Circassia is (or was) a region on the northeastern shore of the Black Sea.

In Baltimore in 1820 George Willig Jr. published a dance called "The Circassian" in a pamphlet called Admired Cotillions (in the US the distinction between Quadrilles and Cotillions was often lost, and I think this is actually one set of a quadrille. It isn't in a circle and it is not progressive.

Forward two cross over. Chasse. cross. to place. Balance and turn partner. Ladies Chain. promenade and half right and left to place.

The figure for this dance is said to come from Le Pantalon in Payne's 1st Set of Quadrilles. The first 24 bars match and the last 8 have been changed to make the dance progressive. The idea of dancing in a circle, and the name "Circassian" come from G.M.S. Chivers.

In 1822 in his book The Modern Dancing Master, G.M.S. Chivers introduces a style of dancing he calls "Circassian Circle". He then publishes four dances to be done in this style, none of which is called "Circassian Circle" itself.

Chivers's version is different from the modern way of dancing. At the time, in longways sets, only the top two couples would start dancing, in this circle dance only the two couples closest to the music would start, they would pass each other, and then each would dance with the next couple in their direction of motion. And so on.

Any number of persons can join in the Dance, observing that there is an even number of couples; the odd numbers stand on one side, and the even numbers on the other, forming a circle, thus:

The 1st and 2nd couples face each other, who perform the Figure and exchange places: then the 1st and 4th couples, and at the same time, the 2nd and 3rd couples do the same, and so continued all round. Each Dance terminates when all have been through it.

Each lady to stand on the right of her partner throughout the Dance. All the odd numbers face the same as No. 1, and the even numbers face the same as No. 2.

— The Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, Harding Mus F 346

Note this is simply a general description of how to dance in a circle. It is followed by four figures for this format. the one which most closely matches the modern version is called "La Daphne":

Right and left set and turn partners ladies chain half pousette into each others place, and turn partners under the arm

— The Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, Harding Mus F 346

The next version I can find is Lowes' Ball-Conductor and Assembly Guide (Edinbourgh, ~1831) where they write:

The Circassian Circle

Is a circular Country Dance, for which the party is arranged, as for Quadrilles, across the room; the four at the top commence first, and change sides at the end of the figures, they continue to repeat them with all the couples down the opposite sides of the room, crossing over at the bottom, and continuing till they arrive at their original places; all the other couples must also continue, after they commence, till they make the circuit of the room; and when all have regained their places, the dance is finished

First Circassian Circle

Ladies chain, set and turn partners, right and left, hands four half round, and turn partners, changing places.

I think the Lowes are describing a hall full of two couple quadrille sets (that is improper duple minor lines), lined up along each side wall of a building. As with Chivers, and in keeping with the staggered start in use for country dances at the time, only one set start dancing, the one at the top, they pass each other, and one moves down the right wall, and one down the left, as they move down the lines the dancers behind them will also start, then when they reach the bottom instead of becoming 2s and working their way up, the cross over to the other line, and work their way up. When they reach the top of the other line they stop and wait until everyone else has reached their original position.

In ~1842 Tilt & Bogue published The Ball-Room Preceptor (Third Edition) containing a description of the Circassian Circle very like Chivers's. Only two couples dance at the start, and no specific figure is provided. (In ~1844 Coulon (London), in 1848 George Appleton, Philadelphia, and in ~1850 Kent & Co., Nottingham copy their description word for word)

The next version I've found is Wilson, 1852.

Wilson writes:

Couples vis-a-vis; form a circle round the room; figure, right and left or hands across; set and turn partners; ladies chain; waltz pass on to next couple; repeat.

Wilson defines "Right and Left" on page 15 of The Art of Dancing and it involves no hand clasps.

Sometime between 1850 and 1853 in Lowe's Selection of Popular Country Dances:

Any number of Couples can join in this Dance, the Couples arranging themselves along each side of the room, (the Ladies standing on the right of their partners) and all facing the top of the room, except the first Couples who face each other across the dance.

FIGURE

Ladies chain by top couples. (8 Bars) Balancez and turn partners. (8 bars) Right and left. (8 bars) Hands four half round, then turn parners and face the next couples on the sides of the dance (8 Bars) This figure is repeated with every couple, all down the sides of the dance across the bottom, and up the other sides to places, every couple after they commence keep going on till all have regained their own places.

Courtesy of National Library of Scotland, licensed under:

Joseph Lowe is still recommending the old style progression where only the top couples start. But he now calls this dance "Circassian Circle" rather than one of several dances in that style.

In 1897 in D. Anderson's Ball-Room and Solo Dance Guide, (Dundee)

The couples stand in a circle round the room, two and two, couples facing each other, and backs to other couples. Gentlement have partners always on right hand.

Rights and lefts to places.

Set and turn partners.

Ladies' chain.

Pousette into opposite places.

Repeat figure with next couple round the room.

Courtesy of National Library of Scotland, licensed under:

Given the way he sets up the dance, Anderson must have everyone starting at once.

Note that in Le Pantalon of Payne's 1st Set of Quadrilles the four bars of setting to partner (which come after the rights and lefts) are two different setting steps: Balancé and Sissone Balotté Jetté and Assemblé. The first is an advance and retire movement (toward and away from partner) and the second a side to side movement (to the right, and back to the left).

RSCDS Book 2 says "Walsh's Caledonian Country Dances 1748-1760.

The crib diagram says this comes from Walsh, 1760.

Both Walsh and Jackson published collections entitled Caledonian Country Dances around this time, but I can't find anything by either from 1760. The collections I can search do not contain a dance with this name.

My copy of Book 2 claims this was devised by the Earl of Dunmore, but later sources seem unsure. The The Thistle has an article on its origins.

The RSCDS numbers couples clockwise (while modern square dance numbers them counter clockwise).

Arthur Miller, Leeds, 1900 writes:

1. All join hands in circle, and turn round to places.
2. Gentlemen take hold of partner's hand, and ladies give hands across and round, gentlemen give left hands across and back to places.
3. All set and turn partners.
4. Grand chain

Please see SCDDB for a discussion of the provenance of this dance.

An early version of this dance may be found in D. Anderson's Ball-Room and Solo Dance Guide, from ~1897:

16 Bars of Music 2-4 Time, and 16 Bars of Music, Strathspey Time.

The top couple going down the dance commence always at the gent's side. Each gent, in turn crosses over to partner, and always have partners on right hand before commencing.

Top lady cross over to partner.

Second Gent. cross over to partner.

First and second couples rights and lefts.

Second gent. down the centre with the two ladies arm-in-arm, top gent. following behind.

Ladies change to top gent., lead up to top of dance arm-in-arm, with ladies, second gent, following behind.

Gents. face partners, ladies outside gents inside, back to back.

Set to partners (eight bars of music, Strathspey), then reel four across the dance, second gent, finishing at the gent.'s side, second lady at ladies' side, and pass up 1 couple.

Top couple repeat with third couple, etc.

On a second chord before the dance begins, the first lady moves into the second man's place. The second man into the second lady's place, and the second lady into the first lady's place. This is like a counter-clockwise becket dance with everyone standing on the same side of the set as his/her partner (ladies on their partner's right).

At the end of the first iteration (bars 31-32), during the reel, the first lady moves into the third man's place. The third man into the third lady's place and the third lady into where you'd expect the first lady to be (the original place of the second lady).

