The anatomie of abuses contayning a discouerie, or briefe summarie of such notable vices and imperfections, as now raigne in many Christian countreyes of the worlde: but (especiallie) in a verie famous ilande called Ailgna: together, with most fearefull examples of Gods iudgementes, executed vpon the wicked for the same, aswell in Ailgna of late, as in other places, elsewhere. Verie godly, to be read of all true Christians, euerie where: but most needefull, to be regarded in Englande. Made dialogue-wise, by Phillip Stubbes. Seene and allowed, according to order.

Of Stage-playes and Enterluds, with their wickednes.

Philo.

ALL Stage-playes, Enterluds and Com∣medies, are either of diuyne, or prophane matter: If they be of diuine matter, than are they most intollerable, or rather Sacrile∣gious, for that the blessed word of GOD, is to be handled, reuerently, grauely, and sagely, with veneration to the glorious Maiestie of God, which shineth therin, and not scoffingly, flowtingly, & iybingly, as it is vpon stages in Playes & Enterluds, without any reuerence, worship, or veneration to y^e same: the word of our Saluation, the price of Christ his bloud, & the merits of his passion, were not giuen, to

be derided, and iested at as they be in these filthie playes and enterluds on stages & scaf∣folds,* 1.1 or to be mixt and interlaced with baw∣dry, wanton shewes & vncomely gestures, as is vsed (euery Man knoweth) in these playes and enterludes. In the first of Ihon we are taught, that the word is GOD, and God is the word. Wherfore, who so euer abuseth this word of our God on stages in playes and en∣terluds, abuseth the Maiesty of GOD in the same, maketh a mocking stock of him, & pur∣chaseth to himselfe, eternal dānation. And no marueil, for the sacred word of GOD, and God himselfe,* 1.2 is neuer to be thought of, or once named, but with great feare, reuerence and obedience to the same. All the holy com∣panie of Heauen, Angels, Archangels, Cheru∣bins, Seraphins, and all other powers what∣soeuer, yea the Deuills themselues (as Iames saith) doo tremble & quake, at the naming of God, and at the presence of his wrath, and doo these Mockers and Flowters of his Maiesty, these dissembling Hipocrites, and flattering Gnatoes, think to escape vnpunished? beware therfore you masking Players, you painted sepulchres, you doble dealing ambodexters, be warned betymes,* 1.3 and lik good computi••tes cast your accompts before what wil be the re∣ward therof in the end, least God destroy you in his wrath: abuse God no more, corrupt his

people no longer with your dregges, and in∣termingle not his blessed word with such pro∣phane vanities. For, at no hand, it is not law∣full, to mixt scurrilitie with diuinitie,* 1.4 nor di∣uinitie with scurrilitie.

Theopompus, mingled Moyses law with his writinges, and therfore the LORD stroke him madd. Theodictes began the same practise, but the Lorde stroke him blind for it. With many others who attempting the like deuyses, were al ouerthrowne, and died miserably: besids, what is their iudgemēt in the other World the Lord onely knoweth. Upon the other side, if their playes be of pro∣phane matters, thā tend they to y^• dishonor of God and norishing of vice,* 1.5 both which are dā∣nable. So that whither they be the one or the other, they are quite contrarie to the Word of grace, and sucked out of the Deuills teates, to nourish vs in ydolatrie hethenrie, and sinne.

And therfore, they cariyng the note, or brand of GOD his curse vppon thei•• backs, which way soeuer they goe, are to be hissed out of all Christian Kingdomes, if they wil haue Christ to dwell amongst them.

Spud.

Are you able to shewe, that euer any good Men from the beginning, haue resisted Playes and Enterluds?

Philo.

Not onely the word of GOD doth ouerthrow thē, addiudging them, & the main∣tainers

of them, to Hell, but also all holie coū∣sels, and sinodes, both generall, nationall and prouinciall,* 1.6 together, with all Writers both diuyne and prophane, euer since y^• beginning haue disalowed them, and writ (almost) whole volumes against them.

The learned Father Tertullian in his booke de Speculo, saith, that playes, were consecrat to that false ydoll Becchus, for that he is said to haue found out, and inuented strōg drinke.

Augustinus de ciuit. Dei, saith,* 1.7 that plaies were ordeined by the Deuill, and consecrat to heathen Gods, to draw vs from Christia∣nitie to ydolatrie, and gentilisme. And in an other place: Pecunias Histrionibus dare, vi∣tium est innane, non virtus. To giue money to Players, is a gréeuous sin.

Chrisostome, calleth those playes, festa Sathani, feasts of the Deuill. Lactantius, an ancient learned Father, saith,

Histrionum impudissimi gestus, nihil aliud nisi Libidi∣nem mouent:

The shamelesse gestures of Plaiers, serue to nothing so much, as to moue the flesh to lust,* 1.8 and vnclennesse. And therfore, in the .30.* 1.9 Counsell of Carthage, & Synode of Laodicea,* 1.10 it was decréed, that no Christen Man,* 1.11 or Woman, should resorte to playes and enterludes, where is nothing but blasphemie, scurrilitie and whordome main∣tained. Scipio, seeing the Romaines bente

to erect Theaters, & places for plaies, dehorted them from it,* 1.12 with most prudent reasons and forcible arguments. Valerius Maximus saith, playes were neuer brought vp, sine re∣gni rubore, without shame to the Cuntrey.

