The Players Scourge, Part 1 · Act 7 · Scene 3 · Floating text 56 – Floating text 63

The Players Scourge · Part 1 · Act 7 · Scene 3 · Floating text 56 – Floating text 63

p. 649vvConstitutio…num Apostol. l. 2. c. 65. apud Surium Concil. Tom. 1. p. 68, 69.David dixit, xxPsal. 26.5.Ps 26:5Odi Ecclesiam malignantium, et cum iniqua gerentibus non ingrediare. Et rursus. yyPsal. 1.1, 2.Ps 1:1Ps 1:2Beatus vir qui non ambulavit in consilio impiorum, et in via peccatorum non sterit, et in cathedra pestilentium non sedit, sed in lege Domini voluntas ejus, et in lege ejus meditatibur die ac nocte. Tu vero relicto fidelium caetu, Dei Ecclesijs ac legibus, respicis speluncas latronum, sancta ducens quae nefaria esse voluit: non solum que id facis, sed e…iam ad Graecorum p. 650ludos curris, et ad Theatra properas, expetens unus ex venientibus eo numerari, et particeps fieri auditionum turpium, ne dicam abominabilium: nec audisti Hieremiam dicentem:zzIer. 15.17.Jer 15:17 Domine, non sedi in consilio ludentium, sed timui à conspectu manûs tuae: neque Iob dicentem similia: aaIob 31.Job 31Si verò et cum risoribus ambulavi aliquando, appendor enim in statera justa. Quid verò cupis Graecos sermones percipere hominum mortuorum, aff…atu Diaboli tradentium …a, quae mortem afferunt, fidem evertunt, ad deorum multitudinem credendam inducunt eos, qui ad illos attentionem adhibent? Vos ergo divinis legibus invigilantes, vitae hujus necessitatibus putate eas praestantiores, majorem que ijs honorem deferentes, convenite ad Ecclesiam Domini, bbActs 24.Acts 24quam acquisivit sang…ine Christi dilecti, ccCol. 1.Col 1primogeniti omnis creaturae. Ea est enim altissimi filia, quae parturit nos per verbum gratiae, et **Col. 1.Col 1formavit p. 651in nobis Christum, cujus participes facti, ddEphes. 5.Eph 5sacra membra existitis et dilecta, non …abentia maculam neque rugam, neque aliquid hujusmodi sed tanquam sancti et irrepraebensibiles in fide, perfecti estis in ipso, secundum imaginem ejus qui creavit vos. Cavete igitur, ne conventus celebretis cum ijs qui pereunt, quae est Synagoga Gentium ad deceptionē et interitum. ee2 Cor. 6.2 Cor 6Nulla est enim Dei …ocieta… cum Diabolo: Nam qui congregatur una cum ijs, qui cum Diabolo idem sentiunt, unus ex ipsis conn merabitur, e…vae habebi…. Fugite quoque indecora spectacula, theatra (inquam) et Graecorum ludos &c. Propterea enim oportet fidelem fugere impiorum caetus, Graecorum et ludaeorum, ne ubi unà cum ijs degimus, animis nostris laqueos paremus: et ne ubi in eorum festis versamur, quae in honorem daemonum celebrantur, cum ijs habeamus societatē impietatis. Vitandi quo que sunt illorum mercatus, et qui p. 652in ijs fiunt ludi. Vitate igitur omnem idolorum pompam, speciem, mercatum, convivia, gladiatores, denique omnia daemoniaca spectacula.

