Playes confuted in fiue actions prouing that they are not to be suffred in a Christian common weale, by the waye both the cauils of Thomas Lodge, and the play of playes, written in their defence, and other obiections of players frendes, are truely set downe and directlye aunsweared. By Steph. Gosson, stud. Oxon.

The first Action. (Book 1)

IF any that haue known me alredy by acquain∣tance, or shall knowe me hereafter by rea∣ding some parte of my simple trauels, chance to woonder, that I whic••e heretofore haue not onely so fauoured, but writ∣ten Playes, that my penne hath bene readier to defend them, then to deface them; now with alteration of minde so depely accuse that which so highly I esteéemed. Whatsoeuer hée bée, if hee weigh the reason that mooueth mée thereunto, I trust he will both allowe that which by my Schoole of Abuse hath past against them: And thinke it necessary for me at this time, to renue my plea. When I firste gaue my selfe to the studie of Poetrie, and to set my cunning abroache, by penning Tra∣gedies, and Comedies in the Citie of London: perceiuing such a Gordians knot of disorder in euery play house•• as woulde neuer bée loosed without ex∣tremitie,

I thought it better with A∣lexander to draw y^e sword that should knappe it a sunder at one stroke, then to seeke ouernicely or g••••gerly to vn∣doe it, with the losse of my time and wante of successe. This caused mee to bidde them the base at their owne gole, and to geue them a volley of heathen ••riters: that our diuines considering the daunger of suche houses as are set vp in London against the Lord, might batt••r them thoroughly with greater shotte. But such is the queasinesse of our stomacke, that like vnto ••r••uei∣lers at the Sea, being ready to cast, we thinke to finde remedy by chaunge of place, sprawling down from the Ship to the Cockb••a••e, yet are neuer the néere, so longe as the hum••ur workes within vs: & acknowledging the ••••s∣chefe bred by playes we hope to auoid yt by changing their day yet suffer thē still to remaine amonge vs. Wherein we may well be compared to children that holdinge yse in their ••andes, for discomodities sake are vnwilling to keepe it; & for wantonn••s, loth to le•• it go. Cōmod••s a Romane•• Emperor,

was so excellente in throwinge of ••i•• darte, that hauinge gotten Sundrie sortes of wilde beastes, as markes for the exorcise of his hand, the whole cittie of Rome assembled together to behold him, neither ••••we him throwe twise at one marke, nor giue any wound which was not deadly: And yt were to bee wished that euery man which talketh vpō him to rebuke sinne, should leuell so streight with Commodus, and sticke so sure, that as oft as he shootes at deformityes, he might hit them, and as ofte as he hittes, kill; So shoulde the readers with the Romanes see, neyther anye kinde of monster twice gaulde, nor anye vice recouer the first wounde. Neuerthelesse as some Phi∣losophers are of this opinion that the heauens because they moue doe yelde a kinde of harmonie in theyr motti∣on, yet yf you requeste to knowe the reasone, why we discerne it not by the eare, their aunswere is, that wee ne∣uer heare it, because wee euer heare it. So the abhominable practises of playes in London haue bene by godly preachers, both at Paules crosse, and

el•••• where, so zealously, so learnedly, so loudly cried out vpon to small redresse; that I may well say of them, as the Philosophers reporte of the moouing of the heauens, we neuer heare them, because we euer heare thē. Whereby I gather, that the wisedome of man, is able to rule any thinge but man: for the sauage and brute beasts nei∣ther grudge to féede where they are appoynted, nor resist when they are driuen from those places, where they loue most of all to byte. But whether our eares be wilfully stoped, & our eyes muffled, that in hearing, we heare, and not vnderstand; in seeing, we see and not perceiue; or whether the deuill our ancient enemie hath stricken so deepe and so venemous a tothe into the hart of man, as hath infected, and wounded the soule to death, I know not well•• yet sure I am,* 1.1 and haue sufficient war∣rant by the worde of God, that beinge watred with the Preachinge of the Gospell, if the fruite wee yéelde bee thornes and briers, it is a very eare∣marke of reprobates, and of such as are giuen ouer by the Lorde, to their owne sense, to follow destruction with full saile. The worde of God is liue∣lie,

