The wandring Jews chronicle was written by Martin Parker and published by Thomas Lambert in 1634, though no copy survives.
The idea of a chronicle-in-song was not without precedent (see Related texts) but the approach adopted by the leading balladeer Martin Parker, author of The wandring Jews chronicle, was distinctive and highly successful. He presented a historical narrative extending from William I through to Charles I. The song proved to be a perennially steady seller: Giles Bergel has located twelve broadside editions that incrementally update the chronicle until the reign of George III.
The oldest surviving copy of Parker's ballad was published by Francis Grove. He had acquired rights to the title from Thomas Lambert, probably early in the 1640s when Lambert left the trade. Grove's edition was certainly a reprint of Parker's original song as it concludes with a verse on the kingship of Charles I. However, Grove must have published it sometime after 1656, as is indicated by the licence strapline (see Ballad Business essay). Grove entered rights to numerous royal woodcut portraits in 1658, which perhaps indicates that he published the ballad's gallery of images at about the same time.
The wandring Jews chronicle was one of the many Grove titles that were sold to the Ballad Partnership by his son John Grove. Either Grove or the Ballad Partners celebrated the Restoration of the monarchy by commissioning an author to write new verses, taking the narrative from Charles I through to Charles II's marriage to Catherine of Braganza in May 1662. The civil war years and the interregnum are summed up in just two verses:
In Scotland born in England nurst,
Was Pious Princely Charl[e]s the first,
who had to wife Queen Mary:
But by the rage of Rebels hate,
Murthred and Martyr'd at his Gate,
this good King did miscarry.
King Charl[e]s the second, that had spent,
Many long years in banishment,
and scap'd with life so nearly:
By Miracle and means unknown,
SIts in the brightness of his Throne.
The partners reprinted this extended song until 1685, but no further seventeenth century editions or updates have survived. The reason for this gap may have more to do with politics than with an actual break in the ballad archive, however. The derogatory verse about Mary I would not have been acceptable under James II's censorship regime (see Ballad Business essay):
I knew Queen Mary in her Reign,
Put Protestants to mickle pain,
and re-set up the Mass.
After James's abdication, ballad chronicles started up once again. No edition survives before 1711 but an edition printed during the reign of George II includes verses covering the accession of James II thorugh to the Revolution of 1688-89. Whereas the twenty years of the civil wars and interregnum were dealt with in just two verses, no fewer than seven were devoted to the period between 1685 to 1702. These include the following:
I saw his royal Brother James,
Who was led on by such extremes,
Which made the nation weep.
I saw his coronation-day,
And how he did the scepter sway,
Which long he could not keep.
Lord chancellor I saw likewise, [i.e. George Jeffreys]
When he did rule and tyrannize.
By arbitrary power;
And I was in the council-room
When Peters he was pleasd to doom [i.e. James II's confessor Father Edward Petres]
The bishops to the Tower.
I present was that very morn,
When the Pretender he was born, [i.e. James Stuart, the 'Old pretender']
Which was the tenth of June,
In sixteen hundred eighty-eight.
But this day provd unfortunate,
It put all out of tune.
I see king William cross the seas,
To give the land and nation ease,
With a most glorious fleet.
I saw him cross to Ireland,
With a right valiant armed band,
Making his foes retreat.
I have his royal consort seen,
Mary, our most religious queen,
In all her courtly train.
I saw her royal funeral,
And how the showers of tears did fall,
While subjects did complain. ...
I saw king William when he dyd,
Who was the land and nations guide,
A scourge to France and Spain.
Angela McShane
References
Giles Bergel, Christopher J. Howe, Heather F. Windram, 'Lines of succession in an English ballad tradition: The publishing history and textual descent of The Wandering Jew’s Chronicle', Digital Scholarship in the Humanities, 31: 3 (September 2016), pp. 540–562
The WANDERING JEW's CHRONICLE. / Or, A Brief HISTORY of the Remarkable Passages from William the Conqueror to this present Reign. (c. 1727) [EBBA 31447]
To the tune of ‘Our Prince is welcome out of Spain’ (lost tune)
The purpose of this section is to provide brief notes on the melody followed by detailed evidence relating to its career, paying particular attention to the ‘echoes’ (inter-song associations and connections) that may have been set up if it was nominated for the singing of more than one ballad. In the list presented in the ‘Songs and Summaries’ section below, we have endeavored to include as many of the black-letter ballads that used the tune as possible, under any of its variant names. Titles from our chart of best-sellers are presented in bold type (these are also in colour when there is a link to the relevant ballad page on the website). It should be noted that it is extremely difficult to date many ballads precisely and the chronological order in which the songs are listed is therefore very approximate (we have drawn on previous attempts to date the ballads, making adjustments when additional evidence can be brought into play). In most cases, we list the earliest surviving edition of a ballad, though in many instances there may have been earlier versions, now lost.
