the Lord ordeane these riche ornaments and gorgiouse vestments to be worne of all men or of anie so muche as to garnish bewtifie and set forth the maiesty glorie of this his earthly kingdome For as cloth of gold Arase tapestrie such other riche ornameÌ„ts pendices and hangings in a house of estate serue not onely to manuall vses and seruyle occupatioÌ„s but also to decorate to bewtifie become the house and to shewe the riche estate and glorie of the owner so these riche ornaments and sumpteouse vestments of the earthly territory of this World do not onelie serue to be worn of them to whome it doth appertaine as before but also to shew forth y e power welth dignity riches and glorie of the Lord the Author of all goodnesse And here in the prouidence and mercy of God appeareth most plainelye for wher there is store of other clothing there hath he geuen lesse store of silks veluets satens damasks and such like and wher there is plenty of them there is no clothing els almost thus the Lord did deale for that euery cuntrey ought to contente themselues with there owne kind of attyre except necessytie force the contrarie for than we are to vse our libertie in the feare of God Spud. I praye you let mee intreate you to shewe me wherefore our apparell was giuen vs and by whome Philo. Your requeste is both diffuse and intricate and more than my weake and infirme knowledge is able to comprehend yet least I might bee adiudged vnwilling to doe good I will assay to doe the best I can When the Lord our God a spiritual intellectible vnderstanding substance incomprehensible immensurable inaccessible had by his woord and heauenly wisedome Christ Iesus created and made y e world all things therin contayned y e sixte day he created man after his own similitude and likenes in innocencie holines righteousnes all kind of perfection he placed him in Paradise terestrial coÌ„maunding him to tyl manure y e same ThaÌ„ y e deuil an old maligner of mankind who before was an Angel in heaueÌ„ through sin of pride in arrogating to himselfe y e seate throne of Gods maiesty cast down into y e lake of hell enuyingâ— mans glorious estate which he than had lost came vnto man in Paradise inticed him oâ—â— torteouse serpent to eat of y e forbidden fruite wherof the Lorde God had forbidden him tâ— tast on pain of his life notwithstaÌ„ding Adaâ— condescending to his wife her perswasions oâ— rather to the Serpent hauing buzzed his venemous suggestions into their eares tooke of the apple did eat contrary to y e expresse commandement of his God This done their eyes were opened thei saw their nakednes were not a litle ashamed yet before sin was committed they being both naked were not ashamed but sin once committed they became vncleane filthie lothsome deformed sewed them garmeÌ„ts of fig leaues together to couer their shame withall Than the Lord pittying their miserie loathing their deformity gaue theÌ„ pelts felles of beasts to make them garments withall to the end that their shamefull parts might lesse appeare yet some are so brasen faced so impudent that to make y â— deuill his members sport will not sticke to make open shew of those parts which God coÌ„maundeth to be couered nature willeth to be hid honesty is ashamd once to behold or looke vpoÌ„ Spud. I gather by your words thrée speciall poynts First y t sin was the cause why our apparell was giuen vs. Secondly y t God is the author giuer therof Thirdly y t it was giueÌ„ vs to couer our shame w t all not to féed y e insatiable desires of meÌ„s waÌ„toÌ„ luxurious eies Philo. Your collectioÌ„ is very true Than seeing y t our apparel was giueÌ„ vs of god to couer our shame to kéep our bodies froÌ„ cold to bee as pricks in our eies to put vs in mind of our frailties imperfections and sin of our backslyding from the coÌ„maundements of god and obedience of the highest and to excite vs the rather to contrition and compunction of the spirit to bewayle our misery to craue mercy at y e mercifull hands of God let vs be thaÌ„kfull to God for them be sorie for our sinnes which weare the cause therof and vse them to the glory of our God the benefyte of our bodies and soules against the great day of the Lord appeare But alas these good creatures which the Lord our God gaue vs for the respects before rehearsed we haue so peruerted as now they serue in stead of the deuills nettes to catche poore soules in for euery one now adaies almost couet to deck and painte their liuing sepulchres or erthly graues their bodies I meane with all kind of brauerie what soeuer can be deuised to delight y e eyes of the vnchast behoulders wherby God is dishonored offence is encreased and much sinne daylie committed as in further discourse shall plainly appeare Spud. Did the Lord cloth our first parents in leather as not hauing any thing more preciouse to attyre them withall or for that it might be a permanent rule or patern vnto vs his posterity for euer wherafter we are of force to make all our garments so as it is not now lawfull to go in richer arraye without offendinge his maiestie Philo. Although y e Lord did not cloth theÌ„ so meanly for that he had nothing els more preciouse to attyre them withall for Domini est terra plenitudo eius the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse therof saith the Lord by his Psalmist And by his Prophet Gold is myne siluer is myne and all the riches of the world is my own yet no doubt but he would y t this their meane base attyre should be as a rule or pedagogie vnto vs to teach vs y t we ought rather to walke meanelye and simplye than gorgiously or pompously rather seruing presente necessitye than regarding the wanton appetits of our lasciuiouse mindes Not withstandinge I suppose not that his heauenlye maiesty would that those garments of lether should stand as a rule or pattern of necessytie vnto vs wherafter we shold be bouÌ„d to shape all our apparell for euer or els greeuouslye to offende but yet by this we may sée his blessed will is that we should rather go an ace beneth our degrée than a iote aboue And y t any simple couering pleaseth the Godly so that it repell the colde and couer the shame it is more than manifest as well by the legends both of prophane Historyographers Cronologers and other writers as also by the censures examples and lyues of all Godly since the beginning of the world And if the Lord would not that the attyre of Adam should haue beenâ— signe or patterne of mediocritie vnto vs hâ— both in mercy would in his almighty power could
