--
My transcription
of dance-relevant passages from the NYPL Mid-Manhattan
Research Library's copy of Richard Mulcaster's The
Training Up Of Children. Facsimilie reprint. (Amsterdam,
New York: De Capo Press, Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, Ltd.,
1971) STC: 18253.
--
As concessions to Dreamweaver and web compatibility,
double spaces between sentences have been reduced to
single spaces, certain irregularities of spacing and
punctuation for margin justification have been regularised,
and the ∫/s
is modernised
except in titles. The ' ------
' denotes page breaks. --E.
F. Winerock
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POSITIONS
WHERIN THOSE PRI-
MITIVE CIRCVMSTANCES
BE EXAMINED, WHICH ARE NE-
CESSARIE FOR THE TRAINING
up of children, either for skill in
their
booke, or health in their bodie.
WRITTEN
by RICHARD MVLCASTER, master
of the schoole erected in London anno. 1561. in the
pa-
rish of Sainct Laurence Powntneie, by the worshipfull
companie of the merchaunt tailers of the said citie.
Imprinted at London by Thomas Vautrollier
for Thomas Chare.
1581
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Chapter
6.
Of exercises and training the body. How necessarie
a thing exer|cise is. What health is, and how it is
maintained: what sick|nesse is, how it commeth, and
how it is preuented. What a parte exercise playeth
in the maintenaunce of health. Of the student and his
health. That all exercises though they stirre some
one parte most, yet helpe the whole bodie.
THe
soule and bodie being coparteners in good and ill,
in sweete and sowre, in mirth and mourning, & hauing
gene|rally a common sympathie, & a mutuall feeling
in all passions: how can they be, or rather why should
they be seuered in traine? the one made stronge, and
well qualified, the other left feeble, and a praye
to infirmitie? will ye haue the minde to ob|taine those
thinges, which be most proper vnto her, and most profitable
vnto you, when they be obtained? Then must ye
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also
haue a speciall care, that the bodie be well appointed,
for feare it shrink, while ye be either in course to
get them, or in case to vse them.
...
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...
Now
againe for exercises. Who hearing that moderate [ 1.]
running doth warme the whole body, strengthneth the
naturall motions, prouoketh appetite, helpeth against
distilling of humours and catarres, and driueth them
some other waie:
Or
that daunsing beside the warmth, driueth awaye
num|nesse, [ 2.] & certaine palsies, comforteth
the stomacke, being cumbred with weaknes of digestio~,
& confluence of raw humours, strengtheneth weake
hippes, fainting legges, freatishing feete:
Or
that ryding also is healthfull for the hippes and stomacke:
[ 3.] that it cleareth the instrumentes of all the
senses, that it thickneth thinne shankes: that it slayeth
loose bellies:
Or
that loud speaking streatcheth the bulke exerciseth
the [ 4.] vocalle instrumentes, practiseth the lungues,
openeth the bodie, and all the passages therof:
Or
that loud reading scoureth all the veines, stirreth
the [ 5.] spirites thorought out all the entraulles,
encreaseth heat, suttileth the blood, openeth the arteries,
suffereth not superfluous humours to grow grosse and
thicke: who, say I, hearing but of these alone in taste
for all, or of all together by these alone, doth not
both see the partes, which are preserued, the exercise
which preserueth, and the matter wherin?
Wherfore
seing exercise is such a thing, that so much en|ableth
the bodie, whom the soule hath for companion in all
exploites, a comfort being lightsome, a care being
lothesom, a courage being healthy, a clog being heauie,
I will, bycause I must, if I meane to do well, plat
forth the whole place of exercising the bodie, at ones
for all ages.
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Chapter
9.
Of the particular exercises, why I do appoint so manie,
and how to iudge of them, or to deuise the like.
I
will not here runne thorough all the kindes of exercises
that be named either by Galene or any other writer,
wherof many be discontinued, many be yet in vse, but
out of the whole heape I haue pickt out these for within
dores, lowd speaking, singing, lowd reading, talking,
laughing, weaping, holding the breath, daunsing,
wrastling, fensing, and scourging the Top. And these
for without dores, walking, running, leaping, swimming,
riding, hunting, shooting, and playing at the ball.