The step suggest for the setting is Forward on right, hop; back on left, hop; step behind with right, step left, right and hop.

Rutherford spells the dance "Lady McIntosh's Rant" and writes:

Cast off one Couple Cast up Again Lead down two Couples up again, foot it foot it & cast off Right Hand and Left

Rutherford's music consists of a two bar strain and a four bar strain.

The RSCDS attributes this to Wallace, ~1880. The Library of Dance dates Wallace's work to ~1900. Perhaps there were multiple publications, or just uncertainty. In any event it appears earlier, in Kate Hughes's manuscript from Dundalk Ireland, 1867:

1. The tow top couples swing (8 bars)
2. First couple down the centre and up (8)
3. Rights and lefts (8)
4. Pousett

At this time the word "swing" was used for almost any circular movement, and could certainly have meant a right hands across/left hands back.

In Wallace's Ball-Room Guide, Glasgow, ~1900, he writes:

1. First and second couples give right hands across and turn round, back to places with left, (Gentleman No. 2 remains beside his partner), 8 bars
2. First couple down the centre and back bringing the Lady into second Gentleman's place, 8 bars
3. First and second couples right and left, 8 bars
4. Pousette, 8 bars

RSCDS Book 5 attributes this to "Caledonian Country Dances, c. 1754". Both Johnson (1750) and Walsh (1748, 1751, 1755) published books called "Caledonian Country Dances" around the 1750s, but none of those books has a dance with a name like "Culloden's Fancy". There may, of course, be other publishers or publications of which I'm not aware.

Note: RSCDS Book 10, for the dance The Lady's Breist Knot has a more nearly complete attribution: "Jno Johnson Caledonian Country Dances Vol. II, c. 1754" but I still can't find it.

Note: RSCDS Book 28, for the dance Not I contains the comment "The source given is Caledonian Country Dances, 1754 but attempts to trace this manuscript have been unsuccessful.

However in ~1756, Thomas Collett in Twenty Four New Country Dances. Published by Subscription published a dance with that name, and according Robert Keller's site, that dance has the following figures: Foot it/ Turn/ Hands across half/ Partner Change/ Lead up and Cast down. Which is a pretty got match to the RSCDS figures (the only differences being that the "hands across half" becomes a "right and left half", and the partner change becomes a two hand turn once and a half, in both cases people end in the same places).

A "bawbee" is not, as I had assumed, a baby, but according to Wikipedia it is a small coin, a Scottish sixpence, worth about an English half-penny.

Wilson writes (on page 67):

SINGLE FIGURE (Each strain repeated)
Set & half right and left with 2^d.Cu: set & back again   lead down the middle up again & allemande  
OR THUS Hands 6 quite round & back again   lead down the middle up again & set to top Cu:  
DOUBLE FIGURE (Tune played twice thro' with repeats)
Set & change sides with 2^d.Cu: set & back again   promenade 3 Cu:   whole poussette   & whole figure contary corners  

Wilson usually gives multiple figures for each tune, the RSCDS appears to be following the first SINGLE FIGURE.

The music consists of two 4 bar strains. I assume the music should be played at 2 beats per bar and that " " indicates two repetitions of each strain.

Wilson defines all his figures in his An Analysis of Country Dancing.
right and left may be found on pages 39-44 and does not mean what I expect, instead: "2nd corners change by left shoulders, 1st corners right, 2nd corners change back by left, 1st corners by right."
lead down the middle up again may be found on pages 10-11 and means: "lead down two couples, turn, lead up to the place of the couple who were below (who move up)" Wilson does not specify a hand hold for the lead, nor whether the 2s take hands.
allemande may be found on page 7 and appears to mean going about your partner in a circle. In a later edition of Analysis Wilson adds the phrase "back to back". Wilson does not define a "back to back" figure. His allemande is a bit rounder than a normal back to back but perhaps that is the closest equivalent.
This is an unusual meaning for "allemande", but, as best as I can understand, that is what Wilson describes.

RSCDS Book 5 attributes this to Caledonian Country Dances, ~1754. Several people were publishing works with that title around that time, but I can't find this dance in any of them (or none that I have access to).

Note: RSCDS Book 10, for the dance The Lady's Breist Knot has a more nearly complete attribution: "Jno Johnson Caledonian Country Dances Vol. II, c. 1754" but I still can't find it.

Note: RSCDS Book 28, for the dance Not I contains the comment "The source given is Caledonian Country Dances, 1754 but attempts to trace this manuscript have been unsuccessful.

Johnson calls the dance The Scotch Ramble and writes:

First Cu. cast off two Cu. Lead up to the Top and cast off Hands 4 round with the 3^d. Cu. Right hands and Left with the 2^d. Cu. foot it at both Corners & turn Lead out on both sides and turn

The websites attribute this to Preston and he did publish two dances with this name, the first published in 1790 does not match this figure, the second published in Preston's Selection of the most favorite Country-Dances, Reels, 1798 does match this figure.

However, Campbell published that same figure earlier, in about 1788, and Longman & Broderip did so in 1790.

All of these seem to start the dance with partner changes without setting, but otherwise they match.

The Lowes published a dance with this name, but the figure does not match.

From the Holmain MS (dated sometime between 1710 and 1750):

First Cross hands and go 3/4 round and cast down below the first pair then Cross hands with the third pair set below them and cast up one pair, then right & left, then sett to the 2d woman, She to the first man & turn them then to the 1st woman She to the 2d man & then reel the man with the two women & the woman with the two men then Sett to their partner & turn her.

Originally spelled "Lennons Love to Blanter".

RSCDS Book 6 claims this was "collected in Oxton, Berwickshire."

RSCDS Book 6 claims this was "collected in Rothesay, Isle of Bute."

Clearly based on The Eightsome Reel just as in quadrilles where The Lancers for 16 was based on The Lancers.

Quoted from The Register of Dances at Castle Menzies (as transcribed by Jim Healy):

1^st man turns 2^d woman & casts off, then the 1^st woman does the same then the 1^st pair goes figure of eight through the 2^d pair; then the 1^st man sets to the 2^d woman & turns her, then the 1^st woman the same; then the 1^st pair goes four hands round with the 2^d pair & right & left

Campbell writes:

Cast off 2 Cu. up again ·.· Lead down the middle up again Poussette quite round with the 2^d. Cu. swing corners hands four half round Right & Left ::

The RSCDS's interpretation is pretty accurate, except for the perennial problem that, for Campbell, "lead down the middle and up" is progressive while "poussette" is not progressive.

		Bars
1.	Half right and left at top, and lead down the middle,	8
2.	Half right and left, and lead up again,	8
3.	Pousette,	8

Courtesy of the RSCDS archives
(and Mary Nisbet who went there for me)

The next earliest source I can find is J. F. Wallace's The Excelsior Manual of Dancing, Glasgow, ~1872, who writes (on page 68):

1. Half right and left by couples No. 1 and 2, and down the center four, (8 bars)
2. Half right and left and back to places, (8)
3. Reel of four, (8)
4. Pousette, (8)

RSCDS Book 8 says this is from the Lowes' collection of 1844. But there is an earlier source.

I do not claim this dance originated in the US, merely that the first source I have for it comes from the US. It is much more likely that it originated in the UK.

