The Anatomy of Abuses, Preface – Poem 4
A PREFACE TO THE READER.
I Thought it conuenient (good Reader, who soeuer thou art, yt shalt read these my poore laboures) to admonish thée (least haply yu mightest take my woords otherwise than I meant them) of this one thing: That wheras in the processe of this my booke, I hauehave intreated of certen exercyses, vsually practised amongest vsus, as namely of Playes and Enterludes, of dauncing, gaming, and such other like: I would not hauehave thée so, to take mée, as though my speaches tended, to the ouerthrowe and vtter disliking of all kynd of exercyses in generall: that is nothing my simple meaning. But the particulare Abuses, which are crept into eueryevery one of these seuerall exercyses, is the onelyonly thing, which I think worthie of reprehension.
For, otherwise (all Abuses cut away) who séeth not, yt some kind of playes, tragedies and enterluds in their own nature, are not onelyonly of great anciētie, but also very honest and very commendable exercyses, being vsed and practised in most Christian common weales, as which containe matter (such they may be) both of doctrine, erudition, good example and wholsome instruction? And may be vsed in tyme and place conuenient, as conducible to example of life and reformation of maners. For such is our grosse & dull nature, that what thing we sée opposite before our eyes, …o pearce further, and printe déeper in our harts …nd minds, than that thing, which is hard onelyonly with the eares, as Horace, the hethen Poët can witnesse. Segnius irritant animum, dimissa per aures, quàm quae sunt hominum occulis obiecta. So, that when honest & chast playes, tragedies, & enterluds, are vsed to these ends, for the Godly recreatiō of the mind, for the good example of life, for the auoyding of that, which is euill, and learning of that which is good, thā are they very tollerable exercyses. But being vsed (as now commonly they be) to the prophanation of the Lord his sabaoth, to the alluring and inuegling of the People from the blessed word of God preached, to Theaters and vnclean assemblies, to ydlenes, vnthriftynes, whordome, wantōnes, drunkēnes, and what not? and which is more, when they are vsed to this end, to maintaine a great sort of ydle Persons, doing nothing, but playing and loytring, hauing their lyuings of the sweat of other Mens browes, much like vntounto dronets deuouring ye swéet honie of ye poore labouring bees, than are they exercyses (at no hand) sufferable. … But being vsed to the ends that I hauehave said, they are not to be disliked of any sober, and wise Christian.
And as concerning dauncing, I wold not hauehave thée (good Reader) to think that I condemne the exercyse it self altogether, for I know the wisest Sages and the Godlyest Fathers and Patriarches that euer liued, hauehave now and than vsed the same, as Dauid, Salomon, and many others: but my woords doo touch & cōcerne the Abuses thereof onelyonly. As being vsed vppon the Sabaoth day, from morning vntill night, in publique assemblies and frequencies of People, Men & women together, with pyping, fluting, dromming, and such like inticements to wantonnesse & sin, together with their leapinges, skippings, & other vnchast gestures, not a few. Being vsed, or rather abused in this sort, I vtterly discommend it.
But vppon the otherside, being vsed in a mans priuat-chamber, or howse for his Godly solace, and recreation in the feare of GOD, or otherwise abroade with respect had to the time, place and persons, it is in no respect to be disalowed.
And wheras I speake of gaming, my meaning is not, that it is an exercise altogether vnlawful. For, I know that one Christian may play with another, at any kind of Godly, honest, ciuile game, or exercise, for the mutuall recreation one of the other, so that they be not inflamed with coueitousnes, or desire of vnlawfull gaine: for the cōmaundemēt saith, thou shalt not couet: wherfore, if any be voide of these affections, playing rather for his Godly recreation, than for desire of filthie lucre, he may vse the same in the feare of God: yet so as the vse therof be not a let, or hinderance vntounto him, to any other Godly exploit.
But, if a man make (as it weare) an occupation of it, spending both his tyme and goods therein, frequenting, gaming howses, bowling allyes, and such other places, for gréedinesse of lucre, to him it is an exercise altogether discommendable and vnlawfull. Wherfore, as these be exercyses lawfull, to them that know how to vse them in the feare of GOD, so are they practises at no hand sufferable to them that abuse thē, as I hauehave shewed. But take away the abuses, the thinges in themselues are not euill, being vsed as instruments to Godlynes, not made as spurres vntounto vice. There is nothing so good, but it may be abused, yet because of ye abuses, I am not so strict, that I wold hauehave the things, themselues remooued, no more than I wold meat and drinke, beit is abused, vtterly to be taken away.
And wheras also I hauehave spoken of the excesse in Apparell, and of the Abuse of the same, as wel in men, as in women generally, I wold not be so vnderstood, as though my speaches extēded, to any, either noble, honorable, or worshipful: for, I am so farre from once thinking that any kind of sumptuous, or gorgeous attire is not to be worn of any of them, as I suppose them rather Ornaments in them, than otherwise.
And that they both may, and for some respects, ought to were such attire (their birthes callings, functions and estats requiring the same) for causes in this my Booke laid downe, as maye appeare, and for the distinction of them from the inferiour sorte, it is prouable both by the Woord of GOD, Ancient Writers, and common practise of all ages, People and Nations, from the beginning of the World, to this day.
