BEing to deliuer the Art of singing , than which in the world there is nothing sweeter , lest out of a small errour a great may arise , let vs begin with the definition , by which the nature of all things is knowne : that is with the easiest things first , that so the Art may be more fitly deliuered . And then , hauing vnfolded the nature thereof in generall , wee will proceede to the perticulars , first making the generall diuision , and afterward handling each part seuerally .

MVsicke ( as Franchinus Gafforus in the third Chapter of the first booke of Theorie writeth ) is a knowledge of Tuning , which consists in sound and Song . In sound ( I say ) because of the musicke which the motion of the coelestiall Orbes doth make . In Song , least that melody which our selues practise , should be secluded out of our definition .

BOétius ( to whom among the Latine writers of Musicke , the praise is to be giuen ) doth shew in the second Chapter of his first booke of Musicke , that Musicke is three-fold . The Worlds Musicke : Humane Musicke : and Instrumentall Musicke .

WHen God ( whom Plutarch prooues to haue made all things to a certaine harmonie ) had deuised to make this world moueable , it was necessary , that he should gouerne it by some actiue and moouing power ; for no bodies but those which haue a soule , can moue themselues , as Franchinus in the first Chapter of his first booke of Theoric saith . Now that motion ( because it is the swiftest of all other , and most regular ) is not without sound : for it must needs be that a sound be made of the very wheeling of the Orbes , as Macrobius in Somnium Scip. lib. 2. writeth . The like sayd Boêtius , how can this quick-mouing frame of the world whirle about with a dumb and silent motion ? From this turning of the heauen , there cannot be remoued a certaine order of Harmonie . And nature will ( saith that prince of Romane eloquence Cicero , in his sixt booke de Reipub. ) that extremities must needs sound deepe on the one side , & sharp on the other . So then , the worlds Musicke is an Harmonie , caused by the motion of the starres , and violence of the Spheares . Lodouicus Coelius Rodiginus ; lectionum antiquarum lib. 5. cap. 25. writeth , That this Harmony hath been obserued out of the consent of the heauens , the knitting together of the elements , and the varietie of times . Wherefore well sayd Dorilaus the Philosopher , That the World is Gods Organe . Now the cause wee cannot heare this sound according to Pliny is , because the greatnesse of the sound doth exceede the sence of our eares . But whether wee admit this Harmonicall sound of the Heauens , or no , it skils not much ; sith certaine it is , that the grand Work-maister of this Mundane Fabricke , made all things in number , weight , and measure , wherein principally , Mundane Musicke doth consist .

HVmane Musick , is the Concordance of diuers elements in one compound , by which the spirituall nature is ioyned with the body , and the reasonable part is coupled in concord with the vnreasonable , which proceedes from the vniting of the body and the soule . For that amitie , by which the body is ioyned vnto the soule , is not tyed with bodily bands , but vertuall , caused by the proportion of humors . For what ( saith Coelius ) makes the powers of the soule so sundry and disagreeing to conspire oftentimes each with other ? who reconciles the Elements of the body ? what other power doth soder and glue that spirituall strength , which is indued with an intellect to a mortall and earthly frame , than that Musicke which euery man that descends into himselfe finds in himselfe ? For euery like is preserued by his like , and by his dislike is disturbed . Hence is it , that we loath and abhorre discords , and are delighted when we heare harmonicall concords , because we know there is in our selues the like concord .

INstrumentall Musicke , is an Harmony which is made by helpe of Instruments . And because Instruments are either artificiall , or naturall , there is one sort of Musicke , which is made with artificiall Instruments ; another , which is made with naturall instruments . The Philosophers call the one Harmonicall ; the other Organicall .

ORganicall Musicke ( as Coelius writeth ) is that which belongeth to artificiall Instruments : or it is a skill of making an Harmony with beating , with fingring , with blowing : with beating , as Drums , Tabors , and the like : with blowing , as Organs , Trumpets , Fluits , Cornets : with fingring , as those Instruments which are commanded , either with the touching of the fingers , or articulating of the Keyes . Yet such Instruments as are too voluptuous , are by Coelius Rodiginus rejected .

