An apology for actors Containing three briefe treatises. 1 Their antiquity. 2 Their ancient dignity. 3 The true vse of their quality. Written by Thomas Heywood.

An Apology for Actors, and first touching their Antiquity (Book 1)

MOOVED by the sundry exclamations of many seditious Sectists in this age, who in the fatnes and ranknes of a peac••able Common-wealth, grow vp like vnsa∣uery tufts of grasse, which though out∣wardly greene and fresh to the eye, yet are they both vnpleasant & vnprofitable, beeing too sower for food, and too ranke for fodder: These men like the antient Germans, affecting no fashion but their owne, would draw other nations to bee slouens like them-selues, and vndertaking to puri••ie and reforme the sacred bodies of the Church and Common-weale (In the trew vse of both which they are altogether Ignorāt,) would but like artlesse Phisitions, for experiment sake, rather mi∣nister pils to poyson the whole body then cordials to pre∣serue any or the least part. Amongst many other thinges tollerated in this peaceable and florishing State, it hath pleased the high and mighty Princes of this Land to limit the vse of certaine publicke Theaters, which since many of these ouer-curious heads haue lauishly 〈◊〉〈◊〉 violently slande∣red, I hold it not a misse to lay open some few Antiquities to approue the true vse of them, with arguments (not of the least moment) which according to the weaknes of my spirit and infancy of my iudgment I will (by gods grace) commit

to the eyes of all fauorable and iudiciall readers, as well to satisfie the requests of some of our well qualified fauorers, as to stop the enuious acclamations of those who chalenge to them-selues a priuiledge Inuectiue, and against all free estates a railing liberty: Loath am I (I protest) being the youngest and weakest of the Nest wherin I was hatcht, to soare this pitch before others of the same brood more fledge, and of better winge then my selfe: but though they whome more especially this taske concernes, both for their ability in writing and sufficiency in Iudgement (as their workes generally witnesse to the world:) are content to ouer-slip so necessary a subiect, and haue left it as to mee the most vnworthy: I thought it better to stammer out my mind, then not to speake at all; to scrible downe a marke in the stead of writing a name, and to stumble on the way, ra∣ther then to stand still and not to proceede on so necessary a Iourney. Nox erat, & somnus lassos submisit ocellos.

It was about that time of the night when darknes had al∣ready ouerspread the world, and a husht and generall sy∣lence possest the face of the earth, and mens bodyes tyred with the businesse of the day, betaking themselues to their best repose, their neuer-sleeping soules labored in vn∣coth dreames and visions, when suddenly appeared to me the tragicke Muse Melpomene

—animosa Tragedia. —& mouit pictis imixa Cothurnis Densum Cesarie, terque quaterque Caput:

Her heyre rudely disheueled, her chaplet withered, her visage with teares stayned, her brow furrowed, her eyes deiected, nay her whole complexion quite faded and alte∣red: and perusing her habit, I might behold the colour of her fresh roabe all Crimson, breathed, and with the inue∣nomed iuice of some prophane spilt inke in euery place stai∣ned: nay more, her busken of all the wonted Iewels and ornaments, vtterly despoyled; about which in manner of a garter I might behold these letters written in a playne and

large Character.

Behold my Tragicke Buskin rent and torne, Which Kings and Emperors in their tymes haue worne.

This I no sooner had perus'd, but suddenly I might per∣ceaue the inraged Muse, cast vp her skornfull head: her eye∣bals sparklefire, & a suddain flash of disdaine, intermixt with rage, purple her cheeke. When pacing with a maiesticke gate & rowsing vp her fresh spirits with a liuely and queint action, shee began in these or the like words.

