The tablature for Diatonic Cittern from the Robert Edwards Commonplace Book, circa 1650, Dundee, Scotland
Reintabulated by Rob MacKillop using Fronimo v.3, April, 2006 Dedicated to the cittern discussion group, initiated by Doc Rossi: http://www.mail-archive.com/cittern%40cs.dartmouth.edu/
I have merely set down the original tablature in an easy to read format, without any editing whatsoever. The tablature contains many mistakes and no time signals, and requires players of imagination and flair to make the most of this beautiful repertoire.
Robert Edwards was a kirk minister for the parish of The Murroes, just north of Dundee (my home town) on the East Coast of Scotland. He was also a member of the Dundee town council. The only other surviving Scottish cittern manuscript also belonged to a minister of the Kirk. This might strike some as odd, yet the Wedderburn Brothers of Dundee had recently printed 'The Guid and Godlie Ballads', putting new words, reflecting the message of the Reformed Kirk, to common folk tunes. This book was as popular in Scotland as the Bible. It 'legitimised' folk music and set the foundation stone for traditional music to beome the national music of Scotland.
Rob MacKillop, Edinburgh, 29th April, 2006 Laydie Louthians Lilte Robert Edwards Commonplace Book
ad a a a a cd c aca a c 4
6 d adgeda ad d a a a a a / a a / / ca a c / / 4 /
11 a adeg d a a adeg e geda a a a a a a a 4 a c
16 adege da a a a a / cac / /·
Its worse nor death to pairt withe the
a a a a a cd d cacd 4 4
6 ad a a a a a c 4 a d d dd
11 a ab a a a a cacd d cacd 4
16 d ba b a a a a a a c a a / d d d / /· Come sueit love let soroue ceasse
d c d e dcacd f f e d d c e fhe f a a a a d a a e d d a a a a d e d d d a a a c a e c a d d d a a c / e e e d 4 c a c a a c e e a c c a / a g a e b /
4 dcedgec acd a a d a a c a e c a / e a c a a c / /
Joy to the persone of my love
e ac d abd a a a c a a c a 4 a dd dca
6 e a eg h h a a c e c / a e ca a / acd d 4 /
11 g g e ac d a a a a a a a c a c a 4 a / a cd d d / /
16 d a d cde a a a c c a c a a a d d d ad d dca
21 e a c / ca a / 4 /·
Sueit smyling katie loves me
a a aa a d a aa a dd a a a 6 a a d d da a a a a a a a / a a d d a / d 4 /
11 d a a d ed a a a a a a a a a a a a 4 a
16 d ed a d a a a a a a a a a a 4 a d d d
21
a a / a / / 4 ·
The Isle of Rea
e eg h g e d a d de a a a a 4 4 a
6 g e d a d e eg h g a a a a a a a
11 e d a a a a a 4 a c a aaa 4
16 a d a a a a 4 a aa a c ca
21 e d a a a c ca aa 26 adeg ed adad a a 4 / c c a / / 4 · Amyntas on a Summers day
d d gk g ecc c k k gegk d d gk a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a
5 g ecc c k k gegk d egg e d d a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a c a4 a a a a a a a4 a a ·
Quhat if a day
d c de d efh fe f ef h gh a a d a a c d a e a c d a d e d d e c a a c e a a e a
5 k k h f e d k k h h a a d a d a a a e e a a d d d a a a e e k k a d a c k k a a
9 f f e f h k a m a a d a e a a k d d e d e a k m e e a e a k m a
13 k f h k e f h d e f h fed a a e a d a e a d a e d a a d e a e d e a e d e e a k e a k a e a c a e a a c · Bonie Jean Lyndsay
a a d e d a a a a a a a a a a a c a
