 |
| home | background | illustrations | distribution | highlights | search & browse | resources | contact us |
Subject Browse Results
Your search for politics returned 135 broadsides
Displaying broadsides 1 to 30 of 135:
Abercromby's Answer, or the Exchequer Garland. Another excellent New Song
This political ballad begins: 'Ye Whigs of high and low degree, / Come pipe all hands on deck d'ye see, / And teach all the crew to sing out for me, / 'Huzzah for Aber-crombie!' A note below the title states that the ballad should be sung to the tune, 'the Arethusa', which is a traditional Scottish song dating from around 1730, and also the name of a poem by the radical poet, Percy Bysshe Shelley. Although there are no publication details included on this sheet, the reference to Jamie Aytoun suggests that it was most likely published in Edinburgh during the 1830s.
Address to Robert Montgomery Esq; Late Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh
This ballad begins: 'WHEN shameful vice presum'd our streets to tread, / And boist'rous Riot rear'd her lawless head, / When the Lord's sacred Sabbath was profan'd, / And fair EDINA'S character was stain'd.' Although the name of the publisher is not included, a note at the foot of the sheet states that it was published in Edinburgh in December, 1758.
Address to the Electors of Edinburgh
This satirical political address begins: 'FELLOW CITIZENS / In this enlightened age, when the advantages of local position are justly esteemed paramount to those of intellectual superiority or public eminence, I come forward boldly to claim your suffrages on grounds altogether independent of my political principles or of my mental qualifications.' The letter is signed, 'Your known friend, TIMOTHEUS SYNTAX, for J LEARMONTH'. Although there are no publication details available for this sheet, the subject matter suggests it was most likely published during the 1830s.
And Ilka Mearns Man and Bairn, My Parody and Song Shall Learn
This ballad is prefaced by a text which reads: 'CHRISTOPHER NORTH, the redoubtable editor of Blackwood, the only well-blown organ of aristocracy, has been parodying Lord Byron, of radical memory, to cut a squib on a certain R.H. Baron of Exchequer, and the Clerk of the Pipe, (a Scotch sinecure, gifted by a benevolent Tory to the man,) who has turned out the independent Member for Leith. MEN OF THE MEARNS! Would not the following do for Mr THOS. BURNETT, Reformer, heir apparent to a Baronetcy, your Candidate?' The sheet contains no publication details.
Anither New Sang
Verse 1 begins: 'HE swears that he was cleck'd in Fife, / That he's lo'ed Scotland a' his life'. This song should be sung to the tune 'Wae Betide the Whig's o' Fife'. 'Cleck'd' in this instance means born and moulded. There are no further details attached to this song.
Answer for the Whigs To the Clamorous Song On Them
Verse 1: 'In truth, good sir, we gladly hear, / Good honest Ayton's praise; / But much we marvel at your jeer / On Whigs of our own days.' The woodcut included at the top of the page depicts a well-dressed gentleman who appears to be rather agitated. There is no further information attached to this broadside.
Arms and the Man, I Sing
Verse 1: 'God, prosper our King, and the King's noble Sons ! / May their Praises resound from the Mouths of their Guns ! / Till Rebellion and all civil Discord may cease, / And these Realms be restor'd to a flourishing Peace.'
Ashes of Napoleon
This ballad begins: 'Attend, you gallant Britons bold, unto these lines I will unfold / The deeds of valiant heroes I am going to relate'. This sheet was printed by James Kay of Glasgow and carries a woodcut illustration of a stylised 'Napoleon' - a figure wearing a bi-corn hat, sitting on rearing horse.
Aytoun the Union Laddie
This political ballad begins: 'The Whigs think they are grand and great, / But O! they're proud and idly gaudy, / How much unlike the mainly gait / Of Aytoun our dear Union Laddie!' A note below the title states that the ballad should be sung to the air, 'The New Highland Laddie'. Although there are no publication details included on this sheet, the reference to Jamie Aytoun suggests that it was most likely published in Edinburgh during the 1830s.
Aytoun the Yeoman!, or, The Orator Left in the Lurch by one of his Own Voters
This ballad begins: 'Ho! ho, Mr Aytoun, so now it turns out, / You're only a Tory who's turned his coat; / Since a Yeoman at Airdrie no Whig you'ld endure, / And Radicals slaughter'd at sad Bonnymuir.' A note below the title states that this song should be sung to the tune, 'Mr Orator Puff'.
Aytoun, The Friend of the People!!
This ballad begins: 'Come all Reformers of the Town, / Since Jeffrey now has got the Gown, / And pitch your voice to the highest tone, / To sing huzza for Aytoun.' It was advertised as a new song and was to be sung to the tune of 'Arethusa'. A coat of arms with the motto, 'without fear and without reproach', adorns the top of the sheet.
Baby who was born with the ability to speak
This supernatural report begins: 'Wonder of Wonders, or the Speech of a child born near Edinburgh on Thursday the 15th of March 1770 as delivered ten minutes after it came into the world.'
Bagpipes No Musick: A Satyre on Scots Poetry / An Epistle to Mr Stanhope
This ballad begins: 'AS DRYEN justly termed poetic sound, / A pacing Pegasus on Carpet Ground, / ROSECOMMON'S nervous Sence your Verses yield, / A Courser bounding o'er the furrow'd field'.
Bailies of Bonnie Dundee
Verse 1: 'To the Bailies in council 'twas Mitchell who cried / It's as clear as the sun that the Provost has lied, / And his presence with us, all true men will agree, / Is a blot on the honour of Bonnie Dundee.' The ballad was to be sung to the tune of 'The Bonnets o' Bonnie Dundee'. The broadside was published in Dundee in November 1904. It carries the name 'Alvan Marlaw', but it is unclear whether this is the name of the author or of the publisher.
