FISHERWOMEN:--These crying, wandering, and travelling creatures carry their shops on their heads, and their storehouse is ordinarily Byllyngsgate, or Ye Brydge-foot; and their habitation Turnagain Lane. They set up every morning their trade afresh. They are easily furnished; get something and spend it jovially and merrily. Five shillings, a basket, and a good cry, are a large stock for them. They are the merriest when all their ware is gone. In the morning they delight to have their shop full; at evening they desire to have it empty. Their shop is but little, some two yards compass, yet it holds all sort of fish, or herbs, or roots, and such like ware. Nay, it is not destitute often of nuts, oranges, and lemons. They are free in all places, and pay nothing for rent, but only find repairs to it. If they drink their whole stock, it is but pawning a petticoate in Long Lane, or themselves in Turnbull Street, to set up again. They change daily; for she that was for fish this day, may be to-morrow for fruit, next day for herbs, another for roots; so that you must hear them cry before you know what they are furnished withal. When they have done their Fair, they meet in mirth, singing, dancing, and end not till either their money, or wit, or credit be clean spent out. Well, when on any evening they are not merry in a drinking house, it is thought they have had bad return, or else have paid some old score, or else they are bankrupt: they are creatures soon up and soon down. The above quaint account of the ancient Billingsgate ladies answers exactly to the costermonger's wives of the present day, who are just as careless and improvident; they are merry over their rope of onions, and laugh over a basketful of stale sprats. In their dealings and disputes they are as noisy as ever, and rather apt to put decency and good manners to the blush. Billingsgate eloquence has long been proverbial for coarse language, so that low abuse is often termed, "_That's talking Billingsgate!_" or, that, "_You are no better than a Billingsgate fish-fag_"--_i.e._, You are as rude and ill-mannered as the women of Billingsgate fish-market (Saxon, _bellan_, "to bawl," and _gate_, "quay," meaning the noisy quay). The French say "Maubert," instead of Billingsgate, as "_Your compliments are like those of the Place Maubert_"--_i.e._, No compliments at all, but vulgar dirt-flinging. The "Place Maubert," has long been noted for its market. [Illustration: THE CRIER OF POOR JOHN. "It is well thou art not a fish, for then thou would'st have been _Poor John_"--_Romeo and Juliet_.]