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…

¹The maidens renowned his victory over Goliath with dancing and singing. Miriam Moses sister,² when Pharaoh was laid a long and slain, danced with other women, and sang a song of triumph and victory. Wherefore sith holy men and chaste women have used dances, we can not say they are faulty of their own nature: but as they are now a days done, that men should dance together with women, they be untollerable: For that they are the nutriments and provocations of lasciviousness and voluptuous pleasures. Miriam Moses sister traced not with young men, but apart with women: neither David with women, nor the maidens who honoured his conquest, with young men but by them selves. Now they that with all their mind and might love God, it is not enough for them to observe his commandments, unless they cut of also all occasions, whereby their observations may be impaired. But our dances are most evident occasions of transgressing the divine ⟨image 24⟩law: snares they are and stumbling blocks, not to the doers alone but to the beholders also: For they stir and inflame the hart of men, wicked enough otherwise from it very beginning: and what with much a doe and industry, is to be repressed, that the flickering enticements of these light leapinges raise & stir up. Verily if a man would take counsel either of him self, or of experience, or of reason, he shall find the lustre of the mind not a little to be kindled, and set on fire by these sights: and he shall perceive men with wave of their goodness, and women with eclipse of their chastity return home. Furthermore, perils are rather to be taken heed of then nourished: For as Solomon saith, Who loveth peril shall fall thereinto.

¹The maidens renowmed his victorye ouer Goliah with dauncing and singing. Miriam Moses sister,² when Pharo was layde a longe and slaine, daunced with other women, and sange a songe of tryumph and victorie. Wherefore sith holy men and chast womē haue vsed daunces, we can not saye they are faultye of theyr owne nature: but as they are nowe a dayes donne, that men should daunce togeyther with women, they be vntollerable: For that they are the nutrimentes and prouocations of lasciuiousnesse and voluptuous pleasures. Mirriam Moses sister traced not with younge mē, but apparte with women: neither Dauid with women, nor the maidens who honoured his conquest, with yonge men but by thē selues. Now they yt with all theyr mind and might loue God, it is not enough for them to obserue his commaundements, vnlesse they cutte of also all occasiones, whereby theyr obseruations maye be impayred. But our daunces are most euident occasions of transgressing the diuine