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Your search for humour returned 177 broadsides
Displaying broadsides 1 to 30 of 177:
1599 Newly Invented Neat Irish Lies
This broadside begins: 'The particular account of old Mother Clifton's door, that was locked by the roasted rib of a chew of tobacco, and burst open by a gale of wind from a sow gelder's horn, and blew the old woman seven hundred and [s]eventy-seven miles beyond the moon.' It was published by Sanderson of the High Street, Edinburgh, and probably sold for one penny.
A Wee Drappie Mair
Verse 1: 'One night as I was dandering alang the South Street, / I gead in to the twa brewers my whistle for tae weet; / When I a lassie that I ne'er saw before drew anower her chair, / Saying come awa my lad, an' tak a wee drappie mair.' The broadside was published by the Poet's Box, 182 Overgate, Dundee. At the foot of the sheet a mail order service for songs is advertised.
A Woman is the Torment of Man
This ballad begins: 'You married men, I pray, come listen to my lay, / I will tell you the truth if I can; / You will by what I say, if attention you pay, / That a woman is the plague of a man.' It was published by James Lindsay of 9 King Street, Glasgow, and probably sold for a penny.
Act of Parliament
This broadside begins: 'A NEW APPROVED ACT OF PARLIAMENT FOR THE BENEFIT OF Young Men, Old Men, Maids, Wives, Widows, Old Maids, Bachelors, &c.' It was printed by Sanderson of the High Street, Edinburgh, and includes an illustration of four well-attired individuals.
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.
Answer to Ladies Crinolines
Verse 1 begins: 'Come all you young ladies and listen awhile, / I'll sing you a song that will cause you to smile'. There are no details attached to this publication, although 'answers' were usually published in reply to a letter or text and so can often be found in pairs. The partner of this is, unfortunately, untraceable. There are no publication details given, but this is one of two songs - printed by James Lindsay - on this sheet.
Arrival in town of Dr Puff Stuff Sham Quirko Ye-Trick
This broadside begins: 'This is to acquaint the PUBLIC, That lately arrived in this Town from Beverley, The very celebrated Dr. Puff Stuff Sham Quirko Ye-Trick'. Unfortunately, but not unusually, the names of the author and publisher of this piece have not been included, nor has any date.
Attack of the wild beasts
This broadside begins: '[OLD TOWN ZOOLOLOG]ICAL / GRAND Zoological Entertainment IN THE ROYAL CIVIC ARENA, ROYAL EXCHANGE, EDINBURGH, On TUESDAY FIRST, the 29th instant, Will be performed here for the First time, on a Grand Scale, the new and interesting DRAMA of THE WILD BEASTS ATTACKING THEIR KEEPER.' No publication details have been included on this sheet.
Auld Sark Sleeve
This ballad begins: 'A reverend esteemed divine, / Upon a Sabbath day short syne, / While studious, a drawer unlockit, / To get a napkin for his pocket.' A note below the title states that 'Copies of this Recitation can always be had at the Poet's Box, 10 Hunter Street, Dundee', and that the sheet cost one penny. Unfortunately, the sheet is not dated.
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.
Ball of Dandyorum
The text preceding the ballad begins: 'This very comical song was written and sung by J. Kearney, in the character of 'Owney,' at the Castle Tavern, Dublin'. It was to be sung to the air, 'The Rakes o' Mallow'. The first verse begins: 'All you that are here attend, I pray, / And you shall hear, without delay, / About a party great and gay, / The type of all decorum'. Published in June 1851, this sheet could be purchased from the Poet's Box at No 6 St Andrew's Lane, Glasgow.
Banks of Sweet Dundee and Smell! Smell! His Breath!
The first ballad 'The Banks of Sweet Dundee' begins: 'It's of a farmer's daughter, / So beautiful I'm told, / Her parents died and left her, / Five hundred pounds in gold'.
Battle
This broadside story begins: 'An account of a horrible dispute which took place between a Cobler, and his Wife the day after King Crispian's procession; For the Cobler had that day got tipinto his fob the price of heelingand soling a pair of shoes and went into a public house in the Grasmarket and where the wife catched him with an account of what happened.' A note at the foot of the sheet states it was 'PRINTED FOR JOHN CAMERON', whose press was located in Glasgow during the 1820s.
Battle of the Kitchen Furniture
Verse 1: 'This battle was fought not long ago, / Being in the kitchen there below - / To tell you the truth how came the fray, / The broom stood in the dishcloth's way.' This song was to be sung to an 'Original' tune and could be bought for one penny. It was published by the Poet's Box in Glasgow, from a manuscript 'kindly handed to the Poet by Mr Thomas Gallacher'. The 'Poet', in this context, was the proprietor of the Poet's Box.
Battle on the stair
This ballad begins: 'Says Mrs. Doyle to Mrs. Grant, / You'd better clean the stairs! / Ye've missed yer turn for mony a week, / The neighbours a' did theirs!' This sheet was published by James Kay in Glasgow and could have been purchased for a penny.
Bublin Bay
This ballad begins: ' They sailed away in a gallant barque, / Bob Neil and Jess M'Bride, / They ventured all on the bounding oak, / That danced (dances) on the silvery tide . . . ' A note below the title states that this ballad was sung to the tune of 'John Grumlie'. Another note, this time located at the bottom of the sheet, states it was published on the Saturday morning of 11th July 1857.
