The development of Devon related broadside ballads printed in London and in provincial and Devon towns from 1549 to 1890.

1. The heritage of the book in Devon and Exeter
D-38a
Devon broadside ballads
A series of presentations
to celebrate the designation
of Exeter
as UNESCO city of literature
in 2019
The book fool, from The ship of fools,
translated by Alexander Barclay in 1509.
The first book by a Devon writer
to appear in print.

2. God hath gyven our kynge the
victorye. – [London] : [s.n.] ,
[1549].

3. Sir Walter Rauleigh
his lamentation Who
was beheaded in the
old Pallace at
Westminster the 22 of
October. 1618.
London : Philip Birch
, [1618?].

4. The lamentation of Mr. Page’s wife of Plymouth. – [London] : Printed and
sold at the Printing-Office in Bow Church-Yard , [1750?]

5. A new Ballad intituled, the
stout Cripple of Cornwall,
wherein is shewed his
dissolute life and deserued
death.
London: Printed for I. W. ,
[1624?]

6. The West country lovers : See here the pattern of true love amongst the country
blades, who never can delighted be, but when amongst the maids
London : Printed for J. Bonyers at the black raven in Duck-lane , [1680?]

7. A looking-glass for a covetous miser: or, Comfort to a contented minde :
Being a serious discourse between a rich miser in the west country, and a poor husband-man
London : Printed for W. Thackeray, T. Passinger and W. Whitwood , [1670?]

8. Tom and Rogers contract: or what Devon-farmers use to act : Two farmers lately met in
Devon-shire, and so by chance they drank a pot of beer; and since it was within the
month of May, I will declare to you what they did say.
London : Printed for J. Brooksby in Py-corner , [1680?]

9. The Benjamin's lamentation for their sad loss at sea by storms and tempests. London:
Printed by and for W.O. and sold by the booksellers, 1689/1709. - 1 sheet : ill. - Roud
2632. First Line: Captain Chilver's gone to sea. Tune: The poor Benjamin, O &c.
Held by: Bodleian Library: Douce Ballads 1(16a).

10. Witchcraft discovered and punished. Or, the Tryals and Condemnation of three Notorious
Witches, who were Tryed the last Assizes, holden at the Castle of Exeter, in the County of Devon:
where they received Sentance for Death, for bewitchng several Persons, destroying Ships at Sea,
and Cattel by Land, &c.To the tune of Doctor Faustus; or, fortune my foe. – [London] : [s. n.] ,
1682. - British Library – Roxburghe 2.531(ShelfmarkC.20.f.8.531). - ESTC R228715

11. A full description of these times, or The Prince of Orange's march from Exeter to London
[London] : Printed for A. B. , [1689].

12. The new art and mystery of
gossipping : being a genuine account
of all the women’s clubs about
London.
Exon : Printed by Thomas Brice, in
Goldsmith’s Street ; where travellers
and shopkeepers may be supplied ,
[1783?]
8p ; 8°.
Devon Heritage Centre 9972/Z22

13. The Exeter garland in five parts : being a tragical
account of two loyal lovers of Exeter
[s.l.] : [s.n.] , [1780?]
8p ; 16°
Devon Heritage Centre p821/EXE
The Plymouth tragedy, or fair Susuan’s
overthrow. And the careful maiden
Coventry : Printed and sold at the Printing-
Office near the Cross , [1760?]
Devon Heritage Centre p821/PLY

14. The merry broomfield: or, the west country wager
[s.l.] : [s.n.] , [1710?]

15. Sweet William of Plymouth.
[London] : Sold at No. 42, Long Lane [John Evans] , [1795?]

16. Fun upon fun: or, the stark-naked west-country wedding.
London : Printed in Aldermary Church Yard , [1750?]

17. The Plymouth tragedy : or, fair Susan's overthrow.
London : Printed and sold at the Printing-Office in Bow Church-Yard , [1750?]

18. Sweet Poll of Plymouth. –
[London] : Printed at J. Pitts
Wholesale Toy Warehouse,
6, Great St. Andrew street, 7
Dials , [1802/20].
Sequel to Sweet Poll of
Plymouth.
[London] : Printed and sold
by J.Pitts, No. 14 Great
Andrew Street, Seven Dial ,
[1820/40].

19. The Plymouth tragedy; or, fair Susan’s overthrow
[London] : Printed and sold by J. Pitts, 6, Great St. Andrew street seven Dials

20. Committal of John Lee for the
alleged murder of Mrs. Keyes near
Torquay. Air – The Miser
London : H. Such, Machine
Printer and Publisher, 177, Union
Street, Boro’ S. E.
Devon Heritage Service: ME 1884

21. I'm the wandering bard from Exeter.
[s.l.] : [s.n.] , [1840?]
I'm the wandering bard from Exeter,
From scribbling can't refrain,
It's poverty compels me,
To come in the rain,
Hard is my fate, I have no estate,
And must either sing or cry,
My lot is cast I am forced at last,
To ask of you to buy.
Cold winter is now approaching,
But I have no clothes for to pack,
None have I left behind me,
For they are all on my back,
[…]
I come into the ale-house,
Just to take a cup of beer,
It always makes me cheerful,
Tho' the times are hard,
Now buy my song be it right or wrong,
'Twill help a wand'ring bard.

