An Invitation to the Dance

Today (March 7th) is the feast of Saint Felicitas, patron saint of expectant mothers and here, in Langres, whose patron Saint Mammes is the saint of newborn babies, a special mass is being said for expectant mothers. Throughout the day there are various events including dancing (I am hoping several pavanes ¹ will be included for ladies in the more gravid condition).

Not being terribly familiar with sixteenth century dance (somebody once said I seemed to have eight left feet!), I thought it might be a good idea to look up any information I could find before leaving, and the best-known dance manual of the period which the library recommended was a French book, Orchésographie , by Thoinot Arbeau.

Let me quote below, the opening of his book, which takes the form of a conversation between a teacher and a visiting ex-pupil;

Capriol
I come to pay you my respects, Monsieur Arbeau. You do not remember me, for it is six or seven years since I left this town of Langres to go to Paris and thence to Orleans. I am an old pupil of yours, to whom you taught computation.

Arbeau
Indeed at first glance I failed to recognize you because you have grown up since then, and I feel sure that you have also broadened your mind by manliness and learning. What do you think of the study of law? I pursued it in bygone days myself.

Capriol
I find it a noble art and necessary in the conduct of affairs, but I regret that while in Orleans I neglected to learn fine manners, an art with which many scholars enriched themselves as an adjunct to their studies. For, on my return I have found myself in society, where, to put it briefly, I was tongue-tied and awkward, and regarded as little more than a block of wood.

Arbeau
You took consolation in the fact that the learned professors excused this shortcoming in recognition of the learning you had acquired.

Capriol
That is so, but I should like to have acquired skill in dancing during the hours between my serious studies, an accomplishment which would have rendered my company welcome to all.

Arbeau
This will be an easy thing by reading French books in order to sharpen your wit and by learning fencing, dancing and tennis that you may be an agreeable companion alike to ladies and gentlemen.

Capriol
I much enjoyed fencing and tennis and this placed me upon friendly terms with young men. But, without a knowledge of dancing, I could not please the damsels, upon whom, it seems to me, the entire reputation of an eligible young man depends.

Arbeau
You are quite right, as naturally the male and female seek one another and nothing does more to stimulate a man to acts of courtesy, honour and generosity than love. And if you desire to marry you must realize that a mistress is won by the good temper and grace displayed while dancing, because ladies do not like to be present at fencing or tennis, lest a splintered sword or a blow from a tennis ball should cause them injury. You remember Virgil's lines that tell of Turnus and his mistress, the beautiful Lavinia, daughter of King Latinus.

Illum turbat amor, figitque in virgine vultus:
Ardet in arma magis etc.

And there is more to it than this, for dancing is practised to reveal whether lovers are in good health and sound of limb, after which they are permitted to kiss their mistresses in order that they may touch and savour one another, thus to ascertain if they are shapely or emit an unpleasant odour as of bad meat. Therefore, from this standpoint, quite apart from the many other advantages to be derived from dancing, it becomes an essential in a well ordered society.

There's a recording of the Washerwomen's Bransle here, which gives a feel for the kind of music being played.

X:7
T:The Washerwomen's Bransle % title
C:Thoinot Arbeau % composer
O:Orchésographie % origin.
N:Thoinot Arbeau was the nom-de-plume of Maitre Jehan Tabourot
N:Cleric, of Langres
M:4/4 % meter
L:1/4 % length of shortest note
Q:180 % tempo
K:F % key
V:1 % voice 1
|: "C7" G G G G | "F" F F B2 | "C7"c B A G | "F" G F G2 :|
|:"C7" G d "G" B d | "C7"c B A "F" G :|
|:"C7" G G F2 | "F"G2 A2 | "F"A A A B | "C7"c B A G |
"C7"G G F2 | "F" G2 A2 | "C7"c B A G | "F" G F "C7" G2 :|]

