The Anatomie of Abuses Contayning A DISCOVERIE 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 Uerie 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 MATH 3. ver 2. Repent for the kingdome of God is at hande Lvc. 13. ver 5. I say vnto you saith Christ except you repent you shall all perish ¶ Printed at London by Richard Iones â—â—â—â—aij 1583. To the Right Honorable Phillip Earle of Arundell Phillip Stubbes wisheth helth of body soule fauour of God increase of Godly honour reward of laudable vertue and eternall felicitie in the Heauens by IESVS Christ. NOBILITAS Patriae DECVS THE Lord our God right honorable hauing by the power of his word created Heauen and Earth with all thinges what soeuer for the comfort and vse of Man the last of all other euen the sixt daye made Man after his owne similitude and likenesse that in him he might be glorified aboue all other Creatures And therfore wheras in making of other thinges he vsed onely this Woord FIANT be they made or let them be made when he came to make Man as it weare aduysing himselfe and asking councell at his wisdome he said FACIAMVS HOMINEM let vs make Man that is a woÌ„derful Creature and therfore is called in greek MICROCOSMOS a litle world in himself And truely he is no lesse whether we consider his spirituall soule or his humaine body For what Creature is theare vppon the face of the Earth comparable to man either in body or in mind what creature hath a soule immortall inherent in his body but onely Man what Creature can forsee things to come remember things past or iudg of things present but onely man what Creature beareth the ymage of God about with him but Man what Creature is made so erect to behould the Heauens as man What Creature may be likened to man either in proportioÌ„ of body or gifts of the soule And finally what Creature hath the promise of the resurrectioÌ„ glorificatioÌ„ of their bodies of eternall life but onely Man Than seeing the Lorde hath made Man thus glorious and preferred him in euery degree before al other Creatures the Angelicall Creatures set a part it is manifest he hath done it to some end purpose namely that he might be glorified in him and by him aboue all other his works according to the measure of his integritie excellency and perfection And hereby we may learn that it is the will of GOD that we bend all our force to the aduauncing of his glorious Name the edification of his People and the building vp of his Church which he hath redemed with the bloud of his deare Sonne Which thing mee think is notably figured foorth vnto vs in the .25 of EXODVS wher the Lord commaunded Moyses to build him a Tabernacle or howse of prayer to this end and purpose doubtles that therin his lawe might be read his Ceremonies practised Sacrifices Victimates Holocaustes offred and his glorious Name called vppon and obeyed To the erection wherof euery one conferred some what some brought gold some siluer some brasse lead tinne other brought silk purple skarlet and other ornaments and the meanest brought some what namely skins heare sand lyme morter wood stone and such like Euen so right honorable would the Lord haue euery one to conferre some what euen such as he hath to the building of his spirituall howse the Church purchased with the bloud of Christ. Wherfore seeing it is so that euery one is to further this spirituall building to his possible power I haue rather chosen with the simplest and meanest sort to bring though but heyre sand skins lyme morter wood or stones than altogether to contribute nothing Not doubting but that the chief Maister and Builder of this howse Christ Iesus will not dislike but accept of my poore contribution no lesse than he did of the poore wydowes Mite to whom was imputed that she had cast more in Gazophilatium Templi into the treasury of the Temple than all the rest for what she wanted in effect that she supplyed in affect And for that also the Lord our GOD committing his taleÌ„ts to euery one whether more or lesse not onely requireth of vs the same againe simply but also as a straight computist demaundeth interest and gaine of euery one of vs for that not only he is a murtherer a Homicide before God who slayeth or killeth a Man with materiall sword but he also vho may preuent the same and will not And not onely he is guiltie of haynous transgression that committeth any euill really but also he who consenteth to it as he doth who holdeth his peace or he who by any means might auoid it and either for negligence wil not or for feare of the world dare not Therfore albe it that I haue receiued but one poore taleÌ„t or rather the shadow of one yet least I might be reproued with that vnprofitable Seruaunt for hyding my small talent in the Earth not profiting therwith at all either my self or others I haue adueÌ„tured the making of this litle treatise intituled The Anatomy of Abuses hoping that the same by diuyne assistance shall somewhat conduce to the building of this spirituall howse of the Lord. And although I be one most honorable Lord that can do least in this Godly course of life palpable barbarisme forbidding mee so much as once to enter into Wysdomes school yet for that somewil not for feare of losing worldly promotion though in the meane tyme they lose the Kingdome of Heauen Other some dare not for displeasing the world I say for these semblable causes together with the zeale and goodwill I beare vnto my Countrey and feruent desire of their conuersion and amendement I haue taken vpon me the contryuing of this book Which GOD graunt may be with like plausible alacritie receiued as with paines and good will I haue published it for the benefit of my Cuntrey the pleasure of the Godly and amendement of the wicked And I doubt not that as none but the wicked and peruerse whose gawld backes are tutched will repyne against mee so the Godly and vertuous will accept of this my labour and trauaile herein whose gentle fauour and goodwill shall counterpoyse and farre surmount with mee the maligne stomacks and stearn countenances of the other After that I had right honorable fully perfected this booke I was minded notwithstanding both in regard of the straungenes of the matter it intreateth of and also in respect of the rudenesse of my penne to haue suppressed it for euer for diuerse and sundrie
