's Day. Luther had thought the
injunction to rest on the Seventh Day a bit of Jewish ceremonial
abrogated by the new dispensation and that, after attending church, the
Christian might devote the day to what work or pleasure he thought
proper. Calvin, however, forbade all work and commanded attendance on
sermons, of which an abundance were offered to the devout. In addition
to Sunday services there were, as in the Catholic church, morning
prayers every work day and a second service three days a week. All
ceremonies with a vestige of popery about them were forbidden.
[Sidenote: 1555] The keeping of Christmas was prohibited under pain of
fine and imprisonment.

"As I see that we cannot forbid men all diversions," sighed Calvin, "I
confine myself to those that are really bad." This class was
sufficiently large. The {172} theater was denounced from the pulpit,
especially when the new Italian habit of giving women's parts to
actresses instead of to boys was introduced. According to Calvin's
colleague Cop, "the women who mount the platform to play comedies are
full of unbridled effrontery, without honor, having no purpose but to
expose their bodies, clothes, and ornaments to excite the impure
desires of the spectators. . . . The whole thing," he added, "is very
contrary to the modesty of women who ought to be shamefaced and shy."
Accordingly, attendance on plays was forbidden.

[Sidenote: Supervision of conduct]

Among other prohibited amusements was dancing, especially obnoxious as
at that time dances were accompanied by kisses and embraces. Playing
cards, cursing and swearing were also dealt with, as indeed they were
elsewhere. Among the odd matters that came before the Consistory were:
attempted suicide, possessing the _Golden Legend_ (a collection of
saints' lives called by Beza "abominable trash"), paying for masses,
betrothing a daughter to a Catholic, fasting on Good Friday, singing
obscene songs, and drunkenness. A woman was chastized for taking too
much wine even though it did not intoxicate. Some husbands were mildly
reprimanded, not for beating their wives which was tolerated by
contemporary opinion, but for rubbing salt and vinegar into the wales.
Luxury in clothing was suppressed; all matters of color and quality
regulated by law, and even the way in which women did their hair. In
1546 the inns were put under the direct control of the government and
strictly limited to the functions of entertainin