agilitie and curious nicitie and to procure lustful looue and such like wickednes infinit But to their second allegation y e Children say they of Israel danced being deliuered out of the seruitude of Pharo and hauing passed ouer the red sea I graunt they did so and good cause they had so to doo For were they not emancipate and set frée from thrée great calamities and extreame miseries First froÌ„ the seruiâ—e bondage of Egipt from the swoord of Pharo who pursued the rereward of their hoste and from the danger of the red sea their enemies béeing ouerwhelmed in the same For these great and inestimable benefits and blessings receiued at the hands of God they played vpon Instruments of musick leaped daunced and sung godly songs vnto y e Lord shewing by these outward gestures y e inward ioy of their harts and mindes Now what conduceth this for the allowance of our luxurious dauncings Is it not directly against them They danced for ioy in thanks to god wée for vainglorieâ— they for looue to God wée for looue of our selues they to shew the interior ioy of the minde for God his blessing heaped vpon them we to shew our concinitie dexteritie and vain curiositie in the same they to stir vp and to make them selues the apter to praise God we to stir vp carnall appetites and fleshlie motions they to shewe their humilitie before God and we to shew our pride both before God and y e world But how so euer it be sure I am their dauncing was not like â—ures coÌ„sisting in measures capers quauers I cannot tel what for thei had no such leasâ—re in Egigt to learne such vaine curiosity in that lustfull bawdie schoole for making of brick and tyles And notwithstanding it is ambiguous whether this may be called a dauÌ„cing or not at lest not like oures but rather a cerâ—â—Ì„ kind of modest leaping skipping or moouing of the body to expresse the ioye of y e mind in prayse of God as the Man did who being 〈◊〉 by the power of our Sâ—uiour Christe â—â—alked in the Temple leapping skipping praising God We neuer read that they euer daunced but at some wonderfull porâ—ent or straunge iudgment of God and therfore made not a common practise of it or a daylie occupation as it were much lesse set vp schools of it and frequenting nothing els night and day Sabaoth day and other as we do But to their third Reason The Israelits dauÌ„ced before the Calf in Horeb. And what than They made a Golden Calf and adored it maye we therfore do the like They committed ydolatrie there therfore is ydolatrie good because they committed it Adam disobyed GOD and obeyed the deuil is obedience therfore to the deuil good because hee did so Therfore wée must not take héede what man hath doon héertofore but what God hath commaunded in his woord to be doon and that followe euen to the death But to be short as it is a friuilous thing to say because they committed Idolatrie therfore may wée doo the like so it is no lesse ridiculous to say because they daunced therfore wée may doo the same for as it is not lawful to commit Idolatrie because they did so so is it not lawfull to daunce because they daunâ—ed So that if this place inferre any thing for dauncing it inferreth that wee must neuer daunce but before a golden Calf as they did but I think by this time they are ashamed of their dances therfore of this place I néed to saynâ— more giuing theÌ„ to note that this their dauncing in respect of the end therof was farre dissonant from ours for they daunced in honour of their Idol wee clean contrary though neither the one nor the other be at any hand tollerable Their fourth reason Did not Dauid daunce before the Ark say they very true and this place as the rest before refelleth their customarie dauncings of men and women togither moste excellentlie For Dauid danced him selfe alone without either woman or musicall Instrument to effeminate the minde And this dauncing of Dauid was no vsuall thing nor frequeÌ„ted euery day but that one time and that in prayse of God for the deliuerie of the Ark of God his testament out of the hands of the Infidels and hethen people the ioy of this holy Prophet was so vehement for this great blessing of GOD such a ferueÌ„t zeale he bore to the trueth that it burst foorth into exterior action y â— more to induce others to prayse God also Would God we would dance as Dauid daunced héer for the deliuerie of his alsauing woord out of the hands of that Italian Philistin archenemy of all trueth the Pope of Roome for in this respect I would make one to daunce to leap to skip to triumph and reioyce as Dauid did before the Ark. By this I trust any indifferent man séeth that by this place they gain as much for the maintenance of their leude dancings and baudie chorusses as they did by citing the former places that is iust nothing at all which they may put in their eies and see neuer the wâ—rsse Their fift reason Did not Ieptath his daughter méet her Father when he came from war dancing before him and playing vppon Instruments of Ioy. Ieptath going foorth to warre against the Amonites promised the Lord making a rashe vowe that if it would please his Maiestie to giue him victorie ouer his Ennemies he wold sacrifice the first lyuing thing that shuld meet him froÌ„ his house It pleased GOD that his sole daughter and heire hearing of her Fathers prosperous return as the maner of the Cuntrey was ran foorth to meete her Father playing vppon instruments in praise of GOD and dauncing before him for ioye Now what prooueth this for their daunces Truely it ouerthroweth them if it be well considered for first we read that she did this but once we daylie She in prayse of God we in prayses of our selues she for ioy of her Fathers good successe we to stere vp filthie and vncleane motions She with a virginall grauitie we with a babish leuitie she in comly maner we in bawdie gesture And moreouer this sheweth that women are to daunce by themselues if they wil néeds daunce and men by themselues for so importeth the Tert making no mention of any other her collegues or Companions dancing with her Their .vi. Reason Did not y â— Israelitish wemen daunce before Iudith comming to visit her I graunt they did sâ— the storie is thus Holofernes opposing himselfe against the Israelits the chosen people of GOD and intending to ouerthrowe them and to blot out their remembrance for euer from vnder heauen assembled a huge power and besieged them on euery side The Israelits séeing themselues circumvalled and in great daunger on eachside suborned good Iudith a vertous Godlye Woman for without some stratagem or pollicie wrought it was vnpossible for them in the eyes of y e
this a meane kinde of Apparell thinke you Was it not vnsitting to sée a womaÌ„ inuested all ouer in leather But yet the Lord thought it precious and seemelie ynough for them What saye you to the noble Prophet of the world Elias did hee not walke in the solitude of this worlde in a simple playne mantell or gowne girded to him with a girdle of leather Elizeus y e Prophet did not he in a manner the verie same And what say you to Samuell the golden mouthed Prophet notwithstanding y t hee was an Archprophet and a chiefe seer of that time did hee not walke so meanely as Saul seking his fathers Asses could not know him from the reste but asked him where was the séers house This must néeds argue that he went not richer then the common sorte of people in his time The Children of Israell béeing the chosen people of God did they not weare their Fathers attire fortie yéeres togither in the wildernes was not Iohn the Baptist clothed with a garment of Camels heare girded with a thong of the skin of the same insted of a girdle or succinctorie about his loines Peter the déere Apostle of our Sauiour was not distinct from the rest of his Felowes