and mightie in operation: being liuelie, if it doe not quicken and stirre vs vp to a newenesse of life, it is a to∣ken that we haue no life, but are al∣readie stone deade, in the workes of darkenes: being mightie in operati∣on, both the plaiers and wee must be persuaded, that their idle occupation, hauing so stoute, so strong, so puys∣sante, so mightie an enemie as the worde of God, though the honour and authoritie of their Masters hold them vp for a time, yet in the end they must haue a fall. For neither strong holds, nor inuentions of men, nor any high thing that is exalted against the know¦ledge of God, shalbe able to stand, whē the foote of his Prophetes comes a∣gainst it. Amongest all the fauorers of these vncircumcised Philistines I meane the Plaiers, whose heartes are not right, no mā til of late durst thrust out his heade to mayntaine there quarrell, but one, in witt, simple; in learning, ignorant; in attempt, rash; in name, Lodge; whose booke, as it came not to my handes in one whole yeere after the priuy printing thereof,

so I confesse, that to it, before this time I aunswered nothing, partlie because he brought nothing; partly because my hearte was to bigge, to wrastle with him, that wanteth armes. Therefore considering with my selfe that such kinde of sores might bee launced to sone, I chose rather to let him ripen and breake of him selfe, that vomiting out his owne disgrace, & being worke out of fauour among his own friends, I might triumph in the cause & shedde no blood. Though some of his acquain¦taunce haue vaunted to cut and ••ewe mee•• I knowe not howe: yet hauing greater regarde to the soules of many, then to the threatninges of fewe; to the honour of God, then to the pride of euer bragging and b••sie Players; by Gods assistanc•• I will proue vnto you, that stage Plaies are not to be ••uf••red in a christian cōmon weale. Which I trust I shalbe able sufficiēt∣ly to 〈◊〉〈◊〉, if I giue you a tast 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 o•• Plaies, and of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉: ••f the ca••••es, which I fi••de by ••eading; of the effectes, which I knowe by my owne experience. I

hope that no Christiā wilbe so shame∣lesse to say that the doctrine & inuentiō of the Deuill, is to bee suffered in that commō weale, where the glad tidings of grace is truelie preached. For to mainetaine the doctrine and inuention of the Deuil, is a kind of Apostasie & falling from the Lorde. For God hath made vs to his owne likenesse,* 1.2 which likenesse consisteth not in lineaments and proportion of the body, but in ho∣linesse and singlenesse of life. There∣fore receiuing the doctrine and inuen∣tions of the Deuill, betwee••e whome and God there can bee no truce, no league, no manner of agréemente, be∣caus•• the one is holy, the other impu••e; the one good, the other euill; the one light, the other darkenes: we forsake our God, forsakinge of him, wee loose his image and likenesse, loosinge his i∣mage, wee are not hys children, and consequently haue no part nor felow∣ship with Christ in the world to come. That Stage Playes are the doctrine and inuention of the Deuill, may bee gathered by Tertullian, who noteth verie well that the Deuill foreséenge

the ruine of his kingdome, both inuen∣ted these shewes, and inspired men with deuises to set them out the better thereby to enlarge his dominion and pull vs from ••od. And Thomas Lodge in that patchte pamphlet of his wherein he taketh vp∣on him the defence of playes, little per∣ceiuinge how lustely y^e chippes flye in his face, whilst he heweth out timber to make the frame, confesseth openly that playes were consecrated by the hea¦thens to y^e honour of their gods, which in deede is true, yet serueth it better to ouerthrow them them establish them: for, whatsoeuer was consecrated to the honour of the Heathen Gods was consecrated to idolatrie, Stage Playes by his owne confession were consecra∣ted to the honour of Heathen Gods, therefore consecrated to idolatrie. Be∣ing consecrated to idolatrie, they are not of God, if they proceede not from God, they are the doctrine and inuen∣tions of the deuill. This will be coun∣ted news learninge amonge a greate number of my gay countymen, which beare a sharper smacke of Italian

deuises in their heades, then of En∣glish religion in their heartes. Neuer∣thelesse the godly perceiue how lamen∣table & damnable a case we stand in; lamentable, because we are so asotted with these delightes, so blinded with the loue, and drunken with the swéet∣nes of these vanities, that greedely we flocke together, and with our braine∣sicke assemblies not vnlyke to the Troyanes hale in the horse, whose mi∣schiefe hath beene discouered by the Prophets of the Lorde, and whose bo∣wels haue beene manye times gaged with the sword of his trueth: damna∣ble, because we professe Christ, and set vp the doctrine of the deuill; wee holde with the hare and run with the hound, heaping vp iudgement vpon our soules by this hipocrisie. Certayne it is, that this life of ours is a continuall warre∣fare, a pitchte fielde, wherein, as the lickerous tounge of our mother Eue hath iustly prouoked the Lorde, to set the deuill and vs at deadly feude, so is it our part to bethinke vs of him, that neuer leaues nibling at our heele. Hee is called the Serpent, the enuious mā,

