Broadside ballad entitled '"The Deil's Boolin' Match" on Montrose Green'

Commentary

Verse 1 begins: 'The nicht was dismal, dark, and drear, / Nae lichtsome star did e'er appear / To gie the worthy burghers cheer / In Auld Montrose'. The poem is initialled 'R.D.M.' and decorative woodcut borders have been included on the sheet.

The curling pond, situated at the northern end of the mid-links, is just outside the town of Montrose. Curling was a hugely popular winter sport in Scotland, with many of her natural lochens being used to maximum effect. The lochen at Montrose is still in use, but just as a pond now. Altercations with the devil, formed a popular topic in the moral forums on broadsides and there are many examples held in the National Library of Scotland's collection.

Broadsides, cheap and accessible, were often used as moral forums with 'lessons of life' included in the narrative. Broadside authors tended to see themselves as moral guardians and teachers in society. As such, publishers often disseminated 'educational' texts outlining the social and personal consequences of undisciplined or immoral behaviour.

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