THE Syracusans v­sed such varietie of dishes in theyr ban­quets, that when they were sette, and their boordes furni­shed, they were ma­ny times in doubt, which they shoulde touch first, or taste last. And in my opi­nion the worlde giueth euery writer so large a fielde to walke in, that before he setpenne to the booke, he shall find him selfe feasted at Syracusa, vncertaine where to begin, or when to end. This caused Pindarus too question with his Muse, whether he were better with his art to discifer the life of y ^e Nimpe Me­lia, or Cadmus encoūter with the Dra­gon, or the warres of Hercules, at the walles of Thebes, or Bacchus cuppes, or Venus iugling. Hee sawe so many [Page] turninges layde open to his feete, that hee knewe not which way to bende his pace.

Therfore as I cannot but cōmende his wisedome, whiche in banqueting feedes most vpon that, that doth nourish best; so must I disprayse his methode in writing, which following the course of amarous Poets, dwelleth longest in those pointes, that profite least; and like a wanton whelpe, leaueth the game, to runne riot. The Scarabe flies euer ma­ny a sweete flower, & lightes in a com­shard: It is the custome of the flye to leaue the sound places of the Horse, and suck at the Botch: The nature of Col­loquintida, to draw the worst humours too itselfe: The maner of swine, to for­sake the fayre fieldes, and wallow in the myre: And the whole practise of Po­ets, eyther with fables to shew theyr a­buses, or with plaine tearmes to vnfold theyr mischiefe, discouer theyr shame, discredit them selues, and disperse their poyson thorugh all the worlde. Virgill sweates in describyng his Gnat: Ouid [Page 2] hestirreth him to paintout his Flea: the one shewes his art in the lust of Dido, the other his cunning in the inceste of Myrrha, and that trumpet of Baudrie, the Craft of loue.

I must confesse that Poets are the whetstones of wit, notwithstāding that wit is dearly bonght: where hony and gall are mixed, it will be hard to se­uer the one from the other. The de­ceitfull Phisition giueth sweete Syr­ropes to make his poyson goe downe the smoother: The Juggler casteth a myst to worke the closer: The Syrens song is the Saylers wrack: The Fow­lers whistle, the birdes death: The wholesome bayte, the fishes bane: The Harpies haue Uirgins faces, and vul­tures Talentes: Hyena speakes like a friend, & deuoures like a Foe: The cal­mest Seas hide dangerous Rockes: the Woolfiettes in Weathers felles: Many good sentences are spoken by Dauus, to shadowe his knauery: and written by Poets, as ornamentes to beautifye their woorkes, and fette [Page] theyr trumperie too sale without sus­pect.

But if you looke well too Epaeus horse, you shall finde in his bowels the destruction of Troy: open the sepulchre of Semyramis, whose Title promiseth suche wealth to the Kinges of Persia, you shall see nothing but deade bones: Rippe vp the golden Ball, that Nero consecrated to Iupiter Capitollinus, you shall haue it stuffed with the sha­uinges of his Beard: pul off the visard that Poets maske in, you shall disclose their reproch, bewray their vanitie, loth their wantonnesse, lament their follie, and perceiue their sharpe sayings to be placed as Pearles in Dunghils, fresh pictures on rotten walles, chaste Ma­trons apparel on common Curtesans. These are the Cuppes of Circes, that turne reasonable Creatures into brute Beastes; the balles of Hippomenes, that hinder the course of Atalanta; and the blocks of the Diuel that are cast in our wayes, to cut off the rase of toward wittes. No marueyle though Plato [Page 3] shut them out of his Schoole, and banished them quite from his common wealth, as effeminate writers, vnprofi­table members, and vtter enimies to vertue.

The Romans were verie desirous to imitate the Greekes, and pet verie loth to receiue their Poets: insomuch that Cato layth it in the dishe of Mar­cus the noble as a foule reproche, that in the time of his Consulshippe, hee brought Ennius the Poet into his pro­uince. Tullie accustomed to read them with great diligence in his youth, but when hee waxed grauer in studie, elder in yeares, riper in iudgement, hee ac­cōpted Tusc 1. 2. them the fathers of lyes, Pipes of vanitie, & Schooles of Abuse. Max­imus Tyrius taketh vppon him to de­fend the discipline of these Doctors vn­der the name of Homer, wresting the rashnes of Aiax, to valour; the cowardice of Vlisses, to Policie; the dotage of Ne­stor, to graue counsell; and the battaile of Troy, too the woonderfull conflict of the foure Elementes: where Iuno [Page] which is counted the ayre, settes in her foote to take vp the strife, & steps boldly betwixt them to part the fray. It is a Pageant woorth the sight, to beholde how he labors w ^t Mountaines to bring foorth Mise; much like to some of those Players, that come to the scaffold with Drum & Trumpet to profer skirmishe, A desperate conflict. and when they haue soūded Allarme, off go the peeces to encounter a shadow, or conquere a Paper monster. You will smile I am sure if you read it, to see how this morall Philosopher toyles too draw the Lyons skin vpon Aesops Asse. Hercules shoes on a childes feete, a m­plyfying that which the more it is stir­red, the more it stinkes; the lesse it is tal­ked of, the better it is liked; & as way­warde children, the more they bee flate­red, the worse they are; or as curst sores with often touching waxe angry, & run the longer without healing. He attribu­teth the beginning of vertue to Miner­ua, of friendship to Venus, & the roote of all handy crafts to Vulcan; but if he had broke his arme aswel as his legge, [Page 4] when he fel out of heauen into Lemnos, either Apollo must haue played the Bonesetter, or euery occupation beene laide a water. Plato when he sawe the doctrine of these Teachers, neither for Poets bani­shed by Plato. profite, necessary, nor to be wished for pleasure, gaue them all Drūmes enter­tainment, not suffering thē once to shew their faces in a reformed cōmon wealth. And the same Tyrius that layes such a foūdation for Poets, in the name of Ho mer, cuerthrows his whole building in the person of Mithecus, which was an excellent Cooke among the Greekes, & asmuch honored for his confections, as Phidias for his caruing. But when he came to Sparta, thinking there for his running to be accoūted a God, the good lawes of Licurgus, & custom of the coū ­try were to hot for his diet. The gouer­nors vanished him & his art, & al the in­habitants folowing the steppes of their Predecessors, vsed not with dainties to prouoke appetite, but with labour and trauell too whette their stomackes to their meate. I may well liken Ho­mer [Page] to Mithecus, & Poets to Cookes Poetes and Cookes com­pared togither. the pleasures of the one winnes the bo­dy frō labor, & conquereth the sense; the alluremēt of the other drawes the mind from vertue, and confoundeth wit. As in euery perfect common wealth there ought to be good laws established, right mainteined, wrong repressed, vertue re­warded, vice punished, and all maner of abuses thoroughly purged: So ought there such schooles for the furtherance of the same to be aduaunced, that young men maye bee taught that in greene yeeres, that becomes them to practise in gray haires.

Anacharsis beeing demaunded of Poetrie in Scythia without vice, as the Phoenix in Ara­bia, without a fellow. a Greeke, whether they had not instru­mentes of Musicke, or Schooles of Poetrie in Scythia, answered, yes, and that without vice, as though it were ei­ther impossible, or incredible, that no a­buse should be learned where such lessōs are taught, & such schooles mainteined.

Salust in describing the nurture of Sempronia, commendeth her witte in that shee coulde frame her selfe to [Page 5] all companies, too talke discretely with wyse men, and vaynely with wantons, taking a quip ere it came too grounde, and returning it back without a faulte. She was taught (saith he) both Greek and Latine, she coulde versifie, sing, and daunce, better then became an honest woman. Sappho was skilfull in Poe­trie Qualities al­lowed in wo­men. and sung wel, but she was whorish. I set not this downe too condemne the giftes of versifying, daunsing, or sing­yng in women, so they bee vsed with meane, & exercised in due tyme. But to shew you that as by Anacharsis report the Scythians did it without offence: so one Swalowe bringes not Sommer; nor one particular example sufficient proofe for a generall precept. Whyte siluer, drawes a blacke lyne; Fyre is as hurtfull, as healthie; Water as daun­gerous, as it is commodious; and these qualities as harde to bee wel vsed when we haue them, as they are to be learned before wee get them. Hee that goes to Sea, must sinel of the Ship; and that sayles into Poets wil sauour of Pitch.

