--
The following are dance references from Gervase Babington's
A
very fruitfull exposition of the Commaundements by
way of questions and answeres for greater plainnesse
together with an application of euery one to the soule
and conscience of man, profitable for all, and especially
for them that (beeing not otherwise furnished) are
yet desirous both to see themselues, and to deliuer
to others some larger speech of euery point that is
but briefly named in the shorter catechismes.
London: printed by Henry Midleton for Thoma Charde,
1583.
--
The following section on dance is quoted from the Early
English Books Online edition, which also has images
of the original document. (link
to full text.) The single dotted lines indicate
page breaks, while the double lines indicate a different
section of the text. Notes on the text originally in
the margin have been incorporated in [ ]. I have excerpted
dance-relevant sections. When the excerpt transcribed
begins or ends part way through a page, this is indicated
by the notation: <rest
of page cut>. Dance
terms have been highlighted in bold and red. -- E.
F. Winerock
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Que.
What is the cheefest thing which euery one ought to
be most careful of, so long as they liue?
An.
Euerie one ought to be most carefull of these two points,
first and chiefely how to be saved in the day of iudgement,
before Gods iudgement seate, and so to come to life
euerlasting. Secondly howe to liue according to Gods
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holy
will during our life, in which two pointes wholy standeth
the glorie of God, so much as of man ought to bee sought
for.
Que.
How may the first be prooued?
[Note
in marg: The first reason drawen of the vanitie of
all things.]
Ans. The great vanitie of all earthly things, which
men so hunt after, doth showe, that our care shoulde
not bee so much of these matters, as it is, but rather
howe to haue our soules saued, when all these shall
haue their end. For consider eue~ the chiefest desires
of men seuerally, and sée how in the attaining
of them there is no stayed comfort, and yet often doe
men faile after much indeuour, and not attaine to them.
Que.
What chiefe desires of men can you name vnto mee?
Ans.
Mirth
and ioy, a light and a chéerefull heart is greatly
wished, [Note in marg: Mirth and ioy.] and sought for
of all men, by Musicke, by iesters, by sportes, and
playes, by much cost and many meanes as they can, and
are able: neither is this simplie to bee condemned
in all: yet heare what sentence the spirit of God hath
giuen of it,
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by
the mouth of his seruaunt, who tryed the same, and
let his experience bee our knowledge. I said to my
heart, saith he, goe to nowe, [Note in marg:
Ecclesi. 2.1.] I will prooue thee with ioy, therefore
take thou pleasure in pleasant things, and beholde
this al-o is vanitie: I said of laughter thou art mad,
and of ioy, what is this, that thou doest? And in another
place. [Note in marg: 7.4.] Better it is to
go into the house of mourning, than of feasting, because
this is the ende of all men, and the liuing shall lay
it to his heart. Anger is better than laughter, for
by a sad looke the heart is made better. The heart
of the wise is in the house of mourning: but the heart
of fooles is in the house of myrth.
Mille
parit luctus mortalibus vna voluptas.
For
euery ioy that man doeth here possesse,
A thousand woes his minde doe dayly presse.
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What
an honor woulde I thinke it, if the Prince passing
by among the great multitude, should spie mee out,
call mee to him, imbrace me, speake kindly to me, take
mee with him, place me by him, and so forth? Howe would
my heart daunce
hereat, and all men talke of my good hap? Now is the
passing of a mortall Prince on earth like the comming
of Iesus Christ in the cloudes?
Is
the honour they can giue, comparable to that the Lorde
of Lordes shall giue to his elect? O my heart féeleth
what my pen cannot write, there is no comparison betwixt
the persons, the places, the preferments, and therefore
if the one so ioy mée, that for it I would take
any paines, thrise dead is my heart within me, if to
obtaine the other it bée not carefull.
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The
fourth Commaundement.
Epigraph:
Remember that thou keepe holie the Sabaoth day.
Question.
WHat
is the meaning of this commaundement?
Ans.
Your booke answereth that the hallowing of the Sabaoth
day, is to rest from our labours in our calling, and
in one place to assemble our selues together, and with
feare and reuerence to heare, marke and lay vp in our
hearts the worde of GOD preached vnto vs, to pray altogether
that which we vnderstande with one consent, and at
the times appointed to vse the Sacramentes in fayth
and repentaunce,
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and
all our life long to rest from wickednesse, that the
Lord by his holy spirit may worke in vs his good worke,
and so begin in this life euerlasting rest.
