The first dance in the first book of the (R)SCDS is Petronella.

According to that book this dance was "introduced" by Nathaniel Gow, a composer and musician of Edinburgh, in 1820. Although Gow published many tunes (including this one), I have been unable to find any choreographies by him.

Book 1 also says the dance was published in a book called The Ball-Room, 1827 (no editor, or publisher, or location given), actually the book is titled The Ball-Room, or the Juvenile Pupil's Assistant; Containing the Most Fashionable Quadrilles, with Les Lanciers of Sixteen, As Danced in the Public & Private Assemblies in Paris published in Glasgow, 1827 and the author is J. P. Boulogne. This work actually contains three versions of the dance — though the last two have the same figure (all called Petronelle not Petronella), the first is an "English Quadrille", found on page 40, the second a "Spanish Dance" found on page 41, and the last is an "English Country Dance", found on page 43

		Bars
1.	The first Gentleman and third Lady perform the figure of a diamond, to their right, in the centre, setting at the four corners	16
2.	Double hands across and back again,	8
3.	All balancez to partners, and turn them to their places,	8
	The others repeat the figures.

---

		Bars
1.	The first couple perform the figure of a diamond to their right, setting at the four corners	16
2.	Down the middle and up again,	8
3.	Pousette,	8

Courtesy of the RSCDS archives
(and Mary Nisbet who went there for me)

Sadly Boulogne does not have a glossary where he defines what he means by his figures, so we don't know what the figure of a diamond means exactly, nor what steps are used to do it. We have a bit more luck with Down the middle and up again. This might seem quite straightforward, but it is not. In England at this time, the term was progressive, meaning that the 1s ended up in 2nd place while the 2s moved up (either the 1s went down, came all the way back and cast off, or the 1s end down and only came back to 2nd place). If we look at Meg Mirrilees (another dance on page 43) we see the Boulogne also uses Down the middle and up again as progressive. This means that Boulogne's Pousette was non-progressive, and presumably still meant the standard push-pull poussette that came to the UK from France in about 1760.

In 1821, G.M.S. Chivers in The Dancer's Guide page 57, had described Spanish dances as starting improper, and I suspect this might be intended here and explain why the same figure occurs twice. I don't see that it makes much difference whether the first couple is proper or improper. The Spanish version of the dance is subtitled "Hungarian Waltz" in Boulogne (Not a part of Spain I'm familiar with).

The next earliest description of the figure I've found was published by the Lowes in Lowes' Ball-Conductor and Assembly Guide. of 1831. The Lowes published in Edinburgh, and their book has three sub-categories of country dance: English, Scotch and Irish. Petronella is categorized as an "English Country Dance". They describe it thusly:

First couple chassé round to the right, and set in the middle; round to the right again, and set on the sides; to the right again, and set in places; down the middle, up again, and pousette.

By 1853, the Lowes had become just Joseph Lowe, and he published a somewhat different version in his Lowe's Selection of Popular Country Dances (courtesy of the National Library of Scotland):

First couple turn round to the right, and set opposite to each other in the middle of the Dance (4 Bars). Again round to the right, and set on the sides of the Dance, (4 Bars) Again round to the right, and set in the middle, (4 Bars) Again to the right and set in places. (4 Bars) First couple down the middle and up again. (8 Bars) Poussette with top couple. (8 Bars)

Courtesy of National Library of Scotland, licensed under:

In ~1868 H. D. Wilcock in Ball-Room Guide; A Manual of Dancing page 70, writes:

1. First couple turn round to the right, and set in centre of dance (4)
2. Turn to the opposite side and set (4)
3. Turn to centre and set (4)
4. Turn and set in places (4)
5. Lead down the middle and up again (8)
6. Pousette (8)

In 1868 Elias Howe in The Pianist's Matinee: A Collection of Music for the Piano-Forte, writes:

First couple turn round to the right, and balance opposite to each other in the middle of the dance. (4 bars) Again round to the right, and balance on the sides of the dance. (4 bars) Again to the right, and balance in the middle. (4 bars) Again to the right, and balance in places. (4 bars) First couple down the middle and up again (8 bars) Right and left with the next couple. (8 bars)