Apostles by any kinde of rich apparel for then the maid would not haue said I know thée by thy tung but rather by thy apparel The Apostle Paul writing to the Hebrues saith that the persecuted Church bothe in his time and before his dayes were clothed some in Shéep skinnes and some in Gote skinnes some in Camels heare some in this and some in that and some in whatsoeuer they coulde get for if it would hide their shameful parts and kept them from the colde they thought it sufficient they required no more but to speak in one woord for all did not our Sauiour Iesus Christ weare the very same fashion of apparell that his Cuntrey-men vsed that is a cote without a seame either knit or weaued which fashions the Palestynians vse there yet to this day without any alteration or chauÌ„ge as it is thought This his attyre was not very hansome one would think at the least it was not curious or new fangled as ours is but as the Poet wel said initimur in vetitum â—eÌ„per cupimusque negata desired things forbid and couet things are denied vs lothing the simplicitie of Christe and abhorring the christian pouertie and godly mediocritie of our Forefathers in apparel are neuer content except wée haue sundry sutes of apparel one diuers from an other so as our Presses crack withall our Cofers bruse and our backs sweat with the cariage therof we must haue one sute for the forenoone another for y e afternoone one for the day another for the night one for the workeday another for the holieday one for sommer another for winter one of the newe fashion an other of the olde one of this colour another of that one cutte an other whole one laced another without one of golde and other of siluer one of silkes and veluets and another of clothe with more difference and varietie than I can expresse god be merciful vnto vs and hasten his kingdoÌ„e that all imperfectious may be doon away A peculiare Discription of apparell in Aâ—lgna by degrees YOu haue borne me in hand of many and gréeuous abuses reigning in Ailgna but now setting aparte these ambagies and superfluous vagaries I pray you describe vnto me more particularly the sundrie abuses in Apparell there vsed running ouer by degrées the whole state thereof that I maye sée as it were the perfect Anatomie of that Nation in Apparell whiche thinge I greatlye desire to knowe Philo. Your request séemeth both intricate and harde considering there bee Tot tantae maeryadaes inuentionum So manie and so fonde fashions and inuentions of Apparell euerie day But yet lest I might be iudged vnwilling to shewe you what pleasure I can I will assay pro virili mea omnibus neruulis vndique extensis with all the might and force I can to satisfie your desire Wherefore to begin first with their Hattes Sometimes they were them sharp on the crowne pearking vp like a sphere or shafte of a stéeple standing a quarter of a yard aboue y e crowne of their heades some more some lesse as please the phantasies of their mindes Othersome be flat and broad on the crowne like the battlements of a house An other sort haue round crownes sometimes with one kinde of hande sometime with an other nowe blacke now white now russet now red now gréene now yellowe now this nowe that neuer content with one colour or fashion two dayes to an ende And thus in vanitie they spende the Lorde his treasure consuming their golden yeares and siluer dayes in wickednes sin And as the fashions bee rare and straunge so are the thinges wherof their Hattes be made diuerse also for some are of silke some of veluet some of taffetie some of sarcenet some of wooll which is more curious some of a certaine kind of fine haire far fetched and deare bought you maye bee sure And so common a thinge it is that euerie Seruingman Countreyman and other euen all indifferently do weare of these hattes For he is of no account or estimation amongst men if hee haue not a veluet or a taffatie Hatte and that muste bee pincked and cunningly carued of the beste fashion And good profitable Hattes bee they for the longer you weare them the fewer holes they haue Besides this of late there is a new fashion of wearing their Hattes sprung vp amongst theÌ„ which they father vpon y e Frenchmen namely to weare them without bandes but how vnséemelie I will not say how Assy a fashion that is let the wise iudge Notwithstanding howe euer it bee if it please them it shall 〈◊〉 displease me An other sort as phantasticall as the rest are content with no kind of Hatt without a great bunche of feathers of diuerse and sundrie colours peaking on toppe of their heades not vnlyke I dare not say Cockscombes but as sternes of pride and ensignes of vanitie and these fluttering sayles and fethered flags of defiance to vertue for so they are are so aduaunced in Ailgna that eeuery Childe hath them in his hat or cap many get good liuing by dying and selling of theÌ„ and not a fewe prooue them selues more theâ— fooles in wearing of them Spud. These Fethers argue the lightnes of their fond imaginations and plainly coÌ„uince them of instabilitie and folly for sure I am hansome they cannot be therefore Baâ—ges of pride they must needs be which I think nonâ— wil weare but such as he like them selues But to your intended discourse Philo. They haue great and monsterous ruffes made either of Cambrick holland lawn or els of some other the finest cloth that can be got for money whereof some be a quarter of a yard deep yea some more
millions of sundry sortes of apparell lying rotting by them when as the poore meÌ„bers of Iesus Christe die at their doores for wante of clothing God commaundeth in his law that there be no miserable poore man nor begger amongest vs but that euery one be prouided for and maintained of that abundaÌ„ce which God hath blessed vs withal But we thinke it a great matter if we geue them an old ragged coate dublet or a paire of hosen or els a penny or two wheras not withstanding we flow in abundance of all things Than we thinke we are halfe way to heauen and we need to do no more If we geue them a peace of brown bread a messe of porredge nay the stocks prison with whippâ—â—ge cheare now and than is the best portion of almes which many Gentlemen geue at our dores it is counted meritorious and a worke of supererogation when we fare full delicatelye oure selues feeding on many a danity dish There is a certen Citye in Ailgna called Munidnol where as the poore lye in y e streats vppon pallets of straâ— and well if they haue that to or els in the mire and dirt as commonlie it is hauing neither house to put of their heads couering to kéep them from the cold nor yet to hide their shame withall penny to buy them sustenance nor any thing els but are permitted to dye in the streats like dogges or beasts without anie merâ—ie or compassion shewed to them at all And if anye be sicke of the plague as they call it or any other disease their Maisters and Maistres are so impudent being it should séeme at a league with Sathan a couenante with Hell and as it were obliged them selues by obligation to the deuil neuer to haue to do with y e works of mercy as straight way thei throw them out of their dores And