[Page] C. Marius in the assembly of the Salust. whole Senate at Rome, in a solemne oration, giueth an account of his brin­ging vp: he sheweth that he hath beene taught to lye on the ground, to suffer all weathers, to leade men, to strike his foe, to feare nothing but an euill name: and chalengeth praise vnto him selfe, in that hee neuer learned the Greeke tongue, neither ment to be instrucced in it heer­after, either that he thought it too farre a iorney to fetche learning beyonde the fielde, or because he doubted the abu­ses of those Schooles, where Poets were euer the head Maisters. Tiberius Poets thiefe Maistees in Greece. the Emperour same somewhat, when he iudged Scaurus to death for writing a Tragidie: Augustus, when hee ba­nished Poets bani­shed frō Rome. Ouid: And Nero when he char­ged Lucan, to put vp his pipes, to stay his penne and write no more. Burrus and Seneca the schoolemaisters of Ne­ro are flowted and hated of the people, for teaching their Scholer the song of Attis. For Dion saith, that the hearing Dion in vita Neronis. thereof wroonge laughter and teares [Page 6] from most of those that were then about him. Wherby I iudge that they scorned the folly of the teachers, and lamented the frenzie of the Scholer, who beeing Emperour of Rome, and bearing the weight of the whole common wealth vppon his shoulders, was easier to bee drawen to vanitie by wanton Poets, then to good gouernment by the father­ly counsell of graue Senators. They were condemned to dye by the lawes of the Heathens, which inchaunted the graine in other mens grounds: and are not they accursed thinke you by the mouth of God, which hauing the go­uernment of yoūg Princes, with Poe­tical fātasies draw them to the schooles of their owne abuses, bewitching the graine in the greene blade, that was sowed for the sustenance of many thou­sauds, & poisoning the spring with their amorous layes, whence the whole com­mon wealth should fetch water? But to leaue the scepter to Iupiter, and instruc­ting of Princes to Plutarch and Xe­nophon, I will beare a lowe sayle, and [Page] rowe neere the shore, least I chaunce to bee carried beyonde my reache, or runne a grounde in those Coasts which I neuer knewe. My onely endeuour shalbe to shew you that in a rough cast, which I see in a cloude, laking through my fingers.

And because I haue bene matricula­ted my selfe in the schoole, where so ma­ny abuses florish, I wil imitate y ^e dogs of Aegypt, which cōming to the bancks of Nylus too quenche their thirste, syp and away, drinke running, lest they bee snapte short for a pray too Crocodiles. I shoulde tel tales out of the Schoole, and bee Ferruled for my faulte, or byssed at for a blab, yf I layde al the orders open before your eyes. You are no sooner entred, but libertie looseth the reynes, and geues you head, placing you with Poetrie in the lowest forme: when his skill is showne too make his Scholer as good as euer twangde, hee preferres you too Pyping, from Py­ping to playing, from play to pleasure, from pleasure to slouth, from slouth too [Page 7] sleepe, from sleepe too sinne, from sinne to death, from death to the deuill, if you take your learniug apace, and passe through euery forme without reuol­ting. Looke not too haue mee discourse these at large, the Crocodile watcheth to take me tardie, which soeuer of them I touche, is a byle: Trype and goe, for I dare not tarry.

Heraclides accounteth Amphyon the ringleader of Poets and Pypers: Delphus Philammones penned the birth of Latona, Diana, & Apollo in verse; and taught the people to Pype & Daunce rounde about the Temple of Delphos, Hesiodus was as cunning in Pyping, as in Poetrie: so was Ter­pandrus, and after him Clonas. Apol­lo which is honoured of Poets as the God of their Art, had at the one side of his Idol in Delos a Bowe, and at the other, the three Graces with three sundrie instruments, of which one was a pype, and some writers affirme that he pyped himselfe now and than.

Poetrie and pyping, haue allwaies [Page] bene so vnited togither, that til the time Plutarch. of Melanippides, Pipers were Poets hyerlings. But marke I pray you, how they are nowe both abused.

The right vse of auncient Poetrie Olde Poets, was too haue the notable exploytes of woorthy Captaines, the holesome coun­cels of good fathers, and vertuous liues of predecessors set downe in numbers, and song to the Instrument at solemne feastes, that the sound of the one might dram the hearers from kissing the cupp too often; the sense of the other put them in minde of things past, and chaulk out the way to do the like. After this maner were the Baeotians trained from rude­nesse to ciuilitie, The Lacedaemonians instructed by Tyrteaeus verse, The Ar­giues by the melody of Telesilla, And the Lesbians by Alcaeus Ddes.

To this end are instruments vsed in battaile, not to tickle the eare, but ton teach euery souldier when to strike and when to stay. when to flye, and when to followe. Chiron by singing to his in­strument, Ilom [...]. quencheth Achiles furye: [Page 8] Terpandrus with his notes, layeth the tempest, and pacifies the tumult at Lacedaemon: Homer with his Mu­sicke cured the sick Souldiers in the Grecians campe, and purged euery mans Tent of the Plague. Thinke you that those miracles coulde bee wrought with playing of Daunces, Dumpes, Pauins, Galiardes, Mea­sures Fancyes, or new streynes? They neuer came wher this grewe, nor knew what it ment.

Pythagoras bequeathes them a Clookebagge, and condemnes them for fooles, that iudge Musicke by sounde and eare. If you will bee good Scholers, and profite well in the Arte of Musicke, shutte your Fidels in their cases, and looke vp to heauen: the order of the Spheres, the vnfallible motion of the Planets, the iuste course of the yeere, and varietie of seasons, the concorde of the Elementes and their qualyties, Fyre, Water, Ayre, Earth, Heate, Colde, Moysture and Drought concurring togeather to the [Page] constitution of earthly bodies and su­stenance of euery creature.

The politike Lawes, in well go­uerned common wealthes, that treade True Muficke. downe the prowde, and vpholde the meeke, the loue of the King & his sub­iectes, the Father and his childe, the Lorde and his Slaue, the Maister and his Man, The Trophees and Triumphes of oure auncestours, which pursued vertue at the hardeheeles, and shunned vyce as a rocke for feare of shipwracke, are excellent maisters too shewe you that this is right Musicke, this perfecte harmony. Chiron when hee appeased the wrath of Achilles, tolde him the duetie of a good souldier, repeated the vertues of his father Pe­leus, and sung the famous euterprises of noble men. Terpandrus when he en­ded the brabbles at Lacedaemon, ney­ther pyped Rogero nor Turkelony, but reckoning vp the commodities of friendeship and fruites of debate, put­ting them in mind of Lycurgus lawes, taught them too treade a better mea­sure. [Page 9] When Homers muūcke droue the pe­stilence from the Grecians camp, there was no such vertue in his penne, nor in his pipe, but if I might bee vmpier, in the sweet harmony of diuerse natures & wonderful cōcord of sundry medicines. For Apolloes cunning excendeth it self aswel to Phisick, as musick or Poetrie. And Plutarch reporteth that as Chi­ron was a wise man, a learned Poet, a skilful Musition, so was hee also a teacher of iustice, by shewing what Princes ought to doe, and a Reader of Phisicke, by opening the natures of manie simples. If you enquire howe manie suche Poetes and Pipers wee haue in our Age, I am perswaded that euerie one of them may creepe through a ring, or daunce the wilde Morice in a Needles eye. We haue infinite Po­ets, and Pipers, and suche peeuishe cattel among vs in Englande, that liue by merrie begging, mainteyned by almes, and priuily encroch vppon eue­rie mans purse. But if they that are in authoritie, and haue the sworde in their handes to cut off abuses, shoulde call an [Page] accōpt to see how many Chirons, Ter­pandri, and Homers are heere, they might cast the summe without pen, or counters, and sit downe with Racha, to weepe for her Children, because they were not. He that compareth our instru­ments, with those that were vsed in an­cient times, shall see them agree like Dogges & Cattes, and meete as tump as Germans lippes. Terpandrus and Olimpus vsed instrumēts of 7. strings. And Plutarch is of opinion that the in­struments of 3. strings, w ^t were vsed be­fore their time, passed al that haue follo­wed since. It was an old law & lōg kept that no mā should according to his owne humor, adde or diminish, in matters cō ­cerning that Art, but walk in the pathes of their predecessors. But whē newfan­gled Phrynis becam a fidler, being som­what curious in carping, & searching for moats w ^t a pair of blearde eies, thought to amend his maisters, & marred al. Timotheus a bird of the same broode, & a right hoūd of the same Hare, toke the 7. stringed harp, that was altogether vsed in Terpādrus time, & increaced the num [...] [Page 11] these abuses in the compasse of that countrey: but like vnto yll weedes in time spread so far, that they choked the good grayne in euery place.