In ~1872 J. F. Wallace in The Excelsior Manual of Dancing, (Glasgow), writes:

1. First couple turn to their right and set in centre of dance (4 bars)
2. Turn into each other's place and set (4)
3. Again turn to centre by right and set (4)
4. Turn to places and set, (4)
5. Down the centre and back, (8)
6. Poussette, (8)

In 1897 in D. Anderson's Ball-Room and Solo Dance Guide, (Dundee)

Time 2-4

Turn to right in centre with two steps facing each other, then set to each other with two steps.

Turn into each other's places with next two steps then set with other two steps.

Turn to right in centre facing each other with two steps then set to each other with two steps.

Turn into places next two steps then set with other two steps (the four quarter turns describe the figure of a diamond).

First gent then leads his partner down the centre and back to places, the first and second couples pousette.

Repeat from the beginning other three times

Courtesy of National Library of Scotland, licensed under:

Note: Anderson very explicitly says the lead down and back returns to places, while fifty years earlier it had an implied cast off. That means his "pousette" must be progressive, though he does not say that explicitly.

Many pages later in the book Anderson defines a "Petronella Step". He does not explicitly say it is for petronella turns, rather he says This Step may also be used for Contra Dances, Circassian Circle, etc., in setting to partners, but must never be used for Quadrilles.

PETRONELLA STEP.

Stand in 1st position.

Hop out on right foot in 2nd position.

Bring left foot in front in 5th position.

Beat behind with right.

Hop out on left foot in 2nd position.

Bring right foot down in front in 5th position.

Beat behind with left.

In ~1898 J. Scott Skinner in The People's Ball Room Guide, (Dundee), writes:

This is one of the very prettiest Country Dances we have.

The dancers are arranged in the usual way.

First lady and opposite gentleman advance to the centre, one, two, three, and turn with toes to right. Then they execute the first quickstop twice.

They advance to the opposite side and set.

They advance to the centre and set.

They advance and set in places, having thus, with their successive movements described the figure of a diamond.

Then down the centre, back, and pousette.

There is a tune "Petronella" for this dance. "Meg Merrilees" suits it admirably.

While in the book Prompting: How To Do It by John M. Schell, published Boston, 1890.

First couple balance to side (4); balance to center (4); balance to side (4); balance to center (4); first couple down centre and back, cast off (8); right and left (8).

Back in Scotland, in Allan's Reference Guide to the Ball-Room, says:

1. First couple advance to the centre of the dance, turning round to the right and set.
2. Advance to the opposite side and set.
3. Advance to the centre side and set.
4. Advance and set in places.
5. Down the center and up again.
6. Pousette.

Courtesy of National Library of Scotland, licensed under:

Note that in 1831 the 1s simply chassé into position with no turn, but by 1868 they are turning into the middle, then in 1924 the (R)SCDS describes the figure:

1st woman moves from A to B with two pas de basque, leading off with the right foot and making a three-quarter turn by the right, in the middle of which she has her back to her partner.
1st man moves similarly from C to D.

The modern contra figure seems similar to that described by Wilcock in 1868.

As this dance is rather boring for the 2s a number of variations have arisen.

Common name for dances; Wright, Walsh, Straight, Campbell, Howe and Wilcock all have figures for it, but I have found none which seems to match this one.

Lowe writes:

First couple turn round to the right, and set opposite to each other in the middle of the Dance (4 Bars) Again round to the right, the Lady going between the second and third Gentlemen, and the Gentlemen between the second and third Ladies (4 Bars) Six hands round and back again (8 Bars) The Lady between the two Gentlemen, and the Gentleman between the two Ladies, advance and retire. (4 Bars) The Gentleman who commenced the Dance, then turns his partner to her own side. (2 Bars) And all clap their hands, counting 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3 (2 Bars) Then the three Ladies on their own side, and the three Gentlemen on theirs go three hands round. (4 Bars) Then commence the Figure again.