the Prince of this world, the common enemie of Christé, and of man kinde. Being a Serpent hee is subtile; being enuious, he repineth at our estate•• be∣ing a Prince, hee is mightie; being an enemy, hee is malicious; malice bree∣deth continuall discorde; continuall dis∣corde, a perpetuall studye and desire to hurt: which the Apostle vnderstāding, giueth vs a watche woo••de to walke warely. For hauing an enemy so craf∣ty conc••ited, so well appoynted, so en∣uious, so malitious, so willinge to mis∣••h••••••e vs: no doubte but he hath sett vp many trappes, shott many nettes, bayted many hookes, to take vs, to tan∣gle vs, to thrattle vs. Which is enough to make vs suspecte euerie pleasure that hee profereth. When Pyrrhus* 1.3 sawe that the Romaynes coulde not be ouer throwne by force of armes, he buried the bodies of them that were slayne; he dealte very honorablie with hys prisoners returninge them home without ransome, and sent his Ambas∣sadours to entreate of peace: wherby he made accounte to winne that with vndermininge, which open assalt could

neuer get. The Deuill, whose treache∣ry passeth the shiftes of Pyrrhus, fee∣ling such a terrible push, giuen to his breast by the chaunge of religion, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the happy entraūce of her Maiestie to the crowne, hath played 〈◊〉〈◊〉 be∣guilie euer since. Hee deales verye fa∣uourably with vs now, hee entertay∣neth his captiues with all manner of curtesie, hee craueth no raunsome for our release, his Ambassadours haue bene a great while amonge vs. First hee sente ouer many wanton Italian bookes, which being trāslated into eng∣lish, haue poysoned the olde maners of our Country with foreine delights, they haue so hardned the readers har••s y^e seuer••r writers are trode vnder foote, none are so pleasunte or plausible as they, that sound some kinde of libertie in our eares. This contempt of good bookes hath breede a desire of fancies & toyes. For if it be as Ambrose* 1.4 sayth that the decrease of vanitie is the in∣crease of vertue: I may reason of the contrary, that the increase of vanity is the decrease of vertue. Therefore the Deuill not contented with the num∣ber

he hath corrupted with reading I∣talian ba••dery, because all cānot reade presēteth vs Comedies cut by the same paterne, which drag such a monstrous taile after thē, as is able to swéep whole Cities into his lap. They which haue any experience in martial discipline, know y^t the easiest way to conquere, is either to bribe y^e Captaine, to betray•• his Prince, or to allure y^e Souldiers, to reuolte & forsake their Captaine. Our enemie whose experience is great by continuall practise had from the begin∣ning tried his cunning vpon Christe but tooke the foyle: yet leauing no∣thing vnsifted that may serue his pur∣pose, and séeing that neither riches nor preferment of this world, could moue our Captaine to fall forward and wor∣ship him, because we are commanded to followe our Captaine foote by foote which is Ircksome to performe, hee settes Comedies abroach and er••cteth Theaters to make vs fall backwarde & flie the fielde. Happy saith the Pro∣phet is he That walketh not in the Counsell of the vngodly,* 1.5 nor stan∣deth in the way of sinners, nor sits

in the chaire of pestilence. The counsell of the vngodly is the cun∣ning drift, the déepe search, the subtill cast of the Children of darkness which are sharpe sighted in all kinde of mis∣chiefe. The way of sinners is the pro∣céedings and practises of sinners. The chaire of pestilence is the Assembly of wicked worldlings. But if we flocke to Theaters to gase vpon playes, wee walke in the Counsell of the vngodly, because plaiyng is one of those poli∣tique hornes which our enemie do••••∣eth against the Gospell; We stand in the way of sinners, because plaies are the procéedings & practises of the Gen∣tiles in their Idolatrie; We sit in the chaire of pestilence, because we thrust our selues into the companie of them, which being ouergorged with the pre∣aching of the word, begin to lift at se∣uerer discipline, and worship the De∣uill by falling backward. This Apo∣stacy plungeth vs vp to the throat in sinne and wickednes & ringes a peale for reueng in the eares of God, by whome wee learne that the reward of sinne is a bitter cursse. Sithince stag

