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A    GLOSSARY    OF    WORDS 

USED  IN  THE 

COUNTY    OF    CHESTER. 


PREFACE. 


THIS  Glossary  of  the  Cheshire  Dialect  requires  a  few  words,  and 
only  a  few,  by  way  of  preface,  in  order  to  explain  its  scope 
and  arrangement.  I  have  called  it  a  Glossary  of  Words  "  used  in 
the  County  of  Chester "  in  preference  to  a  Glossary  of  "  Cheshire 
Words,"  and  I  have  done  so  advisedly,  because  I  do  not,  for  a 
moment,  claim  that  all,  or  even  the  majority  of  the  expressions  I 
have  collected,  are  absolutely  peculiar  to  Cheshire.  I  am  quite 
aware  that,  although  used  in  Cheshire,  they  are  common  to  several 
other  counties,  and  I  acknowledge  this  fact  in  order  to  anticipate  any 
criticism  upon  that  point. 

There  are,  in  reality,  very  few  words  which  belong  exclusively  to 
any  county,  and  which  are  used  nowhere  else.  A  Glossary  of  such 
words  would  form  a  very  meagre  volume,  and  would,  moreover,  by 
no  means  represent  the  speech  of  the  people.  County  boundaries 
are  but  imaginary  lines,  very  useful  for  ecclesiastical  or  parliamentary 
purposes,  but  totally  inadequate  to  confine  dialect  or  rural  customs. 
There  may  be,  and  generally  is,  a  stronger  character  about  the  dialect 
of  the  central  part  of  a  county,  but  as  we  approach  the  borders  the 
words  and  expressions  must,  of  necessity,  become  mixed  up  with 
those  of  the  surrounding  counties.  It  is  no  detriment,  therefore,  to 
a  Glossary  that  it  should  include  words  spoken  elsewhere ;  indeed, 
the  grouping  of  dialects  is  one  of  the  chief  points  of  interest  con- 
nected with  their  study.  I  have,  therefore,  as  far  as  I  have  been 
able  to  collect  them,  included  all  dialectal  words  spoken  by  Cheshire 
people,  whether  those  words  are  used  elsewhere  or  not. 

I  have  been  somewhat  puzzled  to  know  where  to  draw  the  line 
between  classical  English  and  local  dialect,  but,  after  due  considera- 
tion, I  have  thought  it  better  to  lay  myself  open  to  criticism  on  this 
score  also,  and  to  err  on  the  side  of  including  too  much,  rather  than 


jv  PREFACE. 

run  the  risk  of  omitting  anything  which  might  be  of  possible  value. 
Accordingly,  words  will  be  found  in  this  Glossary  which  are  also  to 
be  found  in  some  of  our  dictionaries.  But  the  compilers  of  our  older 
dictionaries,  Bailey  for  example,  purposely  included  many  acknow- 
ledged local  words,  and  these  have  been  copied  into  subsequent 
collections,  so  that,  in  point  of  fact,  it  is  the  dictionaries  which  have, 
in  many  cases,  adopted  dialectal  words,  and  not  the  local  glossaries 
which  have  included  classical  words. 

Again,  many  words  which  were  in  general  use  two  or  three 
hundred  years  ago,  and  so  might  be  called  classical  English  of  that 
day,  have  ceased  to  be  used  as  such,  but  they  still  survive  in  the 
mouths  of  our  peasantry,  and  such  are  inserted  as  being  of  con- 
siderable interest.  Many  classical  words,  too,  have  locally  a 
secondary  meaning,  and  these  have  a  legitimate  right  to  a  place 
in  a  local  glossary,  and  no  apology  is  needed  for  their  introduction 
here 

It  has  been  rather  difficult  to  know  to  what  extent  the  local 
pronunciation  of  ordinary  English  words  should  be  admitted. 
Manifestly  to  admit  every  slight  variety  of  pronunciation  would  be 
to  extend  the  Glossary  almost  indefinitely.  And  yet  pronunciation 
is  by  no  means  unimportant,  and  should  not  be  entirely  ignored. 
There  was  no  fixed  rule  possible,  so  I  have  used  my  judgment  in 
these  cases,  by  admitting  words  of  which  the  pronunciation  seemed 
to  me  to  be  sufficiently  removed  from  the  accepted  pronunciation, 
omitting  those  in  which  the  difference  was  slight  In  an  introductory 
chapter  I  propose  to  revert  to  the  subject  of  pronunciation,  and  give 
the  rules  by  which  it  appears  to  be  governed. 

With  respect  to  the  spelling  of  words,  I  have  endeavoured,  as  far 
as  possible,  to  represent  the  pronunciation  phonetically;  but  as  I 
have  never  mastered  the  glossic  system  of  sounds,  I  have  been 
obliged  to  give  the  words  according  to  the  usual  recognized  rules  of 
English  spelling,  but  I  do  not  think  there  will  be  any  difficulty  in 
understanding  my  meaning.  Where  a  word  has  the  same  pronuncia- 
tion as  in  classical  English,  I  have  spelt  it  as  it  is  usually  spelt, 
whether  the  usual  spelling  is  phonetic  or  not. 

The  collecting  of  words  for  my  Glossary  has  not  been  a  very 


PREFACE.  V 

difficult  task,  for  I  have  lived  in  Cheshire  nearly  all  my  life,  and  have 
been  intimately  connected  with  the  country  people.  The  majority 
of  the  words,  therefore,  are  entered  from  my  own  knowledge  of 
them ;  but  I  have  been  greatly  assisted  by  correspondents  who  have 
furnished  me  with  words  from  parts  of  the  county  with  which  I  am 
not  so  well  acquainted.  In  particular  I  would  acknowledge  the 
kind  and  valuable  help  I  have  received  from  Miss  Georgina  F. 
Jackson,  the  authoress  of  the  Shropshire  Word  Book,  who  placed  at 
my  disposal  the  notes  she  had  extracted  with  much  labour  from 
Randle  Holme's  Academy  of  Armory,  and  also  those  from  the  Percy 
Folio  MS.  edited  by  Hales  and  Furnival.  My  thanks  are  also 
especially  due  to  Miss  Measfield,  of  Macclesfield,  who  has  furnished 
me  with  long  lists  of  words  from  that  neighbourhood,  and  who  has 
looked  over  my  manuscript,  her  intimate  knowledge  of  the  Cheshire 
dialect  rendering  her  notes  and  suggestions  very  valuable.  Also  to 
Mrs.  Cash,  of  Kelsall,  who  has  worked  up  the  Delamere  district  for 
me  most  thoroughly ;  to  Mr.  Everard  Home  Coleman,  who  has 
looked  up  for  me  the  references  to  every  article  upon  Cheshire 
which  has  appeared  in  Notes  and  Queries  from  its  commencement  to 
the  present  date ;  to  Mr.  John  Hoole,  of  Prestwich,  Lancashire,  for 
long  lists  of  words  used  near  Middlewich  ;  to  Mr.  Thomas  Sant,  of 
Frodsham ;  to  Mr.  Philip  Darbyshire,  of  Penketh,  Lancashire ;  to 
Mr.  Charles  B.  Davies,  of  Eardswick,  for  words  used  at  Minshull 
Vernon ;  to  Mr.  John  Thornely,  of  Hyde,  for  North-East  Cheshire 
words ;  to  Mr.  William  Norbury,  of  Leigh,  Lancashire,  who  spent 
the  greater  part  of  his  life  near  Wilmslow,  and  whose  lists,  illustra- 
tions, and  remarks  are  particularly  valuable.  I  have  also  to  thank 
Mr.  John  Thompson  and  Mr.  Joseph  E.  Ward,  of  Northwich,  for 
the  interesting,  and,  I  think,  tolerably  exhaustive,  collection  of 
words  used  in  the  mining  and  manufacturing  of  salt ;  also  Mr.  J.  E. 
Ward,  of  Bredbury,  for  a  very  full  list  of  words  used  in  the  hatting 
industry  of  the  North-Eastern  portion  of  the  county.  I  have  to 
thank  Mr.  J.  C.  Clough,  author  of  Betty  JBreskittle' s  Pattens,  for  per- 
mission to  reprint  his  clever  and  amusing  Cheshire  dialect  story.  I 
have  to  tender  my  thanks,  too,  to  Mr.  Thomas  Hallam,  of  Man- 
chester, for  his  promise  of  assistance  in  writing  a  chapter  upon 


yj  PREFACE. 

Grammar  and  Pronunciation.  If  I  have  omitted  any  names  that 
ought  to  have  been  mentioned,  I  must  beg  those  correspondents  to 
believe  that  it  is  not  from  any  want  of  gratitude  on  my  part;  to 
all  such,  collectively,  I  tender  my  thanks. 

The  glossaries  of  Wilbraham  and  of  Colonel  Leigh  have  also 
been  laid  under  contribution,  and  such  words  inserted  as  I  have 
never  met  with  myself  nor  received  from  living  correspondents. 
These  are  distinguished  by  the  letters  W.  and  L.  It  is  very  likely 
that  after  the  lapse  of  sixty  years  many  of  Wilbraham's  words  are 
now  obsolete ;  still,  they  have  been  used  in  the  county,  and  may 
survive  in  remote  districts ;  in  fact,  I  have  already  had  proof  of  this, 
for  several  words  which  I  had  supposed  to  be  quite  obsolete  have 
unexpectedly  turned  up  from  Delamere  Forest  and  from  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Macclesfield.  , 

As  a  rule,  when  I  have  extracted  words  from  Wilbraham's  and 
Leigh's  Glossaries,  I  have  copied  their  explanations  verbatim ;  but 
I  have  not  thought  it  necessary  to  include  the  derivations  they  have 
given,  which — in  the  case  of  Leigh  especially — are  often  mere 
guesses,  and  very  misleading ;  indeed  I  have,  throughout  the 
Glossary,  carefully  abstained  from  derivations.  I  only  claim  to  be 
a  collector,  and  must  leave  to  those  who  have  more  knowledge  than 
I  possess  the  task  of  utilizing  my  work  for  philological  purposes. 

In  one  or  two  instances  the  explanations  given  by  both  Wil- 
braham and  Leigh  seemed  so  involved  and  obscure  that  I  have 
ventured  to  simplify  the  language  or  the  arrangement  of  a  sentence ; 
but  I  have  taken  this  liberty  very  sparingly.  There  are  a  few 
misprints  in  both  Glossaries,  especially  that  of  Leigh,  which  are  so 
self-evident  to  anyone  acquainted  with  the  dialect  that  I  have  not 
hesitated  to  make  the  necessary  corrections.  Colonel  Leigh  died 
whilst  his  book  was  passing  through  the  press,  and  I  have  no  doubt 
these  palpable  errors  would  have  been  corrected  if  he  had  lived  to 
see  the  completion  of  his  work.  Occasionally  I  have  copied  the 
meaning  of  a  word  from  both  Glossaries  without  acknowledgment. 
In  such  cases  I  wish  it  to  be  understood  that  I  am  perfectly  well 
acquainted  with  the  word,  but  have  felt  that  I  was  unable  to  put  the 
explanation  into  better  language  than  they  have  used. 


,        PREFACE.  vii 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  works  which  I  have  consulted,  and 
it  is  remarkable  how  very  little  literature  there  is  connected  with  the 
Cheshire  dialect : — 

J.  Ray.     A  Collection  of  English  Proverbs.     Second  Edition.     1678. 
Henry  Holland.     General  View  of  the  Agriculture  of  Cheshire.     1808. 

Roger  Wilbraham.     An  Attempt  at  a  Glossary  of  some  Words  used  in  the 

Dialect  of  Cheshire.     Reprinted  from  Archasologia  xix.     1820. 
Ditto.     Second  Edition.     1826. 

J.  O.  Halliwell.  Dictionary  of  Archaic  and  Provincial  Words.  Eighth 
Edition.  1874.  . 

Lieut. -Col.  Egerton  Leigh,  M.P.  A  Glossary  of  Words  used  in  the 
Dialect  of  Cheshire.  1877.  (Reprint  of  Wilbraham's  Glossary, 
with  additions.) 

Georgina  F.  Jackson.     Shropshire  Word-book.     1879. 

Publications  of  the  English  Dialect  Society — The  Glossaries  of  Northern 
Counties. 

Notes  and  Queries. 

Manchester  City  News :  Notes  and  Queries  Column. 

Chester  Courant:  "Cheshire  Sheaf"  Column.  (For  words  used  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Mow  Cop  I  am  indebted  to  the  lists  contributed  to 
Cheshire  Sheaf  by  G.  H.) 

The  name  of  a  township  or  of  a  district  printed  in  small  capitals 
indicates  that  the  word  to  which  it  is  attached  has  been  heard  in  that 
locality,  but  it  by  no  means  follows  that  it  is  used  nowhere  else.  It 
simply  means  that  at  present  I  have  not  happened  to  hear  it  else- 
where, or  have  not  received  it  (if  communicated)  from  any  other 
district.  Where  no  place-name  is  added  the  word  may  be  considered 
as  in  pretty  general  use  throughout  the  county. 

No  abbreviations  have  been  used  in  this  Glossary  except  S.  CHES. 
(South  Cheshire),  MID-CHES.  (Mid-Cheshire),  N.  E.  CHES.  (North- 
East  Cheshire),  N.-W.  CHES.  (North-West  Cheshire),  W.  (Wilbraham), 
L.  (Leigh),  and  the  usual  abbreviations  of  the  parts  of  speech,  which 
scarcely  need  explanation. 

ROBERT  HOLLAND. 

FRODSHAM,  March  yd,  1885. 


/ V 


A    GLOSSARY 


ARCHAIC  AND  PROVINCIAL  WORDS 


USED   IN  THE  COUNTY  OF  CHESTER. 


[The  name  of  the  place,  locality,  or  district  where  words  have  been  actually  heard 
in  use  is  printed  in  small  capitals,  but  it  does  not,  necessarily,  imply  that 
the  word  is  restricted  to  that  locality.  When  no  name  is  added,  the  word 
may  be  considered  to  be  in  general  use  throughout  the  county.  The  letter 
W.  denotes  that  the  word  is  given  on  the  authority  of  Wilbraham's  Glossary 
(Eds.  1820,  1826),  and  L.  on  that  of  Major  Egerton  Leigh's  Glossary 
(1880).] 


A. 

A  is  frequently  used  as  a  prefix  to  verbs,  as  a-go'm,  going  ;  a-be,  be, 
in  the  sense  of  remaining  in  the  same  condition.  In  Cheshire 
we  do  not  use  the  Biblical  "  let  be,"  but  "  let  a-be." 

"Let  that  choilt  a-be,  wilt  ta,"  is  the  vernacular  for  "  Let  that 
child  alone,  will  you." 

A,  prep,  (i)  at  or  at  the.     See  A-BACK,  A-WOM. 
(2)  on  or  on  the.     See  A-FIRE,  A-TOP. 

A,  v.  have. 

"  Oi'd  a  gen  im  a  clout,  if  oi'd  been  theer." 

A-BACK,  prep,  behind ;  literally  "  at  the  back." 
"  Aw  seed  him  aback  o'th'  edge." 

ABBUR,  conj.  but. 

ABIDE,  v.  to  bear,  to  endure. 

"  I  never  could  abide  shoemakkers,"  said  an  old  servant, — and  it 
ended  in  her  marrying  one. 
B 


2  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

ABOON,  adv.  above.    L. 

ABOUT,  prep,  in  hand ;  in  process  of  doing. 

"  Have  you  much  hay  about  ?  "  does  not  mean  "  have  you  much 
spread  about?"  but  "  have  you  much  in  process  of  making?" 

"What's  Mary  doin'?"  "Oh  !  oo's  about  th'  butter;"  that  is, 
making  up  the  butter. 

"  About  th'  beds"  means  making  the  beds. 

ABOVE  A  BIT,  adv.  greatly,  very  much. 

"  Eh,  Polly  !  Aw  do  love  thee  above  a  bit" 
"  He  did  vex  me  above  a  bit." 

ABRECOCK,  s.  an  apricot.     HENBURY,  but  I  do  not  think  the 
word  is  in  common  use. 

The  name  occurs  in  Gerard's  Herbal ;  but  though  Gerafd  does  not  specially 
give  it  as  a  Cheshire  word,  the  inference  is  that  it  was  in  common  use  in  the 
county  in  his  time,  he  being  a  Cheshire  man. 

ABUNDATION,  s.  abundance. 

This  word  occurs  in  a  marginal  note  in  a  copy  of  Wilbraham's  Glossary, 
1st  ed.  1820,  and  appears  to  have  been  written  about  the  same  time;  but  I 
have  met  with  it  nowhere  else.  It  is  not  unlikely  to  be  an  obsolete  Cheshire 
word,  as  Miss  Jackson  records  it  for  the  adjoining  county  in  her  Shropshire 
Word  Book. 

ABYLL,  s.  a  mode  of  copyhold  tenure  mentioned  in  the  records  of 
the  Stockpoit  Grand  Leet  Court. 

"In  a  Great-Leet  Court  held  at  Stockport  in  the  nth  year  of  Queen 
Elizabeth,  before  Ralph  Warren,  gent.,  Steward  of  the  Manor,  and  Thomas 
Nicholasson,  Mayor  of  the  said  town,  Thomas  Burdyssell,  son  of  John  Burdys- 
sell,  late  of  Stockport,  deceased,  is  admitted  to  do  homage  for  his  late  father's 
tenements  there,  on  the  payment  of  Abyll "  (Cheshire  Sheaf ,  vol.  i.,  p.  15). 
It  has  been  suggested  (idem,  vol.  i.,  p.  41)  that  as  Sir  Robert  de  Stock  port's 
charter  to  the  burgesses  of  Stockport,  dated  about  1200,  provides  that  when 
a  burgess  happens  to  die,  his  heirs  shall  pay  to  the  lord  of  the  manor  some 
kind  of  arms,  such  as  a  sword,  bow,  or  lance,  the  word  abyll stands  for  "a 
bill."  The  payment  of  some  kind  of  weapon  as  a  heriot,  or  in  addition  to  a 
heriot,  was  not  uncommon.  In  an  old  lease  of  lands  in  Halton,  granted  by 
a  former  Marquis  of  Cholmondeley  to  a  former  Sir  Richard  Brooke,  the  pay- 
ment of  "  one  shilling  or  a  dagger"  is  mentioned. 

ACCOUNT,  5.  (i)  explanation.     MOBBERLEY. 

"There's  no  account  gen  of  it"  means  that  it  is  impossible  to 
account  for  it,  or  it  cannot  be  satisfactorily  explained. 

(2)  good  opinion. 
"Aw  mak  no  account  of  him  ;"  i.e.,  I  have  no  good  opinion  of  him. 

ACCUSSIN,  part,   disputing,  wrangling.      MACCLESFIELD.      The 
accent  is  on  the  first  syllable. 

"  Nah  then !  no  accussin." 
ACHORN.    See  ATCHERN. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  3 

ACKERSPRIT,  part.  adj. 

A  curious  condition  of  the  potato,  known  scientifically  as  supertuberation, 
where  the  eyes  of  the  tubers  have  germinated  before  the  potatoes  were  got 
up,  and  have  formed  a  number  of  small  unripe  tubers  attached  to  the  old 
ones.  Potatoes  are  also  said  to  be  ackersprit  when  the  axillary  buds  on  the 
stem  grow  into  small  green  tubers,  as  is  often  the  case  in  wet  seasons. 

ACKERSPYRE,  v.  to  sprout,  to  germinate.     WILBRAHAM,  who 
quotes  it  from  Jamieson. 

ACRE,  s. 

The  Cheshire  acre  is  10,240  square  yards,  and  is  still  in  constant  use 
amongst  farmers,  especially  in  the  northern  half  of  the  county,  and  in  South 
Lancashire.  They  cannot  understand  the  statute  acre  at  all,  but  compute 
everything  according  to  the  local  measure.  Cheshire  land  measure  is  as 
follows  :  64  square  yards  =  I  rood  (i.e.,  rod). 

40  roods  =  I  quarter. 

4  quarters         =  i  acre. 

ADAM'S  FLANNEL,  s.  the  plant  Verbascum  Thapsus.     L. 

ADBUTT,  s.  the  headland  of  a  field ;  also  ADLANT. 

In  both  cases  the  accent  is  on  the  first  syllable.  The  latter  word  is  the 
most  frequently  used,  I  think,  in  all  parts  of  Cheshire. 

ADDER'S  GRASS,  s.  Cynosorchis.     Gerard's  Herbal.     L. 

The  orchis  which  Gerard  distinguishes  as  adder's-grass  is  Orchis  mascula, 
but  he  does  not  specify  it  as  a  Cheshire  name. 

ADDER'S-TONGUE,  s.  the  plant  Orchis  mascula.    MID-CHES. 
ADDLE  or  YEDDLE,  v.  to  thrive  or  flourish,  to  merit  by  labour.    W. 

ADDLE-YEDDED,  adj.  stupid,  thick-headed. 
"  He's  a  addle-yedded  think." 

ADDLINGS,  s.  earnings  from  labour.     W. 

ADLANT,  s.  a  headland  in  a  field. 

As  an  illustration  of  the  frequent  use  of  this  word,  almost  in  a  meta- 
phorical sense,  I  quote  two  amusing  stories  given  by  correspondents  of  the 
Manchester  City  News  of  Feb.  26th  and  March  1 2th,  1 88 1  : — "  A  few  years 
ago  a  competition  of  Church  choirs  was  organised  in  Chester  Cathedral,  to 
which  the  parish  choir  from  Tarporley  was  invited.  After  the  singing  all  the 
competing  choirs  had  tea  together,  the  present  Lord  Derby  presiding.  Next 
day  a  member  of  the  choir  (a  raw,  country  lad)  was  asked  how  he  enjoyed 
himself,  and  what  sort  of  a  man  was  Lord  Derby.  He  replied,  '  Oi  had  a 
grand  tea ;  as  much  as  ever  oi  loiked  to  eat.  Aw  th'  singers  set  at  a  lung 
teble  doin  th'  reawhm,  and  Lord  Derby  was  on  a  adlant  at  th'  end.'  "  A 
table,  of  course,  placed  at  right  angles  to  the  rest.  The  second  anecdote 
runs  thus  : — "  There  is  an  old  traditional  story  in  my  family  of  one  of  our 
feminine  predecessors,  that  when  she  was  a  young  woman  one  of  the 
servants  in  her  father's  house  came  running  to  her,  calling  out,  '  Miss  !  Miss  ! 
Here's  Goodman  Twemlow  coming,  go  and  take  your  clogs  off.'  The 
answer  to  this  request  was,  '  No,  I  shan't.  I  have  as  many  adbutts  and 
adlants  as  he  has.' " 

Leigh  gives  as  an  old  Cheshire  proverb  "  He's  turned  a  narrow  adlant" 
meaning  that  he  has  had  a  narrow  escape  from  death  ;  and  the  same  saying 
is  current  in  the  neighbouring  county  of  Shropshire  (Shropshire  Word  Book). 


4  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

ADMIRE,  s.  to  wonder  at. 

"  Ah  hadna  seen  my  uncle  for  a  lung  toime,  and  when  he  cooni 
in,  ah  could  na  but  admoire  him,  he  looked  so  fresh  j—  and  he  s 
turned  seventy." 

ADOO,  *.  fuss,  bustle,  difficulty. 

"  Oo  made  much  addo  abait  it." 


,  . 

"  Come  on  !  who's  afeart  ? 

AFFADIL,  s.  the  daffodil.     L. 

AFFRODILE,  s.  a  daffodil    W,    See  AVANDRILLS  and  HAVER- 

DR1L. 

A-FIRE,  adj.  on  fife. 
AFORE,  adv.  before. 
AFORE  LONG,  adv.  soon. 

AFTER,  prep,  (i)  doing. 

"What  are  you  after  .?" 

(2)  in  quest  of. 

"  Th'  policeman's  after  him.'* 

(3)  making  love  to. 

"  I  expect  he's  after  our  Polly." 

AFTER  A  BIT,  adv.  in  a  short  time. 

AFTERINGS,  s.  the  last  milk  that  can  be  drawn  from  a  cow  ;  the 
same  as  STROKINGS.    W.     See  DRIPPINGS. 

AGATE,  part,  (i)  engaged  in  doing  anything. 
"  Agate  o'  thrashin.'' 

(2)  getting  to  work  again  after  a  holyday,  or  a  sickness, 

or  accident. 
"  Is  Jim  at  work  yet  ?"     "  Oh,  aye  !  he's  getten  agate  again." 

(3)  beginning. 

The  following  conversation  was  heard  in  Macclesfield  between 
an  old  man  and  woman  who  met  in  the  street  :  —  "  Eh  !  Tommy, 
owever  art  ee  ?"  "  Oh  !  middlin  ;  tha  sees  oive  croppent  ait  a  bit." 
"  Eh  !  if  tha'lt  git  agate  o"  gettih  ait  a  bit,  tha'l  git  better  aw  one 
Way." 

(4)  used  metaphorically  for  teasing  or  scolding. 
"  Oo's  allus  agate  o'  me." 

AGE,  v.  to  show  age. 

"  He's  agein  very  fast." 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  5 

AGEN,  prep,  (i)  against,  in  all  its  usual  senses. 
"  Th'  ladder  were  rared  agen  th'  waw." 
"  I  shall  be  able  to  pay  you  agen  next  week." 
"  We'n  nowt  agen  th'  chap." 
"  I  were  allus  agen  his  goin." 

(2)  near. 

"  He  lives  agen  th'  chapel." 

(3)  before. 

"  Our  pump  allus  males  a  nize  agen  rain." 

AGG  or  EGG,  v.  to  incite  or  provoke.     ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE. 

AGGED,  fart.  adj.  tired.     L. 

AGOE,  s.  the  ague.     L. 

AGREEABLE,  part,  consenting  to,  willing. 

AGREEABLE,  adj.  nice  to  the  taste. 
"  Is  your  tea  agreeable  ?" 

AGRIMONY,  s.  the  plant  Agrimonia  Eupatoria. 

In  Leigh's  Glossary  the  name  is  erroneously  assigned  to  Penny  Grass 
(Rhinanthus  Crista-Galli). 

AGRIMONY,   WATER,   s.   the   plant   Eupatorium    cannabinum. 

MlD-CHES. 

AH  or  AW,  pron.     I,  especially  when  not  emphatic. 
AILCE,  prop,  name,  Alice.     MOBBERLEY. 

AIM,  s.  a  guess,  an  inkling.     "A  like  aim"  is  a  shrewd  guess. 

"  Do  you  know  who  did  it  ?"      "  Now,  bur  aw've  getten  a  loike 
aim." 

AIMER,  adj.  nearer.     "Aimer-gzte"  a  nearer  way.     RAINOW. 
"  You  mun  go  dain  th'  aimer  gate." 

AIMY,  adj.  shrewd.     MACCLESFIELD. 

"  Ee  wur  a  aimy  sort  o'  chap,  ee  wur." 

AINT,  s.  aunt.    WILMSLOW. 

AIR,  s.  (i)  the  sky. 

Some  years  ago  there  was  a  very  remarkable  aurora  borealis  observed 
in  Cheshire.  I  forget  the  year,  but  it  was  one  evening  in  early  spring. 
There  appeared  a  large  and  very  bright  red  spot  in  the  sky  immediately 
overhead,  from  which  rose-coloured  coruscations  extended  almost  all  over  the 
sky.  The  colour  was  so  vivid  that  it  caused  everything  to  look  reddish,  and 
it  even  reflected  a  red  colour  on  people's  faces.  The  next  morning  a  man 
in  speaking  about  it  said,  "  The  air  broke  red,"  meaning  that  the  sky  broke 
out  red.  The  appearance  caused  a  good  deal  of  consternation,  many  people 
thinking  that  the  world  was  coming  to  an  end.  One  of  my  neighbours  sent 


6  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

his  daughter  to  me  whilst  the  strange  appearance  lasted  to  know  what  I 
thought  it  indicated.  The  general  opinion,  however,  seemed  to  be  that  it 
portended  "  war  and  bloodshed." 

(2)  the  clouds. 

When  lowering  clouds  portend  rain  it  is  said,  "  It  shows  for  rain, 
the  air  is  so  low.  " 

AIRY  BALLUNE,  s.  a  balloon  ;  also  ALLA  BALLUNE. 

A  correspondent  writes  :  "  The  following  dialogue  was  heard  at 
a  fete  near  Congleton,  between  a  young  lady  of  about  14  and  her 
mamma.  '  Oh  !  mother,  do  cum,  they're  goin  for't'  start  a  airy 
ballune,'  '  Yer  young  baggage,  you,  ow  often  am  I  for't'  tell  ye 
it  isn't  a  airy  ballune,  but  a  alla-ballune.'  " 

AITCH,  s.  pain,  especially  any  sudden  pain  such  as  paroxysms  in 
any  intermitting  disorder.  WILDERSPOOL,  CREWE,  MACCLES- 
FIELD.  These  places  being  at  different  sides  of  the  county  the 
word  may  be  considered  pretty  general. 

Hot  aitchcs  are  flushings  in  the  face  ;  fainty  aitches  are  fainting 
fits.  Occasionally  pronounced  haitches. 

AITCH,  v.  to  ache.     MACCLESFIELD. 
"  I  aitch  aw  o'er  me." 

AITCHORN.    See  ATCHERN. 
AITCHORNING.    See  ATCHERNING. 

AIZE  POW  or  EASE  POW  (Eaves  Pole),  s.  building  term. 

A  triangular  piece  of  wood  placed  above  the  wall-plate  of  a  building  to 
raise  the  first  course  of  slates  to  the  proper  angle,  so  that  the  rest  of  the  slates 
may  lie  smoothly  upon  each  other. 

AIZIN  or  EAZIN,  s.  (i)  the  eaves  of  a  house. 

(2)  the  roof  itself.    MID  and  SOUTH  CHESHIRE. 
"  Ar  Johnny's  thrown  his  cap  on  Foster's  azin," 
"  Tha'll  faw  off  th'  azin  if  tha  dusner  mind,  mon." 

Manchester  City  News,  March  $th,  j88l. 
AIZY,  adj.  easy. 

AIZY,  adv.  easily. 

"  Tak  it  aizy,  mon." 

ALE-COST,  s.  the  plant  Tanacetum  balsamita. 

Frequently  found  as  a  herb  in  old-fashioned  gardens. 

ALE  TASTER,  s.  an  officer  appointed  in  several  of  the  Cheshire 
towns  to  prevent  the  adulteration  of  ale. 

HCt  f°r  the  Manor  or  LordshiP  of  Over,  held  November, 
B"r,levmen>  and  Masters  were  elected  for  each  of  the 


,  e 

in*    £'  Barton,  and  S*anlow.     A  report  of  the  proceedings 
in  the  Wamngton  Guardian  of  Nov.  2oth,  1880. 

ALGATES,  adv.  always.     (?  obs.) 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  7 

ALGERINING,  part,  prowling  about  with  intent  to  rob,  robbery. 

"  He  goes  about  algerining  and  begging,"  often  said  of  a  tramp 
(Leigh,  who  suggests  that  the  derivation  of  this  curious  word  from 
the  Algiers  pirates  is  self-evident).  I  have  also  received  this  as  a 
very  occasional  word  from  a  Macclesfield  correspondent. 

ALKIN,  s,  all  sorts.     L. 

Probably  a  mere  contraction  of  "  all  kinds." 

ALLA  BALLUNE.     See  AIRY  BALLUNE. 

ALLEGAR,  s.  vinegar ;  originally  such  as  was  made  from  ale,  but 
now  applied  to  all  kinds  of  vinegar.     MACCLESFIELD. 

Wilbraham   says   that   the   word    is   generally  used  with  the  adjunct 
"vinegar" — allegar-  vinegar ;  but  it  is  not  so  used  now  at  Macclesfield. 

ALLEGAR   SKRIKERS,   s.   thin  gruel  flavoured   with   vinegar. 
MACCLESFIELD. 

ALLEY,  s.  (i)  a  small  walk  between  garden  beds. 

(2)  the  gangway  between  two  rows  of  cows,  which  in  very 

old-fashioned  shippons  stand  tail  to  tail ;  some- 
times the  alleys  are  so  narrow  that  the  tails  of  the 
opposite  cows  nearly  touch. 

"  Sawe  dust  spred  thick 
Makes  alley  trick. " 

TUSSER  (E.  D.  S.  ed.,  p.  33). 

(3)  a  boy's  marble,  generally  made  of  marble  and  fre- 

quently of  alabaster.  When  streaked  with  red  it 
is  called  a  "  blood  attey."  Also  called  OLLEY. 
KNUTSFORD,  MOBBERLEY,  MACCLESFIELD. 

ALLHEAL,  s.  the  plant  Prunella  vulgaris.     W.  CHES. 

ALLICAMPANE,  s.  the  plant  Inula  Heknium. 

Sometimes  seen  in  old-fashioned  gardens,  and  considered  to  be  a  remedy 
for  toothache;  but  I  do  not  know  in  what  way  it  is  used, 

ALLMACKS,  s.  all  sorts.     L. 
ALONG  OF,  prep,  in  consequence  of. 

ALONGST,  adv.  along.     ASHTON  HEYES.    WARMINGHAM. 

"  Alongst  the  road." 

ALPINE,  s.  the  plant  Sedum  Tekphium. 
AME,  s.  the  handle  of  an  axe.     WILDERSPOOL. 

AMPERLASH,  s.  saucy,  impudent,  abusive  language.     Mow  COP. 
"  I'll  have  none  o'  thy  amperlash,  soo  I  tell  thee." 


8  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

AN'  ALL  or  AN'  AW,  adv.  besides,  in  addition. 

"  An  mun  oi  come  an  aw  ?  " 

A  very  common  expression,  and  one  which  sometimes  does  not  add  any 
force  to  a  sentence.  I  have  heard  it  reduplicated,  "an  all  an  all."  Leigh 
gives  it  as  IN  ALL,  which  form  I  cannot  remember  ever  to  have  heard,  I 
feel  sure  he  has  confused  the  sound. 

ANAN,  adv. 

Is  made  use  of  in  vulgar  discourse  by  the  lower  orders  of  persons 
addressing  a  superior,  when  they  either  do  not  hear  or  do  not  comprehend 
well  what  is  said  to  them,  and  is  equivalent  to  "  What  did  you  say?"  or, 
"Have  the  goodness  to  repeat  or  explain  what  you  said."  W.  I  think 
now  quite  obsolete. 

ANCLIF,  s.  ankle. 

ANEEND,  adv.  upright,  not  lying  down,  on  one  end.      See  ON 
EEND. 

When  applied  to  a  four-footed  animal  it  means  "rearing,"  or  what  the 
heralds  call  "  rampant."  It  is  always  pronounced  "aneend,"  and  possibly 
should  be  written  "on  eend."  Aneend  means  also  perpetually,  evermore. 
W. 

ANENST,  prep,  opposite;  also  O'ER-ANENST,  which  see. 

ANENT,  adv.  about. 

"  I  know  nought  anent  him." 

ANGLESEA,  s.  hatting  term.     The  name  given  to  a  peculiar  curl 
of  the  hat  brim. 

ANGRY,  adj.  inflamed,  as  applied  to  a  sore  place. 
"  That  thumb  o'  hisn's  looks  main  angry." 

ANGUISH,  s.  bodily  pain. 

ANSWER  TO,  v.  (i)  to  succeed  with. 

It  is  said  that  clay  land  generally  answers  to  bones. 

(2)  to  be  easily  led. 
"  He's  a  soft  sort  o'  chap ;  he'll  answer  to  owt." 

ANT,  v.  to  plough  out  a  small  subsoil  furrow  from  a  reen.     MIN- 
SHULL  VERNON.    See  REEN. 

ANTIPRANTY,  adj.  frisky,  restive,  said  of  a  horse.     MOBBERLEY. 
MACCLESFIELD. 

ANTRIMS,  s.  whims,  vagaries. 

An  old  Macclesfield  nurse  used  often  to  accuse  the  children  under 
her  charge  of  being  "  at  your  antrims  again." 

APERN,  s.  an  apron. 

"A  buttrice  and  pincers,  a  hammer  and  naile, 
An  aperne  and  siszers  for  head  and  for  taile." 

TUSSER  (E.  D.  S.  ed.,  p.  36). 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  9 

APPLE  PIE,  s.  the  plant  Epilobium  hirsutum.  So  called  from  the 
smell  of  its  leaves  and  flowers.  Also,  in  MID-CHES.,  the  plant 
Artemisia  vulgaris. 

APPO,  s.  an  apple.  The  exact  pronunciation  is  more  like  apper, 
but  with  the  r  silent. 

APRIL    GAWBY    (W.   CHES.;,    APRIL   GOBBY   (Mm-CHES.), 
APRIL  GOB  (MACCLESFIELD),  s.  an  April  fool. 

APSE  UPON  THEE  or  ARPSE  UPON  THEE,  excl 

A  word  used  in  scolding  a  child  ;  also  a  sort  of  exclamation  of  surprise, 
or  when  sudden  pain  is  felt.  Thus,  if  a  man  took  up  a  piece  of  iron  which 
he  unexpectedly  found  was  too  hot  to  hold  he  would,  very  likely,  in  dropping 
it  make  use  of  the  exclamation. 

AREAT,/r<?/.  outside.     WILMSLOW. 

"  Was  he  i'th'  haise  ?"     "  Now,  he  were  areat." 

ARGIFY,  v.  to  argue. 

"  What,  tha  wants  for  t'  argify,  dost  ta?" 

ARGY,  v.  to  argue. 

"  He  argid  till  he  wur  black  i'th'  face"  is  a  saying  so  common  as 
to  be  almost  proverbial.     The  g  is  hard. 

ARK,  s.  a  chest. 

The  chest  in  which  oats  are  kept  in  a  stable  is  always  called  a 

"cum-ark." 

; 

ARM,  s.  part  of  the  axle-tree  of  a  cart. 

The  arm  of  an  axle-tree  is  that  part  which  goes  into  the  nave  of  the 
wheel.  I  can  remember  when  there  were  very  few  carts  with  iron  arms. 
Formerly  they  were  simply  a  continuation  of  the  wooden  axle ;  now  they  are 
invariably  made  of  iron  and  are  let  into  each  end  of  the  thick  wooden  axle. 
But  the  foundation  of  a  country-made  cart  is  very  durable,  and  in  Cheshire 
there  are  still  many  very  old  carts  in  existence,  especially  "  tumbrils  "  or  dung 
carts,  with  the  original  wooden  arms.  I  dare  say  some  of  them  may  be 
seventy  or  eighty  years  old — perhaps  more.  See  CART. 

ARM-HOLE,  s.  the  arm-pit. 

ARM-I'-LINK,  idiom,  arm  in  arm.  MACCLESFIELD.  Used  also 
metaphorically  to  imply 

(1)  great  familiarity,  as 
"  He's  arm-? -link  wi'  him." 

(2)  courting,  as 

"  He's  goin  arm-i'-link  wi'  ahr  Polly." 

AROUT,  adv.  out-of-doors.     L.     See  AREAT. 

ARRANT,  s.  an  errand. 

The  preposition  "of"  is  always  used  before  the  word,   "  Go's 
gon  of  a  arrant." 


IO 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


ARR,  s.  a  mark  or  scar. 

ARR,  v.  to  mark,  scar,  or  scratch. 

An  old  farm  servant  said  to  a  little  girl,  "  Cum  ait  o  that  hedge 
wilt'a,  or  tha'lt  arr  thee." 

