Then conduct her to the end of
the room, face each the other, and tell the band to play a basse
dance. For if you do not, they may inadvertently play some other kind
of dance. And when they begin to play, you begin to dance.'
_Capriol._ If the lady should refuse, I should feel dreadfully
ashamed.
_Arbeau._ A properly educated young lady NEVER refuses one who does
her the honour to lead her out to the dance. If she does, she is
accounted foolish (sotte), for if she doesn't want to dance, what is
she sitting there for amongst the rest?
The Master then gives his pupil an account of the basse dance, the 1st
and 2nd parts of which are composed of various arrangements of the
following movements--
1. La reverence, marked with a big R.
2. Le branle (_not_ the dance of that name), marked with b.
3. Deux simples, marked ss.
4. Le double, marked d.
5. La reprise, marked with a little r.
The 'chanson'--_i.e._, the dance tune, was played on the flute, and
accompanied by the 'tabourin' or drum, which beats all the time. Every
'bar' of the music is called either a 'battement' of the drum, or a
'mesure' of the chanson.
Now Arbeau explains the steps and time of each of the above five
movements.
1. R. This takes four bars. Begin with left foot forward, and in doing
the reverence, half turn your body and face towards the Damoiselle,
and cast on her 'un gracieux regard.
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