A Harnet zet in a hollow tree,—A proper spiteful twoad was he,—And a merrily zung while a did zetHis stinge as zharp as a baganet,'Oh, who's zo bowld and vierce as I?—I vears not bee, nor wapse, nor vly!'Chorus—Oh, who's zo bowld, etc.A Bittle up thuck tree did clim',And scarnvully did luk at him.Zays he, 'Zur Harnet, who giv' theeA right to zet in thuck there tree?Although you zengs so nation vine,I tell'e it's a house o' mine.'Chorus—Although you zengs, etc.The Harnet's conscience velt a twinge,But growin' bould wi' his long stinge,Zays he, 'Possession's the best law,Zo here th' shasn't put a claw.Be off, and leave the tree to me:The Mixen's good enough vor thee!'Chorus—Be off, and leave, etc.Just then a Yuccle passin' byWas axed by them their cause to try.'Ha! ha! it's very plain,' zays he,'They'll make a vamous nunch for me!'His bill was zharp, his stomack lear,Zo up a snapped the caddlin pair.Chorus—His bill was zharp, etc.Moral.All you as be to law inclined,This leetle story bear in mind;For if to law you ever gwo,You'll vind they'll allus zarve'e zo;You'll meet the vate o' these 'ere two:They'll take your cwoat and carcass too!Chorus—You'll meet the vate, etc.
A Harnet zet in a hollow tree,—A proper spiteful twoad was he,—And a merrily zung while a did zetHis stinge as zharp as a baganet,'Oh, who's zo bowld and vierce as I?—I vears not bee, nor wapse, nor vly!'Chorus—Oh, who's zo bowld, etc.
A Bittle up thuck tree did clim',And scarnvully did luk at him.Zays he, 'Zur Harnet, who giv' theeA right to zet in thuck there tree?Although you zengs so nation vine,I tell'e it's a house o' mine.'Chorus—Although you zengs, etc.
The Harnet's conscience velt a twinge,But growin' bould wi' his long stinge,Zays he, 'Possession's the best law,Zo here th' shasn't put a claw.Be off, and leave the tree to me:The Mixen's good enough vor thee!'Chorus—Be off, and leave, etc.
Just then a Yuccle passin' byWas axed by them their cause to try.'Ha! ha! it's very plain,' zays he,'They'll make a vamous nunch for me!'His bill was zharp, his stomack lear,Zo up a snapped the caddlin pair.Chorus—His bill was zharp, etc.
Moral.
All you as be to law inclined,This leetle story bear in mind;For if to law you ever gwo,You'll vind they'll allus zarve'e zo;You'll meet the vate o' these 'ere two:They'll take your cwoat and carcass too!Chorus—You'll meet the vate, etc.
FromWiltshire Tales, pp. 96-97.
[A phonetic version of this song, representing the Chippenham dialect, will be found at pp. 28, 29 of Ellis'sEnglish Dialects—their Sounds and Homes, where it is pointed out thatstinge(withgsoft) appears to have been invented by Akerman for the sake of the rhyme here.]
By J. Y. Akerman.
[North Wilts.]
'Now, do'e plaze to walk in a bit, zur, and rest'e, and dwont'e mind my measter up agin th' chimley carner. Poor zowl an hin, he've a bin despert ill ever zence t'other night, when a wur tuk ter'ble bad wi' th' rheumatiz in's legs and stummick. He've a bin and tuk dree bottles o' doctor's stuff; but I'll be whipped if a do simbly a bit th' better var't. Lawk, zur, but I be main scrow to be ael in zich a caddle, ael alang o' they childern. They've a bin a leasin, and when um coomed whoame, they ael tuk and drowed the carn ael among th' vire stuff, and zo here we be, ael in a muggle like. And you be lookin' middlinish, zur, and ael as if'e was shrammed. I'll take and bleow up th' vire a mossel; but what be them bellises at? here they be slat a-two! and here's my yeppurn they've a'bin and scarched, and I've a-got narra 'nother 'gin Zunday besepts thisum!'—Wiltshire Tales, pp. 137-8.
[North Wilts: Clyffe Pypard.]
'Lawk aw! if 'tean't Thomas! and how be you? I han't seen 'ee fur a lenth o' time.—An' they tells I as you've a got a new missis agean! That's the vowerth, yun it?'
'Ees, I 'spose te-uz. Thur, didden sim right 'snaw wi'out a 'ooman down thur, 'tes sich a girt gabborn place thuck wold house. Do zim zart o' unkid to bide thur by yerself. 'Tes so lonesome, perticler night-times. Thur yun't narra naighber aniest 'ee, an' if a body wur ill ur anythin' o' that, 'tud be just about a job 'snaw.'
'An' do the new missis shoot 'ee main well?'
'Aw thur, I ban't got nothen to zaay agen th' 'ooman. Th' 'ooman's wull enough as fur as I knaaws on. Her's a decent staid body 'snaw. 'Tean't likely as I wur a gwain to hae no hans wi' none o' they giglettin' wenchen—they got so many 'oonderments to 'em when they be so young.'
'An' 'cordin' as I da hire tell on't her've a got a bit o' money saved, haven' her?'
'O' course her got summat 'snaw, but Lor' bless 'ee! tean't nothen near as much as vawk says for.'
'Wull, 'tean't no odds to I, but they was a zaayin' up at public as aal your wives had zummut when they come to you; an' they did zaay as you must ha' made a main good thing out on't wi' one an' tother on em!'
'What good is it to hearken to they? I tell 'ee what 'tes—What wi' bringin' on 'em in an' carr'n on 'em out, 'tean't butvurryleetle profit to't!'
E. H. G.
[North Wilts: Devizes.]
Counsel.What do you know about this case?
Witness.What do 'ee zaay? I be zo hard o' hirin', I caan't hire nothen, wi'out I comes handier to 'ee.
Counsel.What did you see the prisoner do?
Witness.Aw! I tell'd 'ee avore as I zeed it aal. I wurden no furder awaay vrom un then I be vrom thuck owld gent thur [the Judge]. Bill Stevens he come out an' a zaays, zaays he, 'I'll breäk thee mazzard vor the'!' an' a offer'd to hit un wi' a graft as he wur a carr'n. An' Jim he up wi' he's showl an' hut un auver th' yead wi't. An' ifhehadden a hut he, he'd a huthe, an' if he'd a hutheashehut he, he'd a killedhe, 'sted o'hekillin' he! That's aal as I knaws on't!
