Common Places, Part 2 · Chapter 11 · Section 8
Of Danſes.
52 Chorea, which ſignifieth a danſe, In the book of Iudges at the end, Looke In 1. Cor. 10, verſe. 7. Seruius.is ſo called (as Plato ſaith) of this word foreign, which ſignifieth ioie: for that it is a certeine teſtification of ioie. And Seruius (when he interpreteth this verſe of Virgil, Omnis quam chorus, & ſocij comitantur ouantes; that is, Whom all the danſe and fellowes in triumph wiſe did followe) ſaith; that Chorus is the ſinging and danſing of ſuch as be of like age. From whence danſes ſprang.But from whence danſes had their beginning, there be ſundrie opinions. Some thinke that men, when they beheld the ſundrie motions of wandering and fixed ſtars, inuented danſing, whereby the varietie of motions might be repreſented. Other thinke, that danſes rather came of religion; bicauſe among the old Ethniks there were in a maner no holie ſeruices, wherein was not hopping and danſing. For they led their danſes from the left part of the altar to the right, whereby they might reſemble the motion of heauen from the eaſt vntounto the weſt. Afterward they returned from the right to the left, Virgil.to expreſſe the courſe of the wandering ſtarres. Which perhaps Virgil ſignified, when he ſaid, Instaurántque choros, mixt ique altaria circum; that is, And they being mixed togither, renewed their danſes, compaſſing about the altars. Yea and the danſing prieſts of Mars, The danſing prieſts of Mars.were had in great honour among the Romans. Some there be alſo, which refer the beginning of danſing to Hiero, a tyrant of Sicilia. The origiginall of danſing attributed to Hiero the tyrant.For they ſaie, that he, to eſtabliſh his tyrannie, forbad the people to ſpeake one to another. Wherefore men in Sicilia began to expreſſe their meanings and thoughts, by becks and geſtures of the bodie. And that afterward did turne to an vſe and cuſtome.
But whatſoeuer this thing was, danſings in the old time were not againſt religion, although afterward they were applied to publike mirth. Beſides, there was another kind of danſing, whereby yoong men were trained in warlike affaires. For they were commanded to make geſtures, and to leape, hauing their armour vponupon them, that afterward they might be the more nimble to fight for the publike weale, when néed ſhould require. This kind of danſing was called Saltatio Pyrrhica; and bicauſe it was exerciſed in armour, it was called foreign. Of this danſing is mention in the ciuill lawes; namelie, in the Digeſts De poenis, in the lawe Ad damnum. And ſometime yoong men, when they had offended, were not ſtraitwaie put to death; but were condemned either to hunt vponupon a ſtage, or elſe to danſe in armor: and they were called Pyrrhicarij. Alſo there was an other kind of danſing, which was inſtituted onelie for pleaſure and wantonneſſe ſake: Laſciuious danſing.and that was called of the Graecians foreign. But of thoſe danſes, which by geſtures of the bodie, expreſſed the ſenſes of the mind, writeth Lucianus in his booke foreign: Lucianus. Athenaeus.and ſo dooth Athenaeus.
In this kind, men ſo preuailed at the length, that when at Rome, Demetrius Cynicus derided the danſe called M nnica ſaltatio, (calling it a thing vaine and nothing woorth) a noble danſer, which then was had in honour at Rome, deſired him, that he would onelie once behold him, while he danſed, and afterward to iudge and ſpeake his fanſie whatſoeuer he would. He came vntounto the ſtage, the danſer called Saltator Mimicus began by geſtures to reſemble the common fable of Mars, taken in adulterie with Venus; wherein he ſo expreſſed the Sunne, ſhewing the fact, and Vulcane knitting his nets, and Venus ouercome with ſhame, and Mars humblie deſiring pardon, The ſaieng of Demetrius Cynicus.that Demetrius being aſtoniſhed, cried out; foreign: that is; I héere O man, the things that thou dooeſt, I doo not onelie ſée them, for by theſe thy hands thou ſeemeſt to me to ſpeake. About the ſame time by chance came to Rome the king of Pontus, and when he had ſéene this danſer make his geſtures vponupon a ſtage, being afterward willed by Nero to aſke what he moſt deſired to hauehave giuen him, he deſired to hauehave the ſame Mimus. Nero maruelled, (ſéeing he might hauehave aſked other things of much greater price,) and aſked him the cauſe of that his requeſt? He anſwered; Bicauſe I hauehave ſundrie nations ſubiect vntounto me, which without an interpretour I cannot vnderſtand. And oftentimes it happeneth, that the interpretours doo not faithfullie enough tell them what I ſaie; nor againe, what they ſaie vntounto me: but this fellowe, with his geſtures, will expreſſe all things verie faithfullie.
