Cripple of Cornwall, The

DESCRIPTION: "Of a stout cripple that kept the highway, And begged for his living all time of the day." Besides begging, the cripple also leads a band of robbers who work the highway. He intends to retire, but attacks Lord Courtney and is eventually captured and hung
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1887 (Ashton); a song with this title was in William Thackeray's broadside catalog by 1690; a blllad by this title was published 1625
KEYWORDS: injury robbery execution crime punishment
FOUND IN: Britain(England)
REFERENCES (2 citations):
ADDITIONAL: John Ashton, _A Century of Ballads_, Elliot Stock, London, 1887; reprinted 1968 by Singing Tree Press, pp. 280-283, "A New Ballad Intituled, The Stout Cripple of Cornwall" (1 text)
Leslie Shepard, _John Pitts, Ballad Printer of Seven Dials, London 1765-1844_, Private Library Association, 1969, p. 112, "An Excellent New Ballad entitled The Cripple of Cornwall" (reprint of a Pitts broadside)
Roud #12763
ALTERNATE TITLES:
The Cornwall Cripple
The Stout Cripple of Cornwall
NOTES [81 words]: In addition to the items references here, there is STC #5773 [STC: A. W. Pollard, G. R. Redgrave, et al, A Short-Title Catalogue of Books Printed in England, Scotland & Ireland And of English Books Printed Abroad 1475-1640, The Bibliographical Society [of London], 1963] -- "A new ballad, intituled: The stout criple of Cornnewall." It is said to have been entered to "the ballad partners" December 14, 1624, and published the next year; there is a copy in the British Library. - RBW
Last updated in version 5.3
File: JACB280

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