EDITORIAL NOTE.
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.
With regard to this feature in chap-book literature already referred to—namely, that it was composed by the people for the people, and thus gives a true portraiture of many features in their social life—still more may be said. It being the case that not a few of those who hawked these cheap volumes over the country were themselves the authors of some of them, and in the composition of the chaps, to a considerable extent, just reproduced circumstances, incidents, and narratives that they had met with in their wanderings over the country.
To a very marked degree was this the case in the most prominent of all the Scottish chap-book writers—namely, Dougal Graham. See his works, two volumes octavo, collected and edited by George MacGregor in 1883. It would appear that at an early period of Graham's peregrinations he accompanied Prince Charlie's army in 1745-46 throughout its various fortunes, pursuing his trade as a hawker of sundry articles that might be in demand by the prince's retainers. After that event was over, Graham continued the calling of hawker and chapman, at the same time becoming the author of a number of chap-books. But after a while he got a step or two further on; for, finding such an immense demand for his extremely amusing, though coarse, volumes, he ultimately set up a printing press of his own, for the purpose of producing his chaps and supplying the chapmen with them, by whom they were spread broadcast over the country. The knowledge of such instances as this lends much additional value to the chap-book, as containing a forcible description of the social life and ideas of the masses in former times.
A slight study of this department of literature will show that there was, then as now, much variety in the tastes of the people. And we also find that in this respect the various tastes could be fairly well met from among the stores of the chap-book publisher. In these days, just as at the present time, there had been any amount of enterprise on the part of authors and publishers in furnishing readers with whatever their fancy might desire. The Litteratura Vulgi may be fairly well divided into the following or similar classifications:—Historical, biographical, religious, romantic, poetical, humorous, fabulous, supernatural, diabolical, legendary, superstitious, criminal, jest-books, etc.
The strictly religious appear to be the fewest in number. The supernatural and the superstitious elements appear to have been more in demand, as the supply of such classes seems to have been greater,—in these days the marvellous had evidently very great charms. The romantic likewise had been in great request,—the old romances handed down from the days long before printing was invented continued up till last century to be of undiminished interest. Also, from the number of poetical chaps that have come down to us, it is evident that the demand for them had been great all over the country. The most popular of all, however, appears to have been the humorous section, which again might be subdivided into a variety of departments, each with numerous representatives. The love of fun and frolic was apparently as deeply implanted in the feelings and tastes of previous generations as of the present.
Printing establishments devoted to the production of chap-books were pretty well scattered all over the country. In England the principal places appear to have been London, York, Birmingham, and Newcastle. In Scotland, the towns of Glasgow, Stirling, Falkirk, and Montrose appear to have carried off the palm in that respect. In Ireland there had been few places besides Dublin and Belfast.
The immense volume of business done in the production of the chap-book, and its importance as an article of trade all over the country, has been a matter of surprise; and the more one investigates into the facts of the case, the more is one impressed with the magnitude of the institution. It appears to have given employment to many thousands of chapmen and printers' employees. As an instance of the profits derivable from the business as an article of trade, one publisher of chap-books, and that not in an especially large way, is known to have retired with accumulated profits amounting to £30,000, which in these days would represent a much larger sum than it does now.
Notwithstanding the immense quantities of chap-books circulated broadcast over the country, comparatively early copies are now extremely rare. And the desire on the part of the public for their possession is now so great that about sixty times their original price is readily given—that is, what originally was sold for one penny, now frequently fetches five shillings, and sometimes more.
In the present collection, which is chiefly of last century, the reader will find considerable variety, containing as it does interesting specimens of several classes or divisions of the popular literature, mostly, however, of an amusing and humorous nature; and from the perusal of the majority of the chaps herein contained, a good deal of entertainment may be derived.
