onelyonly in their great ſolemnities and feſtivals, which were ſpent commonly in bellie cheare and Playes, as Peucerus writeth of Vrbanus IIII. much after the faſhion of the Iſraelites, ſitting downe to eate and drinke, and riſing up to play: but ſpecially in their rich Iubilies, firſt begunne in the Chriſtian church by Bonifacius VIII. in the yeare of Chriſt 1300. and afterwards continued and haſtened by his ſucceſſors. Of which Sports and Playes Aventinus annal. Bojor. lib. 7. ſpeaking of Clemens VI. and Bale in the life of Iulius III. doe write. And thus much ſhall ſuffice for the beginning of Playes among the Lydians of Aſia; and among the Grecians and Romans in Europe; as alſo for their entrance into the Chriſtian church, firſt ſecretly by the malice of Satan ſtealing ſome Chriſtians affections to ſuch vanities; then openly by the power of that Abaddon of Rome, who beſotted mens ſenſes with ſuch fooleries, that he might robbe their purſes in his rich Iubilies.
II. The ende for which Playes were deviſed.
3. THe finall cauſe or ende for which the Heathen firſt deviſed Playes, was to pacifie their angrie gods, and ſo remoue ſome preſent calamitie which vexed them. The Lydians ſought by Playes to remedie a greate famine that was among them, as Herodotus witneſſeth in Clio. The Athenians renewed their Playes about the latter ende of the Perſian Monarchie, in the dayes of Euthydemus their governour, thereby thinking to remoue a grievous peſtilence, as ſayth Diodorus Siculus lib. 12. Alſo Livius lib. 7. and Paulus Oroſius libr. 3. cap. 4. write that the heathen Romans ſore afflicted about the ſame time, with peſtilence, by the adviſe of their idoll prieſts, ſet forth their Stage-playes to turne away that affliction, thinking their Playes would pleaſe their gods.
But Dionyſius Halicarnaſſeus li. 7. Arnobius. lib. 7. contra gentes. Pauſanias in Corinthiacis. Auguſtinus de civitate dei lib. 2. cap. 13. & lib. 3. cap. 18. & lib. 4. cap. I. & cap. 26. Polydorus Virgil. de inventione rerum lib. 3. cap. 13. and Volaterranus lib. 29. cap. II. write ſo plainly and fully of this matter, that the reading of any one of them may ſatiſfie the ſober minded, and giuegive them to underſtand, that as Chriſtians by direction out of Gods word uſe prayer and faſting to turne away the Lords provoked anger: ſo heathens inſtructed by the Divell their maſter thought to remoue their afflictions by Playes. But the Popes of Rome ſolemniſed their Feſtivals and Iubilies with all ſortes of Playes and Sportes for recreation, and to delite the people with ſuch fooleries.
III. The argument of Stage-playes.
4. WHereas Stage playes ordinarily goe under the name either of Tragedies or els of comedies; we are to underſtand that the argument or matter acted in tragedies is murther, treaſon, rebellion, and ſuch like; and in comedies is bauderie, coſenage, and meere knaverie.
Objection. But here ſome men eyther meerly ignorant (as the moſt religious and learned are ignorant of many things,Bucerus de regno Christi lib. 2, ca. 54 for we know but in part. I Cor. 13.9.) or els perverſly irreligious, will ſay, that ſometimes the ſacred Scripture is or may be acted by players on the ſtage, and thereby a man may learne more then at a ſermon.
Anſwer. But for better information of the ignorant, and more forcible confutation of the perverſe and profane, a threefold anſwer may be giuen.
anſwer. I Firſt, concerning thoſe perſons that ſo greatly deſire to learne religion at Stage-playes, let them examine their owne conſciences by their workes which are manifeſt before God and men, and conſider themſelues in theſe fiue points.
1. They ſeldome come to the Church to learne religion according to Gods ordinance, though God command them ſo to doe, Deut. 12, 5. But ye ſhall ſeeke the place which the Lord your God ſhall chooſe out of all your tribes, to put his name there, and there to dwell, and thither thou ſhalt come, &c. though God intreate them ſo to doe, Prov. 1.20. Wiſedome cryeth without: ſhee uttereth her voyce in the ſtreets. &c. as alſo page missing cerning good and neceſſarie matters.
As for hawking, hunting, fiſhing, fouling, and ſuch like, they are rather to be counted honeſt and lawfull callings, wherein men may get their living with their labour, then recreations, except it be by change of labour, as in other lawfull callings.
Confutation. And now to come to confutation of the objection, it ſeemeth that Stage-playes cannot be counted in the number of recreations, and that for theſe three reaſons.