7 d f da ad a a a a a a a a c ac c
13 d d d c a d eged a a c a ac a a a
19 d d dca a c c caa a a a a a c aa a c a c a
25 a a a a a 4 c cc c 4 cac c a a aa a
31 ad a a a a a a a a c a aa a a a
37 e edca a ·
Over the mountaines
k h ekh g e d d cd a e a a a4 c4 a / e a c / / 6 e ged e de g e d a a a a a c c a 4 a a
11 e gg k dca c de g e d d a a aa a a a c4 a 4 a 4 a a a c
Till I be Lulled beyond the
g da a a a a d d d cd
6 ged a d d eg h m kgegk a a a a a a a a / a a / /
11 g h m g k d eg h m a a a e a a
16 kgegk kg e da d a a d a a a a a a 4 a a ·
Shoe rouid me in hir aprone
d d c ac c c e c a a a a a a a c c c 4 c a a a
6 ac a d a a a 4 / a a a e / ca ca acc / 11 a d eg a a a a a a a a a a a ca ac
16 d c a a a a a a a c c c a 4 ·
The Saraband
c ca c aa a 4 4 4 4 4 a d d d c c ac
7 dd d dee d bda a c a 4 / d / d d /
13 dba dd a a a dd a 4 4 / 4 a 4 a / d c a /
19 dba a a 4 4 4 acd d
Hey the day dauis
a d ded e aaa c a a c a c / a d d c a a a / d d /
7 d a e ac acdd e d a a a a a a a c d dca 13 d d c acd e gh k de a a a a a a a a a a c a ca c 4
19 g e d d g e d c acd cdedc acd a a a a a a a a a / a c c c / a a /
25 e a c a g edhge k hk m gh a a a a a a a 4 a a a e
31 k de g e d d a a a a a a 4 a c ·
Goe where thou wilte goe
a a a a a a a 4 d d d
6 e a d a a a a a a 4 d d d
11 ah ad ef edb a a a
16 a e ad ehe d a a a c d a
21 a a d a a a a a d d a · Wilte thou be gone
d d d e g e d d d eg h a a a a a a e a 4 4 a / a 4 c c / /
8 d eg e g a d eg e d d a a a a a a a a 4 a a 4 a / / /·
The king's posie
a b abd e eg h g a c ac a a d d a a a e a dcd dd a
6 e dd d h g e d d a ad a a a a a a a a a 4 a a a 4 a 4 a d
11 a ac d a a c a a a c a 4 a d 4 d d d ·
Buckinghames branle
e e d ca e c d e e d ca a a a a a a a c a c c c a a a a a
7 e c a c d a a a a a a a a c c a c a a dca a a
13 e c d a a a a a c c a dca a a · Sueit smiling Katie in a different key
a d d a ad e g a a a a a a a a a a a
6 d eg a e eg k k kged a a a a a 4 / a e / /
11 a d e eg k mk g kg e a a a a a 4 a a a 4
16 e eg k k kged k g e ge a a a a a a
21 d egd a a a a a ·
The buffins
ddd a a a d ddd c ccc d ddd a a c c a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a c c c a a a c c d c c c c a a a c c c
6 a aaa d d c c d ddd f fff c c c a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a c c a a a d d d d d d c c a a c c c e e e
11 e eee d ddd c ccc f fff e fee d d d a a a a a a a a a d d d e e e a a a c c c d d d e e e a a a c c c a a a e e e a a a 16 d d c c d ddd a a a a a a a a a c c a a a c c a a c c c ·
put on your sark on monenday
ac d c ac d d d c a e ac a a a a a a a a a c a a c c aa c a c a
8 d d dd d d c ac e c a a a a a a a a a a a a c c 4 c c c a a
15 ac a d a a a a aa a 4 / a a a a e / ca ca acc c /
22 d ec a d ac a a a a a a a a a a a 4 ca ac c a ·
John come kisse me noue
d degeg h hhh d dedca e eeee d degeg a e e e e a a a a a a e a a e e e a a c c c a a c c g g g c c a a a c c
6 h hhh g edcde c d degeg h hhh d degeg e e e e a e e e e a e e e e a a a e e e a a g g g c c e g g g c e
11 k caa d degeg h hhh g edcdec d g g g a e e e e e a g g g a a e e e a a i i i c e g g g c c ·