JF Ptak Science Books    Quick Post

The title of the broadside is constrained though it does give a little bit of a pull and hint about the juicy tenders to follow, all brought to you from the National Library of Scotland:

‘A full and particular Account of the Sale of a Woman, named Mary Mackintosh, which took place on Wednesday Evening, the 16th of July, 1828, in the Grass Market of Edinburgh, accused by her Husband of being a notorious Drunkard; with the Particulars of the bloody Battle which took place afterwards.’

Unfortunately it was legal to sell your possessions and your wife, though it seems as though this was an activity of the “lower classes” and a much frowned-upon activity by most.  

And here are one set of the details that you could purchase for a penny, with much colorful language and alliteration to come:

“When, the crowd got a little quiet the people began to examine the
countenance of the woman ; a Highland Drover stepped through the crowd,
and pulled out his purse, and Said, ” She be a good like lassie,’l will gi’e ten
and twenty shillings for her.” This caused great cheering among the
crowd?then a stout Tinker made a bolt into the crowd, and said she should
never go to the Highlands?he then bid sixpence more for her. At this time,
one of the KlLLARNEY PIG JOBBERS, with his mouth open as wide
as a turnpike gate, and half drunk, eried loudly, FAUGHAHOLLICE , I will
give two shillings more, for she is a pratty woman. A Brogue maker,
from Newry, coining out of a public house; as drunk as 5O cats in a wallet,
came up to the Killarney man, and hits him in the bread bag,”

Full transcription http://digital.nls.uk/broadsides/broadside.cfm/id/15971/transcript/1

Source:  National Library of Scotland  http://deriv.nls.uk/dcn3/7441/74414096.3.jpg