53 Plato, in his third booke De legibus, maketh two kinds of danſings; the one called foreign, that is, warlike, which before we hauehave called Pyrrhicum, the other foreign, that is, peaceable, which he calleth foreign. I omit to ſpeake of the ſhamefull kind of danſing, bicauſe it is openlie condemned by the lawes. The pyrrhicall danſing, and that which is doone by geſtures, may ſerue to ſome vſes in the publike weale: but they perteine not to our purpoſe. Wherefore we muſt héere ſpeake of that which is called foreign, how farre it is lawfull: for ſo much as it is exerciſed for mirth ſake. Danſing by it ſelfe and in his nowe nature is not euill.I thinke aſſuredlie, that this kind of danſing is not of his owne nature vicious or forbidden; bicauſe nimbleneſſe and agilitie of bodie is the gift of GOD: and if there be added anie art; namelie, that the bodie be mooued in order, aptlie, in number, with comelineſſe and decencie, I doo not ſée whie it ought to be reprooued, ſo that it be doone in time, moderatlie, and without offenſe. For, euen as it is lawfull to ſing, & we may vſe ſinging, to giuegive thanks vntounto God, and to celebrate his praiſes: ſo likewiſe, by a moderate danſing, we may teſtifie the ioie and mirth of the mind. For Dauid danſed openlie before the arke of the Lord, 2. Sam. 16, 6 1. Sam. 18. 7and the maidens with danſes and ſongs celebrated his victorie againſt Goliah. Marie alſo the ſiſter of Moſes, Exo. 15, 20.when Pharao was ouerthrowne and ſlaine, led danſes with other women, and ſoong a ſong of victorie. Wherfore ſéeing godlie men, and chaſt women, hauehave vſed danſes; we cannot ſaie, that of their owne nature they be vicious.
But as it is vſed in theſe daies, Danſings of men and women togither are euill.that men ſhould danſe mixed togither among women, it ought not to be ſuffered; bicauſe theſe things are nouriſhments and prouocations vntounto luſts and wantonneſſe. Marie the ſiſter of Moſes danſed not with yong men, but apart by hir ſelfe among women. Neither did Dauid danſe with women. And the maidens, which celebrated his victorie, danſed among themſelues, and not with men. And now they which louelove God with all their heart, and with all their ſtrength, ought not onelie to obſerue his commandements; but alſo to cut off all occaſions, whereby the obſeruing of them might be letten. Reaſons againſt the danſes of our time.But our danſes are moſt euident occaſions of tranſgreſſing the lawes of GOD: they be ſnares and offenſes, not onelie vntounto the danſers, but alſo to the beholders. For they ſtirre vp and inflame the hearts of men, which otherwiſe be euill enough euen from their beginning; and that, which ought with great ſtudie and indeuour be kept vnderunder, is ſtirred vp by the wanton intiſements of danſing. Vndoubtedlie, if a man will examine his owne ſelfe, or hauehave an eie, either vntounto experience or reaſon; he ſhall perceiue, that in ſuch ſpectacles, the luſts of the mind are greatlie kindled and inflamed: and he ſhall note, that men returne home from thoſe danſes with leſſe vertue; and the women with leſſe chaſtitie. Further, dangers muſt rather be auoided than nouriſhed: for (as Salomon ſaith, Eccle. 3, 27.) He which loueth danger, ſhall fall therein.
54 But ſome will obiect, that whereas danſes be ſo againſt maners, and doo kindle luſt; that commeth raſhlie and by chance: but euerie thing muſt be iudged, not according to thoſe things which happen by chance, but according to thoſe things which be in them of their owne nature. There be ſome ſo chaſt, and vncorrupt, that they can behold theſe ſpectacles with a perfect and chaſt mind. I grant, that this may ſomtime happen. A difference of accidents.But I adde, that all accidents are not of one and the ſelfe-ſame kind: for there be ſome, which happen verie ſeldome; other ſome are called foreign, that is, which by their nature may as well be preſent with, as abſent from anie thing. And there be ſome, which are called foreign, that is, ſuch as are woont to happen oftentimes, and for the moſt part. Theſe laſt accidents ought in euerie thing to be conſidered, and moſt diligentlie weighed. Neither muſt we note what may be doone, but what is woont to be doone. Ariſtippus.Ariſtippus danſed in purple, and being reprooued, he made an excuſe, that he was made neuer a whit the woorſe for that danſing; but might in that delicacie kéepe ſtill his philoſophers mind. Howbeit, there muſt be no eare giuen to ſuch words. Demoſthenes.For (as Demoſthenes ſaith, and the ſame is cited by the lawiers;) We muſt not regard what ſome one man dooth at one time, but what is woont to be doone for the moſt part. Admit we, that there is ſome one man ſo chaſt, as he is nothing at all mooued with ſuch intiſements: how in the meane time is the people and multitude prouided for? Shall we, for the perfectneſſe and integritie of one or two, ſuffer all the reſt to be in danger? But ſo (a man will ſaie) take awaie heare the word of God, and manie eate and drinke the holie myſteries to their owne condemnation.
