Brief conclusions of dancers and dancing Condemning the prophane vse thereof; and commending the excellencie of such persons which haue from age to age, in all solemne feasts, and victorious triumphs, vsed that (no lesse) honourable, commendable and laudable recreation: as also true physicall obseruations for the preseruation of the body in health, by the vse of the same exercise. Written by I.L. Roscio.

CONCLVSIONS VPON DANCES, BOTH OF THIS AGE AND OF THE OLD. Three diuers opinions of learned men, concerning Dances.

CReat is the diuerſitie of opinions about the vſage of dances, euen as it is about a thouſand other matters of no ſlender importance. Some men of good vnderſtanding and litterature, doe affirme dances to bee holy of themſelues: and their chiefe allegation regardeth the ſixt Chapter of the ſecond booke of Samuel, where it is written, that the Prophet Dauid danced before the Arke of the Lord, when it was carried from the houſe of Obed-Edom to the Citie of Dauid, with ſhouting and ſound of Trumpet. Many others doe maintaine, that ſuch an exerciſe is prophane: and doe principally inferre out of the 32. chapter of Exodus, that the corrupted Iſraelites did dance in their idolatrie about the molten Calfe, which they compelled Aaron to make. But after the iudgement of the greater number, it is a thing altogether indifferent: and their higheſt argument doth embrace one ſpeech of Chriſt in the 7. chap. of the Goſpell according to Saint Luke, which is this, They are like vnto little children ſitting in the market place, and crying one to another, and ſaying, VVee haue piped vnto you, and ye haue not danced: wee haue mourned vnto you, and you haue not wept. Let the hearers and readers open their mindes vnto vs, or vnto others, vpon ſuch diuerſities.

It may eaſily be perceiued, in marking ſome places of the Old and New Teſtaments, that the holineſſe, prophanation, and indifferencie of dances, muſt be conſidered vpon the cauſes of dancing. Wherefore wee are minded to ſet downe, by the permiſſion of the Almightie, ſome inſtructiue obſeruations touching that purpoſe.

Of the Dances vſed in the Old Age, and formerly of the holy.

THat Dance was holy, which, as wee read in the 15. chap. of Exodus, was effected by Miriam the Propheteſſe, ſiſter of Aaron and Moſes, with all the other Iſraelitiſh women, when God had miraculouſly deſtroyed their deadly foes the Aegyptians, to wit, King Pharao and his mightie hoſte, in ouerthrowing and drowning them all at once in the red Sea. For they danced in ſinging prayſes vnto God for their deliuerance: and ſo the cauſe of their dancing was godly, and conſequently the dance it ſelfe was holy. That Dance was holy likewiſe, which the Scripture ſheweth vs in the 11. chap. of Iudges, when Iptah had vanquiſhed his aduerſaries the Ammonites, and returned to his houſe: which Ammonites had beene verie cruel oppreſſors of the Iſraelits eighteen years. For the daughter of Iaphtah with her compapanions went out to meete her father, and danced in magnifying the Lord, becauſe he had giuen him the victorie ouer his enemies.

Is not the like argument to be framed vpon the like ſubiect, in the 18. chap. of the firſt book of Samuel? We ſee there, how that the women of Iſrael came out of all their Cities, to honour Dauid returning from the ſlaughter of Goliath the Philiſtim: and how that they danced in giuing glorie to the Almightie, becauſe hee had auenged his people Iſrael of their foes the Philiſtims, which were ſlaundering and blaſpheming idolaters. And the 15. Chapter of the booke of Iudith doth confirme this matter of dancing, in that it manifeſteth the Dances of that moſt vertuous, godly, and valiant widow Iudith, after ſhe had ſaued the Citie of Bethulia, and diſcomfited the Perſians, Medes, and all the reſt, by ſmiting off, with her heroicall hand, the head of Olofernes, chiefe Captaine of Nabuchodonoſor King of the Aſſyrians.

Vpon what occaſions, in the Old Age, the dances were vſed.

NOw euerie man may learne by thoſe premiſſes, that the godly women of Iſraell did dance publikly, after ſome great victorie, in prayſing and glorifying the name of the Lord for the ſame: and that they did not vſe that kinde of exerciſe with any minde toward ſome worldly pleaſure. But was it onely about victories? It was alſo about the celebration of ſome ſolemne feaſt conſecrated vnto God: as we haue the example thereof in the 21. Chap. of Iudges. For the Elders of Iſrael hauing no wiues for two hundreth men of Beniamin had them goe to Shiloh, where a feaſt of the Lord was celebrated euery yeare: ſaying, Goe and lye in wait in the Vineyards, and when ye ſee the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in Dances, then come yee out of the Vineyardes, and catch you euery man a wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and goe into the land of Beniamin. So ye may clearely ſee, that the vſage of dancing was not onely ordained for victories, but alſo for ſolemne feaſts: and that a concluſion may be gathered out of it, to be lawfull to reioyce with dances, at the time of mariages, and of all other holy and great occaſions. But it were meete and conuenient, ye ſhould alwaies remember one thing: that whenſoeuer the occaſions of dancing are holy, then the forme of dancing ought to repreſent holineſſe, as the indifferent doe require indifferencie: the diſcerning wherof muſt be left to the iudgement of godly and well learned perſons.

