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 révérence, half turn your body and face towards the Damoiselle,
and cast on her 'un gracieux regard.'
2. b.[21] Also takes four bars. Keep the feet joined together, then
for the 1st bar, swing the body gently to the left side; 2nd bar,
swing to the right, while gazing modestly upon 'les assistants;' 3rd
bar, swing again to the left; and for the 4th bar, swing to the right
side, looking on the Damoiselle with an 'oeillade defrobée, doulcement
et discretement.'
[Footnote 21: The branle (not the dance, but as used here) is called
_Congedium_ by Anthoine Arena. Arbeau thinks because the dancer
appears about to take leave of his partner--_i.e._, _prendre congé_.
See Hen. VIII., IV. ii. l. 82, stage direction, 'congee.']
3. ss. 1st bar, left foot forward; 2nd bar, bring right foot up to the
said left foot; 3rd bar, advance the right foot; 4th bar, join the
left foot to the said right foot; et ainsi sera parfaict le mouvement
des deux simples.
N.B.--Always suit the length of your steps to the size of the room,
and the convenience of the Damoiselle, who cannot with modesty take
such big steps as you can.
4. d. 1st bar, advance left foot; and, advance right foot; 3rd,
advance left foot; 4th, join right to left. For _two_ doubles (dd) do
it over again, but contrariwise, beginning with the Right foot. For
_three_ doubles (ddd), the form of the third will be, 1st bar, advance
left foot; 2nd, advance right foot; 3rd, advance left foot; 4th, 'puis
tumberà pieds joincts comme a estè faict au premier double.' And thus
(he carefully adds) the three doubles are achieved in 12 'battements
et mesures du tabourin.'
5. The Reprise (r) is commonly found before the branle (b), and
sometimes before the double (d) [see the Memoires]. In it you have to
cultivate a certain movement of the knees, or feet, or 'les artoils
seullement,' as if your feet were shaking under you. 1st bar, 'les
artoils' of the right foot; 2nd bar, do.; 3rd bar, of the left foot;
4th, of the right foot again.
The _Memoire_ of the movements of the basse dance--_i.e._, its first
Part, is--
R b ss d r | d r b ss ddd r d r b | ss d r b C.
The C means the 'congé,' or 'leave' which you must take of the
Damoiselle, salute her, and keep hold of her hand, and lead her back
to where you began, in order to dance the Second Part--namely, the
Retour de la basse dance, the _Memoire_ for which is--
b | d r b ss ddd r d r b | C.
[The nine movements enclosed between the upright lines, are the same
in both parts].
Capriol now remarks that he has been counting up, and finds that the
music of the _basse dance_ proper (part 1) has 20 'fours' (vingt
quaternions), and the _retour_ (part 2) has 12 'fours.'
Arbeau then describes the Tordion, which is Part 3 of the basse dance.
He says it is still in triple time, but 'plus legiere et concitée,'
and does not consist of 'simples, doubles, reprises,' etc., like the
first and second parts, but is danced almost exactly as a Galliard,
except that it is _par terre_--_i.e._, without any capers, and low on
the ground, with a quick and light step; whereas the Galliard is
danced _high_, with a slower and weightier 'mesure.'
He gives the following tune, which will fit to _any_ of the
innumerable diversities of Galliard. If played fast, it is a Tordion,
if slower, a Galliard. [There are, of course, no bars in the
original.]