The Players Scourge, Part 1 · Act 5 · Scene 9
SCENA NONA.
THe second unlawfull Concomitant of Stage-playes, is amorous, obscene, lascivious lust-provoking Songs and Poems, which were once so odious in our Church; that in the Articles to be inquired of in Visitations, set forth in the first yeere of Queene ELIZABETHS Raigne, Article 54. Church-wardens were enioyned to inquire; whether any Minstrels, or any other persons did use to sing or say any Songs or Ditties that be vile and uncleane; which suggests this 24. Play-oppugning Argument to me.Argument 24.
Those Playes which are usually accompaned with amorous Pastoralls, lascivious ribaldrous Songs and Ditties, *Aiunt Philosophi, nihil potentius esse ad ene…vandum animum qu…m lenocinium melodiae. In huius rei…verum argumentumaccipe, quod difficile invenitur aliquis levis vocis & gravis vitae vidi infinitos tam vi…os quā faeminas tantò pejoris vitae qu…nto m…lioris vocis. Antonini Chron. pars 2. Tit. 18. c. 5. sect. 10.must needs be unlawfull, yea abominable unto Christians.
But Stage-playes are usually accompanied with such Pastorals, Songs, and Ditties as these.
Therefore they must needs be unlawfull, yea abominable unto Christians.
The Minor is most aparant. First, by our owne moderne experience, there being nothing more frequent, in all our Stage-playes (as all our Play-haunters can abundantly testifie;) then amorous Pastorals, or obscene lascivious Love-songs, most melodiously chāted out upon the Stage betweene each seueral Action; both to supply that Chasme or vacant Interim which the Tyring-house takes up, in changing the Actors robes, to fit them for some other part in the ensuing Scene: (a thing in use in Ancient times, as kNunc tibicinibus, nunc est gauvisa Tragaedis. Epist. l. 2. Epist. 2. p. 280. Actoris partes chorus officiū que virile Defendat: neu quid medios intercinatactus, Quod non proposito conducat & haereat aptè. De Arte Poët. pag. 302.Horace, lHistoriae. Rom. l 7. sect. 3.Livy, and mDionysius Hallicarnas. Antiq. Rom. l. 7. sect. 9. Caelius Rhod. Antiq. Lect. l. 8 c. 8. Polydor Virgil, De Inventor. rerum. l. 3. cap. 13. Alexander Sardis, De Rerum Inventor. l. 1. p. 43.44. Bulengerus, De Theatro. l. 1. …. 52. & l 2. c. 1.9. &c. Godwins Roman Antiqu. l. 2. sect. 3. c. 11.sundry others have recorded;) as likewise to please the itching eares, if not to inflame the outragious lusts of lewde Spectators, who are oft-times ravished with these ribaldrous pleasing Ditties, and transported by them into a nTurci ventris venereas que voluptates in paradiso somniant. Vxores aiunt fore selectissimas, &c. Philip. Lonicerus. Tur. Hist. l 2. c. 22. Bellonius Observationum. l. 3. c. 8. Purchas Pilgr. Booke 3. chap. 4. & 5.Mahometan Paradise, or extasie of uncleanesse. Secondly, as experience, so sundry ancient and moderne Authors fully suffragate to my Minors truth. oSpectaculis corrupti cantus nimiam in animis ingenerant libidinem… Meretricij enim cantus, auditorum animis insidentes, nil aliud efficiunt, quam ut turpitudinem omnibus persuadeant. Hexameron. Hom. 4. p. 45.In Stage-playes (writes S. Basil) corrupt Songs ingenerate too much lust in the mindes of men. These Whorish Songs residing in the mindes of the hearers, doe nought else but perswade filthinesse to all that heare them. pIllos Poëta contumeliosos non laudamus, qui in canticis obscaenis faelicitatem ponūt. D… Legendis libris Gentilium. Oratio.Wherefore wee commend not those contumelious Poets who place felicity in obscene S…ngs. In Stage-playes (writes qIbi verba fracta lasciva que : ibi cantiones meritriciae: ibi voces vehementer ad voluptatem incitantes, &c. Chrysostome. Hom. 3. De Davide & Saul. Tom. 1. Col. 510. D. See Hom. 38. in Matth. accordingly.Chrysostom…,) are broken effeminate lascivious words, meretricious songs, and voyces provoking vehemently to voluptuousnesse; and polluting mens eares farre more then any dirt or filth. What (write rQuid autem cernit qui ad Theatra …urrit? Diabolicos cantus; lascivas quasdam ac prorsus corruptas cantilenas, quae que multam libidinem in animis pariant, &c. Eusebius apud Damasc…num Parallelorum. lib. 3. cap. 47.Eusebius and Damascen) doth he perceive who runs to Theaters? Diabolicall Songs; certaine lascivious and altogether corrupt