AN APOLOGY For Actors.  
Containing three brief Treatises. 

1 Their Antiquity.  
2 Their ancient Dignity.  
3 The true use of their quality.    
Written by Thomas Heywood.  
Et prodesse solent & delectare—  
LONDON, Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1612.   

TO THE RIGHT honourable, EDWARD, Earl of Worcester, Lord of Chepstoll, Ragland, and Gower, Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter, master of the Horse, and one of the Kings most Honourable PRIVY council.  
KNowing all the virtues and endowments of Nobility, which flourished in their height of eminence in your Ancestors, now, as by a divine legacy, and lineal inheritance, to survive in you; and so consequently from you, to your truly ennobled Issue. (Right Honourable) I presumed to publish this unworthy work under your gracious patronage: first, as an acknowledgement of that duty I am bound to you in, as a servant. Next, assured that your most judicial censure is as able to approve what therein is authentic and good, as your Noble and accustomed modesty will charitably connive: if there be any thing therein unworthy your learned approbation. I have strived (my Lord) to make good a subject, which many through envy, but most through ignorance, have fought violently, (and beyond merit) to oppugn: in which, if they have either wandered through spleen, or erred by non-knowledge, I have (to my power) plainly and freely illustrated, propounding a true, direct, and faithful discourse, touching the Antiquity, the ancient Dignity, and the true use of Actors, and their quality. If my industry herein be by the common adversary harshly received, but by your Honour charitably censured, I have from the iniuditious (whom I esteem not) but what I expect: but from your Lordship (whom I ever reverence) more than I can merit.  Your Honours humbly devoted, Thomas Heywood.  

To my good Friends and fellows, the Citty-Actors.  
Out of my busiest hours, I have spared myself so much time as to touch some particulars concerning us, to approve our Antiquity, ancient Dignity, and the true use of our quality. That it hath been ancient, we have derived it from more than two thousand years ago, successively to this age. That it hath been esteemed by the best and greatest: to omit all the noble Patrons of the former world, I need allege no more than the royal and Princely services, in which we now live. That the use thereof is authentic, I have done my endeavour to instance by History, and approve by authority. To excuse my ignorance in affecting no flourish of Eloquence, to set a gloss upon my Treatise, I have nothing to say for myself but this: A good face needs no painting, & a good cause no abetting. Some over-curious have too liberally taxed us: and he (in my thoughts) is held worthy reproof, whose ignorance cannot answer for itself: I hold it more honest for the guiltless to excuse, than the envious to exclaim. And we may as freely (out of our plainness) answer, as they (out of their perverseness object) instancing myself by famous Scalliger, learned Doctor Gager, Doctor Gentiles, and others, whose opinions and approved arguments on our part, I have in my brief discourse altogether omitted; because I am loath to be taxed in borrowing from others: and beside, their works being extant to the world, offer themselves freely to every man's perusal. I am professed adversary to none, I rather covet reconcilement, than opposition, nor proceeds this my labour from any envy in me, but rather to show them wherein they err. So wishing you judicial Audiences, honest Poets, and true gatherers, I commit you all to the fullness of your best wishes.  Yours ever, T. H.  

TO THE judicial READER.  
I have undertook a subject (courteous Reader) not of sufficient countenance to bolster itself by his own strength; and therefore have charitably reached it my hand to support it against any succeeding adversary. I could willingly have committed this work to some more able than myself: for the weaker the Combatant, he needeth the stronger arms. But in extremities, I hold it better to wear rusty Armour, then to go naked; yet if these weak habiliments of war, can but buckler it from part of the rude buffets of our adversaries, I shall hold my pains sufficiently guerdoned. My pen hath seldom appeared in press till now, I have been ever too jealous of mine own weakness, willingly to thrust into the press: nor had I at this time, but that a kind of necessity enjoined me to so sudden a business. I will neither show myself over-presumtuous, in scorning thy favour, nor too importunate a beggar, by too servilely entreating it. What thou art content to bestow upon my pains, I am content to accept: if good thoughts, they are all I desire: if good words, they are more than I deserve: if bad opinion, I am sorry I have incurred it: if evil language, I know not how I have merited it: if any thing, I am pleased: if nothing, I am satisfied, contenting myself with this: I have done no more than (had I been called to account) showed what I could say in the defence of my own quality.  Thine T. HEYWOOD. Firma valent pierce, nullumque Machiona querunt.  

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In laudem, nec Operis, nec Authoris.  
FAllor? en haec solis non solùm grata Theatris?  
(Esseputes solis quanquam diclata Theatris)  
Magna sed à sacro veniet tibi gratia Templo,  
Parue Liber; proles baut infitianda Parenti.  
Plurimus hunc nactus Librum de-plebe-Sacerdos  
(Copia Verborum cni sit, non copia Rerum)  
Materiae tantum petet hinc; quantum nec invno  
Promere Mense potest: nec in uno forsitan Anno.  
Da quemuis Textum; balbâ de Narelocutus,  
Protinùs exclamat (Nefanda piacula!) in urbe  
(Proh dolor!) Impietas nudat â fronte vagatur!  
Eccelibrum (Fratres) Damnando Authore Poëtâ:  
Pejorem, nec Sol vidit, nec Vorstius Ipse  
Haeresiarcha valet componere: quip Theatri  
Mentitas loquitur laudes (ô Temporal laudet  
Idem si potis est, Monachum, Monachiue Cucullum.  
Sacro quis Laudes unquam Nomèn-ve Theatri  
Repperit in CANONE? haud ullus. Stolidissime, Dogma  
Non CANONEM sapit hoc igitur, sed Apocryphon. Ind  
(Lymphatum attonito pectus tundente Popello,  
Et vacuum quassante caput moestumque tuenti)  
Sic multo rancùm crocitans sudore Perorat;  
Quod non dant Proceres dedit Histrio: nempe benignam  
Materiam Declamandi, plebémque, docendi.  
Quis tamen hic Mystes tragico qui Fulmina abore  
Torquet? Num doctus? Certè. Nam Metra Catonis  
Quattuor edidicit, totidem quoque Commata Tullî.  
jeiunámque catechesin pistoribus aequè  
Fartoribusque Pijs scripsit. Liber Vtilis his, Qui  
Baptistam simulant vultu, Floralia viuunt:  
Queisque Supercilio brevior coma. Sed venerandos  
Graios Hic Latiosque patres exosus ad unum est;  
Et Canones damnans fit Apocryphus. Vritur intùs.  
Laudibus ACTORIS multùm mordetur. Ab illo  
Laude suâ Fraudatur enim. Quis nescit? Iniquum'st  
Praeter se Scripto laudetur 
a Hypocrita propriè personatum histrionem denotat.  Hypocrita quisquam.  
Fallor? an haec solis non solùm grata Theatris?  Anonymus. Sive Pessimus omnium Porta.  

To them that are opposite to this work.  

CEase your detracting tongues contest no more,  
Leave off for shame to wound the actor's fame,  
Seek rather their wronged credit to restore,  
Your envy and detractions, quite disclaim:  
You that have termed their sports lascivious, vile,  
Wishing good Princes would them all exile;  
See here this question to the full disputed:  
Heywood, hath you, and all your proofs confuted.   

Wouldst see an Emperor and his counsel grave,  
A noble soldier acted to the life,  
A Roman Tyrant how he doth behave  
Himself: at home, abroad, in peace, in strife?  
Wouldst see what's love, what's hate, what's foul excess,  
Or wouldst a traitor in his kind express:  
Our Stagyrite's can (by the poet's pen)  
Appear to you to be the self same men.   

What though a sort for spite, or want of wit,  
Hate what the best allow, the most forbear,  
What exercise can you desire more fit,  
Then stately stratagems to see and hear.  
What profit many may attain by plays,  
To the most critic eye this book displays, 
Vid. Page ●   
Brave men, brave acts, being bravely acted too,  
Makes, as men see things done, desire to do.   

And did it nothing but in pleasing sort,  
Keep gallants from misspending of their time,  
It might suffice: yet here is nobler sport,  
Acts well contrived, good Prose, and stately rhyme.  
To call to Church, Campanus bells did make,  
Plays, dice, and drink invite men to forsake:  
Their use being good then use the Actors well,  
Since ours all other Nations far excel.   ARE: HOPTON.  

To his beloved friend Master THOMAS HEYWOD.  Sume superbiam quaesitam meritis. 

I Cannot, though you writ in your own cause,  
Say you deal partially; but must confess,  
(What most men will) you merit due applause;  
So worthily your work becomes the press▪   

And well our Actors, may approve your pains,  
For you give them authority to play;  
Even whilst the hottest plague of envy reigns,  
Nor for this warrant shall they dearly pay.   

What a full state of Poets, have you cited,  
To judge your cause? and to our equal view  
Fair monumental theatres recited:  
Whose ruins had been ruined but for you.   

Such men who can in tune, both rail and sing▪  
Shall viewing this, either confess 'tis good,  
Or let their ignorance condemn the Spring,  
Because 'tis merry and renews our blood.   

Be therefore your own judgement your defence,  
Which shall approve you better than my praise,  
Whilst I in right of sacred Innocence,  
Durst over each guilded tomb this known truth raise.  
" Who dead would not be acted by their will,  
" It seems such men have acted their lives ill.   By your friend John WEBSTER.  

To my loving Friend and Fellow, THOMAS HEYWOOD.  

THou that dost rail at me for seeing a play,  
How wouldst thou have me spend my idle hours?  
Wouldst have me in a tavern drink all day?  
Melt in the suns heat? or walk out in showers?   

Gape at the Lottery from morn till even,  
To hear whose mottoes blanks have, and who prizes?  
To hazard all at dice (chance six or seven?)  
To carded? or bowl? My humour this dispises.   

But thou wilt answer: None of these I need,  
Yet my tired spirits must have recreation.  
What shall I do that may retirement breed?  
Or how refresh myself? and in what fashion?   

To drab, to game, to drink, all these I hate:  
Many enormous things depend on these,  
My faculties truly to recreate  
With modest mirth, and myself best to please   

Give me a play; that no distaste can breed,  
Prove thou a Spider, and from flowers suck gall,  
I'll like a Bee, take honey from a weed:  
For I was never puritannical.   

I love no public soothers, private scorners,  
That rail against lechery, yet love a harlot.  
When I drink, 'tis in sight, and not in corners:  
I am no open Saint, and secret varlet.   

Still when I come to plays, I love to sit,  
That all may see me in a public place:  
Even in the stage's front, and not to git  
Into a nook, and hoodwink there my face.  
" This is the d●fference, such would have men deem,  
" Them what they are not: I am what I seem.   Rich. Perkins.  

To my good friend and fellow, THOMAS HEYWOOD.  
LEt others task things honest: and to please  
Some that pretend more strictness than the rest,  
Exclaim on plays: know I am none of these  
That in-ly love what out-ly I detest.  
Of all the modest pastimes I can find,  
To content me, of plays I make best use,  
As most agreeing with a generous mind.  
There see I virtues crown, and sins abuse.  
Two hours well spent, and all their pastimes done,  
What's good I follow, and what's bad I shun.  Christopher▪ Beeston.  

To my good friend and fellow, THOMAS HEYWOOD.  
Have I not known a man that to be hired,  
Would not for any treasure see a play,  
Reel from a tavern? Shall this be admired?  
When as another but the other day,  
That held to wear a surplice most unmeet,  
Yet after stood at Pauls-crosse in a sheet.  Robert Pallant.  