by their apparell new fangled fashions euery day inuented The beastly Epicures the Drunkards swilbowles vppon their ale benches when their heads are intoxicat with new wine wil not stick to belch foorth and say that the inhabitantes of Ailgna go brauelye in Apparell chaunging fashions euerie daye for no cause so much as to delight the eyes of their harlots withall and to inamoure the mindes of their fleshly paramours Thus be this People a laughing stock to all the world for their pride a slaunder to the word of God to their profession scandalles to their brethren a dishonor and reproch to the Lord and very caterpillers to themselues in wasting and coÌ„suming their goods and treasures vppon vanyties trifles Spud. Séeing that by diuyne assistance you haue now finished your â—ractation of the Apparell of Ailgna shew me I pray you what other abuses be there vsed for I am perswaded that pride the Mother of all sinne is not without her Daughters of sinne semblable to her selfe The horryble vice of Whordome in Ailgna Philo. THE horryble vice of Whordome also is ther too too much frequeÌ„ted to y e great dishonor of God the prouoking of his iudgements against them the staine and blemish of their profession the euill example of all the world any finally to their owne damnation for â—uer except they repente Spud. I haue heard them reason that mutuall coition betwixt man and woman is not so offensiue before God For do not all Creatures â—ay they as wel reptilia terrae as volatiâ—a Coeli the creping things vpon the earth as the flying Creatures in the aire and all other Creatures in generall both small great ingender together hath not nature and kynd ordained them so geuen them meÌ„bers incideÌ„t to that vse doth not y e Lord say they as it were w t a stimule or prick by his mandat saing crescite multiplicamini replete terraÌ„ increase multiplie fill the earth stirre theÌ„ vp to the same Otherwyse the World wold become barren and soone fall to decay wherfore they conclude that whordome is a badge of loue a cognizaÌ„ce of amitie a tutch of â—ustie youth a frendlie daliance a redintegration of loue and an ensigne of vertue rather meritorious than daÌ„nable these with the like be y â— exceptioÌ„s which I haue hard them many times to obiect in defence of their carnal pollutions Philo. Cursed be those mouths that thus blaspheme the mightie God of Israell and his sacred word making the same clokes to couer their sinne withall worse are they than Lybertines who thinke all things lawfull or Atheistes who denie there is any God The deuills themselues neuer sinned so horribly nor erred so grossely as these not Christians but dogges do that make whordom a vertue and meritorious but because you shal sée their deceptioÌ„s displayed their daÌ„nable abuses more plainly discouered I will reduce you to y e first institutioÌ„ of this Godly ordenaÌ„ce of matrimony The Lord our God hauing created all things in Heauen earth or Hell whatsoeuer created of euery sex two male female of both kindes and last of al other creatures he made man after his own likenesse similitude geuing him a womaÌ„ made of a ribbe of his own body to be his companion comforter lincking them together in the honorable state of venerable wedlocke he blessed them both saying crescite multiplicamini replete terraÌ„ Increase multiplie replenish y e earth wherby it is more than apparent that the Lorde whose name is Iehouah the mightie GOD of Israell is the Author of Godly matrimony instituting it in the tyme of mans inconcency in Paradice and that as mée séemeth for foure causes First for the auoydauÌ„ce of whordom Secondly for the mutuall comforte consolatioÌ„ that the one might haue of the other in all aduersities calamities whatsoeuer Thridly for the procreation and Godly propagation of Children in the feare of the Lord that both the world might be increased therby and the Lord also in them glorified And fourthlie to be a figure or type of our spirituall wedlocke betwixt Christ and his church both militant and triumphante This congression and mutuall copulation of those that be thus ioyned together in the Godlye state of blessed matrimony is pure virginitie and allowable before God and man as an action wherto the Lorde hath promised his blessing thorow his mercy notâ— by our merite ex opere operato as some shame not to say All other goinges together and coitions are damnable pestiferous and execrable So now you sée that wheras the Lord saith increase multiplie fill the earth he alludeth to those that are cheyned together in the Godly state of matrimonie and wedlock and not otherwyse For to those that go together after any other sorte he hath denounced