The Players Scourge, Dedication 2
TO THE RIGHT CHRISTIAN, GENEROVS YOVNG GENTLEMEN-Students of the 4 famous Innes of Court, and especially those of LINCOLNES INNE.
RIGHT aSumma apud Deum est nobilitas, clarum esse virtutibus. Sola apud Deum libertas est, non servire peccatis. Hierom. Epist. …4. c. 5.vertuous, pious, and most accomplished Gentlemen, the present hope, the future prop and honour of our English Nation; that cordiall longing desire of your temporall and eternall felicity, which hath a long time harboured in the very innermost receptacles of my soule, hath, as at first provoked me to pen, so now at last to publish this HISTRIO-MASTIX for your common good, which here lieth prostrate at your feet, imploring not onelyonly your naked acceptations, but your unprejudicated affections too; that so you may thorowly scan it with an impartiall scrutinie, before you preposterously fore-judge it out of a misinformed prejudice. It is not I suppose unknowne to any, bHomines vitiis suis sapientiam inscribunt, ut abscondenda profitentur. Ita non ab Epicuris impulsi luxuriantur, sed vitiis dediti luxuriam …uam in Philosophiae sinu abscondunt, et eo concurrunt, ubi audiunt laudari voluptatem; quaerentes libidinibus …uis patrocinium aliquod ac velamentum. Itaq, quod unum ha…bebant in malis bonum perdunt, peccandi verecundiam. Laudant enim ea quibus erubescebant, et vitio gloriantur: ideoque ne resurgere quidem adolescentiae licet, cum honestus turpi desidiae titulus accessit. Senec… De Vita Beata cap. 12.what favour, what estimation Playes and Players have lately purchased in the opinions and hearts of most; which I feare are so strangely forestalled, so desperately infatuated with their Syrenian enchantments, that they will hardly brooke the sight, much lesse the reading of this Play-scourging Discourse, whose very title will be a sufficient warrant for many to condemne it, if not a Supersedeas to them to peruse it: such being the froward disposition of prejudicated persons, (especially when their popular universall overspreading pleasures of sinne in which they most delight, come once to cSee August. Enarratio in Psal. 128. p. 750, 751, 752, accordingly.be controlled by some one private person, which is now the case of Stage-playes:) that let the truth be never so evident, the arguments, the authorities against them never so convincing, yet they will quite reject and precondemne them, ere they have once examined them. What therefore dOctavius, pag 96.Minucius Felix, that famous Christian Lawyer, and eDe Idolorum Vanitate Tract.St. Cyprian complained of long since, against the Pagans of their age, in the name of all the Christians: Sic occupant animos et obstruunt pectora, ut ante nos incipiant homines odisse quam nosse, ne cognitos aut imitari possint, aut damnare non possint: Or what fApologia advers. Gentes, c. 1, 2.Tertullian writes in the selfesame case; Nolunt audire quod auditum damnare non possint. Malint nescire, quia jam oderint, adeo quod nesciunt praejudicant id esse, quod si sciant odisse non poterant, quando si nullum odij debitum depraehendatur, optimum utique si…, desinere injustè odisse. Quid vero iniquius, quam ut oderint homines quod ignorant, etiamsi res meretur odium? Tunc etenim meretur cum cognoscitur an mereatur. Vacante autem meriti notitia, unde odij justitia defenditur? quae non de eventu, sed de conscientia probanda est, &c. Or what gDe Iustitia l. 5. c 1.Lactantius of olde lamented upon the like occasion: Student damnare tanquam nocentes quos utique sciunt innocentes; itaque constare de ipsa innocentia nolunt; quasi vero major iniquitas sit probatam innocentiam damnare quā inauditam: the same I feare may be the just complaint of this my HISTRIO-MASTIX now… Many, I doubt, will censure, if not exclaime against it ere they reade it;hOmnis enim malus ideo persequitur bonū, quia non illi consentit bonus ad malum. Facia… aliquid mali, non obiurget Episcopus, bonus est Episcopus, obiurget Episcopus, malus est Episcopus… Sonat verbum, sonat sermo contradictor libidinis. At ille amicus libidinis suae, et inimicus sermoni contradicenti amicae suae, infestus est, et odit sermonem Dei. August. Enarratio in Ps. 128, Tom. 8. pars …, p. 751. Vid. Ibid. because it