And therfore, when I speake generally of the excesse of Apparell, my meaning is of the inferiour sorte onelyonly, who for the most parte do farre surpasse, either noble, honorable, or worshipfull, ruffling in Silks, Ueluets, Satens, Damasks, Taffeties, Gold, Siluer, and what not? with their swoords, daggers, and rapiers guilte, and reguilte, burnished, and costly ingrauen, with all things els, that any noble, honorable, or worshipfull Man doth, or may weare, so as the one cannot easily be discerned from the other.
These be the Abuses, that I speake of, these be the euills, that I lament, and these be the persons that my words doo concerne, as the tenure of my Booke consideratly wayed, to any indifferent READER doth purport.
This much I thought good (Gentle Reader) to informe thee of, for thy better instruction, as well in these few points, as in all other the like, whersoeuer they shall chaunce to occurre in my Booke. Beseaching thée, to construe al things to the best, to beare with the rudenes therof, and to giuegive the same thy good-woord, and gentle acceptaunce. And thus in the LORD, I bid thée, farewell.
Thyne to vse in the Lord, PHILLIP Stubbes.
Phillippus Stubeus CANDIDO LECTORI.
OFfendit nimia te garrulitate libellus
fortè meus, Lector miror id ipse nihil.
Obsitus est etenim verborū colluuione
plusquàm vandalica, rebus & insipidis.
Quare si sapias operam ne perdito post hac
nostra legendo, legas vtiliora, vale.
¶Idem in Zoilum.
ZOILE cum tanta rabie exardescis in omnes,
nō aliter rabidus, quàm solet ipse canis:
Dent… Theonino rodens alios, calamoque,
incessens hos, qui nil, nocuere tibi:
Vipeream in cunctos vibrans O Zoile linguam,
linguam quā inficiunt toxica dira tuam:
Cum Debacchandi sinis …it Zoile nullus,
hora quieta tibi nullaque praetereat:
Cum tumeas veluti ventrosus ZOILE bufo,
demiror medius quòd minus ipse crepes.
¶Aliud in eundem.
Daemones ad tetrum descendat Zoilus antrum,
hunc lacerent furiae, Cerborus ore voret▪
Imprecor at misero quid paenas, cui satis intus?
daemona circumfert pectore namque suo.
¶Eiusdem aliud.
Si tibi prolixus nimium liber iste videtur
pauça legas, poterit sic liber e…e breuis.
A. D. In cōmendation of the Author and his Booke.
IF Mortall-man may challenge prayse,
For any thing done in this lyfe:
Than may our Stubbes, at all assayes,
Inioy the same withouten stryfe.
Not onelyonly for his Godly zeale,
And Christian life accordinglie:
But also for this booke in sale,
Heare present, now before thine eye:
Herein the Abuses of these dayes,
As in a glasse thou mayest behold:
Oh buy it than, hear what he sayes,
And giuegive him thankes an hundred sold.
I. F. In Commendation of the AVTHOR and his Booke.
SHall men prophane, who toyes hauehave writ,
And wanton pamphlets store,
Which onelyonly tend to noorish vice:
And wickednes the more,
Deserue their praise, and for the same,
Accepted be of all,
And shall not this our AVTHOR than
Receiue the Lawrell pall?
Who for good will in sacred brest
He beares to natiue soyle,
Hath published this Godly Booke,
With mickle paine and toyle.
Wherein, as in a Mirrour pure
Thou mayest behold and see,
The vices of the World displayed
Apparent to thy eye.
He flattereth none, as most men do,
In Hope to game a price:
But shewes to all their wickednesse,
And Gods diuyne Iustice.
A Godlyer booke was neuer made,
Nor meeter for these dayes:
Oh read it than▪ thank GOD for it,
Let T'HAVTOR hauehave his praise.
THE AVTHOR AND HIS BOOKE.
NOw hauing made thée, seelie booke,
and brought thée to this frame:
Full loth I am to publish thee,
lest thou impaire my name.
The Booke.
Why so? good Maister, what's the cause,
why you so loth should be,
To send mée foorth into the World,
my fortune for to trye?
The Author.
This is the cause, for that I know,
the wicked thou wilt moue,
And eke because thy ignoraunce:
is such, as none can louelove.
The Booke.
I doubt not, but all Godly Men,
will louelove and like mée well,
And for the other I care not,
in pride although they swell.
The Author.
Thou art also no lesse in thrall,
and subiect eueryevery way:
To MOMVS and to ZOILVS crew,
who'le dayly at thée bay.
The Booke.
Though MOMVS rage, and Zoilus carpe:
I feare them not at all,
The Lord my GOD in whom I trust,
shall soone cause them to fall.
The Author.
Well, …th thou wouldest so faine be gone,
I can thée not withhold:
Adieu therfore, GOD be thy speade,
And blesse thée a hundred fold.
The Booke.
And you also good Maister mine,
GOD blesse you with his grace:
Preserue you still, and graunt to you
In Heauen a dwelling place.