The Use and Abuse of Dancing, To the reader
❧To the Chriſtian Reader.
THat I, who am as I am. Vndertake this mater (good Chriſtian) when other of our Engliſh Nation, wryting both learnedly with iudgement, and zealouſly with knowledge, againſt diuerſe and ſundry abuſes crept in amongſt vsus, nothing or very lytle handle the ſame, may to many perhaps, who are lyghtly wayed to the worſe parte, offer occaſion of this common obiection: What meaneth he to medle with this thing, ſeeing hee ſéeth others holde their peace? what? thinketh he if it were ſo neceſſarie and néedefull a thing to bée publiſhed in print, that among ſo many Bookes, there ſhoulde bée none, or nothing in them ſet foorth? This kinde of cauell, becauſe I ſée it firſt & moſt of all others in the mouthes of many, it ſéemed not therefore to mée a myſſe at the firſt to méete herewith: aſwell to remoue the ſiniſter opinion they conceaue (I dare ſay) of the godly, as alſo the preiudiciall verdite this maye bréede vppon this my true, though not trimme ſtyle of wryting. Whether there bée not diuerſe that hauehave writtē fréely & franklie againſt the abuſe of Dauncing, not onelyonly in the Latin and French, but likewiſe in our mother tongue: who wyll plucke the beame out of his eyes, maye ſoone eſpie. But why our late learned men hauehave not purpoſely penned ſome péece of work, (if it be long agoe or lytle, theſe men forget it, or neuer ſée it) foraſmuch as it may be imputed to the want, neyther of wyll nor abilitie, to what it maye bee, I certainly know not: for who knoweth what things are in man, ſauing God and the ſpirit in him) yet to vſe a probable coniecture, I take the occaſion to be in theſe vertuous perſons: Becauſe God hath eyther geuen thē the peaceable ſtate of Salomon, yt they néede not come forth into the fielde: or if not the peaceable ſtate, yet the ready yéelding of the people vnderunder EZra, that there required no aſſaulte to be geuen: or if not the ready yéelding, yet the ſpeedy conqueſt of captaine Ioſua, that the onelyonly certayne ſounde of the Trumpe, the ſcripture hath ouerthrowne the walles of Iericho: and the walles ouerthrown, the bright Lamps of the goſpell ſo ſhined out of their earthē veſſelles, that the eyes of the aduerſaries wer in ſuch ſort daſeled, that Phineas with his ſpeare thruſt this Madianitishe woman cleane thorow: or if none of all theſe come to paſſe, (as oft times for the aboundaunce of our iniquityes in theſe latter dayes they doo not) yet becauſe God hath ſent them a Moyſes zelouſe in his cauſe,Exo. 32.19 to put downe ſuch outragious paſtime, that theyr ſhoulders are eaſed of this heauye burthen. But wyll ſome Saloms ſay, this compariſon you make betwéene vsus, & the chyldren of Iſrael, is odious. Farre bée it from vsus, that our diſporte ſhould be lyke, or lykened vntounto theyre. Whether there be ſuch diſſolute diſportes in all places or no, I am vtterly ignoraunt, and God for byd there ſhoulde: Neyther include I in this my compariſon all manner of daunces, no more then mine Author doth, and ſo I beſéeche thée (gentle Reader) interprete both our meanings. But truely to reporte what I hauehave hearde with myne eares, ſéene with mine eyes, and myne handes hauehave as it were handled, I ſée no cauſe why ours & theirs may not iuſtlye hée coupled together.
Theyrs (who knoweth not) tended to the diſhonouring of God: and to tell thée how many wayes God is diſhonored by ours: I maye deale with thée, as the ſpyrite of the Lord dealt with the Prophet Ezechiel. Sonne of man, beholde the abhominations flowing out of this filthy fountaine. Math. 12.36.For euerye ydle worde that man shall ſpeake, shall he geue accoumpt at the daye of iudgement: And whether at this playe, there bée any other almoſt, then ydle wordes vttered, if man wyll not, I call heauen and earth to wytneſſe. But yet turne thée, and thou ſhalt ſée greater abhominatiōs then this. That fylthy cōmunication proceede not out of our mouthes, Eph. 4.29 &. 5.3.but that whiche is good to the vſe of edifying, that no vncleannes be once named amongſt vsus, as it becommeth Saints: neither fylthines, neither foolish talking, neither ieſting, which are things not comely, but rather geuing of thanks, we are by the Apoſtle charged. And whether at theſe meetinges, theſe thinges bée not commonly vſed: notwithſtanding, wée finde them forbidden vsus by Gods worde: if the offendours wyll not geue glorie to the Lord God of Iſrael, by making confeſſion of their faultes, I appeale to theyr conſcience, bearing them wytneſſe, & theyr thoughts accuſing one another, or excuſing. But yet turne thée, and thou ſhalte ſee greater abhominations then theſe. Chriſte condempneth him of adulterye, that looking vppon a woman luſteth after her:Mat. 5.28 but quallyfying the condempnation of adulterye, becauſe the Lawe of man requyreth ſo precyſe profe: yet howe the lookes are a prouocation therevnto, beléeue the Wyſe man, and followe his good counſell. Vſe not the company of a woman that is a ſinger, and a dauncer, neyther heare her: Eccle. 9.4.leaſt thou be taken in her craftineſſe. Gaze not on a Mayde, that thou fall not by that, that is precious in her. The ſonnes of God gazed on the daughters of men, Gene. 6.and ſeeing them fayre, tooke them wiues of all that they lyked. Therefore the Lorde ſayde: my ſpirite shall not alwayes ſtriue with man, becauſe hee is but fleshe, his dayes shall be an hundered and twentye yeares.