Burntisland Catechisme
This ballad begins: 'Ques. WHy must our Councellors be fools? / Ans. 'Cause then they're fittest to be tools. / Q. And what supplies their want of sense? / A. Their want of bread and Conscience.' The broadside carries no date or place of publication.
Butcher's Greasy Van
Verse 1: 'In Glasgow's famous streets, / Some little boys began, / To amouse themselves, as all kids would, / With the butcher's greasy van. / "It shall not be," the butcher cries; / I'll chap each little rascal's head," / He cried with indignation; / The butcher he ran down the street, / The bobby there he chanced to meet, / And he charged him to the station.' The ballad was to be sung to the air 'The Battle of Stirling Bridge'. It was published by the Poet's Box, Overgate, Dundee, priced one penny.
By Royal Command
This satirical notice continues: 'THE following Rules and Regulations have been drawn up for the purpose of putting down all forms of sin and vice:- / 1. No one to be out after dark'. The Royal coat-of-arms has been included at the top of the page and the whole piece is contained within a border.
Carse o' Gowrie' Dairy
This ballad begins: 'The sky wis blue, and the wind blew high; / And the sun wis shining fairly, / When the Duke O' Argyle, he put on his Sunday til / And cam doon tae the Carse O' Gowrie Dairy'. The Carse of Gowrie is in Perthshire. The sheet was published by the Poet's Box of Dundee.
Cat Out of the Pock!
This broadside story begins: 'A Full, True and Particular Account of a most wonderful and Astonishing Catastrophe that took place a few evenings, in a gentleman's house, in Fettes Row, ner Stockbridge, Edinburgh, when a Black Quadruped of the feline species absolutely swallowed a paper, containing many popular and learned Essays and dissertations on various subjects, too numerous to insert in out small limits . . . . but which must be interesting to all out readers.' 'Pock means' 'bag'. A note below the introduction states that this story was 'Extracted from the New North Briton', which was a weekly newspaper.
Cats' Eyes
This ballad begins: 'Come listen to me while I sing, / Of misery I've had my share; / Till fortune took me under her wing, / And my troubles all vanished like air.' A note below the title states that this ballad should be sung to the air, 'The Night before Larry was Stretch'd', and that 'Copies of this humorous song can only be had at the Poet's Box'. This sheet was published on Saturday 28th August, 1858.
Charming Young Widow I Meet in The Train
Verse 1 begins: 'I live in Falkirk and one morning last summer / A letter informed me my uncle was dead'. No publication details have been included on this sheet.
Cheer Boys, Cheer Medley
This ballad begins: 'Cheer, Boys, Cheer! Tam Glen, and Maggy Lauder, / Bessie Bell, and Mary Gray, and Jean o' Sauchieh, / Met Auld Robin Gray, on the Banks o' Allan water, / And danced the Reel o' Boggie there wi' Jockie far awa.' Below the title we are told, 'Copies of this popular song can be had the Poet's Box, 182 Overgate, Dundee'. 'Boggie' is 'a designation for priests who married people contrary to canon law.
Chickens In The Garden
Verse 1: 'I once did know a farmer, a good old jolly soul, / Who used to work upon the farm around his contry home / He had an only daughter and to win her I did try, / And when I asked him for her hand those words he did re' Below the title we are told that 'This popular song can alwase be had at Poet's Box 182 Overgate Dundee'.
Christ's Kirk on the Green
Verse 1: 'Was never in Scotland heard nor seen / such dancing nor deray, / neither at Falkland on the green, nor Peebles at the play, / As was (of wooers as I ween) / as Christs-Kirk on a day: / for there came Kittie washen clean , / in her new gown of gray / so gay that day.' Beneath the title the text reads: 'Composed (as is supposed) by King JAMES the fifth'.
Christ's Kirk on the Green
Verse 1: 'Was never in Scotland heard nor seen / such Dancing nor Deray, / Neither on Falkland on the Green, / nor Peebles at the play; / As was of Wooers as I ween, / at Christs Kirk on a day; / For there came Kittie washen clean, / with her new Gown of Gray, / Full gay that day.' The text beneath the title reads 'Composed (as is supposed) by King James V. Newly Corrected according to the Original Copy'. Many reprints were made of this poem, and all those held by the National Library of Scotland show subtle differences in wording and spelling, reflecting the 'corrections' that were made by publishers according to the standards af their day.
Come Down and Open the Door, Love
Verse 1: 'I've been to a party, I've been to a ball, / I've been where there's you can see; / I've been where there's swells, and such pretty girls, / And I've had a jolly good spree. / I've just staggered home, but I've lost my key, / My wife she won't open the door, / I've knocked and I've bawled, at the window threw stones / For over two hours I'm sure.' The ballad was published by the Poet's Box, 182 Overgate, Dundee.
Comic Divan' and Lord Ullin's Daughter
The first ballad begins: 'Gentlemen Visitors, how do you do? / Pop into my comic museum, / Of things rare and curious, I've got not a few / Come in and you shall quickly see 'em.' A note below the woodcut illustration states that the first ballad should be sung to the tune, 'Let the Toast Pass'.