For as Poetrie & Piping are Cosen germans: so piping, and playing are of great affinity, and all three chayned in linkes of abuse.

Plutarch complaineth, that ignorant men, not knowyng the maiestie of aun­cient musick, abuse both the eares of the people, and the Arte it selfe: with brin­ging sweete consortes into Theaters, which rather effeminate the minde, as pricks vnto vice, then procure amende­ment of manners, as spurres to vertue. Ouid the high martial of Venus fielde planteth his maine battell in publique assemblies, sendeth out his scoutes too Theaters to descry the enimie, and in steede of vaunte Curriers, with instru­ments of musicke, playing, singing, and daūcing, geues the first charge. Maxi­mus Tyrius holdeth it for a Maxime, that the bringing of instrumēts to The­aters & plaies, was the first cup that poi­soned [Page] the common weaith. They that are borne in Seriphos, & cockered cōtinual­ly in those Illandes, where they see no­thing but Foxes, & Hares, wil neuer be persuaded that there are huger beastes: They that neuer went out of the chāpi­ons in Brabant, will hardly conceiue what rockes are in Germany. And they that neuer goe out of their houses, for regard of their credit, nor steppe from the vniuersitye for loue of knowledge, seeing but slender offences & small abu­ses within their owne walles, wil neuer beleeue y ^t such rockes are abrode, nor such horrible monsters in playing pla­ces. But as (I speake the one to my comforte, the other to my shame, and remember both with a forrowfull hart) I was first instructed in the vniuersity, after drawne like a nouice to these abu­ses: so wil I shew you what I see, & in­forme you what I reade of such affaires. Ouid sayth, that Romulus builte his Theater as a horse faire for hores, made Triumphes, & set out playes to gather the fayre women togither, that euery one of his sonldiers might take where [Page 12] he liked, a snatch for his share: whervp­pon the Amarous Scholemaister bur­steth out in these words:

It should seeme that the abuse of such places was so great, that for any chaste liuer to haunt them was a black swan, & a white crowe. Dion so straightly for­biddeth the ancient families of Rome & gentlewomen that tender their name & honor, to cōe to Theaters, & rebuks thē so sharply, when he takes thē napping, that if they be but once seene there, hee iudgeth it sufficient cause to speake il of them & thinke worse. The shadowe of a knaue hurts an honest mā: the sent of the stewes a sober matron: and the shew of Theaters a simple gaser. Clitomachus the wrestler geuen altogether to manly exercise, if hee had hearde any talke of loue, in what cōpany soeuer he had bin, [Page] would forsake his seat, & bid them adue.

Lacon when hee sawe the Atheni­ens studie so muche to set out Playes, sayde they were madde. If men for good exercise, and women for theyr credite, ve shut from Theaters, whom shal we suffer to goe thither? Litle chil­dren? Plutarch with a caueat keepeth them out, not so much as admitting the litle crackhalter that carrieth his mai­sters pantouffles, to set foote within those doores: And alledgeth this reasō, that those wanton spectacles of lyght huswiues, drawing gods from the hea­uens, & young men from them selues to shipwracke of honestie, will hurte them more, thē if at the Epicures table, they had nigh burst their guts with ouer fee­ding. For if the body bee ouercharged, it may bee holpe; but the surfite of the soule is hardly cured. Here I doubt not Obiection. but some Archplayer or other that hath read alitle, or stumbled by chance vpon Plautus comedies, wil cast me abone or ii. to pick, saying, y ^t whatsoeuer these an­cient writers haue spokē against plaies [Page 13] is to bee applied too the abuses in olde Comedies, where Gods are broughte in, as Prisoners too beautie, rauishers of Uirgins, and seruantes by loue, too earthly creatures. But the Comedies that are exercised in oure daies are bet­ter sifted. They shewe no such branne: The first smelte of Plautus, these tast of Menāder; the lewdenes of Gods, is al­tred and chaunged to the loue of young men; force, to friendshippe; rapes, too mariage; wooing allowed by assu­rance of wedding; priuie meetinges of bachelours and maidens on the stage, not as murderers that deuour the good name ech of other in their mindes, but as those that desire to bee made one in hearte. Nowe are the abuses of the worlde reuealed, euery man in a play may see his owne faultes, and learne by this glasse, to amende his manners. Curculio may chatte til his heart ake, ere any be offended with his gyrdes. Deformities are checked in ieast, and mated in earnest. The sweetenesse of musicke, and pleasure of sportes, tem­per [Page] the bitternesse of rebukes, and mit­tigate the tartenesse of euery taunt ac­cording to this.

Therefore they are either so blinde, that they cannot, or so blunt, that they will not see why this exercise shoulde [...]were. not be suffered as a profitable recreati­on. For my parte I am neither so fonde a Phisition, nor so bad a Cooke, but I can allowe my patient a cup of wine to meales, although it be hotte; and plea­saunt sauces to driue downe his meate, if his stomake hee queasie. Notwith­standing, if people will bee instructed, (God be thanked) wee haue Diuines enough to discharge that, and moe by a great many, then are well harkened to: yet sith these abuses are growne too head, and sinne so rype, the number is [Page 14] lesse then I would it were.

Euripides holdes not him onely a foole, that beeing well at home, wil gad abrode, that hath a Conduite within doore, and fetcheth water without: but all suche beside, as haue sufficient in them selues, to make them selues mer­ry with pleasaunte talke, tending too good, and mixed with [...] the Grecians glee, yet will they seeke when they neede not, to bee sported a­brode at playes and Pageauntes. Plu­tarch likeneth the recreation that is gotte by conference, too a pleasaunt banquet; the sweet pappe of the one su­staineth the body, the sauery doctrine of the other doth nourish the minde: and as in banquetting, the wayter standes ready too fill the Cuppe: So in all our recreations we shoulde haue an in­structer at our elbowes to feede the soule. If wee gather Grapes among thistles, or seeke for this foode at Thea­ters, wee shall haue a harde pyt­taunce, and come to shorte commons. I cannot thinke that Cittie to be safe, [Page] that strikes downe her Percollices, rammes vp her gates, and suffereth the enimie to enter the posterne. Neyther wil I be perswaded, that he is any way likely to conquer affection, which brea­keth his instrumentes, burneth all his Poets, abandons his haunt, mufleth his eyes as he passeth the streate, and re­sortes too Theaters too bee assaulted. Cookes did neuer shewe more crafte in their iunckets to vanquish the taste, nor Painters in shadowes to allure the eye, then Poets in Theaters to wounde the conscience.

