%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> An Excellent New BALLAD, intitled, / The CRIPPLE of CORNWALL. / Wherein is shew'n his dissolate LIFE and deserved DEATH. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton ?-? Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 04/29/2011 31316

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Patricia Fumerton Early Modern Center - English Department University of California Santa Barbara, CA 93105 United States of America EMail: pfumer@english.ucsb.edu

T33721 1 The Blind Begger UNKNOWN The Blind Beggar OF a stout Cripple that kept the High-way, / And begg'd for his Living all time of the Day. Roxburghe Ballads Editor None None None None Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 3: 616 3: 617 An Excellent New BALLAD, intitled, / The CRIPPLE of CORNWALL. / Wherein is shew'n his dissolate LIFE and deserved DEATH. An Excellent New BALLAD, intitled, The CRIPPLE of CORNWALL. Wherein is shew’n his dissolate LIFE and deserved DEATH. An Excellent New BALLAD, entitled, The CRIPPLE of CORNWALL. Wherein is shown his dissolute LIFE and deserved DEATH. ?-?

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 Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction/ health alcohol animals/ nature Bible/ biblical figures buildings/ architecture catastrophe children class clothing/ appearance country/ nation crime death economics/ commerce entertainments family folklore gender holidays/ seasons infidelity labor/ craft law London love maritime marriage military/ war monstrosity mythology/ Classical news nobility/ court politics/ government procreation punishment race/ ethnicity religious concepts religious figures religious types & sects royalty rural life servitude sex/ sexuality supernatural/ magic The New World travel trickery/ deceit urban life vice violence virtue vulgarities/ crass humor youth/ age Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 4/29/2011 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America crime nobility/ court punishment trickery/ deceit violence Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 4/29/2011 12:28:52 PM XBallad Doss, MacKenzie Created XML Version of Ballad 4/29/2011 12:28:52 PM Transcription Supervisor McAbee, Kristina, Nebeker, Eric Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/29/2011 12:28:52 PM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/29/2011 12:28:52 PM Transcriptionist Two Fadel, Meghan Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/29/2011 12:28:52 PM Transcriptionist One Foley, Christopher Transcription of ballad manuscript 2/15/2011 Checker Bethany Wong Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 2/15/2011 Checker Bethany Wong Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 2/15/2011 Checker Bethany Wong Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 2/10/2011 Checker Bethany Wong Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 2/10/2011 Checker Bethany Wong Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 2/10/2011 Checker Bethany Wong Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 2/10/2011 Checker Bethany Wong Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/2/2010 Checker Sue Hong Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 1/29/2009 Bibliographer Meghan Fadel Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">An Excellent New BALLAD, intitled,</hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">T<hi rend="bold">he CRIPPLE of</hi> CORNWALL.</hi></seg> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Wherein is shewn his dissolate LIFE and deserved DEATH.</hi></seg> <lb/> <seg n="4" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">To the Tune of, The Blind Begger.</hi></seg>
OF a stout Cripple that kept the High-way, And beggd for his Living all time of the Day, A Story Ill tell you that pleasant shall be, The Cripple of Cornwall, sirnamed was he. He crept on his Hands and his Knees up and down, In a torn Jacket and a ragged torn Gown; For he had never a Leg to the Knee, The Cripple of Cornwall, sirnamed was he. He was of Stomach courageous and stout, For he had no cause to complain of the Gout; To go upon stilts most cunning was he, With a Staff on his Neck most gallant to see. Yea no good Fellowship would he forsake, Were it in secret a Horse for to take; His Help was as good as any might be, The Cripple of Cornwall, sirnamed was he. When he upon any Service did go, The Crafty young Cripple provided it so, His Stool he kept close in an old hollow Tree, That stood from the City a Mile two or three. Thus all the Day long he beggd for Relief, And all the Night long he playd the false Thief, For seven long Years together this Custom kept he, And no Man knew him such a Person to be.
There were few Graziers went on the High-way, But unto the Cripple for passage did pay; And every brave Merchant that he did descry, He emptyd their Purses eer they passed by. The noble Lord Courtney both Gallant and bold, Rode forth with great plenty of Silver and Gold; At Exeter there a purchase to pay, But that the false Cripple his Journey did stay. For why the false Cripple heard Tidings of late, As he sat for Alms at the Noblemans Gate; This is, quoth the Cripple, a Booty for me, And Ill follow it closely, as closely can be. Then to his Companions the Matter he moved, Which their false Actions before had proved; They make themselves ready, and deeply they swear The Moneys our own before they come there. Upon his two Stilts the Cripple did mount, To have the best Share it was his full Account; All clothed in Canvas down to the Ground, He took up his Place, his Mates with him round. Then came the Lord Courtney with half a Score Men, Yet little suspecting the Thieves in their Den; And they perceiving them come to their Hand, In a dark Evening they bid them to stand.
Deliver thy purse, quoth the Cripple with Speed, We be good Fellows and therefore have Need, Not so, quoth Lord Courtney, but this Ill tell ye, Win it and wear it, else get none of me. With that the Lord Courtney stood in his Defence, But so did his Servants; but eer they went hence, Two of the true Men were slain in this Fight. And four of the Thieves were put to Flight. But while for their Safeguard they run thus away, The Jolly old Cripple did hold them in Play; And with his Pike Staff he wounded them so, As they were unable to run or to go. With fighting the Lord Courtney was out of Breath, And most of his Servants were wounded to Death; Then came other Horsemen riding so fast, The Cripple was forced to fly at the last. And over a River that run there beside, Which was very deep and eighteen Foot wide; With his long Staff and Stilts leaped he, And shifted himself in an old hollow Tree. Then through the City Hue and Cry was made, To have these Thieves apprehended and staid; The Cripple he creeps on his Hands and his Knees, And nigh the High-way great passing he sees, And as they were riding, he begging did say, O give me one Penny good Masters, I pray; And thus unto Exeter creeps he along. No Man suspecting that he had done wrong. Anon, the Lord Courtney he spies in the Street, He comes unto him and kisses his Feet; God save your Honour, and keep you from ill, And from the Hands of your Enemies still. Amen quoth Lord Courtney, and therewith threw down Unto the poor Cripple an English Crown, Away went the Cripple, and thus he did think Five hundred pound more will make me to drink. In vain that Hue and Cry it was made. They found none of them, though the Country was laid; But this grieved the Cripple both Night and Day, That he so unluckily missd his Prey. Nine hundred Pound this Cripple he got, By Begging and Thieving so good was his Lot; A Thousand Pound he would make it he said, And then he intended to give over his Trade. But as he strivd his Mind to fufill, In following his Actions so lewd and so Ill, At last he was taken the Law to suffice, Condemned and hanged at Exeter Assize. Which made all Men amazed to see, That such an impudent Cripple as he, Should venture himself to such Actions as these, To rob in such sort upon the Highway.