Annotation:Bishop of Chester's Jig (The)
X:1 T:Bishop of Chester’s Jigg T:Fits come on me now, The M:9/4 L:1/8 N:”Longways for as many as will.” B:John Walsh – Complete Country Dancing-Master, Volume the Fourth B: (London, 1740, No. 148) Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:F F4c2(c2A2)c2 c4A2|F4c2(c2A2) c2 (de) g2c2|F4c2(c2A2)c2d4e2|(f2c2)d2(c2A2)F2G4F2|| (f2c2)f2 (e2c2)f2 e4c2|d3ed2f3g af g4f2|(f2c2)f2 (f2b2)a2g4|(d2f2)d2(c2A2)F2 G4F2||
BISHOP OF CHESTER'S JIG. AKA and see "Fits Upon Me Now (The)." English, (Slip) Jig (9/8 time). D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The melody is by English composer wikipedia:Henry_Purcell (c. 1659-1695) for wikipedia:Thomas_D'Urfey's (1653-1723) production of The Fool's Preferment, or The Three Dukes of Dunstable (1688). It was published by John Playford (as "The fit's come on me now or The Bishop of Chester's Jig") in the 7th edition of the Dancing Master (1686), and in subsequent editions through the 14th edition (1709). Walsh included it in his Compleat Country Dancing Master (London) editions of 1718, 1731 and 1754, and the air can be heard in the ballad opera Momus turned Fabulist (1729).
In modern times the tune has been recorded by the New Victory Band with a measure of 12/8 time included, apparently due to a mistaken reading of the original printing of the members, Chris Coe (according to John Adams).