To my approved good friend M. THOMAS HEYWOOD.  
OF thee, and thy Apology for plays,  
I will not much speak in contempt or praise:  
Yet in these following lines I'll show my mind,  
Of plays, and such as have against plays repined.  
A Play's a brief Epitome of time,  
Where man my see his virtue or his crime  
Laid open, either to their vices shame,  
Or to their virtues memorable fame.  
A Play's a true transparent crystal mirror,  
To show good minds their mirth, the bad their terror:  
Where stabbing, drabbing, dicing, drinking, swearing  
Are all proclaimed unto the sight and hearing,  
In ugly shapes of heaven-abhorrid sin,  
Where men may see the mire they wallow in.  
And well I know it makes the devil rage,  
To see his servants flouted on a stage.  
A Whore, a thief, a Pander, or a Bawd,  
A Broker, or a slave that lives by fraud:  
An usurer, whose soul is in his chest,  
Until in hell it comes to restless rest.  
A fly-blown gull, that feign would be a Gallant,  
A ragamuffin that hath spent his Tallant:  
A selfe-wise fool, that sees his wits outstripped,  
Or any vice that feels itself but nipped,  
Either in Tragedy, or Comedy,  
In moral, pastoral, or History:  
But strait the poison of their envious tongues,  
Breaks out in volleys of Calumnious wrongs.  
And then a Tinker, or a Dray-man swears,  
I would the house were fired about their ears.  
Thus when a play nips Satan by the nose,  
Straight all his vassals are the Actors foes.  
But fear not man, let envy swell and burst,  
Proceed, and bid the devil do his worst.  
For plays are good or bad, as they are used,  
And best inventions often are abused.  Yours ever, John TAYLOR.  

The Author to his book.  
THe world's a theatre, 
So compared by the Fathers.  the earth a Stage,  
Which God, and nature doth with Actors fill,  
Kings have their entrance in due equipage,  
And some there parts play well and others ill.  
The best no better are (in this theatre,)  
Where every humour's fitted in his kind,  
This a true subjects acts, and that a traitor,  
The first applauded, and the last confined  
This plays an honest man, and that a knave  
A gentle person this, and he a clown  
One man is ragged, and another brave.  
All men have parts, and each man acts his own.  
She a chaste Lady acteth all her life,  
A wanton courtesan another plays.  
This, covets marriage love, that, nuptial strife,  
Both in continual action spend their days.  
Some Citizens, some Soldiers, borne to adventure,  
Shepherds and seamen; then our play's begun,  
When we are borne, and to the world first enter,  
And all find Exits when their parts are done.  
If then the world a theatre present,  
As by the roundness it appears most fit,  
Built with starre-galleries of high ascent,  
In which jehove doth as spectator sit.  
And chief determiner to applaud the best,  
And their endeavours crown with more than merit.  
But by their evil actions dooms the rest,  
To end disgraced whilst others praise inherit.  
He that denies then theatres should be, 
No theatre, ●o world.   
He may as well deny a world to me.  Thomas Heywood.  

