{"collection":"philosophy-ethics","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_10108/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_10108","id":"gutenberg_10108","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/10108","summary":null,"tags":["Category: History - Religious","Category: Philosophy & Ethics","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Dance -- Moral and ethical aspects -- Early works to 1800","Theater -- Moral and ethical aspects -- Early works to 1800"],"text":"A Treatise Of Daunses, wherin it is shewed, that they are as it were\naccessories and dependants (or thynges annexed) to whoredome: where\nalso by the way is touched and proued, that _Playes are ioyned and\nknit togeather in a rancke or rowe with them._\n\nI. Thessal. 5.\n\n_Let eurie one possesse his vessel in holines and honor._\n\nAnno 1581.\n\nA Treatise of Daunses, in which is shewed, that daunses bee\nintisementes to whoredome, and that the abuse of playes ought not to\nbe among Christians.\n\nI Doubt not, but that some, into whose handes this little treatise\nshall come, will thinke me to be at greate leasure, that haue\nenterprised largely to leuie out and handle this argument: which to\ntheir seeming is not otherwise of great importaunce. For be it that\ndaunses were allowed or condemned, or els yet they were putt in the\nrowe of thinges indifferent men might easily iudge according to their\nopinion, that that should not bring great profit or hurt to our\nchristian common wealth, seeing that ther are diuers pointes of\ngreater weight and consequence, which trouble the spirits of manye\nlearned men, & make afraide the consciences of the weake and simple\nones: which poyntes haue verye much nede to be opened and made plaine,\nrather then to trouble a mans selfe to write agaynst playes and\ndaunses. Furthermore men should be in very great forwardnes, if euery\nthinge were so well refourmed, that they were come euen unto daunses,\nthat is to say, that all that which is corrupted, and those abuses\nwhich beare the sway among Christians were so cut off, and this so\nsick a body againe so wel restored to his soundnes and health, that\nthere should remayne nothing els but to debate the question of leaping\nskippings and daunses.\n\nTher will be found an other manner & sort of people, who will make no\naccoumpte at all to mocke at this matter: as indeede the world is ful\nof mockers, and men without Godlines, without God, and without\nreligion. Now as concerninge these persons, they deserue no manner of\naunsweare at al, because they do as soone scoffe at the principall\npointes of christian religion, and that which directly concerneth the\nseruice of God, as matters of lesse weight and importaunce. Wherefore\nI not much regarding or caringe for the iudgement of such iudges, will\nlet them runne to the water with the bridle uppon their head, or in\ntheir necke, as they say. But as touchinge the first, because they bee\nnot altogeather malicious and obstinate, I hope, that ha= uing\naunsweared their obiections, and declared the reasons which haue\nmoued, yea rather driuen me forward or inforsed mee to descipher and\nsett out this matter, they will iudge my labour not to haue bene\naltogeather unprofitable.\n\nIt is then in the first place to bee wished and desired, that troubles\nbeyng pacified, and all dissentions repressed, and put out, the\nspirits and consciences of men, should be assured and thorowly\nperswaded of that which appertaineth to their saluation. And indeede\nour Lorde hath stirred and raised up so perfect an age in al sciences\n& know= ledge, in which so many learned men, and of excellent learning\nand knowledge, haue so blessedly and diligently imployed them= selues\nto teach us the order and maner to liue well, some after one sort and\nfashion, and some after an other, that those which be not yet\nsatisfyed, can not, or ought not, to lay the fault in any but in\nthemselues.\n\nNext all good men ought to wishe and desire that those which put their\nhande to (this is to say trauaile for) the reformation of maners,\nshould do it with such good argumentes, that there shoulde remayne, or\nbe left, but euen a very litle to be corrected and amended. And yet\nthis wish & desire should not let or hinder the trauaile of such as do\nindeuor to pull up by the rootes such herbes as be hurtful to the\nfield of the Lord, be they neuer so small and little: and I do, or\nwhich thing I labour to do in this little boke according to the\ntalente & graces which are geuen me from aboue.\n\nAdde also that if any do deeply & seasonably consider this matter, I\nhope he shal not finde it so barren and of little edification, that it\nought to be dispised or troden under foote: for many men of quality\n(yea euen in the company of notable personages) of name and authority,\nmake no conscience to demaunde and aske whether it be yll done to\ndaunce, demaunding also a formall or playne parcell and text of\nScripture, by which it may appeare that daunses be prohibited and\nforbidden, otherwise they think not that they do euill in\ndaunsing. Some others goe further and alledging or rather indeede\nabusing some peece of the Scripture, where it appeareth that the\nfaithfull haue leaped and daunsed: they thinke verily that they haue\nfounde the beane in the cake, as though this were a proper couerture &\ncloke to couer the infection and filthines of their daunces.