TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE Italic text is denoted by _underscores_. A superscript is denoted by ^x or ^{xx}, for example v^o or 4^{or}. The yogh symbol is denoted by Ȝ or ȝ; the eth symbol is denoted by ð; and the thorn symbol by Þ or þ. The Tironian et is denoted by ⁊. The translation of each song has been moved to the end of that song. The last song in the book ‘POEM ON THE EVIL TIMES OF EDWARD II’, at page 323, is the only one without a translation. ‘Various Readings’ and ‘Glossary’ sections were inserted into each page of some of the songs in the original text. These have not been moved, because they contain references to specific line numbers of the song just above the inserted section. There are no Footnotes in this book. The bracketed numbers in the text, for example [70], refer to the line number of the relevant song. Some minor changes to the text are noted at the end of the book. THE POLITICAL SONGS OF ENGLAND. THE POLITICAL SONGS OF ENGLAND, FROM THE REIGN OF JOHN TO THAT OF EDWARD II. EDITED AND TRANSLATED BY THOMAS WRIGHT, ESQ., M.A., F.S.A., &c. OF TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE. [Illustration: (Publisher’s colophon.)] LONDON: PRINTED FOR THE CAMDEN SOCIETY, BY JOHN BOWYER NICHOLS AND SON, PARLIAMENT STREET. M.DCCC.XXXIX. COUNCIL OF THE CAMDEN SOCIETY, ELECTED MAY 2, 1839. _President_, THE RIGHT HON. LORD FRANCIS EGERTON, M.P. THOMAS AMYOT, ESQ. F.R.S. Treas. S.A. _Director_. THE REV. PHILIP BLISS, D.C.L., F.S.A., Registrar of the University of Oxford. JOHN BRUCE, ESQ. F.S.A. _Treasurer_. JOHN PAYNE COLLIER, ESQ. F.S.A. C. PURTON COOPER, ESQ. Q.C., D.C.L., F.R.S., F.S.A. RT. HON. THOMAS PEREGRINE COURTENAY. T. CROFTON CROKER, ESQ. F.S.A., M.R.I.A. THE REV. ALEXANDER DYCE, B.A. SIR HENRY ELLIS, K.H., F.R.S., Sec. S.A. THE REV. JOSEPH HUNTER, F.S.A. JOHN HERMAN MERIVALE, ESQ. F.S.A. JOHN GAGE ROKEWODE, ESQ. F.R.S., Director S.A. THOMAS STAPLETON, ESQ. F.S.A. WILLIAM J. THOMS, ESQ. F.S.A. _Secretary_. THOMAS WRIGHT, ESQ. M.A., F.S.A. PREFACE. Few historical documents are more interesting or important than the contemporary songs in which the political partizan satirised his opponents and stirred up the courage of his friends, or in which the people exulted over victories gained abroad against their enemies or at home against their oppressors, or lamented over evil counsels and national calamities. Yet, though a few specimens have been published from time to time in collections of miscellaneous poetry, such as those of Percy and Ritson, and have never failed to attract attention, no book specially devoted to ancient Political Songs has yet appeared.