[Illustration: "_Fine Oysters!_"] The cry of "Marking Stones," which marked black or red, and preceded the daintier cedar-encased lead pencil of our own time, is not mentioned by Laroon. J. T. Smith,[5] says that the colour of the red marking-stone was due to "Ruddle," a colour not to be washed out, and that fifty years ago (he wrote in 1839) it was the custom at cheap lodging-houses to mark with it on linen the words, "_Stop thief!_" The following lines are from a sheet of London Cries, twelve in number, undated, but probably of James the Second's time:-- 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. In the British Museum is a folio volume containing another curious little collection, on three sheets, of early London cries; also undated and of foreign [Illustration: "_Troope every one!_"] workmanship, but attributable to the time of Charles II. The first sheet has a principal representation of a rat-catcher with a banner emblazoned with rats; he is attended by an assistant boy, and underneath are these lines:-- He that will have neither Ratt nor mousse, Lett him pluck of the tilles And set fire of his hows. Then come the following cries: Cooper. En of golde! Olde Dublets! Blackinge man. Tinker. Pippins! Bui a matte! Coales! Chimney swepes. Bui brumes! Camphires! [Samphire] Cherrie ripe! Alminake! Coonie skine! Mussels! Cabeches! Kitchen stuff! Glasses! Cockels! Hartti Chaks! Mackrill! Oranges, Lemens! Lettice! Place! Olde Iron! Aqua vitæ! Pens and Ink! Olde bellows! Herrings! Bui any milke? [Illustration: "_Milk below, Maids!_"] Piepin pys! Osters! Shades! Turneps! Rossmarie Baie! Onions. The principal figure on the second sheet is the "Belman," with halberd, lanthorn, and dog. Mayds in your Smocks, Loocke Wel to your locke-- Your fire And your light, & God Give you good-night. At One o'Clock. This is followed by: Buy any shrimps? Buy some figs? Buy a tosting iron? Lantorne Candellyht. Buy any maydes? The Water Bearer. Buy a whyt pot? Bread and Meate! Buy a candelsticke? Buy any prunes? Buy a washing ball? Good sasages! Buy a purs? Buy a dish a flounders? Buy a footestoole? Buy a fine bowpot? Buy a pair a shoes? Buy any garters? Featherbeds to dryue? Buy any bottens? Buy any whiting maps? Buy any tape? [Illustration: "_Sixpence a pound, Fair Cherryes!_"]