B00830:36
A brief treatise, concerning the use and abuse of dancing. Collected out of the…A briefe treatise, concerning the vse and abuse of dauncing. Collected oute of the…
A brief treatise, concerning the use and abuse of dancing. Collected out of the learned works of the most excellent dean doctor, Peter Martyr, by paister Rob Massonius: and translated into English by I.K.A briefe treatise, concerning the vse and abuse of dauncing. Collected oute of the learned workes of the most excellent deaine doctour, Peter Martyr, by paister Rob Massonius: and translated into English by I.K.
London: printed by John Jugge, 1580London: printed by Iohn Iugge, 1580
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Some suppose, that men beholding the motions of the fixed and wandering Stars, invented this, thereby to represent that variety of the motion. Others think that it rather sprang first of Religion, because among the ancient Ethnics, no sacred things were well nigh done without dancing.
Some suppose, that men beholdinge the motions of the fixed and wanderinge Starres, inuented this, therby to represent that variety of the motion. Others thinke that it rather sprange fyrste of Religion, because amonge the auncient Ethnickes, no sacred thinges were wel nie donne without dauncinge.
For they lead their dances from the left to the right side of the Altar, to show the turning of Heaven from ⟨image 21⟩[…] ⟨image 21⟩[…] ⟨image 22⟩the East to the West, then returned they from the right side to the left, to signify the course of the moveable and unmoveable stars: which thing peradventure Virgil meant, when be said: Instaurantque choros mixtique altaria circū. They begin to dance afresh one with another round about the altars.1 Also Salij the priests of Mars among the Romans were had in great estimation. And there be that refer the original hereof to Hiero Siculus the tyrant: who, as they report, to establish his tyranny, forbade the people mutual communication. By means whereof it came to pass, that the men of Sicily began to express their minds and thoughts by becks & gestures of the body: which afterwards grew to an use and custom. But whether this be so or no, dances in the old time were not estranged from religion: albeit afterwards they were applied to public and common rejoicing: Besides these, there was another kind exercised by young men in Martial affairs.