E. H. G.
[North Wilts: Hilmarton.]
Etherd he bin sart o' rough fur this long time, wuver he never bin not to say well since he wur bad wi' the influenzy las' year. A ketched a cowld the day as thuck rain wur. A wur up at hill wi' the ship out in the bleat, an' a cudden get into the succour nowur, and vor aal as he wur droo wet he wur foc'd to bide in't aal day. An' when a cum whoam at night a says to I, 'Mary,' a says, 'I feelster'blemiddlin'. I got a mind to ha' a bit o' zupper an gwo to bed.' Wull, I got un out the berd an' cheese out o' the panterny, but do you thenk as he cud yeat or a mossel on't? not if anybody had a gied he thewurld, a cudden't, a said. An' a simmed zart o' shrammed wi' the cowld, an' a did kip on a coughin a'ter he got into bed, and simmin to I a never stopped till the clock hut dree, and then that rampin pain cum on at such a rate in hes zide, as he diddenknaw wur to get to, nur what to do. An' that follered on aal day, and I cudden get un to take next akin to nothin', and allus a wantin summut to drenk. That wur aal he's cry. Thur I madeshoweras he'd a died avore the doctor come. Bill he went in to fetch un, but a never come till Vriday aaternoon, and a said as he'd a got the pewresy and he'd send un along a bottle o' medecine, but Etherd he wudden take it 'snaw, fur a said twern't nuthen inthis wurl' but a drop o' water wi' some peppermint in't or summat o' that. An' Sally Moore her come in wi' some hoss-fat as come out o' thuck owld hoss o' Mas' John's as vull in the pit, an' her 'suaded I to rub some o' that into un, an' that sim to do he more good bless 'ee thun aal the doctor's medecine. Wuver the doctor he come agean isterday marnin', and a axed un how a wur. An' a spawk up bless 'ee and telled un straight as twern't nor a mozzel o' good fur he to zend no more o' thuck stuff as he zent avore, fur a zaid as twern't wuth a louse's liver! The doctor he didden like ut vurry well, but a telled I as he'd channge it, an' zo a did. A let the bwoy ride back along wi' un, an' a brought back this yer bottle wi' summat wrote on't. But thur I bean't no scholard, and the bwoy he cudden rade it, but a zaid as the doctor tell'd he as a wurden to take but one spoonvull on't once in vower hours. Zo I gied un a dawse, but he 'suaded I to gie un two spoonvulls, and I'll warn as a hadden a took utviveminutes avore tweraal awver'n—back, bully, an' zides! Now that's what I caals zome o' the right zart that, and I got faith as that'll do he good!
E. H. G.
[North Wilts: Clyffe Pypard.]
My veyther now, he never 'oudden yeat none o' this here Hostilian meät nor nuthen o' that. I axed un one day why a 'oudden, and a zes, 'Do meak I shrill, the vurrysighton't do—they tells I as't do come vrom wur the War is, an' 'tes made o' souldiers a pretty deal on't. Wuver nobody shan't 'suade I to hae none on't.' And he 'oudden, bless 'ee! not if you was to gie uneverso!
Wull, my brother Jim, he kneowed this o' course, an' he do most in general ax veyther an' mother an' aal on us to come to zupper wi' he about Christmas time—he wur allus vurry good for anything o' that—an' laas' year aal on us had a zot down to zupper, an' ther wur a girt pie at Jim's end, an' Sarah her had a piece o' biled bif—ur wur 'twer mutton I caan't rightly mind—wuver dwon't meak no odds as I kneows on which twer—an' Jim he zes to veyther, 'Veyther, whichbe a gwain to hae, some o' this here pie ur some o' thick biled bif as Sally got down tother end?' An' veyther zes, 'What's the pie made on then?' An' Jim he zes, ''Tes mutton, yunnit, Sally?' 'Aw,' zes veyther, 'I wur alluster'blevond o' mutton pie, an' our Mary her never 'oon't gie I none on't at whoam.'
Zo veyther he had a plate vull on't, an' a begun a gettin' this yer pie into un at aterriblerate, an' when a done, Jim zes, 'What be gwain at now, veyther? Wull 'ee channge yer mind an' hae some o' tother?' 'No,' zes veyther, 'I'll hae some more o' thuck pie. I caals it oncommon good. I dwont knaw when I've a teasted anythen as I likes better'n thuck pie.' An' a did jist about enjoy hesself, bless 'ee, awver's zupper.
An' when a done, Jim zes, 'Veyther,' a zes, 'Do 'ee kneow what thuck pie wur made on?' 'Noa,' zes veyther, 'I dwont, any more'n you zed as 'twer meäd o' mutton, didden 'ee? Let it be whatever 'twill, 'twer uncommon good.'
An' Jim he looks at un zart o' comical, an' a zes, 'Veyther, 'twer meäd o' some o' thuck Hostilian meat as you zed as nobody shudden 'suade 'ee to yeat none on!'
An' zimmin to I veyther's feace turned zart o' aal colours, and a zes, 'Lawk a massey! dwon 'ee tell I that, ur I shall drow't aal up agean!' An' none on us dursen zaay no more to un, a look'd so guly, we was aveard as he 'ood.
But aater 'bout a haaf an hour Jim he zes, 'Veyther, an' how d'ee feel now?' An' veyther zes, 'Aw, 'tes better now,' but a zes, 'I thenk,' a zes, 'as this here is a gwoin' rayther too fur wi' a veyther!'
E. H. G.
[North Wilts: Clyffe Pypard.]
