Dam it ~ Williams

Walsh (2nd Book, 63rd dance) writes:

Note: Each Strain twice.

The 1st Cu. turn the 2d Cu. across and turn Partners The 1st Cu. go the Hey with the 3d Cu. The 1st Cu. set and the 1st Man cast off the 1st Wo. at the same Time, cast up to the Top. then take each Hands with the 2d and 3d Cu. and go half round The 1st Cu. meet in the Middle and turn half round, take Hands with the contrary Cu. and go half round, which brings the 1st Cu. into the 2d Cu. Place

The music consists of a 4 bar A strain and 8 bar B strain, both repeated.

I suspect Cook is right in suggesting that The 1st Cu. turn the 2d Cu. across means right hands across. If Walsh had meant turn your neighbor he'd probably have said turn sides rather than across. It must be a half star because that's all there is time for, and that leaves the 1s in second place ready to hey with the 3s.

The 1st Cu. go the Hey with the 3d Cu. I can't think of any instance where a four person hey would start from this position. There's only time of half a hey which would leave the 3s improper (which doesn't work for the rest of the dance). From here you'd expect the 1s to pass 1st corners to start separate heys with the end couples, but it's hard to see how this phrase could be a misprint for two heys. In Orchesography Arbeau also uses the term "hey" to mean a figure eight like figure, and that seems more likely than anything else. So again I'll follow Tom Cook and use a half figure eight.

1s set, cast, circle three half will use up the 6 bars of B1.

1s turn half, circle three half, and cast to 2nd place takes up 6 bars of B2.

Walsh says the circle half brings the 1st Cu. into the 2d Cu. Place. If you do the obvious thing, the circle half will take the 1s to the outside of the set, and not in the 2nd couple's place. Perhaps after the turn half the 1s pass through the end couples so they start the second circle half outside the set? then they'd be a lot closer to being in second place...