Wherof though the very most be vsed oftimes, not in
nature of exercises, but either of pleasure, or necessitie,
yet they be all such, as will serue well that waie,
and be so made account of among the best writers, that
deale in this kinde: and for that some of them maye
be said to be most proper to men, and farre aboue boyes
plaie: you must remember, that I deale for all studentes,
and not for children alone, to whom it is in choice,
besides all these to deuise other for their good, as
circunstance shal lead them. There may also be reasons,
to perswade some men to mislike of, I do not thinke
all, but I suppose some, of these thinges, which I
do appoint, as both commendable and profitable exercises,
with whom I will not here striue, but desire them to
iudge of me, without preiudice, and to stay their sentence,
vntill they see in what sorte I allow them. For knowing
the cause of offence, I might seeme very simple, if
I should simply allow that, which is disallowed vpon
reason, and not misliked without manifest shew of probable
cause: and so to reserue the thing, as I did not remoue
the blame. They must also thinke that nothing is·
abused, but that both may and ought to be well vsed,
which well, they must vse, and refuse the ill: seing
where misuse draweth blame, there right vse deserueth
praise.
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Chapter
16.
Of daunsing, why it is blamed, and how deliuered from
blame.
DAunsing
of it selfe declareth mine allowance, in that I name
it among the good and healthfull exercises : which
I must needes cleare from some offensiue notes, wherwith
it is charged by some sterne people: least if I do
not so, it both continue it selfe in blame still, and
draw me thither also with it, for allowing of a thing,
that is disliked, and by me not deliuered from iust
cause of misliking, which by my choice do seeme to
defend it. And yet I meane not here to rippe vp, what
reading hath taught me of it, though it seeme to haue
serued for great vses in olde time, both athleticall
for spectacle and shew: militare for armour and enemie
: and Physicall for health and welfare : so many and
so notable writers, make so much and so oftimes mention
therof in all these three kindes. Some dedicate whole
volumes to this argument onely, some enterlace their
brauest discourses with the particularities therof,
& those no meane ones. And in deede a man, that
neuer red much, and doth but marke the thing cursorily,
would scant beleue, that it were either of such antiquitie,
or such account, or so generally entreated of by learned
men, all those their writinges stil sounding to the
praise and aduancement therof : howsoeuer in our dayes
either we embase it in opinion : or it selfe hath giuen
cause of iust embasement, by some peoples misvse. Many
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sortes
of it I do reade of, but most discontinued, or rather
quite decayed, that onely is reserued, which beareth
oftimes blame, machance being corrupted by the kinde
of Musick, as the olde complaint was : machance bycause
it is vsed but for pleasure and delite onely, and beareth
no pretense or stile of exercise, directly tending
to health, which is our peoples moane
now in our dayes. For where honest and profitable reasons
be not in the first front, to commend a thing, but
onely pleasaunt and deliteful causes, which content
not precise surueiours, there groweth misliking, the
partie that exerciseth, not pretending the best, which
is in the thing, and the partie that accuseth, marking
nothing else but that, which maye moue offence.
The
sad and sober commodities, which be reaped by daunsing
in respect of the motion applyed to health be these,
by heating and warming, it driueth awaie stifnes from
the ioyntes, and some palsilike trembling from the
legges and thighes, whom it stirreth most, it is a
present remedie to succour the stomacke against weaknesse
of digestion, and rawnesse of humours : it so strengtheneth
and co[n]firmeth aching hippes thinne shankes, feeble
feete, as nothing more : in deliuering the kidneys
or bladder from the stone, it is beyond comparison
good : but now such as haue weake braines, swimming
heades, weeping eyes, simple and sory sight, must take
heede of it, and haue an eye to their health, for feare
they be disie when they daunce, and trip in their turning,
or rather shrinke downe right when they should cinquopasse.