Wee doe not adde to this place the hiſtorie contained in the ſixt chap. of the ſecond booke of Samuel, which ſaith, That the Prophet Dauid danced before the Arke of God: becauſe a doubt may riſe thereupon, whether that motion of Dauid was a dance, or not. For as in the 82. Pſalme, and in other doctrines of the holy Bible, Princes and Magiſtrates are called Gods, becauſe in a manner they bee like vnto God: ſo that motion of Dauid might be taken in the number of dances, becauſe it had ſome likeneſſe with them. What is that, which compelleth vs to argue in this ſort? I pray you, hearken a little. Dances are motions compoſed with meaſure: but that motion of Dauid was without meaſure: as it is not difficult to be comprehended, in that he diſcouered himſelfe before his maids, whereupon hee was mocked of his wife Michal. What might haue beene the cauſe of ſuch a motion in him? His minde was tranſported and carried away, through the great vehemencie of the burning zeale, wherewith hee was altogither inflamed.

Of the Vnlawfull Dances, which are commonly called prophane.

AS touching prophane Dances, that Dance which the Apoſtle Saint Matthew in the 14. Chapter of his Goſpell, writeth to haue beene danced before Herod by the daughter of Herodias, may be a ſufficient teſtimoniall. There it clearely appeareth to all perſons endued with ſome diſcretion, that in her Dance ſhe had no regard vnto God, but onely vnto Herod: that ſhe might moſt excellently pleaſe the ſaid Herod, to the intent that he ſhould make her ſome extraordinarie high promiſe, whereby ſhe might purchaſe to her ſelfe the head of Saint Iohn Baptiſt, for to carrie it to her mother Herodias, which did hate that good Prophet with a deadly hatred. And wee conclude thereupon that euery dancer and dancereſſe, which in their dances haue no remembrance of God, are greatly culpable before the eyes of God himſelfe, although they ſeeme to be without fault in the ſight of men.

Wee do not bring hither the dancing mentioned in the 23. Chap. of Exodus: becauſe thoſe ſtubborn and ſtiffehearted Iſraelites, which danced about the molten Calfe, were become Idolaters. For it might be in that conſideration, that ſuch dances were part of their religion.

Of ſuch Dances, as by reaſon are eſtemed to be indifferent.

BVt for the indifferencie of Dances, wee haue the 15. Chapter of the Euangeliſt S. Luke: where our Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt ſpeaking of the Prodigall Sonne, which had waſted abroad all his portion of Goods, and afterward was returned to his Father, with humble confeſsion of his offence, ſayth in good part, & in the narration of a godly deed, that they made great mirth for his ſake in the houſe, with Bankers, Melodie, and Dances. And there that indifferencie of Dancing, is to be more plainely ſeene in theſe wordes, Let vs eate, and be merrie. King Salomon among many indifferent thinges, which he ſetteth down for our inſtruction, in the 3. Chapter of his Eccleſiaſtes, doeth alſo teach vs this: That as there is a time to mourne, ſo there is a time to Dance. And ſuch a thing may alſo ſerue vs heere, for the proofe of the indifferencie of Dances: concluding beſides that, by the laſt example and doctrine now deduced, that it is not any action diſpleaſant vnto God, to vſe Dances for an honeſt recreation, in the ioyfull meetings of faythfull friendes, or deare kinsfolkes; and in all other occaſions like vnto that ſame.

Wee do not vſe heere, that compariſon of the little Children, inuiting other little Children to Dance, comprehended in the 7. Chap. of the Goſpell according to S. Luke, which compariſon the Lord Ieſus vttered for himſelfe, and for the Prophet S. Iohn Baptiſt, againſt the Phariſes and Expounders of the Law. For it is well knowen euery where, that many thinges are to be tollerated in Children, which are not to be tollerated in other perſons: as the ryding vpon Stickes, and the playing with Babies; with ſuch other fooliſh paſtimes.

What ſort of Dancing is more conuenient for the health.

