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Excerpt from Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England, by Unknown Author

This tale, saith my MS., was known of old to a few families only, and
by them held so precious, that it was never intrusted to the memory of
the son till the father was on his death-bed. But times are altered,
for since the first edition of this work, a certain bookseller [the
late Mr. Evans] has printed it verbatim, with little acknowledgment to
the first editor. He might have recollected that The Felon Sewe had
been already reclaimed property vested. However, as he is an
ingenious and deserving man, this hint shall suffice.—History of
Craven, second edition, London, 1812.

When Sir Walter Scott published his poem of Rokeby, Doctor Whitaker
discovered that The Felon Sewe was not of such ‘exceeding rarity’ as he
had been led to suppose; for he was then made acquainted with the fact
that another MS. of the ‘unique’ ballad was preserved in the archives of
the Rokeby family. This version was published by Scott, who considered
it superior to that printed by Whitaker; and it must undoubtedly be
admitted to be more complete, and, in general, more correct. It has also
the advantage of being authenticated by the traditions of an ardent
family; while of Dr. Whitaker’s version we know nothing more than that it
was ‘printed from a MS. in his possession.’ The readings of the Rokeby
MS., however, are not always to be preferred; and in order to produce as
full and accurate a version as the materials would yield, the following
text has been founded upon a careful collation of both MSS. A few
alterations have been adopted, but only when the necessity for them
appeared to be self-evident; and the orthography has been rendered
tolerably uniform, for there is no good reason why we should have ‘sewe,’
‘scho,’ and ‘sike,’ in some places, and the more modern forms of ‘sow,’
‘she,’ and ‘such,’ in others. If the MSS. were correctly transcribed,
which we have no ground for doubting, they must both be referred to a
much later period than the era when the author flourished. The language
of the poem is that of Craven, in Yorkshire; and, although the
composition is acknowledged on all hands to be one of the reign of Henry
VII., the provincialisms of that most interesting mountain district have
been so little affected by the spread of education, that the Felon Sewe
is at the present day perfectly comprehensible to any Craven peasant, and
to such a reader neither note nor glossary is necessary. Dr. Whitaker’s
explanations are, therefore, few and brief, for he was thoroughly
acquainted with the language and the district. Scott, on the contrary,
who knew nothing of the dialect, and confounded its pure Saxon with his
Lowland Scotch, gives numerous notes, which only display his want of the
requisite local knowledge, and are, consequently, calculated to mislead.

The Felon Sewe belongs to the same class of compositions as the
Hunting of the Hare, reprinted by Weber, and the Tournament of
Tottenham, in Percy’s Reliques. Scott says that ‘the comic romance
was a sort of parody upon the usual subjects of minstrel poetry.’ This
idea may be extended, for the old comic romances were in many instances
not merely ‘sorts of parodies,’ but real parodies on compositions which
were popular in their day, although they have not descended to us. We
certainly remember to have met with an old chivalric romance, in which
the leading incidents were similar to those of the Felon Sewe.

Explanation ​

This excerpt from Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England (a 19th-century collection of traditional English folk literature) serves as a prefatory note to the ballad The Felon Sewe (also known as The Felon Sow or The Felon Sowe). The passage is rich in historical, textual, and literary context, offering insights into the transmission, editing, and cultural significance of oral and manuscript traditions. Below is a detailed breakdown of the excerpt, focusing on its content, themes, and literary implications.

1. Context and Source ​

  • Provenance of the Ballad: The text explains that The Felon Sewe was originally a closely guarded oral tradition, passed down secretly within a few families in Craven, Yorkshire, only revealed to sons on their fathers’ deathbeds. This suggests it was considered precious, possibly subversive, or tied to local identity.
  • Publication History:
    • The ballad was first printed in an early edition of History of Craven (1805) by Dr. Thomas Dunham Whitaker, who claimed it was a rare manuscript in his possession.
    • A bookseller (Mr. Evans) later republished it without proper acknowledgment, leading to accusations of plagiarism or intellectual property theft—a common issue in 18th–19th-century publishing.
    • Sir Walter Scott (famous for works like Ivanhoe and Marmion) later discovered another manuscript in the Rokeby family archives and published his own version in Rokeby (1813), which he considered superior.
  • Editorial Process: The current text is a collation (comparison and merging) of both manuscripts, with minor alterations for consistency in spelling and grammar. The editor justifies these changes as necessary for readability, though they acknowledge that the manuscripts themselves may be later copies of an older original.

2. Themes and Cultural Significance ​

A. Oral Tradition vs. Print Culture ​

  • The ballad’s secrecy and oral transmission reflect the folk culture of peasant communities, where stories were preserved through memory rather than writing. The shift to print (and the disputes over ownership) highlights the tension between oral and literary cultures in the 19th century.
  • The mention of deathbed revelations suggests the ballad may have had ritualistic or familial importance, possibly tied to local customs or hidden histories (e.g., outlaw legends, resistance narratives).

