The Players Scourge, Part 1 · Act 8 · Scene 1
SCENA PRIMA.
HAving thus at large evinced the unlawfulnesse of Stage-playes by Reasons, by Authorities; I come now to refute those miserable Apologies, those vaine pretences, or aAd excusandas excusationes in peccatis ista praetendūt. Christus autem non arte illuditur. Hierom. Epist. 4. c. 9.excuses rather, which their Advocates oppose in their defence; the most of which are already answered to my hands. Apologies for Stage-playes are of great antiquity. Tertullian in his booke De Spectaculis, cap. 1, 2, 3. & 8. brings in the Pagan Romans, (whose bTanta est enim vis voluptatum, ut et ignorantiam protelet in occasionem, et conscientiam corrumpat in diffimulationem, aut utrumque. Tertull. De Spectac. c. 1.consciences the pleasures of these enchanting Enterludes had bribed) apologizing for their Playes with great cQuam sapiens argumentatrix sibi vid… tur ignorantia humana, praesertim cum aliquid eiusmodi de gaudiis et de fructibus saeculi metuet amittere. Tertul. Ibid.acutenesse; the feare of losing these their secular pleasures adding a kinde of sharpnesse to their wits. I finde St. Cyprian complaining, dNam et eousque enervatus est Ecclesiasticae disciplinae vigor, et ita omni languore vitiorum, praecipitatur in peius, ut iam non vitiis excusatio sed authoritas detur: quoniā non desunt vitiorum assertores blandi et indulgentes patroni qui praestant vitiis authoritatem; et quod est deterius, censuram Scripturarum coelestium in advocationem criminum et spectaculorum convertunt &c. Cyprian de Spectac. lib.that the vigour of Ecclesiasticall discipline was so farre enervated in his age, and so precipitated into worse in all dissolutenesse of vice; that vices were not onelyonly excused, but authorized; there wanting not such flattering Advocates and indulgent Patrons of naughtinesse who gave authority unto vices; and which was worse, converted the very censure of the heavenly Scriptures into a justification of crimes and Stage-playes; producing some texts of Scripture in defence of Playes, as well as reasons; which this Father at large refells. The like Play-apologies of voluptuous Pagans, I reade recorded in eAdvers. Gentes l. 7. p. 232. to 240.Arnobius, fHom. 38. in Matth. & Hom. 3. De Davide et Saule.Chrysostome, gDe Consensu Evangelistarū, l. 1. c. 23. De Civit. Dei l. 2. c. 29. & l. 6. c. 5, 6, 7, 8.Augustine, and hDe Gubernatione Dei l. 6.Salvian; who answer them to the full. And as these Pagans of olde, so some who would be deemed Christians now, (as namely one Thomas Lodge, a Play-poet, in his Play of Playes, and one Thomas Haywood a Player, i… his Apology for Actors,) have lately pleaded as hard for Stage-playes, as ever iActs 19.24. to 29.Demetrius did for his great Diana:) whose severall allegations in the behalfe of Playes are soledly refelled; by Mr. Stephen Gosson, in his Playes confuted: by the Authour of the 3. Blast of Retrait from Playes and Theaters; by Mr. Iohn Northbrooke, in his Treatise against vaine Playes and Enterludes; by Dr. Rainolds, in his Overthrow of Stage-playes: by I: G: in his Refutation of the Apologie for Actors, (which you may peruse at leisure) and by sundry others kSee Act 7. Scene 5.forerecited, whom I spare to mention. The Players, the Play-patrons of our present age, as their cause is worse, so lNulli enim peccatori de est impu…ens praetextus &c. Sed hi quidem sunt praetextu… qui nihil hab…nt rationis, n…c se …ilo iure possunt defendere. Chrysost. Hom in Psal. 140. T…m 1. Col. 1110. C… D.their Pleas for Playes are no other, no better than those of former times, which neede no other replies then what these Fathers, these Authours have returned: yet since their answeres are now growne obsolete, and our mQuid dicam de iis nescio, qui cum semel aberraverint constanter in stul…itia perseverant, et vanis vana defendunt; nisi quod eos interdum puto aut ioci causa philosophari… aut prudentes et scios m…n…acia defendenda suscipere, quasi ut ingenia sua in malis rebus exerceant vel ostende…t. Lactantius De Falsa Sapientia. l. 3. …. 24.Play-Advocates persevering in their former folly, proceede to justifie one vanitie, one falshood with another, disputing much for the lawfull use of Stage-playes (perchance to exercise or declare their witts in the unhappy patronage of evill things:) I shall therefore addresse my selfe to give a satisfactory answer to all their chiefe Play-propugning Objections, that so I may pu… them to perpetuall silence.