'Tes allus a caddlin' zart of a job takin' they fat beasties to Swinnun Market, but dall'd if ever I had such a doin' wi'em afore as 'twer isterday. 'Twer thuck thur white-veaced un as Measter bought off a ole Collins laas' yer as done it. I'd a nauticed as he wur a pankin' tur'ble as we was a gwain up the hill, an' as zoon as iver he got vorright the Red Lion he 'oudden go no furder,—an' thur a wur led down in the middle o' the strit. Thur yun't nothen as I likes wusser'n that, bless 'ee! Thur be such a sight o' 'oondermentin' chaps a gaapsin' about thur allus, a body caan't bide quiet nohow fur their maggots. And then if 'ee ses arra word to 'em they puts 'ee in theNoos, an' that's wussern' aal on't! Thuck girt gaapus Bill Wilkins come up,an' a begun a laafin' at I, an' a axed wur I'd a slep on the rwoad laas' night.—Dall'd if I hadden a mine to ha' gien he what-for thur-right, if't hadden a bin fur the narration as they'd a made on't. A wur allus a terrible voolhardy zart of a chap, an' I niver coudden away wi' a lot o' that 'oondermentin'. Simmin to I I'd zooner walk ten mile roun' than hae to stan up in 'Ootton strit like a vool wi' they chaps a terrifyin' on 'ee.
E. H. G.
[South Wilts: Wilton.]
Wen Zal Slatter coorteed Jim Bleak he wur under carter, an' she wur maid a ael wuk up at Hill Varm. Zoo thay 'greed ta putt up tha banns unbeknown to their measter an' missus. Wen Varmer comed out a chirch thic Zundy a gooes straight inta kitchen wur Zal wur cookin' a girt laig a mutten var dinner, an a zaays, 'Zal,' a zaays, 'Wur that thee an' Jim I yeard caal'd whoam bit now?' 'I 'specs 'twur, measter,' zaays Zal. 'Why, wat in tha wordle diss thee want ta get married var? Hassen a got a good whoam, a good bade ta sleep on? an' a good laig a mutten ta zet down to wen bist 'ungry?' 'O eece, measter,' zaays Zal, 'I knaas ael that, bit did 'ee ever know a wench as hooden gie up a laig o' mutten var a whole man?'
E. Slow.
[North Wilts: Clyffe Pypard.]
I niver wur at Cannin's but once as I knaws on, an' that wur when Mr. Jones wur alive. I went awver wi' he to Cannin's Veast. I mind thur wur a lot on 'em thur from Ca'an [Calne] as wur a tellin' up zuch tales as was never about the Cannin's vawk. The' tell'd I as zome on 'em got up the Church tower, and dunged that thur—what is it?—a-top o' the tower, to make un grow as big as the spire. I never he-ard tell o' zuch a thing! Should 'ee iver thenk as 'twer true? An' the' tell'd I as 'twern't but a vurry veow years ago as zome on 'em hired as ther wur a comut ur what 'ee caals ut, to be zeed in 'Vize market-place, an' pretty nigh aal Cannin's went in thur to zee un, an' niver thought o' lookin' to zee wur they cudden zee un at whoam. What some girt stups they must a bin! An' thur wur a cooper ur zummat o' that, as cudden putt th' yead into a barr'l; an' a tell'd he's bwoy to get inside and howld un up till he'd a vastened un. An'when a done the bwoy hollered out droo the bung hawl, 'How be I to get out, veyther?'—That bit tickled I, bless 'ee! moor'n aal on't! Arterwards one on 'em axed I if thur wurden a Cannin's girl in sarvice at our place; an' I zes 'I b'lieve as 'tes.' An' a zes, 'Do 'ee iver zaaBaa! to she?' An' I zes 'Noa, vur why should I zaayBaa! to she?' An' a zes 'You should allus zaayBaa! to a body as comes vrom Cannin's.' 'Wull,' I zes, 'I shudden like to zaayBaa! to any body wi'out I know'd the rason on't.' An' then a tell'd I as the' had a tiddlin' lamb as wur ter'ble dickey, an' the' putt un into th' o-ven, to kip un warm' an' shut un in an' forgot aal about un, an lef' un in thur. An' when the' awpened the o-ven agean a wur rawsted droo!—Wull, I come whoam, an' niver thought nothen more on't fur a lenth o' time, till one daay as I wur a workin' in the garden, measter an' missus wur out, an' the girls come out an' begun a 'oondermentin' an' terrifyin' I. An' aal at once this yer shot into my mind, an' I looks up at the cook an' I zes, 'Baa!' But her didden take no nautice, an' a went on chatterin'. An' I zes 'Baa!' agean. An' that put her pot on, bless 'ee! at a terrible rate, an' she zes to I, 'Who beyou'—she zes,—'to zaayBaa! to I?' An' wi' that they boath on 'em went auf in-a-doors, an' they niver come a meddlin' wi' I agean fur a long whiles.
E. H. G.
[North Wilts: Clyffe Pypard.]
Thur's our Bill, 'snaw—I had a main job to get he to gwoa. He bin a walkin' wi' thuck ginger-headed wench o' Smith's—a wur terrible took up wi' she a bit back, an' her bin a 'suading he to putt up the banns. A never zed nothen to I about ut, nit I never zed nothen to he not afore laas' Vriday wick, an' then there wur a word or two, and I zes to un, 'What's thee want wi' a wife? Thee's got no more 'casion wi' a wife than a twoad has wi' a zide-pawket'—I zes—'an' ef thee'se be a-gwain to hae she thee can plase theeself, but thee shasn't never hannel narra penny piece o' mine ef thee does! An' ther's Shusan's brother-law up a Lunnon, as hev a axed the'timesto gwo up, an' he'd vine the' a pleace wur the' meds't do well.—Why dwon't 'ee teak an' gwo, 'stid o' loppettin' about at whoam wi' a wench as yun't narra mossel o' good fur cheese-makin' nur nothen else 'cept 'tes to look vine in thuck new hat o' shis'n?'—Them was my words to un, an' he wur zart o' dubous wur a'd gwo ur wur a 'oodden: but I sticks it into un as Lunnon wer far afore any wife, let ut be who 'twill. An' zoa zed a 'oodden bide yer no longer, fur ef a did her'd never let un gwo. An' a started awf thur-right, an' I han't a hired from un wur a likes it or wur a dwon't.
E. H. G.
[North Wilts.]
