The Players Scourge — William Prynne

The Players Scourge · William Prynne

SCENA QVARTA.

THe fourth effect or fruit of Stage-playes, is actuall adultery, whoredome, and uncleanesse, which are no wayes tolerable among Christians: From whence this 30. Argument doth arise.

Argument 30.That which is an immediate occasion, furtherance, or fomentation of much actuall adultery, fornication, whoredome, and uncleanesse, must needs be abominable, and utterly unlawfull unto Christians,

But such are Stage-playes, as I shall cleerely manifest.

Therefore they must needs be abominable, and utterly unlawfull unto Christians.

My Minor must bee yeelded, fAdulterio pecatum nullū majus. Chrysost… Hom. 7. D… Paenitentia. Tō. 5. Col. 5. p. 743. D.because adultery, fornication, whoredome, with all other actuall uncleanesse, (how ever men may chance to …light them as meere triviall, veniall sins) are most damnable soule-murthering abominations. which God, which Christian men abhorre. The sinfulnesse, the damnablenesse, of these foule crying sinnes, (which, alas; are now so frequent in the world, gLevit. 19.29. Pudorem rei rollit multitudo peccantium, & desinit esse probri loco commune mal…dictū. Nunquid jam ullus adulterij pudor est, postquam eò ventum est, ut nulla adulterum habeat, nisi ut adulterum irritet? Tandiu istud timebatur, quamdiu rarum erat. Nunc argumentū est deformitatis pudicitia. Quam invenies tam miseram, tam sordidam, ut illi satis sit unum adultetorum par? nisi singulis divisit horas, & non sufficit dies omnibus? nisi ad alium gestata est, apud alium mansit? Infrunita & antiqua est, quae nescit, matrimonium vocari, unius adulterium. Horum delictorum jam evanuit pudor, postquam res latius evagata est. Sen…ca, De Beneficijs. lib. 3. cap. 16.that the commonnesse of them hath made them tollerable, if not commendable and lawfull in the eyes of many, who are so farre from being ashamed of, that they even boast and glory in th…se lascivious wickednesses;) will easily appeare by these particulars: First, they are sinnes against the expresse letter of the 7. Commandement. hExod. 20.14. Deut. 5.18. Mat. 5.27, 28.Thou shalt not commit adultery: as all ancient, and moderne Expositors of this Commandement testifie. Secondly, they are sinnes, iLevit. 20.10. Psal. 50.18. Prov. 6.32. Ier. 7.9. c. 23.14. Ezech. 16.32… Hosea. 4.2, 13, 14. Mat. 5.28.29… Ephes. 5.3, 5. Gal. 5.19, 21. 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. Hebr. 13.4. Rev. 21.8.abundantly condemned thorowout the Old and New Testament, as abominable and highly displeasing unto God; whose wrath none can stand under. Thirdly, they are the very kGal. 5.19.workes and products of the flesh; lMat. 15.19. Mark. 7.21, 22, 23.issuing alwayes from a polluted heart devoyd of grace. Fourthly, mRom. 1.24. to 30. Ephes. 2.2, 3. c. 4.17, 18, 19, 22. 1 Thes. 4.4, 5. 1 Cor. 5.1.they are those execrable sinnes, those abominable pollutions wherein the Idolatrous Pagan Gentiles lived, whose lewdnesse Christians must not imitate. Fiftly, nIob 24.15, 16, 17. Prov. 7.9. to 24. Ephes. 5.11, 12, 13. Iob 20.26, 27.they are those shamefull, *Pudet autem non solum eorum, quae, dicta sunt, pudendorum, sed etiam signorū, ut non solū cum in re venerea versantur, sed etiam cum adsunt signa ejus rei, & non solum cum faciunt turpia, sed etiam cum dicunt. Aristot. Rhetor lib. 2. c. 6. p. 137.desperate filthy workes of darknesse which the most audacious miscreants are afraide, yea utterly ashamed to commit in the day-time, in the face and view of others, out of a selfe-guiltinesse, an inward consciousnesse of their vilenesse; pIob 24.17. Ianua frangatur, latret canis, undique magno Pulsa domus strepitu resonet: vel pallida lecto Desiliat mulier: miseram se conscia clamet: Cruribus haec metuat, doti deprensa, egomet mi. Discincta tunica fugiendum est… ac pede nudo: Ne nummi pereant, aut pyga, aut deni que fama. Deprendi miserum est. Horace S…rmonum lib 1. Satyr. 2. p. 167. See p. 164.in the act of which if any are deprehended, they are in the very terrors of the shadow of death; like men distracted they know not what to doe, nor whether to flie, the very foulenesse of the fact amazing them, and the least noyse affrighting them. Sixtly, *Mat. 15.19, 20. 1 Thes. 4.4, 5. Rom. 1.24 to 30. Rev. 21 8, 17. Gen. 49.4.they are sinnes which most abominably pollute the bodies and soules of men, making them …dious both in the eyes of God, and men. Seventhly, rGen. 49.4. Prov. 5.9. cap. 6.31, 33. … Sam. 12.… 11, 12. Levit. 21.9. Hosea 1.2. Iohn 8.41.they are sinnes which bring abundance of shame, of dishonour upon the persons, families, and posterities of those who are guilty of them, and even quite deprive them of their glory: a wound, a dishonour shall they get, and their reproach shall not be wiped away; as the very wisest of men informes us. Sixtly, they are sinnes sHosea 4.11.which wholy infatuate and steale away mens hearts; so tProv. 7.7.21.22, 23. c. 5.6.that they are as an Oxe that goeth to the slaughter; or as a foole who is led to the correction of the stockes; till a dart shrike thorow their liver; or as a Bird that hastneth to the snare, not knowing that it is for his life. Yea these sinnes doe so besot men, that they can neither consider the danger of them; nor yet use meanes for to escape them. Ninthly, *Prov. 5.9, 10, 11. c. 6. 25, 26. Iob 31.9, 10, 11, 12.they consume, they putrifie, not onelyonly the soules, the spirits, but the very bodies, and estates of men, bringing them even to a morselt of bread. Tenthly, they ingenerate many filthy *Prov. 5.3, 4, 12. Iob 31.12. Prov. 12.4.loathsome diseases, which oft-times so putrifie the bodies of lewde adulterous persons, that they even stinke above ground, becoming odious, yea intollerable to themselves and others: which made S. Chrysostome to affirme, yAdulter etiā vel anre gehennam est omniū miserimus, omnia suspicans, vel ad umbram contr…m scens, ad nullum liberis respiciens oculis, sed omnes pertimescēs, & qui s…iunt, & qui nes…iun…, … …ros videns gladios, impendentes lictor…s, iudicia, &c. Homil in Psal. 7. Tom 1. Col 645. B.that an adulterer even in this life, before he goes to Hell, is the most miserable, the most wre…ched of all men. Eleventhly, they are such sinnes, zEphes. 5.3.4.as are not so much as once to be named (much lesse then practised) among Christians, whom they doe not become; those therefore are no true Christians who take pleasure in them. Twefely, they are such sinnes, as a1 Cor. 5.9, 10, 11, 13.exclude men, both from the society of Gods Children here, who are not so much as to converse, or eate with fornicators, or adulterers: and likewise b1 Cor. 5.1. to the end. 2 Cor. 2.1. to 13. c. 7.8. to 14. Per hoc quo que exemplum ab Ecclesia maxime expellit …um qui est fornicatus. Chrysost. Hom. 15. in 1 Cor. 5. See Ambrose, Hi…rom, Theod…ret, Primas…s, Rhemigius, Theophylact, & Haymo, Ibidem.from the Word, the Sacraments, the publike Assemblies of the Saints; from which all Fornicators, Adulterers, Strumpets, and unchaste persons are ipso facto by the very Law of God, and cConcil. Ancyranum. Can. 15. & 20. Capit. Graecarum Synodorum. Can. 76.77.81. Wormatense Concil. Can. 44. Nannetense. Can. 12.13, 14. with sundry others.man, to be excommunicated; that so they may be delivered up to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, till they shall give some outward actuall testimony of their sincere repentance for these sin…. Thirteenthly, they are such sins, as make a man exceeding guilty in Gods sight. dProv. 6…27, 28, 29.A man may as well take fire in his bosome, and his cl…athes not be burnt; or goe upon coles, and his feet not be scorched, as goe into his neighbours wife, and yet be innocent: Whence Salomon informes us; eProv. 23.28.that a strange woman increaseth transgressions amongst men. Fourteenthly, they are sinnes which oft times shorten and cut off the lives of men: fAdulterij comes & fructu… caedes. Chrysost. in Psal. 50. Tom. 1. Col. 823. A.and draw on murther after them: For gProv. 6.26.as the Ad…itresse will hunt for the precious life of a man: hProv. 6.33, 34, 35.so iealousie is the rage of a man; there…ore he will not spare in the day of vengeance: he will not regard an… ransome, neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifes. These sinnes were iGenesis 34. thorowout.the cause that the Sonnes of Iacob slew the Sechemites and spoiled their City, for ravishing and using their Sister Dinah as an Whore. These kNumb. 26.1 4, 5, 7, 8.were the death of all those Israelites who committed whoredome with the Daughters of Moab, whom God himselfe commanded te be slaine. lIudg. 19.25. to the end, and cap. 20. & 21. thorowout. Dux malorum faemina, & sc… lerum artifex obsedit animos, cujus i… cestae stupris fumant tot urbes, bella tot gentes gerunt, & versa ab imo regna tot populos praemunt. Senecae Hyp…oly…u…. Act. 2. fol. 78.These occasioned the warre betweene the Bexiamites and the other Tribes of the Children of Israell, in which there were threescore and five thousand men and upwards slaine; yea, the whole Tribe of Benjamin where the Levites Concubine was ravished, (which occasioned this warre,) were almost utterly destroyed, there being 600. men of them onelyonly left alive by meanes of these men-slaying sins. These sins m2 Sam. 11.2. to 22. 1 Chron. 20.1. Psal. 51.caused David, to destroy Vriah: n2 Sam. 13. thorowout.Absalom to murther his Brother Ammon for ravishing his Sister Tamar. These have oSee Tacitus Anna…ium. lib. 11 12, 13. Iohn Bale, his Acts of English Votaries, with the Apologie for the same… thorowout.beene alwayes accompanied with much murther and bloodshed in all ages: these have caused the Husband, to murther his Wife; the Wife, to poyson her Husband: one Whore-master to murther his Corrivals to the selfe-same Strumpet: yea these have caused unnaturall Mothers to murther their owne spuri…us Issues, to conceale their l…wdnesse; as Authors, as our owne p21. Iacobi. cap. 27. accordingly.Statutes, and experience teach us: therefore they must needs be crying… because they are bloody sinnes. Fiftenthly, they are such sinnes which offer an high indignity to the whole Trinity. First, to God the Father, q1 Cor. 6.13. 20. Rom. 6.13.19, 20.not onelyonly in taking those bodies that are his, which were made for himselfe alone, not for fornication; and giving them up as prof…ssed instruments of sinne, to lust, to lewdnesse, to Satan, to all uncleanesse: but likewise in contaminating, oblitterating, and casting dirt, yea sinne, upon his r1 Ephes. 4.24.most holy Image stamped on them. Secondly, to Iesus Christ our Lord, s1 Cor. 6.15, 16, 17, 20.in taking those bodies which are his members, purchased with his most precious blood, that they might be preserved pure and chaste to him; and making them the members of an Harlot. Thirdly, to God the holy Ghost; *1 Cor. 6.19. cap. 3.16, 17.in defiling those bodies, which are the Temples of the holy Ghost, which is in us; who cannot indure any pollution, especially in his Temples, which should be alwayes holy, as he is holy. *Quomodo enim post consuetudinem cū scortis in Ecclesiam venire poteris? quomodo manus quibus scortū contrectasti in caelum extendere audebis, &c? Chrysostom… De Libello repudij. Sermo. Tom. 4 Col. 594 D.And who is there so desperately wicked, that dares thus affront the whole Trinity it selfe by these cursed filthy sinnes? Sixteenthly, they are sinnes of which men very seldome repent. uProv. 22.14. cap. 23.27.A Whore (saith Salomon) is a deepe Ditch, and a strange woman is a narrow Pit; (out of which men can hardly recover themselves:) xProv. 2.19. Fornicatio difficulter elui potest. Chrysost. Hom. 5. i… 1 Thes. cap. 4. Tom. 4. Col. 1239.None that goe into her returne againe, neither take they hold of the pathes of Life: And who then would ingage his soule upon such irrecoverable irrepenitable sins as these? Seventeenthly, yProv. 7.27.these sinnes are the very high-way to Hell, the beaten rode to eternall death: zProv. 5.4.the end of them is bitter as wormwood, sharpe as a two-edged sword. Wherefore Salomon exhorts his Sonne; aProv. 5.7, 8, 9.to remove his way farre from a strange woman, and not to come nigh the doore of her house; (a place well worthy their observation, who feare not for to run to Whore-houses,, or to cast themselves upon the temptations, the enticements of Strumpets, as too many doe,) bProv. 2.18, 19. cap. 5.5. cap. 7.27. Fornicatio est via quae ducit ad Diabolum. Chrysostom. Homilia. 41. in Matth. Tom. 2. Col. 882. B…For her house inclineth unto death, and her pathes unto the dead: her feet goe downe to death, her steps take hold of hell: her house is the way to hell, going downe to the chambers of death: None that goe into her returne againe, neither take they hold of the path of Life. Eighteenthly, they are sinnes against the very bodies and soules of men. Against the bodies of men; as the Apostle witnesseth. c1 Cor. 6.18. See Ambrose, Chrysostome, Hierom, Theodoret, Primasius, R…emigius, Beda, Anselme, Haym…, O…cumenius, Theophylact, Sedulius, and other of the Fathers on this whole chapter.Flee fornication; every sinne that a man doth is without the body, but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his owne body: that is, *Fornicatio totum corpus sceleratum & execrandum facit. Ch…sost. Homil. 18. in 1 Cor. Tom. 4. Col. 393. B. See Ambros. Enar. in Psal. 37. Tom. 2. p. 341. 342.in defiling it; in dishonouring it; in impayring it; in destroying it. Against the soules of men, as Salomon testifieth: dProv. 6.32. Adulter exitium animae suae conciliat. Chrysost. Hom. 3. De Verbis Esaiae. vidi Dominum sedentem. Tō. 1. Col. 1294.Who so (saith he) committeth adultery with an woman lacketh understanding; he that doeth it, destroyeth his owne soule. And who would be so inhumanely, so atheistically desperate, as to destroy both soule and body for ever, to enjoy the momentany bitter-sweetnesse of these filthy sinnes? Nineteenthly; they are sinnes, ePs. 50.16, 18.which disable men to performe any holy duty acceptable to God. Sinnes, fProv. 22.14. Rom. ….24… to 30.into which few fall, but such as are abhorred of the Lord, and given up to a reprobate sence, to worke all wickednesse even with gre…dinesse. Sinnes, gIob 31.11, 12.which devoure to destruction, and roote out all a mans increase. Sinnes, hIob 24.15, 17. & cap. 20.26.which cause the earth to rise up against men, and the fire not blowne to devo…re them. Sinnes, iEphes. 5.3, 4… 5, 6.which draw downe the temporall, the eternall wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. kGen. 6.1. to 14. Math. 24.38. 2 Pet. 2.5, 10. Libidines diluvium induxerunt. Berosus. Frag. lib. 3. pag. 25. Chrysostom. Homil. 22. in Geneses.These were the sinnes that destroyed the old worldwith water: lGen. 19.5, 8, 13, 14. Ezech… 16.49, 50. 2 Pet. 2.6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Iude 7.8.which consumed the Citties of Sodom and Gomorrah with fire from Heaven; Which m1 Cor. 10.8. Numb. 25.9.caused three and twenty thousand of the Isralites to fall in one day. These were the sinnes, nBeyerlinke. Opus Chronographicum Orbis Vniversi. pag. 110. D.that caused God, in the yeere of our Lord, 1583. even in our Citty of London; to destroy with …ire from Heaven two Cittizens, the one leaving his Wife, the other her owne Husband, whiles they were in the very act of adultery on the Lords day; their bodies being left dead, and halfe burnt up, for a Spectacle of Gods avenging Iustice unto others. These are the sinnes (but adultery and incest mor… especially) oLevit. 20.10, 11, 12. to 20. Deut. 22.21, …2 Iohn 8.4, 5.which God himselfe hath commanded to be punished with death, yea with stoning to death; the most vile and shamefulest death of all others: Yea these are such sinnes, that pIosephus Antiqu. Iudaeorū. lib. 3. cap. 20. Philo Iudaeus, De Specialibus Legibus. lib. 2. pag. 1053. Boemus, De Mor. Gentium. lib. 2 cap. 4. Munster. Cosmog…. l. 5. cap. 33. Purchas Pilgr. l. 2. c. 19.not onelyonly the Iewes in ancient times; but even meere Pagans from the very light of nature, did punish with death it selfe. Hence qBoemus. lib. 3. cap. 2.Drac… enacted; that the adulterer taken in adultery, might without any danger to the party, be lawfully killed. rAlex. ab Alexandro… lib. 4. c. 1. Plato Legum. Dialog. 6.The selfe-same Law was enacted by Solon and Plato. Hence sOpmeerus Chronogr. pag. 92. Boemus. l. 3. c. 18 Annotationes Godelevaei. in lib. 10. Livij Histor. Iustiniani. Codex. l. 9. Tit. 9.Romulus, among those lawes which he wrote in brasse and placed in the Capitol, enacted; That the convicted adulteresse should be put to death according as her husband, or his friends should thinke meete. Which act was afterwards confirmed by the Iulian Law. Hence, tZenophon, De Instit. Cyri. lib. 3. Plutarchi Solon… & Laconica. Instituta. Munster. Cosmogr. l. 4. c. 42.among the Lacedemonians, it was lawfull for a man to kill him, who was taken in adultery with his wife. Hence tHeraclitus, De Polit.the Corinthians used to drowne those who prostituted themselves to the lust of others. The uPlutarchi Numa. Livy Histor. lib. 2. sect… 42. Dionys. Hallicarnas. Antiqu. Rom. lib. 2. c. 8. Eutropius Rom…nae. Hist. lib. 1… & 2. Dion Cassius. Histor. l. 50.Vestel Virgins among the Romans b…ing convicted of fornication were buried alive. xBoemus. lib. 2. cap. 11. Munster Cosmogr. l. 4. c. 79.In ancient Ti…es among the Turkes, the adulterer and adulteresse were both stoned to death: and yLonicerus. Turc. Histor. lib. 2. c. 17. lib. 3. c. 8. Busbequius Epist 3. Purchas Pilgr. lib. 3. cap. 10.at this day they are both most ignominiously punished. zBoemus. lib. 1. cap 11. Alexand ab Alexandro. lib. 4… cap. 1. Purchas Pilgr. lib. 3. c. 10.The Arabians, and Tenedians punish adultery with death, reputing it a farre greater crime, then periury, or sacriledge; and therefore worthy of a severer punishment. The *Caelius Rhodig. Antiq. Lect. lib. 18 c…p. 15. Boemus. lib. 2. cap. 6. Purchas Pilgr. lib. 7. cap. 7.AEthiopians account adultery treason, and therefore they make it capitall. bAcosta. Indian Hist. lib. 6. cap. 18.In Peru whoredome is punished with the death of both parties. cLerius, De Navigat. in Brasil. cap. 17.The Brasilians prosecute adultery with capitall hatred, in so much that he whose wife is taken in adultery may lawfully kill her, if he please. dPurchas Pilg. lib. 5. cap. 9.The Indian Bramanes may lawfully poyson their unc…aste wives. eOp me…rus. Chronogr. lib. 6. pag. 345.In old Saxony, women who were convicted of adultery, and ravishers of maides were first hanged, and then burned. fPurchas Pilg lib. 5. cap. 2.In S…a… adultery is death, the Fathers of the Malefactors, or the next Kinsmen being the Executioners. gPeter Ma…tyr, Indian Histor. Decad. 4. cap 4.In Palmaria adulterous Priests are punished with cruell death. hPeter Martyr… Indian Histor. Decad. 7. c. 10.In Hispaniola unchaste Priests are either drowned, or burnt. iPeter Martyr, Indian Histor. Decad. 5. c. 17 Purchas Pilgr. lib. 8. cap. 12. lib. 9. cap 3.I… Bantam, Mexico, and China adultery is punished with death. kBoemus. lib. 2 cap. 10.The Tartars taken in adultery are put to present death, for feare of which they live very chaste. If then the very judiciall Law of Moses, together with these Heathens and Pagan Nations have deemed these sinnes capitall: lQui in uxores alioru…, interdum & amicorum insaniunt, & in d…mnum proximorum vivendo familias numerosas adulterare con…ntur, conjug…liaque vota irrita facere & spem posteritatis abrumpere, …ab…rant… insanabili morbo animae, capite plectendi, ut publici hostes humani generis, ne impunè plures domos contaminant, neve alijs exemplum fiant nequitiae, quae facile imitatores invenit. Philo, De Specialibus L…gibus. lib. 2. pag. 1053.punishing adulterers and adulteresses with death, as being the publike enemies of mankinde: needs must these sinnes bee execrable, yea dangerous unto Christians. Twentiethly, these sinnes are prejudiciall both to the Church and State, in defileing, polluting, dishonouring, and troubling them with an uncleane, degenerated, spurious, if not accursed ofspring, who are no other but the very *Zech. 9.6.blemishes, shames, and infamy of Church, of State, of nature: which all Lawes disinherit: *Deut. 23.2.who were not to enter into the Congregation of the Lord, even to their tenth generation. Lastly, these sinnes exclude men out of Heaven, l1 Cor. 6.9, 10. Gal. 5.19, 21. Ephes. 5.3, 4, 5. Rev. 21.27.none that die in the guilt of them shall ever inherite the Kingdome of God or of Christ: They cause God to iudge men in a more speciall manner: mHebr. 13.4.Who…e-mongers and Adulterer… God will iudge: They binde men over to the great Assises at the last day: n2 Pet. 2.9, 10. …ornicationes & adulteria non vertuntur in cinerem, sed conscribuntur in judicium futurum. Chrysostom. Hom. 77. in Matth. …om. 2. Col. 534. C.The Lord knoweth how to reserve the uniust unto the day of iudgement to be punished: but chie…ly them, that walke after the flesh in the lust of uncleanesse: And if all this bee not enough: they plunge mens soules deepe in Hell for all eternity. oRev. 21.8. Fornicatio inijcit in gehennam. Chrysost. Hom… 18. in 1 Cor. Tom. 4. Col. 393. C.For the abominable, and Whore-m…ngers, and all uncleane persons, shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone for ever; which is the second death. pIude 7.Even as Sodome and Gomorra, and the Citties about them, in like manner giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffring the vengeance of eternall fire, for these sinnes of theirs. qPsal. 50.18, 22.O then consider this all yee incontinent, uncleane, adulterous persons, who forget God; rProv. 2.13.who leave the pathes of uprightnesse, to walk… in the wayes of darkenesse; lest he teare you in pieces; lest he tIsay 33.14. Isay 66.24.eternally condemne you to the endlesse flames of Hell for these your flames of lust; and there be none to deliver you. Since then it is evident by all these premises to the hearts, the consciences of all men, that adultery, fornication, uncleanesse, are such abominable, capitall, *Quis claret me Tanais? aut quae Barbaris Maeotis undis pontico incumbens mari? Non ipse toto magnus Oceano pater, tantum expiarit sceleris. Senecae Hippolytus. Act. 2 fol. 81.deepe-dyed pernitious sinnes; those Stage-playes which instigate, or entise men to them, foment men in them, must needs bee execrably sinfull; yea utterly unlawfull unto Christians: so that my Major needs no further proofe.