Grande sonant tragici, tragicos decet Ira Cothurnos. Am I Melpomene the buskend Muse, That held in awe the tyrants of the world, And playde their liues in publicke Theaters, Making them feare to sinne, since fearelesse I Prepar'd to wryte their liues in Crimson Inke, And act their shames in eye of all the world? Haue not I whipt Vice with a scourge of steele, Vnmaskt sterne Murther; sham'd lasciuious Lust. Pluct off the visar from grimme Treasons face, And made the Sunne point at their vgly sinnes? Hath not this powerfull hand tam'd fiery Rage, Kild poysonous Enuy with her owne keene darts, Choak't vp the Couetous mouth with moulten gold, Burst the vast wombe of eating Gluttony, And drownd the Drunkards gall in iuice of grapes? I haue showed Pryde his picture on a stage, Layde ope the vgly shapes his steele-glasse hid, And made him passe thence meekely: In those daies When Emperours with their presence grac't my sceanes, And thought none worthy to present themselues Saue Emperours: to delight Embassadours. Then did this garland florish, then my Roabe Was of the deepest Crimson, the best dye: Cura Ducum fuerant olim regumque poetae. Premiaque Antiqui magna tulere Chori Who lodge then in the bosome of great Kings.

Saue he that had a graue Cothurnate Muse. A stately verse in an ••ambick stile Became a Kes••rs mouth. Oh these were times Fit for you Bards to vent your golden Rymes. Then did I tread on Arras, Cloth of Tissue, Hung round the fore-front of my stage: the pillers That did support the Roofe of my large frame Double apparrel•• in pure Ophir gold▪ Whilst the round Circle of my spacious orbe Was throng'd with Princes, Dukes and Senators. Nunc Hederae sine Honore iacent. But now's the Iron age, and black-mouth'd Curres, Barke at the vertues of the former world. Such with their breath haue blasted my fresh roabe, Pluckt at my flowry Chaplet, towsd my tresses. Nay some whom for their basenesse hist and skorn'd The Stage, as loathsome, hath long-since spued••ut, Haue watcht their time to cast inuenom'd ••nke To stayne my garments with. Oh Seneca Thou tragicke Poet, hadst thou liu'd to see This outrage done to sad Melpo••ene, With such sharpe lynes thou wouldst reuenge my blot. As Armed O••••d against Ibis wrot.

With that in rage shee left the place, and I my dreame, for at the instant I awaked, when hauing perused this vision ouer and ouer againe in my remembrance, I suddenly be∣thought mee, How many antient Poets, Tragicke and Comicke, dying many ages agoe liue still amongst vs in their works, as amongst the Greekes, Euripide••: M••nand••r▪ Sophocles, Eupolis, Eschilus, Aristophanes, App••llodorus, A••axan∣drides, Nichomachus, Alexis, Tereus and others, so among the Latins: Attilius, Actius, Melithus, Pla••tus, Terens, & others whome fore breuity sake I omit.

Hos Ediscit & hos arcto stipata Theatro Spectat Roma potens habet hos, numer atque Poetas. These potent Rome acquires and holdeth deare.

And in their round Theaters flocks to heare:

These or any of these had they liued in the afternoone of the world, as they dyed euen in the morning, I assure my selfe wold haue left more memorable tropheys of that lear∣ned Muse, whome in their golden numbers they so richly adorned. And amongst our moderne poets▪ who haue bene industrious in many an elaborate and ingenious poem, euen they whose pennes haue had the greatest traffi••ke with the Stage, haue bene in the excuse of these Muses most forget∣full But leauing these, lest I make too large a head to a small body▪ and so mishape my subiect, I will begin with the antiquity of Acting Comedies, Tragedies, and Hysto∣ries. And first in the golden world.

In the first of the Olimpiads, amongst many other actiue exercises in which Hercules euer trimph••d as victor, there was in his nonage presented vnto him by his Tu••or in the fashion of a History, acted by the choyse of the nobility of Greece, the worthy and memorable acts of his father Iupiter. Which being personated with liuely and well-spiri∣ted action, wrought such impression in his noble thoughts, that in meere emulation of his fathers valor (not at the be∣hest of his Stepdame Iuno) he perform'd his twelue labours: Him valiant Theseus followed, and Achilles, Theseus. Which bred in them such hawty and magnanimous attempts, that euery succeeding age hath recorded their worths, vnto fresh admiration. Aristotle that Prince of Philosophers, whose bookes carry such credit, euen in these our vniuer∣s••••ies, that to say Ipse dixit is a sufficient Axioma, hee ha∣uing the tuition of young Alexander, caused the de∣struction of Troy to be acted before his pupill, in which the valor of Achilles was so naturally exprest, that it imprest the hart of Alexander, in so much that all his succeeding actions were meerly shaped after that patterne, and it may be imagined had Achilles neuer liued, Alexander had neuer conquered the whole world. The like assertion may be made of that euer-renowned Roman Iulius Caesar. Who

