A History of the Cries of London Part 8

DITTY.--_A ballad-man._ "Come, new books, new books, newly printed and newly come forth! All sorts of ballads and pleasant books! _The Famous History of Tom Thumb_ and _Unfortunate Jack, A Hundred Goodly Lessons_ and _Alas, poor Scholar, whither wilt thou go? The second part of Mother s.h.i.+pton's Prophecies, newly made by a gentleman of good quality_, foretelling what was done four hundred years ago, and _A Pleasant Ballad of a b.l.o.o.d.y fight seen i' th' air_, which, the astrologers say, portends scarcity of fowl this year. The _Ballad of the Unfortunate Lover_. I have _George of Green_, _Chivy Chase_, _Collins and the Devil; or, Room for Cuckolds_, _The Ballad of the London 'Prentice_, _Guy of Warwick_, _The Beggar of Bethnal Green, the Honest Milkmaid; or, I must not wrong my Dame_, _The Honest Fresh Cheese and Cream Woman_. Then I have _The Seven Wise Men of Gotham_, _A Hundred Merry Tales_, _Scoggin's Jests; or, A Book of Prayers and Graces for Young Children_. I have very strange news from beyond seas.

The King of Morocco has got the black jaundice, and the Duke of Westphalia is sick of the swine-pox, with eating bacon; the Moors increase daily, and the King of Cyprus mourns for the Duke of Saxony, that is dead of the stone; and Presbyter John is advanced to Zealand; the sea ebbs and flows but twice in four-and-twenty hours, and the moon has changed but once the last month."

BUDGET.--_A Tinker._ "Have you any work for the tinker? Old bra.s.s, old pots, old kettles. I'll mend them all with a tara-tink, and never hurt your metal."

GUM.--_A Tooth drawer._ "Have you any corns upon your feet or toes?

Any teeth to draw?"

JENNITING.--_An Apple wench._ "Come buy my pearmains, curious John Apples, dainty pippins? Come, who buy? who buy?"

CURDS.--_A fresh Cheese and Cream woman._ "I have fresh cheese and cream; I have fresh cheese and cream."

THE SORROWFUL LAMENTATIONS of the PEDLARS AND PETTY CHAPMEN, For the Hardness of the Times and the Decay of Trade.

_To the Tune of_ "My Life and my Death."

"The times are grown hard, more harder than stone, And therefore the Pedlars may well make their moan, Lament and complain that trading is dead, That all the sweet golden days now are fled.

Then maidens and men, come see what you lack, And buy the fine toys that I have in my pack!

"Come hither and view, here's choice and here's store, Here's all things to please ye, what would you have more?

Here's points for the men, and pins for the maid, Then open your purses and be not afraid.

Come, maidens, &c.

"Let none at a tester repent or repine: Come bring me your money, and I'll make you fine; Young Billy shall look as spruce as the day, And pretty sweet Betty more finer than May.

Then, maidens, &c.

"To buy a new license your money I crave; 'Tis that which I want, and 'tis that which you have: Exchange then a groat for some pretty toy, Come, buy this fine whistle for your little boy.

Come, maidens, &c.

"Here's garters for hose, and cotton for shoes.

And there's a gilt bodkin, which none would refuse: This bodkin let John give to sweet Mistriss Jane, And then of unkindness he shall not complain.

Come, maidens, &c.

"Come buy this fine coife, this dressing, or hood, And let not your money come like drops of blood: The Pedlar may well of his fortune complain If he brings all his ware to the market in vaine.

Then, maidens, &c.

"Here's band strings for men, and there you have lace, Bone-lace to adorn the fair virgin's sweet face: Whatever you like, if you will but pay, As soon as you please you may take it away.

Then, maidens, &c.

"The world is so hard that we find little trade, Although we have all things to please every maid: Come, pretty fair maids, then make no delay, But give me your hansel, and pack me away.

Come, maidens, &c.

"Here's all things that's fine, and all things that's rare, All modish and neat, all new London ware: Variety here you plainly may see, Then give me your money, and we will agree.

Come, maidens, &c.

"We travel all day through dirt and through mire, To fetch you fine laces and what you desire; No pains do we spare to bring you choice ware, As gloves and perfumes, and sweet powder for hair.