There setchey abroche straunge consortes of melody, to tickle the eare; costly apparel, to flatter the sight; effe­minate gesture, to rauish the sence; and wanton speache, to whet desire too in­ordinate lust. Therefore of both bar­relles, I iudge Cookes and Painters the better hearing, for the one extendeth his arte no farther then to the tongue, palate, and nose, the other to the eye; and both are ended in outwarde sense, which is common too vs with bruite [Page 15] beasts. But these by the priuie entries of the eare, slip downe into the hart, & with gunshotte of affection gaule the minde, where reason and vertue should rule the roste. These people in Rome were as pleasant as Nectar at the first begin­ning, & cast out for lees, when their abu­ses were knowen. They whome Caesar vpheld, were driuen out by Octauian: whom Caligula reclaimed, were cast of by Nero: whom Neruä exalted, were throwne downe by Traian: whom An­thony admitted, were expelled againe, pestred in Gallies & sent into Hellespōt by Marcus Aurelius. But when the whole rabble of Poets, Pipers, Play­ers, Jugglers, Jesters, & daūcers were receiued againe, Rome was reported to bee fuller of fooles then of wise men. Domitian suffered playing & dauncing so long in Theaters, that Paris led the Domitia was the first wife of Domitian, and Messalina, the seconde. shaking of sheetes with Domitia, and Mnester the Trenchmour with Mes­salina. Caligula made so muche of Players and Dauncers, that hee suffe­red them openly to kysse his lyppes, Dion. [Page] when the Senators might scarce haue a lick at his feete: He gaue Dauncers great stipends for selling their hopps: & placed Apelles the player by his own sweete side: Besides that you may see what excellent graue men were euer a­bout him, he loued Prasinus the Coch­man so wel, that for good wil to the ma­ster, he bid his horsetosupper, gaue him wine to drink in cups of estate, set barly graines of golde before him to eate, and swore by no bugs, that hee would make him a Consul: which thing (saith Dion) had bin performed, had hee not bin pre­uented by suddain death. For as his life was abhominable, so was his end mise­rable: Comming from dancing & play­ing, he was slaine by Chaerea, a iust re­warde, and a fit Catastrophe, I haue heard some Players vaunt of the credit they had in Rome, but they are as foo­lish in that, as Vibius Rufus which bo­sted himself to be an Emperor because hee had sit in Caesars chaire, & a perfect Orator, because hee was marryed to Tullies widowe. Better might they say [Page 16] them selues to be murderers, because they haue represented the persons of Thyestes and Atreus, Achilles & He­ctor: or perfect Limme lifters, for tea­ching the trickes of euery Strumpet. Such are the abuses that I reade of in Rome: such are the Caterpillers that haue deuouted and blasted the fruite of Aegypt: Such are the Dragons that are hurtful in Affricke: Such are the Adders that sting with pleasure, and kil with paine: and such are the Basiliskes of the world, that poyson, as well with the beame of their sighte, as with the breath of their mouth.

Consider with thy selfe (gentle Rea­der) the olde discipline of Englande, mark what we were before, & what we are now: Leaue Rome a while, and cast thine eye backe to thy Predecessors, and tell mee howe woonderfully wee haue beene chaunged, since wee were schooled with these abuses. Dion sayth, Matters of England in olde time, that english men could suffer watching and labor, hunger & thirst, and beare of al stormes w ^t hed and shoulders, they v­sed [Page] slender weapons, went naked, and were good soldiours, they fed vppon rootes and barkes of trees, they would stand vp to the chin many dayes in ma­rishes without victualles: and they had a kind of sustenaunce in time of neede, of which if they had takē but the quan­titie of a beane, or the weight of a pease, they did neyther gape after meate, nor long for the cuppe, a great while after. The men in valure not yeelding to Sci­thia, Olde exercise of England. the women in courage passing the Amazons. The exercise of both was shootyng and darting, running & wre­stling, and trying suche maisteries, as eyther consisted in swiftnesse of feete, a­gilitie of body, strength of armes, or Martiall discipline. But the exercise New England that is nowe among vs, is banqueting playing, pipyng, and dauncing, and all suche delightes as may win vs to plea­sure, or rocke vs a sleepe.

Oh what a woonderfull chaunge is this? Our wreastling at armes, is turned to wallowyng in Ladies laps, our courage, to cowardice, our running [Page 17] to ryot, our Bowes into Bolles, and our Dartes to Dishes. We haue robbed Greece of Gluttonie, Italy of wantonnesse, Spaine of pride, Fraunce of deceite, and Dutchland of quaffing. Compare London to Rome, & Eng­land to Italy, you shall finde the Thea­ters of the one, the abuses of the other, to be rife among vs. Experto crede, I haue seene somewhat, and therefore I thinke may say the more. In Rome when Plaies or Pageants are showne: Ouid chargeth his Pilgrims, to crepe close to the Saintes, whom they serue, and shew their double diligence to lifte the Gentlewomens roabes from the grounde, for soyling in the duste; to sweepe Moates from their Kirtles, to keepe their fingers in vre; to lay their hands at their backes for an easte stay; to looke vppon those, whome they be­holde; too prayse that, whiche they commende; too lyke euerye thing, that pleaseth them; to presente them Pomegranates, to picke as they syt; and when all is done, to waite on them [Page] mannerly too their houses. In our as­semblies at playes in London, you shall see suche heauing, and shoo­uing, suche ytching and shouldring, too sitte by women; Suche care for their garments, that they bee not trode on: Such eyes to their lappes, that no chippes light in them: Such pillowes to ther backes, that they take no hurte: Such masking in their eares, I knowe not what: Such giuing them Pippins to passe the time: Suche playing at foote Saunt without Cardes: Such ticking, such toying, such smiling, such winking, and such māning them home, when the sportes are ended, that it is a right Comedie, to marke their behaui­our, to watche their conceites, as the Catte for the Mouse, and as good as a course at the game it selfe, to dogge them a little, or followe aloofe by the print of their feete, and so discouer by [...]tte where the Deare taketh soyle. If this were as well noted, as ill seene: or as openly punished, as secretly prac­tised: I haue no doubte but the cause [Page 18] would be seared to dry vp the effect, and these prettie Rabbets very cunningly ferretted from their borrowes. For they that lack Customers al the weeke, either because their haunte is vnkno­wen, or the Constables and Officers of their Parishe, watch them so narrowly, that they dare not queatche; To cele­brate the Sabboth, flock to Theaters, and there keepe a generall Market of Bawdrie: Not that any filthynesse in deede, is committed within the com­passe of that grounde, as was doone in Rome, but that euery wanton and his Paramour, euery man and his Mis­tresse, euery John and his Joan, euery knaue and his queane, are there first ac­quainted & cheapen the Merchandise in that place, which they-pay for else­where as they can agree. These wormes when they dare not nestle in the Pescod at home, finde refuge abrode and are hidde in the eares of other mens Corne. Euery Uawter in one blinde Tauerne or other, is Tenant at will, to which shee colleth resorte, and [Page] playes the stale to vtter their victualls, and helpe them to emptie their mustie raskes. There is she so intreated with wordes, and receiued with curteste, that euery back roome in the house is at her commaundement. Some that haue nei­ther land to maintaine them; nor good occupation to get their breade, desirous to strowt it with the beste, yet disday­ning too liue by the sweate of their browes, haue found out this cast of Led­gerdemayne, to play fast & loose among their neighbours. If any parte of Mu­sick haue suffred shipwrack, and ariued by fortune at their fingers endes, with shewe of gentilitie they take vp faire houses, receiue lusty lasses at a price for boorders, and pipe from morning to e­uening for wood and coale. By the bro­thers, cosens, vncles, great grandsires, and suche like acquaintaunce of their ghestes, they drink of the best, they sit rente free, they haue their owne Ta­ble spreade to their handes, without wearing the strings of their pursse, or any thing else, but housholde and ho­nestie. [Page 19] When reforte so increaseth that they growe in suspition, and the pottes which are sent so often too the Tauerne, gette such a knock before they come home, that they returne their Mayster a crack to his credite: Though hee bee called in question of his life, hee hath shiftes inoughe to a­uoyde the blanke. If their houses bee searched, some instrumente of Musick is layde in sighte to dazell the eyes of euery Officer, and all that are lodged in the house by night, or frequente it by day, come thither as pupilles to be well schoolde. Other ther are which beeing so knowen that they are the by­woorde of euery mans mouth, and poin­ted at commonly as they passe the streetes, either couch them selues in Al­lyes, or blind Lanes, or take sanctuary in fryeries, or liue a mile from the Cit­tie like Venus Nunnes in a Cloyster at Newington, Ratliffe, Islington, Hogsdon or some such place, where like penitents, they deny the worlde, and spende theyr dayes in double [Page] deuotion. And when they are weery of contemplation to comfort themselnes, and renue their acquaintaunce, they vi­sit Theaters, where they make full ac­count of a pray before they departe. So­lon made no lawe for Parricides, be­cause he feared that hee shoulde rather put men in minde to commit such offen­ces, then by any straunge punishment, giue them a bitte to keepe them vnder. And I intende not to shewe you al that I see, nor halfe that I heare of these a­buses, lest you iudge me more wilfull to teach them, then willing to forbid them.

