The Players Scourge, Part 1 · Act 3 · Scene 6
SCENA SEXTA.
SIxtly, Stage-playes are for the most part satyrically invective against the persons, callings, offices and professions of men; but more especially against Religion and tServi Dei sunt quos Diabolus infestat; Christiani sunt, quos Antichristus impugnat. Neque enim quaerit illos quos j…m suos fecit. Inimicus & hostis Ecclesiae, quos alienavit ab Ecclesia & Ioras duxit, vt captivos & victos contemnit: eos pergit lacesse…e in quibus Christum cernit habitare. Cyprian. Epist. lib. 1. Epist. 1.Religious Christians, the chiefest objects of the Divels malice. From whence I deduce this tenth Play-oppugning Argument.
That whose stile, whose subject matter is ordinarily satyricall and invective, being fraught with bitter scoffes or jests against Religion, Virtue, and Religious Christians; against the persons, callings, offices, or honest professions of men; must needs be odious and unlawfull unto Christians.
But such is the ordinary stile and subject matter of most popular Stage-playes.
Therefore they must needs be odious and unlawfull unto Christians.
The Major needeth little proofe, since God himselfe injoynes all Christians, vEphes. 4.31.32.to put away all bitternesse, anger, wrath, clamour, and evill speaking, with all maliciousnesse: to be courteous and tender-hearted one towards another; x1 Pet. 3.9.not rendring railing for railing; yCol. 3.12, …3, 14.but forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any one hath any quarrell against another, (much lesse then when as there are no personall variances betweene men) even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven them, The Scripture requires, zIam. 3.17.18.that Christians should be patient, peaceable, gentle, easie to be entreated, full of mercy, and good fruits without grudging or calumny, without hypocrysie or backbiting, a1 Cor. 5.11 c. 6.10. 2 Pet. 11…without rayling or slanders, especially against bIsay 5.20.godly men, whose lives, whose persons, whose graces should no where be traduced, much lesse upon the Stage. Mens persons cGen. 1.26. c. 5.1. c. 9.6.are the worke and image of G…d himselfe; their honest callings, offices and imployments, the very d1 Cor. 7.20. to 25. Rom. 13.1.2.Ordinances of God: their graces, their holinesse (to omit their credit and good names, eProu. 22.1. Eccles. 7.1.which are better then precious oyntment, yea, more desirable by farre than great riches) the very beames fIohn 1.16. Mal. 4.2.that flow from the Sunne of Righteousnesse: Wherefore, to personate, deride, revile, or scoffe at all, or any of these, upon the Theater, gProu. 14.11must needs be sinfull; because it not onelyonly brings them into contempt and scorne, but also offers open hProu. 17.5.indignitie to God himselfe, from whom they issue.
The Minor is abundantly evident. First, by the expresse testimony of prophane Author…: It is iPlato in Socratis Apologia. Diogenes La…rtius lib 2 Socrates AElian Variae. Hist. lib. 2. c. 13. Theodoret De Activ… virtute. l. 12… p. 428. Plutarchi Plato fol. 343. E. Ludovicus Vives. Notae in August. De Civit. Dei… l. 2. c. 9.storied of Aristophanes, that scurrilous carping Comaedian, that he personally traduced and abused virtuous… Socrates on the Stage, by the instigation of some lewde Athenians… who maligned him for his resplendent vertues; accusing him both for a trifler, an Atheist, who did neither know nor reverence the gods; of purpose to bring him into derision with the people. kPlutarchi Alcebiades. Horace Epist. l. 3. Epist. 