Courtesy of National Library of Scotland, licensed under:

Wilson writes (on page 40):

SINGLE FIGURE (Tune played straight thro')
Hey on your own sides lead down the middle up again & set to top Cu:

OR THUS Set & change sides with the 2^d. Cu: set & back again lead down the middle up again & right & left with the top Cu:

DOUBLE FIGURE (Each strain repeated)
The 3 ladies lead round the 3 gent: the 3 gent: lead round the 3 ladies   lead down the middle up again allemande & set 3 across & set 3 in your places  

Wilson usually gives multiple figures for a tune, the (R)SCDS appears to have conflated the first figure and the last. They seem to have taken the first 8 bars from the first figure (the hey), and added the last 16 bars of the final figure, except these have been reinterpreted to take up 24 bars.

The music consists of two 8 bar strains.

Wilson defines most of his figures in his An Analysis of Country Dancing.
Hey on your own sides is only defined as part of "Hey Contrary Sides, and Hey of your own Sides" on page 83 and he shows a mirror/reflection hey.
The 3 ladies lead round the 3 gent: may be found on pages 48-49 and means: "all the ladies take hands, lady 1 leads counter-clockwise above, and then behind the men, at bottom looping back to original places."
lead down the middle up again may be found on pages 10-11 and means: "lead down two couples, turn, lead up to the place of the couple who were below (who move up)" Wilson does not specify a hand hold for the lead, nor whether the 2s take hands.
allemande may be found on page 7 and appears to mean going about your partner in a circle. In a later edition of Analysis Wilson adds the phrase "back to back".
This is an unusual meaning for "allemande", but, as best as I can understand, that is what Wilson describes.
set 3 across & set 3 in your places is only described as "set three in their places and set three across" (opposite order) and is found on pages 76-77, and means: "Two lines of three across set, the ones move to their own places, everyone sets again." Wilson does not say whether they take hands when setting. Wilson does not indicate whether the corners set when the 1s move.

Cooke writes:

1^st. La. turn 2^d Gent. 1^st. Gent. do the same. fall in at top & bottom & at the sides 6 hands round back again & turn your Part.

From the Holmain MS (dated sometime between 1710 and 1750):

1st Part.

Cross right hands & go round all four; cross left hands & go back to your place, then sett to your partner, & cast off one pair, the right and left.

2nd Part.

First go down on the Woman's right side then come back to her left, & again to the right, then sett round & clap hands, & then go to the next woman.

Originally spelled "Cald Kale".

Monymusk is an estate in Aberdeenshire is Scotland.

Cracking Chestnuts says the tune was written by Daniel Dow and published in Thirty Seven New Reels and Strathspeys in 1776. Francis Werner set figures to the tune in his 8 Cotillions, 6 Favorite Contry Dances and two Minuets, with their proper Figures for the Harp, Harpsichord and Violin Book xvii for the year 1785. John Preston in 1786 published a different set of figures.

Hugh Thurston in Northern Junket Vol 11#9 (1974) claims: "But Monymusk is not a traditional Scottish dance. It was resurrected in 1934 (out of a book published in England in 1786) and there is no evidence that it was ever danced in Scotland before that date."

In another article he says "Second, it is reconstructed wrongly".

Werner Book XVIII For the Year 1785 (London, 1785) writes:

Turn your partner with the right hand; quite round, and cast off one Cu. Turn with the left quite round, Set three and three top and bottom, and turn your Partner, Set three and three sideways and turn your Partner. Hands six quite round and back again Lead out sides and turn your Partner with both hands.

In Preston's Twenty four Country-Dances for the Year 1786:

Turn your partner with the right hand and cast off one couple Turn your partner with the left hand and cast back, the lady falling in at the top, the gentleman at the bottom set three and three and turn your partner set three and three sideways and turn your partner hands six round and back again lead through the bottom and come up one couple lead through the top

— Quoted from Cracking Chestnuts

The RSCDS claims their reconstruction is based on Preston, but it actually looks more like Werner's in the first 8 bars.