An Apology for Actors, and first touching their Antiquity  
MOVED by the sundry exclamations of many seditious Sectists in this age, who in the fatness and rankness of a peaceable commonwealth, grow up like unsavoury tufts of grass, which though outwardly green and fresh to the eye, yet are they both unpleasant & unprofitable, being too sour for food, and too rank for fodder: These men like the ancient Germans, affecting no fashion but their own, would draw other nations to be slovens like themselves, and undertaking to puri●ie and reform the sacred bodies of the Church and commonweal (In the true use of both which they are altogether Ignorant,) would but like artless physicians, for experiment sake, rather minister pills to poison the whole body than cordials to preserve any or the least part. Amongst many other things tolerated in this peaceable and flourishing State, it hath pleased the high and mighty Princes of this Land to limit the use of certain public theatres, which since many of these over-curious heads have lavishly 〈◊〉 violently slandered, I hold it not a miss to lay open some few Antiquities to approve the true use of them, with arguments (not of the least moment) which according to the weakness of my spirit and infancy of my judgement I will (by gods grace) commit to the eyes of all favourable and judicial readers, as well to satisfy the requests of some of our well qualified favourers, as to stop the envious acclamations of those who challenge to themselves a privilege invective, and against all free estates a railing liberty: Loath am I (I protest) being the youngest and weakest of the Nest wherein I was hatched, to soar this pitch before others of the same brood more fledge, and of better wing than myself: but though they whom more especially this task concerns, both for their ability in writing and sufficiency in judgement (as their works generally witness to the world:) are content to overslip so necessary a subject, and have left it as to me the most unworthy: I thought it better to stammer out my mind, than not to speak at all; to scribble down a mark in the stead of writing a name, and to stumble on the way, rather than to stand still and not to proceed on so necessary a journey. Nox erat, & somnus lassos submisit ocellos.  
It was about that time of the night when darkness had already overspread the world, and a hushed and general silence possessed the face of the earth, and men's bodies tired with the business of the day, betaking themselves to their best repose, their never-sleeping souls laboured in uncouth dreams and visions, when suddenly appeared to me the tragic Muse Melpomene 
— animosa Tragedia.  
— & movit pictis imixa Cothurnis  
Densum Cesarie, terque quaterque Caput:   
Her heir rudely dishevelled, her chaplet withered, her visage with tears stained, her brow furrowed, her eyes dejected, nay her whole complexion quite faded and altered: and perusing her habit, I might behold the colour of her fresh robe all Crimson, breathed, and with the envenomed juice of some profane spilled ink in every place stained: nay more, her busken of all the wont jewels and ornaments, utterly despoiled; about which in manner of a garter I might behold these letters written in a plain and large Character.  
Behold my tragic Buskin rend and torn,  
Which Kings and Emperors in their times have worn.  
This I no sooner had perused, but suddenly I might perceive the enraged Muse, cast up her scornful head: her eyeballs sparklefire, & a sudden flash of disdain, intermixed with rage, purple her cheek. When pacing with a majestic gate & rousing up her fresh spirits with a lively and quaint action, she began in these or the like words. 
Grande sonant tragici, tragicos decet Ira Cothurnos.  
Am I Melpomene the buskend Muse,  
That held in awe the tyrants of the world,  
And played their lives in public theatres,  
Making them fear to sin, since fearless I  
Prepared to write their lives in Crimson ink,  
And act their shames in eye of all the world?  
Have not I whipped Vice with a scourge of steel,  
Unmasked stern murder; shamed lascivious Lust.  
Plucked off the visar from grim treason's face,  
And made the sun point at their ugly sins?  
Hath not this powerful hand tamed fiery Rage,  
Killed poisonous envy with her own keen darts,  
Choked up the covetous mouth with molten gold,  
Burst the vast womb of eating Gluttony,  
And drowned the drunkard's gall in juice of grapes?  
I have showed pride his picture on a stage,  
Laid open the ugly shapes his steele-glasse hid,  
And made him pass thence meekly: In those days  
When Emperors with their presence graced my scenes,  
And thought none worthy to present themselves  
Save Emperors: to delight ambassadors.  
Then did this garland flourish, than my robe  
Was of the deepest Crimson, the best die:  
Cura Ducum fuerant olim regumque poetae.  
Premiaque Antiqui magna tulere Chori  
Who lodge then in the bosom of great Kings.  
Save he that had a grave Cothurnate Muse.  
A stately verse in an iambic style  
Became a Kes●rs mouth. Oh these were times  
Fit for you Bards to vent your golden rhymes.  
Then did I tread on Arras, Cloth of Tissue,  
Hung round the forefront of my stage: the pillars  
That did support the roof of my large frame  
Double apparrel● in pure Ophir gold▪  
Whilst the round Circle of my spacious orb  
Was thronged with Princes, Dukes and Senators.  
Nunc Hederae sine Honore jacent.  
But now's the Iron age, and black-mouthed curs,  
Bark at the virtues of the former world.  
Such with their breath have blasted my fresh robe,  
Plucked at my flowery Chaplet, towsd my tresses.  
Nay some whom for their baseness hist and scorned  
The Stage, as loathsome, hath long-since spued●ut,  
Have watched their time to cast envenomed ●nke  
To stain my garments with. Oh Seneca  
Thou tragic Poet, hadst thou lived to see  
This outrage done to sad Melpo●ene,  
With such sharp lines thou wouldst revenge my blot.  
As Armed O●●d against Ibis wrote.  With that in rage she left the place, and I my dream, for at the instant I awaked, when having perused this vision over and over again in my remembrance, I suddenly bethought me, How many ancient Poets, tragic and comic, dying many ages ago live still amongst us in their works, as amongst the Greeks', Euripide●: M●nand●r▪ Sophocles, Eupolis, Eschilus', Aristophanes, App●llodorus, A●axandrides, Nichomachus, Alexis, Tereus and others, so among the Latins: Attilius, Actius, Melithus, Pla●tus, Terens, & others whom fore brevity sake I omit. 
Hos Ediscit & hos arcto stipata Theatro  
Spectat Roma potens habet hos, number atque Poetas.  
These potent Rome acquires and holdeth dear.  
And in their round theatres flocks to hear:  These or any of these had they lived in the afternoon of the world, as they died even in the morning, I assure myself would have left more memorable trophies of that learned Muse, whom in their golden numbers they so richly adorned. And amongst our modern poets▪ who have been industrious in many an elaborate and ingenious poem, even they whose pens have had the greatest traffic with the Stage, have been in the excuse of these Muses most forgetful But leaving these, lest I make too large a head to a small body▪ and so mishap my subject, I will begin with the antiquity of Acting Comedies, Tragedies, and histories. And first in the golden world.  
In the first of the Olimpiads, amongst many other active exercises in which Hercules ever trimph●d as victor, there was in his nonage presented unto him by his Tu●or in the fashion of a History, acted by the choice of the nobility of Greece, the worthy and memorable acts of his father Jupiter. Which being personated with lively and well-spirited action, wrought such impression in his noble thoughts, that in mere emulation of his father's valour (not at the behest of his Stepdame Juno) he performed his twelve labours: Him valiant Theseus followed, and Achilles, Theseus. Which bred in them such haughty and magnanimous attempts, that every succeeding age hath recorded their worths, unto fresh admiration. Aristotle that Prince of Philosophers, whose books carry such credit, even in these our universities, that to say Ipse dixit is a sufficient Axioma, he having the tuition of young Alexander, caused the destruction of Troy to be acted before his pupil, in which the valour of Achilles was so naturally expressed, that it impressed the heart of Alexander, in so much that all his succeeding actions were merely shaped after that pattern, and it may be imagined had Achilles never lived, Alexander had never conquered the whole world. The like assertion may be made of that ever-renowned Roman julius Caesar. Who after the like representation of Alexander in the Temple of Hercules standing in Gades was never in any peace of thoughts, till by his memorable exploits, he had purchased to himself the name of Alexander: as Alexander till he thought himself of desert to be called Achilles: Achilles Theseus, theseus' till he had sufficiently Imitated the acts of Hercules, and Hercules till he held himself worthy to be called the son of Jupiter. Why should not the lives of these worthies, presented in these our days, effect the like wonders in the Princes of our times, which can no way be so exquisitely demonstrated, nor so lively portrayed as by action: Oratory is a kind of a speaking picture, therefore may some say, is it not sufficient to discourse to the ears of princes the fame of these conquerors: Painting likewise, is a dumb oratory, therefore may we not as well by some curious Pygmalion, draw their conquests to work the like love in Princes towards these worthies by showing them their pictures drawn to the life, as it wrought on the poor painter to be enamoured of his own shadow▪ I answer this.  
Non ●agis expressi vultus per ahenia signa  
Quam per vatis opus, mores animique virorum  
Clarorum apparent.—  
The visage is no better cut in brass,  
Nor can the carver so express the face  
As doth the poet's pen whose arts surpass,  
To give men's lives and virtues their due grace.  
A Description is only a shadow received by the ear but not perceived by the eye: so lively portraiture is merely a form seen by the eye, but can neither show action, passion, motion, or any other gesture, to move the spirits of the beholder to admiration: but to see a soldier shaped like a soldier, walk, speak, act like a soldier: to see a Hector all besmered in blood, trampling upon the bulks of Kings. A Troilus returning from the field in the sight of his father Priam as if man and horse even from the steeds rough fetlocks to the plume in the champion's helmet had been together plunged into a purple Ocean: To see a Pompey ride in triumph, than a Caesar conquer that Pompey: labouring Hannibal alive, hewing his passage through the Alps. To see as I have seen, Hercules in his own shape hunting the boar, knocking down the Bull, taming the Hart, fight with Hydra, murdering Geryon, slaughtering Diomedes, wounding the Stymphalideses, killing the Centauris, pashing the Lion, squeezing the Dragon, dragging Cerberus in chains, and lastly, on his high pyramids writing Nilultra, Oh these were sights to make an Alexander.  
To turn to our domestic histories, what English blood seeing the person of any bold English man presented and doth not hug his fame, and hunnye at his valour, pursuing him in his enterprise with his best wishes, and as being wrapped in contemplation, offers to him in his heart all prosperous performance, as if the Personater were the man Personated, so bewitching a thing is lively and well spirited action, that it hath power to new mould the hearts of the spectators and fashion them to the shape of any noble and notable attempt. What coward to see his contryman valiant would not be ashamed of his own cowardice? What English Prince should he behold the true portraiture of that amous King Edward the third, foraging France, taking so great a King captive in his own country, quartering the English lions with the French flowerdelyce, and would not be suddenly inflamed with so royal a spectacle, being made apt and fit for the like achievement. So of Henry the fift: but not to be tedious in any thing. Ovid in one of his poems holds this opinion, that Romulus was the first that brought plays into Italy, which he thus sets down▪  
Primus sollicitos fecisti Romule Ludos. 
De Arte Amandi. 1.   
Cum iurit viduos rapta sabina viros  
Tunc neque marmoreo pendebant vela Theatro, etc.  
Which we English thus.  
Thou noble Romulus first plays contrives,  
To get thy widowed soldiers Sabine wives.  
In those days from the marble house did wau●  
No sail, no silken flag, or ensign brave.  
Then was the tragic stage not painted red,  
Or any mixed stains on pillars spread.  
Then did the scene want art, th'unready stage  
Was made of grass and earth in that rude age:  
About the which were thicke-leaued branches placed,  
Nor did the Audients hold themselves disgraced  
Of turf and heathy sods to make their seats,  
Fr●m'd in degrees of earth, and mossy peats.  
Thus placed in order, every Roman pried  
Into her face that sat next by his side;  
And closing with her, severally 'gan move,  
The innocent Sabine women to their love:  
And whilst the piper Thuscus rudely played,  
And by thrice stamping with his foot had made  
A sign unto the rest, there was a shout,  
Whose shrill report pierced all the air about.  
N●w at a sign of rape given from the King,  
Round through the hou●e the lusty Romans fling,  
Leaving no corner of the same unsought,  
Till every one a frighted virgin caught.  
Look as the trembling dove the Eagle flies,  
Or a young lamb when he the wolf espies;  
Soran the poor girls, filling th'air with skreekes.  
Emptying of all the colour their pale cheeks.  
One fear possessed them all, but not one look,  
This tears her hair, she; hath her wits forsook.  
Some sadly sit, some on their mothers call,  
Som● cha●e, some fly, some stay, but frighted all.  
Th●● were the ravished Sabines blushing led  
(becoming shame) unto each Romans bed.  
If any strived against it, straight her man  
Would ●ak● her on 〈◊〉 knee (whom fear made w●n)  
And ●ay; Why weep'st thou sweet? what ails my dear?  
D●y up these drops, these clouds of sorrow clear.  
I'll be to thee, if thou thy grief wilt smother,  
Such as thy father was unto thy mother.  
Full well could Romulus his soldiers please,  
To give them such fair mistresses as these.  
If such rich wages thou wilt give to me,  
Great Romulus, thy soldier I will ●e.  
