the Morris Dance tunes being played as a medley here by Dr. Kenworthy Schofield are:

Shepherd’s Hey!

Country Gardens

Lads A’ Buncham

About the origins of the name “Morris” Sharp & Macilwaine write:

The arguments which induced us to accept the popular and prevalent theory that the Morris-dance was of Moorish origin were these:

(1) The accepted derivation of “Morris” from “Morisco”;

(2) The fact that the dance is to be found to this day on both sides of the Franco-Spanish border, and in a form remarkably like that which we are familiar in England;

(3) The custom observed by many Morris men of blackening their faces, a practice which still obtains in Worcestershire, Herefordshire, and other parts of England, and has been traced in France, the Netherlands, and in Germany.

These considerations taken together, undoubtedly make a formidable prima- facie case in favour of the theory we originally propounded. Nevertheless, as we have since found, this explanation, plausible as it looks, will not bear examination. In the first place, the Morris-dance, in various forms, is found very widely distributed—pretty nearly all over Europe. If, therefore, we ascribe to the English dance a Moorish origin, we must, to be consistent, attribute a like source to all the similar dances found in this extended area. Then, again, we have this significant fact, that, wherever it is found, the Morris is nearly always associated with certain strange customs which are apparently quite independent of the dance itself and contribute little or nothing to the fun or beauty of it. These customs, moreover, are found in England and elsewhere either separately or attached to ceremonies and pastimes other than the Morris-dance, notably the Sword-dance and Mummers’-play.

Now, it is just conceivable that the Morris, on its own merits, might have spread from Spain over the whole of Europe, but it is extremely improbable that those who were attracted by the dance would have also appropriated in every case customs which have no obvious connections with it. The position is briefly, this: Either we must assume that European customs have been contaminated very generally by Moorish influence, or that the Morris dance is a development of a pan-European, or even more widely extended custom. The latter hypothesis is, we believe, the true one, as it is also the one generally accepted by folk-lorists. (Sharp & Macilwaine 1912, pp. 9-10)

As for the name Morris, they add, after some preamble:

There still remains the question of the word Morris. …as Mr. E. K. Chambers has it, “the faces were not blackened because the dancers represented Moors, but rather the dancers were thought to represent Moors because their faces were blackened.” (Sharp & Macilwaine 1912, p. 11)

The Dancers:

“…we have seen again and again how easily the Morris may degenerate into a disorderly romp. Slovenly dancing of this sort can only create a false and mischievous impression of the æsthetic nature of the Morris dance, and thereby retard the progress of the movement [to document and preserve the traditions of Morris] in which we are so deeply interested.

Now, to dance the Morris ungracefully is to destroy it. It is true that the dance is vigorous, or nothing; but vigour and grace are not incompatible, and the impression left on the minds of those who, like ourselves, have constantly seen the dance performed in country places, is one first of beauty, solemnity and high restraint, then of vigour.” (Sharp & Macilwaine 1910, p. 8)

Women and Morris:

“ Since the later part of the Twentieth century we have become used to seeing women Morris sides and our readers are undoubtedly aware that there was and still is some controversy as to whether this is a acceptable departure from tradition. Women’s sides exist today and therefore the argument can be of little real value but, writing in 1910, Cecil Sharp noted, in reference to the individual nature of Derbyshire Morris, that:

They possess…several points in common with the normal Morris dance, e.g., the steps and hand-movements; some of the evolutions; the use of handkerchiefs; certain points in the costume; the extra characters—fool, witch, king and queen—who accompany the dancers; the exclusion of women from performance; and, finally, in the formal and ceremonial way in which the dance is performed on certain prescribed occasions.” (Sharp & Macilwaine 1910, p. 12)

REFERENCES:

SHARPE, C.J. and H.C. MACILWAINE. The Morris Book. London: Novello and Company, 1910.