Annotation:Turn Again Whittington
X:1 T:Turn Again, Whittington L:1/8 M:6/8 S:Chappell – Popular Music of the Olden Time (1859) Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:G Gdc BdA|Gdc B2A|Gdc BdA|Gdc B2A|| edc BdA|Gdc B2A|edc BdA|Gdc B2A||
TURN AGAIN, WHITTINGTON. AKA and see "Bells of Osney (The)." English, Air (6/8 time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. "Turn Again, Whittington" can be found in Thomas D'Urfey's Pills to Purge Melancholy, vol. 3 (1707, No. 40) and Sir John Hawkins' transcripts for the virginal. The title alludes to the story wikipedia:Dick_Whittington_and_His_Cat which, according to Chappell (1859), is of Eastern origin and concerns a poor traveller whose fortunes are reversed by the performance of his cat. A story with a similar theme can be found in Arlotto's Italian novels, around 1483, but, by the time of its English popularity, the 'poor man' was replaced by Richard Whittington, Lord Mayor of London and a knight's son. Chappell also notes a 'cat' was term for a certain class of trading ship, and with this meaning it is made more likely that a Lord Mayor would come into riches upon the profitable return of his investment. Several ballads on the subject were entered at Stationers' Hall in 1605, and others appear in collections of the 17th and 18th centuries.