Then, maidens, &c.

"We have choice of songs, and merry books, too, All pleasant and witty, delightful and new, Which every young swain may whistle at plough, And every fair milk-maid may sing at her cow.

Then, maidens, &c.

"Since trading's so dead we must needs complain, And, therefore, pray let us have some little gain: If you will be free, we will you supply With what you do want; therefore, pray come and buy.

The world is so hard, that although we take pains, When we look in our purses we find little gains.

"Printed for J. BACK, at the Black-boy, on London Bridge."

In "Merry Drollery Complete, or, a Collection of Jovial Poems, Merry Songs, Witty Drolleries, Intermixed with Pleasant Catches, London, Printed for _William Miller_, at the _Gilded Acorn_, in _St. Paul's_ Church-yard, 1661," the _Catch_ which follows will be found. The Rev. J. Woodfall Ebsworth, M.A., Cantab, who has carefully edited and reprinted [1875]

"Both Parts"; says in his _Appendix of Notes_:--"Hare-skin and Rabbit-skin collectors, have always been queer characters. This catch is by JOHN FLETCHER, in his 'Beggar's Bush,' act iii., sc. 1, where it is sung by 'Clause' his boy. Clause, the vagabond beggar, was a popular favourite, reproduced in 'Drolls.' We see him represented in the frontispiece of _The Wits_, by Kirkman and c.o.x."

A CATCH.

"Bring forth your Cunny skins, fair maids, to me, And hold them fair that I may see Gray, black, and blue; for your smaller skins-- I'll give you Gla.s.ses, Laces, Pins: And for your whole Cunny I'll give ready money.

"Come, gentle _Jone_, do thou begin With thy black, black, black Cunny skin, And _Mary_ then, and _Kate_ will follow With their silver'd hair'd skins, and their yellow; Your white Cunny skin I will not lay by, Though it be fat, it is not fair to the Eye.

"Your gray it is warm, but for my money Give me the bonny, bonny black Coney; Come away, fair maids, your skins will decay, Come take money, maids, put your ware away; I have fine Bracelets, Rings, And I have silver Pins Coney skins, Coney skins, Maids, have you any Coney skins."

In the same Collection there is a vigorous song exposing the cheats of mendicants. The hero of which declares:--"_I am a Rogue, and a stout one_." And that among the many cheats, counterfeits, deceits and dodges he has to resort to, at times he may be seen:--

"In _Pauls_ Church-yard, by a pillar, Sometimes you see me stand, Sir, With a writ that shows what cares, what woes I have pa.s.sed by Sea and Land, Sir, Then I do cry, &c.

"Come buy, come buy a Horn-book, Who buys my Pins and Needles: Such things do I in the City cry Oftimes to 'scape the Beadles, Then I do cry, &c."

For the counterpart of this Rogue and Vagabond, the reader is referred to Vol. I, No. 42-3 of the Roxburghe Ballads--(British Museum.) Where there is one ent.i.tled:--

THE CUNNING NORTHERN BEGGAR.

Who all the by-standers doth earnestly pray To bestow a penny upon him to-day.

TO THE TUNE OF _Tom of Bedlam_.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

I am a l.u.s.ty beggar, And live by others giving!

I scorn to work, But by the highway lurk, And beg to get my living: I'll i' the wind and weather, And wear all ragged garments; Yet, though I'm bare, I'm free from care,-- A fig for high preferments!

_Therefore I'll cry, &c._

My flesh I can so temper That it shall seem to fester, And look all o'er Like a raw sore, Whereon I stick a plaister.

With blood I daub my face then, To feign the falling sickness, That in every place They pity my case, As if it came through weakness.

_Therefore I'll cry, &c._

No tricks at all shall escape me, But I will by my maunding, Get some relief To ease my grief When by the highway standing: 'Tis better be a Beggar, And ask of kind good fellows, And honestly have What we do crave, Than steal and go to the gallows.

_Therefore I'll cry, "Good your wors.h.i.+p, good sir, Bestow one poor denier, sir, Which, when I've got, At the Pipe and Pot I soon will it cas.h.i.+er, sir."_