B. Authenticity and Editorial Authority ​

  • The passage critiques Dr. Whitaker’s and Sir Walter Scott’s handling of the text:
    • Whitaker’s version is vague in origin ("a MS. in his possession"), while Scott’s is backed by family tradition (the Rokeby manuscript).
    • The editor prefers Scott’s version for completeness but questions some of his readings, showing the subjectivity of textual editing.
    • Scott’s misunderstanding of the Yorkshire dialect (confusing it with Lowland Scots) is mocked, emphasizing the importance of local knowledge in preserving folk literature.

C. Language and Dialect ​

  • The ballad is written in the Craven dialect of Yorkshire, a Northern English variant with Old Norse and Saxon influences. The editor notes that the language remains intelligible to local peasants even centuries later, suggesting linguistic continuity in rural communities.
  • The standardization of spelling (e.g., replacing "sewe" with "sow") reflects 19th-century editorial practices, where modernization was often prioritized over preserving original orthography.

D. Literary Classification: Parody and Comic Romance ​

  • The ballad is grouped with other comic romances like The Hunting of the Hare and The Tournament of Tottenham, which mock chivalric traditions.
  • Scott’s idea that it is a "parody of minstrel poetry" is expanded: the editor suggests it may directly parody lost chivalric romances, implying that folk humor often subverted elite literary forms.
  • The mention of a similar chivalric romance (now lost) hints at how oral traditions could invert or reuse aristocratic narratives for peasant audiences.

3. Literary Devices and Style ​

A. Meta-Commentary and Editorial Voice ​

  • The passage is highly self-reflexive, with the editor:
    • Defending their choices (e.g., altering spelling for uniformity).
    • Critiquing predecessors (Whitaker’s vagueness, Scott’s dialect errors).
    • Asserting authority by claiming superior knowledge of Craven’s language.
  • The tone is scholarly yet opinionated, blending historical analysis with personal judgment (e.g., calling Scott’s notes "calculated to mislead").

B. Contrast Between Past and Present ​

  • The nostalgic framing ("times are altered") contrasts the secrecy of oral tradition with the commercialization of print.
  • The irony of "exceeding rarity"—Whitaker thought the ballad was unique, but Scott found another copy—highlights how manuscript survival was often random.

C. Dialect as a Marker of Authenticity ​

  • The untranslated Craven dialect serves as a badge of local authenticity, distinguishing it from Scott’s misinterpreted "Lowland Scotch."
  • The claim that no glossary is needed for Craven peasants reinforces the idea that folk literature belongs to its community, not outsider scholars.

4. Significance of The Felon Sewe ​

While the excerpt does not include the ballad itself, it suggests several key aspects of its importance:

  • Outlaw Narratives: The title (Felon Sewe, meaning "criminal sow" or "wild boar") hints at a subversive, possibly anti-authoritarian tale, common in folk ballads (e.g., Robin Hood).
  • Class and Humor: As a comic parody of chivalry, it likely mocked aristocratic values from a peasant perspective, using humor to invert power dynamics.
  • Regional Identity: The ballad’s Yorkshire dialect and local traditions made it a symbol of Craven’s cultural heritage, resistant to outside standardization.
  • Textual Instability: The multiple versions and editorial disputes illustrate how folk literature was constantly reshaped by transmitters, editors, and audiences.

5. Broader Literary and Historical Context ​

  • Romantic-Era Folklore Revival: The 19th century saw a surge in collecting ballads (e.g., Percy’s Reliques, Scott’s Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border), often driven by nationalist or antiquarian interests. This excerpt reflects the competitive, sometimes contentious nature of these efforts.
  • Oral vs. Literary Culture: The ballad’s history embodies the transition from oral to print culture, where peasant stories became commodified by urban publishers.
  • Dialect Literature: The preservation of regional dialects (like Craven’s) was both a scholarly endeavor and a political act, as local languages were often suppressed in favor of "standard" English.

Conclusion: What the Excerpt Reveals ​

This prefatory note is more than just an introduction—it is a microhistory of how folk literature survives, changes, and is contested. Key takeaways:

  1. Secrecy and Transmission: The ballad’s original restricted circulation suggests it held cultural or political significance for its keepers.
  2. Editorial Power Struggles: The disputes between Whitaker, Scott, and the unnamed editor show how authority over texts was (and is) negotiated.
  3. Language as Identity: The Craven dialect is not just a linguistic quirk but a marker of resistance against homogenization.
  4. Parody and Subversion: The ballad’s comic, anti-chivalric nature aligns with a broader tradition of peasant humor challenging elite norms.

Ultimately, the excerpt invites readers to consider who controls stories, how they change over time, and what gets lost (or preserved) when oral traditions enter the world of print. The Felon Sewe itself may be a humorous tale, but its history is a serious study in cultural preservation and power.