AMong the indifferent Dances, thoſe Dances as we thinke, muſt be numbred, which are practiſed for the exerciſe of the body, that thereby the bodily health may be better preſerued. Wherfore in regarding the druerſitie of diſpoſitions, which is founde at all times in the humaine kinde, it will not bee amiſſe, to ſet downe one worde in this purpoſe, to declare what ſort of Dancing is more conuenient for theſe, and what for thoſe.

Such Dances as doe ſtrongly ſtirre the body, ought to be choſen of them, which haue ſome obſtructions in the wayes of the Vrine, or ſome other like impediment. And the contrarie muſt be vſed of ſuch perſons, as doe perceiue their owne Braines to be weake, or the like infirmitie to be in ſome other part. But to the others that Dancing is fitter, which exerciſeth the bodie in a meane meaſure of agitation. Therefore let all thoſe perſons, which doe ordinarily exerciſe them ſelues in Dances, carefully obſerue and regard the conſtitutions of their bodyes: to the intent, that they ſhould not vſe any kind of Dancing, which by repugnancie might be hurtfull to their complxions: Remembring aſsidually within them ſelues, and ſo much the more in this matter, to acknowledge God to be the Author of all good thinges: becauſe the Apoſtle S. Paul in the 4. Chap. of his firſt Epiſtle to Timotheus doth condemne the bodily exerciſe, when it is not accompanied with godlines.

Of the ordinarie Dances, vſed cuerie where, in theſe dayes.

NOw that we haue handled the Dances of the old Age, ſhall wee make euident in few lines, what wee thinke of the Dances of our dayes? Theſe Dances (I ſpeake of the greater part of them) doe ſeeme vnto our iudgement, to be partly vaine, and partly prophane. Vaine, becauſe neither men nor women are able to attaine vnto the knowledge and practiſe of the art of ſuch Dancing, without vexation of the Spirit, and loſſe of time. Prophane, becauſe in the old age, the women Danced to this intent, that thereby their ſpirituall Songes and Diuine prayſes ſhould waxe more feruent; and conſequently become more acceptable vnto GOD: wheras now very often, in a great many places, among the Chriſtians them-ſelues, not onely the Women, but alſo the Men, doe Dance to pleaſe the world. Notwithſtanding God alone is hee, which ſeeth their heartes and intentions: and without difficultie it may be, that our coniectures are not ſufficiently iudicious.

The vexation of the Spirit is ſo much ſpoken againſt, by that wiſe Salomon in his Booke of Ecceſiaſtes, that it is a wonderfull thing, to ſee ſo many, & ſo many againe, that neuer keepe them ſelues from the tearing clawes of that monſter. And the loſſe of Time, might be better auoyded, if men would but note the admonition of the Apoſtle S. Paul, in the 5. Chap. of his Epiſtle to the Epheſians, where hee biddeth them Redeeme the time: when hee admoniſheth them, To walke circumſpectly, not as Fooles; but as Wiſe, and to vnderſtand what the will of the Lord is.

Moreouer, many of theſe Dances are ſo much artificiall (at the leaſt within our cogitations, and within the cogitations of ſome other perſons, which haue alſo obſerued in the holy Hiſtories of the old Teſtament, the manner of Dancing practiſed among the Iſraelitiſh women, that liued in the feare of God) many of theſe Dances (I ſay) are ſo much artificiall, that the humaine mindes can not be intended nor attentiue to the Art of Dancing, and to the prayſe of God together.

Whether it bee lawfull for men to dance with women.

MAny men doe argue, that it is lawfull for them, to dance with women: becauſe (ſay they) the Prophet Dauid exhorteth vs in one of his Pſalmes, to praiſe God in Dances. But that argument cannot bee ſtrong enough. For beſides that the Hebrewe word doth carry diuers ſignifications, the later and riper Tranſlations, both in Engliſh and in other Languages, doe not name any Dance. Therefore we would rather counſell them to take an other way, and ſende them to that Text of the Prophet Ieremie in the 31. Chapter, The Virgine ſhall reioyce in the Dance, and the yong men and the olde men together: for I will turne their mourning into ioy, & will comfort them, and giue them ioy for their ſorrowes.

Heere many others do endeuour themſelues, to make an oppoſition in this manner. As the flowing of milke and hony (ſay they) is taken in the Scripture, for the aboundance of all things neceſſary to the humane life; ſo the Dance is put in that Text for the greatnes of ioy. But let them marke, or remember one thing: The wordes muſt be vnderſtood in an other ſenſe, when they are repugnant vnto reaſon: but the word Dance, is not repugnant vnto reaſon, in that text of Ieremie aboue recited.

To what eſtates the Dances are thought to be more becomming.

