1759

“Musicians made a living by hiring themselves out through agents for balls and private functions.  At Bedford House in 1759 an agent was paid 14 guineas to supply 3 ‘violas’, a hautboy (oboe?) a pipe and tabor and two basses for a ball.”

quoted in Sheila M Nelson, “The Violin and the Viola” Dover, page 122

1710 Description of a ball at Dudley Castle
As “recounted by her grandmother in  1776: While the band kept up the spirit with harp, pipe, tabor and violin the floor rocked beneath the quick and measured steps of the gay company engaged in the dance.... that distinguished company ...consisted of the nobles of the land.  The ladies shone with glossy silks and jewels  and the gentlemen with gold and silver lace....”

as reported in the County Advertiser & Herald for Staffordshire and Worcestershire - Saturday 16 February 1884

Letter 76 To George Montagu, Esq. Strawberry Hill, May, 14, 1761

“Saturday morning, Arlington Street. I came to town yesterday for a party at Bedford-House, made for Princess Amelia; the garden was open....... The tables were removed, the young people began to dance to a tabor and pipe; the Princess sat down again, but to unlimited loo; we played till three”

Letters of Horace Walpole, (1717-1797) - Volume 3

1762 ‘The Vicar of Wakefield’ : a ball at home:

“after a little shoving and dragging, they at last went merrily on. 
Our music consisted of two fiddles, with a pipe and tabor.” 

by Oliver Goldsmith (1730 – 1774) [ ch 9, page 57]

1763 as advertised in The Ipswich Journal - Saturday 23 July 1763:

“27th A Ball at the King’s Head NB the French Horn will accompany the minuets: and the tabor and pipe the Country Dances”

In London dances were held at theatres during the 18th century. Pipe and tabor players were hired on occasion: there is one record at the theatre for 1749, two in 1767 and one in1768 at the Covent Garden Theatre.

Between Dec 1774 and Nov 1775 there were 59 nights when the pipe and tabor player was hired at Theatre Royal Drury Lane for dances.

1783reported in the Norfolk Chronicle - Saturday 10 May 1783

In Bath the pipe and tabor was added to the orchestra on ball nights.

1791 as reported in the Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Thursday 17 November 1791

The Season ran from October to early June. The Upper Rooms held two balls a week, a dress ball on Monday nights and a fancy ball on Thursday nights. Fancy Balls were much more relaxed occasions. Ladies could appear in hats or make any other elegant fashion statement they pleased. The band consisted of twelve performers including the harp, tabor and pipe. 'Each performer to be allowed a sum not exceeding half a guinea on each ball night for his attendance, which money is to be taken from the subscription of the respective balls'. Poems were made up describing people dancing to the pipe and and tabor [cannot find my source at present - ed].

'personalities of social, political, literary, and artistic life took so much ......
'In this manner, and in these sets, rapidly, gaily, uncounted, and untutored, ......
a BALL, (With proper Musick accompanied with the Tabor and Pipe.) .....

The Great Dr. Burney, His Life His Travels, His Works His Family and His Friends
Vol. 1 Book by Percy A. Scholes; 1948

‘Wealth and Poverty, an allegory’ (part)
Caledonian Mercury - Saturday 08 August 1778

c 1766 Travels Through France And Italy By Tobias Smollett
book 4

1719 from: SONGS Compleat, Pleasant and Divertiv; SET TO M U S I C K

...Each bonny Lad shall with his loving Lass,
With Pipe and Tabor trip it on the Grass ;
With Chaplets gay my Jenny shall be crown'd,
And with her Loving Jockey 'Dance around : ...

By Dr. JOHN BLOW, Mr. HENRY PURCELL, and other Excellent Masters of the Town

1719 Songs Compleat, Pleasant and Divertiv ;

JOAN to the MAY-POLE.

Come Will, run Gill,
Or dost thou list to lose thy labour ?
Kit Crowd, scrape aloud,
Tickle her Tom\ with a Pipe and a Tabor,....

.... If the Tabor do play, we thump it away,
And turn, and meet our Lasses to Kiss 'em...

SET TO M U S I C K By Dr. John Blow, Mr. Henry Purcell,
and other Excellent Masters of the Town

ARCADIA. A DRAMATIC PASTORAL.
THE Managers of Drury-Lane Theatre...the following little piece was written merely with a view of mani|festing such their loyalty and gratitude, to the best of monarchs

"To the pipe and tabor beat
Frolic measures with your feet.
Ev'ry gift of time employ;
Make the most of proffer'd joy.....

So may all thy sylvan train,
Dryad, nymph, and rustic faun,
To the pipe and merry strain,
Trip it o'er the russet lawn!
May no thorn or bearded grass
Hurt their footsteps as they pass"

Poems. By Robert Lloyd, A.M: (1733-1764) page 264

1789

“The pipe and tabor, violin and harp,
When dance and merriment occasion yield,
Cheer his glad soul; the boards resound the time;
Twin'd with the jumping lass with springing
He skims and floats, with ease, along the floor;
Graceful his step, in every feature joy; “ ....

from: The College Hero, The Gentleman's magazine, Volume 59, Part 1, May 1789

for other types of dance see:
the last dance of all (dance of death)
regency dancing
moresca