reprehends their vices: and some perchance will purposely disdaine to cast their eyes upon it, for feare they should approve it, at leastwise be unable to controll it. But however others may chance thus ignorantly or maliciously to forejudge it; yet I hope it shall finde no such ungenteile discourteous entertainment frō you deare fellow-Brethren, whose generous ingenuous education hath taught you thus much courtesie, whose religion and profession have learned you this good Lesson; to heare and know, before you sentence: since Gods Law, & ours too, *Iohn 7.51.doth not judge any man, before it heare him, and know what he doth. What iSeneca, Medea, Act. 2, f. 145.Medea therefore requested of Creon; Si judicas, cognosce: or what kEpistola 110.Seneca desired of his friend Lucilius; Adhibe diligentiam tuam, et intuere quid sint res nostrae, non quid vocentur; shall be my present suite to you;*Legant prius et poste… despiciant, ne videantur non ex iudicio sed ex odii praesumptione ignorata damnare. Hier…n. Apologia advers R…finū, l. 3. c. 9, p. 2…1. to peruse my HISTRIO-MASTIX first, and then to censure it as you finde it. Perchance it may seeme some Paradox, some meere fantastique Novalty, or strang… Monster at the first in this Play-admiring age; wherein most men like the lActs 17.18, 19, 20. See Chrysostome, Theophylact, HRabanus Maurus, & Lyra, Ibidem.Athenian Epicurean Stoicke Philosophers, who encountred S. Paul, will be ready to demand in scorne, What will this Babler say? May we know what this new doctrine whereof thou speakest is? for thou bringest certaine strange things to our eares; wee would therfore know what these things meane. But if you will doe it so much honour as considerately to revolve it, you shall finde it to containe nought else but resolved, uniuersally receiued ancient (though now forgotten) truthes; so farre from any suspicion of factious Novalty, or puritanicall singularity, that they have the concurrent testimonies, the unanimous resolutions of mSee Act. 7, Scene 1, here p. 545.sundry sacred texts of Scripture, of the nSee Act. 7, Scene 2, p. 551, & Act. 6, Scene 3, 4, 5.whole primitive Church and Saints of God, both before and under the Law and Gospell; oSee Act. 7, Scene 3, p. 570, to 668…the Canons of 55 severall oecumenicall, nationall, provinciall Synods and Councels of divers ages and Countries: together with the canonicall, the imperiall Constitutions of the Apostles themselves, of Emperours, Popes and other Bishops, pSee Act. 7, Scene 4, p. 668, &c. & Act. 6, Scene 3, 4, 5.the workes of 71 Fathers and ancient Christian Writers of chiefest note, from our Saviours Nativity to the yeare 1200. the suffrages qSee Act. 7, Scene 5, p. 688, & Act. 6, Scene 3, 4, 5.of above 150 Christian Authors of all sorts, from the yeare 1200 to this present; the sentence of rSee Act. 6, Scene 3, 4, 5. & Act. 7, Scene 6. p. 70…, &c.40 Heathen Philosophers, Orators, Historians, Poets; together with the Play-condemning tSee Act. 6, Scene 5… p. 455, to 473. & Act. 7, Scene 7. p. 713… &c.Lawes and Edicts of sundry Christian, yea Pagan Nations, Republikes, Emperours, Princes, Magistrates in severall ages; with the uSee Act. …, Scene 5 p. 485, to 498. Act. 7, Scene 5, & 7. p. 715, 716.Statutes, Magistrates, Vniversities, Writers and Preachers of our owne renowned Kingdome; to back, to second them in all particulars; who all have long since passed this heavie Censure against Stage-playes: that they are the xSe… here p. 42… to 62. Act. 6, Scene 12. p. 522, to 525. & Act. 7. Scene 2. p. 561, to …68.very workes, the pompes, inventions and chiefe delights of the Divell, which all Christians solemnly abjure in their baptisme:ySee Act. 6… Scene 5. p. 447, &c. the most pestilent corruptions of all mens (especially young mens) minds & manners; zSee Act. 6. throughout.the chiefe fomenters of all vice and wickednesse; the greatest enemies of all vertue, grace and goodnesse; the most mischievous plagues that can be harboured in any Church or State; yea lewd infernall pastimes not tollerable among Heathens, not sufferable in any well-ordered Christian Republike; not once to be haunted or applauded by any civill vertuous persons, who are either mindfull of their credits, or of their owne