ARRED,  part.  adj.  scarred.     "Pock-am^,"  marked  with  small- 
pox. 
ARSE-BOARD,  s.  the  tailboard  of  a  cart. 

ARSE-EEND,  s.  the  tail  end. 

"  The  arse-eend  of  a  '  tater'"  is  the  end  by  which  it  is  attached  to 
the  stalk  or  thread. 

ARSE-SMART,  s.  the  plant  Polygonum  Hydropipcr. 
ARSEY-VERSEY,  adv.  head  over  heels.    MOBBERLEY. 

AS,  pron.  who,  that,  which. 

"  He's  the  chap  as  did  it." 

AS  GOOD,  adv.  as  well. 

"  We  may  as  good  goo,  there's  nowt  to  be  getten." 
A  father  said  to  his  son,  who  was  resisting  him,  "  Tha  met  as 
good  give  in,  for  ah'll  thresh  the." 

AS  GOOD  AS,  adv.  very  nearly. 

To  say  that  anyone  is  as  good  as  gone  means  that  the  patient  is 
in  extremis,  and  cannot  possibly  recover. 
"  It's  as  good  as  half  a  mile  from  here." 

ASHIN.    See  ESHIN. 
ASH-KEYS,  s.  the  seed  of  the  ash.     L. 
ASHLAR,  s.  stone  squared  up  for  building. 
ASK.    See  ASKER. 

ASKER,  s.  (sometimes  ASK)  a  lizard  of  any  kind—*.*.,  either  a  land 
or  water  newt. 

I  think  a  Cheshire  man  has  more  horror  of  an  asker  than  of  any  other 
reptile.  It  is  supposed  to  "spit  pison,"  and  one  is  considered  sufficient 
to  poison  a  whole  well.  They  are  invariably  killed  when  discovered. 

ASKY,  adj.  dry,  piercing  as  applied  to  wind  or  weather.    Mow  COP. 

AS  LEEF  or  AS  LEEVE,  adv.  rather. 
"  I'd  as  lee/not." 

ASP,  s.  the  aspen  tree,  Populus  tremula.     L. 

ASTER,  s.  Easter.    MACCLESFIELD.    The  a  is  sounded  very  long. 

ASTOUND,  part,  astonished.     MACCLESFIELD. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  II 

-tfl,prep.  (i)  in. 

"A  pain  at  her  stomach." 

(2)  to. 

" Tak  care;  he'll  do  summat  at  thee." 

AT,  v.  to  do  some  violence  to  a  person.     N.  E.  CHES. 

A  .blackguard-looking  fellow  said  to  his  wife,  "  If  tha  says  that 
again,  I'll  at  thee,"  and  accompanied  the  words  by  doubling  his  fist. 

AT  AFTER,  prep,  after. 

"  Come  to  me,  Tyrrell,  soon,  at  after  supper." — 

K.  Richard  III.,  Act  iv.,  Sc.  3. 

AT  AFTER,  adv.  afterwards. 

"  Shall  you  come  nai  or  at  after  ?" 

ATCHERN,  s.  an  acorn ;  often  called  oak-afcAern.     MOBBERLEY. 

Halliwell  and  Wright,  following  Wilbraham,  spell  it  ACHORN,  which 
gives  no  indication  as  to  whether  the  ch  is  hard  or  soft .  About  MACCLES- 
FIELD  it  is  always  pronounced  ACCORN.  In  S.  CHES.  ATCHIN.  Wilbraham 
also  has  AITCHERN. 

ATCHERNING,  part,  picking  up  acorns.     The  second  syllable  is 
short.     Wilbraham  spells  it  "  aitchorning." 

A-THAT'NS,  adv.  in  that  manner. 

"  Dunna  do  it  a-thafns ;  you  should  do  it  a-this'ns ;  sithee  !" 

A-THIS'NS,  adv.  in  this  manner.     See  A-THAT'NS. 
ATHURTENS,  adv.  the  other  side  of.     L. 

A-TOP,  adv.  (i)  on  the  top. 

"  He's  a-top  o'th'  stack." 

(2)  or  simply  "on." 

A  woman  who  had  lent  her  savings  to  the  trustees  of  a  Wesleyan 
chapel  said,  "  I've  got  all  my  money  a-top  of  a  chapel." 

ATTER,  s.  poison.     L. 

ATTERCOB,  s.  a  spider.     L. 

ATTOCK,  s.  a  corn  stook.    See  HATTOCK  (2). 

ATWEEN,  prep,  between. 

AUCTION,  s.  a  place,  a  transaction,  a  meeting.     NORTON. 

It  is  extremely  difficult  to  explain  the  exact  meaning  of  this  metaphorical 
word,  and  the  above  attempts  are  not  quite  satisfactory.  It  almost  answers 
to  the  slang  term  "  lot,"  as  when  we  speak  of  a  person  being  "  a  bad  lot ;" 
and  the  connection  between  "  lot"  and  "  auction  is  obvious.  I  have  heard 
a  dirty,  muddy  place  described  as  "  a  dirty  auction"  and  an  unruly  crowd  as 
"a  rough  auction" 


12 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


AUD-F ARRANT,  adj.  old-fashioned. 

"  A  reglar  aud-f arrant  piece  o'  goods." 

AUNDER,  s.  afternoon.     L. 

AVANDRILLS,  s.  daffodils. 

From  a  manuscript  note  in  a  copy  of  Wilbraham's  Glossary,  written 
apparently  about  1826.     See  HAVERDRIL. 

AW,  pron.  the  pronoun  I  when  not  emphatic.     See  Oi. 
"Abber  ow  seed  im." 

AW,  adj.  all. 

AW,  excl.  used  in  driving  horses.     MOBBERLEY  and  the  middle  part 
of  Cheshire  generally. 

Said  to  a  horse  when  he  is  to  turn  towards  the  left.  "Aw  come 
'ere"  is  used  when  he  is  to  turn  completely  round  to  the  left. 

AW  ALONG,  prep,  in  consequence  of,  owing  to.     Leigh  spells  it 

AWLONG  Or  AWLUNG. 

"  Sanshum  fair  !"  says  hoo,  "  by  golly,  'tis  Sanshum  fair  to-day, 
an  aw'd  cleean  forgetten  aw  along  o'  this  kink  i'  my  back.'  — J.  C. 
CLOUGH. 

AW-BUR,  i.e.  ail-but,  adv.  almost. 

"  He's  mu-bur  done  'is  wark." 

AWKERT,  adj.  (i)  awkward,  clumsy. 
(2)  perverse,  contrary. 
"Things  are  turnin  out  very  awkert" 

AWLONG.    See  Aw  ALONG. 
AWMING,  s.  pantry.     L. 

AWMING,  part,  gaping  or  staring  about.     WILDERSPOOL. 
"  What  are  ye  awmin1  at  ?  " 

A-WOM,  adv.  at  home. 
•  AW  S',  or  AW  S'T,  v.  I  shall. 
AWSE,  v.  to  attempt.     HYDE.     See  Oss. 

AWTER,  s.  a  halter. 

To  "  play  the  a-wter "  is  a  metaphorical  expression  signifying 
to  inflict  some  punishment  which  is  as  bad  as  hanging.  See  Cheshire 
Sheaf,  vol.  i.,  p.  21 1. 

AWTERCATION,  s.  alteration. 

AW  T  NOWT,  idiom,  without  doubt,  far  away ;  perhaps  best  ex- 
plained by  the  semi-slang  expression,  "  out  and  out" 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  13 

AWVISH,  adj.  awkward,  unmannerly.     HYDE. 
AX,  v.  (i)  to  ask,  to  enquire. 

(2)  to  invite. 

(3)  to  put  up  the  marriage  banns. 

AXED,  part,  asked. 

People  whose  marriage  banns  have  been  published  are  said  to 
have  been  axed  in  church. 

AXED  OUT,  part,  the  banns  being  asked  for  the  third  time. 

The  expression  is  used  of  the  persons,  not  of  the  banns.     "They 
were  axed  oat  last  Sunday." 

AXINS,  s.  the  marriage  banns. 
AXLEWORTH,  s.  a  grinder.     L. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


B. 

BABBY-HOUSE,  s.  bits  of  broken  crockery  arranged  like  the  ground 
plan  of  a  house ;  a  frequent  amusement  with  country  children. 

BABELAVANTE,  s.  a  babbler.     CHESTER  PLAYS.     L. 

BACH,  s.  a  fall,  or  a  stream,  as  in  "  Sand&wfc"     L. 

There  is  a  small  piece  of  water  near  Chester  called  the  "  Bache  Pool 1  ;^ 
and  at  Rainow,  near  Macclesfield,  there  is  a  spot  called  the  "  Black  Patch, 
or  "  Black  Batch,"  through  which  a  dark  and  deep  stream  flows.      I  think 
the  word  is  never  heard  except  in  place-names. 

BACK,  s.  a  cop.     See  HEDGE-BACK. 
BACK  AND  TO,  idiom,  to  and  from. 

BACKARD,  adj.  late,  long  protracted. 
"  A  backard  spring." 

BACKARDING,  s.  a  change  from  excessive  joy  and  feasting  to 
mourning.     L. 

BACKARDING,  part,  relapsing  into  sickness.     MACCLESFIELD. 

"  Ah  !  poor  thing,  oo's  backarding;  it'll  soon  be  aw  up  wi'  her." 

BAG  KB  AND,  s.  an  iron  chain  passing  over  the  back  of  a  horse  to 
support  the  shafts  of  a  cart.     Called  also  a  "  Ridgerth." 

BACKED  UP,  idiom,  in  good  circumstances. 
"  He's  rarely  backed  up,  he  is." 

BACKEN,  v.  to  throw  back,  to  retard,  to  check. 

Vegetation  is  backened  by  frost.  A  gathering  may  be  backened,  i.e.,  pre- 
vented coming  to  a  crisis,  by  holding  the  part  affected  in  very  hot  water, — a 
practice  often  resorted  to. 

BACK-END,  s.  autumn. 

BACKENING,  s.  a  relapse  to  sickness.     NORTHENDEN. 

"  Our  little  one  is  not  right  yet ;  he  had  a  serious  backening  the  day  we 
were  at  Beeston."  This  was  written  in  reply  to  my  inquiries  after  a  friend's 
child  who  was  ill. 

BACKING.    See  HEDGE-BACK. 

BACK-NOR-EDGE,  idiom. 

"  I  can  mak  back-nor-edge  of  him,"  i.e.,  "  I  can  make  nothing 
of  him."    L. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  15 

BACK  O'  BEHINT,  idiom,  (i)  very  much  out  of  the  way;  out  of 

the  world;  behind  the  hindmost, 
as  it  were ;  an  ultima  Thule. 

I  once  lived  at  a  house  in  a  very  secluded  part  of  the  parish  of  Mobberley. 
I  certainly  had  one  neighbour,  and  our  gardens  were  contiguous,  but  in  order 
to  get  by  the  road  from  one  house  to  the  other  it  was  necessary  to  travel  at 
least  two  miles.  My  house  was  always  spoken  of,  most  expressively,  as  a 
very  back-o" -behint  place. 

(2)  of  slow  intellect     MACCLESFIELD. 

BACKSIDE,  s.  (i)  the  further  side  of  anything. 

The  backside  of  a  hedge  is  the  further  side  from  where  you  are  standing. 

(2)  the  back  yard  and  premises  of  a  house. 

(3)  in  the  north-western  part  of  Cheshire  it  is  a  very 

frequent  name  for  the  field  which  is  nearest  to 
the  back  of  the  farm  buildings.  I  often  notice 
the  name  in  old  maps. 

BACKSTUN,  s.  a  round  flat  piece  of  stone,  but  now  more  generally 
a  piece  of  sheet  iron,  with  a  handle  over  the  top,  upon  which 
various  kinds  of  tea-cakes  are  baked.  The  article  is  not  seen 
nearly  so  often  as  formerly. 

BACK  UP,  v.  to  pile  up. 

To  back  up  a  hedge  is  to  repair  the  cop  by  digging  soil  out  of  the  ditch 
and  piling  it  on  the  cop. 

BACK-WORD,  s.  a  countermand. 

"  We  were  to  have  gone  to-day,  but  they  sent  us  back-word" 

BACON,  $.  to  "  pull  bacon?  or  sometimes  to  "  make  bacon?  is  the 
elegant  operation  known  as  "  taking  a  sight."  The  action  is 
frequently  accompanied  by  the  query  "  have  you  ever  seen  bacon 
so  thick  ?  " 

BAD,  adj.  ill. 

"  Awfu'  bad wi'  roomatics." 

BAD-CESS,  excL  bad  luck ! 

BADDIN',  v.  playing  at  hockey  with  sticks  and  a  wooden  ball  or 
piece  of  wood.  L. 

BADGE,  v.  to  cut  corn  with  a  badging-hook.     See  BADGING-HOOK. 

BADGER,  s.  a  dealer  in  corn  (W.);  a  higgler  who  makes  the  round 
of  the  country  to  collect  butter,  eggs,  poultry,  and  fruit  (L.). 

BADGING-HOOK,  s.  a  kind  of  sickle. 

It  differs  from  the  ordinary  sickle  in  having  a  broad  smooth-edged  blade 
instead  of  a  narrow  blade  with  a  serrated  edge.  In  using  it  for  badging  corn, 
the  corn  is  pulled  backwards  with  the  left  hand,  or  with  a  hooked  stick,  and 


16  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

the  straw  is  severed  by  a  smart  blow.  The  instrument  is  frequently  used  for 
trimming  the  rough  grass  from  a  hedge  bank,  and  sometimes  for  cutting  off 
the  summer  shoots  of  a  hedge. 

BAD  LUCK  TOP  END,  idiom,  short  of  intellect ;  slightly  crazy. 
"Thah's  getten  bad  luck  top  end,  thah  cumberlin."  J.  C.  CLOUGH. 

BADLY  OFF,  adv.  in  necessitous  circumstances. 
BAFFLER,  s.  a  top  rail  to  a  sunk  fence,  wall,  or  cop.     L. 
BAG,  s.  (i)  a  sack;  also  a  SACK-FUL. 

Farmers  frequently  speak  of  having  so  many  bags  of  wheat  per  acre  ;  in 
which  case  a  sack  containing  four  bushels  is  intended.  It  is  also  occasionally 
used  for  the  contents  of  the  bag.  There  is  an  old  Cheshire  saying,  "  Bag 
and  pump  don't  pay  like  bag  and  milk,"  which  means  that  meal  and  water 
will  not  fatten  like  meal  and  milk.  MACCLESFIELD  FOREST. 

(2)  the  udder  of  a  cow. 

"  Go's  a  rare  bagged  un,"  is  said  of  a  cow  with  a  large  udder. 

BAG,  v.  (i)  the  same  as  BADGE,  which  see. 

(2)  to  discharge  a  servant.     MACCLESFIELD. 

(3)  to  baffle.     MACCLESFIELD. 
"  That  fair  bags  me." 

BAGGIN  or  BAGGING,  s.  a  meal,  generally  of  bread  and  cheese, 
eaten  between  breakfast  and  dinner ;  or  about  four  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon,  between  dinner  and  supper. 

It  is  the  custom  for  the  master  to  provide  bagging  for  his  men  during  hay 
or  corn  harvest.  Amongst  the  Macclesfield  mill  hands  breakfast  and  tea  are 
called  baggin. 

BAGGING-HOOK,  s.  the  same  as  BADGING-HOOK,  which  see. 

BAGGIN-TIME,  s.  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning  or  four  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon,  the  time  for  eating  bagging. 

BAG  MOUTH  OPEN,  idiom,  used  metaphorically  to  express  the 
fact  that  anything  has  "  come  to  light."  A  parallel  expression 
to  "  the  cat  has  jumped  out  of  the  bag." 

Leigh  gives  a  good  illustration  in  the  following  sentence :  "  Aw  never 
knew  how  things  were  with  him,  till  the  bailies  were  in  the  house,  and  then 
the  bag  mouth  -was  open. " 

BAGNET,  s.  a  bayonet 

BAGS  I,  v.  I  claim. 

An  expression  used  by  boys  in  claiming  the  first  place  in  a  game ;  or  in 
laying  claim  to  any  treasure  trove. 

BAGSKIN,  s.  rennet. 

The  stomach  of  a  calf  cleaned  and  laid  in  salt,  used  for  curdling  the  milk 
m  the  process  of  cheese-making.  The  bagskins  are  also  dried  by  stretching 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  17 

them  upon  pieces  of  stick,  in  which  form  they  are  cleaner,  and  can  be  kept 
almost  any  length  of  time.  Some  dairymaids,  however,  prefer  them  wet, 
and  some  dry.  The  preparation  of  the  bagskins  is  almost  a  special  branch 
of  trade.  It  is  thus  described  by  Sir  Henry  Holland  in  his  "  General  View 
of  the  Agriculture  of  Cheshire,"  1808  :  "When  it  (the  maw-skin)  comes 
from  the  butcher,  the  chyley  matter  is  taken  out,  and  the  skin  cleared  from 
slime  and  every  apparent  impurity,  by  wiping  or  a  gentle  washing  ;  the  skin 
is  then  filled  nearly  full  of  salt,  and  placing  a  layer  of  salt  upon  the  bottom 
of  a  mug,  the  skin  is  laid  flat  upon  it ;  the  mug  is  large  enough  to  hold  three 
skins  in  a  course  :  each  course  of  skins  should  be  covered  with  salt,  and  when 
a  sufficient  number  of  skins  are  thus  placed  in  the  mug,  that  mug  should  be 
filled  up  with  salt,  and  with  a  dish  or  slate  over  it,  be  put  into  a  cool  place, 
till  the  approach  of  the  cheese-making  season,  in  the  following  year.  The 
skins  are  then  all  taken  out,  laid  for  the  brine  to  drain  from  them,  and  being 
spread  upon  a  table,  they  are  powdered  on  each  side  with  fine  salt,  and  are 
rolled  smooth  with  a  paste  roller,  which  presses  in  the  salt ;  after  that,  a  thin 
splint  of  wood  is  stuck  across  each  of  them,  to  keep  them  extended  while 
they  are  hung  to  dry." 

BAG-STUFF,  s.  artificial  manure  sold  in  bags. 
"Aw  may  no  accaint  o'  bag  stuff." 

BAG  UP,  v.  to  put  into  sacks. 

BAHT  (ALTRINCHAM),  BEAWT  (WILMSLOW),  BIGHT  (W.  CHES.), 
BOUT  (general),  prep,  without. 

"Thawinnago    .     .     .     &z/^me."    J.  C.  CLOUGH. 

"  If  we  wanten  eawt  and  conna  pay,  we  done  bight"    KELSALL. 

Wilbraham  gives  an  amusing  illustration  of  a  woman  who,  when  urged  to 
quit  a  bad  husband,  said  "better  bad  than  bout."  The  saying  is,  however, 
proverbial,  and  used  on  many  occasions. 

BAILY,  s.  a  bailiff.     About  Macclesfield  it  is  always  BUM-BAILY. 
"Th'  bailies  are  i'  th'  hahse." 

BAIN,  adj.  near,  convenient.    W. 

BAIND,  part,  bound.     MOBBERLEY,  KNUTSFORD.     See  BOUND. 

BAIT,  s.  to  feed  horses  in  the  interval  of  work.  The  horses 
themselves  are  said  to  be  baiting. 

BAITH,  conj.  both.     W. 
BAKER-KNEED,  adj.  knock-kneed.     L. 

BALD  COOT,  s.  the  coot  (Fulica  atra\  which  has  a  white  face, 
and  is  so  called  to  distinguish  it  from  the  water  hen  (Gallinula 
podiceps),  which  in  Cheshire  is  also  called  COOT. 

BALK,  s.  a  beam.      Pronounced  "  bawk." 

BALKS,  s.  a  hayloft.     Pronounced  "  bawks." 

It  is  generally  said  to  be  so  called  because  it  consists  of  divisions  or  bays 
between  the  balks  or  beams  that  support  the  roof;  but  the  balks  in  old 
Cheshire  buildings  consisted  of  beams,  laid  across  from  wall  to  wall,  upon 


1 8  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

which  round  branches  were  placed  like  joists,  with  spaces  between,  and  the 
hay  or  straw  was  stacked  upon  them.  There  was  no  regular  floor,  but  the 
under  surface  of  the  hay  itself  formed  the  ceiling  of  the  shippon.  I  know  of 
several  instances  where  this  very  primitive  arrangement  is  still  existing.  I 
have  always  thought  that  the  name  balks  was  derived  from  the  fact  of  the  hay 
being  placed  upon  balks  or  beams  of  timber. 

In  other  cases  a  rude  kind  of  floor  was  made  by  putting  rough  outside 
slabs  of  trees,  the  round  sides  uppermost,  on  the  branches.  At  present  the 
floor  of  the  hayloft  is  properly  boarded  and  nailed  over  square  joists,  but  the 
old  n.ame  is  retained. 

BALL,  s.  the  bole  of  a  tree.    ARLEY. 

BALL,  v.  to  agglomerate. 

Snow  is -said  to  ball  when  it  adheres  to  a  horse's  feet  in  lumps. 

BALL  MONEY,  s.  largesse  demanded  from  a  wedding-party,  to 
obtain  which  (particularly  if  the  bridegroom  is  known  as  a  stingy 
man)  a  rope  is  sometimes  drawn  across  the  road.  L. 

Leigh  says  it  was  so  called  because  formerly  the  money  was  supposed  to 
go  towards  the  football  fund  of  the  parish. 

BALLOCK  GRASS,  s.  the  herb  "  dogstones."    GERARD.     L. 
BALLOW,  v.  to  select  or  claim. 

It  is  used  by  boys  at  play,  when  they  select  a  goal  or  a  companion  of  their 
game.  I  ballow,  or  ballow  me,  that  situation,  or  that  person.  W.  See 
BARLBY  ME. 

BALLY,  s.  (i)  the  belly. 

"What  comes  o'er  the  devil's  back  goes  under  his  bally"  is  a  proverbial 
expression  relating  to  ill-gotten  gains.  Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  i.,  p.  21 1. 

(2)  a  litter  of  pigs. 

We  speak  of  the  little  pigs  themselves  as  a  "bally  of  pigs ;"  in  speaking 
the  sow  we  should  say  "how  many  bailies  has  oo  had?"  meaning  "how 
many  litters  of  pigs  has  she  had  ?  " 

BALLY-BONT,  s.  a  belly-band;  the  broad  strap  which  passes  under 
a  horse's  belly  from  shaft  to  shaft. 

BALLY-BUTTON,  s.  the  navel. 

BALLY-PIECE,  s.  the  thin  part  of  a  carcase  near  the  belly. 

BALLY-STICK,  s.  a  stick  used  to  keep  open  the  sides  of  a 
slaughtered  pig. 

BALLY-VENGEANCE,  s.  anything  very  sour,  and  likely  to  dis- 
agree with  the  stomach.  MOBBERLEY. 


Sour  beer  would  be  stigmatised  as  "  reg'lar  bally -vengeance: 

RCH,  or  BALLY-WARK,  s.  belly  ache 
.em  side  of  the  county). 

"  What's  up  wi'  th'  tit  ?"     «  He's  getten  th'  bally-warch. ' 


BALLY-WARCH    or  BALLY-WARK,  s.  belly  ache  (chiefly  on 
the  northern  side  of  the  county). 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  19 

BAMBOOZLE,  v.  to  cheat,  to  outwit. 
"  He's  reg'lar  bamboozled  me." 

BA  MUGS,  or  BOWER  MUGS,  s.  pieces  of  crockery  used  as 
playthings  by  children.  L. 

BAND,  s.  hatting  term.  The  part  of  a  hat  which  fits  round  the 
head. 

BANDS,  s.  (i)  the  cross  pieces  of  wood  to  which  the  boards  of  a 
common  door  are  nailed. 

(2)  long  iron  hinges  for  the  doors  of  farm  buildings. 
BANDY  HEWITT,  s.  a  little  bandy-legged  dog,  a  turn-spit.     W. 
BANG,  v.  to  surpass. 
BANG-BEGGAR,  s.  a  beadle.     W. 
BANGLE,  v.  to  waste,  to  consume.     W. 

BANG-UP,  s.  yeast  made  from  potatoes  and  hops. 

It  is  not  often  used  now  that  German  yeast  can  be  bought  at  every  village 
shop. 

BANKSMAN,  s.  salt-mining  term.    The  foreman  over  saltworks. 
BANNUT  TREE,  a  growing  walnut  tree.     L. 

BANSEL,  v.  to  beat     WILDERSPOOL,  HYDE,  MACCLESFIELD. 
"  Bansel  his  hide." 

BANT  or  BONT,  s.  (i)  a  band;  the  straw  rope  which  binds  a 
sheaf  of  corn. 

(2)  string. 

BANTLING,  s.  a  baby. 
BARFUT,  adj.  bare-footed. 
BARGING,  part,  slanging. 

BARK  WAIN,  s.  when  the  bark  of  a  tree,  as  is  the  case  with  a 
yew,  grows  into  the  timber  and  spoils  it.  L. 

BARLEY  BREAKE,  s.  an  old  Cheshire  game,  mentioned  by 
Randle  Holme.  L. 

BARLEY  HANDS,  excl.  a  schoolboy  expression  used  in  the  pause 
of  a  game  to  indicate  that  the  person  is  temporarily  exempt  from 
playing,  or  from  the  penalties  of  the  game,  as  "  I'm  barley  hands." 
MACCLESFIELD. 

BARLEY  ME,  exd.  I  claim. 

An  expression  used  by  boys  in  claiming  the  first  innings  at  any  game.     In 
playing  "  Conquerors  "  the  boy  begins  who  first  says  "Barley  mi  first  blow." 


2Q  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

BARM,  s.  yeast. 
BARMADY.     See  BARNABY. 

BARM  BAW,  s.  a  yeast  dumpling.  About  MACCLESFIELD  "  Bawm 
Dumplins." 

Small  pieces  of  dough  are  taken  when  bread  is  being  made,  which  are 
boiled,  and  eaten  with  treacle. 

BARMSKIN,  s.  a  leather  apron.     W. 

BARN,  s.  a  child.     CHESTER  PLAYS.     L. 

Halliwell  has  "baron,"  not  "barn"  as  used  in  the  Chester  Plays,  and 
Leigh  has  possibly  misquoted  it  from  Halliwell ;  nevertheless,  the  word  barn 
is  occasionally  heard,  but  is  probably  an  importation  from  Yorkshire. 

BARN,  v.  to  adorn.     See  BAWM. 

Leigh  gives  this  word  with  the  same  explanation  as  is  given  in  Wilbraham 
under  the  word  BAWM.  He  also  gives  BAWM,  to  adorn,  on  the  authority  of 
Wilbraham,  and  I  fancy  BARN  must  be  a  misprint. 

BARNABY,  s.  St.  Barnabas'  Day  (June  nth). 

Barnaby  Fair,  an  event  of  great  importance  in  the  estimation  of  the  country 
people,  is  held  at  Macclesfield  on  June  22nd — old  St.  Barnabas'  Day.  About 
Macclesfield  itself  it  is  generally  pronounced  "Barmady."  It  is  also  the 
grand  day  from  which  dates  are  reckoned,  as  "He's  three  year  old  come 
Barmady,"  or,  "Oo  were  bad  afore  Barmady."  Such  a  method  of  calcula- 
tion is  very  puzzling  and  amusing  to  strangers. 

BARNACLES,  s.  salt-mining  term.  A  pair  of  chains  with  two 
hooks  to  hook  on  each  side  of  the  tub  when  drawing  rock  salt. 

BARN-FLAKE,  s.  a  large  wooden  slide  that  drops  into  grooves 
below  the  barn  doors,  and  to  which  the  doors  fasten  inside.  It 
is  drawn  up  and  removed  to  admit  a  cart. 

BARRED,  adj.  striped. 

A  barredc&l  is  a  tabby  cat. 

BARREN,  adj.  not  with  young;  but  it  does  not  at  all  imply 
any  incapacity  for  breeding. 

BARREN  FLAT,  s.  a  broad  extent  of  unproductive  land. 
DELAMERE. 

BARROW,  s.  (i)  salt-making  term.      A  conical  basket  in  which 
salt  is  put  to  drain. 

"  Cases  made  with  flat  cleft  wickers,  in  the  shape  almost  of  a  sugar-loaf, 
the  bottom  uppermost"  (NANTWICH,  1669}.—  Philosophical  Transactions, 
vol.  iv.,  p.  1065. 

At  the  present  day  at  Northwich  the  tubs  are  so  called  which  are  used  in 
making  lump  salt. 

(2)  a  copse,  a  dingle.   MACCLESFIELD.    Also  BURROW. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  21 

BARROW  MAKER,  s.  salt-making  term.  The  maker  of  a  barrow.  L. 

BARST,    s.    perfect    tense    of    burst.       MOBBERLEY.      BRAST, 
MACCLESFIELD. 

BASKET,  s.  hatting  term.     A  flat  crossing  of  twigs  used  to  press 
down  the  layers  of  wool  or  fur. , 

B  AS  KITTLE,  s.  a  basketful. 

No  doubt  the  correct  spelling  would  be  "  basket  'ul,"  but  it  is  pronounced 
as  above. 

BASONING,  part,  hatting  term.   The  first  process  of  felting  after  the 
material  i,s  formed  for  the  hat  body ;  also  called  "  Hardening." 

BASS,  s.  (i)  the  hard  stony  lumps  found  in  coal,  which  will  not 
burn  ;  also  called  "  Bath."     See  BASSES. 

(2)  the  bag  in  which  a  joiner  carries-  his  tools. 

(3)  a  low  stool;  a  hassock. 

j 
BASS,  v.  salt-making  term.     See  BASSES. 

To  "  bass  a  fire  "  is  to  get  the  clinkers  out  of  the  furnace  before  putting 
on  fresh  fuel. 

BASSES,  s.  salt-making  term.     Clinkers  formed  in  the  furnace. 

BASSIN,  s.  a  basin.     MOBBERLEY,  ASHLEY. 

Leigh  explains  it  as  "a  wooden  bowl  in  which  they  make  up  butter."  I 
think  the  above  pronunciation  is  very  local. 

BASSOCK,  s.  a  tuft  of  coarse  grass*      "  Perhaps  the  original  form 
of  Hassock."     L. 

BASTARD,  s.  salt-making  term.      The  name  applied  to  weak  brine. 

BASTARD  FALLOW,  s.  grass  land  ploughed  up  as  soon  as  the 
hay  crop  is  taken  off,  and  then  worked  as  a  fallow  for  wheat. 

A  fallow,  or  as  it  is  often  called  "bare  fallow,"  and  in  Cheshire 
"summer  work,"  is  when  grass  land  is  ploughed  up  in  the  spring,  and 
worked  during  the  whole  of  the  summer,  without  any  crop  being  grown  upon 
it,  as  a  preparation  for  the  sowing  of  wheat  in  the  autumn.  In  the  bastard 
fallow  a  crop  of  hay  is  taken  first,  and  the  land  is  not  ploughed  till  mid- 
summer, or  even  later,  and  it  thus  gets  only  half  the  working  that  a  true 
fallow  receives. 

BASTYLE,  s.  the  workhouse. 

This  was  a  very  common  name  when  first  the  new  Union  Workhouses 
were  built ;  but  it  is  gradually  falling  into  disuse. 

BAT,  s.  (i)  a  slight  blow. 

(2)  speed. 

"  He  ran  full  bat  agen  him." 

(3)  hatting  term.      A  layer  of  wool  or  other  material  of 

which  the  hat  body  is  made. 


22  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

BAT,  v.  (i)  to  beat  down;  as  beating  down  a  garden  bed  with  a 

spade.     MACCLESFIELD. 
(2)  to  wink  the  eyelids  up  and  down.     MACCLESFIELD. 

"  Dunna  bat  thi  eye  a  that'ns." 

BATCH,  s.  (i)  the  quantity  of.wheat  taken  to  the  mill  at  one  time 

to  be  ground. 
"  We're  getten  short  o'  flour,  you  mun  send  a  batch  to  th'  mill." 

(2)  a  baking. 

If  barm  is  bad,  it  spoils  the  whole  batch. 

(3)  a  number  of  things  baked  at  the  same  time. 
We  speak  of  making  "  a  batch  of  pies  "  to  last  the  whole  week. 

(4)  used  metaphorically  for  a  number  of  people  or  things. 
"He's  best  o'  th'  batch" 

BATCH-FLOUR,  s.  common  brown  flour  for  household  use. 

BATE,  s.  a  lump  of  wood  or  stone  used  as  the  fulcrum  of  a 
lever.  NORTON. 

BATE,  v.  (i)  to  diminish,  to  fall  off  in  quantity. 

' '  Cows  mostly  bate  i'  their  milk  i'th'  dog  days. " 
"When  white  clover  comes  i'  bob  th'  cows  are  sure  to  bate  i'  their 
milk." 

(2)  to  reduce  wages. 

Having  one's  wages  bated  is  having  them  reduced.  Leigh  speaks  of  the 
workman  himself  as  being  bated. 

BATE  DAIN  or  BATE  DOWN,  s.  to  depreciate  in  making  a  bargain. 
"  He  axed  me  fowrteen  pound,  but  ah  bated  him  dain  to  twelve." 

BATE-SHAVING,  part,  tanning  term.  Shaving  hides  intended  for 
upper  leather  to  a  uniform  thickness  by  means  of  a  knife,  made 
for  the  purpose,  which  has  its  edge  turned  up. 

BATH,  s.  stony  lumps  in  coal,  pronounced  like  "hath."  MOBBER- 
LEY,  ASHLEY.  See  BASS. 

BATH,  v.  to  foment 

BATTEN  or  BATTIN,  s.  a  truss  of  straw. 

The  quantity  of  a  batten  is  the  straw  from  two  sheaves  of  wheat ;  or 
rather  it  was  so  in  the  days  of  flails.  In  threshing  with  a  machine  there  is, 
of  course,  no  guide  to  the  quantity  of  straw  to  be  put  into  each  batten. 
Twelve  hand-threshed  battens  of  straw  make  one  Thrave.  See  THRAVE. 

BATTER,  v.  (i)  a  wall  is  said  to  batter  when  it  slopes  backward 
from  the  base.  A  wall  built  against  a  bank 
generally  batters. 

(2)  to  beat,  as  rain  beats  against  anything.    NORTON. 
"  Th'  lead's  welly  done,  and  th'  rain  batters  through  th'  windows." 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  23 

BATTER-DOCK,  s.  the  plant  Petasites  vulgaris.  The  name  is  also 
given,  on  the  authority  of  Wilbraham,  to  Potamogeton  natans.  L. 

BATTRIL,  s.  a  flat  piece  of  wood  used  by  washerwomen  to  beat 
their  linen.  L. 

BAW,  s.  (i)  a  ball. 

(2)  a  dumpling.     See  BARM  BAW,  and  SPECKT  BAW. 
BAW,  BAW  AIT,  v.  to  shout. 

BAWK.  or  BAWK  AIT,  v.  to  make  a  sudden  bellowing  noise. 

"A  lad  stood  under  th'  bridge  an'  hawked  ait  as  aw  passed,  an' 
th'  tit  took  boggart. " 
Animals  when  suddenly  frightened  often  "  bawk  ait" 

BAWM,  s.  the  plant  Melissa  officinalis,  cultivated  in  most  old- 
fashioned  gardens,  and  in  great  repute  as  a  medicinal  plant. 

BAWM,  v.  to  prepare,  dress,  or  adorn. 

At  Appleton,  in  Cheshire,  it  is  the  custom  at  the  time  of  the  wake  to  clip 
and  adorn  an  old  hawthorn  which  stands  in  the  town.  This  ceremony  is 
called  the  Bawming  of  Appleton  Thorn.  W. 

BAWM  DUMPLIN.     See  BARM  BAW. 

BAWM  TAY,  s.  an  infusion  of  balm  (Melissa  officinalis')  used  for 
colds. 

BAWSON  or  BAWSIN,  s.  (i)  a  badger.     W. 

(2)  a  term  of  opprobrium,  really  a  glut- 
ton.    MACCLESFIELD. 
"  Tha  great  bawson  thee  !  " 

BAWSON,  adj.  big.     DELAMERE. 

"  He  towd  me  a  bawson  lee." 

BAWSON,  part,  (i)  burst. 

"  Aw've  etten  so  mony  poncakes,  aw'm  welly  bawson." 

(2)  ruptured. 

BAWTERT,  part,  clogged.     L. 

"  Bawtert  wi'  slutch  " — clogged  with  mud. 

BAY,  s.  a  division  of  a  barn  or  other  farm  building,  generally  open 
on  one  or  more  sides.  The  separate  compartments  of  a  long 
hay  shed  are  called  bays. 

The  old-fashioned  barn  consisted  of  a  threshing  floor,  or  barn  proper,  in 
the  middle,  which  was  flagged,  sometimes  boarded,  and  in  a  few  of  the  very 
oldest  buildings,  made  of  a  calcareous  clay,  which  was  burnt  and  hardened 
into  a  kind  of  cement  (see  PLASTER  HILL).  On  one  or  both  sides  of  the 
threshing  floor  was  a  bay  for  storing  corn  in  the  sheaf.  The  bays  were  sepa- 
rated from  the  threshing  floor  by  a  low  wall,  but  were  otherwise  open  to  the 


24  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

barn.  I  have  spoken  of  these  kind  of  barns  as  things  of  the  past,  which  is 
hardly  correct,  as  there  are  plenty  still  in  existence  ;  but  the  flail  is  now 
almost  obsolete,  and  in  building  a  barn  now-a-days  it  would  be  arranged 
differently  so  as  to  suit  a  threshing  machine.  "  A  bay  of  building  "  is  men- 
tioned in  a  document  dated  1619. 

BAYES  or  BAIZE,  s.  to  play  or  run  at  baize.    A  country  sport.    L. 

BAY  SALT,  s.  salt-making  term.     The  coarsest  salt  made  ;  similar 
to  sea  salt. 

'U  (0  a  broom  (but  not  a  hair-broom). 


Generally  made  of  birch  twigs  ;  very  frequently  of  heather  (  Calluna  vul- 
garis),  when  they  are  called  \mg-beesoms.  The  bilberry  (  Vaccinium  Myr- 
tillus)  is  also  often  used,  in  which  case  they  are  wimberry-beesoms.  Now 
and  then  I  have  seen  them  made  of  broom  (Sarothamnus  Scoparius).  Many 
farmers  keep  a  few  birch  trees  pollarded  for  the  sake  of  the  twigs  which  are 
thereby  produced  ;  but  most  of  the  beesoms  sold  in  Cheshire  are  manufac- 
tured by  men  who  make  it  a  regular  business.  These  men  live  frequently 
amongst  the  hills,  where  the  ling  and  the  wimberry  grow  plentifully,  or  near 
the  peat  bogs,  and  I  presume  they  get  their  raw  material  for  nothing,  or  for  a 
very  trifling  payment.  The  beesoms  are  tied  together  in  neat  bundles  of  half 
a  dozen,  and  are  hawked  about  loaded  on  the  backs  of  donkeys.  The  usual 
price  is  about  two  shillings  or  half-a-crown  a  dozen. 

(2)  a  term  of  reproof  to  a  female  child. 
"  Tha  young  beesom." 

BAZZ,  v.  to  throw  violently.     MIDDLEWICH. 

"  I  bazzed  it  at  him." 

BEAM,  s.  tanning  term.  A  rounded  piece  of  wood,  stone,  or  iron 
on  which  hides  are  placed  for  the  purpose  of  unhairing  and 
fleshing.  See  FLESHING. 

