Playford, 1651
Recording: maiden_lane-073-bnecd-03.mp3.zip
Sets of three couples. 4/4
1-4 f&bD, that again 5-6 everyone facing men's wall, f&bD 7-8 f&bD, ending with M facing W 9-12 set and TS, that again 13-16 siding 17-18 fall back two steps and change places, passing left shoulders 19-20 (17-18) repeat 21-24 (9-12) set and TS, that again 25-28 arming 29 M#1 and W#2 change places 30 W#1 and M#2 change places while C#3 switches 31 M#1 and W#3 change places 32 W#1 and M#3 change places while C#2 switches 33-36 (9-12) set and TS, that again dance repeats twice with new couple in front
Sharp, 1912, modified
Part I Al, A2 Partners lead up a double and fall back, twice Bi, B2 Whole parallel heys on the sides, 1s and 2s passing neighbor by right shoulder to begin. C1, C2 Partners set right and left, then turn single right; that again. Part 11 A1, A2 Partners side (Cecil Sharp style), twice. Bl, B2 Partners balance back, then change places; that again to places. C1, C2 Partners set and turn single, twice, as in C1, C2 of Part I. Part III Al,A2 Partners arm right, then arm left. B1 Ist man and 2nd woman change places, then 1st woman and 2nd man change places, while 3s change with partner. B2 1st man and 3rd woman change places, then 1st woman and 3rd man change places, while 2s (at the top) change places with partner. P) C1,C2 Partners set and turn single, twice, as in C1, C2 of Part I.
MAIDEN LANE Common variant: Sharp's interpretation, hewing closely to the original, calls for dancers, in Part I, to move toward the men's wall, fall back, and then dance half a hey. In Part Il, 1s would then make their diagonal progression back up the set. The widely danced variant chosen here allows each couple to lead the dance in rapid succession. Some callers prefer a mirror hey in I: BI, B2.
The origin of the name of this street in Covent Garden is unclear, but it seems to date from the 1630s and may pertain to the ladies of the court of Charles I and Henrietta Maria (Henrietta Street abutted it on the north side); it was later the location of the Bedford Head Coffee House and the Cider Cellars tavern. Voltaire, in his 1726-28 sojourn in London, lodged at the White Peruke on Maiden Lane.