Romulus' having erected the walls of Rome, and leading under him a warlike Nation, being in continual war with the Sabines, after the choice selecting of a place, fit 〈◊〉 so famous a city, and not knowing how to people the same, his train wholly consisting of soldiers, who without the company of women (they not having any in their Army) could not multiply; but so were likely that their immortal fames should die issueless with their mortal bodies. Thus therefore Romulus devised; After a parley and atonement made with the neighbour Nations, he built a theatre, plain, according to the time; yet large, fit for the entertainment of so great an Assembly, and these were they whose famous issue peopled the city of Rome, which in after ages grew to such height, that not Troy, founded by Dardanus, Carthage laid by Dido, Tyru● built by Agenor, Memphis made by Ogdous, Thebes seated by Cadmus, nor Babylon reared by Semiramis, were any way equal to this situation grounded by Romulus: to which all the discovered kingdoms of the earth after became tributaries. And in the noontide of their glory, and height of all their honour, they edified theatres, and amphitheatres: for in their flourishing commonweal, their public Comedians and Tragedians most flourished, insomuch that the tragic and comic Poets, were all generally admired of the people, and particularly every man of his private Mec●nas.  
In the reign of Augustus Christ was borne, 
imperant Augusto, natus est Christus.  and as well in his days as before his birth, these solemnities were held in the greatest estimation. 
imperant Tiberio crucifixus.  In julius Caesar's time, predecessor to August●●, the famous hony-tonged Orator Cicero flourished; who, amongst many other his eloquent Oratio●s, writ certain yet extant, for the Comedian Ros●ius (pro Roscio Comaedo) of whom we shall speak more large hereafter. These continued in their honour till the reign of Tiberius Caesar, and under Tiberius Christ was crucified. To this end do I use this assertion, because in the full and perfect time our saviour sojourned on the earth, even in those happy and peaceful days the spacious theatres were in the greatest opinion amongst the Romans; yet, neither Christ himself, nor any of his san●●ified Apostles, in any of their Sermons, Acts, or Documents, so much as named them, or upon any abusive occasion, touched them. Therefore hence (I thinks) a very probable and important argument may be grounded, that since they, in their divine wisdoms, knew all the sins abounding in the world before that time, taxed and reproved all the abuses reigning in that time, and foresaw all the actions and inconveniences (to the Church prejudicial) in the time to come; Since they (I say) in all their holy doctrines, books, and principles of divinity, were content to pass them over, as things tolerated, and indifferent, why should any nice and over-scrupulous heads, since they cannot ground their curiousness either upon the old or new Testament, take upon them to correct, control, and carp at that, against which they cannot find any text in the sacred Scriptures?  
In the time of Nero Caesar, the Apostle Paul was persecuted and suffered, Nero was then Emperor, Paul writ his Epistle to the Romans, and at the same time did the theatres most flourish amongst the Romans; yet where can we quote any place in his Epistles, which forbids the Church of God, then resident in Rome, to absent themselves from any such assemblies.  
To speak my opinion with all indifferency, God hath not enjoined us to wear all our apparel solely to defend the cold▪ Some garments we wear for warmth, others for ornament. So did the children of Israel hang ear-rings in their ears, not was it by the law forbidden them. That purity is not looked for at our hands, being mortal and human, that is required of the Angels, being celestial and divine. God made us of earth, men; knows our natures, dispositions and imperfections, and therefore hath limited us a time to rejoice, as he hath enjoined us a time to mourn for our transgressions. And I hold them more scrupulous than well advised, that go about to take from us the use of all moderate recreations. Why hath God ordained for man, va●●●tie of meats, dainties and delicates, if not to taste thereon? why doth the world yield choice of honest pastimes, if not decently to use them? Was not the Hare made to be hunted? the stag to be chased; and so of all other beasts of game in their several kinds? since God hath provided us of these pastimes, why may we not use them to his glory? Now if you ask me why were not the theatres as gorgeously built in all other Cities of Italy as Rome? And why are not playhouses maintained as well in other Cities of England, as London? my answer is: It is not meet every mean Esquire should carry the part belonging to one of the Nobility, or for a nobleman to usurp the estate of a Prince. Rome was a Metropolis, a place whither all the nations known under the sun, resorted: so is London, and being to receive all Estates, all Princes, all Nations, therefore to afford them all choice of pastimes, sports, and recreations: yet were there theatres in all the greatest Cities of the world, as we will more largely particularise hereafter.  
I never yet could read any History of any commonweal, which did not thrive & prosper whilst these public solemnities were held in adoration. Oh but (say some) Marcus Aurelius banished all such trivial exercises beyond the confines of Italy. Indeed this Emperor was a Philosopher of the sect of Diogenes, a cynic, and whether the hand of Diogenes would become a sceptre, or a root better, I leave to your judgements. This Aur●lius was a great & sharp reprover, who because the Matrons and Ladies of Rome, in scorn of his person made a play of him; in his time, interdicted the use of their theatres. So, because his wife Fausti●e played false with him, he generally exclaimed against all women: because himselve could not touch an Instrument, he banished all the musicans in Rome, and being a mere coward, put all the Gladiators and sword-players into exile. And lest his own suspected life should be again acted by the Comedians, as it before had been by the noble Matrons, he professed himself adversary to all of that quality, so severe a reformation of the weal public he used, restraining the Citizens of their free liberties, which till his days was not seen in Rome; but what profited this the weal public? do but peruse the ancient Roman Chronicles, & you shall undoubtedly find, that from the time of this precise Emperor, that stately City, whose lofty buildings crowned seven high hills at once, and over-peered them all, straight way began to hang the head, by degrees the foreign kingdoms revolted, and the homage done them by strange Nations, was in a little space quite abrogated: for they governed all the world, some under Consuls, some under proconsuls, precedents and praetors, they divided their dominions and countries into principalities, some into provinces, some into Toparchyes▪ some into Tetrarchyes, some into Tribes, others into Ethnarchyes: but now their homage ceased, Marc●s Aurelius ended their mirth, which presaged that shortly after should begin their sorrow, he banished their liberty▪ & immediately followed their bondage. For Rome, which till then kept all the Nations of the world in subiective awe, was in a little space awed even by the basest nations of the world. To leave Italy, and look back into Gr●●ce, the Sages and Princes of Grecia, who for the refinedness of their language were in such reputation through the world, that all other tongues were esteemed barbarous; These that were the first understanders, trained up their youthful Nobility to be Actors, debarring the base mechanics so worthy employment: for none but the young Heroes were admitted that practice, so to embolden them in the delivery of any foreign Embassy. These wise men of Greece (o called by the Oracle) could by their industry, find out no nearer or director course to plant humanity and manners in the hearts of the multitude then to instruct them by moralised mysteries, what vices to avoid, what virtues to embrace; what enormities to abandon, what ordinances to ob●●●ue: whose lives (being for s●●e special endowments in former times honoured) they should admire and follow: whose vicious actions (personated in some licentious liver) they should despise & shun: which borne out as well by the wisdom of the Poet, as supported by the worth of the Actors, wrought such impression in the hearts of the plebe, that in short space they excelled in civility and government, insomuch that from them all the neighbour Nations drew their patterns of Humanity, as well in the establishing of their laws, as the reformation of their manners. These magis and Gymnosophistae, that lived (as I may say) in the childhood and infancy of the world, before it knew how to speak perfectly, thought even in those days, that Action was the nearest way to plant understanding in the hearts of the ignorant. Yea (but say some) you ought not to confound the habits of either sex, as to let your boys wear the attires of virgins, etc. To which I answer: The Scriptures are not always to be expounded merely▪ according to the letter: (for in such estate stands our may●e sacramental controversy) but they ought exactly to be conferred with the purpose they handle. To do as the Sodomites did, use preposterous lusts in preposterous habits, is in that text flatly and severely forbidden: nor can I imagine any man, that hath in him any taste of relish of Christianity, to be guilty of so abhorred a sin. Besides, it is not probable, that plays were meant in that text, because we read not of any plays known in that time that Deutero●●●ie was writ, among the Children of Israel, nor do I hold it lawful to beguile the eyes of the world in confounding the shapes of either sex, as to keep any youth in the habit of a virgin, or any virgin in the shape of a lad, to shroud them from the eyes of their fathers, tutors, or protectors, or to any other sinister intent whatsoever. But to see our youths attired in the habit of women, who knows not what their intents be? who cannot distinguish them by their names, assuredly knowing, they are but to represent such a Lady, at such a time appointed?  
Do not the universities, the fountains and well● springs of all good Arts, Learning and Documents, admit the like in their colleges? and they (I assure myself) are not ignorant of their true use. In the time of my residence in Cambridge, I have seen tragedies, comedies, histories, Pastorals and shows, publicly acted, in which Graduates of good place and reputation, have been specially parted: this is held necessary for the emboldening of their junior scholars, to arm them with audacity, against they come to be employed in any public exercise, as in the reading of the dialectic, rhetoric, Ethicke, mathematic, the physic, or Metaphysicke Lectures, It teacheth audacity to the bashful Grammarian, being newly admitted into the private college, and after matriculated and entered as a member of the university, and makes him a bold Sophister, to argue pro et contra, to compose his syllogisms, Cathegoricke, or Hypotheticke (simple or compound) to reason and frame a sufficient argument to prove his questions, or to defend any axioma, to distinguish of any Dilemma, & be able to moderate in any Argumentation whatsoever.  
To come to rhetoric, it not only emboldens a scholar to speak, but instructs him to speak well, and with judgement, to observe his commas, colons, & full points, his parentheses, his breathing spaces, and distinctions, to keep a decorum in his countenance, neither to frown● when he should smile, nor to make unseemly and disguised faces in the delivery of his words, not to stare with his eyes, draw awry his mouth, confounded his voice in the hollow of his throat, or tear his words hastily betwixt his teeth, neither to buffet his desk like a madman, nor stand in his place like a lifeless Image, demurely plodding, & without any smooth & ●ormal motion. It instructs him to fit his phrases to his action, and his action to his phrase, and his pronunciation to them both.  
Tully in his book ad Caium Herennium, requires five things in an Orator, Invention, Disposition, elocution Memory, and pronunciation, yet all are imperfect without the sixth, which is Action: for be his invention never so fluent and exquisite, his disposition and order never so composed and formal, his eloquence, and elaborate phrases never so material and pithy, his memory never so firm & retentive, his pronunciation never so musical and plausive, yet without a comely and elegant gesture, a gracious and a bewitching kind of action, a natural and a familiar motion of the head, the hand, the body, and a moderate and fit countenance suitable to all the rest, I hold all the rest as nothing. A delivery & sweet action is the gloss & beauty of any discourse that belongs to a scholar. And this is the action behoveful in any that profess this quality, not to use any impudent or forced motion in any part of the body, no rough, or other violent gesture, nor on the contrary, to stand like a stiff starched man, but to qualify every thing according to the nature of the person personated: for in overacting tricks, and toiling too much in the antic habit of humours, men of the ripest desert, greatest opinions, and best reputations, may break into the most violent absurdities. I take not upon me to teach, but to advise: for it becomes my juniority rather to be pupild myself, then to instruct others.  
To proceed, and to look into those men that profess themselves adversaries to this quality, they are none of the gravest, and most ancient Doctors of the Academy, but only a sort of finde-faults, such as interest their prodigal tongues in all men's affairs without respect. These I have heard as liberally in their superficial censures, tax the exercises performed in their colleges, as these acted on our public stages, not looking into the true & direct use of either, but ambitiously preferring their own presumptuous humours, before the profound and authentical judgements of all the learned Doctors of the university. Thus you see, that touching the antiquity of Actors and Acting, they have not been new lately begot by any upstart invention, but I have derived them from the first Olimpiads, and I shall continue the use of ●hem even till this present age. And so much touching their antiquity.  Pars superest coepti: pars est exhausta laboris. 
The end of the first book.   

