[675] Henderson, 67. The clown introduces each dancer in turn; then there is a dance with raised swords which are tied in a ‘knot.’ Henderson speaks of a later set of verses also in use, which he does not print.
[676] R. Bell, Ancient Poems, Ballads and Songs of the Peasantry of England, 175 (from Sir C. Sharpe’s Bishoprick Garland). A Christmas dance. The captain began the performance by drawing a circle with his sword. Then the Bessy introduced the captain, who called on the rest in turn, each walking round the circle to music. Then came an elaborate dance with careful formations, which degenerated into a fight. Bell mentions a similar set of verses from Devonshire.
[677] Bell, 172. A Christmas dance. The clown makes the preliminary circle with his sword, and calls on the other dancers.
[678] Bell, 181. The clown calls for ‘a room,’ after which one of the party introduces the rest. This also is a Christmas dance, but as the words ‘we’ve come a pace-egging’ occur, it must have been transferred from Easter. Bell says that a somewhat similar performance is given at Easter in Coniston, and Halliwell, Popular Rhymes and Nursery Tales, 244, describes a similar set of rhymes as used near York for pace-egging.
[679] Described by Müllenhoff, 138, from Ausland (1857), No. 4, f. 81. The clown gives the prologue, and introduces the rest.
[680] Cf. p. 221.
[681] Mayer prints and compares all three texts.
[682] Cf. p. 185. The original names seem to be best preserved in the Styrian verses: they are Obersteiner (the Vortänzer) or Hans Kanix, Fasching (the Narr), Obermayer, Jungesgsell, Grünwald, Edlesblut, Springesklee, Schellerfriedl, Wilder Waldmann, Handssupp, Rubendunst, Leberdarm, Rotwein, Höfenstreit.
[683] H. Pröhle, Weltliche und geistliche Volkslieder und Volksschauspiele (1855), 245.
[684] Müllenhoff, Z. f. d. A. xx. 10.