Our Jess wur cwoortin' Polly:Her gwoed an' kitched th' plague.'Zo cwoortin's wusser'n volly,'Zes Jess, 'an' I'll renage!'Zes Polly, 'Dang thee buttons!Thee gwo an' blaw thee's nause!Zo zhure as zhip be muttons,Th' dain be in thee's claus!'Martal aveard wur Jesse,An' tuk an' hiked it whoam.'Bin in my claus 'tes,' zes 'e,'I'll make a bonvire aw'm!'Zo off a zoon tuk aal claus,Vrom sankers up ta zmock,Vur weskit, cwoat an' smaal-claus,An' putt 'em in a cock.Jess wur a vool, but Lawksies!Thur's zights aw'm wusser'nhe!It minds I o' Guy Vawks's,Thuck vire o' he's to zee!'Twur down in veyther's archet,A gashly smother 'twur,Vor when you comes to scarch it,Thur be a zim to vur!But 'twern't no zart o' use on't,A zoon beginned to sneeze—An' when I hires moor news on't,I'll tell 'ee how a be's!
Our Jess wur cwoortin' Polly:Her gwoed an' kitched th' plague.'Zo cwoortin's wusser'n volly,'Zes Jess, 'an' I'll renage!'
Zes Polly, 'Dang thee buttons!Thee gwo an' blaw thee's nause!Zo zhure as zhip be muttons,Th' dain be in thee's claus!'
Martal aveard wur Jesse,An' tuk an' hiked it whoam.'Bin in my claus 'tes,' zes 'e,'I'll make a bonvire aw'm!'
Zo off a zoon tuk aal claus,Vrom sankers up ta zmock,Vur weskit, cwoat an' smaal-claus,An' putt 'em in a cock.
Jess wur a vool, but Lawksies!Thur's zights aw'm wusser'nhe!It minds I o' Guy Vawks's,Thuck vire o' he's to zee!
'Twur down in veyther's archet,A gashly smother 'twur,Vor when you comes to scarch it,Thur be a zim to vur!
But 'twern't no zart o' use on't,A zoon beginned to sneeze—An' when I hires moor news on't,I'll tell 'ee how a be's!
G. E. D.
A Bibliography of Works relating to Wilts or illustrating its Dialect.
Most of the works comprised in the following list have lately been read through, and compared with our ownGlossary, and references to many of them will be found in the foregoing pages. Some may contain a more or less comprehensive Wiltshire Glossary; others only a few words. Some belong absolutely to our own county; others merely to the same group of dialects. But all are of value as bearing on the subject. The Berks, Dorset, Gloucester, Hants, and Somerset Glossaries of course contain a large proportion of words and uses that are either absolutely identical with ours, or vary but slightly therefrom, while such works asAmaryllis, Dark, Lettice Lisle, andJonathan Merleon the one side, andOld Country WordsandEnglish Plant-nameson the other, are full of examples and illustrations of the South-Western Folk-speech. Even where their scene is laid somewhat outside the borders of Wilts itself, the dialect, with but trifling alterations, would pass as ours.
S. Editha, sive Chronicon Vilodunense, im Wiltshire Dialekt, aus MS. Cotton. Faustina B III. Herausgegeben vonC. Horstmann. Heilbronn: Gebr. Henninger, 1883. A handy reprint of this fifteenth centuryChronicle.
Parochial Antiquitiesattempted in the History of Ambroseden, Burcester, and adjacent parts in Oxford and Bucks. By BishopKennett, 1695. Reprinted 1816 and 1818. Contains a few Wilts words. SeeFive Reprinted Glossaries.
Lansdowne MSS., 935-1042, British Museum. By BishopKennett. Also contain some Wilts words.
The Natural History of Wiltshire.ByJohn Aubrey. (1656-91). Edited byJohn Britton. London, 1847.
Wiltshire: the Topographical Collections of John Aubrey.(1659-70). Edited by Rev.John Edward Jackson. London and Devizes, 1862.
Other works and MSS. by John Aubrey.
Collection of a few Provincial Terms used in North Wilts.An eighteenth century MS. Vocabulary, fully dealt with in Appendix II asCunnington MS.
A Provincial Glossary.ByFrancis Grose. Second edition, 1790. Out of the twenty-eight words which Britton marks as given in Grose, only the following are credited to Wilts in this edition:—Allemang, Carriage, Contankerous, Dewsiers, Drowning-bridge, Dudge, GromorGroom, Huff, Leer, Lowle-eared, Quirking, Rudderish, andWasset-man. The remainder (Aneust, Axen, Beet, Bochant, Daddock, More, Quamp, Quarr, Quilt, Quop, Skiel, Sleepy, Tail-ends, Tallet, andTid) are not there assigned to Wilts; but as Britton may very possibly have found them so localized in the revised 1811 edition, which we have not had an opportunity of consulting, we add (G.) to the whole of them, on his authority.
General View of the Agriculture of the County of Wilts, with observations on the means of its improvement.ByThomas Davisof Longleat, Steward to the Marquess of Bath. London, 1794. An Agricultural Report or Survey, afterwards much enlarged. The author died in 1807.
General View of the Agriculture of Wiltshire.Drawn up for the consideration of the Board of Agriculture and Internal Improvement. ByThomas Davis. London, 1809. New editions, 1811 and 1813. An enlarged and revised reprint of theAgricultural Report, edited by the Author's son. Contains an interesting Glossary of Agricultural Terms, arranged under subjects, asSoils,Barn Process,Implements, &c., at pp. 258-268; also a few additional words in the body of the work.
Archæological Review, March, 1888, vol. i, No. 1, pp. 33-39. Contains a reprint of Davis'sGlossary, with notes by Professor Skeat, rearranged alphabetically, a few words and phrases being omitted as general or legal.
Some Specimens of the Provincial Dialect of South Wiltshire.By 'Mark.'Monthly Magazine, Sept. 1814, vol. xxxviii, p. 114. Noted in the Preface toFive Reprinted Glossaries. See Appendix III.
A Topographical and Historical Description of the County of Wilts.ByJohn Britton. London, N.D. [1814?]. Vol. xv of 'The Beauties of England.'
The Beauties of Wiltshire, displayed in Statistical, Historical, and Descriptive Sketches, &c. ByJohn Britton. 3 vols. London, 1801-1825. Vol. iii contains a list ofProvincial Words of Wiltshire and the adjacent Counties, pp. 369-380. See Appendix II.