John Griffiths in The Gentleman & Lady's Companion (Norwich, CT, 1798) has a different figure:

Six hands half way round and back, first and second gentlemen balance together and turn round, the 1st and 2nd ladies do the same, down the middle, up again, cast off, right and left

In A Treatise on Dancing (Boston, 1802) Saltator writes:

First couple cross over, down the out side, promenade round the gentleman, fall between the second couple, the lady between the third, six dance address, first couple promenade and fall below the second, six demicircinate, right and left atop.

Wilson Treasures of Terpsichore, page 80 (London, 1809)

Single Figure

Whole figure at top   down the middle, up again, and foot it to the top couple  .

Double Figure

The top couple swing with right hands round one couple, then with the left   set three across and three in your places   hands six round and back again  , and lead through bottom and top  .

Howe Complete Ball-room Hand Book, page 82 (Boston, 1858)

First couple join right hands and swing once and a half round, go below second couple (the first lady goes below second gentleman on the outside) (first gentleman at the same time goes below and between second and third ladies) — forward and back six, first couple swing three quarters round — first gentleman goes between second couple (on the inside) first lady goes between third couple (on the indside) forward and back six, first couple swing three quarters.

Burchenal American Country-dances, page 55 (New York/Boston, 1912)

Swing Once and a Half Around
Cast
Forward and Back Six
Swing Three-Quarters Around
Forward and Back Six
Swing Three-Quarters Around to Place
Right and Left

Donald Bane is an anglicization of Domnall Bán (Donald the Fair) and was the great-grandson of the king killed by MacBeth.

Wilson writes (on page 80):

SINGLE FIGURE Each strain repeated
Hands 3 round on the ladies side hands 3 round on the gents side   lead down the middle up again & right & left with the top Cu:  

OR THUS Set & change sides with the 2^d. Cu: set & back again   lead down the middle up again & allemande  
DOUBLE FIGURE
Hey on your own sides   swing with right hands round 2^d. Cu: then with left   hands 6 round & back again   set contrary corners  

Wilson usually gives multiple figures for a tune, this is an attempt to understand the double figure he describes.

The music consists of two 4 bar strains. Wilson's usual statement for double figures (which he gives on the dance above this) is Tune played twice through with repeats. So the music should probably be played AABBAABB.

Wilson spells the dance "Donaldbane".

Wilson defines most of his figures in his An Analysis of Country Dancing.
swing with right hands round 2^d. Cu: then with left may be found on pages 85-86 and means: right hand turn half (swing) to cross the set, loop partner's starting place, cross the set again above the 2s, ending proper between 2s & 3s.
left hand turn half to cross the set, loop partner's place, crossing below the 2s and ending home.
Wilson does not specify which shoulder to use when crossing the second and fourth times. set contrary corners may be found on pages 55-57 and means "move to 1st corner and set, pass partner right moving to 2nd corner, set, return to places the easiest way". Wilson does not show the corners setting back, but I expect modern dancers would want to.

It is not obvious to me where in this sequence Wilson expects progression to happen. Perhaps the first movement of set contrary corners has the 1s moving down and the 2s up.

Wilson writes:

SINGLE FIGURE1^st. strain repeat 2^d. played straight thro & D.C.
Set & half right & left with 2^d.; set & back again   lead don the middle up again & half poussette with top Cu:

OR THUSHands 3 round on the ladies side hand 3 round on the gent: side   lead down the middle up again & set to the top Cu:

DOUBLE FIGURE Tune played twice thro' as marked
Swing with right hands round 2^d. Cu: then with left   set 3 across set 3 in your places whole figure contrary corners   chain figure four round with top Cu: & allemande

Wilson has a different figure for this tune in his earlier book Treasures of Terpsichore, 1809. Preston has yet another figure in 1796. Cahusac gives two figures in 1795. Campbell has a figure in Campbell's 9th Book of New and Favorite Country Dances & Strathspey Reels from about 1794. While Rutherford, 1756 and Johnson, 1742 give the same figure (Rutherford's compleat Collection of 200 of the most celebrated Country Dances both Old and New, Vol. 1) — but the music they give is a different tune (for one thing it is a jig, not a reel).