For the Minor; that Stage-playes are the immediate occasions, the fomentations of much actuall adultery, whoredome, and unclenesse; it is most apparantly evident: First, from their subject matter: which being for the most part amorous, scurrilous, or obscene, consisting of adulteries, rapes, incests, whoredomes, love-prankes, sollicitations to incontinency, meretricious ribaldrous songs and iests, (as I have uAct 3. Scene 1. p. 62. to 72. & Act 5. Scene 9.already proved;) must needs inflame mens lusts, and draw them on to actuall uncleanesse: Since evill word, x1 Cor. 15.33. See here p. 50. accordingly.which corrupt good manners, yVerba ad opera viam praebēt. Theophylact. Enarratio in Ephes. 5.are but a way, a passage unto evill deeds; zNe nominentur quidem, scortatio, obscaenitas, aut immundities: novit enim qui de his rebus fiunt sermones fomitem & exhortationem fieri ad opera. Vrbanitas, obscaenitas, & stultiloquium …omes sunt ad scortationem. Oecumenius. in Ephes. 5.3.4. Obscaenus sermo & scurrilitas vehiculum fornicationum, &c. Chrysostome. Hom. 17. in Ephes. See Ambrose, Hierom, Primasius, Theodoret, Rhemigius, Sedulius, Anselme, & Haymo, in Ephes. cap. 5.3…4. accordingly.a fire, a fewell to adulterous lusts; yea, the very Chariot of whoredome, of uncleanesse; as the Fathers stile them. Hence is it, that aDe Vanitate Scientiarum. c. 63. & 64. See Athenaeu… Dipnos. l. 13. cap. 8. 25.27. accordingly.Agrippa reputeth amorous Poets, lascivious Historians, the chiefest Panders in the world; yea the very originall Fathers, Tutors, and chiefe Promoters of baudery, and whoredome; because their ribaldrous Poems; their true, their fabulous Histories of the adulteries, loves, and beastly lewdnesses of Idol-gods, or lustfull men, are but as so many Lectures to instruct; so many allurements to entice; so many guides to lead, so many arg…me…ts to perswade men to lechery, and all actuall uncleanesse whatsoever. Hence bAugust. De Decē. Chordis Philo Iudaeus, De Decalogo… & De Specialibus Legibus. l. 2. Calvin, Beac…n, Hooper, Babinton, Perkins, Vrsine, Hyperius, Kn…w…bs, Bunny, Solme, Simlerus, Dod, Brinsly, Elton, Downham, Williams, Flower, Andrew…s, Lake … and sundry others.all ancient, all moderne Expositors on the Commandements that ever I have leene, have reduced scurrility, ribaldry; together with all amorous lascivious Poems, speeches, iests, Histories, Bookes, and Stage-playes, to the 7. Commandement, as being the fire, fewell, f… mentations, occasions of whoredome and adultery. Yea hence is it, that God himselfe prohibits, cEphes. 4.22. c. 5.3, 4, 5, 11, 12. See Ambrose, Chrysostome, Theodoret, Hierom, Rhemigius, Primasius, Haymo, Beda, Anselme, Oecumenius, & Sedulius, together with Calvin, Musculus, Melancton, Are…ius, Marlorat, and all other moderne Commentators, Ibidem. accordingly & Act 3. Scene 2 & 3.all …lthy communications, all corrupt speeches; all foolish talking and iesting, which are not convenient, together with the very naming of fornication and all uncleanesse; as unbecomming Saints; because they draw men on to these shamefull workes of darkenesse, with which Christian are to have no fellowship. If then obscene, adulterous Poems, fables, Histories, Ditties, iests, or speeches have such an attractive, such a depraving power in them to draw men on to actuall lewdnesse, *See the places of Chrysostome quoted in the ensuing pages, accordingly.much more must Stage-playes, (wherein the quintessence, the confluence of all obscenity is pithily contracted, emphatically expressed, elegantly adorned, rhetorically pronounced) be more prevalently powerfull to draw men on to these grosse lecherous sinnes. Whence *Qui autem in multitudine versatur, assiduis vulneribus afficitur Mulierum enim aspectus sagitta veneno illita, quae ferit animum & venenum immittet & quo diutius manet, eò magis vulnus computrescit. Qui vitare cupit ejusmodi vulnera, is à publicis Spectaculis abstinebit, neque in celebritatibus versabitur. Satius est enim, ut domi maneas, qu…m …um putas te celebri…ates venerari, in manus inimicorum incidere. S. Nili Abba…is. Orat. 2. De Luxuria. Bibl. Patrum. Tom. 5. pars 2. p. 969. G.Nilus an ancient Abbot, adviseth all such who would avoyd the wounds of lust, to abstaine from publike Stage-playes, and to keepe themselves from them, lest they should fall into their enemies hands, and be drawne …n to actuall lewdnesse. Secondly, my Minors truth is most evident, from the very manner of acting Stage-playes, and those whoredomes, those adulteries personated in them. Hee who shall but seriously consider those amorous smiles, and wanton gestures; dSee here Act 5. Scene 2.3.those lascivious complements, those lewde adulterous kisses and enbracements; those lustfull dalliances; those impudent, immodest, panderly passages; those effeminate, whorish, lust-inflaming sollicitations; those severall concurrences, combinations, conspirations, of artificiall, studied, and more then Brothel-house obscenities: *Adulterium discitur dū videtur. Cyprian Epist. lib. 2. Epist. 2. Donato. Histriones docent adul…eria dum …ingunt, & si…ulatis erudiunt ad vera. Fa…unt per imaginem quae nō sunt, ut fiant sin… pudore qua… vera sunt… Lactantius, De Vero Cultu. …. 20. Div Instit. Epit. c. 6. Vtinā sola risu, ac non etiā imitatione digna viderentur. Augu…. De Civ. Dei. l. 2. c. 9.those reall lively representations of the acts of venery, which attend and set out Stage-playes; must needs acknowledge; that they are the very fSee here, p. 67.68.School…s of bauder…; the Tutors, the occasions of reall whoredomes, incests, adulteries, &c. whence they gTheatrū proprie sacrariū Veneris est. Ita que Pompe…us magnus solo Theatro minor, cū illum arcē omniū turpitudinū extruxisset, veritus quādo que memoriae suae censoriam animadversionem, Veneris aedem superposuit, & ad dedicationem edicto populū vocans, nō Theatrū, sed veneris templū nuncupavit; c…i subijciemus, inquit, gradus spectaculorū, Ita damnatū & damnandū opus templi titulo praetexuit, & disciplinā superstitione de lusit, sed Veneri & Libero convenit. Ita que Theatrū Veneris domus est. Ter…ul. De Spectas… c. 10.were at the first …onsecrated to Venus (the Goddesse of whoredome and adultery) the very Roman Theater being stiled, THE TEMPLE OF VENVS, as Tertullian writes: hDelubrū turpi & flagitioso Veneris Daemoni dedicatum, erat tanquam schola nequitiae ijs qui erant libidini dediti, qui que nimia licentia corpus labefactaveran… suum, corruperant que Nam quidam molles & effaeminati viri, non viri revera, pudore prorsus exuto instar mulierū turpissima contagione se ipsi inficientes, Daemonem placabant… Scelerati praeterea & nefarij mulierū congressus, clandestinae falsorū connubiorū corrupte…ae, infanda & turpia facinora in …o delubro, utpote in loco impuro & faedo, admi…a erant. Nec quisquam fuit, qui in haec scelera animadverteret, propterea quod ex viris gravibus & honestis nemo illuc audebat accedere. Eusebius, De Vita Constantini lib. 3. cap. 53. See He…d…i. Cli…. sect. 36. Strab…. Geogr. lib. 8. pag. 750. Athen…us Dipnos. lib. 13. cap. 9. Munst…. Cosm…gr. lib. 4. cap. 39.in which whoredome and adultery were freely practised without controll. iCorporis sensus sua facile in animam effundunt. Picturas ergò quae oculos praestringunt, & mentē corrumpunt, & ad turpium voluptatum movent incendia, nullo modo deinceps imprimi jubemus, &c. Concil. Constantinop 6. Can. 100. Surius. Tom. 2. p. 1053.The 6. Councell of Constantinople, Can. 100. the Sy…od… of Augusta, Anno 1548. cap. 28. together with Clemens Alexandrinus. Oratio Adhort. ad Gentes. fol. 8.9. Gregory Nyssen, in his Vitae Moseos E…arratio. p. 503. Theodoret, Contra Graecos Infideles. lib. 3. De Angelis De que Dijs, ac Daemonibus malis. Tom. 2. pag. 362.363. Mapheus Vegius, De Liberorum Educatione. lib. 1. cap. 15. with sundry moderne Divines in their Expositions on the 7. Commandement; condemne all amorous wanton pictures, of Courtesans, and others, (which now are too to common) as incendiaries to mens unruly lusts, which draw them on to actuall lewdnesse. Certainely, if these livelesse pictures kSee Suetonij Tiberius. sect. 43.are so apt to ingenerate unchaste affections, or to pricke men o… to whoredome and ad…ltery: much more will these amorous actions, complements, kisses, and embracements; these lively pictures, these reall representations of adultery and uncleanesse in our Stage-playes, doe it. It is storied oflSuetonij Tiberius. sect. 43. See 44.45. Tiberius, (a monster of more then beastly obscenity,) that as he adorned his houses with lascivi…us pictures, the better to excite his l…sts; (a practice much in use with many incontinent persons now of late;) so he *O nullo s…elus credibile in aevo, quod que posteritas neget. S…necae. Thyestes. Act. 4 fol. 45.caused others to defile one another before his face; ut adspectu deficientes libidines excitaret; that by this lewde beastly sight he might stirre up his owne decayed lusts. The like I finde recorded of mAiunt Temirem libidine reliquos mortales longè supera…se. Nam … dolescentes in conspectu suo mulieres constuptare jubeba…, sic provocans naturam, ut & ipsa deinde coire pos…et… …a…i… C…al…dyl…. De Rebus Turcicis. lib. 3 fol. 84. B.Tamerlan the great Scythian Warrier. It is registred likewise of that man-monster, nMimicis adulteris ea quae solent simulatò fieri, effici ad verum jussit. AElij Lampridij Heliogabalus. pag. 202. Nefas quod non ulla tellus barbara commisitunquam, non vagus campis Geta, nec inhospitalis. Taurus aut sparsus Scythes. Senec… Hippolytus. Act. 1. fol. 70.Heliogabalus; that he commanded Stage-players to commit those adulteries upon the Stage in truth, which they formerly personated but in shew; to quicken up his lusts to whoredome. If then the very beholding of lewde adulterous acts, were the onelyonly incentives these prodigious Whore-masters used to enrage their wearied, spent, allayed lusts; and to enable them to the actuall committing of these beastly sinnes; we cannot but from hence conclude; that the personating of incests, rapes, adulteries, whoredomes, and the like upon the Stage, set out with all the art that either bawdery, or lechery have as yet atchieved. should oOblectantur simulachris libidinum, ut in ipsis deposita verecundia audaciores siant ad crimina. Cyprian, De Spectaculi…. lib.much more instigate if not precipitate men to the selfe-same wickednesses, to which their owne depraved natures are too prone.

Thirdly, my Minors truth is fully evident, by the qualities of the Penners, the Actors, the Spectators of these Stage-playes; who have for the most part, beene notoriously unchaste in all ages: Such were the Play-po…ts, such the Actors, the Stage-haunters, in pSee D… … Amandi. li…. 1.Ovids, qD…pnosoph. l. 1…. c. 2…, 27.Athenaeus, rT…citus Annalium. l. 4. c. 3. Dion Cassius Romanae Historiae. lib. 57. Suetonij Tibe…ius. Alexand. ab Alexandro. l. 3. c. 9. See Act 4. Scene 1.2. accordingly.Tiberius, Clemen… Alexandrinus, Tertullians, Cyprians, Lactantius, Basils, Nazienzens, Hieroms, Augustin…s, Chrysostomes, Salvians, Isiodores, Damascens, Bernards, Aquinas, Fabricius, Petrarkes, Polydor Virgils, Agrippaes, Gualt…ers dayes, and other times, as their fore-quoted testimonies, with sundry others in the qSee Act 4. Scene 1.2. & Act 6. Scene 3. thorowout accordingly.precedent Acts abundantly testifie. Such were they not long since among us, as Master rTreatise against vaine Playes & Enterludes.Northbrooke, sSchoole of Abuses; and Playes Confuted.Gosson, tExposition on the 7. Commandement.BB. Babington, uAnatomy of Abuses. pag. 101. to 107.Master Stubs, with xSee their places quoted in the precedent Scene.others of our owne domestique moderne Authors write; and such are they still. What our common Play-poets and Actors chastity and demeanor is; what mod…st *Credis aliquis est ex me pius? Senecae Thebais. Act 1. fol. 54.mortified persons they are, is so well knowne to all who are acquainted with their persons or Playes, that I need not defile my paper to proclaime it. What the most of our assiduous Play-haunters are; how chaste their lives, their carriages, are, yQualem quis que conscientiam tulerit, talem & judicem habebit. Isiodor. Hisp. Sententiarum. lib. 3. cap. 30.their owne consciences can best in…orme themselves; experience and zFamae rerum standum est, ubi certam derogat vetustas fidem. Livy Histori… lib. 7. pag. 258.publike fame best testifie unto others: Sure I am, there is little chastity or modesty in their cloathes and gestures, aOratio vultus animi est. Talis homini est oratio qualis vita. Seneca. Epist. 114.115.lesse in their speeches, least in their lives, if publike fame or common experience prove but true. It is too well knowne to divers Stage-customers; *See the third Blast of Retreit from Stage-playes. Master Gosson, his Schoole of Abuses: and here Act 4. Scene 2. accordingly.that the most notorious Panders, Bawdes, and Strumpets, (the *Len… pernici…s communis adolescentulum Terentij Adelphi. Act 2 Scene 1. p. 129 Vitae se tradidit qui lenones, tanquā leones vitavit. Cicero ad Herennium. lib. 4.sect. 30.…a…e of many a Yongsters body, soule, estate, credit:) the most branded Adulteresses, Adulterers, Whore-masters, Brothel-house-haunters, and the like, are the chiefest Admirers, Patrons, Spectators, Supporters of; the most beneficiall Customers and Contributors to our Stage-playes. It is storied of bAlij Lampridij H…liogabalus. p. …02. See Eutropius, & Zonaras, in vita Heliogab.Heliogabalus, that when he erected a publike Stewes, he sent to the Cirqu…s and Theaters (the common *Isiodor. Hisp. Originū. l. 18. c. 4…. See 1. ^k & ^l.Marts or Receptacles in those dayes for whores) to stocke and furnish i…. Certainely, if such a common Brothell or Nunnery of adulterous lecherous persons were now to bee erected, (which God forbid:) the best Storehouse to furnish it, were our Play-houses, where such *See Iustiniani Novella 98. & 105. & Codex. Theodosij lib. 15. cap. 7. Huc intrant faciles emi puellae. Statius Sylvarum. l. 1. & Bulengerus De Theatro l. 1. c. 50. p. 296.297. Transacta fabula, argent… si quis dederit, ut ego suspicor, ultrò ibit nuptū, non manebit auspices. Plautus Cassinae Prolugus. pag. 168. Scortum exoletum ne quis in proscenio sede…t, &c. Plauti Paenul…s Prolog p. 501. Theatra congregant & meretricū choros istic inducentes & pueros pathicos, &c. Chrysost Hom. 12. in 1 Cor. Tom. 4. Col. 356.lewde creatures harbour, and have most resort, as Iustinian, Chrysostome, Statius, Plautus, & Bulengerus witness…. Since therefore Play-poets, Actors, Stage-haunters, are cSee Act 4. Scene 1.2. accordingly.thus generally adulterous and unchaste; yea commonly more excessive in these sinnes then others: Since Adulterers, Whore-masters, Whores, &c. are the greatest Patriots, applauders, frequenters, upholders of these lascivious Stage-playes; needs must they pamper and promote their filthy sinnes and lusts; if not dScilicet ex illo solemnia more Theatra. Nunc quo que formosis insidiosa manent. Ovid, De Arte Amandi. l. … p. 161.162.ingender adultery, and lewdnesse in their hearts: since such creatures live not, delight not, but in elements, in pleasure like themselves; *Sed tu praecipue curvis venare theatris; Haec loca sut votis faciliora tuis. Illic invenies quod ames quod ludere possis. Quod que sem…l tangas, quod que tenere velis. Ovid. Ibidem.nor yet spread their n…ts, their bai…es, but in such filthy troubled streames, where they are fAd multas lupa tēdit oves praedatur ut un un… Et Iovis in multas devolat ales aves. Se quo que det populo mulier formosa videndā: Quem trahat … multis forsitan unus erit. Omnibus illa locis maneat studiosa placendi. Et curam tota mente decoris agat. Casus ubique valet: s…mper tibi pendeathamus. Quo minime credis gurgite piscis crit. Ovid. De Arte Amandi l. 3. p. 203.alwayes sure for to catch their prey, which they seldome misse at Stage-playes; where gSee M. Gosson Playes Confuted, Action 3. and the 3. Blast of Retrait from Playes, accordingly.many adulterous ma…ches, many Panderly Whorish Brothel-house bargaines are concluded: the common rode from the Play-house, being either with an adulteresse to a Taverne; or with a Whore to a Bawdy-house; where many young Gallants, to Gods dishonour, and their Parents griefe; doe even spend their Patrimonies, wast their bodies, damne their soules… hMath. 16.16.being farre more pretious then the world it self…. It iIdem ver… Theatrum, idem & prostibutum, eo quod post ludos exactos meretrices ibi prosternantur. Isiodor Hisp. Originum. l. 18. c. 41. H. Rabanus Maurus, De Vniverso. l. 20. c. 36. Vincentius Speculum Doctrinale. l. 11 c. 94. Tertullian De Spectac. c. 10. Chrysost. Hom. 7. in Matth. Tom. 2 Col. 59. B C. & Hom. 8. De Paenit. Tom. 5. Col. 750…751. Alexand…r Fabritius Destruct. V…tior… part 4. c. 23. Anselmus & Haymo. Enar. in Ephes. 5. v. 3 Bule…gerus De Theatro. l. 1. c. 50 p. 296.297. Codex Th…odosij. l. 15. Tit. 5.7.was the use of ancient times among the Gre…kes and Romans, after their Playes were ended, for whores to prostitute themselves to the lusts of others, either on, or under the Theaters where their Playes were acted; the same place being both a Play-house, and a Stewes: kIsiodor. Hisp. Originū l. 18. c. 42. Bulengerus De Theatro. l. 1. c. 50. p. 296.297. Primasius in Rom. c. 10. f. 53. Remigius Explanatio in Gal. 5.19. Haymo & Anselme, in Ephes. c. 5. v. 3. accordingly.whence both the Brothel-house and …h… word Fornication, derive their etimology and originall from the Play-house, where Whores lIsiodor. Hisp. Orig. l. 18. c. 42. Iustiniani. Novella 98. & 105. AElij Lampridij Heliogabalus. p. 202. B…lengerus, De Theatro. l. c. 1.50. p. 296…297, 298. Codex Theodosij. l. 15. Tit. 5.7.were harboured and trained up at first, till they were confined to the Stewes. How farre this usage yet continues I cannot positively determine; yet this I have heard by good intelligence; that our common Strumpets and Adulteresses after our Stage-playes ended, mSee the 3. Blast of Retrait from Stage-playes, & BB. Babingions Exposition on the 7. Commandement, accordingly.are oft-times prostituted neere our Play-houses, if not in them: that our Theaters if they are not Bawdy-houses (as they may easily be, since many Players, nM. Gosson, in his Schoole of Abuses, & Playes Confuted: and the 3. Blast of Retrait from Playes, write thus. See Act 4. Scene 1.if reports be true, are common Panders,) yet they are Cosin-germanes, at *Ejusmodi itaque patronos habet ars Lenonia, qui que tueantur artem meretriciam, cui in hūc us que diem pro… dolor in Christiana republica locus est, & in Civitatibus publica Theatra, immunitates & stipendia concessa sunt, &c. Agrippa, De Vanitate Sci…nt. cap. 64.leastwise neighbours to them: Witnesse the Cock-pit, and Drury-lane: Black-friers Play-house, and Duke-humfries; the Red-bull, and Turnballstreet: the Globe, and Bank-side Brothel-houses, with others of this nature: Such is the vertue of our Playes, our Play-houses, not oSee Tertul. De Spectac. c. 10. Isiodor Hisp Originū. l. 18. c. 42. Lampridij Heliogabalus. pag. 202. Agrippa De Vanitate Scientiarum. cap. 63. & 64 accordingly.onelyonly to instruct, and make, but likewise to draw Panders, Bawdes, Whores, and Whore-masters to them, supplying them both with pCastos se quitur mala paupertas; vitio que potens regnat adulter. Seneca Hyppolitus. Act. 3. Chorus. fol. 87.custome and revenue, as lamentable experience too evidently informes us. Therefore we need not doubt my Minors truth.

