This is a transcription of the ‘Lansdowne’ manuscript. Scroll to the bottom for a PDF containing the photos I took of it for this.
For this transcription, I’ve used ‘þ’ when I believe a ‘y’ is being used to mean ‘th’, although there is no consistent distinction between the way they’re written. In places it’s ambiguous whether ‘þᵉ’, ‘þʳ’, or ‘yʳ’ is intended, for ‘the’, ‘their’ or ‘your’ respectively, so there is some guesswork in this.
[Dance 1]
1st & 3d cu: meet & taking þe co w fall back into þe second & 4 place whilst the 2d & 4th fall back each from his owne & meet þe con w. in þe 1 & 3d place as much againe. ||
This as befoer
This as befoer
1st & 3d cu: meet and turne s. men cross over then w. cross over þe other 4 as much þen all þis back againe to þe places.
1st & 3d cu: meet turne in back to back hand þe back inwards and goe half round þe oþer 4 as much || all þis againe to your places |
meet and honor to your owne right hand to þe Co and left to þe owne þe oþer 4 as much all þhis againe honoring to þe con: w ||
[Dance 2]
lead up and back | þᵗ againe
þᵉ first 4 & last 4 hands half round þe middle m fall back from one another þeir w doing þe like whilst þe ends fall back from þeir owne change places all wᵗʰ þem you fell back | this againe || then all againe ||| cast of att boþ ends þe 2d cu: follow the first & þe 3ᵈ þe the 4 lowest going on þe inside stand þe 1st cu. behinde þe 3 & þᵉ 2d behinde the 4th face to þem you stand behinde sett & back þe other up fall back each from his owne and change places || all againe |||
1st cu: & last meet þe 2ᵈ going up and þᵉ 3ᵈ downe fall back each from his owne þe middle men armes onse & a halfe aboute þeir w þᵉ like whilst þe ends armes onse about each wᵗʰ his owne | þis againe þe 1st cu: being still att þe bottome | all againe |
[Dance 3]
Lead all in and face þe 1st cu þe 2d m & 4þ w up and þe other 4 face downe lead all out & face in lead in and face each out wᵗʰ his owne leade out and face in back to back | march all out butt 2m & 3d w. In face up march up, face downe | march downe face each to his owne, meet fall to yʳ places. || sett all wᵗʰ þem over agst you and change places wᵗʰ them | that back againe || each standing backe to backe
Every w putt in her m & goe aboute þem to þe places m. as much || stand every m before his w face outward sett each to his owne give right hands to yo co and forward halfe round | þᵗ back againe
march out m. w following each her owne face all inward arme þe 1st m. 4 w. and soe þe rest falling 4 and 4 a breast to each wall | leade out þe corners fall into þe middle in and fall to yʳ places. |
[Dance 4]
2 first cu. lead up fall back from each oþer march downe and close | þᵗ back to þe places þe oþer 4 doing þe same | 2d cu march up betweene þe first cast of þe 1st cu changing places fall 4 a breast downwards lead downe þᵉ 2d cu cast of into þᵉ first place þᵉ 1st cu: | change places | þᵗ back againe þe oþer fower doing þe same | change places all and lead to each wall 1st and last meet and going under the other armes meete their owne in þe middle while þe oþer turne single | leade soe up and downe þᵉ corners going under þe middle cu armes to þe places | 1st and last cu: open and fall back face to them you meete take boþ hands and slide into þe middle whist þe 2ᵈ & 3ᵈ cu: close lead up and downe and armes wᵗʰ þeir owne | þᵗ back to þeir places 1st and last take þeir w by boþ hands and slide togeaþer and change over standing back to back face to each oþer and stay in þᵉ 2ᵈ & 3ᵈ place þe oþer sliding out to þe wall by boþ hands change and stand back to back turne each his owne 2ᵈ cu: below þe 3ᵈ above | þᵗ back againe |