This is my transcript of the ‘Ward’ manuscript (omitting the notes at the back that are not related to country dancing).
Note that the letter ‘y’ was used as a typographic and subsequently cursive placeholder for ‘th’, originally as a substitute for the letter thorn (þ). Hence ‘yᵉ’ and ‘yⁿ’ for ‘the’ and ‘then’ respectively. These abbreviations appear to be used more towards the end of the manuscript.
If you spot any errors, or have any better ideas on the bits I'm unsure about (identified by question marks), please let me know.
To Liquor Bootes.
A quart of Neats-ffoote oyle, halfe a Pint of Brandy, a Quarter of a Pint of Turpentine, mixt and boyled well together, and laid on before quite Cold.
[Contents]
The Goddesses:
What you please:
My Lord Taff:
The gun-fleete:
May Hill:
The Maid in the Mill:
Over and under:
Black Jack:
A Health to Betty:
Mulberry Garden:
Single-ton Slipp:
The Kings jigg:
The Flagollet:
Mr Youngs Delight:
Amarrillis:
The Nine and Twentyᵗʰ of May
The Garden of Eden:
The Goddesses:
Lead upp twice, sett, fall back, cast off all down through, back in your places againe, men goe half around the woman, back, in your places, cast off all and back in your places as before, woman goe halfe around the men, back in your places, cast off all as before, men goe around the woman until you come to your places, cast off all as before, wome[n] goe around the man untill you come to your places, cast off as before, men doe the hayse, cast off as before, women doe the hayse, cast off as before. Men take hands and goe around in a ring, cast off as before, women goe around in a ring, cast off as before, men and women the double hayse, cast off as before: men and women all round in a ring, cast off as before and come upp in the middle.
What you please:
Lead upp twice, sett, fall back cast off cross? {margin: with your owne? and turn? the hey} over? and meet in all four, cross down with your owne, and come upp in {margin: as you doe in the figure of eight} the outside into your place againe.
Then cross over with your owne and come upp in the middle, leading forward to the presence, then give your right hand to your owne and your left hand to the other turning him about you & come to your owne, then turn her:
Then ffall back with your owne, and slide upp, then take hands, and goe around in a ring* {margin: halfe then breake of in the middle}, then change plases with the opposite corner person, and soe you will come to your place again
My Lord Taff:
Leade up twice, sett, fall back, cast off, and come in the middle leading all four in a brest to the presense, then take handes all Four and goe halfe around, then stand and clap handes all togather, then back againe into your places:
Then cross over with your owne and come up in the middle leading all four in a breast to the presense then give your right hand to the owne and your left hand to the other turning him about you will come to your owne againe, then turn her:
Then you and your owne cast off and come in the middle while the other two cast off, then fall back with your owne, and slide up, the other two comming down in the middle, then take handes wᵗʰ your owne and meet the other two then they two cast off, wee? following them they goe down in the middle.
The Gunne-fleet:
Lead up once, fall back, sett, turn round all single, [deleted] lead up the other way, fall back, sett, turn round all single, {margin: then fall back all, cross over all, and goe down, then fall back againe, and cross over, and goe into your place again} then the first man must lead to the wall, the other thre following him; then the opposite corner woman must lead to the wall, the other thre following her, then the next man as before, and the next woman as before; then the two men must goe round the woman, then take double handes and draw off, then the woman must goe around the man, then take double hands, and draw off into their places.
May Hill:
Lead upp twice, sett, fall back, every one turn his owne, then meet in, and cast off, the other two meet in and cast off, then take hands all four, and goe halfe round, and change with your owne then round into your places:
Cast off and come upp in the middle, then lead soe four about to the lift hand, until your backs bee directly to the presense, then part, the two out-side persons leading to the presense, and the two middle the other way, then meet in all four, and goe halfe around and cast off and soe you come to your place againe:
Then turn round the next man, then turn your owne, then take hands all four and goe round, then give your right hand to the other woman, turning her, and your left hand to your owne turning her until your come into you place:
The Maid in the Mill:
Lead upp twice, sett, fall back, turn your owne, then take hands all four and goe half round, then break off and lead upp all four in a breast to the presense, then break off in the middle, and two lead to the side one way, and two the other way, then meet in, cross over and goe down in the out-side:
Then the two men and the two women take hands and fall back, then meet [the?]m, then cast off and come upp againe then cross over and change, then give your right hand to the man and your left hand to your owne, and soe in your place.