Nowe of thoſe gazinges what became? Vnlawfull copulations. Of theſe copulations what? myghty men, and of great renowne, who vſurped aucthoritie ouer others, and degenerated from the ſimplicitie of theyr forefathers. Of theſe men what? they were myſerably drowned in the great deluge. Beholde of this ſmall ſparkle, what raging fyre of concupiſcence flameth: & ſée of this lytle droppe what a wonderfull huge water falleth frō out the windowes of Heauen, and iſſueth from the bowels of the earth, to quenche this furious fyre, and that about the beginning of Maie, when all things floriſh. You O ye ſonnes of men kéepe company with dauncing Damſels, you gaze vponupon them in the monethmonth of Maie: beware, you heare out of Gods owne mouth, what euyll endes enſue. A wyſe man wyll not enter the brimmes of daungerous depths, leaſt he ſoddainly ſlippe ouer headde and eares: Theſe be the brimmes, come not nighe them my beloued, (you are not, I feare mée, all Ioſephs) come not nigh them. For though the Rainebow be a certaine ſigne, that neyther of the Heauen aboue, nor of the earth beneath, the water wyll deſtroy you: yet wyll there fyre deſcend from the throane of the almighty Iehouah & with brimſtone aſcende out of the fiery lake,Reuel. 21.8 to bée a portion for them that procéede to the ende of theſe beginninges.
But yet turne thée & thou ſhalt ſée greater abhominations then theſe. Idleneſſe, and Pride, two notable vices ſpring alſo herehence, as the maſters of many, for the one, who ſee it by experience in theyr buſineſſe: And for the other theyr gaye geare aboue their degrée & habilitie, their prowde behauiour and wordes towards their betters, their rude maners towards their elders, well wytneſſe and declare. The chyldren of Iſraelles dauncing was done to the golden Calfe, and therefore Idolatry: oures though to tearme it Idolatry, would ſéeme to ſome, not ſo ſtraūge as vntrue, yet in diuerſe qualities dot hit agrée therewith.
The Apoſtle calleth a couetous perſon an Idolater,Ephe. 5.5. not becauſe he cauſeth an Idoll to be made and ſet vp, that bée might adore and worſhip the ſame: but becauſe he ſerueth Mammon, and who ſo ſerueth Mammon, cannot ſerue God, and who ſo ſerueth his ryches, whē they ſhould ſerue him, is an Idolater. In lyke ſorte, who ſo leaueth the ſeruice of God, to ſerue his dauncing, & who ſo taketh more delyght in the ſtrength of his legges, agilitie, and nimbleneſſe of his ioyntes, then in the Goſpel of Chriſt: let the Apoſtles ſentēce-iudge what he is, and for my parte, I ſay nothing, but that ſuch abuſe hath béene amongſt vsus. Notwithſtanding, if a Chriſtian once creke againſt theſe workes of the fleſh, and with as gentle wordes & mylde meanes, as poſſible he may deuiſe, ſéeke to ſuppreſſe them: Whē as the very Heathens reprehend it with ſharpe tearmes, accoumpting the vſers therof wāton, vnhoneſt, vnchaſte, vnſober, madde, & worthy great reproche: And when the faithful fathers going ſomwhat rounder to work, call it deuylliſh, with other lyke phraſes, as appeareth in the Tracte following: with cheſe colours, when theſe men blaſe theſe abuſes: if nowe a dayes, I ſaye, one doo but cypher, he is ſure ſtrayght wayes to be aſſayed with the Phariſées weapōs: eyther with ouer curious reaſons of mās deuyce, impertinent and wreſted places of Scriptures, friuolous and fruitleſſe queſtions: or if theſe preuayle not, then with iniurious and vniuſt ſclanders: firſt for the firſt ſorte, to touch onelyonly thoſe, eyther vnremēbred, or as it is more lykely not at all vttered in mine Aucthors daies, or at leaſt thoſe, which he not vponupon want of knowledge, but vpō hope he had wrote inough (as in déede inough for any reaſonable man) wyttinglye (as it ſéemeth) omytted. To touch theſe I ſay, their chiefeſt argumentes they would faine fetche from the examples of the godly men and vertuous women. How ſay ye (ſay they) by Iepthes déere Daughter?Iudg. 11.34 Iud. 15.12. Luk. 15.25 mett not ſhée her Father with