THE FINE COMPANION

Round for eight; in three parts (1st Ed., 1650).

MUSICMOVEMENTS



First Part
A11–4All take hands, move forward a double, and fall back a double to places (r.s.).
5–8Partners set and turn single.
A21–8All that again.
B11–2Men move forward and meet (r.s.).
3–4Women move forward and meet, while men fall back to places (r.s.).
5–8Women fall back to places; while men meet and hands-four once round to places.
B21–2Women meet (r.s.).
3–4Men meet, while women fall back to places (r.s.).
5–8Men fall back to places; while women meet and hands-four once round to places.



Second Part
A11–4Partners side.
5–8Partners set and turn single.
A21–8All that again.
B11–2First and third couples move forward and meet.
3–4Second and fourth couples meet; while first and third couples fall back to places.
5–8Second and fourth couples fall back to places; while first and third couples meet and hands-four once round to places.
B21–8Same as B1, second and fourth couples meeting first.



Third Part
A11–4Partners arm with the right.
5–8Partners set and turn single.
A21–4Partners arm with the left.
5–8Partners set and turn single.
B11–8Men meet and hands-four once round to places facing outward (r.s.); while women skip round them counter-clockwise, not joining hands.
B21–8Women meet and hands-four to places, facing outward (r.s.); while men skip round them to places, counter-clockwise, not joining hands.

The final figure (rapid back ring whilst people skip round outside it) is usually very messy. Andrew Shaw suggests that in the final figure's A2 during the last turn single the women spiral in a bit to stand in the middle of the set facing out and the men spiral out a bit to face anticlockwise, and then in B1 the men skip round the set, finishing with approximately a half gypsy left with partner so in B2 the women can skip round while the men stand in the middle. At the end, as the women get back to place partners can approximately do a quarter gypsy left to finish in home places and honour partners.

Page transcribed by Hugh Stewart