heydeguy

English

Etymology

Likely hay (“kind of circle-dance”) + French de (“of”) + a proper noun of unclear referent, Guy or Guise.

Noun

heydeguy (plural heydeguys or heydeguies)

1. (historical) A kind of hay (country dance or round) popular during the English Renaissance.
   • c. 1515–1516, published 1568, John Skelton, Againſt venemous tongues enpoyſoned with ſclaunder and falſe detractions &c.:

     But ye are ſo full of vertibilite,
     And of frenetyke folabilite,
     And of melancoly mutabilite,
     That ye would coarte and enforce me
     Nothing to write, but hay the gy of thre,
     And I to ſuffre you lewdly to ly
     Of me with your language full of vilany!

   • 1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], “Iune. Ægloga Sexta.”, in The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Hugh Singleton, […], →OCLC, folio 23, recto:

     But frendly Faeries, met with many Graces,
     And lightfote Nymphes can chace the lingring night,
     With heydeguyes, and trimly trodden traces,
     Whilſt ſyſters nyne, which dwell on Parnaſſe hight,
     Doe make them muſick, for their more delight: […]

   • 1600, William Kempe, Kemps nine daies vvonder, section 10, pages 4–5:

     […] therefore forward I went with my hey-de-gaies to Ilford, where I againe reſted, and was by the people of the towne and countrey there-about very very wel welcomed, being offred carowſes in the great ſpoon, one whole draught being able at that time to haue drawne my little wit drye; […]
     […]
     Yet ſhe thumpt it on her way
     With a ſportly hey de gay:
     At a mile her daunce ſhe ended,
     Kindly paide and well commended.

   • 1638, John Ford, The Fancies, Chaſt and Noble, act IV, scene I, page 49:

     Our Fathers Daughter, if I erre not rarely,
     Delighted in a ſofter humbler ſweetnes:
     Not in a hey-de-gay of ſcurvey Gallantry.