1. p 282. Suidae Eupolis: Ludovicus Vives Notae in Au… August. De Civit. Dei. l. 2. c. 8.Eupolis the Comaedian, did the like to that famous Graecian Worthy, Alcebiades, for which he commanded him to be drowned in the Sea. lEt quibus occupatio est in proximorum peccata, vt subsannatoribus & Comicis: malediti enim quodammodo ipsi sunt, & procliues ad enunciandum, &c. Rhetoricae lib. 2. c. 6. p. 136.Aristotle writes of Comaedians, that they are wholly occupied in surveying, in deriding the vices of other men, which they proclaime upon the Stage, whence he rankes them in the number of traducers, and evill… speakers. mOratio de Pace. p. …21. & ad Nicoclem. p. 46.47.Isocrates blames the Athenians much, for preferring Comaedians who did nothing but carpe at them, and blaze abroad their vices to their infamy, before such who best deserved at their hands. Diogenianus in nSymposia. l. 7. Quaest. 8.Plutarch, reputes it an unbefitting thing, to entertaine Players, or their Comedies at any solemne Feasts; because their virulent invectives, scoffes, and jests, would occasion sudry quarrels and debates. The oPlutarchi Lacornica Insti…ta.Lacedamonians banished all Stage-playes, Players, and Play-Poets, out of their Territories; because they could not endure to heare their lawes carped at, or spoken against in jest or earnest. pTacitus Annal. l. 1. cap. 14 l. 4. c. 3. Dion. Cassius R…m. histor. l…b. 57. p. 798. Alexander… ab Alexandro. Gen. Dierum l 3 cap. 9. Marcus Aurelius cap. 14.Tiberius exiled all Stage-players out of Italy, by reason of those many commotions which their insolent personall invective Playes occasioned. To passe by that famous qPlutarchi Pericles.Gracian P…ricles, who was oft times personated and traduced on the Theater: rHiserias saltationes ridiculè suis gestibus imitabantur. …as per ludibrium depravantes, vt spectatoribus risum moverent. Ex triumphis autem quia… guntur satis liquet hos lusus cavillatorios & satyricos apud Romanos iàm indo a priscis saeculis receptos fuisse. Licet enim ijs qui triumphum prosequuntur iambos & dicteria ia cere in illustrissimos quosque viros, atque adeò in ipsos imporatores; quemadmodum Athenis olim ijs qui plaustris vecti pompam prosequebantur obvios quosque scommatibus impetere licebat. Antiqu. Romanorum lib. 7. sect. 9. p. 713. See Bulingerus De Theatro. lib. 1. cap. 9.10. &. 58. accordingly.Dionysius Ha…icarnasseus describing the ancient Enterludes of the Romans, records: that Cavillatorie and satyricall Playes were of old received among the Romans: in which Playes it was lawfull for the Actors to cast Iambickes, scoffes and floutes upon the most illustrious persons, yea, upon the Emperors themselves: as it was lawfull heretofore among the Athenians, for those who accompanied their Triumphes and Shewes in Wagons, to scoffe at any they met withall, which liberty of …c…f…ing, (as*Quaerere conabar quate lascivia major. His…oret in …udisliberior que Iocus. Sed mihi succurret numen non esse severū. Apta que delicijs munera ferre Deam, &c. Fastorum. … 5. p. 89. Ovid testifies) was likewise vsed in the Floralian Stage-Playes. So that invective Playes were common, both with the Romans and Athenians. sDipnosophorum l. …. c. 5.6.Athenaeus Records: That Comaedians abound in personall scoffes, reproaches, taunts; which are frequent in the Comaedies of Aristophanes: Yea, tEupolis atque Cratinus, Aristophanes que Poetae, atque alij quorum Comaedia prisca viror…m est: Si quis erat dignus describi quod malus, aut fur; Quod maechus foret, siccarius, aut alio qui Famosus; multa cum libertate notabant. Omnes hi metuunt versus, odêre Poëtas, Faenum habet in cornu, longè fugit, dummodo risum Ex cutiat sibi, non hic cuiquam parcet amico. Horace Sermonum. lib. 1. Sat. 4.Horace the Poet, is very copious in