Fourthly, if there be any yet uncredulous of this verity, that memorable act of *Pub. Sempronius Sophus, conjugem repudij nota affecit, nihil aliud quàm quod se ignorante ludos ausam spectare. Ergo dum sic olim faeminis occurritur, mens earum a delictis aberat. Valerius Maximus. lib. 6. cap. 3. sect. 12. pag. 237. Alexander ab Alexandro. Gen Di…rum. lib. 3 cap. 7. Caelius Rhodig. Antiqu. Lect. lib. 28. cap. 16.P. Sempronius Sophus, a worthy Roman; who gave his wife a Bill of Divorce, for no other cause at all, but that she frequented Stage-playes without his privity, the very sight of which might make her an adulteresse and cause her to defile his bed: which Divorce of his the whole Roman Senate did approve, (though it were the very first that hapned in the Roman State,) as being a meanes to keepe women chaste: Together with the Constitution of Iustinian, grounded upon this precedent example: *Vir dimittere uxorem potest si praeter voluntatem suam Circenses & Theatricas voluptates captat, ubi scenicae voluptates sunt, aut ubi ferae cū hominibus pugnant. Iustiniani Novelo. 22. & Novella 117. Bulengerus De Theatro. lib. 1. cap. 50. pag. 297.That a man may lawfully put away his wife if she resort to Cirques, to Play houses, or Stage-playes without his privity and consent, because she cannot be temperate or chaste at home, who desires to be incontinent, unchaste, and to take pleasure in Play-houses abroad: wil put this out of question. For if it be lawful for a man to put away his wife for resorting unto Stage-playes; because it is a ready way to make her an adulteresse, if not a probable Argument that she is such a one already, since she dares resort to such lewde suspitious places: (which I would those who have Play-haunting Wives or Daughters would consider:) then Stage-playes are doubtlesse an apparant cause of actual adultery, and such like filthy sinnes. But if any man bee yet unsatisfied with these evidences, let him reflect on all the severall Fathers, Councels, Authors in the former Scene, and withall cast his eyes upon some pregnāt witnesses which I shall here produce; and then he cannot but subscribe unto it even with full consent. To passe by S. Cyprians testimony, who informes us; *Theatra sunt faediora quo convenis; verecundia illic omnis exuitur, simul cum amictu vestis honor corporis ac pudor ponitur, denotanda ac contrectanda virginitas revelatur. Sic ergo Ecclesia frequenter virgines suas plangit, sic ad infames carum & destandas fabulas ingemiscet: sic flos virginum extinguitur, honor continentiae ac pudor ponitur, gloria omnis ac dignitas profanatur: sic se expugnatus inimicus per artes suas inserit, …ic insidijs per occulta fallentibus Diabolus obrepit: sic dum ornari cultius, dum libentius evagari virgines volunt, virgines esse desinunt, furtivo dedecore corruptae, viduae antequam nuptae, non mariti sed Christi adulterae. Cyprian, De Habitu Virginum lib. pag. 242.that many Virgins by frequenting Play-houses, did blast the flower of their virginity, make shipwracke of their chastity, and degenerate into common Strumpets, being Widdowes before they were Wives, and Mothers before they had Husbands; whose miserable fals the Church did much lament. An experimentall evidence of this most knowne truth. My first witnesse to testifie these adulterous lewde effects of Stage-playes, is Saint Chrysostome, who is exceeding copious in this Theame: his words and elegant passages against Playes, (which being dismembred into fractions will lose much of their elegance, vigor, and perswasive power,) I shall here faithfully transcribe at large, as being very pertinent to this particular Scene & purpose, though most pregnant against Stage-playes in the grosse, to which wee will here apply them likewise. In his qTom. 1. Operum Parisijs. 1588. Col. 510.511, 512.3. Homily of David and Saul; the Title of which runs thus. rPericulosum esse adire spectacula, quod que eares adulteros perfectos facit, & hinc socordia, bellumque nascatur, &c.That it is dangerous to goe to Stage-playes, and that it makes men compleat adulterers, &c. he writes thus of Stage-playes. I verily believe that many of those who left us yesterday, and departed to the Spectacles of iniquity, are this day present. I could wish I might apparantly know who they are, that so I might *Play-haunters, and Stage-players were alwayes excommunicated, and kept from the Church, the Word, and Sacraments in the Primitive Church. Well were it for us if this ancient Discipline were revived now.excommunicate them the Church; not that they should alwaies continue without, but that being chastised, they might returne againe. For as much as Fathers also oft-times turne their offending children out of doores, and remove them from their table, not that they might be alwayes exiled thence, but that being meliorated by this chastisement, they may returne againe into their Fathers house with due prayse. The same truely doe Pastors likewise whiles they seperate the scabbed sheepe from the whole, that being eased of their wretched disease, they may againe returne safely to the whole, rather then the sicke should fill the whole flocke with that their disease. For these reasons we did desire to know those men: but albeit we are not abl… to discrie them with our eyes, yet the Word, the Sonne of God will know them thorowly, and their consciences being checked, he will easily perswade them to returne willingly of their owne accord; teaching them that he onelyonly is within the Church, who brings a mind… worthy this exercise: as on the contrary, he who living corrup… i… a partaker of this congregation, although he stand here in pe…s…n, … yet cast out, sPlay-haunters and wicked men are in truth excommunicated persons, and no members, no branches of the Church, though they live within the Church.and is mor… truely excluded, then those who are so shut out, that it is not lawfull for them to be pa…takers of the *Sacrae mensae; so was it stiled in S Chrysostom…s time: not the holy Altar.holy Table. For they being expelled according to Gods Lawes, and continuing without, are yet of good hope, if so be they will amend their faults. They are cast out by the Church, that they may returne againe with a pure conscience. But those who defile themselves, and being admonished not to enter in before they shall have purged away the spot contracted by their …nnes, are afterwards ashamed to repent, and so make the wound of the…r minde, both sharper and greater. For it is not so hainous a thing to offend, as after an offence to be ashamed of the remedy, and not to obey the Ministers who enioyne such things. But what so great wickednesse is there here committed, say they, that men should be driven from these holy limits? Yea what tIrreverent receiving of the Sacrament, a great, a dangerous sinne.offence canst thou finde greater then this? when as they have manifestly defiled themselves with adultery, impudently, after the manner of mad Dogs, they rush in to this holy Table. If so be you desire to know the kinde of the uAdultery occasioned by seeing Stage-playes.adultery, I will not rehearse my owne words to you, but his who is to iudge of the whole life of man: that man saith he, xMat. 5 28…who shall looke upon a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery in his heart. yQuod si mulier spont… ac fortè in foro obvia, & negle…ctius culta s… penumero intu…ntem curiosius caepit ipso vultus …spectu: isti qui non simpl…cite… neque fortuitò, sed studio & tanto studio, ut ecclesiam quoque contemnant, & hac gratia pergunt illu…, ac totum ibi desidentes diem, in facies faeminarū illarum nobiscum defixos habent oculos, qua fronte poterint dicere, quod …as non viderint ad concupiscendum? ubi verba quoque accedunt fracta lasciva que , ubi cantio…es meritriciae: ubi voces vehementer ad voluptatem excitantes; ubi stibio picti oculi, ubi coloribus tinctae genae, ubi totius corporis habitus fucorum impostura plenus est, alia que insuper multa lenocinia ad fallendos inescandos que homines intuentes instructa, &c. Ibidem.If thon a woman met casually in the street, being but carelesly attyred, hath oft-times taken him who hath more curiously beheld her with the very aspect of her countenance: with what face can those, who not simply, nor casually, but purposely, (yea with so great affection and desire, that they likewise forsake the Church, and runne to the Play-house for this very end, and sit there an whole day together idle, having their eyes fixed on the faces of those noble women,) say, that they have not looked upon them to lust after them? where effeminate and lascivious words are likewise added; where there are whorish songs; where there are voyces vehemently exciting unto pleasure, where are painted eyes, where are coloured cheekes; where the attire of the whole body, is full of deceitfull dies and painting, besides many other garnished enticements to deceive and inescate the beholders: where is the idlenesse of the Spectators, very great confusion, with the exhortation to lasciviousnesse, arising from thence, both from those who were present at the Playes, as also from those who afterward relate to others what things they have seene in Stage-playes. To these are added the allurements of Flutes and Pipes, and such like musicke inticing to deceit, effeminating the fortitude of the minde, preparing the mindes of those that …it there with delight for the traps of Harlots, and causing them to be more easily ensnared. zE…enim si hic ubi Psalmi, ubi divin…rum verborum enarratio, ubi Dei metus, multaque reverentia, frequenter seu latro quispiam versutus clam obrepit concupiscentia; quomodo qui desident in Theatro, qui nihil sani neque audiunt neque vident, qui undique obsidionem patiuntur per aures, per oculos, possint illam superare concupiscentiam? Rursum si non possunt, quomodo poterunt unquam ab adulterij crimine absolvi? Tum qui non liberi sunt ab adulterij crimine, quomodo poterunt absque paenitentia ad haec sacra vestibula accedere, hujusque praeclari conventus esse participes, &c. Ibidem.For if here were there are Psa…mes, where there is preaching of Gods Word, where there is the feare of God, and much reverence, concupiscence doth oft-times creepe in privily like a crafty theefe; *Note this well.how can those who sit idle in the Play-house; who neither see, nor heare any goodnesse, whose eares and eyes are bese… on every side, overcome this concupiscence? Againe, if they cannot overcome it, how can they ever be absolved from the crime of adultery? Then how can those who are not yet free from the sinne of adultery, come to these sacred Temples without repentance, and be partakers of this excellent Assembly? Wherefore I doe earnestly exhort and entreat them, that they would first cleanse themselves by confession, repentanc…, and all other remedies, from the sinne they have contr… cted from Stage-playes, and so they may heare Gods Word. Neither doe we here commit a small sinne, as any one may easily discerne by examples. *O that our Players and Play-haunters would consider this discourse when they come unto the Sacrament, or the Church.For if a servant should put his servile apparell, that is fraught with filth and many lice, into a cabinet where his Masters rich, his golden robes and garments are layd up; I pray tell me, wouldest thou easily …ro…ke such a contempt? But what if one should cast dung and d…rt into a golden vessell in which pretious oyntments have beene alwayes usually kept; wouldest thou not cudgle him who committed this notorious villany? aO that our Players and Play-haunters, and all who come irreverently to the Sacrament, would carry this ingraven in their minds.And after all this shall we be so carefully sollicitous of our caskets, and vessels, of our clothes and unguents, and yet estimate our soules more base then any of these? Shall we there where the spirit is an oyn…ment powred out, cast in the Devils pomps? Shall we there lay up the fables of Satan, or songs that are full of whorish filthinesse? *Agedum, di… mihi, quo animo ista feret De…s? Atqui, non tantum est discrimen inter unguentum & caenum; inter vestes heriles & serviles, quantum est inter spiritus gratiam, & istam perversam actionem. Non metuis, non expavescis, dum oculis quibus illic lectum, qui est in orchestra spectas, ubi detestandae adulterij fabulae p…raguntur, ijsdem hanc sacram mensam intueris, ubi tremenda peraguntur mysteria? dum ijsdem auribus audis, & scortum obscaenè loquens, & Prophetam Apostolumque ad arcana Scripturae introducentem? dum eodem corde & lethalia sumis venena, & hanc hostiam sacram, ac tremendam, &c. Ibidem.Goe too, tell me with what minde can God indure this? D…ubtlesse there is not so great a difference betweene oyntment and dirt, betweene the Masters and the Servants clothes, as there is betweene the grace of the Spirit, and this perverse action. Doest thou not feare, doest thou not tremble, whiles thou beholdest this holy Table where dreadfull mysteries are administred, with the selfesame eyes that thou diddest behold the bed on the Stage; where the detestable fables of adultery are acted? whiles with the same eares thou hearest an adulterer speaking obscenely, and a Prophet and an Apostle leading thee into the mysteries of the Scripture? whiles with the same heart thou receivest deadly poyson, and this holy and dreadfull Sacrament? Are not these Playes the subversion of life, the corruption, the destruction of marriages, the cause of warres, of fightings, and brawles in houses? For when thou *Lo… here the adulterous cursed fruits of hearing Stage-playes.shalt returne home from these Stage-playes more dissolute, effeminate and wanton, being made an enemy of all chastity, the sight of thy wife will be lesse pleasing to thee, let her be what she will. For being inflamed with that concupiscence which thou hast drunke in at Stage-playes, and being taken with that new sight which hath besotted thee, thou despisest thy sober modest wife, who is contented with ordinary diet, and upbraidest her with innumerable reproches; not because thou findest any thing blame-worthy in her, but because thou blushest to confesse thy disease, because thou art ashamed to discover that wound, with which thou hast returned home maimed from Stage-playes: Thou framest other excuses, seeking uniust occasions of displeasure, loathing all those things that are to be done at home, gaping after that wicked and uncleane concupiscence from which thou hast received an wounde: and whiles thou carriest in thine eares a ringing sound of a voyce, and with these, the face, the motion, briefly all those images of whorish lust, thou beholdest nothing of that thou hast at …ome with pleasure. And what doe I speake of a wife or family, when as afterwards, thou wilt be lesse willing to visit the very Church it selfe, when as thou wilt heare a Sermon of chastity, and of modesty with irkesomnesse? Neither are these things which are now spoken to thee, for instruction, but for accusation; and they will bring thee by little and little to despaire; yea at last thou wilt suddenly sever thy selfe from the discipline administred for the publike good of all. cQua propter rogo vos omnes, ut & ipsi pravas in spectaculis, cōmemorationes, vitetis, & alios, ab his deductos retrahatis. Quicquid enim illic geritur, non est oblectatio, sed pernicies, sed paena, sed supplicium. Quid prodest illa temporaria voluptas, dū hinc perpetuꝰ nascitur dolor, dū que nocte pariter ac die à concupiscentia stimulatus, omnib…s molestus es & invisus? Excute igitur teipsum, reputans qualis fias ab Ecclesia rediens, rursus qu…lis à spectaculis, at que hos dies cum illis conferas: id si feceris nihil opus erit meo sermone: Satis enim fuerit, hunc diem cū illo cōparasse ad ostendendū & quam magna sit hinc utilitas, & quanta sit illinc noxa, &c. Ibidem.Wherefore I intreat you all, that you would avoyd the wicked commemorations in Stage-playes your selves, and likewise draw backe others from them, who have beene led unto them. *Nota.For what-ever is there done, is not delight or recreation, but destruction, but torment, but punishment. What good doth this temporary pleasure doe, whiles everlasting torment issu…s from it, and whiles being pricked night and day with concupiscence, thou art troublesome and hatefull unto all? Wherefore rouse up thy selfe, and consider what a one thou art made returning from the Church: againe, what a one thou art, comming from Stage-playes, and compare these dayes with those: if thou wilt doe thus, there will be no need of my speech. For it will be sufficient to have compared this day with that, to shew what great profit comes from the one side, and how great hurt from …he other. These things I thought good to speake to your charity at this time, neither will I ever cease to speake. For so we shall both admonish those who are obnoxious to this disease; and we shall confirme those who are now whole: for this oration will be profitable to both; to the one that they may desist; to the other, that they may not fall into it. So in his *Tom 1. Col. 821. C. D.first Homily upon the 50. Psalme, he is very punctuall to our purpose. David (writes he) as he was walking upon the top of his Palace after dinner, saw a woman washing her selfe, and the woman was very faire and beautifull to looke upon. *Vidit inquā, at que oculo vulneratus est a… telum excepit. Audiāt curiosī, qui alienas …ormas contemplantur. Audiant qui insano spectaculorum studio tenentur. Qui dicunt; Spectamu… quidem; sed sine detrimento. Quid audio? David laesus est; & tu non laederis? Ille laesus est; & ego tuae virtuti… confidere quaeam? Is qui tantam Spiritus gratiam habebat spiculum excepit, & tu sauciari te negas? Ibidem.He saw her, I say, and he is wounded in his eye, and receiveth a dart. Let curious persons heare this who contemplate the beauty of others. Let those heare this, who are possessed with the unruly delight or desire of Stage-playes. Who say: we doe in truth behold them; but without detriment. What heare I? David is hurt? and art not thou hurt? He is wounded; and can I trust to th… strength? He who had so great a measure of the spirit received a dart; and doest thou deny that thou art pierced? *Atqui ille scortam non vidit, sed honestam & pudicam faeminam; id que non in Theatro, sed domi…tu verò in Theatro cernis, ubi etiam locus ipse animam supplicij ream efficit: nec tantu… cernis sed etiam audis improba verba, & meretricias at que obscaenas cantiones, omnique ex parte feritur mens …ua: per aspectum nempe, ob ea quae vides… per aurem, ob ea quae audis: per obfactum, ob ea quae oderaris. Et cum totpraecipitia sint, tot corruptelae, qui credere queam te à ferarum morsibus immunem esse? Num tu saxum es? num ferrū? Homo es, communi naturae imbecillitati obnoxius. Ignē cernis, nec ureris? An hoc istud rationi consentaneum est? Lucernam in faenum pone; ac tum aude negare, quod faenum exuratur. Quod porrò faenum est, hoc etiam natura nostra est. Ibidem.And yet he beheld not an harlot, but an honest, chaste woman; and that not in the Theater, but at home: but thou beholdest an harlot in the Play-house, where even the very place it selfe, makes the soule liable to punishment: neither doest thou onelyonly see, but thou likewise hearest dishonest words, and meritricious obscene songs, and thy minde is wounded on every side: to wit, by the sight, with those things which thou seest; by the eare, with those things which thou hearest: by the smell, with those things which thou sm…llest. And when as there are so many precipices, so many corruptions, how can I believe thee to be free from the biting… of wild beasts? Art thou a stone? art thou iron? Thou art a man subiect to the common fra…lty of nature. Doest thou behold the fire, and yet art not burned? Whether is this agreeable to reason? Put a candle into straw, and then dare thou to deny that the straw will be burnt. That verily which stubble is, even that is our nature. Let our Play-haunters then consider this, and give this godly Father an answer to these his pithy interrogations. The like passage wee finde in *Tom. 2. Col. 144. A. Audiant ista qui saepius ad Theatrum festinant, seque ibi penè quotidie adulterij obscaenitate cōmaculant, &cthis 17. Homely upon the 5. of Mathew: upon these words, If thy right eye offend thee plucke it out, &c. Let those (writes he) heare these words who so often hasten to the Theater, and doe there almost daily defile themselves with the filthinesse of adultery. For if the Law command even him who is bound unto thee by familiarity, if he scandalize thee, to be cut off and cast away; with what satisfaction now at last can they be defended, who by their conversation and stay at Play-houses, doe daily get the acquaintance of those lewde ones who were not formerly knowne to them; & also administer a thousand occasions of destruction to themselves. dTom. 1. Col. 1030.1031.Againe, in his Homily upon the 118. alias the 119. Psalme. vers. 151.152. hee writes thus. Let none account his life vile, let none cleave fast to vanity. eMath. 6…24.We cannot serve two Masters; he serves two masters, who goes to Church one day, and to Stage-playes another day. Such a one hath two coates; he is farre from that Coate which cannot be devided, far from the Wedding garment; because, that is a Wedding garment which hath no spot. For he who goes one day to the Church, another day to Playes, weares a defiled garment. Every Servant standing with a blemish at his Masters Table, is cast out, and chastised with stripes: keepe your garment pure as you received it in baptisme. Let no man defile i… with his manners, let no man rend so beautifull a vestment with the wickednesse of his heart. You have received such a Garment in baptisme as the Angels had who attended the Lord in his Sepulcher, whose ra…ment was as white as snow; A…d you have received such a gift of grace… keepe that you have received. He that defiles this garment, *O that our Actors and Play-haunters would follow this advice.let him wash it with teares, let him seperate himselfe from the wicked, let him confesse his sinnes to God, and having reformed his life, let him not returne as a Dog to his vomit. f2 Cor. 6.14, 15.What fellowship hath light with darknesse, or what part hath he that believeth with an Infidell. You who are the Sonnes of the Church ought not to be depraved in the vanities of Stage-playes. The *O that our Church would say, would doe thus too.Church will not indure you stinke, she cannot be defiled with your entrance; she mou…nes and sighes to God because she seeth her Sonnes to be such. gPsal. 2.11, 12.Tremble every day, lest God wax angry, and so you perish from the right way. Acknowledge the very signes of his displeasure, because the Heaven is made Brasse, and the Earth Iron; The very Elements proclaime the wrath of God. hPsal. 