vt of many songs which partly at the request of friends, partly for my owne recreation were by mee long since composed, I haue now enfranchised a few, sending them forth diuided according to their different subject into seuerall Bookes. The first graue and pious; the second amorous and light. For hee that in publishing any worke, hath a desire to content all palates, must cater for them accordingly.
Non omnibus unum est
Quod placet, hic Spinas coligit, ille Rossas
These Ayres were for the most part framed at first for the one voyce with the lute, or violl, but on occasion they have been filled with more parts, which who so please may use, who like not may leaue. Yet doe wee daily obserue, that when any shall sing a Treble to an instrument, the standers by will be offring at an inward part of their own nature; and true or false, out it must, though peruerting of the whole harmonic. Also, if wee consider well, the Treble tunes, which are with vs commonly called Ayres, are but Tenors mounted eight Notes higher, and therefore an an inward part must needes well become them, svch as may take vp the whole distance of the Diapason, and fill vp the gaping betweene the two extreame parts; whereby thoughthey are not three parts in perfection, yet they yield a sweetnesse and content both the ear and minde, which is the ayme and perfection of Musicke. Short Ayres, if they be skilfully framed, and naturally exprest, are like quick and good Epigrammes in Poesie, many of them shewing as much artifice, and breeding as great difficultie as a larger Poeme. Non omnia possumus omnes, said the Roman Epick poet. But some there are who admit only French or Italian Ayres, as if euery had not his proper Ayre, which the people thereof naturally vsurpe in their Musicke. Others taste nothing that comes forth in print, as if Catullus or Martials Epigrammes were the worse for being published. In these English Ayres I haue chiefly aymed to couple the words and notes louingly together, which will be much for him to doe that hath not power ouer both. The light of this will best appeare to him who hath pays'd our Monasyllables and Syllables combined, both which are so loaded with Consonants as that they will hardly keep company with swift Notes, or giue the Vowell conuenient liberty. To conclude; mine own opinion of these songs I deliver thus:
Omnia nec nostris bona sunt, sed nec mala libris
Sic placet has cantes, hac quolq; lege legas.
Farewell.