Ditties, which ingenerate much lust in the mindes of the …earers, &c. To these I might adde S. Augustine. De Civit. Dei. l. 6. c. 6.7 & 26. & l. 12. c. 25. Lactan…ius, De Vero Cultu, c. 21. Nazienzen ad Selucum, De recta Educatione. p. 1063. And Oratio 28. p. 471… where he writes thus of his Father. Nec aurem & lingua… res divinas partim accipientē partim pronunciantē ethnicis narrationibus theatricis que cantilenis conspurcari siverit; nihil enim prophani sacrosanctis hominibus convenire putabat. Salvian, De Gubernatione Dei. l. 6. Ioannis Salisburiensis; De Nugis Cu…ialium. l. 1. c. 8. Concilium Parisiense. l. 1. c. 38. together with Athenaeus Dipnosophorum. l. 13. c. 27 The 3. Blast of Retrait from Playes and Theaters. pag. 100. Caesar Buleng…rus, De Theatro. l. 2. c. 9. De Cantu in Scena; where there are sundry Authors quoted to this purpose, which you may peruse at leisure. Iuvenal. Satyr 6. p. 53. to 57. & Satyr. 11. p. 109.110. Petronius. Satyricon. p. 23.24. Mariana & Brissonius, in their Bookes, De Spectaculis. M. Northbrooke, D. Reinolds, M. Gosson, and M. Stubs, in their fore-quoted Treatises against Stage-playes: and others already mentioned in *See here pag. 63. to 71.Act 3. Scene 1. Who all unanimously testifie; That Stage-playes are alwayes fraught with adulterous, obscene, lascivious Songs, and wanton Pastorals, which adde strength and fuell to mens lusts. My Minor therefore must be granted.
The Major is unquestionable; because all ribaldrous, amorous Songs: (which now are too to rise, not onelyonly in Stage-playes, but ever at private Christians Feasts, and other Taverne-meetings, from which sTheodosius ministeria la… civa psaltrias que commesiationibus adhibere lege prohibuit. E…tropius. Rom. Hist. l. 13. p. 173. Aurelius Victor & Grimston in Theodosio. Codex Theodoij. Tit. De Scen…cis l. 10. & Buleng…rus De Theatro l. 2. c. 9.Theodosius, tNullo citharae cōvivia cantu, Non puerilas…va sonant. Claudian De Laudibus Stiliconis. lib. 2. p. 185.Stilico, and others excluded all Songs and singing-women; (the very ornaments and delights of lascivious banquets, as uCantus saltatatio que haec enim sunt ornamenta convivij. Odysseae… l. 1. pag. 8.Homer, xHalyattes rex terrae Lydiae more at que luxu barbarico praeditus cumbellū Milesijs faceret, concinentes fistulatores & tibicines at que faeminas etiam tibicinas in exercitu at que in procinctu habuit, lascivientium delicias conviviorum. Noctium Attic. l. 1. c. 11. p. 26. & Herodoti Clio. sect. 3.Gellius, and yOmne convivium obscaenis canticis strepit, pudenda dicta spectantur. Lib. 1. c. 3. See Bulengerus, De Theatro l. 2. c. 9. p. 350 351. accordingly.Quintilian stile them:) are abundantly condemned as abominable, sinfull pastimes misbeseeming godly Christians. First, by the expresse verdict of the Scripture; which as it zIam. 5.13 Eph. 5.4, 19… 20. Col. 3.16, 17. Heb. 13.15. Isay 38.20 c. 49.13. Ps. 21.13. Ps. 33.…, 3. Ps. 66.2, 4. Ps. 68…4. Ps. 96.1. Ps. 95.1. Exod. 15.1, 21. 1 Chron. 16.9.inioynes all Christians in their Feasts, their mirth, and private meetings, to sing Psalmes, and Hymnes, and spirituall Songs, of prayer, of praise to God with a grace and melody in their hearts: a practise, which all the Primitive …hristians (as the marginall aPhilo Iudaeus, De Vita Contempl. lib. p 1211. to 1217… Clemens Alexandrinus Paed…g. l. 2. c. 4. Tertulliani, Apollogia. c. 39. Dionysius Areopagita Ecclesiast. Heirarch. lib. c. 3. Nazienzen, Oratio 37.38, 39, 40. Gregorie Nissen, De Vita beati Gregorij Oratio. Chrysostom. Hom in Psal. 41. Tom. 1. Col. 735. Theodoret, De Evangel. Veritatis Cognitione. l. 8. & De Martyribus. l. p. 390. F. Tom. 2. Pliny Epist. l. 10. Ep. 97.Authors witnesse) observed in their Love-feasts, in all their private and publike meetings: and I would, those moderne Christians, who banish these things from their Feasts and Merriments, as altogether unseasonable, exhilerating themselves bQuis rogo hic error est, quae stultitia? Nunquid laetari assiduè & ridere non possumus, nisi risum nostrum atque laetitiam scelus esse faciamus, &c? Salvian, De Gubernat. Dei. lib. 6. pag. 192.with nought but scurrilous beastly Songs, lascivious musicke, wanton dancing, and such unchristian mirth; would now againe reviue it. So it expresly prohibits cEphes. 