Sources.  This dance appears in all seven manuscripts as the sixth Old Measure. Music entitled “Queen’s Alman” appears in William Byrd, The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book, Cambridge Fitzwilliam Museum, Ms. 32.G29, from about 1609-1619. The earliest version of this dance, in RP, varies substantially from the other versions. This reconstruction is based on the other five manuscripts.

Reconstruction.  The five manuscripts first describe the section of the dance we have called section B (because it matches the second, 16 measure, portion of the music), then describe our section A (which aligns with the 8-measure portion at the beginning of the music). RD describes the dance as “begening at the second strayne”. To be faithful to the manuscripts, dancers should wait through the first eight measures of the music, then begin the dance with section B, only doing section A in the repeats. We prefer to simply begin with section A. In the transcription, the text for section A is shown between curly braces.

Reconstruction.  The five manuscripts vary some in their description of section A. HA has two doubles forward, followed by two doubles backward. DO and RD both have four doubles forward. (The texts of SRO and RD list 5 doubles forward, 1 double back, which initially appears to be an additional difference; however, upon examination, it’s clear that the 5th double forward and the double back are “borrowed” from the next repeat of the B figure.) IT and RCM have “slide” four doubles “round about the house.” We have chosen to use the DO/RD version, primarily because this is the version reconstructed by Pugliese and Casazza and is thus likely to be the most familiar version to others who have done this dance.

Recordings.  Dances from the Inns of Court: 2 and 4 repeats. Dances from the Courts of Europe: 2 repeats, nice tempo, fine sound. Musick for Dauncinge: 4 repeats, nice tempo, fine sound. Rose and Nefr: 4 repeats, a little slow, decent sound.