Versions and variations
There is no known notation for a melody of this name.
Echoes (an overview)
This lost tune does not appear to have been particularly popular in the seventeenth century, and only three black-letter ballads are listed below. The earliest tune title, ‘Our Prince is welcome out of Spain’, probably derived from a ballad of the mid-1620s about Prince Charles’ controversial courtship-trip to the continent, but the song does not appear to have survived.
Perhaps the travel theme made the melody appealing to Martin Parker when he composed the hit song, The Wandring Jews Chronicle, a few years later (the title to this ballad then became a new name for the tune). There is no clear and obvious link between The Wandring Jews Chronicle and the other ballads to the tune, though The two inseparable brothers is also about unusual individuals on tour, in this case the conjoined twins from Italy to travelled round Europe to be placed on show during the 1630s. The composer was, once again, Martin Parker, and it thus seems possible that this tune was one of his favourites.
The final song in the short series, The Cuckcoo of the Times, does its own thing – warning men that they are all likely to become cuckolds – and it deploys the old tune for reasons that are not easy to discern. The three songs, though strongly connected by their tune, do not feature particularly strong intertextual connections.
Songs and Summaries
The Wandring Jews Chronicle... Tune of, Our Prince is welcome out of Spain (registered 1634; J.C, W.T., and T.P., 1684-86). Pepys 1.482-83; EBBA 20226. History – medieval, ancient/mythological; Politics – domestic, Royalist, court, plots; Royalty – praise, criticism; Society – old/young; Violence – civil war, interpersonal; Places – English, European, nationalities. The legendary Wandering Jew leads us through six centuries of monarch-watching in England, starting with William the Conqueror and concluding with Charles II - though the picture panel only gets as far as Charles I and Henrietta Maria.
The two inseparable brothers... To the tune of The wandring Jewes Chronicle (Thomas Lambert, c. 1637). Manchester Central Library, Blackletter Ballads 2.46; EBBA 36093. Family – siblings; Bodies – looks/physique, health/sickness; Emotions – wonder; News – domestic, international, sensational; Religion – Christ/God; Places – European, English; Recreation – music, reading/writing; Society – urban life. The author provides a detailed description of the Italian conjoined twins who are currently on show in London and urges us all to ‘admire the King of Kings,/ and of his power conceave’.
The Cuckcoo of the Times... To the Tune of, The Wandring Jews Chronicle (P. Brooksby, 1670-98). Crawford 1207; EBBA 33861. Environment – birds; Gender – adultery/cuckoldry, marriage; Humour – bawdry, verbal, domestic/familial; Politics – domestic, Royalists, plots; History – ancient/mythological Employment – crafts/trades, professions; Recreation – music; Religion – ancient gods. A ballad about the song of a favourite bird, playing merrily with the cuckoo-cuckold connection and arguing that all men are destined to hear this form of music.
Postscript
The tune was not used for white-letter ballads, nor does it seem to have been nominated in song-books of the period.
Christopher Marsh
Back to contentsStandard woodcut name: Royals in rows
The purpose of this section is to provide evidence relating to the career of the image under discussion, paying particular attention to the ‘reflections’ (inter-song associations and connections) that may have been set up if it was chosen to illustrate more than one ballad. The list given below includes all ballads from the Pepys and Roxburghe collections that feature this woodcut or a close variant (these are the two largest collections, including approximately 3300 sheets, in total). References to ballads from other collections occur only when the featured edition of the song under consideration here (or the featured edition of another song from our list) comes from such a source. Ballads from our chart of best-sellers are presented in bold type, and they also appear in colour where there is a link to another song in the database. Please note, however, that the editions of hit songs listed below are not necessarily those for which digital images are presented on this website. Cross-references to other examples of our featured woodcuts are also presented in bold. It is extremely difficult to date many ballads precisely and the chronological order in which the songs are listed is therefore very approximate (we have drawn on previous attempts to date the ballads, making adjustments when additional evidence can be brought into play).
