A History of the Cries of London, Ancient and ModernHindley, Charles
History
A History of the Cries of London, Ancient and Modern
Hindley, Charles
Cries -- England -- London; London (England) -- Social life and customs
Dear me! what a squalling and a bawling,
What noise, and what bustle in London pervades;
People of all sorts shouting and calling,
London's a mart, sure, for men of all trades.
The _chummy_ so black, sir, with bag on his back, sir,
Commences the noise with the cry of "sweep, sweep!"
Then Dusty and Crusty with voices so lusty,
Fish-men and green-men, their nuisances keep.
Dear me, &c.
Fine water cresses, two bunches a penny,
Fine new milk, two-pence ha'p'ny a quart!
Come buy my fine matches--as long as I've any,
Carrots and turnips, the finest e'er bought.
Dainty fresh salmon! _without_ any _gammon_,
Hare skins or rabbit skins! hare skins, cook I buy!
'Taters all sound, sir, two-pence six pounds, sir,
Coals ten-pence a bushel, buy them and try.
Dear me, &c.
Here's songs three yards for a penny!
Comic songs, love songs, and funny songs, too;
_Billy Barlow_,--_Little Mike_,--_Paddy Denny!_
_The Bailiffs are coming_--_The Hero of Waterloo_.
Eels four-pence a pound--pen knives here ground,
Scissors ground sharp, a penny a pair!
Tin kettles to mend, sir, your fenders here send, sir,
For six-pence a piece, I will paint 'em with care.
Dear me, &c.
Come buy my _old man_, a penny a root,
The whole true account of the murder last night!
Fine Seville oranges, ne'er was such fruit,
Just printed and published, the last famous fight.
Arrived here this morning--strange news from Greece,
A victory gain'd o'er the great Turkish fleet;
Chairs to mend--hair brooms, a shilling a piece!
Cap box, bonnet box--cats' and dogs' meat.
Dear me, &c.
Here's _inguns_ a penny a rope,
Pots and pans--old clothes, clo' for sale!
A dread storm near the Cape of Good Hope.
Greens two-pence a bunch--twenty-pence a new pail.
Sprats, a penny a plateful--I should feel werry grateful,
Kind friends for a ha'p'ny for my babe's sakes;
Shrimps, penny a pot--baked 'taters all hot!
Muffins and crumpets, or fine Yorkshire cakes.
Dear me, &c.
"Had I a _Garden_, a _Field_ and a _Gate_,
I would not care for the Duke of Bedford's estate;
That is, I would not care for the Duke of Bedford's estate,
If I had _Covent Garden_, _Smithfield_, and _Billingsgate_."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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