Andreas Ornithoparcus his Micrologus, or Introduction: containing the art of singing Digested into foure bookes. Not onely profitable, but also necessary for all that are studious of musicke. Also the dimension and perfect vse of the monochord, according to Guido Aretinus. By Iohn Douland lutenist, lute-player, and Bachelor of Musicke in both the Vniuersities. 1609.

Of Colour.

WHerfore Colour in this place is nothing, but the fulnes of the Notes: Or, it is the blacking of the principall figures: the force whereof is such, that it takes away the third part of the value from figures placed in their perfect quantitie: and from imperfects sometime it takes away the fourth part, sometimes it makes them of the Hemiola proportion. Where∣fore I thought good to place here a Table of the perfect figures coloured. Wherein note this, that the voide spaces doe shew that that figure, ouer which they are placed, is not to be coloured in that signe. But the Sphaerical figure (which the learned call the figure of nothing) declares that the figures may be coloured, yet that they haue not the value of one Tact.

Colour being in other figures essentiall, induce no accidentall quantity into Notes.

[illustration]

Colour is oftentimes found among most of the learnedst, neither to take away nor to adde any thing: but specially, when to remoue Alteration; it is placed in the neighbouring parts of perfect figures, thus: 〈♫〉〈♫〉 Tenor. Base.

Most commonly the Colour doth cause a Duple proportion in the imper∣fect figures, (as Franchinus saith. lib. 2. cap. 11.) which Henry Isaack in a cer∣taine Alleluia of the Apostles, did thus both wittily, and truely dispose. 〈♫〉〈♫〉 Tenor. Base.