Objection 1.The first, if not the best Argument in defence of Stage-playes, may be cast into this forme.
That which is not prohibited, but rather approved and commended by the Scripture, cannot be sinfull nor unlawfull unto Christians.
But Stage-playes are not prohibited, but rather approved and commended by the Scripture.
Therefore they cannot bee sinfull nor unlawfull unto Christi…ns.
The Major being unquestionable, the Minor may be thus confirmed. Acts 19.29, 31. there is mention made of the Theatre at Ephesus, nTheatrum est locus semicirculi figuram habe…s, in quo stantes populi ludos scenicos intus inspiciebant, unde a Spectaculo Graece Theatri nomen accepit. Bed… in Acta Apost. c. 19. Tō. 5 Col. 658. & De Nominibus locorum in Actis Apost. Ibid. Col. 672.a place wherein Playes were acted: and in the 1 Cor. 4.9. St. Paul writes of himselfe and of the other Christians in this age: We are made a Theatre or Spectacle unto the world, unto Angels, and to men. To which may be added the 1 Kings 13.8. 2 Kings 16.14.15 17. &c. 2.11, 12. 1 Cor. 9.24, 25. & *See Ambrose, Hierom, Chrysostome, Theodoret, Primasius, Sedulius, Remigius, Beda, Haymo, Anselme, Oecumenius, Theophylact, HRabanus Maurus, Lyra, Tostatus, Gorrhan, Aretius, Musculus, Calvin, Marlorat, and others Ibidem, some of which take it litterally, that St. Paul did actually fight with beasts in the Theatre at Ephesus.15.22. Eph. 6.11, 12, 13, 14. which mentiō horses, chariots, races, duels, combates: alluding to the Olympian games, the Roman Circus, Sword-playes, and other amphitheatricall Spectacles, which these Scriptures seeme to justifie; and so by consequence Stage-playes too, which are in the selfesame predicament.
To this I answer first;Answ. 1. though Stage-playes are not expresly condemned in the Scripture by name, yet they are in other generall tearmes (as well as Apostasie, Atheisme, poysoning, Incest and such other sinnes whose names we finde not in the text) as I have oAct. 7. Scen. 1.already proved: So that both the Major and Minor are false. Secondly, I answer, that the reason why Stage-playes are not by name condemned in the Scripture is, because the penmen of it being Iewes, were unacquainted with Stage-playes, pIosephus Antiqu. Iudaeo…u… l. 15. c. 11. See Act. 7. Scene 2. p. 548. to 558.which the Iewes would not admit, as being opposite to their religion, and pernicious to their State: wherefore they condemne them onelyonly under those generall termes, q1 Pet. 4.2, 3. Eph. 2.2, 3. c. 4 17. to 25. 1 Cor… 10.20, 21, 22. Tit. ….3. Rom. 12.…. c. 13.12, 13, 14. 1 Iohn 2.15, 16. See Act. 7. Scene 1…of Idolatry, sacrifices of Idols, vanities of the Gentiles, rudiments and customes of the world, &c. under which they are fully comprized. Thirdly, though the Scriptures inhibit not Stage-playes by name, yet St. Paul himselfe in his Constitutions, (if Clemens Romanus may be credited) hath condemned Playes and Players in expresse tearmes, rEgo Paulus minimus Apostolorum haec dispono vobis Episcopis et Presbyteris. Scenicus si accedat sive vir sit sive mulier, auriga, gladiator, cursor