Welcome back everyone, and yes it’s been awhile. If it makes you feel better this episode is going to be wayyyyy longer. On that note I want to give a shout out to my best bud Ben who keeps me and my ADHD in check by always asking where his next episode is. If only everyone were fortunate enough to have a Ben in their life.
So, to give a bit of insight into me and my life/ creative processes, I have three major creative projects that I’m slowly building and circling through.
The first is a young-adult fantasy that ties in myth, folklore, and Appalachian/American history, and after months of blockage on that, I realized the solution to an overall structure problem, and things started moving again.
The past month was focused on a family memoir that looks at early immigration and current generational trauma, mental illness, and addiction. I know I’ve hinted at family trauma on here in the past, but this work really looks at how a family gets to the point of 3 violent early deaths inside of 2 generations.
Finally, there’s this here little podcast of mine, which focuses on the culture as shown through popular song, and how we still sing the same issues over and over.
There are a few common links between the three, primarily early modern culture because the time these songs are being published is the same time that immigrants and refugees are bringing that same culture to the colonies… a culture that would eventually blend with other influences such as the German, Native, and African.
So, no matter where my ADHD hyperfocus takes me, I’ll be feeding one of those projects. Sometimes I’m researching one and get an a-ha moment for another and next thing you know I’ve buried my head into some obscure things for 2 weeks.
To be honest, this episode is one. I started writing this two weeks ago, and am only now completing it.
This is why having a friend like Ben to remind you is so great. I’d known for weeks what I wanted to this episode on, but with ADHD, if you are hyperfocused on one project, it’s super hard to shift and work on something else, even when it’s something you value and hold really important. That means if the show hasn’t had an episode in more than a couple weeks it’s because someone needs to remind me that folks do actually listen to this little thing of mine.
All that said, I will be aiming at every 2-3 weeks, depending on how involved I get with the topic and research. Shit, this episode has been building over the last 2 at least.
It’s also more heavy on the history, so if you aren’t interested in that… run now.
In the episode before last, we briefly talked about how ballad singers and sellers could be pulled in under vagrancy laws, and that’s why so many would actually work for the printers who were actually printing the broadsheets, which… at times… could get pretty political.
The ballad for today, unlike the others we’ve looked at is what’s known as a “black letter broadside” and would have been more professionally written and marketed at a more middle-class market than the raunchy ballads we’ve been looking at.
These types of ballads are the study of many historians who have written on their significance in the English Civil War. See the show notes for some additional readings.
Now, those of us today are no strangers to songs of political revolution, satire, or parody, but at the time of the earliest street ballads, such kind of anti-government standing order kind of messages were a dangerous and risky business.
In her article “Political Street Songs and Singers in Seventeenth-century England” Angela McShane points out that these sellers were center in transporting popular news and culture, including radical ideas from the metropolitan areas like London and Edinburgh, and spreading them out to every small village in the country. So, of course, if you wanted to gain sympathy for a cause, no better way than those wild and roving ballad singers.
The fact that they were employed by ballad printers/sellers allowed the singers a certain amount of legitimacy and kept them outside the reach of most vagrancy law as as they could show they were in service of an employer.
Still, the authorities weren’t the only people ballad singers had to worry about while out and about. There was always the chance of getting hassled or attacked on the street by those who were having none of what you were serving… or singing. Sometimes the passersby would just kick your ass, but sometimes they’d report you to the authorities.
Of course, ballad singers were considered so low on the social scale that they were rarely prosecuted, even in the cases where the local authority did prosecute, the singer often faced less harsh punishments than the actual printer, who depending on the song could face treason charges, meaning there was the chance, if treasonous enough, you would be drawn and quartered.
Most of us who paid even the slightest attention in school remembered what was being drawn and quartered, but most of our history or English teachers cleaned it up a bit, just telling us that you’d get pulled apart by horses.
Maybe they didn’t understand the full extent of the process, but I’ll admit that when I was teaching high schoolers Shakespeare’s bio, I’d often detail the whole bloody process because you know what gets teenagers really excited? Horror… horror and gore baby, and nobody did it better than the early modern.
Sooo in case you weren’t aware, when you were drawn and quartered, first you were drawn, or you know drug by a horse through the streets to the place of execution where you’d be hung until almost dead. When you’d almost, but not entirely been strangled by the rope, they’d cut you down only to have your sack and cock cut off since you were male, as only males got drawn and quartered. Now if you are still conscious at this point, bless you because next they’d disembowel you and throw your guts on the fire in front of you before they Kali’ma’d your ass and ripped out your heart and removed your head.
Parts of your body would be sent to the corners of the kingdom to bear a warning to those who would dare to commit such treason in the future.
Most famously, those who signed the death warrant of Charles I suffered such treatment, with a few having it partially done on their already dead and buried bodies. I say partially because let’s be honest, nobody is going to disembowel an exhumed corpse, and if they do… that’s I don’t know somehow too dark for an already dark age.