A certeine profitable diſtinction.Here muſt we vnderſtand, that certeine things are profitable to the ſaluation of men, and are commanded by the word of God: and theſe ought by no meanes to be taken awaie. And certeine things be indifferent, which if we perceiue that they tend to deſtruction, they muſt not be ſuffered. We hauehave the lawe of God for hearing of ſermons, and receiuing of the ſacraments; but for danſing there is no commandement giuen. Wherefore, theſe things muſt not be compared togither. But by meanes of danſings and leapings, ſome ſaie, that verie manie honeſt matrimonies are brought to paſſe. It may ſometimes be ſo: but I was neuer of the opinion, that I would hauehave matrimonies to be contracted by theſe arts, wherein a regard is onlie had to the agilitie and handſomneſſe of the bodie. There be other means much more honeſt, let vsus vſe them, and leaue theſe, as being ſhamefull and vnchaſt. Let vsus remember, that although honeſt matrimonies are ſometimes brought to paſſe by danſings; yet much more often are adulteries and fornications woont to followe of theſe ſpectacles. Honeſt danſings.We ought to followe the example of the godlie fathers, who now and then vſed danſings: but yet ſuch as were moderate and chaſt; ſo that, the men danſed by themſelues, and the women apart by themſelues. By ſuch kind of danſes, they ſhewed foorth the gladneſſe of their minds, they ſang praiſes vntounto GOD, and gaue him thanks for ſome notable benefit, which they had receiued. But we read not in the holie ſcriptures, of mingled danſes of men and women togither.
But our men ſaie; Who can danſe after that ſort? In ſaieng ſo, they diſcouer themſelues what they ſéeke for in danſing. Further, let vsus marke the effects of danſing. It is written in Matthew, Matt. 14, 6.that the daughter of Herodias danſed at a banket which the king made, and the king tooke a pleaſure in hir, whom without ſhame he could not openlie behold: ſith ſhe was a manifeſt teſtimonie of his vnlawfull matrimonie, and of his adulterie. The effects of laſciuious danſings.For Herod had married the mother of that maiden, being his brothers wife. Through that danſing it came to paſſe, that Iohns head was ſmitten off. Manie be offended with vsus, bicauſe we crie againſt danſings, as againſt things, which are of their owne nature euill and forbidden. On the other ſide, we ſaie; that things are not alwaies to be weighed by their owne nature; but by the diſpoſition and abuſe of our fleſh. We cannot denie, but that wine of his owne nature is good; which neuertheleſſe is not giuen to one that is in an ague: not that the wine is euill, but bicauſe it agréeth not with a bodie, which is in that wiſe affected. When the Iews had made themſelues a calfe to worſhip, they ſat down, they did eat, they dranke, Exod. 36, 6.and roſe vp to plaie. In which place it ſéemeth, that to plaie was nothing elſe but to danſe.
55 But leaſt I ſhould ſéeme to ſpeake and to iudge theſe things of my ſelfe, I will adde certeine teſtimonies of the fathers. Auguſtine.Auguſtine againſt Petilianus, the ſixt chapter, ſaith; that The biſhops were woont alwaies to reſtreine idle and wanton danſings. But now a daies there are ſome biſhops, which be preſent at danſes, and danſe togither with women: ſo far off are they from reſtreining this vice. The ſame Auguſtine, vponupon the 32. pſalme (when he expoundeth theſe words; VponUpon an inſtrument of ten ſtrings I will ſing vntounto thee) maketh thoſe ten ſtrings, the ten commandements. And when he had ſpoken ſomewhat of euerie one of them, at the laſt he commeth to the ſabboth, whereof it is written; Exo. 20, 10.Remember that thou keepe holie the ſabboth daie. I ſaie not (ſaith he) to liue delicatelie, as the Iewes were woont to doo. For it is better to dig all the whole daie, than to danſe on the ſabboth daie. Chryſoſtome, Chryſoſt.in his 56. homilie vponupon Geneſis, when he intreateth of the marriage of Iacob; Ye hauehave heard (ſaith he) of marriage, but not of danſing, which in that place he calleth diueliſh: and euen there he hath manie things which make for our purpoſe. And among other he writeth, that the bridegrome and bride are corrupted by danſing, and the whole familie is defiled. Againe, in the 48. homilie; Thou ſéeſt (ſaith he) marriages, but thou ſéeſt not danſes: for at that time, they were not ſo laſciuious as now a daies they be. And he hath manie things more vponupon the 14. chapter of Matthew, Matt. 14, 6.where he ſpake to the people of the danſing of the daughter of Herodias. And among other things he ſaith; At this daie the Chriſtians deliuer to deſtruction, not halfe their kingdome, not an other mans head; but euen their owne ſoules. And he addeth; that Where wanton danſing is, there the diuell danſeth togither with them. In the councell of Laodicea it is written; The Councell of Laodicea.It is not méet for Chriſtian men to danſe at their marriage. Let them dine and ſup grauelie and moderatelie, giuing thanks vntounto God for the benefit of marriage. We read alſo in the ſame Councell; Let not the Clergie come vntounto ſhewes, either vponupon the ſtage, or at weddings. They may indéed be preſent at marriages: but afterward, when there come in foreign, that is, ſingers or plaiers vponupon inſtruments, which ſerue for danſing, let them riſe and go their waies; leaſt by their preſence, they ſhould ſéeme to allow that wantonneſſe.
