"A loyal song - 1803". The island of Britain - first line reads: My friends, ye have heard, in the late British wars. The island of Britain - tune: Hearts of Oak. From the British Neptune, Sunday, Aug. 28, 1803. New God save the king - first line reads: Sound trumpets, beat your drums. New God save the king: From the British Neptune, Sunday, Sept. 4, 1803. The ploughman's ditty: being an answer to that foolish question, "What have the poor to lose?" - first line reads: Because I'm but poor.
Collection of 2,300 broadside ballads, mostly printed in England in the 19th century. Topics range from courtship, crime, disasters and emigration to fashion, theatre, politics, laments sports and old age. Includes ballads on Scotland and Ireland. Part of the Crawford Collections on deposit from the Balcarres Heritage Trust.
Attribution and copyright:
Reproduced with permission from materials on loan to the National Library of Scotland from the Balcarres Heritage Trust.