Morris Dance at Revesby (Folklore History Series)

By T. Fairman Ordish

Morris dancing is unique to the British Isles. In this book we explore the rich history of this long standing tradition. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900's and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Read Books Ltd.
• Release date: Oct 13, 2011
• ISBN: 9781447490548

Book preview

MORRIS DANCE AT REVESBY.

[From a MS. version. Edited by T. Fairman Ordish.]

THE curious piece, which is here printed for the first time, is thus referred to by Brand:* I have before me a copy of a drama played by a set of Plow Boys or Morris Dancers, in their riband dresses, with swords, on October the 20th, 1779, at Revesby Abbey, in Lincolnshire, the seat of the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks, Bart., P.R.S. The assumed characters of the piece are different from those of the more regular morris, and they were accompanied by two men from Kirtley, without any particular dresses, who sang the song of Landlord and Tenant. Beyond noting the dramatis personœ, and quoting half a dozen lines of the Fool’s opening speech, this is all Brand has to say. But in his brief notice he calls attention to two of the peculiarities of the piece—the unusual names of the characters and the Fool’s reference to Christmas—

"Still we are all brave jovial boys

And take delight in Christmas joys."

But there are other peculiarities. If the piece is a Christmas mumming play, the character of Father Christmas is absent, which I cannot find to be the case in any other Christmas mumming. The date, again, is against its being such a play (it was performed on Oct. 20), as is also the presence of the young woman character. The date of the performance, the character of the Landlord and Tenant song, and the reference to selling geese (p. 348), seem to point to a Harvest Home or Michaelmas rejoicing as the occasion. Yet the allusion to Christmas is unequivocal, and it is to be noted that the Fool is addressed invariably as Old Father. The following reference, which occurs in Wallis’s History of Northumberland, may be significant upon the Christmas aspect of the piece, together with its date (October 20): "The saltatio armata of the Roman militia, on their festival Armilustrium, celebrated on the 19th of October, is still practised by the country