The Players Scourge, Part 2 · Act 1 – Act 2
ACTVS PRIMVS.
IF then all popular Stage-playes, bee thus sinfull hurtfull, execrable, unseemly, unlawfull unto Christians, as I have at large evinced in the precedent part of this my Histrio-mastix, I shall thence inferre these 3. ensuing Corollaries which necessarily issue from it.
First, That the profession of a Play-poet, or the composing of Comedies, Tragedies on such like Playes for publike Players or Play-houses, is altogether infamous and unlawfull.
Secondly, That the very profession of a Stage-player, together with the acting of Playes and enterludes, either in publike theaters or private houses; is infamous, Scandalous, and no wayes lawfull unto Christians.
Thirdly… That it is an infamous shamefull, and unlawfull practise for Christians to be either spectators or frequenters of Playes or Play-houses.
In briefe; the very penning, acting and beholding of Stage-playes, are infamous, unseemly, unlawfull unto Christians, since Playes themselves are so.
To begin with the first of these… I shall for the better clearing of its truth and the avoyding of all mistakes, most willingly acknowledge.
First, that as Poetrey it selfe is an excellent endowmēt, p…culier unto some by (a)Sponte sua carmen nu…eros ven…bat ad apto…, Et quod tentabam scribere versus erat Ouid. Tristium, l. 4. Eleg. 10.a kind of naturall Genius; so it is likewise lawfull, yea bCarmine dli superi placantur, carmine manes Hora…. Epist. l. 2. Ep. 1. p. 282. Gaudet enim virtus testes sibi inngere Musas, Car…en amat, quis quis carmine digna gerit. Claudian pr…sat. in Lib. 3. de Laudibus Sti…iconis p. 193. see Ouid. de ponto lib. 4. Eleg. Plutarch… de Audiendis poetis lib. Pl…nie epist, l 7. epist. 9 Hora… carm. l. 4. Ode. 8.usefull and commendable among Christians, if righly used: as not onelyonly the divine hymmes recorded in Scripture, together with the famous ancient Poëms of Tertullian, Arator, Apollinaris, Nazianzen, Prudentius, Prosper, and other Christian worthies, with the moderne Distiques of Dubar…as, Beza, Scaliger, Bucanon, Heinsius, Withars, Hall, Quarles, our late Soveraig…e King Iames, with infinite others; but likewise the much applauded verses of Homer, Pindarus, Virgil, Statius, Silius Italicus, Lucan, Claudian, Horace, Iuuenall, and some parts of Ovid, where he is not obscene, most plentifully evidence; whose Poëms are both approved, read, & highly magnified of all learned Christiās, who both allow & teach them in their publike Schooles. Yea, were not Poetrie and Poets Lawfull, we must then rase out of our Bibles. Acts 17.28. 1 Cor. 15.33. Titus 1.12, 13. where the sentences of Menander, Epimenides, and Aratus, three heathen Poets are not only recited but Canonized too. If any desire any further satisfaction in this point which is so cleare, I shall onelyonly referre them to Tertullian ad Vxorem lib. 1. to St. Basil, de legendis libris Gentilium Oratio: to Nicephorus Callistus Eccle…asticae Historae. l. 10. c, 26. to the ancient & moderne Commētators on these texts; to Georg Alley Bishop of Exeter, c)See B. Alley his poore man Librarie… part 1. fol. 105.106.his poore mans Librarie part 1. Misellanea Praelectionis 4. pag. 165.166. & D. Rainolds Overthrow of Stag…playes p. 21, 22. who will abundantly satisfie them in this poynt.