Five Reprinted Glossaries.Edited by ProfessorSkeat. Eng. Dialect Socy., 1879. Contains (a)Wiltshire Words, from 'Britton's Beauties of Wiltshire,'1825;compared with 'Akerman's Glossary,'1842, a few words being added from theMonthly Magazine, &c. (b)Dialectal Words, from 'Kennett's Parochial Antiquities, 1695.'
A Glossary of Provincial Words and Phrases in use in Wiltshire.ByJohn Yonge Akerman. London, 1842. An unacknowledged enlargement of Britton'sWord-list. SeeFive Reprinted Glossaries.
Wiltshire Tales.ByJ. Y. Akerman. London, 1853.
Spring-tide: or the Angler and his Friends.By J. Y. Akerman. London, 1850. Contains many Wiltshire and West of England words.
A Dictionary of Archaic and Provincial Words.ByJ. O. Halliwell. London, 1846, &c.
Dictionary of Obsolete and Provincial English.ByThomas Wright. London, 1857, &c.
The Song of Solomon in the Wiltshire Dialect, as it is spoken in the Northern Division. ByEdward Kite. Circa 1860. Privately printed for Prince L. Lucien Bonaparte.
Content: or the Day Labourer's Tale of his Life.By Mrs.Penruddocke, Fyfield Manor House, Wilts. Salisbury, 1860.
Peasant Life in the West of England.ByF. G. Heath. 1872-80.
Fabellae Mostellariae: or Devonshire and Wiltshire Stories in Verse.London and Exeter, 1878.
Rhymes of the Wiltshire Peasantry, and other Trifles.ByEdward Slow. Salisbury, 1874.
Wiltshire Rhymes: a Series of Poems in the Wiltshire Dialect.ByEdward Slow. London and Salisbury, 1881. Also Third edition, 1885.
Wiltshire Rhymes.Fourth Series. ByEdward Slow. Salisbury and Wilton, 1889. Contains aGlossaryof about 200 words, pp. 9-14.
Glossary of Wiltshire Words.Compiled byEdward Slow. Wilton, 1892. Contains about 900 words, of which a few are of special interest.
Works of Richard Jefferies:—
A Memoir of the Goddards of North Wilts, 1873. The Gamekeeper at Home, 1878. Wild Life in a Southern County. 1879. The Amateur Poacher, 1879. Greene Ferne Farm, 1880. Hodge and his Masters, 1880. Round about a Great Estate, 1880. Wood Magic, 1881. Bevis, 1882. The Life of the Fields, 1884. The Dewy Morn, 1884. The Open Air, 1885. Amaryllis at the Fair, 1887. Field and Hedgerow, 1889. The Toilers of the Field, 1892, &c., &c.
The Eulogy of Richard Jefferies.ByWalter Besant. 1888.
Some un-noted Wiltshire Phrases.By Rev.W. C. Plenderleath.Wilts Archæological Magazine, vol. xxii. p. 107.
Wiltshire Archæological and Natural History Magazine.All vols.
History of the Manor and Ancient Barony of Castle Combein the county of Wilts, &c., &c. ByG. Poulett Scrope. Privately printed, 1852.
Records of Chippenham, relating to the Borough from its Incorporation by Queen Mary to its Reconstruction by Act of Parliament, 1889, &c., &c. ByFrederick H. Goldney. 1889.
Sarum Diocesan Gazette, Annual Reports of Flower-classes, by Mr.Husseyand Mr.Tatum.
The Flowering Plants of Wilts.By Rev.T. A. Preston. Published by Wilts Arch. Society, 1888.
The Birds of Wiltshire.By Rev.Alfred C. Smith. London and Devizes, 1887. Reprinted fromWilts Arch. Mag.
Glory: a Wiltshire Story.By Mrs.G. Linnæus Banks. London, 1876(?). New edition, 1892. Scene partly laid in and round Marlborough.
On the Upper Thames.By MissE. Boyer-Brown.Leisure Hour, August, 1893. Contains many words belonging to the Castle Eaton and Marston Maizey district.
A Dictionary of English Plant-names.ByJames BrittenandRobert Holland. E. D. S. 1878-86. A very valuable work, containing a small number of Wilts names, mostly from sources already referred to. The whole of the Plant-names in ourGlossaryhave been sent to Mr. Britten from time to time, for use in theSupplementwhich he is now preparing.
English Dialects—their Sounds and Homes.ByA. J. Ellis. E. D. S. 1890. Contains some remarks at pp. 24-29 on Wilts, with specimens of dialect from Christian Malford and Chippenham, accompanied by a rendering into Glossic.
A Glossary of Berkshire Words and Phrases.By MajorB. Lowsley. E. D. S. 1888.
Upton-on-Severn Words and Phrases.By Rev.Robert Lawson. E. D. S. 1884. A reprint of his smallerGlossary, which originally appeared inThe Nation in the Parish, by Mrs.Lawson.
The Dialect of the West of England, particularly Somersetshire.ByJames Jennings. 1825. Second edition, revised and edited by Rev.James K. Jennings. London, 1869.
Poems of Rural Life in the Dorset Dialect.By Rev.William Barnes.Glossary, pp. 459-467, edition 1888.
Glossary of the Dorset Dialect, 1863-86. By Rev.William Barnes. Also the additionalWord-listspublished by him from time to time in theDorset County Chronicle.
Natural History, Folk Speech, and Superstitions of Dorsetshire.ByJ. S. Udal. A paper read before the Dorset Field Club at Dorchester, in February, 1889, containing aGlossary, which was given in full in the report in the local papers at the time.
A Glossary of Dialect & Archaic Words used in the County of Gloucester.ByJ. D. Robertson. Edited by LordMoreton. E. D. S. 1890.
A Glossary of Hampshire Words and Phrases. By the Rev. SirWilliam H. Cope. E. D. S. 1883.
A Dictionary of the Sussex Dialect.By Rev.W. D. Parish. Lewes. 1875.
On the Dialects of Eleven Southern and South-Western Counties, with a new Classification of the English Dialects. By PrinceLouis Lucien Bonaparte. E. D. S. 1877.