Tymbrelles & daunces? by the noble Iudith? ledde not ſhe ye daunce her ſelfe? by the pittyfull father? had not be melodie, and daunceing in his houſe, for ioye his dead ſonne was reuiued? theſe you cannot deny were vertuous people, and theſe theyr doings vertuous. But good it is, yea, our bounden duety it is, to follow the footings of our Forefathers in theyr vertuous actions: and therefore doo we well in this thing, to imitate their examples which are written for our inſtruction. They are (as the reſt of the Scripture) to this ende lefte in wryting: but beware, leaſt as the ſworde taken by the handle, helpeth, and by the poynte hurteth: ſo this which ryghtlye receaued, ſerueth for inſtruction, wrongfully receaued, & taken by the wrong end, ſerue not to deſtruction. In the right imitation of our Auncients, thrée things are chiefly to be conſidered: fyrſt that we play not the deceaueable Coyner, who layeth golde vponupon copper or braſſe, or ſome ſuch baſe mettall, to the intent ye one might go currant by ye meanes of the other: ſo that we gylde not, and floriſhe ouer the déedes of the wicked with the doings of the righteous, and then take them both as currāt: take Iudas in with the eleuen Apoſtles, & Sathan with the ſonnes of God, accept none as our fathers, ſauing thoſe as be the ſonnes of God. And ſecondarily, in theſe men we muſt not imitate al thinges, but onelye the good. And thirdly of the good not all too, nor in all reſpects: but we muſt hauehave herewith, theſe thrée noates in conſideration: vpō what ſpirit, in what order, to what end they dyd thē. For otherwiſe, thoſe that made their doings cōmendable in the ſight of the Lorde: if they or any of thē want in vsus, wyl make ours abhominable. For the two firſt of the generall diuiſion you hauehave thē, good fathers, & godly Matrones: the laſt you lacke with the thrée braunches, which turneth the other two into bytter wormewood, as by cōparing thē together wyll euidently appéere. Abrahams offering vp his déere ſonne & only Iſaack, Gene. 22.was to him an high praiſe by the mouth of the Angell, ſaying: I knowe that thou feareſt God. The Ammonites, 1. Kin. 11.7offering vp their ſonnes and daughters to Moloche, is accounted an abhomination: becauſe the one was of the ſpirit of God, the other of the deuyls, the one by fayth, the other by infidelytye, the one to Gods glory, the other to ye idolatrous ſeruice of Moloche. 2. King. 1.The Prophet Elias prayer and inuocation, was ſo wel lyked of the Lord, that twyſe at his requeſt came fyre from Heauen, and conſumed the two captains with their fifties:Luke. 9.54 James and Iohn aſking Chriſt their Maſter, whether they ſhould commaunde that fyre come downe from heauen to deuowre the Samaritans, were ſo much miſlyked, that they were ſharply reprehended. Beholde héere, how the facte being all one, the circumſtaunces make ye one good, the other ſtarke naught. The Prophet moued by the ſpyrite of God, deſired this plague to fall vponupon them: the Apoſtles moued by an vndiſcreet zeale, and ignoraunt of what ſpyrite they were, requyred the lyke. Ahaziah the wicked Apoſtatate, vnderunder the pretence of holynes ſent to ſlea the Prophete: the Samaritanes denied, but lodging to Chriſt as he paſſed bye. The Prophete had to deale with thē, that hauing the worde of God, forſooke it: the Apoſtles with them that neuer knew the ſame. The Prophete at the pleaſure of almighty God, called downe fire from aboue, to ſhewe forth his glorye: the Apoſtles by humane affection, were pricked to reuenge the iniury. The Prophet was ſent to puniſh the infidelity of the Iſraelits (as it may lykewiſe appéere by his kylling the fowre hundreth & fiftie Prophetes of Baall, 1. Kin. 18.& of the groues fowre hundreth:) the Apoſtles were ſent to preach the Goſpell, and not to puniſh the contemners thereof, except extraordinarily: neyther was their Maſters kingdom of this world, that his ſeruauntes ſhould defende or reuenge his quarrell by any ſuch meanes.