Secondly, that it is lawfull to compile: a Poeme in nature of a Tragedie, or poeticall Dialogue, with severall acts and parts, to adde life and luster to it, especially, in case of necessitie when as truth should else be suffocated. Hence dEdidit quoque Eu…ipidem aem…latus, Trag…o… actus Pin…ari etiam liram attigit, et comica argumenta ad Menandri exemp…um tractavit, vniuscuinsque carminis legibus rite servatis, atque ut semel dicā sumpta ex di…inis literis materia, a…gumentis eis tractandis, librisque componendis, numerum …velicarum disciplinarum aequavit. &c. Nicephorus Callist… Ecclesiast. …ist. l. 10. c. 25. & Cassiodorus. Tripartita hist. l. 6. ca. 37. vid, ibid.Nicephorus and Cassiodor record of Apolinaris the Elder, that being inhibited by Iulian the Apostate to Preach or teach the Gospell, or to traine the christians children to learning and poetrie, he thereupon translated divers Bookes of Scripture into verse, and composed divers Tragedies in imitation of Euripides, and sundry Comedies and lyricke verses in imitation of Menander and Pindarus, consisting only of divine arguments and Scripture stories; by which he instructed those to whom he could have no liberty to Preach: the like did Gregory Nazianzen and others in the Primitive Church, upon the same occasion, having no other meanes to defend eSee 34. & 35. H. 8. c. 1. M. Fox his Booke of Martyrs, 1610. pag, 1281. & Hen. Sta…bridge his exhortatorie epistle against the pompous Popish Bishops of England. p. 18.or propagate religion with approbation or connivance but by such Poëms as these. Hence divers pious Christians likewise in King Henry the 8. and Queene Maries bloudy raigne, being restrained by Superiour Popish-powers to oppose received errors or propagate the truth and Doctrine of the Gospell in publike Sermons, or polemicall positiue treatises, did covertly ven… and publish sundry truthes, yea censure sundry Errors, and interpret divers scriptures in Rimes, in Comedies, Tragaedies, & Poems like to Playes under the names, the persons of others, whom they brought in discoursing of sundry points of true religion, which could not else bee Preached but by such Poems as these, which the people gladly heard and read, and the Magistrates and popish Priestes conived at at first; till at last King Henry the 8. by the statute of 34. & 35. H. 8. c. 1. fM. Fox his bo. of Martyrs, p. 1281.and Queene Marie by her expresse Proclamation in the first yeare of her raigne (which the popish Prelates did most strictly execute) Prohibited the setting forth or penning of any songs, Playes, Rimes, or Enterludes, which medled with interpretations of Scripture, contrary to the doctrine established in their raignes. gSe Hen. Stalbridge his epist p. 18. accordingly.Wherefore I shall here approve & not condemn, the ancient Tragedy stiled, Christus passus hSe Lewen…l…vii censura huius operis, in Nazianzens works. edit 1571. pa. …69. & Coci Censura. p. 125. accordingly.falsly attributed to Nazianzen) wherein Christs passion is elegantly desc…phered, together with Bernardinus Ochin his Tragedy of Freewil, Plessie Morney his Tragedie of Ieptha his daughter, iSee Balaeus de Scriptoribus Briti. contur 8. cap. 66.6….82.99.100.Edward the 6. his Comedie de meretrice Babilonica, Iohn Bale his Comedies de Christo & de Lazare, Skeltons Comedies, de Virtute, de Magnificentia, & de bono Ordine, Nich… laus Grimoaldus, de Archiprophetae Tragedia, &c. which like Geffry Chaucers & Pierce the Plowmans tales and Dialogues, were penned only to be k)See Basil. De Legendislibris Gentilium ora…io. & Nicephorus: Eccles. hist. l. 10. c. 25.26.read, not acted, their subiects being al serious, sacred, divine, not scurrilous wanton or prophan, as al modern Play poëms are.