M. J. C. Fraisier's The Scholars Companion Containing a Choice Collection of Cotillions & Country-Dances, Boston, ~1796 contains the earliest version of this dance I have found. He calls it "Lass of" rather than "Lass o'". It is not a perfect match, but there are clear similarities.

The 1st gent. and lady allemande with their opposite with the right hand, ditto with your own partner with the left hand, lead down the middle, up again, cast off 1 cou. 6 hands round and chain at top.

The "allemande" above sounds very like the standard linked arm allemande of the regency period.

The next example comes from the Lowes' Lowes' Ball-Conductor and Assembly Guide, Edinburgh, ~1831:

First Gentleman turns the second Lady, fully round by the right hand; first Lady does the same with the second Gentleman; down the middle, and up again; poussette and right and left.

RSCDS Book 8 says this was "collected in Galloway."

From the Holmain MS (dated sometime between 1710 and 1750):

First sett & cast down, sett & cast down again, then lead up & cast down one pair, then right & left, then sett to the 2d woman, she to the 1st man, & turn them, then set to the 1st woman, she to the 2d man, & turn your partner, then lead down & cast up & turn your partner, lead up & cast down & turn your partner.

Skillern (1776), Longman & Broderip (1790), Bartholomew Cooke (1796), Bland & Weller (1800), and Wilson (1809, 1816) published dances with this name, but their figures do not match that of the RSCDS.

RSCDS Book 9 says that Walsh published this in Caledonian Country Dances, ~1748, but the earliest I have been able to find is ~1760.

Walsh writes:

First Cu. hey contrary sides then on your own sides the 1st Cu. foot it to the 2d Wo. and turn her the same to the 2d Man the 1st and 2d Cu. foot it and Right hands across Foot it and Left hands across back again cross over one Cu. and turn Right and Left at top

Walsh spells "Canongate" as "Conongate".

Cannongate is a major street in historic Edinburgh (gate=street), and a "cadger" is a carter who brings produce to market.

From the Holmain MS (dated sometime between 1710 and 1750):

1st Part.

Cross right hands & go round all four; cross left hands & go back to your place, then sett to your partner, & cast off one pair, the right and left.

2nd Part.

First go down on the Woman's right side then come back to her left, & again to the right, then sett round & clap hands, & then go to the next woman.

Originally spelled "Cald Kale".

RSCDS Book 9 says "collected in the Border Country."

On the second cord the 1s cross down as the 2s move up.

In his A Companion to the Ball Room, page 41, 1816, Thomas Wilson published several versions of Maggie Lauder:

SINGLE FIGURE
Hands 3 round on the ladies side hands 3 round on the gent^s. side.   lead down the middle up again & allemande  

SINGLE FIGURE (Tune played straight thro')
The 1st. lady leads down the 2d. gent: the 1st. gent: leads down the 2d. lady   lead down the middle with your partner up again & set to the top Cu:  

OR THUS Set & hands across quite round with the 2d. Cu: set & back again   lead down the middle up again & right & left with the top Cu:  

DOUBLE FIGURE (Each strain repeated)
Swing with right hands round 2d. Cu: then with left   set 3 across set 3 in your places   hands 6 round & back again   lead thro' the bottom & half poussette with the top Cu:  

TRIPLE FIGURE Tune repeated & then played straight thro
The 3 ladies lead round the gent:   the 3 gent: lead round the 3 ladies   lead down the middle up again half poussette with top Cu:   set contrary corners   swing corners   & the double triangle  

The music consists of 2 eight bar strains, each potentially repeated.

The RSCDS has chosen the third figure (the one labelled "OR THUS") which Wilson intends as a 16 bar reel, but the RSCDS decided on a 32 bar strathspey.

Wilson says the hands across should be "quite round", but the RSCDS has them be half round. I would concur with this when trying to fit the dance into 16 bars, but am confused by it in the 32 bar strathspey case.

In his A Companion to the Ball Room, 1816, Thomas Wilson published Lady Mary Douglas:, wherein he writes:

SINGLE FIGURE Tune played straight thro and Da Capo
Whole figure at top   lead down the middle up again turn your partner   & lead outsides  

OR THUS Cross over 2 Cu:   cross up 1 Cu: towards the top and half figure round the top Cu:   & the double triangle  

DOUBLE FIGURE Tune played twice thro and Da Capo
Hey on your own sides   chain figure 6 round   lead down the middle up again lead thro the top Cu:   whole figure round the bottom Cu:   turn corners   whole figure contrary corners  

The music consists of 2 eight bar strains. The RSCDS has chosen the DOUBLE FIGURE which means the music should be played ABBABB (I think). " " indicates a strain.

Wilson defines his figures in his An Analysis of Country Dancing.

• Hey on your own sides is only defined as part of "Hey Contrary Sides, and Hey of your own Sides" on page 83 and he shows a mirror/reflection hey.
• Chain figure of six may be found on page 78 of the 3rd edition of the Analysis (1811). The top couple face their partner, as the others face their neighbor then everyone does rights and lefts until they return to where they started. Wilson does not specify how to fit the 6 changes into 8 bars of music.
• lead down the middle up again may be found on pages 10-11 and means: "lead down two couples, turn, lead up to the place of the couple who were below (who move up)" Wilson does not specify a hand hold for the lead, nor whether the 2s take hands.
• lead thro the top Cu: is half of through bottom and top on page 23 and means "the active couple take hands, lead above the top, drop hands, and cast up to their own places.
• whole figure round the bottom Cu: is defined as whole figure at top (that is when the 1s are at top so they figure through the couple below them) may be found on pages 12-13 and means "the active lady starts and crosses down, looping around the man below her then she again cross between the couple below, looping around the woman below and casts up to her own place. The active man starts a little after her and mirrors her motions, looping the woman below and then the man below."
• turn corners may be found on pages 28-32 and appears to mean: the 1s pass partner right shoulder to turn first corners with both hands, then pass each other right shoulder to turn second corners (presumably again with both hands, though Wilson does not specify), finally passing each other left to return to places.
• whole figure contrary corners is found on page 104 of the 3rd edition of the Analysis (1811). Rather awkwardly, Wilson provides two different (contradictory) directions. In the first "the 1s cross down, W1 in front of M1, W1 around M3, M1 around W3, then cross up, W1 around W2, M1 around M2, and return home". In the second the "1s cross up, W1 around M2, M1 around W2, then cross down W1 around W3, M1 around M3, and return home.

RSCDS Book 10 says "collected in Roxburghshire."

Rutherford (~1756) published a dance called Scots Bonnet, while in ~1757 Thompson published the same figure and called it Scotch Bonnet, but their figure does not match this one.

Wilson in 1809 published several figures called Scotch Bonnet, but, again, none matches this one.

The RSCDS attributes this dance to Alexander Bowman. Hugh Thurston's Scotland's Dances, 1954 refers to something called the Bowman MS (held in the Laing Collection at the University of Edinburgh) dated somewhere between 1750 and 1800.

The RSCDS attributes this dance to Rutherford (1775), but the figure is nothing like Rutherford's figure. Thompson (1770) published the same figure as Rutherford, and Bride (1775) published yet another figure (none matching the RSCDS figure).

Hands four quite round back again cross over two Cu. lead up to the top and cast off hands four at bottom right and left at top

Walsh published a dance called Jenny Dang the Weaver in his book Twenty Four Country Dances for the Year 1736 (and in several later books), but it has a different figure from this dance.

