By the Honourable Spencer Phips, Esq; ... A proclamation
Subtitle: Whereas there has been lately published and dispersed within this province, an anonymous paper in the form of a ballad, called, a Sad and deplorable lamentation, &c.--wherein are contained many expressions horribly prophane and impious ... and tend very much to weaken, if not subvert the happy constitution of this government: and whereas one Robert Howland of Duxbury, and one Fobes Little of Little-Compton, are informed against for industriously publishing and dispersing, and one or both of them strongly suspected to be the authors of the paper aforesaid ... Given at the Council-chamber in Boston, the eighteenth day of April 1751 ...
Series: Early American imprints -- no. 40595
Publisher: Printed by John Draper, printer to His Honour the lieutenant-governour and Council.
Published: 1751
Place of publication: Boston
Language: eng
Subjects: Publishers and publishing; Freedom of the press; Crime; Bounties; Politics and government; Sad and deplorable lamentation, &c
Notes: Offering a reward of ten pounds each for the apprehension of Howland and Little.

Signed: By order of His Honour the lieutenant-governour, with the advice of the Council, S. Phips. J. Willard, secr.

There appears to be no existing copy of the anonymously published ballad. It was perhaps a more offensive version, with a variant title, of a broadside poem, attributed to Joseph Green, entitled A mournful lamentation for the sad and deplorable death of Mr. Old Tenor ... printed and sold by Thomas Fleet of Boston in April 1750. Cf. Sibley's Harvard graduates, v. 8, p. 45-46, and Massachusetts Historical Society Proceedings, v. 43, p. 255-260.

Bristol B1539

Shipton & Mooney 40595

Ford, W.C. Broadsides, 938