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…

We should follow the footings of our godly Fathers, who now and then used dancing, yet chaste and moderate, the men by them selves, and the women by their selves: By these dances testified they the mirth of their minds, sangs they praises to God, gave they thanks unto him for some singular benefit received at his hands. And as for the confused dances of men and women together, we read them not in the holy scripture. But our men will say, who would dance after this sort? These things while they utter, they bewray themselves what they seek for in this pastime.

We should followe the footings of our godly Fatherrs, who now and then vsed dauncinge, yet chaste and moderate, the men by them selues, and the women by theyr selues: By these daunces testified they the myrthe of their mindes, sangs they prayses to God, gaue they thankes vnto him for some singular benefite receaued at his handes. And as for the confused daunces of men and women togyther, we reade them not in the holy scripture. But our men wil saye, who would daunce after this sorte? These thinges while they vtter, they bewray thēselues what they séeke for in this pastime.

Hither flock the effects of dancing recorded in Matthew, how the daughter of Herodias skipped in the kings feast, the king toke pleasure in her, whom without shame he could not openly gaze upon: for it was a most evident token of the forbidden marriage & whoredom: for Herod had ⟨image 26⟩taken unto him the wife of his brother, and mother of this damsel: of that dance it followed that John was be headed. Many are misgreeved with us, that we cry out upon dances, as upon things: evil of their nature and prohibited. We again make answer, that things ought not always to be measured, by their nature, but by the disposition and abuse of our flesh: wine, we cannot, deny, of it self is good: yet is it not administered to the sick of the Fever: not in that it is evil, but in that it agreeth not with the body so affected. In Exodus when the people made to themselves a golden calf, which they might worship, they sate down, they eat, they drank, and they rose up to play: In which place to play seemeth to be nothing else then to dance. But that I may not seem singular and alone man in these my sayings and censure, I will annex certain testimonies of the forefathers. Augustine in the sixth Chapter of his book against Petilian, saith: Bishops were evermore wont to punish vain and lascivious dances: but now a days, there be many Bishops not only present at the dances, but dancers themselves with