after the like representation of Alexander in the Temple of Hercules standing in Gades was neuer in any peace of thoughts, till by his memorable exployts, hee had pur∣chas'd to himselfe the name of Alexander: as Alexander till hee thought himselfe of desert to be called Achilles: Achilles Theseus, Theseus till he had sufficiently Imitated the acts of Hercules, and Hercules till hee held himselfe worthy to bee called the son of Iupiter. Why should not the liues of these worthyes, presented in these our dayes, effect the like won∣ders in the Princes of our times, which can no way bee so exquisitly demonstrated, nor so liuely portrayed as by acti∣on: Oratory is a kind of a speaking picture, therefore may some say, is it not sufficient to discourse to the eares of prin∣ces the fame of these conquerors: Painting likewise, is a dumbe oratory, therefore may we not as well by some cu∣rious Pigmalion, drawe their conquests to worke the like loue in Princes towards these Worthyes by shewing them their pictures drawne to the life, as it wrought on the poore painter to bee inamored of his owne shadow▪ I answer this.

Non ••agis expressi vultus per ahenia signa Quam per vatis opus, mores animique virorum Clarorum apparent.— The visage is no better cut in brasse, Nor can the Caruer so expresse the face As doth the Poets penne whose arts surpasse, To giue mens liues and vertues their due grace.

A Description is only a shadow receiued by the eare but not perceiued by the eye: so liuely portrature is meerely a forme seene by the eye, but can neither shew action, passi∣on, motion, or any other gesture, to mooue the spirits of the beholder to admiration: but to see a souldier shap'd like a souldier, walke, speake, act like a souldier: to see a Hector all besmered in blood, trampling vpon the bulkes of Kinges. A Troylus returning from the field in the sight of his father Priam as if man and horse euen from the steeds rough fetlockes to the plume in the champions helmet had bene

together plunged into a purple Ocean: To see a Pompey ride in triumph, then a Caesar conquer that Pompey: labou∣ring Hanniball aliue, hewing his passage through the Alpes. To see as I haue seene, Hercules in his owne shape hunting the Boare, knocking downe the Bull, taming the Hart, fighting with Hydra, murdering Gerion, slaugh∣tring Diomed, wounding the Stimphalides, killing the Cen∣taurs, pashing the Lion, squeezing the Dragon, dragging Cerberus in Chaynes, and lastly, on his high Pyramides wri∣ting Nilvltra, Oh these were sights to make an Alexander.

To turne to our domesticke hystories, what English blood seeing the person of any bold English man presen∣ted and doth not hugge his fame, and hunnye at his valor, pursuing him in his enterprise with his best wishes, and as beeing wrapt in contemplation, offers to him in his hart all prosperous performance, as if the Personater were the man Personated, so bewitching a thing is liuely and well spirited action, that it hath power to new mold the harts of the spectators and fashion them to the shape of any noble and notable attempt. What coward to see his contryman valiant would not bee ashamed of his owne cowardise? What English Prince should hee behold the true portrature of that amous King Edward the third, foraging France, taking so great a King captiue in his owne country, qua••∣tering the English Lyons with the French Flower-delyce, and would not bee suddenly Inflam'd with so royall a spec∣tacle, being made apt and fit for the like atchieuement. So of Henry the fift: but not to be tedious in any thing. Ouid in one of his poems holds this opinion, that Romulus was the first that broght plaies into Italy, which he thus sets downe▪

Primus sollicitos fecisti Romule Ludos.* 1.1 Cum iurit viduos rapta sabina viros Tunc neque marmoreo pendebant vela Theatro, &c. Which wee English thus. Thou noble Romulus first playes contriues, To get thy widdowed souldiers Sabine wyues.