David hath said, I have hated the congregation of evil doers, and have not kept companie with those who doe wicked things. And againe. Blessed is the man, who hath not walked in the counsell of the wicked, and hath not stood in the way of sinners, and hath not sate in the seat of contagious persons, but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law will he meditate day and night. But thou leaving the assembly of the faithfull, the Church and lawes of God, regardest the dens of theeves, accounting those things holy, p. 650which he reputeth wicked: and thou doest not that onelyonly, but thou runnest likewise to the Graecian Playes, & hastests to theaters, desiring to be reputed among those who resort thither, & to be made a partaker of filthy, that I say not abominable hearings: neither has… thou heard Ieremie saying: O Lord, I have not sate in the assembly of Players, but I have feared because of thy hand: nor yet Iob, uttering the like: And if I have at any time walked with scoffers, for I am weighed in a jus… ballance. But why desirest tho… to heare the Greeke speeches of dead men, delivering those things by the instinct of the Divell which bring in death, overturne faith, induce those to beleeve a multitude of gods, who give attention to those things? But you waiting upon the divine lawes, esteeme them more excellent than the necessaries of this life, and giving them greater honour, come together to the Church of the Lord, which he hath purch…sed with the blood of his beloved Christ, the first-borne of every creature. For she is th… daughter of the most high, who hath begotten …s by p. 651the word of grace, and hath formed Christ in us, of whom being made partakers, you become holie and beloved members, not having spot or wrinkle, or anie such thing, but as holie and unblameable in faith, you are perfect in him, according to the image of him who hath created you. Beware therefore that you celebrate no meetings with those that perish, which is the Synagogue of the Gentiles, to deceit and destruction. For God hath no fellowshippe with the Divell; for hee who is assembled together with those, who thinke the same with the Divell, shall bee accounted one of them, and shall have woe. Fly likewise (I say) the unseemely Spectacles and Theatres of the Gr…cians. For therefore ought a Christian to shun the assemblies of wicked men, of Greeks and Iewes, lest where wee live together with them, wee provide snares for our soules, and lest whiles wee are conversant in their feasts, which are celebrated to the honour of Divels, wee become partakers with them of impiety. Their markets likewise are to be eschued, and the Playes that are made p. 652in them. Shunne therefore all the pompe, the shew, the market, the feasts, the Gladiators of Idolls, and finally all daemoniacall Playes and Spectacles.

Than which Apostolicall Constitutions, there can be nothing more expresse and punctuall against Stage-playes.

To these Play-censuring Canons of all the Apostles together, I shall adde these Constitutions of St. Paul in particular, registred by the selfesame Clement of Rome, in these very words.

ffClemens Romanus Constit. Apost. l, 8 c. 38. Canones Vari… Pauli Apostoli, p. 120.Scenicus si accedat, sive vir sit sive mulier, auriga, gladiator, cursor stadij, ludius, Olympius choraules, cytharedus, lyristes, saltator, caupo, vel desistar, vel rej…ciatur. Which Canon extends to Actors onelyonly, not to Spectators.

Theatralibus ludis qui dat operā, venationibus, equorum cursibus, ac certaminibus; vel desistat, vel rejiciatur. Graecos mores qui sequitur, vel mutet se vel rejiciatur.

If a Stage-player, be it man or woman, a Chariotor, gladiator, race-runner, a fencer, a practiser of the Olympian games, a flute-player, a fidler, a harper, a dancer… an alehouse-keeper, come to turne Christian; either …et him …ive over these professions, or else be rejected.

He who gives himselfe to Stageplaies,**He meanes hunting of and combating with wilde beasts in Amphitheaters, which was sti…led, Venatio. See Tertullian. De Spectac. lib. & Lypsius de Amphitheatro, & Bulengerus De Venatione Circi lib. accordingly. huntings, horse-races, or prizes; either let him desist, or let him be cast out of the Church. He who followeth Greeke… fashions, let him reforme himselfe, or be rejected.

Which extends to Actors and Spectators too. So that if the very Apostles themselves, or St. Paul may be umpires; the very acting and beholding of Stage-playes is unlawfull unto Christians of all sorts; as these their Canons and Constitutions largely prove.

2The 2. Constitution which I shall here remember, is that of Pope Eusebius, about the yeare of our Lord 369.

p. 653ggSurius Concil. Tom. 1. p. 312. Iuo Decre…orum pars 13. c. 75. Buchard…s l. 14 Decretorum cap. 7. Ioannes Langhecrucius de Vita …t Honestate Ecclesiasticorum l. 2. c. 16. p. 284.Oportet Episcopū moderatis epulis contentum esse, suos que convivas ad comedendum et bibendum non urgere, quin… potius sobrie…atis praebere exemplum. Removeantur ab ejus convivio cuncta turpitudinis augmenta, non ludicra spectacula, non acroamatum vaniloquia, non fatuorum stultiloquia, non scurrilium …admittantur praestigia: (A full clause against these stageplayes:) Adsint peregrini et pauperes et debiles, qui de sacerdotali mensa Christum benedicentes, benedictionem percipiant. Recitetur sacra lectio, subsequatur vivae vocis exhortatio, ut non tantum corporali cibo, immo verbi spiritualis alimento, convivantes se refectos gratulentur, ut in omnibus honorificetur Deus per Iesum Christum.

