To prepare for naming the Notes .

PRactise to sunder the Vowels and Consonants , distinctly pronouncing them according to the manner of the place .

To prepare for Quantitie .

PRactise to haue the breath long to continue , and the tongue at libertie to runne .

To prepare for Time .

PRactise in striking to keepe a iust proportion of one stroke to another .

To prepare for Tune .

PRactise to haue your voice cleere , which when thou hast done , learne the rules following .

The skill of song doth consist in foure things .

Naming . Quantitie . Time . Tune .

Exceptions .

Change Vt , into Sol , change Re , into La , when the next remouing Note is vnder .

for

The Cleues whereby we know where the Vt standeth are thus marked as .

The G : cliefe is the mark of the higher G sol re vt . In the scale : & the C : clefe of that place called C sol fa vt . And the F : cliefe of F fa vt the lower in the scale .

Now in this sort you may finde by the cliefe where euery note standeth : and least there should seeme any difficultie , I will begin from the first sight of the booke , that all things that doe belong to their knowledge , may bee the better vnderstoode . First when a man seeth the booke before him he may see certaine rules which goe along lineally by 5 and 5 which number of 5 is called a set of prick song ( for a set of plainesong hath commonly but 4. rules , ) then he may see in the first of the set alwayes one of the foresayde cleifes vpon some rule , and whatsoeuer note standeth vpon the same rule with the cliefe , is said to be in that place whereof that cleife which he seeth is the marke , and if any note stand in the next space aboue , it is said to stand in the next place aboue that place , whereof that cleife is the marke . And so vpward and downeward continually counting from the close as in this example .

The first note standeth in C sol fa vt , because it standeth vpon the same rule with the clief which is the mark of C sol fa vt , the second in D la sol re , because D la sol re is next aboue C sol fa vt in the scale of Gam vt : the third in B fa b mi , because it is in the next place beneath C sol fa vt : the fourth in E la mi , because E la mi is the next place saue one to C sol fa vt , & the said fourth note standeth in the next place saue one to the cliefe which is the mark of the place C sol fa vt . And so of all other notes : then in the ende of the set , hee may see a thing thus marked , which is called a direct , because it is alwayes put vpon the rule or space wherein the first of the next set standeth , and doth so direct a man , euen as in bookes the word that is lowest vpon euery side of the leafe doth direct a man to the word next following .

The rule of Vt.

The next thing necessary to be knowne for the right naming of notes , is the place where that note standeth which is named Vt . And as by counting vpward and downeward from the cliefe it is to bee knowne where euery note standeth , so it is to be knowne by counting vpward and downeward from that which is called Vt , what the right name of euery note is : but first let vs set downe how the place where the vt standeth is knowen , which is thus . There be three places , in one of which the vt must alwaies be : that is to say , in G. which is Gamvt and G sol re vt , when there is no flat in C , which is C fa vt , C sol fa vt , and C sol fa , when there is a flat in b mi , or b fa b mi. In F which is F fa vt , when there are two flats , one in b mi or b fa b mi , the other in E la mi , or E la.

As for example .

Now thevt is in G. Now in C. Now in F.

¶ No b flat , the ( vt ) in G. The b flat in b onely , the ( vt ) in C. The b flat in b and E , the ( vt ) in F.

1 G putteth Vt to the same place . 2 F and B to the next vp , as . 3

4 C putteth Vt to the fift place vp , and from C down to the fourth . B , taketh place of the rest .

B , is placed last to shew that it taketh place of the rest .

5 If there commeth two , b. b. being a fourth , the vpper taketh place . 6 And being a fift , the nether taketh place , as : 7 D. putteth Vt to the fift place downe , but it is seldome vsed . 8 If there commeth two b. b. being a second a sunder , the vpper taketh place , which chanceth very rare . More shall be sayd of naming in the chapter of tuning .

When you haue in this sort found out the vt , you must vnderstand that euery note that standeth in the next place aboue it is named re , euery note that standeth in the next place to that is named mi , in the next to that fa , then sol , then la , then fa , ascending vp alwaies orderly , counting the rules , and spaces : then next aboue that againe is vt : for you shall finde that place , which is the eight place from that wherein your other vt stood , to begin with the same letter : So that if the rules & spaces were infinite , you might in this manner giue euery note his right name : and as you did count vpward Vt , re , mi , fa , sol , la , fa , and so come againe to vt : so must you come downeward from vt , the same way backward , by fa , la , sol , fa , mi , re , vt . And so come to fa , againe . And in this sort the right name of euery note is knowne . Two things from these rules are excepted , the one is , that euery re , should be named la , when you ascend to it , or descend from it : and that euery vt , should bee named sol , which two things are vsed euphoniae gratia , and yet this name of vt , is most proper to the base or lowest part in the first place .

Obiection against the latter exception .

In the latter exception it is said , that vt should be alwaies changed into sol , therefore seeing it is neuer vsed , it is in vaine placed in all this former tractation .