\n\nSeyng then that many be foulie & grosely deceaued in this behalfe, and\nthat possible for want of beyng sufficiently instructed and informed\nor taught touching this matter, I haue bene so much the more willing\nto ease them in this question, by how much I hope to profit in common,\nthat is, to do good to the greatest multitude, as also being willing\nhereby to satisfy some which haue earnestly and instantly required it\nat my handes.\n\nNow to answeare them which demaund and aske a playne peece or text of\nScripture in which daunses should be forbidden, let them know that\nthere be many wicked and euill thinges which are not euidently and\nplaynly expressed in the Scripture, to be forbidden, notwithstanding\nthey bee of the same kynd and nature, or else dependences of some\nthynges which are therein expressed, and under which they ought to be\ncomprehended, or els when the contrary of these things is praised and\ncommended, we are sufficiently taught and instructed to cast them\naway, as things condemned by the holy Ghost, because ther is one & the\nselfe same reason in contrary things.\n\nI will place, & put in the order or rowe of the first, playes and\ndaunses: I meane such playes as by which man draweth or getteth to\nhymselfe, his neighboures money. It is true that wee fynd not in the\nScripture these words. Thou shalt not play, but wee find indeede these\nwordes. Thou shale not steale: Now that to gayne or get an other mans\nmoney at play shoulde not be a most manifest & plaine thieuery: none\nof sound iudgement will denie it. For hee which hath wonne or gotten\nit, by what title or right can he say, that such money is his: Verily\nwhen we get or win the money, or the goods of our brother, it must be\nwith the sweate of our face or browe, & that our laboure bringe him\nsome profite, that is to be profitable unto him: and euen as we\nreceaue his money or good: so must hee thorow our diligence and\ntrauaile receaue some profite. But when a man hath gotten his money by\nthe hazard or chaunce, as a man would say, of play, I pray you what\ncommoditye and profite commeth to him thereby: we must then conclude,\nthat this is a kind of theft: which although it be not playnly\nexpressed in the holye scripture, yet neuertheles it ought to bee\nreferred to the eight commaundement, in which it is sayd, Thou shalt\nnot steale.\n\nThe like is of daunses which wee may put in the first & second row or\norder. For although wee haue not any playne and expresse forbidding,\nwhere it should be sayd, Thou shalt not daunse, yet we haue a formall\nand plaine commaundement, Thou shalt not commit adultery, or\nwhoredome: to which the daunses ought to be referred.  [Sidenote: A\ndefinition of daunses.]  Now if one would aske me what daunses were: I\nwil answeare, that considering the sway which they haue at this day\namongest us Cristians, they bee nothing else but impudent, shameles,\nand dissolute gestures, by which the lust of the flesh is awaked,\nstirred by, and inflamed, as wel in men as in women. [Sidenote:\nDeut. 22. Titus. 2.]  Bat if honesty, modesty, and sobernes, be\nrequired in apparaile, & adorning of mens selues, as we see that it is\ncommended and commaunded in Deuteronomie, & seing that S. Paule also\nin his epistle to Titus, willeth that there should be among us a sober\nand holy countenaunce, singularly and specially in women, which\nordinarily be very curious in their garmentes, it is certayne and\nsure, that there is some poyson or venym hidden under the\ngrasse. [Sidenote: I. Pet. 3.]  And because it is so, S. Peter in his\nfirst canonicall or generall epistle, forbiddeth that women should\nappeare, shew, and sett out themselues by theyr apparayle and\nneatnes. Add that in many other places of the sayd holy scripture, the\ndiuersity and difference in attire and garmentes, is condemned, as\nprouoking to whoredome, and slipperines, by more stronge reason the\ndissolute and lewde gestures, which be practised by the proper and\nowne members of a mans bodye, ought to be cutt of, and banished from\namong christians. [Sidenote: Jud. 23.]  And S. Jude exhorteth us, to\nhaue, yea and that in hatred the garment which is defiled by the\nflesh, meaning under this figure & manner of speech, all inticementes\n& allurements which might draw us to any pollution, uncleannes, and\nfylthynes: what ought we to iudge in the excellency (as a man woulde\nsay) value and estimation of the flesh itselfe, which is so polluted\nand defyled, that it bringeth forth, and setteth out the pollution and\nfilthines thereof, by villanous and dishonest gestures. [Sidenote:\nEphe. 4. 29. Colos. 3.]  