Roger de Coverley
Roger de 'Coverley' is the name of an English country dance and a Scottish country dance. An early version was published in The Dancing Master, 9th edition. The Virginia Reel is a North American adaptation.
History
The dance Roger of Coverly probably originated in northern England; An early version was published in The Dancing Master, 9th edition. The tune is said to derive its name from the Calverley family, who hailed from Calverley, Yorkshire. A manuscript in the British Museum called The First and Second division Violin, which is attributed to John Eccles, 1705, describes the tune as "Roger of Coverly the true Cheisere way." Alternatively Roger refers to Royalists in the English Civil War and that ‘Coverly’ was a corruption of ‘Cavalier’ The Virginia reel is a North American adaptation.The dance is supposed to be danced at the end of the evening.