Solution . It is placed in all this former tractation for two causes , the one is , that it should be distinguished by that name from the other sol , and the other is , because it hath bene a name vsed from the beginning , and now commonly changed into sol , euphoniae gratia : it may sometimes neuerthelesse be vsed , for ( as I sayd before ) the cunning singing man keeping euery note in his right tune , may name it according to his pleasure , for these ▪ names be no necessary accidents , for you see daylie that when any song is lettred , these names be not attributed to them , though then they be sung in their owne order , according to the opinion of many , yea very many . I know I should adde a third exception , that is to say , to except also , that euery note hauing a sharpe beefore it , should be named mi , as in this example , the third note . And because that of that opinion there bee so many , I will for them shew a probable reason as by our principles may be shewed : then after by resoluing them , shewe what is most profitable , not refuting the opinion as an errour , beecause that looking to the matter , wee may finde that they may bee named as well mi , as fa , insomuch as the names ( as I sayd before ) are no necessary accidents , but neuerthelesse , because heere we seeke the most apt name , it were vnfit to passe it ouer . Wherefore the principall argument for them wee may in this sort forme .

Obiection . We should name all notes so neare as wee can , according as such notes are named in the gamvt , for it is certain , that these are the names which are most fit , for so in the beginning by the first inuentors of Musick they haue bene set downe : but no note that is sharp in the gamvt is named fa , therefore no note made sharp by a collaterall reason , should bee named fa. Secondly , throughout all the gamvt , from sol to fa. Next vnder it is a whole note , but from that sol to that fa , if we should call it fa , is but halfe a note , therefore if we call it fa , wee breake altogether the rule of gamvt , which wee should obserue : thirdly euery place in the gamvt that is sharp , is named either mi or la. Therefore this note ( beecause not so aptly la ) must be named mi. Before we fully satisfie these arguments , one thing must necessarily be knowen : that is to say , that in naming the notes in gam vt the first inuentors did obserue two things , whereof the one was , to name the notes according to the vt : the other , to name euery note which is sharpe ( as the argument proueth ) mi , or la : and it falleth out sometimes , when notes flat by collaterall reasons are made sharp , that one of these two must necessarily be violated , that is to say , that eyther the note must not bee named according to the vt , or a note sharp must bee named fa , so that the controuersie lyeth in knowing , whether of these two should soonest be obserued : so according to this we answere to their arguments . To the first , where they impute a fault in vs for naming a note sharp , fa , seeing that no sharp note in all the gamvt is named fa , we may impute an other absurditie to them , seeing they would haue the next note vnder sol , mi , which is not found in all gam vt , which is the more absurditie ( as we will proue in the solution to the third argument ) To the second , the solution is easie , that euen as euery sol to fa , next vnder it is a whole note : so from euery sol to mi , next vnder it is more : so that according to the gamvt , in that respect none of them is true . To the third wee answere , that it may bee as well la , as mi , because that if ther were any reason why it should not be as well la , it might well be , to eschew this absurditie , that then in two places together there should bee one name , because the next vnder it is also la , but by naming it mi , the same absurditie commeth in another place , therfore the one is as absurd as the other , as in this example , where two places together must according to them bee named mi , but to name two places together with one name , there is none but will think more dissonant , then to name them with diuers , whatsoeuer : for if a man did name mi , six times together in one place , beeing quauers , the one comming fast vpon the other , would make them seeme as though it were mim , mim , mim , as for example , wherby it plainely appeareth that this is most absurd . But because that it were as good that our selues should bring that , which others may do , by sharp grating vpon our solutions , in this sort we may frame a reply . Let vs suppose , that in the middle of a song which had fa in C sol fa vt , there came two notes , one in C sol fa vt , & another in B fa b mi , hauing a flat before it , then if the latter note in B fa b mi , hauing the flat before it , be not called fa , it is against the order of the vt , which by the solutions should most be kept , if it be named fa , then commeth the absurditie proued in the last example : that is , that two places together should haue one name , and likewise if sixe quauers did come in that sort , the fast comming of the one vpon the other , would make them seeme to be faf , faf , faf , which is as absurd and dissonant , as mim , mim , mim .

Resolution . Of the flat so comming , and of the sharp , there is not like reason , because that the flat so comming should alter the vt , so that as many notes as had come in C sol fa vt , after the flat , should be named sol , and not fa , but for the first note , & the second , they must be both fa , neuerthelesse because there may not be many of them together , as there may be of mi , & because that in quauers , twise fa , in that sort likely neuer chanceth , the one is not so absurd as the other .

Replication . It is graunted by the last solution , that the flat so comming should alter the vt , but to alter the vt , doth alter the key ( which is in musick a great absurditie ) therefore by the last solution , there is a great absurditie graunted .

Solution . It is graunted conditionally , that is to say , if the like happened ( as in the argument obiected ) though sometimes in the middest of a song , to change the key , and come into it againe , is allowed . Wherefore for the names being the least necessary and most troublesome accident , let this suffice .