Such as haue weake kidneys and ouerheated, may displease
them selues, if it please then to daunce, and encrease
their diseases, by encreasing heir heat.
The
daunsing in armour, called by the Greekes πνρριχη,
as it is of more motion in exercise, so it worketh
more nimblenesse in executing, when ye deale in the
field with your enemies. These be the frutes which
are reaped by daunsing well and orderly vsed, for the
benefit of health, and the contrary displeasures, which
are caught by it, thorough inconsiderate applying of
it, by the partie which is not made for it. The blames
which 1. it beareth be these. That it reuelleth out
of time, wherewith 2. Plysick is offended : That if
serueth delite to much, whereat
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good
manners repine. For these two faultes there is but
one generall aunswere : that daunsing is healthfull,
though the daunsers vse it not healthfully, as other
things of greater countenaunce be verie good, though
the professours do not so, as their professions do
enioine them. For the first in particular, the rule
of health condemnes not daunsing, but the mistyming
of it : that it is vsed after meat, when rest is most
wholesome : with full stomacke, when digestion should
haue all the helpe of naturall heat : that to please
the beholders, such as vse daunsing do displease
them selues. And sure if daunsing be an exercise, as
both all antiquitie doth commend it for, and I my selfe
do allow of it by that name : it would by rule of Physick
go before meat, and not be vsed but long after, as
a preparatiue against a new meale : and a disburdener
of superfluities, against a surcharge of new diet :
Howbeit there be in it some more violent measures then
some : and in beginning with the most staydest and
most almanlike, and so marching on, till the springing
galliard and quicker measures take place, choice
in euerie one, vpon knowledge of his owne bodie, and
his emptinesse or saturitie maye helpe health, though
the custome of eche countrey commaunde not onely health,
though to her harme, but euen the verie science which
professeth the preferuation of health, if desire egge
delite, to shew it selfe in place. Wherevpon the second
blame of daunsing, doth especially builde, and take
her hold.
To
keepe thinges in order, there is in the soule of man
but one, though a verie honorable meane, which is the
direction of reason : to bring things out of order
there be two, the one stro[n]gheaded, which is the
commaundement of courage, the other many headed, which
is the enticement of desires. Now daunsing hath properties
to serue eche of these, exercise for health, which
reason ratifieth, armour for agilitie, which courage
commendeth, liking for allowance, which desire doth
delite in. But bycause it yeildeth most to delite,
and in most varietie of pleasures, desire ministreth
most matter to blame, daunsing by pleasing desire to
much, hath pleased reason to litle, and when reason
obiecteth inconueniences, it turneth the deafe side,
and followeth her owne swinge. For when the tailour
hath braued,
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where
nature hath beawtified : when amiablenesse of person
hath procured agilitie by cunning, what gallant youthes
in whom there is any courage, can abide not to come
to shew, hauing such qualities so wor[t]hy the beholding?