Firſt, they are not worhie to be compared to any of the former lawfull recreations.
Secondly, they ſerue not the ende of recreations, which is to refreſh the wearie, but not to make men delight in ſinne.
Thirdly, the moſt perſons that ordinarily reſorte to them, are verie idle perſons, that ſhould rather be ſet to ſome honeſt labour, then ſo unprofitably to miſpend their time to their owne hurte.
The originall beginning then is ſufficient to perſwade the faythfull to renounce Stage-playes, and ſay unto them, Gette thee hence. Eſai. 30.22.
The ſecond reaſon.
Reaſon. 2 6. THE ſecond reaſon may be taken from the matter or argument, which is acted upon the Stage, which is eyther murther and miſchief in tragedies, or bauderie and coſonage in comedies, as was obſerved before ſect. 4. And the reaſon may be contrived thus.
It is not lawfull for Chriſtians to ſporte themſelues eyther with the dreadfull judgments of God, or with the abhominable ſinnes of men.
But in Stage-playes there are acted ſometimes the fearefull judgments of God, as in tragedies: and ſometimes the vile and hatefull ſinnes of men, as in comedies.
And therefore it is full of horrour ſeriouſly to thinke upon them, and much more to be eyther actor to ſhew them, or beholder and hearer to laugh at them, or delite in them.
Ham derided his Fathers nakednes Gen. 9, 22. but he was accurſed for it. Curſes are denounced in Gods Law againſt all ſinners, Deut. 27, 26. And they that make a ſport of ſinne cannot avoyd Gods curſe, no more then they that feaſted when they ſhould hauehave faſted, Eſay. 22, 14. Surely this iniquitie ſhall not be purged from you, till ye dye, ſayth the Lord of Hoastes.
The third reaſon.
Reaſon. 3 7. THE third reaſon is taken from the Stage-players, and from ſuch their vices as properly belong to them, as they are Stage-players. And four of their vices may perſwade all men that their playes are unlawfull.
Firſt, they being men, change their apparel, and put on womans apparell, without which exchange they cannot act ſome partes in their Playes, which thing the Lord forbiddeth. Deut. 22.5. The woman ſhall not weare that which perteyneth to the man, neyther ſhall a man put on womans rayment: for all that do ſo are an abomination to the Lord thy God. For this change of apparell maketh the man effeminate, and the duplicate page duplicate page woman maniſh, as ſome can teſtifie if they would, ſome hauehave confeſſed, and the Heathen know. Cyprianus lib. 2. epiſt. 2. ſpeaking of this change of apparell in Stage-playes, ſayth thus: evirantur mares; men looſe their manhood &c. Charondas made a law to the inhabitants of Thuria (which is a citie in Greece, deſcribed by Pauſanias in Meſſenicis, and by Strabo lib. 8.) that if any man refuſed to goe to warres, or being in the field caſt downe his weapons and ranne away, he ſhould ſtand three dayes in the open market in womans apparell, which argued effeminatenes in him, as if formerly he had uſed it. Diodor. lib. 12.
Secondly, they never come on the Stage in theire owne name, but ſome in the name and perſon of a divell, others of a foole, others of a bawde, others of a tyrant, others of other men, which beſeemeth not a Chriſtian, neither proceedeth it of God, nor is approved of God, but is contrarie to Chriſtian profeſſion. Tit. 2.12.
Thirdly, they ſweare by the living God, which is contrarie to the Law of God, Exod. 20.7. or by heathen idols, which is forbidden, Exod. 23.13. or by both, which is reproved Amos 8.14. Zephan. 1.5.
Fourthly, they teach their hearers and beholders much ſinne in the acting of their Playes, as to ſweare, curſe, lye, flatter, coſen, ſteale, to play the bawde and the harlot, with very many ſuch other lewde leſſons.
The fourth Reaſon.
Reaſon. 4 8. THE fourth reaſon ariſeth from the conſideration of the hearers and beholders, who being baptiſed into the name of Chriſt, are brought into danger of gods wrath, and their owne condemnation, in as much as they are partakers of the ſinnes of the Players and of the Playes in approving them. And whatſoever brings men into theſe dangers muſt needs be evill. And beſides the approbation, which maketh them guiltie, they learne ſinne: for as ſayth Cyprianus lib. 2. epiſt. 2. adulterium diſcitur, dum videtur, they learne to commit adulterie, when they heare and behold ſuch immodeſt and unchaſte words and geſtures upon the ſtage. And many goe honeſt thither, which returne home diſhoneſt. Iob made a covenant with his eyes, that he would not looke on a maide, Iob 31.1. David deſired God to turne away his eyes from regarding vanitie, Pſal.119.37.
