NOTES ON ESSEX DIALECT AND FOLK-LORE. 75 



a phrase " Aan de laager wol zyn,'" to be brought to a low ebb, but the phrase 

 ma}' well be a corruption from the x-\nglo-Saxon "^iy^/," death, Ger. '■'■ woe/es," 

 and so meaning "he is laid down by death." 



^^ Moon and mnslii-ooms." — It is a prevalent belief in Essex that the growth of 

 mushrooms is influenced by the changes of the moon, and the subjoined rule is 

 often strictly adhered to : 



'■ When ihe moon is at the full, 



Mushrooms you may freely pull ; 



But when the moon is on the wane, 



Wait ere you think to pull again." 



'■^ Not to have her change" — when s[ieaking of a woman — " //;? has not got ml 

 his buttons of a man, are expressions used in referring to people not quite right 



in the head. 



" Essex stiles, Suffolk miles, 

 Xorfolk wiles, 

 Many a man beguiles."' 



An Essex stile is a ditch, a Suffolk mile is an ordinary mile and a " bittock,' 

 and they were often impassable, and hence the way seemed longer. Norfolk is 

 said to have been remarkable for litigation, and the quirks and quibbles of its 

 lawyers. 



" To put the miller s eye out " means to overdo the milk with water and to make 

 the pudding too thin. 



'• Scare a job " implies that the work will soon be completed, or in other 

 words, " making the job look foolish." 



A person who excels in anything is a " frigjit " — a good gardener is a fright 

 at gardening, a clever person is a fright, etc. This is not generally understood, 

 however. 



'•Caution" is a word also to indicate a clever person— a good farmer is a 

 "caution,'' or anyone who attends to business properly. 



" Braintree hoys " — brave boys. 



" Bocking boys" — rats. 



" Church Street ' — puppy dogs. 



" High Garrett "—cats. (See Hazlitt.) 



Who fetcheth a %vi/e from niinmoii' 

 Carrietli home two sides of a sow" 



The ceremony connected with the granting of the " flitch of bacon " is not 

 peculiar to Essex. It was established at Dunmow in tlie time of Henry II., but 

 was originally founded by Juga, a noble lady, in the year 1 1 1 1. " He has gone to 

 Harwich'' signifies he has gone to rack and ruin. An old Essex word is 

 " Harriage," meaning confusion, the " i " is dropped as in marriage, carriage, etc. , 

 and the similarity to our Essex sea-port will account for its being used. It is 

 from the old verb harry, to harass, to drive. French haricr. 



The word " Hatch " is very common in our county : e.g., Albury 

 Hatch, Chingford Hatch, Kelvedon Hatch, Pilgrim's Hatch, Rayne 

 Hatch, West Hatch, etc., etc. Wherever this occurs it signifies 

 that there is, or was, a gate across a high-road, at the entrance to a 

 common, to prevent the escape of cattle. In many places where the 

 commons have been enclosed or thiown open the gate has disap- 