And when S. Paule in his epistles to the\nEphesians and Colossians, forbiddeth us all corrupt, infected, and\nfilthy speech, or woordes, is there not at the least as much, or as\ngreate occasion: [Sidenote: The eies.]  yea more or greater to\ncondemne dissolute and lewd gestures: for as concerning dishonest and\nunmeete woordes, they be gathered or receaued with our eares onely,\nbut as for villanous & dishonest gestures, they be so many obiects, or\nthinges set before our eyes, as if one shoulde set before us a painted\ntable, in which all villany infection, and filthines should be liuely\npourtraited and set out. [Sidenote: Mat. 5.]  Now that the sighte of\nall our senses is it which hath most force & strength to make us\nincline to uncleannes and filthynes, I will haue none other iudge but\nour Lord himselfe, when he hath uttered and spoken with his mouth,\nthat hee which hath cast his eye uppon his neighbours wife, for to\ncouet, desyre, and with her is already a whoremonger in his hart:\n[Sidenote: I John. 2.]  behold also wherefore S. John in his first\ncanonicall or generall epistle, putteth or ioyneth with the\nconcupiscence or lust of the flesh, the concupiscence & lust of the\neyes.  finally when S. Paule placeth or putteth sobernes, modestie,\nand temperaunce among the effects and fruites which the grace of God\nought to bring forth in us, doth hee not sufficiently forbid all\ndissolutenes, lightnes, outrages, and disorders, as wel in our manners\nas in our gestures, & other manner of doings.\n\nBut for as much as all the former argumentes are founded and grounded\nupon that definition of daunses, which I haue before geuen and made,\nand that some men might deny it me, we must answeare that which they\nhaue bene accustomed to obiect against it. First of al I haue heard of\nsome which denye daunses to be shamelesse and dissolute gestures,\nbecause that when they daunse, they do it not, but for a recreation of\nthemselues and bodily exercise, yea that they use it as a certayne\nthing, which of itselfe is neither good nor euill. But let such people\nbe answeared after this manner, that is to say, that their affection\ncannot so chaunge the nature of the thing, that it doth not alwaies\nkepe and hold fast, his proper or owne name. We see that if one enter\nor goe into a Brothel house, or Stewes, yea without affection or mind\nto commit whoredome ther, yet neuerthelesse the place shal not cease\nor leaue of to be called a stewes, or Brothell house. Likewise let\nthem say, that in daunsing they haue not any shamelesse or vilanous\nmynde, & affection, which notwithstanding, may not well, easily, or\nlightly be beleeued, yet so it is, yet daunses cease not to be called\nshamelesse gestures.\n\nBut what: The question is not onely of their persons, but of a thing,\nwhich ought not to be in any use among Christians.  And moreeuer this\nis not all, to haue respect or regard onely of a mans owne selfe, but\nwe must loke also to our neighbours, who is he which dare assure or\nwarrant him selfe & others, that when he daunseth, or after that he\nhath daunsed he hath not prevoked & stirred up the lust of the flesh\nin some one of the standers by: But yet it is so, the effect & sute\ndeclareth it, because that the daughter and sister of the County or\nEarle of A. was so enamoured or rauished with the loue of a very\nsimple and base gentleman whom she had seene daunse in the courte, and\nit printed so wel, that is, toke such deepe impression and roote in\nher hart, and understanding, that against the will of Father and\nMother, parentes and friends shee maried him. Now let us come to the\npoynt or matter, what prouoked this young gentlewoman beyng rych,\nwise, learned, fayre, & of good countenaunce to loue a base man, of\nlitle discretion, unlearned, cockbrained, yea, which with great payne\nor much adoe knoweth to write his owne name, and besyde, or moreouer\nvery deformed in face & countenaunce, if not to daunce onely, and to\nsee in him some small experience & skill to runne at the ringe:\n\nMen will say, that shee shewed not hir wifedome, in that shee chose\nher husbande for daunsing onely: but what is that the flesh doth not\nintise and allure, with his snares & baytes: For albeit ther is so\nmuch difference betweene the two parties, as betweene fayre gold and\nleade, yea so much indeed yet by her wifedome shee kept him backe, or\nmade him to refrayne from striking, fighting, slaying, and casting the\nhouse out at the windowes, as we say, for the least flee, which came\nbefore his eies: yet so it is, that he obtayned and got her by the\nmeane abouesayde: notwithstanding if ther fell out no worse by\ndaunsing, this were somewhat to be supported, or borne withall.\n\nBut now if he reply, and say hee careth not or regardeth not, what\nother men think, seyng hee hath no maner of euil or naughty meaninge\nin himselfe. I answere, that here we see an offense geuen, and the\nvery bond of loue broken and violated.