here will courage shew her selfe, though repentance
be her port, here will desire throng in prease, though
it praise not in parting. All this doth confesse that
daunsing is become seruant to desire, though not daunsing
alone : and yet companions in blame be no dischargers
of fault. What then? for the generall, seing thinges
which man vseth, cannot be quite free from misuse,
it is halfe a vertue to winne so much, as there be
as litle misuse, as may be : and to charge the partie
that deserues blame, with hinderance of health, with
corruption of manners, with ill losse of good time
: which if he care not for, the precept may passe,
though he passe not for it. But howsoeuer daunsing
be or be thought to be, seing it is held for an exercise,
we must thinke ther is sone great good in it, though
we protecte not the ill, if any come by it. Which good
we must seeke to get, and praie those maisters, which
fashion it with order in time, with reason in gesture,
with proportion in number, with harmonie in Musick,
to appoint it so, as it may be thought both seemely
and sober, and so best beseeme such persons, as professe
sobrietie : and that with all, it may be so full of
nimblenesse and actiuitie, as it may proue an exercise
of health, being vsed in wholesome times, and not seeking
to supplant rest, as the rule of health at this daie
complaineth. And generally of all ages, me thinke it
beseemeth children best, to enable, and nimble their
iointes therby, & to stay their ouermuch deliting
therin in further yeares. The very definition of it
declareth, what it was then, when it was right, and
what it is now, when it seemes to be wronge, if right
in such thinges be not creature to vse, and maye change
with time, without challenge for the change. They define
daunsing to be a certaine cunning to resemble the manners,
affections, and doinges of men and women, by motions
and estures of the bodie, artificially deuised in number
and proportion. This was to them a kinde of deliuerie,
to vttere their mindes, by signes & resemblances,
of that which came nearest to the thing, and was most
intelligible to the lookers on. But
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now with vs, there is nothing left to the daunser ordinarily,
but the bare motion, without that kinde of hand cunning
(for so I terme their χειρονομια)
bycause the skill seemed then to rest most in the vse
of the vpper partes, and gesturing by the hand. The
credit of our daunsing now is to represent the Musick
right, and to cause the bodye in his kinde of action
to resemble and counterfet that liuely, which the instrument
in his kinde of composition deliuereth delicately :
and with such a grace to vse the legges and feete,
as the olde daunsers vsed their armes and handes. And
as in the olde time both men, wymen and children did
vse daunsing to helpe and preserue their health, to
purchace good hauiour and bearing of their bodies :
so in these our dayes, being vsed in time, by order,
and with measure, it will worke the same effectes of
health, hauiour and strength, and may well auide the
opinion of either lewdnesse, or lightnesse. Thus much
for daunsing, as the motion is for health, and the
meaning for good.
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Chapter
26. Of Shooting.
...
Nay
by all auncient monumentes Shooting should seeme to
be both the eldest, and the vsuallest defence in fighting
a farre of, which though it haue now, & tofore
haue had great place in the fielde for warfare: yet
hath it a great deale better place in our fields for
wellfare: and therefore the more, because it consisteth
both of the best exercises, and the best effectes of
the best exercises. For he that shooteth in the free
and open fields may chuse, whether betweene his markes
he will runne or walke, daunce or leape, hallow
or sing or do somewhat
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els,
which belo~geth to the other, either veheme~t or ge~tle
exercises. And whereas hunting on foote is so much
praised, what mouing of the body hath the foote hunter
in hilles & dales, which the rouing Archer hath
not in varietie of growndes? Is his naturall heate
more stirred then the Archers is? Is his appetite better
then the Archers is though the prouerbe helpe the hungrie
hunter? Nay in both these the Archer hath the vantange.
...
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Chapter
31. Of the exercising places.
THat
the place, wherein any thing is done, is of great force
to the well or ill performing therof, and specially
in natural executions, there can be no better profe,
then that we se, not onely plantes and trees, not onely
brute beastes and cattell, but also euen the bodies
and myndes of men to be altered and chaunged, with
the varietie and alteration of the place and soyle,
so that for the better exercising of the bodies to
the pre|seruing or recouering of health, it is verie
materiall to limit some certainety co~cerning the place.
Wherin not to dwell lo~g at this time, bycause in the
common place both for learning & exercising togither,
I shall haue occasion to say more of this matter: these
foure qualities are to be obserued in the place. First
the place where ye exercise, must haue his ground flowred
[ 1.] so, as it be not offensiue to the body, as in
wrastling not hard to fall on, in daunsing soft,
and not slipperie. How angrie would a boie be to be
driuen to scourge his top in sand, grauel, or deepe
rushes? and so forth in the rest: as is most fit for
the body exercised, [ 2.] with lest daunger and best
dispatch. The second, that the place be either free
from any wind at all, or if it be not possible to auoide
some, that it be not subiect to any sharpe and byting
winde: which may do the body some wrong, being open,
and therefore ready to receiue forreine harme by the
ayer. Thirdly [ 3.] that the place be open, and not
close nor couered, to haue the best and purest ayre
at will, whereby the body becommeth more quicke and
liuely, and after voyding noysom superfluities, may
proue lightsome by the very ayer and soyle. Fourthly
[ 4.] that there be no contagious nor noysome stenche
neare the place of exercise, for feare of infecting
that by new corruption, which was lately cleared by
healthful motion. Generally if the place connot be
so fit & fauourable to exercise, as wish would
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it
were, yet wisedom may win thus much, that he may be
as well aopointed, to preuent the ill of euery both
season and circumstance, as possibility can commonly
performe. When great conquests had made states almost,
nay in deede to wealthie, and libertie of soyle giuen
them place to chuse, they builded to this end meruelous
and sumptuous monuments, which time and warres haue
wasted, but we which must doe as we may, must be content
with that, which our power can compasse, & if the
worst fall, thinke that he which placed vs in the world,
hath appointed the world for vs for an exercising place,
not onely for the body against infections, but also
for the mynde against affections, which being herselfe
well trayned, doth make the bodie yeelde, to the bent
of her choice.
