A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Trenchmore
TRENCHMORE, an old English country dance, frequently mentioned by writers of the 16th and 17th century. According to Mr. Chappell ('Popular Music') the earliest mention of it is in a Morality by William Bulleyn, published in 1564. The character of the dance may be gathered from the following amusing quotation from Selden's 'Table Talk' (1689): 'The Court of England is much altered. At a solemn Dancing, first you had the grave Measures, then the Corrantoes and the Galliards, and this is kept up with Ceremony; at length to Trenchmore, and the Cushion-Dance, and then all the Company dance, Lord and Groom, Lady and Kitchen-Maid, no distinction. So in our Court, in Queen Elizabeth's time, Gravity and State were kept up. In King James's time things were pretty well. But in King Charles's time, there has been nothing but Trenchmore, and the Cushion-Dance, omnium gatherum tolly-polly, hoite come toite.' Trenchmore appears first in the Dancing Master in the fifth edition (1675), where it is directed to be danced 'longways for as many as will.' The tune there given (which we reprint) occurs in 'Deuteromelia' (1609), where it is called 'Tomorrow the fox will come to town.'
[ W. B. S. ]