In those dayes from the marble house did wau•• No saile, no silken flagge, or ensigne braue. Then was the Tragicke stage not painted red, Or any mixed staines on pillers spred. Then did the Sceane want art, th'vnready stage Was made of grasse and earth in that rude age: About the which were thicke-leau'd branches placed, Nor did the Audients hold themselues disgraced Of turfe and heathy sods to make their seates, Fr••m'd in degrees of earth, and mossy peates. Thus plac'd in order, euery Roman pry'd Into her face that sate next by his side; And closing with her, seuerally gan moue, The innocent Sab••ne women to their loue: And whil'st the piper Thuscus rudely plaid, And by thrice stamping with his foote had made A signe vnto the rest, there was a shout, Whose shrill report pierst all the aire about. N••w at a signe of rape giuen from the King, Round through the hou••e the lusty Romans fling, Leauing no corner of the same vnsought, Till euery one a frighted virgin caught. Looke as the trembling Doue the Eagle flyes, Or a yong Lambe when he the Woolfe espyes; Soran the poore girles, filling th'aire with skreekes. Emptying of all the colour their pale cheekes. One feare possest them all, but not one looke, This teares her haire, she; hath her wits forsooke. Some sadly sit, some on their mothers call, Som•• cha••e, some flye, some stay, but frighted all. Th•••• were the ra••••sh'd Sabi••es blushing led (Be••omming shame) vnto each Romans bed. If any striu'd against it, streight her man Would ••ak•• her on 〈◊〉〈◊〉 knee (whom feare made w••n) And ••ay; Why weep'st thou sweet? what ailes my deere? D••y vp these drops, these clowds of sorrow cleere.

Il'e be to thee, if thou thy griefe wilt smother, Such as thy father was vnto thy mother. Full well could Romulus his Souldiers please, To giue them such faire mistresses as these. If such rich wages thou wilt giue to me, Great Romulus, thy souldier I will ••e.

Romulus hauing erected the walles of Rome, and leading vnder him a warlike Nation, being in continuall warre with the Sabines, after the choyce selecting of a place, fit 〈◊〉〈◊〉 so famous a Citty, and not knowing how to people the same, his traine wholly consisting of Souldiers, who without the company of women (they not hauing any in their Army) could not multiply; but so were likely that their immortall fames should dye issulesse with their mor∣tall bodies. Thus therefore Romulus deuised; After a parle and attonement made with the neighbour Nations, hee built a Theater, plaine, according to the time; yet large, fit for the entertainement of so great an Assembly, and these were they whose famous issue peopled the Cittie of Rome, which in after ages grew to such height, that not Troy, founded by Dardanus, Carthage layed by Dido, Tyru•• built by Agenor, Memphis made by Ogdous, Thebes seated by Cad∣mus, nor Babylon reared by Semiramis, were any way equall to this situation grounded by Romulus: to which all the discouered kingdomes of the earth after became tributa∣ries. And in the noone-tide of their glory, and height of all their honor, they edified Theaters, and Amphi-theaters: for in their flourishing Common-weale, their publike Co∣medians and Tragedians most florished, insomuch that the Tragicke and Comicke Poets, were all generally ad∣mired of the people, and particularly euery man of his pri∣uate Mec••nas.