4.2.O yee Sonnes of Men how long will you be slow of heart? why doe you love vanity in Stage-playes, and seek after leasing in Stage-players? Know ye that the Lord hath made admirable the soule of all such who depart not out of the Church. The soule is heard when she cryes unto God, whiles she departs not from God. Be not ye luke-warme lest ye be spued out of the heart of God. He himselfe hath spoken by his Prophet: iRev. 3.15, 16.Because thou art neither cold, nor hot, and I would thou wert either cold or hot; but because thou art neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. We performe our duty who speake true things of the truth. You if you have entred into the Physicians house, that you might cure your wounds, lament your wounds. The medicines being layd on, let the corruptions be purged out; let h…alth increase, that so the Church seeing your …mendment, may reioyce o… her Sonnes; becaus… where sinne hath abounded, grace hath superabounded. In his kTom. 1. Col. 1111. B.C.Homily upon the 140. Psalme; (an excellent disswasive from ill company who keepe men from repentance, and harden them in their sinnes) he hath this passage. lMulti capti sunt à fornicatione, & ignem voluptatis accenderunt, dū secuti sunt convivia, & Theatra habentia multū iniquitatis. Ibidem.Many are captivated of fornication, and have kindled a fire of lust, whiles they have followed feasts, and Theaters, having much iniquity in them: A pregnant evidence for our present purpose. In his mTom. 1. Col. 1281. B.C.D. & 1283. C.D. 1284. A.B.first Homily on Esay 6.1. I saw also the Lord sitting upon a Throne high and lifted up, &c. he descants thus of Play-haunters, and the fruits of Stage-playes, which I would our Players, and Play-frequenters would consider. There are among those here present, whom I thinke are not unknowne to your charity, who contemning God, and accounting the oracles of the Spirit as vulgar and prophane, utter confused word, and carry themselves no better then mad men, keeping a stir, and turning about with their whole body, demeaning themselves so, as misbeseemes a Spirituall meeting. O miserable and unhappy wretch! Thou oughtest to sing the Angelicall glorification or Hymne with trembling and reverence, and to confesse to the Creator with feare, and by this to crave pardon of thy sinnes. nTu vero mimorum & saltatorum mores huc inducis, &cBut thou (here comes the fruit of Stage-playes in,) bringest in hither the manners of Players and Dancers; whiles thus evidently throwest about thine hands, skippests about with thy feet, and whirlests about with thy whole body. And how comes it to passe that thou fearest, that thou tremblest not whiles thou darest doe thus, against such sacred oracles? *O that men would consider this when they enter into the Church, or come unto the Word or Sacraments.Doest not thou thinke that the Lord himselfe is here invisibly present, who measureth every ones motion, and takes an account of his conscience? Doest thou not thinke that, the Angels stand round about his dreadfull Table, and compasse it about with r…verence? oVerum tu ista non cogitas, quoniam ea quae in Theatris audiuntur, quaeque spectantur mentemtuam obscurarunt, & ideo quae illic geruntur in Ecclesiae ritus inducis, &c. Ibidem.But thou thinkest not of these things. and why? pray marke it: because those things which thou hast heard and seene at Stage-playes have clouded thy minde: and therefore those things which are done there, thou bringest in among the rites of the Church; therefore thou doest utter thy incomposed minde in insignificant clamors. How then wilt thou aske pardon for thy sinnes? how wilt thou receive the Lord into thy house, when as thou prayest to him so contemptuously? Thou sayest, God have mercy upon me; and yet thou declarest such manners as are contrary to mercy. Thou cryest, save me; and yet expressest such a gesture, as is a stranger to salvation. Why doest thou stretch out thine hands to pray, which are alwayes tossed up on high, which are wheeled up and downe unseemely, and make a confused noyse with their veh…ment clapping and beating? Are not these things verily, partly the practises of common Bawdes and Strumpets; partly the examples of those who cry out aloud in Play-houses? How then dost thou dare to mix the sports of Devils, with the Hymnes of Angels praysing God? Yea why dost thou not feare this speech which there thou utterest, saying … pPsal. 2.11.Serve the Lord with feare, and rejoyce unto him with trembling. Is this to serve with feare, to be so loud and clamorous, that thou thy selfe knowest not what thou speakest with the confused bellowing of thy voyce? This verily savors of contempt, not of feare: of arrogancy, not of modesty: this is rather a part of such who are playing then confessing, &c. The Prophet saith, qPsal. 66.1.Rejoyce in the Lord all the earth; make a joyfull noyse unto God all yee lands. Neither doe we prohibit the voyce of prayse; but the voyce of absurdity, and confusion, the vaine and rash lifting up of the hands into the ayre, the tinckling of the feet, unseemely and effeminate songs, which are the proper sports of those who sit idle in Play-houses, rThe fruits of Stage-playes.From thence these pernicious ensamples are brought in among us; from thence are irreligious and vulgar voyces, from thence the absurdity of the hands, contentious combates, disorderly manners. *Nota bene.For nothing doth bring the oracles of God into so great contempt, as the admiration of those Stage-playes and Spectacles which are there proposed. sThose therefore who resort to Stage-playes, are unfit to come to any of Gods holy ordinances.Wherefore I have oft exhorted you, that not one of those who come hither, and enioy the divine doctrine, and are likewise partakers of the dreadfull and mysticall Sacrament, should goe unto these Stage-playes, nor yet entermixt these divine mysteries with demoniacall. Notwithstanding some have growne so mad, that even then when they carry about a shew of Religion, and are growne very white with extreame old age, they runne to them notwithstanding, neither regarding our words, nor respecting their owne outward shew. But as oft as we inculcate this speech unto them, and exhort them to respect their old age and religion, how great then is their coldnesse? how ridiculous their speech? They say, that these things are an example of the victory and crownes which shall be in the world to come, and tThis is the pretence of Play-haunters now. But mark what answer this Father gives them here.we reape much profit from thence. What sayest thou man? This is a rotten speech, and full of deceit. From whence canst thou reape any profit thence? From innumerable contentions? from the rash oathes of evill speakers? Or from t…e abuses, the revilings, the scoffes with which the Spectators besprincle one another? But from these there is no good reaped; therefore thou altogether reapest benefit from confused voyces, insignificant clamors, as well from him who is cast downe upon the arena, as from those who cast him downe, who offer vio…ence, who are mad or foolish and dissemble before women. But here verily all the Prophets and teachers doe shew the very Lord of Angels upon an high and elevated Throne, and distribute to those who are worthy, rewards and crownes, but to the unworthy they assigne Hell: and even the Lord himselfe doth ratifie this. Besides thou doest verily contemne these things, in which there is likewise terror of conscience, redargution of thy deeds, feare of punishments and accusations, and inevitable torments. But yet that thou maist finde a certaine excuse of thy Stage-playes on which thou earnestly gazest, thou sayest, thou reapost profit from them by whom thou sufferest irrecoverable losse. I intreate, and beseech againe and againe, that we excuse not our excuses in sinnes: for these are but pretences and deceites by which we procure damage to our selves. In his uTom. 2. Col. 50.51, 52, 53.6. Homily upon Mathew, he writes thus of laughter and Stage-playes. If thou therefore power out such teares thou becommest a follower of thy Lord: for he xIohn 11.35.wept when he raysed up Lazarus, and yLuke 19.41.when he looked backe upon Hierusalem that was to be sacked. He was likewise zLuke 22.48.troubled with the treason and destruction of Iudas. So verily thou maist oft-times finde him weeping, but never laughing, no nor yet so much as slightly reioycing with a smile. Truely no Evangelist hath made mention of any such thing. That aActs 20.97. Phil. 3.18.Paul likewise wept night and day for 3. yeeres together, both others testifie of him, and he likewise of himselfe: but tha… …he ever laughed, neither doth he himselfe shew any where nor any other for him. Yea not one of all the Saints hath ever signified any such thing either of himselfe or of any other. We read of none bGen. 18.17. cap. 19.12, 13.but Sarah onelyonly in the Scripture that laughed, (yea she is presently reproved by the voyce of God) and of the cGen. 9.21. to 27.Sonne of Noah: but for that laughter, of a Free-man he was made a slave. And this I speake not to take away laughter altogether, but that I might quite extingush all dissolutenesse of life. Our Christ therefore speakes many things to us concerning mourning… dLuk. 6.21, 2….both by blessing those that mourne, and by pronouncing those miserable that laugh. For we doe not come into a Play-house, that is, where laughter may be moved; neither doe we therefore oft-times meet together, that we should recreate our selves, with undecent cachinnations; but rather that we might mourne, and by it inherit a Kingdome to come. For thou verily if thou standest but in the presence of an earthly King, wilt not dare so much as to smile. But yet when thou hast the Lord of Angels himselfe present every where, thou standest not before him with trembling and greatest reverence; but even when he is angry thou laugh…st, neither dost thou consider, that by this thou dost more offend him, then thou didest displease him with thy sinne. Neither doth God so much detest sinners, as those who are secure after their sinnes commit…ed. *And are not all our Play-haunters such?And yet there are some so utterly insensible, and iron-like, that after all these words they will say: verily I would to God that I might never chance to weepe, but God grant me, that I may rather alwayes play and be merry. What, I pray, can be found more childish then such a minde? For God never taught or granted men to play; but the Devill. Heare therefore what Players have heretofore suffered. eExod. 32.6. 1 Cor. 10.7.The people, saith he, sate downe to eate and drinke, and rose up to play. Such were there heretofore in Sodom: such likewise were there at the time of the Flood: for the Lord saith of them, fEzech. 16.49.That they abounded with pride, with fulnesse of bread, and with riches. Those likewise in the time of Noe, g1 Pet. 3.20.When they saw the Arke building for so many yeeres together, did shun all the dolor of compunction, and did onelyonly civilly serve their flattering hMath. 24.38, 39.mirth, being nothing carefull of things to come; and therefore the sudden punishment of the Flood did drowne them all, and there was made a common shipwracke of the whole world. Wherefore crave not thou that from God which thou receivest from the Devill. For it is Gods use to give an humbled, trembling, broken, chaste, penitent, and wounded soule. These verily are the guifts of God, because we likewise stand most in nee… of such. For a great combate hangs over our heads: and we must fight iEphes. 6.11.against invisible powers, against spirituall wickednesses; and against such like Principalities, and Powers; and it is well with us, if giving all diligence, and watching with all, we may be able to endure their fierce assaults. But if we laugh and play, fostering with all perpetuall idlene…se, we shall be most easily overcome of our owne idlen…sse also, even before the fight. Wherefore it is not our parts to laugh continually, to let our selves loose to cachinnations and derisions, to effeminate our selves with delight, but rather of those men and women Actors who are beheld in Play-houses, who are defiled in Brothel-houses; of Parasites and flatterers who are made for this very purpose. This is not, I say, the part of those, who are called to an eternall Kingdome, and are likewise registred in that celestial Kingdome: this is not the part of those who carry spirituall armor, which verily is proper onelyonly to the Soldiers of the Devill: *The Devill then is the Author & Father of Playes and Theaters; and dares then any child of God; any one who …ither hates or feares the Devill resort unto them?For he it is who hath digested iests and playes into an art, that by these he might draw the Soldiers of Christ unto himselfe, and might weaken the nerves of their vertue. Wherefore he hath likewise erected Theaters in Citties, and hath prepared these incentives of laughter and filthy pleasure: and by their pestilence, he rayseth up the like plague upon the whole Citty. Which things S. Paul commands us to fl…e, exhorting, kEphes. 5.3.that we should put farre from us all foolish speaking & surrility; then which laughter is far more pernicious, and …ar…e worse. For when those Stage-players and ridiculous persons, have uttered any blasphemous and filthy thing, then especially all the simpler sort are most excessive in their laughter; applauding them most in that, for which verily they ought to have cast stones at them, who kindle a furnace of dreadfull fire upon their owne heads by this kinde of pleasure. lLet Play-haunters ponder & remember this.For those who applaud the utterers of these things, perswade them for to act them; and therefore for this they deserve rather to undergoe the punishment which is appointed for these things. For if there were no spectator, nor maintainer of such things, there would certainely be none who would care to act them. But when they see you to forsake your owne callings, yea the very places of your daily worke, and the gaine you reape from thence, and all things else, for love of this vaine spectacle, they are then carried to these things with a more earnest intention, and bestow more study in them. And this I speake, not to excuse their fault, but that you may learne, that you especially are the spring and head of this iniquity, who spend the whole day in such ridiculous, in such pernicious pleasures, proclaiming abrode the honest name of Wedlocke, and the reverend businesse in it. For he who personates these things doth not sinne so much as thou who commandest them to be done. Neither dost thou onelyonly command and call for, but thou dost likewise further the things that are acted, by thy exultation, laughter, applause; and by all manner of meanes thou maintainest this Diabolicall Shop. *Nota bene.With what eyes then canst thou now behold thy wife, which thou hast there seene prostrated to so great iniury in the person of another? How canst thou refraine from blushing, as oft as thou remembrest thy wife, when thou shalt there see the same sex so filthily made common? Neither maist thou reply unto me now, that whatsoever is there done is but a fiction or fained argument, but not the truth of things. mEtenim simulatio ista plurimos adultetos fecit, & mulcas domos subvertit, &c.For this very …eining (which comes home to our purpose) hath made very many adulterers, and overthroweth many houses. And therefore it grieves me most, that this so great an evill, is not believed to be an evi…; but that which is farre the worst of all, both …avour, and clamor, and applause, and laughter are expressed, when so beastly adultery is committed to the publike hurt. What then sayest thou, is this onelyonly feining not a crime? Well therefore are these worthy of a thousand deaths, because what all lawes command men to shun, those things are these not afraid to imitate. For if adultery it selfe be evill, doubtlesse the imitation of it must be evill. nEt nondum dico quantos adulteros faciant, qui hujusmodi adulteria histrionica simulatione repraesentant; quemadmodū e…iam impudentes ho…um spectatores efficiant. Nihil quippe obscaenius illo oculo, nihilque las…ivius qui spectare talia patienter potest, ne dicam libenter, &c. Ibidem.And I doe not yet report how many and great adulterers they may make who personate such adulteries in an histrionicall fiction, and how impudent likewise they make their spectators. For there is nothing more filthy, nothing more lascivious then that eye, that can patiently, that I say not willingly, behold such things. Moreover what a thing is this, that when as thou wilt not so much as looke upon a naked woman in the street, yea nor yet at home, but if such a thing fall out by accident thou thinkest it done to iniure thee; that yet when as thou goest up to the Play-house, that thou maist violate the chastity of both Sexes, and maist likewise incestuously defile thine owne eyes, thou believest that no dishonest thing befalls thee? For thou canst not say thus, that she is an harlot that is thus uncovered; because it is nature it selfe, and there is the same body of an whore, and of a free woman. For if thou thinkest that there is no obscenity in such a fight, for what cause when as thou shalt see the same thing in the street, doest thou step backe againe from thy intended walke, and most severely rebuke that immodesty? unlesse perchance thou believest, the same thing not to be alike filthy when we are severed, and when we sit all together. But this is meerely derision and shame, and words altogether of extreme folly; and it is better for one to besmeare his whole face with clay and dirt, then with a spectacle of so great filthinesse. For dirt is not so noxious to the eyes, as that unchaste spectacle, and the sight of a naked Harlot. Heare therefore what nakednesse brought upon mankinde even from the beginning, and even by this meanes feare that filthinesse. What then hath made men naked? oGen. 3.6, 7.disobedience and the counsell of the Devill, so much hath this alwayes pleased him from the beginning. But they verily when they were naked, were yet ashamed; you repute the same thing worthy prayse, according to that of the Apostle, pRom. 1.32. Phil. 3.19.glorying in your shame. qQuonam ig… tur …e pacto deinceps aspiciet uxor a tali contumelia redeuntem? qu…madmodū suscipiet & alloquetur tam indigne naturae muliebris conditionem sexumque faedantem, atque a tali spectaculo… captivum servumque redeuntem mu…ieris fornicātis, &c?After what manner therefore can thy wi…e from henceforth behold thee returning from such a contumely? how can she entertaine or speake to one so unworthily defiling the condition and sex of womans nature; yea and returning a captive, a servant of an whorish woman from such a spectacle. If then you grieve when you heare these things, I confesse that I give you, and owe you the greatest thankes. For who is he that doth comfort me, but he who is made sorrowfull by me? Wherefor cease not to mourne for this licentiousnesse, and oft to be grieved for it. For this grie…e will be made unto you a beginning of conversion unto better things. Wherefore I have more earnestly pressed my speech, that I might free you by a more deepe incision from their corruption by whom you are intoxicated, and might revoke you to pure holinesse of mind…: which verily, together with the promised rewards of piety, we may all happen to enioy by the grace and mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ; to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be glory for ever and ever, Amen. In rTom. 2. Col. 59.60, 61.his 7. Homely upon Mathew; he proceeds thus against Playes, and Play-haunters. But what doe I speake of the space of the long iourney of the wise men to see Christ, when *And is it not so with many now who must be coached to the Church be it ne…er so neere them?as many women are now growne to such an height of effeminacy of minde, that they cannot so much as come a very little distance from their houses to see the Lord in a spirituall manger, unlesse they be carried upon Mules? But of those also who verily can indure the paine of walking, some preferre the tumult of worldly businesse, others Theatricall routs, or Play-house meetings, before holy Assemblies. Ver…ly these Barbarians before they had seene Christ, overcame so great a iourney for him; thou verily, no not after thou hast seene him, dost like to imitate him. sO that our Play-h…unters would but consider this! me thinkes it should even melt their hearts with shame and griefe, and cause them to renounce these Playes, to follow and embrace their blessed Saviour.For even when thou hast seene him, thou so relinqu…shest him, that after him thou runnest to Play-houses, and dost rather desire both to heare and to see a Stage-player, then him: And that I may touch the same things againe that I followed before, thou verily leavest Christ placed in a Spirituall Manger, but thou hastest to see a Strumpet lying on the Stage. But of what punishments now at last doe we thinke this worthy? Answer I beseech you; if any one should promise he would bring thee unto the King, and would shew thee him glittering on every side, and sitting amidest the severall ornaments of h…s pompe and state; dost thou thinke thou shouldest prefer a Stage-play, before this courtly dignity, though thou expectedst no benefit to accrue unto thee by it? Verily out of this Table there flowes a fountaine of spirituall good things, and this thou presently leaving, runnest to the Theater, that thou maist see a swimming woman, and thou beholdest that sex exposed to the publike view: I say, that thou maist see this, thou leavest Christ sitting by the fountaine of heavenly gifts. For even now he sits not onelyonly upon tIoh. 4.6, &c.that one Samaritan Well, but speaketh to the whole Citty. But perchance even now he speakes onelyonly to the Samaritan woman: for even now no man stands by him; save onelyonly that some perchance are present onelyonly with their bodies, but others truely not so much as with their bodies. Notwithstanding be departs not, but staies, and demandeth drinke of us, not water, but holinesse: For Christ des…ributeth holy things to holy men. For he doth not give us water out of this Well, but living Blood, which albeit it be received to testifie the Lords death, yet to us it is made a cause of life. But thou leavest the fountaine of his blood, and this dreadfull cup, and runnest hastily to that diabolicall well that thou maist behold *It seemes by this, that the Graecian Actors, did now and then to refresh and exhilerate their lascivious Spectators, bring a kinde of Cisterne upon the Stage, wherein naked Whores did swim, and bathe themselves betweene their Acts and Scenes: which wicked, impudent, execrable pra…tice, this holy Father doth here sharpely and excellently declaime against.a swimming whore, and suffer a shipwracke of thy soule. For that water is a certaine vast sea of luxury, in which bodies are not drowned, but soules suffer shipwracke. For she verily being naked sports her selfe with swimming in the midest of the waters, but thou looking on her from an high scaffold art plunged into the depths of lust. For these nets of the Devill, doe not so much catch those who descend into that water, and there roll themselves, as those who sit above. For these are drowned farre more cruelly, *Exod. 14.then that Pharaoh heretofore who was overwhelmed with his Chariots & Horsemen. Now if were possible by any meanes for me to shew unto you the soules swimming upon these waters, tru…ly they would appeare no otherwise, then those AEgyptian bodies that were tossed in those floods. But this verily …s far more dangerous, that this so great destruction they call pleasure, and this filthy sea of perdition, they stile the Euripus of delight; when as verily one may more easily and safely passe over the AEgaean, and Tyrrhenian sea, then the horrible dangers of this spectacle. For first of all the Devill doth sollicite the hearts of such all night long with an over-anxious expectation, afterwards be represents that which hath beene so greedily, beheld, where with he doth presently binde and lead them captive. Neither mayest thou thinke thy selfe free from sinnes, if thou doest not couple with an harlot, when as thou dost commit all this with thy will. For if thou art possessed by this concupiscence, thou art verily burned with a greater flame. *Let this be well observed of the best of Play-haunters…But if by beholding these things thou suffrest nothing, notwithstanding, thou art guilty, in being a scandall unto others; and by thy encouragement of such pleasures thou thy selfe confoundest both thine owne face, and with thy face thy soule. But that we may not seeme to deale onelyonly by way of reproofe, we will now propound the meanes of reformation. What then is this meanes of amendment? I deliver you to your owne wives to be instructed, when certainely you ought rather according to the Apostle, x1 Cor. 11.3. cap. 14 35.to be instructors of your wives. But because by sinne the order is inverted, and the body is made the superior, the head the inferior, let it not grieve you to returne to honest things by this way. But if thou art ashamed of the tutorship of a woman; avoyd sinne, and thou maist quickly ascend into the chaire of a Doctor, which is ordained for thee by God. But as long as thou shalt sinne, the Scripture doth send thee not onelyonly to an woman, but even to irrationall and the basest creatures. Neither doth a creature endued with the honor of reason blush to become a Scholler of the Bee and the Ant: neither is this the fault of the Scripture, but of those who have lost their owne noblenesse. Therefore we also will have a care to doe thus. And now verily we assigne thee to a woman to be taught: but if thou shalt contemne her admonitions, we will even send thee to the tutorship of unreasonable creatures. For we will shew thee, how many birds and fishes, yea how many kindes of beasts and creeping things outstrip thee in honesty and chastity. But if thou art ashamed to be compared to such creatures, returne to the ensigne of thy owne noblenesse, and remembring that vast Sea of Hell, and fiery River, avoyd this pestiferous Fish-pond of the Play-house. *Note this well.For this is it which doth drowne its Spectators in that fiery Sea, and which doth kindle the very bottome of that fire. For if he who without these provocations seeth a woman, is yet notwithstanding drawne sometimes to lust after her, and commits adultery onelyonly by lusting; he who not onelyonly s…eth, but likewise earnestly beholds a naked and lascivious women with his whole minde, how is he not a thousand times made the captive of lust? That great Flood under Noah did not so extinguish mankinde, as these swimmers doe altogether suffocate all their spectators even with much disgrace. For that flood although it brought in the death of bodies, yet it blotted out the vices of soules, But this water doth the contrary; it workes the destruction of soules, the bodies still continuing in life: *Let the Romanists observe this, who claime the selfesame superiority because of Peters chaire which they falsly challēge, when …s Peter was first, yea the first Bishop of Antioch.You verily if that any contention about honor ariseth, contend with all ambition, that you ought to have preheminence of the whole world; flattering your selves with this priviledge; yActs. 