Anyways, Cromwell, his son-in-law, and the judge who oversaw Charles I trial were all dug up, hung, and beheaded to show that there was no escaping the king’s justice.
Of those that signed the death warrant for Charles I and survived, all of the following were drawn and quartered when his son Charles II, when he was invited back to England by parliament to take the throne in 1660.
Miles Corbet, John Carew, Thomas Scot, John Okey, Thomas Harrison, Adrian Scrope (who appears in our ballad today), John Jones Maesygarnedd, Gregory Clement, and Thomas Scot.
When talking about political ballads, you can’t cut out the history, so I’ll without going too heavy into the history and politics of the English civil war, let me summarize some key bits.
The English Civil War, at its core, was about the limits of monarchical power. See, Charles I, like his father, was one who believed in absolute monarchy. His father, King James I of England and VI of Scotland had published an essay or treatise called “The True Law of Free Monarchs” which was published in 1598 in Scotland and again on his ascension to the English throne in 1603 with the death of Elizabeth I.
I think that had the Stuarts paid closer attention to the history of the monarchy vs Parliament in England, things might not have gotten quite so nasty for them.
All English monarchs since the time of the First Baron’s War and the Magna Carta in 1215, were held accountable by the law itself. Now, instead of taking this episode way off course, I’ll say that the John we are talking about here is the same from the Robin Hood stories that have become so canonical in English myth. 800 years on and we are still collectively saying… not this asshole.
So, the English had long decided that the monarch did not get to do whatever the fuck they wanted, despite what every middle schooler likes to claim fuck did not derive from meaning fornication under the consent of the king. See show notes for a full etymology.
Now, this idea that the king was answerable to the law, and that the law was above all but God instead of the king set the English throne apart from many of the other leading powers of Europe at the time, and I would argue the reason the throne has lasted as long as it has.
So… James VI of Scotland comes into England with ideas of absolute monarchy, ideas he would have obviously passed onto his son Charles I, who not so wisely, married a French Catholic Princess named Henrietta Maria, who brought with her more ideas of absolutist monarchy. More notably though is the fact that she was Catholic.
If you think the public gets snarky over royal marriages now… whew boy that aint nothing. A queen, a wife…. That’s who has the king’s ear the most.
So there becomes a growing distrust over a French Catholic Queen, and a monarch who felt he could do as he pleased and how dare Parliament deny him anything… especially more taxes for war!
The country then goes through 24 years of constant backbiting and in-fighting between king and parliament. I know it seems like I’m throwing out just a shit ton of information but a lot of the fighting that happened between parliament and the king happened through broadsides.
This period is the first where mass printing and publication became a powerful political tool. Songs were written then performed in the street so that they could also be passed from person to person. These songs are largely the beginning of mass media as we imagine it today.
Of course, today nobody thinks of that link between music and politics until some politician has gotten in trouble for using a popular song without permission of the artist, who has to now come out and implicitly say, “ I do not approve this message”. Or some popular music artist becomes outspoken on their own political beliefs and values.
Despite that modern view, it’s easy to see the power of song when it comes to political messaging especially if it’s good enough to become an earworm. Parliament knew this and utilized the broadside trade when they were attacking Charles I and gaining popular support for revolution.
Eventually, the Parliamentarian would put Charles I on trial for treason against his own subjects, of which he would be found guilty and then executed on January 30th 1649.
I don’t think we appreciate that idea enough today. A king was found guilty of treason to the people, meaning he had broken the solemn idea that the king is as loyal and serving to his people as they are to him.
If this doesn’t happen, what then the American and French Revolutions? How much does progress towards ideas of unalienable rights and the people as a part of the political process get pushed back?
This was absolutely radical on the world stage at the time, and in some ways had to have been like the loss of the known order and realities of the world.
No king, now we have a Lord Protectorate…. But because too much change too quickly devolves into chaos, let’s have him serve as a figurehead, kind of like a king. Otherwise where is the head of the entire political and cultural body that has always had a head?
I’d also argue that this idea of the head is why so many get them lopped the fuck off… it’s the symbol of reason and direction. Our head is largely our identity. It’s all of our thoughts and emotions, and the removal of it, either in the individual and physical, or it the political/cultural and abstract… a head must be had in some fashion.
Take it off, and you can not survive.
So, our first example today is one of those dangerous to print ballads and was published in 1643 by Stephen Buckley. This was right after the close of the first part of the Civil War and lay in between that and the 2nd part of the Civil War.
Anyways the song has two parts in my opinion. The first is a longer complaint written in a more formalized style that would have been aimed at the more literate or snobby…you pick. The other is shorter and serves as an easier-to-remember pop version of the first.
However, this formal and historically specific ballad has a few things to define first to help it make a bit more sense.