stadii, ludius, Olympius, choraules, cytharaedus, lyristes, faltator, caupo, desistat vel reiiciatur. Theatralibus ludis qui dat operam, vel desistat, vel reiiciatur. Clemens Rom. Constit. Apost. l. 8. c. 38.decreeing, that all Players and Play-haunters should desist from Stage-playes, or else be cast out of the Church; and the sConstit. Apo. stol. l. 2. c. 65, 66…other Apostles also decreed the like: yea the *See Act. 7. Scene 2, 3, 4, 5.whole primitive Church in severall generall and Nationall Councels, the ancient Fathers in their renowned writings, and the holiest Christians vSi ad boni incitamentum divina praecepta deessent, prolege nobis sanctorum exempla sufficerent. Isi…dor. Hispal. De Summo bono l 7. c. 11.from age to age, have given sentence against them as unlawfull Spectacles, which the word of God inhibits as misbeseeming Christians: this therefore is sufficient to disprove the Minor. Fourthly, the Scriptures here produced as approving Stageplayes, doe no wayes countenance, but oppugne them. For first, that Theatre mentioned Acts 19.29.31. was not a Theatre on which Playes were acted, but a *S…e Socrates Hist. Eccl. l. 7. c. 13. Philo Iudaeus in Flaccum lib. p. 1305, 1306, 1312. Coc. Sabellicus, AEnead. 4. lib. 8. pag. 636. C. accordingly.place of publike meeting, where malefactors were punished, Orations made to the people, and the Magistrates and people usually met together to consult of publike affaires: A place much like the Praetorium, into which our Saviour was brought, Matth: 27.27. or like to Areopagus or M…rs hill in A…hens, where Paul made an Oration to the Athenians: Acts 17.19, 22. That this was such a Theatre, is evident: First, because such places of publike concourse and consultation, where speeches were made, and malefactors sometimes executed, were stiled Theatres: witnesse xEt Atticis quo que Quibus theatrum curiae praebet vicem, Vna est Athenis atque i… omni Graecia, ad consulendum publici sedes loci. … Sa…i…ntum p. 86.Ausonius, yFlorido. …um l. 1. p. 302.Apuleius, zPro Flacco Oratio.Cicero, aTunc Antiochensiu… Theatro… ingressus, ubi illis consultare mos est. Historiae, l. 24. sect. p. 474.Tacitus, bPars maxima super Theatrum …ir…a que , assueti et ante spectaculis concionum consistunt. Rom. Hist. l. 24. sect. 39. v. 542.Livie, cApud Nonni…m: & apud Bulengerum, De Theatro l. 1. c. 32.Philost…atus, dIbidem.Varro, eIbidem.Philo, fOratio 32.Chrysostome, gDion, Bibl. Patr. Tom. 5. pars 1. p. 60. D.Synesius, Iuvenal, Appianus, & Bulengerus De Theatro, l. 1. c. 32. where this very text is quoted. Hence hEccles. Histor. l. 8. c. 24.Eusebius and iEccles. Hist. l. 3 c. 19.Nicephorus, write, that Ignatius with other Martyrs were tortured and put to death in the Theatre: yea hence kHistoriae l. 7. c. 30.Orosius, (and out of him lAnnales Eccles. Anno… 363. sect. 4.Baronius and Spondanus) record; that Iu…ian the Apostate, commanded a Theatre to be built of the materialls that were brought to re…disie the temple at Hierusalem, in which Theatre after his returne from Persia he intended to cast the Bishops, Monkes; and other Christian inhabitants of that place to beasts which should teare them in peeces; ut