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
"What do you lack?" continues Leatherhead, "What do you lack, gentlemen?
my pretty mistress, buy a fine hobby-horse for your young master; cost you
but a token a week for his provender." The corn cutter cries, "Have you
any corns in your feet or toes?" The tinder-box man calls, "Buy a
mouse-trap, a mouse-trap, or a tormentor for a flea!" Trash cries, "Buy
some gingerbread!" Nightingale bawls, "Ballads, ballads, fine new
ballads!" Leatherhead repeats, "What do you lack, gentlemen, what is't you
lack? a fine horse? a lion? a bull? a bear? a dog? or a cat? an excellent
fine Bartholomew bird? or an instrument? what is't you lack, what do you
buy, mistress? a fine hobby-horse, to make your son a tilter? a drum, to
make him a soldier? a fiddle, to make him a reveller? what is't you lack?
little dogs for your daughters? or babies, male and female? fine purses,
pouches, pincases, pipes; what is't you lack? a pair o' smiths to wake you
i' the morning? or a fine whistling bird?" A character named "Bartholomew
Cokes," a silly "Esquire of Harrow," stops at Leatherhead's stall to
purchase.--"Those six horses, friend, I'll have, and the three Jew's
trumps; and half a dozen o' birds; and that drum; and your smiths--I like
that devise o' your smiths, and four halberts; and let me see, that fine
painted great lady, and her three women of state, I'll have. A set of
those violins I would buy too, for a delicate young noise[4] I have i' the
country, that are every one a size less than another, just like your
fiddles." Joan Trash invites the Esquire to buy her gingerbread, and he
turns to her basket, whereupon Leatherhead says, "Is this well, Goody
Joan, to interrupt my market in the midst, and call away my customers? Can
you answer this at the _Pie-poudres_?"[5] whereto Joan Trash replies,
"Why, if his master-ship have a mind to buy, I hope my ware lies as open
as anothers; I may show my ware as well as you yours." Nightingale begins
to sing:--
"My masters and friends, and good people draw near."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account