So, a
Roundhead is a term to refer to supporters of parliament.
The Pym referred to is John Pym, who died of cancer the same year the song was published, was an unofficial leader of the parlimentarians.
Coozen is an archaic word that meant to defraud or cheat.
The last names Green, Spencer, and Hunt are a bit harder. There was a Spencer, who was the 1st Earl of Sunderland and died at The Battle of Edgehill fighting for the king, and there was also The Battle of Turnham Green, but that’s the most I can find so far.
I think it’s also possible to refer to some notable religious leaders during their time. The reason for this is the preaching context, ut the tub bit threw me, so I had to go figure that one out. Turns out that there is an old, mostly forgotten idiom of “Every tub must stand on it’s own bottom”. It’s often attributed to Pilgrim’s Progress, but was clearly in use earlier as evidenced by this song, which dates to 1643.
In addition, it appears as “Let every vat stand upon its own bottom” in the 1564 ballad “Dialogue against Fever”. In essence he’s talking bout the ability to stand and decide on your own as these men preach from the “tub” or their own understanding and spirituality.
The Queen in “to contradict the sayings of the Queen” refers to Henrietta Maria of course.
Mechanicks, here spelled out as ____________ is an antiquated spelling of machinations, meaning scheming.
The names Pim, Strode, and Hampden refer to 3 of the 5 members of Parliament that Charles I attempted to have arrested for a few things. First, trying to turn the people against him and aid the Scottish army in an invasion of England, but more importantly, he’d heard they had a plan to impeach the queen for involvement in Catholic plots.
The name Kimbolton refers to Edward Montague, who was 2nd Earl of Manchester as well as Baron Kimbolton, and was accused of having aided the 5 members.
The wording “Brave Essex” likely refers to Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex, and a Parliamentarian.
Brave Bristoll referst o Geroge Digby, 2nd Earl of Briston, who was a royalist, or Cavalier. It could also be referring to The Storming of Bristol that took place on 26th of July 1643.
Gloucester likely refers to The Seige of Gloucester which took place from 10th August to 5th of September 1643.
Gainsborough refers to the battle of the same name that took place on 28th of July 1643.
Finally, Exeter refers o the Seige of Exeter that went from December 1642 to January 1643.
All that said, let’s get to today’s ballad:
WHat shall I doe; I am cast out of doore,
In Church, nor Chappell, I must come no more:
For I am calld plain Popery, by those,
That by the Spirit, Prayers doe compose;
Such are the men your Round-heads dote upon,
That can make prayers, of an houre long:
That sigh, and sob, with making many faces,
And these are men, preferrd in good mens places.
Fy, fy, I am ashamed to see these dayes,
Where none but such as by th Spirit prayes,
Regarded are; for now adayes they cry,
Down all, that will not with the times comply.
So impudent they are, the Church they call
A den of Theeves, yea and th house of Ball:
Th had rather preach in Barnes, in Tubs, and Stables,
For there they can repeat their lyes and fables:
But Parliament look toot, or else weel come
Gainst them and you at dreadfull day of doome:
You chosen were as Fathers of the land,
Thinking for King and Kingdom you would stand,
Maintaining our Religion, as it stood
In th best Reformers time, that ere were good.
Stablishd I was by Orthodox Devines,
But Pim, and th rest to contrary inclines,
They think theyre wiser then our Fathers were,
And yet will coozen, lye, and cheat, and sweare:
But twas not so in that Queenes dayes, whose fame
To th world is spread, Elizabeth by name:
There never was such Schisms, such sects as now,
Preaching in tubs, Green, Spencer, Hunt and How.
No, not so much as one man durst be seen
To contradict the sayings of the Queen:
Much lesse to take up Armes, for to Rebell,
And Parliament to count this doing well;
No marvell tis that gainst me they doe rise,
When as they doe our Gratious King despise:
Yea, base Mecannicks, that doe preach in tubs,
Did come to th Court with swords, and staves, & clubs,
And did annoy CHARLES, our most gracious King,
Day after day they came but did not bring
Petitions in their hands) for to implore,
But Brazen facd they came to White-hall doore;
At which affront our King seemd discontent,
And thought not little that his Parliament
Should slight him so, as not to take a course
With base Mechanicks as did sweare, nay worse,
Yea, speak high Treason gainst our royall King,
Which he did hear, yet twas counted nothing:
His Majestie seeing himself so slighted,
Abusd by base Mechanicks, and not righted,
White hall he left, to Hampton Court he went,
Being filld with sorrow, grief and discontent,
To think that having reignd so long in peace,
This happy Peace should now begin to cease,
And Civill Warre amongst our selves begin:
O what an age is this we now live in,
That Subjects now against their Prince must warre,
Yea, and themselves at first begin to jarre:
For they began an Army for to raise,
Five members twas, beet spoken to their praise.
