Histrio-mastix. The players scourge, or, actors tragaedie, divided into two parts. Wherein it is largely evidenced, by divers arguments, by the concurring authorities and resolutions of sundry texts of Scripture; of the whole primitive church, both under the law and gospell; of 55 synodes and councels; of 71 fathers and Christian writers, before the yeare of our Lord 1200; of above 150 foraigne and domestique protestant and popish authors, since; of 40 heathen philosophers, historians, poets; of many heathen, many Christian nations, republiques, emperors, princes, magistrates; of sundry apostolicall, canonicall, imperiall constitutions; and of our owne English statutes, magistrates, universities, writers, preachers. That popular stage-playes (the very pompes of the Divell which we renounce in baptisme, if we beleeve the fathers) are sinfull, heathenish, lewde, ungodly spectacles, and most pernicious corruptions; condemned in all ages, as intolerable mischiefes to churches, to republickes, to the manners, mindes, and soules of men. And that the profession of play-poets, of stage players; together with the penning, acting, and frequenting of stage-playes, are unlawfull, infamous and misbeseeming Christians. All pretences to the contrary are here likewise fully answered; and the unlawfulnes of acting of beholding academicall enterludes, briefly discussed; besides sundry other particulars concerning dancing, dicing, health-drinking, &c. of which the table will informe you. By William Prynne, an vtter-barrester of Lincolnes Inne.
William Prynne (1600-1669)
Category
Books
Date
1633
Materials
Place of origin
London
Collection
Blickling Hall, Norfolk
NT 3049048
Summary
Bibliographic description
[36], 512 p., 513-568 leaves, 545-832 [i.e. 830], [2], 831-1006, [40] p. ; 4to. Running number: 7406. Provenance: manuscript initial on second front fly-leaf: "M." [i.e. catalogue code of John Mitchell (ca. 1685-1751), librarian to Sir Richard Ellys (1682-1742)]. Binding: seventeenth-century English full sprinkled calf; sewn on four tawed leather raised bands; double blind fillet border; single gilt fillet along board edges; double blind fillet decoration on spine. Red stained textblock edges. Two large pieces of vellum waste line the spine.
Makers and roles
William Prynne (1600-1669), author