'GUY DE SEVE DE ROCHE CHOUART by the grace of God, &c. Bishop of _Arras_. To all the Faithful in the Town of _Arras_ Health and Benediction. A man must be very ignorant of his Religion, not to know the great disgust it has always declar'd, for _Publick Sights_, and for _Plays_ in particular. The Holy _Fathers_ condemn them in their writings; They look upon them as reliques of Heathenism, and Schools of Debauchery. They have been always abominated by the Church; And notwithstanding those who are concern'd in this Scandalous Profession; are not absolutely expell'd by a Formal Excommunication, yet She publickly refuses them the Sacraments, and omits nothing upon all occasions, to show her aversion for this Employment, and to transfuse the same sentiments into her Children. The _Rituals_ of the best govern'd Dioceses, have ranged the _Players_ among those whom the Parish Priests are oblig'd to treat as Excommunicated Persons. The _Ritual_ of _Paris_ joyns them with Sorcerers, and Magicians, and looks upon them as notoriously infamous; The most eminent Bishops for Piety, have publickly denied them the Sacraments: For this reason, we our selves have known one of the most considerable Bishops in _France_, turn back a _Player_ that came to be Married; And an other of the same order, refused to bury them in Consecrated Ground. And by the _Orders_ of a Bishop, who is much more illustrious for his worth, for his Piety, and the Strictness of his Life, than for the _Purple_ in his Habit; They are thrown amongst Fornicators, Usurers, Blasphemers, Lewd Women, and declar'd Excommunicates, amongst the Infamous, and Simoniacal, and other Scandalous Persons who are in the List of those who ought publickly to be barr'd Communion. 'Unless therfore we have a mind to condemn the Church, the Holy Fathers, and the most holy Bishops, 'tis impossible to justifie _Plays_; neither is the Defence of those less impracticable, who by their Countenance of these Diversions, not only have their share of the Mischief there done, but contribute at the same time to fix these unhappy Ministers of Satan in a Profession, which by depriving them of the Sacraments of the Church, leaves them under a constant necessity of Sinning, and out of all hopes of being saved, unless they give it over.----' From the general Unlawfulness of _Plays_, the Bishop proceeds to argue more strongly against seeing them at times which are more particularly devoted to Piety, and Humiliation: And therefore he strickly forbids his Diocess the _Play-House_ in _Advent_, _Lent_, or under any publick _Calamity_. And at last concludes in this Manner.