4.29, 31, cap. 5.4. 1 Cor. 15.33. See Act. 3. Scene 1. pag. 63. to 66…all filthy, corrupt, unedifying communication: dEphes. 5.3.all fornication and uncleanesse which are not so much as once to be named among Christians: together with eEphes. 5.4.all foolish talking and iesting; all ribaldry and scurrility, either in songs or iests (which fOmnibus enim suffragijs haec lex vincit, ut & in cantilenis bonis verbis utamur, & ut cantilenae genus undiqua que ex gratiosis verbis constet. Plato Legum, Dialog. 7. pag. 874.Plato, and the Athenians, though Pagans, did prohibite by an unanimous law,) as odious unto God, pernicious to the manners, mindes, and soules of men, and misbeseeming Christians, gCol. 4.6. Ephes. 4.29.whose words should be alwayes gracious, seasoned with salt, that so they might administer grace, not poyson or corruption, to the heaerers. Ribaldrous amorous Songs, are so unsutable for the mouthes, the eares of Christians; that hQui Satanicas cantilenas concinunt, spiritu immundo imbuuntur. Enar. in Eph…s. 5. pag. 510. D.Theophylact plainly tells us, that those who sing such Songs, are po…sessed with an uncleane spirit: and S. iQui enim iocis & seculi cantionibus delectatur, in tentorio Diaboli est. De Nuptijs filij Regis. Col. 1725. A.Bernard, that he who is delighted with obscene Iests, and secular Ditties, (as alas too many are) is in the very pavilion or possession of the Devill. No wonder therefore if the Scripture condemnes such songs as these, as unbefitting Christians. Secondly, as the Scripture, so sundry ancient and moderne Councels expresly censure,*Mors intrat per aures audiendo libenter cantus & instrumenta musica ad lasciviā provocātia: per ist… …nim valdè emollitur animus, & praecipuè per cantus mulierū. Cum enim blanda vox quaeritur sobria vita deseritur… Cantus dissolutus mē tem virisē vulnerat & emollit… Et ex hoc cōmuniter cantatrices & cantores sunt instabiles & malorū morū, &c. Ecce hominem vocis blandissimae & vitae pessimae. Pauli Wan… Sermo 7. de Custodia Auditus. such Poems, Songs, and Ditties; as abominable and polluted in themselves, defiling the mouthes, the eares, of those who chaunt, or heare them chaunted: as allectives unto lewdnesse, incentives unto lust, kEphe…. 4.29, 30. See Ambrose, Chrysostome, Hierom, Theodoret, Sedulius, Primasius, Remigius, Anselme, Beda, O…cumenius, Haymo, Theophylact, Calvin, Musculus, Marlorat, Lyra, & Go…rhan, Ibid. accordingly.which grieve the holy Spirit of God, whereby we are sealed up to the day of redemption, and wholy effeminate the mindes of men. Witnesse Concilium Arelatense. 3. apud Surium. Concil. Tom. 1. pag. 727. Concil. Agathense, Can. 39. Veneticum, Can. 11. Toletanum. 3. Can. 23. Altisiodorense. Can. 9. & 40. Cabilonense. 1. Can. 19. Senonense. Cap. 25. Surius. Tom. 4. p. 742.743. Cabilonense. 2. Can. 9. Moguntinum sub Carolo Magno. cap. 10. & 14. Rhemense. cap. 17. Parisiense. lib. 1. cap. 38. Moguntinum sub Raebano. Archiepiscopo. cap. 13. Turonense. 3. cap. 7.8. Coloniense 1536. pars 2. cap. 25. & pars 9. c. 10 lApud Bochellum. Decreta Ecclesiae. Gal. lib. 6. Tit. 19. cap. 4.16.19. See Act 7. Scene 3…Synodus Carnotensis. Anno 1526. Concilium Burdigense. Anno… 1582. & Synodus Turonica… 1583. which 17… severall Councels, inhibite all Christians, especially Clergymen, both from the use, the hearing, and singing of such Songs as these, for the precedent reasons. A sufficient inducement to cause all godly Christians to abandon them, together with all those Playes, those Play-houses and places where they are in use. Thirdly, as these Scriptures and Councels; so likewise the Fathers are very copious in censuring such ribaldrous lascivious songs as these, which if we beleeve mA…rem insuper meretricijs cantibus, & terram contaminavêre, &c. De Elia & I…iunio. c. 18… & Basil De Ebrietate & Luxu. Sermo.S. Ambrose or S. Basil, defile the very earth and aire where they are breathed out. Survey we but Clemens Alexandrinus, Paedag. l. 2. c. 4… & 6. & *Foris autem impijs modis & amatorijs canticis se oblectant, tibiarū cantu, plausu, temulentia, & quovis caeno ac sorde oppleti. Hoc autem dum cantant & recantant, ij qui immortalitatē anteà celebrabant, tandē perniciosissimam mali malè canunt palinodiam; Comedamus & bibamus cras enim morimur. Ij autem non cras verè sed iam Deo mor…ui sunt, sepeliētes mortuos suos, hoc est seipsos in mortem infodientes. Ibid.l. 3. c. 11. Tertullian & Cyprian, in their Bookes De Spectaculis. Arnobius advers. Gentes. lib. 4. & 7. T…tianus, Oratio adversus Graecos. Lactantius de Ver… Cultu l. 6. c. 21. Basil. Hexaëmeron. Hom. 4. De Ebrietate & Luxu. Sermo 2. & De Legendis libris Gentiliū Oratio. Nazienzen Oratio 28.37, 38. & 48. & Ad Selucum De Recta Educatione. p. 1063. Hierom… Epist. 