Reflections (an overview)
This image, perhaps specially designed for this song, has not been found on any other of the seventeenth-century ballads in the two largest collections. The only title listed below is therefore our featured edition. The woodcut was also used on other surviving editions of The Wandring Jews Chronicle, and most extant versions seem to have been produced from the same woodblock. The fact that the pictured series of monarchs ends with Charles I probably indicates that the woodcut was originally commissioned for an edition of the ballad that was issued before the Restoration in 1660 (see also Song history).
The image’s distinctive design presumably contributed to the song’s long-lived success. More obviously than most ballads, it encourages us to imagine the manner in which consumers might have jumped from text to image and back again, establishing their own connections with both components. Presumably this was also a way of teaching history to the young by using all available techniques for holding the attention, including twenty-five little pictures and one narrator who, miraculously, had lived for six hundred years (though clever students would have noted that the Wandering Jew should really have been much older than this, having witnessed the crucifixion of Christ).
Songs and summaries
The Wandring Jews Chronicle (J.C, W.T., and T.P., 1684-86). Pepys 1.482-83; EBBA 20226. History – medieval, ancient/mythological; Politics – domestic, Royalist, court, plots; Royalty – praise, criticism; Society – old/young; Violence – civil war, interpersonal; Places – English, European, nationalities. The legendary Wandering Jew leads us through six centuries of monarch-watching in England, starting with William the Conqueror and concluding with Charles II - though the picture panel only gets as far as Charles I and Henrietta Maria (picture placement: the panel appears beneath the title and covers the full width of the sheet).
Postscript
An updated version of this woodcut appears on an early eighteenth-century white-letter edition of the ballad: The WANDERING JEW’s CHRONICLE (‘Printed and sold in Bow Church-yard’, 1728?). Roxburghe 3.733;EBBA 31447.
Christopher Marsh
Back to contentsA sixteenth-century precursor of this song was a broadside entitled The Cronycle of all the Kynges: that haue / Reygned in Englande: Sythe the Conquest of Wyllyam Conqueroure (EBBA 32098). This text only extends from William the Conqueror to Edward IV (1442-83) and it does not seem to have been intended for singing. Parker, author of The Wandring Jews Chronicle, can therefore be credited with adopting a new approach to the broadside-chronicle.
There were also several eighteenth century revised versions of our ballad, published in London and Northampton by the Dicey family, and by John White in Newcastle: The WANDERING JEW's CHRONICLE. / Or, A Brief HISTORY of the Remarkable Passages from William the Conqueror to this present Reign (c. 1737) [EBBA 31447]; The Wandering JEW's CHRONICLE; / Or, A Brief History of the Remarkable Passages from WILLIAM the Conqueror; to this present Reign (c. 1727) [EBBA 31446]; and An old song, newly reviv'd, or The wandering Jew's chronicle (c. 1761) Ballads Onlline - Bod18956.
Angela McShane
References
Giles Bergel, Christopher J. Howe, Heather F. Windram, 'Lines of succession in an English ballad tradition: The publishing history and textual descent of The Wandering Jew’s Chronicle', Digital Scholarship in the Humanities, 31: 3 (September 2016), pp. 540–562.
The Wandring Jews Chronicle;/ OR, The Old Historian, His Brief Declaration, Made in Mad Fashion, Of each Coronation, That pass’d in this Nation;/ Since Williams Invasion, For no great occasion, But meer Recreation, To put off Vexation.
Tune of, Our Prince is welcome out of Spain.
[We have not made a recording because the tune is unknown]
When William Duke of Normandy,
With all his Normans gallantly,
This Kingdom did subdue:
Full fifteen years of age I was,
And what e’re since hath come to pass,
I can report for true.
I can remember since he went
From London for to Conquer Kent,
where in a walking Wood,
The men of Kent Compassed him,
And he for aye confirm’d to them,
King Edwards Laws for good.
Likewise, I William Rufus knew,
And saw the Arrow that him slew,
hard by a Forrest side:
I well could tell you if I list,
Or better tell you if I wist,
who next to him did ride.
First Henry I, and Stephen knew,
Who no man there but I did view,
I saw them Crown’d and dead:
I can remember well also,
The second Henry’s Royal show,
that day that he was wed.
I likewise was at Woodstock-Bower,
And saw the sweet and famous flower,
Queen Elinor did so spight
I found the Clew of Thread again,
After that worthy knight was slain,
‘twas green, blew, red, and white.
I saw King Richard in his Shirt,
Pull out a furious Lyons heart,
whereby his strength was try’d;
I saw King John, when as the Monk
Gave him the Poyson which he drunk,
and then forsooth he dy’d.
I mark’d the Barrons when they sent
For the French Doulphin, with intent
to put third Henry down:
I saw the Earl of Leicester stout,
(Call’d Simon Munford) with his Tent
besiege fair London Town.
