[From a print without title-page edited by D. Laing (1853, Sh. Soc.) under the title of A Defence of Poetry, Music and Stage Plays; part in Gregory Smith, i. 61. There can be little doubt that this is the Honest Excuses of Gosson's Apology and the suppressed work of Lodge referred to in his Alarum and Gosson, P. C. (Nos. xxx, xxxv, infra); cf. J. D. Wilson in M. L. R. iii. 166.]
[Summary and Extracts.] P. 3. 'There came to my hands lately
a litle (would God a wittye) pamphelet, baring a fayre face as though
it were the Scoole of Abuse.' Defends against Gosson poetry,
music, and thirdly players, for whose art he claims both 'antiquity'
and 'use and comoditye' as an instrument of moral criticism. P. 24.
Of comedies he says, 'Tulley defines them thus, Comedia (saith he)
is imitatio vitae, speculum consuetudinis, et imago veritatis'. P. 27. He
has concessions to make. 'I wish as zealously as the best that all
abuse of playinge weare abolished, but for the thing, the antiquitie
causeth me to allow it, so it be used as it should be. I cannot allow
the prophaning of the Sabaoth. I praise your reprehension in that;
you did well in discommending the abuse, and surely I wysh that
folly wer disclaymed; it is not to be admitted, it maks those sinne,
which perhaps if it were not, would have binne present at a good
sermon. It is in the magistrate to take away that order, and appoynt
it otherwyse. But sure it were pittie to abolish that which hath so
great vertue in it, because it is abused.' P. 28. He turns on the
critic. 'But, after your discrediting of playmaking, you salue upon
the sore somewhat, and among many wise workes there be some that
fitte your vaine: The Practice of Parasites is one, which I meruel
it likes you so well, since it bites you so sore. But sure in that I like
your judgement, and for the rest to, I approue your wit, but for the
pigg of your owne sow, (as you terme it) assuredly I must discommend
your verdit: Tell me, Gosson, was all your owne you wrote there?
did you borow nothing of your neyghbours? Out of what booke
patched you out Cicero's Oration? Whence fet you Catilin's Inuectiue?. . . .
Beleue me I should preferr Wilson's Shorte and sweete if
I were judge, a peece surely worthe prayse, the practice of a good
scholler; would the wiser would ouerlooke that, they may perhaps
cull some wisedome out of a player's toye.' Assents to Gosson's
rebuke of carders, dicers, fencers, bowlers, dancers, and tumblers.
[From The Ephemerides of Phialo and a short Apologie of the Schoole of
Abuse (1579; S. R. 7 Nov. 1579). A second edition appeared in 1586.
The Apologie is reprinted by E. Arber with The Schoole of Abuse (1868).]
[Extracts.] Epistle to Sidney. . . . Sith it hath beene my fortune
to bear sayle in a storme, since my first publishing the Schoole of
Abuse . . . I can not but acknowledge my safetie, in your Worships
patronage. The Ephemerides of Phialo. . . . I think it necessary,
before I set downe the discourses of Phialo . . . to whippe out those