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Chapter
39. Of the traning vp of yong gentlemen. Of priuate
and publike education, with their generall goods &
illes. That there is no better way for gentlemen to
be trained by in any respect then the common is being
well appointed. Of richmens children which be no gentlemen.
Of nobilitie in generall. Of gentlemanlie exercises.
What it is to be a nobleman, or a gentleman. That infirmites
in noble houses be not to be triumphed ouer. The causes
and groundes of nobilitie. Why so many desire to be
gentlemen. That gentlemen ought to professe learning
and liberall sciences for many good & honorable
effectes. Of trauelling into forraine countries: with
all the braunches allowance and dissallowance thereof:
and that it were to be wished, that gentlemen would
professe, to make scie~ces liberall in vse, which are
liberall in name. Of the trayning vp of a yong Prince.
IN
the last title I did declare at large, how yong maide~s
in ech degree were to be auaunced in learning, which
me thought was verie incident to my purpose, bycause
they be counter-braunches
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to
vs in the kinde of mortall and reasonable crea|tures,
and also for that in ech degree of life, they be still
our mates, and sometime our mistresses, through the
benefit of law, and honorablenes of birth. Now considering
they ioyne allway with vs in number and nearenes, and
sometime exceede vs in dignitie and calling: as they
communicate with vs in all qualities, and all honours
euen vp to the scepter, so why ought they not in any
wise but be made communicantes with vs in education
and traine, to performe that part well, which they
are to play, for either equalitie with vs, or soueraintie
aboue vs? Here now ensueth another title of meruelous
importaunce, for the kinde of people, whereof I am
to entreat: bycause their state is still in the superlatiue,
and the greatest executions be theirs by degree, though
sometime they leese them by their owne default, and
set them ouer to such, as nature maketh noble by ingenerate
vertues. I meane the trayning vp of yong gentlemen
in euery degree and to what so euer ascent, bycause
euen the crowne and kingdome is their height, though
it come to the female, when their side faileth. For
gentlemen will commonly be exempt from the common,
as in title, so also in traine, refrayning the publike,
though they hold of the male, and preferring the priuate,
to be liker to maidens, whose education is most priuate,
bycause of their kinde, and therefore not misliked:
whereas yong gentlemen should be publike, bycause of
their vse. And for not being such, they beare some
blame, as therein contrarying both all the best ordered
common weales, and all the most excellent and the learnedest
writers, which bring vp euen the best princes allway
with great company.
...
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...
And as those qualities, which I haue set out for the
generall traine in their perfection being best compas|sed
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by
them, may verie well beseeme a gentlemanly minde: so
may the exercises without all exception: either to
make an healthfull bodie, seeing our mould is all one:
or to prepare them for seruice, wherein their vse is
more. Is it not for a gentleman to vse the chase and
hunt? doth their place reproue them if they haue skill
to daunce? Is the skill in sitting of an horse
no honour at home, no helpe abroad? Is the vse of their
weapon with choice, for their calling, any blemish
vnto them? For all these and what else beside, there
is furniture for them, if they do but looke backe:
and the rather for them, bycause in deede those great
exercises be most proper to such persons, and not for
the meaner.
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