Bells are a' ringing
Verse 1: 'O cam' ye down frae London, man, / Or cam' ye here yestreen? / Then sit down in the muckle chair, / And tell us what ye?ve seen.'
Bottom He Cam' Here to Woo. An Excellent New Song
This political ballad begins: 'Bottom he cam' here to woo, / Ha, ha, the wooing o't; / Wi' him cam' the auld Whig crew, / Ha, ha, the wooing o't'. A note below the title states that the ballad should be sung to the air, 'Duncan Gray'. Although there are no publication details included on this sheet, the political context referred to suggests that it was most likely published in Edinburgh during the 1830s.
Britain's Triumph; Or, The Dutch Well Dressed
Verse 1 begins: 'BRITANNIA still triumphs, still Queen of the Main, / In defiance of Holland, of France, and of Spain'. The text preceding text reads: 'A SONG OCCASIONED BY ADMIRAL DUNCAN'S VICTORY OVER THE DUTCH. / Tune, "In the Garb of Old Gaul", &c'.
Burial of Mr Gladstone
The introductory text reads: 'A New Poem, composed May 1898, by Sir WM. TOPAZ. M'GONAGALL, Poet, Kinght of the White Elephant, Burmah, No. 21 Lothian Street, Edinburgh.' The poem itself begins: 'Alas! The people now do sigh and moan, / For the loss of Wm. Ewart Gladstone'. It has been signed by the poet. Gladstone was a former British Prime Minister.
By Electric Telegraph: Rumoured Death of the Duke of Wellington
This report begins: 'At an early hour yesterday evening the following intelligence reached town by electric telegraph, taken from a sixth edition of the Sun:- "His Grace the Duke of Wellington expired at half-past three this (Tuesday) afternoon at Walmer-Castle."' The broadside was published by Sanderson of Edinburgh, and the report was apparently taken from the 'Edinburgh Witness', which in turn had the 'Sun' newspaper as the source of the story. It is dated Wednesday, September 15th 1852, and at the foot of the broadside a handwritten annotation has added 'Confirmed by Electric Telegraph of Today - 15 September'.
Caledonia's Determination
This political poem begins: 'Caledonia no more by Tories be school'd, / Too long by the knaves she's already been ruin'd: / And the Whig's but a Tory in sheep-skin disguise, / On the loaves and the fishes each fixes his eyes'. Although there are no publication details available for this sheet, the subject matter suggests it was most likely published during the 1830s.
Cardinal's Coach Couped, or the Whigs Lamentation for the Episcopal Toleration
This lamentation begins: 'Alas! Our Kirk has got a Scoup, / Upon her Covenanted Doup, / I fear she run the Gauntlet Loup, / For all her Leagues.' A note under the title reads, 'Licenced and Entered according to Order.' It was published by John Morphew near Stationer's Hall, London, in 1711.
Charlie Grey's Come Again
Verse 1: 'Charlie Grey's come again, / Charlie Grey's come again; / Tell the news through brough an' glen, / Charlie Grey's come again!' The broadside does not carry the name of its publisher, nor the place or date of publication. It is decorated with a woodcut of a thistle.
Clerk of the Pipe, Or, The Leith Reform Garland
Verse 1 begins: 'The Clerk of the Pipe is a man of some weight. / And nothing will serve him but serving the state'. This song is labelled up as new and should be sung to the tune 'Down Derry Down'. Two woodcuts have been included, one of two gents drinking in a cellar and the other of a man in eastern garb, smoking a pipe.
Congratulation
This public notice continues: 'For His Sacred Majesty, CHARLES, the third Monarch of Great Britain, His happy Arrival at WHITEHALL. / By a Loyal Member of His Majesties Army. / Edinburgh, June 13. 1660.'
Court Circular, From the Penny Satirist
This political notice begins: '"What's your opinion of the Corn Laws, Albert?" said the Queen, to her spouse : "you ought to be a counsellor to me, in governing affairs of this mighty Empire"'. It was published by Sanderson of the High Street, Edinburgh.
Criticism of the Town Council
This broadside begins: 'A full, true, and particular Account / OF ALL / THE DOGS, / WHICH MEET EVERY TUESDAY, AT / THE GRAND TOWN-COUNCIL KENNEL, / With a full description of all their qualities, as exhibited at the / PROVOST HUNT, / On TUESDAY, 29th November 1842'.
Dark Bonnymuir
Verse 1 begins: 'As evening dashed on the western shore, / Caledonia stood perched on the waves of the Clyde; / Her arms wide extended she raised with devotion, / "My poor bleeding country" she vehemently cried'.
Death of Bonaparte
This report begins: 'Official acconnt of the Death of Bonaparte, who departed this life on Saturday the 5th day of May last, in the Isle of St. Helena with a particular account of the Causes of his Death. Taken from this Morning's London Paper.' Although no publication date has been included, this broadside was most likely printed the same year as Bonaparte's demise - 1821.
Defence of Scotland
Verse 1 begins: 'AULD ROBIN he came frae the town, / An' a frighten'd man was he'. The text preceding this reads: 'FROM THE CALEDONIAN MERCURY, AUGUST 4, 1803. / TUNE - "I hae been Courting at a Lass".'
Destruction of Abercrombie!
This ballad begins: 'ABERCROMBIE came down like a wolf on the fold, / And his pockets were furnish'd with Devonshire gold; / And his pale senseless face was as fearful to see, / As the dark troubl'd wave on the deep Galilee.'