1863-66, Huth's 'Ancient Ballads and Broadsides published in
England in the Sixteenth Century' (1867), and others which will be
mentioned when discussing Facetiae (22) and Pamphlets and Tracts (45).
Lemon's 'Catalogue of a Collection of Printed Broadsides in the
Possession of the Society of Antiquaries of London' (1866) and Lilly's
'Black Letter Ballads and Broadsides,' (1867) will also be of use to you
here, as will the publications of the Percy, Ballad, and Philobiblon
Societies. In 1856 J. Russell Smith, the antiquarian publisher of Soho
Square, issued a 'Catalogue of a Unique Collection of Four Hundred
Ancient English Broadside Ballads, Printed Entirely in the Black Letter'
which he had for sale--a small octavo volume with notes and facsimiles.
It is a valuable little book and somewhat hard to obtain. For other
reference-books upon this subject, you must turn to the headings
'Ballads' and 'Broadsides' in Mr. W. P. Courtney's valuable 'Register of
National Bibliography.'

This heading also includes the collection of proclamations and single
sheet posters of all kinds. There is a fine collection of Royal
Proclamations in the Library of the Society of Antiquaries, probably the
most perfect in existence. 'Bookes' of Proclamations were issued by R.
Grafton in 1550 (8vo), R. Barker in 1609 (folio), Norton and Bill in 1618
(folio)--all in black letter--and by several other the king's printers
during the seventeenth century. For the purposes of the historian they
are simply invaluable. The (26th) Earl of Crawford and Balcarres has
printed a bibliography of proclamations, vols. v. and vi. of his
'Bibliotheca Lindesiana.'

[Sidenote: Civil War and Commonwealth.]

12. Civil War and Commonwealth is properly speaking a sub-heading of No.
30--History; but it is a favourite subject with book-collectors, and the
volumes issued during this period are _sui generis_ and mostly of
considerable interest. With the abolition of the Star Chamber in 1641 the
drastic repression of the printers disappeared, and, freed from all
control, the presses now poured forth political tracts and volumes of
every description. Needless to say a great number of the books thus
issued were anonymous publications. But two years later an Order for the
Regulating of Printing came into force, and Cromwell's censorship was
reinforced by a further Act in 1649. Nevertheless a large mass of
political matter continued, throughout the interregnum, to make its
appea