Volume V, song 433, page 445 - 'The Maltman' - Scanned from...
Volume V, song 433, page 445 - 'The Maltman' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)
Verse 1: 'The maltman comes on a Munanday, He craves wonderous fair, Cries dame, come gi'e me my siller, Or malt ye'll ne'er get mair. I took him into the pantry; And gave him some good cock-broo, Syne paid him upon a gantree As hostler wives should do.' 'Munanday' is Scots dialect for Monday, 'crave' is to demand payment. 'Cock' is the Old Scots word for fuddled and 'gantrees' are the wooden stands for barrels.
The 'Scots Musical Museum' is the most important of the numerous eighteenth- and nineteenth-century collections of Scottish song. When the engraver James Johnson started work on the second volume of his collection in 1787, he enlisted Robert Burns as contributor and editor. Burns enthusiastically collected songs from various sources, often expanding or revising them, whilst including much of his own work. The resulting combination of innovation and antiquarianism gives the work a feel of living tradition.
Surprisingly the tune to this piece is of English origin. It is known as 'Roger de Coverley' and was printed by John Playford in his 'Dancing Master' (1686). Burns was quite particular about only including pieces of Scots origin. The words, however, are Scots and as a result the song probably partly met Burns's requirements. The lyrics were first printed in Allan Ramsay's (1686-1758) 'Tea-Table Miscellany' (1724-7) although there was no further information available on them.
Volume V, song 433, page 445 - 'The Maltman' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)