Annotation:Malt's Come Down

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MALT'S COME DOWN. English, Air (6/2 time). G Mixolydian. Standard tuning (fiddle). AA. The tune dates back to the 16th century, and appears in a setting by the English composer William Byrd in the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book (No. CL), and in Deuteromelia (1609). The first two stanzas begin:

There's never a drunkard in all of the town,
But well he knows the malt's come down.
Malt's come down, malt's come down,
From an old angel to the French crown. ... 'angel'=prostitute, French crown=pox

There's never a maiden in all of the town
But sleeps alone now the malt's come down.
Malt's come down, malt's come down,
From an old angel to the French crown.

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Chappell (Popular Music of the Olden Time), vol. 1, 1859; p. 151.

Recorded sources:

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