The melody appears in the 1657 supplement to the 3rd edition of The Dancing Master. However, it was earlier the vehicle for a 17th century Italian song called "La Montovana", but was first published as "Ballo di Mantua" in Gasparo Zanetti's book Il Scolaro (1645). It became an international melody and spread throughout Europe. It was employed, for example, in the Spanish hymn "Virgen de la Cueva" (Virgin of the Cave), the Yiddish folk song "Pod Krakowem" and as the Ukranian "Kateryna Kucheryava". The melody was adapted by Samuel Cohen in 1888 for his song "Hatikvah" which eventually became the Israeli national anthem. It was recorded on A Trip to Kilburn by The Baltimore Consort.