Johnson published his version first in about 1742 in A Choice Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, Vol. 2nd, and also in later books. Johnson called it Musselborough, or Jenny bang the Weaver.

Johnson writes:

Each Strain twice

The 1^st. Man and the 2^d. Wo. take Hands and swing Then the 2^d. Cu. being at top they do the same then 1^st. Cu. lead down to the bottom and cast up to the top and turn then Right and Left.

The music consists of two 4 bar strains. The dance appears to need 64 counts of movement, so I presume the strains are intended to be played at 4 counts per bar.

After the first turn, Johnson says: Then the 2^d. Cu. being at top. Only the 2s aren't at the top. Only W2 is at the top (and that's assuming that the turn in the previous figure is once and a half. So we assume that Johnson left out how far to turn and that the 2nd corners should do the same as the first. Only then will the 2s be at the top. The RSCDS also made this choice.

Johnson says to take Hands which implies a two hand turn, but the RSCDS chose a right hand one.

Johnson has the lead down followed by a cast up to the top, while the RSCDS has a lead down, lead up to 2nd place.

Johnson's then Right and Left would have to be three changes (because the 1s are at the top and they need to progress) rather than the four used by the RSCDS.

The 1^st. Cu. cast off one Cu. right hands across with the 3^d. Cu cast up and left hands across with the 2^d. Cu. lead down between the 3^d. Cu. the 2^d. Cu. follows cast up into your own places cross over one Cu. right & left

The RSCDS attributes this to Bremner's work: A Second Collection of Scots Reels or Country Dances, which they date variously to ~1757 and ~1765. In ~1765 Bremner published A Collection of Scots Reels or Country Dances; a work which only contains tunes with no figures. According to Hugh Thurston the second collection was published in London in 1769. As far as I can tell, what was published in London was actually titled: For the Year 1769. A Collection of Scots Reels or Country Dances. At any rate, that work contains this dance.

Robert Bremner writes:

The first Cu: foot it to the 2^d. Wo: and hands round 3 the same to the 2^d. Man lead down one Cu: up again and cast off foot it ℵ hands round 4 with the 3^d. Cu: foot it and hands round 4 with the 2^d Cu: lead up to the Top ℵ cast off right ℵ left at top

The RSCDS claims this comes from A Collection of Scots Reels or Country Dances and it may be in that, but I know it is in For the Year 1769. A Collection of Scots Reels or Country Dances (both by Bremner).

Thompson writes:

The 1^st. Cu. Foot it and turn then Foot it sides and turn then lead down two Cu. cast up one and Foot it and Right hands and Left at top The 1^st. Man hands 3 round with the 3^rd. Cu. and the 1^st. Wo. hands 3 round with the 2^nd. Cu. then the Man hands round with the 2^nd. Cu. and the Wo. with the 3^rd. Cu. lead out sides and turn

There seems to be some doubt as to the turns in the first 8 bars, some sources say they are right hand turns, some say both hand turns.

The RSCDS attributes this dance to David Rutherford, but John Johnson published the same figure a few years earlier. He and Rutherford used the same words, and Rutherford is online. Rutherford writes:

The first Man sets to the 2^d. Wo. & turn her His Partner does the same with the 2^d. Man Cross over 2 Cu. Lead up to the Top foot it & cast off · Back to Back with your Partner Right Hand and Left Quite round with the 2^d. Couple ··

The instructions as printed by Rutherford do not work, they end with the 1s improper.

To avoid this I have changed the cast off at the end of B1 to a cross and cast.

The threes are idle. And the "cross 2 couple, lead to top" seems too much to fit in four bars. The dance cries out to be a duple minor (as is done in the Scottish interpretation).

Thompson writes:

The 1^st. Cu. cast off half Figure with the 2^nd. Cu. cast off half Figure with the 3^rd. Cu. lead up to the Top Foot it cast off Right and Left

RSCDS Book 14 attributes this to Preston, ~1800, but Longman & Broderip published it in 1790.

Longman & Broderip named the dance What a Beau Your Granny Was. As did Bland & Weber in 1797, Preston in 1798 and Dale in 1800.

I can't find Longman & Broderip, but in ~1800, in Dale's Selection of the Most Favorite Country Dances and Reels (dance 17), Joseph Dale writes:

The three Ladies lead round the three Gent: at the same time the three Gent: set and hands three round.
The three Gentlemen lead round the three Ladies, at the same time the Ladies set and hands three round.
The first Cu: Poussette with the second Cu: into 2^d. Cu^s. place and turn there Part^rs. half round with both hands.
Right and Left at top.

RSCDS Book 15 says "from an old book of Scottish and Irish Dances (title page lost)."

Longman & Broderip published Platt's Six Cotillions and 12 Country Dances, for the Year 1791 which contains a dance with this name and essentially this figure (according to Robert Keller's site.

In 1792 Bland and Longman & Broderip published a different figure giving it the same name.

The crib diagram attributes to Wilson, 1825. According to The Regency Dance site Wilson didn't publish anything in 1825. The Scottish Country Dance Database also gives a date of publication as 1825, but gives no devisor.

Quite a number of people published dances named I'll gang nae mair to yon town but none matches the RSCDS figure: Thomas Wilson, 1809, Hime, 1810, Chivers, 1821, Chivers, 1821 (different work), J.P. Boulogne, 1827, R. Hill, 1830.

The crib diagram attributes this to the Blantyre MS which is dated ~1805. I cannot verify this claim.

According to the Regency Dance site, Button & Whitaker published a dance with this name in their 26th selection, and their page on Thomas Wilson indicates that he was the deviser of the Country Dances in that selection. Sadly I do not have access to the figures of these dances.

Thompson writes:

The 1^st. Cu. gallop down two Cu. up again and cast off the 2^d. Cu. do the same the two Men lead between the two We. and turn the We. do the same between the two Men the 1^st. Cu. heys with the 2^d. Wo then with the 2^d Man cross over half figure Right and Left

SINGLE FIGURE (Each strain repeated)
Set & change sides with the 2^d. Cu: set & back again  
whole poussette  
DOUBLE FIGURE (Tune played twice thro' with repeats)
Set & change places with 2^d. Cu: allemande  
swing corners  
set contrary corners  
& the double triangle  
OR THUS Cast off 2 Cu: & back again  
swing with right hands round 2 Cu:  
half figure up to the top allemande  
lead down the middle up again & right & left with the top Cu:  

Wilson usually gives multiple figures for each tune, I am following the second DOUBLE FIGURE.

The music is two 4 bar strains, each repeated, and then the whole tune repeated.

Wilson defines most of his figures in his An Analysis of Country Dancing.
Cast off 2 Cu: (& back again) is defined on pages 8-9 and means: "active couple cast down, go outside the set, passing two other couples, then turn away from each other to face up, and return to places."
swing with right hands round 2 Cu: this is defined on pages 104-105: "Right turn half, using the momentum to loop round your partner's place, then cross the set and loop around the same sex person in the couple below. This leaves you on the same side but having moved down 1 couple. Then you repeat the process, going down one more couple."
half figure up to the top, is, I think, what Wilson calls "Half figure eight on your own sides" on page 67 and means: "weave up through the two couples above, inside the closest, outside the next ending home."
allemande may be found on page 7 and appears to mean a gypsy (or perhaps a back-to-back). This is an unusual meaning for "allemande", but, as best as I can understand, that is what Wilson describes.
lead down the middle up again may be found on pages 10-11 and means: "lead down two couples, turn, lead up to the place of the couple who were below (who move up)" Wilson does not specify a hand hold for the lead, nor whether the 2s take hands.
right and left may be found on pages 39-44 and does not mean what I expect, instead: "2nd corners change by left shoulders, 1st corners right, 2nd corners change back by left, 1st corners by right."