Now as we hauehave labored in laying theſe togeather, (and muche the more becauſe lyke the Captaine we would beſtowe the greateſt part of our paines, in batteryng this your principalleſt bulwarke: for this once wonne, that ye hauehave no hold of ſcripture, (as trueth you hauehave not) many of your ſouldiours wyll ſoone, I doubt not, yéelde) ſo ſet we theirs and yours, the one by the others. The Daughter of Iudge Iepthes, Iudith, & the good Father, delyghted in daunceing, and daunced ſome them ſelues: you in this poynt doo the lyke. But go further with thē in this wide wilderneſſe of the worlde, vntyll you come, (as Herculus dyd) to the two wayes, the one vertuous, the other voluptuous: and they enter the waye of vertue, you of voluptuouſneſſe, as apparauntlye declare your vſuall & wanton wordes, laſciuious ieſtures, and vnchaſt behauiour. If you can ſay that good men, and godly women, hauehave vſed this exerciſe, you hauehave ſayd, you ſuppoſe ſomething. But alas, this ſome thing is nothing, by that time you cōferre it with thoſe three thinges, that make or marre all. For though the external actiōs be in a manner all one, as were thoſe of Abraham, and the Ammonits Elias, and the two diſciples, Iames, and Iohn, yet the cauſe, the maner, & the end, make as great differēce in theſe, as they did in thoſe. The cauſe of the chaſte Virgin, & worthy womās dauncing, was in token of a ioyfull hart yt the Lord had geuen them or theyr friendes victory ouer their, and the Lords enemies: your cauſe to ſatiſfye your voluptuous pleaſure. Theyr manner was modeſt & moderate to refreſh their minds & recreate theyr bodies: yours immodeſt, if immodeſtye it ſelfe be immodeſt, and immoderate, if dauncing all daye long, & parte of the night bée immoderate: if to toyle & ſweate thereat as if a man were at mowing: nay, they that ſweat ſo much hereat, neuer ſo much and ſeldome at all ſweate at worke.
The cauſe againe of the dauncing and melodye made in the Fathers houſe, was for ioye his Prodigall chylde was returned, and the ſinner repented: and I pray you, which of you euer daunceth for ioye the waſtfull youth becommeth thryftye, or wicked forſaketh his naughtie wayes? dayly experience teacheth vsus ye contrary, that many yong men ſomewhat thriftye, after they geue them ſelues to daunceing fall to prodigallity? and ſomwhat vertuous, become altogeather vicious: or being before but vp to the ſhoe latchets, nowe are they ſunke vp to the chinne, and without great héede, ouer head and eares. The end of theyrs tended to the glory and honour of almightye God, they ſang the prayſes & myghty works of the almighty, in their ſober daunces: and at what tyme I beſeech you, at theſe méetinges ſing you the prayſes, and wonderous workes of God? Naye, at what tyme is not hée or ſhée laughed to ſcorne, that ſhoulde ſo behaue them ſelues? ſo farre are you from theyr godly paſtimes. Wherefore for ſhame ceaſe to cyte this that makes ſo much againſt you, and as pure whyte ſetteth forth your fowle and ſteyned blacke: and if you hauehave any other & better, bring them forth. Better we hauehave not, neyther can we (for where ſo good maye be found, as in holy Scripture) but other we hauehave, whereby we wyll no more contende, that this laſciuious leaping of oures is ſufferable at all tymes, but onelyonly at VVhytſontide, and that for thrée cauſes: that we may vſe reioyſing in remembraunce the holy Ghoſte deſcended to illuminate the hartes & mindes of men: that the Church might be the better by this meanes maintayned: and that the youth might eſchew ydle thoughtes, which by ſytting ſtyll and doing nothing would ſoone poſſeſſe theyr heads, and thereout would quickly flame euyll deedes.
The Kings of Iuda that walked in the wayes of their father Dauid, pulled down all Monuments of Idolatry, ſauing that the high places ſtoode ſtyll: God forbyd my beloued Brethren, that you ſhoulde roote out other oportunities of daunceing, and diſallowe all other tymes and places, and yet ſuffer this high place to continew. If it be euil, or euilly vſed, then playe the parte of good King Joſias, 1. King. 23downe with al, yea, euen with this high place too, wherein and in which tyme this abhomination is at the higheſt. If it be good, yet let vsus not doo this good, that the euylles already rehearſed maye followe.Roma. 3.8. But theſe general examples and exhortations becauſe they poynt not (as they thinke) dyrectly at them: I wyll (God wylling) therefore enter into particular examination, and anſwer them ſeuerally by them ſelues.