In the reigne of Augustus Christ was borne,* 1.2 and as well in his dayes as before his birth, these solemnities were held in the greatest estimation.* 1.3 In Iulius Caesars time, predeces∣sor to August••••, the fam••us hony-tong'd Orator Cicero

florished; who, amongst many other his eloquent Orati∣o••s, writ certaine yet extant, for the Com••dian Ros••ius (pro Roscio Comaedo) of whom we shall speake more large here∣after. These continued in their honour till the reigne of Ti∣berius Caesar, and vnder Tiberius Christ was crucified. To this end do I vse this assertion, because in the full and per∣fect time our Sauiour soiurned on the earth, euen in those happy and peacefull dayes the spacious Theaters were in the greatest opinion amongst the Romans; yet, neither Christ himselfe, nor any of his san••••ified Apostles, in any of their Sermons, Acts, or Documents, so much as named them, or vpon any abusiue occasion, touched them. There∣fore hence (me thinkes) a very probable and important ar∣gument may be grounded, that since they, in their diuine wisdomes, knew all the sinnes abounding in the world be∣fore that time, taxt and reproued all the abuses reigning in that time, and foresaw all the actions and inconueniences (to the Church preiudiciall) in the time to come; Since they (I say) in all their holy doctrines, bookes, and princi∣ples of Diuinity, were content to passe them ouer, as things tollerated, and indifferent, why should any nice and ouer-scrupulous heads, since they cannot ground their cu∣riousnesse either vpon the old or new Testament, take vp∣on them to correct, controule, and carpe at that, against which they cannot finde any text in the sacred Scriptures?

In the time of Nero Caesar, the Apostle Paul was perse∣cuted and suffered, Nero was then Emperour, Paul writ his Epistle to the Romans, and at the same time did the Thea∣ters most florish amongst the Romans; yet where can we quote any place in his Epistles, which forbids the Church of God, then resident in Rome, to absent themselues from a∣ny such assemblies.

To speake my opinion with all indifferency, God hath not enioyned vs to weare all our apparrell solely to defend the cold▪ Some garments we weare for warmth, others for ornament. So did the children of Israel hang eare-rings in

their eares, not was it by the law forbidden them. That pu∣rity is not look't for at our hands, being mortall and hu∣mane, that is required of the Angels, being celestiall and diuine. God made vs of earth, men; knowes our natures, dispositions and imperfections, and therefore hath limi∣ted vs a time to reioyce, as hee hath enioyned vs a time to mourne for our transgressiōs. And I hold them more scru∣pulous than well aduised, that goe about to take from vs the vse of all moderate recreations. Why hath God ordai∣ned for man, va••••••tie of meates, dainties and delicates, if not to taste thereon? why doth the world yeeld choyce of honest pastimes, if not decently to vse them? Was not the Hare made to be hunted? the Stagge to be chaced; and so of all other beasts of game in their seuerall kindes? since God hath prouided vs of these pastimes, why may wee not vse them to his glory? Now if you aske me why were not the Theaters as gorgeously built in all other Cities of Italy as Rome? And why are not Play-houses maintained as well in other Cities of England, as London? my answere is: It is not meet euery meane Esquire should carry the part belon∣ging to one of the Nobility, or for a Noble-man to vsurpe the estate of a Prince. Rome was a Metropolis, a place whi∣ther all the nations knowne vnder the Sunne, resorted: so is London, and being to receiue all Estates, all Princes, all Nations, therefore to affoord them all choyce of pastimes, sports, and recreations: yet were there Theaters in all the greatest Cities of the world, as we will more largely parti∣cularize hereafter.

I neuer yet could read any History of any Common∣weale, which did not thriue & prosper whilst these publike solemnities were held in adoration. Oh but (say some) Mar∣cus Aurelius banisht all such triuiall exercises beyond the confines of Italy. Indeed this Emperour was a Philosopher of the sect of Diogenes, a Cini••ke, and whether the hand of Diogenes would become a scepter, or a root better, I leaue to your iudgments. This Aur••lius was a great & sharpe re∣prouer,

