Roger de Coverley
(ˈrɒdʒə diː ˈkʌvəlɪ)
[In early use Roger of Coverly: the later form is due to Addison's introduction of Sir Roger de Coverly (afterwards Coverley) in the Spectator.
Acc. to Ralph Thoresby the place-name is the same as Calverley in Yorkshire (see Notes & Queries I. 369), a statement which is perhaps supported by the occurrence of ‘O brave Roger of Cauverly’ as the refrain of a song in D'Urfey's Pills (1719) VI. 31.]
An English country-dance (and tune). Also used with the prefix Sir, and abbreviated as Sir Roger.
| 1685 Playford Division Violin C, Roger of Coverly [name of tune]. 1696 Dancing Master (1716) 167 Roger of Coverly. 1698 Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 111 [They] dance so many hours to a Tune called the Patamars Tune, when they labour as much as a Lancashire Man does at Roger of Coverly. c 1700 in W. Chappell Pop. Music Olden Time 534 Old Roger of Coverlay for evermore, a Lancashire Hornpipe. 1804 H. Wynne Diary 19 Dec. (1940) III. v. 147 We danced Sir Roger de Coverly. 1811 T. Wilson Country Dances (ed. 2) 88 Sir Roger de Coverley, or the Finishing Dance. 1860 Motley Let. to Mother 28 Oct., Reels and flings, and strathspeys and Roger de Coverleys. 1874 Ball-Room Guide 80 Any contre danse..answers this purpose; but the prime favourite is Sir Roger de Coverley. 1875 L. Troubridge Life amongst Troubridges (1966) x. 101, I danced every dance except Sir Roger, at the end. 1894 19th Cent. XXXVI. 430 The performers ranged themselves in two rows, as in Sir Roger. |