Histrio-mastix The players scourge, or, actors tragædie, divided into two parts. Wherein it is largely evidenced, by divers arguments, by the concurring authorities and resolutions of sundry texts of Scripture ... That popular stage-playes ... are sinfull, heathenish, lewde, ungodly spectacles, and most pernicious corruptions; condemned in all ages, as intolerable mischiefes to churches, to republickes, to the manners, mindes, and soules of men. And that the profession of play-poets, of stage-players; together with the penning, acting, and frequenting of stage-playes, are unlawfull, infamous and misbeseeming Christians. All pretences to the contrary are here likewise fully answered; and the unlawfulnes of acting, of beholding academicall enterludes, briefly discussed; besides sundry other particulars concerning dancing, dicing, health-drinking, &c. of which the table will informe you. By William Prynne, an vtter-barrester of Lincolnes Inne.

SCENA DECIMA-QVINTA.

THe 15. consequent or effect of Stage-playes is; that [ 15] they effeminate their Actors and Spectators; ma∣king them mimicall, histrionicall, lascivious, apish, amo∣rous, and unmanly, both in their habites, gestures, speeches, complements, and their whole deportment: d 1.1enervating and resolving the virility and vigor of their mindes, to their owne private and the publike preju∣dice. This Plato De Republica Dialog. 3. pag. 597. Cle∣mens Alexandrinus Paedagogi. lib, 2. cap. 4. lib. 3. cap. 11. Tertullian De Spectaculis. cap. 17. Cyprian De Spectaculis. lib. & Epist. lib. 2. Epist. 2. Donato. Lactantius, De Vero Cultu cap. 20. & Divinarum Instit. Epist. cap. 6. Hierom. Adversus Iovinianum. lib. 2. cap. 7. Nazianzen. De Recta

Educatione ad Selucum. pag. 1063. * 1.2 Chrysostome Homil. 6. & 38. in Matth. & Oratio 7. formerly quoted. Augus∣tine De Civitate Dei. lib. 1. cap. 32.33. Salvian. De Gu∣bernatione Dei. lib. 6. Ioannes Salisburiensis, De Nugis Curialium. lib. 1. cap. 8. & lib. 8. cap. 6. Saxo-Grammati∣cus. Danicae Hist. lib. 6. pag. 103. The 3. Blast of Retrait from Playes and Enterludes. M. Gualther. Hom. 11. in Na∣hum. Bodinus De Republica. lib. 6. c. 1, Ludovicus Vives, De Causis Corruptionis Artium. l. 2. c. 81.82, 83. M. Robert Boulton, in his Discourse of True Happinesse. pag. 73.74. with sundry Authors formerly quoted in the 5. Scene of this preseent Act: & Act 5. Scene 3.6. expresly testifie. * 1.3 These effeminated the Grecians, the Romanes heretofore, resolving their valour into sloath and lazinesse, and so ma∣king them a booty to their enemies, which made the Mas∣silienses and Scipio Africanus to suppresse them. And if this evidence is not sufficient, our owne experi∣ence can sufficiently manifest this truth. For whence is it that many of our Gentry are lately e 1.4 degenerated into a more then Sardanapalian effeminacy; that they are now so fantastique in their apparell, so womannish in their frizled Periwigs, Love-lockes, and long effeminate poul∣dred pounced haire; so mimicall in their gestures; so effeminate in their lives; so Player-like in their deport∣ment; so amorous in their speeches; so lascivious in their embracements; so unmanly, degenerous and un-English (if I may so speake) in their whole conversati∣on; is it not principally from their resort to Playes, to Masques, and such like antique, apish Pastimes, the ve∣ry Schooles to traine them up in all effeminacy, and fan∣tastique folly? undoubtedly it is. Wherefore I shall briefely conclude this Scene with this 40. Play-oppug∣ning Syllogisme.

That which effeminates mens mindes, mens man∣ners,

and makes them womannish both in their mindes, their bodies, speeches, habites, and their whole deportment: must needs bee abominable unto Christians, intolerable in a Common-weale. Witnesse Act 5. Scene 3. & Act 7. Scene 5. before.

But this doe * 1.5 Stage-playes; as is evident by the premises; and by Act 5. Scene 3. & Act 6. Scene 5.

Therefore they must needs be abominable unto Chri∣stians, intolerable in a Common-weale.

Notes

• d 1.1

  Cantus & carmina Poe∣tarū, & comae∣dorum, mimo∣rumque urba∣nitates & stro∣phae per aures introientes, vi∣rilitatem men∣tis effaeminant. Hierom. Advers. Iovinianum. lib. 2. cap. 7. Carmina Poetarum, Comaediarum & Tragaediarum actus, mimorum urbanitates & strophas & quicquid hujusmodi per aurem incedit, virilitatem mentis effaeminant. Ioannis Salisburiensis. De Nugis Curialium. lib. 8. cap. 6. Bibl. Patrum. Tom. 15. pag. 463. D.
• * 1.2

  See Scene 4. before.
• * 1.3

  See Ammia∣nus Marcelli∣nus. Hi••t. l. 28. cap. 9.10. Sigo∣nius. De Occi∣dentali Impe∣rio. lib. 1. pag. 32. & Act 6. Scene 5. tho∣rowout.
• e 1.4

  Converte∣rant in mulie∣brem tol••ran∣••iam viri, non usum tantum atque naturam, sed etiam vul∣tum, incessum, habitum, & totum penitus quicquid aut in ••exu est; aut in usu viri: a∣deò versa sunt in diversum omnia, ut cum viris nihil ma∣gis pudori esse oporteat, quàm si muliebre aliquid in se habere videantur, nunc nihil turpius viris quibusdam videtur, quam si in aliquo viri viderentur. Salvi••n. De Gubernatione Dei. lib. 7. pag. 263.264.
• * 1.5

  Nonne illos qui à Theatris descendunt, vi∣detis molliores effectos? id vero in causa est, quòd i••s, quae ibi fiunt studiosè attend••nt. Chrysostom. Hom. De S. Barlaam. Tom. 1. Edit. Paris••••s. ••621. pag. 893. D.