Fyrſt for reioyſing at the feaſt of Pentecoſt, that the comforter came downe in the viſible forme of fierie clouen tongues: what other ioye is better & méeter, then the comforter him ſelfe requireth? and what is that ioy be ſheweth by the mouth of his ſeruaunt Iaemes, ſaying,Iam. 2.13. is any among you afflycted? let him praye▪ is any mery? let him ſinge. And what he ſhould ſinge, he declareth by the penne of his redy writer the Apoſtel Paul, ſaying:Eph. 5.19. Speak vntounto your ſelues in Himmes and Pſalmes and ſpirituall ſonges, ſinging and making melodie, to the Lord in your hartes. More ouer if we wyll reioyce for the comming of the holy ſpirit, what other reioyſing is ſo good and méete for a Chriſtian, as that Primatiue and firſt reioyſing at his viſible diſcenſion? what decenter order, what goodlier and godlier exerciſe, then the Apoſtles and the religious multitude gathered together out of many Nations to ſerue the Lorde, kept at that feaſte of Whitſontide? We reioyce (we ſaye) and we gather our ſelues together out of many townes: but in what order reioyce we and to what ende flocke we ſo faſt togither? in no ſuch order, to no ſuch ende (the Lord knoweth) as thoſe Apoſtles and Apoſtles Diſciples bid. The Apoſtls when the day of Penticoſt was come,Actes. 2. were all with one accorde in one place, and were filled with the holy Ghoſt: the people wondered at the wonderfull working of the ſpirit: the Apoſtle Peter painefully preched the word of God, the people heard him and conſtantly continued in the Diſciples doctrine. The Apoſtles miniſtred the ſupper of the Lord (ſo much ſignifieth to vsus the breaking of bread) the people accompanied them in that godly felowſhip. And to be briefe both Apoſtles and people perſeuered together in prayer, in gladnes, and in ſinglenes of heart. Marke this manner of gladnes and tell mee whether ours in reſpect hereof be not méere madneſſe. We are together but full farre from one accord, as our dayly debates declare: we are filled, not with the holye Ghoſt, but with ſtrong ale: we come together from diuerſe places, to ſerue the Lorde? no, to ſerue our voluptuous pleaſures. We preach, but what preach we? ye Goſpel of Chriſt, or ye ſinnes & abhominatione of ye people,Mich. 2.11 as Peter thē did? nothing leſſe: but we prophecy & preach of pleſure, of ſtrong drinke, of wine, and then are we Prophets for this people, then are we accounted honeſt men. We communicate, and what doo we cumunicat, the ſupper of the Lord? nay that were to ſadde a matter for ſo mery a time, and yt woulde let much good ſport. But we communicate many idle words, many vnſeamely ieſts, I wyll ſay no more for ſparing you. So that this vnchriſtian behauiour of ours ſheweth vsus to celebrate the feaſt rather of Bacchus then of the holy Ghoſt. Secondarily for the maintaynance of the Church, there are other and better meanes then this, as you your ſelues right wel knowe. Oh, but you muſt conſider, (wyll they ſay) that they would not giuegive at all were it not to this ende. Nowe truely, better well ſpared then ſo euill ſpent: and as for the reperations of the Church,2 Kin. 12.4 King Ioas ſheweth a ſeeme lyer order, & though this lawe bee aboliſhed, yet hauehave our owne lawes prouided the lyke: vſe that a Gods name, and as for this vnlawful & wicked way, let it ſerue the ſinagogue of Satan, for the Temple of the Lorde was at no time by ye godly, by theſe vngodly wayes vpholden. Thirdelye for baniſhing idle thoughts out of your childrens & ſeruants minds, who worketh this way, drowneth a fiſh in ye water, & putteth out alamp with oyle, as playnely appeareth both by that which goeth, before and that which commeth, after. Theſe are one ſorte of the Weapons, the other (as I ſayd) are ſlaunders, wherewith they intreat them which reprehend theſe abuſes, much after the manner the Lybertines intreated Stephen. When Stephen repleate with the holy Ghoſt diſputed againſt certaine Libertines Cirenians, Acts. 6.Alexandrians, and Cilicians, they not able to reſiſt the wiſdome and the ſpirit by whiche be ſpake, ſuborned falſe witnes, who teſtified they hard him ſays that Ieſus of Nazareth ſhoulde deſtroye that place and chaunge the ordinances which Moyſes gaue them? and thus moued they the Scribes, the elders▪ and the people againſt him. In like ſort theſe looſe Libertines reaſon with thoſe arguments and auctthorities before mentioned and when they bée not able to withſtand the word of God and ſpirit that ſpeaketh in his true miniſters, then ſeke they out and ſet vp falſe wytneſſe, who ſlaunderouſly report that we goo about to deſtroye all, to chaunge the auncient ordinances Moyſes gaue them, to alter al olde cuſtomes their forefathers leaft them, to put down al honeſt and laudable paſtime, to ende all friendly and neyghbourlye méetinges and mery makinges, to cut of good occaſions of louelove among men and charity towards the poore: and thus ſtirre they the Scribes, the Elders and the people againſte vsus well, for them I ſaye no more, but