Post date: Jan 20, 2009 11:16:33 AM
The Dance Moot, held at St. John's in Edinburgh on the evening of February 16th was a quiet and decorous affair. Or at least all those dances in which your humble scribe - being a stately galleon in motion - took part were decorous. Certain others displayed a jollity that fair made the floorboards creak.
Passing melodic music was made by Mistress Caitlin and Masters Wolfgang and Otto of Harpelstane upon many and diverse instruments - the harp, the hurdy-gurdy, the sackbutt and the drum, amongst others. The dancing was led by Sabyn de Lisieux, who most dilligently demonstrated the dances to all before the music began, and who delicately refrained from laughing heartily at the choruses of 'left two three four right two three four lef- shit' that followed as we beginners stumbled our merry ways through the steps.
As well as the dancing there were diverse other pastimes going on - gentles indulged in a little wine, mead, beer or other liquids (as their taste took them), and many were lured to the gaming table by Acherin of the Cardinal's Guard and his lady as he introduced them to the mysteries of Tablero de Gucci. Many were the toasts to Her Majesty that rang out over the hall, and much was the beer and cider that was drunken.
Also there were many puddings to be eaten, most of them made from traditional recipes (such as the cinnamon biscuits made by the Lady Gytha). These were fell upon with a will by those gentles present, as all know that dancing is a most exhausting pastime, and one must always take care to keep one's strength up.