The following is an attempt to understand Wilson's DOUBLE FIGURE which is the basis of the Scottish Country Dance.

In An Analysis of Country Dancing Wilson defines some of the terms he uses. A "whole figure" is just a "full figure eight" (as you might expect, Playford uses the same phrase). Wilson does not explicitly define "whole figure contrary corners" in his first edition, but he does in his second on page 104 of the 2nd edition of the Analysis (1811). Rather awkwardly, Wilson provides two different (contradictory) directions. In the first "the 1s cross down, W1 in front of M1, W1 around M3, M1 around W3, then cross up, W1 around W2, M1 around M2, and return home". In the second the "1s cross up, W1 around M2, M1 around W2, then cross down W1 around W3, M1 around M3, and return home.

Chain figure for four is also defined in the second edition, on page 76 and it is what anyone else would call rights and lefts.

Wilson gives a very unclear definition of "allemande" it might be a modern gypsy, or a back to back (he defines neigther of these figures). He says the two people doing the allemande walk in circles around one another, he does not mention taking hands, he does not say how their faces are oriented.

Wilson published several figures named Rob Roy in his L'Assemblee of 1819 but none has a figure which matches the RSCDS version.

On page 73 of his The Dancers' Guide, 1821, Chivers writes:

Rob Roy Macgregor... First couple lead down the middle, the second follow, half right and left back again, and half right and left swing corners right and left at top

On page 69 of his The Excelsior Manual of Dancing, ~1872, J. F. Wallace writes:

1. First couple down the centre, the second couple follow, (4 bars)
2. Half right and left by couples No. 1 and 2 at bottom, (4)
3. Couples No. 1 and 2 back again and half right and left, (8)
4. Set at corners and turn partners, (8)
5. Right and left by couples No. 1 and 2, (8)

Walsh writes:

First Man foot it to the 2d Wo. and cast off into the 2d Man's Place, and the 2d Wo. cast up at the same time into the 1st Wo. Place — Then the 2d Man foot it to y^e 1st Wo. (he being at Top) and cast off into his Place, and the 1st Wo. cast up into her Place then the 1st and 2d Man foot it to their Partners, the 1st Cu. cast off one Cu. take Hands with the 2d. Cu. and lead up, foot it and cast off into the 2d Cu: Place.

The music is two eight bar strains, the first repeated, the second not.

Walsh spells "Glasgow" as "Glascow".

Davis also published this dance in 1748, and also spells "Glascow", I have no idea which published first.

Thompson writes:

The 1^st. Cu. foot it cast off one Cu the Man cast off the 3^d. Cu. and the Wo. cast up meet in the Middle and turn hands the 1^st. Cu. fall in at top and bottom and foot it all six fall in Sides and foot it all six and turn set contrary Corners and turn lead thro' sides and turn

The original music consisted of two eight bar strains in jig time.

Bride published a dance with this name in 1768 but it had a different figure. Longman & Broderip republished it in 1781.

Kate Hughes wrote down a dance very similar to the RSCDS version:

1. Top couple turn round to the right and set in the centre of the dance (4)
2. Turn to opposite sides the ladie between the seceaond and third gentlemen the gent between the seceaond and third ladies and set (4)
3. The three on each side join hands advance and retire twice (8)
4. All six join hands in a circle pass half round to the left and back to the right to places.
5. Pousett (8)

And in his The "Excelsior" Manual of Dancing, ~1872, J. F. Wallace writes:

1. First couple turn round to the right and set in the centre of the dance, (4)
2. Turn to opposite side, the lady between the second and third gentlemen, the gentleman between second and third ladies and set, (4)
3. The three on each side advance and retire twice, (8)
4. All six join hands in a circle, pass half round to left, and back to places, (8)
5. Couples No. 1 and 2 Pousette (8)