Faggots, 120 per hundred = 6'score'; CLUN; LUDLOW.

20 cwt. of 112 lbs. each at some pits.

idem 120 lbs. (called 'long weight') at

Hay, a ton =20 cwt. of 112 lbs. each; Qy. com.

Hand-breadth * = 3 inches-sometimes used for Hand-a rather loose expression, signifying approximately rather than exactly; LUDLOW.

*

Swath of Hay-grass 39 inches; LUDLOW.

Shock of corn

=

Boltin* of (thatching) straw = 14 lbs.; WORTHEN, Minsterley.

Cider hogshead = 100 galls.; LUDLOW; BRIDGNORTH.

SPECIMENS OF THE FOLK-SPEECH.

[PULVERBATCH.]

THE following is literatim et verbatim what Betty Andrews-a Church Pulverbatch woman-said when relating the account of how her little boy had fallen into the brook at Cruck Meole, where she was then living [1873]. But no written characters of any kind— no 'want of stops'—can convey an idea of the story as poured forth by good Betty's voluble tongue-it took away one's breath to listen to it :

"I'eard a scrike ma'am an' I run an theer I sid Frank ad pecked i' the bruck an' douked under an' wuz drowndin' an' I jumped after 'im an' got out on 'im an' lugged 'im on to the bonk all sludge an' I got 'im wham afore our Sam comen in-a good job it wuz for Sam as 'e wunna theer an' as Frank wunna drownded for if 'e 'ad bin I should 'a' tore our Sam all to winder-rags an' then 'e'd a bin djed an' Frank drownded an' I should a bin 'anged. I toud Sam wen 'e tõõk the 'ouse as I didna like it.-'Bless the wench,' 'e sed, 'whad'n'ee want? Theer's a tidy 'ouse an' a good garden an' a run for the pig.' ‘Aye,' I sed, ‘an' a good bruck for the childern to peck in,' so if Frank 'ad bin drownded I should a bin the djeth uv our Sam. I wuz that frittened ma'am that I didna spake for a nour after I got wham an' Sam sed as 'e adna sid me quiet so lung sence we wun married an' that wuz eighteen 'ear."

COMPROMISE GLOSSIC VERSION.

"Ei ee'r'd u skr'ei'k mum un ei r'un un dhce'r' ei sid Frang k ud pekt i dhu br'uk un doukt undur' un wuz dr'ou'ndin un ei jum pt aftur' im un got out on im un lugd im on aul slej un ei got im wum u'foa'r' our' Sam

tu dhu bong k kum'un in u

good job it wuz fur' Sam uz ee' wun'u' dhee'r' un uz Fr'ang k wun-u' dr'ou'ndid fur' if ee ad bin ei shud u toa'r' our' Sam aul tu win'dur'-r'ag'z un dhen ee'd u bin jed'un Frang'k dr'ou'ndid un ei shud u bin ang'd. Ei tou'd Sam wen ee took dhu ous' ut ei did'nu lei'k it. 'Bles' dhu wen'sh,' ee sed', 'wod'ni waan't?—dhee'r'z u tei'di ous' un u good· gaa'r'din un u r'un fur' dhu pig.' 'Ay', ei sed, 'un u good br'uk fur' dhu childur'n tu pek in,' soa if Fr'ang k ad bin dr'ou'ndid ei shud u bin dhu jeth'u our' Sam‍-ei wuz dhat fr'it'nd mum dhut ei did'nu spai·k fur' u nou'r' aftur' ei got wum' un Sam sed uz ee ad nu sid· mi kwei'h't soa lung sen's wee wun mar'id un dhat wuz 'eit tee'n ee'r'."

ANALYTIC GLOSSIC VERSION.

"A'y-:ee'u'r'd-u'-skr'a'y k-mu'm u'n-a'y-r'un u'n-dh:ee'u'r' a'y-si'd' Fra'ng k-u'd-pekt-i'-dhu'-br'uk u'n-duw kt-un 'du'r' u'n-wu'z-dr'uw'n di'n u'n-a'y-jumpt a'ftu'r'-i'm u'n got uw't-:on-i'm u'n-lug·d-i'm on tu'-dhu' b:ong'k:aul-slaej u'n-a'y-got-i'm-woem' u'f:oa'u'r'-uwu'r'-Sa'm' kum'u'n-i'n'-u' g:00'd-job i't-wuz-fu'r'-Sa'm' u'z-ee-wun'u'-dh:ee 'u'r' u'n-u'z-Fr'a'ng k wun'u'-dr'uw'ndi'd fu'r-i'f-ee-a'd'-bi'n a'y-shu'd-u't:oa'u'r' uwu'r'-Sa'm' :aul'tu'-win'du'r'-r'a'g'z u'n-dhen:ee'd-u'-bi’njae'd' u'n-Fr'a'ng k-dr'uw-ndi'd u'n-a'y-shu'd-u'-bi'n-a'ng'd. A'y-tuw'dSam wen-ee-tõõk-dhu'-uwss u'z-a'y-did'nu'-la'y 'k-i't. 'Bles'-dhu'wen'sh,' ee-sed', 'wod'ni'-waan't? — dh:ee'u'r'z-u'-ta'y 'di'-uwss u'n-u' g:00'd-g:aa'r'di'n u'n-u'-r'un fu'r-dhu'-pig.' 'A'y', a'y'-sed', 'u'n-u' g:00-d-br'uk' fu'r'-dhu'-chil-du'r'n tu'-pek--in', s:oa-i'f-Fr'a'ng'k a'd-bindr'uw'n-di'd a'y-shu'd-u'-bin dhu'-jaeth u'-uwu'r'-Sa'm-a'y-wu'zdha't-frit nd-mu'm dhu't-a'y-didnu'-spai k fu'r'-u'-nuwu'r'-a'f'tu'r' a'ygot-woem u'n-Sa'm-sed u'z ee-a'd'nu' si'd--mi'-kwa'y h't soa-lung sen's-wee-wun-ma'r'i'd u'n-dha't -wu'z 'a'yt'tee'n ee'h'r'."