11.26. E…s…bius. Eccl. Him. l. 2. c. 4. The Disciples were first called Christians at An…i…ch.that this Citty did first give the name of Christians to the faithfull: but when you should contend about honesty and chastit…, are you not ashamed lest you should be overcome of the very basest villages? Yes, sayest thou. But what then doe you command us to doe? To goe into desert Mountaines, and to become Monkes? And what else doe I lament, but that thou thinkest an honest and pure life belongs onelyonly to them? Verily Christ hath given common precepts unto all men. For where he saith, *Math. 5.28.If any man looke upon a woman to lust after her, hee hath already committed adultery with her in his heart: it is not onelyonly spoken to a Monke, but likewise to an Husband. For that Mountaine in which Christ taught these things was then filled almost only with such. Consider therefore that Theater, and avoyd their Diabolicall Assemblies, and doe not as it were blame my more troublesome speech. For I prohibit not marriages, nor honest pleasure; but I would have it to be done with honesty, not with obscenity or sinne. I doe not therefore bid the goe into Mountaines and Deserts, but to be bountifull, and likewise honest and modest, even while… thou livest in the midest of the City. The Apostle tells us, a1 Cor. 7.29…30.31The time is short, it remaines therefore that those who have wives bee as if they had none; for the fashion of this world passeth away. As if he should say, I bid you not to dwell in the tops of Mountaines, although I desire that likewise, because Citties imitate the abominations committed in Sodom; but yet I doe by no meanes force you to it. Contiu…e having an house, wife, children, onelyonly doe not make them Spectators of incestuous pleasures, doe not thou introduce the plague of the Theater into thine house. Doest thou not heare Paul saying; b1 Cor. 7.4.The man hath not the power of his body but the woman? Therefore he hath also given common precepts to him. Thou verily if thy wife frequent the Church becommest a most grievous accuser of her: but thou thy selfe spending the whole day in Play-houses dost not believe thy selfe to be worthy of accusation: but when as thou art so vigilant over thy wiv…s chasty, that thou art not ashamed to be excessive and immoderate, keeping her oft-times from necessary iourneyes, yet thou thinkest that all things are very lawfull to thy selfe. But Paul doth not permit this to thee, who likewise giveth the same power to the woman. c1 Co…. 7.3.Let the man, saith he, give unto the wife due benevolence. How then is thy wise honored by thee who is vexed with such an undeserved iniury, when as thou doest ioyne thy body which is in her power, to harlots? For thy body is thy wives. What honor I say dost thou give unto her, when as thou bringest in tumults and contentions into thine owne house, when as thou utterst such things in the market place, that whiles thou relatest them at home, thou disgracest thy wife that heares, and makest thy daughter that is present to blush, and besides others thy owne selfe? For it were much better to keepe silence, then to utter such obscene things, which if thy servants should but speake of, it were iust for thee to cudgle them. *Let our Play-haunters consider of this Quaere.Answer I pray, what satisfaction canst thou give, who beholdest these things with great delight which are not lawfull to be named? and preferrest those things which are dishonest for to name before all honest and holy Arts? Lest therefore I should seeme more troublesome, I will here end my speech: But if you persevere in these things, I will launch with a sharper rasor, and make a more deep incision; neither wil I ever rest untill I breake in pieces that Diabolicall Theater, that the Assembly of the Chuch may be made cleane and pure: So shall we be freed from the present turpitude, and acquire life to come by the grace and mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ; to whom be glory and dominion with the Father and the holy Ghost for ever and ever. Amen. In his dTom. 2. Col. 297.298, 299, 300.38. Homily upon Mathew, upon these words; It shall be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of Iudgement then for thee: hee falls into this excllent discourse against Stage-playes and their concomitances. The Sodomites though they lived most wickedly, yet they sinned before the Law and Grace: but what pardon are we worthy of, who commit such sinnes after so diligent a care both of the Law and Grace? We shut …ur gates, and stop our eares to the poore; what say I to the poore, when as we doe the same to the Apostles themselves? Yea therefore to the poore, because we doe it to the Apostles. For when as Paul is read publikely and thou dost not regard: when as Iohn thunders and thou dost not heare; wilt thou heare a poore man who dost not heare an Apostle? That our houses therefore may be open to the poore, and our eares to the Apostles, all filthinesse is to be purged out of the eares of the minde. For as filth and dirt are wont to stop the eares of the body; so whorish songs, the fables of this world, the burthen of Debtors, the accounts of Creditors and usury, are wont to stop the eares of the minde more then any filth… Or rather, they doe not onelyonly stop them, but also make them impure and filthy, For such speeches d…e as it were cast dirt into our eares. That which that Barbarian did threaten, saying; *2 King. …8.27You shall eate your owne dung; even that doe many now unto you, not in word onelyonly, but in deed; yea verily even far worse and filthier: (For whorish songs are much more abominable then dung.) And that which is worse to be indured, you doe not onelyonly not grieve wh…n as you heare such things, but you likewise laugh and reioyce. And when as you ought to avoyd and abominate these things, you entertaine and applaud them. Therefore if these things be not abominable, doe thou thy selfe likewise descend upon the Stage, and imitate that thou praysest, have society and commerce with those who move such laughter: but if thou wilt not be coupled in that fellowship, why dost thou give so great honor to it? The very lawes of the Gentiles make them to be *Players infamous.infamous: but thou together with the whole Citty being all called together, runnest out to them as to Ambassadors, or Generals of the Warre; that thou together with all the rest maist put dung into thine eares: and thou who beatest thy servant, if he utter any filthy thing in thy presence, who permittest not thy Sonne to doe it; who dost not suffer these things to be done at thine owne house as being an undoubted filthinesse; when as certaine servile abiect persons who deserve the Whipping-post shall call thee to heare these things, dost not onelyonly not take it ill, but even reioycest, yea applaudest, and givest thankes. And what madnesse could ever be found greater then this? Objection.But sayest thou, I never spake nor sung these obscene things, these incentives of pleasure. Answer.But what profit is it, if when thou dost not utter them, yet thou hearest them willingly? Yea how w…lt thou make this evident that thou dost not utter them, when as thou dost willingly hear… them with laughter, and runnest to receive them? Tell me I pray …hee, when as thou hearest Blasphemers… dost thou reioyce and triumph, or rather, dost thou tremble and stop thine eares? I doubt not but thou tremblest; Wherefore? because thou never art wont to blaspeme. Wherefore doo so likewise in filthy speech, if thou wilt thorowly perswade us, that thou dost not utter filthy words, then truely will we believe thee when as we shall see thee not to heare them. For how dost thou respect vertue, who art nourished by hearing these things? how canst thou undergoe the difficult labours of chastity, who aboundest with laughter, and art insnared with a whorish song: For if the soule which is farre remote from these songs, doth scarce retaine th… honesty of chastity, how can he live chastly who liveth in them? Are you ignorant that we are more prone to vices? When therefore we run unto these things with hast and earnestnesse, how shall we avoyd the furnace of eternall fire? Have you not heard Paul saying: *Phil. 4.4.Rejoyce in the Lord. He hath said, in the Lord, not in the Devill. How therefore canst thou heare Paul, when thou shalt perceive that thou hast sinned, when as thou art alwayes as it were made dranke with these ridiculous Spectacles? For that thou camest hither now, I wonder not; yea verily I wonder greatly. For thou camest hither as it were simply and perfunctorily: but thou rushe… thither daily with all earnestnesse of minde, with speed, with alacrity: which appeares by this; because that most filthy sinne, which by your …ight and hearing hath beene infused into your soule, you carry along with you from the Theaters to your houses; yea verily you take it, and lay it up in your mindes and thoughts: and those things which are not worthy dete…tation thou disdainest, but abominable things thou admirest and lovest. For many returning from the office of burying, have presently gone into the bath; but those who come from gMarke this O Play haunters.Play-houses have neither mourned, nor powred out fountaines of teares. Yet truely a carcase hath no uncleanesse; but sinne doth so defile men, that no fountaines, no rivers, but onelyonly teares and confession can wash it away. But there is no man who discernes how great the steines of sinne are. For because we feare not things that are to be feared, therefore we feare those things which have no cause of fear… in them. But what is this so great noys… of Theater men? what these Diabolicall clamors? what this Satanicall apparell? One being a yong man hath his haire combed backward, and effeminating nature in his countenance, apparell, pace, and such like, strives to deduce it to the similitude of a tender Virgin. Another on the other side being an old man, having his haire and all modesty shaven off with a rasor, standing by girt, is ready to speake and to act all things. hThey had in those dayes some few women Actors: which in his 10. Homily upon Mathew, he stiles Faminae Theatrales: Theatricall women: In imitation of these some French-wome…, or Monsters ra…her on Michaelmas Terme 1629. attempted to act a French Play, at the Play-house in Black-friers: an impudent, shamefull, unwomanish, gracelesse, if not more then whorish attempt.Women also with a naked and uncovered head speake to the people without shame, and usurpe impudency to themselves with so great premeditation, and infuse so great lasciviousnesse into the mindes of the Hearers and Spectators, that all may seeme even with one consent to extirpate all modesty out of their mindes, to disgrace the female nature, and to satiate their lusts wi…h pernicious pleasure. For all things that are done there are absolutely most obscene, the words, the apparell, the …onsure, the pace, the speeches, the songs, the ditties, the turnings and glances of the eyes, the pipes, the flutes, and the very argument of the Playes, all things (I say) are full of filthy wantonnesse. Say therefore, when wilt thou withdraw thy selfe from so great an uncleane desire of fornication which the Devill hath infused into thee, and repent. iThose therefore that would have their wives, their daughters, their husbands, …heir children chast, let them keepe them from the Play-house.For we are not ignorant how many whoredomes are there committed, how many marriages are there defiled with adulteries; how many men are there most unnaturally abused; how many yong men are there strangely effeminated; all things there are full of the highest iniquity, all full of prodigies, all full of impudency. For which things we ought not to sit laughing excessively, but rather to mourne and grieve even with teares. What therefore will you, maist thou say; shall we shut up all the Play-house doores, and obeying thee, overturne all things? kLoe here the lewde, the pernicious effects and fruits of Stage-playes.What hast thou said, shall we overturne? Are not all things now overturned? For whence dost thou believe that the unchaste attempters of marriages proceed? Come they not from these Play-houses? Whence are those who invade the marriage beds of others? Are they not from the Stage? Is it not from hence that many men become most troublesome to their wives, and that women are despised of their husbands? Are not very many adulterers from hence? Therefore he seemes to me to overturne all things who runnes to Play-houses, who brings in a most cruell tyranny? Objection.Thou wilt say, no; to seperate wives from their husbands, to ravish children, to overturne houses: all these are the acts of Tyrants who have seised upon th… Castle, and oppresse the Citty by force: but the things we doe are lSo sa… our Players … Pl…y… … …ut …approved by the lawes, and these Stage-playes have never giv…n occasion to adulteries. Answer.Yea verily, who is not already made an adulterer? For if I could call all by name I would quickly shew it thee. How many have harlots led away as captives from thence? How many have they either withdrawne from their wives, or have not at all permitted them to come to their lawfull bed? Objection.What therefore,Answer. sayest thou, shall we overturne all the lawes by which these things are established. mThe best way therefore to suppresse adultery, whoredome, sedition, tumults, & all the mischiefes of the Cōmon wealth, is to suppresse Play-houses and Stage-playes.Yea verily, these Stage-playes being overturned, you shall overthrow, not the lawes, but iniquity, and you shall quite extinguish all the plagues and mischiefes of the Citty. For from hence are seditions raysed, from hence tumults doe arise. For those who are nourished with these Playes, (who sell their voyces for their bellies sake, who are most ready to speake, to doe all things, and spend all their paines and industry in this,) these are most of all wont to inflame the people with rumors, and to rayse tumults in Citties. For the idle youth educated in these evils, is more cruell then the very fiercest beast. Are not many evill doers made and confirmed by these Stage-playes? For that they may instigate all the people to these things, that they may obtaine their dancing pleasures, that they may corrupt mod…st women mixed with strumpets… they come to such a height of wickednesse, that they doe not so much as absteine from the bones of dead men. What shall I say, that many spend infinite summes of mony at these Diabolicall societies? What shall I say of lasciviousnesse? What of other evils? nLet our Play-Patrons and Play-haunters remember this. Objection. Answer.Consider then that thou art he who dost overthrow the whole life of man, when as thou drawest others to these things; not I, who thinke, that all these Playes are to be given over. Thou wilt say; shall we then pull down… all the Play-houses? Would to God they were now pulled downe, albeit, that as farre as it appertaeines to us, they long since lie desolate. Notwithstanding I command you to doe none of these things; since the magnificence of the houses may stand, and the Playes and Dancing altogether cease; which will be more prayse to you then if you should quite overturne all Take at least an example to your selves from the Barbarians, who want the filthinesse of all these Stage-playes. oO let all Christians who resort to Stage-playes remember this for feare Turkes and other Infidels who want, who utte…ly reject all Stage-playes should rise up in judgement against them at the last.What excuse then can you bring for your selves, if you who are now registred in Heaven, you who are the companions and coheires of Angels and Arch-Angels, should be found farre worse then the Barbarians in this thing? especially when as thou maist else where procure to thy selfe many better comfort. For when thou wilt refresh thy minde, thou maist goe into Gardens, behold running Rivers, contemplate great Lakes, looke upon pleasant Places, heare singing Grashoppers, be conversant in the Temples of Martyrs; from whence thou shalt receive best health for thy body, and excellent profit may accrue unto thy soule, from whence thou maist reape singular pleasure, because no lesse, no griefe, no sorrow followes; thou hast a wife, thou dost not want children, thou aboundest in friends, all which are wont sometimes to afford honest delight and profit. For what is more sweet then children? What more pleasant then a chaste wife to a moderate and chaste Husband? Verily the Barbarians themselves, when as they had heard of these Stage-playes, and the unseasonable delight of fables, are reported to have uttered words most worthy all the instructions of Philosophie. For they said, that the Romanes, as if they had wanted wives and children, had devised such pleasures as these to themselves. In which words they did shew, that nothing could be more sweet, more pleasant to him who would live honestly, then a modest wife and children? Objection.But thou wilt say, I can shew that these Playes h…ve done no hurt to many.Answer. Yes verily they doe very great hurt in that thou spendest thy time idlely and to no purpose, and in that thou off…rest a scandall unto others. pLet the best of our Play-haunters who thinke they receive no hurt at all from Stage-playes, remember this.For although thou by a certaine fortitude of a sublime minde hast contracted no evill from thence, yet because thou hast made others who are weaker studious of Stage playes by thy example, how hast thou not contracted evill to thy selfe, who hast given occasion to others of committing evill? For those who are there corrupted, as well men as women, will all transferre the crimes and cause of their corruption upon thy head. For like as if there had not beene spectators, there had not beene any to have acted; so because both are the cause of the sinnes that are committed, they shall both suffer th… fire. Wherefore all be it by the modesty of thy minde thou hast effected, that no hurt should come unto thee thence, *Nota.which I doe not thinke can be: yet because others have committed many sinnes by reason of Playes, thou shalt undergoe grievous punishments for this; albeit thou hadst beene much more modest and temperate, if by no meanes thou hadst gone thi…her. Let us not therefore contend unprofitably, nor devise vaine excuses, when as one excuse may suffice us, to flie far from this Babilonish Stewes, to keep far off from this AEgyptian Harlot, and if need be, to escape naked out of her hands: so shall we receive great pleasure, when as we are not at all pricked with the stings of conscience. So shall we both live soberly in this life, and obtaine future good things, by the grace and mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ. In his 74. Homily on Mathew, hee hath this notable passage to our purpose. *Tom. 2. Col. 514.515.Many come into the Church to behold more curiously the beauty of women, and the fairenesse of yong men: *O that the Gallants of our times, who are deepely guilty of this sinae, would but consider this Fathers words.dost thou not theresore wonder that Thunderbolts are not sent forth on every side, and that all things are not utterly subverted? For these things are most worthy, not onelyonly of Thunderbolts, but also of the punishment of Hell. But God since he is long-suffring and mercifull, doth in the meane time keepe in his anger th…t he may leade thee to repentance. What dost thou O man, thou more diligently seekest after the beauty of women in the Church, and doest thou not tremble abusing the Temple of God with so great an indignity? For in the market place thou blushest, yea thou fearest left any one should see thee following a woman: but in the Church of God, when as God himselfe speakes unto thee, and d…ters th…e from these things, thou most of all practisest …ornication and adultery in that very time, when as it is thundred out unto thee with a loud voyce, that th… shouldest flie from these things, neither dost thou tremble, nor sta…d amazed. *Verum haec ab impudicissimo Theatro didicistis, haec v…l illa contag…osa p…stis docuit: virus istud p…stiferum, inevitabilis negligentium laqueus, in…ontinentium voluptuosa p…rditio. Ibidem. Col. 515. A.But these things thou hast learned (I pray observe it