The Councell of Ilerden.In the Ilerden Councell, which was held vnderunder the Popes Symmachus, and Hormiſda, and vnderunder Theodoricus the king, the ſame is decréed; namelie, that Chriſtians ſhould not danſe at marriages. The Councell of Alliciodoren.In the Alliciodoren Councell which was held vnderunder Pope Deus dedit, this reſtraint ſéemeth to be made for the Clergie. For there it is forbidden, that anie of the Clergie, ſhould at a feaſt, either ſing or danſe; as though in a ſort that might be lawfull for others. The ſchoolmen.Of the ſame opinion are certeine Schoole-diuines, vponupon the third booke of ſentences, diſtinct 37. who referre theſe prohibitions onelie vntounto the holie daies. Richardus De media villa ſaith; that To danſe on the holie daies, is a ſinne moſt gréeuous, as though on other daies it might be permitted. But the opinion of the fathers and ſound councels is farre more ſeuere than the opinion of theſe men; who perniciouſlie leaue thoſe things at libertie, which ſhould be reſtrained; ſéeing therewith is ioined a danger vntounto ſoules, and not a danger onelie, but offenſes gréeuouſlie to be lamented. Howbeit, it ſéemeth, that theſe men borrowed this their doctrine (wherein they forbid danſing on the holie daies) out of the ciuill lawes. For in the Code, in the title De ferijs, in the lawe Dies feſtos; In déed we releaſe idlenes on the feaſt daies, but we will not hauehave men giuegive themſelues vntounto voluptuouſneſſe. Wherefore it ſhall not be lawfull on the feaſt daies to vſe danſings; whether they be doone for luſts ſake, or for pleaſure.
56 But let vsus ſée what opinion the Ethniks had of this matter. Aemilius Probus, Aemilius Probus.in the life of Epaminondas, ſaith; that To ſing and danſe was not verie honourable among the Romans, when as the Graecians had it in eſtimation. Saluſt.Saluſt, in his oration againſt Catiline, wrote; that Sempronia, a certeine laſciuious and vnchaſt woman, was taught to ſing and danſe more delicatelie than became an honeſt matrone. And there, he calleth thoſe two things, the inſtruments of lecherie. Cicero, Cicero.in his third booke of Offices, writeth; that An honeſt and good man will not danſe in the market place, although by that meanes he might atteine to great poſſeſſions. And in his oration, which he made after his returne into the ſenate, he in reproch calleth Aulus Gabinius his enimie, Saltatorem calamiſtratum; that is, A danſing dizard. It was obiected to L. Muraena for a fault; bicauſe he had danſed in Aſia. And euen this alſo was obiected againſt king Deiotarus. Cicero anſwereth for Muraena; No man being ſober danſeth either in the wilderneſſe, or at an honeſt and moderate banket, vnleſſe perhaps he be out of his wits. The ſame Cicero, in his Philippiks, among other vices, vpbraideth Anthonie with danſing. But it appeareth, that the nature and diſpoſition of the men of the Eaſt and of the Weſt parts, was not all one. They are chéerfull of mind, and nimble of bodie, and for that cauſe delight in danſings. 2. Sam. 6, 16For (to omit other examples) Dauid the king danſed publikelie. And they, which come now vntounto vsus out of Syria, doo affirme, that the Chriſtians, which liue in thoſe regions, doo vponupon the reſurrection daie, and alſo vponupon other famous feaſt daies, come into the temple with harps & viols, & ſing pſalms among themſelues, & danſe togither. For their ſpirits are verie light, and ours more ſad & heauie. Howbeit, they ſaie, they danſe ſoberlie and modeſtlie, the men apart by themſelues, and the women by themſelues.