A breefe introduction to the skill of musick for song & violl / by J.P.

CHAP. VI. The Notes, their names, proportions, and their Rest or pauses, with directions for keeping Time.

The Notes. Their Rests or Pauses.

Large.	Long.	Breif.	Semibrief.	Minim.	Crochet.	Quaver.	Semiquaver
8	4	2		2	4	8	16
{large note}	{long note}	{breve note}	{semibreve note}	{minim note}	{crotchet note}	{quaver note}	{semiquaver note}
{large rest}	{long rest}	{breve rest}	{semibreve rest}	{minim rest}	{crotchet rest}	{quaver rest}	{semiquaver rest}
By Augmentation.		By Diminution.

IT is to be observed, that Notes have two names, one for Tune, as Sol la mi fa; the other for Time, or prolongation of sounds, as first the Large, 2. the Long, 3. the Briefe, 4. the Semibriefe, 5. the Minim, 6. the Crochet, 7. the Quaver, 8. the Semiquaver: and these eight Notes are thus distinguished, the Large being the first and longest sound, the rest as they follow one another are halfe the proportion of the Note before him. The Semibriefe being the Master Note; for in Songs or Lessons all Times are kept to his value, which is the hand up and downe: If it be a Long (which is a Note of Augmentation) 'tis foure Semibriefs, which is the hand foure times up and down: If Notes of Diminutions as Minims and Crochets, then such a proportion of them as a∣mount

to the value of one Semibrief is a Time, which is the hand up at one Minim and downe at the o∣ther.

These Notes have often times an augmentation or addition of a prick which followes them, which is for the continuing or prolonging of the sound of that Note it follows, and the prick is halfe as much as the note which it follows: for example, if a prick be set after a Sembriefe, that prick addes a Minim more to him, and the Semibriefe which before but two Minims is now made to contain three Minims▪ the like is to the other Notes.

Example.

〈♫〉〈♫〉

The usuall Moods may not here be mist, In them much cunning doth consist.