remember the commandement of almighty God, thou ſhalt not beare falſe wytneſſe againſt thy neighbour. For you, ye Magiſtrats, Miniſters and people I exhort in the Lord, that ye be not ouer creduloſe in theſe matters, leaſte in quitting Barrabas you condemne Chriſt, and in letting goo theſe ſlaunderous witneſſe, ye puniſhe innocent Stephen. Suffer mée a whyle to pleade our owne cauſe in your preſence, and you ſhal plainely perceaue, howe theſe vniuſt accuſations they laye to our charge, may iuſtly be turned vponupon them: For firſt they by their abhominations, endeuour to deſtroy all, to breake the ordinaunces of Moiſes and olde cuſtomes of the primatiue Church, and pureſt tymes. There are manye thinges committed in this lewde and licentious exerciſe: flat againſt Moiſes mind, as his dede declared: againſt his ordinaunces, as his lawes (who liſt to conferre them with Ezechiels for ſhewed ſight) make manifeſt. By their voluptuous ſport they put downe all honeſt lawefull and lawdable paſtime, namely ſhuting, and eſpecially at that ſeaſon, when for the number and length of the holy dayes they are at moſt leaſure, and for the freſhneſſe of the ayer and ſwéetneſſe of the fieldes, they may take moſt delight. The Prince comands it, the wiſe commends it, the warre compels it, and yet rude royat ſhall preuayle againſt them all. By their vnciuell and vnmannerly vſage, friendly and neighbourly company and communication is quite diſſolued and broken of. The caters cheife care, muſt it not be for the youth, howſoeuer the age? for the ſeruaunt howſoeuer the maſter? for the ſonne, howſoeuer the father fareth. The beſt and higheſt roomes, be they not kept for the young men and maidens, whereſoeuer the auncient ſubſtantial, and honeſt of ye Parriſh ſit? nay if they be ſate, be their meetinges neuer ſo neighbourly, their communication neuer ſo friendly, their matters neuer ſo weighty, muſt they not away, my Lorde commeth? But this is but once a yeare, and in ieſt manye wyll aunſwere, no more is this oportunitie of this neighbourly méeting, but once a yeare, and therefore to be preferred this once: and this ieſt, turneth commonly to ſuch earneſt all the yeare after, that Gods commaundement is broken, Honour thy Father and Mother:Ephe. 6.5. the Apoſtles precept neglected, Seruants obey your maſters. By their brawles and ſometyme blowes betwéene company and company, the linkes of louelove are often ſeuered a ſunder. By their ouermuch eating and drinking, charity to the poore waxeth colde. For doo they not ride from towne to towne, goe from village to village gulling in ſtrong drinke, and glutting in good meate, nature being before ſufficed, that might be better beſtowed vponupon the neceſſity of the ſaynctes? I wyll ſay nothing here of the gluttony and drunkennes comitted neyther of the practiſe and ſport that I hauehave ſéene to make a man ouercome with nappie ale: but what if I (to ſpare you) ſaye nothing, neuertheleſſe the Apoſtle ſayth, That drounkardes ſhall not inherit the kingdome of heauen: 1. Cor. 6.10 Aba. 2.15And the Prophet cryeth, VVoe vntounto him that geueth his neyghbour drinke to make him drunken. Farre better were it (beloued brethren) that this Dauncing the cauſe of this great and gréeuous ſinne (for take away Dauncing and down fales al) ſhould be vtterly aboliſhed, then that on ſoule ſhould periſh, or one of theſe woes ſhould light vponupon vsus. It is a ſore and terrible thing to fall into the hands of the Lord. Tuſhe wyl ſume ſay, he yt ſo delighteth in drinking & dauncing if he hauehave it not here, wil hauehave in it a nother place & wil do it though this were not: & therfore it is better to let them hauehave thē at home, thē they ſhould raung about. As though other places bée not, or ought not to be in this good order? or as though yu ſhouldeſt noriſh naughtineſſe, becauſe others do ſo? or as though thy fatherly fear, and maſterly aucthority were not ſufficient to ſuppreſſe this ſinne & wickedneſſe? In excuſing this one fault, thou makeſt thrée. Firſt thou apeacheſt other places of like lewdnes: next that thou maiſt follow their examples: and laſt of all, yt thy ſelfe wanteſt wiſdom & diſcretion to rule thine vnruly familie. If other Towns were ſo vntoward as thou makeſt thē, doth it follow that thou ſhouldeſt aſſociate them? If other youth be ſo euyll bent, muſt thine néedes accōpany them? God forbyd. Abraham that good father, & godly maſter, whē all other Nations round about him, were wholy geuē to all maner of abhominatiō, kept his houſehold in ſuch feare of God, & ſo well inſtructed them in his word, that they wyllingly receaued Circumciſion at his handes:Gen. 17.23 If Abraham had ſayd as you ſaye, I were beſt to ſuffer my familie to run royat at home, for otherwiſe they wil in other places round about mée: would they, thinke you, without reſiſtance hauehave ſuffered the impreſſion of this couenaunt, being ſo grieuous a ſore, that the Seheehemites ſicke therewith,Gen. 34.25 were a great number ouercome by two