Th'overthrow of stage-plays, by the way of controversy betwixt D. Gager and D. Rainoldes…Th'overthrow of stage-playes, by the way of controversie betwixt D. Gager and D. Rainoldes…

Howbeit, I should not complain of this rigour, but for the tail of it, and the sting of breeding evil will among brethren, which doeth lurk therein. The venom and poison whereof goeth about to spread it self abroad through more parts of your body, then Phemius, Eurymachus, & the players of women; by means that you likewise instill the same humour, at ⟨p. 37⟩least seek to instill it as much as in you lieth, into the rest of all your players, their teachers and instructors, and in conclusion your whole house. For whereas the third branch of our reasons, set down by you in Momus his name against plays, had avouched not only their time to be misspent who were employed therein, but some of their persons, their minds, corrupted also; and I, to show how cunningly you, encountering this proposed the loss of time alone and not of men, did declare that Cyprian writing of a stage-player, who made boys effeminate by instructing them how to play the women, and to express and counterfeit unhonest wanton gestures, saith, he was a master not of teaching but spilling children; and thereof did infer, that the loss of time should not have been objected so much against your plays, seeing some of the players (if they were like the youths whom Cyprian speaketh of) might reply as Phaedria, when Parmeno did tell him that his gift bestowed on Thais would be lost, Ego quoque unà pereo, quod mihi est carius; ne istuc tam iniquo patiare animo: behold, with how charitable applying of my words you come in thus upon me, The saying of Saint Cyprian against a stage-player, or of Phaedria of him self to Parmeno, can not be justly used against us. For he should do us great contumely, that should think, or say, that either we are masters not of teaching, but spilling children; or that both time and our young men were cast away altogether by those exercises. And to make a deeper impression in your young men that I do them this contumely, with an other also brought for proof hereof: you go forward thus: But it is no marvel that you imply so ill a conceit of them, if you doubt that, as I answered Momus, our actors can show greater fruit of their time well spent, then any that is bred up by Mousses discipline can. For you pray God that they may: as doubting it is not so.

Howbeit, I should not complaine of this rigour, but for the taile of it, and the sting of breeding euill will among brethren, which doeth lurke therein. The venome and poyson whereof goeth about to spred it selfe abroad through more partes of your body, then Phemius, Eurymachus, & the players of women; by meanes that you likewise instill the same humour, at