broadly humorous vein, Parker, who was a strict conservative in his art, must be considered the worthiest seventeenth-century successor of William Elderton [q. v.] Dryden commends him as the best ballad-maker of his day. Sheppard alluded to him in his ‘Times Displayed’ (1646) as
That ballad-maker … now extold
With the great name of poet;
and Flecknoe, in his ‘Miscellania’ (1653), spoke of him as inspired with the spirit of balletting, though ‘S. F.’ mischievously attributed the inspiration to Parker's practice of ‘bathing his beak’ in nut-brown ale.
In addition to broadsides and ballads printed in single sheets, Parker produced a number of small books, often mere chapbooks, of which the following are the most important: 1. ‘A true Tale of Robbin Hood; or a brief Touche of the Life and Death of that Renowned Outlaw, Robert Earle of Huntingdon, who lived and died in A.D. 1198,’ b.l. for T. Cotes, 1632, London, 8vo (Brit. Mus.) 2. ‘The Nightingale Warbling forth her owne Disaster; or the Rape of Philomela,’ 1632, 8vo. The only known copy of this quaint poem, which was dedicated to Henry Parker, lord Morley and Monteagle, is in the Huth collection. A few copies were, however, reprinted for A. Strettell, one of which is in the British Museum (cf. Corser, Collectanea, and Collier, Bibl. Cat.) 3. ‘Robin Conscience, or Conscionable Robin, in English meeter,’ 1635, 12mo, Brit. Mus. A satirical ballad which overstepped the usual ballad limits, and had consequently to be printed in the form of a chapbook. It is reprinted in the ‘Harleian Miscellany’ (cf. Haslewood, Brit. Bibliogr. ii. 548). 4. ‘A briefe Dissection of Germaines Affliction with Warre, Pestilence, and Famine, and other deducable Miseries, lachrimable to speak of; more lamentable to partake of. Sent as a (friendly) monitor to England, warning her to beware of (generally) Ingratitude and Security, as also (Particularly) other greevous sinnes, the weight whereof Germany hath a long time felt’ (verse), 1638, 8vo (Brit. Mus.) 5. ‘The Poet's Blind Man's Bough, or have among you my Blind Harpers,’ 1641, 8vo. The object of these verses was to reply with severity to some anonymous scribblers, the author of ‘Vox Borealis’ among them, who had bespattered Parker with abuse for being an advocate of Laud. In it he says ‘whatever yet was published by mee was known by Martin Parker, or M. P.’ (see Haslewood, Brit. Bibl. ii. 431; Corser, Collect. v. 114; Bibl. Heber. p. 227). 6. ‘Harry White his Humour,’ n.d. 12mo. The only known copy is in the Bodleian Library, and consists of a few leaves of comical opinions, each concluding with the words ‘This is Harry White his humour.’ It was reprinted in J. O. Halliwell's ‘Literature of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Century,’ illustrated (Brit. Bibliogr. ii. 549).
Parker also appears to have produced Romances, his ‘Guy, Earl of Warwick,’ having been entered at Stationers' Hall in 1640, while ‘A most admirable Historie of that most renowned Christian Worthy, Arthur, King of the Britaines,’ b.l., 4to, appeared with his well-known signature in 1660. Moreover, in the mock romance of ‘Don Zara del Fogo,’ 1656, Parker is alluded to in a marginal note as author of an heroic poem called ‘Valentine and Orson.’
Parker's most popular ballads included, besides a first draft of ‘When the king enjoyes his owne again,’ a revised and final version of the excellent ballad of ‘The King and a poore Northerne Man, shewing how a Poore Northumberland man, a tenant of the king, being wronged by a lawyer (his neighbour), went to the king himself to make knowne his grievances. Full of simple mirth and merry plaine jests. Printed by Thos. Cotes, London, 1640’ (reprinted by the Percy Society, 1841). The song ‘When the stormy winds do blow’ is moreover derived from an original ballad by Parker, entitled ‘Saylers for my Money,’ but containing the words of the present title as a refrain (Pepys Collection, i. 420); a version, entitled ‘Neptune's Raging Fury,’ is printed in Ashton's ‘Real Sailor-Songs,’ 1891.
Among the less-known ballads by Parker may be cited from the unique collection in the British Museum ‘The Cooper of Norfolk’ (1625); ‘Rochell her yielding to the Obedience of the French King’ (1628); ‘An Excellent New Medley’ (1630); ‘The Desperate Damsells Tragedy, or the Faithless Young Man’ (1630); ‘The Bonny Bryer, or a Lancashire Lasse, her sore Lamentation for the Death of her Love and her owne Reputation’ (1630); ‘A briefe Description of the Triumphal Show made by the Rt. Hon. Algernon Percie, Earl of Northumberland, at his Installation into the princelie Fraternitie of the Garter, 13 May 1635’ (reprinted in 1851); ‘The Whoremongers Conversion’ (1635); ‘A Fayre Portion for a Fayre Mayd’ (1635); ‘A good Workeman needes never want Worke’ (1635); ‘Mans Felicity and Misery, which is a good Wife and a bad’ (1635); ‘The Honor of the Inns of Court Gentlemen’ (1636); ‘A Paire of Turtle Doves’ (1640); ‘A Messe of Good Fellows’ (1640); ‘John and Joan, or a mad Couple well met’ (1641); ‘Have among you
