...During our short stay at Wallingford a set of Morris dancers pranced away in the street, with other old rural sports I feared had been lost. (June 3 1781)
[Vol 1 p124]
[Referring to Cheltenham]
...I attended a troupe of Morrice dancers headed by a buffoon; but to me their mummery appear'd tedious and as little enjoyed by the performers as by the spectators; the genius of the nation does not take this turn. (June 28 1781)
[Vol 1 p272]
[Referring to
Chepstow]
...On my enquiring of Mr J. about harpers and morrice dancers, he inform'd me that the latter yet existed in the Forest of Dean, whence they issued as formerly at Whitsuntide; and (from what he cou'd explain,) in every antient device; (except that of the hobby horse;) the Maid Marion and the Clown being preserved. (1787)
[Vol 2 p29]
...Rode through Normanton, a village, where Maypole was, as others of this county, richly adorned by garlands, composed of silk, gauze and mock flowers; and around which (a woman told me) they danced in the morrice-way; but not in honour of the goddess Maia on the 1st of her month, but rather in memeory of the restoration on 29th May. (March 13 1789)
[Vol 4 p100]
[Referring to Silsoe]
...My landlord says that in May there are Mayers (alias morrice dancers) who go about with a fool, a man in woman's clothes (Maid Marion) and music. (1794)