Playford, 1651, 1652, 1657, 1665, 1670, 1675, 1679, 1686, 1690, 1695, 1698
(alt title Edinburgh Castle)
Longwayes for six
“Lead up, back againe. That againe : The two upper We. fall back, and the two lower men fall back, crosse over, then first man the the lower Wo. crosse over, then the two uper men fall back, and the lower Wo. crosse over, then the other crosse over a before, this three times over .:
Sides . That againe: Three men and 3. We. joyning hands, fall all back, and meet all, men turne your faces towards another, We. doing the like, the two ends on each side armes, while the middle with his owne, then turne your backs together, and every one turne his owne :
Armes all : That againe :Three men slip up and 3. We. slip downe, then the lower man give his right hand to the first Wo. and so goe into your places by hands, then the We. slip up, and the men slip downe, the first and last give hands, to your places as before.: “
Music AABB x5
AA Double up and back twice
BB Top two women and bottom two men back a double away from each other, ending with right shoulders facing. Four slips right to change
places. The top man and bottom women exchange places with two
doubles. Repeat with the new top two women and new bottom two men backing away slipping right to exchange places, and the others changing by two doubles.* Everyone will have new partners. Repeat the first verse and chorus twice more until all are returned to place.
AA Siding with partners
BB Join hands with your neighbors and fall back a double, and forward again. First & third men and First and third women meet and arm right while the middle couple two hand turn with each other; (end with firsts and thirds back in place) Back all, forward to find your partner, turn your partner two hands once around.
AA Arming with partners
BB Take hands with your neighbors and 4 slips to the left hand, last
man and first women start 3 changes of rights & lefts with each other to return everyone to place. Repeat with slipping right, last women and first man will begin the rights & lefts
Music: Strong Roots (Bare Necessities) 6X thru (remove one)
Altenglische Danses aus Playford… (Playford Consort) 5X
On the Banks of the Helicon (Baltimore Consort) 4X (add one)
*Since Playford explicitly gives instructions that the first chorus be done three times, we interpret the instructions on the repeat to mean those standing in the top two men’s positions and lower women’s positions exchange which results in everyone getting a new partner and after three times through all being returned to place.
If you have the same people just switching back it leaves us to wonder why Playford specified three times through. I think our interpretation uses all of the instructions provided by Playford and makes a better and more historically accurate version of the dance.
It also makes little sense to do this dance with only the first chorus repeated. We repeat the whole dance including the double up & back so new partners get to dance with each other before moving on to someone else.