IF wee will but marke meanely well a little part of the 15. Chap. of Exodus alreadie mentioned, it ſhall be ſufficiently manifeſt vnto vs, that the Iſraelitiſh women Danced with Miriam the Propheteſſe, for that they were mooued and brought to it by the ſayd Miriam, which began to Dance, and was the leader of them. Whereby wee ſhall remaine fully perſwaded, that thoſe women did not embolden themſelues towardes that exerciſe, in the preſence of her, which was aboue them in dignitie, vntill they were bidden and inuited to it by her example. And this doth cauſe the opinions of many Learned men to be, that ſuch an exerciſe is rather appertayning to the Nobilitie and Gentilitie, then to the other eſtates: and that the inferiours ought not to vſe it among the ſuperiours, nor in the preſence of them, except the ſuperiours doe bidde or inuite the inferiours to the ſame, whether it be by ſpeach, or otherwiſe. Concluding thereupon, that ſame Art to be much abuſed in our age, becauſe (ſay they) it is practiſed by a great many without any diſeretion at all.

Let vs giue ſome inſight to a few words of the 11. Chap. of Iudges, which wee haue alledged in another line of this Treatiſe. No mention is made of any perſon in thoſe Dances, but of the daughter of Iephtah, which was Captaine ouer the people of Iſrael, Doth not this argue with great probabilitie, that the ſaid daughter of Iephtah, was the moouer and guider of that dancing, as ſhee was the higheſt in eſtate and condition among her fellowes? And doth it not by conſequence come to agree with that purpoſe, which now we haue holden in a brief deduction, a very little before, about the dauncing of Miriam the Propheteſſe with the other women of Iſrael? None extraordinarie ſharpneſſe, or viuacitie of wit is neceſſarie, to make it enter into the comprehenſion of that point.

We haue already touched the fiftenth chapter of the Booke of Iudeth, which wee muſt touch againe at this preſent time, vpon the diſcourſe which we haue in hand. For theſe words are written in the end of it, concerning the ſayde moſt honorable Iudeth, They alſo crowned her with Oliues, and her that was with her, and ſhee went before the people in the Dance, leading all the Women. Which words do greatly augment, without any part of doubt, the ſtrength and vigour of our argumentation: to wit, that the Dances do not ſeeme to become ſo well the lower ſort, as the higher: and that we may thinke according vnto reaſon, to be ſomewhat inconuenient for the lower, to haue the exercitation of dancing neere the higher, vnleſſe ſome leaue he giuen of theſe vnto thoſe, one way or other. And herevnto this very ſhort addition, as we do perſwade our ſelues, cannot bee but fitly applyed: that by the Hiſtories of daunces contained in the holy Scripture, it ſeemeth vnto the conſideration of many godly perſons, that the practiſe of Dancing is more becomming vnto women, then vnto men.

Why Dances are forbidden in ſome places among the Christians.

THe prohibition of Dances in Geneua, & in ſome other Territories, which do keepe all the orders of the ſame in matters of Religion, and Eccleſiaſticall Diſcipline, was made becauſe of the great abuſes of them: to cut off the pernicious euils, which oftentimes happened thereby. Is not this a ſufficient argument, to prooue ſuch an action to be good? Behold, our Mesſias in the 18. Chap. of the Goſpel according to S. Matthew, doeth command euery one of vs, to caſt away his hand, or his foote, or his eye; if they cauſe him to offend: ſaying, that it is better, to enter into life, with one hand, or with one foote, or with one eye, then hauing two hands, or two feete, or two eyes, to be caſt into euerlaſting fire. Therefore if in that caſe we muſt needs be depriued of things, which are ſo much profitable & neceſſarie: why ſhould thoſe nations haue refuſed to ſuppreſſe a thing, which among them was become altogether vaine and prophane?

Wee read in the 21. Chap. of Numbers, that Moſes by the commandement of God, did make a Serpent of Braſſe, and erected it for a ſigne vnto the Iſraelites. And we read in the 18. Chap. of the ſecond Booke of Kings, that the religious King Hezekiah did beat downe, and breake in peeces the ſayd Braſen Serpent, becauſe he ſaw that the people of Iſrael continued yet to adore the ſame, in burning Incenſe vnto it. If then it haue been lawfull, to aboliſh the Sacrament of God, in conſideration that it was abuſed; why ſhould it not be lawfull, to put away the inuentions of men for the like cauſe?

Mee thinketh it were enough, to make vs leaue and forſake the vſage of ſuch Dances, as are onely effected for the pleaſure of our eyes, to obſerue and conſider with ſtudious diligence one thing in the 14. chap. of the Apoſtle S. Matthew, How that through the meanes & occaſion of a Dance, S. Iohn Baptiſt was put to death: which was a moſt excellent Prophet, & a moſt faythfull forerunner of our Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt. To whom, with the Father, and the Spirit, be all magnificence, and glorie perpetually. Amen.

FINIS.