On the Survival of Early English Words in our present Dialects.By Rev.Richard Morris. E. D. S. 1876.
Old Country and Farming Words.ByJames Britten. E. D. S. 1880. Contains extracts from the following volumes, among which may be found a few additional Wilts words, as well as much information on our agricultural terms:—
Folk-Etymology, a Dictionary of Verbal Corruptions, &c.By Rev.A. Smythe Palmer. London, 1882.
Lettice Lisle.By LadyVerney. 1870. Contains much excellent Hants talk.
The New Forest: its History and its Scenery.ByJ. R. Wise. London, 1871. Glossary, pp. 279-288, also words in text.
Jonathan Merle: a West Country story of the times.ByElisabeth B. Bayly. 1890. Affords many good illustrations of words used in Wilts, as the two following works also do.
Tess of the D'Urbervilles.ByThomas Hardy. 1891.
The Story of Dick.By MajorGambier Parry. 1892.
Dark: a Tale of the Down Country.By Mrs.Stephen Batson. London, 1892. The scene is laid in Berks, just over the borders, but the dialect, which is excellently done, is to all intents and purposes that of North Wilts.
A History of Marlborough College during Fifty Years.ByA. G. Bradley,A. C. Champneys, andJ. W. Baines. London, 1893.
John Darke's Sojourn in the Cotteswolds and elsewhere.ByS. S. Buckman. 1890.
The Scouring of the White Horse.ByThomas Hughes. 1858.
Cunnington MS.
Among the various books and word-lists which we have consulted during the progress of this work, by no means the least interesting is the manuscript containing aCollection of a few Provincial Terms used in North Wilts, believed to have been compiled about the middle of last century, which was kindly lent us by its present owner, Mr. William Cunnington, and is here frequently referred to asCunnington MS.
This valuable relic was at one time in the possession of Mr. J. Britton, as is proved by the notes in hisearlyhandwriting on the outer leaves, and was evidently the source to which he was indebted for some portions of his 1825Glossary(in theBeauties of Wilts, vol. iii), the very peculiar wording and spelling of some of its paragraphs having been transferred direct to his pages. It must, however, have been in his hands at a much earlier date than 1825, as one or two of the notes appear to have been made at the time he was collecting materials for the 1814 volume on Wilts.
Not only has it afforded us several hitherto un-noted words, which Mr. Britton himself had passed over, possibly because even in his own time they were already grown obsolete, but it has also enabled us to clear up several doubtful points, and especially to show how, by a very simple misreading of the MS., from the easily identifiedsprawny(a variant ofsprunny) was evolved that mysterious 'ghost-word'sprawing, whichhas ever since misled our glossary-makers, each one having seemingly taken it on the faith of his immediate predecessor.
TheVocabulary, which we here reproduceverbatim et literatim, consists of ten quarto pages, the first two of which are covered with notes in pencil and ink, in at least four different hands, partly archæological and topographical, and partly relating to dialect words in Wilts and elsewhere. It is written in an extremely legible old hand, with a few additions and interlineations in other hands, and contains about one hundred words and phrases, of which we owe just two-thirds to the original compiler, who is supposed to have been a North Wilts clergyman. If so, it is probable that his very characteristic handwriting could readily be identified by any one who was familiar with our last-century parish registers.
The interlineations have been made at different dates and in different hands,acrass,chit,clout,gallered,hire,hitch,muxen,shirk off,slink away,skillin,stowl,stole,thickandthuck,won't, with the numerals at the end, being in pencil, two or three of them having been inked over at some time or other; whilearran,clavey,clap to,desperd,dowse,hit,nan,plye,rathe,sprawny, the definition ofthickandthuck,tun,tag,twit, andvuddels, are in ink, and mostly in a much larger and somewhat peculiar hand. The pencilling is now almost entirely obliterated.
The MS. was given by Mr. Britton to Mr. Cunnington, with other books and papers, many years ago, and its existence appears to have been unknown until we called attention to it in theWilts Archæological Magazine, vol. xxvi. p. 293.
Front page of Cover.
[Writing entirely in pencil, in Mr. Britton's hand, except the word Vocabulary.]
[Writing entirely in pencil, in Mr. Britton's hand, except the word Vocabulary.]
XXII. 107. Broad Hinton. Vic. Mr. Hume of Salisby late Vicar a manor well immense depth. abt 10 ms to draw Some of the Glanvilles buried here. Old monk [?tomb] of this family one of these Gs wrote on Witches—all chalk large crane wheel room for 3 men.
Vocabulary.
[Here two lines of writing, probably the name and address of the compiler, have been scratched completely out with a penknife.]
[Here two lines of writing, probably the name and address of the compiler, have been scratched completely out with a penknife.]
See Ascough's Index [Here another word now illegible.]
[Here a rough sketch, markedSpring,probably relating to the above well.]
[Here a rough sketch, markedSpring,probably relating to the above well.]
Inside of Cover.
Main sprack—for lively—Wilts
Information in Bowels—
Obliterate Scoolmaster—
Mandy—saucy—Wilts
[These four lines are in a more recent hand, on a slip gummed in.]
[These four lines are in a more recent hand, on a slip gummed in.]
Werrutting teazing
Thick for that
direction "You must go all a skew thick vield there & then all a thirt tother & then looky one way & pointy another wool ye now"
Anticks—main—mandy
[These are in the same large, slightly feminine-looking hand as some of the interlineations in the word-list.]
[These are in the same large, slightly feminine-looking hand as some of the interlineations in the word-list.]
Enkedis avaricious, wretched, from whence we have perhaps a term in English of unked; disagreeable, melancholy, tiresome. In Oxfordshire every thing unpleasant isunked.
From the Persian.
Rudge a cup or patera found here Horsley p. 330.
[These are on a slip gummed in, in Mr. Britton's own hand.]
[These are on a slip gummed in, in Mr. Britton's own hand.]
The Vocabulary itself.
COLLECTION OF A FEW PROVINCIAL TERMS USED IN NORTH WILTS.
Page 1.