Arist.

debarreth youth accesse to Playes & Enterluds, least they séeking to quench the thirst of Venus, doo quench it with a potle of fire. Augustus, banished Ouid, for making Bookes of loue, Enterluds and such other a∣morous trumperie.

Constantius, ordeined that no Player shold be admitted to the table of the Lord. Than séeing, that Playes were first inuented by the Deuil,* 1.13 practised by the heathen gentiles, and dedicat to their false ydols, Goddes and God∣desse••: as the howse, stage and apparell, to Ve∣nus: the musicke, to Appollo: the penning, to Minerua, and the Muses: the action and pro∣nuntiation to Mercurie and y^e rest, it is more than manifest, that they are no fit exercyses for a Christen Man to follow. But if there were no euill in them, saue this, namely, that the arguments of tragedies,* 1.14 is anger, wrath, immunitie, crueltie, iniurie, incest, murther & such like: the Persons or Actors, are Goddes, Goddesses, Furies, Fyends, Hagges, Kings, Quéenes, or Potentates. Of Commedies, the matter and ground is loue,* 1.15 bawdrie, cose∣nage, flattery, whordome, adulterie: the Per∣sons

or agēts, whores, queanes, bawdes, scul••lions, Knaues, Curtezans, lecherous old men•• amorous yong men, with such like of infinit varietie: If I say there were nothing els, but this, it were sufficiēt to withdraw a good chri∣stian from the vsing of them. For so often, as they goe to those howses where Players fre∣quēt▪ thei go to Venus pallace & sathās synago∣gue to worship deuils, & betray Christ Iesus.

Spud.

But notwithstanding,* 1.16 I haue hard some hold opinion that they be as good as ser∣mons, and that many a good Example may be learned out of them?

Philo.

Oh blasphemie intollerable:* 1.17 Are fil∣thie playes & bawdy enterluds comparable to the word of God, y^• foode of life, and life it selfe? It is all one, as if they had said, bawdrie, he∣thenrie, pagārie, scurrilitie, and diuelrie it self, is equall with the word of God. Or that the Deuill, is equipolent with the Lord.

The Lord our God hath ordeined his bles∣sed word, and made it the ordenarie mean of our Saluation, the Deui••l hath inferred the other, as, the ordenarie meane of our destru∣ction, and will they yet compare the one with y^• other? If he be accursed,* 1.18 y^• calleth light dark∣nes, & darknes light, truth, falsehood, & falshood truth, swéet, sowre, and sowr sweete, than a fortiori is he accur••••d that saith that playes & enterluds be equiualent with Sermons, Be∣••ids

this, there is no mischief which these plai∣es, maintain not. For, do they not norish ydle∣nes? and otia dant vitia, ydlenes is the Mo∣ther of vice. Doo they not draw the people frō hering the word of God, from godly Lectures, and sermons? for you shall haue them flocke thither thick & thréefould, whē y^e church of God shalbe bare & emptie. And those y^• will neuer come at sermons wil flow thither apace. The reason is,* 1.19 for that the nūber of Christ his elect is but few, and the number of the reprobat is many, the way y^• leadeth to life is narow, and few tread y^• path, y^• way that leadeth to death, is brod, & many find it. This sheweth, they are not of God, who refuse to here his word (for he that is of God, hereth God his word saith our Sauiour Christ) but of the deuill, whose exer∣cyses they go to visite. Do they not maintaine bawdrie,* 1.20 insinuat folery, & renue y^e remēbrance of hethen ydolatrie? Do they not induce whor∣dome & vnclennes? nay, are they not rather plaine deuourers of maydenly virginitie and chastitie? For proofe wherof, but marke the flocking and rūning to Theaters & curtens, daylie and hourely, night and daye, tyme and tyde to see Playes and Enterludes,* 1.21 where such wanton gestures, such bawdie speaches: such laughing and fléering: such kissing and bussing: such clipping and culling: Suche winckinge and glancinge of wanton eyes,

and the like is vsed, as is wonderfull to be∣hold. Than these goodly pageants being done, euery mate sorts to his mate, euery one brin∣ges another homeward of their way verye fréendly, and in their secret conclaues (couert∣ly) they play y^e Sodomits, or worse. And these be the fruits of Playes and Enterluds, for the most part. And wheras, you say, there are good Examples to be learned in them:

