A Treatise of Daunses, Wherin It is Shewed, That They Are as It Were Accessories and Dependants (Or Thynges Annexed) to Whoredome

In this compact, polemical treatise from the late‑sixteenth century, the author turns a critical eye toward the popular pastimes of his day, arguing that dancing functions as an accessory to moral decay. Framed by a call for Christians to safeguard their souls, the work situates itself within the broader religious debates of the era, drawing on Scripture and contemporary moral discourse to question the acceptability of both dance and theatrical performance.

The writer presents a systematic case: dances are linked to licentious behavior, the choreography of revelry is portrayed as a stepping‑stone to greater sins, and the frivolity of public plays is dismissed as spiritually harmful. Yet the text also reflects a genuine concern for the well‑being of the faithful, urging learned men to guide society toward a more disciplined, reverent way of life. Its earnest, if sometimes harsh, rhetoric offers modern listeners a vivid glimpse into the moral anxieties that shaped early modern English culture.