A Bishop ought to be content with moderate feasts, and not to urge his guests to eate or drinke, but rather to give them an example of sobriety… Let all dugmentations of filthinesse be removed from his feast… and let no ludicrous Stage-playes, no vaine reci…all of comicall verses, no foolish speeches of fooles, nor legerdemaines of jesters be admitted. Let strangers, let poore and feeble persons be present, who blessing Christ for the sacerdotall table, may receive a blessing. Let the Scripture be there recited, and let the exhortation of the living voice follow it, that the guests may rejoyce that they are fed not onelyonly with corporall food, but likewise with the foode of the spirituall word, that God in all things may bee glorified through Iesus Christ… our Lord. Such should Bishops, such Ministers feasts and entertainments be, though now grown out of use with many.

The 3. is the Decree of Pope Innocent the first, Anno 3Christi 408. Capit. 1. sect. 11.

hhSurius Concil. Tom. 1. p. 529. & Gratian. Distinctio 51.Praeterea, frequenter quidam ex fratribus nostris, curiales, vel quibuslibet publicis functionibus occupatos, clericos p. 654facere contendunt, quibus postea major tristitia &c. Constat enim eos in ipsis munijs etiam voluptates exhibere, quas à diabolo inventas esse non est dubiū; et ludorū vel **Stageplayes and such like spectacles were stiled Munera, because they were freely bestowed by the Magistrates on the people as a boone or gift. See Codex Theodosii l. 15. Tit. 5, 6, 7.munerū apparatibus aut praeesse, aut interesse &c.

Moreover certaine of our brethren strive to make Courtiers, or those who are imployed in certaine publike functions, Clergy men, from whom p. 654greater sorrow ariseth afterwards. For it appeares that in their very offices themselves they exhibit pleasures, which without doubt were invented by the Divell, and are either chiefe overseers or spectators of Playes and publike spectacles.

Stage-playes therefore by this Popes verdict (for of them he speakes) are the very inventions of the Divell.

4The 4. is the D…cretall of Pope Sextus, where we reade as followeth.

iiIoannis de Wankel. Brevi. arium Sexti. l. 3. Tit. 1. De Vita et Honestate Clericorum fol. 88. Ioannis De Burgo Pupilla Oculi, pars 7. c. 10. P.Titus 1Clerici qui non modicum dignitati clericalis ordinis detrahunt, et se joculatores seu Goliardos aut buffones faciunt, si per annum ignominiosam artem illam exercuerint, ipso jure, si minori tempore, et non desistunt post tertiam monitionem, carent omni privilegio clericali.

Clergy men who doe not a little detract from the dignitie of the clericall order, and make themselves jesters, **So Wankel, Spelman, and others interpret the word Goliardos: so doth Gulielmus Parisiensis De Vitiis et Vir…tibus c. 6. p. 262.Stage-players or Buffones, if they shall exercise that ignominious art for a yeares space, or for a lesser time, if they desist not after the third admonition, are ipso jure deprived of all clericall priviledge.

The 5 is the Constitution of Pope Clement the 5. An. 1310, which as itkkIoannis De Wankel Clementinarum Conclusiones, Tit. De Statu Monachorum fol. 60, 61, 62. prohibits Clergy men and Monkes 5to hunt or hauke; so it likewise decreeth:

llIbidem.Ne moniales aut comatis aut cornutis utantur crinibus, aut choreis, ludis, aut secularibus innersint festis.

That Nonnes shall not use broydered or horned haire, nor yet be present at dances, Playes, or secular feasts.

