A History of the Cries of London Part 7

21. Maribones, maides, maribones.

22. I ha' ripe cowc.u.mber, ripe cowc.u.mber.

23. Chimney sweepe.

24. New flounders new.

25. Some broken breade and meate for y{e} poore prisoners; for the Lord's sake pittey the poore.

26. Buy my dish of great smelts.

27. Have you any chaires to mend?

28. Buy a c.o.c.ke, or a gelding.

29. Old showes or bootes; will you buy some broome?

30. Mussels, lilly white mussels.

31. Small cole a penny a peake.

32. What kitchen stuff have you, maides?

The figures, male and female, in the engravings, are all three-quarter lengths, furnished with the implements of their various trades, or with the articles in which they deal. The Watchman (one of the best) is a fine old fellow, with a broad brim to his hat, a reverential beard, a halberd in one hand, and a lanthorn in the other (after the manner of the one we have given at page 46). But perhaps the most curious engraving in the set is the "cry" called "Some broken breade and meate for y{e} poore prisoners: for the Lord's sake pittey the poore." This represents a poor prisoner with a sealed box in his hand, and a basket at his back--the box for alms in the shape of money, and the basket for broken bread and meat.

There is also preserved a small handbill printed in 1664, and ent.i.tled, "The Humble Pet.i.tion of the Poor Distressed Prisoners in Ludgate, being above an hundred and fourscore poor persons in number, against the time of the Birth of our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." "We most humbly beseech you," says the handbill "(even for G.o.d's cause), to relieve us with your charitable benevolence, and to put into this Bearers Boxe, the same being sealed with the house seale as it is figured on this Pet.i.tion."

[Ill.u.s.tration:

"Pity the sorrows of a poor old man, Whose trembling limbs have borne him to your door."]

To, "O, rare Ben Jonson!" we are indebted for the most perfect picture of Smithfield at "Barthol'me-tide," which he gives us, together with the popular cries in vogue at the time, in his comedy of "_Bartholomew Fair_,"

produced at the Hope Theatre, on the Bankside, 1614, and acted, as Jonson tells us, by the lady Elizabeth's servants.

The second act opens with "_The Fair. A number of Booths, Stalls, &c., set out_." The characters presented are "Lanthorn Leatherhead," _a hobby-horse seller_. "Bartholomew c.o.kes," _an esquire of Harrow_. "Nightingale," _a ballad-singer, a costard-monger, mousetrap-man, corn cutter_. "Joan Trash," _a gingerbread woman_. "Leatherhead" calls--"What do you lack?

what is't you buy? what do you lack? rattles, drums, halberts, horses, babies o' the best? fiddles o' the finest." "Joan Trash" cries, "Buy my gingerbread, gilt gingerbread!" the costard-monger, bawls out, "Buy any pears, pears, fine, very fine pears!" "Nightingale," the ballad man sings--

"Hey, now the Fair's a filling!

O, for a tune to startle The birds o' the booths here billing Yearly with old saint _Bartle_!

The drunkards they are wading, The punks and chapmen trading: Who'd see the _Fair_ without his lading?

Buy my ballads! new ballads!"

"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 c.o.kes," 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-s.h.i.+p 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."

Squire c.o.kes hears this, and says, "Ballads! hark, hark! pray thee, fellow, stay a little! what ballads hast thou? let me see, let me see myself--How dost thou call it? _A Caveat against Cut-purses!_--a good jest i' faith; I would fain see that demon, your cut-purse, you talk of;" He then shows his purse boastingly, and enquires "Ballad-man, do any cut-purses haunt hereabout? pray thee raise me one or two: begin and show me one." Nightingale answers, "Sir, this is a spell against 'em, spick and span new: and 'tis made as 'twere in mine own person, and I sing it in mine own defence. But 'twill cost a penny alone if you buy it." The Squire replies: "No matter for the price; thou dost not know me, I see, I am an old _Bartholomew_." The ballad has "pictures," and Nightingale tells him, "It was intended, sir, as if a purse should chance to be cut in my presence, now, I may be blameless though; as by the sequel will more plainly appear." He adds, "It is, to the tune of _Paggington's Pound_, sir." and he finally sings the ballad, the first and last stanzas of which follow:--

"My masters, and friends, and good people draw near, And look to your purses, for that I do say; And though little money, in them you do bear, It cost more to get, than to lose in a day, You oft' have been told, Both the young and the old, And bidden beware of the cut-purse so bold; Then if you take heed not, free me from the curse, Who both give you warning, for, and the cut-purse.

Youth, youth, thou hadst better been starved by thy nurse, Than live to be hanged for cutting a purse.

"But O, you vile nation of cut-purses all, Relent, and repent, and amend, and be sound, And know that you ought not by honest men's fall, Advance your own fortunes to die above ground.

And though you go gay In silks as you may, It is not the highway to heaven (as they say.) Repent then, repent you, for better, for worse; And kiss not the gallows for cutting a purse.

Youth, youth, thou hadst better been starved by thy nurse, Than live to be hanged for cutting a purse."

While Nightingale sings this ballad, a fellow tickles c.o.ke's ear with a straw, to make him withdraw his hand from his pocket, and privately robs him of his purse, which, at the end of the song, he secretly conveys to the ballad-singer; who notwithstanding his "Caveat against cut-purses," is their princ.i.p.al confederate, and in that quality, becomes the unsuspected depository of the plunder.

In the years 1600-18, there was published a musical work, ent.i.tled "_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 c.o.c.kles!

c.o.c.kels 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 G.o.d 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 _c.o.c.k-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 princ.i.p.al _dramatis personae_ 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."