Trulie,* 1.22 so there are: if you will learne fal∣shood, if you will learn cosenage: if you will learn to deceiue: if you will learn to play the Hipocrit: to cogge, lye and falsifie: if you will learn to iest, laugh and fléer, to grin, to nodd, and mow: if you will learn to playe the vice, to swear, teare, and blaspleme, both Heauen and Earth:* 1.23 If you will learn to become a∣bawde, vncleane, and to deuerginat Mayds, to deflour honest Wyues: if you will learne to murther, s••aie, kill, picke, steal, robbe and roue: If you will learn to rebel against Prin∣ces, to cōmit treasons, to comsume treasurs, to practise ydlenes, to sing and talke of baw∣die loue and venery: if you will lerne to de∣ride, scoffe, mock & flowt, to flatter & smooth: If you will learn to play the whore-maister, the glutton, Drunkard, or incestuous person: if you will learn to become proude, hawtie & arrogant: and finally, if you will learne to comtemne GOD and al his lawes, to ••are

neither for heauen nor hel, and to commit al kinde of sinne and mischéef you néed to goe to no other schoole,* 1.24 for all these good Examples, may you sée painted before your eyes in en∣terludes and playes: wherfore, that man who giueth money for the maintenance of them, must néeds incurre the damage of premunire, that is, eternall damnation except they repēt. For the Apostle biddeth vs beware,* 1.25 least wée communica•• with other mens sinnes, & this their dooing, is not only to communicat with other mens sinnes, & maintain euil, to the di∣struction of thē selues & many others, but also a maintaining of a great sorte of idle lubbers and buzzing dronets to suck vp and deuoure the good honie,* 1.26 wherupon the poor bées should liue.

Therfore I beséech all players & Founders of plaies and enterludes, in the bowels of Iesus Christe, as they tender the saluation of their soules, and others, to leaue of that cursed kind of life,* 1.27 and gi••e them selues to such honest ex¦ercises, and godly misteries, as God hath cō∣maunded them in his woord to get their li∣uings w^tall: for who wil call him a wiseman that plaieth the part of a foole and a vice? who can call him a Christian, who playeth y^e part of a deuil,* 1.28 the sworne enemie of Christe? who can call him a iust man, that playeth the part of a dissembling hipocrite? And to be breef,

who can call him a straight deling man, who playeth a Cosoners trick? And so of all y^e rest. Away therfore with this so infamous an art, for goe they neuer so braue,* 1.29 yet are they coū∣ted and taken but for beggers. And is it not true? liue they not vpon begging of euery one that comes? Are they not taken by the lawes of the Realm,* 1.30 for roagues and vacabounds? I speak of such as trauaile the Cuntries, with playes & enterludes, making an occupation of it, and ought so to be punished, if they had their deserts. But hoping that they will be warned now at the last, I wil say no more of them, beséeching them to consider what a fear¦ful thing it is to fall into the hands of God, & to prouoke his wrath and heauie displeasure against them selues and others, which the Lord of his mercie turn from vs.

Spud.

Of that sorte he the other kinde of playes, which you call Lords of Mis-rule? for mée thinke, the very name it self caryeth a taste of some notorious euil.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The deriding of the word of God in sta∣ge playes.
• * 1.2

  Reuerence to the maie∣stie of God du••.
• * 1.3

  A warming to Players.
• * 1.4

  Not lawfull to intermixt diuynitie, with scurrili∣tie
• * 1.5

  What if play∣es be of pro∣phane mat∣ter.
• * 1.6

  The word of God, al Wri∣ters, counsels and Fathers haue writ a∣gainst playes, and e••ter∣luds.
• * 1.7

  Wherfo••e playes 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ordeined.
• * 1.8

  Concilium. 3.
• * 1.9

  Carth••. Cap▪ 11
• * 1.10

  Synode▪ Laodicea.
• * 1.11

  Cap. 54.
• * 1.12

  Write••s both diuyne and prophane a∣gainst playe•• and Enter∣luds.
• * 1.13

  The ends of playes and Enterluds.
• * 1.14

  The argu∣ments of tra∣gedies.
• * 1.15

  The ground of Comme∣dies.
• * 1.16

  Theaters and curtaines Ve∣nus pallaces.
• * 1.17

  No playes cō∣parable to the word of God
• * 1.18

  He is cursed that saith playes and enterluds are comparable to sermons.
• * 1.19

  Wherfore so many ••flock to see playe•• and enter∣luds.
• * 1.20

  The fruits o•• theathers, & playes.
• * 1.21

  The Godly demeanoures vsed at playes and enterluds
• * 1.22

  The goodly examples of Playes and Enterluds.
• * 1.23

  What things are to be ler∣ned at playes.
• * 1.24

  Theater•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Seminaries of pseudo christianit
• * 1.25

  A dyuine pre¦munire.
• * 1.26

  What it is to communicate with other mens sinnes.
• * 1.27

  An Exhotati¦on to plaiers.
• * 1.28

  The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 due to Play••ers.
• * 1.29

  Players liue vpon beg∣ging.
• * 1.30

  Players coun¦ted Rogues by the lawes of the Realm