A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Matassins

by William Barclay Squire

MATASSINS, MATACINS, or MATACHINS—also called Bouffons—a dance of men in armour, popular in France during the 16th and 17th centuries. It was probably derived from the ancient Pyrrhic dance, although the name has been traced to an Arabic root. Jehan Tabourot in his 'Orchésographie' (Langres, 1588) gives a long and interesting account of this dance, with six illustrations of the different positions of the dancers, 'qui sont vestus de petits corcelets, auec fimbries és espaules, et soubs la ceinture, une pente de taffetats soubz icelles, le morion de papier doré, les bras nuds, les sonnettes aux iambes, l'espee au poing droit, le bouclier au poing gaulche.' The Matassins were four in number, generally all men, but sometimes two men and two women. They danced several distinct figures, between which they performed mimic fights with one another. Molière has introduced Matassins into his comédie-ballet of M. de Pourceaugnac, and the dance is said to have been common at Bordeaux, Marseilles, and Strasburg as late as 1735. The following, according to Tabourot, is the air which usually accompanied the dance.

[ W. B. S. ]