Then the two men take hands and lead to the wall one way, and the two women the other way, then round back to back, then cross over with your owne, and turn around single, then cross over with the opposite corner woman and soe you will come to your place.
Over and under:
Lead upp once, set, lead upp againe, sett, then the first man must fall back with his owne, then meet in and turn her round, and leave her in his place and hee in hers, then the man must goe down sideways with the woman, turning them? and the woman must goe down sideways with the men turning them and then coming to her owne againe, shee must fall back with him, then meet in and turn round, and soe they being both in their places againe, they must goe upp sideways as the came down:
Then the two foremost men must take hands, and the two fore-most women take hands, and fall back, then meet in and cross over all four, and take hands backe to back and foe halfe round:
Then the first man and the first woman must cross over and doe the figure of eight.
Black Jack:
Lead upp twice, set, fall back, meet in and turn round by handes all, then the first man must goe round his owne he opposite corner woman following him then he first woman must goe round her owne the opposite corner man following her, then the first man must take left hands with his and lead downward betwixt the other two and come upp in the outside, then cast off & goe down to the next two:
Then the first man and the two wome[n] must lead sidewayes to the wall, then the first woman and the two men lead the other way to the wall, then take handes all four and goe half round in the ring, then back again and cast off.
Then the two first must cast off, then lead upp, then the two first sett while the other two turn.
A Health to Betty.
Lead upp, sett, lead upp againe, sett then fall back with your owne, then meet in turn round by handes, leaveing your Lady in your place, and soe goe down shee in your place and you in hers; then turn your owne and come upp againe into your places after same manner as you went down:
Then fall back with your owne, then meet in with her againe, then fall back and cast off behind the other two and soe to the next:
Then meet in with your owne, then fall back, then meet in againe, and turn down betwixt the other two:
Mul-berry Garden.
Lead upp twice, sett, fall back, every one turn his owne by the right hand, sett againe, fall back all and every one turn his owne by the left hand, then the two men take handes and soe betwixt the two ladies round into theire places, then the two men goe round back to back, and the two ladies goe round back to back in the same time, then take handes all four and goe halfe around, then breake off all, and turn round single, then sett to your owne and chang over with your owne, then the two foremost must cast off, the two which lead the dance goeing upp in yᵉ middle, then both paire sett to theire owne, and they which lead the dance cast off behind the other two; and goe to the next paire.
Singleton Slipp.
Lead upp twice, sett, fall back, and turn round all by right handes, sett againe and turn round all by left handes, then the two first must lead to the presense, and the two next? downward, then the first man takes his owne by the lift hand, and goes down betwixt the next two, the two men taking handes must lead sideways to the wall one way, and? the two ladies the other way, then turn back in yᵉ same time to your owne, then sett to her, then rise before her as in a Gigg, and slide upp with her in the middle the other two casting off, then sett to your owne againe, then rise as before and cast off, and soe to the next paire.
The Kings Jigg.
First Congey to the presense, then to your owne, then give your left hand to your owne turning your face down-ward, then meet in to the next two, yⁿ fall back, then the two men goe round back to back and the two Ladies back to back in the same time. Then the two men take handes and lead sidewayes to the wall one way, and the two ladies the other way, then round back to back wᵗʰ your owne in the same time; then the first cast, off, and rise with a gigg-step the two men face to face and the two ladies facᵉ to face, then turn your owne, then cast off upp againe, then take double handes with your owne and turn her round in downward between the next two; and soe to the next paire.
