conclude, that this is a kind of theft: which although it be not playnly expressed in the holye scripture, yet neuertheles it ought to bee referred to the eight commaundement, in which it is sayd, Thou shalt not steale.

The like is of daunses which wee may put in the first & second row or order. For although wee haue not any playne and expresse forbidding, where it should be sayd, Thou shalt not daunse, yet we haue a formall and plaine commaundement, Thou shalt not commit adultery, or whoredome: to which the daunses ought to be referred. [Sidenote: A definition of daunses.] Now if one would aske me what daunses were: I wil answeare, that considering the sway which they haue at this day amongest us Cristians, they bee nothing else but impudent, shameles, and dissolute gestures, by which the lust of the flesh is awaked, stirred by, and inflamed, as wel in men as in women. [Sidenote: Deut. 22. Titus. 2.] Bat if honesty, modesty, and sobernes, be required in apparaile, & adorning of mens selues, as we see that it is commended and commaunded in Deuteronomie, & seing that S. Paule also in his epistle to Titus, willeth that there should be among us a sober and holy countenaunce, singularly and specially in women, which ordinarily be very curious in their garmentes, it is certayne and sure, that there is some poyson or venym hidden under the grasse. [Sidenote: I. Pet. 3.] And because it is so, S. Peter in his first canonicall or generall epistle, forbiddeth that women should appeare, shew, and sett out themselues by theyr apparayle and neatnes. Add that in many other places of the sayd holy scripture, the diuersity and difference in attire and garmentes, is condemned, as prouoking to whoredome, and slipperines, by more stronge reason the dissolute and lewde gestures, which be practised by the proper and owne members of a mans bodye, ought to be cutt of, and banished from among christians. [Sidenote: Jud. 23.] And S. Jude exhorteth us, to haue, yea and that in hatred the garment which is defiled by the flesh, meaning under this figure & manner of speech, all inticementes & allurements which might draw us to any pollution, uncleannes, and fylthynes: what ought we to iudge in the excellency (as a man woulde say) value and estimation of the flesh itselfe, which is so polluted and defyled, that it bringeth forth, and setteth out the pollution and filthines thereof, by villanous and dishonest gestures. [Sidenote: Ephe. 4. 29. Colos. 3.] And when S. Paule in his epistles to the Ephesians and Colossians, forbiddeth us all corrupt, infected, and filthy speech, or woordes, is there not at the least as much, or as greate occasion: [Sidenote: The eies.] yea more or greater to condemne dissolute and lewd gestures: for as concerning dishonest and unmeete woordes, they be gathered or receaued with our eares onely, but as for villanous & dishonest gestures, they be so many obiects, or thinges set before our eyes, as if one shoulde set before us a painted table, in which all villany infection, and filthines should be liuely pourtraited and set out. [Sidenote: Mat. 5.] Now that the sighte of all our senses is it which hath most force & strength to make us incline to uncleannes and filthynes, I will haue none other iudge but our Lord himselfe, when he hath uttered and spoken with his mouth, that hee which hath cast his eye uppon his neighbours wife, for to couet, desyre, and with her is already a whoremonger in his hart: [Sidenote: I John. 2.] behold also wherefore S. John in his first canonicall or generall epistle, putteth or ioyneth with the concupiscence or lust of the flesh, the concupiscence & lust of the eyes. finally when S. Paule placeth or putteth sobernes, modestie, and temperaunce among the effects and fruites which the grace of God ought to bring forth in us, doth hee not sufficiently forbid all dissolutenes, lightnes, outrages, and disorders, as wel in our manners as in our gestures, & other manner of doings.

But for as much as all the former argumentes are founded and grounded upon that definition of daunses, which I haue before geuen and made, and that some men might deny it me, we must answeare that which they haue bene accustomed to obiect against it. First of al I haue heard of some which denye daunses to be shamelesse and dissolute gestures, because that when they daunse, they do it not, but for a recreation of themselues and bodily exercise, yea that they use it as a certayne thing, which of itselfe is neither good nor euill. But let such people be answeared after this manner, that is to say, that their affection cannot so chaunge the nature of the thing, that it doth not alwaies kepe and hold fast, his proper or owne name. We see that if one enter or goe into a Brothel house, or Stewes, yea without affection or mind to commit whoredome ther, yet neuerthelesse the place shal not cease or leaue of to be called a stewes, or Brothell house. Likewise let them say, that in daunsing they haue not any shamelesse or vilanous mynde, & affection, which notwithstanding, may not well, easily, or lightly be beleeued, yet so it is, yet daunses cease not to be called shamelesse gestures.

But what: The question is not onely of their persons, but of a thing, which ought not to be in any use among Christians. And moreeuer this is not all, to haue respect or regard onely of a mans owne selfe, but we must loke also to our neighbours, who is he which dare assure or warrant him selfe & others, that when he daunseth, or after that he hath daunsed he hath not prevoked & stirred up the lust of the flesh in some one of the standers by: But yet it is so, the effect & sute declareth it, because that the daughter and sister of the County or Earle of A. was so enamoured or rauished with the loue of a very simple and base gentleman whom she had seene daunse in the courte, and it printed so wel, that is, toke such deepe impression and roote in her hart, and understanding, that against the will of Father and Mother, parentes and friends shee maried him. Now let us come to the poynt or matter, what prouoked this young gentlewoman beyng rych, wise, learned, fayre, & of good countenaunce to loue a base man, of litle discretion, unlearned, cockbrained, yea, which with great payne or much adoe knoweth to write his owne name, and besyde, or moreouer very deformed in face & countenaunce, if not to daunce onely, and to see in him some small experience & skill to runne at the ringe:

Men will say, that shee shewed not hir wifedome, in that shee chose her husbande for daunsing onely: but what is that the flesh doth not intise and allure, with his snares & baytes: For albeit ther is so much difference betweene the two parties, as betweene fayre gold and leade, yea so much indeed yet by her wifedome shee kept him backe, or made him to refrayne from striking, fighting, slaying, and casting the house out at the windowes, as we say, for the least flee, which came before his eies: yet so it is, that he obtayned and got her by the meane abouesayde: notwithstanding if ther fell out no worse by daunsing, this were somewhat to be supported, or borne withall.

But now if he reply, and say hee careth not or regardeth not, what other men think, seyng hee hath no maner of euil or naughty meaninge in himselfe. I answere, that here we see an offense geuen, and the very bond of loue broken and violated.

For put the case, or graunt that daunsing were put & reckoned among things indifferent, in respect and consideration of it selfe, is it meete or dutifull that for an indifferent and light thing, a man should geue an occasion of falling or stumbling to his neighboure: But so farr of is it, that daunses should bee put in the rome and number of thinges indifferent, that euery one ought to make an accompt of them, and to holde them altogeather wicked, and unlawful: in so much that I send all them againe back to their owne consciences, which say, that in daunsing they haue not any impudent &