X:4 % number
T:Belle qui tients ma vie % title
C:Thoinot Arbeau % composer
N:Thoinot Arbeau was an anagram of Jehan de Tabourot
N:A professor of mathematics
O:Orchésographie % origin.
S:Transcribed from an arrangement by Karl Aloritias.
M:C| % meter
L:1/4 % length of shortest note
Q: % tempo
K:F % key
V:1 name=Soprano sname=sop. % voice 1
V:2 name=Alto sname=alt.
V:3 name=Tenor sname=ten.
V:4 name=Bass sname=bass clef=bass
[V:1]|: G2 G ^F | G A B2 | B d c B | B A B2 :|
w:1.Bel-le qui tiens ma vi-e Cap-ti-ve dans tes yeulx,
w:2.Pour-quo fuis tu, mi-gnar-de, Si je suis pres de toi?
w:3.Tes beau-tes et ta gra-ces Et tes di-vins pro-pos
w:4.Mon am-e vou-lait e-tre Li-bre de pas-si-on
w:5.Ap-pro-che donc ma bell-e, Ap-pro-che toi mon bien,
w:6.Je meurs, mon An-ge-let-te, Je meurs en te bais-ant
w:7.Plu-tot on ver-ra l'on-de Con-tre-mont re-cul-er,
[V:2]|: D2 D D | D F F2 | F F E F | G F F2 :|
[V:3]|: B2 B A | B c d2 | d B G d | c c d2 :|
[V:4]|: G,2 G, D, | G, F, B,,2 | B,, B,, C, D, | _E, F, B,,2 :|
%
[V:1]B2 A A | G G F2 | D2 E/F/ G | G ^F G2 |
w:1.Qui m'as l'ame ra-vi-e D'un sour--ris gra-ci-eux,
w:2.Quand tes yeux je re-garde Je me_ perds de-dans moi,
w:3.Ont echauf-fé la gla-ce Qui me_ ge-lait les os,
w:4.Mais l'a-mour s'est fait maitre De mes_ af-fec-ti-ons
w:5.Ne me sois plus re-belle Puis-que mon co-eur est tien,
w:6.Ta bou-che tant dou-cette Va mon_ bien rav-is-sant
w:7.Et plu-tot l'oeil du monde Ce-s-se-ra de bru-ler,
[V:2]F2 F F | D _E D2| D2 C D | D D [D2=B,2]|
[V:3]d2 c d | B c A2 | B2 G B | A A [=B2G2]|
[V:4]B,2 F, D, | G, C, D,2 | B,2 C, G,, | D, D, G,,2|
%
[V:1]B2 A A | G G ^F2 | D2 =E/^F/ G | G ^F G2 |]
w:1.Viens tot me se-cou-rir Ou me_ fau-dra mou-rir.
w:2.Car tes per-fec-ti-on Chan-gent_ mes ac-ti-ons
w:3.Et ont rem-pli mon coeur D'une a--mou-reuse ar-deur.
w:4.Et a mis sous sa loi Et mon_ coeur et ma foi.
w:5.Pour mon mal ap-pais-er Don-ne_ moi un bai-ser.
w:6.A ce coup mes es-prits Sont tous_ d'a-mour e-pris.
w:7.Que l'a-mour qui m'e-point De-crois--se d'un seul point.
[V:2]_B,2 F F | D _E D2 | F2 E D | D D D2 |]
[V:3]d2 c d | B c A2 | B2 G B | A A [=B2G2]|]
[V:4]G,2 F, D, | G, C, D,2 | B,,2 C, G,, | D, D, G,,2 |]

French Lyric

English Translation

Belle, qui tiens ma vie captive dans tes yeux, Qui m’a l’âme ravie d’un souriz gracieux, Viens tôt me secourir, ou me faudra mourir. Pourquoi fuis-tu, mignarde, si je suis près de toy, Quand tes yeux je regarde, je me perds dedans moy, Car tes perfections, changent mes actions. Tes beautes et ta graces Et tes divins propos Ont echauffe la glace Qui me gelait les os, Et ont rempli mon coeur D'une amoureuse ardeur. Mon ame voulait etre Libre de passion, Mais l'amour s'est fait maitre De mes affections Et a mis sous sa loi Et mon coeur et ma foi. Approche donc ma belle, approche toy mon bien, Ne me sois plus rebelle, puisque mon coeur est tien, Pour mon mal appaiser, donne moy un baiser. Je meurs mon Angelette, je meurs en te baisant, Ta bouche tant doucette, va mon bien ravissant A ce coup mes esprits, sont tout d’amour épris. Plutôt on verra l’Onde, contre mont reculer Et plutôt l’œil du monde, cessera de brûler Que l’amour qui m ‘époint, décroisse d’un seul point.

Beautiful one who holds my life Captive in your eyes, Who has ravished my soul With a gracious smile. Come to my aid Or I must die. Why do you flee, dainty one, If I am near you? When I behold your eyes I am lost inside myself Because your perfection [so affects my behaviour]. Your beauty and your grace And your divine ways Have melted the ice Which was freezing my bones And have filled my heart With a loving ardour. My soul wanted to be Free of passion, But love became master Of my affections And put under its law My heart and my faith. Come near, my lovely one, Come near, my [dear one], Do not resist me further For my heart is yours, To relieve my ills Give me a kiss. I die, my Little Angel, I die when kissing Your mouth so sweet. My very lovely one, With that touch my spirits Are completely lifted in love. Sooner will waves Flow backwards And sooner will the moon Cease to shine Before the love which conquered me Wanes a single iota.

I thought it might be interesting to pay a visit to Monsieur Arbeau, but none of the contemporary people with whom I talked had heard of him, which puzzled me particularly, since his dance manual seems to be almost unique; nothing as comprehensive has survived. It wasn't until I returned to my own time that the mystery was solved. When I talked to the librarian about the difficulty of locating Monsieur Arbeau I learned that his name was an anagram of Jehan Tabourot, a canon and teacher of mathematics and law at the Cathedral in Langres. Perhaps because he felt that a manual on dance would be an undignified publication to be associated with a professor, or perhaps simply to maintain the integrity of his reputation as a teacher, he adopted this innocent subterfuge. And once again, I find that wherever I go in history, it seems as if there is no escaping the clerics!

To convert the code above to sheet music, or listen to the tunes, copy the code for a single song, then paste it here and [submit].

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Notes

1. Also known as the Cinque Pas, or "Sink-a Pace", for its five steps.