his curse and wrath for euermore as his alsauing word beareth record And wheras they say that all crâ—atures vppon the Earth do ingender together I graunte it is true But how in suo genere in their owne kinde There is no creature créeping on the earth or flying in the aire how irrationable soeuer that dooth degenerate as man dooth but kéepethe the same state and order wherein they were made at the first and so if man did he should not commit abhominable whordom and filthie sinne as hée dooth It is said of those that write de natura animalium that almost all vnreasonable beasts and flying fowles after they haue once linked and vnited them selues togither to any one of the same kinde and after they haue once espoused them selues the one to the other wil neuer after ioyne them selues w e any other til the one be dissolued froÌ„ the other by death And thus they kéepe the knot of matrimonie inuiolable to the end And if any one chaunce to reuolte and go togither with any other during y e life of his first mate at the rest of the same kind assemble togither as it were in a councel or parliament and either kil or gréeuously punish the adulterer or adulteresse whether euer it be which lawe I would God were amongst Christians established By all which it may appéer how horrible a sinne whordome is in nature that the very vnreasonable creatures doo abhorre it The Heathen people who know not God so much lothe this stiâ—king sinne of whordome that some burne them quick some hang them on gibbets some cut off their heds some their armes legs and hands some put out their eyes some burne them in the face some cut of their noses some one parte of their bodye some another and some with one kind of torture and some with another but none leaueth them vnpunished so that we are set to schoole to learn our first rudiments like yung Nouices or Children scarce crept out of the shel how to punish whordome euen by the vnreasonable
causes and neuer to haue offred it to the viewe of the world But notwithstanding being ouercome by the importunat request and infagitable desire of my freinds I grauÌ„ted to publish the same as now you see is extant But when I had once graunted to imprinte the same I was in greatter doubt than before fearinge to whome I might dedicate the same so rude and impolished a worke And withall I was not ignorant how hard a thing it is in these daies to finde a Patrone of such books as this which sheweth to euery one his sin and discouereth euery Mans wicked waies which indeed the vngodly caÌ„ not at any haÌ„d abyde but as it were mad-meÌ„ disgorging their stomacks Cum in AuthoreÌ„ tum in codicem plenis buccis dentibus plusquà m caninis rabidè feruntur they rage they fume and rayle both against the AVTHOR and his booke Thus vacillante animo my minde wandring too and fro and resting as it weare in extasie of despaire at last I called to mind your honorable Lordship whose praises haue pearced the Skyes and whose laudable vertues are blowen not ouer the realme of England onely but euen to the furthest costs and parts of the world All whose vertues and condigne prayses if I should take vppon mee to recounte I might as well number the starres in the Sky or grasse of the Earth For for Godly Wysdome and zeale to the truth is not your good Lordship without offence be it spoken comparable with the best For sobrietie affabilite and gentle curtesie to euerie one farre excelling many For your great deâ—otion and compassion to the poore oppressed in all places famous For Godly fidelitie to your Soueraigne loue to the CVNTREY and vertues in generall euerie where most renowmed But least I might obscure your Worthie commendations with my vnlearned penne lytle or no thing at all emphaticall I will rather surcease than further to proceed contenting my selfe rather to haue giuen a shadowe of them than to haue ciphered them foorth which indeed are both infinit and inexplicable In consideration whereof not withstanding that my Booke be simpler baser and meaner than that it may without blushing present it self to your good Lordship being farre vnworthie of such an honorable Personage yet accordinge to your accustomed clemency I most humbly beseache your good Lordship to receiue the same into your honors Patrociny and protection accepting it as an infallible token of my faithfull heart seruice and good will towardes your honorable Lordship For proofe whereof would GOD it might once come to passe that if not otherwyse yet with my humble seruice I might shewe foorth the faithfull and euer willing heart I beare in brest to your good Lordeship protesting before Heauen and Earth that though power want yet shall fidelitie and faithfulnes faile neuer And because this my Booke is subiect my verie good Lord to as many reproches tauntes and reproofes as euer was any litle book for that few caÌ„ abyde to haue their sinâ— detected therfore I haue had the greatter care to commit the same to the guardance and defence of your honour rather than to manie others not onely for that GOD hath made your honour a Lamp of light vnto the world of true nobilitie and of al integritie and perfection but also hath made you his substitute or vicegerent to reforme vices punish abuses and correcte sinne And as in mercie he hath giuen you this power and autoritie so hath he giuen you a hungrie desire to accomplish the same according to his will Which zeal in your sacred brest the LORD increase for euer And as your Lordship knoweth reformation of