\n\nFor put the case, or graunt that daunsing were put & reckoned among\nthings indifferent, in respect and consideration of it selfe, is it\nmeete or dutifull that for an indifferent and light thing, a man\nshould geue an occasion of falling or stumbling to his neighboure: But\nso farr of is it, that daunses should bee put in the rome and number\nof thinges indifferent, that euery one ought to make an accompt of\nthem, and to holde them altogeather wicked, and unlawful: in so much\nthat I send all them againe back to their owne consciences, which say,\nthat in daunsing they haue not any impudent & shamelesse\naffection. For the thing beyng so vilanous, and so infected of his own\nnature, as daunsing is, it is impossible, that he which useth it,\nshould not bee infected, neither more nor lesse: then it is impossible\nto touch any filthines, and not to bee once uncleane, infected, and\ndefyled.\n\n[Sidenote: The beginning of daunses.]  And that it is so, let us\nsomewhat, or a little serch and seeke out the beginning of daunses,\nand we shal fynd that men cannot geue them a better nor more apt and\nproper definition, then that which hath bene brought heretofore. For\nif wee would in this matter refer our selues to them, which haue\nwritten of the antiquities, as well of the Grecians as of the Romains,\nyea, and that to some Poets, wee shall fynd how that daunses haue\ntaken their begynning, from Pagans and Heathen men, which haue then\nfirst used them, when they did sacrifyce to their Gods. For beeing\nplunged into very thick, & as it were palpable dark nesses, after that\nthey had forged and advised Gods according to their owne fantasy, they\nthought and supposed that they should bee delighted and pleased, with\nthe selfe same delightes and pleasures, wherein, or wherewith they\ndelighted themselues.\n\nWhereupon wee neede not doubt hereof, but that it was the deuil which\ndid guide and leade them, whom al superstition, false religion, and\nerronious doctrine pleaseth, aboue all thinges, speciallye when such a\ntoy and trifle is accompanied with al wantonnesse and villanie. Now\nthat such manner of doing, that is to say, custome of Pagans and\nheathen men, hath bene followed and practiced, by the children of\nIsrael, after that hauing sacrificed to the golden calf; they gaue\nthemselues to play, the scripture assureth us thereof, in the\nii. chapter of Exodus.\n\nAfterward men began to daunce in open playes, spectacles, and shewes,\nfrom which notwithstanding the people were driuen, prohibited, and\nforbidden, for feare lest they should be constrained there to behold\nand see, an unhonest, and unseemly thinge, for their fere or\nkynd. Afterwarde when in a small space of tyme all honesty and shame\ndid begin, to vanish and weare away, then mens daughters and women\nwere admitted and receaued to daunses: and yet withall it is true,\nthat this was a part by themselues, and in priuie places.\n\nFinally a short time after, men haue so far disordered themselues, and\nbroken the bondes and limits of honesty, that men & women haue daunsed\ntogeather, or as wee would say, in mingle mangle, and namely and\nspecially in feastes and banquets, in so much that we see, that this\nwicked and ungodlye custome, hath stretched forth it selfe euen unto\nus, and hath yet, or already the sway at this daye, more then euer it\nhad.\n\nBeholde the beginninge of daunses, togeather with their fruits and\nproperties, which if they be well considered, and deeply waighed by\nsound and rype understandinge, it will not, or shall not bee thought\nstraunge & maruailous, that I condemne them, hauing indeede on my syde\nas well the authority of the doctors of the Church, as of the fathers\nwhich were found or present at certayne auncient, and olde councels.\n\n[Sidenote: Augustine against Petilian cap. 6.]  Saint Augustine in his\nbooke agaynst Petilian, speaketh in this manner: The Byshops haue\nalways accustomed to represse and beate downe vayne and wanton\ndaunses: but there are at this day some, which are found in daunses,\nyea, and they themselues daunse with women, so farre of is it, that\nthey reproue, correct, or amend such a greate vice.\n\n[Sidenote: Augustine uppon the 32. psa.]  And uppon the thirtie and\ntwo psalme, he condemneth also, or lykewyse the daunces which be had\nor used on the Sondaies or Lordes dayes.\n\n[Sidenote: Chrisos. in the 26 homily upon Gen.]  Saint John\nChrisostome in the fiftie & sixt homily uppon the booke of Genesis,\nintreatinge or speaking of the mariage of Jacob, doth very much\ncondemne daunsescalling them diuilish.\n\n[Sidenote: Chrisos. in the 48. homily upon Gen.]  [Sidenote:\nChrisos. in 14. chap. of S. Mat.]  The like is founde in the fourty\nand eighte Homily. And upon the fourteenth chapiter of Saint Mathew,\nspeakinge of the daunsynge of Salome, the Daughter of Herodias, hee\nsayth, that when a wanton daunsynge is hadde, or used, the Deuill,\ndaunseth by and by, or altogeather.\n\n[Sidenote: In the 53. cannon.]  In the counsell of Laodicea, which was\nholden in the yeare 368. ther was a cannon made, in these proper\ntearmes, or wordes.  