who because the Matrons and Ladies of Rome, in scorne of his person made a play of him; in his time, inter∣dicted the vse of their Theaters. So, because his wife Fau∣sti••e plaid false with him, he generally exclaimed against all women: because hims••l••e could not touch an Instrument, he banisht all the Musitians in Rome, and being a meere co∣ward, put all the Gladiators and sword-players into exile. And lest his owne suspected life should be againe acted by the Comedians, as it before had beene by the noble Ma∣trons, he profest himselfe aduersary to all of that quality, so seuere a reformation of the weale publike hee vsed, restrai∣ning the Citizens of their free liberties, which till his daies was not seene in Rome; but what profited this the weale publicke? do but peruse the ancient Roman Chronicles, & you shall vndoubtedly finde, that from the time of this pre∣cise Emperour, that stately City, whose lofty buildings crowned seuen high hils at once, and ouer-peered them all, streight way began to hang the head, by degrees the for∣reigne kingdomes reuolted, and the homage done them by strange Nations, was in a little space quite abrogated: for they gouerned all the world, some vnder Consuls, some vnder P••o-consuls, Presidents and Pretors, they diuided their dominions and countryes into principalities, some in∣to Prouinces, some into Toparchyes▪ some into Tetrar∣chyes, some into Tribes, others into Ethnarchyes: but now their homage ceast, Marc••s Aurelius ended their mirth, which presaged that shortly after should begin their sor∣row, he banisht their liberty▪ & immediatly followed their bondage. For Rome, which till then kept all the Nations of the world in subiectiue awe, was in a little space awd e∣uen by the basest nations of the world. To leaue Italy, and looke backe into Gr••••ce, the Sages and Princes of Grecia, who for the refinednesse of their language were in such re∣putation through the world, that all other tongues were esteemed barbarous; These that were the first vnderstan∣ders, trained vp their youthfull Nobility to bee Actors, de∣barring

the base Mechanickes so worthy imployment: for none but the yong Heroes were admitted that practise, so to embolden them in the deliuery of any forraine Embassy. These wise men of Greece (o called by the Oracle) could by their industry, finde out no neerer or directer course to plant humanity and manners in the hearts of the multitude then to instruct them by moralized mysteries, what vices to auoyd, what vertues to embrace; what enorm••tyes to a∣bandon, what ordinances to ob••••••ue: whose liues (being for s••••e speciall endowments in former times honoured) they should admire and follow: whose vicious actions (personated in some licentious liuer) they should despise & shunne: which borne out as well by the wisedome of the Poet, as supported by the worth of the Actors, wrought such impression in the hearts of the plebe, that in short space they excelled in ciuility and gouernement, insomuch that from them all the neighbour Nations drew their patternes of Humanity, as well in the establishing of their lawes, as the reformation of their manners. These Magi and Gym∣nosophistae, that liu'd (as I may say) in the childhood and infancy of the world, before it knew how to speake perfe∣ctly, thought euen in those dayes, that Action was the nee∣rest way to plant vnderstanding in the hearts of the igno∣rant. Yea (but say some) you ought not to confound the ha∣bits of either sex, as to let your boyes weare the attires of virgins, &c. To which I answere: The Scriptures are not alwayes to be expounded meerely▪ according to the letter: (for in such esta••e stands our may••e Sacramentall Contro∣uersie) but they ought exactly to bee conferred with the purpose they handle. To do as the Sodomites did, vse pre∣posterous lusts in preposterous habits, is in that text flatly and seuerely forbidden: nor can I imagine any man, that hath in him any taste of relish of Christianity, to be guil∣ty of so abhorred a sinne. Besides, it is not probable, that Playes were meant in that text, because we read not of any Playes knowne in that time that Deutero••••••ie was writ,

among the Children of Israel, nor do I hold it lawfull to beguile the eyes of the world in confounding the shapes of either sex, as to keepe any youth in the habit of a virgin, or any virgin in the shape of a lad, to shroud them from the eyes of their fathers, tutors, or protectors, or to any other sinister intent whatsoeuer. But to see our youths attired in the habit of women, who knowes not what their intents be? who cannot distinguish them by their names, assured∣ly knowing, they are but to represent such a Lady, at such a time appoynted?