so being caried foorth either in carts or otherwyse and thrown in the streats there they end their dayes most miserably Truely Brother if I had not séen it I would scarsly haue thought that the like Turkish cruelty had bene vsed in all the World But they say vnus testis occulatus plus valet quà m mille auriti one eye witnesse is better to be belyâ—ed than a thousand eare witnesses besydes But to leaue these excursions and to returne from whence I haue digressed I think it the best For I am perswaded they will as much respect my words or amend their maners as the wicked World did at the preaching of our Sauiour Christe Iesus that is iust nothing at all Spud. Well then séeing they are suche a stifneckned People leaue them to the Lord and procéed to your former tractation Philo. They haue clokes there also in nothing discrepante from the rest of dyuerse and sundry colors white red tawnie black greene yellowe russet purple violet and infynite other colors some of cloth silk veluet taffetie and such like wherof some be of the Spanish French Dutch fashion Some short scarsely reachinge to the gyrdlestead or wast some to the knée and othersome traylinge vppon the ground almost liker gownes than clokes These clokes must be garded laced thorowly faced and somtimes so lyned as the inner side staÌ„deth almost in as much as the outside some haue sléeues othersome haue none some haue hoodes to pull ouer the head some haue none some are hanged with points tassels of gold siluer or silk some without al this But how soeuer it be the day hath bene when one might haue bought him two clokes for lesse thaÌ„ now he can haue one of these clokes made for they haue such store of workmanship bestowed vppon them Spud. I am sure they neuer learned this at the hands of our Proconsul and chief Prouost Christ Iesus nor of any other y â— euer lyued godly in the Lord but rather out of the deceiptfull forge of their own braines haue they drawen this cursed Anatomy to their owne destruction in the end except the repente Philo. They haue also bootehose which are to be wondered at for they be â—f the fynest cloth that may be got yea fine inough to make any baÌ„d ruffe or shurt needful to be worn yet this is bad inough to were next their gresie boots And would God this weare all but oh phy for shame they must be wrought all ouer from the gartering place vpward with nedle worke clogged with silk of all colors with birds foules beasts and antiques purtrayed all ouer in comlie sorte So that I haue knowen the very nedle work of some one payre of these bootehose to stand some in .iiij. pound vi pound and some in x. pound a péece Besides this they are made so wyde to draw ouer all and so longe to reach vp to the waste that as litle or lesse clâ—the would make one a reasonable large shurte But tush this is nothing in comparison of the reste Spud. I would thinke that bootehosen of grosser lynnen or els of wollen clothe weare both warmer to ride in as coÌ„ly as the other though not so fine and a great deal more durable And as for those gengawes wherwith you say they be blaunched and trimmed they serue to no end but to feade y â— wanton eyes of gazing fools planly argue y e vertiginie instability of their more than faÌ„tastical brains Phil. To these haue they their Rapiers Swoords and Daggers gilt twise or thrise ouer the hilts with scaberds and sheathes of Ueluet or the like for leather though it be more proffitable and as séemely yet wil it not carie such a porte or countenance like the other And wil not these golden swoords daggers almoste apale a man though otherwise neuer so stout a Martialist to haue any deling with them for either to y â— end they be worne or els other swoords daggers and rapiers of bare yron and stéele were as hansom as they much more conducible to that end whereto swoords and rapiers should serue namely for a mans lawful and godly defence against his aduersarie in time of necessitie But wherfore they be so clogged with gold and siluer I know not nor yet wherto this excesse serueth I sée not but certain I am a great shewe of pride it is an infallible token of vain glorie and aâ—greeuous offence to God so prodigallie and licentiouslie to lauish foorth his treasure for which we must reÌ„der accouÌ„ts at the day of Iudgement when it shall be saide to euerie one Redde rationem Vilicationis tuae Come giue accounts of thy Stewardship A particulare Discription of the Abuses of Womens apparell in Ailgna THus hauinge geuen thée a superficiall viewe or small tast but not discouered the huÌ„dreth part of the guyses of Ailgna in meÌ„s apparel of the abuses coÌ„tained in the same now wil I with like celeritie of matter impart vnto thée the guyse and seuerall Abuses of the apparell of wemen there vsed also wherfore geue
God let him content himselfe with the same without any alteratioÌ„ or chaunge with praise to his Creator Spud. They hold notwithstanding that it is the pride of the heart which God so muche hateth and detesteth Philo. It is verye true that GOD punisheth the pride of the heart with eternal damnation if they repent not for he will be serued and obyed either with the whole man or els with none Than if he punish the pride of heart with euerlasting damnatioÌ„ he must néeds in iustice punish the pride of Apparell with the like being booth ioyned in one predicameÌ„t of sinne and the pride of apparell much more hurting before the world thaÌ„ the other Also it is manifest that the pride of apparel riseth first from the corruptioÌ„ of the heart as the effects from the cause the fruite from the roote of the trée than if the pride of y e heart which notwithstanding it hurteth not outwardly but is secret betwixt God and himselfe be damnable in it owne nature before God than must it néeds be that the Pride of apparell which sheweth it selfe to the world both offensiue to GOD and hurtfull to maÌ„ and which also is the fruite of the pride of the heart and throweth almost as many as behold it at least as many as followe it into the déep dungion of hell is much more pernicious and damnable than the other Spud. Hath the Lord plagued this sinne of pride with any notable torture or punishmeÌ„t euer from the beginning of the World vnto this day or hath he omitted the reuenge therof as a thing of small force or importance Philo. Most fearfull plagues and dreadfull iudgements of GOD haue in all ages béene powred vppon them that offended herein as all Histories both holy and prophane do beare record For proofe wherof I wil geue you a taste but of a few wherby may appeare how wonderfully the Lord in all ages tymes kinreds peoples hath punished those that thorow pride like wicked recusants and backslyders from God haue rebelled against his maiestie The deuill who before was an Angell in HeaueÌ„ arrogating to himselfe the imperial throane of the maiesty of God was cast downe into the déepth of Hell burning with fire and sulphur for euer Adam desiring to be a God for the serpent tould him he should be as God knowing both good euill was for the sin of Pride throwne downe to the bottome of Hell not onely he but all his posteritie to the end of