BEANY  MARL,  s.  salt-making  term.  A  kind  of  granulated  marl. 
See  HORSEBEANS. 

BEAR,  s.  a  door  mat.     HYDE  ;  elsewhere  I  think  becoming  obsolete. 
BEARBIND,  s.  the  honeysuckle,  Lonicera  Periclimenum. 
BEARD,  v.  to  trim  a  hedge.     L. 

BEARDINGS,   s.   (i)    brushings   of   a   hedge.      Cheshire   Sheaf, 
vol.  i.,  p.  211. 

(2)  or  BEARD  HEDGE.  The  bushes  which 
are  stuck  into  the  bank  of  a  new-made 
hedge,  to  protect  the  fresh-planted  thorns. 
W. 

BEAR  WARD,  s.  (i)  a  bearleader  or  tender. 

(2)  a  term  of  reproach.     MACCLESFIELD. 

"  He's  a  reglar  beanvard." 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  25 

BEA'S  or  BEUS,  s.  cattle. 

"Fetch  th'  beiis  worn,  it's  welly  milkin'  toime." 

A  man's  position  and  probable  wealth  is  generally  judged  by  the  number 
of  cows  he  milks,  apropos  of  which  the  following  is  told  of  a  Chelford  farmer, 
who  left  his  son  in  charge  of  the  farm  one  day  whilst  he  went  to  market. 
When  he  returned  he  said  to  him — 

'Well,  Jack,  has  ony  one  caw'd  wheile  aw've  been  off?" 

'Ah,  a  mon  caw'd." 

'What  did  he  want?" 

'  Aw  dunna  know." 

'Did  na  ax  him?1*  9 

'Now." 

'  What  were  he  loike?" 

'  Aw  hardly  know ;  he  looked  as  if  he  met  keep  eighteen  beds  an:  two 
horses." 

The  farmer  would  quite  understand  what  sort  of  a  man  had  called. 

BEAST  or  BEAST  MILK,  s.  the  first  milk  from  a  cow  after 
calving. 

Beast  milk  is  highly  valued  for  making  puddings,  &c.,  and  is  frequently 
sent  by  farmers'  wives  as  a  present  to  friends  who  do  not  keep  cows.  In 
country  towns  those  who  sell  milk  often  send  beast  milk  to  their  customers  as 
a  present. 

BEAST,  v. 

To  beast  a  cow  is  to  milk  her  for  the  first  time  after  calving. 

BEASTINGS,  s.  the  first  milk  given  by  a  cow  after  calving. 

BEAST  MILK  PORRIDGE  or,  more  generally,  BEAST  POR- 
RIDGE, s.  beast  milk  heated  over  the  fire  in  a  saucepan  until  it 
thickens. 

It  must  not  be  allowed  actually  to  boil,  and  must  be  stirred  the  whole 
time  to  prevent  it  solidifying.  It  is  sweetened  and  flavoured  with  nutmeg, 
and  is  very  palatable.  It  is  always  spoken  of  in  the  plural,  as,  "They're 
very  good." 

BEAST  MILK  PUDDING,  or  simply  BEAST  PUDDING,  s.  a 
custard  pudding,  made  by  baking  beast  milk,  which  solidifies 
without  the  addition  of  eggs. 

The  dish  is  generally  first  lined  with  pastry.  Occasionally  they  are  made 
in  the  form  of  raised  pies.  The  milk  is  sweetened  and  flavoured  with  nutmeg 
or  pudding  spice.  A  very  favourite  Cheshire  dish. 

BEASTY,  adj.  milk  is  said  to  be  beasty  as  long  as  it  retains  any  of 
the  peculiar  characteristics  of  beast  milk,  which  coagulates  with 
heat. 

Beasty  milk  gives  an  intensely  yellow  colour  to  butter,  and  a  peculiar 
sweetish  flavour  to  cheese ;  accordingly  it  is  not  used  for  either  purpose  at 
first.  The  custom  is  not  to  put  beasty  milk  into  the  cream-steen  till  after  the 
third  meal,  nor  into  the  cheese-tub  till  after  the  fifth  meal ;  and  that  is  often 
a  little  too  soon,  cheese  being  spoiled  by  using  it. 

BEAWN,  part,  bound.     WILMSLOW.     See  BOUND. 


26  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

BEAWT,  prep,  without.     See  BAHT. 

BED,  s.  (i)  one  of  the  foundation  timbers  of  a  cart.     See  CART. 

(2)  the  womb.     See  CALF-BED. 

(3)  (of  beef)  a  piece  cut  near  the  flank. 

(4)  the  bed  of  a  rock  is  its  natural  horizontal  cleavage. 

In  building  with  Cheshire  sandstone  it  is  advisable,  if  not  absolutely 
necessary,  to  place  the  stones  on  their  natural  bed,  otherwise  the  surface  is 
apt  to  split  and  fall  off.  Architects  stipulate  in  their  specifications  that  this 
shall  be  done.  * 

BED,  v.  to  litter  down. 

"To  bed  th'  beus"  is  to  give  them  fresh  straw. 

BEDDERIN,  part,  bellowing.     MACCLESFIELD. 
BEDDING,  s.  straw  with  which  animals  are  bedded. 

BEDDING  PEWTER  BRASS,  s.  a  warming  pan.  Mentioned  in 
Margaret  Holforde's  will,  sixteenth  century.  I,.  Never  heard 
now-a-days. 

BEDEET,  part,  or  adj.  dirtied,  daubed.     WILDERSPOOL. 
BED-FAST,/ar/.  confined  to  bed  through  illness. 

BEDGOWN,  s.  a  short  jacket  of  gingham  or  cotton  print  worn  over 
a  linsey  petticoat. 

The  general  working  dress  of  farm  women  servants,  and  indeed  of  farmers' 
wives  and  daughters  when  at  their  work,  some  thirty  or  forty  years  ago.  It 
is  out  of  fashion  now,  and  almost  obsolete.  The  costume  was  decidedly 
picturesque.  The  bedgoivn  was  never  used  to  sleep  in,  as  its  name  might 
seem  to  imply. 

BEDSTOCKS,  s.  a  bedstead. 

BEE-BENCH,  s.  a  stand  for  beehives.  It  is  so  called  even  when 
built  of  stone  or  brick. 

BEE-BO,  s.  sleep ;  said  to  a  child. 

"  Come,  go  bee-bo,  there's  a  good  little  wench." 

BEEF-STEAK  ROCK,  s.  salt-mining  term.  A  fine,  red-coloured 
rock-salt,  similar  in  its  grain  to  sugar-candy. 

BEEN,  s.  the  plural  of  bee. 

BEE  NETTLE,  s.  the  plant  Galeopsh  versicolor. 

BEER,  s.  force  or  power.     L. 

BEERS,  s.  weaving  term.     The  bunches  of  the  warp. 

BEESOM,  s.  a  birch  broom.     See  BAYSOM. 

BEET  THE  FIRE,  v.  to  light,  or,  as  we  say,  to  make  the  fire.     W. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  27 

BEG  CAVY,  v.  to  beg  pardon.     Mow  COP. 

It  has  been  suggested,  with  good  show  of  reason,  that  the  word  is 
probably  a  corruption  of  "  Peccavi." 

BEGGAR,  v.  to  impoverish. 

"  If  you  use  go-hanna  year  after  year,  it'll  beggar  th'  land." 

BEGGARS'  BASKET,  s.  the  plant  Pulmonaria  officinalis,  a  very 
frequent  plant  in  cottage  gardens. 

BEGGARS'  VELVET,  s.  the  fluff  under  the  bedsteads  in  untidy- 
houses.  L. 

BEHINT,  prep,  behind.     Also  BEHOIND. 
BELDER,  v.  to  bellow.     MIDDLEWICH. 
BELDERING,  s.  the  bellowing  of  a  bull.     MIDDLEWICH. 

BELIEVE,  idiom.  "  I  believe  I  am." 

A  Cheshire  man  on  being  asked  "  are  you  Mr.  Smith  ?  "  seldom,  or 
never,  simply  answers  "  yes;"  but  says  "  well,  I  believe  I  am." 

BELL,  s.  hatting  term.     A  hat  crown  in  shape  representing  a  bell. 
BELLART  or  BELLOT,  s.  a  bearward. 
BELL-FLOWER,  s.  Campanula.     L. 

BELLMAN,  s.  the  town  crier,  a  functionary  still  employed  in  most 
of  our  country  towns. 

At  Knutsford  the  bellman  wears  a  uniform  ;  and  at  the  end  of  his  an- 
nouncement always  adds,  "  God  save  the  Queen,  and  the  Lord  of  this 
Manor. " 

BELLS,  s.  the  Fuchsia  plant 

BELT,  v.  to  shear  the  tail  and  buttocks  of  sheep  so  as  to  free  them 
from  dirt. 

BELTINGS,  s.  the  dirty  wool  so  shorn. 
BENCH,  s.  a  slice  down  a  haystack. 

BENCHING,  part,  salt-mining  term;  getting  the  bed  of  rock  salt 
down  to  the  "  sole  "  of  the  mine  after  the  roofing  drift  has 
been  made. 

BEND  OF  LEATHER,  s.  tanning  term;  half  a  tanned  hide  cut 
down  the  middle,  and  the  thin  edges  also  trimmed  off. 

BENT,  s.  coarse  rushy  grass.     L. 

BERRIN  or  BERRYIN,  s.  a  funeral. 

There  is  a  superstition  that  coffin-makers,  shroud-makers,  and  grave- 
diggers  can  always  tell  when  they  are  going  to  have  a  "  btrryin." 


2g  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

BERRY,  s.  a  gooseberry. 

A  berry  pie  is  a  gooseberry  tart. 

BE  SAID,  v.  to  do  as  one  is  bid. 

"  Now,  be  said,  there's  a  good  lad."    . 
"  He  wouldna  be  said." 

In  an  old  will,  dated  1525,  preserved  in  the  Registry  of  Chester,  the 
following  sentence  occurs:  "And  if  they  will  nott  be  said  by  him,  then  the 
said  s'  William  to  take  A  mon  att  his  pleasur." 

BEST,  adj.  used  for  the  comparative  better. 
"Yo'd  &.tf  doit." 

BEST,  v.  to  get  the  better  of  another,  in  argument  or  otherwise. 

A  new  tenant  of  a  farm  told  me  he  had  arranged  with  the  outgoing  tenant 

about  the  value  of  his  manure,  &c.,  and  added,  "but  I  think  he's  bested  me." 

BET,  part,  beaten,  in  the  sense  of  conquered  or  excelled. 
"  He  were  fairly  bet" 

BETID,  v.  induced.     MACCLESFIELD. 

"  I  canna  think  whatever  betid  me  for  t'  do  it." 

BETTER,  adj.  recovered  from  an  illness. 

We  also  say  "quite  better"  i.e.,  completely  recovered.  The  word  better 
is  not  generally  used  to  indicate  partial  recovery ;  in  that  case  we  often  say 
"mending." 

BETTER,  adv.  more. 

"  Rayther  better  nor  a  year." 

BETTER  END  OF  FOLK,  idiom,  the  upper  classes. 
BETTER  FASHION,  idiom,  recovering  from  illness. 

BETTER  SIDE,  adv.  more  than. 

"Better  side  fifty,"  i.e.,  more  than  fifty  years  old. 

BETTHER,  adj.  pronunciation  of  better;  but  not  universally ;  heard 
chiefly  towards  MACCLESFIELD  FOREST  and  WILDBOARCLOUGH. 

BETWITCHELLED,  part,  overcome  with  inquisitiveness.     HYDE. 
BETWIX,  prep,  betwixt,  between. 
BEYURN,  v.  to  raise.    BREDBURY. 

BEZONTER  or  BEZOUNTER,  excl.  an  expletive  denoting  surprise. 
MACCLESFIELD. 

"  Bezonter  me  !  but  aw'm  fair  gormed." 

BEZZLE,  v.  to  drink  greedily.     Mow  COP. 

BIDDIN,  s.  an  invitation  to  a  funeral. 

"  He's  gone  round  with  the  biddins;  there'll  be  a  ruck  o'  folks." 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  29 

BIDDLE-BADDLE,  idiom.  "  from  hand  to  mouth,"  anything  done 
in  a  small  way.     STRETTON. 

"  I  never  made  no  accaint  o'  milk-selling,  it's  biddh-baddle  work; 
yo  never  get  a  big  lump  o'  money,  yo're  always  gettin'  little  bits,  an' 
payin'  little  bits." 

BIDE,  v.  to  stay  or  remain. 

"  Yo  mun  bide  aw  neet  wi'  us." 

BIGGENING,  the  recovery  of  a  woman  after  lying-in.    W. 

BIGHT,  s.  (i)  a  bend  or  rounded  corner.     WILDERSPOOL. 
"The  bight  of  the  elbow." 

(2)  a  projection  in  a  river,  a  projecting  corner.    W. 

(3)  anything  folded  or  doubled.     HALLIWELL. 
BIGHT,  prep,  without.     See  BAHT. 

BIG  I'TH'  MAITH,  idiom,  given  to  boasting. 

"  You  may  be  sure  a  man  as  is  big  tttf  matt  A  has  n't  mitch  in 
him ;  same  as  goin;  dain  i'th'  cellar  ;  if  you  hit  th'  empty  barrels, 
they  maken  a  din  ;  but  if  you  hit  th'  full  uns,  they  howd'n  their 
nize." 
"  Empty  barrels  make  the  most  noise  "  is  also  a  Cheshire  proverb. 

BIG  THROAT,  s.  goitre,   which   was   formerly  very  prevalent  in 
Cheshire. 

BILBERRY,  s.  the   plant   Vaccinium  Myrtillus,  also  called  WIM- 
BERRY. 

BILL,  s.  a  tool  for  chopping  wood  or  for  cutting  a  hedge. 
BILLY-BITER,  s.  the  blue  titmouse,  Parus  cceruleus. 
BILLY-MOTE,  s.  any  small  kind  of  moth.     MOBBERLEY. 
BIN,  v.  (i)  been. 

(2)  are.     WILDERSPOOL. 

"  How  bin  you  ?" 
"Bin  you  goin  ?" 

BIND,  v.  to  tend  in  any  direction.     NORTON. 

"  The  road  binds  that  way." 

When  birds  wheel  round  in  their  flight  they  are  sometimes  said  to  be 
binding  round. 

BINDERS,  s.  (i)  narrow  strips  of  thick  hempen  cloth,  which  are 
put  round  cheeses  as  soon  as  they  are  taken 
out  of  the  vats,  to  prevent  them  bulging.  The 
binders  are  woven  in  long  pieces  of  the  required 
width,  that  is,  about  three  inches  wide. 

(2)  part  of  a  cart.     See  CART. 


30  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

BINDWEED,  s.  Polygonum  Convolvulus.     W.  CHES.      Convolvulus 
sepium  is  also  called  "  Great  Bindweed." 

BING,  s.  (i)  a  passage  in  front  of  the  cows  in  a  shippon,  from 
which    they    are    foddered.       Also     FODDER     or 

FOTHER-BlNG. 

It  is  usually  quite  separate  from  the  shippon,  but  communicates  with  it 
by  means  of  square  holes  in  the  wall  in  front  of  each  cow. 

(2)  a  place  made  of  boards  in  a  granary  for  storing  grain. 
BING,  v.  to  begin  to  turn  sour.     Said  of  milk. 

BINGY,  adj.  a  peculiar  clouty  or  frowsty  taste  in  milk.     The  first 
stage  of  turning  sour. 

To  keep  milk  in  tin  vessels  tends  to  give  it  a  bingy  taste.     The  g  is  hard 
and  is  sounded. 

BINNA,  v.  is  not.     WILDERSPOOL. 

"There  binna  his  marrow,"  i.e.,  there  is  not  his  equal. 
BIR, 


BURRE,, 

To  take  birr  is  to  run  with  violence  as  a  person  does  before  taking  a 
great  leap.     W. 

BIRD  BRIER.    See  BRID  BREER. 

BIRD  EAGLES,  s.  the  fruit  of  Cratxgus  Oxyacantha. 

Eagles  or  "  agles"  appears  to  be  the  diminutive  of  "  hague,"  which  is  the 
more  common  name  of  the  haw  in  Cheshire. 

BIRD'S  EGGS,  s.  the  haw,  the  fruit  of  the  hawthorn.    MACCLESFIELD. 
Eggs  is  here  evidently  a  form  of  "  hagues." 

BIRTHMARK,  s.  a  stain  on  the  face  or  body  of  a  new-born  child, 
that  is  never  eradicated,  and  about  which  marks  there  are  curious 
ideas.  L.  Probably  general  throughout  England. 

BIRTLE,  s.  a  summer  apple.     L. 
BISHOP,  5.  a  pinafore.     N.-E.  CHES. 
BISHOPPED,  part,  burnt  ;  said  of  milk. 
BISHOPPING,  part,  being  confirmed  ;  confirmation.     L. 

BISHOP'S  WIG,  s.  the  plant  Arabis  alpina,  the  white  masses  of 
which  (supposed  to  resemble  the  old-fashioned  powdered  wigs 
worn  by  bishops)  are  so  conspicuous  in  the  early  spring. 

BISTA,  v.  are  you,  or,  more  correctly,  art  thou. 

"  Wheer  bista  bahnd  ?  "    Where  are  you  going  ? 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  31 

BIT-BAT,  s.  a  bat. 

BITCHED,  v.  spoilt. 

"  He  was  that  stoopid  he  bitched  the  whole  thing,"  i.e.,  he  spoilt 
everything.    L. 

BITE,  v.  to  cut ;   applied  to  the  edge  of  a  blunt  tool. 
"  It  winna  bite" 

BITTERBUMP,  s.  a  bittern.     MIDDLEWICH. 

BITTLIN,  s.  a  milk  bowl.     L. 

BITTOR,  s.  a  bittern.     CHESTER  PLAYS.     L. 

BITTY,  adj.  full  of  bits.     MOBBERLEY. 

When  a  pump  begins  to  get  foul,  and  small  black  particles  of  decayed 
wood  are  pumped  up,  the  water  is  said  to  be  bitty. 

BLAB,  v.  (i)  to  divulge  a  secret. 

(2)  to  chatter.     MACCLESFIELD. 
"Dunna  blab  so." 

BLACKBERRY  HATCH,  s.  chickens  hatched  about  the  time 
blackberries  are  ripe ;  they  are  supposed  never  or  seldoni  to 
come  to  perfection.  L. 

BLACK  BOGY,  s.  a  bugbear ;  a  term  often  used  to  frighten  refrac- 
tory children. 

"  If  tha  does  na  leave  off  skrikin,  I'll  fetch  a  black  bogy  to  the." 

BLACK-CAP,  s.  the  black-headed  bunting.     Emberiza  schanidus. 

BLACK  FROST,  s.  frost  without  any  rime. 

A  black  frost  generally  lasts  ;  a  white  frost  is  supposed  to  last  only  three 
days,  and  to  end  in  rain. 

BLACK-HEAD  GRASS,  s.  Luzula  campestris.     W.  CHES. 
BLACK  JACK,  s.  (i)  a  black  beetle.     MACCLESFIELD. 

"  We'n  getten  a  ruck  o'  black  Jacks  i'  ahr  haise." 

(2)  gunpowder.     NORTON. 

"We  wanten  a  bit  o'  black  Jack  to  this  rock,"  meaning  "we 
shall  have  to  blast  it." 

BLACK  ROCK,  s.  salt-mining  term ;  rock  salt  containing  a  large 
proportion  of  clay. 

BLACK  WORK,  s.  the  furnishing  of  funerals. 

The  following  colloquy  was  heard  in  a  livery-stable  yard  in  Chester  : — 
"  What's  Jones's  cab  here  for,  doing  nothing,  when  it  ought  to  be  on  the 

stand  ?" 

"Oh,  he's  doing  black  work  to-day ;   don't  you  know  they're  burying 

poor  old  Roberts." — Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  i.,  p.  301. 


32  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

i 

BLADE,  s.  part  of  a  plough.     L. 

BLAKE,  adj.  (i)  bleak. 

(2)  yellow. 
"  As  blake  as  a  paigle,"  as  yellow  as  a  cowslip.     L. 

BLANKET  FAIR,  idiom,  bed.     MACCLESFIELD. 
BLANKET  MULLEIN,  s.  the  plant   Verbascum  Thapsus. 
BLARE  or  BLARE  OUT,  v.  (i)  to  roar  or  scream  like  a  child. 

(2)  to  shout  angrily  at  a  person. 
BLART,  v.  (i)  to  cry. 

(2)  to  bleat,  or  low  like  a  calf. 

"Aw  dunna  loike  hear  a  cauf  as  is  allus  blartin;  they  never  do 
so  well." 

(3)  to  suddenly  commence  making  a  noise.    MACCLES- 

FIELD. 

"  Oo  blarted  aht  a-singin." 
*  (4)  to  divulge  a  secret.     MACCLESFIELD. 

"Nah,  dunna  thee  blart." 

BLAST,  s.  an  external  inflammation. 

"  He's  getten  a  blast  on  his  thumb." 

There  are  many  old  women  who  profess  to  cure  blasts.     I  am  not  aware 
that  they  use  any  incantations ;  but  they  claim  to  have  infallible  ointments. 

BLAYCH,  s.  a.  stroke.     BREDBURY. 
BLAYCH,  v.  to  strike.     BREDBURY. 
BLEACH,  v.  to  cut  a  hedge.    W.  CHES. 
BLECK,  s.  spent  grease  upon  wheels. 

BLEETCH,   s.    a   blow;    suggestive   of  an    open-handed   smack. 
Mow  COP. 

"I'll  give  thee  a  good  bleetch." 

BLENCH,  s.  a  glance.     MACCLESFIELD. 

A  young  lady  accused  a  man  of  "  cutting  her  "  in  the  street.    His  answer 
was  "  I  never  caught  a  blench  on  ye." 

BLENCH,  v.  (i)  to  glance.     MACCLESFIELD. 

(2)  to  give  way,  or  turn  white  in  the  face  through  fear. 
"He  never  (Ww/W  at  all."— Cheshire  Sheaf ,  vol.  i.,  p.  237. 
BLERT,  adj.  bashful.    L. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  33 

BLESSING  THE  BRINE. 

"  On  Ascension  Day,  in  days  long  past,  the  inhabitants  of  Nantwych  (or 
Hellath  Wen  as  the  town  used  to  be  called)  used  to  assemble  in  gala  dress 
round  the  '  Old  Blat '  Salt  Pit,  which  was  ornamented  for  the  occasion  with 
flowers  and  all  procurable  rustic  finery,  and  pass  the  day  in  dancing,  feasting, 
and  merriment.  This  was  called  Blessing  the  Brine." — Leigh's  Ballads  and 
Legends  of  Cheshire,  note  p.  62. 

BLETCH,  s.  the  grease  on  cart  wheels,  when  worn  black. 

BLETCH,  v.  to  dirty  oneself  with  oil  from  a  cart  wheel. 
"You'll  bletch  yoursel  aw  o'er." 

BLETCHED,  part.  adj.  clagged  with  oil. 

BLETHER,  s.  a  bladder. 

BLETHER,  v.  to  blubber  or  cry.     MACCLESFIELD  FOREST. 

BLIND,  adj.  abortive;  said  of  blossom  which  is  ynperfect  and  does 
not  form  fruit. 

BLIZZOM,  v.  to  copulate.    Said  of  a  ram. 
BLOB,  s.  a  bubble. 

BLOB,  v.  to  bubble  or  boil. 

"Jam's  ne'er  done  till  it  blobs." 

BLOCK,  v.  to  pelt. 

A  boy,  caught  rather  suspiciously  near  a  walnut  tree,  cried  out  "  I  didna 
block  them,"  i.e.,  he  was  picking  up  fallen  ones,  not  pelting  them  down.  L. 

BLOOD  ALLEY.     See  ALLEY  (3). 

BLOOD-BLISTER,  s.  a  small  blister  containing  blood,  often  caused 
by  a  pinch  or  a  sharp  blow. 

BLOOD  WALL,  s.  a  wallflower.     L. 

BLOODWORT,  s.  the  water  dock,  Rumex  Hydrolapathum. 

BLOODY  MAN'S  FINGERS,  s.  the  plants  Orchis  mascula  and  O. 

Morio. 

BLOODY  ROGERS,  s.  an  old-fashioned  potato  with  a  very  red  skin. 
It  used  to  be  reckoned  one  of  the  best  varieties  forty  or  fifty  years  ago. 
Until  within  the  last  few  years  a  farmer  of  my  acquaintance  still  cultivated  a 
few  of  them  for  curiosity ;  but  I  think  they  are  now  quite  extinct. 

BLOOMY,  adj.  having  a  high  colour.     MACCLESFIELD. 
' '  A  bloomy  wench. " 

BLOTCH,  s.  a  blot. 

BLOTCH,  v.  to  blot. 

"  He's  blotched  his  copy-book." 
D 


34  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

BLOTCHING  PAPPER,  s.  blotting  paper. 

BLOTEN  or  BLOATEN,/«r/. 

To  be  bloten  of  anyone  is  to  be  unaccountably  fond  of  him.    It  is  used  in 
the  same  sense  as  GLOBED  TO  (which  see),  and  is  perhaps  less  common.    W. 

BLOW,  v.  (i)  to  scold,  blow  up. 

A  boy  remarked  that  on  the  first  cold  day  of  an  exceptionally  cold 
winter  (1880-1),  "  Schoo-mester  Mowed  'em  for  bein  raind  th  stove. 

(2)  insects  are  said  to  blow  anything  in  which  they  deposit 
their  eggs  ;  but  applied  more  especially  to  the  blue- 
bottle fly  laying  its  eggs  upon  meat. 

BLOW-FLY,  s.  a  blue-bottle.     Musca  vomitorius. 

BLUE-BACK,  s.  the  fieldfare.     Turdus  pilaris. 

BLUE  BELL,  s.  the  wild  hyacinth,  Scilla  nutans.     W.  CHES. 

BLUE  BUTTONS,  s.  the  devil's  bit  scabious.     Scabiosa  sucdsa. 

There  is  a  field  in  Mobberley  called  Blue  Buttons,  I  presume  from  the 
prevalence  of  that  plant. 

BLUE  TAR-FITCH,  s.   Vicia  Cracca. 
BLUFT,  v.  (i)  to  blindfold. 

(2)  used  metaphorically  for  to  deceive. 
"  What !  thar't  tryin  for  t'  bluff  me,  art  ta  ?  " 

BLUFTED,  part,  (i)  blindfolded. 

Cows  which  are  given  to  rambling  and  breaking  through  hedges  may 
frequently  be  seen  with  a  square  piece  of  sacking  hanging  from  their  horns 
over  their  eyes  to  prevent  them  seeing  anything  in  front  of  them  ;  they  are 
said  to  be  blufted. 

(2)  muffled. 
Bells  are  blufted  in  order  to  ring  a  muffled  peal. 

BLUNGE,  v.  to  disturb,  to  beat  anything  up.     Mow  COP. 

A  farmer's  wife  does  not  like,  even  for  a  good  customer,  to  blunge  in  her 
milk  after  it  has  been  sieved  and  put  away  in  the  pans. 

Although  suspiciously  like  a  mispronunciation  of  "plunge"  the  word 
has  a  different  signification,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  following  extract  from 
Miss  Meteyard's  "Life  of  Josiah  Wedgwood":  "  Each  pot-work  consisted  of 
one  such  hovel,  .  .  .  and  an  open  tank,  or,  as  it  was  termed,  a  sun-pan, 
in  which  the  diluted  clay  underwent  the  process  of  evaporation.  ...  In 
a  portion  partitioned  off,  and  lined  with  tiles  or  flagstone,  so  as  to  form  a 
small  but  somewhat  deeper  vat,  the  clay  from  the  mine,  after  due  exposure  to 
the  weather,  was  blunged,  or  beaten  about  in  water ;  this  mixture  was  then 
poured  through  a  sieve  into  the  larger  vat  or  sun-pan  to  the  depth  of  three  or 
four  inches,  and  there  left  to  evaporation  by  the  sun's  rays." 

BLUSTROUS,  adj.  stormy,  boisterous ;  said  of  the  weather. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  35 

BOB,  s.  the  flower-head  of  clover. 

Clover  is  said  to  be  in  bob  when  it  is  in  flower. 

BOBBER,  s.  a  boy's  large  marble.     MACCLESFIELD. 
BOBBER,  adj.  also  BOBBEROUS,  saucy,  pert.     W. 
BOBBERSOME,  adj.  venturesome.     MOBBERLEY. 

BOBBIN,  s.  a  reel  of  cotton  or  silk ;  either  such  as  are  used  in 
factories  to  hold  the  thread  for  weaving,  or  those  for  household 
use. 

BOBBIN  MILL,  s.  a  mill  or  factory  for  the  manufacture  of 
bobbins. 

They  are  turned  chiefly  from  crab,  apple,  pear,  and  a  few  other  hard 
woods.  The  trade,  however,  is  now  dying  out  to  a  considerable  extent, 
owing  to  the  use  of  iron  or  tin  for  bobbins. 

BOBBIN  TURNER,  s.  (i)  a  man  who  makes  bobbins. 

Many  factories  maintain,  or  used  to  maintain,  a  bobbin  turner,  and  the 
bobbins  are  manufactured  at  home  instead  of  being  bought  at  a  bobbin  mill. 

(2)  a  useless,  effeminate  fellow.   WILMSLOW. 

BOBBIN  WOOD,  s.  timber  suitable  for  the  manufacture  of  bobbins, 
usually  the  stems  or  larger  branches  of  apple,  pear,  crab,  and 
other  hard  woods. 

BOBBISH  or  BOBBY  (MACCLESFIELD),  adj.  well  in  health. 
"  How  are  you  ?"      "  Pretty  bobbish." 

BOBBY,  s.  a  policeman.     Common,  I  think,  to  most  counties. 
BOBBY,  adj.     See  BOBBISH. 

BOBELL  or  BOW-BELL,  s.  an  ancient  name  for  the  Curfew  bell 
rung  in  Chester  Cathedral.  Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  ii.,  pp.  24 — 50. 

BODLE,  s.  half  a  farthing. 

BODY-GARGLE,  s.  a  disease  of  cows.     See  GARGLE. 

It  is  recognised  by  the  veterinary  surgeon  as  simple  fever. 

BOG,  s.  (i)  a  bunch  of  rushes  in  a  field,  or  perhaps  more  correctly 
"  Rush-bog." 

(2)  a  dilemma,  or  mental  fog.     MACCLESFIELD. 

"  Oo  towd  me  th'  same  thing  o'er  and  o'er  again  till  a  wur  aw  in 
a  bog." 

BOGFOUNDERED,  part,  puzzled.     MACCLESFIELD. 

BOGGART,  s.  a  ghost  or  a  hobgoblin. 

"  Eh  !  woman  !  hi  white  thee  art,  as  ta  seen  a  boggart?' 


36  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

BOGGART,  TO  TAKE,  v.  to  take  fright  at  anything. 

"Ahr  tit  took  boggart  t'other  neet,  and  bowted  up  Park  Lone." 

BOGGARTY,  adj.  apt  to  take  fright. 

A  timid  skittish  horse  is  a  "  boggarty  tit." 

BOGGY  BO,  s.  a  bugbear  or  scarecrow.     W. 
BOGLE,  s.  a  ghost.    WILDERSPOOL. 

BOG-WOOD,  s.  stems  of  trees  frequently  found  in  peat-bogs,  of 
which  there  are  a  considerable  number  in  Cheshire. 

The  timber  found  in  bogs  consists  chiefly  of  oak  (which  is  blackened),  of 
birch,  and  of  pine.  They  are  all  well  preserved,  and  are  used  for  fuel ;  but 
the  straight  stems  of  the  pine  are  cloven  into  laths  for  plasterers'  or  slaters' 
use.  The  popular  opinion  is  that  they  were  submerged  at  "Noah's  flood." 
There  is,  however,  evidence  that  many,  if  not  all,  of  the  peat-bogs  have  been 
formed  since  the  time  of  the  Romans  in  England. 

BOGY,  s.  (i)  a  small  hand  cart,  flat  and  without  sides,  and  running 
on  two  low  wheels,  to  enable  workmen,  without  the 
aid  of  a  horse,  to  rrfove  large  stones  or  other  heavy 
materials  from  one  place  to  another. 

(2)  a  low  truck  used  on  a  railway,  upon  which  the  plate- 
layers ride  to  their  work  and  carry  their  tools.  The 
men  sit  on  the  edge  of  the  bogy  and  propel  it  by 
touching  the  ground  with  their  feet  every  now  and 
then. 

BOILER,  s.  salt-making  term.  The  name  given  to  the  men  who 
make  stoved  and  butter  salt.  See  WALLER. 

BOILING  ON  THE  LEACH,  old  salt-making  term.  I  suppose 
it  meant  boiling  the  brine  after  LEACH  BRINE  (which  see)  had 
been  added. 

"For  the  workmen  say,  that  if  they  boyle  fast  here  (which  they  call 
Boyling  on  the  Leach,  because  they  usually  all  this  time  lade  in  their 
leach -brine.  .  .  .)" — Philosophical  Transactions,  1669,  p.  1064. 

BOILING  UPON  THE  FRESH,  old  salt-making  term. 

"  Here  they  continue  their  fire  as  much  as  they  can,  till  halfe  the 
Brine  be  wasted,  and  this  they  call  Boyling  upon  the  Fresh"— 
Philosophical  Transactions,  1669,  p.  1064. 

BOKE,  v.  (i)  to  point  in  derision.     MACCLESFIELD. 

"  He  baked  his  finger  at  me." 

(2)  (or  BOAC)  to  reach,  keck,  or  kick  at  the  stomach.   W. 
BONE,  v.  to  take  the  levels  of  land  for  draining.     MOBBERLEY. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  37 

BONE  IN  THE  ARM,  idiom,  unwilling  to  do  what  is  demanded. 

A  bone  in  the  arm,  or  back,  is  a  very  frequent  Cheshire  nursery  fiction 
when  the  nurse  wishes  to  avoid  doing  something  that  has  been  asked  of  her. 
"Nay,  choilt,  aw  canna  toss  the',  aw've  getten  a  bone  f  my  arm."  The 
child,  innocent  of  anatomy,  of  course  believes  in  the  validity  of  the  excuse. 

BONE-SORE,  adj.  weary,  aching  with  fatigue. 

BONG,  s.  a  bank.     L. 

Lymm  Bongs,  a  woody  cover  near  the  town  of  that  name,  sloping  on 
both  sides  to  the  brook. 

BONK,  s.  (i)  a  bank. 

(2)  used  metaphorically  for  premises. 
"  Uppo"  th'  bonk"  means  upon  the  premises. 

BONT,  s.  a  band.     The  straw  rope  which  binds  a  sheaf  of  corn. 
BOO,  s.  (i)  a  bough. 

(2)  a  bow. 

"Where  are  your  manners?    Make  a  boo,  Georgie."—  Cheshire 
Sheaf,  vol.  i.,  p.  237. 

BOOAN  or  BO-AN,  s.  a  bone. 

At  the  Northwich  Cocoa  Rooms  during  the  Arctic  weather  in  January, 
1 88 1,  a  thin,  miserable-looking  old  man  sat  on  one  of  the  benches  next  to  a 
stout  country  girl,  and  was  peevishly  complaining  at  all  the  soup  being  done. 
She,  in  a  kind,  sympathising  way,  was  advising  him — "  Get  three  pennorth 
o' bones,  mester;  they'll  make  a  nice  sup  o' broth."  "£ooaiuln  said  he, 
"  wench  ;  booans  !  I've  booans  enoo.  I  want  summat  on  em  !" 

There  is  a  Cheshire  nursery  tale  which  relates  how  a  skeleton,  or  more 
properly  part  of  a  skeleton,  used  to  appear  to  a  wicked  murderer,  saying, 
"  Oi  want  my  booans;  oi  want  my  booans."  It  produces  an  effect  of  the 
most  intense  awe  amongst  the  small  audience. 

BOON-DAYS,  s.  days  on  which  tenants  perform  work  for  their 
landlord  without  any  remuneration.     See  BOON-WARK. 

BOON-WARK  or  BOON-WORK,  s.  work   done  by  tenants  for 
their  landlord  as  part  of  their  service. 

This  remnant  of  feudalism  is  still  in  existence  in  Cheshire  and  Lanca- 
shire, but,  on  account  of  the  greatly  increased  rents,  rates,  and  taxes,  and 
the  greater  expenses  generally  to  which  farmers  are  now  subject,  is  submitted 
to  with  a  very  bad  grace,  and  is,  fortunately,  fast  becoming  obsolete.  In 
farm  agreements  of  thirty  or  forty  years  ago  there  was  almost  invariably  a 
clause  binding  the  tenant  to  do  a  certain  number  of  days'  boon-work  for  his 
landlord,  the  number  of  days  being  regulated  by  the  size  of  the  farm.  The 
following  clause  is  taken  from  an  agreement  from  year  to.  year,  dated  1854. 
The  tenant  is  still  farming  under  the  original  agreement,  but  the  clause  is 
never  insisted  upon,  and  has  dropped  into  disuse  : — "The  tenant  to  deliver 
to  the  landlord  on  the  ist  day  of  October,  yearly  and  every  year,  one  good 
and  marketable  cheese,  without  any  allowance  for  the  same,  and  to  do  six 
days'  team-work  for  the  landlord."  The  boon-work  is  of  course  to  be  done 
without  remuneration,  and  in  some  agreements  it  is  so  specified.  Before  the 


38  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

present  Highway  Act  came  into  force,  farmers  used  to  work  off  a  portion  or 
even  the  whole  of  their  highway  rates  by  doing  boon-work  upon  the  roads. 
The  larger  farmers  used  to  send  their  carts  and  horses  to  cart  materials  for 
road-making ;  the  very  small  farmers,  who  had  no  teams,  used  to  do  manual 
labour.  This  is  now  prohibited  by  the  Act,  so  far  that  the  rates  must  be 
paid  ;  and  any  farmer  who  works  for  the  surveyor  of  highways  must  be  paid 
for  his  work.  It  was  formerly  very  much  the  custom  for  the  farmers  in  a 
parish  to  club  together  to  cart  the  year's  supply  of  coals  for  the  blacksmith  ; 
and  this  also  was  spoken  of  as  toon-work.  As  an  equivalent  the  blacksmith 
often  sharpened  the  plough  irons  free  of  charge. 

BOOSE  or  BOOST,  s.  a  cow's  stall. 

Wilbraham  gives  the  following  explanation  of  an  old  Cheshire  sayitfg, 
"  To  get  into  Cherry's  boose."  Cherry  being  a  favourite  name  for  a  red  cow, 
which  colour  is,  among  country  people,  the  most  esteemed  for  milking,  any 
person  who  is  got  into  a  comfortable  situation  is  said  "to  be  got  into 
Cherry's  boose."  Of  course  this  is  on  the  supposition  that  "  Cherry,"  being 
a  favourite,  would  get  more  attention  and  perhaps  rather  better  food  than  the 
other  cows.  There  are  not  so  many  red  cows  as  there  used  to  be  ;  but  it  is 
still  a  favourite  colour,  and  one  frequently  hears  it  said  that  "  the  red  cow 
gives  good  milk."  I  have  also  heard  this  saying  used  in  explanation,  as  it 
were,  of  the  sign  of  "The  Red  Cow,"  which  hangs  over  the  door  of  an  inn 
at  Knutsford. 