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O
happie is that man whose heart thinketh howe his seruant
is bound to this commandement of kéeping holy
the Sabaoth as well as hée, hath a soule to
loose or saue as well as he, to be nourished with the
foode of the
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word
as well as he, and therefore thereon concludeth, he
will neither sinne himselfe nor make his seruant sinne
in breach of this or any other commandement. The third
end of the Sabaoth we heard it was, that hereby might
bee resembled in some sort our spirituall rest in heauen,
wee ceasing from our owne workes, & dooing the
will of God. But are we able to say, wee haue this
doone? O miserable men ten thousand times if in this
we should haue our desertes: for wherein or howe crucifie
we the fleshe more on this day than any other, bridle
the frowarde desires of the heart, restrayne our owne
nature, and doe the will of God more on this day than
any other? Alas our owne consciences crie vnto vs,
we doe nothing lesse, wee drinke, wée eate,
wée surfet, wee sweare, we play, we daunce,
we whore, we walke and talke idlely, vainely, vncleanely
and vngodlily: these are our workes on ye Sabaoth more
commonly than any day in the wéeke else, and
if this bee to resemble a spirituall rest, then in
déede wee doe it, not otherwise.
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Thus
stand wee therefore guiltie and gréeuously guiltie
of this commaundement. So that if we had not a Sauiour
who in our flesh had fulfilled this lawe and euerie
one for vs, and appeased the wrath of God his father,
iustly conceiued against our sinnes, neuer should we
haue looked within his kingdome. And howe shall we
bée better for all which he hath doone, but
by séeing our passed sinne, and namely our fowle
and carelesse abuse of this Sabaoth of our God, by
lamenting the same euen from our hearte rootes, purposing
vnfainedly to amend it hereafter, and euen euer while
life endureth to bee more carefull to honour God on
this day than we haue bin, and by stedfastly beléeuing
in Christ, and for Christ, and by Christ, to haue all
that is past forgiuen? This is the way to bee freed
from the curse of this commandement, and all other
which we so gréeuously haue transgressed, and
therefore iustly deserued. O mercie great and marueilous,
O nature swéete & patient of our God, who
contenting himself with one day in seuen chiefely to
be his,
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and
yet robbed of the same also by vs vile wretches, notwithstanding
til this day hath spared vs, whereas a thousand times
& a thousand he might with great right haue destroyed
vs either amongst our pottes, or in our daunces,
or idle in our beds, asking vs if that were to halow
his Sabaoth, or to honour his name to swill and to bibble,
to leape, to walowe and tumble in bed, till it bée
noone, with such like. Nowe doeth he speake, nowe doth
he warne, nowe doth he admonish, loth to punishe vs if
any saying will serue, as a most mercifull God, and if
nowe we will not consider, learne and bee instructed,
that our wayes heretofore haue not béene good,
and therefore amend them, surely surely, if God be God,
we shal tast his hand, for so great disobedience. Nowe
the liuing God awake vs, and touch vs truely in this
behalfe, mercifull father lay it neuer to our charge,
for thy great mercies sake, wherewith wee haue gréeued
thée touching this commandement, but increase
our knowledge, increase our féeling, increase
our conscience, carefullie
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to
lyue and spende our dayes in thy feare and fauour,
as thou mayest bee honoured, the power of thy worde
magnifyed, our brethren mooued with good example, our
selues saued in the great day, and this Sabaoth of
thine for euer hereafter more carefully kept of vs,
to the better performance of the former, for Christ
his sake, Amen. Ame~.
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The
seuenth Commaundement.
Epigraph:
Thou
shalt not commit adulterie.
Question.
WHat
is the meaning of this commaundement?
[margin:
The act.]
Ans[wer]. First there is forbidden all adulterie,
fornication, and other vncleanesse in our bodies (saith
your booke) which néedeth no proofe besides
the plaine wordes of the lawe, and that print which
in his conscience euerie one carrieth about: yet hath
the author added some for more strength against the
frowarde, which I leaue to euerie one to read by the~selues.
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Que.
Now then proceede I pray you to recite such other prouocations
to the breach of this commaundement as you knowe.
Ans.