2. c. 6. Ep. 9. c. 5. Ep. 10… c. 4. & Adversus …ovinianum. l. 2. c. 7 Cyrillus Hierusolomitanus Chatechesis Mystagogica. 1… (who makes such nSee here pag. …9. to 53.songs, the very workes and pompes of the Devill, which we renounce in baptisme:) Eusebius apud Damascenum. Parallelorum. l. 3. c. 47. Ambrose, De Elia & Ieiunio. c. 18 & Sermo 33. Sti. Asterij Homilia in Festum Kalendarum. Oratio. Bibl. Patrū. Tom. 4. p. 706. Augustine De Civit. Dei. lib. 6. c. 6.7. De Rectitudine Catholicae Conversationis Tractatus. & De Decem Chordis. cap. 4. Tom 9. De Tempore Sermo 225. De Verbis Apostol. Sermo 17. Hippolitus Martyr, De Consummatione mundi & Antichristo Oratio. Bibl. Patrum. Tom. 3. p. 16. H. & 17. A.B. Gaudentius Brixiae. Episc. De L…ctione Evangelij. Sermo 8. Bib…. Patrum. Tom. 4. pag. 813. C. D. Primasius, Oecumenius, Theodoret, Sedulius, Remigius, Anselmus, Ha…mo, Rabanus Maurus, & Theophylact, on Ephes. 4.29, 30. & on cap. 5.3, 4. Salvianus De Gubernatione Dei. l. 6. Fulgentius super Audivit Herodes Tetrarcha, &c. Sermo. Chrysologus Sermo 128. Olympiodorus in Ecclesiast. Enarrat, c. 12. Ca…siodorus V…riarum. lib. 2. Epist. 40. Bernardus, oScurriles cantilenas tanquam vanitates & insanias falsas respuunt & abominantur. Ibidem.Oratio ad Milites Templi. cap. 4. Col. 832. L. & De Nuptijs Filij Regis. Col. 1725. A. Ioannis Salisburiensis, De Nugis Curialium. l. 1. c. 6. & 8. P…trus Blesensis, Ep. 76. Maphaeus Vegius, De Educat. Lib. l. 3. c. 10.12. Paulus Wan. Sermo 7. Espencaeus in Tim. 1. Digressionum. l. 1. c. 11. p. 212. & Gratian De Consecratione Distinctio. 3. we shall finde such Songs, such Poems as these abundantly condemned, as pQuare ambularemus delectati canticis vanis nulli rei profututis, ad tempus dulcibus, in poste: ū amaris? Talibus enim turpitudinibus cantionū animi humani illecti enervantur, & decidūt, à virtute, defluentes in turpitudinem: & propter ipsas turpitudines posteà sentiunt dolores, & cum magna amaritudine digerūt, quod cum dulcedine temporali bibêrunt. August De Decem Chordis. c. 4. Tom 9. pars 1. pag. 1152.filthy and unchristian defilements, which contaminate the soules, effeminate the mindes, deprave the manners, of these that heare or sing them, exciting, enticeing them to lust; to whoredome, adultery, prophanes, wantonnesse, scurrility, luxury, drunkennesse, excesse; alienating their mindes from God, from grace and heavenly things: and Syren-like, with their sweet enchantments entrap, ensnare, destroy mens soules, proving bitter potions to them at the last, though they seeme sweet and pleasant for the present. Let S. Chrysostome, that qTotum aurū indicant haec verba Chrysostomū, cuius è labris doctrinae sermones melle dulciores emanarūt, quos qui gustant multa myrrha implētur, id est, laboribus mortificant membra sua super terram. Theodoret Interp in Cantica Cantic. Tom. 1. pag. 252.all-golden Father, as Theodoret stiles him, whose lips did drop with Myrre and Hony, speake here for all the rest, who is somewhat copious in this theame. rQuemadmodū ubi quidē est caenū eò porci concurrūt, ubi autem sunt arōmata & suffitus illic apes habitant: ita, ubi sunt quidē meretricia cantica, illic congregantur Daemones: ubi autem cantica spiritualia, illuc advolat gratia spiritus, & os sanctificat animā &c. Quemadmodū enim qui mimos & saltatores & mulieres meretrices introducūt in convivia, Daemones & diabolū illuc vocantutà qui vocant David eū cythara, intus Christū per ipsum vocant. Illi domū suā faciunt Theatrū, tu Ecclesiam factuam domūculam Hom, in Psal 41. Tom. 1. Col. 735Like as Swine (writes he) runne thither where there is mire, and as Bees doe live where there are spices and perfumes: so where there are whorish Songs, there are the Devils gathered together: but where there are spirituall Songs, thither the grace of the holy Ghost doth flie, and the mouth sanctifieth the heart. And as those who bring in Stage-players, and Harlots into their Feasts (I would those whose practise it is now, would marke his words) doe call in Devils thither, so they who call in David with his Harpe (he meanes his Psalmes of which he speakes) doe call in Christ by him. They make their house a Theater, doe thou make thy Cottage a Church. sHoc est mihi in quit perpetuū canticū, &c. Hoc est mihi perpetuū munus, Deum laudare, Audiant, qui Satanicis canticis remollescunt & putrefiunt. Quod non supplicium subibunt, &c? Hom. in Psal. 117. Tom. 1. Col. 984. D. See Hom. 6. ad Pop. Antioch. Tom. 5. Col. 62. C. D.This, saith David, is my perpetuall Song, this my constant worke and office, to prayse the Lord. Let them give eare, who effeminate and putrifie themselves with satanicall Songs. What punishment shall not they undergoe; or what dispensation may be given them, when as he being alwayes imployed in praysing his Saviour, they are perpetually wallowing themselves in these filthy Duties? By tQu… docemur, quāto supplicio obnoxij sint qui libidinosas & obscaenas cantilenas proferunt; qui comicas nugas pronunciant, qui mendacia & clamores in Circēsibus ludis edunt. Hom. in Psal. 118. v. 170.171. Tom. 1. Col. 1025. D.this are we taught, to what great punishment they are obnoxious, who utter libidinous and obscene songs, who pronounce comicall toyes, who vent lyes and clamours in Cirques, &c. uSi Theatralibus ludis spretis atque neglectis ecclesiam peteris, claudicanti pedi incolumitatem reddidisti. Si Diabolicos cantus despexeris & eorum loco spiritales didiceris iā loqueris, cùm anteà mutus esses. Hom. 33. in Mat. Tō 2 Col. 262. B.If then, contemning and forsaking Stageplayes, thou shalt hereafter frequent the Church, thou hast then restored health to thy haulting feet: If thou shalt despise diabolicall songs, and in stead of them shalt learne spirituall Psalmes, thou mayest now speake, whereas before thou wast but mute. And in another Homely he writes thus: xNam quemadmodū limus & sordes aures corporis obstruere solent, sic meretricij cantus aures mentis solent magis quàm quaevis sordes obstruere. Vel potius non obstruūt tantū, verū etiam impurū faciūt & immundū: quasi enim stercus immittunt auribus vestris huiusmodi colloquia. Quod barbarus ille minabatur, dicens; Comedetis stercus vestrū, id etiàm multi non verbo, sed re vobis faciunt, imò verò multò pejus ac faedius. Nam Fornicatorij cantus multò magis quam stercora sunt abominabiles. Quod que aegrius ferendū; non solū nullā talia audientes molestiā capitis, verū etiā ridetis at que laetamini. Cū que vitare ista, abominari que deberetis; suscipitis at que laudatis. Hom 38. in Matth. Tom. 2. Col. 297. C. See Hom. 2. De Verbis Isaiae. Tom. 1. Col. 1288. A.As slime and dirt are wont to stop the eares of the body, so meretricious songs do use to stop the eares of the minde, more then any filth: or rather, they doe not onelyonly stop, but likewise contaminate and defile them: for such songs doe as it were cast dirt into the eares. What that Barbarian threatned, saying; you shall eate your owne dung: that verily doe many to you now, not in word, but in deed: yea, that which is farre worse and filthier: For adulterous songs are much more abominable then any dung. And that which is farre worse to be endured. (though it bee the very humour and practise of our lascivious times) you are not onelyonly not offended nor grieved at the hearing of such songs, but you laugh and reioyce: and whereas you ought to avoyd and abominate them, you entertaine and applaud them. To conclude: yChoreae, cymbala, tibiae, cantica turpia plena scortationū ac adulteriorū, Diaboli pompa, &c. Hom. 42. in Acta. Tom. 3. Col. 611. C. & Hom. 12 in 1 Cor. Tom. 4. Col. 357. A.Dancing, musicke, adulterous ribaldry songs (saith this Father) which are so rife and frequent in our marriages (and yet not so frequent then, as they are now in ours:) are the very Devils pompe and hotch-potch, &c. zQuid dixeris de ipsis canticis quae sunt plena omni impudicitia, & amores pravos, & concubitus illigitimos ac nefarios, & domorum eversiones & tragaedias, inducunt innumerabiles, & frequens