OF ACTORS, AND their ancient dignity.  
THE SECOND book.  
JULIUS CAESAR, the famous conqueror, discoursing with Marcus Cicero, the as famous Orator, amongst many other matters debated, It pleased the Emperor to ask his opinion of the Histriones, the players of Rome, pretending some cavil against them, as men whose employment in the commonweal was unnecessary: to whom Cicero answered thus: Content thee Caesar, there be many heads busied & bewitched with these pastimes now in Rome, which otherwise would be inquisitive after thee and thy greatness. Which answer, how sufficiently the Emperor approved, may be conjectured by the many gifts bestowed, and privileges and Charters after granted to men of that quality. Such was likewise the opinion of a great statesman of this la●d, about the time that certain books were called in question. Doubtless there be many men of that temper, who were they not carried away, and weaned from their own corrupt and bad disposition, and by accidental means removed and altered from their dangerous and sullen intendments, would be found apt and prone to many notorious and traitorous practices. Kings & monarchs are by God placed and inthroaned supra nos, above us, & we are to regard them as the Sun from whom we receive the light to live under, whose beauty & brightness we may only admire, not meddle with: Ne ludamus cum Dijs, they that shoot at the stairss over their heads, their arrows ●all directly down and wound themselves. But this allusion may be better referred to the use of action promised i● ou● third Treatise. Then to their Dignity, which next and immediately (by God's grace) our purpose is to handle.  
The word Tragedy, is derived from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Caper a goat, because the goat being a beast most injurious to ●he vines, was sacrificed to Bacchus: here upon 〈◊〉 writes, that Tragedies had their first names from the oblations due to Bacchus; or else of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a kind of painting, which the Tragedians of the old time used to stain their faces with. By the censure of Horace, Thespis was the first tragic writer.  

Ignotum Tragic● genus invenisse Camenae  
Dicitur, 
〈…〉  & plaustris vexisse po●mata Thespis.   

The unknown tragic Muse Thespis fi●st sought,  
And her high poems in her Chariot brought.   
This Thespis was an Athenian Poet, borne in Thespina, a free town in Boetia by Helicon, of him the nine Muses were called Thespiades. But by the censure of Quintilian, Aeschiles was before him, but after them Sophocles and Eurip●des clothed their Tragedies in better ornament. 
Poltd. Virgil.  Livius Andronicus was the first that writ any Roman Tragedy, in which kind of poesy A●cius, Pacuvius, Seneca, and ovidius excelled.  

Sceptra tamen sumpsi curáque Tragedia nostra,  
Crevit, 
〈…〉  at huic operi quamlibet aptus eram.   

The sceptred Tragedy than proved our wit,  
And to that work we found us apt and fit.   
Again, in his fift book de tristibus Eleg. 8.  

Carmen quod vestro saltarinostra Theatro  
Versibus & plaudiscribis (amice) meis.   

Dear friend thou writ'st our Muse is amongst you song,  
And in your theatres with plaudits r●ng.   
Likewise in his Epistle to Augustus, writ from the pontic Island, whither he was banished.  

Et ded●mus tragicis scriptum regal Cothurnis,  
Quaeque gravis debet verba Cothurnus habet.   

With royal style speaks our Cothurnate Muse,  
A buskined phrase in buskined plays we use.   
The word Comedy is derived from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a street, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Cantus, a song, a street song, as signifying there was ever mirth in those streets where Comedies most flourished.  Haec paces habuere bonae ventique secundi. 
In this kind Aristophanes, E●p●lis, Cratinus were famoust after them Menander and Philemon: succeeding them Cicilius, Nevius, Plautus and Terentius.  

Musaque Turani tragicis in●ixa Cothurnis  
Et tua cum socco, Musa, Melisse levis.   

Turanus tragic buskin graced the Play,  
Melissa'es comic shoe made lighter way.   
The ancient historiographers write, 
Alex. Metapol.  that among the Greeks' there were divers places of exercises, appointed for Poets, some at the grave of Theseus, others at Helicon, where they in Comedies and Tragedies contended for several prizes, where S●p●ocles was aiudged victor over Aeschilus': There were others in the city of Elis, where Menander was foiled by Philomene. In the same kind Hesiod is said to have triumphed over Homer. So Corinna for her excellencies in these inventions, (called Muscalyrica) excelled Pindarus the Theban Poet, for which she was five times crowned with garlands.  
The first public theatre was by Dionysius built in Athens, 
theatres.  it was fashioned in the manner of a semicircle, or half-moon, whose galleries & degrees were reared from the ground, their stairs high, in the midst of which did arise the stage, beside, such a convenient distance from the earth, that the audience assembled might easily behold the whole project without impediment. From this the Romans had their first pattern, which at the first not being roofed, but lying open to all weathers, Quintus Catulus was the first that caused the outside to be covered with linen cloth, and the inside to be hung round with curtains of silk. But when Marcus Scaurus was A●dilis, he repaired it, and supported it round with pillars of Marble.  
Caius Curio, at the solemn obsequies of his father, erected a famous theatre of Timber, in so strange a form, that on two several stages, two sundry plays might be acted at once, and yet the one be no hindrance or impediment to the other; and when he so pleased the whole frame was artificially composed to meet in the midst, which made an amphitheatre.  
Pompey the great, after his victories against Methridates, King of Pontus, saw in the city Mitelene a theatre of another form, and after his triumphs and return to Rome, he raised one after the same pattern, of free stone, of that vastness and receipt, that within his spaciousness it was able at once to receive fourscore thousand people, every one to sit, see and hear.  
In emulation of this sumptuous and gorgeous building julius Caesar, successor to Pompey's greatness, exceeded him in his famous Architecture, he raised an amphitheatre, Campo Martio, in the field of Mars, which as far excelled Pompeyeses, as Pompey's did exceed Caius Curioes', Curioes' that of Marcus Scaurus, Scaurus that of Quintus Catulus, or Catulus that which was first made in Athens by Dionysius: for the bases, columns, Pillars, and pyramids were all of hewed Marble, the coverings of the stage, which we call the heavens (where upon any occasion their Gods descended) were Geometrically supported by a giantlike Atlas, whom the poets for his Astrology, feign to bear heaven on his shoulders, in which an artificial sun and moon of extraordinary aspect and brightness had their diurnal, and nocturnal motions; so had the stars their true and celestial course; so had the spheres, which in their continual motion made a most sweet and ravishing harmony: Here were the Elements and planets in their degrees, the sky of the moon, the sky of Mercury, Venus, Sol, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn; the stars, both fixed and wandering: and above all these, the first mover, or primum mobile, there were the 12 signs; the lines equinoctial and Zodiacal, the Meridian circle, or Zenith, the orison circle, or Emisphere, the Zones torrid & frozen, the poles arctic & antarctic, with all other tropics, orbs, lines, circles, the Solstitium & all other motions of the stars, signs, & planets. In brief, in that little compass were comprehended the perfect model of the firmament, the whole frame of the heavens, with all grounds of astronomical conjecture. From the roof grew a lover, or turret, of an exceedding altitude, from which an ensign of silk waved continually, Pendebant vela Theatro. But lest I waste too much of that compendiousness I have promised in my discourse, in idle descriptions, I leave you to judge the proportion of the body by the making of this one limb, every pillar, seat, foot-post, stair, gallery, & whatsoever else belongs to the furnishing of such a place, being in cost, substance, form, and artificial workmanship, most suitable. The floor, stage, roof, outside, & inside, as costly as the Pantheon or capitols. In the principal galleries were special remote, selected & chosen seats for the Emperor, patres conscripti, dictator's, Consuls, praetors, Tribunes, triumvirs, Decemviri, aediles, Curules, and other Noble Officers among the Senators: all other rooms were free for the plebe, or multitude. To this purpose I introduce these famous Edifices, as wondering at their cost & state, thus intimating, that if the quality of Acting, were (as some propose) altogether unworthy, why for the special practice, and memorable employment of the same, were founded so many rare and admirable monuments: and by whom were they erected? but by the greatest princes of their times, and the most famous and worthiest of them all, builded by him that was the greatest Prince of the world, julius Caesar, at what time in his hand he gripped the universal Empire of the earth. So of Augustus Caesar.  