Thirdly, as it is lawfull to pen, so likewise to recite, to read such tragicall or comicall poëms as these, composed onelyonly to be read, not acted on the Stage. And in truth the Tragedies, Comedies and Play-poëms of ancient times, as those of Sophocles, Euripedes, AEschylus, Menander, Seneca, and others, were onelyonly read or recited by the Poets themselves, or some others of their appointment before the people, not acted on the Stage by Players, as now they are; it being a great disparagement to Poets to have their Poëms acted, as lAn tu… demens, Vilibus in ludis dictari …armina malis? Serm… l. 1. sect. 10. see here p. 37….Horace mBibl. hist l. 14. s. 110. pag 649.650. & l. 15. sect. 7. pa. 663.Diodor…s Siculus and nDe Oratoribus Dialog. sect. 14.Quintilian testifie. That these ancient Comedies and Tragedies were thus read or recited onelyonly, not played or acted on the Stage, is evident by the expresse testimonies of Horace: Sermo: l. 1. Satyr. 4. & 10, Epist. l. 2. Epist. 1. & de Arte Po…tica lib. of Iuuenall, Satyr. 1.4. & 8. of Diodorus Siculus. Bibl. hist l. 14. sect. 110. p. 649, 650. of Plutarch, de Audiendis Poetis lib. of Plinie: Epist: l. 1. Epist: 13. Epist: l. 2. Epist. 10. l, 3. Epist: 15.18. l. 5. Epist. 3. l. 7. Epist. 17. l. 8. Epist. 21. l. 9. Epist. 27. Of Suetonius in his Octauius sect. 89. Of Quintilian de Oratoribus Dialogus: 1.6.14. of Polydor Virgil, de Invent. rerum, l. 3. c. 13. of Scaliger Poeticis l. 1. c. 7. of Dr. Reinolds, in his Overthrow of Stageplayes p. 22. of Bul…ngerus de Theatro. l. 2. c. 1. p. 339. A.B. with sundry others, who all give testimony to this truth. Which takes of one grand obiection that Players, and Play-poets make to iustifie the Acting, and penning of Stage-playes; that many good men have compiled Playes and Tragedies in former times, of purpose that they might be acted on the Theatre; when as in truth these Playes of theirs were never acted but recited onelyonly, they being composed for Readers, not Spectators, for private studies, not publike Play houses, as our present Stageplayes are.
The sole controversie then is this; Not whether it bee simply unlawfull to penne a Poëm in nature of a Tragedie or Comedie, which may be done without offence, in case it be pious, serious, good and profitable; not wanton amorous, obscene, Prophane, or heathenish, as most Playes are now: but, whether the profession of a Playhouse-Poet, or the penning of Playes for publike or private Theaters, be warrantable or lawfull? And for my owne particular opinion, I hold it altogether unlawfull, for these ensuing reasons.
First, to be an inventer, a contriver of evill, scandalous, unprofitable or noxious things, is certainely unlawfull unto Christians: witnesse Rom. 1.30, 31. Psal. 31.6. Eccles: 7.29. Prov. 14.22. c. 24.8. and Isay. 55.2. But Stage-playes (as I have oSee part 1. Act 6. scene 1. to 20. & Act 7. scene 2.3.4.5.already manifested at larg) are evil, scandalous, unprofitable, noxious pastimes yea intolerable mischeifes both in a Church or State. Therefore the inventing and contriving of them must certainely be unlawfull.
Secondly, to be a compiler, an Author of the certaine, the common occasions of much wickednesse, sin and lewdnesse, can be no wayes warrantable or lawfull: as is evident by by the 1 Thes. 5.22. 2 Sam. 12.14. and Rom. 1.30. But Stage-playes (as the pSee part 1. Act. …. scene 1. to 20.premises testifie) are the certaine, the common occasions of much wickednesse, vice and lewdnesse: Yea Play-poets and Play-poëms if qDe vanitate scientiarum. ca. 64.Cornelius Agrippa may be credited, are the very greatest entisements to all lecherie, bauderie, vice, and lewdnesse: Vnde Poetae inter lenones principatum facile obtinuerunt, quo suis lasciuis rithmis alijs que fabulis ac amatorijs bucolicis, praeceptiunculis, comaedijsque ex penitissimis Veneris armarijs depromptis laesciuis carminibus, lenocinio functa, pudicitiam omnem subuertit, ac adolescentiae bonam indolem, moresque corrumpit. Therefore to be an Author, a compiler of Stageplayes, can bee no wayes warrantable or lawfull unto Christians.
