Dull Sir John

This appears in The Lovelace MS. under the title of "St. John":

They shall stand in a square 4: Then the couple that leade the dance, shall goe round about, between the couple that he standeth next unto; and not holding handes but letting goe, for the man shall goe about the woeman, that is next unto him, and the woeman that is next to her, on the other side, then the couple that is over against the couple that leade shall doe the like on theire sides, then the two other couple the like and after the other, each on his side after the same manner, then the couple that leades the dance, and the couple over against shall dance the hays till both couple shall come to theire places, Then the other couple shall doe the same;

They shall stand in their posture; and the couple that leade the dance shall goe through the midle of the foure that stand in a line, whilst the couple over against parts, and goes through the sides, into the 1 couples place, and then come backe againe through the midle, and the first couple shall goe backe through the sides into their places, and then presently shall they slide all 4 in a rond like the others were, and then the other 4 shall doe the same, like as it is written before, and then going being all againe in their places the couple that leades shall change places with the couple over against them, that is first the man, with the man, and the woeman across with the woeman, and then all 4 joyne hands and turne round into their places, and then ye other 4 that stood still shall doe the same;

All the men at once shall falle of towards the left hand, and shall turne round, and come in the other side of his woeman, every man soe, and then the woemen shall fall of also, and come to theire men on the right side, then the men the like againe, and the woemen the like againe, and then the 2 couple that leade, shall sett to each other, and fall backe, and then joyne hands, and turne round into their places, then the other couple sett, and doe the same, and soe all in their places

Playford writes:

The first cu. lead in and cast off to your places, the man going between the 2. cu. and the wo. between the 4. and 3. cu. as much The 2. as much, and the 4 as much	The 1. and 3. man change places across, their we. as much, hands all four either round or across, and go round to your places The 2. and 4. cu. as much And fall the last four the men behind the we.
The 4. and 2. man standing behind their we. the first cu. pass into the 3. place, the man going between the 2. cu. and the wo. between the 4. whilst the 3. cu. lead right over and fall into first place, this back again to your places, the first cu. doing as the 3. did, and the 3. as the first, the 4. as much	Then the 1. and 3. cu. the S. Hey twice to your places, the we. who stand before their men leading it The other four as much
Men cast off, and going on the outside your own we. fall into each others place, we. as much, men as much again, we. as much	First and 3. cu. meet, go about each other, we. back to back, not turning your faces, give right hands to the co. we. and left hands to your own, and so stay in your own places as at first, the other four doing the like

This dance, along with Hide Park and Faine I would, is described by Playford in 1651 as "A Square Dance for eight". On the other hand Newcastle , Mage on a Cree, If All the World Were Paper, etc. are described as "Round for eight".

Playford (and Sharp) number couples clockwise. I have changed their nomenclature to match that of modern square dances with couples numbered counter clockwise.