The 6. is the Synodall Decrees of Odo Parisiensis, about the yeare of our Lord 1200. which ordaine;

6mmCarranz… fol. … Eccl…. Ti…. 19. c. 5…17, 18.Ne sacerdotes in p. 655…uis domibus habeant scachos, et aleas, omnino prohibetur.

Prohibetur penitus universis sacerdotibus ludere cū decijs, et interesse spectaculis, vel **See Ioannis Nyder. Expositio Praecepto. ru… Dec…logi, Praeceptum 6. cap. 3. fol. 124.ch…reis assistere, et intra…e tabernas, causa potandi, aut discurrere per vicos aut plateas, et ne habeant vestes inordina…as ōnino prohibetur

It is wholly prohibited Clergie p. 655men, tha… they keep… no checker-men, or tables and dice in their ho…ses.

All Clergy men are …tterly prohibited to play a… dice, to be… present at Stage-playes, or stand by dancers, or to enter into … to drinke, or to runne through villages or streetes, or to 7weare disorderly apparell.

The 7. is the Constitution of Pope Pi…s the 5. Anno Dom. 1566. which runnes thus.

**P…i 5. Constitut. An. 1566 & Ioan. Langhecrucius De Vita et Honest. Ecclesiastic. l. 2. c. 21. p. 318.Vt Clericiquos propter Christum spectaculū fieri oporteat mundo, Angelis, et hominibus… maximè debeant ab ijs spectaculis, quae Christum non …apiunt, abstinere; et ne comaedias, fabulas, choreas, hastiludia, aut ludicrum, et profanum ullum spectaculi genus agant vel spectent. Ne talis, tef…eris, pagellis pictis, e… omnino alea, aut ullo praeterea vetito a…t indecoro ludi genere ludant, neve hujusmodi ludi spectatores sint. Ne comessa…ionibus aut minus honestis convivijs intersint, cauponasque aut tabernas ne ingrediantur, ni…i longioris itineris causa ne cuiquam p. 656propinent, aut provocati ad bibendum respondeant, sed sobrie et castè ex doctrina Apostol… vivant. Which Constitution was framed out of the **Here p. 623.fore-recited Decree of the Councell of Trent, of which this Pope (writes Langhecrucius,) was a most diligent observer and practiser.

That Clergy men who ought to bee made a spectacle to the world, to Angels and to men Christ, ought chiefly to abstaine from those spectacles, which savour not of Christ; neither may they act or behold Comedies, Playes, dances, …usts, or any prophane sport or spectacle. Let them not play at tables, dice, cards, or any game at dice: (which games even **Schiscitantibus deschachis talis et aleis, et huiusmodi, dic peccatum maximum esse huiusmodi ludum Mahumetis Alcoran, prin…ed 1550. Azoara. 3. p. 17. Viri boni, aleas vel …eacos, cum nō sint res li…i…ae, sed Di…boli machina, per quae inter homine… inimicitiam et abhorritionem iniicere, et …os ab orationibus et invocatione Dei retrahere maxime nititur, praetermittite. Ibid. Az…a. 3. p. 43.Mahomet him selfe hath condemned and prohibited his followers in his Alcoran, as the greatest sinnes, and the Divell engine, to breed discords among men, and to withdraw them from prayer and Gods service:) nor at any other prohibited or unseemely kinde of play; n…i…h…r may they bee p. 656spectators of such playes or games. They may not be present at riotous or dishonest feasts, neither shall they enter into any …avernes or alehouses unles it be by reason of some long journey. Let them not drinke (or begin an health) to any one; nor yet pledge others when they are provoked to drinke; but let them live soberly and chastly according to the Apostles doctrine.

And is it not then a shame for Protestant Ministers to frequent, to use these Playes, these games and sports, or to practise these abuses, which Popes, and Papists thus condemne, at leastwise by their publike Decrees, though they still approve them by their practise?

To these Canonicall, I shall here annexe these Imperiall Constitutions following; which inhibit all Clergy men under severe penalties, yea and other Christians too, from dancing, dicing, acting or beholding Stage-playes, and such like Spectacles as these.

1The first is the Decree of Iustinian himselfe, directed to Epiphanius the Patriarke… in these words.