describing the personall invectives of Playes in former times, v…escennia per hunc inventa licentia morem. Versibus alternis approbria rustica Iudit: Lib…rtasque recurrentes accepta per annos, Lusit amabiliter donec iam saeuus apertum In rabi…m ver…i caepit, iocus, & per honestas Ire domus impunè minax: doluêre cruento Dente laccessiti: fuit inract is quoque circa Conditione super communi quinetiam lex, Paenaque lata; malo quae nollet, carmine quenquam Describi, vertêre modum formidine f…stis… Ad bene dicendum, delectandum que reducti. Idem Epist. l. 2 Ep…st 1. p. 282. …ut immunda crepent ignominio…aque dicta. Successit verus his Comaedia non sine multa Laud…: sed in vitium libertas excidit, & vim Dignam lege regi: lex est accepta, chorusque Turpiter obtinuit sublato jure no cendi. Idem. De Arte Poetica p. 304.306. Bullingerus …e Theatro. l. 1. c. 9. & 58. accordingly.especially the Fescennia, and the ancient Comedy, which spared neither friends nor foes; whose personall invectives grew so excessive, so odious and intollerable, that the Romans inacted a Law against them, to suppresse their vile abuses …n this kinde. This concurrent testimony then of Pagan Authors, is a sufficient justification of my Minors truth. Secondly, as these heathen Writers, even so the Fathers, with sundry ancient and moderne Authors doe positively affirme the truth of this assumption. Witnesse Philo Iudaeus, his punctuall testimonie, De vit… Contemplativa; page 1209. Clemens Alexandrinus Oratio Adhortatoria ad Gentes, fol. 8, 9. Tatianus Oratio adversus Graecos, Bibl. Patr…m Tom. 2. p. 180.181. xIndo maledicta conuitia sine iustitia, odij etiam suffragia sine merito amoris. Quicquid optant, quicquid abominantur extrancum ab illis est: ira & amor apud illis ociosus, & odium iniustum sine cau…a. Deus cert… cum causa prohibet odisse, qui inimicos diligi iubet. Deus etiam cum causa maledicere non sinit, qui maledicentes benedici praecipit. Sed Circo quid amarius? vbi nec principibus quidem aut … vibus suis parcūt. Quicquid horum quibus circus furit nus quā compe…it sāctis, ideo nec in Circo. Ibid.Tertullian De spectaculis cap. 15, 16. Cyprian Epist. lib. 2. Epist. 2. Donato, & de Spectaculis lib. Arnobius adversus Gentes. lib. 4. p. 149.150. & lib. 7. p. 230. to 242. Hierom. Epist. 4. cap. 2. Ambrose De officijs, lib. 1. cap. 23. Chrysostome homil. 38. in Matth. Nazianzen. Oratio 48. p. 792. D. 797. D. Augustine De Civitate Dei lib. 2. cap. 4.5. and 9. and … Sancti Valeriani homilia 6. De otiosis verbis, Bibliotheca Patrum: Tom. 5. pars 3. p. 482.583. Ludovicus Vives, Notae in August. De Civit. Dei. lib. 2. cap. 4.5.8.9. Bulli…gerus De Theatro lib. 1. cap. 9.10. and 58. Gosson in his Playes confuted, Action 2. The third Blast of Retrait from Playes and Theaters, p. 116.117. Doctor Iohn Whites Sermon at Pauls Crosse, March 24. 1615. section 11. (to which I may add… our owne Statutes of 1. Edw. 6. chapter 1. of 2. and 3. Edw. 6. chap…er 1. of 1. Eliz. chapter 2. which precisely prohibit the satyricall depravi…g, traducing, or derogation of the Common Prayer-Booke, and of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in any Enterludes, Playes or Rimes, (in which kinde Playes had beene formerly peccant) und…r severe penalties.) yCavendum est ergo dilectissimi ne scenico sermone alter altorum laedar, & theatralibus verbis verecundiā fratri laesae aestimationis incutiat, &c. Ibidem.All these, I say, with sundry others which I pretermit, expr…sly tax…, yea, utterly condemne all Playes, in regard of these their personall invectives against particular persons, functions, offices, callings, and the like, concurring fully in my Minors truth.