The same Betty Andrews was telling how she had washed the pig's entrails at the 'prill' [stream]-and here in order to understand her story, the Glossary must be anticipated, by explaining that the pig's puddings are called respectively, the 'Roger,' the 'Nancy,' and the 'chitterlings'-said Betty, 'I wuz weshin' the bally at the prill jest by the stile w'en Dick comen up-awilde I wuz talkin to 'im my Roger went, f run down the prill after it, an' afore I could get

back the Nancy wuz gwun-an' I thought the very Owd Nick wuz i' the puddins.'

COMPROMISE GLOSSIC VERSION.

'Ei wuz wesh'in dhu bali ut dhu pr'il jest bei dhu steil wen Dik kum'un up-uwei'ld ei wuz tau'kin tu im mi Roj'ur' wen't, ei r'un dou'n dhu pr'il· aftur' it un ufoa'r' ei kud get bak dhu Nanʼsi wuz gwun' un ei thaut uz dhu ver'i ou'd Nik' wuz i dhu pudinz.'

ANALYTIC GLOSSIC VERSION.

"A'y-wu'z-waesh'i'n-dhu'-bali'-u't-dhu'-pr'i'l jaes 't-ba'y -dhu'-sta'y'l wen-Dik kum'u'n-up-u'wa'y ld-a'y-wu'z-t:au ki'n-tu'-im' m'i-Roj'u'r'wen't, a'y-r'un-duw'n-dhu'-pr'i'l' a'ftu'r'-i't u'n-u'f:oa'u'r'-a'y-ku'dg(yet-ba'k dhu'-Na'n si'-wu'z-gwoen u'n-a'y -thaut-u'z-dhu'-v:ae'r'i' uw-d-Nik wu'z-i'-dhu'-pud 'i'nz."

Another anecdote of Betty Andrews-as related by herself-will conclude these 'Specimens,' which being the genuine utterances of a good representative spokeswoman of the peasant class, in a pretty central part of the County, may be taken as typical of the Shropshire folk-speech.

Betty was going in a Market-train from Hanwood to Shrewsbury, and while talking with her usual rapidity, was thus addressed by a man who was her fellow-traveller :-'W'y Missis, I should think as yo' mun a 'ad yore tongue iled [oiled] this mornin' afore yo' started.' 'No, indeed, Sir,' said Betty, 'I hanna, fur if it 'ad a bin iled it ŏŏd never a stopped. No danger!'

COMPROMISE GLOSSIC VERSION.

'Wi Mis is, ei shud thing k uz yoa mun u ad yoa'r' tung'g ei'ld dhis maur'nin ufoa'r' yoa staa'r'tid.' 'Noa indee'd Sur,' sed Beti, 'ei an'u fur' if it ad u bin eild it ŏŏd nev'ur' u stop't. Noa 'dei'njur'!'

ANALYTIC GLOSSIC VERSION.

'Wi'-Misi's, a'y-shu'd-thing'k u'z-y:oa mun-u'a'd' y:oa'u'r'-tungg a'y ld-dhis-maur'ni'n u'f:oa'u'r'-y:oa-st:aa'r'ti'd.' 'N:oa indeed-Su'r,' sed Beti', 'a'y -a'n'u' fu'r-if-i't-a'd-u'-bin-a'y ld i't-ood-naev'u'r-u'-stop't. N:oa da'y nju'r'!'

DICTIONARIES CONSULTED AND QUOTED.

ASH, JOHN, New and Complete Dictionary of the English Language. 2 vols. London: 1775.

BAILEY, N., Universal Etymological English Dictionary. London: 1727; id. 1782.

BLOUNT, THOMAS, Glossographia: a Dictionary interpreting the Hard now used in our refined English Tongue.' London :

Words 1674.

.

BOSWORTH, REV. DR., Compendious Anglo-Saxon Dictionary. London : 1876.

BURGUY, G. F., Glossaire Etymologique, Aux xii et xiiie siècles. Berlin 1870.

CHAMBAUD, LOUIS M., Dictionnaire françois-anglois, corrigé et augmenté par lui et par M. J. B. ROBINET. Paris: 1776.

COLERIDGE, HERBERT, Dictionary of the Oldest Words in the English Language, A.D. 1250-1300. London: 1872.

Dictionarium Etymologicvm Latinvm. See Querco below.

HALLIWELL, JAMES ORCHARD, F.R.S., Archaic and Provinciul Dictionary. 8vo. 3rd ed. 1855, and 8th ed. 1874.

HOTTEN, JOHN CAMDEN, Slang Dictionary. London : 1864.

JAMIESON, JOHN, D.D., Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language. Edinburgh: 1818.

MEADOWS, F. C., New Italian and English Dictionary. London: