Annotation:Rummer (The)
X:1 T:Rummer, The M:6/4 L:1/8 R:Country Dance or Jig B:John Playford – Country Dancing Master, 7th edition (1666, p. 189) Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:F c2|A3G F2 AB c2A2|Bc d2B2 c4 c2|f3e d2 ef g2e2|f2F2F2 F4:| |:f|f3g a2 g2a2b2|a3g f2 e3f g2|f3e f2d2g2f2|e2c2c2 c4 c2| d2e2f2 c4f2|B4f2 A4f2|G2 g f2 e3z d e2|f2F2F2 F4:|]
RUMMER, THE. English, Country Dance and Jig (6/4 and 6/8 time). F Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The melody first appears as a country dance in John Playford's Dancing Master, 7th edition (1666), and in all subsequent editions of that volume through the 18th and last edition of 1728 (at which time the series was being published by John Young). The melody and dance directions were also published by rival London publisher John Walsh in his Compleat Country Dancing Master (editions of 1718, 1731, and 1754).
The "Rummer" was a tavern at 45 Charing Cross, London, that eventually became a restaurant called "The Ship," its direct descendant. It stood two doors down from another, more famous tavern called Locket's or Lockitt's. The Rummer was kept until about 1702 by Samuel Prior. The Rummer is mentioned in George Farquhar's play The Constant Couple (Act 1, scene 1).
Historically, this tune has been likened to Carolan's "Bumper Squire Jones," and while there a few similarities, particularly at the cadence, they do not seem to be at all cognate (see note for "annotation:Bumper Squire Jones").