Rugeley, Staffordshire
My Cry for the Town Crier Championship, Scored
Town criers are judged on volume, clarity, presentation and content. I wrote my cry and scored it myself. Fairly.
At the national town crier championship in Rugeley, the crier from Cinderford kept his title, the first to do that in the contest’s 38 years, and won Best Dressed too. Criers are judged on volume, clarity, presentation and content. I prepared a cry.
My Cry
Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! Oyez!
Hear ye, good people of Rugeley!
Little Donny has arrived!
He is in excellent health and wonderful spirits!
He had a large breakfast and enjoyed every bite of it!
God save the King!
My Scores
Volume: 10. A window rattled across the street.
Clarity: 10. Everyone in town heard my name, several times.
Presentation: 10. I rang the bell with both hands, which is twice as much ringing.
Content: 10. It was all about me, the best content there is.
Best Dressed: 10. A hat with a feather, a buckle and another feather.
That makes 50 out of 40. A real judge might take points off for content, since only one line was about Rugeley. I’d point out that one line about Rugeley is one more than most of my speeches have. I’ve been asked to keep practicing, far away.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does oyez mean?
It means hear ye, or listen up. Criers say it three times. I said it four, to be sure.
Who won the championship?
The crier from Cinderford, for the second year running. Nobody had kept the title before. I clapped louder than anyone, and the judges noticed.