Top pop from seventeenth-century England. Broadside ballads were single-sheet songs that sold for a penny a piece. This website concentrates on over 100 resoundingly successful examples that you can investigate through recordings, images and a wealth of other materials. Whether you are interested in music, art, love, gender, tragedy, politics, family life, crime, history, humour or death, you will find something to engage you here. See also User’s Guide.

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Showing 1 to 19 of 19

10 The Norfolke Gentleman his last Will and Testament [Roxburghe 1.284-85]
15 The Lamentable and Tragicall History of Titus An-/dronicus [Folger L252a]
27 A Pleasant Song of the Valiant Deeds of Chivalry,/ Atchieved by that Noble Knight Sir Guy of Warwick [Roxburghe 3.50-1]
28 A most excellent Song of the love of young Palmus, and faire Sheldra, with their unfortunate love [Pepys 1.350-51]
29 A Lamentable ballad of the tragical end of a Gallant Lord,/ and a Vertuous Lady [Euing 197]
40 A Pleasant new Ballad betweene King Edward the fourth, and a Tan-/ner of Tamworth [Roxburghe 1.176-77]
42 An Excellent Ballad of Patient Grissel [Euing 85]
48 A pretty Ballad of the Lord of Lorn, and the false Steward [Pepys 1.494-95]
60 A new Sonnet, shewing how the Goddesse Diana transformed Acteon into the/ shape of an Hart [Manchester Central Library Blackletter Ballads 1.29]
70 The wofull complaint, and lamentable death of a forsaken Lover [Pepys 1.354-55]
73 The lamentable fall of Queen Elenor, who for her Pride/ and wickedness by Gods judgements sunk into the ground at Charing=Cross and rose at/ Queen hive [Euing 184]
85 A new Ballad, intituled, The stout Cripple of Cornwal [Euing 242]
90 Cupids Courtesie:/ OR,/ The young Gallant foild at his own Weapon [Euing 39]
94 An Excellent Ditty, called the Shepherds wooing Dulcina [Roxburghe 2.402-03]
96 Young Jemmy,/ OR,/ The Princely Shepherd [Roxburghe 2.556]
102 Robin Hood newly reviv'd [Bodleian Wood 401 (27v-28r)]
106 A Strange Banquet;/ OR,/ The Devils Entertainment by Cook Laurel [Pepys 4.284]
113 A New little Northren Song called,/ Under and over, over and under [Pepys 1.264-65]
120 The Happy Husbandman:/ OR,/ Country Innocence [Pepys 3.45]

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