Welcom, Joan Sanderson, welcom, welcom. Then he rises, takes up the cushion, and both dance, singing— Prinkum-prankum is a fine dance, And shall we go dance it once again, Once again, and once again, And shall we go dance it once again. Then, making a stop, the wo(man) sings as before— This dance, &c. Musician: I pray you, madam, &c. Woman: Because John Sanderson, &c. Musician: He must, &c. And so she lays down the cushion before a man, who, kneeling upon it, salutes her, she singing— Welcom, John Sanderson, &c. Then, he taking up the cushion, they take hands and dance round, singing as before. And thus they do till the whole company are taken into the ring. And then the cushion is laid before the first man, the woman singing, “This dance,” &c. (as before), only instead of “come to,” they sing “go fro,” and instead of “Welcom, John Sanderson,” &c., they sing “Farewel, John Sanderson, farewel, farewel;” and so they go out one by one as they came in. _Note_, that the woman is kiss’d by all the men in the ring at her coming in and going out, and the like of the man by the woman.—_The Dancing Master_: London, printed by J. P., and sold by John Playford at his shop near the Temple Church, 1686, 7th edition. Another version gives the words as follows:— We’ve got a new sister in our degree, And she’s welcome into our companee, companee. Mrs. Sargesson says she weänt come to, We’ll make her whether she will or no, Will or no, will or no, We’ll maäke her whether she will or no. Children form a ring with one in the middle, who lays a cushion on the ground. They sing the first two lines, and the child in the centre points at one, and the others dance round singing the other lines, the centre child dragging the imaginary Mrs. Sargesson on to the cushion by force, kissing her, and leaving her in the centre. Then Mrs. Sargesson points at one in the ring, and the game begins again.—East Kirkby, Lincolnshire (Miss Maughan). The tune sung is the same as the “Mulberry Bush.” Miss Baker (_Northamptonshire Glossary_) says the Cushion Dance is still continued, with some variations, and generally closes the evening’s amusements. One of the young men endeavours secretly to bring in a cushion, and locks the doors, to prevent the escape of the young maidens; then all the party unite hands and dance round three times to the left and three times to the right, after which the company all seat themselves, except the young man who holds the cushion. He advances to the fiddler, and says— This dance it will no further go. Fiddler: Why say you so? why say you so? Cushion-holder: Because the young women will not come to. Fiddler: They must come to, they shall come to, And tell them I say so.