Chapter 1

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._

I. Thessal. 5.

_Let eurie one possesse his vessel in holines and honor._

Anno 1581.

A Treatise of Daunses, in which is shewed, that daunses bee intisementes to whoredome, and that the abuse of playes ought not to be among Christians.

I Doubt not, but that some, into whose handes this little treatise shall come, will thinke me to be at greate leasure, that haue enterprised largely to leuie out and handle this argument: which to their seeming is not otherwise of great importaunce. For be it that daunses were allowed or condemned, or els yet they were putt in the rowe of thinges indifferent men might easily iudge according to their opinion, that that should not bring great profit or hurt to our christian common wealth, seeing that ther are diuers pointes of greater weight and consequence, which trouble the spirits of manye learned men, & make afraide the consciences of the weake and simple ones: which poyntes haue verye much nede to be opened and made plaine, rather then to trouble a mans selfe to write agaynst playes and daunses. Furthermore men should be in very great forwardnes, if euery thinge were so well refourmed, that they were come euen unto daunses, that is to say, that all that which is corrupted, and those abuses which beare the sway among Christians were so cut off, and this so sick a body againe so wel restored to his soundnes and health, that there should remayne nothing els but to debate the question of leaping skippings and daunses.

Ther will be found an other manner & sort of people, who will make no accoumpte at all to mocke at this matter: as indeede the world is ful of mockers, and men without Godlines, without God, and without religion. Now as concerninge these persons, they deserue no manner of aunsweare at al, because they do as soone scoffe at the principall pointes of christian religion, and that which directly concerneth the seruice of God, as matters of lesse weight and importaunce. Wherefore I not much regarding or caringe for the iudgement of such iudges, will let them runne to the water with the bridle uppon their head, or in their necke, as they say. But as touchinge the first, because they bee not altogeather malicious and obstinate, I hope, that ha= uing aunsweared their obiections, and declared the reasons which haue moued, yea rather driuen me forward or inforsed mee to descipher and sett out this matter, they will iudge my labour not to haue bene altogeather unprofitable.

It is then in the first place to bee wished and desired, that troubles beyng pacified, and all dissentions repressed, and put out, the spirits and consciences of men, should be assured and thorowly perswaded of that which appertaineth to their saluation. And indeede our Lorde hath stirred and raised up so perfect an age in al sciences & know= ledge, in which so many learned men, and of excellent learning and knowledge, haue so blessedly and diligently imployed them= selues to teach us the order and maner to liue well, some after one sort and fashion, and some after an other, that those which be not yet satisfyed, can not, or ought not, to lay the fault in any but in themselues.

Next all good men ought to wishe and desire that those which put their hande to (this is to say trauaile for) the reformation of maners, should do it with such good argumentes, that there shoulde remayne, or be left, but euen a very litle to be corrected and amended. And yet this wish & desire should not let or hinder the trauaile of such as do indeuor to pull up by the rootes such herbes as be hurtful to the field of the Lord, be they neuer so small and little: and I do, or which thing I labour to do in this little boke according to the talente & graces which are geuen me from aboue.

Adde also that if any do deeply & seasonably consider this matter, I hope he shal not finde it so barren and of little edification, that it ought to be dispised or troden under foote: for many men of quality (yea euen in the company of notable personages) of name and authority, make no conscience to demaunde and aske whether it be yll done to daunce, demaunding also a formall or playne parcell and text of Scripture, by which it may appeare that daunses be prohibited and forbidden, otherwise they think not that they do euill in daunsing. Some others goe further and alledging or rather indeede abusing some peece of the Scripture, where it appeareth that the faithfull haue leaped and daunsed: they thinke verily that they haue founde the beane in the cake, as though this were a proper couerture & cloke to couer the infection and filthines of their daunces.

Seyng then that many be foulie & grosely deceaued in this behalfe, and that possible for want of beyng sufficiently instructed and informed or taught touching this matter, I haue bene so much the more willing to ease them in this question, by how much I hope to profit in common, that is, to do good to the greatest multitude, as also being willing hereby to satisfy some which haue earnestly and instantly required it at my handes.

Now to answeare them which demaund and aske a playne peece or text of Scripture in which daunses should be forbidden, let them know that there be many wicked and euill thinges which are not euidently and playnly expressed in the Scripture, to be forbidden, notwithstanding they bee of the same kynd and nature, or else dependences of some thynges which are therein expressed, and under which they ought to be comprehended, or els when the contrary of these things is praised and commended, we are sufficiently taught and instructed to cast them away, as things condemned by the holy Ghost, because ther is one & the selfe same reason in contrary things.

