Gregory Nazianzen that eloquent Divine (as he relates the story himself) when a noble friend of his solemnly invited him with other Bishops, to his daughter Olympia’s wedding, refused to come: For it is absurd to see an old gouty Bishop sit amongst dancers, he held it unfit to be a spectator, much less an actor.

Nemo saltat sobrius, Tully writes, he is not a sober man that danceth; for some such reason (belike) Domitian forbad the Romane Senators to dance, and for that fact removed many of them from the Senate.

But these, you will say, are lascivious and Pagan dances, ’tis the abuse that causeth such inconvenience, and I do not well therefore to condemn, speak against, or innocently to accuse the best and pleasantest thing (so Lucian calls it) that belongs to mortall men.

You misinterpret, I condemn it not; I hold it notwithstanding an honest disport, a lawful recreation, if it be opportune, moderately and soberly used: I am of Plutarchs mind, that which respects pleasure alone, honest recreation, or bodily exercise, ought not to be rejected and contemned:

I subscribe to Lucian, ’tis an elegant thing, which cheareth up the mind, exerciseth the body, delights the spectators, which teacheth many comely gestures, equally affecting the ears, eyes, and soul it self.

Salust discommends singing and dancing in Sempronia, not that she did sing or dance, but that she did it in excess, ’tis the abuse of it: and Gregories refusal doth not simply condemn it, but in some folks. Many will not allow men and women to dance together, because it is a provocation to lust: they may as well with Lycurgus and Mahomet, cut down all Vines, forbid the drinking of Wine, for that it makes some men drunk.

Nihil prodest quod non lædere possit idem: Igne quid utilius? ——

I say of this as of all other honest recreations, they are like fire, good and bad, and I see no such inconvenience, but that they may so dance, if it be done at due times, and by fit persons: and conclude with Wolfgangus Hider, and most of our modern divines: Si decoræ, graves, verecundæ, plena luce bonorum virorum & matronarum honestarum, tempestive fiant, probari possunt, & debent.

There is a time to mourn, a time to dance, Eccles. 3. 4. Let them take their pleasures then, and as he said of old, young men and maids flourishing in their age, fair and lovely to behold, well attired and of comely carriage, dancing a Greek Galiard, and as their dance required, kept their time, now turning now tracing, now apart now altogether, now a courtesie then a caper, &c. and it was a pleasant sight, to see those pretty knots, and swimming figures.

The Sun and Moon (some say) dance about the earth, the three upper Planets about the Sun as their center, now stationary, now direct, now retrograde, now in Apogæo then in perigæo, now swift then slow, occidentall, orientall, they turn round, jumpe and trace, ♀ and ☿ about the Sun with those thirty three Maculæ or Burbonian planet, circa Solem saltantes Cytharedum, saith Fromundus.

Four Medicean stars dance about Jupiter, two Austrian about Saturn, &c. and all (belike) to the musick of the Sphears.

Our greatest Counsellors, and staid Senators, at sometimes dance, as David before the Ark, 2 Sam. 6. 14. Miriam Exod. 15. 20. Judith 15. 13. (though the devil hence perhaps hath brought in those bawdy Bacchanals) and well may they do it.

The greatest Souldiers, as Quintilianus, Æmilius Probus, Cælius Rhodiginus have proved at large, still use it in Greece, Rome, and the most worthy Senators, cantare, saltare. Lucian, Macrobius, Libanus, Plutarch, Julius, Pollux, Athenæus, have written just tracts in commendation of it. In this our age it is in much request in those countries, as in all civill Common-wealths, as Alexander ab Alexandro, lib. 4. cap. 10. & lib. 2. cap. 25. hath proved at large, amongst the Barbarians themselves nothing so pretious; all the World allows it.

Divitias contemno tuas, rex Crœse, tuamque Vendo Asiam, unguentis, flore, mero, Choreis.

Plato in his Common-wealth, will have dancing-schools to be maintained, that young folks might meet, be acquainted, see one another, and be seen; nay more, he would have them dance naked; and scoffs at them that laugh at it.

But Eusebius præpar. Evangel. lib. 13. cap. 11. and Theodoret lib. 9 curat. græc. affect. worthily lash him for it; and well they might: for as one saith, The very sight of naked parts, causeth enormous, exceeding concupiscences, and stirs up both men and women to burning lust.

There is a mean in all things: this is my censure in brief; Dancing is a pleasant recreation of body and mind, if sober and modest, (such as our Christian dances are) if tempestively used; a furious motive to burning lust, if as by Pagans heretofore, unchastely abused. But I proceed.

If these allurements do not take place, for Simierus, that great master of dalliance shall not behave himself better, the more effectually to move others, and satisfie their lust, they will swear and lye, promise, protest, forge, counterfeit, brag, bribe, flatter and dissemble of all sides.

Twas Lucrecia’s counsel in Aretine, Si vis amicâ frui, promitte, finge, jura, perjura, jacta, simula, mentire, and they put it well in practice, as Apollo to Daphne,

—— mihi Delphica tellus Et Claros & Tenedos, Patareaq; regia servit, Jupiter est genitor ——

Delphos, Claros and Tenedos serve me, And Jupiter is known my Sire to be.

The poorest swaines will do as much;

Mille pecus nivei sunt & mihi vallibus agni.

I have a thousand sheep, good store of cattle, and they are all at her command,

Tibi nos, tibi nostra supellex, Ruraq; servierint ——

house, land, goods, are at her service, as he is himself. Dinomachus, a Senators Son in Lucian, in love with a wench inferior to him in birth and fortunes, the sooner to accomplish his desire, wept unto her, and swore he loved her with all his heart, and her alone; and that as soon as ever his father died (a very rich man and almost decrepit) he would make her his wife.

The maid by chance made her Mother acquainted with the business, who being an old fox, well experienced in such matters, told her daughter, now ready to yield to his desire, that he meant nothing less, for dost thou think he will ever care for thee, being a poor wench, that may have his choice of all the beauties in the City, one noble by birth, with so many talents, as yong, better qualified, and fairer then thy self? Daughter beleeve him not: the maid was abasht, & so the matter broke off.

When Jupiter woed Juno first (Lilius Giraldus relates it out of an old Comment on Theocritus) the better to effect his sute, he turned himself into a Cuckow, and spying her one day walking alone, separated from the other Goddesses, caused a tempest suddenly to arise, for fear of which she fled to shelter: Jupiter to avoid the storm likewise flew into her lap, in virginis Junonis gremium devolavit, whom Juno for pitty covered in her Apron.

But he turned himself forthwith into his own shape, began to embrace and offer violence unto her, sed illa matris metu abnuebat, but she by no means would yield, donec pollicitus Connubium obtinuit, till he vowed and swore to marry her, and then she gave consent. This fact was done at Thorax hill, which ever after was called Cuckow hill, and in perpetuall remembrance, there was a Temple erected to Telia Juno in the same place. So powerfull are fair promises, vows, oaths and protestations.

It is an ordinary thing too in this case to belie their age, which widdows usually do, that mean to marry again, and batchelours too sometimes,

Cujus octavum trepidavit ætas, cernere lustrum;