BOOSE  CHEESE,  s.  cheese  made  before  the  cows  are  turned  out 
to  grass  in  the  spring,  that  is,  whilst  they  are  being  fed  in  their 
booses.  It  is  not  of  as  good  a  quality  as  grass  cheese,  and  fetches 
a  lower  price.  Called  occasionally  "  Boozy  Cheese." 

BOOSEY,  adj.  an  epithet  used  to  describe  the  flavour  and  consistence 
of  a  boose  cheese. 

"  I  think  it  tayses  rather  boosey." 
"  It's  a  bit  boosey." 

BOOTHER  or  BOOTHER-STONE,  s.  a  boulder  stone,  a  paving 
stone. 

BOOTS,  YELLOW,  s.  the  plant  Caltha  palustris.     L. 

BOOTY,  adj.  sticky,  applied  to  the  soil.     ROPE. 
"  A  red,  booty  sand." 

BOOTY-HOUSE,  s.  is  an  expression  used  by  children  for  an  old 
box  or  shelf,  or  any  place  ornamented  with  bits  of  glass  or  broken 
earthenware,  in  imitation  of  an  ornamented  cabinet.  W. 

BOOZING  FIELD,  BOOZY  FIELD  or  BOOZY  PASTURE,  s. 
the  pasture  which  is  contiguous  to  the  booses,  where  the  cows 
are  tied  up,  and  which  is  retained  by  an  outgoing  tenant  as  an 
outlet  for  his  cattle. 

The  Cheshire  custom  of  tenure  of  a  farm  is  to  enter  and  leave  the  land  on 
the  2nd  of  February  (Candlemas  Day),  and  the  house,  buildings,  garden, 
and  boozing  field  on  the  mh  of  May  (old  May  Day).     The  boozing  field  is 
ected  by  the  landlord,  and  is  generally  as  near  as  possible  to  the  out- 
lings  for  the  convenience  of  turning  the  cattle  out  to  water  and  for 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  39 

exercise.  This  peculiarity  in  the  time  of  entry  has  probably  arisen  from  the 
inconvenience  which  would  be  experienced  in  moving  a  large  stock  of  cows 
in  mid-winter.  The  land  is  entered  in  February  to  enable  the  incoming 
tenant  to  plough  and  to  sow  his  spring  corn  ;  but  the  cattle  are  retained  at 
the  old  farm  till  May,  that  they  can  at  once  be  turned  into  the  pastures  when 
they  arrive  at  their  new  home.  By  this  means  also  the  farmer  does  not 
require  to  buy  a  large  quantity  of  hay.  I  should  think,  however,  that  in  a 
purely  pastoral  county  like  Cheshire  the  cows  have  been  the  first  considera- 
tion, for  to  remove  them,  often  many  miles,  and  then  to  tie  them  up  in  a 
strange  building,  would  probably  cause  a  good  deal  of  injury  to  cows  which 
in  February  or  March  would,  for  the  most  part,  be  heavy  in  calf. 

BOOZY  CHEESE.     See  BOOSE  CHEESE. 

BOOZY  STAKE,  s.  the  stake  to  which  a  cow  is  chained.  MIDDLE- 
WICH. 

BOOZY  TROUGH,  s.  a  trough,  often  of  solid  stone  hollowed  out, 
placed  in  a  cow's  boose,  in  which  her  "licking"  is  put.  MIDDLE- 
WICH. 

BORE  TREE.     See  BUR  TREE. 

BORN  DAYS,  idiom,  the  extent  of  one's  life. 

"  Aw  never  seed  such  a  smash  i'  aw  my  born  days" 

BORROWED  DAYS,  idiom,  the  first  eleven  days  of  May,  which, 
according  to  the  old  style,  were  the  last  eleven  of  April.  See 
LUKE'S  LITTLE  SUMMER. 

May  is  said  to  have  borrowed  these  days  from  April.  The  beginning  of 
May  is  often  very  cold,  and  one  frequently  hears  it  accounted  for  by  saying, 
"  Well,  you  see,  we're  only  i'  th'  borrowed  days  yet,"  implying  that  it  is  not 
really  the  month  of  May.  It  is  sometimes  added  that  they  are  paid  back  in 
October,  because  towards  the  end  of  that  month  we  frequently  have  a  few 
fine  warm  days. 

BOSGIN,  s.  the  partition  between  the  cows'  booses  or  stalls.  The 
g  is  hard. 

BOSGIN  RAIL  and  BOSGIN  STUMP,  s.  the  framework  of  the 
bosgin. 

The  bosgin  stump  is  a  strong  oak  post  set  firmly  in-  the  ground,  and  some- 
times carried  up  to  the  roof,  which  not  only  makes  it  firmer,  but  acts  as  a 
support  to  the  roof.  The  bosgin  rails  are  mortised  into  this  stump  at  one  end, 
and  are  let  into  the  wall  at  the  other  ;  upright  boards  are  nailed  to  the  rails 
forming  the  bosgin. 

BOSK  or  BUSK,  s.  a  bush ;  especially  small  bushes  of  thorn  or 
briar  stuck  in  the  fields  to  prevent  poaching. 

BOSK  or  BUSK,  v.  to  place  bushes  in  newly-mown  meadows  to 
prevent  poachers  from  drawing  nets  over  them.  It  is  called 
"  bosking  the  fields." 

BOSKY,  adj.  woody.     L. 


40  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

BOSS,  s.  (i)  a  hassock.     Becoming  obsolete. 
(2)  a  kiss.    Also  Buss. 

BOSSING, part,  (i)  kissing;  often  BUSSING  in  the  neighbourhood 

of  MACCLESFIELD  and  HYDE. 

A  witness  in  a  sort  of  breach-of-promise  case  in  one  of  the  Courts  at 
Macclesfield  said  :  "  O  i'm  sure  they  wern  coortin,  for  they  wern  allis  bossin." 
Ray  gives  as  an  old  Cheshire  proverb,   "Ossing  comes  to  bossing"  i.e., 
courting  is  soon  followed  by  kissing.     See  Oss. 

(2)  a  peculiar  method  of  fishing  for  eels  practised 
about  Frodsham  in  the  Marsh  ditches,  and 
at  Warrington  in  the  river,  and  probably 
throughout  the  whole  district. 

A  large  bunch  of  worms  is  tied  to  a  worsted  cord,  weighted,  and  sunk  in 
the  water.  The  eels,  in  taking  the  worms,  bite  into  the  worsted,  and  being 
unable  to  extricate  their  teeth  are  drawn  up.  No  hooks  are  used. 

BOSTOCK  ORANGE,  s.  a  kind  of  apple.     MIDDLEWICH. 

EOT,  s.  a  grub,  the  larva  of  any  insect. 

The  name  is  not,  however,  generally  applied  to  caterpillars  which  crawl 
about.  They  are  usually  called  grubs.  The  warbles  on  cows'  backs  are 
always  called  bots,  and  are  supposed  to  indicate  a  robust  state  of  health. 
Also  certain  intestinal  worms  are  so  called. 

BOTHAM,  s.  bottom.     The  wooded  sides  and  depths  of  a  valley  or 
drumble.     RAINOW. 

BOTHERUM  or  DOTHERUM,  s.  the  plant  Veronica  hedcrifolia. 
BUNBURY.    See  BOTHER. 

BO  THISTLE  or  BO  FISSLE,  s.  Carduuslanceolatus.  MOBBERLEY. 

BOTTLE,  s.  a  bottle  of  straw  or  hay.     L. 

Leigh  probably  intended  to  explain  it  as  a  bundle  of  straw  or  hay.  I 
have  never  heard  the  word  used  in  Cheshire. 

BOTTOM,  v.  (i)  to  empty  or  clean  out  thoroughly. 

To  "  bottom  a  drain  "  is  to  pare  off,  with  a  tool  made  on  purpose,  the 
small  pieces  of  clay  and  irregularities  in  the  bottom  of  the  drain  previous  to 
laying  the  pipes. 

(2)  to  do  a  thing  thoroughly,  not  necessarily  to  empty 

anything. 

(3)  to  fathom  or  understand. 
"  I  canna  bottom  him." 

BOTTOM  CUT,  s.  salt-mining  term ;  the  rock  salt  lying  below  the 
level ;  usually  about  two  to  three  feet  thick. 

BOTTOMING,  part.  "  bottoming  hay,"  getting  it  out  of  any  hollow 
wet  place,  where  it  will  not  "  make."     L. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  41 

BOTTOMLY,  adv.  thoroughly.     MOBBERLEY. 

"  Oo  looks  very  weel,  but  oo  is  na  bottomly  elean." 

BOTTOMS,  s.  low  wet  land  at  the  sides  of  brooks  or  rivers. 
BOUGHT-BREAD,  s.  baker's  bread. 

BOUND,  variously    pronounced    BAIND,   BEAWN,    BOUNT,   part. 

(1)  apprenticed. 

(2)  going  bail  for  a  person ;  and  also  somewhat  in  this  sense, 

being  sure  of  anything. 

"  Awst  be  baind" — I'm  sure. 

(3)  compelled. 

"  Thou'rt  bount  for  do  it." 

(4)  journeying  to. 

"  Awm  beawn  for  Knutsford." 

BOUNT,  part,  bound.     N.  E.  CHES.     See  BOUND. 

BOUT,  s.  (i)  an  attack  of  illness. 

A  man  is  said  to  have  had  ' '  a  bad  bout "  when  he  has  been  seriously  ill. 

(2)  a  drunken  spree. 

(3)  a  bout  with  a  plough  is  the  length  of  the  field  and  back 

again ;  two  furrows. 

BOUT  or  BOWT,  prep,  without.     See  BAHT. 

BOW,  s.  hatting  term.  An  implement  made  of  a  pole  about  six 
feet  long,  with  projecting  pieces  at  each  end,  over  which  is  drawn 
a  string  of  catgut,  like  a  fiddle  string. 

This  was  formerly  used  for  opening  out  and  spreading  the  materials  from 
which  the  hat  bodies  were  made.  There  was  an  attempt  to  supersede  the 
use  of  this  rude  implement  in  1823  by  the  introduction  of  a  machine  which 
could  do  considerably  more  work  by  young  and  unskilled  hands  ;  but  the 
combined  influence  of  Trades'  Unions  kept  back  the  introduction  of  the  new 
machines  till  1863,  exactly  forty  years.  To  "twang  the  bow"  was  formerly 
considered  a  very  skilful  branch  of  hat  manufacturing.  See  TWANG  A  Bow. 

BOW,  v.  hatting  term.  To  use  the  bow  for  spreading  materials  used 
in  the  making  of  hats.  See  preceding  word. 

BOW-BELL.     See  BOBELL. 

BOWD,  adj.  bold. 

BOWER  MUGS.     See  BA  MUGS. 

BOWK,  s.  a  bucket  (L.);  a  wooden  milk-pail  (Cheshire  Sheaf, 
vol.  i.,  p.  237). 

"  Fill  Bowk  "  is  a  name  sometimes  given  to  a  good  cow. — Id.,  p.  237. 


42  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

BOWL,  s:  a  child's  hoop.     Pronounced  like  "  owl." 

BOW  PEG,  s.  hatting  term.  An  instrument  used  with  the  bow  in 
spreading  out  the  materials  of  which  a  hat  is  made. 

It  is  a  piece  of  wood  large  enough  to  be  grasped  in  the  hand,  and  has 
cross  pieces  at  each  end.  The  mode  of  using  it  is  described  under  TWANG 
A  Bow  (which  see). 

BOWT,  v.  bought. 

BOWTH,  conj.  both.     MACCLESFIELD. 

BOY'S  LOVE,  s.  the  plant  Artemisia  Abrotanum.     L. 

BRACCO  or  BRACCOW,  adj.  used  only  when  compounded  with 
another  word,  as  "  Work-t>racco"  diligent,  laborious.  W.  See 
WORK-BRITTLE,  which  is  certainly  the  commoner  form. 

BRADDINGS,  s.  swathes  of  corn  or  hay.  MACCLESFIELD.  Leigh 
spells  it  "  breadings." 

BRADDER  or  BRADDA,  v.  to  spread  out.     FRODSHAM. 

"  I  never  like  to  see  forrard  taters  bradda  "  (spread  out  with 
numerous  stems  and  branches).  "  I  like  to  see  em  spire  up  "  (grow 
upright  with  only  one  stem). 

Wilbraham  has  BRADOW  as  a  transitive  verb  ;  "  to  spread  or  cover."  A 
hen  "bradows"  her  chickens.  Leigh  says,  "to  spread  or  cover  with 
manure,  as  applied  to  a  field.  The  '  braddow  '  is  one  of  our  commonest 
names  for  a  field."  I  have,  however,  only  met  with  the  word  used  intran- 
sitively as  above. 

BRAGGET,  s.  spiced  ale.     W.     Leigh  spells  it  BRAKET. 

Ray  describes  it  as  "a  sort  of  compound  drink  made  up  with  honey, 
spices,  &c."  J.  Worlidge  (Dictionarum  Rusticuni)  says  that  in  his  time 
(1681)  it  was  much  used  in  Wales,  Cheshire,  and  Lancashire.  I  presume 
this  is  what  we  now  call  FETTLED  ALE  (which  see). 

BRAID,  s.  a  shelf  for  crockery,  &c.     HYDE. 

BRAIL  or  BRAILER,  s.  a  long  briar  or  stick  run  along  the  top  of 
a  new  plashed  fence,  to  keep  the  twigs  in  their  places.  Also 
sometimes  a  dead  hedge  stuck  on  a  cop  top.  L. 


BRAKE,        \      , 
BRACKEN,  }  *'  H 

) 
I  v' 


-  to  burn,  burnt.     L. 


BRANK,  s.  an  instrument  used  in  the  olden  time  for  curbing  the 
tongues  of  scolding  women. 

The  brank  cohsisted  of  a  framework  of  iron,  a  sort  of  skeleton  helmet, 
which  was  locked  upon  the  head.  At  the  front  was  a  gag,  which  was  placed 
in  the  woman's  mouth.  This  gag  was  sometimes  simply  a  piece  of  smooth 
iron  ;  but  in  many  cases  it  was  armed  with  sharp  points,  or  knife  blades,  so 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  43 

that  if  the  culprit  attempted  to  speak  the  gag  was  sure  to  inflict  serious 
wounds  upon  the  tongue.  There  was  frequently  a  chain  attached  to  the  front 
of  the  brank,  by  means  of  which  the  woman  could  be  led  through  the  streets 
as  a  warning  to  others,  or  by  which  she  could  be  fastened  to  a  hook  in  the 
wall  until  she  promised  to  behave  better  in  the  future.  The  brank  appears  to 
have  been  introduced  from  the  Continent,  and  its  use  in  this  country  does 
not  seem  to  extend  back  for  much  more  than  300  years.  It  is  mentioned  in 
the  Burgh  Records  of  Glasgow  in  1574.  The  earliest  mention  of  the  instru- 
ment as  used  in  England  occurs  in  the  Records  of  the  Corporation  of 
Macclesfield  under  the  date  of  1623,  and  it  would  seem  to  have  been  pretty 
frequently  used  in  Cheshire,  judging  from  the  number  of  branks  which  still 
exist  in  the  county.  There  is  one  exhibited  in  the  Warrington  Museum 
which  was  brought  from  Carrington  ;  and  another  is  in  the  strange  and  ill- 
kept  miscellaneous  collection  of  curiosities  stowed  away  in  the  Water  Tower 
at  Chester. 

The  following  information  respecting  Cheshire  branks  is  extracted  and 
abridged  from  Andrews'  Punishments  of  the  Olden  Time,  pp.  43  to  47 : — 
"  In  Cheshire,  at  the  present  time,  we  have  traces  of  thirteen  branks.  The 
city  of  Chester  contains  four  examples,  which  Dr.  T.  N.  Brushfield  has 
described  in  an  exhaustive  manner  in  a  paper  read  before  the  Chester 
Archaeological  Society  in  1858.  With  respect  to  the  Congleton  brank,  which 
is  preserved  in  the  Town  Hall  of  that  town,  we  are  told  that  it  was  formerly 
in  the  hands  of  the  town  jailer,  whose  services  were  not  unfrequently  called 
into  requisition.  In  the  old-fashioned,  half-timbered  houses  in  the  borough, 
there  was  generally  fixed  on  one  side  of  the  large,  open  fire-places  a  hook, 
so  that  when  a  man's  wife  indulged  her  scolding  propensities,  the  husband 
sent  for  the  town  jailer  to  bring  the  bridle,  and  had  her  bridled  and  chained 
to  the  hook  until  she  promised  to  behave  herself  better.  The  Mayor  and 
Justices  frequently  called  the  instrument  into  use ;  'for,  when  women  were 
brought  before  them  charged  with  street  brawling,  they  have  ordered  them 
to  be  bridled  and  led  through  the  borough  by  the  jailer.  The  last  time  the 
bridle  was  publicly  used  was  in  1824,  when  a  woman  named  Ann  Runcorn 
was  charged  with  scolding  and  using  harsh  language  to  the  churchwardens 
and  constables  as  they  went  round  the  town  on  Sunday  morning  to  see  that 
the  public-houses  were  closed  during  divine  service.  She  was  condemned  to 
wear  the  bridle  and  be  led  by  the  magistrates'  clerk's  clerk  through  every 
street  in  the  town,  which  sentence  was  duly  carried  out. 

"At  Stockport  exists  the  most  brutal  example  of  the  English  branks,  in 
which  the  tongue-plate  is  about  two  inches  long,  having  at  the  end  a  ball, 
into  which  are  inserted  a  number  of  sharp,  iron  pins,  three  above,  three 
below,  and  two  pointing  backwards.  These  could  not  fail  to  pin  the  tongue, 
and  effectually  silence  the  noisiest  brawler.  It  was  formerly,  on  market 
days,  exhibited  in  front  of  the  house  of  the  person  who  had  charge  of  it,  as 
a  warning  to  scolding  or  swearing  women,  but  has  probably  not  been  used 
within  the  memory  of  any  living  person. " 

BRASH,  s.  loppings  of  a  hedge.     Refuse  boughs. 

BRASHCOURT,  s.  a  horse  with  his  fore  legs  bent,  having  been 
foaled  so ;  not  become  so,  as  is  often  the  case,  through  age  and 
work.  Harrison's  Description  of  England.  L. 

BRASS,  s.  money. 

"  Hast  getten  onny  brass." 

RRASTT        1 

BRASTENJ"  and  tart'  burst 

BRASSY-FACED,  adj.  brazen-faced. 


44 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


BRAT,  s.  (i)  a  child's  pinafore. 

(2)  an  apron  with  a  bib. 

(3)  a  young  child. 

BRATHERING,/dr/.  a  hen  "  brathering  her  brood"  means  covering 
them  with  her  body.  L. 

BRATTLES,  s.  brick  ends.     L. 
BRAWN,  s.  (i)  a  boar. 

(2)  collared  pig's-head. 
BRAZENT,  adj.  bold,  impudent,  shameless. 

BRAZZIL,  s.  a  Brazil  nut.     See  BRAZZIN. 

Leigh  gives  "as  hard  as  a  brazil"  as  a  colloquial  expression. 

BRAZZIN,  s.  excessive  hardness.     MIDDLEWICH. 

"As  hard  as  brazzin  "  is  an  expression  often  heard  in  that  neighbourhood. 

BRE  or  BRAE,  s.  brow.     Eyebraes,  eyebrows.     W. 

BREAD  AND  CHEESE,  s.  the  young  leaves  of  the  hawthorn, 
which  are  eaten  by  children  in  the  spring.  Also  the  leaves  and 
flowers  of  Oxalis  Acetosella. 

BREADINGS.    See  BRADDINGS. 

BREAK,  v.  to  fail. 

"Booths  has  broke  I  an'  cheppest  farm  i'  Kelsa' — nobbut  what 
he's  bin  done  well  to  naythur — Sir  Philip's  forgen  him  three  'ears' 
rent." 

BREAKBONES,  s.  (i)  Stellaria  Holostea.     CHEADLK. 

(2)  a  term  of  contempt  for  a  master  who  over- 
works his  servants.     MACCLESFIELD. 
"  He's  a  reglar  owd  breakbones." 

BRE  ASTERS,  s.  salt-making  term.  Lumps  of  salt  placed  between 
distinct  lots  to  separate  them. 

BREAWIS  or  BREWIS,  s.  broth  into  which  toasted  bread  is  put. 
BREDBURY.  See  BREWES. 

BREEAD,  s.  breadth,  extent. 

"A  great  breead  of  corn  sown  this  year." 
BREECH-BANT,  s.  the  breeching  of  a  horse's  harness. 

"  He's  allus  backin  i'th'  breech-bant'1''  is  a  metaphor  applied  to 
person  who  is  never  ready  to  go  ahead. 

BREECHY.    See  BRITCHER. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  45 

BREER,  $.  a  briar,  Rosa  canina  and  R.  arvensis. 

BREER  BOB,  s.  the  mossy  excrescence  on  wild  rose  bushes. 
KELSALL. 

BREET,  adj.  (i)  bright. 
(2)  clever. 

In  one  of  the  Macclesfield  police  courts  the  magistrate  said,  in  addressing 
a  witness,  "  Do  you  think  the  prisoner  clever  enough  to  have  done  that  ? 
The  witness  answered  "  Clever  enoo?    Oi  sud  think  he  wur ;  he  breet  enoo 
for  owt." 

BRESSES,  s.  plural  of  breast. 

BREVET,  v.  to  bustle  about,  as  a  spaniel  hunting.  Cheshire  Sheaf, 
vol.  i.,  p.  237.  t 

BREWES  or  BROWES,  s.  slices  of  bread  with  fat  broth  poured 
over  them.  W. 

BREXFUST,  s.  breakfast. 

BRICK-CLOD,  s.  a  thin  but  very  tough  sod  cut  from  3  peat-bog, 
used  for  covering  bricks  when  in  the  wall  where  they  are  piled 
for  drying. 

BRICKET,  s.  a  stool.     L. 

BRICKLE,  adj.  brittle.  MACCLESFIELD.  Wilbraham  has  BRICCO. 
See  BRITCHER,  which  is  the  more  general  pronunciation. 

BRICKNOGGIN,  s.  houses  framed  in  oak  timber  and  filled  up 
with  brickwork.  L. 

BRICK-SETTER,  s.  a  bricklayer. 
BRID,  s.  a  bird. 

BRIDBILLED  or  BRIDBUILD,  adj.  said  of  accurately-fitting 
wood.  L. 

BRID  BREER,  s.     Rosa  arvensis.     MOBBERLEY. 

Leigh  gives  it  as  a  name  of"  the  white  Scotch  wild  rose  with  black  hips," 
which  would  be  Rosa  spinosissima . 

BRID  EEN,  s.  the  plant  Lychnis  diurna.     SALE. 
BRID-LEGGED,  adj.  spindle-shanked.     WILDBOARCLOUGH. 
BRID-NEEZE,  s.  a  bird's  nest. 

BRID-NEEZING,  part,  hunting  for  birds'  nests. 
"  Let's  go  a  brid-neezing" 

BRID  ROSE  or  BRID  BREER,  s.  the  white  Scotch  wild  rose 
with  black  hips.  L. 


46  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

BRIEF,  adj.  rife,  prevalent.     Said  chiefly  of  disorders. 

"  Agoes  bin  brief" — agues  are  common.     W.     Also  a  term  for  a 
swarm  of  flies  or  bees.     L. 

BRIM,  v.  to  copulate.     Said  of  a  boar. 

BRIMBLE,  s.  a  bramble.     L. 

BRIMMING,  part,  a  sow  when  in  heat  is  said  to  be  brimming. 

BRIMMING  OVER,  part,  over  full 
"  Yon  pot's  brimmin  o'er." 

BRINE,  s.  salt-making  term.  The  name  of  the  liquid  from  which 
salt  is  extracted. 

It  is  pumped  out  of  the  eartlfc  from  a  depth  varying  from  35  to  105  yards. 

BRINE-PIT,  s.  a  salt  spring. 

"  The  salt-spring,  or  (as  they  call  it)  the  brine  pit,  is  near  the  river,  and  is 
so  plentiful,  that  were  all  the  water  boiled  out  that  it  would  afford  (as  they 
told  us)  it  would  yield  salt  enough  for  all  England.  The  lords  of  the  pit 
appoint  how  much  shall  be  boiled  as  they  see  occasion,  that  the  trade  be 
not  clogged." — Ray's  Account  of  the  Making  of  Salt  at  Namptwych  in 
Cheshire. — E.  D.  S.  ed.  Reprinted  Glossaries,  B  15,  p.  19. 

BRINERS,  s.  salt-making  term.  An  old  word  for  those  who  work 
at  brine  springs. 

"The  water  of  the  salt  springs  here  is  very  cold  at  the  bottom  of  the 
Pitt,  insomuch  that  when  the  Briners  sometimes  goe  about  to  cleanse  the 
Pitt,  they  cannot  abide  in  above  half  an  hour." — Philosophical  Transactions, 
1669,  p.  1061. 

"  Only  this  is  observed  by  the  Briners"  &c. — Id.,  p.  1077. 

BRITCHER    or    BRITCHY,    adj.    brittle.       Leigh    also    gives 
BREECHY. 

BRIZZ,  s.  (i)  the  gad-fly,  (Estrus  bovis.     FRODSHAM. 

(2)  the  dragon-fly.     MIDDLEWICH. 
BROAD  LEAF,  s.  (i)  Plantago  major. 

(2)  a  kind  of  apple.     MIDDLEWICH. 

BROCK,  s.  an  old  name  for  a  badger. 

Almost,  if  not  quite,  obsolete,  but  still  found  in  several  of  our  county 
family  names,  as  Brocklehurst  of  Macclesfield,  which  means  "  Badger  in  the 
wood."  The  crest  of  Sir  R.  Brooke  of  Norton,  Brooke  of  Mere,  and  the 
Brocklehursts,  is  a  badger. 

BROCKLE,  v.  to  break  fence,  as  cattle  do.     L. 
BROKE,  v.  broke  out.     See  AIR. 
BROKE,  part,  (i)  of  the  verb  to  break. 
(2)  ruined.     See  BREAK. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  47 

BROKKEN, /ar/.  (i)  broken. 
(2)  ruptured. 

BROKKEN-BALLIED,  adj.  big-bellied. 

When  a  cow  has  had  many  calves,  or  a  ewe  many  lambs,  their  sides  be- 
come very  protuberant,  and  the  animals  are  said  to  be  brokken-ballied. 

BROKKEN-HAIRED,  adj.  having  rough  wiry  hair,  like  certain 
kinds  of  terriers,  or  like  a  cross  between  an  English  and  Scotch 
terrier. 

Used  metaphorically  for  underbred.  Also  used  in  speaking  of  a  man 
who  is  not  quite  straightforward  in  his  actions. 

BROO,  s.  (i)  a  brow,  a  hill. 

To  be  "  going  dain  th'  broo  "  is  a  metaphorical  way  of  saying  that  a 
man's  health  is  breaking ;  also  said  of  a  man  who  is  becoming  poorer. 

(2)  the  forehead. 

(3)  the  brim  of  a  hat. 

BROODINESS,  s.  the  condition  of  a  hen  when  she  wants  to  sit 

Various  methods  are  practised  in  Cheshire  to  make  a  hen's  broodiness 
"  go  off"  (cease)  when  it  is  not  desired  that  she  shall  sit.  One  cruel  method 
is  to  duck  her  overhead  in  cold  water  ;  a  second  to  put  her  into  a  coop  with- 
out straw,  and  occasionally  without  food.  A  third  way  is  to  tie  a  string  to 
the  leg  and  tether  the  hen  to  a  post.  This  gives  her  the  opportunity  of 
walking  about,  but  she  cannot  return  to  her  nest.  The  most  extraordinary 
remedy,  however,  is  to  tie  a  bit  of  tape  round  her  tail ;  because  a  hen  which 
is  broody  spreads  her  tail,  and  the  ligature  prevents  her  doing  so,  and  thus  is 
supposed  to  dispel  her  broodiness. 

BROODY,  adj.  a  hen  is  said  to  be  broody  when  she  wants  to  sit. 

BROOM  TEA,  s.  an  infusion  of  the  green  twigs  of  broom,  Sarotham- 
nus  Scoparius.  Considered  to  be  very  efficacious  in  cases  of  dropsy. 

BRORDS  or  BRUARTS,  s.  the  young  shoots  of  corn  are  so 
called.  W. 

BRORE  or  BRORD,  v.  to  spring  up  as  corn  does.     W. 

BROSIER,  s.  a  bankrupt.     W. 

Leigh,  apparently  quoting  from  Wilbraham,  also  gives  it  as  a  verb. 
Wilbraham,  however,  only  includes  it  as  a  substantive. 

BROTH,  s.  (i)  salt-making  term.  A  liquor  made  by  boiling  calves' 
feet,  glue,  &c.,  used  for  clarifying  the  brine,  and 
put  in  after  the  new  brine  has  been  run  into  a  pan. 

(2)  when  meaning  "pottage,"t broth,  like  porridge,  fur- 
metry,  and  several  other  liquid  kinds  of  food,  is  a 
plural  noun.  You  are  always  asked,  "  will  you  take 
a  few  broth  ?"  About  Macclesfield  the  expression 
is  "  a  tewthry  broth"  that  is  two  or  three  broth. 


48  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

BROTH ERING,  adj.  useless,  over-luxuriant     L. 
Useless  and  spreading  branches  are  so  called. 

BROTHING  A  PAN,/0r/.  salt-making  term.     Putting  broth  with 
the  brine.    See  BROTH  (i). 

It  is  commonly  spoken  of  as  "  givin'  th'  pon  her  brexfust." 

BROW,  s.  hatting  term.     A  cast  or  model  of  the  head. 
BROWES.     See  BREWES. 

BROWN  GEORGE,  s.  the  common  sort  of  brown  bread.     W. 
BROWN  TOMMY,  MACCLESFIELD. 

BROWT,  v.  brought. 

BRUART,  5.  (i)  the  springing  of  corn. 

We  speak  of  "a  good  bruart"  or  "a  bad  bruart,"  according  as  it 
comes  up  well  or  badly. 

(2)  the  brim  of  a  hat. 

BRUART,  v.  to  shoot,  as  newly-sown  corn. 
BRUN,  v.  to  burn. 
BRUNDRIT,  s.  a  trivet  to  hold  a  bakestone.     L. 

BRUN-FIRE,  s.  a  bonfire.      Also   BUN-FIRE  (N.  E.  CHES.)  and 
BURN-FIRE  (general). 

BRUSH  or  BRUSH  WHEAT,  s.  wheat  sown  after  any  other  grain. 
In  the  midland  counties  brush  simply  means  "  stubble." 

The  sowing  of  two  white  or  corn  crops  in  succession  is  prohibited  in  most 
farm  agreements ;  and  in  some  it  is  specified  that  if  the  outgoing  tenant  does, 
on  leaving,  sow  wheat  after  any  other  com  crop,  he  shall  forfeit  his  share  of 
the  off-going  crop.  A  Cheshire  fanner  enters  in  the  spring,  and,  as  a  matter 
of  course,  it  falls  to  the  lot  of  the  out -going  tenant  to  sow  the  wheat  the  pre- 
vious autumn ;  and  according  to  the  custom  of  the  country  he  reaps  it  and 
sets  it  up  into  stocks.  The  outgoing  and  incoming  tenants  then  cart  off  their 
respective  shares  ;  but  in  many  cases  the  outgoing  tenant  has  a  right  to  the 
use  of  the  barn  for  threshing  his  portion.  It  was  customary  for  the  outgoing 
tenant  to  take  two-thirds  of  the  crop  if  the  wheat  were  grown  after  a  bare 
fallow  ;  one-half  if  after  any  kind  of  green  crop  ;  but  if  it  were  brush  wheat 
only  one-third.  Frequently  the  outgoing  tenant  would  stick  a  small  branch 
of  hazel  or  other  bush  on  the  top  of  every  other  stook,  then  they  each  knew 
which  were  their  own,  and  could  cart  them  away  when  they  liked . 

BRUSH,  v.  to  trim  a  hedge. 
BRUSHINGS,  s.  the  trimmings  of  hedges. 

BRUST,  s.  a  breast.    BREST  is  now  the  more  general  pronunciation. 
"To  may  a  cleean  brust  on  it."    J.  C.  CLOUGH. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


49 


BUCK,  s.  (i)  the  front  cross  portion  of  a  plough  to  which  the 
horses  are  attached. 

(2)  bread  and  butter.     MACCLESFIELD. 

A  young  mother  was  unable  to  pacify  her  child,  and  was  greatly  dis- 
tressed by  its  screaming.  A  kindly  old  woman  who  lived  in  a  cottage  near 
came  in,  snatched  up  the  child,  and  walked  off  with  it.  After  some  time 
she  brought  it  back  quite  quiet  and  content,  saying  somewhat  indignantly,  as 
she  handed  it  back  to  its  mother,  "A  young  thing  loike  thee  understands 
nowt  abite  childer  ;  whoi  th'  babby  wur  clemt,  but  aw  gin  her  a  buck  and  'oo 
et  it  up,  every  scrat." 

BUCK-CHAIN,  s.  a  chain  connecting  the  swing-trees  to  the  buck. 
See  BUCK  (i). 

BUCKER  or  BUCKA,  s.  a  buckle.     Wilbraham  spells  it  BUCKOW. 
BUCKET,  s.  the  sucker  of  a  pump. 

BUCKLE,  s.  condition.     MOBBERLEY. 

"  In  very  good  buckle"  means  in  very  good  condition. 

BUCKLE  TO,  v.  to  set  to  work  in  earnest. 
BUGGIN,  s.  (i)  a  ghost.     S.  CHES. 
(2)  a  louse.     S.  CHES. 

BUKE,  v.  to  litter. 

Speaking  of  some  spoilt  hay,  a  man  said,  "  It  will  only  do  for  buking 
the  yard. "    L. 

BULK,  s.  the  internal  part  of  the  vagina. 

In  many  cows  which  are  heavy  in  calf  the  organ  is  apt  to  protrude  when 
the  animal  lies  down  ;  it  is  then  said  that  the  cow  "  shows  her  bulk." 

BULLACE  or  BULLERS,  s.  Prunus  insititia,  frequently  applied  to 
a  semi-cultivated  variety  with  yellow  fruit. 

BULL-BEEF,  s.  the  young  shoots  of  wild  roses  and  blackberries, 
especially  the  latter,  which  are  peeled  and  eaten  by  children. 
MOBBERLEY. 

BULL  DAISY,  s.  Chrysanthemum  Leucanthemum. 
BULLERS.     See  BULLACE. 

BULL  EYE,  s.  the  ox-eye  daisy,  Chrysanthemum  Leucanthemum. 
MACCLESFIELD. 

BULL-FACES,  s.  tufts  of  the  grass,  Aira  ccespitosa,  and  occasionally 
of  Dactylis  glomerata. 

BULL-GRIPS,  s.  iron  clasps  for  leading  a  bull  by  the  nose. 

They  consist  of  two  knobs  of  iron  connected  by  a  spring  bow — very 
much  the  form  of  a  pair  of  sugar-tongs — with  a  screw  passing  through  both 
sides.  The  knobs  are  placed  in  the  nostrils,  and  are  screwed  together  till 
they  slightly  pinch  the  cartilage.  They  are  often  used  with  considerable 
effect  in  subduing  a  refractory  cow  which  will  not  stand  to  be  milked. 
E 


£0  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

BULL-RUSH,  s.  Scirpus  lacustris. 

BULLSLOP,  s.  the  large  hybrid  oxlip,  Primula  variabilis. 

BULLY,  adj.  resembling  a  bull. 

A  cow  with  a  short,  broad  face  would  be  described  as  "  rather  bully  about 
th'  yed." 
BULL-YED,  s.  (i)  a  tadpole. 

(2)  stones  amongst  lime.    BORDERS  OF  DERBYSHIRE. 

BUM,  s.  a  bum-bailiff. 

BUM,  v.  to  distrain.     MACCLESFIELD. 

"  If  tha  does  na  pay  me,  aw'll  bum  the'." 

BUMPS,  s.  blocks  of  wood  placed  under  a  spring  cart  to  relieve  the 
springs  when  it  is  too  heavily  loaded.     WILMSLOW,  ALDERLEY. 

BUNCH,  v.  to  tie  up  vegetables  or  herbs  in  bunches  for  sale. 
BUND,  part,  bound. 
BUN-FIRE.     See  BRUN-FIRE. 

BUNCO,  s.  influence  (?). 

"Under  the  bungo  o'th'  moon"  is  to  be  in  difficulties,  "under  the 
weather."—  Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  i.,  p.  237. 

BUNNY,  s.  a  swelling.     L. 
BUNNY-RABBIT,  s.  a  tame  rabbit. 

BUR,  conj.  but. 

"  Yo  munna  do  that."     "  Ah  !  bur  oi  shall." 

BURGY,  s.  unriddled  coal,  containing  all  the  small  coal  and  dust. 

BURLEY-MAN,  s.  an  officer  appointed  at  a  court  leet  or  at  a  town's 
meeting  to  settle  disputes,  &c. 

In  cases  of  damage  caused  by  cattle  trespassing,  the  hurley-men  would 
very  often  be  called  in  to  assess  the  damage.  A  bill  for  damage  to  a  crop  of 
turnips  caused  by  the  ravages  of  hares  and  rabbits  was  lately  presented  to  me 
by  a  farmer  who  lives  in  Moore.  In  this  case  the  valuation  had  been  made 
by  the  burley-men  of  the  township,  and  was  officially  signed  by  them. 

BURN,  s.  a  burden. 
BURN-FIRE.    See  BRUN-FIRE. 

BURR,  s.  (i)  (or  BURR  STONE)  rough  stone  from  the  quarry,  not 
squared,  and  frequently  not  large  enough  to  square  up ;  used  for 
building  field  walls,  rough  embankments,  &c. 

(2)  the  sweetbread. 

(3)  the  plant  Galium  Aparine. 

(4)  impetus.    WILMSLOW. 

"  Tak  a  good  burr  when  tha  jumps,  an'  tha'l  go  o'er  it." 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  51 

BURROW.     See  BARROW  (2). 

BUR-TREE  or  BORE-TREE,  s.  the  elder,  Sambucus  nigra.    W. 

BURY-HOLE,  s.  a  grave. 

The  name  is  more  especially  used  by  Children. 

BUSHEL,  s.  more  frequently  called  a  "  measure,"  or  "  mizzer."     See 
MEASURE. 

Wilbraham  explains  that  when  applied  to  oats  it  means  "  five  ordinary 
bushels  ;"  but  there  must  be  some  error,  for  after  enumerating  the  weight  of 
a  bushel  of  wheat,  beans,  and  barley,  he  adds,  "  oats,  45  to  50  Ibs.,"  which 
is  the  ordinary  weight  in  Cheshire,  and  is  certainly  not  the  weight  of  five 
imperial  bushels. 

BUSK,  s.     See  BOSK. 
BUSK,  v.  (i)  See  BOSK. 

(2)  to  straighten  up  the  fences,  cut  off  the  thorns,  &c., 

in  winter. 
"  I've  been  agait  busking  in  the  coppy."    L. 

BUSSING.     See  BOSSING. 

BUSSOCK,  s.  a  donkey.    S.  CHES.    Pronounced  BUZZOCK  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Runcorn.     N.  W.  CHES. 

