Of daunsing, why it is blamed, and how deliuered from blame.

Daunsing of it selfe declareth mine allowance, in that I name it among the good and healthfull exercises: which I must needes cleare from some offensiue notes, wherwith it is charged by some sterne people: least if I do not so, it both continue it selfe in blame still, and draw me thither also with it, for allowing of a thing, that is disliked, and by me not deliuered from iust cause of misliking, which by my choice do seeme to defend it. And yet I meane not here to rippe vp, what reading hath taught me of it, though it seeme to haue serued for great vses in olde time, both athleticall for spectacle and shew: militare for armour and enemie: and Physicall for health and welfare: so many and so notable writers, make so much and so oftimes mention therof in all these three kindes. Some dedicate whole volumes to this argument onely, some enterlace their brauest discourses with the particularities therof, and those no meane ones. And in deede a man, that neuer red much, and doth but marke the thing cursorily, would scant beleue, that it were either of such antiquitie, or of such account, or so generally entreated of by learned men, all those their writinges stil sounding to the praise and aduancement therof: howsoeuer in our dayes either we embase it in opinion: or it selfe hath giuen cause of iust embasement, by some peoples misvse. Many sortes of it I do reade of, but most discontinued, or rather quite decayed, that onely is reserued, which beareth oftimes blame, machance being corrupted by the kinde of Musick, as the olde complaint was: machance bycause it is vsed but for pleasure and delite onely, and beareth no pretense or stile of exercise, directly tending to health, which is our peoples moane now in our dayes. For where honest and profitable reasons be not in the first front, to commend a thing, but onely pleasaunt and deliteful causes, which content not precise surueiours, there groweth misliking, the partie that exerciseth, not pretending the best, which is in the thing, and the partie that accuseth, marking nothing else but that, which maye moue offence.

The sad and sober commodities, which be reaped by daunsing in respect of the motion applyed to health be these, by heating and warming, it driueth awaie stifnes from the ioyntes, and some palsilike trembling from the legges and thighes, whom it stirreth most, it is a present remedie to succour the stomacke against weaknesse of digestion, and rawnesse of humours: it so strengtheneth and confirmeth aching hippes thinne shankes, feeble feete, as nothing more: in deliuering the kidneys or bladder from the stone, it is beyond comparison good: but now such as haue weake braines, swimming heades, weeping eyes, simple and sory sight, must take heede of it, and haue an eye to their health, for feare they be disie when they daunce, and trip in their turning, or rather shrinke downe right when they should cinquopasse. Such as haue weake kidneys and ouerheated, may displease them selues, if it please then [them] to daunce, and encrease their diseases, by encreasing their heat.

The daunsing in armour, called by the Greekes p??????, as it is of more motion in exercise, so it worketh more nimblenesse in executing, when ye deale in the field with your enemies. These be the frutes which are reaped by daunsing well and orderly vsed, for the benefit of health, and the contrary displeasures, which are caught by it, thorough inconsiderate applying of it, by the partie which is not made for it. The blames which it beareth be these. That it reuelleth out of time, wherewith Physick is offended: That it serueth delite to much, whereat good manners repine. For these two faultes there is but one generall aunswere: that daunsing is healthfull, though the daunsers vse it not healthfully, as other things of greater countenaunce be verie good, though the professours do not so, as their professions do enioine them. For the first in particular, the rule of health condemnes not daunsing, but the mistyming of it: that it is vsed after meat, when rest is most holesome: with full stomacke, when digestion should haue all the helpe of naturall heat: that to please the beholders, such as vse daunsing do displease them selues. And sure if daunsing be an exercise, as both all antiquitie doth commend it for, and I my selfe do allow of it by that name: it would by rule of Physick go before meat, and not be vsed but long after, as a preparatiue against a new meale: and a disburdener of superfluities, against a surcharge of new diet: Howbeit there be in it some more violent measures then some: and in beginning with the most staydest and most almanlike, and so marching on, till the springing galliard and quicker measures take place, choice in euerie one, vpon knowledge of his owne bodie, and his emptinesse or saturitie maye helpe health, though the custome of eche countrey commaunde not onely health, though to her harme, but euen the verie science which professeth the preseruation of health, if desire egge delite, to shew it selfe in place. Wherevpon the second blame of daunsing, doth especially builde, and take her hold.

To keepe thinges in order, there is in the soule of man but one, though a verie honorable meane, which is the direction of reason: to bring things out of order there be two, the one strongheaded, which is the commaundement of courage, the other many headed, which is the enticement of desires. Now daunsing hath properties to serue eche of these, exercise for health, which reason ratifieth, armour for agilitie, which courage commendeth, liking for allowance, which desire doth delite in. But bycause it yeildeth most to delite, and in most varietie of pleasures, desire ministreth most matter to blame, daunsing by pleasing desire to much, hath pleased reason to litle, and when reason obiecteth inconueniences, it turneth the deafe side, and followeth her owne swinge. For when the tailour hath braued, where nature hath beawtified: when amiablenesse of person hath procured agilitie by cunning, what gallant youthes in whom there is any courage, can abide not to come to shew, hauing such qualities so worthy the beholding? here will courage shew her selfe, though repentance be her port, here will desire throng in prease, though it praise not in parting. All this doth confesse that daunsing is become seruant to desire, though not daunsing alone: and yet companions in blame be no dischargers of fault. What then? for the generall, seing thinges which man vseth, cannot be quite free from misuse, it is halfe a vertue to winne so much, as there be as litle misuse, as may be: and to charge the partie that deserues blame, with hinderance of health, with corruption of manners, with ill losse of good time: which if he care not for, the precept may passe, though he passe not for it. But howsoeuer daunsing be or be thought to be, seing it is held for an exercise, we must thinke there is some great good in it, though we protecte not the ill, if any come by it. Which good we must seeke to get, and praie those maisters, which fashion it with order in time, with reason in gesture, with proportion in number, with harmonie in Musick, to appoint it so, as it may be thought both seemely and sober, and so best beseeme such persons, as professe sobrietie: and that with all, it may be so full of nimblenesse and actiuitie, as it may proue an exercise of health, being vsed in wholesome times, and not seeking to supplant rest, as the rule of health at this daie complaineth. And generally of all ages, me thinke it beseemeth children best, to enable, and nimble their iointes therby, and to stay their ouermuch deliting therin in further yeares. The very definition of it declareth, what it was then, when it was right, and what it is now, when it seemes to be wronge, if right in such thinges be not creature to vse, and maye change with time, without challenge for the change. They define daunsing to be a certaine cunning to resemble the manners, affections, and doinges of men and women, by motions and gestures of the bodie, artificially deuised in number and proportion. This was to them a kinde of deliuerie, to vtter their mindes, by signes and resemblances, of that which came nearest to the thing, and was most intelligible to the lookers on. But now with vs, there is nothing left to the dauncer ordinarily, but the bare motion, without that kinde of hand cunning (for so I terme their ?e??????a) bycause the skill seemed then to rest most in the vse of the vpper partes, and gesturing by the hand. The credit of our daunsing now is to represent the Musick right, and to cause the bodye in his kinde of action to resemble and counterfet that liuely, which the instrument in his kinde of composition deliuereth delicately: and with such a grace to vse the legges and feete, as the olde daunsers vsed their armes and handes. And as in the olde time both men, wymen and children did vse daunsing to helpe and preserue their health, to purchace good hauiour and bearing of their bodies: so in these our dayes, being vsed in time, by order, and with measure, it will worke the same effectes of health, hauiour and strength, and may well auoide the opinion of either lewdnesse, or lightnesse. Thus much for daunsing, as the motion is for health, and the meaning for good.