HArmonicall Musicke , is a faculty weighing the differences of high and low sounds by sence and reason , Boetius : Or , it is a cunning , bringing forth the sounds with Humane voyce , by the helpe of naturall Instruments , and iudging all the Sounds which are so brought forth . This as Placentinus writeth in the third Chapter of the second booke of his Musicke : is twofold , Inspectiue and Actiue .

INspectiue Musicke , is a knowledge censuring and pondering the Sounds formed with naturall instruments , not by the eares , whose iudgement is dull , but by wit and reason .

ACtiue Musicke , which also they call Practick , is ( as Saint Austine in the first booke of his Musicke writeth ) the knowledge of singing well : or according to Guido in the beginning of his Doctrinall , it is a liberall Science , dispensing the principles of singing truely . Franchinus ( in the third Chapter of his first Booke of his Theorick ) doth so define it : It is a knowledge of perfect singing , consisting of sounds , words , and numbers ; which is in like sort two-fold , Mensurall , and Plaine .

MEnsurall Musicke , is the diuers quantitie of Notes , and the inequalitie of figures . Because they are augmented or diminished according as the moode , time , and prolation doth require : of this wee will speake at large in the second Booke .

PLaine Musicke , ( as Saint Bernard an excellent searcher into regular and true Concinence ) doth write in the beginning of his Musicke , saying : It is a rule determining the nature and forme of regular Songs . Their nature consists in the disposition , their forme in the progression and composition . Or plaine Musicke is a simple and vniforme prolation of Notes , which can neither be augmented nor diminished .

THe Profit of this Art is so great , ( as writeth Pope Iohn the 22. of that name , in the second Chapter of his Musick ) that whosoeuer giues himselfe to it , shall iudge of the qualitie of any Song , whether it be triuiall , or curious , or false : He knowes both how to correct that which is faulty , and how to compose a new one . It is therefore ( saith he ) no small praise , no little profit , no such labour as to be esteemed of slightly , which makes the Artist both a Iudge of those Songs which be composed , and a Corrector of those which be false , and an Inuentor of new .

OF them that professe the Art of Harmony , there be three kindes ; ( saith Franchinus in the first Book the 4. chap. of his Theoric ) one is that which dealeth with Instruments ; the other maketh Verses ; the third doth iudge the workes both of the instruments , and of the verses . Now the first , which dealeth with Instruments , doth herein spend all his worke ; as Harpers , and Organists , & all others which approue their skil by Instruments . For they are remoued from the intellectuall part of Musicke , being but as seruants , and vsing no reason : voide of all speculation , and following their sence onely . Now though they seeme to doe many things learnedly and skilfully , yet is it plaine that they haue not knowledge , because they comprehend not the thing they professe , in the purenesse of their vnderstanding ; and therefore doe we deny them to haue Musicke , which is the Science of making melodie . For there is knowledge without practise , and most an end greater , than in them that are excellent Practitioners . For we attribute the nimblenesse of fingring not to Science , which is only residing in the soule , but to practise , for if it were otherwise , euery man the more skilfull he were in the Art , the more swift he would be in his fingring . Yet doe we not deny the knowledge of Musicke to all that play on Instruments ; for the Organist , and he that sings to the Harpe , may haue the knowledge of Musick , which if it be , we account such the best Artists .

The second kind is of Poets , who are led to the making of a verse , rather by a naturall instinct , than by speculation . These Boêtius secludes from the speculation of Musicke , but Austin doth not .

The third kind of Musitians , be they which doe assume vnto them the cunning to iudge and discerne good Ayres from bad : which kind , ( sith it is wholy placed in speculation and reason ) it doth properly belong to the Art of Musicke .

