-- My transcription of dance-relevant passages from the NYPL Mid-Manhattan Research Library's copy of Nicholas Faret's The Honest Man: or, the Art to Please in Court, translated 1632, a French courtly handbook.

-- As concessions to Dreamweaver and web compatibility, double spaces between sentences have been reduced to single spaces, certain irregularities of spacing and punctuation for margin justification have been regularised, and the ∫/s is modernised except in titles. The ' ------ ' denotes page breaks. Obviously this does not replicate the look or type face of the original... but I've done my best! --E. F. Winerock

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THE
A  R  T
OF
Pleasing at COURT;
BEING A
NEW TRANSLATION
(With Some ADDITIONS )
OF AN
OLD FRENCH BOOK
ENTITLED
L'HONNESTE-HOMME;
OU,
L'Art de plairea la Cour.

Par le Sieur FARET.

Containing, however, some Precepts necessary to
be observ'd by both Gentlemen and Ladies,
Courtiers and Others.

__________________________________
__________________________________

BIRMINGHAM :
Printed by T. ARIS, for the TRANSLATOR.
MDCCLIV.

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Of the DISPOSITION of the BODY.

WITH all these Advantages of Birth
and Courage, which are requisite to
constitute a Courtier, a graceful Person,
of middle Stature, will be found very ne-
cessary. He should have Limbs rather
slender than too large, well form'd, strong,
souple, disengaged, and easy to be accom-
modated to all the Exercises of War and
Pleasure. Having all these Gifts of Na-
ture, 'tis of some Consequence to employ
them, and to learn not only all that is
taught in the Academies, but also all the
Gallantries of Address which are in Use,
and becoming a Gentleman. to be a bad
Horseman, to be ignorant of the Use of
Armes, is not only a great Disadvantage,
but also a shameful Ignorance, since 'tis to
be ignorant of the most essential Principles
of his Business.  Other Exercises, tho' less
necessary, yet come into Use upon a thousand
Oc-

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Occasions, and gain the Esteem, and after
that the Inclination of those by whom we
desire to be beloved.  We therefore don't
only insist that he should understand the
whole Art of managing a Horse, but all o-
ther manly Exercises that are in Use.  There
are many such Exercises which are too
much esteemed in the World for a Man to
be ignorant of, who would be regarded in,
and deserve Glory and Praise from it *.

If

* [ long footnote on Israelites, Egyptians,
Greeks and Romans regarding exercise.]

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If it might be, our Courtier should not only
understand, but be able to perform in, Mu-
sic. He should not be ignorant of Hunt-
ing, should be dextrous in Dancing, at the
Tennis - Court, at Wrestling, Leaping,
Swimming, Shooting, and all other Diver-
sions, which are not so merely polite, but
that they often become useful. Most of
these Things, separately considered, are in-
deed small ; but together, render a Man
accomplished, and cause him to be looked
upon with some Kind of Admiration ; es-
pecially when they are brightened by the
Qualities of the Mind, which give them
the last Features of Perfection.  Nay, let
it be said, that he should not be ignorant
of any of the Plays of Hazard, which have
a Run among the Great, because by them
he may familiarly join in their Company ;
provided, however, that he be not a
Gamester.

(pp. 12-14)