The Players Scourge, Part 1 · Act 6 · Scene 10
SCENA DECIMA.
THe 10. effect or product of Stage-playes, is cruelty, fier…nesse, brawles, seditions, *Theatris convenit tumultu…. Chrysos…om. Hom. 3…. ad Pop. An…ioch. Tom. 5. Col. 245. B.tumults, murthers, and the like; as is evident by sundry testimonies and examples. Hence was it, oIgnoscent nobis Tragici poetae, ignoscent, etiam illis qui propemodum ut nos rempublicam gerunt, quod ipsos in rempub. non admittimus, utpotè tyrannidis laudatores Alias nam que Civitates circumvagantes & turbas colligentes, & pulchras & magnas, & veresimiles voces mercede conducentes, respublicas ad tyrannides & populares principatus trahent. De Republ. Dial. 8. pag. 672.673.that Plato banished all Tragedies out of his Common-weale, because they would draw men on to tyranny and cruelty, by acting, by applauding them, and breed quarrels and commotions among the people. Hence pEpist. 7. ad Lucilium.Seneca and qSympos. l. 7. Quaest. 8.Plutarch, dislike of Stage-playes, because they enrage the mindes of the Spectators, breeding oft-times many tumuls, quarrels and contentions among them. Hence Horace writes expresly: rLudus enim genuit trepidum certamen & iram: Ira truces inimicitias, & funebre bellum. Epist. l. 1. Ep. 19. p. 275.that Playes engender contention and anger; anger cruell enmity and dolefull warre. Hence we finde it recorded of sAElian Variae Historiae. l. 13. c. 18.Dionysius, tSuetonij & Eutropii Claudius, & Caligula. Dion Cassius. Rom. Hist. l. 57. & 59. Tacitus Annal. l. 14. c. 2.3.Nero, Caligula, and other bloody tyrants; that they delighted much in Tragedies and Stage-playes; as being suitable to their tyrannicall dispositions. Hence tTragaediae & Comaediae scelerū & libidinū auctrices, cruentae & lascivae, impiae & prodigae. De Spectac. c. 17.18.Tertullian; uDe Spectac. lib. & Epist. l. 2. Epist. 2.Cyprian and xPaedagogi. l. 3. c. 11.Clemens Alexandrinus; declaime against Tragedies and Comedies as the augmentors of wickednes and lust; as bloody wanton, impious and prodigall pastimes which occasion sundry tumults and seditions. Gregory Nazianzen informes us: ySpectaculum illud urbes distrahit, plebem ad seditiones concitat; pugnas docet, linguam maledicā acuit, amorem civium dissecat, familias inter se cōmittit, in furorem adigit juvenes, inimicitias accendit, &c. Quot enim familias subito prostravit? Quot urbes prius summa inter se benevolentia conjunctas, funditus evertit? Nimirū seditio quasi pubescens plebis manꝰ potentū caedibꝰ inqui…avit, gladio viduavit urbes, extinctis viris, ign… ferro que Civitates absūpsit, caedibꝰ caedes coercens at que puniens, & mactationes m…ctationibꝰ. Quis igitur haec intueri sustineat si sapiat? cum mera sit heic praestigiarum concertatio, seditio caedem pariens, & Civitatum morbus. De Recta Educatione ad Selucum. pag. 1063.1064.That Playes and Enterludes disturbe Citties, rayse up sedition among the people, teach men how to quarrell, sharpen ill-speaking tongues, cut asunder the love of the Cittizens, set families at variance betweene themselves, drive yong men into fury, kindle quarrels and contentions, &c. Whence hee stiles them; A sedition producing murther, and a disease of Citti…s. zHom. 3.6, 7. & 8. in Matth. Hom. 3. de Davide & Saule. Hom. 42. in Acta. Hom. 62. ad Pop. Antioch. & Oratio 7. See here, p. 415.416, 396, 397, & 421.Saint Chrysostome records from his owne experience. That Players and Play-haunters were the onelyonly men who did fill the Citty with contentions, quarrels, seditions, tumults: that Playes did breed debate betweene man and wife; and that Players and Play-haunters by acting and seeing Playes became more barbarous then the most savage beasts, insomuch that they spared not the bones of the dead. Theodoricus King of Italy, stiles Stage-playes, aInvitatio contentionum, & fons irriguus iurgiorum. Cassiod…rus Variarū. l. 3. Epist. 51.The invitation of contentions, the perennious fountaine of brawles and quarrels, *Variarum. l. …. Epist. 