scilicet ibi esset Christianorum carnificina, unde eorū religio videretur esse progressa. Secondly, the very words and circumstances of the text a… …ure us, that this was such a Theatre: For first, it is said, that all the people rushed with one accord into the Theatre, v. 29. as into a place of common counsell. Secondly, that the cause of this their concourse was, to prevent the decay of their craft of making silver shrines, and to maintaine the honour of their great Goddesse Diana: v. 27. Thirdly, that Paul would have entred into the Theatre to have made an Oration unto the people, from which his friends disswaded him: v. 30, 31. Fourthly, that the assembly there w…s confused, some crying one thing, some another, and that the most part knew not why they were come together: verse 32. Fifthly, that they caught Gai…s and Aris…archus, and drew them as malefactors into the Theatre: verse 29. Sixthly, that they drew Alexander out of the multitude, who there beckened to them… with his hand, and would there have made his defence to the people: v. 37. Seventhly, that the Town-clerke made there a solemn speech to the people, admonishing them to be quiet, and to doe nothing rashly against Paules companions, whom they had brought into the Theatre, since they were neither robbers of Churches, nor yet blasphemers of their Goddesse: informing Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen, that if they had a matter against any man, the Court-dayes were kept, and there were deputies before whom they might implead one another: and if they inquired any thing concerning other matters, it should be determined in a lawfull assembly: v, 35. to 41. All which concurring particulars infallibly prove, that this Theatre iSee Theophylact, Lyra, and others Ibidem, & Socrates Scholasticus Eccles. Hist. l. 7. c. 13. H…abanus Maurus, De Vniverso l. 20 c. 16. & 36. Tom. 1. p. 248, 250.was onelyonly a place of publike counsell, justice and execution; not a Theatre whereon Playes were acted: therefore it gives no colour of approbation to Playes or Play-houses, no more than the Courts of Iustice at Westminster argue, that the Playes and Play-houses about London are lawfull. But admit this Theatre were a place for Stage-playes, yet it affords no justification at all to Playes or Play-houses. For the assembly in the Theatre, which this Scripture mentions, was kActs 19.29. to 41.but a tumultuous concourse of Idolaters, without any lawfull authority: and that not to act or see a Stage-play, but to defend their Goddesse Diana, and their idolatrous trade of making her silver shrines, by which they got their living: to persecute St. Paul and his companions, whom they accused as malefactors, and to withstand the preaching of the Gospell, which would suppresse their trade and their Diana both together. This unlawfull assembly therefore, which both the Scripture, their owne lActs 19.35. to 41.Towne-clerke, and themselves condemned, is no justification of, but a strong evidence against our Play-assemblies, which are commonly as tumultuous, as opposite to Christs word, his Saints, his kingdome, as this Ephesian conventicle.