It must be not admitted that the Christians,\nwhich either goe or come to mariages, leape or daunse, but that\nchastlye & soberly they sup or dyne, and as it is seemly and\nconuenient for christians. Likewise in the yeare 676. there was holden\n& kept the sixt councell of Constantinople, where daunses were\nforbidden, principally to women as greatly hurtfull.\n\n[Sidenote: In the canon 22.]  The third councel of Toletum, condemneth\nthe peruerse and wicked custome of suche people which occupied\nthemselues in vile and infected daunses: and aboue all uppon the\nSondayes, and holy dayes when they should haue imployed themselues in\nthe seruice of God.\n\n[Sidenote: Article 23.]  According to these Canons, there was made by\nthe estates lately holden at Orleans, in the young age or minority of\nCharles the 9. an article, in which, amongest other thinges all iudges\nare forbidden to permit or suffer any publicke daunses, uppon the\nsondayes, and other solonme holy dayes.\n\nBut in the first place it were to be desired, and wished, that this\nordinance might be straitly obserued and kept. Secondlye, that it were\nmore generall, that is to say, that it did wholly and altogeather\nforbidd daunses, as wicked and unlawful thinges: for if we be\nChristians indeede, we ought not to suffer, that some pore and blinde\nPagans should surmount and ouercome us in honesty & modesty. We fynd\nthat amongest the Romains, they which were ouermuch geuen to\ndaunsinge, caried, or bare with them so greate a note or marke of\ninfamy, & sklaunder, that they oftentimes accounted and estemed them\nunworthy to exercise or haue a publicke and honorable office: as\nappeareth by the censure, punishment, and correction, of Domitian,\nwho, for thys only cause, cast out of the Senate a citizen of Rome, as\nunmeete, and unworthy of such a degree of honor. Saluit in his Oration\nagainst Catilina, speaking of a certaine woman, named Sempronia,\nsayeth that shee could daunse more delicately and fynely, then did\nappertaine to an honest and good woman. Cicero much reprocheth and\nupbraydeth, yea and constantly obiecteth, to Gabinius the studying and\npractisinge of daunses, as an infamous thing. He both like in his\nPhilippickes agaynst Antonius, and in the oration of Durena, he sayth\nthat a sober man neuer daunseth, neither a part or priuily, neyther in\nan honest & moderate banquet, unlesse perhaps hee be unwyse, or out of\nhis wit.\n\n[Sidenote: Daunsers are folish & senseles persons.]  Varro writeth,\nthat Scipio was wont to say, that there was no difference at all\nbetweene a furious, outragious, or mad man and a daunser, sauing that\nthis man, that is to say, the daunser was then onely mad when he\ndaunsed, and the other was so all his life long. From thence commeth\nthe Latine prouerbe, that daunsers play the fooles, or wantons, but it\nis with measure.\n\nHere wee euidently and playnly see, in what estimation and regard\ndaunses were among Pagans and infidels, which trulye could not iudge\notherwise therof, I speake of them which had the best and more sound\niudgement, and which were able to weigh and consider, as well the\ndaunses themselues, as their so pretious fruites, and excellent\neffectes. For if it be, yet after feastes and banquets, men commonly\nset, or geue themselues to daunse, and after that men be full of wyne\nand good meates, they bee then prouoked & pricked forwarde, by the\nprickes of the flesh, to what end serue such manner of gestures, if\nnot, to make manifest & set out their intemperency. Now if men would\nrefer it, or bringe it to bodily exercise, this would be very folishly\ndone. For the body of her owne health, requireth not to be so shaken,\ntossed, and as a man woulde say, hunted after meate, for feare to\nhinder digestion, as the Phisition placed it amonge their rules of\ndiet. Moreouer seeing yet men may exercise themselues in many other\nmaners and sortes of exercises, hee, as mee thinketh openly sheweth,\nyet he hath not modesty, nor temperance, nor his health it selfe in\nestimation, yet is, he estemeth & regardeth not. &c. which choseth\ndaunsing for his exercise. Daunses then were neuer heretofore\notherwise accounted of, nether be at this present otherwise thought\nof, then mere vilany, & a most certaine, plaine, and evident testimony\nof the filthines & intemperancy of them which delighted themselues\ntherin. Now, that so it is, the Prouerbe sayeth, De la panse, vient la\nDanse: from the panch commeth the daunce: [Sidenote: Math. 14.\nMark. 6] And if we durst ioine therto whoredom their elder daughter,\nwe shal find that she followeth after immediately.  