perfectly teaching the true fingering of the Lute....." (1603), pages Bi(?)-Bii.

(I think this has been reprinted by CNRS wbc)

Under "Generall Rules"

"First sitting upright with your body, leane the edge of the Lute against the table, and your bodie against the Lute, not too hard for hurting your Lute, neither too softly for letting of it fall, for the table, your bodie, and your right arme, must so poyes the Lute, that you have your left hand at libertie to carie to, and fro, at your pleasure, letting the middle part of the neck of the Lute, slide up and down the brawne of the thumb which is against the nayle of the said thumb, houlding out the wrest of the hand, and alwaies carrying your thumb against your forefinger in any stop whatsoever, for so shall your hand be the more comelie, the more readie, and with the more ease, stop any stop the cleaner, now for your right hand, called the striking hand leane upon the bellie of the Lute with your little finger onelie, & that, neither to far from the Treble strings, neither too neere, and although you ought to lean lightlie, yet carie your hand steddilie, not sliding out of his place, also remembering, to leane lightlie upon your arme upon your Lute, for otherwise it will paine the sinewes and hinder your play.

All the aforesaid had, both in memorie and practise; (the houlding of your Lute, carrying of your hand, and sitting upright with your bodie, I mean) then (in the name of God) houlding the Lute (as is aforesaid) comelie with your thumb against your forefinger (as it were ready to stop, yet but onelie holding your Lute then with the thumb of your right hand (houlding the rest of the fingers straight forth before your thumb (neither to neere the strings nor to farre off, begin to strike the first string downward with the thumb onelie, and also striking with your thumb behind your fingers say: *Base, Tenor, Contra-tenor, Great Meanes, Small Meanes Treble*. This done: then begin at the *trebles* and so goe upward viz. backward, striking them string by string with your forefinger before your thumb, that is, houlding downe your thumb behind your fingers, and name them in order saying, *Treble, Small Meanes, Great Meanes, Contra-tenor, Tenor, Base*, this doing oft, downward and upward, nameing them, and also striking them with the thumb behind the fingers, that you have it most perfect and readie both in mind & fingers..."

(typist: Howard Posner)

The lute page