The Use and Abuse of Dancing, Title page – Dedication
❧ A briefe Treatiſe, Concerning the vſe and abuſe of Dauncing.
Collected oute of the learned workes of the moſt excellent Deuine Doctour, Peter Martyr, by Maiſter Rob. Maſsonius: And tranſlated into Engliſh by I. K.
Eccleſiaſti. 9. ver. 4.
¶ Vſe not the company of a vvoman that is a ſynger, and a dauncer: neither heare her, leaſt thou be taken by her craftineſſe.
¶ Imprinted at London by Iohn Iugge, dwellyng at the North doore of Poules.
To the ryght worſhypfull Maister Alexander Nowell, Deane of the Cathedrall Church of Saint Paul: Happie health with grace from God.
HAuing (right worſhypfull) a Treatiſe ſent vntounto mee to be Imprinted, as touching the vſe and abuſe of dauncing: Collected out of the works of the moſt worthie, and wel learned Deuine Doctour, Peter Martir. I fancied to preſent the ſame (eſpeciallie and aboue the reſt) to your worshyp and worthie perſon, onelyonly enforced thereto by the common brute of your rare zeale, ſingular vertue, and godly Religion.
The partie by whoſe penne and paine it was tranſlated, and chaunged from Romaine robe, to English veſture, is both vertuous, learned, and godlie: and being ſtirred, as it were ſtinged foreward of verie zeale, ſeeing theſe diſordred and daly daunſings in the rude Countrey, marring mennes manners, breeding much beaſtly behauiour: and being deſirous to hauehave ſuch rudeneſſe reformed in thoſe quarters where he is acquainted, requeſted and wyld me to procure in print the publishing thereof: VVhichWhich hauing accomplished, I moſt humbly preſent the ſame to your vvorshyppe, emboldned the rather vnderunder your name to hauehave it published and put forth in print, to the vew of the worlde, for that it hath bene ouerlooked and lyked of Diuines, zealous, Religious, learned, and godly. VVherfore deſiring you good Maſter Nowell, ſo it may bee taken as a token of my good wyll to your vvorshyppe: I forbeare any farther to moleſt you with my vnlettered lynes, beſeching the euer and ouer ruling Iehoua through his Chriſt Ieſus our only ioy, to continue his good bleſsings vponupon you, and to make perfect the good he hath begunne in you, and in vsus all. Amen.
¶Your vvorshippes to commaund. T.K.