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CUSHION DANCE |
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John Sanderson, farewell," &c, and so they go out one by one as they came in.—Charminster (Notes and Queries, ii. 517, 518). This description is almost the same as a seventeenth century version. The dance is begun by a single person (either man or woman), who, taking a cushion in his hand, dances about the room, and at the end of the tune he stops and sings:— This dance it will no further go. The Musician answers:
I pray you, good sir, why say you so ? Man : Because Joan Sanderson will not come to.
Musician : She must come to, and she shall come to,
And she must come whether she will or no. Then he lays down the cushion before a woman, on which she kneels, and he kisses her, singing—
Welcom, Joan Sanderson, welcom, welcom. Then he rises, takes up the cushion, and both dance, singing— Prinkum-prankum is a fine dance, And shall we go dance it once again,
Once again, and once again, And shall we go dance it once again. Then, making a stop, the wo(man) sings as before—
This dance, &c. Musician : I pray you, madam, &c. Woman : Because John Sanderson, &c. Musician: He must, &c. ■•'.'"
And so she lays down the cushion before a man, who, kneeling upon it, salutes her, she singing— Welcom, John Sanderson, &c. Then, he taking up the cushion, they take hands and dance round, singing as before. And thus they do till the whole company are taken into the ring. And then the cushion is laid before the first man, the woman singing, "This dance," &c. (as before), only instead of "come to," they sing "go fro," and instead of " Welcom, John Sanderson," &c, they sing " Farewel, John Sanderson, farewel, farewel;" and so they go out one by one as they came in. Note, that the woman is kiss'd by all the men in the ring at her coming in and going out, and the like of the man by the woman.—The Dancing Master: London, |
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