Stubbes, Anatomie of Abuses

sigs P.i.verso–P.iij.verso

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Beare baiting and o-
ther exercyses, vsed vnlawfully
in AILGNA.

Philoponus.

THese Hethnicall exercyses vpon the Sabaoth day, which ye Lord hath consecrat to holy vses, for the glory of his Name, and our spirituall comfort, are not in any respect tollerable, or to be suffered. For, is not the baiting of a Bear, besides that it is a filthie, stinking, | and lothsome game, a daungerous & perilous exercise: wherein a man is in daunger of his life euery minut of an houre: which thing, though it weare not so, yet what exercyse is this meet for any Christian? what christen heart can take pleasure to see one poore beast to rent, teare, and kill another, and all for his foolish pleasure? And although they be bloody beasts to mankind, & seeke his destruction, yet we are not to abuse them, for his sake who made them, & whose creatures they are. For, notwithstanding that they be euill to vs, & thirst after our blood, yet are thei good creatures in their own nature & kind, & made to set foorth the glorie & magnificence of the great God, & for our vse, & therfore for his sake not to be abused. It is a mon saying amongst all men, borowed from ye french: Qui aime Iean, aime son chien, loue me, loue my dog, so loue God, loue his creatures.

If any should abuse, but the dog of another mans, wold not he who oweth the dog think yat the abuse therof resulteth to himselfe? And shall we abuse ye creatures of God, yea take pleasure in abusing them, & yet think yat the contumely don to them redoundeth not to him who made them? but admit it weare graunted that it weare lawfull to abuse the good Creatures of God, yet is it not lawfull for vs to spend our golden yeers in such ydle and vaine exercyses daylie and hourelie as we do.

And some, who take themselues for no small fooles are so farre assorted, that they will not stick to keep a dosen, or a score of great mastiues and bandogs, to their no small charges, for the maintenance of this goodly game (forsooth) and will not make anie bones of. xx. xl. C. pound. at once to hazard at a bait: with feight dog, feight beare (say they), the deuill part all. And to be plaine, I thinke the Deuill is the Maister of the game, beareward and all. A goodly pastyme, forsoth, worthie of commendation, and wel fitting these Gentlemen of such reputation. But how muche the Lord is offended for the prophanation of his Sabaoth by such vnsauorie exercyses, his Heauenly Maiestie of late hath reueiled, pouring foorth his heauie wrath, his fearfull iudgements, and dreadfull vengeance vppon the Beholders of these vanities.

A Fearfull Example
of GOD his Iudgement vpon The
prophaners of his
Sabaoth.

VPon the 13. day of Ianuarie last, being the Sabaoth day, Anno .1583. the People, Men, Wemen and Children, both yonge and old, an infinit number, flocking to | those infamous places, where these wicked exercyses are vsuallie practised (for they haue their courts, gardens, & yards for ye same purpose:) when they were all come together, and mounted aloft vpon their scaffolds, and galleries, and in middest of al their iolytie & pastime, all the whole building (not one stick standing) fell down with a most wonderfull and fearefull confusion So, that either two or three hundred, men, wemen, and children (by estimationn), wherof seuen were killed dead, some were wounded, some lamed, and othersome brused and crushed, almost to the death. Some had their braines dasht out, some their heads all to squasht, some their legges broken, some their arms, some their backs, some their shoulders, some one hurt, some another. So, that you should haue hard a woful crie, euen pearcing the skyes, parents bewayling their children, Children their louing Parents,: wyues their Husbands, and Husbands their wyues, marueilous to behould. This wofull spectacle and heauie iudgement, pitifull to heare of, but most ruefull to behold, did ye Lord send down from Heauen to shew vnto the whole World how greeuously he is offended with those that spend his Sabaoth in such wicked exercises: In ye meane tyme, leauing his temple desolat and emptie. God graunt all men may take warning hereby to shun the same, for feare of | like or worser Iudgement, to come

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