Vance and Sean, and list, There is a tradition of making songs out of battles, or the implements of battle. I don't have any idea when the lute piece Brown Bess was written (or if it was written as a lute piece). But the British military musket of the 18th century, used in the "Colonial War" (for the Europeans), or Revolutionary War (for the Americans) was known as the Brown Bess. Given that there was little weapons development over a period of time the Bess could be Elizabeth, the Brown is clear - I've seen a number of them and the stocks are all a rather nice burled brown wood. The gun is a flintlock musket.
To state my case, there is a piece of the late 18th century (harp, whistle, etc. ) called The Rights of Man. Most who guess its origin refer to the French Revolution, or the American, and consider it a political statement. But it is a hornpipe, with no words. and in about 1795 (give or take) there was an all night battle between French (Republican) ship Droits des Homme and a British ship (and in my files, where I can't find it, are the names of the British ship, and the commanders). So it is my good guess that the two hundred (odd) year old tune is a hornpipe made in celebration of that battle, and that in the same vein the tune Brown Bess is probably a celebration of that standard musket. Best, Jon
