The first part.

Phi. Indeed I see letters and syllables written here, but I do not understand them nor their order.

Ma. For the understanding of this Table, you must begin at the lowest word, Gam-ut, and so go upwards to the end, still ascending.

Phi. That I do understand. What is next?

Ma. Then must you get it perfectly without book, to say it forwards and backwards. Secondly, you must learn to know wherein every key standeth, that is, whether on a line or in a space. And thirdly, how many clefs and how many notes every key containeth.

Phi. What do you call a clef, and what a note?

What a clef is.

Ma. A clef is a character set on a line at the beginning of a verse, showing the height and lowness of every note standing on the same line, or in a space (although custom has taken it for a general rule never to set any clef in the space, except the b clef). Every space or line not having a clef set in it has one understood, being only omitted to avoid pestering the verse and to save labor for the writer. But here it is taken for a letter beginning the name of every key, and they are those which you see here set at the beginning of every word.

Phi. I take your meaning, so that every key has but one clef, except b fa b mi.

Ma. You have quickly and well conceived my meaning. The residue which you see written in syllables are the names of the notes.

Phi. In this likewise I think I understand your meaning. But I see no reason why you should say the two bs are two several clefs, seeing they are but one-wise named.

Ma. The heralds shall answer that for me: for if you should ask them why two men of one name should not both give one coat of arms, they will straight answer you that they be of several houses, and therefore must give diverse coats. So these two bs, though they be both comprehended under one name, yet they are in nature and character diverse.

Phi. This I do not understand.

Ma. Nor cannot, till you know all the clefs, and the rising and falling of the voice for the true tuning of the notes.

Phi. I pray you then go forwards with the clefs: the definition of them I have heard before.

How many clefs there be. The forms of the usual clefs.

Ma. There be in all seven clefs (as I told you before), as A, B, C, D, E, F, G. But in use in singing there be but four: that is to say, the F fa ut, which is commonly in the Basse lowest part, being formed or made thus The musical symbol for the F-clef (bass clef).. The C sol fa ut clef, which is common to every part, and is made thus The musical symbol for the C-clef.. The G sol re ut clef, which is commonly used in the Treble highest part, and is made thus The musical symbol for the G-clef (treble clef).. And the b clef, which is common to every part, is made thus b or thus Musical symbols for the b-molle (flat sign) and the b-quadro (natural/sharp sign), one signifying the half note and flat singing, the other signifying the whole note or sharp singing..

Phi. Now that you have told me the clefs, it followeth to speak of the tuning of the notes.

Ma. It is so, and therefore be attentive and I will be brief. There be in music but six notes, which are called ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la, and are commonly set down thus:

The six notes in continual deduction.

Phi. In this I understand nothing, but that I see the F fa ut clef standing on the fourth line from beneath.
A musical diagram shows a five-line staff with an F-clef on the fourth line from the bottom. Six diamond-shaped notes (semibreves) ascend from the first space to the fourth line. The syllables "ut re mi fa sol la" are printed directly below the notes.

Ma. And do you not understand wherein the first note standeth?

Phi. Verily, no.

How to know wherein every note standeth.

Ma. You must then reckon down from the clef, as though the line were the