Interesting Primary Source

As I was researching for my lesson on Desdemona's song, I looked at some primary sources on music and singing. I found one—William Byrd’s Psalmes, sonets, & songs of sadnes and pietie (London, 1588)—that I thought was pretty interesting. It really has nothing to do with my exercise, but I thought I’d post it just in case anyone’s interested.

At the very beginning of the book, Bryd has this page where he lists the "Reasons breifely set downe by th' author, to perswade every one to learne to sing." He lists,

First, it is a knowledge easily taught, and quickly learned, whether is a good Master, & an apt scholar.
2. The exercise of singing is delightful to Nature, and good to preserve the health of man.
3. It doth strengthen all parts of the breast, & doth open the pipes.
4. It is a singular good remedy for stutting & stammering in the speech.
5. It is the best means to procure perfect pronunciation, and to make a good Orator.
6. It is the only way to know where Nature hath bestowed the benefit of a good voice: which gift is so rare, as there is not one among a thousand that hath it: & in many that excellent gist is lost, because they want art to express Nature.
7. There is not any Music of Instruments whatsoever, comparable to that which is made of the voice of men, where the voices are good, & the same well sorted and ordered.
8. The better the voice it, the meeter it is to honor & serve God there-with: and the voice of man is chiefly to be employed to that end.

Omnis spiritus laudet Dominum [Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord]

Since singing is so good a thing,
I wish all men would learn to sing.

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So, that's Bryd's text. I also found this cool picture from John Dowland's The First Book of Songes or Ayers of fowre partes with Tableture for Lute (London, 1597).