[2] There is a note to the table which shows that the book grew in size during the printing--"p. signifying the page, f. the folioes from pag. 513 to 545 (which exceeded the Printer's computation), m. the marginall notes: if you finde f. before any pages from 545 to 568, then looke the folioes which are overcast; if p. then the page following."
The entries in the index are so curious and one-sided in their accusations that it is worth while to quote some of them rather fully:
"Actors of popular or private enterludes for gaine or pleasure, infamous, unlawfull and that as well in Princes, Noblemen, Gentlemen, Schollers, Divines or Common Actors."
"Æschylus, one of the first inventors of Tragedies--his strange and sudden death."
"Christ wept oft, but never laughed--a puritan--dishonoured and offended with Stage playes."
"Crossing of the face when men go to plays shuts in the Devil."
"Devils, inventors and fomentors of stage plays and dancing. Have stage plays in hell every Lord's day night."
"Herod Agrippa smitten in theater by an angel and so died."
"Herod the great, the first erecter of a theater among the Jews who thereupon conspire his death."
"King James his statute against prophaning scripture and God's name in Playes--his Statutes make Players rogues and Playes unlawfull pastimes."
"Kings--infamous for them to act or frequent Playes or favour Players."
"Plagues occasioned by stage plays. All the Roman actors consumed by a plague."
"Players infamous ... ---- many of them Papists and most desperate wicked wretches."
"Play haunters the worst and lewdest persons for the most part...."
"Play-houses stiled by the Fathers and others, the Devil's temples, Chappels and synagogues...."
"Play-poets examples of God's judgements on the chiefest of them...."
"Puritans, condemners of Stage-playes and other corruptions stiled so--The very best and holiest Christians called so....--Christ, his prophets, apostles, the Fathers and Primitive christians Puritans as men now judged--hated and condemned onely for their grace yea holinesse of life--Accused of hypocrisie and sedition, and why."
"Puritan, an honourable nickname of Christianity and grace."
It was the strong terms in which women actors are denounced that gave such offence at Court, where the Queen and her ladies were specially attracted to the stage. Prynne's book was published six weeks before Henrietta Maria acted in a pastoral at Somerset House, so that the following passage could not have been intended to allude to the Queen:[3]