the World The hoast of Core Dathan and Abiram for their exceding pride in stirring vp mutenie rebelling against their lawfull Magistrate were swallowed vp quick into hell the earth opening her mouth deuouring them withall their complices whatsoeuer The People of Babylon inteÌ„ding to builde a tower whose top should tutche the Skye thinking that if God should drown y e world againe with water they would be sure inough on the toppe of their high turrâ—ts yea they intending to sit with God himselfe if néed weare weare all confounded and a diuerse language put into euery mans mouth that none knew what an other spake And thus were they forced to leaue there building and dispersed themselues abroad vppoÌ„ the face of the earth wherof spraÌ„g the first diuersitie of languages in the world Wherfore when we heare any language spoken we know not it may be a memorandum to vs to put vs in minde of our Pride which was the cause therof Goliah the great Gyant the huge Cyclops and sworâ—e enemy to the Children of Israell for his pride against the Lord was slaine by Dauid the faitfull Seruaunt of the Lord. Antiochus intending to ouerthrowe and sacke Ierusalem to spoile the Sanctuarie and Temple of the Lord and to kill the people of God was for his pride ouerturned in his charet ryding thetherward his belly brust and fil thy wormes crawled out moste lothsomly and in sine beganne so to stinke and swell as neither his Seruants nor he himselfe cold abide his owne sauoure and thus ended his lyfe in great miserie and wretchednesse Nabuchodonosor was for his pride cast out of his Kingdom and forced to eat grasse with wild beasts in the wildernesse King Saule for his pride and disobedience was deposed of his principallitie and Kingly regimente and in the end slewe him self on 〈◊〉 Gelboe most desperately Sodoma and Gomorra were both destroyed with fire brimstone froÌ„ heauen for their sin of pride contempt of the Lord. All the world in the daies of Noah was drowned with vniuersall deluge for pride contumacy of heart King Hezekiahs for his pride in shewing to the Ambassadors of the king of Babylon all his treasure for he sent Messengers vnto him w t gifte lettres congratulatorie for y e recouerie of his helth lost al his iewels tresures riches w t his owne sones also being transported captiues into Babilon K. Dauid for his pride in numbring y e people contrary the wil of god was greuouslie punished and thréescore and ten thousand of his People slaine with a gréenous pestilence for the same King Pharao for his pride against the Lord for he thought him selfe a GOD vppon the Earth and therfore asked he Moyses in derision who is the Lord was drowned in the read Sea with all his hoast The proude Pharisey iustifying himselfe for his pride was reproued of the Lord and reiected King Herode for attiring himselfe in sumpteous aray not ascribing glory to the Lord was strucken dead by an Angel and wormes consumed his flesh immediatly Al these with infinit millions moe in al ages haue perished thorow pride and therfore let not this people think that they shall escape vnpunished who drinke vp pride as it weare swéet wyne féede vppon it as vppon delicious meats and wallowe in it as a filthie swyne doth in the dirtie myrâ— will the Lord punish his peculiare people and elect vessels and let them goo frée Wherfore I wold wyshe them to be warned for it is a terrible thing to fall into y e hands of GOD who is a consuming fire a fearfull God His bowe is bente his arrowes of iudgements are drawen to the head his fire is kyndled his wrath is gone out ready to be powred vppon the contemners of his lawes Tempt not the Lord any longer prouoke not his wrath exasperate not his iudgements towards thée for as mercy procéedeth froÌ„ him so doth iustice also And be sure of it he payeth home at the last For as in mercie he suffreth no good deed to be vnrewarded so in his iust iudgmente there is no wickednes which he leaueth vnpunished And yet notwithstaÌ„ding their wickednesse and pride is such as stincketh before the face of God and maketh the Enemies to blaspheme and speake euill of the wayes of the Lord For say they the men of Ailgna are wicked licentious in all their wayes which easily appeareth
liue and soiourne in this vaste wildernes of the worlde but not that they should be instruments of destuction to vs bothe of body and soule And truely they are no lesse when they are takeÌ„ immoderatly without the feare of God And dooth not the impletion and sacietie of meates and drinks prouoke lust as Hiero saith Venter Mero estuans spumat in libidinem the belly enflamed with wine bursteth foorth into lust Doth not lust bring foorth sinne and sin bring foorth death The Childreâ— of Isrâ—el giuing them selues to delicat 〈◊〉 gluttony fel to Idolatrie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worshipping stocks stones and deuils in-sted of the liuing God The â—onnes of 〈◊〉 the Priest giuing themselues to daintie 〈◊〉 belly-chéere fell into such 〈◊〉 as the Lord slâ—w them all their father also for that he chastised them not for the same The Children of blessed Iob in midst of all their banquetings ryot were slain by the lord the whole house falling vpon them and destroying them most pitiâ—ully Balâ—hasar king of the Chaldeans in midst of all his good chéer saw a hand writing vpon the wall these woords mene techel uphaâ—sin signifiing y â— his kingdoÌ„e should be taken from him and so it was and he slain the same night by the hand of y â— lord The rich glutton in the Gospel for his riotous feastings proposterous liuing was coÌ„demned to y e fire of hel Our Father Adam with all his of-spring to the end or y e world was coÌ„demned to hel-fire for taking one apple to satisfie his glotonus desire withall Gluttony was one of the chiefest canons wherwith the deuil assaâ—led Christe thinking therby to batter his kingdome to win the féeld for euer yet not withstanding y e greeuousnes héerof the same is thought to be a coutenaÌ„ce a great credit to a maÌ„ in Ailg But true hospitality consisteth not in many dishes nor in sundry sorts of meats the substance wherof is chaunged almoste into accidents thorow their curious cookries which doo help to rot y â— bodies shorten their daies but rather in giuing liberally to the poor and indigent members of Iesus Christe helping them to meat drink lodging clothing such other necessaries wherof they stand in néed But such is their hospitality y â— the poor haue y e least part of it you shal haue 20. 40. 60 yea a C.li. spent in some one house in baÌ„queting festing yet y â— poor shall haue litle or nothing if they haue any thing it is but y e refuge meat scraps patrings such as a dog would scarse eat soÌ„times wel if they can get y â— too insted wherof not a few haue whipping chéerto feed theÌ„ withall it is couÌ„ted but a smal matter for a man that can scarslie dispend fortie pound by the yéer to bestow against one time ten or twentie pound therof in spices And truely so long so gréeuously hath this excesse of gluttonie and daintie fare suâ—ffeted in Ailgna as I feare mée it will spâ—e out many of his Maisters ouâ— of dores before it be long But as some be ouer largeous so other some are spare enough for when any meat is stirring then lock they vp their gates that no man may come in An-other sorte haue so many houses that they visit them once in vij yeer many Chimnies but little smoke faire houses but small hospitalitie And to be plaine there are three cankers which in procâ—sse of time wil eat vp the whole common Welth if spéedy reformatioÌ„ be not had namely daintie Fare gorgious Buildings and sumptuous Apparel which thrée Abuses especially yet not without their cosin germanes doo florish there God remooue them thence for his Christes sake Spud. I had thought that dainty fare good chéer had both noorished y e body perfectly and also proloÌ„ged life dooth it not so think you Philo. Experience as my former intimations you may gather teacheth clean contrary for who is sicklier theÌ„ they that fare deliciously euery day who is corrupter who belâ—heth more who looketh wursse who is weaker and féebler then they who hath more filthie colour flegme and putrifaction repleat with grosse humors then they and to be bréef who dyeth sooner then they Doo wée not see the poor man that eateth brown bread wherof some is made of Rye barlie peason beans oates and such other grosse graines drinketh small drink yea sometimes water feedeth vpon milk butter and chéese I say doo wee not see such a one helthfuller stronger and longer liuing then the other that fare daintily euery day And how should it be otherwise for wil not the eating of diuers and sundry kindes of meats of diuers operations and qualities at one meale engender distemperance in the body And the body distempered wil it not fall into sundry deseases one meat is of hard disgesture another of light whilst the meate of hard disgesture is in concoctiâ—g the other meat of light disgesture dooth putrifie and stink this is the very mother of all diseases one is of this qualitie another of y â— one of this operatioÌ„ another of that one kind of meat is good for this thing another is naught for that Then how can all these contrarieties discripancies agrée togither in one body at one the same time wil not one câ—ntrary impugne his contrary one enemy resist an other Then what wiseman is he that wil receiue allthese enemies into the castle of his body at one time Doo we not se by experieÌ„câ— that they y â— giue theÌ„selues to dainty fare and swéet meats are neuer in helth dooth not their sight wax dim their eares hard of hering their teeth rot fall out dooth not their breth stink their stomack belch foorth filthy humors and their memory decay doo not their spirits and sences becoÌ„e heuie dul by reason of exhalations impure vapors which rise vp in their gingered brests spiced stomacks sumyng vp to y e hed they mortifie y e vitall spirits intellectiue powers dooth not y e whole body become pursie corpulent yea somtimes decrepit therwith ful of all filthy corruptioÌ„ The Lord keep his chosen from the tasting therof Sp. You spake of drâ—keÌ„nes what say you of y â— Phi. I say y e it is a horrible vice too too much vsed in Ail Euery cuÌ„trey citie towne villaged other hath abundaÌ„ce of alehouses taueâ—ns Iâ—nes which are so fraughted with mault-wormes night day that you would wunder to se them You shalâ—haue them there sitting at y e wine and goodale all the day long yea all the night too peraduenture a whole wéek togither so long as any money is left swilling gulling carowsing from one to an other til neuer a one can speak a redy woord Then when w t the spirit of the buttery they are thus possessâ—d a world it is to
of or once named but with great feare reuerence and obedience to the same All the holy companie of Heauen Angels Archangels Cherubins Seraphins and all other powers whatsoeuer 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 and lik good computiâ—tes cast your accompts before what wil be the reward therof in the end least God destroy you in his wrath abuse God no more corrupt his people no longer with your dregges and intermingle not his blessed word with such prophane vanities For at no hand it is not lawfull to mixt scurrilitie with diuinitie nor diuinitie 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 iudgemeÌ„t in the other World the Lord onely knoweth Upon the other side if their playes be of prophane matters thaÌ„ tend they to y â— dishonor of God and norishing of vice both which are daÌ„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 theiâ— 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 theÌ„ addiudging them the maintainers of them to Hell but also all holie couÌ„sels and sinodes both generall nationall and prouinciall together with all Writers both diuyne and prophane euer since y â— 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 stroÌ„g drinke Augustinus de ciuit Dei saith that plaies were ordeined by the Deuill and consecrat to heathen Gods to draw vs from Christianitie to ydolatrie and gentilisme And in an other place Pecunias Histrionibus dare vitium 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 Libidinem mouent The shamelesse gestures of Plaiers serue to nothing so much as to moue the flesh to lust and vnclennesse And therfore in the .30 Counsell of Carthage Synode of Laodicea it was decréed that no Christen Man or Woman should resorte to playes and enterludes where is nothing but blasphemie scurrilitie and whordome maintained Scipio seeing the Romaines bente to erect Theaters places for plaies dehorted them from it with most prudent reasons and forcible arguments Valerius Maximus saith playes were neuer brought vp sine regni 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 amorous 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 practised by the heathen gentiles and dedicat to their false ydols Goddes and Goddesseâ— as the howse stage and apparell to Venus the musicke to Appollo the penning to Minerua and the Muses the action and pronuntiation 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 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 bawdrie cosenage flattery whordome adulterie the Persons or ageÌ„ts whores queanes bawdes sculâ—lions Knaues Curtezans lecherous old menâ— amorous yong men with such like of infinit varietie If I say there were nothing els but this it were sufficieÌ„t to withdraw a good christian from the vsing of them For so often as they goe to those howses where Players frequeÌ„t thei go to Venus pallace sathaÌ„s synagogue to worship deuils betray Christ Iesus Spud. But notwithstanding I haue hard some hold opinion that they be as good as sermons and that many a good Example may be learned out of them Philo. Oh blasphemie intollerable Are filthie playes bawdy enterluds comparable to the word of God y â— foode of life and life it selfe It is all one as if they had said bawdrie hethenrie pagaÌ„rie 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 blessed word and made it the ordenarie mean of our Saluation the Deuiâ—l hath inferred the other as the ordenarie meane of our destruction and will they yet compare the one with y â— other If he be accursed y â— calleth light darknes darknes light truth falsehood falshood truth swéet sowre and sowr sweete than a fortiori is he accurâ—â—d that saith that playes enterluds be equiualent with Sermons Beâ—ids this there is no mischief which these plaies maintain not For do they not norish ydlenes and otia dant vitia ydlenes is the Mother of vice Doo they not draw the people froÌ„ hering the word of God from godly Lectures and sermons for you shall haue them flocke thither thick thréefould wheÌ„ y e church of God shalbe bare emptie And those y â— will neuer come at sermons wil flow thither apace The reason is for that the nuÌ„ber of Christ his elect is but few and the number of the reprobat is many the way y â— leadeth to life is narow and few tread y â— path y â— 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 exercyses they go to visite Do they not maintaine bawdrie insinuat folery renue y e remeÌ„brance of hethen ydolatrie Do they not induce whordome vnclennes nay are they not rather plaine deuourers of maydenly virginitie and