Thirdly; To foment men in their sinnes and sinfull courses, to uphold them in their ungodly professions, is without all scruple sinfull and unlawfull: witnesse 1 Tim. 5.22. Hab. 1.15, 16. Ezech. 13.18, 19, 20. But the penning of Playes for Play-houses, foments men in their sinnes & sinfull courses: nSee part. 1. Act. 6. Scene 2. 2, 3,4.5. &c.It fostereth the spectators in their idlenesse, vanity, wantonesse, ribaldry, prodigality, lewdnesse, and the like; it drawes them on to many other sinnes, which else they might eschewe: It supports all publike Actors in their graceles, infamous, ungodly, lewd profession of Acting, and others in their sinfull practise of beholding Stage-playes: if there were no new Playes to act or see, all Players, all Play-haunters would quickly vanish, the Play-poet being the oSe Gossen his Playes confuted Artic. 1. & 4. & Chrysost. Ho. 6. in Math….prime mover in this infernal sphere of lewdnesse. Therefore the penning of Playes for Play-houses, is without all question very unlawfull.
Fourthly to be a professed factor for the Devill and his instruments; to maintaine his pSee part. 1. p. 55. to 62.pomps & vanities which we have all renounced in Baptisme, is sinfull and abominable: as the 1 Pet. 5.8, 10. 1 Ioh. 3.8. Ephes. 2. 1, 2. c. 5.11. & Ioh. 8.44. infalliblie evidence. But Stage-poets are professed factors for the Devill and his instruments qSee part. 1. Act. 1.2. & 4.who are most honoured & delighted with them, now as well as heretofore) and they maintaine (yea forge and pen) the very pompes and workes of the Divell which we have all renoūced in Baptisme; for I have infalliblie proved rSee part 1. p. 42. to 62. act. 6 scene 12. & act 7. scene 2. pa 561 to 568. accordingly, & Bulengerus de Circo Roma … cap. 46. p. 172. E.Stageplays (which they so seriously compile) to be the Devills pomps which wee protest against in Baptisme: Therefore the profession of a Play-poet even in this respect, is sinfull and abominable.
Fif…ly for men to wast their wits, their parts and precious time (with which they might and ought to doe God and men good service) on amorous, filthy, wanton, ridiculous, vaine, prophane, unpro…itable, subiects, which tend not to Gods glorie, to the good of men, or the peace and comfort of their owne soules at last; is altogether unlawfull, see Isay. 55.2. Psal. 7.6. Psal. 4.2. 1 Sam. 12.21. 2 Cor. 5.15. Rom. 12.1, 2. 1 Cor. 6.20. & 10.31, 32, 33. Eccles. 5.16. Luk. 1.74, 75. 2 Pet. 1.10, 11, 12. for proofe of this proposition.) But those who penne Playes for the Stage; doe wast their wits, their parts and precious time, (with which they ought to do God & men good service) on sSee part 1. act. 3. through…out.amarous, filthy, wanton, ridiculous, vaine, prophane, unprofitable, (yea sometimes on atheisticall, blasphemous, sacrilegious, diabolicall, detestable) subiects, (for such for the most part, are all our moderne Playes) which tend not to Gods honor tSe part 1. act. 3. scene 7.but to his great dishonour, and the Devils advantage: which bring no good at all, but exceeding much hurt and mischeife unto others: and no comfort, no peace, but horror and vexation onelyonly to the soules of their composers, who have oft beene so terrified with the sad consideration of those infinite horid sinnes which their Stage-playes have produced both in themselves and others, that it hath almost driven them to despair…, and drenched their soules in stoods of brinish teares to wash away their guilt of Play-making: as the memorable example of xSee part 1. act. 6. scene 12.19, 20.Steven Gosson, and the Author of the third Blast, of retrait from Playes and Theaters, besides a more bloody fresh example, most fully testifie. Therefore the penning of Playes for the Stage is altogether unlawfull.