well) from the most unchaste Theater; that most contagious plague, (so stiles he the Play-house) that pestiferous poyson, that unevitable snare of idle careles persons, that voluptuous perdition of incontinent people, hath taught you these things. Such is the accursed fruit of Stage-playes, not only to make the Play-house, but even the very Church of God a kinde of Brothell, as he there more largely proves. qTom. 2. Col. 487.488, 489.In his 69 Homily upon Mathew: I finde this notable discourse. When you are in feare and troubles you call those ex animo happy, who live a single life in Mountaines and Caves; as I am not ignorant that those have so stiled th…se sometimes, who living in idlen…sse spend both day and night in Theaters and Play-houses. For albeit these may seeme to abound with a thousand pleasures, albeit rivers of pleasure might be thought to be present with them, yet they lie for the most part pierced thorow with many most bitter darts from thence. For if any man shall be taken with the love of any *Nota.Woman-dancer, verily he shall undergoe a torment harder then any Warfare, more troublesome then any Pilgrimage, and he shall pas…e thorow more miserable dayes then any besieged Citty, &c. rVbi nunc sunt, qui Diaboli choreis & perditis cantibus dediti in scaena quotidie sedent? Pudet me certè verba de illis facere, veruntamen ne…esse mihi …st propter infirmitatem vestram, &c. Ibid.Where now are those who sit daily in the Play-house addicted to the Dances of the Devill, and to pernicious Songs? Verily I am altogether ashamed to speake of them, but yet I must needs doe it by reason of your infirmity. For even Paul himselfe saith, sRom. 6.As you have heretofore given up your members to serve uncleanesse, even so now give up your members as servants of righteousnesse unto holinesse. Wherefore we will now also make diligent search into the lives of tThese and no other are the most constant Play-haunters.Harlots & corrupt yong Men who sit together in the Play-house, and we will compare them with the life of these blessed ones, as farre as it concernes a pleasant life. uIucundè namque vivendi gratia negligentiores juvenes scenae laquijs capiuntur: tantam enim si pe…pendimus, differentiam inveniemus, quantum si quis canentes Angelos modulationem divinam audiret, & porcos stercore defossos ac grunnientes. Ore namque illorum Christus, istorum verò Diabolus loquitur, &c. Ibidem.For the more negligent yong Men, that they may live merrily, are taken with the snares of the Play-house: yet if we consider well, we shall finde as great a difference betweene the one and the other, as if a man should heare Angels singing an heavenly Song, and Swine buried in the dirt, grunting. For in their mo…th, Christ, but in these mens mouthes, the Devill speaketh. The Pipes with puffed up cheekes and a deformed face send forth an uncertaine… and unarticulate voyce to these: but by their mouthes the Grace of the Holy Spirit, in stead of a Pipe, a Harpe, and a Flute, soundeth so sweetly, that it is impossible for those who are fastned to clay and earthly things, to set so great pleasure before their eyes. Wherefore I wish that some one of those who are mad about these things, could be but brought to this Quire of Saints, and then I needed not to use any more words. And although we relate these things to earthly men, yet we will somewhat endevor to pull them out of the filth and dregs. From these songs of Harlots a very fl…me of lust doth presently set the Auditors on fire, and as if the sight and face of a woman were not sufficient to inflam… the minde, they have found out the plague of the voyce too. B…t by the singing of our holy m…n, if any such disease doth vex th… minde, it is presently extinguished. And not onelyonly the voyce and face of a woman, but the xThe ill …ruits of costly and gawdy apparell; especially in Play houses Which I wou…d our st…unting Gallants… would consider.apparell doth much more trouble the Spectators; so that if any more rude or abiect poore man beholds it, he may be too much grieved at it and oft-times say thus unto himselfe, Verily a Whore and a Whore-master, the children of Cookes and Taylors, and oft-times of Servants, live in so great pleasures: but I a free-man, and borne of free Parents, who live by honest labour cannot truely… so much as dreaming be delighted thus; and so he departs disquieted with grie…e. Which thing hapens not from the sight of Monkes, yea the very contrary alwayes useth to fall out. yThe good that comes by wearing meane and plaine apparell.For if he shall behold the sonnes of rich men, and the Nephewes of famous Ancestors to weare those meane garments, which those who are oppressed with extreame poverty would not vo…chsafe to …eare, and shall know that they reioyce in this very thing; consider with how great comfort he departs, if he be poore, being thus confirmed: and if …e be rich, he is eas…ly made more moderate and better by it. And verily in the *Nota.Theater when a most crafty Harlot walketh about with golden ornaments, the poore are wasted with griefe, that their wives have no such thing: and the rich being troubled with this sight, when they shall see the habit, the countenance, the voyce, the gesture, and other things full of lust, and shall returne home to their houses burning with such dishonest fire, despise their wives as more deformed: zThese are other fruit… of Play-haunting.Hence chi…ings and brawles, hence discords and warres arise, hence death also oft-times followes. For those who are taken with this kinde of lust, a life with their wife and children seemes bitter to them: thus all things in their houses are disturbed. No such thing is ever wrought by the quire of Monkes, the wife may receive her husband returning milde from thence, and vord of all ab…urd… pleasure… so that he may seeme more …alme and quiet to her. aIta thea…ralis hic chorus malorum omniū, ille vero mon… chorum, bonorum fons & origo est. Alter ex ovibus lupos facit, alter è lupis in agnos convertit, &c. Ibidem.So that this Play-house quire (pray marke it) is the Fountaine, and originall of all evils, but that of Monkes of all good things. One of them maketh Wolves of Sheepe; the other converteth Wolves into Lambes. But perchance we may seeme as yet to have spoken nothing of pleasure. What therefore is more pleasant then to live in tranquility of minde, lamenting nothing, grieving for nothing, and bewailing-nothing? Notwithstanding let us proceed on further, and let us sea…ch out the pleasure of both these harmonies and sights, and we shall finde the one remaining onelyonly till the evening, so long as the Spectator sitteth in the Play-house, but afterwards pricking him worse then any sting; but the other alwayes flourishing in the mindes of the Spectators, &c. A su…ficient testimony of the accursed bitter sinfull fruits of Stage-playes. In his 89. Homily upon Mathew, he hath this short passage. bTom. 2. Col. 601. B.All those who ascend to Stage-playes or to Harlots houses, are spiritually lame: how then shall these be able to stand in battle, and not to be cast downe with the crimes of incontinency? In his 2. Homily against the Iewes, he writes thus. cOperū. Tom. 1. Editione. Fronto. Ducaei. Parisij…. 621. Tom. 1. pag. 463. C. D.If thou hast a servant… if a wife; thou maist keepe them at home with great authority. For if thou permittest them not to goe into the Play-house, how much more are they to be driven from the Synagogue of the Iewes? Here is greater wickednesse then there. dPray marke it well.That which is done there, is sinne; that which is done here, impiety. I speake not these things to this end that you should suffer them to goe into the Play-house; for even this is evill: but that driving them from Playes, you should even much more prohibit them from this. Goe too, tell me what th… runnest to see there? Whether men playing on the Trumpet? But thou oughtest …itting at home, to poure out sighes and teares for them, in that they rebell against the command of God; and in that they have the Devill dancing in the middest of them. In his eIbid. Tom. 1. p. 893.894. See Homil. De Sta. Phoca. Ibidem. p. 8…8. A. B. & Hom. in S. Iulianum. Ibidem. pag 613. A B. to the …ame purpose.Homily of Saint Barlaam. Doe ye not (quoth hee) see those who descend from Play-houses made more effeminate? this verily is the cause, that they diligently attend to the things …here done. For when as they shall fix in their mindes the invertions of the eyes, the wreathings of the hands, th… turnings of the feet, and the images of all those shapes which appeare in the distortion of the circumagitated body, they depart from thence. Is it not therefore an unworthy and shamefull thing, that these should take so much care in procuring the destruction of their soules, and keepe a perpetuall memory of the things that are there acted; and that we whom the imitation of these things shall make equall to Angels, should not bestow an indevor equall unto theirs, to preserve those things that are spoken? A good item unto all such Play-haunters,fPlay…rs and Play-haunters then in Saint Chrysostomes judgement, are more diligent and carefull to destroy their soules, then others are to save them. and Christians, who can remember much of a Stage-play, but very little or nothing of a godly Sermon, which concernes their soules; of which there are now too many. In his 15. Homily to the people of Anti…ch; he rhetorizeth thus. gOp…rum. Parisijs. 1588. Tom. 5. Col. 118. C. 121.122.How many Sermons have we bestowed, admonishing many stupid ones that they would utterly relinquish and abandon Theaters, and the lascivious things proceeding from thence? and they did not absteine, but alwayes even unto this day runne to the unlawfull spectacles of Playes and Dances, and set up a Diabolicall assembly against the fulnesse of the Church of God, and their clamors brought from thence with much vehemency, did desturbe the singing of this place. But behold now we being silent, and speaking nothing of this, they have of their owne accord stopped up the Play-house, and the Circus is made unaccessible. And before this many of ours did runne unto them: but now all have fled together from thence unto the Church, and praysed our God. Seest thou how much gaine is made out of feare? For from whence the Devill hoped to have overthrowne our Citty, (to wit, by the abusing and overturning of Theodosius his Statue, the occasion of this and the ensuing hSee Hom. 10. ad Pop. Antiochiae. to Homil. 25.Homilies) from thence hath he restored and reformed it, &c. Let us therefore acknowledge the snares, and depart farre from them. Let us take notice of the precipices and not come neere them. *Observe well this ensuing discourse.This will be an occasion to you of greatest security, not to avoyd sinnes onelyonly, but even those things also, which may seeme to be but indifferent, but yet may drive us unto sinnes; as to laugh and to use iesting speeches, seemeth truely not to be an apparant sinne, but yet it leads men into manifest sin: for oft-times filthy words arise from laughter, and filthier actions from filthy speeches. Oft-times from filthy speeches and laughter, raylings and reproches arise; from rayling and reproches, blowes and wounds; and from strokes and wounds, murthers and manslaughters. If therefore thou wilt consult well for thy selfe, thou wilt not onelyonly avoyd dishonest words and deeds, and strokes and wounds, and manslaughters, but even unseasonable laughter it selfe, and scurrilous words, because such things are wont to be the roote of these that ensue. iI…a Theatra rursum ascendere, & equorum cert. …ina spectara, & aleas tractare, non videtur multis peccatum esse mani…stū, sed infinita vitae mal… solet inferre. Etenim in Theatris immora…i… fornicationem, petulantiam & om…em incontinentiam peperit: & circensium spectatio pugnas, convitia, flagella, contumelias, iuges inimicities, adduxit: & circa aleas studium, blasphemias, jacturas, iras, convitia, infinitaque alia his graviora saepe produxit, &c. Ibidem. Col. 122… ….Againe, to ascend up into Theaters, and to behold the combates of Horses, and to play at Dice, seeme not to many to be an apparant sinne, but yet they are wont to bring in infinite evils of life. *Loe here the fruits of Playes and Dicing.For the abode in Play-houses hath brought forth fornication, wantonnesse, and all incontinency: (a full evidence of my Minors truth:) and the beholding of the sights of Cirque-playes, hath brought with it reproches, blowes, affronts, and perpetuall enmities: and the study about Dice, hath produced blaspemies, losses, anger, revilings, and infinite other things worse then these. Let us not therefore onelyonly avoyd sinnes, but even those things that seeme to be indifferent, but yet draw us by little and little into these sins. For as he that goes by a precipice, although he falls not, yet he trembles, and oft-times he tumbles downe being overturned by the very trembling: so he who avoyds not sinnes a far off, but walkes by them, lives with feare & oft-times falls into them. For he who curiously beholds the beauties of others, although he commits not adultery, yet he hath lusted, and according to kMath. 5.Christs sentence, he is made an adulterer: and oft-times from concupiscence it selfe, he is really carried into the very sinne. Let us therefore withdraw our selves farre from sinnes. Wilt thou be modest? not onelyonly shun thou adultery, but even a wanton looke. Wilt thou be farre from filthy words? thou must not onelyonly avoyd dishonest speeches, but even dissolute laughter and all concupiscence, &c. Much more then wanton Playes, and wicked Play-houses. In his lIbid. Tom. 5. Col. 135. C.D. & 137. C. See Ibid. 136. ….B. An excellent p…ssage against Romes supremacy… and of Antioches primacy.17. Homily to the people of Antioch, hee thus discourseth. But doe those things which the King hath done make thee sorrowfull? Verily neither are those things grievous, but they have even brought much profit. For tell me what troublesome thing is done, that he hath stopped the Play-house? that he hath made the Circus inaccessible? that he hath excluded and overturned those fountaines of wickednesse. Would to God it might not be granted, that these should be ever opened againe. mO that our Magistrates would consider this! it would cause them then to suppresse all Play-houses. as this good Emperor Theodosius did.Hence the workes of wickednesse have budded forth in the Citty: hence are those who carry a crime in their very manners, selling their voyces unto Dancers, betraying their owne salvation for three farthings, and confounding all things, &c. But now our Citty seemes to be like a beautifull, a faire and modest woman. Feare makes her more meeke and honest, and hath freed her from those wicked ones, who have adventured to commit these horrible wickednesses. Let us not therefore lament with womannish sorrow, for I have heard many saying in the Market place. Woe unto thee Antioch; what is done unto thee? How art thou deprived of honor? And when I had heard it, I derided the childish minde of those who spake such things. For we ought not to say these things now; but when thou shalt see Dancers, Players, Drinkers, Blaspemers, Swearers, Forswearers, Lyers, then use these words. Woe unto thee Citty, what is done unto thee. It appeares then by this excellent discourse, that Play-houses are the Seminaries of all vice and mischiefe; and that those Citties are truely miserable wherein they are but tolerated. To passe by his nIbid. Tom. 5. Col. 145. D. 149. A.B.C.19. Homily to the people of Antioch, where he commends the condition of the Country husband-men, because they had no spectacles of iniquity, no Horse-combates, nor whorish women, &c. where he withall describes the paines which Tumblers, Players, and Dancers upon the Rope did take to make themselves expert in their professions; with halfe which labour men might overcome their customary sinne of swearing. In his oIbid. Tom …. Col. 162. C.D. & 167. A.21. Homily to the same people of Antioch: How absurd a thing is it (writes hee) after that mysticall voyce brought downe out of Heaven by a Cherubin; to defile the eares with whorish songs, and effeminate melodies? Yea how is it not worthy of extreame punishment to behold Harlots, and to practice adultery with the same eyes, with which thou beholdest the secret and dreadfull mysteries? and to returne againe to those pompes of the Devill which thou hast renounced in thy baptisme? Now these pompes of Satan which thou renouncest, are Theaters, and Cirque-playes. And in his pIbid. Tom. 5. Col. 183.184.23. Homily to the Antiochians, he hath this excellent discourse worthy of most serious observation. Beloved, externall dignities are fitly manifested by extrinsecall signes that are put about them, but oures oft to be knowne by the soule. For a Christian ought not to be seene onelyonly by his office, but likewise by his newnesse of life. It is fit a believer should shine forth, not onelyonly by those things which he hath received from God. but also by those things which he himselfe performes, and to be manifested on all hands by his gesture, by his countenance, by his habit, by his voyce. Now I have spoken these things, not that we should dispose of our selves to ostentation, but to the profit of the beholders. *And may we not truely put this question to many Christians of our times; to whom all the ensuing discourse may most fitly be applied.But now from whence shall I know thee to be a Christ? I finde thee on every side conspicuous by the contraries. For if I would learne who thou art, either from the place; I see thee abiding in C…rques, in Theaters, and in iniquities: in the councels of wicked ones, and in the conventicles of desperate hopelesse men. Or from the forme of thy countenance; I see thee alwayes laughing excessively, and dissolute like a reclus… Harlot, and vile withall: Or from thy clothes; I see thee no better apparelled, then those who are conversant in the Play-house; Or from thy followers; thou leadest about Parasites and Flatterers: Or from thy words; I heare thee speaking nothing that is savory, or necessary, or conferring to a Christian life: Or from thy table; hence a greater accusation will appeare. From whence then I pray, shall I know thee to be a Christian, all thy words and deeds professing the contrary? *O that this elegant rh…toricall streine of this zealous flexanimous Father were but a little considered of the vitious Christians of our times!But why doe I say a Christian? For thou art not so much as a man, if I can plainely discerne. For when as tho… kickest like an Asse, and playest the wanton as a Bull, and neighest after Women like an Horse, and pamperest thy belly like a Beare, and fattest thy flesh as a Mule, and retainest evill in thy memory like a Camell, and moreover ravenest as a Wolfe, and art angry as a Serpent, and smitest like a Scorpion, and art crafty like a Fox, and keepest the poyson of wickednesse as an Aspe or Viper; and impugnest thy Brethren as that wicked Devill: How shall I be able to number thee among men, when I shall behold in thee the signes of such a nature? For seeking after the difference of a Catechumenish, and a Believer, I am afraid that I shall not finde the difference no not of a man and a beast. For what shall I call thee? *Wicked men are farre worse …h…n beasts or …evils.A beast? but beasts are held onelyonly with one of these vices; but thou carrying about all of them together, proceedest on to a greater beastlinesse then they. Or shall I stile thee a Devill? but the Devill serves not the tyranny of the belly, neither doth he love mony. Since then thou hast greater imperf…ctions then Men and Devils; how shall we call thee a man? But and if it be not lawfull to call thee a man, how I pray shall we salute thee as a Believer? And that which is worse, neither being so evilly disposed, doest thou thinke of the deformity of thy soule, nor yet consider its filthinesse: but sitting in a Barbers shop, *And i… not …his the vanity and practice of our effeminate ag….and triming thy haire; taking a glasse, thou diligently examinest the composition of every haire, and advisest with those that stand by, and with the Barber himselfe, whether he hath ordered those haires well that are about thy forehead. And when as thou art for the most part an old ma…, thou art not a…hamed to wax …ad with youthfull vanities. But we behold not, not onelyonly the deformity of our soules; but we doe not so much as any whit at all consider that beastly shape, that Sylla, or Chymaera, according to the Poets Fables, which we hauehave put on: By all which it is evident, that they who resort to Playes or Play-houses, have not so much as the least Symptomes of any Christianity in them; that they are worse then men, then beasts, then Devils: and carefull onelyonly to adorne their haire, their bodies, but altogether carelesse to correct the grosse deformities and pollutions of their soules. In his *Tom. 5. Col. 785. A.Sermon, De Eleëmosyna & Hospitalitate; hee acquaints us: That lascivious and gawdy apparell, which all godly Christians should leave to Danceresses, and lewde Singing-women; together with filthy and unseemely pleasure, are reputed comely in Theaters and Stage-playes. A su…ficient evidence of their lewdnesse. In his qTom. 3. Col. 611.612.42. Homily on the Acts, and in his rTom. 5. Col. 347.348.62. Homily to the people of Antioch, hee writes thus of Playes. But what? Wilt thou that we compare the Prison and the Play-house together? That verily is a place of affliction, but this of pleasure. Goe to therefore, let us see what things doe happen unto both. There, is much Philosophy: For where there is sadnesse, there also is Philosophy. He who before did gape after riches, who was greatly puffed up, and would scarce suffer an ordinary man to speake unto him; he is then made humble, feare and sorrow being fallen upon his soule like a certaine fire, and softning its hardnesse; then he is made sorrowfull, then he feeleth a worldly change, then he is made strong to all things. sPlay-houses …herefo…e in S. Chrysostomes judg…ment are far worse then Prisons, and Play-haunters more miserable, more unhappy then P…isoners.But in the Play-house all things are contrary; laughter, wanton…esse, uncleanesse, Diabolicall pompe and pride, prodigality, expence of time, and unprofitable wasting of dayes, the preparation and induction of abs…rd and filthy lust, the meditation or plotting of adultery, th… Schoole of fornication and intemperance, the exhortation of fil…hiness…, the occasion and matter of laughter, the examples of lewdnesse. But it is not so in a prison, where is humility of minde, exhorta…ion and excitation to Phil…sophy, the contempt of worldly things, all things troden under foot and despised: Yea feare sits by as a Schoolemaster fitting him for all things that he ought to doe. But if thou wilt we will againe inquire into these places after another manner, I would have thee meet with one man comming from a Play-house, and with another going out of a Prison: *Nota.thou shouldest behold his soule loathsome, distempered, and truely fettered: but this mans loosed, prompt, and almost winged. For he returnes from the Play-house bound with the eyes of the women that are there, carrying bonds heavier then any iron; to wit, the places, words, and habits that are there. But he who goeth from the Prison being freed by all, wil not now thinke that he suffers any grieuous thing, comparing his