EASTERN (Group 2): N. ESSEX.
The following extract is from _John Noakes and Mary Styles_, by
Charles Clark, of Great Totham; London, 1839. Reprinted for the
E.D.S., 1895. As Great Totham is to the North of Maldon, I take this
specimen to belong to Prof. Wright's "Division 2" rather than to the
S.W. Essex of "Division 5." The use of _w_ for initial _v_ occurs
frequently, as in _werry_, very, etc.
At Tottum's Cock-a-Bevis Hill,
A sput surpass'd by few,
Where toddlers ollis haut to eye
The proper pritty wiew,
Where people crake so ov the place,
Leas-ways, so I've hard say;
An' frum its top yow, sarteny,
Can see a monsus way.
But no sense ov a place, some think,
Is this here hill so high,--
'Cos there, full oft, 'tis nation coad,
But that don't argufy.
As sum'dy, 'haps, when nigh the sput,
May ha' a wish to see 't,--
From Mauldon toun to Keldon 'tis,
An' 'gin a four-releet.
At Cock-a Bevis Hill, too, the
Wiseacres show a tree
Which if you clamber up, besure,
A precious way yow see.
I dorn't think I cud clime it now,
Aldoe I uster cud;
I shudn't warsley loike to troy,
For gulch cum down I shud.
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