A Plaine and Easie Introduction to Practicall Musicke

Phi. So much of this song I understand as the knowledge of the degrees hath showen mee: the rest I understand not.

Ma. The rest of the observations belonging to this, you shall learne, when wee have spoken of the Moodes.

Phi. You have declared the Moodes used in old times so plainly, that I long to heare the other sort of Moodes, and therefore I pray you now explaine them.

Exposition of the foure usuall Moodes.

Ma. Although they differ in order of teaching & name, yet are they both one thing in effect, and therefore I will be the more briefe in the explaining of them. There be foure Moodes now in common use: Perfect of the more prolation. Perfect of the lesse prolation. Imperfect of the more prolation. And Imperfect of the lesse prolation. The moode perfect of the more is, when all go by three: as three Longes to the Large: three Breeues to the Long: three Semibreeues to the Breefe: three Minomes to the Semibreefe. His signe is a whole cirkle with a prick or point in the center or middle thus: ☉

Perfite of the More.

A musical diagram illustrating the "Perfect of the More" prolation. It begins with a circle containing a center dot and the numeral 3. Below are horizontal groupings of mensural notation symbols (Larges, Longs, Breves, Semibreves, Minims, and Crotchets) connected by wavy brackets to demonstrate the ternary relationships (1 Large = 3 Longs, etc.). The bottom row shows individual note values for comparison.

Phi. What is to be observed in this Moode?

Ma. The observation of every one, because it doth depend of the knowlege of them all, wee will leave till you have heard them all.

Phi. Then I pray you go on with the rest.

Ma. The Moode perfect of the lesse prolation is, when all go by two, except the Semibreefe: as two Longes to the Large. two Breeues to the Long: three Semibreeues to the Breefe: two Minoms to the Semibreefe. And his signe is a whole cirkle without any poynt or pricke in the middle, thus. ◯

Perfite of the Lesse.

A musical diagram illustrating the "Perfect of the Lesse" prolation. It begins with an empty circle. It shows groupings of mensural notes with wavy brackets indicating binary relationships for larger values, but a ternary relationship for the Semibreve (1 Breve = 3 Semibreves).

Phi. Verie well. Proceede.

Ma. The Moode Imperfect of the more prolation is, when all go by two, except the Minome which goeth by three: as two Longes to the Large, two Breeues to the Longe, two Semibreeues to the Briefe, and three Minomes to the Semibriefe: so that though in this Moode the Briefe be but two Semibriefes, yet you must understand that he is fixe Minomes, and every Semibriefe three Minomes. His signe is a halfe cirkle set at the beginning of the song, with a prick in the middle, thus. 𝇋

Imperfyte of the More.

A musical diagram illustrating the "Imperfect of the More" prolation. It begins with a broken circle (C-shape) containing a center dot. It demonstrates binary relationships for the higher notes and a ternary relationship for the Minim (1 Semibreve = 3 Minims).