Secondly, that text of 1 Cor. 4.9. We are made foreign, which the Fathers and most Latine Authors render, Spectaculum; and our English Translations, a Spectacle, or gazing-stocke: makes nought for Stage-playes. For what if the Apostles were made a Theatre or Spectacle to the world, to Angels and to men: (that is, as mAmbrose, Hierom, Sedulius, Chrysostome, Theodoret, Primasius, Occumenius, Beda, Theophylact, in 1 Cor. 4.9. & Chrysost. Hom. ad Neophy…os, Tom. 5. Col. 619. C, D.some Fathers interpret it; The whole world of men and Angels good and bad, beheld the miseries, the afflictions they endured for Christ and his Gospell, not onelyonly in one corner, but in all the quarters of the world. Or as nAmbrose, Remigius, Beda, Anselme in 1 Cor. 4.9.others of them paraphrase it: They were made a wonderment, a laughing-stocke to uncleane spirits, and to the wicked of the world, who rejoyced at their miseries, their torments, being glad to see them drawne to the place of execution called [Theatrum] a Theatre, where the innocent Martyrs for the most part suffered in the view of all the people, as our Traytors usually suffer on a Stage or scaffold, erected for that purpose: both which expositions oBeda, Anselme, HRabanus Maurus, Lyra, and others, in 1 Cor. 4.9.some good Interpreters have conjoyned:) yet this no wayes justifies but oppugnes our Stage-playes. For first, the Apostles did not make themselves a voluntary Spectacle, as all Players doe; but they were made Spectacles by others. Secondly, they were no Spectacles of lasciviousnesse, vanitie, follie, mirth, or wickednesse, as Plaies and Plaiers are; but of grace, of faith, of pietie, pHebr. 11. v. 7. to the end, &c. 12.1, 2, 3.patience, constancy, martyrdome, and the like, which Plaies and Plaiers are not. Thirdly, they were Spectacles of Gods owne institution, they being q1 Cor. 4.19. Acts 4.27, 28. Phil. 1.29.appointed, called, destinated to their sufferings by God himselfe; whereas Plaies and Actors are Spectacles not of Gods, but of the very rSee Act. 1. Scene 1, 2, 3. & Chorus.Divels owne invention and appointment. Fourthly, they were memorable publike Spectacles of admiration, of sActs 13.7. 1 Cor. 11.1. 1 Pet. 2.20, 21.imitation, both to the world, to Angels, and to men: Playes, Players and Play-haunters were yet never such. Fifthly, they were reall, not hypocriticall, histrionicall personated Spectacles, consisting of representations onelyonly, as all Playes and Actors are. Sixthly, they were Spectacles t1 Cor. 4.9. Rom. 8.36. Psal. 44.22. See Chrysost. ad Neophytos, Tom. 5. Col. 619, B, C.appointed onelyonly unto death, not to laughter: Spectacles of passion, of compassion, not of mirth and pleasure: Spectacles onelyonly at a stake, appointed unto martyrdome; not on a stage, to stir up laughter: Spectacles they were, which the very vSee Tertullian, Exhortatio ad Martyres, & Cyprian de Duplici Martyrio.Angels and Saints applauded, not condemned; which Divels and wicked men derided, persecuted, not applauded: Spectacles, which were xCyprian Epist. l. 1. Epist. 3, 4. l. 2. Epist. 6. l. 3. Epist. 5. & 25. & l. 4. Ep. 2. & 6.the crowne, the honour, not the reproach, and yCyprian Ep. l. 1. Ep. 10. Eucratio.infamy of Christianity, as Playes and Players are: therefore they give no colour, no approbation to our Play-house Spectacles with which they have no Analogie, but this alone; that as the chiefe agents in the Apostles and Martyrs tortures, were desperate wicked men, envenomed, enraged with bitter rancor against all grace, all goodnesse; even zSee Act. 4. Scene 1. throughout.such are the common Actors and Abetters of our theatricall Enterludes. All the argument then that our Play-patrons can collect from hence, is from the allusion which the Apostle hath to Theatres, to Spectacles; which being an allusion onelyonly to the spectacle of a Martyr, at the stake; or of a malefactor at the place of execution, as all Expositors accord; not to a Play or Enterlude on a Stage, subverts their very foundation, and takes them off from this their hold, in which they had most repose. But admit, it were an allusion to a Play-house Theatre, yet as theeves can never justifie their stealing, nor u…urers their usurie to be lawfull, because the Scripture saith, aMatth. 24.43 44. 1 Thess. 5.2 2 Pet. 3.10. Rev. 3.3. & 16.15.that Christ, that the day of the Lord shall come as a theefe in the night: and bMatth. 