maners and amendement of lyfe was neuer more needfull for was pride the chiefest argument of this Booke euer so rype Do not both Men and Women for the most part euery one in generall go attyred in silks veluets damasks satans and what not which are attyre onely for the nobilitie and gentrie and not for the other at anie hand Are not vnlawfull games Playes and Enterluds and the like euery where vsed Is not whordome couetousnes vsurie the like daylie practised without all punishment or lawe But hereof I say no more referring the consideration both of these and the rest to your Godly wysdome Beseaseaching your good Lordship to perdon my presumption in speaking thus much for Zelus domini huc adegit me the zeal of my God hath dryuen me heather Knowinge that the LORD hath ordeined you to himselfe a chosen vessell of honour to purge his Church of these Abuses and corruptions which as in a table are depainted and set foorth in this litle booke Thus I cease to molest your sacred eareâ—s any further with my rude speaches most huÌ„bly beseaching your good Lord ship not onely to admit this my Book into your honours patronage and defence but also to persist the iust Defender therof against the swynish crew of rayling ZOILVS and flowting MOMVS with their complices to whome it is easier to depraue all things than to amend any thing them selues Which if I shall perceiue to be accepted of your honour besides that I shal not care for a thousand others disliking the same I shall not only think my self to haue receiued a sufficieÌ„t guerdon for my pâ—â—â—es shalbe therby greatly incoraged if GOD permit hereafter to take in hand some memorable thing to your immortall prayse honour and renowne but also shall daylie pray to GOD for your good Lordship long to continue to his good pleasure and your harts desire with increase of Godly honour reward of laudable vertue and eternall felicitie in the HEAVENS by Iesus Christ. Columna gloriae virtus Your Honors to commaund PHILLIP Stubbes A PREFACE TO THE READER I Thought it conuenient good Reader who soeuer thou art y t shalt read these my poore laboures to admonish thée least haply y u mightest take my woords otherwise than I meant them of this one thing That wheras in the processe of this my booke I haue intreated of certen exercyses vsually practised amongest vs as namely of Playes and Enterludes of dauncing gaming and such other like I would not haue thée so to take mée as though my speaches tended to the ouerthrowe and vtter disliking of all kynd of exercyses in generall that is nothing my simple meaning But the particulare Abuses which are crept into euery one of these seuerall exercyses is the onely thing which I think worthie of reprehension For otherwise all Abuses cut away who séeth not y t some kind of playes tragedies and enterluds in their own nature are not onely of great ancieÌ„tie but also very honest and very commendable exercyses being vsed and practised in most Christian common weales as which containe matter such they may be both of doctrine erudition good example and wholsome instruction And may be vsed in tyme and place conuenient as conducible to example of life and reformation of maners For such is our grosse dull nature that what
Wherfore would you haue men accepted if not for Apparell Philo. If any be so foolish to ymagin that he shalbe worshipped reuerenced or accepted the rather for his apparell he is not so wyse as I pray God make me For surely for my part I will rather worshippe accept of a pore maÌ„ in his clowtes pore raggs hauing y e gifts and ornameÌ„ts of the mind than I will do him y t roisteth flaunteth daylie howrely in his silks veluets satens damasks gold or siluer what soeuer without y e induments of vertue wherto only al reuerence is due And therfore as any maÌ„ is indued or not indued with vertue true godlynesse so will I reuerence or not reuerence accept or not accept of him wherfore if any gape after reuereÌ„ce worship or acceptation let them thirst after vertue as namely wisdome knowledge discretion modestie sobrietie affability gentlenesse suche like than can they be without reuerence or acceptatioÌ„ no more than y e sonne can be w tout light the fire w tout heat or the water w tout his naturall moysture Sp. ThaÌ„ I gather you would haue meÌ„ accepted for vertue true Godlines wold you not Ph. I would not only haue meÌ„ to be accepted reuerenced for their virtue though the chiefest reuerence is onely to be attributed to him whose sacred brest is fraught with vertue as it may well be called the Promptuarie or Receptorie of true wisdome and Godlines but also in parte for their byrthes sake parentage and consaÌ„guinitie and not only that but also in respect of their callings offices and functions whether it be in the Temporal Magistery a or Ecclesiastical presbitery so loÌ„g as they gouerne godly and well For the Apostle sayth that those Elders which gouerne wel amongst vs are worthie of double honor But yet the maÌ„ whom God hath blessed with vertue and true godlynes thoughe he be neyther of great byrth nor callynge nor yet any Magistrate whatsouer is worthie of more reuerence and estimation then any of the other without the ornaments of y e minde gifts of vertue aboue said For what preuayleth it to be borne of worshipfull progenie and to be destitute of all vertue which deserueth true worship what is it els then to carie a golden Swoorde in a Leaden Scabbarde Is it any thyng els then a goldeÌ„ Coffyn or painted Sepulchre makyng