32.and the frequent occasion of seditions and tumults. Such Authors of misrule, quarrels, seditions and contentions were Playes in ancient times, of which there are divers pregnant examples. Wee all know, bPlutarchi Romulus. Livy Rom. Hist. l. 1. sect. 9, l. 2. sect. 37. and the Authors formerly quoted in pag. 30. r.that the rape of the Sabine Virgins was occasio…ed by a Play; which produced a long and bloody warre betweene the Romanes and Sabines. cLivy Rom. Hist. lib. 2. sect. 37.38, 39.The fierce and cruell warre betweene the Volsci and the Romanes was likewise occasioned by a Play; the Consuls upon the speech of Attius Tullus, excluding the Volsci from their Playes, and commanding them to depart their Citty, for feare of some sodaine tumult that might arise betweene the Romanes and them, or some unexpected surprisall of their Citty whiles th… whole Citty were bu…ied about their Playes. dTacitus Annal. lib. 1. c. 14. lib. 4… cap. 3.In Tiberius his Raigne, there were so many tumuls, murthers, uprores, quarrels, and open insolences committed at Play-houses, occasioned by Playes, and Actors; (One Centurian, with divers Soldiers and common people being slaine; and a Captaine of the Pretorean band with sundry others being likewise wounded at a Play) that Tiberius was enforced to banish all Stage-players out of Italy: In the time of eSuetonij Nero. sect. 16. & 26.Nero, there were so many seditions, quarrels, commotions, and misdemeanors in the Roman Theater, that Nero himselfe (who had oft an hand in them) suppressed all Playes, all Stage players by a solemne Edict, though he much delighted in them. In the Raigne of fMarcus Aurelius. cap. 14. & Epistle 12. to Lambert.Marcus Aurelius, there was a very great tumult and sedition occasioned by Stage-playes, in which much blood was shed, there being many slaine and wounded: upon which occasion this Heathen Emperour, banished all Stage-players for ever from Rome, and sent them into Hellispo…t to Lambert the Governour, with a command to compell them to labour, to chastice them if they were idle, and not to suffer them to use their accustomed toyes. *De Circo Romano. & Ludis Circensibus. cap. 47. De Factionibus.Caesar Bulengerus informes us; that under Hypatius and Bellisarius, there were at least 35. thousand men slaine in a commotion and tumult raysed at a Cirque-play. In the time of gCassiodorus Variarum. l. 1. Epist. 20. & 30. l. 3. Epist. 51. & l. 7. Epist. 10.Theodoricus King of Italy, there were so many tumults, quarrels, and commotions raysed at Stage-playes; that he was enforced upon the complaint of the people, to write to the Senate, and other of his Officers, to suppresse their insolencies, and to punish the mutinies, the commotions caused by them: At last being not able to reforme their disorders, he gave order wholy to suppresse them. And from these severall disorders and quarrels came these common phrases; *See Philo Iudaeus, De Agricultura. lib. p. 271. Suetonij Nero. sect. 16. & 26. Iosephus Antiq. Iudaeorum. l. 19. c… 3. Cassiodorus Variarum. l. 3. Epist. 51. Bulengerus De Circo, &c. cap. 47. & De Theatro. l. 1. c. 33. & Lipsius De Amphitheatro. cap. 3.4.Seditiones & factiones Pantomimorum, & seditiones theatri, bella Theatricorum, &c. which we read of in sundry Authors; and in Saint Augustine, De Catechizandis Rudibus. lib. Tom. 4. pars 2. pag. 340.341. & HRabanus Maurus, De Sacris Ordinibus. lib. 1. Tom. 6. pag. 63. A. B. where the sundry tumults, quarrels, and other mischiefes that Stage-playes and Cirque-playes occasion, are pithily discribed. But these are all ancient forraigne testimonies and examples, may some say: are there any such moderne domestique presidents to be found? Yes v…rily. Witnesse the Statute of *4. Henry 4. cap. 27. in the Statutes at large, and Rastall Wales. sect. 30.4. Henry 4. cap. 27. which recites; that divers diseases and mischiefes (to wit commotions, murthers, and rebellions) had hapned before this time in the Land of Wales, by many Wasters, hWho were then the Players and Actors that wādred about the Country.Rimours, Minstrels, and other Vacabonds: for the eschewing of which; it was ordained and