plaies are the doctrine of the Deuill; the Counsell of the vngodly; the way of sinners, the chaire of pestilence; the forerun••ers of a cursse procured to that lande wherein they floorish, howe can they bee suffered in this common weale wherein we professe the name of Christ, except we stand at defiance with Christianity, or proclaime open warre to our soules? Some curious sister peraduēture may iudge me to be streighter l••ced thē I neede, or cast this in my teeth,* 1.6 y^• such chris••iās as wil bo∣row nothing f•••• the Gētiles lest they stand in the way of sinners, must nei∣ther occupie ships, for they were inuē∣ted by Minerua; nor weare any linē, because it was proper to Osyris; nor exercise almost any kinde of handy∣craft, for most of them were borowed of the Gentiles. To whome I aun∣swere with Tertullian,* 1.7 that of things receiued from the Heathens, Some were reuealed vnto them by God, for necessary vses and the benefite of mā; some were inspyred by the Deuill, which vnder the shew of indifferency shadow the corruption of a priuy con∣dition,

by which they are subiect vnto vanitie. Those things that are inuen∣ted for necessarie vses, as, Shippes, clothing wollen or linnen, Manuary craftes, may be accepted of Christians without error, for they are the bles∣sings of God bestowed vpon vs; but those things which are neither neces∣sary nor beneficiall vnto man, yet ca∣ry in their Foreheaddes a manyfest printe of their first condition, as May∣games, Stageplaies, & such like, can not be suffred amōg Christians with∣out Apostacy, because they were suckt from the Deuilles teate, to Nurce vp Idolatrie. God thinking him selfe not sufficiently honoured, except the outwarde conuersation of our li••e doe giue a testimony to the worlde of the inwarde holinesse of the minde, charg∣eth vs seuerely to avoide euery thing that hindereth the outwarde professi∣on of Christianitie. Therefore the Apostles writing to the Churches of Antioch, Syria, Cilicia,* 1.8 iud∣ged it a necessary Burthen to bée layed vpon them, that they touch not thinges sacri•••••••••• vnto Idoles.

Wherefore if y^e outward vse of things indifferent, as meats, be to be tied to y^e rule of charitie, and not to be taken, when they offende the consience of the weake; how much lesse ough we to ioyn•• with idolaters in theire playes, which are nawghte of them selues, & offensiue to the godly? yf we be carefull that no pollution of idoles enter by the mouth into our bodies, how dilligent•• how circumspect, how wary ought we to be, that no corruption of idols, enter by the passage of our eyes & eares in∣to the soule? we knowe that whatsoe∣uer goeth into the mouth d••fileth not but passeth away by course of nature; but that which entreth into vs by the eyes and eares, muste bee digested by the spirite, which is chiefly reserued to honor God. This spirite of ours is al∣ready defiled with the idolatrye of the Gentiles, if wee be partakers of their sacrifices, and maketh vs stinke in the sight of God, for as he that steales but a trifle is guiltie of theft, so hee that al∣loweth the least parcell of offringes of the Gentiles is accessary to idolatry if not by y^e quantitie of y^e thing, yet by y^e

nature of the crime. Which being con∣sidered, I am forced to saye, that suche men as are erectors of Stage Playes among Christians, either see not that they communicate with the sacrifices and idolatry of the Gentiles, for lacke of knowledge; or seeing it, dissembl•• the matter ••or wante of zeale. Two sortes of sacrifice were vsed among the Heathens, the one, to the Gods of their countrey, the other to the Spirites of the deade, they committed idolatrye in them both. Amonge suche Idolatrous spectacles as they sacrificed to their Gods,* 1.9 Tertullian affirmeth y^t Playes were consecrated vnto Bacchus for the first•• findinge out of wine. These Playes wer not set vp by the Gentiles of any blinde zeale within themselues, but by the motion of the diuell, as may be prooued by the originall of them in Rome. This kinde of Idolatrye was long practised among the Gréekes, the Romanes not being acquainted with y^e same. Therefore y^e deuill spying his time to bring it into Itali••, about 400. yeares after y^e building of Rome, in y^e Consulship of Sulpicius & Stolon

the inhabitantes beinge mightelie de∣uowred with a greate plague, the De∣uill foreseeing the time whē the plague should cease, taught y^e Romanes by the oracles of Sibilla to set forth plaies to app••a••e y^e āger of y^e Gods, y^t y^e pestilence ceasing after this solemnising of their plaies, might nussle thē in idolatrie and wātonnesse euer after. For as y^e wic∣ked spirits which y^e Gentiles worship∣ped appeared once fightinge in the plaine of Campania, to whet them to slaughter and bloudshead by this illu∣si••n:* 1.10 so did they (saith S. Augustine) with the like subtilty, cause Playes to be consecrated vnto them, wherein theire Adulteries•• and Impurities were peinted out, that such as gaue credite to the same, might follow their example, and they that coulde not bée brought to beléeue it, yet séeing theyr Gods delight to bee worshipped so, might giue them selues ouer to abho∣minable lust. Though the Romans in that horrible Plague that vexed theyr City fetcht the famousest Plai∣ers out of Hetruria, yèt did not the Sicknes of bodie surcease, because the