which thing we\nshall easily fynd, if we consider the most ordinary & common effectes\nof daunsing. what was the cause that Herode so lightly promised, to\nthat goodlye daunser Salome, the daughter of Herodias, euen the one\nhalfe of his Realme, and kingdome, but that by her vilanous, and\nshameles daunsing, shee had stirred up and set on fyre his\nconcupiscence and lust who was already a villanous adulterer, and\ninfamous whoremonger, so that the delighte and pleasure which he take\ntherin, provoked him to be willing to make so excessiue and\nunmeasurable a recompence: Moreouer let us marke more narrowly in\nGenesis, that which is written of Dina the daughter of Jacob, and we\nshall find that daunses were partly the cause of her rauishing, or\ndeflouring. For albeit, that in that place, there is no expresse\nmention made of daunses, yet so it is, that when it is sayde, that\nDina went to see the daughters of the countrey or land, there is some\nappearance and likelihod that the daughters had this custome, to\nassemble themselues togeather in daunse, and that to the end, that in\nshewing the nimblenes of their body, their bewty, and wery conceyts,\nthey might bee coveted and desyred of young men, as indeede Dina was\nby Sichem. And in this our tyme and age, do not men daily see many\nsuch thinges, which daunses bring with them: The example by mee\nheretofore brought forth and alleged, ought to serue for an example to\nall great lords, to withdraw their daughters from such baites.  But\nsetting all the rest aside, do wee not see that duncing hath cost,\nthis holy man, and great prophet of God so deare, that it hath taken\naway from him the head from aboue his shoulders.\n\nBy the way or meane of daunsing, the children of Israell, were willing\nto geue honour to an ydole, to a calfe of Gold, to a dead thing, and\nwhich they themselues had molten & framed after the imitation & manner\nof Pagans, which in such a sort & fashion serued their gods. Bee not\nthese things sufficient to make a man flie daunses, & to prouoke a\nchristian man to haue them in abomination, & to abhore them as things\nwhich haue ordinarilye, and commonlye serued to idolatry, and haue\nprouoked to whoredome, and haue chaunged and altered many daughters of\ngood house and stocke, from the loue and fauour of their parentes, and\nfinally haue caused infinite murthers: murthers I say, for in all the\n3 peeces of Scripture before alledged, we euer fynd ther the death of\nsome. In the daunse before Herod the death of John Baptist. In the\nrape or rauishing of Dina, Sichem, his father, & all his sobiectes,\ndied there. In the worshipping of the golden calfe, where the children\nof Israel daunsed and leaped so nimblie, cherefully, & merily, before\nthat their belly was full, there died then aboute three thousande in\nrecompence of their ioy and gladnes. If then we would consider the\nissues, and effectes, which come from daunses, & the fayre or goodly\nfruites which they bring forth, we would neuer thinke, but that the\nheares would stand upright upon our very heades when the question is\nof daunsing.\n\nIt remaineth now to answeare them, who would serue themselues with\ncertaine parcels and peeces of the scripture, in which mention is\nmade, that the faithfull people haue daunsed. [Sidenote: Exo. 15 20.]\nFirst they alledge that which is written in Exodus, that Mary the\nprophetesse, the sister of Aaron, who after that God had ouerwhelmed\nand drowned Pharao & his army in the red sea, toke a taberet in hir\nhand, & being attended, or waited upon by other women, song with them\na songe to the lord: as also Moses, and the children of Israel song\nanother.\n\nThe like is founde in the booke of Samuel, after that Dauid had slaine\nGoliath, that many women came out of all the townes of Israel singing\nand daunsing before King Saule, with tabours, rebeckes, and other\ninstrumentes of harmonie, or musicke.\n\nBut when these which loue to leape and daunse, seeing there is here\nspoken not only of daunses, but also of taberets and other musicall\ninstrumentes, do thinke that they are already in the hall of leapinge\nor skipping, and do daunse according to the note and measures that the\nMinstrels and Pipers wil sound or play to them: inferringe that the\nholy scripture before alleged maketh for them, and that by it daunses\nare approued, they are indeede fouly deceaued and very farre of from\ntheir reckoninge, because that reckoning without the host, it was\nmeete for them to reckon twyse.\n\nFor it is most certaine that there is as much difference betweene\ntheir daunses, and those which holy men haue used, as there is betwene\nmariage and fornication.  I meane betweene chastity & whoredome.  And\neuen as it is no maner of way permitted or suffered to committe\nwhoredome, so our daunses and the usage of them may not be allowed nor\nreceiued. But to cut it short, that is to say, to be short, wee can\nnot gather that any appearaunce or shew of euil, or any signe of\nwatonnes or dissolutenes, was euer found in the daunses of holy men,\nbut altogeather contrariwise, they therein behaued themselues with\nsuch honor, fear, and reuerence towardes God, the whole matter it\nselfe beyng accompanied, with so great honesty and sobernesse, as\nnothinge more. And in which mens deede 3. pointes are to be considered\nand marked, which can not be at any hand found in the Prophane and\nwicked daunses of our tyme.