Inspice ludorum sumptus august tuorum  
Empta tibi magno—   

Behold Augustus the great pomp and state  
Of these thy plays paid dear for, at high rate.   

〈◊〉 tu sp●ctasti spectandaque sepe d●disti.   
And could any inferior quality be more worthily esteemed or noblier graced, then to have Princes of such magnificence and state to bestow on them places of such port and countenance, had they been never well regarded, they had been never so sufficiently provided for, nor would such worthy princes have strived who should (by their greatest expense and provision) have done them the amplest dignity, had they not with incredible favour regarded the quality. I will not traverse this too far, lest I incur some suspicion of self-love, I rather leave it to the favourable consideration of the wise, though to the perverseness of the ignorant, who had they any taste either of poesy, philosophy, or historical Antiquity, would rather stand mated at their own impudent ignorance, then against such noble, and notable examples stand in public defiance.  
I read of a theatre built in the midst of the river Tiber, standing on pillars and arches, the foundation wrought under water like London-bridge, the Nobles and Ladies in their Barges and Gondelayes, landed at the very stairs of the galleryes. After these they composed others, but differing in form from the theatre, or amphitheatre, and every such was called Circus, the frame Globe-like, & merely round. Circus in have exit ●lamataque palma Theatris.  
And the year from the first building of Rome, five hundred threescore and seven, what time Spurius Posthumus Albinus, and Quintus Martius Philippus, were Consuls, Nero made one, and the noble Flaminius another; but the greatest was founded by Tarqvinius Priscus, and was called Circus maximus: In this the Gladiators practised, the wideness and spaciousness was such, that in it they fought at Barriers, and many times ran at tilt. Dion records eighteen Elephants slain at once in one theatre. More particularly to survey the rarer Monuments of Rome, near to the Pantheon (the Temple of the Roman Gods) at the descent from the hill Capitolinus, lies the great Forum, by which is situate the great amphitheatre of Tytus, first erected by Vespasian, but after (almost ruined by fire) by the Roman Tytus rarely reëdified. It is called Colliseus, also a cavea, which signifies a scaffold, 
Ammianus, lib. 29.  also Arena▪ a place of combat, by Siluianus and Prudentius, which name Tertullian, Pliny, Ovid, Firmicus, and Apuleins' likewise give it. It had the title of Circus, Caula and stadium, by Suetonius, C●pitolinus and Arcadius. Cassianus affirms these theatres consecrated to Diana Taurica, Tertullian, to Mars and Diana, martial to jupiter Latiaris, and to Stygian Pluto, whose opinion Minutius, & Prudentius approve. The first structures were by the Tribune Curio, 
Pliny. lib. 36.  which Dio, lib. 37. affirms. Vitruvius' lib. 5. saith, Multa Theatra, Rome structa quotannis. Of julius Caesar's amphitheatre Camp● Martio, Dio Cassius records, 
Dio Cassius lib. 43.  which Augustus after patronizied, as Vi●tor remembers of them, whose charge Sta●ilius Taurus assisted, of whom Dio speaketh thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 etc. anno urbis, 
Dio. lib. 51  DCCXXV. Pub. Victor forgets not Circus Flaminij, 
Su●tonius cap 21.  and Suetonius remembers one builded by Caligul●, at Septa, whose building Claudius at first interdicted. 
Ta●itus lib. 13. A mallum.  Nero erected a magnificent theatre in the field of Mars. Suetonius lib. Ner. 12.  
Publius' Victor speaks further of a Castrense Theatrum, a theatre belonging to the camp in the Country of the Aesquiles, built by Tiberius Caesar, 
Pliny, lib. 36. cap. 15.  and of Pompey's theatre Pliny witnesseth. The great theatre of Statilius being in greatest use, was burnt in the time of Nero, which Xiphilinus thus speaks of, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. This was built in the midst of the old city, and after the combustion repaired by Vespasian, Consulatu suo 8. whose coin of one side, bears the express figure of his theatre, yet was it only begun by him, but perfected by his son Tytus: Eutropius and Cassiodorus, attribute this place solely to Titus, but Aurelius Victor gives him only the honour of the perfecting a place so exquisitely begun: this after was repaired by Marcus Antonius Pius, by whose cost saith Capitolinus, the Temple of Hadri●nus was repaired, and the great The●●er reëdified, which Heliogabalus, by the testimony of Lampridius, patronized, and after the Senate of Rome, took to their protection, under the Gordians.  
Touching theatres without Rome, Lypsius records Theatra circa Romani, extructa passim, even in jerusalem, Herodes magnifi●us & illustris rex non uno loco Judeae amphitheatra aedificavit, extruxit in ips● urbe sacra, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (as Josephus saith) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Herod a magnificent and illustrious King, not in one place of Judea, erected amphitheatres, but even in the holy city he built one of greatest receipt. Also in Greece, Asia, Africa, Spain, France: nor is there any province in which their ancient structures do not yet remain, or their perishing ruins are not still remembered. In Italy, ad Lyrim campaniae Fluvium juxta Minturnas, remains part of an ample amphitheatre.  
At Puteolis, a City by the seaside in Campania, 8 miles from Naples, one.  
At Capua, a magnificent one of solid Marble.  
At Alba in Italy, one.  
At O●riculum in Vmbria one.  
At Verona, one most beautiful.  
At florence, one whose compass yet remains.  
At Athens in Greece, one of Marble.  
At Pola in Istria, by the H●driaticke sea, one described by Sebastian Serlius.  
At Hyspalis in Spain, one built without the walls of the  
In 〈◊〉 at 〈◊〉 one of squared stone, the length 30. perches, or poles, the breadth 2●.  
At Arelate one.  
At Burdegall one.  
At Nemaus one, remembered by Euseb. in Ecclesias●ica Historia.  
At Lygeris one.  
Another among the Helvetians.  
The Ver●ne●se Theatrum Marmoreum, erected before the time of Augustus, as Torellus Serayna in his description of Ver●na, records: but Cyrnicus An●onitanus reports it built in the nine and thirtieth year of Octavian. Carolus Sigonius refers it to the reign of Maximinian, 
Sicon. 〈◊〉. Hist. Occide●.  who saith, Maximinian built theatres in Medi●lanum Aquilea, and Brixium. The like Cornelius Tacitus 2. Hist. remembers in Placentia, but the description of the Verona theatre Levinus Kersmakerus sets down. This the great King Francis anno 1539 gave to certain Actors, who thirty days space together, represented in the same the Acts of the Apostles, nor was i● lawful by the edict of the King for any man to remove any stone within thirty poles of his situation, lest they should endanger the foundation of the theatre.  
The like have been in Venice, Milan, Padua. In Paris ther● are divers now in use by the French Kings Comedians, as the Burgonian, and others. Others in Massilia, in Trevers, in Magontia, in Agrippina, and infinite Cities of Greece, Thebes, Carthage, Delphos, Crect, Paph●s, Epyrus, also in the city Tydena, so at civil in Spain, and at Madrill, with others.  
At the entertainment of the Cardinal Alphonsus, 
Archduke Alphonsus.  and the Infant of Spain into the low-countryes', they were presented at Antwerp, with sundry pageants and plays: the King of Denmark●, father to him that now reigneth, entertained into his service, a company of English Comedians, commended unto him by the honourable the Earl of Lei●ester: the Duke of Brounswicke, and the landsgrave of Hesse● retain in their Courts certain of ours, of the same quality. But among the Romans they were in highest reputation: for in comparison of their plays, they never regarded any of their solemnities, there ludifunebres, there Floralia, Cerealia, Fugalia, Bachinalia▪ or Lup●rcalia.  
And amongst us, 
Stowe.  one of our best English Chroniclers records, that when Edward the fourth would show himself in public state to the view of the people, he repaired to his Palace at S. Johnes, where he accustomed to see the city Actors. And since then, that house by the Prince's free gift, hath belonged to the office of the revels, where our Court plays have been in late days yearly rehearsed, perfected, and corrected before they come to the public view of the Prince and the Nobility. Ovid speaking of the tragic Muse, thus writes.  

Venit & ingenti violenta tragedia passu,  
Front com● tor●a palla iacebat humi  
Laeva manus sceptrum late regal tenebat,  
Lydius apta pedum vin●ta cothurnus habet.   