These prophane & wanton stage playes or interludes,
what an occasion they are of adulterie and vncleanenesse
by gesture, by spéech, by conueyances, and deuises
to attaine to so vngodly desires, the world knoweth
with too much hurt by long experience. Vanities they
are if we make the best of them, and the Prophet prayeth
to haue his eies turned away by the Lorde from beholding
such matter: Note in marg: Psal. 119. Euill wordes
corrupt good manners, [Note in marg: 1. Cor. 15.]
and they haue abundance. There is in them euer manie
dangerous sightes, [Note in marg: 1. Thes. 5.22.] and
wee must abstaine
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from
al appearance of euill. They corrupt the eies with
alluring gestures: the eyes, the heart: and the heart,
the bodie, till al be horrible before the Lord. Histrionicis
gestibus inquinantur omnia: (sayth Chrysostome)
These players behauiour polluteth all thinges.
And of their playes he saith, they are the feasts of
Sathan, the inuentions of the deuill, &c. Councels
haue decréeed verie sharply against them, and
polluted bodies by these filthie occasions haue on
their death beddes confessed the daunger of them, lamented
their owne foule and gréeuous faulles, and left
their warning for euer with vs to beware of them. But
I referre you to them, that vpon good knowledge of
the abominations of them, haue written largely &
wel against them. If they be dangerous on the day time,
more daungerous on the night certainely: if on a stage,
& in open courtes, much more in chambers and priuate
houses. For there are manie roumes beside that, where
the play is, & peradue~ture the strangenes of the
place & lacke of light to guide them, causeth
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errour
in their way, more than good Christians should in their
houses suffer.
Que.
What else?
Ans.
Dancing againe
is in the number of vaine pastimes, and the allurements
to vncleannesse, as much experience hath too wel proued.
The scriptures checke it, the fathers mislike it, the
cou~cels haue condemned it, & the proofe of Gods
iudgementes vpon it biddeth vs beware. Instrumenta
luxuriae tympana & tripudia,
sayth one, the inticers to lust are pipinges and dancinges.
Laquei sunt & scandala non solu~ saltatoribus,
sed spectatoribus. They are snares and offences not
onely to the actors, but also to ye beholders.
[Note in marg: Iob. 21.11.] Iob noteth it as
an olde practise of the deuil to occupy men withall,
& as an ancient exercise of the wicked, that they
should daunce.
Vpon which wordes a godly writer sayeth: [Note in marg:
Calu. serm. 80. vpon Iob.] that from the tabret and
the flute, which in themselues are not vnlawefull,
they come to dauncing,
which is the chiefest mischiefe of all. For there is
alway (sayth he) such vnchast behauiour in dauncing,
that of it selfe, and as they abuse it, (to speake
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-he
trueth in the worde) it is nothing else, but an inticement
to whoredome. In the gospell the spirite of God noteth
it in a wicked woman as an immodest thing, [Note in
marg: Math. 14.] & of a damnable effect in her
wicked father Herode to dance.
And such as interpret the place are not afraide of
these words, [Note in marg: Marlor. ex Calu.] that
it was meretriciae lasci-iae turpis nota nubilis
puellae saltatio.
That is, that for her to dance
beeing a maide for yeares mariageable, was a note of
whorish wantonnesse. For whosoeuer (saith he) hath
a care of honest grauitie, he euer condemneth dancing,
and especially in a maide. Againe hee calleth it spectaculum
familiae Regiae probrosum. A dishonorable sight
in a kings house: with manie speaches moe of mislike.
Sirac a wise man, [Note in marg: Syrac. 9.4.]
and of great experience, biddeth a man not to vse the
companie of a woman, that is a singer and a dauncer,
neither to heare her, least hee bee taken with her
craftinesse. The godlie Fathers as I saide mislike
it. For saltatio
ad adulteras, [Note in marg: Ambros. de virgin.
lib. 3.] non ad pudicas pertinet, saith one
of them: Dauncing
belongeth to adulterous
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and
not to honest women. A sharpe spéeche: Yet
was this graue father not afraide to speake it. Saltatio
barathrum diaboli, [Note in marg: Chryst. Math.
hom. 48.] sayth an other: dauncing
is the deuils hell. And we heare spéeche
of Iacobs mariage (saith he) in the scripture,
[Note in marg: in Genes.] but not a worde of anie dauncing
that was at it. [Note in marg: Theophilact. in Mar.
6.] Mira collusio sayth an other, Saltat
diabolus per puellam: It is a strange iugling,
when wee thinke the maide doth daunce, and it is not
so, but the deuill in her, or by her. The councels
haue condemned it as others haue at large shewed. And
verie Tullie could say, an honest man would
not dance in an open place for a great patrimonie.
