Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 4 1886.djvu/111

Rh should have the best turn-out, so that the six selected were generally the pick of the parish for activity and appearance. Their dress, if well got up, was uniform, i. e., no waistcoat, white linen shirt of good quality, pleated, and got up in the best style. A broad ribbon from each shoulder was crossed on the breast and back, and, terminating at the waist, the ends formed a sort of sash. Small bows of narrow ribbon were fixed on the crossings of the wider ribbon, the shoulders, the wrists, and the upper arms; the colours were sometimes various, but generally those of the nobleman or leading family of the parish. Small bells, producing a sort of jingling sound, attached to coloured bindings, were fastened around the legs below the knees and above the ankles. Black beaver hat of good quality.

From the above, considering the times to which I refer, it may be seen that starting a Morris, complete on all points, was rather costly.

The dances were in various forms, but in all the six had to move in unison; sometimes with a white handkerchief in one or both hands, waved about in various manners; in other dances there was a clapping of hands, either by each bringing the palms together or by each meeting those of his partner; and, in others, each had a staff, of about two feet in length, and these were flourished and clashed together in various ways. There was no display of "footing" in the dancing, but the great aim seemed to be to keep the time and figure, so that every sound and every movement should be strictly in unison.

The music was the simple tabor and pipe, and these, probably, merely to mark the time: the use of the fiddle in late years seemed quite an inappropriate innovation.

My memory will go fairly back to the first decade of the century, but I have no remembrance of seeing any representation of Maid Marian in connection with the Morris dance; and I see no grounds for mixing up this dance with the Robin Hood characters otherwise than from their being popular amusements of the same times.

The clown I have always known in connection with the Morris dance, but it is probable that this was merely an adoption of the domestic fool from necessity. There was nothing in his get-up to connect him with the dance—he was merely grotesque. He had a stick of about three feet in length, with a calf's tail fastened on one