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
whordome drunkennes pride and what not And who will not be buxoâ— to them and giue them money for these their deuilsh cognizances they are mocked flouted at not a little And so assoted are some that they not only giue them monie to maintain their abhomination withall but also weare their badges cognizances in their hats or caps openly But let them take héede for these are badges seales brands cognizances of the deuil whereby he knoweth his Seruants and Clyents from the Children of God And so long as they weare them Sub vexillo diaboli militant contra Dominum et legem suam They fight vnder y e baÌ„ner and standerd of y e deuil against Christ Iesus and all his lawes Another sorte of fantasticall fooles bring to these hel-hounds the Lord of mis-rule and his complices some bread some good-ale some new-chéese some olde some custards fine cakes some one thing some another but if they knew that as often as they bring any thing to the maintenance of these execrable pastimes they offer sacrifice to the deuil and sathanas they would repent and withdraw their hands which God graunt they may Spud. This is a horrible prophanation of the sabaoth the Lord knoweth more pestilent then pestilence it self but what be there any abuses in their May-gaÌ„es like vnto these Philo. As many as in the other The order of them is thus Against May Whitsonday or other time all the yung men and maides olde men and wiues run godding ouer night to the woods groues hils mountains where they spend all the night in plesant pastimes in the morning they return bringing w t them birch branches of trées to deck their assemblies withall and no meruaile for there is a great Lord present amongst them as superintendent and Lord ouer their pastimes and sportes namely Sathan prince of hel But the cheifest iewel they bring from thence is their May-pole which they bring home with great veneration as thus They haue twentie or fortie yoke of Oxen euery Oxe hauing a swéet nose-gay of floures placed on the tip of his hornes and these Oxen drawe home this May-pole this stinking Ydol rather which is couered all ouer with floures and hearbs bound round about with strings from the top to the bottome and sometime painted with variable colours with two or thrée huÌ„dred men women and children following it with great deuotion And thus béeing reaâ—ed vp with handkerchéefs and flags houering on the top they straw the ground rounde about binde green boughes about it set vp sommer haules bowers and arbors hard by it And then fall they to â—aunce about it like as the heathen people did at the dedication of the Idols wherof this is a perfect pattern or rather the thing it self I haue heard it credibly reported and that viua voce by men of great grauitie and reputation that of fortie thréescore or a hundred maides going to the wood ouer night there haue scaresly the third part of them returned home againe vndefiled These be the frutes which these cursed pastimes bring foorth Neither the Iewes the Turcks Sarasins nor Pagans nor any other natioÌ„s how wicked orbarbarous soeuer haue euer vsed such deuilish exercises as these nay they would haue béen ashamed once to haue named them much lesse haue vsed them Yet wée that wouldâ—â— Christians think them not amisse The Lord forgiue vs and remooue them from vs. Spud What is the manner of their church ales which you say they vse for they séem vncouth and straunge to mine eares The Manner of Church-ales in Ailgna Philoponus THE manner of them is thus In certaine Townes where drunken Bachus beares all the sway against a Christmas an Easter Whitsonday or some other time the Church-wardens for so they call them of euery parish with the consent of the whole Parish prouide half a score or twenty quarters of mault wherof some they buy of the Church-stock and some is giuen them of the Parishioners them selues euery one conferring somewhat according to his abilitie which mault béeing made into very strongale or béere it is set to sale either in the Church or some other place assigned to that purpose Then when the Nippitatum this Huf-cap as they call it and this Nectar of lyfe is set abroche wel is he that can get the soonest to it and spend the most at it for he that sitteth the closest to it and spends the moste at it he is counâ—ed the godliest man of all the rest but who either cannot for pinching pouertie or otherwise wil not stick to it he is couÌ„ted one destitute bothe of vertue and godlynes In so much as you shall haue many poormen make hard shift for money to spend therat for it béeing put into this Corban they are perswaded it is meritorious a good seruice to God In this kinde of practise they coÌ„tinue six wéeks a quarter of a yéer yea half a yéer togither swilling and gulling night and day till they be as drunke as Apes and as blockish as beasts Spud. Séeing they haue so good vtterance it should seeme they haue good gaines But I pray you how doe they bestowe that money which is got therby Philo. Oh well I warent you if all be true which they say For they repaire their Churches and Chappels with it they buy bookes for seruice cuppes for the celebration of the Sacrament surplesses for Sir Ihon and such other necessaries And they maintaine other extraordinarie charges in the parishes besydes These be their exceptions these be their excuses and these be their pretensed allegations wherby they blind the world and conueigh themselues away inuisibly in a clowd But if they daunce thus in a net no doubt they will be espied For if it wer so y â— they bestowed it as they say do they think that the Lord will haue his howse build with drunkennesse gluttony and such like abhominatioÌ„ Must we do euill that good may come of it must we build this house of lyme and stone with the desolation and vtter ouerthrow of his spirituall howse clensed and washed in the preciouse blood of our Sauiour Iesus Christ But who séeth not that they bestow this money vpon nothing lesse than in building and repayring of Churches and Oratories For in most places lye they not like swyn coates their windowes rent their dores broken their walles fall downe the roofe all bare and what not out of order Who séeth not the booke of GOD rent ragged and all betorn couered in dust so as this Epitaphe may be writ with ones finger vppon it ecce nunc in puluere dormio Alas behold I sleep in dust and oblyuion not once scarse looked vppon which lesse red vpon and the least of all preached vppon And on the other side who séeth not for this I speak but in way of parenthesis in y e meane tyme their owne howses and mansion places