The Flagollet
Lead up twice, sett, every one turne his owne by right handes, then sett againe, and every one turne his owne by left handes, yⁿ the two first take handes and lead up to yᵉ presense, the next paire leading down, yⁿ turn back and meet in, the man must sett to the man and lady to yᵉ lady in the same time, then turn around all single, then the two men take handes and lead sidewayes to the wall one way and the two ladies the other way in the same time, then turn back and sett to your owne, then turn round all single, then the first man must cross over with his owne and goe down in the ourside and come upp betwixt the next two into theire places againe as in the figure of eight, then take handes all four and goe halfe round, then the other two must cross over and goe down and round up again (as before mentioned) then take handes all four and goe halfe round againe, and they two which lead the dance must cast off soe to the next paire.
Mr Youngs Delight
Lead upp twice, sett, fall back every one turn his owne, then the two first must cast off, then goe round back to back wᵗʰ your owne, then the man which lead yᵉ dance must cross over with the opposite corner ladie, and the ladie which lead the dance with the opposite corner man, then take handes all four and goe halfe round, and goe to the mext paire:
Take double handes with your owne and slide down behind the next two, they coming up into your places, yⁿ take double handes with the man and goe over into the ladies places, and yᵉ ladies must take double handes and come? over into yours, then the two men must lead to the wall one way, and yᵉ two ladies the other way, then turn back to your own, and cross over with her and goe upp betwixt the other two and come down in the out-side (as in the figure of eight) and goe to the next.
Amaryllis:
Lead upp twice, sett, fall back and turn all your owne, then cross over with your owne and goe down behind the next two, then the other two cross over and goe down; then the man which lead the dance must cross over with the opposite corner ladie, and the ladie with the opposite corner man, then take handes all four and goe halfe round, and goe to the next:
Lead upp, step? off two from your ladie, fall backe two with her, step? close to her and take her by the right hand and goe down, between the other two and come upp in the outside, then cast off: and soe to the next:
Then goe round back to back with the opposite corner ladie, and the ladie wit[h] the opposite corner man: then take handes with the man and lead sidewayes to the wall, then give your right hand to the man and your left hand to your ladie turning her about you will come to your place againe, goe to the next paire.
May the 29th.
Lead upp twice, sett, turn around by handes; then take double handes with your owne and slide down behind the next two, then slide upp into your places againe, then cast off and goe blow the next two and rise with a gigg step then take handes all foure and goe quite round in a ring; soe to yᵉ next:
Then cross over with your owne and goe down behind the next two, and come up in the middle leading all four in a creast to the presence, then the man must sett to the contrary ladie, & the ladie to the contrary man, yⁿ turn back and sett to your owne, yⁿ cross over with her and goe upp, & come down again in the out-side as in the figure of eight, to yᵉ next:
Then the first man must fall back with the opposite corner ladie; then meet in and stand back to back, then the first ladie must doe the same to the opposite corner man; then take handes all four and goe half round back to back, then breake off and turn round all single, then give your right hand to the man turning him round you wish? come to your owne, then turn her with your lift hands and soe to the next:
The Garden of Eden
{Different hand}
Make yoʳ Conjey’s all at the begining of the Tune, then lead up all* {margin: at yᵉ 2ᵈ part of yᵉ Tune} and change places with your Ladies, then sett, then fall backe all and goe over into yoʳ owne places againe, then sett againe to yoʳ owne, yⁿ yᵉ two Ladies must? take hands and fall back yᵉ two men takeing handes and following them , then the too Ladies must cast of the two men following them until they come into their owne places againe, yⁿ the two men must goe as yᵉ Ladies did before, and yᵉ two Ladies must doe as yᵉ men did before; then yᵉ man which lead yᵉ dance must cross over wᵗʰ yᵉ opposett corner Ladie, then yᵉ two Ladies being in the middles must face to theire men and goe round back to back wᵗʰ them falling all four in a breast to yᵉ presence, yⁿ Lead up a little, yⁿ yᵉ two men must take handes, and fall back a little from yᵉ two Ladies, yⁿ meet in all four, take handes and goe allmost halfe round in a ring, yⁿ change wᵗʰ yoʳ owne, and soe to the next: