This is an intriguing thread. Searching for a suitable contemporary tune for use as a setting for the clown's song Come Away Death for a production of 12th Night to be put on by the theatre group in our village of Marden recently, I found Staines Morris worked particularly well.

And, as it turns out, the tune and play could not be more contemporary with each other, as the play is believed to have been written in 1601 or 1602.

Here's a recording of our clown, young performing arts student Dylan Stallard, singing it:

http://youtu.be/j21rzapZxYY

Gavin