As a companion volume, it is the Editor's intention to issue shortly a collection of Amusing Poetical Chap-Books.
| CONTENTS. | |
The Comical History of the | PAGE |
| KING AND THE COBBLER | |
Containing the Entertaining and Merry Tricks and Droll Frolicsplayed by the Cobbler, how he got acquainted with the King,became a Great Man and lived at Court ever after, | [13] |
The Merry Tales of the | |
| WISE MEN OF GOTHAM, | [23] |
The History of | |
| THOMAS HICKATHRIFT, | [35] |
The History of | |
| JACK THE GIANT-KILLER | |
Containing his Birth and Parentage; His Meeting with theKing's Son; His Noble Conquests over many MonstrousGiants; and his rescuing a Beautiful Lady, whom he afterwardsmarried, | [53] |
SIMPLE SIMON'S MISFORTUNES | |
| AND HIS | |
| WIFE MARGERY'S CRUELTY | |
Which began the very next Morning after their Marriage, | [69] |
The Adventures of | |
| BAMFYLDE MOORE CAREW, | |
Who was for more than forty years King of the Beggars, | [78] |
The Comical Sayings of | |
| PADDY FROM CORK | |
With his Coat Buttoned behind, being an Elegant Conferencebetween English Tom and Irish Teague; with Paddy'sCatechism, and his Supplication when a Mountain Sailor, | [95] |
The History of | |
| DICK WHITTINGTON | |
| AND HIS CAT, | [117] |
The Mad Pranks of | |
| TOM TRAM, | |
Son in Law to Mother Winter; to which are added his MerryJests and Pleasant Tales, | [127] |
A York Dialogue Between | |
| NED AND HARRY: | |
Or Ned giving Harry an Account of his Courtship and MarriageState, | [141] |
DANIEL O'ROURKE'S WONDERFUL | |
| VOYAGE TO THE MOON. | [150] |
MOTHER BUNCH'S CLOSET | |
| NEWLY BROKE OPEN; | |
Containing Rare Secrets of Nature and Art, tried and experiencedby Learned Philosophers, and recommended to all ingeniousyoung men and maids, teaching them, in a natural way, howto get good wives and husbands. Approved by several thathave made trial of them; it being the product of forty-nineyears' study. By our loving Friend Poor Tom, for the King,a lover of Mirth but a hater of Treason. In Two Parts, | [159] |
The Comical History of the | |
| COURTIER AND TINKER, | [178] |
The History of the | |
| FOUR KINGS | |
Of Canterbury, Colchester, Cornwall, and Cumberland, theirQueens and Daughters; being the Merry Tales of TomHodge and his School-Fellows, | [187] |
THE PENNY | |
| BUDGET OF WIT | |
| AND PACKAGE OF DROLLERY, | [200] |
The Merry Conceits of | |
| TOM LONG THE CARRIER, | |
Being many Pleasant Passages and Mad Pranks which he observedin his Travels. Full of Honest Mirth and Delight, | [219] |
The Story of | |
| BLUE BEARD | |
Or the Effects of Female Curiosity, | [230] |
The Life of | |
| MANSIE WAUCH | |
Tailor in Dalkeith, | [236] |
The Life and Astonishing Adventures of | |
| Peter Williamson | |
Who was carried off when a Child from Aberdeen and sold for aSlave, | [254] |
The Famous Exploits of | |
| ROBIN HOOD, | |
| LITTLE JOHN, AND HIS MERRY MEN ALL, | |
Including an Account of his Birth, Education, and Death, | [269] |
History of | |
| DR. FAUSTUS | |
Showing his wicked Life and horrid Death, and how he sold himselfto the Devil, to have power for twenty-four years to dowhat he pleased, also many strange things done by him withthe assistance of | |
| MEPHISTOPHELES, | |
With an account how the Devil came for him at the end oftwenty-four years, and tore him to pieces, | [286] |
The Whole Life and Death of | |
| LONG MEG | |
Of Westminster, | [299] |
The Famous History of the Learned | |
| FRIAR BACON | |
Giving a Particular Account of his Birth, Parentage, with themany Wonderful Things he did in his Lifetime, to theamazement of all the World, | [309] |
The History of | |
| THE BLIND BEGGAR | |
| OF BETHNAL GREEN, | |
Containing his Birth and Parentage; how he went to the Warsand Lost his Sight, and turned Beggar at Bethnal Green;how he got Riches, and educated his Daughter; of her beingCourted by a rich, young Knight; how the Blind Beggardropt Gold with the Knight's Uncle; of the Knight and theBeggar's Daughter being Married; and, lastly, how thefamous Pedigree of the Beggar was discovered, and otherThings worthy of Note, | [324] |
The Pleasant History of | |
| POOR ROBIN | |
| THE MERRY SADDLER OF WALDEN | |
Showing the Merry Pranks he played during his Apprenticeship,and how he Tricked a Rich Miser, etc. Very diverting fora Winter Evening Fireside, | [337] |
Amusing
Prose Chap-Books.
THE