In Thomas Heywood’s, “The Rape of Lucrece, a True Roman Tragedy, acted by Her Majestie’s Servants at the Red-Bull, 1609,” is the following long list of London Cries, but called for the sake of the dramatic action of the scene, “Cries of Rome,” which was the common practice with the old dramatists, Rome being the canting name of London. Robert Greene, in his “Perimedes the Blacksmith, 1588,” when he wished to criticise the London Theatre at Shoreditch, talks of the Theatre in Rome; also in his “Never too Late, 1590,” when he talks of the London actors, he pretends only to speak of Roscius and the actors of Rome. In the pedlar’s French of the day Rome-vyle—or ville—was London, and Rome-mort the Queen [Elizabeth]. There is some humour in the classification, and if the cries were well imitated by the singer, the ballad—or as it would then be called “jig”—is likely to have been extremely popular in its day.
The Cries of Rome [i.e. London.]
| Thus go the cries in Rome’s fair town, First they go up street, and then they go down, Round and sound all of a colour, Buy a very fine marking stone, marking stone, Round and sound all of a colour; Buy a very fine marking stone, marking stone. Thus go the cries in Rome’s fair town, First they go up street, and then they go down. Bread and—meat—bread—and meat For the—ten—der—mercy of God to the poor pris—ners of Newgate, four- score and ten—poor—prisoners. Thus go the cries in Rome’s fair town, First they go up street, and then they go down. |
 Marking Stone. |  Bread and Meat. | |
 Worstershire Salt. |  Buy a Mouse Trap. |
| Salt—salt—white Wor—stershire Salt, Thus go the cries in Rome’s fair town, First they go up street, and then they go down. Buy a very fine Mouse—trap, or a tormentor for your Fleas. Thus go the cries in Rome’s fair town, First they go up street, and then they go down. Kitchen-stuff, maids. Thus go the cries in Rome’s fair town, First they go up street, and then they go down. I have white Radish, white hard Lettuce, white young Onions. Thus go the cries in Rome’s fair town, First they go up street, and then they go down. I have Rock—Samphire Rock—Samphire, Thus go the cries in Rome’s fair town, First they go up street, and then they go down. Buy a Mat, a Mil—Mat, Mat or a Hassock for your pew, A stopple for your close-stool, Or a Pesock to thrust your feet in. Thus go the cries in Rome’s fair town, First they go up street, and then they go down. Whiting maids, Whiting. Thus go the cries in Rome’s fair town, First they go up street, and then they go down. |
 Kitchen Stuff, Maids. |  White Radish Lettuce. | |
 Rock Sampier. |  Mat, a Mill Mat. |