Notice the little hot cross bun flag in his cap, almost like a newspaper delivery boy. Typical of many illustrations are the buns themselves, which are neatly stacked with their white icing crosses highly visible. Some questions about this seller remain. He has a caricature quality--was he meant to portray a real person? His outfit looks very much like that of a Puritan--note the three corner hat, knickers, and buckle shoes. Did the hot cross bun tradition travel to the New World from Europe with the Pilgrims?

Probably not, if one considers the history of street cries. This history would place the popularity of street cries like Hot Cross Buns with children as slightly later. According to Early Children's Books and Their Illustrations, books of street cries for children began appearing in mid-18th century England. And, "The children of the young United States were fascinated by the colorful street cries of London, and many chapbook editions of the cries were published in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and other American cities." Perhaps this provides a clue as to how what began as a street cry ended up in Mother Goose.