Nobiltà di dame del Sr. Fabritio Caroso da Sermoneta : libro, altra volta, chiamato il ballarino : nuouamente del propio auttore correto, ampliato di nuoui balli, di belle regole, & alla perfetta theorica ridotto : con le creanze necessaire a Caualiere et dame : aggiontoui il basso & il soprano della musica & con l'intauelatura del liuto à ciascun ballo : ornato di vaghe & bellissime figure in Rame.

Manual outlines rules for sixty-eight steps and contains specific choreographies for forty-nine dances. Many dances are preceded by full-page illustrations and each dance is provided with appropriate music written in Italian lute tablature and/or mensural notation.

First edition published in 1581 under title: Il ballarino. The second edition, published under Nobiltà dame del Sr. Fabritio Caroso, was a revision of the first edition; it was published in 1600. A later edition, a re-issue of the second edition with a new title page, was published in 1630 under: Raccolata di variji balli.

The illustrations consist of ten full-page engraved illustrations by Giacomo Franco; eight of the illustrations (figures of dancers) repeat between two and seven times throughout the book.

Title within engraved architectural border ornamented with vignettes of instrumentalists, a portrait of the author, etc. Head- and tail-pieces; initials.

Part 2 has special half-title: Della Nobilta di dame ... libro secondo, nelquale s'insegnano varie sorti di balletti, cascarde, tordiglione, passo e mezzo, pauaniglia, canario, & gagliarde ...

The music, through page 148, is in both tablature and ordinary notation; throughout the rest of the book, in tablature only.

"Ad instantia dell'Autore"--Title page.

Dedication statement addressed to the duke and duchess of Parma on title page.

Includes index.