Amusing Prose Chap Books
Of late years there has been a largely increasing interest on the subject of folklore in its various departments. In such respects there has been a very considerable change in the feelings and tastes of the educated middle-class population of this country, from what there was several generations ago. Formerly the educated classes appeared to think that anything relating to the tastes or ideas of the common people was of very little interest. And in the course of some two hundred years back, leaving out the present time, the number of writers who thought it worth their while to deal with such topics were not much more than a dozen in number, including such men as Aubrey, Bourne, Brand, Hone, Strut, Halliwell, etc. Now, all that is changed, and it has been discovered that much of extreme interest can be learned from the superstitions, habits, beliefs, tastes, customs, ideas, amusements, and general social life of the uneducated or lower classes of previous times.
Not the least interesting or least important of the many sources from which information on these and similar matters, can be obtained, is that of the people's earliest popular literature—namely, the chap-book. Beginning at little after the commencement of the eighteenth century, and continuing for over a hundred years afterwards, right up to the general introduction and use of cheap magazines and cheap newspapers, the chap-book was almost the only kind of reading within the reach of the poorer portion of the nation.
What adds greatly both to the interest attaching to the chap-book literature and to its importance, is the fact, that these literary productions, if they may be so termed, were almost entirely written by the people themselves; that is, they were written by the people for the people. This fact intensifies the conviction that they give a true and unvarnished description of the lower orders and their ways. Then, as now, every district had its proportion of local geniuses, who had a gift above their fellows in the matter of storytelling, or some other such way. And in many instances these narratives became chap-books, and were printed and reprinted times without number at the various printing establishments over the country devoted to business of that description.
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ROBERT HAYS CUNNINGHAM
EDITORIAL NOTE.
COMICAL HISTORY
KING AND THE COBBLER
Chapter I.
Chapter II.
Chapter III.
Chapter IV.
Chapter V.
Chapter VI.
THE MERRY TALES
WISE MEN OF GOTHAM.
Tale I.
Tale II.
Tale III.
Tale IV.
Tale V.
Tale VI.
Tale VII.
Tale VIII.
Tale IX.
Tale X.
Tale XI.
Tale XII.
Tale XIII.
Tale XIV.
Tale XV.
Tale XVI.
Tale XVII.
Tale XVIII.
Tale XIX.
Tale XX.
THE HISTORY
THOMAS HICKATHRIFT
PART THE FIRST.
Chapter I.
Chapter II.
Chapter III.
Chapter IV.
Chapter V.
PART THE SECOND.
Chapter I.
Chapter II.
Chapter III.
Chapter IV.
Chapter V.
Chapter VI.
Chapter VII.
Chapter VIII.
Chapter IX.
THE HISTORY
JACK
GIANT-KILLER
SIMPLE SIMON'S MISFORTUNES
WIFE MARGERY'S CRUELTY
Chapter I.
Chapter II.
Chapter III.
Chapter IV.
Chapter V.
Chapter VI.
Chapter VII.
THE ADVENTURES
BAMFYLDE MOORE CAREW,
KING OF THE BEGGARS.
Chapter I.
Chapter II.
Chapter III.
COMICAL SAYINGS
PADDY FROM CORK
WITH HIS
Part I.
Part II.
Part III.
THE HISTORY
DICK WHITTINGTON
HIS CAT.
Chapter I.
Chapter II.
Chapter III.
Chapter IV.
Chapter V.
Chapter VI.
Chapter VII.
Chapter VIII.
Chapter IX.
Chapter X.
Chapter XI.
MERRY TALES.
Tale I.
Tale II.
Tale III.
Tale IV.
YORK DIALOGUE
NED AND HARRY:
DANIEL O'ROURKE'S
VOYAGE TO THE MOON.
MOTHER BUNCH'S CLOSET
NEWLY BROKE OPEN;
Part I.
Part II.
COMICAL HISTORY
COURTIER AND TINKER
Chapter I.
Chapter II.
Chapter III.
Chapter IV.
HISTORY
FOUR KINGS
The Preface.
Tale I.
Tale II.
Tale III.
Tale IV.
Tale V.
Tale VI.
Tale VII.
Tale VIII.
BUDGET OF WIT
PACKAGE OF DROLLERY.
TOM LONG
Chapter I.
Chapter II.
Chapter III.
Chapter IV.
Chapter V.
Chapter VI.
Chapter VII.
Chapter VIII.
Chapter IX.
Chapter X.
Chapter XI.
Chapter XII.
Chapter XIII.
Chapter XIV.
BLUE BEARD
MANSIE WAUCH
PETER WILLIAMSON
ROBIN HOOD
Chapter I.
Chapter II.
Chapter III.
Chapter IV.
Chapter V.
Chapter VI.
Chapter VII.
Chapter VIII.
Chapter IX.
Chapter X.
DR. FAUSTUS
Chapter I.
Chapter II.
Chapter III.
Chapter IV.
Chapter V.
Chapter VI.
Chapter VII.
Chapter VIII.
Chapter IX.
Chapter X.
Chapter XI.
Chapter XII.
Chapter XIII.
Chapter XIV.
LONG MEG
Chapter I.
Chapter II.
Chapter III.
Chapter IV.
Chapter V.
Chapter VI.
Chapter VII.
Chapter VIII.
Chapter IX.
Chapter X.
Chapter XI.
Chapter XII.
Chapter XIII.
FRIAR BACON
Chapter I.
Chapter II.
Chapter III.
Chapter IV.
THE HISTORY
THE BLIND BEGGAR
OF BETHNAL GREEN,
Chapter I.
Chapter II.
Chapter III.
Chapter IV.
Chapter V.
Chapter VI.
Chapter VII.
Chapter VIII.
Chapter IX.
Chapter X.
POOR ROBIN
MERRY SADDLER OF WALDEN
Chapter I.
Chapter II.
Chapter III.
Chapter IV.
Chapter V.
Chapter VI.
Chapter VII.
Chapter VIII.
Chapter IX.
Chapter X.
Chapter XI.
Chapter XII.
Chapter XIII.
Chapter XIV.
Chapter XV.
Chapter XVI.
Chapter XVII.