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
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