The fift Reaſon.
Reaſon. 5 9. THE fift reaſon may be taken from conſideration of theſe eight fruits or effects which follow Stage-playes:
Firſt, the Stage-players get their living by an ungodly & unlawfull trade, never approved by God, & when they ſhall ſtand at the barre of Gods judgement, they ſhall be ſpeachles, and caſt into utter darkenes, where ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth, except they repent and forſake their wicked trade betimes, whiles the Lord granteth ſpace to repentance.
Secondly, the hearers receaue much hurte by them, as was noted in the fourth reaſon, and if it be true which is reported, whoredome is ſometimes committed at that place, and at that time.
Thirdly, the better ſort of men which are governours of families, receaue domage, when ſome of their families reſorte to Stage-playes, for ſometimes their goods are ſtollen to mainteine Lewdnes, ſometimes their daughters or maide-ſervants are defiled, or ſtollen away, and maried without their governours conſent or privitie.
Fourthly, the word of God and the miniſters thereof, are now and then taxed and taunted.
Fiftly, the Lord himſelfe is there blaſpheamed ordinarily.
Sixtly, the poore in the church of Chriſt, are hindred from ſome reliefe,dist. 86, c. 8 which otherwiſe they might hauehave. for the prodigalitie laviſhed upon Stage-players, reſtrayneth the liberalitie that might and ought to be beſtowed upon the poore.
Seauenthly, there is loſſe of pretious time, which ſhould be ſpent in Gods ſervice, by thoſe that are hired to be diligent labourers in his vineyard, and not be wickedly miſpent in ſuch ſinfull ſportes, ſeeing everie one, both young and olde, muſt giuegive account to God of his labours, and of his time ſpent in this life. The Holy Ghoſt ſayth Epheſ. 5.16. Redeeme the time, for the dayes are evill; but ſome men ſay, Let us hauehave paſtime, that is, any ſinfull courſe, whereby we may paſſe away & miſ-ſpend the ſhort time which we hauehave in this life, that the day of death, judgment, and condemnation may come ſpeedily upon us before we repent, and before we conſecrate our ſelues wholly to God. Peter ſayth: It is ſufficient for us, that we hauehave ſpent the time paſt of this life, after the lustes of the Gentiles, walking in wantonnes, lustes, drunkennes, in gluttonie, drinkings, and abominable idolatries. 1 Pet. 4.3. And if any be otherwiſe minded, the Lord in his time will either convert or confound him.
Eightly, whereas the life of a Chriſtian effectually called, ſhould be ſpent continually in fighting againſt all kinde of ſinne, in crucifying the old man, and in renewing the inner man dayly, theſe Stage-playes quench the ſpirit, and deſtroy the new man, as alſo on the other part, they foſter, cheriſh, and mainteyne the old man, as all thoſe that hauehave the ſpirit of Chriſt know and feele. But if any man hauehave not the ſpirit of Christ, the ſame is not his. Rom. 8.9.
The ſixth Reaſon.
10. Reaſon. 6 THE ſixt reaſon may be taken from the opinion and judgment of all ſortes and ſtates of men, by whom theſe Stage-playes hauehave been diſalowed.
Orthodoxal Protestants.Firſt, all orthodoxall Proteſtants of all ages and times, which maintayned the generall doctrine of the Catholike church, hauehave cenſured Stage-playes, as unlawfull from age to age hitherto. To reporte and repeate their ſeverall judgements out of their owne writings, or out of hiſtories, is more then I can performe, it would make a greate volume, it would be tedious to reade, and perhaps not ſo neceſſarie.
Wherefore it ſeemeth rather convenient to call a greate number of them together out of all the places of their dwellings, and as it were out of all the world, that they all may be heard to ſpeake altogether with one conſent and voyce. But becauſe it would be a verie tedious, and troubleſome thing, for ſo many, ſo reverend, and ſo old aged Fathers to travell ſo farre; it is more convenient and reaſonable to ſpare their labours ſo much as may be, and call them together at three ſeverall times, and in three ſeverall places of their habitations; that is, to call thoſe of Aſia, to meete together in Aſia: thoſe of Africa, in Africa: and thoſe of Europe, in Europe.
Aſia, In Aſia,about two and twentie of the moſt reverend Fathers of thoſe times, met together in Laodicea, ſomewhat more then 300 yeres after Chriſt, and holding a councill there, decreed cap. 54. that none of the Cleargie ſhould be preſent at Stage-playes. And the Centuriators of Magdeburg hauehave inſerted this whole Councill in their laborious and worthie hiſtorie Cent. 4. cap. 9. col. 834.