Then came the tragic Muse with a proud pace,  
Measuring her ●low strides with majestic grace.  
Her long train sweeps the earth, and she doth stand,  
With buskined leg, rough brow, and sceptred hand.   
Well knew the poet what estimation she was in with Augustus, when he describes her holding in her left hand a sceptre. Now to recite some famous Actors that lived in the preceding ages: the first Comedians were Cincius & Falis●us, 
Cincius, Faliscus, Minutius. Prothonius. L. Attilius. Latinus. Prenestinu●. Lucius. Ambivius Turpi●.  the first Tragedians were Minutius, & Prothonius. Elius Donatus in his preface to Terence his Andrea, saith that in that Comedy Lucius Attilius, Latinus Prenestinus, and Lucius Ambivius Turpi● were Actors: this Comedy was dedicated to Cibil, & such were called ludi Megalenses, acted in the year that M. Fuluius was Edilis, & Quintus Minutius Valerius, & M. Glabrio were Curules, which were counsellors & chief officers in Rom●, so called because they customably sat in chairs of ivory. The songs that were sung in this Comedy were set by Fl●ccus, 
Flaccus.  the son of Clodius. Terence his Eunuchus or second Comedy was acted in the year L. Posthumus, and L. Cornelius were Edil. Curules, Marcus Valerius, & Caius Fannius Consuls. 
Protinus. L. Servius.  The year from the building of Rome 291. in his Adelphi one Protinus acted, & was highly applauded, in his H●●yra julius Servius. 
Offic. 1.  Cicero commends one Rupilius a rare Tragedian: 
Rupilius. Arossus. Theocrines.  I read of another called Arossus, another called Theocrines, who purchased him a great applause in the plays called Terentini. There were other plays in Rome, called Actia and Pythia, made in the honour of Apollo, for killing the Dragon Python. In those one Aesopus 
AEsopus.  bore the praise, a man generally esteemed, who left behind him much substance, which Clodius his son after possessed. Quae gravis Aesopus, quae doctus Rossius egit.  
Labericus 
Labericus.  was an excellent Poet, and a rare Actor, who writ a book of the gesture & action to be used by the Tragedians and Comedians in performance of every part in his native humour. Plautus himself was so enamoured of the Actors in his days, that he published many excellent and exquisite Comedies, yet extant. Aristotle commends one Theodoretes 
Theodorete●.  to be the best Tragedian in his time. This in the presence of Alexander personated Achilles, which so delighted the Emperor, that he bestowed on him a pension of quinque mill Drachmae, five thousand drachmas, and every thousand drachmas are twenty nine pounds, three shillings, four pence sterling.  
Rossius, whom the eloquent Orator, & excellent statesman of Rome, Marcus Cicero, for his elegant pronunciation & formal gesture called his jewel, had from the common treasury of the Roman Exchequer, a daily pension allowed him of so many Sestertij as in our coin amount to 16 pound & a mark, or thereabouts, which yearly did arise to any noble man's revenues. So great was the fame of this Roscius, and so good his estimation, that learned Cato made a question whether Cicero could write better than Roscius could speak and act, or Rosoius speak and act better than Cicero writ. Many times when they had any important orations, to be with an audible and loud voice delivered to the people, they employed the tongue and memory of this excellent Actor, to whom for his worth, the Senate granted such large exhibition.  
— quae pervincere voces,  
Eualuere sonum referunt quem nostra Theatra,  
Gorganum mugire putes n●mus aut mare Thuscum,  
Tanto cum strepitu ludi spect●atur & arts.  
What voice can be compared with the sound,  
Our theatres from their deep concaves send,  
For their reuerberate murmurs seem to drowned  
The Gorgan wood when the proud winds contend.  
Or when rough storms the Tuscan billows raise,  
With such loud ●oy they ring our Arts and plays.  
To omit all the Doctors, Zawnyes, Pantaloones, Harlakeenes, in which the French, but especially the Italians, have been excellent, and according to the occasion offered to do some right to our English Actors, as Knell, Bently, Mils, Wilson, cross, Lanam, and others: these, since I never saw them, as being before my time, I cannot (as an eye-witness of their desert) give them that applause, which no doubt, they worthily merit, yet by the report of many iuditial auditors, their performance of many parts have been so absolute, that it were a kind of sin to drown their worths in Lethe, and not commit their (almost forgotten) names to eternity. Hear I must needs remember Tarleton, in his time gracious with the Queen his sovereign, and in the people's general applause, whom succeeded Wil. Kemp, as well in the favour of her majesty, as in the opinion & good thoughts of the general audience. Gabriel, Singer, Pope, Phillips, Sly, all the right I can do them, is but this, that though they be dead, their deserts yet live in the remembrance of many. Among so many dead let me not forget one yet alive in his time the most worthy famous, Master Edward Allen. To omit these, as also such as for divers imperfections, may be thought insufficient for the quality. Actors should be men picked out personable, according to the parts they present, they should be rather scholars, that though they cannot speak well, know how to speak, or else to have that volubility▪ that they can speak well, though they understand not what, & so both imperfections may by instructions be helped & amended: but where a good tongue & a good conceit both fail, there can never be good actor. I also could wish, that such as are condemned for their licentioufnesse, might by a general consent be quite excluded our society: for as we are men that stand in the broad eye of the world, so should our manners, gestures, and behaviours, savour of such government and modesty, to deserve the good thoughts and reports of all men, and to abide the sharpest censures even of those that are the greatest opposites to the quality. Many amongst us, I know, to be of substance, of government, of sober lives, and temperate carriages, housekeepers, and contributory to all duties enjoined them, equally with them that are ranked with the most bountiful; and if amongst so many of sort, there be any few degenerate from the rest in that good demeanour, which is both requisite & expected at their hands, let me entreat you not to censure hardly of all for the misdeeds of some, but rather to excuse us, as Ovid doth the generality of women.  
Parcite paucarum diffundere crimen in omnes,  
Spectetur meritis quaeque puella suis.  
For some offenders (that perhaps are few)  
Spare in your thoughts to censure all the crew,  
Since every breast contains a sundry spirit,  
Let every one be censured as they merit.  
Others there are of whom should you ask my opinion, I must refer you to this, Consul Theatrum. Here I might take fit opportunity to reckon up all our English writers, & compare them with the Greek, French, Italian, & Latin Poets, not only in their Pastoral, historical, elegiacal, & heroical poems, but in their tragical, & Comical subjects, but it was my chance to happen on the like learnedly done by an approved good scholar, in a book called Wits commonwealth, to which treatise I wholly refer you, returning to our present subject. julius Caesar himself for his pleasure became an Actor, being in shape, state, voice, judgement, and all other occurrents, exterior and interior excellent. Amongst many other parts acted by him in person, it is recorded of him, that with general applause in his own theatre he played Hercules Fure●s, and amongst many other arguments of his completeness, excellence, and extraordinary care in his action, it is thus reported of him: Being in the depth of a passion, one of his servants (as his part then fell out) presenting Lichas, who before had from Deianeira brought him the poisoned shirt, dipped in the blood of the centaur Nessus: he in the midst of his torture and fury, finding this Lichas hid in a remote corner (appointed him to creep into of purpose) although he was, as our Tragedians use, but seemingly to kill him by some false imagined wound, yet was Caesar so extremely carried away with the violence of his practised fury, and by the perfect shape of the madness of Hercules, to which he had fashioned all his active spirits, that he slew him dead at his foot, & after swoong him terque quaterque (as the Poet says) about his head. It was the manner of their Emperors, in those days, in their public Tragedies to choose out the fittest amongst such, as for capital offences were condemned to die, and employ them in such parts as were to be killed in the Tragedy, wh●● of themselves would make suit rather so to die with resolution, and by the hands of such princely Actors, than otherwise to suffer a shameful & most detestable end. And these were Tragedies naturally performed. And such Caius Caligula, Claudius Nero, Vitellius, Domitianus, Commodus, & other Emperors of Rome, upon their festivals and holy days of greatest consecration, used to act. Therefore M. Kid in the Spanish Tragedy, upon occasion presenting itself, thus writes.  
Why Nero thought it no disparagement,  
And Kings and Emperors have ta'en delight,  
To make experience of their wits in plays.  
These exercises, as traditions▪ have been since (though in better manner) continued through all ages, amongst all the noblest Nations of the earth. But I have promised to be altogether compendious, presuming that what before is discoursed, may for the practice of plays, their Antiquity, and Dignity be altogether sufficient. I omit the shows and ceremonies even in these times generally used amongst the Catholics, in which by the Churchmen & 〈◊〉 religious, divers pageants, as of the nativity, Passion, and ascension, with other historical places of the Bible, are at divers times & seasons of the year usually celebrated; sed haec pre●er me. In the year of the world 4207. of Christ 246. Origin writ certain godly Epistles to Philip▪ then Emperor of Rome, who was the first Christian Emperor, and in his life I read, that in the fourth year of his reign, which was the 1000 year after the building of Rome, he solemnized that year, as a jubilee with sumptuous pageants and plays. Homer, the most excellent of all Poets, composed his Illiads in the shape of a Tragedy, his Odisseas like a Comedy. Virgil in the first of his Aeneiads, in his description of Dido's Carthage.  
— hic alta Theatris  
Fundamenta locant alij immanesque Columnas,  
Rup●bus excidunt scenis decora alta futuris.  
Which proves, that in those days immediately after the ruin of Troy, when Carthage had her first foundation, they built theatres with stately columns of stone, as in his description may appear. I have sufficiently discoursed of the first theatres, and in whose times they were erected, even till the reign of julius Caesar, the first Emperor, and how they continued in their glory from him till the reign of Marcus Aurelius the 23 Emperor, and from him even to these times. Now to prove they were in as high estimation at La●edemo●, and Athens two the most famous cities of Greece. Cicero in his book Cato mayor, seu de 〈◊〉. Cum Athenis ludis quidam grandis natu in Theat●●m venisset, etc. An ancient Citizen coming into one of the Athenian theatres to see the pastimes there solemnized (which shows that the most ancient and grave frequented them) by reason of the throng, no man gave him place or reverence: but the same Citizen being implyoed in an Embassy to Lacedaemon, and coming like a private man into the theatre, the general multitude arose at once, and with great ceremonious reverence gave his age place. This Cicero alleges to prove the reverence due to age, and this I may ●itly introduce to the approbation of my present subject. Moreover, this great Statesman of Rome, at whose exile twenty thousand of the chiefest Roman Citizens wore mourning apparel, oftentimes commends Plautus, calling him Plautus noster, and Atticorum antiqua Comedia, where he proceeds further to extol. Aesopus, for personating Ajax, and the famous Actor Rupilius, in Epigonus, Med●a, Menalip, Clytaemnestra and A●tiopa, proceeding in the same place with this worthy & grave sentence, Ergo Histrio hoc videbi● in scena, quod non videbit sapiens in vita? shall a Tragedian see that in his Scen● which a wise man cannot see in the course of his life? So in another of his works, amongst many instructions to his son Marcus, he applauds Turpio Ambinius for his action, Statius, Nevius, and Plautus for their writing. Ovid in Augustum.  

Luminibusque tuis totus quibus utitur orbis,  
Scenica vidisti lusus adulteria.   

Those eyes with which you all the world survey,  
See in your theatres our Actors play.   
Augustus Caesar, because he would have some memory of his love to those places of pastime, reared in Rome two stately Obelisci, or pyramids, one in julius Caesar's Temple in the field of Mars, another in the great theatre, called C●●cus Maximus, built by Flaminius: these were in height an hundred cubits a piece, in breadth four cubits, they were first raised by King Pheron in the Temple of the sun, and after removed to Rome by Augustus: the occasion of their first composure was this: Pheron for some great crime, committed by him in his youth against the Gods, was by them struck blind, and so continued the space of ten years: but after by a revelation in the city Bucis, it was told, that if he washed his eyes in the water of a woman that was chaste, and never adulterately touched with any save her husband, he should again recover his sight: the King first tried his wife, than many other of the most grave and best reputed matrons, but continued still in despair, till at length he met with one virtuous Lady, by whose chastity his ●ight was restored; whom (having first commanded his Queen and the rest to be consumed with fire) he after married. Pheron in memory of this, builded his two pyramids, after removed to Rome by Augustus.  
Sanctaque maiestas & erat venerabile nomen▪  
Vatibus—  
The end of the second book.   