But to passe by Authorities, our owne particular experience, is a thou…and witnesses to this Assumption. Survay we all our moderne Stageplayes with an impartiall eye, zGosson, Play…s confuted Action …. The third blast of Retrait from Playes and Theaters. p. 116.117. accordingly…There is hardly one of them among an hundred, wherein Religion or religious men, or som… particular persons, offic…rs, callings, professions, are not notoriously, satyrically derided, personated, traduced, defamed, by such aTamdiu quisquis sua peccata ignorat quam diu curios… aliena considerat. Qui semetipsum aspicit, non quaerit quid in alijs frequenter reprehendat, sed in semetipso quid lugeat. Bernard. De Interiori Domo c. 42.who neither consider nor bewaile their owne iniquities, whiles they curiously survay, and maliciously divulge the faults of others. Not to particularize those late new scandalous invective Playes, wherein bGundemore, the late Lord Admirall… Lord Treas… rer, and others.sundry persons of place and eminence have beene particularly personated, jeared, abused in a grosse and scurrilous manner; the cScena joci mo r…mberioris habet. Ovid. Fastorem l. 4. p. 81. Aut immunda crepent ignominiosaque dicta. Horace de Arte Poetica p. 304. Nullum invenire Prologum potuisset novus Quem di ceret, ni…i haberet cui malediceret. Terentij Phormio, Prologus.frequent scoffes, reproaches, scandals, Satyrs, and disgracefull passages that are darted out in Stageplayes, against Ministers, Lawyers, Courteours, Phisitions, Marchants, Citizens, Tradesmen of all sorts; against Iudges, Iu…tices, Maiors, and such like Officers; but especially against all zealous practicall professors of Religion, dDat veniam co…uis… vexat censura columbas. Iuvenal. Satyr. 2.who seldome scape the Players lash: (by meanes of which, both Governours, Government, Religion, and Devotion are brought into contempt…) doe abundantly confirme the Satyricall invectivenesse of Stageplayes. Which vitious quality is sufficient to make them odious unto Christians.
Objection. If any here object in defence of Stage-playes; eSee Haywoods Apologie for Actors. The third blast of Retrait from Playes and Theaters, p. 116, 117.that they inveigh not against particular persons, offic…rs, or professions; but onelyonly against their vices; which is not onelyonly law…ull, but usefull, but commendable.
Answer. To this I answer. First, that the Objection it selfe is meerely false; since not onelyonly *Cum nulli hominum generi aut professioni ab improbis isto sermone parcatur, ab …mnibus tamen ad spectaculum convenitur. Cyprian de spectacu…is lib.Cyprian, and the fore-quoted Authors, but even Players and Play-haunters themselves can testifie, that all sorts of persons, of professors are abus…d often on the Stage: their virtues, their graces being there more frequently censured, derided, traduced, then their vices. Secondly, admit the Objection true; yet for gSee Gosson Playes con…uted, Action 2. The third blast of R… trait from Playes, p. 117. Doctor Iohn Whites Sermon at Pa…ls Cross… March 24. An. 1615. sect. 11 accordingly.Players to censure, to proclaime mens vices or abuses on the Theater, must needs be sinfull. First, because they have no authenticke commission, either from God or man to doe it. For though hLevit 19.17 Prov. 24.24.25. Matth. 18.15. Heb. 3.13every private man may secretly admonish or reprove another for his sinnes, as opportunity shall require: yet *Matth. 18.16.17. Rom. 13.3.4. Isay 58.1. Rom. 14 3.4.2 Tim. 4.2. 1 Tim. 5.20none must publikely censure sinnes or sinners, but Magistrates, Ministers, and such like publike persons, who are deputed by God himselfe to this very office; vponupon which no common… Players must encroach. Secondly, because Players are of all others, the unmeetest pers…ns to reprove mens vices. iMatth. 7.3.4, 5. Rom. 2.3, 21, 22, 23. Accusare viti… o…ficium est bonorum hominum & ben…volorum. Quod cum malefici agunt, alienas partes agunt, &c. August. lib. 2. De Ser…mone Domini in monte, cap. 30. Non amplius possumus increpare cos quia nobis reguntur, cúm ips… quoque …adem Febre teneamur, & ipsi egemus medicina, quos Deus posuit ut alijs mederemur. Chrys. in Ephes. hom. 10. Tom. 4. Col. 9…5. C. Quomodo nos vitam corrigere valeamus alienam, qui negligimus nostram… Gregor. Magn. homil. 