A dance with this name was published by Button & Whittaker, but whether it matches the figure I do not know. The RSCDS attributes this dance to the publishers but Wilson was the deviser: see the Regency Dance site's paper on Button and Co. The use of double triangles does suggest Wilson was the choreographer.

In his A Companion to the Ball Room, 1816, Thomas Wilson published Lord Hume's Reel, wherein he writes:

SINGLE FIGURE (1^st. strain repeated 2^d. played straight thro')
The 1^st. lady leads down the 2^d. gent: the 1^st. gent: leads down the 2^d. lady   lead your partner down the middle up again & right & left with top Cu:  

OR THUS Set & half right & left with 2^d. Cu: set & back again   lead down the middle up again & set to the top Cu:  

DOUBLE FIGURE (Tune played twice thro' as marked)
Hands 3 round with 2^d. lady hands 3 round with 2^d. gent:   lead down the middle up again allemande   set 3 across set 3 in your places   lead thro the bottom & chain figure 4 round with top Cu:  

The music consists of a four bar strain and an eight bar strain. The RSCDS has picked the third figure (the one marked "DOUBLE FIGURE") which means the music should be played AABAAB. " " indicates two repetitions of a of the first strain, and " " indicates one repetition of the second (each accounting for 8 bars of music).

Wilson defines his figures in his An Analysis of Country Dancing. Many of them mean what you expect, but a few are surprising:

1. lead down the middle up again may be found on pages 10-11 and means: "lead down two couples, turn, lead up to the place of the couple who were below (who move up)" So this involves progression, and it only takes 4 bars. Wilson does not specify a hand hold for the lead, nor whether the 2s take hands.
2. allemande may be found on page 7 and appears to mean going about your partner in a circle. In a later edition of Analysis Wilson adds the phrase "back to back". Wilson does not define a "back to back" figure. His allemande is a bit rounder than a normal back to back but perhaps that is the closest equivalent. Note this is not progressive and only takes four bars.
   This is an unusual meaning for "allemande", but, as best as I can understand, that is what Wilson describes.
3. set 3 across & set 3 in your places is only described as "set three in their places and set three across" (opposite order) and is found on pages 76-77, and means: "Two lines of three across set, the ones move to their own places, everyone sets again." This takes 8 bars. Wilson does not say whether they take hands when setting. Wilson does not indicate whether the corners set when the 1s move.
4. Chain figure for four may be found on page 76 of the 3rd edition of the Analysis (1811) and boils down to what anyone else would call rights and lefts. This takes four bars.

SINGLE FIGURE 1^st. strain played straight thro 2^d. repeated
Hey on your own sides  
swing with right hands round 2^d. Cu: then with left
OR THUS Cross over one Cu: half figure round the 3^d. Cu:   & lead outsides  

DOUBLE FIGURE Tune played twice thro as marked
Whole figure at top   Chain figure 6 round   lead down the middle up again & right & left with top Cu:   & lead through the bottom & top  

The music is an eight bar strain and a four bar strain. In the double figure (which is what the RSCDS uses) these should be played ABBABB.

Wilson defines most of his figures in his An Analysis of Country Dancing, 3rd Edition.

1. Whole figure at the top may be found on page 39. The active lady starts and crosses down, looping around the man below her then she again cross between the couple below, looping around the woman below and casts up to her own place. The active man starts a little after her and mirrors her motions, looping the woman below and then the man below.
2. Chain figure of six may be found on page 78. The top couple face their partner, as the others face their neighbor then everyone does rights and lefts until they return to where they started. Wilson does not specify how to fit the 6 changes into 8 bars of music.
3. Lead down the middle, up again may be found on page 7. The top couple meet and join hands, then lead down to between the 3s, and lead back to 2nd place as the 2s move up. This usually takes 4 bars.
4. right and left may be found on page 46-49. It does not mean what I expect, instead: 2nd corners change by left shoulders, 1st corners right, 2nd corners change back by left, 1st corners by right. And all of this in four bars
5. Wilson does not seem to define lead through the bottom & top but it seems self-explanatory.

Thompson writes:

Hey contrary sides Hey your own sides cross over 2 Cu. Lead up the middle and cast off Hands 6 round and right and left at Top

Thompson writes:

The 1^st. Cu. half figure down on their own sides and turn the same up again and turn Gallop down and up and cast off Right hands and Left

The standard progression is a little tricky here. I have the 1s pass both 2s and 3s in the final rights and lefts.

Johnson published this in his 5th volume of Country Dances (1750), and Rutherford published essentially the same figure in 1756. The RSCDS credits this dance to Rutherford

Hands four all round with the 2^d Couple & cast off The same with the 3^d Couple foot it & right Hand & left up into the 2^d Couple's Place. & turn your Partner Hands round all six & turn your Partner

Rutherford's music has a 4 bar A part and an 8 bar B, both repeated.

RSCDS Book 17 says "from an old book of Scottish and Irish dances (title page lost).

Bartholomew Cooke published a dance called Lucy Campbell in about 1790 in his book Tracy's Selection Of The Present Favorite Country Dances, but his figure does not match that of the RSCDS.

Campbell and Dale both published a Miss Campbell's Reel but it doesn't match either.

The RSCDS attributes this to William Campbell, and he did devise and publish a dance named The Perthshire Highlanders, but I can't check whether the figure matches.

RSCDS Book 18 says "collected in Aberdeenshire (Hill MS - adapted)."

Johnson published this in his 5th volume of Country Dances (1750), and Rutherford publishes essentially the same figure in 1756. Both Johnson and Rutherford spell "alewife" as "ale wife". Rutherford is online, so...

Cast off & turn your Partner Cast up again & turn Foot it & Hands across The same Back again First Man set to the second Wo. & turn her First Woman does the same Cross over figure In & Right Hand & Left

The RSCDS attributes this to Johnson who did publish a dance with the name "Tweedside" in A Choice Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, ~1740 and again in Caledonian Country Dances, 3rd Ed, ~1748, but Walsh published the same figure earlier (1735). In any case their figure does not match the RSCDS's figure.

The music is a minuet.

Campbell writes:

The 1^st. Lady sets to the 2^d. Gent & turn at the same time the 1^st. Gent sets to the 2^d. Lady & turn The 1^st. Lady set to the 3^d. Gent & turn Lead up to the top & foot it & cast off hands 4 round & back again Right & Left at top

Campbell titles this Admiral McBride's Hornpipe, and he is said to be its devisor.

The interpretation seems close to the original.

Straight writes:

The 1^st & 2^d Cu set & change sides back again hands across quite round back again cross over 1 Cu right & left at top

On page 24 of book 10, Campbell writes:

The 1^st. & 2^d. Cu Poussette quite round to their own places Lead down the middle up again hands 4 round at bottom Right & Left at top.

