Some Things about Theatres.
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publicly in the church, and dares then any ChristianWomantobesomorethanwhoreshly impudent, as to act, to speak publiquely on a stage (perchance in man's apparell and cut haire) in presence of sundrie men and women?" So the court did not approve of Master Prynne. He with his fellow Puri tans, however, had their turn a little later; and then, in September, 1642, the Lords and Commons passed an ordinance which, after a brief and solemn preamble, commanded "that while these sad causes and set times of humiliation do continue (i.e., the Civil War), public stage-plays shall cease and be forborne"; afterwards in 1647 stringent or dinances gave summary powers to magis trates against players found performing; and in 1648 the Parliament passed an act or ordinance for the suppression of stageplays and interludes. The preamble recited that the " acts of stage-plays, interludes and common plays, condemned by ancient Heathens and much less to be tolerated amongst professors of the Christian Religion, is the occasion of many sundry and great vices and disorders, tending to the high prov ocation of God's wrath and displeasure, which lie heavy upon this kingdom, and to the disturbance of the peace thereof," and so declared that all players were rogues within the meaning of 39 Eliz. and 7 Jac. I. : • Good people I have played the beast, the act authorized the Lord Mayor, justices And brought ill things to passe : I was a man, but thus have made of the peace and sheriffs to pull down and My selfe a silly asse.'" demolish all stage-galleries, seats and boxes; It was during this reign that our friend it enacted the punishment of public whipp Prynne was taken by the ears, as mentioned ing upon all players for the first offence, above : the Queen, Henrietta Maria, had and for the second offence it declared that taken part in the rehearsal of a ballet just be they were to be deemed incorrigible and fore, or just after, the sheet of his Histrio- dealt with accordingly; it appropriated all mastix was passed through the press in money collected from the spectators for the which he said that all who danced, or looked poor of the parish; it imposed a fine of five on at dancing, assisted in a lewd service of shillings upon every person present at the performance of a play; and it ordered all the devil, and also that all who danced shat mayors, bailiffs, constables and other officers, tered the whole decalogue. He also pub lished other remarks still more impolite, such soldiers and other persons to assist the as " woman actors notorious whores," and authorities in the due execution of its Dra that " St. Paul prohibits woman to speak conian decrees. Yet even after this act the
about two or three of the clock in the morn ing: Wee doe therefore order and decree that the Right Honorable John, Lord Bishopp of Lincolne shall for his offence, erect a free schoole in Eaton, or else at Greate Staughton, and endowe the same with j£20 per annum for the maintenance of the school-master for ever. Likewise wee doe order that Sir Sydney Montague, Knyght, for his offence shall give to the poore of Huntingdone £5, and his lady for her offence, five blacke gownes to five poore widdowes, uppon Ncw-yeares day next. "Likewise wee doe order, that Mr. Wil liams, Mr. Trye, Mr. Harding, Mr. Hazarde and Mr. Hatton shall each one of them give a blacke coate, and 5 s. in money, unto 5 poore men in Brigden, uppon New Years day nexte. Likewise wee doe order, that Mr. Wilson, because hee was a special plot ter and contriver of this business, and did in such a brutishe manner acte the same with an asses head : and therefore hee shall, uppon Tuesday next from 6 of the clocke in the morning till six of the clocke at night, sitt in the Porters Lodge at my Lords Bishopps House, with his feet in the stocks, and attyred with his asse head and a bottle of haysette before him and this subscription on his breast:
