Furbelows and Apricocks ~ 3 Couple

John Young writes:

Note: Each Strain is to be play'd twice over.

The first Man Figures between the 2d and 3d Men, and come up in his own Place again, and the Wo. double Figures at the top at the same Time Then the first Wo. Figure between the 2d and 3d We. and her Partner Figures at the Top Then change Places, the first Man with the 2d Wo. his Partner change at the same Time with the 2d Man, then lead his Partner through the 3d Couple and cast up, then Hands half round, then Right and Left to the Bottom.

Henry Playford and John Young (or one of their dancing masters) use the term "double figure", but they do not appear to use it in the modern sense. Given that M1 is doing a weaving pattern on his own side, a modern double figure eight will not work here. Playford and Young also use the term "single figure", and it appears that "single figure" usually means a half figure eight, while "double figure" means a full figure eight, with the 2s not involved at all. Colin Hume has studied this.

Here the 8 strain is 8 bars, and each A fits one full figure eight nicely. The B strain is 10 bars, which is less usual. Young does not provide us with any strain markers, nor any comments indicating how many times to play each strain, but lets assume he means twice.

First he says to change places, saying first corners, then second corners, but then he says both at once. Um, that's unlikely. While it is possible for the top four to change with their corners all at the same time it is unlikely. So I'm assuming it's first corners change, then second, taking 4 bars. (If we later find we end up with two extra bars of movement we may need to reconsider that).

The 1s are now in the middle, improper, and the 2s at the top, also improper. The 1s lead through 3s and cast up. Usually that means back to the middle, but if we look at the rest of the dance we see that the 1s need to end at the top, so lets say the 1s lead through the 3s and cast back to the top as the 2s lead down, all in 6 bars (1s+2s still improper). Which uses up B1.

1s+2s then circle half (2 bars), becoming proper, and placing the 2s at the top and the 1s in the middle. Then 1s+3s do four changes taking 8 more bars and using up all of B2, leaving couples proper and 213 progressed.

Changing that to a 3 couple dance is easy, only do two changes and then partner right turn once and a half to become proper. Twos might as well turn too, but they only turn once.