salvation. Which as it controlls the grosse mistake of divers voluptuous paganizing Christians in our dayes, who dote on Stage-playes as the most laudable, generous, if not necessary recreations; so it should now at last ingage all Christians for ever to abandon them; as the aSee Act. 4. Scene 1, 2. Act. 6, S…ene 3, 4, 5, 12, 20. Act. 7. Scene 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. accordingly.very best of Saints, of Pagans have done in former ages. Alas, what goodnesse, what profit doe men reape from Stage-playes, that should any way ingage their affection… to them? Doe bSee Act. 7, Scene 3, 4, 5.they not enrage their lusts, adde fire and fewell to their unchast affections; cSee Act. 6, Scene 5.deprave their minds, corrupt their manners, dSee Act: 6, Scene 12, 18, 20.cauterize their consciences, obdurate their hearts, multiply their heinous transgressions,eSee Act: 6, Scene 1, 2. Haec mala dedecoris impie…atisque plenissima, adorentur in templis, ride…antur in theatris, cum his victimas immolant, vastetur pecus etiam pauperum; cū haec histriones agunt et saltant… effundan…ur patrimonia divitum. Aug: Epist: 202, Tom: 2, p: 953. consume their estates, mispend their time,fSee Actus 6, throughout. canker their graces, blast all their vertues, interrupt their studies, indispose them to repentance and true godly sorrow for their sinnes; make all Gods ordinances ineffectuall to their spirituall good, draw downe the guilt of sundry Play-house abominations on their persons, incorporate them into lewd ungodly company, and without repentance damne their soules… Doe gSee Act: 3, 6, & 7, throughout accordingly.they not dishonour their most holy God, abuse their most blessed Saviour sundry wayes, blaspheame and grieve Gods holy spirit, prophane the sacred Scriptures and the name of God, deride and jeare religion, holinesse, vertue, temperance, grace, goodnesse, with all religious, vertuous persons, advance the Divels scepter, service, kingdome, by sowing, by cherishing the seedes of atheisme, heathenisme, prophanesse, incontinency, voluptuousnes, idlenes, yea, of all kind of wickednes both in their Actors and Spectators hearts? How many thousands have Stage-playes drawne on to sinne, to lewdnesse, to all sorts of vice, and a… last sunke downe to hell, with the weight of those prodigious evills which they had quite avoided, had they not haunted Play-houses? How many Novices and Youngsters have beene corrupted, debauched, and led away captive by the Divel, by their owne outragious lusts, *See Act. 6, Scene 3, 4, 5.by Panders, Players, Bawdes, Adulteresses, Whores, and other lewd companions, who had continued studious, civill, hopefull, towardly and ingenious, had they not resorted unto Stage-playes, the originall causes of their dolefull ruine? which bring no other benefit to their Actors, their Spectators at the last, but this, hSee Act. 6, Scene 12, 18, 19, 20.to post them merrily on to hell with a greater loade of soule-condemning sinnes; iHieron… Epist: 3, cap: 3.quasi vivendi sensum ad hoc tantum acceperant ut perirent; as if they had received life for no other purpose, but to worke out their owne eternall death, which needes no other instruments to effect it, than lewd lascivious Enterludes. O therefore (deare Brethren) as you tender Gods honour… the publike welfare, or your owne soules safety, abominate these glittering gawdy pompous snares, these kSee Act: 8, Scene 5, p: 789 &c.sugered poysoned potions of the Divell, by which he cunningly endeavours your destruction when as you least suspect it: and if any of you have formerly frequented Stage-playes, either out of lAdhuc enim non pueritia in nobis est, sed quod est gravius, puerili…as remanet: et hoc quidem peius est, quod auctorita…em habemus senum, vitia puerorum, nec puerorum tantum, sed infantium. Seneca Epist: 4.childish vanity, or injudicious ignorance of their oft-condemned mischievous lewd effects; or through the mArbitror es…e hic nonnullos quos amici sui volebant rapere ad Circum, ad theatrum, et ad nescio quas hodiernae festivitatis nugas. Forte ipsi illos adduxerunt ad Ecclesiam: sed sive ipsi illos adduxerunt, sive ab iis ad Circum adduci non potuerunt, in aqua contradictionis probatisunt: August: Enar: in Psal. 80, Tom. …, pars 2, p. 8.over-pressing importunity of voluptuous carnall acquaintance; or by reason of that popular erronious good opinion which our wicked times conceive of Stage-playes which humour them in their lusts; or because such nIn vitia alter alterum trudimus: Quomodo autem ad salutem revocari possint, quos iam nemo retinet, populus impellit? Seneca, Epist: 41.multitudes resort now daily to them, that they carry one another headlong to these sinfull pleasures without any sense of danger, or hopes of reformation; be you henceforth truly penitent for what is past, oAugust. Enarratio …n in Psal. 84, p. 55.Quem delectaba… spectare, delectet orare; quem delectabant cantica nugatoria et adulterina, delectet hymnum dicere Deo, currere ad Ecclesiam, qui primo currebat ad theatrum: as St. Augustine sweetly councels: and wholly abandon them for all future time. And so much the rather, that you may now at last falsifie that ignominious Censure which some English Writers in their printed Workes have passed upon Innes of Court Students; of whom they record… pSee Earles Character of a Player, Charact. 38. & Sir Thomas Overbury his Character of an Innes of Court man, accordingly.That Innes of Court men were undone but for Players; that they are their chiefest guests and imployment, & the sole busines that makes them afternoons men: that this is one of the first things they learne as soone as they are admitted, to see Stage-playes, qBishop Halls Epistles Decad. 6, Epistle 6. Mr. Bolton his generall Directions for our comfortable walking with God, p. 73, 74; here p. 364, 365 Stephen Gosson his Epistle to the Right Worshipfull Gentlemen & Students of both Vniversities and the Innes of Court prefixed to his Playes confuted in five Actions.& take smoke at a Play-house, which they commonly make their Studie; where they quickly learne to follow all fashions, to drinke all Healths, to weare favours and good cloathes, to consort with ruffianly companions, to sweare the biggest oaths, to quarrell easily, fight desperately, game inordinately, to spend their patrimony ere it fall, to use gracefully some gestures of apish complement, to talke irreligiously, to dally with a Mistresse, and hunt after harlots, to prove altogether lawlesse in steed of Lawyers, and to forget that little learning, grace and vertue which they had before: so that they grow at last pas… hopes of ever doing good, either to the Church, their Country, their owne or others soules. Which heavie Censure, if any dissolute Play-haunters have justly occasioned heretofore, to the dishonour of those famous Law-Societies wherein they live, I hope their subsequent reformation will reverse it now; that so all England may henceforth experimentally discerne, that Stage-Playes and Actors are as well condemned, detested by her Lawyers, as by rSee here pag. 492, to 498her Lawes and Statutes, which brand all Stage-playes for unlawfull pastimes; all common Actors, for notorious Rogues; too base Companions for generous spirits to beholde or dance attendance on, who were created for more noble objects, more sublime imployments than base infamous Enterludes, or most abject Players. O therefore let the serious consideration of your owne native generositie, of your heroicke Studies, elevated with the sublimer contemplations of your transcendent Christian Nobility; which makes you sRom. 8.17heires of heaven, coheires with Christ, yea,tRevel. 1.6. 1 Pet. 2.5. Kings and Priests unto God your Father, (who hath not onelyonly uHebr. 2.7, 9. 1 Pet. 5.4.crownes of glory, but likewise an xLuke 12.32. 1 Thes. 2.12. Hebr. 12.28. Iames 2.5.heavenly eternall Kingdome to bestow upon you) raise up your depressed mindes and thoughts so farre above these earthly childish vanities, as with a kinde of holie magnanimitie to trample them under feete yHebr. 