Annotation:Albion's Queen

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ALBION'S QUEEN. AKA - "Barksheir". English, Country Dance Tune (9/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. The melody appears in all four editions of London publisher John Young's Second Volume of the Dancing Master [1] (1710-1728), and in the first edition of the Walsh's Second Book of the Compleat Country Dancing-Master (1719), and in Walsh & Randall's New Country Dancing Master, 2nd Book (1710). The title honors Queen Anne (1665-1714), the last Stuart monarch of England, who ascended the throne in March, 1702.

In Young's second edition (1718) of his Second Volume the alternate title "Barksheir" was added, perhaps because of the fairly recent death of the Queen. It is an alternate spelling of the English County of Berkshire, as, for example, in this (very long) title of a 17th century printed pamphlet:

Sad and deplorable news from Oxford-sheir & Bark-sheir. Being a lamentable and true relation of the drowning of about sixty persons, men, women and children, in the lock, near Goring in Oxford sheir; as they were passing by water, from Goring Feast, to Stately in Barksheir. Readers, this story is both strange and true, and for your good (presented unto you:) be careful of your life, all sins to fly, lest you by death be taken suddenly. When he is sent, on you arrest to make, no fees nor bail, can purchase your escape.

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Young (Second Volume of the Dancing Master), 1710; p. 64.

Recorded sources:

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