\n\nFirst the occasions which thrust them forwarde to do it, was such a\ngreat ioy which they had conceaued of the fauoure which God had shewed\nto them, that they coulde not conceale, or kepe hidden, but needes\nmust manifest it, & let it abroad, by all the meanes and wayes that\nthey could inuent or deuise. [Sidenote: Psal. 68.]  Which thinge also\nDauid declareth in the sixty and eight psalme, saying, the Lord hath\ngeuen an argument, occasion or matter unto the women, who also haue\nsong accordingly: It was then a solomne (as a man would say) or\npublicke thankes geuing, which they rendred, or gaue unto God, singing\nor setting forth him to be the author of their deliuerance. What\nfellowship, agreement, or likenes, can there bee, between the daunce\nof these holy fathers, and these which wee behold nowe at this day\namong christians. Is it a question when men daunce to acknowledge or\nconfesse the graces & goodnesses of God, to thanke him therfore,\nreioicing themselues in him: When the lusty and fyne man should holde\na young damosel, or a woman by the hand, and keeping his measures he\nshal remoue himselfe, whirle about, & shake his legges alofte (which\nthe daunsers call crosse capring) for pleasure, doth not she in the\nmeane while make a good threede, playing at the Moris on her behalfe:\nbut I pray you: what can ther by there of God, of his worde, of of\nhonestye in such folishnes: I holde my tounge, that is, I speake\nnothing of their wordes, amorous deuises, or deuises of loue, wanton\ncommunications or speeches or markes only knowen to the Ladye, or\nGentlewoman. It is true, that a man will say to me, that he must\nreioyce and be mery, which thing also I graunt, but yet not with a\nworldly, dissolute, and leuse ioy.\n\nThe seconde pointe is, that euen as the people of Israell were\ninstructed in the seruice of God by very many cerimonies, and outward\nmanners or fashions, so when they would honor him, and geue him some\nduety which they did owe, they did not content themselues to do it\nwith the harte, and with the mouth, but by and by they added, and\nioyned there withall some outwarde gestures, to witnes that, which was\nwithin. Euen unto this present or hetherto we haue founde very little\naffinitye or agreement betweene the daunses of the auncient\npatriarches, and of good and religious people, and these, which we use\nat this present, or in these dayes.\n\nIt is certaine and true, that the daunsers of our tyme would very\nfayne make themselues equall with them, and be in the selfe same\ndegree of honor: sauing notwithstanding, that they content not them\nselues to haue a shameles and villanous harte, but they will also\ndiscouer and lay open their own shame & villany, by dissolute\ngestures.\n\nThe third and last poynt sheweth us the fashion of the nations or\npeople of the East, the outward gestures, and custome receaued among\nthem, contrary herein to the westerne people. The reason is because\neuery nation hath alwayes some proper and particuler inclination,\nwhich another hath not. Moreouer those which draw nigh unto the East\nand South, are by reason of the heate, mor easie to moue themselues,\nand consequently to make or shew gestures, then they are which be in\nthe East, or North who by reason of the cold be more heauy & weighty:\nFrom whence it commeth, that the Italian in his communications or\nspeeches, but especially if he speake with an affection or good hart,\nintermingleth and useth so many gestures, that if an English man\nshould see him a farre of, not hearing his words, would iudge him out\nof his wit or els playing some comedy upon a scaffold.\n\nLet a man on the other side beholde an Almain or Germain in the\nPulpit, and hee would thinke him benummed, and impotent, or lame in\nall his members or partes, of his bodie.\n\nAnd to confirme this, lett us beholde and call to remembraunce, how\nthe auncient Romains were remoued farr from the opinion and mind of\nthe Greks. These, that is the Greekes, esteemed daunsing verye much,\nand all these which knew howe to helpe and comfort themselues with an\ninstrument of musicke. The other, that is the Romains made very small\naccount of both daunsyngs, and lesse of the daunsers themselues. Here\nappeareth the difference of Climates, and of such as dwell under those\nclimates. From thence it commeth that the people of the East partes\ndid breake and rent in peeces their garmentes when they had\nunderstanding of euil newes. Wherefore they did lye weltering and\ntumblinge upon the ground, put on sackcloth, put on ashes, or dust\nupon their heads, yea then, when they pretended to shew some\nrepentance, and to manifest or set out an inward greefe: all which\nthinges would bee founde, and thought rediculous, foolish, and to bee\nlaughed at amonge nations & peoples, on this side of them: And if that\nwomen should take tabourets in their handes, as we read that the women\nof Israel haue done: would not men thinke that they were out of their\nwitt: which notwihstanding was not found in thought straung among the\nIsraelites, because this was the custome of the nation and people. It\nis true, that a man may also referr the tabourets & other instrumentes\nof musicke to the ceremonies of Moyses law: which ceremonies haue bene\nabolished at the comming of Jesus Christ, in so much that at this day\nwhere we are under the Gospell, wee must use the same more soberly,\nand sparingly, & with greater modesty: but all that, hath nothinge\ncommon with the daunses of this present time or age.