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Rh It has been mentioned that the art of adding an extempore counterpoint to a written melody was called 'descant' The written melody itself was called the 'Plain-song,' and hence the whole performance, plainsong and descant together, came to be known by the term 'Plain-song,' as opposed to the performance of plainsong with a written descant; which was known as 'Prick-song.'

Morley gives us a clear idea that the extempore descant was often a very unsatisfactory performance, at any rate when it was attempted to add more than one extempore part at a time to the plainsong. As he says—'For though they should all be moste excellent men … it is unpossible for them to be true one to another.' The following passage will be more clear on this light.

H. 5. $3⁄2, 3$. Fight at Harfleur.

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L. 41.

Boy (speaks of the 3 rogues) .... They will steal anything, and call it purchase. Bardolph stole a lute-case, bore it twelve leagues, and sold it for three half-pence.