Sixtly; for men yIerm. 9.3.to bend their wits like bows for lyes, and lying fables… to corrupt and misrepresent true histories, and to make their braine a very forge for lying vanities, and old-wives fables; is certainly unlawfull among Christians, who must put away lying fables, and speake nought but truth: See Ephes. 4.25, 29. c. 5.3, 4. 1 Tim. 4.2, 7. and part 1. Act 3. Scene 4. p. 106, 107. accordingly. But Play-poets thus racke and bend their wits like bowes for lyes and lying fables; they corrupt and misrepresent true histories, and make their braines a very forge for lying vanities and old wives Fables: witnes Act 3. Scene 4. p. 106, 107. with the Authors there quoted: witnesse the common prouerbiall speech zPlutar…h de Audendis Poe…tis lib. Tom, 1. pa. 28.29Permulta canunt mendacia vates, that Play-poets broach verie many lies, that being no Poëm in aIbid.Socrates his iudgement, à qua abesset mendacium, in which there i… not some lye or other couched: witnes bDiogenis La…tii… Solon: p. 46. & Plutarchi Solon.Solon who prohibited Thespis either to act or teach Tragedies, inutilem eas falsi loquentiam vocans) because they were but unprofitabl… lyes … or vaine common thridbare fabulous figments of Stage-poets extolling vaine & idle things, with many words, as cExcludant vanas vulgo protritas damnatas que fabulas figmentorum po…ticorum scenicorum que res nihili multis verbis exaggerantium. De Iudice. lib. p. 976.Philo Iudaeus phraseth them. witnesse… the 3. Blast of Retrait from stage-playes, p. 104. which informes us: That the notablest liar is becom… the best Poet: …nd that he who can make the most notorious lye, and disguise falshood in such s…n…, that it may passe unperceived, is hold the best writer, for the strangest Comedie brings greatest delectation and pleasure. Yea witnesse our own experience, our moderne Playes being nought but amorous ridiculous figments, lies & vanities, or sophisticated stories. The penning therfore of such stories as these must needs be ill.
Seventhly: that profession, or action, which hath no good warrant either from the practise of the Saints; or from the word of God, the square of all our lives and waies, and in the prosecution of which a man cannot proceed with faith, or comfort, nor yet …eriously pray for, or expect a blessing from God… must questionles be unwarantabl… unlawfull for a Christian: witnesse, Gal. 5.16, 17, 18. c. 6.15. Psal. 119.9.104, 105. Rom. 14.23. 1 Cor. 11.1. Ehes. 5.1, 5. Psal. 129.7, 8.9. Phil. 4.6, 7, 8. But the profession of a Play-poet, and the composing of Playes for Theaters, hath no warant at all either from the practise of the Saints of God fSee part 1. Act 6. Scene. 12, 14, 20. & Act. 7. throughout.among whom we read of no professed Play poets or Players of ancient or moderne times, but such onelyonly who upon their true conversion & repentence renounced this their hellish lewd profession: nor yet from the sacred word of God, the square of all our lives and wayes; in which I cannot so much as find one title, one syllable to iustifie either the penning or acting of a Stage-play: so that a man cannot proceed on in them either with faith or comfort, nor yet expect or pray for Gods blessing or assistance on his Playes or Studies, which serve onelyonly to advance the Divills service, and gSee part 1. Act 6. Scene 2, 4, 5. &c.foment mens lusts and vices. Therefore the very profession of a Play-poet, and the compiling of Playes for Theaters, must questionlesse be unwarrantable, unlawfull for a Christian.
