To The Most Serene Princess
Madam Dorothea
Duchess of Bransuvich, and Lunemburc, Native Duchess of Lorena and Bar, Countess of Cleremonte.

In You Madam is appeared and formed
The true beauty prized among us:
Each rare virtue which the world prizes
With you is awakened, and appears which elsewhere is sleeping:
The value without you moves not one step:
Beauty accompanies you, and courtesy,
And each soul to the fair custom accustomed takes
Of your manners example, and rule.
The parts then of the soul so new,
Combined with the first, in each part
Make with sweet accents a clear sound:
Which marvel is then, if is moved
My spirit to celebrate in writing
With this Ballo, which I put up, and give?

Original rhyme scheme - ABBA/ABBA/CDECDE

Bassa Ducale  (Ducal Valley)
Balletto

In Praise of the Most Illustrious and Most Excellent Lady,
The Lady Duchess of Bransuvich

In this Balletto, the people standing facing, they will be taken by the ordinary hand, as is drawn in the figure: and then they will do together the Riverenza grave with 2 Continenze, the 1 with the left foot, the other with the right: and taking them by the right, they will do 2 Seguiti semidoppi to the left flank, and 3 Trabuchetti presti, starting it with the left foot; they will do the same taking it by the left, and starting with the right foot.

In the second time, they will return to take the ordinary hand, walking with 4 Seguiti ordinarii; then taking it by the right arm, they will do 2 Seguiti spezzati, and 2 Tranghi, and letting it go, they will be turned to the left hand with 1 Seguito spezzato, starting each thing with the left foot, and the Cadenza facing with the right.  They will do the same taking the left hand by opposite.

In the third time, the man alone will do 2 Seguiti ordinarii flanked back, and another turned to the left hand, starting it with the left foot, with 3 Trabuchetti presti started with the right: then they will do together 4 Seguiti spezzati flanked, that is, the man forward, and the lady back, starting with the left foot with 3 Trabuchetti, as of above, the which done they will return to do the same by opposite.

In the final change, the lady alone will do the same: then together they will do that which in the change the man will have already done alone.

To the sciolta of the sonata.

They will return to take the right hand of new, doing 4 Seguiti spezzati, 2 keeping the hand taken, and another 2 letting it go, turning them to the left hand, and changing place: they will do the same, taking the left hand, and returning each one to their place; then facing they will do 2 Riprese, and 2 Trabuchetti, 2 turns to the left flank, turning 1 Seguito spezzato to the left hand, and the Cadenza facing.  They will return finally to start the same Riprese and Trabuchetti, doing it then to the right flank by opposite, and turning 1 Seguito spezzato to the right with the Cadenza, to the end of which they will owe to find themselves again facing, where they will gracefully finish the dance with doing the Riverenza.

Lute tablature, with the music of the Sonata of the Balletto Bassa Ducale.


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