established by this Statute; That no Master Rimour, Minstrell, nor Vacabond, should be in any wise sustained in the Land of Wales, to make commo…thes or gathering upon the people there. Witnesse the *3. Henry 8. cap. 9.Statute of 3. Henry 8. cap. 9. against Mummers, (all one with Stage-players:) which recites. That lately within this Realme, divers persons had disguised and apparelled them, and covered their faces with Visours or other things in such manner as they should not be knowne, and that divers of them in a company together, naming thems…lves Mummers had come in to the dwelling place of divers men of honour, and other substantiall persons, and so departed unknowne, whereupon murthers, fellonies, rapes, and other great hurts and inconveniences had aforetime growne, and hereafter were like to come by the colour thereof, if the said disorder should continue not reformed; for the prevention of which mischiefe, it was enacted; that all Mummers or persons, that should hereafter thus apparell or disguise themselves, or weare, or sell, or keepe any visor in their houses should be imprisoned for 3. moneths space, without bayle or mainprise, and make a fine and ransome to the King. Yea witnesse the great rebellion of Robert Ket, in 3. of Edward the 6. which as *Alexander Nevill his History of Kets stirs. Hollingshead. p. 1028. Numb. …0. & 30. b. See Iohn Stow, his Survey of London. cap. 16. where there is mention of sundry tumults occasioned by Playes & such like pastimes. & Centuriae Magdeburg. Cent. 13. Col. 772… where you shall see divers tumults raysed, and much blood shed, by reason of Playes and Dances.Hollingshead with others record; was plotted and contrived at, and partly occasioned by a meeting at a Stage-play, at Wimonham, to which the Country people resorting, they were by the instigation of one Iohn Flowerdew, first incouraged to pull downe the Inclosures, and then to rebell. The Statutes of 14. Eliz. cap. 5. of 39. Eliz. c. 4. & 1. Iacobi. cap. 7. which make common Players of Enterludes, Rogues and Vacabonds, subiecting them to a severe punishment for their lawde manner of life; doe likewise recite: k14. Eliz. c. 5.That by meanes of these common Enterlude Players, and such other Rogues, Vacabonds, and Sturdy-beggers, there daily hapned in the Realme of England and Wales, many horrible murthers, thefts, and other great outrages, to the high displeasure of Almighty God, and to the great anoy of the Common-weale: which these Statutes endeavour to suppresse. Not to mention either Petrarch. De Remedio Vtrius que Fortunae. lib. 1. Dialog. 30. or the Author of the 3. Blast of Retrait from Playes and Theaters, who informes us; lPag. 57.That he hath sometimes seene two Knaves at once importunate upon one light Huswife, whereby much quarrell hath growne to the disquieting of many: Nor yet to recite the late Statute of 1. Caroli. cap. 1. which informes us: that many quarrels, blood-sheds, and other great inconveniences have growne by the resort and concourse of people going out of their owne parishes to Beare-bayting, Bull-bayting, Enterludes, Common-playes, and such disordered and unlawfull exercises and pastimes: (a sufficient confirmation of my Minors truth.) Our owne experience can sufficiently informe us; that Playes and Play-houses are the frequent causes of many murthers, duels, quarrels, debates, occasioned, sometimes by reason of some difference about a box, a seate, or place upon the Stage: sometimes, by intruding to boldly into some females company: sometimes, by reason of some amorous, scurrilous or disgracefull words that are uttered of, or to some female Spectators; sometimes, by reason of some speeches or passages of the Play particularly applyed to some persons present or absent: sometimes, by reason of some Husbands, Whore-masters, or corrivals *Caecus est ignis stimulatus …ra, nec regi curat, patiturve fraenos, haud timet mortem, cupit in ipsos ire obvios enses. Seneca Medea. Act. 3. Chorus. fol. 152. ….iealousie, or affront, whose Wife, whose Whore, or Mistris being there in person, is perchance