Says Dr. Johnson: "the Morris-Dance, in which bells are jingled, or staves or swords clashed, was learned by the Moors, and was probably a kind of Pyrrhic, or military dance. "Morisco," says Blount (Span.), a Moor; also a dance, so called, wherein there were usually five men, and a boy dressed in a girl's habit, whom they called the Maid Marrion, or perhaps Morian, from the Italian Morione, a head-piece, because her head was wont to be gaily trimmed up. Common people called it a Morris-Dance." Such are the statements made at the commencement of a chapter on this subject in "Brand's Popular Antiquities." It is generally agreed that the Morris-Dance was introduced into this country in the sixteenth century. In the earlier English allusions it is called _Morisco_, a Moor, and this indicates its origin from Spain. It was popular in France before it was appreciated amongst our countrymen; some antiquaries assert that it came to England from our Gallic neighbours, or even from the Flemings, while others state that when John of Gaunt returned from Spain he was the means of making it known here, but we think there is little truth in the statement. Our countrymen soon united the Morris-Dance with the favourite pageant dance of Robin-hood. We discover many traces of the two dances in sacred as well as profane places. In old churchwarden's accounts we sometimes find items bearing on this theme. The following entries are drawn from the "Churchwardens' and Chamberlains' Books of Kingston-upon-Thames:"-- "1508. For paynting of the _Mores_ garments for sarten gret leveres 0 2 4 " For plyts and 1/4 of laun for the _Mores_ garments 0 2 11 " For Orseden for the same 0 0 10 " For bellys for the daunsars 0 0 12 1509-10. For silver paper for the _Mores_-dawnsars 0 0 7 1519-20. Shoes for the _Mores_-daunsars, the frere, and Mayde Maryan, at 7d. a peyre 0 5 4 1521-22. Eight yerds of fustyan for the _Mores_-daunsars' coats 0 16 0 " A dosyn of gold skynnes for the Morres 0 0 10 1536-37. Five hats and 4 porses for the daunsars 0 0 4-1/2." It is stated that in 1536-37, amongst other clothes belonging to the play of Robin Hood, left in the keeping of the churchwardens, were "a fryer's coat of russet, with a kyrtle of worsted welted with red cloth, a mowren's cote of buckram, and 4 Morres daunsars cote of white fustain spangelyed, and two gryne saten cotes, and a dysardd's cote of cotton, and 6 payre of garters with bells." Some curious payments appear in the churchwardens' accounts of St. Mary's parish, Reading, and are quoted by Coates, the historian of the town. Under the year 1557, items as follow appear:--