[Rarebooks] FS: Pre- (American) Revolutionary Pamphlet published just days before the Boston Massacre, with three revolutionary songs EDE'S & GILL'S NORTH-AMERICAN ALMANACK AND MASSACHUSETTS REGISTER (1770)

[A.E. Tishman]

Ezra and Josh from Aardvark Rare Books today offer this scarce almanac:

Stearns Samuel. EDE'S & GILL'S NORTH-AMERICAN ALMANACK AND MASSACHUSETTS REGISTER, FOR THE YEAR 1770. BEING THE SECOND AFTER BISSEXTILE OR LEAP-YEAR. CALCULATED FOR THE MERIDIAN OF BOSTON, LATT. 42°, 25 M. NORTH						

"CONTAINING, A Prospective View of the Town of Boston the Capital of New-England; and of the Landing of Troops in the Year 1768, in Consequence of Letters from Gov. Bernard, the Commissioners, &c. to the British Ministry—Eclipses—Extract from the Life of Publius Clodius Britano Americanus, continued—A List of the Importers and Resolves of the Merchants &c. of Boston—A Table in Sterling, Halifax, Massachusetts L.M. & O.T.* Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New-York Currencies—Courts in Massachusetts-Bay, New-Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode-Island—Judgment of the Weather, Suns and Moon’s Rising and Setting, Time of High Water, Feasts and Fasts of the Church of England, &c.—A List of the Hon. His Majesty’s Council, and the Honorable House of Representatives—Judges of the Superior and Inferior Courts, Judges of Probate, Registers of Deeds, High Sheriffs and their Deputies—Officers of the Admiralty and Custom-House—Notaries Public—Post-Office—Justices of the Peace thro’out the Province, and for each County—Barristers at Law—President, Overseers, &c. of Harvard College—Ministers, Churches and Religious Assemblies thro’ the Province—Officers of the 14th & 29th Regiments in Boston—Officers of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, with the Names of the Captains of said Company, from its Incorporation—Officers of the Troop of Horse Guards—Officers of the Boston Regiment—Field Officers of the several Regiments through the Province—Officers of Castle William, and the Batteries in Boston—Coroners—Officers of the Town of Boston—Fire-Engine Men—List of Commissioners and other Officers of the Revenue, WITH THEIR SALARIES!——Liberty Song—Parody Parodiz’d—A New Song, to the Tune of the British Grenadier, by a Son Of Liberty—Public Roads, with the best Stages or Houses to put up at—Quakers Yearly Meetings in New-England—Difference of the Time of High Water at several Places on the Continent, &c." Boston.: Edes & Gill, in Queen-Street; and T. & J. Fleet at the Heart and Crown, in Cornhill, [1769] 1770. 

Scarce, pre-American Revolutionary pamphlet- and, by just a few days, Pre-Boston Massacre, this publication, at its face, was merely a useful almanac, but in actuality, an organ characterized by seething sentiment and fervent rage and calls for solidarity against the indignities of a large British occupying troops, which not only were forced by the Quartering Act of 1765 to house the occupying soldiers in public houses but which forced the colonials to assume the cost of this. This one lacking the famous (but often missing) frontis etching attributed to Paul Revere. Only seven actual copies located in libraries worldwide.

INCOMPLETE: 12mo. Original self-wrappers. 29 leaves (of 30). Unrestored and unsophisticated. Printed ("upon paper manufactured in this country") and sold by Edes & Gill, in Queen-Street; and T. & J. Fleet at the Heart and Crown, in Cornhill, 1770. Ragged edges, creasing, some corners folded over. Original stitching present. Mild toning to pages and occasional light spotting/foxing.

LACKS the copper cut of the landing of British troops in Boston, engraved by Paul Revere -- which is commonly assumed was produced by Christian Remick but other perhaps more authoritative sources maintain that Revere copied the image from Henry Pelham, whose perspective and figure drawing was better than both Revere’s and this unknown artist..." (Boston 1775 Blogspot) -- entitled "Prospective View of Boston the Capital of New England; and of the Landing of Troops in the Year 1768".

MISSING last leaf listing names of the merchants still importing British goods. Our copy does include the text of three revolutionary songs, as often as not missing from other copies which have surfaced over the years: 1) "A New Song" "Now much in vogue in North America, to the tune of 'Heart of Oak' etc, which concludes: 'In FREEDOM we're born and IN FREEDOM we'll live...not as Slaves, but as Freemen, Our money we'll give.'; 2) 'The Parody Parodiz'd", or The Massachusetts Liberty Song'; 3) "A new song", compos'd by a Son of Liberty and sung by Mr. Flagg at Concert-Hall, Boston, February 13, 1770.

The Sons of Liberty was a rather militant group of colonial citizens, whose primary activity was to keep track of the movement of the occupying British soldiers (of whom there were 2000 amongst a general population of 15,000 often quartered in citizens houses against their consent) most likely to head off British attempts to confiscate guns or gunpowder. Sons of LIberty members also carried out far more radical actions such as the burning in effigy and later torching to the ground of the office of Boston’s stamp official Andrew Oliver, and the tarring and feathering of Boston Customs Commissioner John Malcolm and the pouring of hot tea down his nose and throat. .." (synthesized from several internet sources)

Also present is a list of paid officers and their salaries, if known, which the Crown engaged since the new tax and revenue laws were enacted, about which the pamphlet editor opines.: 

	   "...We cannot say if these are on the American pension list, as a veil of darkness is carefully thrown over it ,to prevent if possible, the public Odium...Add to these a swarm of petty officers, spies and 			informers, whose pay and rewards cannot yet be ascertained...All supported by taxes drawn from you, without your consent - a small specimen of what you are to expect, should these acts be 			continued..." This pamphlet advertised in the supplement to the Boston gazette for Feb. 26, 1770. and as the title states: "Being the Second after Bissextile or Leap-Year...",. which means the 			second day 	after leap year, or March 2nd, which would put its publication as just three days before the infamous Boston Massacre which occurred at around 9:30 p.m. on March 5th, 1770. 			Attributed to Samuel Stearns by Evans, some think perhapsincorrectly. The preface to this, the 1770 issue, evidently by the same author, concludes 'I have not yet had time to think upon the  		        name by which I should best like to be known in the world, and therefore must remain the public's humble servant, Incog', The 1769 version (which, according to Evans being also signed         			"INCOG”.) Evans 11479; Drake 3192.

																				 $8500



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