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
In the years 1600-18, there was published a musical work, entitled
"_Pammelia_--MVSICKES MISCELLANIE; _Or_, Mixed Varietie of pleasant
ROVNDELAYS and delightful CATCHES. London, Printed by Thomas Snodhom, for
Matthew Lownes and Iohn Browne." It was compiled by some eminent
musicians, who had a practice of setting the cries of London to music,
retaining only the very musical notes of them, here we find, "What
Kitchen-Stuffe haue you maids," and there is a Round in six parts to the
cry of "New Oysters:"--
"New Oysters, new Oysters, new Oysters new,
New Oysters, new Wall-fleet Oysters--
At a groat a pecke--each Oyster worth twopence.
Fetch vs bread and wine, that we may eate,
Let vs lose no time with such good meate--
A Banquet for a Prince--New Oysters.
New--_vt supra_--Oysters."
From "Meligmata: Musical Phantasies, fitting the Court, City, and Country
Manners, to three, four and five Voices"--
"To all delightful, except to the spiteful;
To none offensive, except to the pensive."
"London, printed by William Stansby, for Thos. Adams, 1611," we take as
follows:--
"CITTIE ROUNDS.
"Broomes for old shoes! pouch-rings, bootes and buskings!
Will yee buy any new broome?
New oysters! new oysters! new new cockles!
Cockels nye! fresh herrings! will yee buy any straw?
Hay yee any kitchen stuffe, maides?
Pippins fine, cherrie ripe, ripe, ripe!
Cherrie ripe, &c.
Hay any wood to cleaue?
Give care to the clocke!
Beware your locke!
Your fire and your light!
And God giue you good night!
One o' clocke!"
Some of the "Common Cryes i' th' City," as Oysters, Codlings,
Kitchen-stuff, Matches for your Tinder-box, &c., are enumerated in Richard
Brome's--The "Court Beggar, A Comedie acted at the _Cock-pit_, by His
Majesties Servants, _Anno_ 1632."
"The London Chanticleers, a witty Comedy full of Various and Delightful
Mirth," 1659. This piece is rather an interlude than a play, and is
amusing and curious, the characters being, with two exceptions, all London
criers. The allusions to old usages, with the mention of many well known
ballads, and some known no longer, contribute to give the piece an
interest and a value of its own.
The principal _dramatis personæ_ consists of:--
HEATH.--_A broom-man._ "Brooms, maids, broom! Come, buy my brooms,
maids; 'Tis a new broom, and will sweep clean. Come, buy my broom,
maids!"
BRISTLE.--_A brush-man._ "Come, buy a save-all. Buy a comb-brush, or a
pot-brush; buy a flint, or a steel, or a tinder-box."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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