perſons, Simeon and Leui? Neyther the multitud of many coū tries could moue Abraham to let loſe the reynes to his tender youth: nor the grieuous ſore againe of Circumciſion, coulde cauſe his houſeholde to withſtand his doing: You hauehave not (God be prayſed) ſo many (though too many) againſt you:Act. 16.10 neyther would I wiſh you, nor is it my minde to lay this, or the lyke yoake on your necks, which neyther our fathers, nor wée were able, to bear as ſome complain, ſaying, we would hauehave thē liue like Saints, (as who woulde ſaye that were euill (which is to ſtrayght for them) but we deſire to lay on your ſhoulders the yoke of Chriſt and his light burthen. And if it fall out that all towneſhips round about you, or, if al the towne which you inhabite maintain this miſdemeanure, yet would I counſell a Chriſtian to ſay wt Captaine Ioſua, Choſe you whether you vvyl ſerue God, Ioſu. 24.15as your vain pleſure, I & mine houſe vvil ſerue the Lord. This accompt if eueryevery man would make as he ought, this diſorder would be quickly redreſſed. Thus hauehave you heard howe they are fallen into the pyttes they digged for others and now a word or two howe Stephen is not onelyonly cleare of theſe ſlaunderous accuſations, but alſo earneſtly deſireth that whereof they accuſe him. They accuſe him to ſaye that Ieſus of Nazareth (it can be none other ſo long as hee preacheth none but Ieſus) woulde chaunge the ordinaunces Moyſes gaue them, the auncient cuſtomes their forefathers leaft them, where he teacheth that Chriſt came not to deſtroye the lawes of Moyſes but to fulfill them. They from this generall and falſe poſition, diſcend to as falſe particulars, bringing certayne late and newe orders of merye makings and friendly méetings of neighbours, and of reléeuing the néedye, thinking them olde orders if they can cal them ſo, or if they be out of their remembrance, or if they hauehave bene vſed an age or two before them: whereas hée endeuoureth to aboliſh the ſtraunge innouations & newe fangles, and to call them backe to the old cuſtumes and auncient orders in déede.
In the primatiue Church the faithfull made feaſts amonge them ſelues,Iude ver. 12 partly to proteſt their brotherly louelove, and partly to reléeue the poore people. The auncient Father Chriſoſtome ſaith.Chriſo. vponupon Gen. ho. 10. Let one of you take the holye booke, and let hym call hys neyghbours aboute him, and by the heauenlye wordes let him water and refreſhe boeth their mindes, and alſo his owne, that by this meanes we maye bee able to eſcape the Deceiptes of the Deuyll. You that ſticke ſo faſt to olde cuſtoms and hauehave alwayes in your mouthes let vsus kéepe olde cuſtomes, leaue thoſe your newe and naught, and kepe theſe oulde and good couſtomes: or at the leaſte chaunge youre common ſong, and ſing another whyle: Ours be of late ſince iniquity hath got the vpperhād, & yours of olde in the primitiue Church, & time of the auncient Fathers. But for aſmuch as neyther the good counſell of this auncient Father, nor the ſhyning mirror of this primitiue Church, ſo much moue many as the cōmandement of the Prince and her Magiſtrates, I wyll therefore thereof ſpeake ſomewhat, that I may win ſome. The Quéenes Maieſtie in the twentie article of her Iniunctions, Commaundeth that her faythfull and louing ſubiects celebrate, & keepe their holy daies according to Gods holy wyll & pleaſure: that is, in hearing the word of God read & taught: in priuate & publique prayers: in acknowledging their offences to God, and amendment of the ſame: in reconcilyng themſelues charitably to their neighbors, where diſpleaſure hath bene: in often receauing the Communion, in viſiting the poore and ſicke, in vſing al ſoberneſſe and godly conuerſation. Hitherto the wordes of the Iniunction: Wherein albeit dauncing be not named, & namely forbydden, yet is it as ſtraightly denied, as if it were expreſſed. For in cōmaunding godlines to be vſed, wickednes is denied: & whoſoeuer accompliſheth her Maieſties moſt godlye minde in theſe pointes, ſhal hauehave (I warrant him) litle leaſure and leſſe pleaſure to daunce and dallye: and whereſoeuer theſe godlye exerciſes be put in practiſe, dauncinge Dagon will downe before the arke, the ſeuereſt Saul that ſeeketh to perſecute ſuche as ſpeake againſt theſe abuſes, will him ſelfe fall to prophecyeing? The ſturdieſt ſoldier that cōmeth to take Chriſt will ſtagger, and fall flatte to the ground, as many happy places and bleſſed perſons in theſe daies well wittneſſe and declare: where & among whom the arke (the bible cōteining the teſtimonies not of Arons rodde & the potte of Manna alone, but manye more myracles, togyther with the two tables) is ſo ſet vp, that the idoll of dauncing breakes his necke. The ſpirite of God ſo mightely worketh, that diuerſe, of perſecutours, are become defendors of Gods people: the wordes of Chriſt ſo effectually pronounced, that ſuch as will not yeilde, they ſtrike downe to the earth. This is the Lords doeyng and it is marueilous in our eyes.
