%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> A New Ballad Intituled, The stout Cripple of Cornwall, Wherein is shewed his desso- / lute life and deserved Death. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center English Broadside Ballad Archive (EBBA) Director Patricia Fumerton Associate Director Carl G Stahmer ?-? Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 07/15/2021 37367

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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

R235797 1 The Blind Beggar Blind Beggar of Bethnal Green The Blind Beggar OF a stout Cripple that kept the high-way, / And beg'd for his living all time of the day, British Library - Bagford Editor none none none none Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 2: 29 A New Ballad Intituled, The stout Cripple of Cornwall, Wherein is shewed his desso- / lute life and deserved Death. A New Ballad Entitled, The stout Cripple of Cornwall, Wherein is shown his dissolute life and deserved Death. Printer A.M. and W[.]O. ?-? A.M. and W[.]O.

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 Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction / health alcohol Americas animals / nature Bible / biblical figures buildings / architecture catastrophe children class clothing / appearance country / nation crime death economics / commerce entertainments family Featured 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 groups royalty rural life servitude sex / sexuality supernatural / magic travel trickery / deceit urban life vice violence virtue vulgar humor youth / age Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 7/15/2021 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 7/15/2021 2:36:15 PM XBallad Fulmer, Elias Created XML Version of Ballad 7/15/2021 2:36:15 PM Transcription Supervisor McCants, Kristen Transcription of ballad manuscript 7/15/2021 2:36:15 PM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Stark, Nicole Transcription of ballad manuscript 7/15/2021 2:36:15 PM Transcriptionist Two McCants, Kristen Transcription of ballad manuscript 7/15/2021 2:36:15 PM Transcriptionist One Al halabieh, Deena Transcription of ballad manuscript 5/16/2019 Bibliographer Kristen McCants Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">A New Balled, Intituled, The stout Cripple of <hi rend="bold">Cornwall,</hi> Wherein is shewed his desso-</hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">lute life and deserved Death. The Tune is, The <hi rend="bold">Blind Beggar.</hi></hi></seg>
OF a stout Cripple that kept the high-way, And beg'd for his living all time of the day, A story I'll tell you that pleasant shall be, The Cripple of Cornwall sirnamed was he. He crept on his hands and 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 couragious 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 beg'd for relief, And all the night long he plaid the false thief; For seven years together this custom kept he, And no man knew him such a person to be. There were few Grasiers went on the way, But unto the Cripple for passage did pay; And every brave Merchant that he did discry, He emptied their purses e're they passed by. The noble Lord Courtney both gallant & 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 tydings of late, As he sat for Alms at the Noble-mans Gate, This is (quoth the Cripple) a booty for me, And i'le follow't closely, as closey may be. Then to his companions the matter he moved, Which their false actions before time had proved, They make themselves ready & deeply they swear The Moneys their own before they come there. Upon his two stilts the Cripple did mount, To have the best share it was his full account, All cloathed 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 these thieves in their Den, And they perceiving them come to their hand, In a dark evening bid them to stand.
Deliver thy purse, quoth the Cripple with speed, We be good fellows, and thereof have need; Not so, quod Lord Courtney but this I'll tell ye, Win it and wear it, else get none of me. With that the Lord Courtney stood in his defence, And so did his Servants, but e're they went hence Two of the true men were slain in this fight, And four of the thieves were put to the flight. And while for their safeguard they run thus away, The jolly bold 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 Horse-men riding so fast, The Cripple was forced to flye 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 on old hollow tree. Then throughout the City was hue and cry made, To have these theives apprehended and staid, The Cripple he creeps on his hands and his knees, And in the high-way great passing he sees. And as they came riding, he begging doth 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, Saying, God save your honour, & keep you from ill And from the hands of your Enemies still. Amen, quod Lord Courtney, & 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 through the Country was laid But this griev'd the Cripple night & day, That he so unluckily mist of his prey. Nine hundred pound this Cripple had got, By begging and theiving so good was his lot, A thousand pound he would make it he said, And then he would give over his trade. But as he striv'd his mind to fulfill. In following his actions so lewd and so ill, At last he was taken the Law to suffice, Condemned and Hanged at Exeter size. Which made all men amazed to see, That such an impudent Cripple as he, Should venture himself to such actions as they, To Rob in such sort upon the High-way.
FINIS. London: Printed for A.M. and W.O. and are to be sold by the Booksellers of Pye- corner and London-Bridge.