THerefore he is truely to be called a Musitian , who hath the faculty of speculation and reason , not he that hath only a practick fashion of singing : for so saith Boêtius lib. 1. cap. 35. He is called a Musitian , which taketh vpon him the knowledge of Singing by weighing it with reason , not with the seruile exercise of practise , but the commanding power of speculation , and wanteth neither speculation nor practise . Wherefore that practise is fit for a learned man : Plutarch in his Musicke sets downe ( being forced vnto it by Homers authoritie ) and proues it thus : Speculation breedeth onely knowledge , but practise bringeth the same to worke .

THe Practitioner of this facultie is called a Cantor , who doth pronounce and sing those things , which the Musitian by a rule of reason doth set downe . So that the Harmony is nothing worth , if the Cantor seeke to vtter it without the Rules of reason , and vnlesse he comprehend that which he pronounceth in the puritie of his vnderstanding . Therefore well saith Ioan. Papa 22. cap. 2. To whom shall I compare a Cantor better than to a Drunkard ( which indeed goeth home , ) but by which path he cannot tell . A Musitian to a Cantor , is as a Praetor to a Cryer : which is proued by this sentence of Guido :

THe best writers witnesse , That Musicke is most ancient : For Orpheus and Linus ( both borne of Gods ) were famous in it . The inuention of it is attributed to diuers men , both because the great antiquitie of it , makes the Author incertaine ; and also because the dignitie of the thing is such , and maketh so many great men in loue with it , that euery one ( if it were possible ) would be accounted the Authors of it . Wherefore some thinke Linus the Thebane ; some , that Orpheus the Thracian ; some , that Amphion the Dircean ; some , that Pythagoras the Samian found out this Art . Eusebius attributes it to Dionysius , Diodorus , to Mercury , Polybius , to the Elders of Arcadia , with whom there was such estimation of Musicke , that it was the greatest disgrace that could be in that place to confesse the ignorance of Musicke . Neither did they this , saith Coelius lib. 5. antiquarum lection . for wantonnesse or delicatenesse , but that they might mollifie and temper their dayly labours , and besides their austeritie and seuere fashions ; which befell them by a certaine sad temperature of the clyme with this sweetnesse and gentlenesse . Yet if we giue any credit to Iosephus , and the holy Writ , Tubal the Sonne of Lamech was the chiefe and most ancient Inuentor of it , and left it written in two tables , one of Slate ; another of Marble before the flood for the posteritie . The Marble one ( some say ) is yet in Syria . But least some errour arise out of the multitude of these Inuentors , it is cleere that Tubal before the flood , that Moses among the Hebrewes , that Orpheus , Amphion , and such like among the Gentiles , that Pythagoras among the Graecians , that Boêtius among the Latines , was first famous for Musicke .

COncord , ( which rules all the Harmony of Musicke ) cannot be without a Voyce , nor a Voyce without a Sound , saith Boêtius , lib. 1. cap. 3. Wherefore in seeking out the description of a Voyce , we thought fit to search out this point , what Sounds are properly called Voyces . Note therefore , that the sound of a sensible creature is properly called a Voyce , for things without sence haue no Voyce , as Coelius writes , antiquar . lect. lib. 10. cap. 53. When we call pipes Vocal , it is a translated word , and a Catachresis . Neither haue alsensible cretures a Voice : for those which want blood , vtter no Voice . Neither do fishes vtter any Voyce , because a Voyce is the motion of the ayre , but they receiue no ayre . Wherefore onely a sensible creature doth vtter a Voyce , yet not all sensible creatures , nor with euery part of their bodies ( for the hands being stroken together make a clapping , not a Voyce . ) A Voyce therefore is a sound vttered from the mouth of a perfect creature , either by aduise , or signification . By aduise , ( I say ) because of the coffe , which is no Voyce : By signification , because of the grinding of the teeth . But because this description of a Voyce , doth agree onely to a liuely Voyce , and not to a deafe musicall Voyce , which especially , being a sole syllable is deafe , vnlesse it be actually expressed , we must find out another description more agreeable to it . Therefore a musicall Voyce , is a certaine syllable expressing a tenor of the Notes . Now Notes is that by which the highnes , or lownes of a Song is expressed .