11, 25as drossie filthie pleasures, unworthy any Christians presence, much lesse his approbation, who hath farre better, farre sublimer spectacles to beholde; even those which I shall here commend unto you in Cyprians words, in his elegant Booke against Stage-playes: zDe Spectaculis lib. Tom. 2, p. 244, 245. See Augustine Enarratio in Psal. 39, Tom. 8, pars 1, p. 416 417, 418. De Symbolo ad Catechumenos l. 2, Tom. 9, pars 1, p. 1393, here p. 345, to 347; & Tertullian de Spectaculis, c. 28, 29, &c. to the like purpose.Habet Christianus Spectacula meliora, si velit; habet veras et profuturas voluptates, si se recollegerit, et ut omittam illa, quae nondum contemplari potest, habet istam mundi pulchritudinem, quam videat atque miretur; solis ortum aspiciat, rursus occasum, mutuis vicibus dies noctesque revocantem, globum lunae, temporum cursus incrementis suis, decrementisque signantem, astrorum micantium choros, et à summo de summa mobilita…e fulgentes, anni totius per membra divisa, et dies ipsos cum noctibus per horarum spatia digestos, et terrae molem libratam cum montibus, et proflua …lumina cum suis fontibus, extensa maria cum suis fluctibus atque littoribus: Interim constantem pariter summa conspiratione nexibusque concordiae, extensum aërem medium tenuitate sua cuncta vegetantem, nunc imbres contractis nubibus profundentem, nunc serenitatem refecta raritate revocantem, et in omnibus istis incolas proprios, in aëre avem, in aquis piscem, in terra hominem. Haec inquam, et alia opera divina, sint Christianis fidelibus Spectacula. Quod theatrum humanis manibus extructum istis operibus poterit comparari? magnis licet lapidum molibus extruatur, crusta sunt montium; et auro licet …ecta lucanaria reluceant, astrorum fulgore vincentur: nunquam humana opera mirabitur quisquis se cognoscerit filiū Dei. Dejicit se de culmine generositatis suae qui admirari aliquid post Deum potest. *Therefore every Christian though a Layman ought t… reade the Scriptures.Scripturis in quam sacris incumbat Christianus: (let Papists, and those who are given so much to Play-bookes co… sider this:) ibi invenie… condigna fidei Spectacula. Videbit instituentem Deum mundum suum, et cum caeteris animalibus hominis illā admirabilem fabricam melioremque facientem: spectabit mundum in delicijs suis, …justa naufragia, piorum praemia, impiorumque supplicia: maria populo sicca…a, et de pe…ra rursus populo maria por…ecta: spectabit de coelo descendentes messes, non ex areis: inspiciet flumina transitus siccos refraenatis aquarum agminibus exhibentia: videbit in quibusdam fidem cum igne luctuantem: religione superatas feras, et in mansuetudinem conversas: intuebitur et animas ab ipsa morte revocatas: considerabit etiam de sepulchris admirabiles ipsorum consummatorū jam vitas corporum redactas: et in his omnibus jam majus videbit Spectaculum, Diabolum illum qui totum detriumphaverat mundum, sub pedibus Christi jacentem. Quàm hoc decorum Spectaculum Fratres? quàm jucundum? quàm necessarium? intueri semper spem …nam, et oculos aperire ad salutem suam. Hoc est spectaculum quod videtur etiam luminibus amissis. Hoc est spectaculum, quod non exhibet Praetor, au… Consul, sed qui est solus et ante omnia, et super omnia, immo ex quo omnia, Pater Domini nostri Iesu Christi, cui laus et honor in saecula saeculorum. These (my beloved Brethren) are the true celestiall worthie Spectacles of every pious Christian: O let your hearts, your mindes, your affections, your eyes and eares be wholly ravished and taken up with these, which will onelyonly bring true comfort to our soules. Let mee therefore …lose up my Epistle to you with St. Augustines words: *Enarratio in Psal. 80, & 81. Tō. 8, pars 2, p. 1, 18.Intendite ad magna haec spectacula. Ista sunt spectacula utilia, salubria, aedificantia non destruentia, imò et destruentia et aedificantia: Destruentia recentes Deos, aedificantia fidem in verum et aeternum Deum: Let other men therefore who love their Stage-playes *2 Tim. 3.4better than their God, their soules, resort to Theatres whiles they please; (*August. Enar. in Psal 81. p. 18 Illi habeant mare in theatro; nos habeamus portum in Christo:) but let Christ Iesus be your *Ephes. 1.23. 1 Cor. 15.28.all in all, your onelyonly solace, your onelyonly Spectacle, and joy on earth, whose soule-ravishing heart-filling presence, shall be your eternall solace, your everlasting *1 Cor. 13.12. 1 Iohn 3.2 Rev. 21.22, 23.visible all-glorious most triumphant Spectacle in the highest heavens; whither God bring us all at length for this his Sonne and mercies sake. Amen.
Your loving Christian Friend, and Brother to command: WILLIAM PRYNNE.