a fayre showe outwardly but inwardly is full of all stinche lothsomnes I remember once I red a certaine storie of one a Gentleman by byrth and parentage who greatly reproched and withall disdayned an other for that he was come to great authorytie onely by vertue being but a poore mans child by byrthe What saith the Gentleman by birth arte thou so lustie Thou arte but a coblers sonne and wilt thou compare with me being a Gentleman by byrth and calling To whome the other answeared thou arte no Gentleman for thy gentilitie endeth in thee and I am a Gentleman in that my gentilitie beginneth in me Meaning vnlest I be deceiued that the wante of virtue in him was the decay of his gentility and his vertue was the beginning of true gentilitie in him selfe for virtue therfore not for apparell is euerye one to be accepted For if we should accept of men after apparell onely respecting nothinge els thaÌ„ shold it come to passe that we might more esteme of one both meane by birth base without virtue seruyle by calling poore in estate more than of some by birthe noble by virtue honorable and by callinge laudable And the reason is because euery one tagge and ragge go brauer or at least as braue as those that be both noble honorable and worpshipfull Spud. But I haue hard say there is more holynesse in some kynd of apparell than in othersome which makes them so much to affecte varytie of fashions I thinke Philo. Indéed I suppose that the summe of their religion doth consiste in apparell And to speake my conscience I thinke there is more or as muche holynesse in the apparell as in them that is iust none at all But admit that there be hoylnesse in apparell as who is so infatuat to beleue it than it followeth that the holynes pretended is not in them so be they plaine Hipocrits to make shew of that which they haue not And if y e holines by there attire presaged be in them selues thaÌ„ is it not in the garments why do they than attribute that to the garments whiche is neither adherente to the one nor yet inherent in the other Or if it wer so why do they glory of it to the world but I leaue them to their follie hastinge to other matters more profitable to intreate of Spud. But I haue hard them reason thus That which is good in it own nature cannot hurt apparell is good and the good Creature of God ergo no kynde of apparell can hurte And if there be anie abuse in it the apparell knowethe it not Therfore take awaye the abuse and let the apparell remaine still for so it maye say they without anie hurte at all Philo. These be well seasoned reasons and substantiall asseuerations in déed but if they haue no better arguments to leane vnto than these their kingdome of Pride will shortlie fall without all hope of recouerie againe The apparell in it owne nature is good and the good Creature of God I will not denie and cannot hurte except it be thorowe ouer owne wickednesse abused And therfore wo be to them that make the good Creatures of God instruments of dampnation to them selues by not vsing them but abusing them And yet not withstanding it maye be said to hurte or not to hurte as it is abused or not abused And wheras they would haue the abuse of apparell if any be taken away and the apparell to remain still it is impossible to supplant the one without the extirpation of the other also For it is trulye said sublata causa tollitur effectus But not subrepto effectu tollitur causa Take away the cause and the effecte falleth but not contrarylye take away the effect and the cause falleth The efficiente cause of Pride is gorgiouse attire the effect is pride it selfe ingenerate by attire But to begin to plucke awaie the effecte to wit pride and not to take awaye the cause first namelie sumptuouse attyre is as if a man intendinge to supplâ—â—t a Trée by the rootes should begin to pull â—he fruite and braunches onelye â—or to pull downe heauen should dig in the earthe workinge altogether preposterouslie and indyreclye And the reason is these two collaterall Cosins apparell and Pride the Mother and Daughter of mischiefe are so combinate together and incorporate the one in the other as the one can hardlie be dyuorced from the other without the distructioÌ„ of them both To the accomplishmente wherof God graunte that those holsome lawes sanctions and statuts which
a moment The Woman falling ouer the pan of coles was burned that all her bowels gushed out the man was founde lying by his cloths in some partes being scorched and burned some partes of his body also But which is most wonderfull his arme was burned to the very boone his shirte sleeue and dublet not once perished nor tutched with the fire Wherby may be thought not without great probabilitie of truth that it was eueÌ„ the fire of God his wrath from Heauen and not any natural fire from the earth And in this wonderfull fearfull maner weare these cupple founde which God graunt may be a documeÌ„t to all y e heare or read the same to avoyde the like offence and to all Magistrates an Example to see the same punished with more seueritie to the glorie of God and their owne discharge But so farre are some from suffering condigne punishment for this horrible sinne that they get good maintenance with practising the same For shall you not haue some yea many thousands that liue vppoÌ„ nothing els and yet go clothed Gentlewomenlike both in their silks and otherwyse with their fingers clogged with rings their wrists with bracelets Iewels and their purses full of gold and siluer And