I looke still when Players shoulde cast me their Gauntlets, and challenge a combate for entring so far into their possessions, as though I made them Lords of this misrule, or the very schol­maisters of these abuses: though the best Clarkes bee of that opinion, they heare not me say so. There are more houses theu Parishe Churches, more maydes then Maulkin, more wayes to the woode then one, and more causes in nature then Efficients. The Car­penter [Page 20] rayseth not his frame without tooles, nor the Deuill his woork with­out instrumentes: were not Players the meane, to make these assemblyes, such multitudes wold hardly be drawne in so narowe roome. They seeke not to hurte, but desire too please: they haue purged their Comedyes of wan­ton speaches, yet the Corne whiche they sell, is full of Cockle: and the drinke that they drawe, ouercharged with dregges. There is more in them then we perceiue, the Deuill standes at our elbowe when we see not, speaks, when we heare him not, strikes when wee feele not, and woundeth sore when he raseth no skinne, nor rentes the fleshe. In those thinges, that we least mistrust, the greatest daunger dooth often lurke. The Countryeman is more affrayde of the Serpente that is hid in the grasse, then the wilde beaste that openly feeds vpon the mountains: The Marriner is more indaungered by priuie shelues, then knowen Rockes; The Souldler is sooner killed with a [Page] little Bullet, then a longe Swoorde; There is more perill in close Fisto­loes, then outwarde sores; insecret am­bushe, then maine battels; in vndermi­ning, then playne assaulting; in friends then foes; in ciuill discorde, then for­raine warres. Small are the abuses, and sleight are the faultes, that nowe in Theaters escape the Poets pen: But cal Cedars, from little graynes shoote high: great Okes, from slender rootes spread wide: Large streames, from narrowe springes runne farre: One little sparke, fyers a whole Citie: One dramme of Eleborus ransackes eue­uery vaine: The Fish Remora hath a small body, and greate force too staye shippes against winde and tide: Ich­neumon a litle worme, ouercomes the Elephant: The Uiper slayes the Bul: The Weesell the Cockatrice: And the weakest Waspe, stingeth the stou­test manne of warre. The height of Heauen, is taken by the staffe: The bottome of the Sea, sounded with lead: The farthest coast, discouered by Com­passe: [Page 21] the secretes of nature, searched by witte: the Anatomy of man, set out by experience: But the abuses of plaies cannot be showen, because they passe the degrees of the instrument, reach of the Plummet, sight of the minde, and for trial are neuer brought to the touch­stone. Therefore he that will auoyde the open shame of pryuy sinne, the common plague of priuate offences, the greate wracks of little Rocks; the sure disease of vncertaine causes; must set hande to the sterne, and eye to his steppes, to shunne the occasion as neere as he can: neither running to bushes for renting his clothes, nor rent his clothes for im­paring his thrift; nor walke vpon Yse, for taking a fall, nor take a fall for bru­sing him selfe; nor goe too Theaters for beeing allured, nor once bee allured for feare of abuse.

Bunduica a notable woman and a Queene of Englande, that tyme that Nero was Emperour of Rome, ha­uing some of the Romans in garrison heere against her, in an Oration which [Page] she made to her subiects, seemed vtter­ly to contemne their force, and laugh at their folly. For shee accounted them vnwodrthy the name of men, or title of Souldiers, because they were smoothly appareled, soft lodged, daintely feasted, bathed in warme waters, rubbed with sweet oyntments, strewd with fine poul­ders, wine swillers, singers, Dauncers, and Players. God hath now blessed The Queenes Maiestie. England with a Queene, in vertue ex­cellent, in power mightie, in glorye re­nowmed, in gouernmente politike, in possession rich, breaking her foes with the bent of her brow, ruling her subiects with shaking her hand, remouing de­bate by diligent foresight, filling her chests with the fruites of peace, mini­string iustice by order of law, reforming abuses with great regarde: & bearing her sword so euen, that neither the poore are trod vnder foote, nor the rich suffred to loke too hye, nor Rome, nor France, nor Tyrant, nor Turke, dare for their liues too enter the List. But wee vn­worthy seruants of so mild a Mistresse, [Page 22] vnnatural children of so good a mother, vnthākful subiects of so louing a prince, wound her royall hart with abusing her lenitie, and stir Iupiter to anger to send vs a Storke that shal deuoure vs. Now often hath her Maiestie with the graue aduise of her honorable Councell, sette downe the limits of apparell to euery degree, and how soone againe hath the pride of our harts ouerflowē the chanel? How many times hath accesse to Thea­ters beene restrayned, and how boldly againe haue we reentred? Ouerlashing in apparel is so common a fault, that the very hyerlings ofsome of our Players, Players men. which stand at reuersion of vi. s, by the weeke, iet vnder Gentlemens noses in sutes of silke, exercising themselues too prating on the stage, & commō scoffing when they come abrode, wherethey look askāce ouer the shoulder at euery man, of whom the sunday before they begged an almes. I speake not this, as though euerye one that professeth the qualitie so abused him selfe, for it is well kno­wen, that some of them are sober, [Page] discreets, properly learned honest hou­sholders Some Players modest, if I bee not deceined. and Citizens well thonght on amonge their neighbours at home, though the pryde of their shadowes (I meane those hangebyes whome they succour with stipend) cause them to bee somewhat il talked of abroade. And as some of the Players are farre from a­buse: so some of their Playes are with­out rebuke: which are as easily remem­bred as quickly reckoned. The twoo Some Playes tollerable at sometyme. prose Bookes plaied at the Belsauage, where you shall finde neuer a woorde without wit, neuer a line without pith, neuer a letter placed in vaine. The Iew & Ptolome, showne at the Bull, the one representing the greedinesse of worldly chusers, and bloody mindes of Usurers: The other very liuely discrybing howe seditious estates, with their owne de­uises, false friendes, with their owne swoordes, & rebellious cōmons in their owne snares are ouerthrowne: neither with Amorous gesture wounding the eye: nor with slouenly talke hurting the eares of the chast hearers. The Blacke [Page 23] Smiths daughter, & Catilins conspira­cies vsually brought in to the Theater: The firste contayning the trechery of Turkes, the honourable bountye of a noble minde, & the shining of vertue in distresse: The last, bicause it is knowen too be a Pig of myne owne Sowe, I will speake the lesse of it; onely giuing you to vnderstand, that the whole marke which I shot at in that woorke, was too showe the rewarde of traytors in Cati­lin, and the necessary gouernment of learned men, in the person of Cicero, which forsees euery dāger that is like­ly to happen, and forstalles it continual­ly ere it take effect. Therfore I giue these Playes the commendation, that Maximus Tyrius gaue too Homers works: [...].

These Playes are good playes and sweete playes, and of al playes the best playes and most to be liked, woorthy to bee soung of the Muses, or set out with [Page] the cunning of Roscius himself, yet ate they not fit for euery mans dyet: neither ought they commonly to bee shewen. Playes are not to be made common. Now if any man aske me why my selfe haue penned Comedyes in time paste, & inueigh so egerly against them here, let him knowe that Semelinsaniuimus omnes: I haue sinned, and am sorry for my fault: hee runnes farre that neuer turnes, better late then neuer. I gaue my self to that exercise in hope to thriue but I burnt one candle to seek another, and lost bothe my time and my trauell, when I had doone.

Thus sith I haue in my voyage suf­fred wrack with Vlisses, and wringing­wet scambledwith life to the shore, stād from mee Nausicaä with all thy traine, till I wipe the blot from my forhead, and with sweet springs wash away the salt froath that cleaues too my soule.

Meane time if Players bee called to accounte for the abuses that growe by their assemblyes, I would not haue them to answere, as Pilades did for the Theaters of Rome, when they were [Page 24] complayned on, and Augustus waxed Dion in vita Augusti. angry: This resort O Caesar is good for thee, for heere we keepe thousandes of idle heds occupyed, which elseper­aduēture would brue some mischiefe. A fit Cloude co couer their abuse, & not vnlike to the starting hole that Lucini­us found, who like a greedy surueiour, beeing sente into Fraunce to gouerne the Countrie, robbed them and spoyled them of all their Treasure with vnrea­sonable taskes: at the last when his cru­eltie was so loudely cryed out on, that euery man hearde it; and all his pac­king Players com­pared to Lu­cinius. did sauour so strōg, that Augustus smelt it; he brought the good Empe­rour into his house, flapped him in the mouth with a smoth lye, and tolde him that for his sake & the safetie of Rome, hee gathered those riches, the better to impouerish the Countrie for rysing in Armes, and so holde the poore French­mennes Noses to the Grindstone for euer after.