I will place, & put in the order or rowe of the first, playes and daunses: I meane such playes as by which man draweth or getteth to hymselfe, his neighboures money. It is true that wee fynd not in the Scripture these words. Thou shalt not play, but wee find indeede these wordes. Thou shale not steale: Now that to gayne or get an other mans money at play shoulde not be a most manifest & plaine thieuery: none of sound iudgement will denie it. For hee which hath wonne or gotten it, by what title or right can he say, that such money is his: Verily when we get or win the money, or the goods of our brother, it must be with the sweate of our face or browe, & that our laboure bringe him some profite, that is to be profitable unto him: and euen as we receaue his money or good: so must hee thorow our diligence and trauaile receaue some profite. But when a man hath gotten his money by the hazard or chaunce, as a man would say, of play, I pray you what commoditye and profite commeth to him thereby: we must then conclude, that this is a kind of theft: which although it be not playnly expressed in the holye scripture, yet neuertheles it ought to bee referred to the eight commaundement, in which it is sayd, Thou shalt not steale.

The like is of daunses which wee may put in the first & second row or order. For although wee haue not any playne and expresse forbidding, where it should be sayd, Thou shalt not daunse, yet we haue a formall and plaine commaundement, Thou shalt not commit adultery, or whoredome: to which the daunses ought to be referred. [Sidenote: A definition of daunses.] Now if one would aske me what daunses were: I wil answeare, that considering the sway which they haue at this day amongest us Cristians, they bee nothing else but impudent, shameles, and dissolute gestures, by which the lust of the flesh is awaked, stirred by, and inflamed, as wel in men as in women. [Sidenote: Deut. 22. Titus. 2.] Bat if honesty, modesty, and sobernes, be required in apparaile, & adorning of mens selues, as we see that it is commended and commaunded in Deuteronomie, & seing that S. Paule also in his epistle to Titus, willeth that there should be among us a sober and holy countenaunce, singularly and specially in women, which ordinarily be very curious in their garmentes, it is certayne and sure, that there is some poyson or venym hidden under the grasse. [Sidenote: I. Pet. 3.] And because it is so, S. Peter in his first canonicall or generall epistle, forbiddeth that women should appeare, shew, and sett out themselues by theyr apparayle and neatnes. Add that in many other places of the sayd holy scripture, the diuersity and difference in attire and garmentes, is condemned, as prouoking to whoredome, and slipperines, by more stronge reason the dissolute and lewde gestures, which be practised by the proper and owne members of a mans bodye, ought to be cutt of, and banished from among christians. [Sidenote: Jud. 23.] And S. Jude exhorteth us, to haue, yea and that in hatred the garment which is defiled by the flesh, meaning under this figure & manner of speech, all inticementes & allurements which might draw us to any pollution, uncleannes, and fylthynes: what ought we to iudge in the excellency (as a man woulde say) value and estimation of the flesh itselfe, which is so polluted and defyled, that it bringeth forth, and setteth out the pollution and filthines thereof, by villanous and dishonest gestures. [Sidenote: Ephe. 4. 29. Colos. 3.] And when S. Paule in his epistles to the Ephesians and Colossians, forbiddeth us all corrupt, infected, and filthy speech, or woordes, is there not at the least as much, or as greate occasion: [Sidenote: The eies.] yea more or greater to condemne dissolute and lewd gestures: for as concerning dishonest and unmeete woordes, they be gathered or receaued with our eares onely, but as for villanous & dishonest gestures, they be so many obiects, or thinges set before our eyes, as if one shoulde set before us a painted table, in which all villany infection, and filthines should be liuely pourtraited and set out. [Sidenote: Mat. 5.] Now that the sighte of all our senses is it which hath most force & strength to make us incline to uncleannes and filthynes, I will haue none other iudge but our Lord himselfe, when he hath uttered and spoken with his mouth, that hee which hath cast his eye uppon his neighbours wife, for to couet, desyre, and with her is already a whoremonger in his hart: [Sidenote: I John. 2.] behold also wherefore S. John in his first canonicall or generall epistle, putteth or ioyneth with the concupiscence or lust of the flesh, the concupiscence & lust of the eyes. finally when S. Paule placeth or putteth sobernes, modestie, and temperaunce among the effects and fruites which the grace of God ought to bring forth in us, doth hee not sufficiently forbid all dissolutenes, lightnes, outrages, and disorders, as wel in our manners as in our gestures, & other manner of doings.