habēt nomen amici & amantis, & amicae & …ilectae: & quod e…t omniū gravissimum, eis adsunt virgines, omni exuto pudore, & ad spō sae honorē vel potius ignominiam; & inter impudicos adolescentes, incompositis lascivientes & indocore se gerentes cantilenis, verbis que turpibus, & Satanica consonantia. Et adhuc me rogas, unde matrimoniorum corruptores… Hom. 12. in 1 Cor. Tom. 4. Col. 358. C. See Hom. 21. ad Pop Antio…h. Tom 5. Col. 162. C.D.What wilt thou say of their songs which are fraught with all incontinency? which bring in dishonest loves, unlawfull, nay wicked copulations, the eversions of houses and i… numerable Tragedies, and have oft-times in them the name of a Mistris, and a Lover, a Sweet-heart and a Beloved. And that which is worst of all, there are Virgins present at them, who laying aside all shame, doe in the middest of unchaste Yongsters (a practice too common with our chaunting, dancing blushlesse females now) demeane themselves lasciviously and unseemely: sporting themselves with disorderly songs, obscene discourses, satanicall musicke, in honour, or rather to the dishonour of the new married Spouse. And dost thou yet inquire of me, whence adulterers, whence whoredomes, whence corruptions of marriages should proceed? Lo here the effects of such scurrilous songs and dances. To which I shall here adde… the saying of S. Valerian concerning such songs as these, in his 6. Homely, De Otiosis verbis… Bibliotheca Patrum. Tom. 5. pars 3. pag. 482.483. aQuotiescunque dulci voce mulcetur auditus, ad turpe facinus invitatur aspectus. Nemo insidiosis cantibus credat, nec ad illa libidinosae vo…is incitamenta respiciat; quae cum oblectant, sae viunt; cum blandiuntur, occidunt. Ibidem.As oft (writes he) as the hearing is soothed with the pleasant voyce, so often the sight is invited to a filthy deed. Let no man trust these trecherous songs, nor looke backe to those incitations of a lustfull voyce; which rage whiles they delight, and kill when they flatter. bSic frequēter vidimus blandis sibilis aves decipi, & hebetes feras in laqueum mortis dulcedine vocis impel…i. Similis e…t dilectissimi, causa mortalium, quos dulcisoni cantus cura sollicitat. In ho… autem proficiunt varietates vocum, & producta sin… syllabis verba, ut homo aut capiatur, aut capiat. Explicari non potest, dilectissimi, quam periculosos laqueos exhibeant mimicae …tudia voluptatis, &c. Ib…dem.Thus we often see Birds to be deceived with flattering whistels, and sottish wild beasts to be drawen into a snare of death by the sweetnesse of the voyce. Such, my beloved, is the case of mortall men, whom the care of pleasant songs sollicites. In this onelyonly the varieties of voyces profit, and words drawen out at length by warblings without syllables, that a man may be either taken, or may take. It cannot be expressed, my beloued, what dangerous snares the studies of mimicall pleasure exhibite. For if any man could search out the secrets of mens brest…, he should finde the hearts of unhappy men to sigh againe at every sound of the Flute. Vnderstand therefore what over-familiar and secret speech may doe betweene men and women, what neere neighbourhood, what conferences mixed with iests, what a pallate invited with delight,… what the desire of gold exposed to every wickednesse of prostitution, if even the inticements of a dumbe voyce may charme the fury of another. cRefugiendus est igitur error iste, vocis sonus, qui humanis pectoribus dulcedine sua amaritudinem fecit, & persuasione quadam melliflui cantus frequenter mortifera aegris venena commiscuit. In quo loco primū obturendae aures sunt, opponentes scutum fidei, quo facilius omnis lenocinantis vocis excludatur a…ditus. Adhibenda etiam disciplina, quae oculorum desideria repellat, & tabescentis cordis incitamenta compescat. Ibidem.This error therefore of the sound of the voyce is to be avoyded, which hath wrought bitternes in the hearts of men by its sweetnesse, & by a certaine perswasion of a mellifluous song, hath oft-times ministred deadly poysons to the sicke. In which place the eares are first to be *See Thomas Beacon his Catechisme. fol. 355 accordingly.stopped, by opposing the Buckler of Faith, whereby the hearing of every voyce enticing unto lewdnesse may more easily be excluded. And discipline also is to be administred, which may repell the desires of the eyes, and may bridle the incitations of a consuming heart. To all which passages, I may ioyne that of S. Augustine, De Tempore Sermo. 