In the 1580s and 1590s, James promoted the literature of his native country. He published his treatise "Some Rules and Cautions to be Observed and Eschewed in Scottish Prosody" in 1584 at the age of 18. It was both a poetic manual and a description of the poetic tradition in his mother tongue of Scots, applying Renaissance principles. He also made statutory provision to reform and promote the teaching of music, seeing the two in connection. One act of his reign urges the Scottish burghs to reform and support the teaching of music in "Sang Sculis".