Here's funny blunders fresh and new, This With numerous cuts, printed about 1760. was a very popular chap-book in the last century, and frequently published at Aldermary Church-yard. It is a collection of Irish bulls in the form of a narrative, impertinently connected with the name of Alicia Croker, who was the second sister of Edward Croker of Rawleighstown, county Limerick, and high sheriff of that county in 1735. She was a great beauty, and the subject of many verses and some music. Mr. Grogan, a gentleman of the county of Wexford, is said to have composed the popular air of Ally Croker in commendation of her charms. This must have been previous to 1735, as it was replied to in a sporting song on the convivialities of her brother, by Pierce Creagh, printed by Mr. Crofton Croker. Ally married Charles Langley, Esq. of Lisnarnock, county Kilkenny, and died at an advanced age, without children to inherit their mother's charms. 100. THE MERRY FROLICKS, OR THE COMICAL CHEATS OF SWALPO, a notorious Pickpocket, and the Merry Pranks of Roger the Clown. 12mo. London, n. d. An account of the cheats practised by a pickpocket. It is illustrated by cuts. In another edition, printed by T. Saint, Newcastle, about 1770, his companion is called on the title "Jack the Clown. The first chapter, which illustrates the practices formerly in vogue at Bartholomew Fair, is an average specimen of the ingenuity of the whole. How Swalpo outwitted a countryman of a broad piece of gold, which he had hid in his mouth.-Swalpo dressed himself like a countryman, with a pair of dirty boots, and a whip in his hand, and going into Bartholomew Fair, met with no prize worth speaking of, he walked out of the fair. At the entrance into the fair he met a countryman, and said to him, " Honest friend, have a care of your pockets; you are going into a cursed place, where there are none but rogues and pickpockets; I am almost ruined by them, and am glad they have not picked the teeth out of my head: let one take never so much care of their pockets, they'll be sure of the money: I am sure the devil helps them." "I defy all the devils in hell," says the countryman, "to rob me of anything of value. I've a broad piece, and that I'll secure." So clapping it into his mouth, Swalpo desired no he went confidently into the fair. more than to know if he had money, and where it lay: he gives a sign to a hopeful boy of his, and giving him out some sixpences and groats, told him what he should do. The boy immediately runs, and falls down just before the countryman, and scattering the money, starts up and roars like a bedlamite, crying, he was undone, he must run away from his apprenticeship; his master was such a furious fellow, he would certainly kill him. The countryman with other people gathered about, helping the boy to take the money. One of them says, "Have you recovered all ?" "Yes, all the silver," says the boy, "but what does that signify? There is a broad piece of gold that I was carrying to my master for a token sent him from the country, and I like a fool must come through this unlucky place to lose it: I shall be kill'd. What shall become of me?" Swalpo coming up, tells some of the by-standers, who were pitying of the boy, that he observed that country fellow there to stoop, and put something into his mouth. Whereupon they flew upon him, and one of them wresting open his mouth, made him spit out the gold, and some blood along with it. When the countryman endeavoured to speak for himself, they kicked him, punched him, and tossed him about, and some calling to the..... and pump, he was glad to call for mercy, and thought himself richer than the great Turk when he got out of their clutches. The boy, in the mean time, slips from the crowd, and goes to Swalpo with the gold, where he used to find him." 101. THE HISTORY AND COMICAL TRANSACTIONS OF LOTHIAN TOM, in six Parts; wherein is contained a collection of roguish Exploits done by him both in Scotland and England. 12mo. Edinburgh, n. d. An account of tricks, some not of the most honourable description. At the end is, "The Ploughman's Glory, or Tom's Song." 102. THE CONQUEST OF FRANCE, with the Life and Glorious Actions of Edward the Black Prince, his victory, with about twelve thousand archers and men at arms, over Philip of France and an hun dred thousand Frenchmen, &c. Bow-Church Yard, n. d. 12mo. London, This gives us an account of the amours of Edward and his son the Black Prince. On the title is a cut of English archers besieging a French city. 103. THE WITCH OF THE WOODLANDS, OR THE COBLER'S NEW TRANSLATION. A Here Robin the Cobler, for his former evils, Is punish'd bad as Faustus with his devils. 12mo. London, n. d. very curious tract, of which I have several editions, differing only in the wood-cuts. It commences: "In the weilds of Kent, not far from Romney Marsh, there dwelt an old merry-conceited cobler, commonly called Robin the Devil, who afterwards was called the Witch of the Woodlands." He gets into the power of some witches, who transform him into a fox, a horse, and a swan; but, in the end, meets with a beggar-man, who leaves him a fortune. The annexed cut of the witches is taken from p. 12. Chap. 1. Robin's place of abode: he is married to a wench; with his pitiful lamentation. 2. Robin runs away, and the entertainment he found on the road. 3. Robin wakes in the morning, and missed his bedfellow, who soon returns with some witches; the manner of his punishment, and other particulars. 4. Robin goes to London; with his bitter lamentation on the road. 5. Robin meets an old blind beggar. Robin lives with a beggar, who dies and leaves him all 6. his money; Robin goes home, and what use he makes of his good fortune. Some of the wood-cuts are incongruous with the narrative. At p. 16, is one of a knight and a lady at a well; at p. 18, a cut of two countrymen, the same which was a favourite embellishment in ballads of the seventeenth century; and at p. 21 is a representation of the devil bringing a goblet to a person in bed. 104. THE FAMOUS AND MEMORABLE HISTORY OF WAT TYLER AND JACK STRAW. 12mo. London, Bow-Church Yard, n. d. In five chapters, with wood-cuts. 105. THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL MARTYR, KING CHARLES THE FIRST, with the Effigies of those worthy Persons that suffered, and the Time and Places where they lost their lives in his Majesty's |