here of they make no conscience so their Husbands know it not Or if they doo some are such peasants and such maycocks that either they will not or which is truer they dare not reproue them for it But if the Husband once reproue them for their misdemeanour than they coÌ„spire his death by some meane or other And all this commeth to passe because the punishment therof is no extremer as it ought to be And some both Gentlemen and others wherof some I know are so nusled herein that hauing put awaye their owne wyues do kéepe whores openly without any great punishment for it and hauing beâ—ne conuented before the magistery and there béene deposed vppon a booke to put away their whores haue put them foorth at one doore and taken them in at the other And thus they dally in their othes with the Lord and stoppe the course of the lawe with rubrum argentum wherof they haue store to bestowe vppoÌ„ such wickednesse but haue not a mite to giue towards any good purpose Wherfore in the name of GOD let all men that haue put away their honest wyues be forced to take them again and abandon all whores or els to taste of the law And let all whores be cut of with the sword of right iudgement For as long as this immunitie and impunitie is permitted amongest vs let vs neuer looke to please GOD but rather proâ—oke his heuie iudgements against vs. And the reason is for that there is not sinne in all the World but these whores and whoremaisters will willingly attempt and atcheiue for the inioying of their whordome And Hell destruction and death euerlasting is the guerdon therof and yet men cannot be aware of it The Lord remooue it from all his Children and present them blameles before his tribunall seate without spotte or wrincle at that great day of the Lord. Spud. What memorable thing els haue you séen there frequented For séeing you haue begun in parte I pray you describe the whole Gluttonie and drunkennesse in Ailg Philo. I Haue séene that which gréeueth mée to report The People there are marueilously giuen to daintie fare gluttonye bellichéer many also to drunkennesse gourmandice Sp. That is a manifest argumeÌ„t of good hospitality which both is coÌ„mended in y â— word of God which I know you wil not repreheÌ„de Ph. Godly hospitalitie is a thing in no wisâ— worthy of reprehensioÌ„ but rather of great coÌ„mendatioÌ„ for many haue receiued Angels into their houses at vnawarâ—s by vsing y â— same as Abraham Lot Tobras many others Yet if hospitality flow ouer into superfluitie riotous excesse it is not tolerable for now adaies if y e table be not couered froÌ„ the one end to y â— other as thick as one dish can staÌ„d by another with delicat meats of sundry sorts one cleane different from an other and to euery dish a sâ—uerall sawce appropriat to his kinde it is thought there vnworthye y â— name of a dinner Yea so many dishes shal you haue posteruing the table at once as the insaciablest Helluo the deuouringest glutton or the gréediest cormorant that is can scarse eat of euery one a litle And these many shall you haue at the first course as many at the second and peradâ—entuâ—e moe at the third besydes other swéet 〈◊〉 and delicat 〈◊〉 of spiceries and I cannot tell what And to these dainties all kind of wynes are not wanting you may be sure Oh what nisitie is this what vanitie excesse ryot and superfluitie is heare Oh farewell former world For I haue heard my Father say y â— in his dayes one dish or two of good wholsome meate was thought sufficient for a man of great worship to dyne withall and if they had thrée or four kinds it was reputed a sumptuous feast A good péece of beef was thought thaÌ„ good meat and able for the best but â—ow it is thought too grosse for their tender stomacks are not able to disgest such crude and harsh meats For if they shold their stomacks being so queâ—sie as they be and not able to concoct it they should but euacuat the same againe as other filthie excrements their bodies receiuing no noorishment therby or els they should lye stincking in their stomacks as dirte in a filthie sinck or pryuie If this be so I marueile how oure fore-Fathers lyued who eat litle els but cold meats grosse and hard of disgesture Yea the most of them fead vppon graine corne roots pulse herbes wéâ—ds and such other baggage and yet liued longer then wée helthfuller then we were of better complection then we and much stronger then we in euerie respect wherfore I cannot perswade my self otherwise but that our nicenes and curiousnes in dyet hath altered our nature distempered our bodies and made vs more subiect to millions of discrasies and diseases then euer weare our Forefathers subiect vnto and consequently of shorter life then they Spud. They wil aske you again wherfore god made such varietie of meats but to be eaten of men what answere giue you to that Philo. The Lord our God ordained indéede the vse of meat and drinks for man to sustain the fraile caduke and brittle estate of his mortall body withall for a time But he gaue it him not to delight and wallow therin continually for as the olde Adage saith Non viuendum vt edamus sed edendum vt viuamus Wée must not liue to eat but wée must eat to liue wée must not swill and ingurgitate our stomacks so ful as no more can be crammed in The Lord willed that they should be ordinarie meanes to preserue the state of our bodyes a time whilste we