case with other mens; he now gives thankes that he is not bound, he contemnes human things, seeing many rich men in troubles, and great men there imprisoned for many and great things, yea he will suffer any uniust thing, so valiant is he. Moreover many examples of that place will lead him to thinke of the iudgement to come, and he will dread those places seeing them there already. For as he who is there imprisoned, is meeke to all; so he also before the iudgement, before the day to come will be more favourable to his wife, his children, his servants. But men returne not so from the Theater; for the husband will behold the wife more unpleasantly, h… will be more cruell to his servants, he will be more sha…pe to his children. tIf Magistrats, i… Statesmen did but well consider this, t…ey would never toll…rate th…m in a Commonwe…lth.Play-houses cause great evils in Ci…tios, great ones, and neither doe we know by this, how grea…. In his uTom. 4. Col. 356. C.D.12. Homily upon the first Epistle to the Corinthians; hee condemnes the Heathen Lawgivers for countenancing and …recting Play-houses, in these ensuing words. They assemble company to Theaters, bringing in thi…her *Meretricum choros, illic ind…centes & pueros p…thi…os qui injuria ipsam naturam afficiunt, &c. Such are our common Play-haunters.Whole qu…ers and troope… of Harlots, of lecherous Boyes, or Ganimedes, who abuse even nature it selfe; and they make all the people to sit in a losti…r place. Thus they recreate the Citty: thus they crowne great Kings whom they alwayes admire for their Trophies and Victories. xO that Kings and Great Men would consider this! they would not then so highly esteeme these base, and infamous Actors.But what is more trifling th…n this honor? What is more unpleasant then this pleasure? Doest thou seeke then applauders of thy actions out of these? and wilt thou, I pray tell me, be commended with Dancers, effeminate persons, Stage-players, and Whores? And how can this be but extreame madnesse? For yThese are the fruits of Stage-playes.I would willingly demand of them; Is it an hainous and unseemely thing to overturne the lawes of nature, and to introduce unlawfull and wicked copulations? All will say it is a grievous and unworthy act: Yea they seeme verily to punish likewise this hainous offence. Why then dost thou bring in those Cynaedi, & exolete persons? Neither dost thou only bring them in, but thou l…kewise honorest them with innumerable and unspeakable gifts; And where as thou punishest those who attempt such things in another place, yet here thou spendest mony upon them, and maintainest them at the publike charge, as men deserving well of the Common-w…alth. Objection.But, saist thou, they are infamous. Answer.Why then dost thou traine them up? Why dost thou honour Kings by infamous persons? Why dost thou kill Citties? Yea why also dost thou bestow so much upon them? For if they are infamous, infamous persons ought to be banished. For why hast thou made them infamous? Whether as one …hat pray…st them, or as one who condemnest them? Verily as one who condemn…st them. Moreover, thou makest them infamous as one who condemnest them: but yet thou runnest to see them, yea and admirest… laudest and applaudest them, as those who are of honest fame, and good repute. In his zTom. 5. Col. 799. A. B. 802. C.Oration of the Kalends, hee writes thus. There is now a war proclaimed against us, not the A…aleki…es invading us, or other Barbarians making incursions upon u…, as then they did, but Devils leading their pompe in the Market place. For those Diabolicall pernocta…ions which are this day practised, those scoffes and revilings in Playes, those noctur…all Dances, and those Com…dies which should be hiss…d out, doe vanquish our Citty worse then any enemy: and therefore it is meet, that both those that thus offend, and those who offend not should be dei…cted, mourne, and be ashamed; these verily for the wickednesses they have committed; but those because they have seene their Brethren to have beene immodest. For although you your s…lves doe not these things (and O that our Christian Magistrates who connive at Stage-playes would consider it) yet it is altogether unworthy of our religion, if you suffer even others for to doe them, whether they be your servants, your friends, or your neighbours. Whom God doth hate, doe not thou commend; but he hates every one who liveth in iniquity though he abound in wealth. It is lawfull for thee to reprove and correct them for the glory of God. But how is it lawfull to chide for God? aO that wee had zeale and grace to doe thus n…w, then sinne, then sinners would not be so common, so audacious and shamelesse as they are.If thou shalt see a drunkard, or a theefe, or a servant, or a friend, or any other that is thy neighbour, either running into a Play-house, or betraying his owne soule, or swearing, for swearing, or lying, be angry with him, punish him, reclaime him, correct him; and thou hast done all this for God. In his bTom 5. Col. 147…. B.6. Oration. That all vices arise from sloath: hee writes thus of Play-haunters. Before the last day, our speech to your charity was purposely and wholy of the Devill. At which time, some verily, when as we were discoursing of these things out of this place, did then idlely behold the pompe of the Devill in Play-houses, and did then heare whorish songs; but you did give your mindes to the most pleasant spirituall Doctrine. Who then hath made them thus to erre? Who hath avocated them from the holy Sheepefold? cLet Play-haunters then consider this.Verily the Devill hath deceived them, but he hath not deceived you. Those therefore who runne to Play-houses are deceived and led thither by the Devill, if this holy Father may be credited. And in his dTom. 5. Col. 750.751.8. Homily of Repentance, with which I will conclude: hee hath this memorable passage against Stage-playes and Play-houses, which should make all Players and Play-haunters for to tremble; which passage likewise fully proves the Minor of my former Syllogisme. We may undergoe the paines of a fast, and yet not obtaine the fruit of a fast. But how? To wit, when we absteine from meate, but not from sinne; when we fast the whole day in want, and then spend what we have saved in unchaste Play-houses. *Stage…playes depriue men of the benefit of all their fasting and prayers.Loe the paines of a fast, the fruit of a fast, (much more then of prayer, of hearing, reading, receiving the Sacrament, and all other holy duties, which I beseech all Play-haunters to consider) is wholy lost, when as we ascend the Play-house of iniquity. My speech is not directed unto you, for I know that you are free from this accusation. But it is the custome of those who are loden with griefe, when as those are not present who give the occasion of griefe, to rush upon those who are present. For what gaine is it to goe up to the Play-houses of wickednesse, to enter into the common shop of luxury, and the publike Schoole of incontinency; or to sit in the chaire of pestilence? eLoe here an exact character & description of a Play-house, how can you then but loath it, when you read this of it?…or if any one shall call the Play-house, the chaire of pestilence, the Schoole of incontinence, the shop of luxury, and the Scaffold of all uncleanesse, he should not offend: that most wicked place being a Babi…onish Brothell full of many diseases: when thou art driven unto a Play-house, thou entrest into a direct Stewes. The Devill thus furnishing the Citty with infernall flames, doth not now put under stalkes of hempe besmeared with Brimstone, nor Marle, nor Flax, nor Pitch, as that Barbarian did; but things farre worse then these; leacherous sights, filthy words, anointed members, and songs full of all lewdnesse. That Wh…re-house then, barbarous hands have burned; but this Whore-house cogitations more foolish then Barbarians have kindled: this being worse then that, since the fire is worse, which doth not waste the nature of the body, but the good state and disposition of the minde. And that which is worse, neither those who are burned doe perceive it. For if they did feele it, they would not now send forth such an …ffuse laughter in Play-houses. fThis is the present condition of Players and Play-haunters who are altogether sencelesse of their dise…se, their sinne.Therefore this is the very worst evill, when as one is we…kned, and yet knoweth not this, that he is diseased: and burning miserably and loathsomely, doth not feele the burning. What profit, tell me, is there then of fasting, when as thou drivest thy body from lawfull nutriment, but yet bringest in wicked nourishment to thy soule? when as thou spendest the day sitting in the Theater beholding common nature deturpated, deformed, and unchaste women condemned to adultery, collecting there the evils of every house? For liberty is there given both to see fornications, and to heare blasphemies, whereby both by the eyes, and by the eare, a disease may proceed to the very soule it selfe: they imitate the calamities and mischances of others from whence the contagion of filthinesse gets into …ur selves. Tell me therefore, what profit there is of fasting, the soule being fed with such meates? With what eyes wilt thou behold thy wife from these Theaters? with what eyes wilt thou looke upon thy sonne, thy servant, thy friend? Verily it must needs be that be that speaketh there, or he that holds his peace, should be conf…unded with shame at the filthinesse that is acted. But thou departest not so from hence: for it is gIt was therefore the use of Christians in S. Chrysostomes time to repeate the Sermons they heard in the Church in their owne Families at home, neither was it deemed an offence or convēticle as some prophane ones would make it now. (See Caesarius …re…at…nsis Hom 20. Bibl. Patrū Tom. 5. p…rs 3. p. 766. F.G.H. an excellent place for repetition of Sermons.)lawfull for thee with much con…idence to gIt was therefore the use of Christians in S. Chrysostomes time to repeate the Sermons they heard in the Church in their owne Families at home, neither was it deemed an offence or convēticle as some prophane ones would make it now. (See Caesarius …re…at…nsis Hom 20. Bibl. Patrū Tom. 5. p…rs 3. p. 766. F.G.H. an excellent place for repetition of Sermons.)repeate all things at home, Proph…ticall speeches, Apostolicall precepts, Divine lawes; to furnish or set to every table of vertue, and to make thy wife more chaste, thy sonne more dut…full, thy servant more deare with the same repetitions; yea and thou shalt perswade thy very enemy to lay aside his hatred. Dost thou see how these precepts verily are every where holsome, but those sound filthily in every place? What profit therefore of fasting, when as thou fastest with thy body, but committest adultery with thine eyes? Adultery is not onelyonly that conglutination of body to body, but even an unchaste looke. What benefit is there then when as thou goest to the Play-house from hence? hHe therefore that resorts to Stage-playes can never reape any ben…fit from the Ministry of Gods word: O therefore that men would but consider this!I correct, the Player corrupts: I administer salves to thy disease, he ministers the cause of the disease: I extingu…sh the flame of nature, he kindles the flame of lust. What profit is there, tell me? one edifying, and another pulling downe, what have they profited themselves by their labour? Therefore let us not be occupied here in vaine, but profitably, whereby we may fruitfully, whereby we may lesse in vaine, whereby we may not unprofitably and to condemnation meete here, one building, and the other pulling downe; le… the multitude of builders bee overcome with the easinesse of the pulling downe. *No….Truely it is a part of great uncleanesse both for yong men and old men to hasten to the Play-house. But would to God the evill did extend no further. For this perchance seemeth intollerable to an ingenuous man, and worthy to be punished with the greatest losse, with reproofe and shame: but verily this correction is not at al inflicted so far as to shame. But yet torments and punishments hang over Play-haunters heads: for it must needs be that those who sit there should swim in the sinne of adultery, not because they are coupled to women, out because they behold them with unchaste eyes. For with these it must of necessity be, that every one is surprised in adultery. Neither will I speake my owne word… to you whereby you may lesse regard it, but I will explicate the Divine Law, where there is no place for neglect. What therefore saith the Divine Law? iMat. 5.27, 27You have heard that it hath beene said of old; kExod. ….….Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, that whosoever shall looke upon a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart; Hast thou seene adultery comm…tted? hast thou seen… sinne finished… And that which is worst in adulteries, thou hast seene him that is taken in adultery to be guilty of adultery, not under any humane, but under a Devine Sentence; hence deadly punishments: For whosoever shall looke upon a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery already with her in his heart. He doth not onelyonly …xtirpate the disease, but likewise the roote of the disease: for unchaste concupiscence i… the roote of adultery, So likewise doe Phisicians: they looke diligently not onelyonly to diseases, but likewise to the taking away of their causes: although they see the eye diseased, yet they represse the evill rewme that is above in the temples. Thus Christ also doeth. Adultery is an evill blindnesse, it is a disease of the eyes, not of the body onelyonly, but first of the soule: Therefore he stops the re…me of uncleanesse from thence by the feare of the law. Wherefore he not onelyonly punisheth adultery, but avengeth concupiscence likewise. He that looketh upon a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart. These bare words repeated are sufficient to purge away all the disease of sinne. But pardon us, we cleanse wounds, and he who purgeth wounds must apply bitter medicines. But by how much the more they shall indure my words, by so much the more shall the poyson be purged out. By all these faithfully recited passages of holy *Which ī have thus quoted at large, because most men want his Workes,Chrysostome, which I would Players and Play-haunters would seriously, would frequently read over; it is most apparant; that Stage-playes are the immediate common occasions of much actuall lewdnesse, adultery, and other grosse uncleanesse: which should cause all Christians to abominate them, and to keepe their wives and children from them, as *C. Tacitus, De Moribus Germanorum. c. 6 Philippus Gluverius, Antiquae Germaniae. l. 1. cap. 20. pag. 181.182.th… ancient Pagan Germans did, for feare they should corrupt their chastity and draw them on to publike lewdnesse. To passe by the concurrent testimonies of Clemens Alexandrinus, Tertullian, Cyprian, Lactantius, Basil, Nazienzen, Origen, Hierom, Hilary, Augustine, Cyril, Salvi…n, and all the other Fathers, Counce…s, and Authors … quoted in the precedent Scene, who give punctuall testimony of this truth, as their words there cited will su…ficiently manifest; I shall confine my selfe onelyonly to foure of our owne English Authors for finall confirmation of my Minors verity. The first of them is lWho flourished about the yeere of our Lord 1429. Balaeus Scriptorū Brittaniae Centuria. 7. p. 566. in the raig…e of King Henry the 6.Alexander Fabritius, in his Destructorium Vitiorum. pars 4. cap. 23. De Ludis inhonestis, or dishonest Playes. The second kind (writes he) of unlawfull Playes, is the Play of lascivious vanity; such as are Dancing, Enterludes, and other Theatricall Playes; which are called Playes, from the Theater or Play-house which is a publike place, where the people hath accustomed to meet together …o Play; because after such Playes ended Whores are oft times prostituted in such Playes. mEt sic tales ludi fornicationis meritricij & adulterij multo…iens sunt in causa, & ideo in talibus ludis delectantur Daemones; & ut constat vir perfectus non debet interesse ludicris in quibus Daemones delectantur, &c. Ibid. See Pauli Wan. Sermo. 7. & 10. accordingly.And so such Playes are very often the cause of fornication, whoredome and adultery; and therefore the Devill is delighted in such Playes: and as it appeareth, a perfect man ought not to give his minde to such sports with which the Devill is delighted. And therefore worthily sa…th Saint Augustine: Let him wil…draw himselfe from the Spectacles of the world who will obtaine the perfect gr…ce of remiss… on. For Dyna the Daughter of Iacob; of whom it is writt…n in th… 34. of Genesis: when Iocob came into the Land of Canaan, Dinah his Daughter *S. Paul, Titus 2.5. Enioynes women to be chaste ke…pers at hom… intimating, that such women that gad abrode, especially to Play-…ous…s and such like places, can never be ch…ste Solomon upbraiding an Harlot: Prov. 7 1…, 12. tells us That her feete abide not in her house… n…w sh…i… wi…hout, now in the streets, and lyeth in waite at every corner. Which Ovid, De Arte Amandi. l. …. p. 203 doth second, Vn…s es… vo…s f…mosae c…ra puellae. Saep…. vagos ext…a limina ferre pedes, &c. So that g…dding women, an… who… women are reciprocall…walked abroad, to wit… to the spectacles of the world, that she might see the women of that Country; whom Sychim the Sonne of the King of that Country seeing, he was inamored with her, tooke her and ravished her perforce. But as Saint Augustine s…ith, if she …ad conti…ed at home among her owne she had not beene defloar…d by a forraigne ravisher. Therefore the soule ought by so much the more to beware and to restraine it selfe, because she is not once, but oft-times r…vished and defloured; let her feare now having had experiment of that which she …as ignorant of being yet a V…rgin. Adde wee to him the testimony of Master Philip Stubs in his *London 1595 pag. 105.106.Anatomy of Abuses. Doe not Playes (writes he) maintaine Bawdry, insinuate foolery and renew the remembrance of hea…en Idolatry? *The fruits of Theaters and Playes.Doe they not in…ce to who…edome and unclean…sse? Nay, are they not rather plaine devo…rers of Ma…denly virginity and chastity? For proofe whereof but marke the flocking and running to Theaters and Curtens, daily and hourely, night and day, time and tide, to see Playes and Enterludes, where such wa…ton gestures, such bawdy speeches, such laughing and …ee…ing, such kissing and bussing, such clipping and culling such w…king and glancing of wanton eyes and the like is used, as is wonderfull to behold. Then these goodly Pageants being ended, every mate sorts to his mate every one brings another homeward on the way very friendly, and in their secret conclaves (covertly) they play the Sodomites, or worse. And these be the fruits of Playes and Enterludes for the most part. *The godly Examples of Playes and Enterludes.And whereas you say there are good examples to be learned in them: truely so there are: If you will learne to play the vice, *What things are to be learned at Playes.to teare, sweare, and blasp…ame bo…h Heaven and Earth: if you will learne to become a Bawde, to be uncleane, to devirginate Maides, to def…oure …onest Wives, &c. If you will learne to sing and ta…ke of bawdy love and venery, &c. If you will learne to play the Whore-master, the Glutton, Drunkard, or Incestuous person: and finally, of you will learne to contemne God and all his Lawes, to care neither for Heaven nor Hell, and to commit all kinde of sinne and mischiefe) you need goe to no other Schools; for all these good Exampl…s you may see painted before your e…es in Enterludes and Playes. Wherefore, that man who giveth money for the maintenance of them, must needs incurre the inevitable sentence of eternall damnation, unlesse he repent. Thus hee. Stephen Gosson a penitent reclaimed Play-poet (*See his Schoole of Abuse. Epistle to the Reader, accordingly. whose eyes did shed many teares of sorrow, whose heart sweat many drops of blood, when he remembred Stage-playes … to which he was once addicted) writes much to this effect. *In his Schoole of Abuse. Vid. Ibid. and his Playes Confuted: See here before, pag. 360.361, 362, 363.I will shew you (writes hee) what I see, and informe you what I read of Playes. Ovid said, that Romulus built his Theater as a Horse-faire for Whores, made Triumphes and set up Playes to gather the faire women together, that every one of his Souldiers might take where he liked a snatch for his share, &c. It should seeme that the abuse of such places was so great, that for any chaste Liver to haunt them was a blacke Swan and a white Crow: Dion so straitly forbiddeth the ancient Families of Rome and Gentlewomen that tender their name and honour to come to Theaters, and rebukes them so sharpely when he takes them napping, that if they be but once seene there, he iudgeth it sufficient cause to speake ill of them, and thinke worse. The shaddow of a knave hurts an honest man; the sent of a Stewes an honest Matron, and the shew of Theaters a simple gazer, &c. Cookes doe never shew more craft in their iunkets to vanquish the taste, nor Painters in shadowes to allure the eye, then Poets in Theaters to wound the conscience. There set they abroach strange consorts of melody to tickle the eare; costly apparell to flatter the sight; effeminate gesture, to ravish the sence; and wanton speech, to whet desire to inordinate lust. These by the privy entries of the eare slip downe into the heart, and with gunshot of affection gaule the minde where reason and affection should rule the roste, Domitian suffred playing and dancing so long in Theaters, that Paris led the shaking of the sheets with Domitia, and Monster the Trenchmoore with Messalina, &c. In Rome *De Arte Amandi. l. 1. & 2.Ovid chargeth his Pilgrims to creepe close to the Saints whome they serve, and shew their double diligence to lift the Gentlewomans robes from the ground, …or soyling in the dust: to sweepe moa…es from their kirtles, to keepe their fingers in u…e, to lay their hands at their backes for an easie stay; to looke upon those, whom they beheld; to prayse that, which they commend; to like every thing that pleaseth them: to present them Pomegranets to picke as they sit; and when all is done to wait on them mannerly to their houses. *Loe here the Panderly practises of our Play-houses.In our Assemblies at Playes in London, you shall see such heaving and shoving, such itching and shouldring, to sit by women: such care for their garments, that they be not trod on: such eyes to their laps that no chips light in them: such pillowes to their backes, that they take no hurt: such making in their eares I know not what: such giving them Pippins to passe the time: such playing at foote Saunt without Cards: such ticking, such toying, such smiling, such winking, and such manning them home when the sports are ended, that it is a right Comedy, to marke their behaviour, to watch their conceits, as the Cat the Mouse, and … good as a course at the Game it selfe, to dogge them a little or follow aloo…e by the print of their feet, and so discover by slot where the Deare taketh …oyle. If this were as well noted, as ill seene; or as openly punished, as secretly practised; I have no doubt but the cause would be …eared to drie up the effect, and these pretty Rabbets very cunningly ferreted from their buro…we…. *Pray marke this well.For they that lacke customers all the weeke, either because their haunt is unknowne, or the Constables and Officers of their Parish watch them so narrowly, that they dare not quea…ch… to celebrate the Sabbath flocke to Theaters and there keepe a generall Market of Bawdry. Not that any filthinesse indeed is committed within the compasse of that ground, as was done in Rome, but that every Wanton and his Paramour, every Man and his Mistris, every Iohn and his Ioane, every K…av… and his Queane, are there first acquainted and *Play-houses then are the cōmon Marts of Bawdery.cheapen the merchandise in that place which they pay for else-where as they can agree. I intend not to shew you all that I see, nor halfe that I heare of these abuses, lest you iudge me more wilfull to teach, then willing to forbid them. Thus farre this penitent Play-poet from his owne experience. The last of these witnesses with whom I will conclude, is the Anonymous Author of the Booke intituled, nPrinted by Authority. 