A bad excuse is better, they say then none at all. Hee, because the [Page] Frenchmē paid tribute euery moneth, into xitti. Moneths deuided the yeere: These because they are allowed to play euery Sunday, make iiii. or v. Sun­dayes at least euery weeke, and all that is doone is good for Augustus, to busy the wittes of his people, for running a wolgathering, and to emptie their pur­ses for thriuing to fast. Though Lu­cinius had the cast to playster vppe his credite with the losse of his money: I trust that they which haue the swoorde in their hands among vs to pare away this putryfied flesh, are sharper sighted, and will not so easily be deluded.

Marcus Aurelius sayth, That play­ers Epist. 12. ad Lambertum. falling from iuste labour to vniusse idlenesse, doe make more trewandes, and ill husbands, then if open Schooles of vnthrifts & Uagabounds were kept. Who soeuer readeth his Epistle too Lambert the gouernor of Hellespont, when Players were banished, shall find more against them in plainer tearmes, then I willl vtter.

This haue I setdowne of the abuses [Page 25] of Poets, Pypers, and Players which bringe vs too pleasure, slouth, sleepe, sinne, and without repentaunce to death and the Deuill: which I haue not con­firmed by authoritie of the Scriptures, because they are not able to stand vppe in the sighte of God: and sithens they dare not abide the field, where the word of God dooth bidde them battayle, but runne to Antiquityes (though nothing be more ancient then holy Scriptures) Scriptures too hoate fo [...] Players. I haue giuē them a volley of prophane writers to beginne the skirmishe, and doone my indeuour to beate them from their holdes with their owne weapons. The Patient that will be cured, of his owne accorde, must seeke the meane: if euery man desire to saue one, and drawe his owne feete from Theaters, it shall preuayle as much against these abuses, as Homers Moly against Witchcraft, or Plynies Peristerion against the by­ting of Dogges.

God hath armed euery creature a­gaynst his enemie: The Lyon with pawes, the Bul with hornes, the Bore [Page] with tuskes, the Uulture with tallents, Hartes, Hindes, Hares, and such like, with swiftnes of feete, because they are fearefull, euery one of them putting his gift in practise; But man which is Lord of the whole earth, for whose seruice herbes, trees, rootes, plants, fish, soule & beasts of the fielde were first made, is far worse then the brute beasts: for they endewed but with sence, doe Appetere salutaria, & declinare noxia, seeke that which helpes them, and forsake that which hurtes them.

Man is enriched with reason and knowledge: with knowledge, to serue his maker and gouerne himselfe; with reason to distinguish good and il, & chose the best, neither referring the one to the glory of God, nor vsing the other to his owne profite. Fire and Ayre mount vp­wards, Corporanatura­lia ad locum mo­uentur, & in su­is sedibus acqui­aescunt. Earth and Water sinke downe, & euery insensible body else, neuer rests, til it bring it self to his owne home. But we which haue both sense, reason, wit, and vnderstāding, are euer ouerlashing, passing our boundes, going beyonde [Page 26] our limites, neuer keeping our selues Man vnmind­ful of his ende. within compasse, nor once loking after the place from whence we came, and whither we muste in spighte of our hartes.

Aristotle thinketh that in greate Hi. Anima [...]. windes, the Bees carry little stones in their mouthes too peyse their bo­dyes, least they bee carryed away, or kepte from their Hiues, vnto which they desire to returne with the fruites of their labour. The Crane is said to rest vpon one leg, and holding vp the other, keepe a Pebble in her clawe, which as sone as the senses are bound by approch of sleepe, falles to the ground, & with the noise of the knock against the Earth, makes her awake, whereby shee is euer redy to preuent her enemies. Geese are foolish birdes, yet whē they flye ouer the mount Taurus, they shew greate wise­dome in their own defence: for they stop their pipes full of grauel to auoide gag­ling, & so by silence escape the Eagles. Woodcocks, though they lack witte to [Page] saue them selues, yet they want not will to auoyde hurte, when they thrust theyr heades in a Bushe, and thinke their bo­dyes out of daunger. But wee which are so brittle, that we breake with euery fillop; so weake, that wee are drawne with euery threade; so light, that wee are blowen away with euery vlaste; so vnsteady, that we slip in euery ground; neither peyse our bodyes againste the winde, nor stand vppon one legge, for sleeping too much: nor close vppe our lippes for betraying our selues, nor vse any witte, to garde our owne per­sons, nor shewe our selues willing too shunne our owne harmes, running most greedily to those places, where we are soonest ouerthrowne.

I cannot lyken our affection better than to an Arrowe, which getting ly­bertie, with winges is carryed be­yonde our reach; kepte in the Quiuer, it is still at commaundement: Or to a Dogge, let him slippe, he is straight out of sight, holde him in the Lease, hee neuer stirres: Or to a Colte, giue him [Page 27] the bridle, he flinges aboute; raine him hard, & you may rule him: Or to a ship, hoyst the sayles it runnes on head; let fall the Ancour, all is well: Or to Pandoraes boxe, lift vppe the lidde, out flyes the Deuill; shut it vp fast, it can­not hurt vs.

Let vs but shut vppe our eares to Poets, Pypers and Players, pull our feete back from resort to Theaters, and turne away our eyes from beholding of vanitie, the greatest storme of abuse will be ouerblowen, and a fayre path troden to amendment of life. Were not we so foolish to taste euery drugge, and buy euery trifle, Players would shut in their shoppes, and carry their trashe to some other Countrie.

Themistocles in setting a peece of his ground to sale, among all the com­modyties whiche were reckoned vppe, straightly charged the Cryer to pro­claime this, that hee which bought it, should haue a good neighbour. If Play­ers can promise in woordes, and per­forme it in deedes, proclame it in their [Page] Billes, and make it good in Theaters; that there is nothing there noysome too the body, nor hurtfull to the soule: and that euerye one which comes to buye their Iestes, shall hane an honest neigh­bour, tagge and ragge, cutte and longe tayle, goe thither and spare not, other­wise I aduise you to keepe you thence, my selfe will beginne too leade the daunce.

I make iuste reckoning to bee helde for a Stoike, in dealing so hardely with these people: but all the Keyes hang not at one mans girdle, neither doe these o­pen the lockes to all abuses. There are othe which haue a share with them in their Schooles, therefore ought they to daunce the same Rounde: and bee par­takers together of the same rebuke: Fencers, Dycers, Dauncers, Tum­bles, Carders, and Bowlers.

Dauncers and Tumblers, because they are dumbe Players, and I haue Dauncers and Tumblers. glaunced at them by the way, shall bee let passe with this clause, that they ga­ther no assemblyes, and goe not beyond [Page 28] the precincts whiche Peter Martyr in his commentaryes vppon the Judges hath set them downe: That is, if they will exercise those qualyties, to doe it priutlye, for the health and agilitie of the body, referring all to the glorye of God.

Dicers and Carders because their Dicers and Carders. abuses are as commonly cryed out on, as vsually shewen, haue no neede of a needelesse discourse, for euery manne seeth them, and they stinke almoste in euecy mans nose. Common Bowling Bowling Alleyes. Allyes, are priuy Mothes, that eate vppe the credite of many idle Citi­zens: whose gaynes at home, are not able too weighe downe theyr losses a­broade, whose Shoppes are so farre from maintaining their play, that their Wiues and Children cry out for bread, and go to bedde supperlesse ofte in the yeere.