delicate phrensie of plaiyng entred, but the craftines of wicked spirits foresee∣ing that the pestilence shoulde haue an end,* 1.11 tooke aduantage hereby to in∣fect not the bodies, but the manners of the Citizēs with a greater plague. E∣uerie Seafaring man is able to tell you that there is greater daunger in those stormes that forbid you to shoote into the Hauen, then in them that wil not suffer you to saile at al: which po∣licy the Deuill vsed to peruert the Gentiles. For those wicked spirites which challenging a diuinitie to them selues, were worshipped of the Gentiles, neither regarded the smoke of sacrifices, nor showe of plaies, but the men that offered vp bothe to ho∣nour them. By this meanes the De∣uill driuing them from the worship of the true God, as ships from the har∣bour where they shoulde ryde, helde them in greater perill of death then if they had worshipped no God at all. Sithince it is manifest by all Antiqui∣ties, if we search them, that plaies are the Sacrifices of the Deuill, taught by him selfe to pull vs from the seruice of

our God, as ofte as euer wée set them vp in our Christian Cities, the Di∣uell, triumpheth and reioyceth therein as in thinges sacrificed by Christians vnto him.

Because that as in the Church sin∣ging and praysing the Lorde together as hee him selfe hath instrcted vs in his worde, is a signe by whiche the true God is assured that we sacrifice our hearts vnto him with the Calues of our lippes: So the Diuell percei∣uing vs to aduaunce the offringes or sacrifices of the Gentiles, after the same manner of houses, of apparell, of Stages, of Plaies, that he instruct∣ed the Gentiles by his Oracles, hath greate cause to bee merrie, and to holde him selfe honoured thereby. Is it ••o? and shall wee say wee doe it not with the minde to commit Idolatrie? Truely this aunsweare is like to a drawght of colde water in burning Feuers, whereby the bodie is quieted for a time, but the sickenes can neuer be remoued. The noble Scipio Na∣sica perceiuing that the Citie cannot longe endure whose walles stande

and manners fall, when hee sawe the whole Senate bent to builde vpp Theaters, aud sett out Playes, with earnest persuasion drewe them from it. And Valerius Maximus flatlie af∣firmeth, t••at they were not brought in to Rome Sine pacis rubore, without à steine of disgrace to the time of Peace.* 1.12 They grewe in time so infa∣mous among y^e Romanes thē selues, that if any continued in that arte, they were depriued of the dignitie of other Citizens, and remoued by the Censors from their Tribe.

Wherefore I beséech God so to touch the heartes of our Magistrates with a perfite hatred of sinne, and feare of Iudgement; so to stirre vpp some noble Scipio in the Courte, that these daūsing Chaplines of Bacchus, and all such as set vp these wicked artes, may be driuen out of Englande, may bee shutt from the companie of the Godly, & as open professors of I∣dolatrie, separated from vs by Sea and Lande. If there be a zeale in au∣thoritie, to banish them; a diligence in Preach••rs to pursue them•• a gene∣rall

consent in vs to loath them; I dare boldely auouch from my owne experience, that monstrous sinnes, with very light trauell; imminent dā¦ger, with very small troble; olde fe∣s••red corruptions, in very shorte time wilbe displaced; the Churches in London more frequented, more fur∣nishte, more ••illed; the diuine seruice of God more regarded, more reueren∣ced, more kept; and the vtter suppres∣sing of a fewe, bréed a swéete reforma∣tion in many thousandes.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Heb. 6.8. Heb. 4.12
• * 1.2

  Ephes. 4.24.
• * 1.3

  L. P••erus.
• * 1.4

  De fuga secu••••.
• * 1.5

  Psalm .1.
• * 1.6

  Obiection.
• * 1.7

  A••nsweare 〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.8

  Act. 15. vers. 28. and 29.
• * 1.9

  Lib. de specta∣c••lis.
• * 1.10

  Lib. 2. de ciui∣tate Dei.
• * 1.11

  Agust. lib. 1. de ciuitate Dei cap. 32.
• * 1.12

  August. de ci∣uit. Dei. lib. 2.