To the Most Illustrious and Most Excellent Lady
The Lady Donna Anna de Mendozza
Duchess of Medina Cidonia
Governess of Milan
How much owe you to the highest Goodness
Lady, ad all times, which has endowed you to the pair
Of each fair spirit shining and bright,
For to make your live glory eternal?
How much to his great lord, which at all times governs
All, and goes forth each his loyal, and dear,
Seeing you endowed of that rare
Valor, which ever in you grows, and is entered?
So much to your high sum Goodness,
Which you do to honor here below of all,
With the parts of the soul most kind;
And so much taken of clouds, and of mud
You owe to you, which to this our age
Of virtue give the flower, the blossoms, and the fruits.
Original rhyme scheme - ABBA/ABBA/CDCDCD
Gagliarda di Spagna (Galliard of Spain)
Balletto;
In Praise of the Most Illustrious and Most Excellent Lady
Duchess of Medina Cidona,
Governess of Milan
This Gagliarda is divided in 10 times; in the first of the which
the man has to take the ordinary hand of the lady, doing together the
Riverenza grave with 2 Continenze gravi: then walking, they have to do
together 2 Passi gravi, and 1 Seguito ordinario, and 2 Continenze
minime preste, the one to the right,and the other to the left, with 3
Trabuchetti presti, in the manner which they are done in the Cascarde.
In the second time they have to do, also together, 2 Continenze
ordinarie, the one to the left, the other to the right; then walking
without letting go said hand, they have to do 6 Seguiti spezzati, and 1
Seguito ordinario, starting each thing with the left foot, and doing 2
Continenze minime, and 3 Trabuchetti presti, as of above, and these
starting with the right foot.
In the third time, they will do together 2 Continenze ordinarie, in the
end of the which kissing together the hand, with the which they were
holding, they will let go: then the man alone will do 6 Seguiti
spezzati, 3 to the left, and 3 to the right, starting it with the left
foot, and with the same foot 1 Seguito ordinario: then with the right
foot they will start together 2 Continenze minime, and 3 Trabuchetti
presti, as of above, resting facing in the end of those, and the one
and the other have to do together.
In the fourth time, they will do together similarly 2 Continenze gravi:
then the lady alone will do the same change which the man has done, and
together they will turn to do 2 other Continenze minime, and 3
Trabuchetti presti, as of above.
In the fifth time, they will do together 2 Continenze gravi; then the
man alone will do this change, that is, 2 Sottopiede to the left, 2
Fioretti forward, and 3 Trabuchetti, starting it with the left foot,
settling it a pause. After to the right he will do 2 other
Sottopiedi with 1 Fioretto done with the right foot, and 1 Cadenza to
manner of Gagliarda with the left foot back, and with the same will do
1 Seguito ordinario forward: then they will do together the same 2
Continenze, and 3 Trabuchetti, as of above.
Change of the Lady
In the sixth time, they have to do together 2 Continenze gravi: after
the lady alone will do 2 Riprese to the left, and 2 Passi gravi forward
with the left foot, and 3 Trabuchetti gravi: then to the right will be
done another Riprese, with 1 Trabuchetto grave, and 1 Seguito grave
forward with the left. Then together they will do the same
Continenze minime, and 3 Trabuchetti gravi. Then in the seventh
time, they will do together the 2 Continenze ordinarie, the one to the
left, and the other to the right. And the man alone will do 2
Fioretti, 2 Recacciate, and 3 Passi larghi chanted to manner of Cadenza
done in gagliarda, and settling him there a pause: then he will do 3
Campanelle turned to the left, that is, 2 beats, 1 back and the other
forward, doing it with the right foot, with 2 Fioretti forward,
starting it with the same foot, and doing 1 Cadenza in gagliarda, with
the left foot forward, and 1 Trabuchetto grave with the right foot
back, and 1 Seguito ordinario with the left foot forward. Beyond
that they will do together the 2 Continenze minime, and the 3
Trabuchetti gravi.
In the eighth time, they will do together 2 Continenze gravi: then the
lady alone will do 2 Fioretti forward, and if she does not know how to
do, will do in its place 2 Trabuchetti gravi, the one to the left and
the other to the right, with 1 Seguito ordinario forward: but if she
will know to do the Fioretti, thence will do 2 with 2 Passi, and 3
Trabuchetti: the which finished, she will do to the right part 1
Ripresa, and 1 Trabuchetto grave, with 1 Seguito with the left foot
back. Then they will do together the same 2 Continenze minime,
and the 3 Trabuchetti gravi, as were done of above.
In the ninth time, also together, they will do 2 Continenze gravi, and
2 Seguiti spezzati forward: then taking the right hand, they will do
another 2 Seguiti spezzati, and letting go the hand, thence they will
do another 2 turned to the left: then changing place, they will do
facing 1 Seguito ordinario with the left foot forward, and 2 Continenze
minime with 2 Trabuchetti gravi.
In the ultimate time they will do together 2 Continenze gravi: and the
man will do the change which he has done in the seventh time, and the
lady will do that which she has done in the eighth, but each thing they
will do together: ultimately in place of the 2 Continenze, they
will take together the ordinary hand, and doing 1 Seguito scorso, and
the Riverenza grave, they will put gracefully end to the said Gagliarda.
Lute tablature, with the Music of the Sonata of the Gagliarda di
Spagna, done in 10 times.
Return to Book 2 Index
Previous Dance
Next Dance