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.

Gender - Courtship   Cittern   Lewin, Giles   National Library Of Scotland  

Showing 1 to 9 of 9

6 A most sweet Song of an English Merchant,/ borne at Chichester [Roxburghe 1.104-05]
23 The Countrey FARMER:/ OR, THE/ Buxome VIRGIN [Roxburghe 2.77]
28 A most excellent Song of the love of young Palmus, and faire Sheldra, with their unfortunate love [Pepys 1.350-51]
34 The Brides Buriall [Roxburghe 1.59]
45 A pleasant new Ballad of the Miller of Mansfield, in Sherwood and of King Henry the second [Roxburghe 1.228-29]
49 A constant Wife, a kinde Wife,/ A loving Wife, and a fine Wife [Pepys 1.390-91]
66 Advice to the Ladies of/ LONDON, In the Choice of their Husbands [Pepys 4.85]
83 The dying tears of a true Lover forsaken,/ Made on his Death=bed [Euing 64]
116 Love and Honour: Or,/ The Lovers Farewel to Calista [Roxburghe 2.306]

Top Fives

Click any item to filter the ballad list.
Use the search function to find additional material.

Authors

Publishers

Topics

Instruments

Performers

Tunes

Woodcuts

Holding Libraries