And I have the first Edward seen,
Whose legs I still thought to have had been
a Yard and more in length:
With him I into Scotland went,
And back again incontinent,
which he subdu’d by strength.
I knew Carnarven’s Minion dear,
And saw the fall of Mortimer,
with all the Barrons Wars:
And likely was to have been sent,
To Burton Battel upon Trent,
where I receiv’d these scars.
Third Edward and his valiant Son,
by whom great feats of arms were done
I saw on Cressy Plain:
Which day when bows & arrows keen,
Grew scant with mighty stones I wen
were many French men slain.
I knew Wat Tyler and Jack Straw,
And I the Mayor of London saw,
in Smithfield which him slew:
I was at Pomfret Castle, when
The second Richard there was slain,
whose death e’re since I rue.
I saw when Henry Bullingbrook
The Crown and Scepter on him took
which he became full well:
I saw when Henry Hotsur he,
And many Lords at Shrewsbury,
were slain in Battel fell.
I saw the brave victorious Prince,
(whose death I have bewail’d e’re since)
Henry the fifth I mean:
And I can give you just report,
How many French at Agen-Court,
were in one battel slain.
I saw the White, and Red=Rose Knight,
And Warwick great in Armour bright,
in the sixth Henry’s Reign:
And present was that very hour,
When Henry was in London Tower,
by Crook’d back Richard slain.
I in the Gold smiths Shop have seen
Fourth Edwards Famous Concubine,
whose name was [fa]ir Jane Shore:
I saw when Richar[d] cruelly,
Did put her to gr[ea]t misery,
and I was grie[v’d] therefore.
I also was at Bosworth field,
Well armed there with Spear & shield
meaning to try my force:
Where Richard loosing life and Crown
Was naked bourn to Leicester Town,
upon a Colliars Horse.
To the seventh Henry then I was
A Servant, as it came to pass,
to serve him at his need:
And while I did in Court remain
I saw in the eighth Henry’s Reign,
full many great men bleed.
I was a Souldier bold with him,
O’re Neptunes curled breast did swim,
unto the Realm of France:
I helpt to ransack Bulloign Town,
And many places of Renown,
yet home I came by chance.
I knew sixth Edward of a Child,
Whose countenance was very mild,
a hopeful Prince he was:
I knew Queen Mary in her Reign,
Put Protestants to mickle pain,
and re=set up the Mass.
And (to my comfort) I have seen,
Elizabeth that Maiden=Queen,
Queen Maries only Sister:
Though she reigned forty years,
Her Subjects shewed by their tears,
that they too soon did miss her.
I saw King James come from the north
Like to a Star that shineth forth,
to glad the peoples sight:
He brought a salve to cure our wound
And made great Brittain safe & sound
through equity and right.
He was in troth a Prince of Peace,
And made all former jars to cease
‘twixt English-men and Scots:
The English-men sung merry Sonnets,
The Scots they threw up their Bonnets
for joy of their good Lots.
In Scotland born, in England Nurst,
Was Pious Princely Charles the first,
who had to Wife Queen Mary;
But by the rage of Rebels hate,
Murther’d and Martyr’d at his Gate,
this good King did miscarry.
King Charles the second, that had spent
Many long years in Banishment
and scap’d with life so nearly
By miracle and means unknown
Sits in the brightness of his Throne
where he doth shine most clearly.
Queen Katherine his betrothed Wife
The Lady of his Love and Life,
is likewise now come hither
And may their bodies now increase,
In love and children, joy and peace,
long as they live together.
Printed for I. C. W. T. [an]d T. P.
This ballad is included according to the criteria for List A (see Methodology). The evidence presented here is accurate, to the best of our knowledge, as of 1st January 2024.
Shirburn ballads: not included.
Appearances on Ballad Partners' lists: Coles, Vere, Wright and Clarke, 1675; and Thackeray, 1689.
Other registrations with Stationers' Company: 1634.
No. of known editions c.1560-1711: 5
No. of extant copies: 4
New tune-titles generated: 'The wandring Jews chronicle' (3 ballads).
Specially-commissioned woodcuts: Royals in rows on featured edition (and other editions).
Vaughan Williams Memorial Library databases: 14 references, with no evidence of later collection as a folk-song (Roud no. V13587).
POINTS: 0 + 10 + 5 + 10 + 4 + 6 + 5 + 1 = 41
This box will be used to highlight any new information on this song that might come to light after the launch of the website.
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