Afrike. In Africa more then 400 years after Chriſt there were ſome four and fortie of the worthieſt & learnedſt Fathers aſſembled at Carthage in the third councill that was holden there, amongſt whom was that worthie Auguſtinus, and they decreed cap. 11. that the children of miniſters or of others of the Cleargie ſhould not be preſent at Stage-playes, ſeeing none of the Laitie might be there. Semper enim Chriſtianis omnibus hoc interdictum eſt, ut ubi blaſphemiſunt, non accedant. that is; for all chriſtians hauehave evermore beene forbidden to come in place, where blaſphemers are. And the ſame religious Fathers then, and there decreed alſo cap. 35. That the church ſhould not tefuſe to receaue the Stage-players into their fellowſhip, if they repented and renounced that their trade of playing. Whereby is evident that Stage-players in thoſe former and purer times, were generally excommunicated, and caſt out of the ſocietie of the ſaintes.
Europe. In Europe divers worthie and graue Fathers of the church, called and ſummoned by Conſtantinus Magnus, a little after the Nicene Councill, to come together at Arles in France, held two Councils there, the firſt, and ſhortly after the ſecond. In both which they decreed the excommunication of all Stage-players, ſo long as they continued that trade of life. And in the firſt Councill, cap. 5. thus they ſay: De theatricis, & ipſos placuit, quandiu agunt, à communione ſeparari; that is, as touching Stage-players, we thinke it good, that whiles they continue in that trade of life, they be kept from the communion. And in the ſecond Councill held there preſently after, they decree the ſame thing againe, can. 20. and almoſt in the ſame words.
But yet to giuegive in more evidence, we may hauehave all the worthie Fathers of the Churches in Aſia, Africa, and Europa, aſſembled together in the ſixt generall Council, which was held at Conſtantinople, approue that which at Laodicea in Aſia, and at Carthage in Africa, was decreed againſt Stage-players. For when Conſtantinus Pogonatus in the yeare 681 called that ſixt general Councel at Conſtantinople againſt the Monothelites of thoſe times, as Zonoras, Tomo tertio ſheweth, about fiue yeares after, his ſonne Iuſtinianus II. aſſembled the Fathers there againe, as Gratianus diſt. 16. cap. 7. and the Centuriators of Magdeburgh, Cent. 7. cap. 9. col. 455. doe witneſſe: and can. 20. they approue thoſe two former Councils of Laodicea and of Carthage.
And thus we hauehave the judgement of all the orthodoxall and true Catholike Fathers of the churches throughout the whole world, againſt Stage-players, and Stage-playing, with one conſent.
Papiſts. Secondly, the Papiſts, though they be favourers of Stage-playes, and actors ſometime upon the Stage (as lately at Lions in France) yet they cannot for verie ſhame juſtifie them, but contrariewiſe condemne them in their writings. And in their great Canon booke of Decrees compiled by Gratian, they ratifie the four firſt generall Councils, and all the other Councils made afterwards, and conteyned in that greate booke of Decrees, diſt. 15. cap. 2. & 4. and diſt. 16. cap. 6. &c. they approue by name the three Councils alledged before. More particularly they approue that which was mentioned before of the Council of Laodicea, de conſecratione diſt. 5. cap. 37. and that which was decreed againſt Stage-plaies in the third Councill of Carthage, de conſecrat. diſt. 2. cap. 96. and the canons of the ſixt generall Councill, de conſecratione diſt. 3. cap. 29.
Parlement. Thirdly, the Honourable Court of Parliament in this Land, hath juſtly cenſured Stage-players, as thoſe that liue not in a lawfull trade to mainteyne themſelues by. as in the xiiij. yeare of Elizabeth, chap. 5. and in the xxxix yeare of Elizab. chap. 7. and in the ſecond yeare of King Iames, chap. vij.
Fourthly, the civill law in pointing out thoſe perſons which are of evill note or name, The civil Law.ſayth thus of Stage-players Pandect. lib. 3. tit. 2. Eos enim, qui quaeſtus cauſa in certamina deſcendunt, & omnes propter praemium in ſcenam prodeuntes, famoſos eſſe, Pegaſus & Nerva reſponderunt; that is, Pegaſus and Nerva ſaid, that thoſe were infamous which tryed maſterie for gaine, and all that came upon the Stage for a rewarde. Alſo who liſt, may reade ſomewhat to the ſame purpoſe. Novel. conſt. 51.