The music consists of an eight bar strain and a sixteen bar strain. I assume it is intended to be played AAB.

Campbell spells the dance "Miss Ogleves Fancy".

The first Cu. sets to the 2^d Wo. and turns his own Partner Then sets to the 2^d Man & turn his Own Partner Gallop down the Middle & up again And cast off Right Hand & Left

Johnson and Walsh earlier published dances with this name, but a different figure.

This is almost the same as the original, except that, in turning the music into a strathspey, the two hand turns have become turn twice rather than once.

Thompson calls this dance And thou wart mine only Dear, and writes:

The 1^st. Cu heys with the 2^d. Wo. then with the 2^d. Man the 1^st. Cu lead down one Cu cast up and turn then the 2^d Cu. lead up and cast off and turn the 1^st. Man set across and turn the Wo. do the same Gallop down and up cast off Right Hands and Left

The music is a jig with two eight bar strains. From Thompson's markings I'm guessing it should be played ABABABAB.

Book 21 has a note: "Collected in Aberdeenshire."

John Young (Playford) published a dance called 'Twas Within a Furlong of Edinborough Town in 1696, but its figure does not match this one.

Cahusac published Within a Mile of Edenburgh in 1795 with a figure which does match.

The RSCDS attributes this to Skillern (with the SCDDB giving a date of 1795). I am aware of two dance books published by Skillern in 1795 (For the Year 1795 Twelve Country Dances & Cotillions, and Twenty Four Country Dances for the Year 1795) and neither contains a dance with a name like this one. Nor can I find any dances with a name like this in any of the other works by Skillern of which I'm aware. The RSCDS may know of other works, or they may have changed the name beyond my ability to guess.

Book 24 has the comment: "Collected by Miss Jenny MacLaghlan."

Howe in Howe's Drawing-Room Dances (Boston, 1859) published a dance similar to this. It is not a round the room, but it does begin with the 1s improper, starts with balances and turns and includes a ladies chain. Probably not a source for this dance, but likely something derived from the same root.

Book 24 has the comment: "Collected by Miss Jenny MacLaghlan."

The RSCDS attributes this to Ladies New Pocket Companion (with no date nor publisher). I have been unable to find this work.

Book 24 has the comment: "Collected by Miss Jenny MacLaghlan."

Robert Bremner writes:

The first and 2^d. Cu: foot it and right and left half round the same back again lead down two Cu. up again ℵ cast off set corners lead outsides and turn

The Scottish Country Dance Dictionary attributes this to "Dorothy Arton".

RSCDS Book 26 says "collected from Mr. W Brown, Airdrie, Lanarkshire."

The Scottish Country Dance Dictionary and the Scottish Country Dance Database attribute this to Bremner, but there is no dance of that name in the one book by him that I have access to.

However, it does appear in Thompson's Twenty Four Country Dances for the Year 1774:

Turn Right hands & cast off 1 Cu. turn Left & cast off below 3^d Cu. hands round 6 lead up to the top foot it & cast off

In 1805 Preston published a dance called Miss Maxell's Reel, but the figure does not match.

Wilson published several figures named Rob Roy in his L'Assemblee of 1819 but none has a figure which matches the RSCDS version.

On page 73 of his The Dancers' Guide, 1821, Chivers writes:

Rob Roy Macgregor... First couple lead down the middle, the second follow, half right and left back again, and half right and left swing corners right and left at top

On page 69 of his The Excelsior Manual of Dancing, ~1872, J. F. Wallace writes:

1. First couple down the centre, the second couple follow, (4 bars)
2. Half right and left by couples No. 1 and 2 at bottom, (4)
3. Couples No. 1 and 2 back again and half right and left, (8)
4. Set at corners and turn partners, (8)
5. Right and left by couples No. 1 and 2, (8)

The RSCDS gives no source to this dance, but it appears to be derived from Nathaniel Kynaston's Mrs. Hill's Dance published by both Walsh and Playford in 1710.

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

The first Cu. slip down the middle, and Sett a-cross to the third Cu. then first Man turn the third Wo. and the first Wo. turn the third Man Then Sett a-cross to the 2d Cu. then first Man turn the 2d Man half round, and the first Wo. turn the 2d Wo. at the same Time Then Right-hand and Left round, then turn Partners Proper Then the Man slips between the 2d Cu. and cast off, the first Wo. at the same Time go between the third Cu. and cast up, then both turn in the 2d Couple's Place

John Young calls the dance Pretty Poll and writes:

Note: The first Strain is to be play'd twice, and the second once, and so far as the Repeat again.

The first Couple cast off and turn Hands This to the first Strain play'd once The second Couple do the same This to the first Strain play'd twice Then the first Couple clap Hands and cast off below the second Couple, then all four change Places, and Right and Left half round and cast off This to the second Strain play'd once Then clap Hands and turn single This from the Repeat.

The original music is in 3/2 time and consists of a 5 bar strain and an 8 bar strain, intended to be played AABA.

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

The first Couple cast off and fall in between the second and third Woman and Man, and lead backward and forward Then first Woman cast off and fall in between the third Man and third Woman, the Man cast up and fall in between the second Man and second Women at the same Time; then lead backward and forward The first Man and first Woman meet and fall back, the Man cast off round the second Woman, and the second Woman cast up round the third Man, then Righ and Lift quite round Back to Back with your own, then Back with the second Couple, then the Man lead his Partner up round the second Woman into their proper Places, Sett and cast off

The Tweed is a river on the border between Scotland and England, flowing into the North Sea.

The original is a 24 bar dance with 3 counts per bar; it has been adapted to a 48 bar jig.

Goulding spells the title The Land of Cakes.

The adaptation is rather loose.

I don't have access to the 1710 publication, but the same figure occurs in John Young's Dancing Master and in later publications by Walsh.

In 1729, John Young wrote:

Note: The first Strain twice, and the last but once.

The 1st Cu. Figure thro' the 2d Cu. Sett and cast off, then Figure thro' the 3d Cu. and turn in the 2d Cu Place The 2d Cu. do the same The 1st and 2d Men Sett to their Partners and change Places, the 1st Man turn the 2d Man with left-hand quite round, the 1st and 2d Wo. do the same at the same Time, then Right and Left half round, and the 2d Cu. cast off, then the 1st Cu. Sett and cast off.

The music consists of a 16 bar strain and a 20 bar strain to be played AAB.

Walsh (and Young) spell the title Lord Killmurry's Delight.

First published by Walsh in 1735, later by Johnson, and Wright in 1740, with more publications later.

Walsh writes:

Note: Each Strain twice.

The 1^st. and 2^d. Men lead thro' the two We. the We. lead thro' the Men and all turn S. the 1^st. Cu. whole figure thro' the 2^d. Cu. and sett and cast off cross over round 3^d. Cu. Lead thro' the 3^d. Cu. and thro' the 2^d. Cu. right and left with the 3^d. Cu.

The music is in cut time and consists of an 8 bar strain (repeated) and a 12 bar strain

Kynaston writes:

Each Strain twice.