and clothing to be centent for they that will be rich saith he fall into diuerse temptations and snares of the Deuill which drowne Men in perditioÌ„ Dauid saith Man disquieteth him selfe in vaine heaping vp riches cannot tell who shall possesse them Salom. coÌ„pareth a couetous man to him y e murthereth sheadeth innocent bloud Againe Hell and destruction are neuer ful so the eyes of Men can neuer be satisfied The Apostle S. Paule saith neither WhormoÌ„gers Adulterers nor couetous persons nor Extortioners shal euer enter into the Kingdom of Heauen And saith further y â— the loue of monie is y e root of al euil Christ biddeth vs be liberal lend to them that haue néed not looking for any restitutioÌ„ again neuer to turn our face away froÌ„ any poore maÌ„ thaÌ„ y e face of the Lord shall not be turned away froÌ„ vs. By these few places it is manifest how farre froÌ„ al couetousnes y e lord wold haue al cristiaÌ„s to be Spud. Be their any examples in scriptures to shew foorth the punishmentes of the same inflicted vpon the Offenders therin Philo. The Scripture is full of such fearful examples of the iust iudgements of God powred vpon theÌ„ that haue offended herein Wherof I will recite three or four for the satisfying of your Godly mind Adam was cast out of Paradice for coueting that fruit which was inhibited him to eat Giese the Seruant of Elizeus y e Prophet was smitten with an incurable leprosie for y â— he to satisfie his couetous desire exacted gold siluer riche garments of NaamaÌ„ y e K. of Siria his seruant Balaam was reproued of his asse for his couetousnes in going to curse y e Children of Israel at the request of K. Balac who promised him aboundance of gold siluer so to doo Achab y â— K. for couetousnes to haue pore Naboth his viniard slew him and dyed after himselfe with all his progeny a shameful death The SoÌ„nes of Samuel were for their infaciable couetousnes deteined froÌ„ euer inioying their Fathers kingdome Iudas for couetousnes of mony sould the Sauiour of the world and betrayed him to the Iewes but afterward dyed a miserable death his bellye bursting his bowels gushing out Ananias Saphira his wiâ—e for couetousnes in coÌ„cealing part of y â— price of ther laÌ„ds froÌ„ y â— apostles were both slain died a fearful death AchaÌ„ was stoned to death by y â— lord his coÌ„mandemeÌ„t for his couetousnes in stealing gold siluer Iewels at the sacking of Iericho al his goods were burned presently Thus you sée how for couetousnes of mony in all ages Men haue made shipwrack of their consciences and in the end by the iust iudgemeÌ„t of God haue dyed fearful deaths whose iudgmente I leaue to the Lord. Spud. Sâ—eing that couetousnes is so wicked a sin so offensiue both to God Man pernicious to the soule I marueile what moueth Men to followe the same as they doo Ph. Two things moue meÌ„ to affect mony so so much as they do y â— one for feare least they shold fal into pouertie beggery oh ridiculous infidelitie y e other to be aduanced promoted to high dignities honors vpoÌ„ earth And thei see y e world is such y e he who hath moni enough shalbe rabbied maistered at euery word and the vaine title of worshipfull and right worshipfull though notwithstanding he be a dunghill Gentleman or a Gentleman of the first head as they vse to terme them And to such outrage is it growne that now adayes euery Butcher Shooemaker Tailer Cobler Husband-man and other yea euery Tinker pedler and swinherd euery Artificer and other gregarii ordinis of the vilest sorte of Men that be must be called by y e vain name of Maisters at euery word But it is certen that no wyse Man will intitle them with any of these names worshipfull and maister for they are names and titles of dignitie proper to y e Godly wyse for some speciall vertue inherent either els in respect of their birth or calling due vnto theÌ„ but such Titiuillers flattering Parasits and glosing Gnatoes as flatter them expecting some pleasure or benefit at their haÌ„ds which thing if they were not blowen vp with the bellowes of pride and puffed vp with the wind of vainglori they might easily perceiue For certen it is they do but mocke and flatter them with these titles knowing that they deserue nothing lesse Wherfore like good Recusants of that thing which is euill they should refuse those vainglorious Names remembring the words of our sauiour Christ saying be not called Maister in token there is but one onely true Maister and Lord in Heauen which only true Maister Lord God graunt all other may followe bothe in life and name vntil they coÌ„e to perfect men in Iesus Christ. Spud. The people béeing so let vpon couetousnes as I gather by your speeches they be is it possible that they wil lend moâ—ey without vsurie or without some hostage guage or pawn for vsurie followeth couetousnes as the shadowe dooth the bodie Great Vsurie in Ailgna Philo. IT is as impossible for any to borrowe money there for the most part without vsurie loane or with out some good hostage guage or pledge as it is for a dead man to speak with audible voice Spud. I haue heard say that the positiue and statute lawes there doo permit them to take vsurye limitting them how much to take for euery pound Philo. Although the ciuile lawes for the auoiding of further inconueniences doo permit certain sommes of money to be giuen ouerplus beyond or abooue the principall for the loane of mony lent yet are y â— vsurers no more discharged from the gilt of vsurie before God therby then the adulterous Iewes were from whordome because Moyses gaue them a permissiue law for euery man to put away their wiues that would for euery light