Ye Noble Spectators

You noble spectators wherever you be

Your attention I beg and I pray

For all I desire is to make our lads room

And it's plenty of pleasures we'll have

The first he comes in like a ranting young lad

And he conquers wherever he goes

He's scorned by his enermies to be controlled

And his name is Sir William Rose

Chorus:-

We are six actors bold

Never been on stage before

And we will do our best

And the best can do no more

And I am his brother you might think us twins

You'd have thought for the world we would fight

And when this tall philistine seized upon me

You have thought he'd have ruined me quite

The third is a man of some milder blood

Some pity there's lodged in his breast

He often has threatened to do me some good

But he dare not for fear of the rest

Chorus

The forth he comes in like a ranting young lad

He's like some great jestical stag

It's was he that gave orders that I should be polled

So they fettered my feet and my hands

The fifth is as cruel as cruel can be

The others and him did advise

It was him that gave oders that I shouldn't see

So they instantly bored out my eyes

Chorus

The sixth is no better than all of the rest

He was the first breeder of strife

If any of you had been there in my place

You'd have been glad to come off with your life

Escrick Sword Dance (North Yorkshire)

Line up 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 1

After 8 beats then 5 beats1 & 2 move to the front of the stage  facing each other

Figure 1.  Swing and Spin

a)  1 & 2

Clash 7 times right hands, turn inwards on 8^th beat, transferring swords to left hand.

Clash 7 times left hand, drop swords and clash other point of the other sword on 8^th beat

Swing swords away from the audience for 2 beats, swing swords towards the audience for 2 beats

Roll away from the audience in 4 beats.

Repeat except swing swords towards the audience and then away from the audience for 2 beats and roll towards the audience in 4 beats.

b)  6 and 3 join behind 1 & 2, all four clash and repeat the above figure.

c)  5 and 4 join behind 6 & 3 and all six clash as before

Right over left lock

All join up into hilt and point ring, right over left lock (as in Slieghts) and then display. No. 1 lifts the lock to display and all circle clockwise eight beats, all turn out and circle anti-clockwise eight beats, all turn in and grasp the lock as number 1 drops it and circle clockwise eight beats, all turn in and circle eight beats drawing swords out on the 8^th beat.

Figure 2.  Unders and Overs

Clash 7 times left hands, turn inwards on the 8^th beat transferring swords to left hands.

Clash seven times lrft hands and form hilt and point circle on 8^th beat.

Circle clockwise

Under Singles

1 and 6 turn under No.1 sword and stand back to back, numbers 5, 4, 3 and 2 go under the sword and turn left around No.6 and back to place.

Repeat 5 times with 6, 5, 4, 3,  and 2 swords going up in turn

Over singles

1 and 6 put sword down, No.6 goes over the sword on 3^rd and 4^th beat and turns left, No.1 goes over the sword on 5^th and 6^th beats, and turns right, No.5, 4, 3, and 2 go over the sword on 7^th/8^th,  9^th/10^th, 11^th/ 12^th, 13^th/14 beats, circle until 24^th beat. Then repeat five times with 6, 5, 4, 3, and 2 swords going down in turn.

Woody Lock

Woody comes in and all do a back lock (as in Sleights) except swords go round at shoulder height and lock is formed round Woody’s neck. All hold the hilt of their own sword and circle clockwise 8 beats, all turn in and circle anti-clockwise eight beats drawing swords on the 8^th beat.

Figure 3  Meet & Clash

Line up facing

1><2

6><3

5><4

Audience

i) Meet and Clash – forward three steps, clash on 4^th back 4 steps forward 4 steps passing right shoulders to other side, turn right to face in 4 steps and repeat.

ii) Roll -  hold partners point, 1 and 2 roll away from the set, go over 6 and 3 and under 5 and 4. Repeat twice.

iii) New Roll  -  No.1 sword goes up between 1 and 6

No.5 goes under and turns right round No.1

No.2 goes under and turns right round No.6

No.4 goes under and turns right round No.6

No.3 goes under and turns right round No.1

Repeat whole movement going under No.3 and No.5 swords

All swords should be high in the air throughout the figure.

Figure 4  -  Circle Lock

Circle clockwise for 8 beats, hilt and point ring, let go with left hands, put swords on right shoulders, circle clockwise for 8 beats, turn outwards and circle anti-clockwise for 8 beats.

Drop sword over shoulder and reach for new point and circle for 8 beats.

Turn outwards and face inwards, push point of sword under the next handle to the right.

No.1 displays lock and leads off.