Arranfor either
Acrass
'All a hoh'—awry—not square, strait or even—
Beet—To beet—is to supply fire with fewel
Brow—the opposite of Tough—Substances that will easily break
Burrow—Shelter from Wind—generally applied to some Low Place in a field where some neighbouring hillock breaks the force of the gale
Caddlea term variously applied, but in all cases significant of Confusion or embarassmt To be in a Caddle—to be in disorder—to be embarrassd with business—Dont Caddle me—dont teaze me—don't confuse me—'a cadling fellow' a wrangler a shifting, & sometimes an unmeaning character
Clavey—Chimney Piece
Cham—to Chew—
Clap to the Door—shut the Door.
Page 2.
Chism—to germ—Seed is said to chism when it discovers the first appearance of germination
Chit—to spring—leaves are coming out.
Cleet—a Patch whereby an utensil is repaird—to cleet to mend by a patch put on, & sometimes to Strengtn by bracing etc
Clum—To Clum a thing—is to handle it Roughly boisterously or indecently
ClytenA term applied to express an unhealthy appearance, particularly in Children—a Clyten an unhealthy Child
Clouta blow
Clytenish. To look Clytenish to Look pale & sickly
Dain—disagreeable effluvia—generally applied to Those Scents which are Supposed to convey infections, i.e. "Dont go to near that man; he has lately had the Small Pox & thedainmay be in hisCloths still"
Desperdvery as desperd fine etc
Page 3
Dummil—Heavy, dull—a term variously applied—but in all cases signifies the reverse of sprightly or Brilliant
Dowse—a Blow
Dunch—The Common term for Deaf
Dunch Dumplin—a Dumplin made of flower and water only—boild hard & eaten hot with Butter—
Dar, 'to be struck in a Dar,' to be astonishd or Confounded
Flickorflitch—i.e. To be flitch with one,' is to be familiar or intimate
Galleredto be astonished, frightened, ashe gallered me
Gabborn—a term always applied to Buildings to denote Largeness without Convenience & Comfort—a gabborn Room or house signifies a place Large cold and comfortless
Gloxa term applied to denote the motion or Sound made by Liquids when movd about in a barrel or other vessel not full as
Page 4
for instance, "Fill the Barrel full John or else it will glox in Carriage"—
Glutch—To Glutch, to swallow—the act of Swallowing—i.e.—He glutchd hard that is he swallowed with difficulty
Hitto strike
Hazon—To Hazon a Person is to scold or menace him—
Harl—a Harl—Something entangled—His hair is all in a harl—i.e. knotted—uncombedravle
To harl—to entangle
Hirefor hear—Dont hire do nothear
Hatcha small door or gate—generally applied to the half doors frequent in Shops
Heft—weight—i e what heft is that Parcel i e what weight is it—(perhaps a contraction of heavy-weight)
HikeTo hike off—to sneak away dishonorably
Hitch—monthly Agents
Howe—Pronounced Broad and Long Ho-ow or Hau-ow—To be in a hauow—to be anxious
Howed for—provided for—taken care of—a figurative expression undoubtedly derived from the term
Page 5
made use of by Shepherds in driving collecting & managing their flocks, i.e. Ho hó—ho-hó
Hop a boutsa term applied to small apple Dumplings made of one apple enclosd in a Paste of flour & boild
Hudgy—thick Clumsey
Kitch—to Kitch or Ketch—to congeal—oils animal fat &c. are said to catch or kitch when they grow cold enough to congeal
KerfsLaminæ—Layers or cleavings of Earth Turf Hay &c.
Lear—empty—a Lear Stomach, a Stomach wanting food
Lew—To get in the Lew—is to get in a place Sheltered from the wind—(perhaps derivd from the Sea Phrase—Lee—)
Lewthwarmth—"this Coat has no Lewth in it," i.e. it has no warmth
Limpa thing is said to be Limp when it has Lost its accustomed Stiffness
Limber—Slender—or Rather a thing Long & bending
Page 6
Māndypronouncd Long—frolicksome—Impudent—Showy
Miff—offence—to take a miff—to be offended
MotheryorMutheryBeer, vinegar &c. are said to be mothery when white Particles of fust float in it—Perhaps a Corruption of muddy or muddery—
Most-in-deal—in general—mostly—(example) "where do you Live now?'—why at Devizes, most in deal, but sometimes at Warminster—"
MuxenDung heap.
Newst—Newst or anewst Signifies nearly—what is it a Clock?—a newst One. which of the two is oldest?—They are newst of an age. which of those things are best? they are a newst alike—In the Latter example however the more usual reply would be "they are anewst of a newstness"
Nitch—a Burthen, as a Nitch of wood a nitch of Straw a Nitch of hay &c.—"He has got a nitch," i.e. he is Drunk, he has got as much Liquor as he can carry—
Plyeto bend as the Poker is plied—
Nan?—What do you say
QuiltTo Quilt a term used almost exclusive of any other to denote the act of Swallowing when performd
Page 7.
in the usual & natural way—the term Glutch being rather descriptive of a difficulty in doing it or the doing it with labour
Rowney—thin, uneven—generally applied to Cloth
Rumple—to Rumple is to press a thing, particularily
Rathe—early in the morning a garment, so as to make it appear promiscuously wrinkled—or tumbled
Rubble—universally us'd for Rubbish—
Shewenta Piece of Cloth is said to be—shewent—when it is evenly wove & not Rowey—it is also applied in other Cases but always to denote a thing Level & even—to Look Shewent, is to Look demure
ShimThis word is rather of Glocestershire but it is nevertheless in use on the North Border of wilts, & is a Corruption or Contraction perhaps of Seeming—Ex. gra—He is a fine fellow Shim—or he is, Shim, a fine fellow means that the person spoken of is apparently a fine fellow
Skillin—a shed
Shog—Shog & jog—words nearly of the same import & Signify to move off degradedly—to slink or shirk away
Shirkoff
Sleazey—thin—Slight—generally applied to Cloth Silks &c.
Slink away
Sloxto waste a thing, or pilfer it—"Sloxd away" wasted or pilferd
Page 8.
Stowl—a root—great stowl
Sprack—Lively—bright quick a main sprack child
Stole—when trees, are buddg—trees
Sultedgea term applied to describe a Coarse apron much worn by the poor Women & which they always describe by the term a Sultedge apron
Swingeing—violent—great—forcible
Sprawnya Sweetheart [Misread as Sprawing by Britton.]