BUSTION,  s.  a  gathering,  or  whitlow,  generally  on  the  finger  or  thumb. 

BUT,  adj.  unless. 

"  I'll  leather  you,  but  you  do  this."    L. 

BUTLAND,  s.  waste  land.     L. 

BUTT,  s.  (i)  the  rounded  beds  into  which  fields  are  ploughed. 
In  many  places  called  "  lands  ;"  in  the  north  "  riggs." 

(2)  tanning  term.     A  whole  tanned  hide. 

BUTTER-CUP,  s.  (i)  a  small  wooden  cup  used  by  some  dairy 

maids  for  rounding  the  bottom  of  a  pat  of 
butter,  instead  of  patting  it  with  the  hands. 

(2)  the  various  species  of  Ranunculus,  includ- 
ing R.  Ficaria. 

BUTTER  DOCK,  s.  Rumex  obtusifolius. 

So  called  because  dairy-maids  wrap  butter  for  market  in  its  leaves. 

BUTTERFLEE, 


The  working-men  naturalists  of  Lancashire  and  Cheshire,  of  whom  there 
are  numerous  examples  in  every  manufacturing  town,  I  believe  confine  the 
name  to  the  white  species,  the  coloured  ones  being  called  RED  DRUM- 
MERS. See  also  QUEEN  ANN  and  FRENCH  BUTTERFLEE. 


52  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

BUTTERFLIES,  s.  salt-making  term. 

When  the  " set"  on  a  pan  becomes  broken,  the  salt  forms  small  patches 
which  float  on  the  top  and  are  called  butterflies.  In  bay-salt  making  the 
salt  at  times  forms  small  flakes  or  collections  of  light  crystals,  which  are  also 
called  butterflies. 

BUTTERMILK  CAKE,  s.  cakes  raised  by  mixing  buttermilk  and 
carbonate  of  soda. 

They  are  rolled  out  to  about  six  inches  diameter  and  about  an  inch  thick. 
They  are  frequently  split  and  buttered  whilst  hot  from  the  baking,  and  are 
most  excellent ;  or  they  may  be  left  to  go  cold,  and  be  eaten  like  ordinary 
bread. 

BUTTERMILK  WEDDING,  idiom,  a  wedding  where  the  bride- 
groom will  not  distribute  any  money.  See  BALL  MONEY. 

BUTTER-MONEY,  s.  money  which  the  farmer's  wife  gets  by  the 
sale,  not  only  of  butter,  but  of  eggs  and  other  small  produce 
which  she  takes  to  market. 

A  Cheshire  farmer  and  his  wife  frequently  have  separate  purses,  each 
receiving  the  price  of  certain  kinds  of  produce,  and  each  making  certain 
payments.  Butter-money  is  generally  the  wife's  perquisite,  out  of  which  she, 
perhaps,  is  expected  to  pay  all  grocery  bills.  Such  an  arrangement  occa- 
sionally gives  rise  to  disagreements  between  husband  and  wife.  I  have 
known  the  wife  to  be  accused  by  the  husband  of  skimming  too  much  cream 
from  the  milk  to  increase  her  butter-money  at  the  expense  of  the  cheese.  I 
knew  one  couple  whose  custom  was  that  the  husband  supplied  coals  to  the 
house  out  of  his  purse,  and  the  wife  supplied  candles  out  of  hers.  The 
consequence  was  that  he  kept  the  household  very  short  of  fire  on  winter 
nights,  whilst  she  made  him  sit  in  the  dark,  or  by  firelight  only.  There 
were  frequent  squabbles,  and  the  man  spent  most  of  his  evenings  at  the 
public  house. 

BUTTER  SALT,  s.  salt-making  term.  A  fine  boiled  salt,  not 
stoved,  used  specially  for  making  up  butter. 

BUTTERY,  s.  a  pantry.     This  old  word  is  still  in  use  at  HYDE. 

BUTTHER,  s.  butter ;  but  the  ordinary  English  pronunciation  is 
quite  as  frequently  used. 

BUTTONS,  s.  unexpanded  mushrooms. 

Those  who  collect  mushrooms  will  never  leave  them  till  they  are  full 
grown,  when  they  are  much  nicer  and  would  produce  so  much  more  food. 
The  smallest  buttons  are  gathered,  the  excuse  being  that,  according  to  the  old 
Cheshire  saying,  "A  mushroom  never  grows  any  more  after  it  is  once  seen." 

BUTTY,  s.  (i)  a  fellow-workman. 

(2)  a  child's  name  for  a  slice  of  bread  and  butter. 

BUTTY,  adv.  conjointly. 

To  go  butty  with  one  is  to  act  conjointly. 

BUTTYBREW,  s.  a  social  meeting  at  which  each  person  pays  for 
his  own  share  of  the  drink.     BREDBURY. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  53 

BUTTY-PIECE,  s.  a  field  belonging  to  two  owners,  but  which  is 
undivided  by  any  fence. 

BUY  A  FATHER,  idiom,  hatting  term.      To  give  a  shilling  for 
beer  as  a  treat  to  workpeople. 

BUZZOCK,  s.  a  donkey.     RUNCORN. 
BYBBYE,  s.  a  kind  of  herb.     CHESTER  PLAYS.     L. 
BYBLOW,  s.  a  natural  child.     MACCLESFIELD. 
BYE,  s.  a  boy. 

BYFLETE,  s.  a  piece  of  land  cut  off  by  the  change  of  a  river's 
course,  which  used  to  belong  to  the  other  side.     L. 

On  this  account,  when  a  brook  divides  two  people's  property,  one  fre- 
quently sees  odd  little  corners  which  belong  to  the  owner  at  the  other  side  of 
the  water  ;  the  land  having  changed  sides,  but  not  ownership.  The  fencing 
of  such  detached  little  bits  often  causes  a  good  deal  of  trouble  and  annoyance  ; 
each  side  repudiates  the  work. 

BY  GOLLY,  excl.  a  form  of  adjuration. 

BY  GUM,  excl.  a  very  frequent  form  of  adjuration. 

BY  HULCH  AND  STULCH,  idiom,  by  hook  and  by  crook. 

A  sentence  by  which  the  speaker  expresses  his  determination  to  get  what 
he  covets  anyhow.  L. 

BY  JINGS,  excl.  (pronounced  "  Be-jings  ")  a  form  of  adjuration. 

BY  LAKIN,          \ 

BY  LEDDY  ME,  \excl.  an  adjuration,  a  diminutive  of  "By  our  Lady. n 

BY'R  LAKIN,       ) 

BY  MASS,  excl.  a  not  unfrequent  adjuration. 

BY  RIGHTS  or  BY  GOOD  RIGHTS,  adv.  properly,  according 
to  custom  or  promise. 

BY-SPELL,  s.  a  natural  child.     W. 


54  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 


C 


(2)  metaphorically,  to  boast.     MACCLESFIELD. 
"  Oi've  no  patience  wi  that  Ann  Smith,  oo  does  nowt  bur  cack 
abite  their  Tummus,  as  tho'  nobody  else's  choilt  could  larn." 

CADE  LAMB,  s.  a  lamb  brought  up  by  hand. 
CADGE,  v.  (i)  to  carry.     W. 

(2)  to  beg.     MACCLESFIELD. 

"What  does  your  brother  work  at?"      "Please  'm  he  dusna 
wark,  he  on'y  cadges" 

CADGER,  s.  (i)  a  carrier.     W. 

(2)  a  beggar.     MACCLESFIELD. 

'CADGING  BAG,  s.  a  bag  in  which  a  beggar  puts  the  bits  of  bread, 
&c.,  which  are  given  him.  MACCLESFIELD. 

CAKES,  s.  (i)  for  various  kinds  of  Cheshire  cakes,  see  BUTTER- 
MILK CAKE,  COUNT  CAKES,  FLOUR  CAKE, 
FUNERAL  CAKE,  POTATO  CAKE,  SCRATCHERN 
CAKE,  WHITSUN  CAKE,  WUT  CAKE,  &c. 

(2)  honey  comb;  also  the  combs  in  a  wasp's  nest. 

CAKEY,  s.  (i)  a  softy;  one  short  of  sense. 

"  Tha  great  cakey,  thee;  if  tha  hasna  gone  and  spilte  aw  th' job." 

(2)  sometimes  an  appellative  to  a  surname,  as  "  Cakey 
Cawley."     DELAMERE. 

CALAMANCO  CAT,  s.  a  tortoise-shell,  or  yellow  cat. 

CALE,  s.  (i)  turn,  chance.     It  is  used  by  persons  doing  anything 

in  rotation. 
"  It's  thy  cale  to-neet."    See  COAL-PIT  CALE. 

(2)  the  membraneous  fat  attached  to  the  entrails  of  cows 
or  sheep. 

CALKINS  or  CAWKINS,  s.  the  heels  of  a  horse's  shoe  turned 
down  to  prevent  slipping,  and  to  give  the  horse  better  foothold 
in  backing  a  heavy  load. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  55 

CALVARY  (KNUTSFORD,  MOBBERLEY),  CAVALDRY  (MACCLES- 
FIELD),  s.  Cavalry.  The  Yeomanry-Cavalry,  of  which  many 
land-owners  maintain  a  troop. 

CAM,  v.  (i)  to  reproach,  to  bicker,  to  argue.    WILDERSPOOL,  HYDE. 
"Dunna  thee  ston'  cammin  aw  day."     See  CLAMMIN  (2). 

(2)  to  wear  shoes  down  at  heel,  or  on  one  side.     HYDE. 
CAMBING  COMB,  s.  a  small-tooth  comb.    WILMSLOW. 
CAMBRIL,  (i)  the  hock  of  an  animal. 

(2)  a  bent  piece  of  wood  thrust  through  the  hocks  by 
which  a  slaughtered  animal  is  hung  up. 

CAMMANART,  adj.  awkward,  ill-contrived.     HYDE. 

CAMMED,  adj.  crooked.     L. 

CAMPLE,) 


CAMPO, 


v.  to  scold,  to  contend,  to  argue.     L. 


CAMBLE, 

CANE,  s.  silk-weaving  term.     The  warp. 

"  Ahr  Jim'll  start  a  work  a  Monday ;  he's  getten  a  fresh  cane." 

CANELL,  s.  a  canal;  more  frequently  CUT,  which  see. 

CANK,  v.  to  gossip. 

"  She  (the  servant)  never  do  go  canking  wi'  neebours. "    L. 

CANKER,  s.  (i)  cancer. 

"  Ah  !  poor  thing,  oo  deed  of  a  canker  in  her  breast." 

(2)  verdigris;  supposed  to  produce  cancer. 
Speaking  of  a  penny  covered  with  verdigris,  it  was  said,  ' '  Dunna 
put  that  penny  i'  thy  maith,  or  else  tha'lt  hay  th'  canker." 

CANKER,  v.  to  affect  with  cancer. 

CANKERED,  part.  adj.  ill-tempered.     MACCLESFIELD. 

CANKEROUS,  adj.  venomous.     MACCLESFIELD. 

CANKUM,  s.  a  prank.     L. 

CANN  OFFICE,  s.  a  house  on  the  Heath  at  Knutsford  was  so  called. 

It  is  conjectured  by  the  Rev.  H.  Green  (Knutsford  and  its  Vicinity, 
p.  72)  that  this  was  probably  the  place  where  weights  and  measures  were 
examined  and  stamped. 

CANT,  adj.  strong,  lusty.     W. 

Canting  is  also  used  to  express  a  woman  gaining  her  strength  after  her 
confinement.  L.  Ray  gives  both  meanings;  the  first  in  Cheshire,  the 
second  in  Yorkshire. 


56  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

CANT,  v,  to  coax.     MACCLESFIELD. 

"  Nay,  dunna  thee  come  cantiti  here,  for  oi  shanna  gie  it  the." 

CAN  TA,  v.  can  you,  or  more  properly  canst  thou.      KNUTSFORD, 
MACCLESFIELD.     Also  CONST,  CONST  TA. 

CANTLE,  s.  a  canfull. 

"Ahr  parson's  missis  is  a  stingy  un ;  oo  nobbur  gen  me  afe  a 
cantle  o'  soup." 

CAP,  s.  the  leather  band  attached  to  the  swippk   of  a  flail  to 
connect  it  with  the  handle. 

CAP,  v.  to  exceed. 

"It  caps  owt,"  i.e.,  "it  exceeds  everything."      "It  caps  me" 
means  it  is  beyond  my  comprehension,  or  it  puzzles  me. 

CAP  AW,  adj.  left-handed.     DUKINFIELD. 

CAPERLASH,  s.  abusive  language.     W. 

CAPIL,  s.  a  patch  upon  the  toe  of  a  boot  or  clog.     Mow  COP. 

CAPIL,  v.  to  mend  a  boot  or  clog,  by  covering  the  toe  with  a  patch 
of  leather.     Mow  COP. 

CAPLINGS,  s.  part  of  a  flail. 

Randle  Holme,  describing  the  parts  of  a  flail,  says  :  "  The  caplings,  the 
strong  double  leathers  made  fast  to  the  top  of  the  hand-staff,  and  the  top  of 
the  swiple." — Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  viii.,  p.  333. 

CAPO,  s.  a  working  horse.     W.,  on  the  authority  of  Ray. 

Ray  gives  as  a  Cheshire  proverb,  "It's  time  to  yoke  when  the  cart 
comes  to  the  copies"  i.e.,  horses  ;  the  meaning  being  that  it  is  time  to  marry 
when  the  woman  woos  the  man. 

CAR,  v.  to  sit  down,  or  to  bend  the  body  in  a  sitting  posture.     L. 
See  CAW  (3). 

CARLINGS,  s.  grey  peas  boiled. 

So  called  from  being  served  at  table  on  Care  Sunday,  which  is  Passion 
Sunday,  as  Care  Friday  and  Care  Week  are  Good  Friday  and  Holy  Week. 

CARPENTER  GRASS,  s.  Prunella  vulgaris,  supposed  to  be  very 
efficacious  for  the  healing  of  cuts. 

CARPET,  v. 


CARPET,  v.        )  t         . . 
CARPETING,  s.}  to  scold  a  servant- 


When  bare  boards  were  commoner  than  they  are  now,  the  servant  to  be 
scolded  was  sent  for  to  the  carpeted  room,  the  drawing  room.  I  have  heard 
a  servant  boast  that  she  had  never  been  carpeted.  L. 

CARR,  s.  a  yellow  sediment  in  water  which  flows  from  peaty  land 
(humate  of  iron). 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  57 

CARRS,  s.  low,  swampy  ground;  generally  occurring  in  place-names, 
as  "Gatley  Carrs,"  near  Cheadle. 

CARR-Y,  adj.  containing  carr  or  iron  sediment. 
Carry  water  is  supposed  to  be  very  unwholesome. 

CARRY  ON,  v.  (i)  to  behave  badly. 
"  He  carried  on  shameful." 

(2)  to  scold,  to  grumble. 
"Th"  mester's  been  carryin  on  like  anything  aw  mornin." 

CART,  s. 

Cheshire  carts  are  very  strongly  built.  The  parts  of  a  cart,  which  will  be 
found  under  their  respective  letters,  are  as  follows  :  The  body  consists  of  the 
foundation  and  the  sides.  The  foundation  is  made  of  two  strong  side  pieces 
of  oak  placed  parallel  to  each  other  called  chests,  and  two  strong  end  pieces 
called  binders,  which  are  bolted  to  them  ;  two  longitudinal  pieces,  known  as 
thrill  bars  or  mid  thrills,  are  mortised  into  the  binders,  and  these  support 
the  boards  which  form  the  bottom  of  the  cart.  Under  this  foundation,  and 
bolted  to  it,  is  a  crosspiece  of  wood,  some  two  or  three  inches  thick  and  six 
to  eight  inches  broad,  called  the  lining;  and  underneath  this  is  the  bed, 
which  is  in  reality  the  axle  of  the  cart.  Formerly  carts  had  wooden  arms, 
the  arms  being  the  ends  of  the  axle  or  bed,  thinned  and  tapered  to  work  in 
the  naves  of  the  wheels,  and  it  required  a  skilful  workman  to  work  the 
arms  properly  and  give  them  the  proper  hook  or  downward  bend,  because 
wheels  were  very  much  dished,  i.e.,  hollowed,  in  those  days,  and  the  arms 
required  a  downward  bend  to  allow  the  spokes  at  the  lower  side  of  the  wheel 
to  stand  perpendicularly  to  the  ground.  If  the  arms  did  not  thus  exactly  fit  the 
nave,  the  draught  was  considerably  increased,  and  the  friction  was  so  great 
that  unskilfully  made  carts  had  sometimes  to  be  backed  into  the  water  to 
prevent  the  wheels  taking  fire.  The  arms  are  always  made  of  iron  now,  and 
wheels  are  not  so  much  dished.  Formerly  the  sides  of  the  cart  were  very 
elaborate.  Upright  bars  or  standards  were  mortised  into  the  chests,  and  to 
these  standards  the  boards  forming  the  cart  sides  were  bolted.  Now  the 
sides  and  ends  of  carts  are  frequently  made  of  two-inch  planks  bolted  to  the 
chests  and  to  each  other.  Attached  to  the  front  of  the  cart  there  are  generally 
two  small  cart-boxes  with  lids,  in  which  the  carter  puts  his  dinner  when 
he  goes  a  long  journey.  The  shafts  were  formerly  called  thrills,  but  I  think 
the  word  is  now  almost  obsolete.  If  fitted  with  harvest  gearing,  there  are 
the  front  and  back  thrippas  or  thrippows,  made  something  like  strong 
hurdles  ;  the  rails  of  which  they  are  made  being  called  thrippa  slates.  These 
fix  on  to  the  front  and  back  of  the  cart,  to  give  a  greater  length  for  the  loading 
of  hay  or  corn ;  and  there  are  frequently  also  moveable  side  rails,  which 
extend  from  one  thrippa  to  the  other,  and  somewhat  increase  the  width. 
Many  carts  have  additional  sideboards  for  elevating  the  sides,  so  as  to  carry 
a  larger  quantity  of  coals,  turnips,  or  any  loose  materials. 

CART-CHEST.     See  CART. 

CART-SADDLE,  s.  the  saddle  which  is  placed  on  the  back  of  a 
shaft-horse;  it  has  a  groove  from  one  side  to  the  other  to  carry 
the  ridgorth  or  backhand. 

CART-SIDES.     See  CART. 


58  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

CARVE,  v.  to  curdle  milk  or  cream  previous  to  churning  it. 

The  general  system  of  butter  making  in  Cheshire  is  to  collect  the  milk  or 
cream  in  a  deep  earthenware  pan  called  a  steen.  When  sufficient  is  col- 
lected for  a  churning,  the  steen  is  brought  to  the  fire,  and  remains  there  till 
the  milk  thickens  and  becomes  curdy ;  it  is  kept  covered  up,  and  is  occa- 
sionally stirred  round  with  a  wooden  stick,  and  the  steen  also  is  occasionally 
turned  round  to  prevent  the  milk  becoming  unequally  warm.  This  is  called 
carving  the  milk,  and  when  sufficiently  curdled  the  milk  is  said  to  be  carved. 

CASELINGS,  s.  the  skins  of  beasts  that  die  by  any  accident  or 
violent  death.     HALLIWELL. 

CASPE,  s.  the  name  of  a  portion  of  an  old-fashioned  cow-tie. 

"  The  Caspe  for  the  Sole  is  the  top  of  it  which  hath  the  holes  in." — 
Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  v.,  p.  243.  See  Sow. 

CASSARTTY.     See  CAZZLETY. 

CAST,  v.  to  warp;  as  said  of  some  kinds  of  wood,  "it  is  given  to 
cast." — Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  L,  p.  237. 

CAST  AWAY,  part,  lost  through  any  accident.  Best  explained, 
perhaps,  by  the  slang  expression  "  come  to  grief." 

"Commin  dain  Buxton  Road  it  snowed  and  blewed  and  raint  till 
a  felt  fair  cast  away. 

CAST  CAWF,  v.  to  calf  prematurely. 
"Go's  cast  her  cawf." 

CASTENING  (N.E.  CHES.)  or  KESTENING,  s.  a  christening. 

CATCH,  s.  an  acquisition. 

When  harvest  has  been  successfully  got  in,  it  is  said  to  be  a  good  catch. 
"  We'n  had  a  good  catch  wi'  us  clover." 

"  Ahr  Mary's  made  a  good  catch;  he's  getten  a  ruck  o'  brass  i'  th' 
bank." 

CATCH  GRASS,  s.  goose  grass  or  catch  weed.  L.  Galium  Aparine. 

CATCHING  THE  OWL,  a  practical  joke  very  often  put  upon  a 
novice  at  a  farm  house  by  his  fellow  servants. 

The  novice  is  persuaded  to  hold  a  riddle  (sieve)  at  the  "  owlet  hole  "  in 
the  gable  end  of  the  building.  He  is  told  to  hold  it  very  fast,  as  an  owl  is  a 
very  strong  bird  ;  and  whilst  all  his  efforts  are  directed  to  catching  the  owl, 
as  he  supposes,  somebody  pours  a  bucket  of  water  (often  filthy  water)  over 
him. 

CATCHING  WEATHER,  s.  showery  weather;  when  hay  or  corn 
is  constantly  being  caught  in  the  rain,  and  it  is  difficult  to  get  on 
with  the  harvest  work. 

CATCH  IT,  v.  to  be  reprimanded,  or  chastised. 

"  My  word!  bu'  yo'll  catch  it,  when  th'  mester  knows." 

CATCHT,  v.  caught. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  59 

CATCH-WEIGHT,  s.  a  term  used  by  hay-cutters  when  they  cut 
hay  into  trusses  of  no  particular  weight.     See  TRUSS-WEIGHT. 

CAT-HEAD,  s.  a  kind  of  apple.     MIDDLEWICH. 

CATS,  s.  salt-making  term.      Masses  of  salt  formed  under  a  pan 
when  it  leaks. 

"Catting  a  pan  "  is  knocking  the  cats  from  the  underside  of  the  pan 
when  discovered.  If  allowed  to  remain  for  some  time  the  flues  are  filled 
up,  and  the  pan  is  then  said  to  have  "catted  her  draughts  up."  See 
DRAUGHTS. 

In  Philosophical  Transactions,  vol.  iv.,  p.  1077  (1669),  catts  of  salt  are 
thus  described  :  "  So  catts  of  salt  are  only  made  of  the  worst  of  salt,  when 
yet  wettish  from  the  Panns  ;  molded  and  intermixt  with  interspers'd  Cummin 
Seed  and  Ashes,  and  so  baked  into  an  hard  lump  in  the  mouths  of  their 
Ovens.  The  use  of  these  is  only  for  Pigeon  houses.  "  They  are  still  made 
for  the  same  purpose. 

CAT-TAILS,    CATS-TAILS,   or   CAT-  RUSHES,   s.    the   various 
species  of  Equisetum. 

CATTED,    )SeeCATS 
CATTING,  j  a 

'  name'     Catherine- 


In  the  first  spelling  the  first  t  is  slightly  sounded  ;  it  is,  as  it  were, 
"Cat-thern." 

CATTHERN  PEAR,  s.  a  Catherine  pear. 

This  is  a  small  early  pear,  which,  three  centuries  ago,  was  very  highly 
esteemed.  Gerard  in  1597  calls  it  Pyrus  superba  sive  Katherina,  and 
describes  it  as  the  best  pear.  Beautiful  in  appearance  it  undoubtedly  is,  being 
freely  streaked  with  vivid  crimson.  Its  beauty,  however,  is  only  skin  deep, 
for  it  is  dry  and  mealy,  though  very  sweet,  and  having  an  intensely  musky 
flavour.  After  three  centuries  it  is  still  by  no  means  uncommon  in  Cheshire 
orchards,  and  is  still  valued  by  the  country  people. 

CAUKUM,  s.  a  practical  joke,  a  foolish  frolic.     L. 
CAUSEY, 


CAUSEY,] 

COSFY      t s'  causewav>  pavement. 


A  paved  road,  of  which  there  are  still  a  good  many  in  Cheshire,  is  always 
spoken  of  as  "  the  causey."  I  can  recollect  the  whole  length  of  road  between 
Mobberley  and  Knutsford  being  paved  with  round  cobbles,  the  side  roads 
which  branched  off  being  merely  sandy  ruts.  When  anyone  asked  the  way 
to  Knutsford,  he  was  pretty  sure  to  be  told  "  Yo  mun  keep  to  th'  causey,  an' 
yo'n  be  reet."  See  HORSE  CAUSEY. 

CAW,  v.  (i)  to  call. 

(2)  to  vituperate. 

"He  caw'd  him  everythink  "  is  said  when  one  man  has  been  rating 
another  soundly,  or  when  one  has  been  using  abusive  language  to  another. 

(3)  to  crouch.     DELAMERE. 

"  Caw  thee  dain,"  i.e.,  "crouch  down." 


60  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

CAWF,  s.  a  calf.    Also  used  as  a  term  of  ridicule. 
"  Tha  great  cawf" 

CAWF-BED,  s.  a  cow's  womb. 

CAWF-COTE,  s.  a  building  where  young  calves  are  kept. 

CAWF-CROFT,  s.  a  small  field  near  the  house  into  which  the  young 
calves  are  turned  for  air  and  exercise.  On  most  farms  there  is 
a  field  so  called. 

CAWF-KJT?'  j  s.  a  small  pen  to  put  a  sucking  calf  in. 

CAWF-LICK,  s.  when  the  hair  on  the  human  forehead  will  not 
brush  flat,  but  stands  up  forming  a  sort  of  rosette,  it  is  called  a 
cawf-lick,  and  the  person  is  said  to  be  cawf-licked.  Also  called 
COW-LICK. 

Wilbraham  explains  this  latter  word  as  that  part  of  a  cow's  hide  where 
the  hairs  of  it  having  different  directions  meet,  and  form  a  projecting  ridge 
of  hair.  He  also  says  it  is  believed  to  be  produced  from  the  cow  licking 
herself. 

CAWN,  v.  plural  of  call.     I  caw,  they  cawn. 
CAWPER,  v.  to  answer  saucily.     L. 

CAWVEN, /art.  calved. 

"A  nevr-cawven  kye." 

CAWVING,  part,  failing  to  finish  a  piece  of  work  at  the  week  end, 
in  time  to  be  included  in  that  week's  pay.  BREDBURY. 

GAZE,  adv.  because. 

CAZZLETY,  adj.  hazardous,  risky. 

"  Cauves  is  cazzlety  things  to  rear,"  my  cowman  once  told  me. 
Leigh  gives  CASSARTTY  as  the  more  general  pronunciation,  which  I  do 
not  happen  ever  to  have  heard. 

CENTURY,  s.  the  plant  Erythraa  Centaurium.  W.  CHES.  See 
SANCTUARY. 

CEPT,  conj.  except. 

"  Theer's  nowt  for  me  to  do  \ept  get  drunk."    J.  C.  CLOUGH. 

CHAFFERY  or  CHAFFERING,  adj.  Said  of  stuff  like  the  seed 
of  the  bulrush,  the  seed  of  the  pampas  grass,  &c.:  as  if  from 
chaff.  L.  Fluffy. 

CHAINY,  s.  china. 

"  Thy  uncle  and  aunts'  comin  to  tay  this  afternoon,  Mary;  tha'd 
better  get  th'  chainy  cups  and  saucers  ait." 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  6 1 

CHAINY  ASH,  s.  the  Laburnum.     DELAMERE. 

"The  laburnums  are  not  planted  yet,  Harry,"  said  a  lady  to  a 
lad,  helping  in  the  front  garden  of  a  farm.  Harry  knew  nothing 
about  laburnums,  but  answered,  "there's  neawt  here  but  chainy 
ashes,  ma'am,  and  them's  upo'  th'  hedge  bonk. " 

CHAM  or  CHOM,  v.  to  chew. 

"  Aw've  gen  that  chap  summut  to  chom,  enny  how." 

CHAMBER,  s,  a  bedroom  on  the  ground  floor.     W.  CHES. 
CHANCE  CHILD,  s.  an  illegitimate  child. 

CHANNEL  HOLE,  s.  a  hole  by  which  sewer  water  escapes.      In 
Chester  usually  pronounced  "  chennel." 

CHAP,  s.  man,  fellow. 

Though  not  specially  local  or  even  provincial,  I  insert  this  word  because 
it  is  in  such  constant  use  in  Cheshire.  "  That  fellow  "  would  in  Cheshire  be 
"Yon  chap"  The  foreman  of  a  farm  will  shout  after  dinner  to  the  other 
men,  "Nye  then,  chaps,  its  toime  to  get  to  wark." 

CHARGE,  v.  salt-mining  term ;   to  put  the  gunpowder   or   other 
explosive  into  the  hole  and  insert  the  fuse  ready  for  blasting. 

CHASTIZE,  v.  to  scold.     RUNCORN,  HALTON.     Seldom,  if  ever, 
used  to  describe  corporal  punishment. 

CHATS,  $.  (i)  small  bits  of  wind-blown  sticks  collected  by  poor 
people  for  firewood.  About  Lindow  Common 
small  bits  of  sticks  picked  out  of  the  dry  moss 
are  called  chats. 

(2)  small  potatoes. 

CHATTER,  v.  to  shatter  or  splinter. 
"  Chattered  to  bits." 

CHATTER  BASKET,  s.  a  chatterbox. 

CHATTING,  part,  picking  stones  in  the  meadows.     NORTHENDEN. 

CHAUVE,  v.  to  chafe.     L. 

CHEADLE  DOCK,  s.  Senedo  Jacobcea.     More  commonly  KADLE 
DOCK  or  KETTLE  DOCK,  and  occasionally  CRADLE  DOCK. 


CHEEAN,)  ,    .        „,  n  T 

CHEEN,  'I*-achain-    W.CHES. 


CHEE-EGGIN,  excl.  said  to  a  horse  when  he  is  to  turn  to  the  right. 
MIDDLEWICH.     See  JEE-EGGIN. 

CHEER,  j.  a  chair. 


62  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

CHEESE,  v.  (i)  to  make  cheese. 

"What  are  you  doing  with  your  milk?"     "  We're  cheesing  this 
year." ' 

(2)  to  vomit  as  little  children  do  when  milk  curdles  on 

their  stomachs.     MACCLESFIELD. 
"  Poor  little  thing  !  how  it  does  cheese^" 

CHEESE-BOARD,  s.  a  round  board  to  put  between  two  cheeses 
when,  in  order  to  economise  space,  they  are  put  to  press  one  on 
the  top  of  the  other. 

CHEESE-CAKE,  s.  the  fruit  of  Malva  sylvestris. 

CHEESE  GUARD  or  CHEESE  GARTH,  s.  a  hoop  of  tin  used 
to  raise  the  sides  of  a  cheese-vat. 

The  curd,  which  is  at  first  so  loose  that  the  vat  cannot  contain  it  all, 
gradually  sinks  as  it  is  pressed.  The  guard  sinks  into  the  vat  with  the  curd. 
It  is  also,  and  perhaps  more  commonly,  called  a  FILLET. 

CHEESE  LADDER,  s.  a  framework  of  wood  to  support  a  sieve 

through  which  milk  is  strained  into  coolers  or  into  the  cheese 

tub.     It  consists  of  two  side  bars  into  which  two  cross  bars  are 
mortised,  like  the  staves  of  a  ladder. 

CHEESE-PINS,  s.  large  pins  used  for  pinning  the  binders  on  to 
new  cheeses.  They  are  sold  at  drapers'  shops  under  this  name. 

CHEESES,  s.  (i)  the  seeds  of  Malva  rotundifolia  and  M.  sylvestris, 
which  are  eaten  by  children;  also  called 
DUTCH  CHEESES,  and  CHEESE  CAKES. 

(2)  a  frequent  amusement  of  girls  is  making  cheeses. 

They  turn  round  and  round  till  their  dresses  fly  out  at  the  bottom  ;  then 
suddenly  squatting  down,  the  air  confined  under  the  dress  causes  the  skirt  to 
bulge  out  like  a  balloon.  When  skilfully  done  the  appearance  is  that  of  a 
girl's  head  and  shoulders  peeping  out  of  an  immense  cushion. 

CHEE-UP,  excl.  said  to  a  horse  when  he  is  to  move  forward. 
MIDDLEWICH.  See  JEE,  which  is  the  usual  pronunciation. 

CHEEVINGS,  s.  the  dust,  refuse  seeds  of  weeds,  and  rat  remnants, 
left  behind  in  taking  in  a  rick  of  corn  or  beans.  L. 

CHEEVY-RIDDLE,  s.  a  very  coarse  riddle  or  sieve  used  for 
separating  the  broken  bits  of  straw  from  threshed  corn  before  it 
is  piled  up  in  the  Cheevy-ruck.  See  CHEEVY-RUCK. 

CHEEVY-RUCK,  s.  the  heap  of  threshed  corn  in  a  barn  before  it 
is  winnowed. 

CHEM,  s.  a  team;  more  frequently  pronounced  "  teeam." 
CHEMIST,  s.  a  druggist,  is  pronounced  with  Ch  soft. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  63 

CHENNEL,  s.  a  channel. 
CHEP,  adj.  cheap.     CHEPPEST,  cheapest. 

CHERRY   CLACK,  s.  a  contrivance  placed  in  a  cherry  tree  to 
frighten  away  the  birds. 

It  is  generally  in  the  form  of  a  small  windmill  with  wooden  sails.  To 
the  spindle  upon  which  it  revolves,  or  rather  which  revolves  with  the  sails, 
two  or  three  links  of  a  chain  are  fastened,  and  these,  as  they  are  carried 
round,  strike  against  a  piece  of  wood,  and  make  a  considerable  noise. 
Another  favourite  pattern  for  a  Cherry  Clack  is  that  of  a  soldier  carved  in 
wood  and  painted  with  a  scarlet  coat.  His  arms  consist  of  two  windmill 
sails  attached  to  a  spindle  which  works  through  his  shoulders,  and  he  himself 
works  on  a  perpendicular  spindle.  When  the  wind  blows,  the  soldier  turns 
round  and  at  the  same  time  his  arms  revolve. 

CHESFIT,  1  cheese  vat 

CHESFUTJ  s' 

CHESHIRE  ACRE,  s. 

The  Cheshire  acre  is  10,240  square  yards  or  nearly  two  statute  acres  and 
one-ninth.  Although  the  statute  acre  is  always  spoken  of  in  farm  agreements 
and  legal  documents,  the  Cheshire  acre  is  in  actual  use  both  in  Cheshire  and 
South  Lancashire;  the  farmers  themselves  always  reckon  their  crops  by 
Cheshire  measure,  the  size  of  their  farms,  and  the  rent  per  acre.  Cheshire 
land  measure  is  as  follows : — 

64  square  yards  =   I  rood  (rod). 
40  roods  =   I  quarter. 

4  quarters          =  I  acre. 

CHESHIRE  CAT,  s. 

' '  To  grin  like  a  Cheshire  cat "  is  a  proverbial  saying.  Leigh  gives  the 
following  variants :  "  To  grin  like  a  Cheshire  cat  chewing  gravel  "  and  "  To 
grin  like  a  Cheshire  cat  eating  cheese."  I  do  not  remember  having  heard 
either  of  these  variants.  The  origin  of  the  saying  is  unknown,  though  various 
conjectures,  more  or  less  fanciful,  have  been  hazarded.  Charles  Lamb,  in 
one  of  his  letters  to  Manning,  says,  "  I  made  a  pun  the  other  day,  and 
palmed  it  upon  Holcroft,  who  grinned  like  a  Cheshire  cat.  (Why  do  cats 
grin  in  Cheshire? — Because  it  was  once  a  county  palatine,  and  the  cats 
cannot  help  laughing  whenever  they  think  of  it,  though  I  see  no  great  joke 
in  it.)"  See  Lamb's  Letters,  edited  by  Talfourd,  vol.  i.,  p.  304. 

The  meaning  and  origin  of  the  phrase  was  asked  in  Notes  and  Queries 
(ist  S.  ii.  377)  with,  I  believe,  only  the  following  result.  At  p.  412  of  the 
same  volume  it  is  stated  that  cheeses  were  made  in  Cheshire  some  years  ago 
moulded  in  the  shape  of  a  cat;  and  in  ist  S.,  vol.  v.,  p.  402,  the  origin  is 
ascribed  to  the  unhappy  attempt  of  a  sign  painter  to  represent  a  lion  rampant 
which  more  resembled  a  cat  than  a  lion.  It  is  possible,  however,  that  the 
arms  of  the  Earls  of  Chester,  namely  a  wolfs  head,  may  have  suggested  the 
phrase ;  for  I  am  bound  to  say  that  in  the  engraving  of  the  coat  of  arms  of 
Hugh  Lupus,  as  given  by  Sir  Peter  Leycester,  the  wolfs  head  might  very 
well  be  mistaken  for  that  of  a  cat ;  whilst  the  grin  is  unmistakeable. 

It  may,  perhaps,  not  be  deemed  out  of  place  to  draw  the  attention  of  my 
readers  to  the  inimitable  representation  of  the  grin  of  a  Cheshire  cat  as 
depicted  in  "Alice  in  Wonderland."  The  phrase  "to  grin  like  a  Cheshire 
cat  "  will  never  be  forgotten  as  long  as  that  most  charming  of  books  is  read 
by  the  children  of  England. 


64  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

CHESHIRE  ROUND,  s.  a  dance  (now  obsolete)  peculiar  to  the 
county  from  which  it  takes  its  name. 

It  was  once  very  fashionable,  and  is  alluded  to  by  Goldsmith  in  the  Vicar 
of  Wakefield  as  the  highest  accomplishment  of  the  Misses  Flamborough. 
The  tune  of  the  Cheshire  Round  is  found  in  The  Dancing  Master,  1721. 

CHEST,  s.  part  of  the  foundation  of  a  cart     See  CART. 

CHESTER  GLOVE,  s.  a  wooden  representation  of  a  hand  or  a 
glove  which  for  many  centuries  was  hung  out  from  the  old  Pentice 
House  in  Chester,  at  the  commencement  of  every  fair,  and  taken 
down  at  its  conclusion.  It  is  now,  I  believe,  preserved  in  the 
Mayer  collection  in  the  Liverpool  Museum. 

CHESTER  PLAYS,  s. 

Mention  is  frequently  made  of  the  "  Chester  Plays."  They  were  sacred 
dramas  or  mysteries  which  were  performed  at  a  very  early  period  in  the  nave 
of  St.  Werburgh's  Abbey.  They  became  afterwards  very  popular  at  Coventry 
and  other  towns,  but  in  all  probability  had  their  origin  at  Chester.  After  a 
while  they  were  performed  during  Whitsun  Week,  on  moveable  stages  in  the 
streets,  by  the  various  guilds  of  the  city.  The  earliest  MS.  copy  of  these 
plays  dates  from  the  beginning  of  the  sixteenth  century,  but  it  is  probable 
they  were  performed  as  early  as  1450. 

CHET,  v.  to  cheat. 

"  Mother,  oi  shanna  play  wi  ahr  Jack,  he  diets  so." 

CHICKEN-WEED,  s.  chickweed,  Stellaria  media. 
CHILDER,  s.  plural  of  child. 
CHILDERMAS  DAY,  s.  Innocents'  Day. 

CHILL,  v.  to  take  off  the  extreme  cold  from  any  liquid. 

"  Yo  mun  have  a  sope  o'  porter  at  neet ;  bu'  yo  munna  drink  it 
cowd,  bu'  just  nicely  chilled." 