sollicited, abused, or jeared at in his presence: sometimes by reason of the Apprentises resort to Play-houses, especially on Shrove-tuesday; sometimes by meanes of other accidents and occasions. Many have beene the murthers, more the quarrels, the duels that have growne from our Stage-playes, whose large encomiums of rash valour, duels, fortitude, generosity, impaciency, homicides, tyranny and revenge, doe so exasperate mens raging passions, and make them so impatient of the very smallest injury, that nothing can satisfie, can expiate it but the offenders blood. Hence is it that some Players, some Play-haunters now living, not satified with the murther of one, have embrued their barbarous unchristian hands nMadet orbis mutuo sanguine, & homicidium cum admittunt singuli, crimen est, virtus vocatur …m publice geritur. Impunitatem sceleribus acquirit non innocentiae ratio, sed saevitiae magnitudo. Vt quis potest occidere peritia est, ars est, usus est. Scelus non tantum geritur, sed docetur. Quid potest inhumanius, quid acerbius dici? disciplina est, ut perimere quis possit; & gloria est, quod peremit. Cyprian. Epist. l. 2. Epist. 2. Donato. See Onus Ecclesiae. c. 28. sect. 7.8. which we may well apply to our …imes.in the blood of two, of three, if not of foure severall men; and so farre are they from ruing the odiousnesse of these their bloody deeds, that they glory in the number of their murthers as the very trophies of their valour. Pitty is it, that such savage homicides who rest not with the first mans death, oQuid putas futuram animā homicidae? aliquod credo pecus lanienae & macello destinatum, ut perinde juguletur, quia & ipsa jugulaverit; Tanta est apud homines homicidij vindicta, quāta ipsa quae vindicatur natura: Quis non praeferat saeculi junstitiā, quam & Apostolus nō frustra gladio armatam cōtestatur, quae pro homine saeviendo religiosa est. Tertul. De Anima. advers. Py…hag. cap. pag. 350.should ever live to slay a second, much lesse a third: Yea pitty is it that such Playes, such Spectacles should be suffred, whih thus animate men on to quarrels, duels, contentions, injuries, impaciency, bloodshed, and most unchristian revenge. As therefore pSee here, Act 3. Scene 2. pag. 74.75. where the Fathers & Authors to this purpose are quoted, to which I may adde Prudentius. Contra Symmachum. lib. 1. Bibl. Patrum. Tom. 4. p. 612. B.C. & l. 2. p. 923. F.G & Hymnus 6. p. 880. Cassiodorus Variarum. l. 5. Epist. 42. Seneca. De Brev. Vitae. c. 13.14. Isiodor Hisp. Originum. l. 18. c. 27.41. Op…cerus. Chronog. p. 186. Baronius & Spondanus. Annal. Ecclesiast. Anno 59. sect. 8. Anno 325. sect. 52. Anno 365. sect. 5. & Anno 404. sect. 2. Gotfridus Viterbiensis. Chron. pars 16. Anno Dom. 390. See Bulengerus De Circo. lib.the Fathers, Christians, with some Pagan Authors, did generally condemne; and good Christian Emperours utterly take away all bloody Sword-playes, Cirque-playes, Chariot-playes, and such like barbarous inhumane Spectacles; by reason of the murthers, blood-shed, quarrels, contentions, tumults, debates, and such like savage unchristian effects which they occasioned; so likewise may we now suppresse, condemne, and quite abolish Stage-playes upon the selfesame grounds, as the forequoted Authors and Pagan Emperours have done before us. Wherefore I shall briefely close up this Scene with this 36. Play-confounding Argument.
That which is an ordinary occasion of much cruelty, quarrelsomenesse, impaciency, fiercenesse, implacablenesse, and revenge: of many tumults, seditions, quarrels, murthers, injuries, brawles, and such like barbarous unchristian effects, qSee Act. 3. Sce…e 2. p. 72.73, 74. where this proposition is fully proved.must needs be sinfull and unlawfull unto Christians, (who should be men of peace, of meekenesse, willing to suffer, to passe by, if not to pardon wrongs:) intolerable in any Christian or peaceable Common-weale.
But such are Stage-playes, as is manifest by the premises.
Therefore they must needs be sinfull, unlawfull unto Christians; intolerable in any Christian or peaceable Common-weale.