_Price One Penny._

PREFACE.

It will be thought very odd, I doubt not, by each little boy and girl
into whose hands this book shall fall, that a Banbury Cake should be
able to write (as it were) its own life; but as they advance in years,
they will find that many strange things happen every day--I shall
therefore without more words to the bargain proceed with my story.

HISTORY OF A BANBURY CAKE.

I was born or made (whichever you please, my little reader) at Banbury
in the county of Oxford, as you can plainly conceive by my title, where
great numbers of Cakes are brought into being daily; and from whence
they travel by coach, chaise, waggon, cart horse and foot into all parts
of this Kingdom: nay and beyond the seas, as I heard my maker declare
that he had, more then once sent some of them into France.

Soon after I was made, and while I was yet warm from the oven, I was
sold by my maker's fair daughter to a person on horseback for twopence.

With this person I took my first journey to Oxford; he rode a very fine
Black Horse. As soon as he came home, he gave me to his son a lovely
little boy, about seven years of age, and one as I found to my comfort
not only lovely in person but in temper also. His name was Tommy, and he
was praised and loved by all that knew him, and had often presents of
cakes, toys and little books, and other things that are proper for
children of his age; the books he kept with great care as things of
value and worthy of his notice, but other trinkets he seemed to despise.

Tommy and his cousin were taken to see Mr. Polito's collection of wild
beasts and birds, which were then exhibiting at Oxford, among which were
a large lion, an eagle, and many other natural curiosities, which sight
was very entertaining, as Tommy and his cousin had never seen such
before. They afterwards walked into the Colleges, round Christ Church
College Meadow, and indeed saw all the curiosities about Oxford.

(The Banbury Cake).

* * * * *

We give a Bibliographical List, as perfect as is possible to date,
of the "Halfpenny Series" of little History and Story Books issued at
Rusher's Banbury Press, some even with the same titles as the "Penny
Series," yet totally different in arrangement and woodcuts, used, as
comparison in the Bodleian Library will readily show: Mother Hubbard and
her Dog; Nursery Rymmes from the Royal Collecti