It  is  customary  to  give  newly-calved  cows  "chilled  water." 

CHILT,    ) 
CHOILT,r-achll(L 

CHIMBLEY,  s.  a  chimney. 

CHIMBLEY-SWEEP,  or  CHIMNEY-SWEEP,  or  CHIMNEY- 
SWEEPER, s.  Luzula  campestris. 

When  children  first  see  this  plant  in  the  spring  they  repeat  the  following 
rhyme  :— 

Chimney-sweeper,  all  in  black, 
Go  to  the  brook  and  wash  your  back ; 
Wash  it  clean,  or  wash  it  none  ; 
Chimner-sweeper,  have  you  done  ? 

I  have  heard  this  about  MOBBERLEY,  but  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain  the 
meaning ;  it  may  possibly  be  to  bring  good  luck. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  65 

CHIN-COUGH,  s.  whooping  cough. 

The  superstitious  remedies  for  this  ailment  are  very  numerous  in  Cheshire, 
and  interesting.  A  woman  who  has  not  changed  her  name  in  marriage  can 
cure  it  by  simply  giving  the  patient  something  to  eat,  a  cake,  or  a  piece  of 
bread  and  butter.  (Leigh  gives  a  similar  remedy  for  small-pox.)  The  hair 
of  a  donkey's  cross,  i.e.,  the  dark  line  upon  its  shoulders,  is  another  very 
popular  remedy.  It  is  administered  in  two  ways.  A  small  portion  of  the 
hair  is  chopped  up  very  small  and  placed  between  bread  and  butter  and  is 
given  to  the  child  to  eat ;  or  the  hair  is  sewed  up  in  a  strip  of  flannel,  and  is 
worn  round  the  throat.  I  have,  on  more  than  one  occasion,  been  asked  for 
a  portion  of  this  hair  from  a  donkey  which  my  children  used.  The  mountain 
ash,  about  which  so  many  superstitions  linger,  also  figures  as  a  remedy  for 
chin-cough.  A  certain  mountain  ash  grew  in  my  garden  at  Mobberley,  and 
for  some  time  I  had  noticed  that  a  considerable  number  of  holes  had  been 
bored  in  the  stem  with  a  gimblet,  and  then  a  small  plug  of  wood  had  been 
inserted.  The  number  of  these  holes  increased,  not  only  to  the  disfigurement, 
but  even  to  the  injury  of  the  tree.  I  supposed  my  children  had  done  it  for 
mischief,  and  I  accused  them  of  it.  It  turned  out,  however,  that  they  were 
quite  aware  of  the  real  cause,  and  explained  to  me,  what  I  found  to  be 
perfectly  correct,  namely,  that  the  tree  was  well  known  in  the  neighbourhood 
and  was  used  as  a  cure  for  the  whooping  cough.  A  small  lock  of  hair  from 
the  head  of  the  patient  was  brought  or  sent  to  one  of  my  menservants,  who 
thereupon  bored  a  hole  in  the  tree,  placed  the  hair  in  the  hole,  and  fastened 
it  in  with  a  plug ;  and  on  examination,  portions  of  hair  from  various  heads  in 
the  district  were  plainly  seen  protruding  from  the  holes. 

Leigh  mentions  several  other  Cheshire  remedies  which  have  not  come 
under  my  own  observation,  such  as  roast  hedgehog,  fried  mice,  &c. 
Another  remedy  is  holding  a  toad  to  the  mouth,  which  is  supposed  to 
extract  the  cough  from  the  patient.  This,  however,  does  not  seem  infallible, 
as  an  old  woman  complained  that  her  boy  "could  not  get  shut  of  the 
chin-cough,  though  he  had  sucked  two  toads  to  death." 

Another  remedy,  evidently  a  modern  one,  is  to  take  the  patient  to  a  gas 
works  and  let  it  smell  the  tar. 

The  following  has  been  communicated  to  me  from  Macclesfield  :  "  Pass 
the  child  nine  times  under  the  belly  of  a  white  cow  or  mare. "  Certain  lines 
have  to  be  repeated  at  the  same  time,  but  my  informant  has  not  been  able  to 
remember  the  formula. 

CHINK,  v.  to  catch  or  draw  the  breath  in  laughing. 

When  a  child  first  begins  to  make  a  noise  in  laughing,  it  is  often  said  "  it 
fairly  chinks  again." 

CHIPPER  or  CHIPPING  PADDLE,  s.  salt-making  term. 

A  kind  of  very  small  spade  at  the  end  of  a  long  handle,  used  for  keeping 
the  rims  of  the  pans  clear  from  incrustations  of  salt. 

CHISEL,  s.  salt-mining  tool;  used  for  making  holes  for  blasting. 

They  are  round  bars  of  iron  from  four  to  eight  feet  long,  about  an  inch 
and  a  half  thick  in  the  middle  and  tapering  to  about  three-quarters  of  an  inch 
towards  each  end.  Each  end  spreads  out  again  to  an  inch  wide,  and  is 
sharpened  to  a  cutting  edge.  Also,  but  less  commonly,  called  a  DRILL. 

CHITTY,  s.  a  cat.     See  CHT. 

CHOCK-FULL,  adj.  full  to  overflowing. 

At  a  Christmas  dinner  a  farm  servant  was  asked  to  take  a  little 
more.     The  reply  was :  "Miss,  I'm  sorry  I  canna  oblige  ye,  but 
I'm  chock-full." 
F 


66  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

CHOCKHOLE,  s.  the  deep  rutty  hole  to  be  met  with  in  many  of 
the  bye-roads  or  occupation  roads  in  the  county.  L. 

CHOM.    See  CHAM. 

CHOMMER,  v.  to  chew,  to  champ;  also  to  crush  to  powder. 
CHOMP  UP  (MACCLESFIELD).  Sometimes  CHUMMER 
(CREWE). 

I  remember  my  father  bought  some  guano  which  was  rather  lumpy. 
One  of  the  men  told  him  "he  geet  a  shoo  and  chommered  it  aw  up," 
which  meant  that  he  had  beaten  it  with  the  back  of  a  spade  and 
crushed  the  lumps  to  powder. 

CHONNER,  v.  to  champ,  to  chop  up.  L.  I  think  this  is  a 
misprint  for  "  Chommer." 

CHOP,  s.  chopped  hay  or  straw. 

CHOPPED,  part,  chapped. 

"  Her  maith's  aw  chopped  wi  goin  i'  th'  cowd." 

CHOPS,  s.  the  face. 

CHOW  AND  CHUMP,  s.  remains  of  wood,  old  stacks,  and  roots, 
&c.,  only  fit  for  burning.  L. 

CHOWBENT  GRUBS,  idiom,  a  very  common  name  given  by 
carpenters  to  nails  which  are  often  embedded  in  old  timber  and 
which  spoil  the  tools. 

CHRISTIAN,  s.  a  human  being,  as  distinguished  from  the  lower 
animals. 

"  Dunna  give  it  to  th'  dog;  its  fit  for  a  Christian  to  eat." 

CHRISTMAS,  s.  evergreens  used  in  Christmas  decorations ;  often 
KISMUS. 

CHRIST'S  THORN,  s.  Cratxgus  Pyracantha. 

There  is  a  tradition  that  our  Saviour's  crown  of  thorns  was  made  from 
this  plant. 

CHT,  exd.  puss ! 

In  calling  a  cat  we  do  not  say  puss  !  puss  !  but  Cht !  Cht ! 

CHUBBY,  adj.  thickset. 

CHUBBY-HEADED,  adj.  having  a  short,  broad  head  like  a  bull. 

A  chubby-headed  calf  is  usually  considered  more  suitable  for  feeding  than 
for  rearing. 

CHUCK,  s.  a  fowl.     MACCLESFIELD. 

"  Ow  many  chucks  an  ye  getten  ?" 

CHUCK,  v.  to  throw. 

"  Chuck  it  here,"  i.e.,  throw  it  to  me. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  6/ 

CHUCK,  exd.  a  word  used  to  call  poultry. 

CHUCKLING,  part,  salt-making  term,  expressive  of  the  noise  made 
by  a  pan  boiling  in  any  part  not  actually  over  the  fire. 

CHUCK  OVER,  v.  to  discard,  or  disinherit. 

"  Nay,  th'  gaffer  '11  leave  me  nowt ;  he's  chucked  me  o'er." 

CHUM,  s.  a  companion. 

CHUM,  v.  to  associate  with. 

CHUMMER.     See  CHOMMER. 

CHUMP,  s.  a  term  of  reproach.     Rascal,  cheat,  vagabond.     L. 

CHUN,  s.  a  crack  in  the  finger  or  hand,  from  frost,  or  from  dryness 
of  the  skin.     L. 

CHUNNER,  v.  to  grumble. 

Leigh  gives  a  good  illustration.  A  clergyman,  asking  an  infirm  old 
woman  how  she  was,  received  as  an  answer,  "I  goes  on  chunner, 
chunner,  chunner."  He  told  her  how  wrong  it  was  to  be  dis- 
contented, &c.,  when  he  was  stopped  by  the  old  woman,  "  Bless, 
you,  Parson,  it's  not  I  that  chunners,  it's  my  innards." 

CHURLES'  TREACLE,  s.  garlic.    Allium.     L. 
CHURN,  s.  the  long-tailed  titmouse,  Parus  caudatus. 

CHURN-STAFF,  s.  (i)  the  dasher  of  an  old-fashioned  "up  and 

down"  churn. 

(2)  the  plant  Euphorbia  ffelioscopia,  and  occa- 
sionally Linaria  vulgaris. 

CIRAGE  or  SIRAGE  MONEY,  s.  the  Prestbury  term  for  church 
rates.     L. 

CISTERN  ROCK,  s.  salt-making  term.  The  inferior  roof-rock  or 
black-rock  put  into  the  cisterns  at  rock-salt  refineries. 

CLACK,  s.  the  valve  of  a  pump. 

CLACK,  v.  to  chatter,  to  gossip. 

"  Nah  then,  what  art  clackin  at,  woman  ?     Thy  tong  goes  o* 
wheels." 

CLAG,  v.  to  choke  with  dirt. 

Wheels  are  flagged  when  the  oil  becomes  stiff. 

CLAGGINGS,  s.  salt-making  term.  Salt,  scum,  &c.,  that  clags  or 
adheres  to  the  rim  of  a  pan  used  for  making  boiled  salt.  The 
adhesion  takes  place  at  the  top  portion  of  the  rim. 

CLAGGY,  adj.  sticky. 


68  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

CLAM.    See  CLEM. 

CLAMME  or  CLAME,  v.  to  dirty  or  plaister  (sic)  over.     W. 

CLAMMIN.    (i)  See  CLEMMIN. 

(2)  bickering.     KELSALL. 

CLAMP,  s.  a  sort  of  round  oven  in  which  draining  tiles  and  bricks 
are  burnt. 


CLEEAN  I  adv'  alt°gether'  entirely. 

"  Eh  !  mon,  aw've  cleean  forget  ten  it." 

CLANE,  v,  to  wash  and  dress  one's  self  up. 

"Aw  mun  go  and  clane  mysel  "  means  I  must  go  and  wash,  and 
put  on  a  change  of  clothes. 

v'  to  put  tidy  '  not  merelv  to  make  clean< 
"  Nah  then,  wench  !  hie  the  an  cleean  up  th'  haise,  it's  Sunday 
to-morrow." 

CLANSE  or  CLENSE,  v.  a  cow  is  said  to  clause  when  she  dis- 
charges the  placenta  after  calving.     Occasionally  to  CLEAN. 

CLANSING  or  CLEANSING,  s.  the  placenta  or  afterbirth  of  an 
animal. 

CLANSING   DRINK  or  CLEANSING   DRINK,  s.  a  dose  of 
physic  given  to  promote  the  extrusion  of  the  placenta. 

A  dose  of  physic  given  to  an  animal  is  always  called  a  drink  ;  and  many 
old-fashioned  cowmen  are  never  content,  when  a  cow  has  calved,  until  they 
have  administered  a  cleansing  drink,  often  composed  of  powerful  emmena- 
gogues,  and  calculated  to  do  much  mischief. 

CLAP,"z/.  (i)  to  squat  down,  to  crouch  as  a  bird  does  when  it  wants 
to  escape  notice;  hence  said  of  a  turkey-hen  when 
she  wants  the  attention  of  the  male  bird  ;  she  then 
squats  close  to  the  ground. 

(2)  to  place,  to  put. 

"  He  clapped  it  on  his  yed." 
"  Clap  it  dain,"  put  it  down. 

"  Clap  yon  auld  stoo  aight  o'  th'  stack-yard  a'  top  o'th  fire,  Mary, 
its  cooth,"  said  a  mistress  to  a  farm  servant. 

(3)  to  sprinkle  light  articles  of  clothing  with  water  before 

being  ironed  ;  in  order  to  damp  them  equally  they 
are  clapped  between  the  hands  two  or  three  times. 

(4)  to  harden  on  the  surface,  as  some  kinds  of  soil  harden 

after  rain. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  69 

CLAP-HATCH,  s.  a  small  gate  so  hung  that  it  will  close  itself. 
WILDERSPOOL.     See  HATCH. 

CLAPPED,  part,  said  of  soil  which  is  hardened  on  the  surface. 
CLAP-POST,  s.  the  post  against  which  a  gate  shuts. 

CLAP  TO,  v.  to  shut  with  a  bang,  like  a  door  or  window  blown 
with  the  wind. 

CLARGYMAN,  s.  (i)  a  clergyman. 

(2)  a  ludicrous  appellation  for  a  black  rabbit.  W. 
CLARTY,  adj.  sticky.  —  Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  L,  p.  237. 
CLASP   NAILS,  s.  thin  wrought  nails  which  will  clasp  or  clench. 
CLAT,  5-.  a  tale-bearer. 
CLAT,  v.  to  tell  tales  of  a  person. 
CLATCH,  v.  to  tell  tales  of  a  person.     MACCLESFIELD. 

CLATCH  HOOKS,  s.  (i)  claws,  talons,  hands.     KELSALL. 

"I  say  !  if  yo  go  o'er  them  fields,  th'  mester  '11  have  his  clatch- 
hooks  on  you." 

"  Come,  keep  thi  clatch-hooks  off  me,  wilt  ta." 

(2)  a  fissure  in  the  rock  on  the  face  of  Helsby 
Hill  is  so  called. 

There  was,  formerly,  a  gibbet  at  this  spot,  where  criminals  were  hung 
in  chains,  and  I  believe  it  was  the  scene  of  one  of  the  last  executions  of  the 
kind  which  took  place  in  Cheshire.  There  is  probably,  therefore,  some 
connexion  between  the  primary  meaning  of  the  word  claws,  talons,  and  the 
name  of  the  Helsby  fissure,  because  it  was  there  the  hangman  got  the 
condemned  man  in  his  clutches.  It  is  just  possible,  however,  that  clatch- 
hooks  may  be  an  old  name  for  some  portion  of  the  apparatus  connected  with 
executions,  and  that  claws  or  talons  may  be  the  secondary  meaning. 

CLATE  or  CLEAT,  s.  a  wedge.     MIDDLEWICH. 

"The  Plow  dates,  a  kind  of  Wedge  to  raise  the  Beame  higher  or  lower, 
to  make  it  strike  accordingly  into  the  ground."  —  Academy  of  Armory,  Bk. 
III.,  ch.  viii.,  p.  333. 

The  small  iron  wedges  used  in  fastening  the  parts  of  a  scythe  together  are 
called  cleats. 

CLAUPED,  part,  daubed.     L. 
CLAVER,  s.  idle  talk,     W. 
CLAW-BACK,  s.  a  back-biter.     L. 


CI  AY  (  s'  a  c^aw^  ^e  separate  divisions  of  a  cloven  foot.     Randle 
•  -'J  Holme  has  GLEES.  —  Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.   II., 

CLEA,  I  ch.xi.,  p.  171. 


70  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

CLAY  MARL,  s.  one  of  the  varieties  of  marl  formerly  so  much 
used  in  Cheshire  as  a  fertilizer. 

It  was  considered  the  best  kind.  Its  characteristics  are  that  it  should  be 
"of  a  dark  brown  colour,  intersected  with  veins  of  either  a  blue,  or  light 
yellow  shade  ;  it  should  be  greasy  to  the  touch,  when  moist ;  and  friable  when 
dry."— Holland's  General  View  of  the  Agriculture  of  Cheshire  (1808),  p.  221. 

CLEAN.     See  CLANSE. 

CLEARING,  part,  salt-making  term. 

"On  the  first  application  of  heat,  if  the  brine  contains  any  carbonate  of 
lime,  the  acid  may  be  observed  to  quit  the  lime,  and  this,  being  no  longer  held 
in  solution,  is  either  thrown  up  to  the  surface  ....  or  it  subsides  to 
the  bottom  of  the  pan,  and  with  some  portion  of  the  sulphate  of  lime  ;  and  is 
raked  out  in  the  early  part  of  the  process.  These  two  operations  are  called 
clearing  fat  pan." — Holland's  General  View  of  the  Agriculture  of  Cheshire 
(1808),  p.  54. 

CLEARINGS,  s.  salt-making  term.     The  sediment  formed  in  the 
above  process. 

CLEM,  v.  to  starve  with  hunger.     CLAM  (WIRRALL). 

The  word  "starve"  is  never  used  in  this  sense,  but  it  conveys  to  the 
mind  of  a  Cheshire  man  the  idea  of  perishing  with  cold  only.     In  Mobberley 
there  is  a  field  which  bears  the  curious  name  of  CVbw-hunger ;  and  Leigh 
gives  an  instance  of  a  wood  at  Mere  being  known  as  C&TW-hunger  Wood. 
"  Is  na  dinner  ready,  aw'm  welly  clemmed" 

CLEM-GUTS,  s.  a  person  stingy  with  food.     MACCLESFIELD. 

"  They  wanted  me  for  t'  go  sarvice  at  th'  Haw,  bur  oi  wunna  ; 
whoi  th'  missis  is  a  reglar  clem-guts" 

CLEMMIN,  part,  starving  with  hunger.     CLAMMIN  (DUKINFIELD). 
CLEVER,  adj.  handsome. 

CLEVERLY,  adv.  completely.     MOBBERLEY. 

A  hedge  that  requires  to  be  cut  down  close  to  the  ground  "mun  be 
i lever /yfawn." 

CLEW,  s.  a  door  or  lid  hung  at  the  end  of  a  drain  or  watercourse  to 
prevent  the  influx  of  tidal  water. 

CLEWKEN  or  CLOCKEN,  s.  fine  cord.     L. 

CLINKER,  s.  (i)  a  hard,  semi-vitrified  cinder  from  the  bottom  of 
a  furnace. 


(2)  a  blow  struck  in  anger. 

!  Oi  gen  him  such  a  clinker  at  th 
L  quiet." 

CLIP,  s.  the  quantity  of  wool  shorn  on  one  farm  in  one  season. 


_ "  Oi  gen  him  such  a  clinker  at  th'  side  of  his  yed  as  soon  made 
him  quiet." 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  71 

CLIP,  v.  (i)  to  embrace. 

"When  he  saw  the  ship  sinking,  he  clips  the  young  Earl  of  Chester  in 
his  arms,  and  so  both  were  drowned  together." — Sir  Peter  Leycester's 
Historical  Antiquities,  p.  112(1673). 

(2)  to  shear  sheep. 

CLIP-ME-DICK,  s.  the  plant  Euphorbia  Cyparissias. 
CLIVELEY,  adv.  cleverly.  MACCLESFIELD  FOREST. 
CLOCK,  s.  (i)  a  beetle. 

(2)  ornamental  open  work  in  the  sides  of  a  stocking; 
very  frequently  having  a  considerable  resemblance 
to  a  fir-tree,  or  at  any  rate  to  the  conical  fir-trees 
on  long  stems  which  are  found  in  a  child's  box 
of  toys. 

CLOCKEN.     See  CLEWKEN. 

CLOCKS,  s.   the  downy  heads  of  the  dandelion.     Called  ONE- 
O'CLOCKS  about  MACCLESFIELD. 

Children  gather  them  and  blow  away  the  down  in  order  to  tell  the  time. 
The  number  of  puffs  required  to  clear  the  receptacle  indicate  the  hour. 

CLOD,  s.  a  sod. 

CLOD,  v.  to  throw  clods  or  other  materials  at  an  animal  to  drive  it 
away. 

CLOD-MAW,  s.  an  implement  for  breaking  clods. 

It  consists  of  a  piece  of  wood  about  five  to  six  inches  long,  and  about 
three  inches  wide,  and  three  inches  deep ;  a  hole  is  bored  through  it  and  a 
long  handle  is  fixed  in  the  hole.  It  is  quite  a  light  tool,  but  is  used  with 
both  hands,  and  is  most  effectual  for  the  purpose  intended. 

CLOD-SALT,  s.  salt-making  term. 

A  cake  [of  salt]  which  sticks  to  the  bottom  of  the  pan. — Ray's  Account  of 
Saltmaking  (E.  D.  S.,  B.  15,  p.  37). 

CLOG,  s.  (i)  a  wooden-soled  shoe. 

They  are  worn  very  generally  by  the  factory  hands  of  both  sexes,  and 
the  clattering  noise  made  by  two  or  three  hundred  people  when  they  loose 
from  the  mill  and  run  through  the  streets  is  very  peculiar.  In  Macclesfield  it 
is  only  the  cotton  hands  who  wear  them. 

(2)  a  heavy  piece  of  wood  fastened  to  the  fore-leg  of  a  cow 
or  horse,  and  trailing  on  the  ground,  to  prevent  the  animal 
straying. 

CLOGGER,  s.  a  man  who  makes  clogs. 

The  sole  of  a  clog  is  about  an  inch  thick  and  is  made  of  alder  timber;  a 
groove  is  cut  entirely  round  it,  and  in  this  the  upper  leather  is  nailed.  It  is 
then  tipped  underneath  with  iron  and  has  an  iron  heel,  and  it  becomes  a 
most  formidable  weapon  for  "  punsing  "  in  a  Lancashire  "  up  and  dqwn  " 


72  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

fight.  Clogs  are  generally  made  considerably  too  large,  and  a  wisp  of  straw 
or  hay  is  placed  under  the  sole  of  the  foot.  They  are  tied  with  a  thong,  or 
frequently  have  brass  clasps ;  they  are  warm  and  comfortable,  and  are  almost 
impervious  to  wet.  The  making  of  clogs  is  a  separate  trade  from  that 
of  the  shoemaker,  and  the  cutting  of  clog  soles  is  quite  a  special  branch  of 
industry. 

CLOGGY,  adj.  compact. 

Said  of  a  horse  or  cow  that  is  heavy-bodied  and  short-legged. 

CLOMB,  v.  past  tense  of  to  climb.     L. 
CLOOSE,  adj.  sultry. 

CLOTHES  MAIDEN,  or  perhaps  more  frequently  simply  MAIDEN, 
s.  a  clothes  horse. 

CLOTS  or  CLOUTS,  s.  burrs  or  burdock.    W.     Arctium  Lappa. 

CLOUGH  (pronounced  CLUF),  s.  a  deep,  wooded  valley. 

Cotteril  Clough,  near  Altrincham,  is  a  good  illustration  of  a  clough,  and 
is  a  picturesque  spot. 

CLOUT,  s.  (i)  a  rag,  a  towel  for  domestic  use.     WILDERSPOOL. 

(2)  a  blow. 
"Hithimac/wA" 

CLOUTER,  v.  to  make  a  clattering,  clamping  noise  with  wooden 
clogs.  L. 

CLOUTERINGr,  part,  hurrying  along  noisily.     MIDDLEWICH. 
CLOUT  NAILS,  s.  broad-headed  nails. 

CLOUTS,  s.  iron  plates. 

Axle-tree  clouts  are  plates  of  iron  nailed  at  the  end  of  the  axle-tree. 
"  Clouted  shoon  "  are  shoes  tipped  with  iron. 

"  Then  they  began  to  kicke  and  wince, 
lohn  hitt  the  King  ouer  the  shinnes 
With  a  payre  of  new --clouted  shoone !" 

John  de  Reeve  (Percy  Folio  MS.,  1.  547,  vol.  ii., 
p.  580),  Hales  and  Furnivall,  ed.  1867. 

CLUB  FEE  AST,  s.  the  anniversary  dinner  of  a  benefit  society. 
CLUNTISH,  adj.  rough-spoken,  uncivil.     Mow  COP. 

CLUSSUM'D,  adj.  clumsy,  Lan.  according  to  Ray,  but  it  means 
more,  i.e.,  a  hand  shut  and  benumbed  with  cold,  and  so 'far 
clumsy.  W.  Ray,  however,  does  not  give  this  as  a  Lancashire, 
but  a  Cheshire  word.  E.D.S.  GLOSS.  B.  15. 

CLUTTER,  v.  to  put  an  opponent  down  after  a  fight. 
' '  He  cluttered  me  down. "    L. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  73 

CO,  idiom,  quoth.    A  very  common  expression  about  WILMSLOW. 
Used  when  quoting  someone  who  is  considered  an  authority. 
"  Very  likely,  co  John  Platt." 
"  Mow  i'th'  rain,  an'  get  th'  hay  when  it's  fair,  co  Peter  Cash." 

COAL-PIT  CALE,  idiom,  equivalent  to  the  proverbial  expression 
"first  come,  first  served."    WILMSLOW. 

The  phrase  evidently  originated  from  carts  waiting  at  the  coalpit  mouth 
to  be  served  each  in  turn.  See  CALE  (i). 

COAL-RUCK,  s.  the  place  where  coal  is  kept. 
COARSE,  adj.  applied  to  the  weather — stormy,  rough.    L. 

COB,  s.  (i)  a  blow,  generally  on  the  head.     Cob  is  also  a  leader. 

"This  boy  will  be  always  coi>,"  what  is  called  at  school  "  cock  of 
the  school."  Sometimes  pronounced  COP.  "  1  copped \am"  for 
"I  beat  him,"  or  got  ahead  of  him.  L. 

(2)  a  male  swan. 

(3)  or  COBBLE;  a  lump  of  coal. 

COB,  v.  (i)  to  throw. 

Leigh  adds,  apparently  quoting  Wilbraham,  to  lead,  to  domineer,  to 
surpass  or  excel  others  in  any  art  or^kill.  Wilbraham,  however,  only  gives 
the  first  meaning,  and  that  as  a  Lancashire  word.  Its  use  in  Cheshire  is  quite 
common. 

"  Cob  it  away,  its  good  t'  nowt." 

(2)  to  cause  to  grow  quickly,  to  throw  up. 

"  The  land  has  cobbed  up  a  deal  of  grass."     L. 

(3)  to  exceed. 

"  Nay,  that  cobs  aw  oi  ever  heerd."    MACCLESFIELD. 

COBBST,  adj. 

Applied  to  children  who  are  cross,  contrary,  and  fractious  beyond 
endurance,  and  sometimes  to  people  called  by  someone  "God  Almighty's 
unaccountables,"  who  behave  in  so  perverse  and  cross-grained  a  way  as  to 
be  beyond  all  ordinary  rule  or  calculation.  L. 

COBNOBBLE,  v.  to  chastise  or  correct. 

This  seems  to  carry  out  the  idea  that  cob  is  a  blow  on  the  head,  nob  being 
one  of  the  slang  terms  for  the  head.  L. 

COB-NUT,  s.  a  large  cultivated  nut — round  like  a  hazel-nut — not 
oval  like  the  Kentish  cob-nuts. 

COCAM,  s.  sense,  judgment,  cunning.     L. 

COCK,  s.  a  projection  of  brickwork  built  out  in  steps  to  receive  a 
piece  of  timber.     Also  called  a  COCK'S  BREAST. 

COCK  EGG,  s.  a  diminutive  egg  frequently  produced  when  hens  are 
about  to  leave  off  laying. 


74  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

COCKER,  v.  to  fondle  or  spoil  a  child.     Heard  very  rarely  about 
MACCLESFIELD. 

COCK-EYE,  s.  one  eye  smaller  than  the  other,  or  an  eye  with  a 
cast  in  it. 

"  He's  getten  a  cock-eye"  said  of  a  person  with  any  peculiarity  in 
his  eye.  Also  used  adjectively,  "hz's  cock-eyed." 

COCKIT,  adj.  (i)  smart,  pert,  saucy.     It  has  nothing  whatever  to 

do  with  coquetting. 
"  Go's  a  coekit  wench." 

(2)  in  good  health. 

' '  How  bist  ta  ?  "     "  Pretty  coekit. " 

(3)  pleasant,  easy.     FRODSHAM. 

"  Aw've  two  sons  as  works  i'th'  soapery,  but  they'n  getten  pretty 
eot&itjobs.  Aw  dunna  think  they  need'n  poo  their  cooerts  off;  one's 
a  sampler."  My  informant  meant  that  his  sons  had  easy  work  to  do. 

COCK'S  BREAST.     See  COCK. 

COCK-STRIDE,  s.  the  small  increase  of  daylight  which  we  observe 
as  the  days  begin  to  lengthen. 

It  is  said  that  the  days  are  "getting  a  cock-stride  longer." 

COCKSURE,  adj.  positive,  perfectly  certain, 

COCK  THE  LITTLE  FINGER,  idiom,  to  get  drunk,  or  rather 
to  be  fond  of  tippling. 

"Jim  Goold's  gone  at  last,  and  what  could  ye  expect ;  he  wur 
sadly  too  fond  o'  cockin  his  little  finger." 

COCKWEB,  s.  a  cobweb. 

Cobwebs  are  in  great  repute  for  stopping  the  bleeding  of  a  cut. 

CODDIN,  part,  humbugging. 

The  little  son  of  a  Cheshire  family,  whose  members  prided  them- 
selves on  speaking  pure  Cheshire,  said  to  his  nurse  who  was  making 
some  grand  promises  if  he  would  take  some  medicine,  "  Ger  out, 
Maria,  tha'st  only  coddin  me  as  tha  allus  does  ;  tha'l  none  tay  me 
to  see  th'fair." 

CODGERING,/ar/.  mending.     S.  CHES. 

CODLINGS  AND  CREAM,  s.  Epilobium  hirsutum.     L. 

CODS,  s.  testicles. 

COGGING,  part,  cheating  or  deceiving.     L. 

GOGGLE,  adj.  easily  moved,  unstable.     MACCLESFIELD.     See  also 
KEGGLE,  KICKLE,  and  TICKLE. 

GOGGLE,  v.  to  move  with  great  ease,  to  be  unsteady.     MACCLES- 
FIELD. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  75 

COGGLY,  adv.  easily  moved,  shaky.    Applied  to  a  creaking  post  or 
wheel.     MACCLESFIELD. 

COIL,  s.  row. 

"  What's  the  coil  now  ?"  i.e.,  "  What's  the  matter  ?"     L. 

COLD  BURNT,  part,  a  punishment  for  any  slight  transgression  of 
the  laws  of  decency. 

The  offender's  arm  is  held  up  above  his  head,  and  cold  water  (the  colder 
the  better)  is  poured  into  the  cuff  of  his  coat.  The  first  feelings  of  intense  cold 
and  heat  are  the  same,  and  carried  to  extremes  produce  the  same  results. 
In  Virgil  we  have  the  expression,  usta  gelu,  burnt  with  frost,  or,  as  we  should 
say,  blackened  by  frost.  L. 

COLDING,  part,  seems  to  be  shivering. 

To  sit  colding  by  the  fire-side  is  to  sit  idling  by  the  fire-side.     W. 

COLLAR,  v.  (i)  to  repair  thatch  along  the  ridge  of  the  roof. 

(2)  to  harness,  or  put  the  collar  on,  a  colt  for  the  first 

time.     Used  also,  figuratively,  for  bringing  up 
a  child  to  work  early. 

(3)  to  colour  or  blacken,  to  dirty  or  smut.     LEIGH 

says  from  COLLAR,  soot. 
"You've  collared your  face." 

COLLAR-PROUD,  adj.  restive. 

Said  of  a  horse  which  is  unsteady  in  harness,  especially  when  first  starting. 

COLLERED,  part,  soiled  by  soot.     MIDDLEWICH. 
COLLOGUE,  v.  to  collude.     Mow  COP. 
COLLOP,  s.  a  slice  of  meat. 

COLLOW  or  COLLY,  v.  to  blacken,  to  colour,  to  make  black  with 
a  coal.     MACCLESFIELD,  but  not  very  often  used. 

COLLYWEST  or  COLLYWESTON,  adv.  in  an  opposite  direction, 
the  contrary  way. 

"Am  I  going  right  for  such  and  such  a  place?"     "  Nao,  its 
collyiveston" 

Leigh  explains  it  also  as  "  used  when  anything  goes  wrong,"  and  quotes 
a  saying  "  It's  aw  along  with  Colly  Weston,"  Halliwell  also  gives  this  latter 
meaning. 

COLOURY,  adj.  roan  or  spotted.     Said  of  cows  that  are  not  self- 
coloured. 

In  auctioneer's  posters  one  frequently  sees  a  stock  of  cows  described  as 
"  good,  coloury  cows." 

COLT,  s.  (i)  a  child's  caul.     KELSALL. 

(2)  when  meaning  a  young  horse  it  is  pronounced  "  cowt," 
which  see. 


76  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

COLOURING,  s.  extract  of  anatto,  used  for  colouring  cheese  or 
butter. 

It  5s  now  generally  sold  in  bottles  in  a  liquid  state  ;  but  formerly  was  in 
solid  lumps. 

COMB,  s.  (i)  hatting  term.     The  raised  part  of  a  "helmet"  hat, 
such  as  are  worn  by  the  police ;  also  CREST. 

(2)  a  brewing  vat.     HALLIWELL. 

COME,  s.  the  angle  at  which  the  digging  part  of  a  spade,  locally 
called  the  mouth,  is  attached  to  the  handle. 

If  the  mouth  and  handle  are  almost  in  a  line  the  spade  is  said  to  have 
"  very  little  come;"  if  they  make  a  considerable  angle,  the  spade  has  "  a  good 
dealof*w«£."  Different  makes  of  spades,  as  regards  this  peculiarity,  suit 
different  diggers ;  a  man  who  naturally  puts  his  spade  into  the  ground  very 
perpendicularly  requires  one  with  a  good  deal  of  come  ;  one  whose  propensity 
is  to  put  his  spade  in  sloping  requires  less  come.  For  shovelling  up  soil  a 
spade  with  as  much  come  as  possible  is  best,  as  the  workman  does  not  require 
to  stoop  so. low.  I  have  described  this  minutely  partly  because  the  term  has 
always  seemed  to  me  very  peculiar ;  and  partly  because  there  are,  probably,  no 
better  "spade  men"  in  the  country  than  Cheshire  men;  and  they  are 
naturally  a  little  particular  in  selecting  their  tools. 

COME,  v.  (i)  to  act  the  part  Rennet  does  in  cheese-making;  turning 

milk  to  curds. 
11  Thou  looks  so  sour,  thou'd  come  a  cheese."    L. 

The  curd  is  said  to  come  when  it  coagulates ;  and  butter  is  said  to  come 
when  it  separates  from  the  milk  in  churning. 

(2)  to  sprout  as  barley  does  in  the  process  of  malting. 
The  word  is  used  in  this  sense  by  RANDLE  HOLME 
(Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  iii.,  p.  105). 

COME,  idiom,  at  an  approaching  time,  or  at  the  recurrence  of  any 
time  or  season. 

"  He'll  be  nine  year  old  come  Barnaby." 
"  Sunday  come  se'night"  is  an  idiom  meaning  next  Sunday  but  one. 

COME  AGAIN,  v.  to  appear  after  death  as  a  ghost. 

I  remember  a  gentleman,  who  was  drowned  whilst  skating,  was  popularly 
believed  to  "come  again." 

COME-AH-GEN,  excl.  an  expression  used  to  the  horses  when  they 
are  to  turn  to  the  left  at  the  end  of  a  plough  furrow. 

Also  used  as  an  adverb.  A  ploughman  will  speak  of  turning,  COME-AH- 
GEN,  or  ploughing  COME-AH-GEN  (MOBBERLEY).  COMEGGEN  (RUNCORN, 
NORTON,  and  the  neighbourhood,  also  MIDDLEWICH). 

COME-AT,  v.  to  come  near. 

"  Ony  lemme  come  at  the,  and  I'll  gie  it  the." 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  77 

COME  BY,  v.  to  obtain. 

"  I  hope  you  came  by  it  honestly." 

"Ow  did  ye  come  by  such  a  cough,  Missis?"  "Oh,  ahr  Jim 
wur  i'th'  owd  fettle  last  wik,  an  I  had  for  t'  fetch  him  worn  every 
neet  from  th'  Horse  and  Jockey,  and  I  geet  such  a  cowd  trapesin 
i'th'  wet,  oi've  done  nowt  bu'  cough  ever  sin." 

COMEGGEN.     SEE  COME-AH-GEN. 

COMEING,  part,  sprouting. 

"The  Comeingoi  Barley,  or  Malt ;  is  the  splitting  of  it  as  if  it  cast  out  a 
Root." — Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  iii.,  p.  105.     See  MALT-CooMS. 

COME  ITE  or  COME  OUT,  excl  an  expression  used  to  a  dog  or 
other  animal,  meaning  "be  quiet." 

COME  NEARER,  excl.  used  in  cart  stables  instead  of  "come  up." 
L. 

COME  ON,  v.  to  grow,  to  improve. 

COME  ROUND,  v.  to  recover. 

"He's  comin  raind  wonderful." 

COME  THY  WAYS,  excl.  a  coaxing  way  of  calling  an  animal ;  or 
even  of  addressing  children. 

"  Come  thy  -ways  in,  wench,  it's  cowd." 

COME  UP,  excl.  an  expression  used  to  an  animal  when  it  is  required 
to  move. 

COMFORTABLE,  s.  a  comforter  or  woollen  scarf  for  the  neck. 

COMMON  SALT,  s.  salt-making  term.  The  cheapest  kind  of  coarse 
salt  made;  used  in  alkali  works,  soap  works,  glass  works,  &c. 

COMN,  v.  plural  of  come. 

"  Are  they  comn  in  yet  ?" 

COMPANY,  s.  the  bailiffs. 

"  He's  getten  company,"  i.e.,  He's  got  the  bailiffs  in  the  house. 

COMPASS,  s.  quantity,  as  applied  to  land. 

"What  compass  of  ground  have  you?"  i.e.,  "How  many  acres 
do  you  farm?" 

COMPLY,  v.  to  fit,  to  coincide. 

CON,  v.  can. 

"Ay,  that  aw  con." 

CONDUCTING  RODS,  s.  salt-mining  term ;  guards  of  iron  running 
from  top  to  bottom  of  the  shafts,  for  the  purpose  of  staying  or 
steadying  the  load  in  ascending,  or  the  tub  or  bucket  in 
descending. 


78  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

CONEY-GREE,  s.  an  old  name  for  a  rabbit  warren. 

Sir  W.  Brereton  and  Randle  Holme  both  use  the  word,  but  the  latter 
spells  it  "coney -greys."  A  writer  in  the  Cheshire  Sheaf  (Nov.,  1879,  p.  332) 
says  that  two  hundred  years  ago  a  small  plot  of  land  in  the  precincts  of 
Chester,  now  probably  covered  with  houses,  was  called  "The  Cony-grees." 
I  find  in  the  Tithe  Apportionment  of  the  township  of  Norton,  in  the  Parish 
of  Runcorn,  a  field  called  "  Coney-graves,"  and  this  gives  us  a  clue  to  the 
derivation  of  the  word,  i.e.,  the  diggings  or  burrows  of  rabbits.  In  the  West 
Cheshire  dialect  it  would  be  pronounced  "  coney-greeves,"  and  this  has  been 
shortened  into  coney-grees. 

