Sermon, Addresses and Essays Delivered at the Celebration of the One Hundredth Anniversary of the Foundation of the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, 1796-1896

He would fit the celebration, and his popularity would help make the morris dance respectable. Why morris dance, by the way? One theory is that the dance was brought in from Spain in the time of King Edward III (when his son, the Black Prince, campaigned for a time in that land; see page II-260). It was, according to that view, a Moorish military dance, and from Moorish dance to morris dance is but a step. Another theory is that the dancers blacked themselves as part of their disguise and were Moorish in that sense. The dance, when given, adds another bit of pageantry to the play. By Castor. .. Arcite and Palamon are now ready for their duel. They help each other into armor with every sign of affection and with mutual praise, but they fight in earnest, for the requirements of courtly love are that a knight must sacrifice all else. Theseus and his company, still hunting, come upon the duelers. Theseus is furious, for dueling is against the law. He says, angrily, even before he knows the identity of the fighters: By Castor, both shall die.   —Act III, scene vi, line 137 It is unusual to swear by Castor alone, for he is one of an inseparable pair, Castor and Polydeuces (or Pollux) ...»