world to haue escaped to repaire to Holofernes by some meanes or other to work his destruction who guided by the hand of God attempted the thing brought it happely to passe For she cut of his head with his owne fauchine wrapping his body in the canopie wherin he lay sléepingly possest as he was with y e spirit of drunkennesse this done the Women of Israell came together and went to visit this worthie Woman and to coÌ„gratulat her prosperous successe with instruments of musick singing of Godly songs and dauncing for ioye in hâ—nor and prayse to God for this great victorie obtained Now who sâ—eth not that these women sang dauÌ„ced and played vppon instrumentes in prayse of God not for any other lewdnes or wantonnes as coÌ„monly the world doth now adaies This also ouerthroweth the dauncinges of Men and Women together in one companie for though there was an infinite number of People by yet the Text saith there daunced none but onely Women which plainly argueth the vnlawfulnesse of it in respecte of Man And this being but a particular fact of a sort of imprudent Women shall we draw it into example of lyfe and thinke it lawfull or good because they did practife it It was a custome in those dayes when God had powred foorth and notable blessing vpon his People from his Heauenly Pallace the People in honour praise and thankesgiuing to God for them would play vppon their instruments sing Godly Songs daunce leape skip and triumphe shewing foorth the ioye of their mindes with their thankefulnesse to GOD by all exteriour gestures that they could deuyse Which kinde of thankefull dauncing or spirituall reioycing wold God we did follow leauing all other wanton dancing to their Father the Deuill Their .vij. Reason Did not quothe they the Damosell daunce before Kinge Herode when the head of Iohn Baptist was cut of She daunced indeed And herein they maye sée the fruite of dauncing what goodnesse it bringeth For was not this the cause of the beheading of Iohn the Baptist Sée whether dauncing styreth not vp lust and inflameth the mind For if Herode with séeing her daunce was so inflamed in her loue and rauished in her behauiour that he promised her to giue her whatsoeuer she wold desire though it were half of his Emperie or Kingdome what wold he haue béene if he had daunced with her and what are those that daunce with them hand in hand chéek by chéek with bussing and kissing slabbering and smearing most beastly to behold in so much as I haue heard many impudently say that they haue chosen their Wyues and wyues their Husbands by dauncing Which plainely proueth the wickednesse of it Their .viij. reason Did not Christ rebuke the People for not dauncing saying we haue pyped vnto you but you haue not daunced They may as well conclude that Christ in this place was a Pyper or a Minstrell as that he alowed of dauncing or reproued them for not excercysing the same This is a Metaphoricall or Allegoricall kinde of speach wherin our Sauiour Christ goeth about to reprooue and checke the styfneckednes the rebellion and pertinacious coÌ„tumacy of y â— Scribes and Phariseis who were neither mooued to receiue the glad tydings of the Gospell by the austeritie of Iohn the Baptiste who came preaching vnto them the doctrine of repeÌ„taunce in mourning sort neither yet at the preaching of our Sauiour him selfe breaking vnto them the pure Ambrosia the Coelestial Manna the word of life in ioyfull and gladsome maner Ihon the Baptist he piped vnto them that is he preached vnto them austeritie of life to mourn for their sinnes to repent to fast pray and such like Our Sauiour Christ he pyped that is preached vnto them the glad comfortable tidyngs of y e Gospell yet at neither of these kinde of concions they were any whit mooued either to imbrace Christ or his gospell Wherfore he sharply rebuketh them by a similitude of foolishe Children sitting in the market place and piping vnto them that wold not daunce This is the true vndoubted sence of this place which whether it ouerthrow not all kinde of lewd dauncing at lest maketh nothing for them allowing a certen king of spirituall dauncing and reioysing of the heart vnto God that I may suspend my owne iudgement let wyse men determine Their .ix. Reason Saith not Salomon there is a time to wéep a time to laugh a time to mourn and a time to daunce This place is directly against their vsuall kinde of dauncing For saith not the Text there is a time meaning somtime now and than as the Israelites did in prayse to GOD when anie notable thing happened vnto them and not euery daye and howre as we do making an occupatioÌ„ of it neuer leauing it vntil it leaue vs. But what and if Salomon speaketh here of a certen kind of spiritual dauncing and reioysing of y e heart in praise to GOD This is easily gathered by the circumstances of the place but specially by the sentence precedent vz. there is a time to mourn a time to daÌ„ce c. that is a time to mourn for our sinnes a tyme to dauÌ„ce or reioyse for the vnspeakable treasures purchased vnto vs by y e death passion of Iesus christ How much this place maketh for defence of their nocturnall diuturnall wanton lewde and lascivious dauncings if it be censured in the imparciall ballance of true iudgement all y e world may sée aud iudge And now to draw to an end I will come vnto their vltimum refugium That is Doth not Dauid both commend and also coÌ„maunde dauncing and playing vpon instruments in diuerse of his Psal. In all those places y e Prophet speaketh of a certeÌ„ kind of spirituall dauncing and reioysing of the heart to y â— Lord for his graces benefits in mercie bestowed vpon vs. This is the true kinde of dauncing which the word of God doth allow of in any place and not that we should trippe like rammes skip like goats leap like mad men For to y â— end our féet were not giueÌ„ vs but rather to represent y eimage of God in vs to keep Companie with the Angels to glorifie our heuenly Father thorow good works Spud. Do you condemne al kinde of dauncing as wicked and prophane Ph. All lewde wanton lasciuious dauncing in publique assemblies conuenticles without respect either of sex kind time place Person or any thing els I by the warrant of the word of God do vtterly condemne But that kind of dauncing which is vsed to praise and laud the name of God withall as weare the dauÌ„ces of the people of the former world either priuatly or publiquely is at no hand to be dysallowed but rather to be greatly commended Or if it be vsed for mans comfort recreation and Godly pleasure priuatly euery sex distincted by themselues whether with musick or otherwyse it cannot be