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…

Whereupon you add, to amplify the strange iniquity of my dealing, that of all other things you thought I would not, or could not have taken any exception to that speech of yours. In deed if I had taken the discipline of Momus in that sense you give it; your so ill collection of my so ill conceit should have some probability. But I ⟨p. 40⟩had declared that by the name of Momus you noted all reprovers of plays. And howsoever that be, whereof more hereafter: doubtless I meant scholars trained up by such in godliness and good learning, when I prayed that your actors might show greater fruit of their time well spent, then any that is bred up by Momusses discipline can. Which is plain and evident by the words following, in that I affirmed, that this which you term the discipline of Momus, is not his but Cyprian's, or rather the holy Ghosts. For God forbid that you should proceed from evil to worse in such excess of slandering, as to tell your actors, that I say, the discipline of the holy Ghost is the school of carping, nipping, depraving, & reprehending of every good thing. Now, though my conceit of them be so good, that I am persuaded, or rather know in part, they can show great fruit of their time well spent, and have in trial done it: yet I know withal some of so great towardness brought up by the other, that, if all your actors think they can show greater fruit than any of these, they will make me think their good conceit of themselves is worse than mine ill. And see of how different opinions you and I are about this matter. I know sundry scholars of rare expectation and hope in other Colleges, for whom my prayer is they may show as great fruit of their time well spent as some of these can: and yet in my judgement I have no ill conceit of them. You, unless I think that your Christ-church actors can show much greater fruit, do judge, and give sentence, that my conceit of them is ill: so ill, beyond all hue and cry, that it is a token I imply in covert speech (expounded charitably) that they are cast away, yea, cast away altogether, and irrecoverably lost.

Wherevpon you adde, to amplifie the straunge iniquitie of my dealing, that of all other things you thought I would not, or could not haue taken anie exception to that speech of yours. In deed if I had taken the discipline of Momus in that sense you give it; your so ill collection of my so ill conceit should haue some probabilitie. But I ⟨p. 40⟩