BEing that al Harmony is perfected by Voyces , and Voyces cannot be written , but remembred : ( as Gafforus lib. 5. Theor. cap. 6. and 1. Pract. cap. 2. saith ; that they might therefore be kept the better in memory , Guido Aretinus a Monke , led by a diuine inspiration , deuoutly examining the Hymne of Saint Iohn Baptist , marked , that the sixe capitall syllables of the Verses , viz , Vt , Re , Mi , Fa , Sol , La , did agree with musicall Concords . Wherefore he applyed them in the chords of his introductory : which deuise Ioannes the 22. Bishop of Rome allowed .

IN the Fourth part of this Worke , I will handle that Diuision , by which Voyces are diuided into Vnisones , aequisones , Consones , Eumeles , &c. Here I will onely touch that which will serue our turne ; Therefore of Voyces , Some are called b Mols Viz. Vt Fa because they make a Flat sound . Naturals Re Sol Meane ♮ Sharps Mi La Sharpe

Besides of Voyces some be Superiours : viz. Fa , Sol , La. Others be Inferiours : as Vt , Re , Mi.

FIrst , Vt , ( in Harmonicall Songs ) is the head and beginning of the other Voyces .

THe Wisedome of the Latine Musitians , imitating the diligence of the Graecians ( whereas before the Singers did mark their Chords with most hard signes ) did first note a musicall Introduction with Letters . To this Guido Aretinus ioyned those Voices he found out , and did first order the Musicall Keyes by lines and spaces , as appeareth in his Introductory . Therefore a Key is a thing compacted of a Letter and a Voyce . For the beginning of euery Key is a Letter , and the end a Syllable : Of a Voice ( I say ) not of Voyces , both because all the Keyes haue not many Voyces , and also because the names of Generalities , of Specialties ▪ and of Differences , of which a definition doth consist , cannot be expressed in the plurall number . For Animal is the genus , not Animalia ; a Man is the species , not men : rationale is the difference , not rationabilia : Or more formally ▪ A Key is the opening of a Song , because like as a Key opens a dore , so does it the Song .

KEyes , ( as Franchinus lib. 1. pract ▪ cap. ▪ 1. doth write ) are 22. in number . Though Pope Iohn , and Guido ( whom hee in his Fift Chapter saith to haue been the most excellent Musitians after Boêtius ) onely make 20. These Two and Twentie Keyes are comprehended in a three-fold order . The first is of Capitall Letters ; the Second of small ; the Third of double Letters . And all these Keyes differ one from the other in sight , writing , and naming : because one is otherwise placed , written , or named than the other . Of the Capitall there be eight , viz. Γ. A. B. C. D. E. F. G. Of the small also Eight , a. b. c. d. e. f. g. for b fa ♮ mi. is not one Key onely , but two : which is prooued by mutations , voyces , and instruments . The same you must account of the vpper bb fa ♮ ♮ mi his Eight : of the double ones there be Six , viz. aa . bb . ♮ ♮ cc. dd . and ee . The order of all these is expressed in Ten lines and spaces in the Table following .

Here followes the Introductorie of Guido Aretinus a Benedictine Monke , a most wittie Musitian , who onely ( after Boêtius did giue light to Musicke ) found out the voyces , ordered the keyes , and by a certaine diuine industry , inuented a most easie way of practise , as here followeth to be seene .

OF Keyes some are to be marked , or ( as others call them ) marked Keyes , others are called vnmarked Keyes . Of the marked , there are fiue principall , viz. Γ vt , F faut , C solfaut , G solreut , and Dd la sol : which the Ambrosians ( as Franch . lib. 1. pract. cap. 3. reports ) did mark with colours . F faut , with red , C solfaut with blew , double bb with skie-colour . But the Gregorians ( whom the Church of Rome doth imitate ) marking all the lines with one colour , to describe each of the marked Keyes by his first Letter , or some other signe , as in the Scale was mentioned .

Those Keyes which are lesse principall , are two , b round , and ♮ square : The firstshews that the Voyce is to be sung fa , the second that it is to be sung mi in the place wherein it is found . And vnlesse one doe heedily discerne b from ♮ , he doth confound the Song ( as Berno sayth ) euen as wine and water being mingled together , one can discerne neither .