Heathens. Fiftly, the infidell Heathens, howſoever they firſt deviſed them, and after uſed them very much, yet hauehave they diſalowed them, as Auguſtine de civitate Dei, lib. 2. cap. 13. rehearſing the words of Scipio out of Tullie, ſheweth: Quum artem ludicram ſcenamque totam probro ducerent, genus id hominum non modo honore civium reliquorum carere, ſed etiam tribu moveri notatione cenſoria voluerunt. that is, The Romans accounting thoſe playes, and the whole Stage to be reproachfull, when they valued the goods and enrolled the names of their citizens, gaue not the honour of other citizens to Stage-players, but razed their names out of their wardes or companies. Suetonius taxeth Nero for a favorer of them, and an actor among them. Arnobius lib. 7. contra gentes, appealing to the conſcience of the Heathen, ſheweth that they diſallow them, and ſayth thus of the Stage-players, actores inhoneſtos eſſe jus veſtrum judicavit, that is, your owne law hath adjudged the ſtage-playes to be no honeſt men.
And theſe judgements of men are ſufficient to condemne Stage-playes as unlawfull, and diſhoneſt alſo, as Cornelius Nepos ſayth in his preface before the deſcription of the noble Emperours.
The ſeauenth Reaſon.
Reaſon. 7 II. THE ſeauenth and laſt reaſon is drawne from the judgments which God hath inflicted upon the Players, and beholders.
1. Philip king of Macedonia, and father of Alexander the greate, was ſlaine at a play by Pauſanias, as Diodorus Siculus writeth lib. 16.
Plinius hiſtor. natur. lib. 7. cap. 53. ſpeaking of divers that dyed ſodainly, ſayth, that one M. Ofilius Hilarus a noble player of Comedies, after he had played his part gallantly on the day of his birth, and was vaunting at ſupper of his dayes worke, died ſodainly at the table.
3. Paulus Oroſius lib. 7. cap. 4. writeth that in the twelft yeare of Tiberius, (which was three yeares before Chriſt beganne to preach the Goſpel publikely) there were twentie thouſand perſons ſlaine by the fall of the Theater at Fidena in Italie.
4. About thirteene yeares after, Caius Caligula the Emperour was ſlaine at a play. Ioſeph. antiq. lib. 19. cap. 1. Suetonius in Caligula cap. 58.
5. About 150 yeares after Chriſts nativitie, whiles the Playes were kept at Rome with great ſolemnitie, for the ſpace of three dayes and three nights together, continually and without intermiſſion, a great parte of the citie was ſette on fire and conſumed. And Phillip the Emperour was ſlayne at Varona, and his ſonne at Rome, as it is reported by Sextus Aurelius, Pomponius Laetus, and Eutropius lib. 9.
6. Tertullianus in his booke de Spectaculis, ſayth, that a Chriſtian woman going to the playes, was then poſſeſſed of a divell, and when other Chriſtians, intending to caſt the divell out of her, demanded of him, how he durſt preſume to aſſault one that beleeved in Chriſt, the divell anſwered, that he found her in his owne houſe, and therefore had good right to ſeaze upon her. Alſo he writeth in the ſame Booke and place, that an other faythfull woman going alſo to behold the Playes, had eyther a fearefull dreame or a viſion the next night after, wherein ſhee was checked for going to the Playes, was warned of her death, and dyed within fiue dayes after.
7. Aventinus annal. Bojorum lib. 7. writeth, that about 1200 yeares after Chriſt, three hundred men were ſlaine with hayle and lightning at Piſonium, a cittie of Bavaria, in the confines of Italie, whiles they were there to behold the Playes.
8. The ſame Author Aventinus annal. Bojor. lib. 7. writeth alſo, that when Pope Nicholaus V. ſolemnized his rich Iubilie, in the yeare 1450, with Stage playes, fiue hundred & threeſcore perſons, comming to Rome to behold the Playes, were partly troden to death, and partly drowned in Tiber.
9. At London in the yeare of Chriſt 1583 eight perſons were ſlaine, and more hurte, by the fall of the theater.
10. At Lions in France in the monethmonth of Auguſt, in the yeare 1607, whiles the Ieſuites were acting their Playes, to the diſgrace of true religion, and the profeſſors thereof, the Lord from heauen continuing thunder & lightnings, for the ſpace of two houres together, ſlewe twelue perſons preſently, and amaſed all the reſt with great terrour and feare.
FINIS.
End of the text · Alexander Leighton, A Short Treatise Against Stage Plays (1625)