For the iudgementes of God vpon this vaine pastime,
it is strange which Pantaleon noteth out of
Crantzius, that in Colbecke a towne in Germanie,
certaine light persons hopping and dauncing
in the Churchyearde of S. Magnus, [Note in marg:
An. 1505.] beeing by the minister admonished to cease,
and not ceasing, did for a long time (not able to stay)
runne rounde about, and at last fell all downe dead.
But because others haue so largelie
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writ
against this vanitie, I say no more of it at this time,
but wish vs to consider that it is an inticement otten
to adulterie, and therefore in this commaundement forbidden.
And as for anie dauncing that wee reade of in the scriptures
to haue béene vsed of the godly, we must vnderstande,
that their dancing was euer a sober modest motion,
with some song vsually to Gods praise, and men by themselues,
women by themselues. Which nothing will warrant our
custome and guise in these daies.
Que.
Are there yet anie moe allurementes?
Ans.
There
are yet many mo. But I may not in this sort stande
vpon them. Gluttonie & drunkennesse, Note in marg:
Ezek 16. with houses of open whoredome, your booke
nameth and proofes for them. Idlenesse also is an other
meanes, [Note in marg: 1. Cor. 7.39.] the vowe of chastitie,
the deniall of seconde mariages, the going of men in
womens apparell, and women in mans apparell, [Note
in marg: Deut. 22.] with a number such. This onelie
must I say, and so conclude this negatiue part of
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the
commaundement, [Note in marg: For he that will no euill
do, must nothing doe that longs thereto.] looke whatsoeuer,
it is, that we can sée to bee anie allurement,
anie occasion, or meanes to vncleannesse, all that
is condemned in this commaundement as much as the verie
act of adulterie, which heere onely is expressed. Then
howe the holie Pope of Rome can warrant
by the worde of God the erection and continuaunce of
his stewes, iudge you, although his gaine be neuer
so much thereby. Nay howe could that monster Sixtus
the fourth warrant the erection of a stewes of both
kindes, [Note in marg: In king Edwarde 4.] that is
both of women and men, whereby 20000 and some
yeares 40 thousande ducketes came to his coffers?
Or the whole Church of Rome so like of, and
so diminish the sinne of fornication? Can this their
spirite that guideth them, be the spirite of GOD, when
it condemneth not the act, whereof God condemneth all
occasions and allurementes? No, no, the Lorde giue
vs eies, and then haue we markes sufficient to bewray
them by.
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An
vnchast looke make- an vnchast heart, and a rouing
tongue beyonde the listes of godlinesse ere eue- we
well knowe what we doe. So subtill is the sinne that
this way créepeth into our soules. Apparell
is next, a most fearefull allurement to the breache
o- this commaundement both in thought and déede,
if God once in mercie would open our eyes. So are these
stage playes and most horrible spectacles, so is our
dauncing, which
at this day is vsed, so is drunkennesse, gluttonie
and idlenesse, with a number such like, as can witnesse
eche one in the world that will weigh them. Nowe
what care we haue had of these things the Lord knoweth,
and to our profite if we list a litle we may consider
it. Our eyes O Lorde, howe doe they offend through
our carelesse bestowing of them to their owne desire?
Where is the testimonie of truth within vs, that we
doe restraine them so soone as euer wee perceiue anie
tickling motion arise by them? Where is the counterpane
of that bande we haue taken of them that they shall
not cause
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[Illegible
word] to offende? Iob did it, and yet wee -eaker
than hee ten thousande times -hinke it néedelesse.
Alas our folly, [Note in marg: Iob. 31.1.] alas -ur
security! By this meanes our soules [...]rk in their
bane, & yet we care not nor -ilbe warned. The Lord
of his mercie [...]ue vs once the grace to desire it
with -auid and verie hartily to beg it, [Note
in marg: Psalm. 11.] yt our [...]es may be euer turned
away from be-olding vanitie. For the rest which fol-owe
consider the~ well, & let neuer Sa-han or selfeloue
so stil bewitch vs, that -e cannot be brought to sée
our sin. In -ehauiour or spéech haue we neuer
offe~-ed? But euer in them both so vsed our -elues,
as yt neither we nor they whom -e delt withall may
be charged of more -ightnesse, than became ye professors
of Christ and his worde? Haue wee neuer-ransgressed
in matter or forme of apparel? O yt we could say it.