25.27that he will require his owne with usurie: no more can our Play-champions conclude from hence, that Stage-playes are warrantable or lawfull among Christians, because St. Paul by way of similitude, writes thus of himselfe and his fellow-Apostles: Wee are made a Theatre or Spectacle to the world, unto Angels, and to men. These two maine Scriptures being thus fully vindicated from our Play-proctors wrestings, the other will fall away of themselves: there being no analogie at all betweene a race and a Stage-play: an horse or chariot for warre, and a Comedie for sport. I shall therefore answer them all together in St. Cyprians words. cHoc in loco dixe…im, longe melius fuisse istis nullas literas nosse, quam sic literas legere. Verba enim et exempla quae ad exhortationem Evangelicae virtutis posita sunt, ad vitiorum patrocinia transferuntur, quoniam non ut spectarentur ista scripta sunt, sed ut animis nostris instan…tia maior excitaretur in rebus profuturis, dū tanta est apud Ethnicos in r… bus nōprofuturis. Argumentū est ergo exci…tandae virtu…is, non permissio sive libertas spectandi Gentilis erroris; ut per hanc animus plus accendatur ad evangelicam virtutem propter divina praemia, cum per omnium laborum et dolorum calamitatem concedatur pervenire ad terrena compendia. Cyprian de Spectaculis lib.In this place I may say, that it had beene better for these Objectors never to have knowne the Scriptures, than thus to reade and wrest them. For these words and examples which are laid downe as exhortations to evangelicall vertue, are translated into apologies for vice; For these things are written, not that they should be gazed upon, but that a more earnest vehemency should be stirred up in our minds in profitable things, whiles there is so great a diligence in Ethnickes in unprofitable things. It is an argument therefore of exciting vertue, not a permission or libertie of beholding the Gentiles error; that by this the minde may be more enflamed to evangelicall vertue by divine rewards, when as men must passe through the miserie of all toyles and griefes, before they can come to terrene emoluments. dNam quod Elias auriga est Israelis, non patrocinatur spectandi… Circensibus, in nullo enim is Circo cucurrit. Et quod David in conspectu Dei choros egit, nihil adiuvat in Theatro sedentes Christianos fideles. Nulla e…nim obscaenis motibus membra distorquens, desultavit Graecae libidinis fabulā: aera, cythara …t …ybiae Deum cecinerunt, non Idolum. Non igitur praescribitur ut spectentur ill…cita: diabolo artifice ex sanctis in illicita mutata sunt. Praescribat igi…ur istis pudor, etiamsi non possunt sacrae literae. Non pudet, non pudet inquam, fideles homines, et Christiani sibi nominis auctori…a…em vendicantes, superstitiones vanas Gentilium cum spectaculis mixtas de scripturis coelestibus vindicare, et auctoritatē idololatriae conferre? Nā quando id quod in honore alicuius idoli ab Ethnicis agitur, a fidelibus Christianis in spectaculo frequentatur, et idololatria gentilis asseritur, et in contumeliam Dei religio vera calcatur. Ibidem.That Elias is the horseman or charioter of Israel, it yeelds no patronage to the beholding of Cirque-playes, for he never ranne in any Circus: That David danced in the sight of God, it no wayes availes nor justifieth the sitting of faithfull Christians in the Theatre: for by distorting none of his members with obscene motions, hee hath ended the dance, and put a period to the Play of Graecian lust. His Lute, his trumpets, flutes and harpes have resounded Gods praises, not an Idols. It is not therefore hence determined, that unlawfull things may be looked on: those lawfull things by the Divels cunning being now changed from holy into unholy things. Let shame therefore instruct or restraine these men, although the holy Scriptures cannot doe it. For is it not a shame, is it not a shame I say, for faithfull men, who challenge to themselves the name of Christians, to justifie the vaine superstitions of the Gentiles intermixed with their Stage-playes, out of the sacred Scriptures, and to give authority to Idolatry? For when that which is done by Ethnickes to the honour of any Idol is frequented by Christians in a Stage-play, both heathen idolatry is maintained, and in contumely of God, true religion is trod under foote. This is St. Cyprians answer to the objected Scriptures, and with it I rest.