Their great popularity in all classes of society is sufficient proof, however, of the general training in the art that then existed. In fact, it was considered an essential thing in a gentleman's education, and the ability to take part in a "catch" or "round" was as natural to him in those days as it is to shoot or play cricket in these. We cannot give the reader a better means to realise this than by quoting Shakespeare again, in whose words every feature in that wonderful age is held up to the mirror. In "Twelfth Night" the following will be found:-- _Sir Toby_: Shall we rouse the night-owl in a catch, that will draw three souls out of one weaver[12]? Shall we do that? "_Sir Andrew_: An you love me, let's do it: I am a dog at a catch. "_Clown_: By'r lady, sir, and some dogs will catch well. "_Sir Andrew_: Most certain: let our catch be 'Thou knave.' "_Clown_: 'Hold thy peace, thou knave,' knight? I shall be constrained in't to call thee knave, knight. "_Sir Andrew_: 'Tis not the first time I have constrain'd one to call me knave. Begin, fool; it begins, 'Hold thy peace.' "_Clown_: I shall never begin, if I hold my peace. "_Sir Andrew_: Good i' faith! Come, begin." (They sing a catch.) The "catch" was a melody started by one singer and followed by another at an interval of one or more bars, singing identical notes, who would be succeeded by yet another in a similar manner. It depended upon the dexterity with which the performers would catch up their notes at the right moment as to whether harmony or chaos resulted. It was a popular form of amusement, but we are hardly surprised when Malvolio appears on the scene and addresses the singers thus:-- "My masters, are you mad? or what are you? Have you no wit, manners, nor honesty, but to gabble like tinkers at this time of night? Do you make an ale-house of my lady's house, that ye squeak out your cozier's catches without any mitigation or remorse of voice? Is there no respect of place, persons, nor time in you?" To all of which Sir Toby, treating it as an aspersion on his skill in music, replies, "We did keep time, sir, in our catches." The madrigal was an altogether more serious form of art, and, except for the words, might be identified with the best specimens of ecclesiastical music. It was polyphonic in treatment, and generally grave in character. Indeed, to judge by some of the most celebrated examples, it seems almost savouring of jest to describe it as secular. Of English composers, perhaps those who most excelled in this class of composition were Byrd, Dowland, and Orlando Gibbons. The most splendid example being that entitled, "The Silver Swan," by the last-named.