402 WeUinglon Administration, Slar-CJiamher, (^Oct. 



London, to hear and see four several plays ; and having observed the 

 woful effects of plays and playhouses in some young gentlemen of his 

 acquaintance, who, in half a year's space, by resorting to them became 

 prodigal, incontinent, and debauched, two whereof were disinherited by 

 their parents, whom he heard complaining with tears that plays and 

 playhouses had undone their children ; and having, in the four plays 

 which he himself saw, observed such wickedness as made him abhor 

 all stage-players," he was induced to draw up the discourse entitled 

 Histrio-Mastix, as a warning against their dangerous tendencies. For 

 the publication of this work, though duly licensed by the authorities 

 appointed to examine all works before tliey were printed, he was pro- 

 ceeded against in the court of Star- Chamber, and he was sentenced to 

 have his book burned by the hands of the common hangman ; to be 

 himself put from the bar, declared incapable of his profession ; expelled 

 Lincoln's Inn ; degraded at Oxford ; to stand in the pillory in Westmin- 

 ster and Cheapside ; to lose both his ears, one in each place, with a paper 

 on his head declaring it is for an " infmious libel" against both their 

 Majesties' state and government ; to pay 5,000/. fine to the king ; and, 

 lastly, to be imprisoned for life ! This sentence was not only executed, 

 but aggravated by a variety of harsh and savage persecutions. The only 

 part of it that was not executed to the letter was that of perpetual 

 imprisonment; for, eight years after (Anno 1U41), he was set at liberty 

 by an order of the House of Commons, his fine remitted, restored to his 

 degrees in the University of Oxford, to the Society of Lincoln's Inn, &c., 

 while those who were more immediately concerned in bringing him 

 before the Star-Chamber, were ordered to make him reparation of 

 damages. 



It would puzzle, we think, a modern lawyer, even though he were a 

 Whig and an attorney-general, to find in the ponderous and prolix pages 

 of the Histrio-Mastix, " an infamous libel against both their IMajesties' 

 state and government." Not that we are hardy enough to say it could 

 not be done ; for the convenient doctrine of constructive libel, and libel 

 by inuendo, putting words to the torture, as it were, and so extracting 

 a confession from them, possesses miraculous advantages. It is like 

 faith, and can remove mountains. In fact, it can do any tiling, except, 

 as we hope and ti'ust, mislead a jury. And it is not a little curious to 

 observe how Prynne's judges, in the Court of Star-Chamber, contrived 

 to twist out of his Histrio-Mastix, matter of libel against the state ; for, 

 when the proceedings were terminated, and the court prepared to give 

 their sentence, some of the members delivered their opinions ; and Fran- 

 cis, Lord Cottington, chancellor of the exchequer, as the lowest in 

 quality, begiTining. 



He said, that " in Mr. Prynne's libellous book was expressed a 

 malice against all mafikind, and, in a manner, against all thitigs. He 

 liketh nothing ; music, dancing, &c. unlawful even in kings ; no recrea- 

 tion or entertainment, no, not hawking ; all are damned. This is not 

 like other libels ; but in folio, in print, and justified by authors with a 

 high hand. He saith positively, not relatively, that our English ladies 

 have lost their modesty ; that the devil is honoured in dancing ; that 

 plays are the chief delights of the devil ; that they who frequent them 

 are damned ; and so are those who concur not with him in opinion, 



w s, panders and incarnate devils, Judases, &c. Princes who dance 



are infamous ; and this was the cause of untimely ends in princes. // is 



