euery way into the cittie from that time tyll towardes nine of the clocke and past: and specially ouer London bridge, many were carried in Chayres, & led betwixt their freendes, and so brought home wyth sorrowfull and heauy heartes lyke lame cripples. They say also that at the first, when the Scaffolde cracked (as it did once or twise) there was a crye of fire fire, which set them in such a maze as was wonderfull, so that as destitute of their wits they stood styll, and could make no shifte for them selues, till the Scaffold was made euen with the ground. . . . Amongst the rest it is credibly reported that there was one Woman, that beeing in the Gallery, threw downe her childe before her, & leaped after herselfe; and yet thankes bee to God neyther of both had any maner of hurt, so was it with diuers others. But it shoulde appere that they were most hurt and in danger, which stoode vnder the Galleries on the grounde, vpon whom both the waight of Timbre and people fel. And sure it was a miraculous worke of God, that any one of those should haue escaped. But heere also God shewed his power for one man falling downe into an hole as if it had beene some sawpit, it pleased God that it was the meane of his deliuerance, so as all things that fell vpon him did not touch him, and by that hee was preserued, wheras two of th'other were slaine of either side of him.' C. iii. Urges the magistrates to 'take order especially on the Sabaoth dayes that no Cittizen or Cittizens seruauntes haue libertie to repaire vnto any of those abuse places, that albeit the place be without the Cittie, and by that meanes they haue not to deale with them, yet that they keepe theyr Beares out, and their straggling Wantons in, that they may be better occupied. And as they haue with good commendation so far preuailed, that vppon Sabaoth dayes these Heathenishe Enterludes and Playes are banished, so it wyll please them to followe the matter still, that they may be vtterly rid and taken away. For surely it is to be feared, beesides the distruction bothe of bodye and soule, that many are brought vnto, by frequenting the Theater, the Curtin and such like, that one day those places will likewise be cast downe by God himselfe, & being drawen with them a huge heape of such contempners and prophane persons vtterly to be killed and spoyled in their bodyes. God hath giuen them as I haue heard manye faire warninges already. . . . January 17, 1583.'
xxxii. 1583. Phillip Stubbes.
[From The Anatomie of Abuses: Contayning a Discoverie, or briefe
Summarie of such Notable Vices and Imperfections, as now raigne in many
Christian Countreyes of the Worlde: but (especiallie) in a verie famous Ilande
called Ailgna (S. R. 1 Mar. 1583; eds. 1 May 1583, 16 Aug. 1583, 1584,
1585, 1595), as reprinted by F. J. Furnivall (1877-9, N. S. S.); other
reprints are by W. D. Turnbull (1836, from 1585) and J. P. Collier (1870).
Stubbes, a layman and Londoner, was author of various ballads and
pamphlets during 1581-93. A second part of The Anatomie of Abuses
(S. R. 7 Nov. 1583) has not been reprinted.]
[Summary and Extracts.] The book, which is 'made dialogue-wise'
between Spudeus and Philoponus, who does most of the denunciation,