Pim, he began to set it first on foot,
And Stroud, and Hampden both apployd them toot,
An Army must be raisd, or weere undon,
The land with Popery will soon be ore run,
Come sayes Kimbolton, lets not make delay,
Lets raise Ten Thousand men, and send away,
Brave Essex wee will make our Generall,
And to the Souldiers weel be liberall,
Scarfs, Swords, and money then they had great store,
Great heaps of money, and of Plate, nay more
Then for the present they could well dispose,
But whats become of all that now, God knowes,
The Army being raisd, away they bent,
To meet our Soveraigne with full intent,
To kill and slay all those that took his part,
But yet you see it was beyond their art;
For I am sure they have been often bangd,
And in the end I think they will be hangd.
What! take up arms against your gracious King!
This is a horrid and a Heathenish thing.
Stay, cry you mercy: CHARLES is no longer King,
King Pim it is, the Round-heads would have him:
Their Zeal is set all on a burning fire,
That none a happy Union doth desire:
See how the rage of this great factious crew,
Are bent gainst kingdoms three, all to undoe,
Such plunderings, and such pillaging, nay stay,
Is theeving, though Malignant carryt away:
One robs another, for to make himselfe,
And hoards in baggs and trunks this cursed pelfe.
Well Londoners, Let no more money goe,
Be now a friend to CHARLES, and not a foe,
Foresee how he doth prosper in his way,
Scarse once in twice that you have got the day;
Brave Bristolls taken, Glocester now is shaking,
Gainsbrough forsaken, Exceter is quaking:
Weel now submit, and joyn at last for peace,
That this unhappy Civill Warre may cease:
Then CHARLES toos Crown may be receivd with joy,
So weel triumph, and sing, Vive la roy.
O Yes, O yes, O yes.
If any man have found Law in a Declaration,
That strayed from Westminster after a strange fashion,
Since the Fifteenth of November twas not seen
in this Nation:
Let him bring news unto Pim, he shall have thanks in a
Narration.
O Yes, O yes, O yes.
If any man hath found Sir John Hotham, or shall,
Who hath lost himself in the keeping of Hull,
And now strayed away, by an Order thats Null,
If the Parliament will not have him, his Majestie will.
God save the King.
O yes. O yes, O yes,
If any man hath lost any money or plate,
There was a great deale took up at Gulid-Hall of late,
Let them shew the marks ont, now its melted, abate
Onely the keeping, and by Publick Faith ye shall hate.
God save the King lets all sing.
LONDONS SACRIFICE,
WIll nothing serve? will nothing else suffice
For Englands Peace? No other Sacrifice?
Isaacks demanded: Issack is denide,
Our Righteous Abrams they will not confide:
Though prompted by their own Indeavor came,
To rescue Zealous Isaack with a Ramme,
If neither Isaack nor the Ram can doe,
The Devill take both, Ram, and Isaack too.
Finis.
YORKE, Printed by STEPHEN BUCKLEY. 1643.
Ya’ll… there’s so much to unravel in this song that there is no way I’m getting it all covered. On one hand it’s complaining about being called popish for following the common prayer book and the kind of religious laws of the land. It then slights the power of the king by insinuating how much the Queen controls him. Then he goes back to rejoice the victory of the king in the first part of the war.
I feel like this is one of those that shows why they are worthy of study because this episode is already soo long and I feel like I’ve only barely started to unravel the ballad.
Now, you could argue that the back and forth was to hopefully try and save his neck a bit, but I think it likely represented the feelings of most the common people at the time. Protestants who distrusted the queen, but didn’t hold with throwing out the baby with the bath. Let’s not forget that the century before had seen the back-and-forth turmoil of the Tudors, with Mary, in particular, trying to burn every protestant in the country right after they had two protestant kings. I feel it to be the closest to the everyman’s voice here. The one who is tired of the generations of fighting between zealots. Those who just wanted a bit of damn peace for once. I think many of us can appreciate that tone in today’s political arena where it seems the loudest voices are those most far one way or another, with the middle just feeling frustrated by the lack of actual communication or open dialogue.
I say all this, and present all this as somewhat of an introduction to the idea of song used as political tool because it’s going to come up again. Hell, I didn’t even get to cover some of the stuff I wanted to because this foundational history needed to be laid.
As we move forward though we will see it continue to be used in the fights of parliament vs king and labor vs management. We will also look how the roving ballad seller was an archetype that continued to be a part of our world, as evidenced by Lynard Skynard’s “Ballad of Curtis Low”...
The ballad singer who brought news and culture and politics to every small town, and who every small town relied on in some way, is also oddly outcast and looked down on. A recurrent theme in any outlaw country today…
However, I hope I’ve given a good groundwork for us moving forward into the doubtless countless political songs we’ll look at in the future.
So until next time, stay saucy and stay curious.
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