22. The late noted Tommy Osborne, second-
hand bookseller - and M.P. for the
antient & loyal borough of Ide, in 1812.
Lithographed and published by G.
Townsend, lithographer etc., Deanery
Sq., Exeter.
Exeter : G.Townsend , Date: [1848?].
Lithograph ; 266x155mm.
'My claims to your patronage, ladies &
gentlemen, I trust are indisputable -
having been employed for the last thirty
years in collecting the most valuable &
scarce literary publications of the
ancients, to adorn your libraries. I was
also concerned in suppressing & causing
to be condemned to the flames the works
of that all-levelling traitor Tom Paine.'
Extract from address to Ide electors, Sep.
29, 1812.

23. A new song, addressed to the
honest freemen of Exeter. Tune
of 'Tis of an old woman of
Grimstone.
[Exeter] : [s.n.] , 1761.
Devon Heritage Centre:
LE 1761

24. The Newfoundland sailor
[Exeter] : [Elizabeth Brice] ,
[1782?]
Devon Heritage Centre:
9972/Z9
The sorrowful lamentation of
Miss Sarah West. The
unhappy young lady who lost
her life with her sweetheart
on board the formidable man
of war commanded by the
brave Rodney, in the
engagement with De Grasse,
was killed at the round top.
Exon : Printed by Elizabeth
Brice , near East-Gate ,
[1782?].
Devon Heritage Centre: LE
1782

25. The lamentation of
Rebecca Downing,
condemn’d to be burnt
at Heavitree … July 29,
1782, for poisoning her
master, Richard Jarvis.
Exon : printed by T.
Brice, Goldsmith Street
, [1782].
Devon Heritage Centre:
LE 1782
The life, character,
confession and dying
behaviour of Rebecca
Downing […]
Exon : printed by
Elizabeth. Brice, near
East Gate , [1782].
Devon Heritage Centre:
LE 1782

26. Examples of broadsheet verse by Thomas Brice, 1783 and 1783. Devon Heritage Centre

27. The loyal Briton. A song.
Exeter : Printed by R.
Trewman and Son, and
delivered (Gratis) by ther
Constitutional Society, at the
Country-House , [1793?]
Devon Heritage Centre LE
1793
Church and King. A song.
Tune --- “Rule Britannia.”
Exeter : Printed by R.
Trewman and Son, and
delivered (Gratis) by ther
Constittional Society, at the
Country-House , [1793?]
Devon Heritage Centre LE
1793

28. Buy a broom.
Exeter : Besley, printer,
[1800/30].
Our King is a true
British sailor.
Exeter : Besley, printer ,
[1830/37]

29. The busy fellows in the suds. A new song. – Tune Vicar and Mosey. [and]
The town in a hurry; or, the Dock dance. A new ballad.
[Plymouth?] : [s.n.] , [1785?].

30. My friend and pitcher [and] Fair
Betsy of Plymouth, and her young
sailor bold. Air. – Boys of
Kilkenny.
Devonport : Printed by E. Keys,
7, James-street where hawkers
and travellers may be supplied
cheaper than at any other house in
the West of England. Sold also by
R. Stone, Exeter; and by W.
Burridge, Truro, Cornwall ,
[1825/50].
Bodleian Library Frith c13 (289).

31. Cornish miners: one and all
[and] Cherry ripe.
Devonport : J. Mudge,
printer , [1820/40]

32. The drunken wife. A companion to
the Drunken husband. Tune. –
“Dumble dum deary
[and] Love’s a tyrant.
Devonport : Printed and sold by W.
Picken, 38, Tavistock-St.,
Devonport. Where may be had a
great variety of the most choice
songs, sheet songs, scripture pieces,
memorandum books, spelling
books, reading easies, primers
penny and halfpenny history books,
writing papers, &c., cheaper than
any other house in the kingdom.
Country orders, (cash enclosed,)
promptly executed , [1840?].

33. The outlandish knight.
Bideford : Wilson , [1820/50].
Bodleian Library.

34. Opening of the North Devon
Railway, from Bideford to
Barnstaple, on Monday 29th
October 1855.
Bideford : Wilson, [1855].
Devon Heritage Centre LE 1855

35. The misseltoe bough
[and] I would be a soldier still
[and] The fairies’song.
Barnstaple : S. Searle, Printer,
[1847/60].

36. Mary Neil.
Honiton : Snell,
printer, [1820/30].
The fox-hunting
farmer’s lament.
Honiton : Snell, printer
&c , [1820/30].

37. The Sampford ghost,
examined on oath!!!
Tiverton : Printed by E.
Boyce, fore-street , [1810].

38. The Ashbury tragedy,
by Thomas Hooper of Jacobstow.
Okehampton : Simmons , 1827.
Devon Heritage Centre: 3858

39. Tommy Osborne, itinerant bookseller of
Exeter, 1812
Long-song seller from Mayhew’s London
labour and the London poor, 1851

40. The end
Antiquary:
Have you got any old chap-books?
Shop-minder:
For what kind of old chap?
Punch, 1930

41. Exeter working papers
in book history
This talk is one of a series produced
during Lockdown 2020 to celebrate the
designation of Exeter as UNESCO city
of literature in 2019.
Most of them are also accessible
through the
Exeter working papers,
Devon bibliography and
Etched on Devon’s Memory
websites as part of the
World Book Heritage
initiative.
The book fool from Alexander Barclays’ translation of
The ship of fools (1509)