\n\nThese three poyntes being dispatched we fynd and see cleerely, what\naffinity & agreement there is, betweene these twoo maners of\ndaunses. [Sidenote: 2. Sam. 6.]  Our daunsers do yet further alledge\nan other parcel or peece of the scripture written in the booke of the\nKinges, where it is said, that Dauid leaped and daunsed before the\nArke of the Lord. [Sidenote: Mark this you that folowe daunsing\nscholes.]  But so far of is it, that this serueth them to mayntayne\ntheir daunses, that I would not wish to haue a more proper, fitt,\nplayne, and agreeable place to confute them.  For if Dauid hath had a\nlike affection in his daunse, as they haue in theirs, that is to say,\nto please the gentlewoman and Ladies, as our daunsers endeuor, studye\n& deuise to please their minions and flattering dames, Michol his\nwife, had neuer mocked him. He might then haue daunsed more\npleasantly, and after a fashion more agreeable to the flesh: and for\ntrueth, hee might haue done it beyng light or nimble by nature, and\nable or meete to do al thinges.\n\nBut the answeare which he made his wife Michol, very well declareth,\nthat hee pretended or purposed no other thinge but to set out by\noutward gestures, the greatnes of the ioy which he had conceaued in\nhis harte, because of the presence of God.  This was (sayd he) before\nthe Lord which I haue done in this behalfe: it appeareth by this\naunsweare, that his affection was not in or on the world, and that he\ncared not much for the iudgement of Michol, and of all other\nworldlings, because he would not please them, nor satisfy or feede\ntheir fine and goodly eyes, by his daunsing. Wherfore we must conclude\nthat Dauid condemneth the worldlines of his wife, and such other as\nshee: yea in that that shee was punished by barrennes, which followed\ntheruppon. It is an evident argument, that God approued or allowed the\ndoing and saying of the Prophet.\n\n[Sidenote: Note you that delight in your art of daunsing] Now if al\nthey, which make daunsinge their god, would imprint this in their hart\nand understanding, they should receaue & use the same, rather to their\ncondemnation, then to be so much without aforehead, that is to say,\nshameles, that they woulde abuse the scripture, to couer their\nuncleannes & infection. For this is a most detestable & abhominable\nsacriledge, to make the unspeakeable truth of God to serue our wicked\nand most shamefull affections. Adde thereunto that he will greeuously\n& sharply punish all such scoffers, and prodigall persons which do so\nmuch prophane the maiesty and excellency of his name, and that\ndiuinity, which is contayned and expressed in the holy scriptures.\n[Sidenote: Isa. 5.20.]  Moreouer, when we so disguise and chaunge the\nnature of thinges that we call good euil, and the euil good, we ought\nto assure our selues of the curse of God, pronounced by the prophet\nIsaiah, saynge: cursed (sayth he) be they, which say that euil is\ngood, and that good is euil, which put darknes for light, and light\nfor darknes, which geue sowre thinges for sweete, and sweete for sower\n& bytter. [Sidenote: Daunses not indifferent.]  But I demaund or aske\nnow, whether they which allow daunses, and place them among\nindifferent things, do not call good euil, and euil good: and by\nconsequent do not inflame and kindle the wrath of God upon them\nthemselues, and al their fautors or fauourers.\n\nAll which thinges beyng considered, I hope that diuers knowing what\neuil, and mischief there is in daunses, will giue them ouer and cast\nthem away, thinking or supposing, that in that, that thei haue\nretained & fauoured them, euen unto this present, they haue rather\ndone it thorowe ignoraunce, than thorowe stubburnesse or selfe\nwill. But as concerning others, whiche will preseuer and continue in\ntheir dissolutnes and loosenesse, the Lord withdraw and plucke them\ntherefrom, when it pleaseth him, least they incurre or runne headlong\ninto his wrath and vengeance, which hangeth ouer their heads, for that\nthey haue obstinatelie and stubburnlie gainesaide and withstood, so\nmanifest & plaine a truth.  * * *\n\nPrayse be to GOD.\n\n[Stamp: Lambeth Palace Library]","title":"A Treatise of Daunses, Wherin It is Shewed, That They Are as It Were Accessories and Dependants (Or Thynges Annexed) to Whoredome: Where Also by the Way is Touched and Proued, That Playes Are Ioyned and Knit Togeather in a Rancke or Rowe with Them (1581)","tradition":"philosophy-ethics","translated_text":null,"word_count":6887}