“In Oratorio the importance of dance rhythm is shown by negative as well as positive evidence. In the parts in which composers arrived at pure declamatory music, the result, though often expressive, is hopelessly and inextricably indefinite in form. But in most cases they submitted either openly or covertly to dance rhythm in some part or other of their works.
“In Oratorio the dance influence maintained its place, but not so openly as in Opera.”
In actual Church worship we find that rhythmic ball was played by bishop and priests round the altar, and at the present day on Corpus Christi Day and other festivals in the Cathedral at Seville the choir boys perform a dance.
The fact that to-day the Christian Festival of Whitsuntide is the most usual time for Morris dancing in those places where it still survives is also an indication that the pagan ceremonial dance was transferred to the Christian Church ceremonial in early Christian times.
Several Churchwarden accounts giving items paid for Morris dancers’ clothes, decorations, and regalia also point the same way. One at Kingston-on-Thames reads thus—
| 1508. | For payneing of the Mores garments and for sarten gret leveres | £ 0 | 2 | 4 |
| ” | For plyts and ¼ of laun for the Mores garments | 0 | 2 | 11 |
| ” | For Orsden for the same | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| ” | For bellys for the daunsars | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| 1509-10. | For silver paper for the Mores daunsars the frere, | |||
| and Mayde Maryan at 1d. a peyne | £ 0 | 5 | 4 | |
| 1521-22. | Eight yards of fustyan for the Mores daunsars’ coats | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| ” | A dozyn of gold skynnes for the Mores | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1536-37. | Five hats and 4 porses for the daunsars | 0 | 0 | 4½ |
But a carol collected in 1833 from a peasant in West Cornwall and included in William Sandys’ collection is the most interesting proof I have yet found of the association between dancing and the Christian religion. Nothing more is known of the Carol in spite of many inquiries which are still being pursued. This is the carol—
| TO-MORROW SHALL BE MY DANCING DAY | |
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| To - mor - row shall bemydanc - ing day, I | |
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| wouldmy truelovedidso chanceTo seethe | |
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| le - gendofmy play,To callmytruelove | |
| Chorus | |
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| tomydance. Sing,oh!mylove,Oh,my | |
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| love, my love, my love, This have Idone formy true love. | |
[Listen] | |
2. “Then was I born of a Virgin pure, Of her I took fleshly substance: Then was I knit to man’s nature, To call my true love to my dance. Sing oh! etc.