624 Wisconsin Academy of Sciences , Arts , and Letters. 
wryte or speake copiously, and truly agaynst the bad effectes of 
Stageplayes, in generall; but in owre cause, it is rather to be con¬ 
sidered, how trwly, and charitably suche thinges may be applyed 
agaynst vs, then howe eloquently thay may be enforced, all truthe 
in deede, agrees with truthe; but evry truthe, proves not evrye 
truthe. for what proportion is there betweene thos thinges which 
you enlarge in your Maior; and thos thinges which in particular 
application agaynst vs, are vsed in your Minor ? As first, owre 
younge men dansed only twoe solleme measures, withowte any 
lyter galliarde, or other danse, only for a decorum, to note therby 
vnto the auditorye, what revelinge thay weare to imagin the 
wooers vsed within, and yet truly if I might have over-ruled the 
matter, evne that littell also, had byn lefte owte; because I feared 
lest it shoulde be ill taken, thoughe I thought there was no ill in 
the thinge, as I nowe perceyve my feare was not vayne. but 
what are the leadinge or treadinge of twoe Measures, to the in- 
com/nodytyes of dansinge which you insinuate? what Herode 
coulde be inflamed? what Propertius ravished? what flame of lust 
kindled therby in menns hartes? what woundes of love imprinted? 
whose senses coulde be moved, or affections delyted more then 
ought to be, or may honestly be? what enemyes of chastetye 
made by this sight? what stronge or constant harte vaniquished, 
nay what reede shaken therby? what so muche as flaxe or towe 
sett on fyre? As for the danger of kissinge of bewtifull boyes, I 
knowe not howe this suspition shoulde reache to vs. for it is vntrwe, 
whoesoever towlde you so 1 , that owre Eurymachus did kisse owre 
Melantho. I have enquyred of the partyes them selves, whether 
any suche action was vsed by them, and thay constantly denye 
it; sure I ame, no suche thinge was taught, if you coniecture there 
was kissinge because Melantho spake this verse, Furtiua nullus 
oscula Eurymachus dabitf you may perhapps therby dislike my 
discretion for makinge a younge paynym Ladye, so to bewayle 
her shamfull deathe (thoughe I can not thinke yet, howe I shoulde 
mende it) yet, therby no kissinge can be proved agaynst vs, but 
that rather, that thinge only in wordes was expressed, which was 
thought decent for suche a one as she was, <1p. 56> and in her case, 
to vtter. We hartely pray you, Sir, to make a greate difference 
1 Wherefore, in my iudgment considering what your selfe doo grant, or 
must by consequence, such playes as bring in wooers masked, and dansing, 
using much vnmodest behauiour in woordes and deedes; young men in wemens 
raiment, and supposed to be gentlewemen, dansing with them; Eurymachus 
kissing of Melantho, and Melantho bewailing the case that no more kissing nor 
dansing now, when she must be hanged: Riuales fond, & amarous; mariners 
beastly dronken; Phaedra incestuously embracing, and endevouring to inflame 
her sonne Hippolytus with loue-speeches; the Nurse, and a new Nymph thereto, 
bringing iewell enough to heale [heate? See Overthrow, p. 104.] and melt a 
heart of yse or snow. [ Overthrow , p. 20.] 
* Ulysses Redux, Act. 5, sig. E 5 verso. 