The 1^st. and 2^d. man go back to back with their partners, and turn each a whole round and a half then back to back sides and turn as before men being improper, the 1^st. cu. go right hands and left with the 2^d. cu. half round, all dance and turn single the 1^st. cu. lead through the 3^d. cu. cast up and turn partners quite round

SINGLE FIGURE (Each strain repeated)
Hands 3 round on the ladies side hands 3 round on the gent: side   lead down the middle up again & set to the top Cu:  

OR THUS Set & change places with 2^d. Cu: set & back again   lead down the middle up again & cast round the top Cu:  

DOUBLE FIGURE (Tune played twice thro' with repeats)
Set & half right & left with 2^d. Cu: set & back again   promenade 3 Cu:   whole poussette   whole figure round contrary corners  

The music consists of two 4 bar strains. Probably played as a reel rather than a strathspey.

The RSCDS is interpretting Wilson's DOUBLE FIGURE

Wilson defines most of his figures in his An Analysis of Country Dancing, 3rd Edition.

1. Set, and half right and left may be found on page 50 Everyone sets in his or her place (he doesn't say whether this is to partner, neighbor or corner) then L1+M2 change by left, then M1+L2 change by right.
2. promenade 3 Cu: is defined on page 18 and means that all three couples take promenade hold and, with the 1s leading, travel in a counter-clockwise elipse around and back to places.
3. whole poussette is defined on page 15 and means: "top two couples join hands with partner, circle, counter-clockwise, one and a half times around the other couple to change places with them."
   Note: this is unlike a normal English Poussette as the couples travel once and a half around each other rather than once. And is quite different from the Scottish Poussette.
4. whole figure contrary corners is defined on page 104. Rather awkwardly, Wilson provides two different (contradictory) directions. In the first "the 1s cross down, W1 in front of M1, W1 around M3, M1 around W3, then cross up, W1 around W2, M1 around M2, and return home". In the second the "1s cross up, W1 around M2, M1 around W2, then cross down W1 around W3, M1 around M3, and return home.

John Young (of the Playford family) published two figures to this tune and with this name. The first was published in 1710, and the second in 1718. The RSCDS claims to be interpreting the second figure.

The first Cu. cast off and whole Figure at Top Then cast off and whole Figure at Bottom Then lead quite thro' the Top and cast off in the 2d Cu. Place, and Right and Left quite round with the 2d Cu Then cross over below the 3d Cu. and half Figure with the 3d Cu. and lead up thro' the Top and turn your Partner.

The music is in 3/2 time and consists of a 4 bar strain and an 8 bar strain, both repeated.

SINGLE FIGURE (Each strain repeated)
Hands 3 round on the ladies side hands 3 round on the gent^ns. side   lead down the middle up again & allemande  

OR THUS Set & change places with 2^d. Cu: set & back again   & whole poussette  

DOUBLE FIGURE (Tune played twice thro' with repeats)
Set & hands across quite round with 2^d. Cu: set & back again   lead down the middle up again set to top Cu:   swing corners   chain figure four round with top Cu: & turn your partner  

The music consists of two 4 bar strains. Probably played as a reel rather than a strathspey.

The RSCDS is interpretting Wilson's DOUBLE FIGURE

Wilson defines most of his figures in his An Analysis of Country Dancing, 3rd Edition.

1. Set & hands across quite round is one figure which Wilson does not define. However he defines hands across on page 12 where he defines a normal hands across but says they only turn half round (with a footnote saying it is often done by turning completely round and then back again).
   So I'm going to assume that quite round actually means half round. So two bars of setting, followed by two bars to do half a hands across.
2. lead down the middle up again set to the top Cu: may be found on page 8 Top couple leads down to between the third couple, 1s turn and lead up to 2nd place as the second couple move up (Wilson's pictures show them moving up the sidelines and not leading), then actives set (or foot it) to the second couple. (This seems to take 8 bars)
3. swing corners is defined on pages 55-58 and appears to mean: the 1s turn partner by the right hand then 1st corners by the left hand, partner right, 2nd corners left and returning home the shortest way (by the left shoulder).
4. Chain figure for four may be found on page 76 and boils down to what anyone else would call rights and lefts.
5. Turn your partner may be found on page 2 and boils a two hand turn (Wilson calls a right hand turn "swing your partner").

Thomas Bray published a dance with this name in 1699, but its figure is very different.

Walsh published a different figure in 1745.

John Rutherford published a figure which seems to match the RSCDS version in 1775.

RSCDS Book 31 attributes this to Thomas Murphy's Aide Memoire, a manuscript from about 1890, but it is clearly derived from Clutha C.D. in Kate Hughes's Dancing Book, ~1867:

1. Top couple swing in the centre
2. Cast a couple and swing
3. Balance four in line with second couple and turn opposite partners
4. Rights and lefts
5. Set and turn opposite partners
6. Half chasie and swing out time
7. Pousette

Hughes's dance is longways, but the figure is closely related.

The RSCDS attributes this dance to the New Enlarged and Complete Ball-Room Guide, but when you go to the National Library of Scotland's catalogue and request that book what you get is D. Anderson's Ball-Room and Solo Dance Guide, The Solo Dance Guide appears to have a second title page claiming to be the New Enlarged and Complete Ball-Room Guide. Both are said to have been published in 1897 and I suspect they are indeed the same work. At any rate this dance is in the Solo Dance Guide.

D. Anderson's Ball-Room and Solo Dance Guide, he writes:

Time, 2-4 or 6-8

Stand as for the Quadrille.

Top and bottom couples give right hands across in the centre and go half round.

Give left hand and go back to places.

Top couple and right-hand couple advance and retire to each other. half rights and lefts to each other's places; at the same time bottom couple and left-hand couple advance and retire, half rights and lefts to each others places. Top and bottom couples are now at sides and side couples at top and bottom.

Top and bottom couples half ladies chain.

Side couples half ladies chain.

Top and bottom couples half ladies chain.

Sides half ladies chain, bring ladies back to their own partners.

Top and No. 3 couples again advance and retire, and half rights and lefts; at same time bottom couple and No. 4 couple advance and retire and half rights and lefts, bringing all into their original places.

All promenade half-round with partners.

All walk back to places, the ladies walking behind their partners.

Repeat from beginning — sides taking leading part the second time; top and bottom the third time; sides the fourth time.

Courtesy of National Library of Scotland, licensed under:

The RSCDS attributes this dance to the New Enlarged and Complete Ball-Room Guide, but when you go to the National Library of Scotland's catalogue and request that book what you get is D. Anderson's Ball-Room and Solo Dance Guide, The Solo Dance Guide appears to have a second title page claiming to be the New Enlarged and Complete Ball-Room Guide. Both are said to have been published in 1897 and I suspect they are indeed the same work. At any rate this dance is in the Solo Dance Guide.

D. Anderson's Ball-Room and Solo Dance Guide, he writes:

Time, 2-4 or 6-8

Stand as for the Quadrille.

Top and bottom couples give right hands across in the centre and go half round.

Give left hand and go back to places.

Top couple and right-hand couple advance and retire to each other. half rights and lefts to each other's places; at the same time bottom couple and left-hand couple advance and retire, half rights and lefts to each others places. Top and bottom couples are now at sides and side couples at top and bottom.

Top and bottom couples half ladies chain.

Side couples half ladies chain.

Top and bottom couples half ladies chain.

Sides half ladies chain, bring ladies back to their own partners.

Top and No. 3 couples again advance and retire, and half rights and lefts; at same time bottom couple and No. 4 couple advance and retire and half rights and lefts, bringing all into their original places.