SEeing it is a fault to deliuer that in many words , which may be deliuered in few ( gentle Readers ) leauing the hand , by which the wits of yong beginners are hindered , dulled , and distracted , learne you this fore-written Scale by numbring it : for this being knowne , you shall most easily , and at first sight know the voyces , Keyes , and all the Mutations .

A Tone ( as Guido saith ) is a rule iudging the Song in the end , or it is a knowledge of the beginning , middle , and end of euery Song , shewing the rising and falling of it .

BY the authoritie of the Graecians , we should only obserue 4. Tones , ( saith Guido Microl. II. I. Proton . 2. Deuteton , 3. Triton , 4. Tetarton . But the Latines considering the rising & falling , and diuiding each of the Greeke Tones into authenticke & plagall : to conclude euery thing that is sung within Eight Tones , agreeable to the eight parts of Speech . For it is not amisse , ( saith Ioan Pont. cap. 10. ) that euery thing which is sung , may be comprehended within Eight Tones , as euery thing which is spoken , is confined within Eight parts of Speech .

Now these Eight Tones ( as Franch . lib. 5. Theor. and last Chapter , and lib. 1. pract. 7. cap. saith ) are by the Authors thus named , The first Dorian ; the second , Hypodorion ; the third , Phrygian ; ( which Porphyrio cals barbarous ; the fourth , Hypophrygian ; the fift , Lydian ; the sixt , Hypolydian ; the seuenth , Myxolydian ; the eight , some call Hypermyxolydian ; others say it hath no proper name .

FInals , ( as Saint Bernard in his Musicke saith , both truely and briefely ) are the Letters which end the Songs . For in these must be ended euery Song which is regular , and not transposed , and are in number Foure , as Guido writeth in the Dialogue of his Doctrinall : To wit , D solre In which euery Song ends First and Second regular Tones E lami Third Fourth F faut Fift Sixth G solrevt Seuenth Eight

THe Compasse is nothing else , but a circuite or space allowed by the authoritie of the Musitians to the Tones for their rising and falling .

Now to euery Tone there are granted but Ten Notes or Voices , wherein he may haue his course , ( as Saint Bernard saith in the Prologue of his Musicke . Hereof hee assignes Three reasons : to wit , The authoritie of the Decachorde of the Psalter : the worthinesse of equalitie : and the necessity of setting the Notes downe . Although at this time the licentious ranging of our modern Musitians , doth adde an Eleuenth to each , as in the figure following appeares .

WHerupon the Repercussion , which by Guido is also called a Trope , and the proper and fit melodie of each Tone . Or it is the proper interuall of each Tone , as in the Examples following appeareth . Re la giues the first , Re fa giues the second , Mi mi giues the Third , Mi la giues the Fourth , Vt sol giues the Fift , The Sixt giues Fa la , Vt sol vneuen Tetartos , vt fa doth giue the last .

WE may know the Tones by three meanes : by the beginning : the middle : and the end . By the beginning ; for a Song rising in the beginning straight wayes aboue the finall Key to a Fift , is Authenticall , as before was sayd in the second Rule . By the middle , and first , by the rising ; For the Song which toucheth an Eight in the middle , is Authenticall : that Song which doth not , is Plagall : secondly by the Repercussion , which is proper to euery Tone , as before was sayd ; by which at first hearing you may iudge of what kinde a Song is . By the end , as before we spake of the finall Notes .

Besides there be certain Songs , which do ascend as an Authentical , & descend as a Plagall , and those are called Neutrall , or mixt Songs , though indeede Saint Bernard doeth not allow of them : for he saith , what execrable licentiousnesse is this , to ioyne together those things , which are contrary one to the other , transgressing the bonds of Nature ? surely as it doth make a discontinuance in conioyning , so doth it open wrong to Nature . Therfore they are starke mad , which presume so farre as to rise a Plagall , and descend an Authenticall .