But for as much as all the former argumentes are founded and grounded upon that definition of daunses, which I haue before geuen and made, and that some men might deny it me, we must answeare that which they haue bene accustomed to obiect against it. First of al I haue heard of some which denye daunses to be shamelesse and dissolute gestures, because that when they daunse, they do it not, but for a recreation of themselues and bodily exercise, yea that they use it as a certayne thing, which of itselfe is neither good nor euill. But let such people be answeared after this manner, that is to say, that their affection cannot so chaunge the nature of the thing, that it doth not alwaies kepe and hold fast, his proper or owne name. We see that if one enter or goe into a Brothel house, or Stewes, yea without affection or mind to commit whoredome ther, yet neuerthelesse the place shal not cease or leaue of to be called a stewes, or Brothell house. Likewise let them say, that in daunsing they haue not any shamelesse or vilanous mynde, & affection, which notwithstanding, may not well, easily, or lightly be beleeued, yet so it is, yet daunses cease not to be called shamelesse gestures.

But what: The question is not onely of their persons, but of a thing, which ought not to be in any use among Christians. And moreeuer this is not all, to haue respect or regard onely of a mans owne selfe, but we must loke also to our neighbours, who is he which dare assure or warrant him selfe & others, that when he daunseth, or after that he hath daunsed he hath not prevoked & stirred up the lust of the flesh in some one of the standers by: But yet it is so, the effect & sute declareth it, because that the daughter and sister of the County or Earle of A. was so enamoured or rauished with the loue of a very simple and base gentleman whom she had seene daunse in the courte, and it printed so wel, that is, toke such deepe impression and roote in her hart, and understanding, that against the will of Father and Mother, parentes and friends shee maried him. Now let us come to the poynt or matter, what prouoked this young gentlewoman beyng rych, wise, learned, fayre, & of good countenaunce to loue a base man, of litle discretion, unlearned, cockbrained, yea, which with great payne or much adoe knoweth to write his owne name, and besyde, or moreouer very deformed in face & countenaunce, if not to daunce onely, and to see in him some small experience & skill to runne at the ringe:

Men will say, that shee shewed not hir wifedome, in that shee chose her husbande for daunsing onely: but what is that the flesh doth not intise and allure, with his snares & baytes: For albeit ther is so much difference betweene the two parties, as betweene fayre gold and leade, yea so much indeed yet by her wifedome shee kept him backe, or made him to refrayne from striking, fighting, slaying, and casting the house out at the windowes, as we say, for the least flee, which came before his eies: yet so it is, that he obtayned and got her by the meane abouesayde: notwithstanding if ther fell out no worse by daunsing, this were somewhat to be supported, or borne withall.

But now if he reply, and say hee careth not or regardeth not, what other men think, seyng hee hath no maner of euil or naughty meaninge in himselfe. I answere, that here we see an offense geuen, and the very bond of loue broken and violated.

For put the case, or graunt that daunsing were put & reckoned among things indifferent, in respect and consideration of it selfe, is it meete or dutifull that for an indifferent and light thing, a man should geue an occasion of falling or stumbling to his neighboure: But so farr of is it, that daunses should bee put in the rome and number of thinges indifferent, that euery one ought to make an accompt of them, and to holde them altogeather wicked, and unlawful: in so much that I send all them againe back to their owne consciences, which say, that in daunsing they haue not any impudent & shamelesse affection. For the thing beyng so vilanous, and so infected of his own nature, as daunsing is, it is impossible, that he which useth it, should not bee infected, neither more nor lesse: then it is impossible to touch any filthines, and not to bee once uncleane, infected, and defyled.

[Sidenote: The beginning of daunses.] And that it is so, let us somewhat, or a little serch and seeke out the beginning of daunses, and we shal fynd that men cannot geue them a better nor more apt and proper definition, then that which hath bene brought heretofore. For if wee would in this matter refer our selues to them, which haue written of the antiquities, as well of the Grecians as of the Romains, yea, and that to some Poets, wee shall fynd how that daunses haue taken their begynning, from Pagans and Heathen men, which haue then first used them, when they did sacrifyce to their Gods. For beeing plunged into very thick, & as it were palpable dark nesses, after that they had forged and advised Gods according to their owne fantasy, they thought and supposed that they should bee delighted and pleased, with the selfe same delightes and pleasures, wherein, or wherewith they delighted themselues.

Whereupon wee neede not doubt hereof, but that it was the deuil which did guide and leade them, whom al superstition, false religion, and erronious doctrine pleaseth, aboue all thinges, speciallye when such a toy and trifle is accompanied with al wantonnesse and villanie. Now that such manner of doing, that is to say, custome of Pagans and heathen men, hath bene followed and practiced, by the children of Israel, after that hauing sacrificed to the golden calf; they gaue themselues to play, the scripture assureth us thereof, in the ii. chapter of Exodus.

Afterward men began to daunce in open playes, spectacles, and shewes, from which notwithstanding the people were driuen, prohibited, and forbidden, for feare lest they should be constrained there to behold and see, an unhonest, and unseemly thinge, for their fere or kynd. Afterwarde when in a small space of tyme all honesty and shame did begin, to vanish and weare away, then mens daughters and women were admitted and receaued to daunses: and yet withall it is true, that this was a part by themselues, and in priuie places.