1580.The third Blast of Retrait from Playes and Theaters; *Ibid. pag. 48.49, 50, 51, 52.Penned by a Play-poet, and common Play-haunter, who had good experience of the lewde effects of Stage-playes, which made him to abhorre them, and to renounce his wicked profession, as being incompatible with Christian Religion or his owne salvation, as himselfe professeth in that Treatise, where he writes thus as followes. pIbid. p…g. 43.44, 45, 56, 57. O th…t our Magistrates and Statesmen would but consider this.Such doubtlesse is mine opinion of common Playes, that in a Christian Common-weale they are not sufferable. My reason is, b…cause they are publike enemies to nature and religion; allurements unto sinne; corru…te…s of good manners; the cause of security and carelesnesse… meere Brothel-houses of Bawdery; and bring both the Gospell into slander, the Sabbath into contempt, mens soules into danger; and finally the whole Common-weale into disorder. Great and ha…nous spe…ches, no doubt, yet not so hainous, as the exercise of them is odious: biting words; yet not so bitter as the cause requireth. It were ill painting the Devill like an Angell; he must be portraied as he is, that he may the better be knowne, Sinne hath alway a fair… cloake to cover his filthy body. And therefore he is to be turned out of his case into his naked skinne, that his nasty filthy body, and stinking corruption being perc…ived; he might come into the hatred and horror of men. For as we are naturally of our selves evill and corrupt; so are we naturally giuen to love our selves, and to be blinded with our owne aff…ctions… insom…ch that what we know to be evill, we are not ashamed either openly to detend, or slily to cloake. The excuse of wickedn…sse is but the encrease of punishment, and an ill cause defended by authority, and maintained by learning brings Magistrates into slander, and learning into contempt. qPage 52.53, 54, 55, 56, 57.Therefore to the end that others should not be deceived with tha… wherewith my selfe was overtaken, I thought it my part to lay open to all mens eyes the horrible abuse as well of Playes, as of the Inactors, and the disorder of their auditory; that the …b…se being perc…ived, every man might reforme himselfe, and be weaned from their wickednesse: or otherwise, that the Magistrates being info…med might take such good waye…, that the intollerable exercise of Playes might be utterly put downe. For I am verily p…rswad…d, that if they may be permitted still to make sale of sinne, we shall pull on …ur h…ads Gods vengeance, and to our Realme bring an …tter confusion. What I shall speake of Playes of my owne knowledge, I know ma… be affi…med by hundreds, to whom those m…tters are as well knowne as to my selfe. *Fruits of Playes for the Devils owne mouth.Some Cittizens Wives (and I would to God our married Cittizens would well consider it because it concernes them neerely) upon whom the Lord for ensample to others hath l…yd his hands, have ev…n on their death-b…ds with teares confessed, that they have rec…ived at these Spectacles such filthy in…ections, as have turned th…ir mindes from chaste cogitations, and *O …hat those husbands who either accompany, or send their wives, their daught…rs unto St…ge-pl…yes, and yet desire for to keepe them …haste, would remember …his.made them of honest women light huswives: (which very thing is likewise testified by reverend Bishop Babingto…, in his Exposition on the 7. Commandement; and by Doctor Layton, in his Speculum belli Sacri. c…p 45. and therefore worthy credit under the hands of these three witnesses:) by them they have r1 Cor. 6.19, 20.dishonoured the V…ss…ls of Holinesse, and have brought their Husbands in…o contempt, their Children into question, their bodies into sicknesse, and their soules into the assault of a dangerous state. Such is the nature and inclination of us a…l, that we runne whether affection leads us, and are withdrawne by company. And therefore as David saith … s2 Sam. 22. ver. 26.27 Psal. 18.25, 26.With the g…dly thou wilt shew thy selfe godly, with the upright: man thou wilt sh…w thy selfe upright, with the pure thou wilt shew thy selfe pure, and with the froward thou wilt shew thy selfe froward. *He that toucheth Pitch will be d…filed…The repaire of them that are honest to those places of evill res…rt, make… their owne good life to be doubt…d of… for that the place b…eeds suspition as well of good as of bad. For who can see man or woman r…sor… to an house which is notoriousl… wicked… but will iudge them to be of the crew of …he wicked and ungodly? *Avoyd suspect…d pl…ces.The most honest wi…e, is the soonest assaulted, and hath such snares l…id to en…rap her, as, if God …ss…st h…r not, she m…st…eds be …ken. When I gave my s…lfe fi…st to … the abuse o… common …layes, … found my heart so … smitten with s…rr…w ( *The best soon…st t…mp…ed.sinne …d there so abound, *Horrible sinnes openly committed at Theaters.and was so op…ly commi…ted, that I lo…ked wh…n God in iustice would have presently in his wrath h…ve confounded the beholders.) *Marke this O ye favorers, frequenters, and upholders of Playes.The Theater I found to be an appointed place of Bawdery… mine owne eares have heard honest women allured with abominable speeches. Sometime I have seene two knaves at once importunate upon one light huswife, wher…by much quarrell hath growne to the disquieting of many. The servants as it is manifestly to be proved, have consented to rob their Maste…s to supply the want of their Harlots: there is the practising of married wi…es to traine them from their husbands, and places appointed for meeting and conference. When *Who can favour Playes, when the Authors themselves condemne them?I had taken notice of these abuses, and saw that the Theater was be…ome the Consultory-house of Satan, I concluded with my selfe, never to impl…y my pen to so vile a purpose, nor to be an instrument of gathering the wicked together. It may seeme I am overlavish of spee…h, and that which I have publikely expressed of others by mine owne knowledge might have beene dissembled. But I have learned, that he who dissembles the evill that he knowes in other men, is as guilty before God of the offence, as the offenders themselves. And the Lord hath expresly commanded in tExod. 23. v. 2.Exodus, that, wee should not follow a multitude to doe evill, neither agree in a controversie to decline after many, and overthrow the truth. I cannot therefore but r…sist such wickednesses, lest I might seeme to maintaine them. For he that dissembles ungodlinesse is a traytor to God. Since therefore that the cause is Gods, I dare pr…sse forth my selfe to be an Advocate against Satan unto the rooting …ut of sinne. uPag… 64. Every member of man defiled at Playes.Are not our eyes at Playes, carryed away with the pride of vanity? our …ar…s abused with amorous, that is, lecherous, abominable and filthy speech? Is not our tong…e (which is given us onelyonly to glorifie God withall) there imployed to the blaspheming of Gods holy Name, or the commendation of that is wicked? Are not our heart… through the pleasure of the fl…sh, the delight of the eye, and the fond motions of the minde withdrawne from the service of the Lord, and the meditation of his goodnesse? zPage 89.90. to 103.No zealous heart but m…st needs bleed to see how many Christian soules are there swall…wed up in the whirlpoole of Devillish impudency. Whosoever shall visit the *Theaters the Chappels of …atan.Chappell of Satan, I meane the Theater, shall finds there no want of young Ruffians, not lacke of Harlots utterly past all shame, who presse to the forefront of the Scaffold, to the end to shew their impudency, and to be as an obiect to all mens eyes. Yea, such is their open shamelesse be…aviour, as every man may perceive by their wanton gestures wher…unto they are given: yea they seeme there to be like Brothels of the Stewes. *The open wickedn…sse of Harlots at Playes.For often without respect of the place and company which behold them, they commit that filthinesse openly, which is horrible to be done in secret, as if whatsoever they did were warranted: for neither reverence, iustice, nor any thing beside can governe them. Alas that Youth should become so devillish and voyd of the feare of God. *An admonition to Magistrates.Let Magistrates assure themselves, that without speedy redresse all things will grow so farre out of order, that they will be past remedy. Shamefulnesse and modesty is quite banished from yong men: they are utterly shamelesse, stubbo…n…, and impudent. It was well said of Calvin, that a man setled in evill will make but a mocke of Religion. He preacheth in vaine that preacheth unto the deafe. Tell many of these men of the Scripture, they will scoffe and turne it into a iest. Rebuke them for breaking the Sabbath day, they will say you are a man of the Sabbath, you are very precise, you will allow us nothing: you will have nothing but the Word of God; you will permit us no recreation, but have men like Asses, who never rest but when they are eating. Seeke to withdraw these fellowes from the Theater unto a Sermon, they will say, By the Preacher they may be edified, but by the Player both edified and delighted. So that in them the saying of Saint Paul is …rified, where he saith, yRom. 8.7…That the wisedome of the flesh is nothing but enmity against God. How small heed take they of themselves, which suffer their owne wicked affections to withdraw them from God and his Word. We need not voluntarily seek… our owne destruction. For he that is vertuously disposed shall finde lewde persons enow to withdraw him from well-doing by the promise of pleasure and delightfull pastime, whereunto we are naturally inclined unto the *Theaters the Schooles of Satan, and Chappels of ill counsell.Schoole-house of Satan, and Chappell of ill counsell, where he shall see so much iniquity and loosenesse, and so gr…at outrage and scope of sinne, that it is a wonder if he returne not either wounded in conscience, or changed in life. *Counsell to Masters.I would wish therefore all Masters not onelyonly to withdraw themselves, but their Servants also from such wicked assembl…s… For it is alwayes wisedome to shunne the occasions of evill. Youth will be withdrawne by company, if they be not restrained of their liberty. They need not seeke out for Schoole-masters, they can learne evill too fast of themselves, and are pregnant enough at home to learne unhappinesse. *Quantum à proposito suo virgo deficit, quando pudica quae venerat, impudicior discedit? Cyprian, De Habitu Virginum. p. 241.Many of nature honest and tractable, have beene altered by these sh…wes and spectacles, and become monsterous. Mans minde which of it selfe is pro…e unto vice, is not to be pricked forward unto vice, but brideled: if it be left unto it selfe, it hardly standeth; if it be driven forth, it runneth headlong. Flee farre from Babylon, yee that carry the Lords Vessels. *Rom. 6.3.Forsomuch as you are baptised into Christ, it standeth you upon to be holy both of body and minde, and to dedicate your selves to his service, which ye shall never doe, unlesse you withdraw your selves from the inticements of vanity, and eschue the occasions of evill; which that ye may the better doe, you are to fasten your eyes upon God, by whom ye are sanctified. *Ill examples to be shuned.Let not the examples of the wicked be a president unto us, neither let us be drawne away to evill with the multitude. Custome shall but make us bold in sinne, and the company of scorners make us more impudent of life. It is not enough for us to excuse our selves by the doings of other men; it will not be taken for an excuse, although we could alleage; that every man doth as we doe. For it is no meanes to acquite us before God, to say that others be no better then our selves. I would rather wish that the evill conversation of others might be an occasion to draw us backe, lest perhaps we be wrapped in the vices that raigne in all the wicked, and so be partakers of the punishment due to them. For we are not to walke as men that looke onelyonly upon the creatures, but our part is, to se… God before our …yes, whose presence we cannot possibly escape. *Motion of the body.It is marvelous to consider how the gesturing of a Player, which Tully t…rmeth, the eloquence of the body, is of force to move, and prepare a man to that which is ill. For such things are disclosed to the eye and to the eare, as might a great deale better be kept close. Whereby a double offence is committed; First, by these dissolute Players, which without regard of honesty are not ashamed to exhibite the filthiest matters they can devise to the sight of men: Secondly, by the beholders, which vouchsafe to heare and behold such fil…hy things, to the great losse both of themselves and the time. There commeth much evill in at the eares, but more at the eyes, by these two open windowes death breaketh into the soule. Nothing entreth in more effectually into the memory, thin that which commeth by seeing: things heard doe lightly passe away, but the tokens of that we have seene, saith Petrarch, stickes fast in us… whether we will or no. Many *Snares of Playes.have beene entangled with the webs of these Spiders, who would gladly have beene at liberty when they could not. The webs are so subtily spun, that there is no man that is once within them, that can avoyd them without danger. None can come within these snares that may escape untaken, be she Maide, Matron, or whatsoever… such sorce have their enchantments of pleasure to draw the affections of the minde. This inward fight (let married men consider it) hath vanquished the chastity of many women; *Loe these are the things, the lessons that men learne at Stage-playes.some by taking pitty of the deceitfull teares of the Stage-lover have beene moved by their complaint to rue on their secret friends, whom they have thought to have tasted the like torment: some having noted the ensamples how Maydens restrained from the marriage of those whom their friends have misliked, have there learned a pollicy to prevēt their parents, by stealing them away: some seeing by the ensample of the Stage-player one carryed with two much liking of another mans wife, having noted by what practise she hath beene assailed and overtaken, have not failed to put the like in effect in earnest, that was afore showne in iest. The wilinesse and craft of the Stage is not yet so great, as is that without on the Scaffolds; for that they which are evill disposed no sooner heare any thing spoken that may serve their turne, but they apply it to themselves. Alas…say they to their familiar by them, Gentlewoman, is it not pitty this passioned Lover should be so martyred? And if he finde her inclined to foolish pitty, as commonly such women are, then …e applies the matter to himselfe, and saith, that he is likewise carried away with the liking of her: craving that pitty to be extended upon him, as she seemed to shew toward the afflicted amorous Stager. These running headed Lovers are growne so perfect Schollers by long continuance at this Schoole, that there is almost no word spoken, but they can make matter of it to serve their turne. They can so surely discover the conceits of the minde, and so cunningly handle themselves, and are growne so subtile in working their matters, that neither the iealousie of Iuno, who suspecteth all things; nor the bQuid faciet custos cum sint tot in urbe Theatra? Ovid De Arte Amandi. lib. 3. p. 208.strait keeping of Danaes may debar; nor the watch…ulnesse of Argos with his hundred eyes espy. Credit me, *Flie Theaters you that would be honest.there can be found no stronger engine to batter the honesty as well of wedded Wives, as the chastity of *Sic dum ornari cultius, dum liberius evagari virgines volunt, virgines esse desinunt. Cyprian, De Habitu Virginum. Tractatus. pag. 242.unmarried Maides and Widdowes, then are the hearing of common Playes. There, wanton Wives Fables, and Pastorall songs of love, which they use in their Comicall disco…rses (all which are taken out of the secret Amory of Venus, and practising bawdery,) turne all chastity upside downe, and corrupt the good disposition and manners of youth, insomuch that it is a miracle, if there be found either any Woman or Maide which with these spectacles of strange lust, is not oftentimes inflamed even unto fury. The nature of their Comedies are, for the most part after one manner of nature, like the tragicall Comedy of Calistus, where the Bawdresse Scelestina, inflamed the Mayden Melibeia with her Sorceries. Doe we not use in these discourses to counterfeit Witchcraft, charmed drinkes, and amorous potions, thereby to draw the affections of men, and to stirre them up unto lust, to like even those whom of themselves they abhorre? The ensamples whereof stirre up the ignorant multitude to seeke by such unlawfull meanes the love and good will of others. I can tell you of a *A strange Example.Story of like practice used of late by a iealous Wife to her Husband, whose heart being, as she thought estranged, otherwise then of custome, did practise with a Sorceresse to have some powder, which might have force to renew her Husbands wonted good will towards her: but it had such a vertue in the operation, that it wel…igh brought him his bane, for his memory thereby was gone, so that if God had not dealt miraculously with him by reveiling it, it had cost him his life. The like we read of Lucullus and Lucretius, who by drinking such amorous confections lost first their wits, and afterwards their lives. The device of carrying and recarrying letters by Landresses, practising with Pedlers to transport their tokens by colourable meanes to sell their Merchandices, and other kinde of pollicies to beguile Fathers of their Children, Husbands of their Wives, Gardians of their Wards, and Masters of their Servants, i… it not aptly taught in the *He meaneth Playes who are not unfitly so called.Schoole of abuse? But hush, no more. I am sorry this Schoole is not pluckt downe, and the Schoole-masters banished this *London.Citty. Thus much I will tell them, if they suffer these Brothel-houses to continue, or doe in any wise allow them, the Lord will say unto them as the Psalmist saith. cPsal. 50.18, 21.If thou sawest a Theefe thou wentest with him, and haddest thy part with adulterers: thou hast done these things, and because I held my peace, thou hast beleeved; wicked man, that I am like unto thee: but I will accuse thee, &c. Thus farre our owne Play-poet from his owne experience. By these three severall witnesses, to which I might accumulate *See Bishop Babing…on, Master Perkins, Master Dod, Master Elton, Master Brinsly, and most other Expositors on the 7. Commandement, accordingly.infinite others, it is most apparant, that Stage-playes are the ordinary occasions of much actuall whoredome, adultery, and such like beastly lewdnesse; that they are the common Nurseries, Schooles, and Seminaries of Adulterers, Adulteresses, Whore-masters, Whores, and such polluted creatures. This therefore should cause all chaste, all sober Christians to abominate them; all Protestant States and Churches to abandon them. fBalaeus Scriptorum. Brittaniae. Centturia. 8. pag. 624. Agrippa, De Vanitate Scientiarum. cap. 64. Espen…aeus, De Continentia. lib. 3. cap. 4… Bishop Morton, in his Protestants Appeale. lib. 1. cap. 2. sect. 36. & lib. 5. cap. 9. sect. 5. where many of their owne Authors are brought in condemning them.We all condemne Pope Sixtus the IV. with the unholy holy Church of Rome, for erecting and allowing publike Stewes, which yeeld above twenty thousand Duckats of annuall revenue to the Pope his filthinesse, (for holinesse in this respect I cannot stile it,) which summe is cast up among the constant annuall revenue of the Church; whereas God himselfe gDeut. 23.18. Mich. 1.7.forbids the hire of an Whore to be cast into the Treasury of his Sanctuary. If then we all censure the Papists, and that deservedly, for tollerating, for erecting Stewes, where their Priests, their Monkes, and Friers, who have vowed perpetuall chastity (such is their hypocriticall holinesse) may recreate themselves at pleasure without any breach of vow, their owne Bishops enioyning every of them to pay an annuall pension for their Concubines, whether they use or use them not, because they may use them if they will: hSed & recentioribus temporibus Sixtus Pontifex maximus Romae nobile admodū lupanar extruxit. In Italia Romana scorta in singulas hebdomadas julium pendet Pontifici, qui census annuus nonnunquam viginti millia Ducatos excedit, adeo que Ecclesiae procerū id munus est, ut una cum Ecclesiarum proventibus etiam lenociniorum numerent mercedem. Sic enim ego illos supputantes aliquando audivi. Habet inquientes, ille duo beneficia, unum curan…um aureorum viginti, alterum prioratum ducatorum quadraginta, & tres putanas in Burdello, quae reddunt singulis hebdomadibus julios viginti. Iam vero nihilominus lenones sunt Episcopi illi & officiales, qui censum pro Concubinatu à Sacerdoribus quotannis extorquent, id que tam palàm, ut apud plebem ipsam in proverbium abirer, illa …orum Concubinaria exactio sive lenocinium quo dicunt: habeat vel non habeat, aureum solvet pro Concubina, & habeat si velit. Sed in regno avaritiae nihil turpitudini adscribitur quod lucrum pareat. Agrippa, De Vanitate Scientiarum. cap. …4. Espenc…us in Titum. cap. 1. pag. 67.68. & De Continentia. lib. 3. cap. 4.shall we our selves erect or tollerate Play-houses, which are no other iTheatrum pudoris publici lupanarium. Cyprian, De Spectaculis. lib. Theatrum proprie Veneris domus & sacrarium. Tertullian, De Spectaculis. cap. 9.10. &c. Idem vero Theatrum, idem & prostibulum, eo quod post ludos exactos meretrices ibi prosternantur. Isi…d…r Hisp. Originum. lib. 18. cap. 42. Alexander Fabritius, Destructorium Vitiorum. pars 4. c. 23. See p. 390. Theatrum publicum incontinentiae gymnasium: Babilonica fornax, &c. Chrysost. De Paenitentia Homilia. 8. Tom. 5. Col. 750. C.but a publike St…wes, a professed Brothel-house, as the recited Authors, and the Fathers stile them? God forbid. Our Religion, our God enjoyne us not to doe it, in that they command us: kExod. 20.14. Math. 5.27, 28.not to commit adultery: l1 Cor. 6.18.to flee fornication, and uncleanesse; yea, mEphes. 5.3, 4.not so much as once to name them (much lesse to act, to countenance, or propagate them) as becommeth Saints. Our Stage-playes therefore must certainely be sinnefull, and abominable even in this respect.

The Players Scourge, Part 1 · Act 6 · Scene 4

p. 376SCENA QVARTA.

SCENA QVARTA.