215. *Ante omnia ubicun que fueritis, sive in domo, &c. verba turpia & luxuriosa nolite ex ore vestro proferre; sed magis vicinos & proximos vestros iugiter admonere, ut semper quod bonum est & honestum loqui studeant, ne forte mal… loquendo & in sanctis festivitatibus choros ducendo, cantica luxuriosa & verba proferendo de lingua sua, unde debuerant Deum laudare, inde sibi vulnera videantur infligere. Isti enim infaelices & miseri homines qui balationes & saltationes ante ipsas basilicas sanctorum exercere nec metuūt nec erubescunt, etsi Christiani ad Ecclesiam venerint, Pagani de Ecclesia revertuntur; quia ista consuetudo balandi de Paganorum observatione remansit. Et iam videte qualis est ille Christianus qui ad Ecclesiam venit orare, & neglecta oratione, sacrilega verba Paganorum non erubescit ex ore proferre: videte tamen fratres charissimi, si iustum est, ut ex ore Christianorum ubi corpus Christi ingreditur, luxuriosum canticum quasi venenum Diaboli proferatur? Ibid. Tom. 9. pars 2. pag. 631. See Ambros. Sermo. 33. Tom. 5. pag. 23.Before all things, wheresoever you are, whether in a house, or in a iourn…y, or in a feast, or in a publike assembly, utter not yee out of your mouthes any scurrilous or voluptuous words; but rather cōtinually, admonish your neighbours and friends, that they alwayes study to speake that which is honest and good, lest perchance by evill speaking, by dancing upon holy Festivals, and by singing luxurious ribaldry songs, they may seeme to inflict wounds upon themselves, even from whence they ought to have praysed God. For these unhappy and miserable men, who neither feare nor blush to exercise lascivious songs and dances before the very Temples of the Saints, although they should come Christians to the Church, yet they returne Pagans from the Church, because this custome of singing and dancing is but a relique of the observation of Pagans. And now behold what a Christian he is, who comes unto the Church to pray, and neglecting prayer, is not ashamed to utter the sacrilegious words of Pagans. Consider deare brethren, whether it be iust, that out of that mouth of Christians where the body of Christ doth enter in, a deboist song should be brought forth, as the very poyson of the Devill? *Quare ambularemus delectati vanis …anticis, nulli rei profuturis, ad tempus dulcibus, in posterū amaris? Talibus enim turpitudinibus cantionū animi humani illecti …nervantur, & decidant virtute, defluē tes in turpitudinem & propter ipsas turp… tudines posteà sentiunt dolores, & cum magna amaritudine digerunt, quod cū temporasi dulcedine …iberunt. De Decem Chordis. cap. 4. Tom. 9. pars 1. pag. 1152.Wherefore (writeth he in another place) should we then walke delighted with vaine songs, that are profitable for nothing, being sweet onelyonly for a time, but bitter afterwards? For with such scurrilities of songs the intised mindes of men are effaeminated, and fall away from vertue, flowing downe into filthinesse, and for these very filthinesses they afterwards fe…le paines, and vomit up that againe with great bitternesse which they have drunke downe with temporall pleasure, &c. To which I may annex that *Apud Henrici Spelmanni Glossarium. p. 66. Ballare, & Binius Conciliorum. Tom. 3.Canon of the Roman Synode under Lotharius and Lodovicke: Let the Priests admonish men and women who meet together at Church on Holy-dayes, that they sing no filthy songs, nor lead nor keepe any dances: And that Constitution of Charles and Lodovicke: *Capitular. Caroli & Ludou. l. 6. Can. 191. & Spelmanni Glossarium. p. 67. Ballare.Let no man dance any filthy Dances or Carantoes, nor sing any dishonest riotous songs, nor use any such Diabolicall sports, either in the streets or in their houses. By all which you may easily discerne, what the Fathers iudged of amorous ribaldrous songs; which should cause all Christians, at leastwise to condemne them in their iudgements; as all these Fathers doe; if not to dQuare? quia infixa nobis eius rei aversatio est, quā natura damnavit. Seneca. Epist. 