17. in Evangelia.He, who will effectually rebuke the sinnes, the enormities of other men, must be …ree from open crimes himselfe; else his reproofes will wa…t authority, and rather exasperate or encourage the reproved in their sinfull courses, then reclaime them from them. vSee Act. 4. Scene 1.Now Players are commonly the most criminous and enormious persons of all others, xDamnant foris quod intus operantur, admittunt libenter quod cum admiserint, criminantur. Turpis turpes infamat, & evasisse se conscium credit, qua…i conscientia satis non sit. Idem in publi… accusatores, in oculto rei, in semetipsos pariter censores & nocentes, Cyprian. Epist. lib. 2. Epist. 2. Donato.being for the most part deepely guilty of all those vices, those abuses which they condemne in any: Therefore their reproofes are vaine and fruitlesse. Thirdly, because Players are alwayes peccant in the manner of their reproofes. He, who reprehends anothers faults in a lawfull Christian way, must be sure to observe these circumstances. First, he must doe it yGal. 6.1. 1 Tim. 5.1.2. 2 Thes. 3.15.with the spirit of m…kenesse, of compassion, without wrath or passion. Secondly, *Mat. 10.16. Ephes. 5.15. Col. 4.5. Prov. 2….9, 10, 11, 12.he must doe it with discretion, in a decent, and prudent manner; having a due respect both to the person, time, and place, to the vice or fault reproved. Thirdly, he must doe it aLevit. 19.17. Gal. 6.1. 1 Cor. 5 5. 2 Cor. 4.5.5. 2 Cor. 7.8, 9. 2 Tim. 3.16.17. Titus. 1.13. Prov. 25.12. c. 9.89. 2 Thess. 3.15. 2 Tim. 2 26, 27.out of conscience, louelove, and friendship: with an unfained desire to reforme the persons, the vices reprehended; bLevit. 19.17. Exod. 23.1, 2. Prov. 10.18. Nulli detrahas, nec in co tesanctum, putes si coeteros …aceres, Hier. Ep. 4.…, 8.not to vent his owne private spleene, …r to disgrace the party rebuked. Fourthly, cMatth. 18.15, 16, 17. Gal. 2.11, 14, 1 Tim. 5.20. Sime vis corripere delinquentem, aperte in crepa. Quid enim prodest si alijs mala referas mea? …i me nesciente, peccatis meis, imò detractionibus tuis alium vulneres, & cū certatim omnibus narres sic singulis loquaris, quasi nulli dixeris alteri? hoc est, non me emendare, sed vitio tuo satisfacere. Hierom. Epist. 4 c. 10.he must openly reprove the delinquents to their faces, that so they may take notice of their vices to reforme them: not covertly behinde their backes, for this is meere detraction, not reproofe: A publication of mens vices vntounto others to their great disgrace; not a discouery of them to themselves for their amendment. Now our Vice-censuring, Sinne-proclaiming Actors, (who dDum alienos errores emendarc nituntur, ostend…nt suos, Hierom. Epist. 28.commonly discover, but not correct their owne enormities, whiles they display and censure others, eVae illi, qui …uam ren…it corrigere vitam, & alienam non desinit detrahere. Bernard. De Interi…ri Dom…. c. 42. Col. 1082. B.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: fHi temere judicant de incerti…, & facilè reprehendunt, magis amant vituperare & damnare, quam emendare atque corrigere: q…d vitium vel superbiae est, vel impudenti…e. August. lib. 2 de Sermone Dom. in monte cap. 30.their ayme is onelyonly mens defamation, not their reformation: sin…e they proclai…e mens vices unto others, not lay them open to themselves: they dare not looke the delinque…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 gDoct. Iohn Whi…es Sermon at Paules Crosse, March the 24. Anno 1615. sect. 11.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 State…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, o…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, hExod. 23.1. Psal. 15.3.that they ought not to receive or raise an ill report of any: iGenes. 21.9. 2 sam. 6.16.20. Psal. 119… 136.to deride or scoffe at any mans vices, and kProv. 14.9. cap. 10.23.so to make a mocke of sinne, lIames 4.11.or to speake evill of any one, as they doe: since God himselfe prohibites it, since mIude 9.Michael the Archangel, (whose example all mu…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 nImprobissimi omnium, & maxima paena digni sunt, qui d… ijs rebusalios ac…usare audent quibus ipsi constricti tenentur. Iso…rates, Oratio d… Permutatione page 617.in this are worthy the severest penalty, that …eing so superlatively vitious thēselves, they dare presume to censure others) to testifie to the world, that they are within the number of these oIude 8.18.scoffers, and p2. Tim. 3.3.dispisers of those who are good, which are prophecied of in the latter times; dare open their blacke qIames 3.6.infernall mouthes, in bitter invective Enterludes, against all gr…ce and goodnesse; against the very prof…ssion and professors of Religion; against all qualities, callings and degrees …f men, scarce glancing lightly at their vices. Therefore their Playes must needes be inexcusably sinfull, even in this respect.