I woulde reade you a Lecture of these abuses, but my Schoole so increa­seth, that I cannot touch all, nor stand to [Page] amplyfie euery poynte: one worde of Fencing, and so a Conge to all kinde of Playes. The knowledge in wea­pons Fencers. may bee gathered to be necessary in a common wealth, by the Senators of Rome, who in the time of Catilins conspyracyes, caused Schooles of De­fence Salust. to be erected in Capua, that tea­ching the people howe to warde, and how to locke, howe to thrust, and how to strike, they might the more safelye coape with their enemies. As the Arte of Logique was firste sette downe for a rule, by which wee mighte Confir­mare nostra, & refutare aliena, con­firme our owne reasons, and confute the allegations of our aduersaryes, the end beeing trueth, which once fished out by the harde encounter of eithers Argu­mentes, like fyer by the knocking of Flintes togither, bothe partes shoulde be satisfyed and striue no more. And I iudge that the crafte of Defence was firste deuised to saue our selues harme­lesse, and holde our enemies still at ad­uauntage, [Page 29] the ende beeing right, which once throughly tryed out, at handye stroakes, neither hee that offered iniurie shoulde haue his will, nor hee that was threatened, take any hurte, but bothe be contented and shake handes. Those dayes are now chaunged, the skil of Lo­gicians, is exercysed in caueling, the cunning of Fencers applied to quarrel­ling: they, thinke themselues no Schol­lers, if they bee not able to finde out a knotte in euery rushe; these, no men, if for stirring of a strawe, they prooue not their valure vppon some bodyes fleshe. Euery Duns will bee a Carper, euery Dick Swash a common Cutter. But as they bake, many times so they brue: Selfe doe, selfe haue, they whette their Swoords against themselues, pull the house on their owne heds, returne home by weeping Crosse, and fewe of them come to an honest ende. For the same water that driues the Mill, decayeth it. The woode is eaten by the worme, that breeds within it: The goodnesse of a [Page] knife cuts the owners finger, The Ad­ders death, is her own broode, the Fen­cers scath, his own knowledg. Whether their harts be hardened, which vse that exercise, or God giue them ouer I know not well: I haue reade of none good that practised it muche. Commodus the Commodus a Fencer and ex­ercised in mur­der. Emperour, so delighted in it, that often times hee slewe one or other at home, to keepe his fingers in vre. And one day hee gathered all the sicke, lame, and impotent people of Rome into one place, where hee hampred their feete with straunge deuises, gaue them softe spunges in their hands, to throw at him for stones, & with a greate clubbe knat­ched them all on the hed, as they had bin Giauntes. Epaminondas a famous Epaminondas [...]inde on his Buckler. Captaine, fore hurte in a battaile, and carryed out of the fielde, halfe deade: When tydinges was broughte him that his Souldiers gotte the day, asked presently, what became of his Buck­ler: whereby it appeareth, that hee lo­ [...]ed his weapons, but I finde it not sayd [Page 30] that he was a Fencer. Therfore I may liken them which woulde not haue men sent to war til they are taught fencinge, to those superstitious wisemen, whiche would not take vppon them to burye the bodyes of their friends, before they had beene cast vnto wilde beastes. Fencing is growne to such abuse, that I may wel compare the Scholers of this Schoole to them that prouide Statues for their owne shoulders; that foster Snakes, in their owne bosoms; that trust Wolues, to garde theyr Sheepe; And to the men of Hyrcania, that keepe Mastiffes, to woorrye them selues. Thoughe I speake this too the shame of common Fencers, I goe not aboute the bushe with Souldiers, Homer calleth them Souldiers. the Sonnes of Iupiter, the Images of GOD, and the very sheepeheards of the people: beeing the Sonnes of Iupiter, they are bountifull too the meeke; and thunder out plagues to the proude in heart: beeing the Images of GOD, they are the Welspringes [Page] of Justice which giueth to euery man his owne; beeing accoumpted the shepe­heards of the people, they fight with the Woolfe for the safetie of their flock and keepe of the enimie for the wealth of their Countrie. How full are Poets works of Bucklers, Battails, Lances, Dartes, Bowes, Quiuers, Speares, Iauelins, Swoordes, slaughters, Run­ners Wrestlers, Chariots, Horse, and men at armes? Agamemnon beyonde the name of a King hath this title, that he was a Souldier. Menelaus, because he loued his Kercher better then a Bur­gonet, a softe bed then a hard fielde, the sounde of Instrumentes then neighing of Steedes, a fayre stable then a foule way, is let slippe without prayse. If Lycurgus before hee make lawes too Sparta, take counsel of Apollo, whether it were good for him to teach the peo­ple thrift and husbandry, he shalbe char­ged to leaue those precepts to the white liuered Hylotes. The Spartans are all steele, fashioned out of tougher mettall, [Page 31] free in minde, valiaunt in hart, seruile to none, accustoming their flesh to stripes, their bodyes to labour, their feete to hunting, their handes to fighting. In Crete, Scythia, Persia, Thracia, all the Lawes tended to the maintenance of Martiall disciplyne. Among the Scy­thians no man was permitted to drink of their festiuall Cuppe, which had not manfully killed an enemie in fight. I coulde wishe it in England, that there were greater preferment for the valiant Spartanes, then the sottishe Hylotes: That our Lawes were directed to re­warding of those, whose liues are the firste, that must be hazarded to mayn­taine the lybertie of the Lawes. The gentlemen of Carthage, were not allow ed too weare, any moe linkes in theyr chaynes, then they had seene battayles. If our Gallantes of Englande might carry no more linkes in their Chaynes nor ringss on their fingers, then they haue fought feeldes, their necks should not bee very often wreathed in Golde, nor their handes embrodered with pre­tious [Page] stones. If none but they might be suffered to drinke out of plate, that haue in skirmish slain one of her maiesties e­nemyes, many thousands shoulde bring earthen pots to the table. Let vs learne by other mens harmes too looke to our selues, When the Aegyptians were most busy in their husbandry, the Scythians ouerran them: when the Assyrians were looking to their thrift, the Persians wer in armes & ouercam thē: when the Tro­ians thoughte them selues safest, the Greekes were neerest: when Rome was a sleepe, the French men gaue a sharpe assaulte too the Capitoll: when the Iewes were idle, their walles were rased, & the Romans entred: when the Chaldees were sporting, Babylon was sacked: when the senators were quiet, no garisons in Italy, & Pōpey frō home, wic ked Catiline began his mischeuous en­terprise. We are like those vnthankfull people, which puffed vp with prosperity forget the good turnes they receiued in aduersitie. The patient feeds his Phisi­tion w ^t gold in time of sicknesse, & when [Page 32] he is wel, scarcely affoords him a cup of water. Some there are that make gods of soldiers in open warrs, & trusse them vp like dogs in the time of peace. Take heed of the foxefurd nightcap, I meene those schoolemen, that cry out vpō Mars calling him the bloody God, the angry God, the furious god, the mad God, [...] the bloody God. These are but castes of their office & wordes of course. That is a vain brag & a false al­larme, that Tullie giues to soldiers.

