A Treatise of Daunses, Wherin It is Shewed, That They Are as It Were Accessories and Dependants (Or Thynges Annexed) to Whoredome: Where Also by the Way is Touched and Proued, That Playes Are Ioyned and Knit Togeather in a Rancke or Rowe with Them (1581)

In Short

This sixteenth-century text is a fierce, moralistic argument against the perceived corruption inherent in social dancing and public plays. The author contends that these activities, often dismissed as harmless or "indifferent" pastimes, are actually insidious provocations to sexual immorality and theft. By dissecting biblical passages and citing ancient authorities, the treatise attempts to dismantle the defense that dancing can be a benign form of recreation. It is a document of strict, uncompromising piety, preserved as a historical window into the zealous reformist culture of its time.

The Story

The argument begins with the author anticipating skepticism. He acknowledges that many people, including the educated and the cynical, will view his obsession with the morality of dancing as an eccentric waste of time. He concedes that there are greater evils in the world, yet he insists that the "field of the Lord" must be weeded of even the smallest thorns. He defines the primary struggle: a widespread, dangerous belief that dancing is a morally neutral activity.

To challenge this, the author establishes his core premise: dancing is not an innocent exercise but a series of "impudent, shameles, and dissolute gestures" that intentionally awaken the lust of the flesh. He argues that even if a participant claims to have no "villanous mind," the act itself is inherently corrupting, much like entering a brothel. He bolsters this by pointing to the "fruits" of dancing, citing historical and anecdotal evidence where dancing led to social discord, broken families, or worse. He recounts the cautionary tale of a nobleman’s daughter who, despite her wisdom and station, was ensnared by a "base man" solely because she saw him dance at court. This, the author argues, proves that dancing acts as a siren song, luring the unwary into disastrous unions and moral degradation.

The treatise then pivots to the historical origins of dance, connecting it to pagan rituals and the worship of idols, most notably the Israelites' dancing before the golden calf. He systematically links this ancient idolatry to modern social dances, claiming that the devil is the true architect of the practice. He summons the authority of early Church fathers and councils to demonstrate a long, historical consensus against these "devilish" displays, arguing that Christian societies have abandoned the modesty required by God.

Finally, the author addresses the inevitable counter-argument: that the Bible itself depicts holy men, such as David and Miriam, dancing. He rejects this comparison as a "detestable and abhominable sacriledge." He explains that the dancing of the patriarchs was a solemn, public act of thanksgiving for divine deliverance, entirely devoid of the "crosse capring" and sexualized posturing found in contemporary dance. He argues that those who use these biblical scenes to justify modern balls are "foully deceived." The work concludes with a stern warning: those who persist in calling "evil good" through the defense of dancing are inviting the direct wrath and vengeance of God. The only path for the faithful is to abandon these practices entirely, casting them away as relics of vanity and conduits for the corruption of the soul.

How It Unfolds

The initial defense The author acknowledges that his contemporaries find this critique trivial, given the broader crises facing the world. He nonetheless insists that even small, seemingly minor corruptions must be purged to maintain the health of a Christian commonwealth.

The definition of danger He rejects the notion of "indifferent" pastimes, explicitly defining dance as an intentional incitement to lewdness. He argues that if a thing is inherently filthy, it cannot be made pure simply by the good intentions of the person practicing it.

The evidence of destruction To prove his point, the author points to the real-world consequences of dance, including the ruination of the wealthy and the corruption of the innocent. He asserts that the physical nature of dance—the "crosse capring"—is a visual assault that mirrors the corruption of the heart.

The pagan heritage Tracing the origins of dance to pagan idol worship and the golden calf, the author connects current practices to ancient sins. He aligns his position with Church history, citing councils that repeatedly forbade these behaviors among the faithful.

Refuting the scripture He addresses the "deceitful" use of the Bible by those who claim David’s dancing as a precedent. He argues that the context of holy joy and thanksgiving in the scriptures is fundamentally different from the narcissistic display of modern ballroom dance.

The final judgment The author concludes with a call to repentance, warning those who continue to ignore his arguments that they are aligning themselves with darkness. He posits that the choice is clear: reject the dance or face the divine curse pronounced upon those who mislabel good and evil.

The People

The author, while remaining anonymous, writes from the perspective of an uncompromising moral arbiter. He views his role as a necessary, if unpopular, physician for a sick society. He is motivated by a deep, urgent fear that his fellow Christians are sleepwalking into spiritual perdition.

He holds a particular disdain for the "mockers," those who scoff at his warnings. To him, these people are spiritually bankrupt, and he dismisses their opinions entirely to focus on those who might still be swayed by sound logic. He is equally critical of the "great lords" who permit their children to participate in dances, viewing them as negligent guardians who allow "baites" to destroy their own kin.

A central, though distant, figure in his argument is the young daughter of an Earl. She represents the tragic victim of the dance—a woman of status and intelligence who is led astray by the superficial performance of a man beneath her station. Her story is the author's primary piece of evidence for the power of the dance to blind the rational mind.

He also references historical and biblical figures like David and the daughter of Herodias (Salome). He uses them as diametrically opposed archetypes: David, whose dancing was a holy, externalized expression of divine gratitude, and Salome, whose dance was the engine of seduction and the cause of the death of John the Baptist. Through these figures, he seeks to define the vast, irreconcilable chasm between godly devotion and worldly corruption.

In Its Own Voice

"Now if one would aske me what daunses were: I wil answeare, that considering the sway which they haue at this day amongst us Cristians, they bee nothing else but impudent, shameles, and dissolute gestures, by which the lust of the flesh is awaked, stirred by, and inflamed, as wel in men as in women."

(The author provides his foundational definition of dance as a tool for inciting carnal desire.)

"From thence commeth the Latine prouerbe, that daunsers play the fooles, or wantons, but it is with measure."

(He invokes classical wisdom to argue that even the most "controlled" dancing is inherently tied to a loss of reason.)

"For the thing beyng so vilanous, and so infected of his own nature, as daunsing is, it is impossible, that he which useth it, should not bee infected, neither more nor lesse: then it is impossible to touch any filthines, and not to bee once uncleane, infected, and defyled."

(He asserts that there is no such thing as an innocent participant in a corrupt activity.)

What It's Really About

At its core, this work is an exploration of the power of the visual and the physical to corrupt the spirit. The author is deeply concerned with the "concupiscence of the eyes," arguing that what we watch and how we move are not merely private choices but expressions of our inner moral state. The book serves as a protest against the secularization of the body, challenging the idea that any human activity can exist outside the bounds of religious scrutiny. It asks whether the "indifferent" aspects of human culture—music, theater, movement—are truly neutral, or if they are, by their very nature, tethered to either divine service or human ruin. It is an argument for total, unflinching accountability in every gesture of life.

Why Read It Today

This text is not a light read, nor is it intended to be. For the reader of history, it offers a visceral, unapologetic look at the intensity of sixteenth-century moral thought. The language is dense, archaic, and deeply saturated with the fire-and-brimstone rhetoric of its era. It can feel alien, even claustrophobic, to a modern sensibility that values individual autonomy and freedom of expression. The author’s insistence that dance is a "devilish" act is so far removed from the contemporary experience that it creates a significant, almost jarring, distance between the reader and the text.

However, those interested in the history of ideas will find a fascinating, if extreme, model of moral reasoning. The author is not merely shouting; he is building a systematic, albeit rigid, case. Watching him attempt to reconcile his views with the biblical passages he acknowledges is a masterclass in the logic of fundamentalism. While the subject matter—the morality of dancing—may seem quaint or trivial to some, the underlying struggle regarding the influence of visual culture on human behavior feels surprisingly relevant. It is a challenging, sometimes difficult, but deeply illuminating artifact that demands the reader grapple with a worldview that sees the entire world as a battlefield for the soul.