trifle And yet the lawes there giue no libertie to commit vsurie but seeing how much it rageth lest it should excéed rage further and ouer flowe the banks of all reason and godlynes As couetousnes is a raging sea and a bottoÌ„lesse pit and neuer satified nor coÌ„tented they haue limited them within certain méeres and banks to bridle the insatiable desires of couetous men beyond the which it is not lawful for any to go but this permissioÌ„ of y e lawes argueth not that it is lawful to take vsury no more I say then y â— permission of Moyses argued that whordome adulterie is lawfull good because Moyses permitted them to put a way their wiues for y e auoâ—ding of greater euil for as christ said to y â— Iewes froÌ„ y e begiÌ„ning it was not so so saâ— I to these vsurers froÌ„ the begiÌ„ning it was not so nor yet ought so to be Spud. If no interest were permitted then no
chastitie For proofe wherof but marke the flocking and ruÌ„ning to Theaters curtens daylie and hourely night and daye tyme and tyde to see Playes and Enterludes 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 behold Than these goodly pageants being done euery mate sorts to his mate euery one bringes another homeward of their way verye fréendly and in their secret conclaues couertly 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 so there are if you will learne falshood 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 If you will learn to become abawde vncleane and to deuerginat Mayds to deflour honest Wyues if you will learne to murther sâ—aie kill picke steal robbe and roue If you will learn to rebel against Princes to coÌ„mit treasons to comsume treasurs to practise ydlenes to sing and talke of bawdie loue and venery if you will lerne to deride 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 â—are neither for heauen nor hel and to commit al kinde of sinne and mischéef you néed to goe to no other schoole for all these good Examples may you sée painted before your eyes in enterludes 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 repeÌ„t For the Apostle biddeth vs beware least wée communicaâ— with other mens sinnes this their dooing is not only to communicat with other mens sinnes maintain euil to the distruction of theÌ„ 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 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 and giâ—e them selues to such honest exercises and godly misteries as God hath coÌ„maunded them in his woord to get their liuings 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 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 yet are they couÌ„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 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 fearful 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 Lords of Mis-rule in Ailgna Philo. THE name indéed is odious both to God and good men such as the very heathen people would haue blushed at once to haue named amongst them And if the name importeth some eâ—il then what may y e thing it self be iudge you But because you desire to know the manner of them I wil showe you as I haue séen them practised my self First all the wilde-heds of the Parish conuenting togither chuse them a Graund-Captain of all mischéefe whome they innoble with the title of my Lord of Mis-rule and him they crowne with great solemnitie and adopt for their king This king anointed chuseth forth twentie fortie thréescore or a hundred lustie Guttes like to him self to waighte vppon his lordly Maiestie and to guarde his noble person Then euerie one of these his men he inuesteth with his liueries of gréen yellow or some other light wanton colour And as though that were not baudie gaudie enough I should say they bedecke them selues with scarfs ribons laces hanged all ouer w t golde rings precious stones other iewels this doon they tye about either leg xx or xl bels with rich handkercheifs in their hands and sometimes laid a crosse ouer their shoulders necks borrowed for the most parte of their pretie Mopsies loouing Besses for bussing them in y e dark Thus all things set in order then haue they their Hobby-horses dragons other Antiques togither with their baudie Pipers and thundering Drummers to strike vp the deuils daunce withall then marche these heathen company towards the Church and Church-yard their pipers pipeing their drummers thundring their stumps dauÌ„cing their bels iyngling their handkercheâ—s swinging about their heds like madmen their hobbie horses and other monsters skirmishing amongst the route in this sorte they go to the Church I say into the Church though the Minister be at praier or preaching dancing swinging heir haÌ„dkercheifs ouer their heds in the Church like deuils incarnate w t such a coÌ„fuse noise y â— no man can hear his own voice Then the foolish people they looke they stare they laugh they fleer mount vpon â—ourmes and pewes to sée these goodly pageants solemzed in this sort Then after this about the Church they goe againe and again so foorth into y e church-yard where they haue coÌ„monly their SoÌ„mer-haules their bowers arbors banqueting houses set vp wherin they feast baÌ„quet daunce al that day peraduenture all the night too And thus these terrestriall furies spend the Sabaoth day They haue also certain papers wherin is painted some babblerie or other of Imagery woork these they call my Lord of misâ—rules badges these they giue to euery one that wil giue money for them to maintaine them in their hethenrie diuelrie