79. … Legum Dialog… 7. pag. 874.abandon them in their practice. To these Testimonies of the Fathers I might accumulate, not onelyonly *Quid illi, qui in audiendis, visendis, componendis canticis occupati sunt; dū vocem cuius rectum cursum natura & optimū & simplicissimum fecit, in…exu modulationis ineptissime torquent? Quorum digiti a…iquod inter se carmen metientes semper sonant: quorū cùm ad res serias, etiam saepè tristes, ad hibiti sunt, exauditur tacita modulatio? Non habent isti otium, sed iners negotiū. De Brevit. Vitae. c. 12.Plato, fEnervant animos cytharae, cantus que , lyrae que . Et vox, &c. De Remedio Amoris. l. 2. p. 230.Seneca, gGrata que faeminis, Imbelli cythara carmina dividis. Carmin. l. 1. Od…. 15. p. 18. See l. 3. Ode. 11. p. 83. & Ode. 15. p. 88. l. 4. Ode. 11… p. 124. Epist. l. 1 Epist. 2. p. 240.Ovid, hSee Iuvenal. Satyr. 6. p. 54.55, 56. & Satyr. 10. p. 99.Horace, and other Pagan Authors, who condemne all amorous wanton Pastorals, as fit for none but Strumpets, and lewde lascivious effeminate persons: but likewise whole Volumes of moderne Authors; there being few Commentators on the Psalmes, upon iSee Lyra, Gorrhan, Tostatus, Cornelius à Lapide, Estius, Os…ander, Calvin, Musculus, Marlorat, Zanchius, Arctius, Bullenger, Melangton, and others. Ibid.Ephes. 4.29, 30. &c. 5.3.4. or upon Coll…s 4.6. Few Expositors on the 7. kSee Hooper, B…acon, Babington, Dod, …lton, Perkins, Lake, Williams, …mes, and others.Commandement: few lSee Peter Martyr, Trelcatius, Mercer, Polanus, and others, and Ma…heus Vegius, De Liberorū Educat. l. 3. c. 7. & 12.Common-place Compilers; in their places or Titles, of Singing, Psalmes, Musicke, Iests, Scurrility, Modesty, Chastity, and the like: Few Writers, mThe 3. Blast of Retrait from Playes and Theaters. p. 100. together with Reinolds, Gosson, Stubs, Bulenger, Brissonius, Mariana, and others.against Stage-playes; but have particularly condemned these lascivious, amorous, ribaldrous Songs, (which are now too much in use) nAures vestras condidi, ut audiretis Scripturas, at vos parastis ea ad cantica Daemonum, cytharas & ridicula, &c. Hippolitus Martyr. De Consum Mundi Oratio. Bibl. Patrū. Tom 3. p. 16.17.as Diabolicall, unchristian lust-exciting, vice-fomenting, soule-impoysoning pleasures, which all Christians should eternally abominate, as the very snares of Hell, oTurpes & effaeminati cantus prius rempublicam universam pestifera tabe inficiunt, quam malum quod afferunt ratione praecaveri potest. Osorius De Regum. Instit. lib. 4. fol, 123.124.the very plagues of that Common-weale wherein they are tollerated, and the very baites of Satan to draw men on to sinne, and so to endlesse destruction. Since therefore Stage-playes are evermore accompanied, adorned with such execrable unchristian Pa…torals, Songs and Poems as these, (which I would wish all Christians, especially such as are most devoted to them, as they tender the everlasting welfare of their soules, even now for to abandon, pSee Rev. 18.7 Iob 21.12, 13. Isay 5 11, 12. Amos 6…1, 5, 7. Iam. 5.1, 5. Luke 16.25. Temporariam habent voluptatem, paenam autē sempiternam. Chrysost. Hom. 54. ad P…p. Antioch. Tom. 5. Col. 315. …. Si luxuriosam egeris vitam hanc, aeternis incendijs torqueberis in alia, O quam momentania est carnis delectatio? quàm labilis voluptatis hora qua perditur vita aeterna! Quod rogo, emolumentum affert corpori, quodve tribuit luchrum, id quod tàm citò animam ducit ad tartarum? Ambros. De Vitiorum, Virtutum que Conflictu. Tom. 5. p. 249. B.for feare these momentary fading pleasures plunge them into many endlesse torments.) I must thereupon now conclude, as all the fore-going Fathers and Authors in the Major doe; that they must needs be sinfull, and altogether unlawfull unto Christians, as these their attendants are; which need no other aggravations to condemne them but themselves alone. qSee Carmina Proverbialia.Noscitur ex comite qui non cognoscitur ex se, was the ancient Proverbe. You may therefore iudge of Stage-playes, by these filthy Songs and Sonnets that accompany them; which Songs the very Title to our English singing Psalmes, commands all Christians to lay a part, as tending onelyonly to the nourishing of vice, and corrupting of youth, with which I shall close this Scene.