Dear Arne, Martin is absolutely right.
1) In _The Schoole of Musicke_ (London, 1603) Thomas Robinson gives instructions on how to tune the lute. He begins with the 1st course, which, as far as he is concerned, clearly consists of two strings: "Now you shall learne to tune your Lute, and for a generall rule, first set up the _Treble_ so high as you dare venter [=venture] for breaking, setting them both in one tune or sound called an unison .." That's pretty unequivocal. "Treble" is singular, because it refers to the first course, but the rest of the quotation shows that it is a double course. 2) In his "Other Necessary Observations belonging to the Lute" in Robert Dowland's _Varietie_ (London, 1610) John Dowland refers to "Trebles" (plural) for the 1st course: "... first set on your Trebles, which must be strayned neither too stiffe nor too slacke, but of such a reasonable height that they may deliver a pleasant sound ..." Again, it is quite clear that Dowland has in mind a lute with a double first course. 3) On page 41 of _Musick's Monument_ (London, 1676) Thomas Mace writes: "And here you must take notice, that when we say a Lute of 12 Strings, there are but 6; and likewise a Lute of 24 Strings, there are but 12, (as to substantial Use)." I don't think for a minute that any of these three gentlemen would have denied the existence of lutes with a single first course, but, from what they say, it would seem that lutes with a double first course were perhaps not as unusual as we might have thought. Best wishes, Stewart. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Arne Keller" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Martin Shepherd" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2004 5:00 PM Subject: Re: new pictures > At 14:59 03-01-2004 -0000, Martin Shepherd wrote: > > <snip> > > " when lutenists decide to take another step towards historical stringing. > Most of us, most of the time, conveniently overlook the fact that Thomas > Robinson, John Dowland, and even Thomas Mace used a double first." > > Please pardon my ignorance, but where is the evidence of this? > > Regards, > > Arne.