Let gunns to gouns, & bucklers yeeld to bookes. If the enemy beseege vs, cut off our victuals, preuent forrain aide, girt in the city, & bring the Rāme to y ^e walles, it is not Ciceroes tongue that cā peerce their armour to woūd the body, nor Ar­chimedes prickes, & lines, & circles, & triangles, & Rhombus, & rifferaffe, that hath any force to driue them backe. Whilst the one chats, his throte is cut; whilest the other syttes drawing Mathematicall fictions, the enimie standes with a sworde at his breast. [Page] He that talketh much, and doth litle, is like vnto him that sailes with a side winde, and is borne with the tide to a wrong shore. If they meane to doe any good indeed, bid them followe Demo­sthenes, and ioyne with Phocion: when they haue giuen vs good counsell in wordes, make much of Souldiers, that are redy to execute y ^t same with swords. Bee not carelesse, Plough with wea­pons by your sides, studye with a booke in one hande, a darte in the other: enioy peace, with prouision for war: when you haue lefte the sandes behinde you, looke wel to the rocks that lye before you: Let not the ouer cōming one Tempest make you secure, but haue an eye to the cloude that comes from the South, and threa­teneth raine: the least ouersight in dan­gerous Seas may cast you awaye, the least discontinuaunce of Martiall exer­cise giue you the foyle. When Achil­les loytered in his cent, giuing eare too Musick, his souldiers were bidde to a hot breakefast. Hannibals power re­ceiued [Page 33] more hurte in one dayes ease at Capua, then in al the conflicts they had at Cannas. It were not good for vs too flatter oure selues with these golden dayes: highe floodes haue lowe Ebbes: hotte Feuers, coulde Crampes: Long dayes shorte nightes; Drie Summers moyst Winters: There was neuer fort so strōg, but it might be battered, neuer groūd so fruitful, but it might be barrē: neuer coūtrie so populous, but it might be wast: neuer Monarch so mighty; but he might be weakened: neuer Realme so large, but it might be lessened: neuer kingdom so florishing, but it might bee decayed. Scipio before hee leuied his force too the walles of Carhage, gaue his souldiers the print of the Citie in a cake to bee deuoured: our enimies with Scipio, haue already eaten vs with bread, & licked vp our blood in a cup of wine. They do but tarry the tide: watch opportunitie, and wayte for the rec­koning, that with the shot of our liues, shoulde paye for all. But that GOD, that neither stumbreth nor sleepeth, for the loue of Israel, that stretcheth out [Page] his armes from morning to euening to couer his children, (as the Hen doth her chicken with the shadow of her wings) with the breath of his mouth shall ouer­throw them, with their own snares shall ouertake them, & hang them vp by the haire of their owne deuises. Notwith­standing it behooueth vs in the meane season, not to stick in the myre, and gape for succour, without vsing some ordina­ry way our selues: or to lye wallowing like Lubbers in the Ship of the com­mon wealth, crying Lord, Lord, when Labourers. wee see the vessel coyle, but soynely laye our handes and heades, and helpes to­gether, to auoyd the danger, & saue that, which must be the suretie of vs all. For as to the body, there are many mēbers, seruing to seuerall vses, the eye to see, the eare to heare, the nose to smell, the tongue to taste, the hande to touch, the feete to beare the whole burden of the rest, and euery one dischargeth his due­tie without grudging; so shoulde the whole body of the common wealth con­sist of fellow laborers, all generally ser­uing one head, & particularly following [Page 34] their trade, without repining. From the head to the foote, from the top to the coe, there should nothing be vaine, no body idle. Iupiter himself shall stand for exā ­ple; who is euer in woork, still moouing & turning about the heauens, if he shuld pull his hand from the frame, it were impossible for the world to indure. All would be day, or al night; All spring, or all Autume; all Summer, or all winter; All heate or all colde; all moysture, or al brought; No time to til, no time to sow, no time to plant, no time to reape, the earth barren, the riuers stopt, the Seas stayde, the seasons chaunged, and the whole course of nature ouer throwē. The meane must labor to serue the mightie, the mightie must studye to defende the meane. The subiects must sweat in obe­dience to their Prince; the Prince must haue a care ouer his poore vassals. If it be the dutie of euery man in a common wealth, one way or other to bestirre his Leyterers. stumpes, I cānot but blame those lither cōtemplators very much, which sit con­cluding of Sillogismes in a corner, which in a close study in the Uniuersity [Page] coope themselues vp fortie yeres togi­ther studying all thinges, and professe nothing. The Bell is knowen by his sounde, the Byrde by her voyce, the Lyon by his rore, the Tree by the fruite, a man by his woorkes. To continue so long without moouing, to reade so much without teaching, what differeth it from a dumbe Picture, or a deade body? No man is borne to seeke priuate profite: parte for his countrie, parte for his friendes, parte for him­selfe. The foole that comes into a fayre Garden, likes the beawtie of flowers, and stickes them in his Cap: the Phisition considereth their nature, and puttes them in the potte: in the one they wither without profite; in the other they serue to the health of the bodie: He that readeth good writers, and pickes out their flowers for his owne nose, is lyke a foole; hee that preferreth their vertue before their sweet smel is a good Phisition. When Anacharsis traueled ouer all Greece, to seek out wise men, hee founde none in Athens, though no doubt, there were many good scholers [Page 35] there. But comming to Chenas a blind village, in comparison of Athens Right Philo­sophie: a Paltockes Time; he found one Miso, well gouerning his house, looking to his grounde, instructing his children, teaching his family, making of marri­ages among his acquayntance, exhor­ting his neighbours to loue, & friende­ship, & preaching in life, whō, the Phi­losopher for his scarcitie of woordes plenty of workes, accompted the onelye wise man that euer he saw. I speak not this to preferr Botley before Oxeford, a cottage of clownes, before a Colledge of Muses; Pans pipe, before Apollos harp. But to shew you that poore Miso can reade you such a lecture of Philoso­phie, as Aristotle neuer dreamed on. You must not thruste your heades in a tubbe, & say, Benè vixit, qui benè latuit: Hee hath liued well, that hath loitred well: stāding streames geather filth; flowing riuers, are euer sweet. Come foorth with your sicles, the Haruest is greate, the laborers few; pul vp the slu­ces, let out your springs, geue vs drink of your water, light of your torches, & [Page] season vs a little with the Salt of your knowledge. Let Phaenix and Achilles, Demosthenes & Phocion, Pericles & Cimon, Laelius & Scipio, Nigidius and Cicero, the word and the sword be knit togither. Set your talents a worke, lay not vp your tresure for takingrust, teach earely & late, in time & out of time, sing with the swan, to the last houre. Folowe the dauncing Chaplens of Gradiuus Mars, which chaunt the praises of their god with voyces, and treade out the time w ^t their feete. Play the good cap­taines, exhort your souldiers with your tonges to fight, & bring the first ladder to the wall your selues. Soūd like bels, and shine like Lanternes; Thunder in words, and glister in works; so shall you please God, profite your country, honor yourprince, discharge your duetie, giue vp a good account of your stewardship, and leaue no sinne vntouched, no abuse unrebuked, no fault vnpunished. Sun­dry are the abuses aswell of Uniuersi­tyes as of other places, but they are such as neither become me to touch, nor [...]arpers. euery idle hed to vnderstand. The Thu­rines [Page 36] made a Lawe that no common finde fault should meddle with any abuse but Adulterie. Pythagoras bounde [...], of Pithago [...]. all his Schollers to fiue yeeres silence, that assoone as euer they crept from the shel, they might not aspire to the house top. It is not good for euery man too trauell to Corinth, nor lawfull for all to talke what they liste, or write what they please, least their tongues run be­fore their wites, or their pennes make hauock of their Paper. And so wading too farre in other mens manners, whilst they fill their Bookes with other mens faultes, they make their volumes no bettern then an Apothecarics Shop, of pestilent Drugges; a quackesaluers Budget of filthy receites; and a huge Chaos of foule disorder. Cookes did neuer long more for great markets, nor Fishers for large Pondes, nor greedy Dogges for store of game, nor soaring hawkes for plentie of fowle, then Car­pers doe nowe for copye of abuses, that they might euer be snarling, and haue some Flyes or other in the way to snatch at. As I woulde that offences [Page] should not be hid, for going vnpunished, nor escape w ^tout scourge for ill example. So I wish that euery rebuker shoulde place a hatch before the doore; keep his quil w ^tin compas. He that holds not him self contented with the light of the Sun but liftes vp his eyes to measure the bignesse, is made blinde; he that bites euery weed to search out his nature, may light vpon poyson, and so kill him­selfe: he that loues to be lifting of euery cloude, may be strooke with a thunder­bolte, if it chaunce to rent; & he that ta­keth vpon him to shew men their faules, may wound his owne credite, if he goe too farre. We are not angry with the Clarke of the market, if he come to our stall, and reprooue our ballance when they are faultie, or forfaite our weights, when they are false: neuerthelesse, if he presume to enter our house, and rig eue­ry corner, searching wore then belongs to his office: we lay holde on his locks, tnrne him away with his backe full of stripes, and his hands loden with his owne amendes. Therefore I will con­tent my selfe to shew you no more abu­ses [Page 37] in my Schoole, then my selfe haue seene, nor so many by hundreds, as I haue heard off. Lyons folde vp their natles, when they are in their dennes for wearing them in the earth and neede not: Eagles draw in their tallants as they sit in their nestes, for blunting thē there amonge drosse: And I will caste Ancor in these abuses, rest my Barke in the simple roade, for grating my wits vpon needelesse shelues. And because I accuse other for treading awry, which since I was borne neuer went right; bet cause I finde so many faultes abroade, which haue at home more spots in my body then the Leopard; morestaines on my coate then the wicked Nessus; more holes in my life then the open Siue; more sinnes in my soule than heares on my bed; If I haue beene tedious in my Lecture, or your selues be weary of your lessou, harken no longet for the Clock, shut vp the Schoole, aud get you home.