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. 32, 3. Fight at Harfleur.
| Nym. | Pray thee, corporal, stay: … the humour of it is too hot, that is the very plain-song of it. |
| Pistol. | The plain-song is most just, for humours do abound. |
••••••
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.
