Christian? what christen heart can take pleasure to see one poore beast to rent, teare, and kill another, and all for his foolish pleasure?. . . And, to be plaine, I thinke the Deuill is the Maister of the game, bearward and all.' A Fearfull Example of God his Iudgement vpon the prophaners of his Sabaoth. P. 179. Describes the accident of 13 Jan. 1583, with the page-heading, 'A wofull cry at Syrap garden'. 'So that either two or three hundred men, women, and children (by estimation), wherof seuen were killed dead, some were wounded, some lamed, and othersome brused and crushed almost to the death.' A fearfull Iudgement of God, shewed at the Theaters. P. 180. 'The like Iudgement (almost) did the Lord shew vnto them a litle befor, being assembled at their Theaters, to see their bawdie enterluds and other trumperies practised: For he caused the earth mightely to shak and quauer, as though all would haue fallen down; wherat the People, sore amazed, some leapt down (from the top of the turrets, pinacles, and towres, wher they stood) to the ground; wherof some had their legs broke, some their arms, some their backs, some hurt one where, some another, and many sore crusht and brused; but not any but they went away sore affraid, & wounded in conscience. And yet can neither the one nor the other fray them from these diuelish exercyses, vntill the Lorde consume them all in his wrath; which God forbid! The Lord of his mercie open the eyes of the maiestrats to pluck down these places of abuse, that god may be honored and their consciences disburthened.'
xxxiii. 1583. Gervase Babington.
[From A very Fruitful Exposition of the Commandements by way of
Questions and Answers (1583), 316. More general references to the evils
of plays and bear-baiting are on pp. 190, 385. Babington was Fellow of
Trinity College, Cambridge, and tutor in the Earl of Pembroke's house at
Wilton; he afterwards became Bishop successively of Llandaff, Exeter,
and Worcester.]
These prophane & wanton stage playes or interludes: what an
occasion they are of adulterie and vncleanenesse, by gesture, by
speech, by conueyances, and deuices to attaine to so vngodly desires,
the world knoweth with too much hurt by long experience. Vanities
they are if we make the best of them. . . . But I referre you to them,
that vpon good knowledge of the abominations of them, haue written
largely & wel against them. If they be dangerous on the day time,
more daungerous on the night certainely: if on a stage, & in open
courtes, much more in chambers and priuate houses. For there are
manie roumes beside that where the play is, & peraduenture the
strangenes of the place & lacke of light to guide them, causeth errour
in their way, more than good Christians should in their houses
suffer.
