A History of the Cries of London, Ancient and Modern — John Shaqi
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
No. 2 is the "Bellman"--Dekker's "Bellman of London and Dog." (as at page
49.) He carries a halberd lanthorn, and bell, and his "cry" is curious:--
"Maids in your smocks, look to your locks,
Your fire and candle-light;
For well 'tis known much mischief's done
By both in dead of night;
Your locks and fire do not neglect,
And so you may good rest expect."
No. 3 is the "Orange Woman," a sort of full-grown Nell Gwynne, if we can
only fancy _Nelly_, the favourite mistress of King Charles the Second,
grown up in her humble occupation. She carries a basket of oranges and
lemons under her arm, and seeks to sell them by the following "cry":--
"Fine Sevil oranges, fine lemmons, fine;
Round, sound, and tender, inside and rine,
One pin's prick their vertue show:
They've liquor by their weight, you may know."
No. 4 is the "Hair-line Man," with a bundle of lines under his arm, and a
line in his hand. Clothes-pegs was, perhaps, a separate "cry." Here is
his:--
"Buy a hair-line, or a line for Jacke,
If you any hair or hemp-cord lack,
Mistris, here's good as you need use;
Bid fair for handsel, I'll not refuse."
No. 5 is the "Radish and Lettuce Woman."--Your fine "goss" lettuce is a
modern cry:--
"White raddish, white young lettis,
White young lettis white;
You hear me cry, come mistris, buy,
To make my burden light."
No. 6 is the man who sells "Marking Stones," now, unless we except
slate-pencils, completely out of use:--
"Buy marking-stones, marking-stones buy,
Much profit in their use doth lie:
I've marking-stones of colour red,
Passing good, or else black lead."
No. 7 is the "Sausage Woman," holding a pound of sausages in her hand:--
"Who buys my sausages, sausages fine?
I ha' fine sausages of the best;
As good they are as ere was eat;
If they be finely drest.
Come, mistris, buy this daintie pound,
About a capon roast them round."
No. 8 is a man with "Toasting-forks and Spice-graters":--
"Buy a fine toasting-fork for toast,
Or fine spice-grater--tools for an hoast;
If these in winter be lacking, I say,
Your guests will pack, your trade decay."
No. 9 is the "Broom Man," and here we have a "cry" different from the one
we have already given. He carries a pair of old boots in his hand:--
"Come buy some brooms, come buy of me:
Birch, Heath, and green,--none better be;
The staves are straight, and all bound sure;
Come, maids, my brooms will still endure.
Old boots or shoes I'll take for brooms,
Come buy to make clean all your rooms!"
No. 10 is a woman with a box of "Wash balls":--
"Buy fine washing-balls, buy a ball,
Cheaper and dearer, greater and small;
For scouring none do them excel,
Their odour scenteth passing well;
Come buy rare balls, and trial make,
Spots out of clothes they quickly take."
No. 11 sells Ink and Pens.--He carries an ink-bottle hung by a stick
behind him, and has a bunch of pens in his hand:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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