Lastly, that very profession & function which Christians, which heathens, which even relenting Play-poets themselves have censured, renounced, condemned, as sinfull and abominable; must undoubtedly bee unlawfull for a Christian: But Christians, heathens, yea and Play-poets themselves have thus censured, renounced, condemned the profession of a Play poet, and the making of Playes to furnish Play-houses. Witnesse all the fore-quoted Fathers Councels and Christian Writers, who in condemning Playes, have censured their composers, not onelyonly by consequence, but in hCyprian & Tertulliande Spectac. Chrysost… Hom. 6. & 7. in Matth. Philo. Iudaeus. De Monarchia p. 1099. & in Flac…u…. l. p. 1305. Theophilu… Ant…ochenus. here p. 557, 558. Minucius Felix Octavius p. 69, 70. Eusebius de praeparat. Evang. l. 4. c. 5. See p. 80. l.expresse termes too. Witnesse the iSee here p. 445 730.Athenians, and kSee here p. 449.484.51…Solon, who inhibited the penning of Comedies and Tragedies: together with lSee here p. 368 448.Plato & mSee here p. 449.Tullie, who banished all Playpoets out of their Republikes, as the effeminaters, the corrupters of mens minds and manners, leading them on to a dissolute, sloathfull, vitious, voluptuous life: Witnesse the np. 121, 12….455, 456.920, 92….Lacedemonians, & Massilienses, who would never admit the penning or acting of Comedies or Tragedies; together with *See here pag. 449.703.Gorgias pSee here p. 370.1. l.Horace and qSatyr 8. here p. 844.Iuuenall, who condemne the composing of Playes for the Stage, as a base unworthy thing, unfit for eminent Poets: Yea witnesse the constant practise of all Players and Play-poets in the rSee here p. 561, 567, 571, 572, 574, 575, 577, 582, 617, 626, 652.primitive Church, who upon their true conversion to the faith, renounced these their lewde ungodly professions, and never returned to them more: together with the moderne examples of sSee his Epistola 97. & 395. See here p. 917, 918. accordingly.AEnaeas Sylvius, and tSee Theod. Bezae amatoria ab Ipso adolescente edita et ab ipso post damnata. Lut. 1548.Theodorus Beza, who publikely renounced, censured, and bewailed in their riper yeares those wanton amorous playes and poems which they had compiled in their youth… of uSee here part 1. Act. 6. Scene. …14.20. p. 485, 486. fol. 566… & 910.M. Stephen Gosson, & the Authour of the 3. Blast of retrait from playes and Theaters; two Eminent English Play…poets Who being deepely wounded in conscie…ce for those Playes they had penned for the Stage, thereupon abandoned this their hellish trade of Play-penning, as incompatible with Christianity or salvation, and by way of holy recompence and revenge, compiled *Stephen Gosson h…s schoole of Abuse & Plaies confuted in 5. Actions. & the 3. Blast of retrait from Playes & Theaters p. 41. to 57.three memorable printed Treatises against penning, acting and frequenting Stage-playes, which now are extant to their eternall praise, and to the just condemnation of all those Play poets which persevere in their relented and reclaimed steps. The penning therefore of Stage-playes for the Theater (which hath no precept, no example for to warrant it in the Scripture or in the Primitive Church) must certainely be sinfull and unlawfull unto Chr…stians. All which I would wish our moderne Play-poets to consider. Who being oft times men of eminent parts, and choysest wits, able pithily to expresse what ever they undertake: I shall onelyonly say of them and their poëms as *Instit. Orat. l. 10. c. 1… p. 570.Quintilian doth of Seneca & his books, Multae in eo clarae que sententiae, multa etiam Elocutionis gratia legenda; sed in eloquendo corrupta plaera que , at que adeo perniciosissima, quod abundant vitijs. Velles enim suo ingenio dixisse, alieno iudicio, &c. Digna fuit illa naturae quae meliora vellet, quae quod voluit fecit. And thus much for the first conclusion.