CONGLETON  BEAR  TOWN. 

Leigh,  in  his  Ballads  and  Legends  of  Cheshire,  gives  this  as  a  name  by 
which  the  town  was  called .  It  arose  from  the  following  circumstance,  as 
recorded  in  the  accounts  of  the  Town  of  Congleton  : — "1622.  About  this 
time  arose  the  saying  of  Congleton  selling  the  Word  of  God  to  buy  a  bear. 
Thus :  There  being  a  new  Bible  wanted  for  the  use  of  the  chapel,  and  as 
they  were  not  able  at  that  time  to  purchase  one,  they  had  laid  some  money 
by  for  the  purpose.  In  the  meantime,  the  town  bear  died,  and  the  said 
money  was  given  to  the  bearward  to  buy  another,  and  the  minister  was 
obliged  to  make  further  shift,  and  use  the  old  one  a  little  longer,  until  they 
could  purchase  one.  Some  say  they  gave  to  him  the  money  thence  arising  at 
the  sale  of  the  old  Bible  laid  by,  having  bought  a  new  one." — See  Green's 
Knutsford,  p.  56. 

CONGLETON  POINTS,  s.  tough  white  leather  thongs  with  tin  or 
silver  tags  at  each  end,  for  the  manufacture  of  which  Congleton 
was  formerly  noted.  They  were  used  for  fastening  the  dresses 
of  both  men  and  women,  and  continued  fashionable  until 
superseded  by  buckles  and  buttons. 

CONGLETON  SACK,  s.  a  beverage  for  the  brewing  of  which 
Congleton  has  been  famous  for  centuries.  It  was  introduced  at 
civic  and  other  feasts  in  large  China  bowls. 

CONKER-TREE,  s.  a  horse-chestnut  tree.  FRODSHAM.  See 
CONQUERORS. 

CONNA,  ) 
CONNER,  I  -v.  can  not. 
CONNOTj 

CONNY, 


CONNY,!      ,.  .  .  .    ..    . 

CANNY,  j  adj-  bnsk)  llvely-    W- 


CONQUERORS,  s.  a  game  played  with  horse-chestnuts  threaded 
on  a  string. 

<  It  is  played  by  two  boys  who  sit  face  to  face  astride  of  a  form  or  a  log  of 
timber.  If  a  piece  of  turf  (peat  dried  for  fuel)  can  be  procured  so  much  the 

fitter.  One  boy  lays  his  chestnut  upon  the  turf,  and  the  other  strikes  at  it 
with  his  chestnut ;  and  they  go  on  striking  alternately  till  one  chestnut  splits 
the  other.  The  chestnut  which  remains  unhurt  is  then  "  conqueror  of  one." 
A  new  chestnut  is  substituted  for  the  broken  one,  and  the  game  goes  on. 
Whichever  chestnut  now  proves  victorious  becomes  "conqueror  of  two," 
and  so  on,  the  victorious  chestnut  adding  to  its  score  all  the  previous 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  79 

winnings.  The  chestnuts  are  often  artificially  hardened  by  placing  them  up 
the  chimney,  or  carrying  them  in  the  warm  pocket ;  and  a  chestnut  which 
has  become  conqueror  of  a  considerable  number  acquires  a  value  in  school- 
boys' eyes,  and  I  have  frequently  known  them  to  be  sold,  or  exchanged  for 
other  toys.  See  CONKER-TREE. 

CONSARN,  excL  an  imprecation. 

"  Consarn  ye  !  for  two  pins  I'd  knock  ye  dain." 

CONST,  v.  canst.     CONST  TA,  canst  thou. 
COOERT,  s.  a  coat. 
COOM,  v.  came. 

COOP  or  CUP,  inter/,  a  call  word  to  cows  and  horses.     Probably 
an  abbreviation  of  "come  up." 

COOT,  s.  the  water-hen  (Gallinula  podiceps).     The  coot  is  called 
BALD  COOT,  from  its  white  face. 

COOTER  or  COOTHER,  s.  the  coulter  of  a  plough. 

COOTH,  s.  cold  (malady),  but  with  some  difference  which  I  have 
never  been  quite  able  to  understand.     Thus  a  Cheshire  man 
does  not  say  he  has  a  cooth,  but  always  couples  cooth  and  cold. 
"  I  dunnot  feel  so  well,  I'm  so  full  of  cooth  and  cold." 

COOTH,  adj.  cold  ;  said  of  the  weather.     DELAMERE. 
"It'sowtf." 

COOTHFUL,  adj.  that  which  produces  cooth  or  cold.     MIDDLE- 
WICH. 

"  It's  a  coothful  house." 

COP,  s.  (i)  a  hedge  bank. 

"There  wur  a  hee  cop  and  a  big  dytch." 

(2)  a  blow.     See  COB  (i). 

(3)  a  small  bundle  of  spun  cotton  prepared  for  weaving. 

COP,  v.  to  catch,  both  in  the  sense  of  capturing,  and  in  the  semi- 
slang  sense  of  being  scolded.     NORTON. 

"I've  copped  it,"  said  when  a  boy  had  been  chasing  a  kitten, 
and  had,  at  last,  got  hold  of  it. 

"You've  copt  it."    You've  caught  it,  or  got  a  scolding. 

COPE,  v.  to  cope  a  ferret  is  to  muzzle  it,  often  by  the  cruel  process 
of  sewing  its  lips  together. 

COP-GOLE,  s.   described  by  Randle  Holme  as  part  of  a  yoke. 
Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  viii.,  p.  335. 

COPPET,  adj.  pert,  saucy.     W. 


80  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

COPPY,  s.  a  coppice. 

Tusser  uses  the  word,  though  differently  spelt. 
"  Fence  copie  in, 
er  heawers  begin." 

Five  Hundred  Points. — April's  Abstract. 

CORAL  PLANT,  s.  Ribes  sanguineum.     L. 
CORF,  s.  a  basket  to  bring  coals  up  from  a  pit.    L. 
CORKER,  s.  (i)  a  settler,  or  clencher  of  an  argument. 

(2)  a  great  lie. 
CORKS,  s.  cinders.     L. 

CORN,  s.  (i)  a  crystal  of  salt. 

"The  brine  everywhere  gathers  into  Cornet"  (Nantwich,  1669). 
Philosophical  Transactions,  vol.  iv.,  p.  1065. 

(2)  for  this  word,  when  it  means  cereal  grain,  and  its 
compounds,  see  CURN. 

CORN,  v.  to  crystallize.     Salt  is  said  to  corn  during  the  process  of 
evaporation. 

"They  boyle  [the  brine]  very  gently  till  it  Come"  (Nantwich,  1669). 
Philosophical  Transactions,  vol.  iv.,  p.  1065. 

CORNALEE,  s.  the  dogwood.    Spelt  CORNOWLEE  in  Breretoris 
Travels,  1634.     L.     Cornus  sanguined. 

CORNOK,  s.  a  corn  measure  containing  four  bushels.     L. 

CORRUPTION,  s.  purulent  matter. 

COSP,  s.  (i)  the  cross  piece  at  the  top  of  a  spade  handle. 

(2)  frequently  used  for  the  head. 

A  person  whose  head  has  been  broken  is  said  "to  have  had  his  cosp 
broken."  W. 

COSS,  v.  to  curse.     L, 

COSSES,  v.  costs. 

"  It  cosses  a  deal  o'  brass." 

COSTN,  v.  plural  of  cost. 

"They  costn  a  lot,"  they  are  very  expensive. 

COT,  s. 

Probably  only  an  abbreviation  of  CW-quean,  any  man  who  interferes  with 
female  domestic  employment,  and  particularly  in  the  kitchen,  is  so  called. 
W.  The  more  general  word  is  MOLL-COT,  which  see. 

COTE,  s.  a  shed,  or  shelter.     CALF-COTE,  PIG-COTE,  PIGEON-COTE, 
RABBIT-COTE,  DUCK-COTE,  &c. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  8 1 

COTTED,  adj.  entangled. 

"  Cotted  fleeces  "  are  fleeces  with  felted  lumps  amongst  the  wool. 

COTTER  or  COTTER-PIN,  s.  (i)  an  iron  peg  inserted  in  the 

bars  of  a  shutter  to  secure  it. 
"  Put  th'  cotter  i'th'  shutter." 

(2)  a  blow. 

"  Gie  him  a  cotter''    MACCLESFIELD. 

COTTER,  v.  (i)  to  mend,  but  rather  in  a  makeshift  kind  of  way. 

"  It's  not  worth  doin  much  to ;  it  '11  just  have  to  be  cottered  up  a 
bit,  and  may  be  it  '11  last  a  few  years, "  was  said  of  a  cottage  which 
was  almost  too  dilapidated  to  be  made  habitable. 

(2)  to  hit. 

"I'll  cotter  thee  i'th'  chops,"  i.e.,   "I'll  hit  you  in  the  face." 

DUKINFIELD,  ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE. 

(3)  to  fasten  anything  with  a  cotter-pin. 

"Nah  then,  mak  haste  and  cotter  them  shutters."  MACCLES- 
FIELD. 

COTTERILL,  s.  a  cloven  piece  of  iron  to  fasten  a  wheel  on  to  a 
spindle. 

COTTER  PATCH,  s.  salt-making  term.  An  iron  patch  put  at  one 
corner  of  a  salt-pan,  and  fastened  with  a  cotter,  to  cover  the 
letting  out  place. 

COTTER-PIN,  s.     See  COTTER  (i). 

COTTON  MESTER,  s.  the  proprietor  of  a  cotton  factory. 

COUCH,  v.  (i)  to  slack  lime. 

(2)  to  "  Couch  the  barley,  is  to  take  it  out  off  the  wet 
and  lay  it  on  the  Flooer  a  foot  thick,  for  as  large  a 
compass  as  the  Weeting  will  contain." — Academy 
of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  iii.,  p.  105. 

COUCH-GRASS,  s.  Triticum  repens.  L.  More  commonly 
SCUTCH,  which  see. 

COUCHING  FLOOR,  s.  "A  Couching  Floore,  a  Floor  made  of 
Plaister  of  Paris  smooth  and  even  which  no  water  will  hurt; 
where  the  wet  Barley  is  laid  to  come." — Academy  of  Armory^ 
Bk.  III.,  ch.  iii.,  p.  105. 

COUNSELLORS,  s.  the  downy  seeds  of  the  bur  thistle  (Carduus 
lanceolatus).  KELSALL. 

COUNT,  v.  (i)  to  reckon,  to  have  an  opinion  concerning  anything. 
(2)  to  rely  on. 

"  Oi  dunna  count  mitch  on  her,  oo's  too  fond  o'  gaddin  abite  for 
shute  my  taste." 
G 


82  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

COUNT  CAKES,  s.  three-cornered  cakes  which  have  been  peculiar 
to  Congleton  from  time  immemorial,  and  are  used  at  the  cor- 
poration meetings. 

A  raisin  is  inserted  in  each  corner  of  the  cake.  These  raisins  are  supposed 
by  some  to  represent  the  mayor  and  two  justices  who  were  the  governing 
body  under  the  charter  of  James  I.  By  others  they  are  supposed  to  sym- 
bolize the  Trinity. 

COUNTERFEITS  AND  TRINKETS,  s.  porringers  and  saucers. 
RAY. 

COURSED  WALL,   s.   a  wall  built  of  squared  stones  of  equal 
thickness.     See  RANDOM. 

COVERLID,  5.  toffy.— Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  i.,  p.  237. 

COW,  s.  young  cabbage  plants.  Neighbourhood  of  LINDOW 
COMMON.  Not  very  frequently  used. 

COW-BOX,  s.  a  square  box,  wide  at  the  top  and  narrow  at  the 
bottom,  from  which  cows  eat  licking. 

COW-CHAIN,  s.  the  chain  with  which  cows  are  tied  up  in  the 
shippon;  it  slides  up  and  down  the  ratch-stake  by  means  of  the 
frampath.  See  SHIPPON,  RATCH-STAKE,  FRAMPATH. 

COW-CLAP,  s.  the  faeces  of  a  cow. 
COWD,  adj.  cold. 

COWER,  v.  (i)  to  crouch.     N.  E.  CHES. 

"  Oo  were  that  feart,  oo  cowert  dain  aw  of  a  ruck  i'th'  corner." 

(2)  to  sit  over  the  fire. 
"  Cowerin1  o'er  th'  fire." 

Although  cower  may  be  considered  a  classical  word,  to  be  found  in  most 
dictionaries,  I  have  included  it  on  account  of  its  secondary  meaning. 

COW-GATE,  s.  the  right  to  pasture  a  cow  on  common  land. 

Many  of  the  farms  at  Frodsham  have  so  many  cow-gates  on  Frodsham 
marsh  according  to  the  size  of  the  farm  ;  and  the  Stockham  Charity,  of  which 
I  was  lately  the  treasurer,  is  derived  from  the  rent  of  a  certain  number  of 
cow-gates  on  the  same  marsh. 

In  old  Macclesfield  documents  the  public  officers  are  frequently  allowed 
so  many  ccnu-gates  on  Macclesfield  common. 

COW-GRASS,  s.  Trifolium  medium. 

COW-ITCH,  s.  the  hairy  seeds  of  Rosa  canina. 

They  are  so  called  from  the  similarity  of  their  effects  to  those  of  the  true 
Cowage  or  Cow-itch  (Mucuna  pruriens).  Schoolboys  sometimes  put  them 
down  one  another's  backs,  causing  an  irritation  which  is  almost  unbearable. 

COW-JOBBER,  s.  a  dealer  in  store  cattle. 

COW  LADY,  s.  a  ladybird,  Coccinella  septempunctata. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  83 

COW-LICK.     See  CAWF-LICK. 

COWSHAT,  s.  a  wood  pigeon. 

COW-SHORN  or  COW-SHARN,  s.  the  leavings  of  the  cow.     W. 

COWSLOP,  s.  (i)  the  cowslip  (Primula  verts). 

(2)  the  faeces  of  a  cow.     MACCLESFIELD. 
COWT,  s.  (i)  a  colt. 

(2)  a  novice,  who  has  to  pay  his  footing. 

COWT,  v.  to  make  a  new  comer  pay  his  footing. 

At  many  of  the  rent  audits  new  tenants  are  colted  the  first  time  they 
appear  at  the  rent  dinner.  On  the  Mobberley  Hall  Estate,  where  I  have 
received  the  rents  for  many  years,  and  probably  at  other  rent  dinners,  a 
curious  formula  is  practised.  After  dinner  two  of  the  oldest  tenants 
mysteriously  leave  their  seats  and  go  out  of  the  room.  They  presently  return 
bringing  with  them  a  carving  knife,  a  rolling  pin,  and  a  small  tea  tray.  They 
then  go  round  the  room  looking  the  guests  over  till  they  find  a  new  tenant ; 
then  begins  the  fun.  They  treat  him  as  if  he  were  a  colt  that  is  going  to 
have  his  tail  docked.  They  pat  him  on  the  back  and  shout  wo-ho  !  wo-ho  ! 
and  ask  one  another  "how  will  he  stand  it?"  "Dun  yo  think  he'll  bleed 
pretty  well  ?"  and  so  on.  After  a  few  of  these  jokes  and  by-play,  and  a  good 
deal  of  laughing,  the  carving  knife  and  the  rolling  pin  are  struck  smartly 
together  behind  the  man's  back,  which  represents  the  docking  of  his  tail, 
and  the  tray  is  presented  to  him,  on  which  he  is  expected  to  deposit  a  piece 
of  money,  which  is  afterwards  spent  in  punch.  All  the  new  people  have  to 
pass  through  the  ordeal  until  there  are  no  more  colts. 

COWTER,  s.  the  coulter  of  a  plough. 

COW-TIE,  s.  a  rope  with  which  the  legs  of  a  kicking  cow  are  tied 
when  she  is  milked. 

A  cow-tie  is  generally  made  of  horsehair ;  it  has  a  loop  at  one  end  and 
a  wooden  button  at  the  other.  It  is  passed  round  one  thigh,  just  above  the 
hock,  and  the  two  ends  are  twisted  once  or  twice  ;  the  ends  are  then  passed 
round  the  other  thigh,  and  the  button  put  through  the  loop  to  fasten  it. 

COWTS-FOOT,  s.  the  plant  Tussilago  Farfara. 

COW-WHISKET,  s.  a  flat,  oval  basket,  made  of  cleft  ash,  used  for 
the  same  purpose  as  the  cow-box. 

COY,  s.  used  by  Brereton  in  his  "Travels"  for  decoy,  1635.     L. 

CRAB  or  CRAB- APPLE,  s.  (i)  Pyrus  Malus. 

A  very  common  tree  in  Cheshire  in  hedges  and  thickets.  The  inhabitants 
of  Mobberley  have,  from  time  immemorial,  been  called  "Mobberley  Crabs;" 
and  there  used  to  be  a  custom  in  that  parish  of  pelting  the  parson  with  crab- 
apples  on  "  Wakes  Sunday."  The  custom  was  quite  obsolete  before  my 
time  ;  but  I  believe  it  was  carried  out  in  the  present  century.  There  are  two 
fields  in  Mobberley  called  "  Crab-tree  Lands."  There  is  also  a  kind  of  small 
semi-wild  apple,  tolerably  sweet,  and  quite  fit  for  culinary  use,  which  is 
known  as  a  Crab  Apple. 

(2)  an  iron  trivet  to  put  over  the  fire. 


84  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

CRABBED,  adj.  cross. 

"  Go's  a  crabbed  owd  thing." 

CRAB   VARJIS,  s.  verjuice  made  from  crab  apples,  and  used  for 
sprains.     WARFORD,  KNUTSFORD,  BUCKLOW  HILL. 

CRACK,  s.  (i)  a  talk,  a  gossip. 

"  Aw've  come  to  have  a  crack  wi'  ye." 

(2)  a  blow. 
"  If  tha  doesna  mak  a  less  nize,  I'll  gie  the  sich  a  crack" 

CRACK  A  NUT,  idiom,  to  break  a  person's  head.     N.  E.  CHES. 
CRACKED,  part,  half-witted. 

CRACK  ON,  v.  to  boast  of. 

"  He's  nowt  to  crack  on" 

CR  ADD  ANT  or  CRADDY,  s.  a  difficult  feat  to  be  imitated. 

It  is  a  favourite  amusement  for  boys  at  school  to  set  each  other  craddants; 
that  is,  to  do  something  hazardous,  which  all  the  others  are  dared  to  follow, 
such  as  climbing  up  a  tree  and  then  dropping  to  the  ground  from  some 
rather  high  branch.  Wilbraham  explains  CRADANT  as  "a  coward,"  and 
says  that  "  to  set  cradants,  amongst  boys,  is  to  do  something  hazardous,  to 
take  any  desperate  leap,  which  cradants  dare  not  undertake  after  you."  I 
certainly  do  not  so  understand  it,  for  I  have,  over  and  over  again,  joined  in 
the  pastime,  and  have  asked,  and  been  asked  to  "  set  me  a  craddant, >r 
the  craddant  evidently  meaning  the  daring  feat  itself,  and  not  the  person  who 
was  to  attempt  its  performance.  Ray  gives  CRASSANT  as  a  Cheshire  word, 
but  some  mistake  is  to  be  apprehended,  and  Wilbraham  expresses  himself 
doubtfully  as  to  the  word.  About  Macclesfield  it  is  generally  C  RODDY. 

CRADDANTLY,    adv.    cowardly.      WILBRAHAM    (who    spells    it 
CRADANTLY). 

Here,  also,  it  seems  to  me  that  the  word  does  not  imply  that  the  person 
who  tries  to  follow  a  craddant  is  cowardly,  but  that  the  feat  itself  causes 
nervous  sensations.  Wilbraham,  "  on  the  sole  authority  of  Ray,"  also  gives 
CRASSANTLY.  Halliwell  also  gives  CRASSANTLY,  but  without  any  reference 
to  an  author.  See  CRASSANTLY. 

CRADLEDOCK.    See  CHEADLE-DOCK. 

CRAMBERRIES,   s.    Vaccinium    Oxycoccos    (Phitologist,'  i.    702). 
The  more  general  pronunciation  is  CRANBERRY. 

CRAMBLE,  v.  to  hobble.     MACCLESFIELD. 
CRAMBLY,  adj.  lame.     L. 
CRAMPIT,  s.  a  crumpet. 
CRAMPLED,  part,  stiff  in  the  joints.     L. 
CRANK,  s.  a  blow.    L. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  85 

CRANNY,  adj.  pleasant,  agreeable,  or  praiseworthy ;  a  cranny  lad. 
WILBRAHAM  (on  the  authority  of  Bailey). 

Ray  explains  "a  cranny  lad"  as  "  a  jovial,  brisk,  lusty  lad." 

CRAP,  s.  a  crop.     Mow  COP. 
CRAP,  v.  to  crop.     Mow  COP. 

CRAPUSSING,  adv.  in  a  weak,  creeping  manner. 

A  horse  or  cow  that  walks  as  if  its  feet  were  tender  is  said  to  "go  very 
crapussing." 

"  Au  dunna  know  what  to  mak  o'  ahr  Maria,  oo  goes  crapussing 
abaht  th'  haise  as  though  oo  hadna  th'  use  of  her  limbs." 

CRASH,  s.  unripe  fruit. 

"Dunnot  ate  that  crash." 

CRASSANTLY,  adj.  as  a  crassantly  lad,  a  coward.     RAY. 
CRATCH,  s.  a  hay  rack. 

CRATCHERN  CAKES,  s.  cakes  made  of  flour  and  the  crateherns 
of  lard,  usually  eaten  at  tea  time.  Also  called  SCRATCHERN 
CAKES.  See  CRATCHERNS. 

CRATCHERNS  or  CRATCHINGS,  s. 

(1)  the  dried  up  bits  that  remain   after  the  rendering  of 

lard,  used  for  making  cratchern  cakes. 

(2)  graves,  from  a  chandler's  refuse  fat.     L. 

CRAW,  s.  a  bird's  crop.  Also  used  metaphorically  of  a  person's 
stomach. 

"  Poor  chap  !  one  can  see  he's  getten  nowt  in  his  craw." 

CREDUSSING,  adj.  humbly  mean.     L. 
CREECH Y,  adj.  (i)  weak,  in  bad  repair. 
(2)  rather  poorly. 

CREEL,  s.  the  silver-spangled  Hamburg  fowl.  A  grey  mottled 
kind  of  Dorking  fowl  is  known  as  CUCKOO  CREEL. 

CREEM,  v.  the  same  as  teem,  to  pour ;  also  to  put  slily  into  one's 
hand.     W.     RAY  gives  the  same  explanation. 

CREEP  or  CREEP  EDGE,  s.  a  creeping  fellow. 
An  area  sneak  would  be  called  a  "creep  edge"     L. 

CREEPING  JACK,  s.  the  plant  Sedum  acre. 

CREEPIT,  v.  \  perfect  tense  and  participle  of  the  verb,  to 

CREEPITING,  part,  j        creep.     L. 

CREST,  s.  hatting  term.     See  COMB. 


86  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

CREWDLING,  s.  a  dull,  stupid  person,  a  slow  mover.     W. 

CREW,  s.  a  pen  to  shut  fowls  in.     DELAMERE. 
"A  duck-crew."     "  A  hen-crew." 

CREWE,  v.  to  shut  up  fowls.     W. 
CRIB,  s.  a  small  cote  to  put  young  calves  in. 
CRICKET,  s.  a  low  stool. 
GRILL,  s.  chill,  thrill.     Mow  COP. 

"Aw  of  a  crill" 
CRIMBLE,  v.  (i)  to  crumble. 

(2)  to  sneak  out  of  an  engagement.     L. 

CRIMBLY,  adj.  crumbly. 

"  They  liken  a  crimbly  cheese  i'  Manchester." 

CRINKLE,  v.  to  wrinkle,  to  shrivel  up. 

"  When  she  had  tane  the  mantle, 

And  cast  it  her  about, 
Upp  att  her  great  toe 

It  began  to  crinkle  and  crowt: 
Shee  said,  bowe  downe,  mantle, 
And  shame  me  not  for  nought." 

"The  Boy  and  the  Mantle,"  Percy's  Reliques, 
vol.  iii.  46,  ed.  v. 

CRINKLY,  adj.  having  an  uneven  surface  through  being  crumpled 
up. 

CRISP,  v.  the  first  process  of  freezing. 

"  The  water's  crisping." 

CRITS,  s.  small  potatoes.     L. 

CRODDY.    See  CRADDANT. 

CROFT,  s.  a  small  field. 

CROM,  v.  to  cram.     ' 

CROM-FULL,  adj.  quite  full— full  to  repletion. 

CRONY,  s.  a  good  friend. 

CROODLE,  v.  (i)  to  snuggle,  as  a  young  animal  snuggles  against 

its  mother. 

"  Th'  pratty  little  dear  !  look  how  it  croodles  up  agen  it  mammy." 
(2)  to  crouch  down. 

CROODLED  or  CROODLED  UP,  part,  curled  up  snugly,  as  a 
cat  curls  herself  round  when  sleeping. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  87 

CROOKS,  s.  the  main  timbers  of  an  old  black  and  white  house. 

They  were  curved  and  were  set  up  in  the  gable  ends  forming  a  gothic 
arch  from  the  ground  to  the  roof.  The  secondary  timbers  were  all  supported 
by  them. 

CROOKT,  adj.  crooked. 

CROP  or  CROP-WOOD,  s.  the  branches  of  a  felled  tree. 

CROP,  v.  (i)  to  yield  a  crop. 

Certain  varieties  of  plants  are  grown  because  "  they  crop  well." 

(2)  to  cut  the  branches  from  a  felled  tree. 

(3)  perfect  tense  of  creep ;  also  CROPE. 

CROP-HIDE,  s.  tanning  term;  a  hide  tanned  whole  without  having 
the  head  and  belly  part  cut  off. 

CROPPEN,  v.  plur.  of  crop  (to  yield  a  crop). 
"They  croppen  well." 

CROPPEN,  part,  crept. 

"  He  were  croppen  into  th'  stackyort  to  heide  hissel." 

CROPPEN  UP,  idiom,  occurred  to  mind,  come  to  light.  KNUTSFORD, 

CROPPER,  s.  that  which  bears  a  crop. 

"  Magnum  Bonums  (potatoes)  are  rare  croppers" 

CROSE,  s.  hatting  term.     The  edges  of  a  hat-body  when  laid  flat. 

CROSS  BAR,  s. 

Randle  Holme  describes  the  parts  of  a  YELVE  (which  see)  as  "The  Barr,  or 
Cross  Bar.  The  Tangs  or  Forks.  The  Socket,  for  the  Stail  to  go  in.  The 
Staile.  Te  Kaspe,  is  the  top  part  on  which  the  man  holds." — Academy  of 
Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  viii.,  p.  337. 

The  Cross  Bar  seems  to  have  been  the  cross  piece  of  iron  to  which  the 
prongs  of  the  potato  fork  or  yelve  are  fixed.  Kaspe  is  now  called  COSP, 
which  see. 

CROSS-CUT,  v.  (i)  to  cut  the  stem  of  a  tree  into  lengths  with  a 
cross-cut  saw. 

(2)  cutting  out  turnips  with  a  hoe  so  as  to  leave 
them  in  tufts  ready  for  a  final  thinning  to 
single  plants.  MINSHULL  VERNON. 

CROSS-NOTED,  part. 

When  it  is  so  arranged  that  some  cows  in  a  stock  shall  calve  in  the  spring 
or  summer,  and  others  in  the  autumn  or  winter,  so  as  to  ensure  a  supply  of 
milk  all  the  year  round,  they  are  said  to  be  cross-noted. 

CROSS-WIND,  v.  to  warp. 


88  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

CROW,  s.  (i)  a  rook  or  crow.    The  distinction  of  species  is  not 
recognised. 

(2)  an  iron  bracket  fixed  over  the  kitchen  fire. 

The  crow  works  in  sockets,  and  can  be  brought  over  the  fire  for  use,  or 
pushed  back  into  the  chimney  when  not  wanted.  The  use  of  it  is  to  hang 
large,  heavy  pots  over  the  fire.  They  can  thus  be  pushed  over  the  fire  or 
drawn  off  without  the  exertion  of  lifting  them.  The  pans,  of  course,  are  not 
ordinary  saucepans,  but  have  a  handle  over  the  top,  and  usually  stand  upon 
three  feet. 

CROW  FOOT,   s.   the  various  species  of  buttercup,  principally 
Ranunculus  repens. 

CROWNER  or  CRUNNER,  s.  a  coroner. 

CROW  NET,  s.  a  net  formerly  used  for  catching  crows  and  rooks. 

The  following  interesting  extract  is  copied  from  Col.  Leigh's  Glossary. 
Kinderton  is  a  township  in  Cheshire  near  Middlewich.  "  At  the  Kinderton 
Church  Leet,  39  Elizabeth,  Villa  de  Hunsterton  was  presented  and  fined 
los.  9d.  in  rate,  because  the  crow-net  'non  posita  et  usitata  fuit,  in  villa.'" 
There  is  a  similar  presentment  of  Newbold  Astbury  at  a  court  40  Elizabeth. 
The  following  is  "  the  act  (10  Henry  VIII.)  made  to  destroy  choughs,  crowes, 
and  rookes,  that  do  daily  breed  and  increase  throughout  this  realme ;  which 
rookes,  crowes,  and  choughs  doo  yearlie  destroy,  devoure  and  consume  a 
wonderfull  and  marvellous  great  quantity  of  corne  and  grain,  as  also  at  the 
ripening  and  kernelling  of  the  same,  and  over  that  a  marvellous  destruction 
and  decaie  of  the  covertures  of  thatched  houses,  barns,  ricks,  stacks,  &c. 
Enacted,  that  in  every  parish,  township,  hamlet,  borough,  or  village,  where- 
ever  is  at  least  ten  households  inhabited,  the  tenants  and  inhabitants  thereof 
shall  before  the  Feast  of  St.  Michael,  at  their  own  proper  costs  provide, 
make,  or  cause  to  made  one  net,  commonly  called  a  net  to  take  choughs, 
crowes,  and  rookes,  with  all  things  requisite  as  belonging  to  the  same,  and 
the  said  net  so  made,  shall  keepe,  preserve,  and  renewe  as  often  as  shall 
neede  ;  and  with  and  after  a  sharpe  made  with  chaffe  or  anything  meete  for  the 
purpose  shall  laie  or  cause  to  be  laid,  at  such  time  or  times  in  the  year  as  is 
convenient  for  the  destruction  of  such  choughs,  &c. ,  upon  paine  to  forfeite 
Xs.  to  be  levied  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  parish,  &c.  The  net  to  be 
produced  once  a  yeare  before  the  Steward  of  the  Court  Baron.  Any  farmer 
or  owner  occupying  any  manors,  lands,  &c.,  is  to  pay  for  every  six  old  crowes, 
rookes,  or  choughs  a  penie,  for  every  three  old  a  halfpenny." 

How  crows  were  to  be  caught  with  the  nets  is  not  explained.  Times  are 
changed,  and  instead  of  the  destruction  of  crows  being  enforced  by  law,  we 
have  a  Wild  Birds  Preservation  Act  now,  which  makes  it  penal  to  kill  crows, 
at  any  rate  during  the  breeding  season. 

CROW  ORCHARD,  s.  a  rookery.     L. 

CROW-ROAD,  s.  the  straight  road  from  one  place  to  another;  as 
the  crow  flies. 

CROWS,  s.  hatting  term.     Rejected  work  given  back  to  the  work- 
people. 

CROZZEL,  s.  a  cinder. 

"Au  just  put  th'  poi  i'th'  oon  afore  au  went  aht,  an'  when  au 
coom  back  it  were  aw  burnt  to  a  crozzel." 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  89 

CRUD,  s.  curd. 

CRUD-BREAKER,  s.  an  implement  for  breaking  curd ;  also  called 
a  dairymaid. 

CRUDDLE,  v.  to  curdle. 

CRUD-KNIFE,  s.  a  large  knife,  like  a  carving  knife,  but  blunt,  used 
for  cutting  curd  into  square  blocks  to  allow  the  whey  to  run  out. 

CRUD-MILL,  s.  a  machine  for  breaking  the  pressed  curd  into 
small  pieces  preparatory  to  salting  it  and  finally  putting  it  into 
the  vats. 

It  stands  upon  four  legs,  and  consists  of  a  wooden  hopper  without  a 
bottom.  Iron  pins  are  fixed  on  each  side  of  the  bottom  aperture,  and  a 
wooden  roller,  also  carrying  rows  of  iron  pins,  revolves  between  them.  The 
roller  is  turned  by  a  handle.  The  curd  put  into  the  hopper  is  thus  ground 
up,  and  falls  into  a  vessel  below. 

CRUEL  or  CREWELL,  s.  is  still  in  use  for  worsted.  "  To  work 
in  crewell"  is  to  work  in  worsted.  W.  The  word,  however,  is 
scarcely  local. 

CRUM  or  GRUME,  s.  salt-making  term;  the  refuse  of  charred 
wood  which  was  cast  out  of  the  old  salt-houses. 

It  is  referred  to  in  the  burgess  laws  of  Northwych  (where  we  find  it  gives 
the  name  to  "Crum  Hill")  as  "The  crume,  or  Wych  house  muck."  L. 
Obsolete,  I  think. 

CRUMMY,  adj.  fat,  well  filled  out. 

CRUMPSY,  adj.  ill-tempered,  cross.  MIDDLEWICH,  MACCLES- 
FIELD. 

"  Fratchetty  and  crumpsy  "  is  said  of  a  tiresome,  cross  child. 

CRUS  (pi.  CRUSSES),  s.  crust. 
CRUTCH,  s.  a  leg.     L. 

CRYEN,  v.  plur.  of  cry. 

"  They  cry  en  their  eyne  eawt." 

CRY  NOTCH,  v.  "to  Cry  Notchil?  is  for  a  man  to  advertise  that 
he  will  not  be  answerable  for  debts  incurred  by  his  wife.  L. 

CUCKE  STOOLS,  5.  belong  to  old  Cheshire  of  the  past. 

Formerly  every  parish  had  its  Ducking  Stool  or  Cuckie  Stool — a  chair 
placed  on  a  lever,  on  which  a  scold  was  fastened  and  ducked  over  and 
over  again,  till  she  was  quiet.  Most  parishes  had  a  stool  of  this  sort,  a 
scold's  bridle,  and  stocks.  There  are  pits  in  Cheshire  to  this  day  called 
"  Cuck  Stoo  v&s"  L.  I  can  well  remember  that  when  I  was  a  boy  a  certain 
pit  on  Knutsford  Heath  (now  drained)  was  called  "The  Ducking  Pit." 

A  street  in  Macclesfield  is  called  Cuckstool  Pit  Hill,  at  the  bottom  of 
which  is  the  river  Bollin,  where  the  scolds  where  ducked.  The  chair  itself 
is,  I  believe,  preserved  in  the  Town  Hall. 


90  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

CUCKLE,  v.  to  cackle. 

A  hen  is  said  to  cuckle  when  she  tells  us  she  has  laid  an  egg. 

CUCKOO  CREEL.    See  CREEL. 

CUCKOO-FLOWER,  s.  Cardamine  pratensis.  Mm-CHES.  Ane- 
mone nemorosa.  BEESTON. 

CUCKOO-LAMBS,  s.  late-born  lambs,  not  supposed  to  thrive.     L. 
CUCKOO  MEAT,  s.  the  wood-sorrel,  Oxalis  Acetosella. 

CUCKOO  OATS,  s.  oats  sown  after  the  cuckoo  comes,— too  late, 
as  a  rule,  to  do  very  well. 

CUCKOO'S  BREAD  AND  CHEESE,  s.  the  wood-sorrel.  L. 
Oxalis  Acetosella. 

CUCKOO'S  CAP,  s.  Aconitum  Nafellus  and  other  garden  species 
of  monkshood. 

CUCKOO-SPIT,  s.  the  frothy  matter  seen  on  the  leaves  and  stems 
of  many  plants  in  early  summer,  exuded  by  the  insect  Cicada 
Spumaria. 

CU-IN,  s.  a  periwinkle  (shellfish). 

CULLS,  s.  the  worst  sheep  picked  out  or  culled  from  a  flock. 

CULTER,  s.  the  coulter  of  a  plough  is  so-called  by  Randle  Holme 
(Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  viii.,  p.  333).  He  elsewhere 
spells  it  CULTURE. 

CUMBERLIN,  s.  a  troublesome  fellow,  one  that  cumbers  the  earth, 
and  does  no  good.  L. 

"Thah'st  getten  bad  luck  top  eend,   thah  cumberlin."     J.  C. 
C  LOUGH. 

CUNLIFF,  s.  one  of  the  divisions  in  which  a  brick  kiln  is  built  up. 

CUNNI-THUM,  adv. 

To  shoot  a  marble  cunnithumb  is  to  place  it  in  the  middle  of  the  bent 
forefinger  instead  of  poising  it  at  the  tip  of  the  ringer.  It  is  considered  a 
childish  or  effeminate  way  of  playing  marbles,  and  the  marble  is  npt  dis- 
charged with  anything  like  the  proper  force. 

CUP.     See  COOP. 

CUR,  s.  a  good,  sharp  watchdog.  The  word  does  not  refer,  in  the 
least,  to  low  breeding. 

"He's  a  good  sharp  cur,"  or  "a  good  cur,"  is  said  of  any  dog  that 
barks  at  strangers  and  guards  his  master's  property. 

CURL,  s.  hatting  term.     The  edge  of  a  hat  brim  which  turns  over. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  gi 

CURLED  MINT,  s.  Mentha  crispa. 

A  kind  of  mint  with  frilled  edges  to  the  leaves,  not  at  all  infrequent  in 
Cheshire  gardens.  It  is  used  for  the  same  purpose  as  pea-mint,  and  is 
considered  a  superior  kind. 

CURN,  s.  corn. 

CURN-ARK,  s.  a  chest  in  a  stable,  in  which  corn  is  kept. 
CURNCRAKE,  s.  the  landrail.     Ortygometra  Crex. 
CURN-FLOWER,  s.  Lychnis  Githago. 

CURNING,  part,  collecting  corn. 

When  I  was  a  boy  it  was  a  custom  for  the  poor  people  to  go  curning. 
They  went  to  all  the  farmhouses  begging  for  a  small  donation  of  wheat,  a  few 
weeks  before  Christmas.  Generally  a  small  quantity  was  given — perhaps  a 
pint  or  a  quart — which  they  put  in  a  bag  carried  for  the  purpose.  When 
they  had  collected  as  much  as  they  could,  they  took  it  to  the  mill  and  had  it 
ground  into  flour.  Probably  the  custom  still  exists  in  out-of-the-way  places ; 
but  it  is  fast  becoming  obsolete, 

CURRAKE,  s.  a  cow-rake;  a  .heavy  blunt-edged  hoe,  used  for 
scraping  the  dung  from  a  shippon  groop.     See  GROOP. 

CURRANBINE,    5.    the  garden    columbine,   Aquilegia   vulgaris. 

MOBBERLEY. 

CURST,  adj.  bad  tempered.  L.,  who  illustrates  it  by  an  old 
Cheshire  proverb,  "Cursfcows  have  short  horns."  The  proverb, 
however,  occurs  in  Herbert's  collection. 