Finally a short time after, men haue so far disordered themselues, and broken the bondes and limits of honesty, that men & women haue daunsed togeather, or as wee would say, in mingle mangle, and namely and specially in feastes and banquets, in so much that we see, that this wicked and ungodlye custome, hath stretched forth it selfe euen unto us, and hath yet, or already the sway at this daye, more then euer it had.

Beholde the beginninge of daunses, togeather with their fruits and properties, which if they be well considered, and deeply waighed by sound and rype understandinge, it will not, or shall not bee thought straunge & maruailous, that I condemne them, hauing indeede on my syde as well the authority of the doctors of the Church, as of the fathers which were found or present at certayne auncient, and olde councels.

[Sidenote: Augustine against Petilian cap. 6.] Saint Augustine in his booke agaynst Petilian, speaketh in this manner: The Byshops haue always accustomed to represse and beate downe vayne and wanton daunses: but there are at this day some, which are found in daunses, yea, and they themselues daunse with women, so farre of is it, that they reproue, correct, or amend such a greate vice.

[Sidenote: Augustine uppon the 32. psa.] And uppon the thirtie and two psalme, he condemneth also, or lykewyse the daunces which be had or used on the Sondaies or Lordes dayes.

[Sidenote: Chrisos. in the 26 homily upon Gen.] Saint John Chrisostome in the fiftie & sixt homily uppon the booke of Genesis, intreatinge or speaking of the mariage of Jacob, doth very much condemne daunsescalling them diuilish.

[Sidenote: Chrisos. in the 48. homily upon Gen.] [Sidenote: Chrisos. in 14. chap. of S. Mat.] The like is founde in the fourty and eighte Homily. And upon the fourteenth chapiter of Saint Mathew, speakinge of the daunsynge of Salome, the Daughter of Herodias, hee sayth, that when a wanton daunsynge is hadde, or used, the Deuill, daunseth by and by, or altogeather.

[Sidenote: In the 53. cannon.] In the counsell of Laodicea, which was holden in the yeare 368. ther was a cannon made, in these proper tearmes, or wordes. It must be not admitted that the Christians, which either goe or come to mariages, leape or daunse, but that chastlye & soberly they sup or dyne, and as it is seemly and conuenient for christians. Likewise in the yeare 676. there was holden & kept the sixt councell of Constantinople, where daunses were forbidden, principally to women as greatly hurtfull.

[Sidenote: In the canon 22.] The third councel of Toletum, condemneth the peruerse and wicked custome of suche people which occupied themselues in vile and infected daunses: and aboue all uppon the Sondayes, and holy dayes when they should haue imployed themselues in the seruice of God.

[Sidenote: Article 23.] According to these Canons, there was made by the estates lately holden at Orleans, in the young age or minority of Charles the 9. an article, in which, amongest other thinges all iudges are forbidden to permit or suffer any publicke daunses, uppon the sondayes, and other solonme holy dayes.

But in the first place it were to be desired, and wished, that this ordinance might be straitly obserued and kept. Secondlye, that it were more generall, that is to say, that it did wholly and altogeather forbidd daunses, as wicked and unlawful thinges: for if we be Christians indeede, we ought not to suffer, that some pore and blinde Pagans should surmount and ouercome us in honesty & modesty. We fynd that amongest the Romains, they which were ouermuch geuen to daunsinge, caried, or bare with them so greate a note or marke of infamy, & sklaunder, that they oftentimes accounted and estemed them unworthy to exercise or haue a publicke and honorable office: as appeareth by the censure, punishment, and correction, of Domitian, who, for thys only cause, cast out of the Senate a citizen of Rome, as unmeete, and unworthy of such a degree of honor. Saluit in his Oration against Catilina, speaking of a certaine woman, named Sempronia, sayeth that shee could daunse more delicately and fynely, then did appertaine to an honest and good woman. Cicero much reprocheth and upbraydeth, yea and constantly obiecteth, to Gabinius the studying and practisinge of daunses, as an infamous thing. He both like in his Philippickes agaynst Antonius, and in the oration of Durena, he sayth that a sober man neuer daunseth, neither a part or priuily, neyther in an honest & moderate banquet, unlesse perhaps hee be unwyse, or out of his wit.

[Sidenote: Daunsers are folish & senseles persons.] Varro writeth, that Scipio was wont to say, that there was no difference at all betweene a furious, outragious, or mad man and a daunser, sauing that this man, that is to say, the daunser was then onely mad when he daunsed, and the other was so all his life long. From thence commeth the Latine prouerbe, that daunsers play the fooles, or wantons, but it is with measure.