All promenade half-round with partners.

All walk back to places, the ladies walking behind their partners.

Repeat from beginning — sides taking leading part the second time; top and bottom the third time; sides the fourth time.

Courtesy of National Library of Scotland, licensed under:

RSCDS Book 34 says "collected in Canada."

Miss Milligan's Miscellany attributes this dance to Mozart Allan's Allan's Reference Guide to the Ball-Room, ~1880 in which it is called "Clydesdale Lassies". However the Lowes published it fifty years earlier as "Clydeside Lasses".

J.P. Boulogne published a dance with this name in 1827, but the figure does not match.

The Lowes write:

Four hands round; down the middle, and up again; pousette, and right and left.

It is worth noting that to the Lowes "down the middle, and up again" was a progressive figure, while "pousette" was not.

Johnson writes:

Hands 4 across quite round the same back again 1^st. Man foot it to the 2^d. Wo and turn 1^st. Wo do the same 1^st. Cu. lead down two Cu. and cast up one lead thro' the 2^d. Cu. and cast off hands 4 round at Bottom Right and Left at top

Johnson's music consists of two 8 bar strains

Thompson also published this figure in 1757

The RSCDS attributes this dance to Mozart Allan's Allan's Reference Guide to the Ball-Room, ~1880 but it appears much earlier than that.

1. Three hands round on the ladies' side, the same on the gentlemen's side.
2. Down the centre and up again.
3. Pousette.
4. Right and left to places.

Courtesy of National Library of Scotland, licensed under:

Smyth in 1830 writes:

Three hands round on the Ladies' side, the same on the Gentlemen's, down the middle and up again, pousette, right and left once round,

In 1788 the Thompsons published an early version:

Three Ladies Promenade round the three Gent. Three Gent. round the Ladies Lead down the middle up again and cast off Allemand with your Partner

Kate Hughes writes:

1. The tow top ladies and the tow top gents advance and retire and change places [8]
2. Top ladie and second gent swing in the centre and back to places (8)
3. econd ladie and first gent the same (8)
4. Down the center and up (8)
5. Pousett

While in ~1872 J. F. Wallace wrote in his The "Excelsior" Manual of Dancing:

1. Top four advance and retire, and half right and left, (8)
2. First lady turns the second gentleman by giving right hand and both return to places, (4)
3. Second lady and first gentleman repeat No. 2, (4)
4. First couple down the centre and back, (8)
5. Pousette, (8)

SINGLE FIGURE (Each strain repeated)
Set & changes sides with 2^d. Cu: set & back again   promenade 3 Cu: whole poussette   & swing corners  

OR THUS Hands 3 round on the ladies side hands 3 round on the gent: side   cast off 2 Cu: & back again   swing with right hands round 2^d Cu: allemande   lead thro the bottom & right & left with top Cu:  

This with a little alteration is called "Roy's Wife"

The music consists of 4 four bar strains.

The RSCDS seems to be interpreting the OR THUS figure.

Wilson defines most of his figures in his An Analysis of Country Dancing, 3rd Edition.

• Hands 3 round on the ladies side, hands 3 round on the gent: side this figure does not seem to be defined in any of Wilson's books - which is odd because Wilson uses it frequently. In The Sutherland Reel the RSCDS interpreted it as: "Hands three round at top on the Ladies' side, etc." which has the 1s circling with L2, and then the 1s circling with M2. Whereas in Ruffian's Rant they have the three ladies circling, and then the three gents - which seems a more obvious reading of the words.
• Cast off 2 Cu: & back again may be found on page 25 and means: top couple cast ending below the third couple, cast up and back to original places. (Wilson does not say the 2nd+3rd couples should move up and he does show the 1s moving below the 3s)
• swing with right hands round 2^d Cu: is defined as part of a larger figure: swing with right hands round one couple, and back again may be found on page 68 and means: "Right turn half, using the momentum to loop round your partner's place, then cross the set and loop around the same sex person in the couple below. This leaves you on the same side but having moved down 1 couple. [Then for the figure you would repeat the process except this time moving up]"
allemande may be found on page 3 mean going about your partner in a circle, "back to back". Wilson does not define a "back to back" figure. His allemande is a bit rounder than a normal back to back but perhaps that is the closest equivalent.
This is an unusual meaning for "allemande", but, as best as I can understand, that is what Wilson describes.
lead thro the bottom is half of through bottom and top on page 29 and means "the active couple take hands, lead down below the bottom, drop hands, and cast up to their own places. [then lead above top, and cast down to middle]

• right and left may be found on page 46-49. It does not mean what I expect, instead: 2nd corners change by left shoulders, 1st corners right, 2nd corners change back by left, 1st corners by right. And all of this in four bars

Thompson writes:

Foot it 4 change sides and clap Hands 3 times same back again cross over two Cu: lead to the top cast off and clap Hands 3 times Hands round four at bottom right & left at top clap hands 3 times

The original music consisted of a four bar strain and an eight bar strain in 2/4 time.

Rutherford writes:

the first Man cast off & turn the 3^d. Wo. and stand in the 2^d. Man place The first Wo. does the same to the 3^d. Man & stand in the 2^d. Wo^s. place Hand round all six Right Hand and Left at Top

Rutherford spells the title "Edinburgh Jigg" rather than "Jigs".

Rutherford published the same figure a few years later, and used the same words. His work is online.

Rutherford writes:

The first Couple Clap & cast off & Hands across with the 3^d. Cu. Clap & cast up & Hands across with the 2^d. Cu. Cross over figure in Right Hand & Left

Both of them spell the name "Hooper's Jigg" (with two "g"s).

Rutherford spells this dance "Lads of Saltcots" and writes:

The first Cu. Hey with the 2^d. Man Then with the 2^d Wo. Gallop down the middle up again & cast off Right & Left at Top

In 1796 Longman & Broderip published a dance called "The Marquis of Lorn's Strathspey", and in ~1799 (in his 14th book) William Campbell published a different figure with the same name. Neither one matches this dance.

Skillern spells the title "Mc. Lachlan's Reel"

Miss Milligan's Miscellany 2 says the tune for this dance comes from Bremner, but it doesn't mention that the figure also does.

Robert Bremner writes:

The first and Second Couple foot it and change sides the same back again foot it all four Right hands across foot it Left hands back again lead down two couple foot it to your partner lead up to the Top foot it and cast off hands Round four with the third Couple Right and Left at Top

The RSCDS attributes this to Twenty Four Country Dances for the Year 1781 but according to Robert Keller the 1781 publication contains on such dance, however, the 1780 publication did. So I presume someone miscopied the date.

Playford published a dance with this name in 1657, but it has a completely different figure.

First and 2^d. Cu Set change & Right hands across The same back again & Left hands across lead down the middle up again and cast off Hands 4 at bottom Right and Left at top

The music consists of two 8 bar strains of a jig.

The RSCDS attributes this to Thomas Skillern's Twenty Four Country Dances for the Year 1781 but according to Robert Keller that work does not contain any dance with a name like "Willie's Rare and Willie's Fair", nor does it contain a dance whose figure matches this one.

The RSCDS claims the dance "What You Please" is also found in the 1781 work, when, in fact, it is in the 1780 publication, so I checked that as well and found no dance with this name nor with this figure.