Page:A History of Domestic Manners and Sentiments in England During the Middle Ages.djvu/247

 and Sentiments. 227 go to their chambers to arrange themfelves, and then feme proceed to amufe themfelves in the garden — When the lordys luere draivin (withdrawn), hadyes ryfen, ivas not to leyn^ And iventten to chaumhur ageyne, Anon thei horn dythus ((light) ; Dame Mildore and hyr may (maid) Went to the orcherd to play. In the romance of "■ Lanfal," we have the fame circumftance of dancing after dinner : — And after mete Syr Gaioeyn^ Sir Gyeryes and Agrafayn^ And Syr Launfal alfo. Went to daunce upon the grene, Unther the tour ther lay the quenc, Wyth fyxty ladyes and mo. They hadde menjlrayles (miustruls) of moch honours, Fydelers^fytolyrs, and trompours, And elles hyt ivere unryght ; Ther they playde, for Jothe to fay. After mete the f ornery s day, Alle luhat (ti;l) hyt ivas neygh nyght. It was only on extraordinary occafions, however, that the dancing or walking in the garden continued all day. In the romance of " Blonde of Oxford," the dinner-party quit the table, to wander in the fields and forefts round the caftle, and the young hero of the ftory, on their return thence, goes to play in the chambers with the ladies : — Aprlt manger lavent leurs mains. Puis fen njont juer, qui ains ains, Ou en fores ou en ri'vieres, Ou en deduis d'autres maniercs. jfehans au quel que il -veut -ua, Et quant il re-vent fowvant -va f'juer e's chambres la contefje les dames. There were two dalles of dances in the middle ages, the domeftic dances, and the dances of the jongleurs or minftrels. After the firft criilades,