A commendation of Music, And a confutation of them which dispraise it.  

WHen first within the corpse of man, dame Nature built her bower:  
She saw what troubles eke & thrall, was bend them to devour.  
To whom she gave as in reward, a pleasant note or sound:  
Their carks and cares to drive away, whereby much ease was found.  
Whereof in children proof is had, whom nurses have in charge:  
How soon they stop and stay their cry, when she doth sound at large.  
The Ploughman eke, and Carter both, with ease doth pass away:  
In singing of some merry note, their tranayle all the day.  
Wherefore to Lady Nature I, do render praise and will:  
By whom not only man alone, but birds in song hath skill.  
The poets feign that Amphion, who builded Thebes town:  
Did first invent the pleasant note, whereby he got renown.  
To Dionysius some the name, and some contrary wise:  
To Zephus, who Eusebius saith, the same did first devise.  
Solinus saith that men of Crete, by ring and sound of brass:  
By Thacbadianes doth Polybius say, invented first it was.  
In deed I think soon after that, dame Nature made the sound:  
That Reason did the measure make, the concord and the ground.  
And then in Mercury first it wrought, as author of the same:  
The which even he (as worthy praise) did publish and proclaim.  
Then Reason, as one not full suffysde, did seek for to devise:  
Some instrument to give a sound, by whom there did arise  
A forward wit in Mercury, for to invent the same:  
Who made a Harp of fishes bone, a Tortes called by name.  
Which he by Nilus' river found, the fish was dried away:  
And nothing but three sinews left, whereon he sought to play.  
But when they gave a sound again, thus do the poets feign:  
He made a Harp much like that bone, by thinvent of his brain.  
Three strings to it did he apply, a Triple Base and Mean:  
The which he made for to accord, in Musics pleasant vain.  
Then he it to Apollo gave, as gift of wondrous weight:  
And he the same to Orpheus' hands, made redelivery straight.  
Some think Amphion first it found, and some to that say no:  
And some in Tubal think the like, but that can not be so.  
Then Pan the Pipe, Apollo eke, the Shawm he did invent:  
Then David Regalles' sought to make, by Reasons whole consent.  
And Orphen first, with Linus next, and Arion als by name:  
Timarias, and Trezenius both, thereby did purchase same.  
Nor Cibell yet, with Pisceses too, their labour aught did cease:  
But in the same did sore apply, their cunning too increase.  
Thus have we proved by poets lore, how ancient Music is:  
And now I mean by Scripture plain, to prove the lykeiwis.  
We read how David daunct and sung, before the Ark of God:  
And how his wife which flouted him, was by the Lord forbade  
For having children any more, but barren should she be:  
Whereby I prove that God is pleased, with such like armony.  
When MirIam with the Israelites, the red sea deep had passed:  
And Pharaos' host were drowned all, who did pursue them fast,  
Then took they tyrants in their hands, and to the Lord sang praise  
For that he was their aid and shield, to pass the dangerous seas.  
The shepherds eke, and Angels both, we read how they rejoiced:  
When they once heard and understood, the birth of jesus Christ.  
We see by this what Music is, we need no better proof:  
The Scripture is a buckler good, in Musics right behoof.  
In Fucsius, and in Galen both, who list to look shall find:  
How much that Music doth appease, the dolours of the mind.  
You know what taunts Themistocles, in banquet did sustain:  
When he good music did dispraise, accounting it but vain.  
They judged his learning much the worse, because he did defy  
That, which all men did much esteem, regard and eke set buy.  
I pray you was not Socrates, whom crooked age had caught:  
With Musics skill and armony, as one with Cupid fraught?  
And said that concord was the ground, and eke the sure stay:  
Without the which nothing is good, this could that wise man say.  
And measure is a merry mean, and mean who doth embrace:  
Of every virtue hath the ground, which bringeth man to grace.  
This have I done in Musics cause, my pen now will I rest:  
Sith that I have that worthy science, as famous once professed.  
And who that seeks the loss of it, needs must I speak my mind:  
A great dispraise is to his wit, his words are counted wind.   
¶ FINIS.  
(ꝙ) Nicholas White.   

¶ Imprinted at London in Aldersgate street, by Alexander Lacie: dwelling beside the Well.