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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.

Couper, Victoria   Beinecke Library, Yale University  

Showing 1 to 8 of 8

4 A lamentable Dittie composed upon the death of/ Robert Lord Devereux late Earle of Essex, who was beheaded in the/ Tower of London, upon Ashwednesday in the morning [Huntington Britwell 18290]
18 An excellent Ballad of a Prince of England's Courtship to the/ King of France’s Daughter, and how the Prince was disasterously slain [Roxburghe 1.102-03]
33 The most Rare and Excellent History,/ Of the Dutchess of Suffolks Callamity [Euing 228]
57 The Shepherd and the King, and of Gillian the Shepherds Wife, with her churlish Answer [Euing 332]
71 The Scotch Lasses Constancy/ OR/ Jenny's Lamentation for the loss of Jockey [Crawford 1217]
81 Prides fall: Or, A warning for all English Women./ By the Example of a strange Monster born of late in Germany [Euing 269]
90 Cupids Courtesie:/ OR,/ The young Gallant foild at his own Weapon [Euing 39]
116 Love and Honour: Or,/ The Lovers Farewel to Calista [Roxburghe 2.306]

Top Fives

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Authors

  • Anonymous  (4)
  • Deloney, Thomas (d. in...  (2)
  • D'Urfey, Thomas (1653?–...  (1)
  • Dryden, John (1631-1700...  (1)
  • P., J.  (1)

Publishers

  • Coles (aka Coules), Fra...  (6)
  • Milbourn, Alexander  (6)
  • Onley, William  (6)
  • Passinger, Thomas  (6)
  • Thackeray, William  (6)

Topics

  • Gender - femininity  (6)
  • Emotions - love  (5)
  • Gender - masculinity  (5)
  • Violence - interpersona...  (5)
  • Emotions - sorrow  (4)

Instruments

  • Cittern  (4)
  • Dulcimer (improvised)  (1)
  • Fiddle  (1)
  • Jew's harp  (1)
  • Recorder  (1)

Performers

  •   Couper, Victoria  (8)
  • Vitale, Steno  (4)
  • Lewin, Giles  (3)
  • Watts, Andy  (2)
  • Burn, Emily  (1)
  • Ellis, Vivien  (1)
  • Franks, Clemmie  (1)

Tunes

  • All you that love good...  (1)
  • Bonny sweet Robin  (1)
  • Chevy Chase  (1)
  • Crimson velvet  (1)
  • Cupid's courtesy  (1)
  • Sawney and Jockey  (1)
  • Troy Town  (1)
  • Welladay  (1)

Woodcuts

  • Country couple with lar...  (2)
  • Attack with keys  (1)
  • Courtly garden  (1)
  • Cupid in circle  (1)
  • Maid's funeral  (1)

Holding Libraries

  •   Beinecke Library, Yale...  (8)
  • Bodleian Library, Oxfor...  (8)
  • British Library  (8)
  • National Library of Sco...  (8)
  • No known copy  (6)

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