Notwithſtandinge ſome much like Thomas Didimus, will not beléeue that this article of the Princes toucheth this diſorder, becauſe they here not dauncing expreſſly named. Theſe men I referre to Maiſter Godwinnes. 47. article, vnderunder the title of Church wardens & ſworne men: who are ſworne to ſée the ſame abbolliſhed, God geue them his grace to diſcharge theyr othe: Whiche that they might the rather doe, this beſides diuerſe other, was one cauſe I tooke this taſke in hande. Others were to moue the Magiſtrates by the example of Moſes, Exo. 32.19to ſtoppe this outragious paſtimes, to ſtirre my bretheren, whome the Lord hath appointed watchmen ouer his flockes, to admoniſhe them of theyr wicked wayes,Ezech. 3.18. & 33.6 leaſt theyr bloude be not one day required at theyr hands: and for parte of diſcharge of this my charge amonge the reſt, to declare vntounto the people theſe abhominations: that the mouthes of the malitious maye be muſled, readinge and iudginge (by this meanes) at theyr leaſure, the doctrine I hauehave taughte them, to be no olde wiues tale, nor corrupt cuſtome, nor vayne inuention of man, as theires is, but the worde of the Lorde, rebukinge theyr ſinnes, whereof I and ſuche as I am: vppon payne (you hearde euen nowe of euerlaſting death, are ſtraightlye charged to admoniſhe you, and that the hartes of the honeſt, whoe more for wante the watchman warneth them not theſe offences,2. Cro. 29.36. & 30.14.15. & 31.1 Ezra. 8.15 then for obſtinate and wilfull frowardneſſe (for truelye to reporte as I fynd, the people are often readier to doe theyr duetie to the Lord, then the Prieſtes and Leuites, and willinger to obey his wil then the ſonnes of Leuie) that theſe mens hartes (I ſaye) ſeinge now how they hauehave heretofore of ignoraunce in the word of God, and not thinking it to be ſo euill as they here in mine Authors tracte ſée it is, done amyſſe may be ſo inwardly touched yt they may ſaye: Men and bretheren, what ſhall we doe?Act. 2.27. And becauſe no Prophet is eſtéemed in his owne countrie, I hauehave thought it good to take a worthye Prophet of another countrye, that thou mighteſt not diſdaine to bee taughte, at his handes, whoe once taught the learned Diuines in Oxforde: and that thou mighteſte not refuſe to be tolde thy faulte, whether it be of malyce or ignoraunce (for if of ignoraunce,Leuit. 4. yet a faulte, as ſhewethe the oblations offered therefore) by ſuche a one as rebuked euen Kings for Chriſtes ſake, and Princes by the waighty words of his wrytinges. Finallye that thou mighteſt in litle tyme reade in thy mother tongue: and for a litle monye buye not ſo much a litle booke according to the quantitye, as a whole librarye of bookes according to the quallitye. For by the wonderfull paines of this ſedulous Bée, haſt thou here the honnie of moſte artes concerning this matter. Art thou a diuine, and of the diuines a fauourer of the truth? Here haſt thou examples of the ſcripture, generall councelles and auncient Fathers: or a fauourer of the Pope? here haſt thou popes & popiſh ſcholemen. Art thou a lawier, and of the lawiers a ciuilian? here is ciuill lawe: or a Cannoniſt? here are Cannons, diſtinctions, and decrées: Studieſt thou Philoſophy? here Philoſophers ſpeake theyr mindes: Delighteſt thou in Oratorye? here Orators vtter their eloquent ſentences: or in Hiſtoriography? here Hiſtories ar declared: dwelleſt thou in the country, and deſireſt to hauehave theyr obiections anſwered? here are they anſwered. Briefly he is of a very ſtraunge decrée and condition of lyfe that may not in this ſmale tract of Maiſter Martyres, in his owne profeſſyon be brought familyarly from this vice to the better knowledge of Chriſt, as were the Aſtronomers by a ſtar, and Peter the fiſherman by a myraculous draughte of fiſhe: which God to the glory of his name graunt. So be it.