I Am delighted in synging 〈◊〉 ••strument.

Al how muche better were it in teares and sygninges? It were better to come to ioy 〈…〉 by ioying to teares.

I take pleasure in songs and harmonie.

Wild beastes and foules are deceyued by synging, and, which is more straunge, fyshes also are delighted in Musycke. Thou knowest the pretie fable of Arion and the Dolphin, which is holden so true, that it is cronicled. Many notable writers haue made men∣tion of that Miracle, but none more gallantly then Herodotus, the father of the Gretian Historie. Herevnto agree the brasen images whiche are there set vp, where the Musitian first arriued on shoare safely out of so great daunger sittyng vppon the backe of the swymmyng fyshe. Moreouer, it is sayde, that the Sirenes do decey•e by synging. This is not beleeued, but founde true by experience, how by flatteryng woordes one man deceyueth another: and to be short, there is nothyng more apt to deceiue, then the voyce.

I am delighted with pleasant Musicke.

The Spider, as they say, annoynteth before he byte, and the Phisition before he strike, the fouler also, and a woman ••••terreth whom they mynde to entice, and a theefe embraseth whom he wyl kyll, and the Polypus fyr••huc• •••h whom he ••ea•teth to drowne. And some naughtie pe•••• are neuer more •o be feared, then when they sh•••• 〈…〉 cur∣•••us in voyce and behauiour▪ 〈…〉 ad••••ially to 〈…〉 founde in the G•lmyo• Dom•••. Generally, there •s sear•e a••• 〈…〉

I 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 in singyng• 〈◊〉 Re•••••: 〈◊〉 heede, for it is 〈◊〉: So••• possesseth the last part of ioy: and agayne, the spi∣•••• shalb••〈◊〉•egore a fall.

I sing sweetly.

Th•• 〈…〉 whether it be thy last. The Swan syngeth 〈…〉 his death: More haue peryshed through 〈◊〉, 〈…〉 and there •••alate report, that one who 〈…〉 wont, dy•d sodaynly in the myddes 〈…〉 I am de•ighted in song and Musicke. 〈…〉 cause▪ Euery day, and houre, and 〈…〉 the G••••, whyther it is your 〈…〉 ••ought with •••ngyng, and in olde ty•••, 〈…〉 •ecorders, whereof is that verse of Sta•••• 〈◊〉: Whose custome is, the tender soules with Pipes to bring 〈◊〉. Thou takest pleas• 〈◊〉 in both these pompes of fune∣rals, Page  [unnumbered]whither thou makest hast (although thou perceiuest not thy selfe to goe) without rest or intermission.

I loue sing∣ing.

To what purpose? Doubtlesse in the myndes of woorthymen especially, there resteth a most mightie musike, but the effectes are sundrie, more then a man wyl beleeue. And to omit that which serueth not to our purpose, some it mooueth to vayne mirth, some to holy and deuout ioy, some many tymes to godlie teares: which varietie of affections, hath drawne great wittes into sundry opinions. For Athanasius to auoyde vanities, forbade the vse of singing in Churches. S. Ambrose studious of godlynesse, appoynted that men should syng. S. Augustine maketh godly mention among his confessions, that he aboade both, and that herein he was sometyme in some difficultie of doubt with hym selfe.

I delyght to syng.

This hath been a pleasure vnto many heretofore, and now it is to thee. For in olde tyme, who so coulde not syng and play vpon instrumentes, was counted vnlearned, which iudgement fel vp∣on Themistocles the Athenian, the most noble of all the Greci∣ans, for that he refused to play vppon an Harpe as he sate with company at meate. And Cicero reporteth, that Fpaminundas the Thebane, perhaps because he woulde auoyde that ignomi∣nie, could play very excellently vppon instrumentes. It is straunge, that Socrates beyng so graue a Father as he was, would learne to play: and therfore let vs not maruayle though Alcibiadis were by his vncle Periclis set to schole to learne vp∣on the Recorder, beyng among them so commendable an exer∣cise, that they learned the same also among the lyberal artes. But let vs commend the wyt of a shamefast Boy, who takyng into his hande the instrument of an excellent Musitian, who of purpose was sent for and hyred to teach hym and puttyng it vn∣to his mouth, and streynyng his breath, 〈◊〉 by his cheekes be∣gan to swell, & perceyuyng thereby the detormitie of his counte∣nance, blushed, and brake the Pype, and threw it away disdain∣fully, deseruyng surely, though but small of yeeres, to be an ex∣ample, that by the whole consent of the people the vse of Recor∣ders and wynd instrumentes should haue ben banyshed the Citie of Athens. This ardent desyre of Musicke, although it be not Page  32yet come so far vnto you, as to possesse the myndes of al Princes, yet hath it inuaded the myndes of some, and specially of the wor∣ser sort. For Caius the Emperour, was very muche geuen to syngyng and dauncing. As for Nero, how much he was addic∣ted to the studie of the Cytherne, and what great regard he had of his voyce, it is incredible to be spoken. This is one folly in him, and very ridiculus, that the same nyght which was the last of his lyfe, and the fyrst to the world, to take breath, as it were, for a litle tyme, among the complayntes which instaunt death and present feare and sorow dyd minister, this one thyng most of∣ten and most miserably he bewayled, not that so great a Prince, but that so great a Musitian shoulde perysh. I let passe others: euen vnto this your age which nowe is present, though but here and there, yet there is come some delyght of the eare, wherwith to be honestly and soberly delyghted, is a certayne humanitie, but to be caught, and as it were wedded vnto it, is great vanitie.

I am deceyued with the pleasure of sweete notes.

Oh that thou dyddest heare the syghes of the godly? Oh that the gronynges and lamentations of the dampned myght enter into thyne eares: And on the other syde, the re∣ioycynges of the blessed soules, and the syngyng of Angelles, and that heauenly harmonie which Pithagoras establysheth, Ari∣stotle ouerthroweth, and our Cicero restoreth, and godlinesse and fayth perswade thee to be there perpetuall, and the moste sweete voyce•, yf not of the heauens, yet of the heauenly inha∣bitauntes, wh••here without ende doo prayse the fyrst and eter∣nall cause. 〈◊〉 these thynges, I say, should enter into thyne eares, how playnely myghtest thou discerne which consent were the sweeter, and which the holsomer? But nowe thou committest the iudgement of the sounde to a deaffe sense, con∣cernyng which, perhaps hytherto may seeme vnto some to be a small matter, notwithstandyng it hath troubled many excellent men. Neyther was it without cause that Plato, a man of a diuine wyt, supposed that Musicke apperteyned to the state, and corrections of manners in a common wealth.