Do not the Vniuersities, the fountaines and well•• springs of all good Arts, Learning and Documents, admit the like in their Colledges? and they (I assure my selfe) are not ig∣norant of their true vse. In the time of my residence in Cam∣bridge, I haue seene Tragedyes, Comedyes, Historyes, Pa∣storals and Shewes, publickly acted, in which Graduates of good place and reputation, haue bene specially parted: this is held necessary for the emboldening of their Iunior schol∣lers, to arme them with audacity, against they come to bee imployed in any publicke exercise, as in the reading of the Dialecticke, Rhetoricke, Ethicke, Mathematicke, the Phy∣sicke, or Metaphysicke Lectures, It teacheth audacity to the bashfull Grammarian, beeing newly admitted into the priuate Colledge, and after matriculated and entred as a member of the Vniuersity, and makes him a bold Sophi∣ster, to argue pro et contra, to compose his Sillogismes, Ca∣thegoricke, or Hypotheticke (simple or compound) to rea∣son and frame a sufficient argument to proue his questions, or to defend any axioma, to distinguish of any Dilemma, & be able to moderate in any Argumentation whatsoeuer.

To come to Rhetoricke, it not onely emboldens a schol∣ler to speake, but instructs him to speake well, and with iudgement, to obserue his comma's, colons, & full poynts, his parentheses, his breathing spaces, and distinctions, to keepe a decorum in his countenance, neither to frown•• when he should smile, nor to make vnseemely and disgui∣sed

faces in the deliuery of his words, not to stare with his eies, draw awry his mouth, confoūd his voice in the hollow of his throat, or teare his words hastily betwixt his teeth, neither to buffet his deske like a mad-man, nor stand in his place like a liuelesse Image, demurely plodding, & without any smooth & ••ormal motiō. It instructs him to fit his phra∣ses to his action, and his action to his phrase, and his pro∣nuntiation to them both.

Tully in his booke ad Caium Herennium, requires fiue things in an Orator, Inuention, Disposition, Eloquuti••n Me∣mory, and Pronuntiation, yet all are imperfect without the sixt, which is Action: for be his inuen••ion neuer so flu∣ent and exquisite, his disposition and order neuer so com∣posed and formall, his eloquence, and elaborate phrases neuer so materiall and pithy, his memory neuer so firme & retentiue, his pronuntiation neuer so musicall and plausiue, yet without a comely and elegant gesture, a gratious and a bewitching kinde of action, a naturall and a familiar moti∣on of the head, the hand, the body, and a moderate and fit countenance sutable to all the rest, I hold all the rest as no∣thing. A deliuery & sweet actiō is the glosse & beauty of any discourse that belongs to a scholler. And this is the action behoouefull in any that professe this quality, not to vse a∣ny impudent or forced motion in any part of the body, no rough, or other violent gesture, nor on the contrary, to stand like a stiffe starcht man, but to qualifie euery thing ac∣cording to the nature of the person personated: for in ouer∣acting trickes, and toyling too much in the anticke habit of humors, men of the ripest desert, greatest opinions, and best reputations, may breake into the most violent absur∣dities. I take not vpon me to teach, but to aduise: for it becomes my Iuniority rather to be pupild my selfe, then to instruct others.

To proceed, and to looke into those men that professe themselues aduersaries to this quality, they are none of the grauest, and most ancient Doctors of the Academy, but

onely a sort of finde-faults, such as interest their prodigall tongues in all mens affaires without respect. These I haue heard as liberally in their superficiall censures, taxe the ex∣ercises performed in their Colledges, as these acted on our publicke stages, not looking into the true & direct vse of either, but ambitiously preferring their owne pre∣sumptuous humors, before the profound and authenticall iudgements of all the learned Doctors of the Vniuersitie. Thus you see, that touching the antiquity of Actors and Acting, they haue not beene new lately begot by any vp∣start inuention, but I haue deriued them from the first O∣limpiads, and I shall continue the vse of ••hem euen till this present age. And so much touching their antiquity.

Pars superest coepti: pars est exhausta laboris.

The end of the first Booke.

Notes

• * 1.1

  De Arte Aman∣di. 1.
• * 1.2

  Imperante Au∣gusto, natus est Christus.
• * 1.3

  Imperante Ti∣berio crucifixus.