But in truth we can not. For the contraries abounding
in the eies of al men would giue vs the lie. Light
behauiour and alluring -aliance is euerie where accompted
comelie bouldnesse, [Note in marg: Behauiour. ]and
good bringing vp: [Note in marg: Speech.] discoursing
spéeche to a vaine ende
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we
count a quality commendable in vs, and the want of
it we estéeme simplicitie, wheresoeuer we sée
it. And therefore by bookes to such endes set out,
we endeuour to attaine vnto it, and hauing once polluted
our spéech (for I will neuer call it polishing)
we are neuer better than when we haue company to bestowe
our tales and gréetinges vppon. Our apparell
in matter to our power we make sumptuous, [Note in
marg: Apparell.] and in forme to allure the eye asmuch
as wee can. If this be true, in the name of Christ
let vs better thinke of it than we haue done. These
are allurementes to sinfull lust, and this lawe of
God forbiddeth not onely both act and thought, but
euen euerie allurement to either of them. What should
I speake of stage plaies and dauncing?
Can we say in trueth before the maiestie of God that
we carefullie abstaine from these thinges, because
they tickle vs vp either more or lesse to the breach
of this commanndement? Alas we cannot a number of vs.
But we runne to the one continually to our cost, [Note
in marg: Playes.] when we will not be drawen
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to
better exercises that are offered fréely, we
sucke in the venom of them with great delight, and
practise the spéeches and conueyances of loue
which there we sée and learne. [Note in marg:
Dauncing.] The
other wee vse with especiall pleasure, and God being
witnesse to many an one, they wish the fruite of their
dauncing to be this, euen the fall of them selues and
others into the breache of this lawe.
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Ther-
was a litle tittle tattle, when time wa- they say betwixt
the grashopper and th- pismire, and we may laugh at
it, & ye- looke better about vs as admonished b-
it. The grashopper hauing passed th- summer ouer merily,
as her custom- is singing and tuning the notes of [Illegible
word] thoughtlesse minde vnder euerie leafe at last
when winter came on, begann- to shake, and to goe to
bedde with a- emptie bellie manie a night, to the great
weakening of her liuely limmes and the quite marring
of all her mu-sicke. To steale shée refuseth
of he- honest nature, and to begge shee i- ashamed
for feare to be mocked. Ye- néede maketh the
olde wife trotte-r they say, and modestie in this hungri-
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[...]eature
must yéelde to necessitie. To [Illegible word]
therefore shée goeth, and hauing a -ealthie
neighbour not farre off, that [Illegible word] laboured
sore all summer, and [...]de vppe much good vitaile,
to her [Illegible word] commeth, and craueth some suc[...]ur
at her hande. Who by and by [...]maunded of her what
shee did all [...]mmer? Alas (sayeth the grashop[...]r)
I sung and litle remembred -is change. Did you so (sayth
the [...]t) in déede did you sing all sum-er?
Nowe trust me, for mee, you all
daunce all winter, for I liue [Illegible
word] my labour, and I will neuer main[...]ine idlenesse
in anie. Thus re[...]iued slouth a checke, when it
loo[...]d for helpe, and wee warned by it [...]ay learne
this morall, to labour [...]ast we lacke. Optimum
obsonium [-pectute labor, (sayth one) They are
-ood refreshinges in our age the wel-estowed trauelles
of our youth. Single illegible lettereares passe,
and strength fayles, [...]tte nothing in youth, and
haue [...]thing in age. But O care[...]sse heartes
of ours, and headie will,
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who
can perswade this, or beate it into the heades of young
men, and maydes of seruantes, and such as are commin-
on? No, no, we will hoppe and daunce
tipple and drinke, banket and reuel- what counsell
soeuer is giuen vs to th- contrarie, with that litle
we haue, an- sing care away. And a litlegaie apparell
on the backe, is worth much mone- in the chest. But
wise is he whome other mens harmes can cause to tak-
héede. Sicknesse may come, and euer- maister
will not keepe a sicke seruant, mayme may fall to vs,
and wee the- may heare it, I haue no wages vnles- you
could worke, many thinges ma- happen, and a mans owne
is his own- and great is gods blessing to faithfu-
labour, as trulie his plagues are no- litle or rare
to idlenesse and slouth.
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