[From A Treatise wherein Dicing, Dauncing, Vaine playes, or Enterluds, with other idle pastimes, &c., commonly used on the Sabboth day, are reproued by the Authoritie of the word of God and auntient writers. n.d. H. Bynneman for George Byshop. This is doubtless the 'booke wherein Dycinge, dauncinge, vaine playenge and Interludes, with other idle pastimes, &c., comonlie used on the Saboth daie are reproved', entered for Bishop in S. R. on 2 Dec. 1577 (Arber, ii. 321). A second edition was printed in 1579. Northbrooke was a Gloucester minister. The book was edited by J. P. Collier (1843, Sh. Soc.).]
[Summary and Extracts.] The treatise is 'made dialoguewise'
between Youth and Age. Epistles to Sir John Yong and to The
Christian and Faithful Reader, dated respectively from Bristol and
Henbury. A Treatise against Idlenes, Idle Pastimes, and Playes. The
greater part deals generally with 'ydle playes and vaine pastimes'
and their relation to the Christian life. P. 82. Youth asks Age his
opinion of 'playes and players, which are commonly vsed and much
frequented in most places in these dayes, especiallye here in this noble
and honourable citie of London'. Age condemns 'stage playes and
enterludes' as 'not tollerable, nor sufferable in any common weale,
especially where the Gospell is preached; for it is right prodigalitie,
which is opposite to liberalitie'. Considers 'the giftes, buildings, and
maintenance of such places for players a spectacle and schoole for all
wickednesse and vice to be learned in', and particularly applies this
to 'those places also, whiche are made vppe and builded for such
playes and enterludes, as the Theatre and Curtaine is, and other such
lyke places. . . . Satan hath not a more speedie way, and fitter schoole
to work and teach his desire, to bring men and women into his snare
of concupiscence and filthie lustes of wicked whoredome, than those
places, and playes, and theatres are; and therefore necessarie that
those places, and players, shoulde be forbidden, and dissolued, and
put downe by authoritie, as the brothell houses and stewes are'.
Quotes the Fathers on the offences to chastity at theatres. P. 92.
Condemns the playing of 'histories out of the scriptures. By the
long suffering and permitting of these vaine plays, it hath stricken
such a blinde zeale into the heartes of the people, that they shame
not to say, and affirme openly, that playes are as good as sermons,
and that they learne as much or more at a playe, than they do at
God's worde preached. . . . Many can tarie at a vayne playe two or
three houres, when as they will not abide scarce one houre at a sermon. . . .
I speake (alas! with griefe and sorowe of heart) against those
people that are so fleshlye ledde, to see what rewarde there is giuen
to such crocodiles, whiche deuoure the pure chastitie bothe of single
and maried persons, men and women, when as in their playes you
shall learne all things that appertayne to craft, mischiefe, deceytes,
and filthinesse, &c. If you will learne howe to bee false and deceyue
your husbandes, or husbandes their wyues, howe to playe the harlottes,
to obtayne one's loue, howe to rauishe, howe to beguyle, howe to
betraye, to flatter, lye, sweare, forsweare, how to allure to whoredome,