OF ACTORS, AND the true use of their quality.  
THE THIRD book.  
Tragedy's and Comedies, saith Donatus, ●ad their beginning à rebus divinis, from divine sacrifices, they differ thus: In Comedies, turbulenta prima, tranquilla ultima, In tragedies, tranquilla prima, turbulenta ultima, Comedies begin in trouble, and end in peace; Tragedies begin in calms, and ●nd in tempest. Of Comedies there be three kinds, moving Comedies, called Mot●riae, standing Comedies, called Statariae, or mixed betwixt both, called Mistae: they are distributed into four parts, the Prologue, that is, the preface; the Protasis, that is, the proposition, which includes the first Act, and presents the Actors; the Epitasis, which is the business and body of the Comedy; the last the Catastrophe, and conclusion: the deffinition of the Comedy, according to the Latins: a discourse consisting of divers institutions, comprehending civil and domestic things, in which is taught, what in our lives and manners is to be followed, what to be avoided, the Greeks' define it thus: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Cicer● saith, a Comedy is the imitation of life, the glass of custom, and the image of truth, in Athens they had their first original. The ancient Comedians used to attire their actors thus: the old men in white, as the most ancient of all, the young men in particoloured garments, to note their diversity of thoughts, their slaves and servants in thin and bare vesture, either to note their poverty, or that they might run the more lighter about their affairs: their Parrasites wore robes that were turned in, and intricately wrapped about them; the fortunate in white, the discontented in decayed vesture, or garments, grown out of fashion; the rich in purple, the poor in crimson, soldiers wore purple jackets, handmaids the habits of strange virgins, bawds, pied coats, and courtesans, garments of the colour of mud, to denote their covetousness: the stages were hung with rich Arras, which was first brought from King Attalus into Rome: his state-hanging were so costly, that from him all Tapestries, and rich Arras were called Attalia. This being a thing ancient as I have proved it, next of dignity, as many arguments have confirmed it, and now even in these days by the best, without exception, favourably tolerated, why should I yield my censure, grounded on such firm and established sufficiency, to any Tower, founded on sand, any castle built in the air, or any trivial upstart, and mere imaginary opinion.  Oderunt Hilarem tristes tristemque iocosi. 
I hope there is no man of so unsensible a spirit, that can inveigh against the true and direct use of this quality: Oh but say they, the Romans in their time, and some in these days have abused it, and therefore we volley out our exclamations against the use. Oh shallow! Because such a man had his house burnt, we shall quite condemn the use of fire, because one man quaffed poison, we must so▪ bear to drink, because some have been shipwrecked, no man shall hereafter traffic by sea. Then I may as well argue thus: he cut his finger, therefore must I wear no knife, vond man fell from his horse, therefore must I travel a foot; that man surfeited, therefore dare not I eat. What can appear more absurd than such a gross and senseless assertion? I could turn this unpoynted weapon against his breast that aims it at mine, and reason thus: Roscius had a large pension allowed him by the ●enate of Rome, why should not an Actor of the like desert, have the like allowance now? or this, the most famous City and Nation in the world h●ld plays in great admiration: Ergo, but it is a rule in Logic, Exparticu●aribus nih●l fit. These are not the bases we must build upon, nor the columns that must support our architecture.  
Et l●tro, & cautus, precingitur ense viator.  
Ille sed inside 〈◊〉, ●ic ●ibi portat opem.  
Both thieves and true-men, weapons wear alike▪  
Th'one to defend, the other comes to strike.  
Let us use fire to warm us, not to scorch us, to make ready our necessaries, not to burn our houses: let us drink to quench our thirst, not to surfeit; and eat to satisfy nature, not to gormondize.  
— Comediarecta si mente legatur,  
Constabit null● posse nocere—  
Plays are in use as they are understood,  
Spectators eyes may make them bad or good.  
Shall we condemn a generality for any one particular misconstruction? Give me then leave to argue thus: Amongst Kings have there not been some tyrants? yet the office of a King is the image of the majesty of God. Amongst true subjects have there not crept in some false traitors? Even amongst the twelve there was one ●udas, but shall we for his fault, censure worse of the eleven? God forbidden: art thou Prince or Peasant? art thou of the Nobility, or Commonalty? Art thou merchant or soldier? of the city or Country? Art thou Preacher or Auditor? Art thou Tutor or pupil? There have been of thy function bad and good, profane and holy. I induce these instances to confirm this common argument, that the use of any general thing is not for any one particular abuse to be condemned: for if that assertion stood firm, we should run into many notable inconveniences.  
Qui locus est templi● angustior hau● quoque vitet,  
In culpam si qua est ingeniosa suay.  
To proceed to the matter: First, playing is an ornament to the city, which strangers of all Nations, repairing hither, report of in their Countries, beholding them here with some admiration: for what variety of entertainment can there be in any city of Christendom, more than in London? But some will say, this dish might be very well spared out of the banquet: to him I answer, Diogenes▪ that used too seed on roots, cannot relish a marchpane. Secondly, our English tongue, which hath been the most harsh, uneven, and broken language of the world, part Dutch, part Irish, Saxon, Scotch, Welsh, and indeed a gallimaffry of many, but perfect in none, is now by this secondary means of playing, continually refined, every writer striving in himself to add a new flourish unto it; so that in process, from the most rude and unpolished tongue, it is grown to a most perfect and composed language, and many excellent workers, and elaborate Poems writ in the same, that many Nations grow enamoured of our tongue (before despised.) Neither Saphicke, Jonicke, jambicke, Phaleuticke, Adonic, Gliconicke, Hexamiter, tetrametre, Pentamiter, Asclepediacke, Choriambicke, nor any other measured verse used amongst the Greeks', Latins, Italians▪ French, Dutch, or Spanish writers, but may be expressed in English, be it in blank verse, or meeter, in Distichon, or Hexastichon, or in what form or feet, or what number you can desire. Thus you see to what excellency our refined English is brought, that in these days we are ashamed of that Euphony & eloquence which within these 60 years, the best tongues in the land were proud to pronounce. Thirdly, plays have made the ignorant more apprehensive, taught the unlearned the knowledge of many famous histories, instructed such as cannot read in the discovery of all our English Chronicles: & what man have you now of that weak capacity, that cannot discourse of any notable thing recorded even from William the conqueror, nay from the landing of Brute, until this day, being possessed of their true use, For, or because plays are writ with this aim, and carried with this method, to teach the subjects obedience to their King, to show the people the untimely ends of such as have moved tumults, commotions, and insurrections, to present them with the flourishing estate of such as live in obedience, 
Use of Tragedies.  exhorting them to allegiance, dehorting them from all traitorous and felonious stratagems.  Omne genus scripti gravitate Tragedia vin●it. 
If we present a Tragedy, we include the fatal and abortive ends of such as commit notorious murders, 
Use of historical plays.  which is aggravated and acted with all the Art that may be, to terrify men from the like abhorred practices. If we present a foreign History, the subject is so intended, that in the lives of Romans, Grecians, or others, either the virtues of our countrymen are extolled, or their vices reproved, as thus, by the example of Caesar to stir soldiers to valour, & magnanimity: by the fall of Pompey, that no man trust in his own strength: we present Alexander, killing his friend in his rage, to reprove rashness: Midas, choked with his gold, to tax covetousness: Nero against tyranny: Sardanapalus, against luxury: Nynus, against ambition, with infinite others, by sundry instances, either animating men to noble attempts, 
Use of Morals.  or attaching the consciences of the spectators, finding themselves touched in presenting the vices of others. If a moral, it is to persuade men to humanity and good life, to instruct them in civility and good manners, showing them the fruits of honesty, 
Use of comedies.  and the end of villainy.  
Versibus exponi Tragicis res Comica non vult.  
Again, Horace, Arte Poëtica.  
Et nostri proavi Plautinos & numeros et  
Laudavere sales—  
If a Comedy, it is pleasantly contrived with merry accidents, and intermixed with apt and witty jests, to present before the Prince at certain times of solemnity, or else merrily fitted to the stage. And what is then the subject of this harmless mirth? either in the shape of a clown, to show others their slovenly and unhandsome behaviour, that they may reform that simplicity in themselves, which others make their sport, lest they happen to become the like subject of general scorn to an auditory, else it entreats of love, deriding foolish inamorates, who spend their ages, their spirits, nay themselves, in the servile and ridiculous employments of their Mistresses: and these are mingled with sportful accidents, to recreate such as of themselves are wholly devoted to melancholy, which corrupts the blood: or to refresh such weary spirits as are tired with labour, or study, to moderate the cares and heaviness of the mind, that they may return to their trades and faculties with more zeal and earnestness, after some small soft and pleasant retirement. Sometimes they discourse of Pantaloones, usurers that have unthrifty sons, which both the fathers and sons may behold to their instructions: sometimes of courtesans, to divulge their subtleties and snares, in which young men may be entangled, showing them the means to avoid them. If we present a pastoral, 
Use of Pastorals.  we show the harmless love of shepherds diversly moralised, distinguishing betwixt the craft of the city, and the innocency of the sheep-coat. Briefly, there is neither Tragedy, History, Comedy, moral or pastoral, from which an infinite use cannot be gathered. I speak not in the defence of any lascivious shows, scurrelous jests, or scandalous invectives: If there be any such, I banish them quite from my patronage; yet Horace, Sermon 1. satire 4. thus writes.  
Eupolis atque Cratinus Aristophanesque Poetae,  
Atque alij quorum Comaedia prisca virorum est:  
Si quis erat dignus describi, quod malus, aut fur,  
Quod Maechus foret, aut sicarius, aut alioqui,  
Famosus, multa cum libertate notabunt.  
Eupolis, Cratinus, Aristophanes, and other Comike Poets in ●he time of Horace, with large scope, and unbridled liberty boldly and plainly scourged all such abuses as in their ages were generally practised, to the staining and blemishing of a fair and beautiful commonweal. Likewise, a learned Gentleman in his Apology for Poetry, speaks thus: Tragedies well handled be a most worthy kind of poesy. Comedies make men see and shame at their faults, and proceeding further amongst other vniversity-playes, he remembers the Tragedy of Richard the third, acted in Saint john's in Cambridge, so essentially, that had the tyrant Phaleris ●eheld his bloody proceed, it had mollified his heart, and made him relent at sight of his inhuman massacres. Further, he commends of Comedies, the Cambridge Pedantius, and the Oxford Bellum Grammaticale; and leaving them passes on to our public plays, speaking liberally in their praise, and what commendable use may be gathered of them. If you peruse Margarita Poëtica, you may see what excellent uses and sentences he hath gathered out of T●rence his Andrea, Euenuchus, and the rest. Likewise out of Pl●utus his Amphi●rio, Asinaria, and moreover, Ex Comaedijs Philodoxis, Caroli Acretini: Defalsa Hip●●rita, & tristi Mer●urij, Ronsij versellensis: Ex Comaedia Philanira Vgolini parmensis, all reverend scholars, and comic Poets, read el●e the 4 Tragedies, Philunica, Petrus, Aman, Katherine, Cla●dij R●iletti Beluensis: But I should tyre myself to reckon the names of all French, Roman, German, Spanish, Italian, and English Poets, being in number infinite, and their labours extant to approve their worthiness.  
Is thy mind Noble? and wouldst thou be further stirred up to magnanimity? Behold, upon the stage thou Mayst see Hercules, Achilles, Alexander, Caesar, Alcib●ades, Lys●nder, Sertorius, Hannibal, Antigonus, Philip of Ma●ed 〈◊〉, Methridates of Pontus, Pyrrhus of Epir●, Age●laus among the Lacedæmonians, Epaminond●s, amongst the Th●hans: Scevola alone entering the armed tents of Porsenna: Horatius Cho●●es alone withstanding the whole army of the He●rurian▪ Leonides of Sparta, choosing a lion to lead a band of Dee●●, rather than one dear to conduct an army of lions, with infinite others in their own persons qualities, & shapes, animating thee with courage, deterring thee from cowardice. Hast thou of thy Country well deserved? and art thou of thy labour evil requited? to associate thee thou mayest see the valiant Roman Marcellus pursue Hannibal at Nola, conquering Syracuse, vanquishing the Gauls, all Padua, and presently (for his reward) banished his Country into Greece. There thou mayest see Scipio Affricanus, now triumphing for the conquest of all Africa, and immediately exiled the confines of Romania. Art thou inclined to lust? behold the falls of the Tarquins, in the rape of Lucrece: the guerdon of luxury in the death of Sardanapalus: Appius destroyed in the ravishing of Virginia, and the destruction of Troy in the lust of Helena. Art thou proud? our Scene presents thee with the fall of Phaeton, Narcissus pining in the love of his shadow, ambitious Hamon, now calling himself a God, and by and by thrust headlong among the devils. We present men with the ugliness of their vices, to make them the more to abhor them, as the Persians use, who above all sins, loathing drunkenness, accustomed in their solemn feasts, to make their servants and captives extremely overcome with wine, and then call their children to view their nasty and loathsome behaviour, making them hate that sin in themselves, which showed so gross and abominable in others. The like use may be gathered of the drunkards so naturally imitated in our plays, to the applause of the Actor, content of the auditory, and reproving of the vice. Art thou covetous? go no further than Plautus his Comedy called Euclio.  
Dum fallax servus, durus pater, improba lena  
Vixerit, & meretrixblanda, Menandros erit.  
While there's false servant, or obdurate sire,  
Sly bawd, smooth whore, Menandros we'll admire.  
To end in a word. Art thou addicted to prodigality? Envy? cruelty? Perjury? flattery? or rage? our Scenes afford thee store of men to shape your lives by, who be frugal, loving, gentle, trusty, without soothing, and in all things temperate. Wouldst thou be honourable? Just, friendly, moderate, devout, merciful, and loving concord? thou mayest see many of their fates and ruins, who have been dishonourable, injust, ●alse, gluttonous, sacrilegious, bloody-minded, and brochers of dissension. Women likewise that are chaste, are by us extolled, and encouraged in their virtues, being instanced by Diana, Belphebe, Matilda, Lucrece and the Countess of Salisbury. The unchaste are by us showed their errors, in the persons of Phrin●, Lais, ●hais, Flora: and amongst us, Rosamond, and Mistress Shore. What can sooner print modesty in the souls of the wanton, then by discovering unto them the monstruousness of their sin? It follows that we prove these exercises to have bee●e the discoverers of many notorious murders, long concealed from the eyes of the world. To omit all far-fetched instances, we will prove it by a domestic, and home-born truth, which within these few years happened. 
A strange accident happening at a play.  At Lin in Norfolk, the then Earl of Sussex players acting the old History of friar Francis, & presenting a woman, who insatiately doting on a young gentleman, had (the more securely to enjoy his affection) mischievously and seceretly murdered her husband, whose ghost haunted her, and at divers times in her most solitary and private contemplations, in most horrid and fearful shapes, appeared, and stood before her. As this was acted, a townes-woman (till then of good estimation and report) finding her conscience (at this presenment) extremely troubled, suddenly skritched and cried out Oh my husband, my husband! I see the ghost of my husband fiercely threatening and menacing me. At which shrill and vexpected outcry, the people about her, moved to a strange amazement, inquired the reason of her clamour, when presently un-urged, she told them, that seven years ago, she, to be possessed of such a Gentleman (meaning him) had poisoned her husband, whose fearful image personated itself in the shape of that ghost: whereupon the murderess was apprehended, before the justices further examined, & by her voluntary confession after condemned. That this is true, as well by the report of the Actors as the records of the town, there are many eye-witnesses of this accident yet living, vocally to confirm it.  
As strange an accident happened to a company of the same quality some 12 years ago▪ or not so much, 
A strange accident happening at a play.  who playing late in the night at a place called Perin in Cornwall, certain Spaniards were landed the same night unsuspected, and undiscovered, with intent to take in the town, spoil and burn it, when suddenly, even upon their entrance, the players (ignorant as the townsmen of any such attempt) presenting a battle on the stage with their drum and trumpets struck up a loud alarm: which the enemy hearing, and fearing they were discovered, amazedly retired, made some few idle shot in a bravado, and so in a hurly burly fled disorderly to their boats. At the report of this tumult, the townsmen were immediately armed, and pursued them to the sea, praising God for their happy deliverance from so great a danger, who by his providence made these strangers the instrument and secondary means of their escape from such imminent mischief, and the tyranny of so remorseless an enemy.  
Another of the like wonder happened at Amsterdam in Holland, 
A strange accident happening at a play.  a company of our English Comedians (well known) traveling those countries, as they were before the burghers and other the chief inhabitants, acting the last part of the 4 sons of Aymon, towards the last act of the history, where penitent R●naldo▪ like a common labourer, lived in disguise, vowing as his last penance, to labour & carry burdens to the structure of a goodly Church there to be erected: whose diligence the labourers envying, since byreason of his stature and strength, he did usually perfect more work in a day, than a dozen of the best, (he working for his conscience, they for their Lucre's.) Whereupon by reason his industry had so much disparaged their living, conspired amongst themselves to kill him, waiting some opportunity to find him asleep, which they might easily do, since the forest labourers are the soundest sleepers, and industry is the best preparative to rest. Having spied their opportunity, they drove a nail into his temples, of which wou●d immediately he died. As the Actors handled this, the audience might on a sudden understand an outcry, and loud shriek in a remote gallery, and pressing about the place, they might perceive a woman of great gravity, strangely amazed, who with a distracted & troubled brain oft sighed out these words: Oh my husband, my husband! The play, without further interruption, proceeded; the woman was to her own house conducted, without any apparent suspicion, every one conjecturing as their fancies led them. In this agony she some few days languished, and on a time, as certain of her well disposed neighbours came to comfort her, one amongst the rest being churchwarden, to him the Sexton posts, to tell him of a strange thing happening him in the ripping up of a grave: see here (quoth he) what I have found, and shows them a fair skull, with a great nail pierced quite through the brainpan, but we cannot conjecture to whom it should belong, nor how long it hath lain in the earth, the grave being confused, and the flesh consumed. At the report of this accident, the woman, out of the trouble of her afflicted conscience, discovered a former murder. For 12 years ago, by driving that nail into that skull, being the head of her husband, she had treacherously slain him. This being publicly confessed, she was arraigned, condemned, adjudged, and burned. But I draw my subject to greater length than I purposed: these therefore out of other infinites, I have collected, both for their familiarness and lateness of memory.  
Thus our Antiquity we have brought from the Gr●cian● in the time of Hercules: from the Maced●nians in the age of Alexand●r: from the Romans long before julius Caesar, and since him, through the reigns of 23 Emperors succeeding, even to Marcus Aurelius: after him they were supported by the Mantuans, Venetians, Valencians, Neopolitans, the Florentines, and others: since, by the Germane Princes, the palsgrave, the landsgrave, the Dukes of Saxony, of Brounswicke, etc. 
Cardinal Al●onsus.  The Cardinal at Brussels, hath at this time in pay, a company of our English Comedians. The French King allows certain companies in Paris, Orleans, besides other Cities: so doth the King of Spain, in Civil, Madrill, and other provinces. But in no Country they are of that eminence that ours are: so our most royal, and ever renowned sovereign, hath licensed us in London: so did his predecessor, the thrice virtuous virgin, Queen Elizabeth, and before her, her sister, Queen Mary, Edward the sixth, and their father, Henry the eighth: and before these in the tenth year of the reign of Edward the fourth, Anno 1490. John Stowe, an ancient and grave Chronicler, records (amongst other varieties tending to the like effect) that a play was acted at a place called Skinners well, fast by Clerken-well, which continued eight days, and was of matter from Adam and Eve, (the first creation of the world.) The spectators were no worse than the Royalty of England. And amongst other commendable exercises in this place, the Company of the Skinners of London held centaine yearly solemn plays. In place whereof, now in these latter days, the wrestling, 
Times kept tied.  and such other pastimes have been kept, and is still held about Bartholomew-tide. Also in the year 1390. the 14 year of the reign of Richard the second, the 18. of July, were the like interludes recorded of at the same place, which continued 3 days together, the King and Queen, and Nobility being there present. Moreover, to this day, in divers places of England, there be towns that hold the privilege of their fairs, and other Charters by yearly stage-plays, as at Manningtree in Suffolk, Kendal in the North, & others. To let these pass, as things familiarly known to all men. Now to speak of some abuse lately crept into the quality, as an inveighing against the State, the Court, the Law, the city, and their governments, with the particularizing of private men's humours (yet alive) noblemen, & others. I know it distastes many; neither do I any way approve it, nor dare I by any means excuse it. The liberty which some arrogate to themselves, committing their bitterness, and liberal invectives against all estates, to the mouths of Children, supposing their juniority to be a privilege for any railing, be it never so violent, I could advise all such, to curb and limit this presumed liberty within the bands of discretion and government. But wise and iuditial Censurers, before whom such complaints shall at any time hereafter come, will not (I hope) impute these abuses to any transgression in us, who have ever been careful and provident to shun the like. I surcease to prosecute this any further, lest my good meaning be (by some) misconstrued: and fearing likewise, lest with tediousness I tyre the patience of the favourable Reader, here (though abruptly) I conclude my third and last TREATISE.  〈…〉  

To my approved good Friend, Mr. Nicholas Okes.  
THE infinite faults escaped in my book of Britain's Troy, by the negligence of the Printer, as the misquotations, mistaking of syllables, misplacing half lines, coining of strange and never heard of words. These being without number, when I would have taken a particular account of the Errata, the Printer answered me, he would not publish his own disworkemanship, but rather let his own fault lie upon the neck of the Author: and being fearful that others of his quality, had been of the same nature, and condition, and finding you on the contrary, so careful, and industrious, so serious and laborious to do the Author all the rights of the press, I could not choose but gratulate your honest endeavours with this short remembrance. Here likewise, I must necessarily insert a manifest injury done me in that work, by taking the two Epistles of Paris to Helen, and Helen to Paris, and printing them in a less volume, under the name of another, which may put the world in opinion I might steal them from him; and he to do himself right, hath since published them in his own name: but as I must acknowledge my lines not worthy his patronage, under whom he hath published them, so the Author I know much offended with M. Jaggard (that altogether unknown to him) presumed to make so bold with his name. These, and the like dishonesties I know you to be clear of; and I could wish but to be the happy Author of so worthy a work as I could willingly commit to your care and workmanship.  Yours ever THOMAS HEYWOOD.