Tacka shelf—put it on the tack—i e put it on the Shelf—How many tacks are there in the Pantry, i.e. how many Shelves
Teft—to teft a thing is to judge of its weight by taking it in the hand i e—what Heft do you think this Bundle is—I dont know Let's teft it—i.e. let me take it in my hand
Thic&Thuckthis & that—as thic wâ this way
Tine—to kindle—to tine a fire is to Light a fire,—to tine a Candle—to Light a candle
Tineto fence to tine in a piece of waste ground is to enclose it with a fence of wood or quickset
Tiningfences of Wood either Brushwood Pales or a Hedge
TunChimney
Page 9.
Tagto tease to torment
Todge—a thick Consistency—Thick as Todge gruels, Soups, etc, made unpleasantly thick
Twit—to upbraid
Twire—to Look at a thing wistfully or Critically 'How he twir'd at her—i e. how wistfully he Look at her'—Common Phrase
Vuddelsa spoilt Child
Vinnymouldy—Vinney Cheese, is mouldy Cheese—properly it denotes anything tinted—not with a black or Rotten—but with a whitish or blue mould—very common Phrase
UnkerdorUnkert—Lonely or Solitary—an unkert house a Lone house—an unkert place a Solitary place—very Common phrase
Weethtough Soft pliable—
Yata gate—yat Post, a gate Post
Wontfor Will not
dree vour vive zix s
N.B. In north wilts it may be remarkd that the formation of the Plural by affixing en to the Noun is almost universal as house housen Pease Peasen Wench wenchen—almost as universal too is the transformation of the
Page 10.
Substantive into an adjective by the same termination as a Silken gown a Clothen Coat a Leatheren Shoe an elmen Board &c. the pronoun Possessive too is formd in the sameway as hisn hern Ourn theirn—the old terms also, thic & thoc almost Constantly exclude the expression This & That—There is also here a Peculiar mode of forming active verbs from Nouns, which are generally in use as apellations for professions—take an Example Well Mary, how do you get on in Life? what do you & your family donowto get a Living in these times—Wy zur we do aal vind zummut to do—Jan, ye know, he doSmithey(work as a smith) Jin the beggist wench do spinney the Little one do Lace makey—I doChorey(go out as a Chore Woman) and the two Boys do Bird keepey—that is One works as a smith—one spins one makes Lace one goes out as a Chore woman & two are Birdkeepers which Latter term were more to the purpose if expressd Bird frightener or driver
Show to Ingram-Ellis
Monthly Magazine Word-list.
In theMonthly Magazine, Sept. 1814, vol. xxxviii. p. 114, a short and very badly arranged list of South Wilts Words and Phrases occurs. We have thought it best to reproduce it here,verbatim et literatim, from the Magazine itself, kindly lent us by Mr. Cunnington, as the account given of it in the Preface to Professor Skeat's reprint of Akerman is in some respects slightly inaccurate. Thus, he omits all mention ofHogoand some other words or phrases, whileTateesis misquoted astatersandTheseumasThescum. The remarks made on the latter word will therefore require some modification.
Prefatory Note.
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.Sir, In conformity to your invitation, I send you some specimens of the provincial dialect of South Wiltshire.
Mark.July23, 1813.
The Word-list.Thic, this.Thac, that.—"Thacsthe way Idodo."Theseum, these.—"What aretheseumhere?"Dooke, do you.—"Hold thy brother, dooke." Or, "dooke be quiet." [Brotheris evidently a misprint forbother.]Volk, folk.—"Vaut vine volks." What fine folks.Wuld, world.—"The honestest volk in the wuld."Heft, weight.—"What heft be 'um?"Hiss, Yes.—"Hiss sure, mum." Yes sure, madam.Housen, house.—"Yan housen." Yonder house.A always pronounced R. [=broad]"Send itoncethis morning, dooke." Send it this morning."Idoknow what they be." [=I don't know]"Harnt thee got nareon." Have not you got one."Nice day izzent it?"—"Yes it is sure."Theeandthouforyou.Crockerty, china.—"I've torn my crockerty."Terrible, very.—"Lard! they be terrible dear."Torn, broke.Hogo, smell."What a book of clothes." What a large wash.Barm, yeast.Caddling, teazing, chattering."Mud the child up, dooke." Bring up the child by hand."Lard, the child's got the white mouth." The child's got the thrush.Shrammed, perished.—"I was half shrammed on the downs[2]."Tatees, potatoes. "I do want a gallon of tatees."Figged Pudding, plum pudding.Handy, near.—Handy ten o'clock.Monthly Magazine, Sept. 1814.
The Word-list.
Thic, this.
Thac, that.—"Thacsthe way Idodo."
Theseum, these.—"What aretheseumhere?"
Dooke, do you.—"Hold thy brother, dooke." Or, "dooke be quiet." [Brotheris evidently a misprint forbother.]
Volk, folk.—"Vaut vine volks." What fine folks.
Wuld, world.—"The honestest volk in the wuld."
Heft, weight.—"What heft be 'um?"
Hiss, Yes.—"Hiss sure, mum." Yes sure, madam.
Housen, house.—"Yan housen." Yonder house.
A always pronounced R. [=broad]
"Send itoncethis morning, dooke." Send it this morning.
"Idoknow what they be." [=I don't know]
"Harnt thee got nareon." Have not you got one.
"Nice day izzent it?"—"Yes it is sure."
Theeandthouforyou.
Crockerty, china.—"I've torn my crockerty."
Terrible, very.—"Lard! they be terrible dear."
Torn, broke.
Hogo, smell.
"What a book of clothes." What a large wash.
Barm, yeast.
Caddling, teazing, chattering.
"Mud the child up, dooke." Bring up the child by hand.
"Lard, the child's got the white mouth." The child's got the thrush.
Shrammed, perished.—"I was half shrammed on the downs[2]."
Tatees, potatoes. "I do want a gallon of tatees."
Figged Pudding, plum pudding.
Handy, near.—Handy ten o'clock.
Monthly Magazine, Sept. 1814.
THE END.