To the Most Illustrious and Most Excellent Lady
The Lady Duchess of Traetto

To see of stars in the Heaven joyful, and adorned,
To shine the Sun, and to move the elements,
Marvel not given to our minds,
Which have made in such sight, long [unknown word - fashion?];
But would have been had, which of the world within, and of about
Are shown the honor not late, and slow,
All are seen then to stand them there fixed
To the object, which makes most clear the day.
Thus in You is born, or lives eternal light
Of honor, which to illustrate this and that climate
With the knowledge, and with the value would not be tired;
Thus Your virtue in You shines,
Which mortal eyes in Her are blinded, and lack,
High Caraffa [proper name?], which shines through us the first.

Original rhyme scheme - ABBA/ABBA/CDECED

Il Conto Dell'Orco (The Tale of the Whale)
Balletto d'Incerto

In Praise of the Most Illustrious and Most Excellent Lady
Duchess of Traetto

Finding the people facing as is had in the picture, they will start with doing the Riverenza ordinaria, then they will follow doing in the wheel 3 Seguiti ordinarii similarly, with 3 Trabuchetti facing, settling them there some, and starting it with the right foot: then they will do 2 Tranghi flanked, 1 with the left, and the other with the right, with 1 Seguito spezzato turned to the left, and the Cadenza to feet even.

In the second time, they will do the walk in the wheel with 5 Seguiti ordinarii, and all the other things which I have shown you in said Change; starting of the 3 Trabuchetti.

In the third time, the man alone will do 1 Doppio forward with the left with 2 Passi back, and 2 Trabuchetti gravi to feet even, starting it with the right, with all the other things which are said in the first change.  *[There appears to be a line inserted into the original text of this dance.  As far as I can tell, the inserted line does not belong to this dance at all, so I have left it out here.]

In the fourth time, the lady alone will do the same which the man will have done in the third time.

In the fifth time, they will do together 2 Passi gravi, and 1 Seguito  ordinario to the left: and they will do the same to the right by opposite; after they will do the Doppio forward with all the other actions which follow to the change, which the man will have already done alone: then they will conclude the Ballo  doing together the Riverenza facing, in the same manner which they will have started.

Lute tablature, with the music of the Sonata of the Conto dell'Orco, Balletto.


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