CUSH,  s.  a  polled  cow. 
CUSTHUT,  s.  custard. 
CUT,  s.  (i)  the  breadth  of  a  truss  in  a  stack  of  hay.  NORTON. 

A  Cheshire  farmer  generally  estimates  the  weight  of  a  stack  by  measuring 
how  many  trusses  it  will  make — the  truss  being  of  uniform  length,  width,  and 
weight ;  each  set  of  trusses  across  the  stack  being  called  a  cut. 

"I  did  na  reckon  the  stack  above  twenty-fower  or  twenty-five 
ton.  There'd  be  twelve  cuts  i'th'  stack,  an'  about  two  ton  in  each 
cut." 

(2) a  canal 

"Oi  were  walkin'  along  th'  <r#Asoide  to-neet,  and  au'd  loiked 
for  t'  fell  in." 
In  the  Bridgewater  Company's  Acts  the  canal  is  usually  spoken  of  as  a  cut. 

(3)  a  stroke  with  a  whip. 
CUT,  v.  (i)  to  castrate. 

(2)  to  run  away. 

(3)  to  strike  with  a  whip. 


92  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

CUTE,  adj.  sharp,  clever,  intelligent. 
CUTLINS,  s.  oatmeal.     L. 

CUT  NECK,  excL  used  in  an  old  harvest  custom. 

The  late  Captain  V.  A.  King  wrote  to  me  from  Wirrall :  "There  was  a 
custom  here  when  all  the  corn  was  cut  upon  a  farm,  but  not  gathered  into 
the  barn,  the  labourers  used  to  have  a  supper,  and  after  this  go  out  in  the 
open  air  and  shout  at  the  very  top  of  their  voices  Cut  neck,  Cut  neck  !"  See 
CUTTING  THE  NECK. 

CUT  ONE'S  LUCKY,)  ... 

CUT  ONE'S  STICK,  ']«*»**•  runmnS 

These  expressions  savour,  perhaps,  more  of  imported  slang  than  of 
provincial  dialect. 

CUTS,  s.  (i)  a  variety  of  oats. 

(2)  lots. 

To  draw  cuts  is  to  draw  lots,  or  perhaps  it  is  more  generally  said  to 
"have  cuts." 

"  Let's  have  cuts." 

CUTTINGS,  s.  the  furrows  in  the  corners  of  fields  which  do  not  run 
from  one  end  of  the  field  to  the  other. 

CUTTING  THE  NECK,  a  harvest  custom  practised  about  RUN- 
CORN,  FRODSHAM,  HELSBY,  &c. 

I  have  never  seen  this  custom,  but  it  has  been  thus  described  to  me  :  When 
the  reapers  are  just  about  finishing  cutting  a  field  of  wheat  they  leave  a  small 
piece  standing.  They  then  tie  the  heads  together  with  a  piece  of  ribbon,  and 
standing  at  some  distance,  they  throw  their  sickles  at  it.  The  one  who 
severs  "the  neck"  receives  a  prize,  a  shilling  or  two,  given  by  the  master. 
Some  very  interesting  notices  of  the  same  custom  under  various  forms,  and  in 
widely  distant  counties,  may  be  found  in  Notes  and  Queries  at  the  following 
references :  4th  S.  xii.  p.  491  ;  5th  S.  vi.  p.  286 ;  ix.  p.  306 ;  and  x.  pp.  51, 
359  ;  and  Halliwell  describes  a  Herefordshire  custom  under  the  title  "  Crying 
the  Mare,"  which  is  very  similar.  It  would  appear  from  a  perusal  of  these 
articles  that  our  word  "  neck  "  has  really  nothing  to  do  with  the  neck  of  the 
sheaf  tied  with  ribbon,  but  that  it  is  a  Norse  word  simply  signifying  "a 
sheaf  of  corn." 

CUYP,  v.  (pronounced  in  a  peculiar  way,  something  like  "  ceighp," 
the  eigh  being  quickly  given  as  in  "  weight ")  to  sulk,  and 
show  that  you  are  sulking;  to  cry  obstinately  and  causelessly, 
but  in  a  subdued  way,  like  bleeding  inwardly.  L. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  93 


D. 

DAB,  s.  (i)  a  slight  blow  with  the  back  of  the  hand,  or  at  any  rate 
not  with  the  closed  fist. 

(2)  a  small  quantity. 

"  It  just  wants  a  dab  o'  mortar." 

(3)  an  untidy,  shiftless  woman.     MACCLESFIELD. 

(4)  a  proficient. 

DAB,  adj.  (i)  proficient,  expert. 

A  man  v^ho  is  clever  at  any  particular  work  is  said  to  be  "  a  dab  hand," 
often  abbreviated  into  "a  dab,"  when  the  word  becomes  a  substantive. 

(2)  slight,  irregular,  out  of  course. 
"A  dab  wash"  is  a  small  wash  between  the  regular  washing  days. 

DAB,  v.  (i)  to  give  a  slight  blow. 

(2)  to  do  anything  in  a  slight,  superficial  manner.    MACCLES- 

FIELD. 

(3)  to  set  things  down  carelessly,  not  in  their  right  place. 

MACCLESFIELD. 

DABBLY,  adj.  wet     Mow  COP. 

"  Dabbly  weather."     See  DRABBLY. 

DAB  CHICK,  s.  a  water  hen.     In  Cheshire,  "  waiter  hen."     L. 

I  have  not  met  with  the  name  in  Cheshire,  and  I  much  suspect  that  Leigh 
really  meant  that  "waiter  hen  "  was  the  vernacular  for  the  dabchick.  At  the 
same  time  Miss  Jackson  (Shropshire  Word  Book)  gives  dab-chick  for  the  neigh- 
bouring county. 

DAB- HAND,  s.  a  skilled  workman,  an  adept. 

"  Dab  "  is  here  really  an  adjective  (see  DAB),  but  it  is  seldom  separated 
from  the  word  "hand,"  and  may  be  taken  as  a  compound  substantive. 

DACITY,  s.  intelligence,  quickness ;  an  abbreviation  of  audacity.   W. 
DADDLE,  v.  to  walk  with  short  steps.     W. 

DADE,  v.  to  lead  children  beginning  to  walk. 

In  common  use  about  MACCLESFIELD,  though  Wilbraham  in  his  Glossary 
says  "not  common." 

DADING-STRINGS,  s,  leading-strings.     MACCLESFIELD. 
DAFFOCK,  s.  a  woman's  dress  that  is  too  short.     L. 


94  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

DAFFYDOWNDILLY,  s.  the  daffodil,  Narcissus  Pseudo-narcissus. 
DAFFADANDILLY  (Mow  COP). 

DAG,  v.  to  wet  the  feet  or  petticoats.     MACCLESFIELD.     See  DEC. 
DAHN  or  DAIN,  prep,  down ;  almost  pronounced  "  dine." 
DAIN,  adj.  dejected. 

DAINFAW,  s.  a  fall  of  rain,  snow,  or  hail. 

"We  mun  have  some  sort  of  a  dainfaw  afore  it's  any  warmer." 

DAIN  TH'  BONK,  idiom,  down  the  bank— a  metaphor  for 
growing  old  and  infirm  ;  also  for  becoming  poorer. 

DAIRYMAID,  s.  an  implement  used  in  cheese-making. 

It  consists  of  a  wire  sieve,  the  meshes  of  which  are  about  an  inch  and  a 
half  long  by  half  an  inch  wide,  a  long  handle  being  fixed  to  the  middle 
of  the  sieve.  Its  use  is  to  cut  the  newly-formed  curd  in  the  cheese- 
tub  into  small  pieces,  in  order  that  it  may  settle  and  be  separated  from  the 
whey.  Some  care  is  required  in  using  it,  and  at  first  it  is  moved  up  and  down 
very  slowly,  lest  the  cream  should  be  knocked  out  of  the  curd,  as  it  would  be 
by  rough  usage. 

DAISY-CUTTER,  s.  a  horse  which  throws  its  feet  forward  in 
trotting  instead  of  lifting  them  well  from  the  ground. 

It  is  said  that  such  a  horse  will  "kick  a  sixpence  afore  it." — Cheshire 
Sheaf,  vol.  i.,  p.  237. 

DAKER   HEN,  s.  the  corncrake.     L.     Ortygometra  Crex. 
DAL,  m/.'an  imprecation  ;  a  euphuism  for  "damn." 

DALLING,  adj.  "  dalling  weather,"  in  harvest,  means  a  perpetual 
change  from  wet  to  dry,  and  vice  versa,  which  prevents  progress. 
L. 

This  is  really  a  participle  formed  from  the  verb  "  to  dally." 

DALLY,  s.  delay;  also  DILLY-DALLY,  which  see. 

DALLY,  v.  to  delay,  to  loiter. 

"  Dunna  thee  dally  uppo'  th'  road." 

DAMAGED,  part,  bewitched. 

Some  forty  years  ago,  as  I  am  informed  by  a  correspondent,  there  lived  in 
a  small  cottage  on  Mottram  Common  an  old  man  named  William  Ford.  His 
wife  was  hypochondriacal,  and  Billy,  as  he  was  called,  firmly  believed  she 
had  been  damaged  by  an  old  woman  at  Macclesfield  named  Earlam.  She 
wore  a  charm  sewed  up  in  her  stays  as  an  antidote. 

DAMASIS,  s.  damsons.     Mow  COP. 

DAMSEL,  s.  a  damson,  Prunus  damascena. 

This  plum  is  much  grown  in  Cheshire,  and  is  quite  different  from  the 
rough-tasted  fruit  sold  under  the  name  of  damson  in  London.  The  damson- 
blossom  is  quite  a  feature  in  Cheshire  scenery  in  early  spring.  Most  of  the 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  95 

farm  labourers  have  a  large  garden,  and  great  numbers  of  them  have  also  an 
acre  or  two  of  land,  and  damsons  are  largely  cultivated  both  in  the  garden- 
ground  and  in  the  hedges  of  the  small  fields.  In  spring  time  the  cottages 
nestling  in  little  forests  of  the  white -blossomed  trees  have  a  charming 
appearance. 

DANDER,  s.  spirit,  temper. 

"  I  got  his  dander  up  "  means  I  put  him  out  of  temper. 

DANDER,  v.  (i)  to  wander  about.     W.     Also  DONDER.     L. 

(2)  to  talk  in  a  rambling,  incoherent,  silly  sort  of  way. 

An  old  man  getting  into  his  dotage  is  sometimes  said  to  be  a  dandering 
old  fellow. 

DANDY,  s.  a  bantam. 

The  sexes  are  specified  as  dandy-cock,  and  dandy -hen. 

DANG,  v.  to  throw  things  about  violently  and  carelessly.  MACCLES- 
FIELD. 

"  Oi'm  froitened  to  deeath  at  ahr  Joe  ;  when  he's  in  his  tantrums 
he'll  dang  the  things  abait  till  there  is  ner  a  wull  cheer  nor  table 
i'th'  place." 

DANG  or  DANG  IT,  excl.  a  mild  imprecation ;  a  substitution  or 
euphemism  for  "  damn."  About  MIDDLEWICH  it  takes  the  form 
of  DENG. 

DANGERLY,  adv.  possibly,  by  chance.     W. 
DANGWALLET,  s.  a  spendthrift.     W. 

Wilbraham's  words  (1826  edition)  are  :  "Dang,  v.  to  throw  carelessly  or 
violently ;  hence  the  term  Dang-wallet  for  a  spendthrift ;"  by  which  I  presume 
he  means  that  Dangwallet  is  a  Cheshire  word,  though  he  does  not  actually 
include  it  in  his  Glossary. 

DANTER,  s.  a  name  used  in  Macclesfield  and  Congleton  for  the 
female  superintendent  of  a  winding  room  in  a  silk-mill. 

Her  work  is  to  put  the  "slips  on  the  swifts."  There  is  generally  one 
danter  to  each  room,  but  if  the  room  is  very  large  there  may  be  two  danters. 
Perhaps  this  word  is  only  a  form  of  TENTER.  See  HAY-TENTERS. 

DARK,  adj.  (i)  doubtful,  unknown. 

"Have  you  got  such  a  farm?"     "  No,  it  is  dark  at  present."    L. 

(2)  blind. 

DARN  or  DARN  YE,  excl.  an  imprecation. 
DARNAK,  s.  a  hedger's  glove.     L. 

DARNEL,  s.  the  grass  Lolium  temulentum,  a  common  weed  amongst 
corn,  and  popularly  supposed  to  be  degenerated  wheat. 

DARTER,  s.  daughter  ;  not  very  commonly  used. 


96  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

DASH-BOARDS,  s.  additional  boards  used  for  raising  the  sides  of 
a  cart,  so  as  to  allow  a  larger  load  of  loose  materials,  such  as 
lime,  turnips,  &c.,  to  be  carried.  MACCLESFIELD. 

DATELESS,  adj.  insensible. 

Leigh  gives  an  illustration  from  evidence  given  before  the  Grand  Jury  at 
the  Chester  Assizes,  "Father  knocked  mother  down  dateless."  It  is  a  very 
common  expression  in  police-courts. 

DAUB, ) 

DOAB,  \  s.  clay  and  chopped  straw,  used  for  plastering. 

DOWB,J 

It  is  said  that  it  was  made  by  placing  the  clay  and  straw  upon  a  farm  yard, 
and  then  treading  it  with  horses  until  it  was  thoroughly  softened  and  mixed. 

DOAB'  1  y-  (J) to  plaster  with  clay>  as  was  formerly  done  in  the  old 
DOWB  1  black  and  white  houses. 

(2)  to  smear  or  dirty. 

DAUBER,  DOABER,  or  DOWBER,  s.  a  plasterer  in  clay,  when 
houses  were  built  of  "Raddle  and  Daub." 

Altrincham  and  Over,  though  now  somewhat  large  and  populous  places, 
used  each  to  elect  a  mayor  when  they  were  mere  country  villages.  They 
were  always  spoken  of  as  the  two  smallest  corporations  in  England,  and  the 
mayors  were  frequently  men  in  not  very  elevated  social  positions.  Hence  it 
is  a  very  common  saying  that 

"  The  Mayor  of  Altrincham  and  the  Mayor  of  Over, 

The  one  is  a  thatcher,  the  other  a  dauber." 
Dawber  is  a  Cheshire  surname,  probably  derived  from  the  occupation. 

DAUTCH.     See  PATCH  AND  DAUTCH. 

DAVELY,  adj,  lonely.  DEAVELY  (WILDERSPOOL).  Wilbraham  also 
gives  DEAFLY. 

"It's  a  davely  road." 

DAY  PIT,  s.  an  old  marling  term.  Apparently  a  marl  pit  opened 
on  the  side  of  a  hill. 

"  The  expenses  of  marling  vary  greatly,  according  to  situation  and  other 
circumstances.  If  the  marl  lies  under  high  ground,  so  that  a  day  pit  can 
be  made,  it  may  be  procured  at  a  comparatively  small  expense ;  but  from  the 
general  flatness  of  the  surface,  few  opportunities  of  this  nature  occur." — 
Holland's  General  View  of  the  Agriculture  of  Cheshire  (1808),  p.  222. 

DAY  SHAFT,  s.  salt-mining  term;  the  main  or  workingshaft  of  a  mine. 

DAZE,  v.  to  dazzle,  to  stun ;  generally  used  in  the  passive  voice. 
"  He  wur  dazed" 

DEAD  HORSE  WORK,  idiom,  said  when  a  man  has  to  pay  away, 
at  once,  any  money  he  makes  by  his  work:  it  being  all  fore- 
stalled. W.  CHES. 

Ray  (1670)  has  the  proverb,  "To  work  for  a  dead  horset"  i.e.,  to  work 
out  an  old  debt,  without  hope  of  a  future  reward. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  97 

DEADLY,  adv.  very.     L. 
DEAFLY.     See  DAVELY. 

DEATH-PINCH,  s.  a  discolouration  of  the  skin,  proceeding  from  a 
diseased  state  of  the  blood;  popularly  supposed  to  portend 
death.  MACCLESFIELD. 

DEAVE,  v.  to  deafen,  or  stun  by  noise.     W, 
DEAVELY.    See  DAVELY. 

DECENT,  adj.  good,  pleasant,  upright. 

"  He's  the  decentest  mon  i'  th'  county." 
DECK,  v. 

"I'll  deckit,"  i.e.,  "I'll  knock  off  work,  I'll  give  up  what  I  am  doing."    L. 

DECK  O'  CARDS,  s.  a  pack  of  cards.     MACCLESFIELD. 
DEE,  s.  pron.  of  day.     W.  CHES. 
DEE,  v.  to  die. 


(2)  metaphorically  used  for  anything  not  fully  de- 
veloped, as  a  nut  without  a  kernel,  a  head  of 
wheat  without  any  corn  in  it. 

'  '  He  does  na  crack  many  deafmits  "  is  a  proverbial  expression  to  describe 
a  person  or  animal  that  is  fat  and  well-to-do. 

DEET,  v.  (i)  to  dirty.     BREDBURY. 

(2)  part  of  the  verb  to  do. 

"  Much  good  deet  you,"  much  good  do  it  (i.e.,  may  it  do)  you.    An  exact 
translation  of  the  Italian,  Buon  pro  vifaccia.     W. 

DEET,  part,  dirtied.     WILDERSPOOL,  WILMSLOW. 
"  Yo'n  sent  him  worn  deet  up  to  th'  een." 

DEETCH,    s.    a    ditch.      (DELAMERE,    MIDDLEWICH.)      DYTCH 
(MOBBERLEY). 

DEG,  v.  to  sprinkle  with  water. 

Degging  plants  is  watering  them. 

DEGGIN  CAN,  s.  a  watering  can. 
DELF,  s.  a  stone  quarry. 
DELVE,  v.  to  dig. 

DEM,  v.  to  dam  water. 
H 


98  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

DEMATH,  s.  a  daymath,  or  a  day's  mowing  for  one  man. 

Generally  used  for  a  statute  acre,  but  erroneously  so,  for  it  is  properly 
one-half  of  a  Cheshire  acre,  which  is  to  the  statute  acre  in  the  proportion  of  32 
to  30^,  consequently  the  Demath  bears  that  of  32  to  3Oj,  to  the  statute  acre. 
W. 

DEMENTED,  part,  crazed,  correctly  out  of  one's  mind.     L, 

Scarcely  provincial,  but  of  frequent  use  amongst  the  country  people. 
"  He's  cleean  demented" 

DENG.    See  DANG. 

DENIAL,  s.  detriment,  hindrance.     MACCLESFIELD. 

DENSIN,  part,  dancing  (DELAMERE).     DONSIN  (ALTRINCHAM). 

\ 
a^''  ^eeP'  ^eePer'  merely  another  form.     L. 


DFPYAR 

I  am  puzzled  to  understand  this  entry,  unless  it  is  given  as  a  form  of 
spelling  in  some  old  Cheshire  author  or  MS.  ;  but  it  is  not  so  stated. 

DESARVE,  v.  deserve;  plural  DESARVEN. 

"We  desarven  aw  we'n  getten"  is  frequently  said  when  a  job  has  not 
turned  out  quite  so  remunerative  as  the  labourers  anticipated. 

DESPRIT,  adv.  very,  extremely. 

"  He's  desprit  bad,"  i.e.,  he's  very  ill. 
"  He's  a  desprit  good  fellow." 

DEVIL'S  BEDSTEAD,  s.  the  four  of  clubs.     MACCLESFIELD. 

This  card  is  considered  unlucky.     See  Miss  Jackson's  Shropshire  Word- 
Book. 

DEVIL'S  COACH-HORSE,  s.  the  caterpillar  of  the  tiger-moth, 
Arctia  Caja. 

DEVIL'S  NETTLE,  s.  Achillea  Millefolium.     KNUTSFORD. 

Children  draw  the  leaves  across  their  faces,  which  leaves  a  tingling 
sensation. 

DEVIL'S  PARSLEY,  s.  Anthriscus  sylvestris. 

DEVIL'S  SNUFF-BOX,  s.  the  puffball.     Lycoperdon. 

When  ripe  it  gives  off  clouds  of  brown  dust  if  it  be  squeezed. 

DEW,  s.  used  for  rain.    W. 

DEW-BLOWN,  part,  said  of  cows  which  are  swelled  from  eating 
green  clover.  L.  See  RISEN  ON. 

DEW-MUG,  s.  a  large  black  earthenware  pan-mug.     L. 

DIBBIN-STICK,  s.  a  stick  used  for  planting  cabbages,  &c.,  or 
making  holes  for  sowing  seed.  MACCLESFIELD.  The  same  as 
SETTING-STICK. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  99 

DICK'S  HAT-BAND,  s.  "As  fine  as  Dick's  hat-band." 

Another  version  is  "As  queer  as  Dick's  hat-band,  as  went  nine  times 
reaund,  and  wouldna  tee  (i.e.,  tie)  at  last."  L. 

DICKY,  "All  dicky  with  him,"  i.e.,  it's  all  up  with  him.     L. 

A  more  common  expression,  however,  is  "its  aw  dicky -n-^  wi'  him." 

DICKY  DAISY,  s.  Bellis  perennis>  and  extended  amongst  children 
to  almost  any  wild  flowers. 

Children  will  speak  of  gathering  flowers  as  "getting  dicky  daisies." 
The  Ox-eye  Daisy,  Chrysanthemum  Leucanthemum,  is  called  Large  Dicky 
Daisy. 

DIDDER.    See  DITHER. 

DIDDY,  s.  the  female  breast ;  also  the  milk  contained  therein. 

To  give  a  child  the  diddy  is  to  give  it  the  breast.     NORTON,  HALTON. 

DIDN'T  OUGHT,  v.  ought  not. 

DIDS,  s.  the  teats  of  an  animal. 

DIG,  s.  a  duck.    W.  CHES. 

DIG-MEAT,  s.  duckweed.     Lemna.    W.  CHES. 

DIGHT,  v.  (i)  to  dress.     W. 

(2)  a  form  probably  of  to  dirt.     L. 

(3)  to  put  out  a  candle ;  also  DOUT. 

DILLS,  s.  vetches. 

"Dills  and  wuts"  are  often  sown  to  be  cut  as  green  meat  for  horses.      L. 

DILLY-DALLY,  v.  to  put  off,  to  delay,  to  hesitate  ;  used  chiefly  as 
a  participle.     DILLY-DALLYING  means  in  hesitancy. 

DIN,  s.  (i)  noise  of  any  kind. 

(2)  perpetual  talking. 
"Howdthirfw." 

DING,  prop.  name,  short  for  Enoch.    WILMSLOW. 
DING,  v.  (i)  to  surpass  or  get  the  better  of  a  person.     W. 
(2)  to  dash  down  with  violence.     MACCLESFIELD. 

DING-DONG,  adv.  immediately,  there  and  then,  post-haste,  at  full 
speed. 

"  As  soon  as  ever  he  heered  of  it,  he  started  off  ding-dong." 

» 
DINGE,  s.  an  indentation. 

DIP,  s.  sweet  sauce  eaten  with  pudding.     If  flavoured  with  brandy 
it  is  called  BRANDY-DIP. 


I0o  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

DIPPERS,  s.  the  Baptists. 

Generally  used  as  a  soubriquet  by  others;  but  I  have  even  heard  a  Baptist 
minister  speak  of  one  of  his  own  sect  as  a  dipper. 

DIRTS,  s.  salt-making  term.  Cinders  and  ashes  left  after  fuel  is 
consumed. 

DIRTY  DICK,  s.  the  plant  Chenopodium  album,  and  several  other 
species,  which  are  found  growing  on  old  dung  heaps. 

DIRTY  JOHN,  s.  the  plant  Chenopodium  album.     HALTON. 

DISGEST,  v.  to  digest ;  an  old,  if  not  the  oldest,  form  of  the  word. 

A  correspondent  relates  the  following  story  apropos  of  this  word.  "A 
friend  of  mine,  when  a  young  man  living  in  lodgings,  was  surprised  to  find 
that  a  fine  ham  sent  from  his  Yorkshire  home  was  disappearing  very  rapidly. 
Upon  mentioning  the  fact  to  his  landlady,  she  was  most  indignant,  but 
coming  in  unexpectedly  one  morning,  he  found  her  regaling  herself  with  a 
huge  plateful  of  broiled  ham.  She,  unabashed,  said  '  Yo  seen  mester,  oi've 
getten  sich  a  poor  insoide,  I  can  disgest  nothin  bu'  frizzled  ham.'  " 

DISGESTION,  s.  digestion. 

RANDLE  HOLME  (Academy  of  Armory)  uses  this  word  and  also  disgestivc. 

DISH,  s.  (i)  formerly  butter  used  to  be  sold  in  many  of  the  markets 
by  the  dish  of  twenty-four  ounces. 

"  In  most  parts  of  Cheshire,  butter  is  made  up  for  sale  in  lumps,  that 
have  the  name  of  dishes  applied  them. " — Holland's  General  View  of  the 
Agriculture  of  Cheshire.  (1808),  p.  261. 

(2)  the  angle  at  which  spokes  are  fixed  in  the  nave  of  a 

wheel. 

A  wheel  in  which  the  circumference  stands  out  much  beyond  the  centre  is 
said  to  have  a  good  deal  of  dish — a  flat  wheel,  very  little  dish. 

DISHABIL,  adj.  not  dressed. 

"Yo  mun  excuse  me  bein'  dishdbil" 

DISH-CLOUT,  s.  a  dishcloth. 

DISHED,  adj.  wheels  are  said  to  be  dished  when  they  are  hollow 
by  reason  of  the  circumference  projecting  beyond  the  centre. 
See  DISH  (2). 

DISH-DAiN  or  DISH-DOWN,  s.  a  sudden  reverse  of  fortune,  a 
disappointment. 

An  old  woman's  name  was  accidentally  omitted  from  a  list  of  those  who 
were  to  receive  a  coal  charity ;  when  the  mistake  was  rectified,  she  said,  "  It 
was  quite  a  dish-dain  when  he  told  me  there  was  none  for  me." 

DISHED-DOWN,  part,  crestfallen,  disappointed.      . 

DISMAY,  v.  to  go  wrong. 

"  It's  never  dismayed." 

" He  did,  and  ne'er  dismayed"  i.e.,  never  hesitated.     L. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  IOI 

DITCH,  s.  salt-making  term.  The  space  in  the  hot-house  between 
two  raised  flues,  used  for  putting  lump  salt  in  to  complete  its 
stoving  and  drying. 

DITCHERS,  s.  a  salt-making  term.  Men  who  remove  the  lumps 
of  salt  from  the  flues  to  the  "ditches,"  and  when  dry  take  them 
out  of  the  "hot-house." 

DITCHING,  part,  salt-making  term.  Removing  the  lumps  from 
the  flues  to  the  ditches. 

DITHER,  s.  a  trembling,  a  shivering. 

When  a  person  is  so  cold  that  his  teeth  chatter  he  is  said  to  be  "  aw  of  a 
dither." 

DITHER,  v.  to  tremble,  to  shiver.     WILBRAHAM  gives  also  DIDDER. 
DITHING,  s.  a  trembling  or  vibratory  motion  of  the  eye.     W. 

DIVERS,  s.  the  larger  blocks  of  burr  stone  used  for  making  river 
embankments.  They  are  thrown  in  first,  so  as  to  make  a  solid 
foundation  between  which  the  smaller  stones  lodge.  RUNCORN. 

DJED,  adj.  dead. 
DJEF,  adj.  deaf. 
DJEL,  s.  quantity. 

DJEL,  adv.  drawing  near  as  to  time.     BEESTON. 

A  man  who  works  at  the  Beeston  Castle  Hotel,  describing  the  time  it  took 
to  get  rid  of  all  the  visitors  to  the  annual  Fete  held  at  Beeston  Castle,  said 
"  its  like  a  djel  o'  ten  afore  they  aw  get  cleared  off,"  that  is  nearly  ten  o'clock. 

DJOW,  s.  dew.     S.  CHES. 

DO,  )  a  man  who  asks  another  to  drink  uses   the   term 

COME-DO,  J          Come,  the  other  one  accepts  by  saying  Do.     L. 

DOBBIN,  s.  a  timber  cart.  DOBBIN  WHEELS,  the  very  high  wheels  of 
the  same.  L.  DOBBY  WHEELS  is  the  more  usual  pronunciation. 

DOBBY- HORSE,  s.  a  hobby-horse. 

An  imitation  horse  which  figures  in  the  play  performed  by  the  "  Soulers" 
(see  SOULERS).  It  is  usually  made  up  with  a  horse's  skull  fastened 
to  the  top  of  a  staff.  A  man,  in  a  stooping  posture,  holds  the  staff  so 
that  his  legs  form  the  horse's  hind  legs,  his  back  the  horse's  back,  and  the 
staff  serves  for  the  horse's  forelegs.  The  man  is  hidden  under  a  rug  or  a 
skin  ;  and  there  is  an  arrangement  of  strings  or  wires  by  which  he  can  make 
the  jaws  open  and  shut.  Most  parishes  possess  a  horse's  skull,  preserved 
from  year  to  year  for  the  occasion.  The  whole  thing  has  a  most  unearthly 
appearance,  and  generally  causes  a  good  deal  of  consternation  amongst  the 
children,  and  even  women,  of  a  household  where  the  play  is  performed. 

DOBBY-WHEELS.     The  large  hind  wheels  of  a  timber  carriage. 


IO2  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

DOCK,  v.  to  shorten. 

DOCKET,  s.  hatting  term.     The  wage  ticket  of  workpeople. 

DOCK  GO  IN,  NETTLE  COME  OUT. 

This  is  said  by  children  when  they  have  been  stung  by  a  nettle.  They 
immediately  rub  the  place  with  a  dock  leaf,  using  the  above  words  as  a  sort 
of  charm  or  incantation.  WILBRAHAM  gives  the  words  in  a  slightly 
different  form.  "In  dock  out  nettle,"  as  "a  kind  of  proverbial  saying, 
expressive  of  inconstancy,"  adding  "It  is  supposed  that,  upon  a  person  being 
stung  with  a  nettle,  the  immediate  application  of  the  dock  leaf  to  the 
aggrieved  part,  repeating  the  precise  words,  'In  dock  out  nettle,'  three  times 
(which  constitute  the  charm)  will  mitigate  the  pain.  These  words  are  said  to 
have  a  similar  effect  with  those  expressed  in  the  old  monkish  adage,  '  Exeat 
ortica,  tibi  sit  periscelis  arnica,"1  the  female  garters  bound  about  the  part 
which  has  suffered,  being  held  a  remedy  equally  efficacious." 

DODDER.    See  DOTHER. 

DODGER,  s.  salt-making  term;  a  long-headed  hammer  with  a 
long  handle,  used  for  knocking  off  the  scale  or  incrustations  of 
lime  or  dirt  on  the  pan  bottoms  when  the  pan  is  at  work ;  also 
called  DODGING  HAMMER. 

DODGING,  part,  salt-making  term.  Knocking  scale  off  the  plates 
over  the  fire. 

DODGING  HAMMER,  s.    See  DODGER. 
DO  DO,  v. 

The  reduplication  of  "do"  is  very  peculiar  in  Cheshire.  A  Cheshire  man 
will  say  "I  did  do"  in  reply  to  "Why  did  you?"  or  "Why  did  you  not?" 
and  in  reply  to  "Why  do  you  never  go  to  church?"  he  will  even  say  "Well! 
I  do  do  sometimes."  The  explanation  is  that  "do"  is  either  an  auxiliary 
verb,  or  it  is  an  intransitive  verb  meaning  to  perform.  The  first  do  is 
auxiliary,  the  second  intransitive,  and  the  same  educated  people  who  think 
our  Cheshire  expression  is  wrong,  constantly  use  it  themselves  in  both  senses, 
and  correctly,  when  they  say  "Why  do  you  do  so  ?" 

DOE  or  DOW,  v.  to  grow  fat,  to  thrive  on  little  food. 

If  an  animal  is  feeding  well  we  say  "it  does  well"  (pronounced  "doze"). 
The  verb  is  also  used  transitively.  Thus  we  speak  of  particular  food  as  doeing 
the  cattle.  If  a  man  is  growing  fat  we  say  "his  meat  does  him."  WIL- 
BRAHAM gives  as  a  Cheshire  adage  "  hanged  hay  never  does  cattle,"  that  is, 
"bought  hay,  which  has  been  weighed  in  the  scales,  is  not  economical." 
When  an  animal  is  in  an  unhealthy  condition,  but  still  lingers  on,  and  its  food 
seems  to  do  it  no  good,  it  is  commonly  said  "  It'll  nother  doe  nor  dee." 

DOESOME,  adj.  apt  to  grow  fat;  said  chiefly  of  cattle. 
DOFF  or  DUFF,  s.  dough. 
DOFF,  v.  to  pull  off  one's  clothes. 
DOFFY,  adj.  cowardly.     Mow  COP. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  103 

DOG,  s.  a  tool  used  by  sawyers. 

It  is  a  short  bar  of  iron,  with  the  ends  turned  up  and  sharpened,  used  to 
hold  a  piece  of  timber  steady  for  sawing.  One  end  of  the  dog  is  driven  .into 
the  timber,  the  other  into  the  frame  of  the  sawpit.  I  have  heard  the  name 
explained  "  because  it  holds  it  fast,"  like  a  dog  when  it  bites  anyone. 

DOG,  v.  to  turn.     ROSTHERNE. 

"  Dogit  o'er,"  i.e.,  "  turn  it  over." 

DOG  DAISY,  s.  Chrysanthemum  Leucanthemum. 

DOG  ELLER,  i.e.,  Dog  Elder,  s.  Viburnum  Opulus. 

About  FRODSHAM  AZgopodium  Podagraria  is  also  called  dog  eller. 

DOGEOUS,  adj.  wringing  wet.     L. 

DOGHY,  adj.  dark,  cloudy,  reserved. 

Bread  half-baked  is  called  doghy  from  "  dough."     L. 

DOG  NETTLE,  s.  Lamium purpureum. 

DOGS,  s.  salt-making  term.  Irons  fixed  to  the  inner  sides  of  a 
pan,  to  place  the  tubs  or  barrows  on  when  the  salt  is  being 
drained. 

DOGTAIL,  s.  the  long-tailed  titmouse,  Pants  caudatus.  MIDDLE- 
WICH. 

DOKIN,  s.  a  soft  fellow.     WILMSLOW. 

"  He's  nowt  bur  a  dokin  of  a  lad,  he's  noo  sharpness  in  him." 

DOLE,  s.  a  distribution  of  alms  at  a  funeral. 

I  am  not  aware  that  such  a  distribution  is  ever  made  now;  but  it  was  the 
custom  formerly  when  anyone  of  importance  died. 

DOLES  or  DOWS,  s.  portions  of  common  meadow  lands  allotted  to 
various  holdings  in  a  township. 

In  the  township  of  Hal  ton  is  a  large  field  called  "The  Dtnvs,"  and  in 
old  documents  the  "Butty  Doles"  or  "Butty  Dows"  which  consists  of  a 
number  of  allotments  marked  off  by  boundary-stones.  Some  of  these 
formerly  belonged  to  the  Duchy  of  Lancaster,  others  to  various  owners  ;  but 
they  have  now  all  been  bought  up  by  one  landowner.  There  is  also  a  Dows 
on  Frodsham  Marsh. 

DOLLOP,  s.  a  large  quantity. 

DOLLY,  s.  an  instrument  with  a  cross  handle  at  the  top  and  large 
wooden  pegs  at  the  bottom,  used  for  washing  clothes  in  a  tub. 
Also  called  a  PEGGY. 

DOLLY,  v.  to  wash  clothes  with  a  dolly  or  peggy. 
"  Oo  allus  may's  him  dolly  th'  clothes. 

DOLLY-TUB,  s.  a  barrel-shaped  tub  in  which  the  dolly  or  peggy  is 
used. 


IO4  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

DON,  s.  to  put  on  one's  clothes. 

DONCE,  v.  to  dance. 

DON-HAND,  s.  an  expert.    The  same  as  DAB-HAND.     MACCLES- 


FIELD. 


DOOMENT,  s.  a  stir,  an  entertainment. 

"  We're  goin  to  have  a  grand  do 
wik  ;  th'  mester's  goin  get  wed.  " 

DOORE  (gen.),  DUR  (MOBBERLEY,  WILMSLOW),  s.  a  door 


"  We're  goin  to  have  a  grand  dooment  at  ahr  shop  (factory)  next 
wik  ;  th'  mester's  goin  get  wed.  " 


DOORE-STEP,  s.  the  sill  or  threshold  of  a  door. 

DOTHER,  s.  the  plant  Spergula  arvensis,  which  is  extremely 
plentiful,  and  a  most  troublesome  weed  upon  some  of  the  light 
sandy  soils  of  Cheshire. 

The  name  is  extended  to  Vicia  hirsuta  and,  in  fact,  to  several  smothering 
plants.  In  MiD-CHES.  Polygonum  Convolvulus  is  called  dother. 

DOTHERUM,  s.  the  plant  Veronica  hederifolia.  BUNBURY.  Also 
BOTHERUM. 

brother  or  sister'  L 

DOUGH,  s.  "As  busy  as  a  dog  in  dough"  is  a  colloquial  expression. 
Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  i.,  p.  266. 

DOUT,  v.  to  put  out,  to  extinguish. 

"Nah  then!  dout  that  cangle;  its  toime  yo  wern  aw  asleep.''' 

DOUTERS,  s.  small  tongs  with  flat,  rounded  ends,  for  putting  a 
candle  out  by  pinching  the  wick.  They  have  rings  for  the  thumb 
and  finger  like  snuffers. 

DOUZZY,  adj.  dull,  stupid.     HALLIWELL. 

DOVE  DUNG,  s.  a  variety  of  marl. 

"There  is  an  excellent  kind  of  marl  sometimes  met  with  which  is  vulgarly 
called  dove  dung,  from  its  resemblance  in  appearance  to  the  dung  of 
pigeons."—  Holland's  General  View  of  the  Agriculture  of  Cheshire  (1808), 

p.  222. 

DOW.    See  DOE. 

DOWK,  v.  to  stoop  the  head. 

DOWKER,  s.  the  lesser  grebe.     Podiceps  minor. 

DOWS.    See  DOLES. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  IO5 

DOWZLIN,  s.  a  wetting.     S.  CHES. 

"  That  child's  very  wet."     "Ay  !  oo's  getten  a  bit  of  a  dowzlin" 

DRABBLY,  adj.  wet,  soaking,  as  applied  to  the  weather. 

"It's  very  drabbly" 
We  also  speak  of  "  drabbly  weather."     See  DABBLY. 

DRAFF,  s.  brewer's  grains,  much  used  for  feeding  milking-cows. 

The  farmers  in  the  southern  half  of  the  county  have  truck  loads  sent 
weekly  from  Burton-on-Trent. 

DRAGON,  s.  a  boy's  kite.     HYDE. 

Flying  a  kite  is  always  spoken  of  as  "  dragon-fiy'mg," 

DRAT,  excl.  an  exclamation  of  anger  or  annoyance. 
"ZWit."     "£V<tf  th'lad." 


DRAUGHTS,  s.  salt-making  term.     The  flues  under  a  salt  pan. 

DRAW,  v.  (i)  to  draw  thatch  is  to  separate  the  short  straw  from 
the  long  before  the  latter  is  used  for  thatching. 
The  operation  takes  place  after  the  straw  has  been 
sessed  QI  "soaked." 

(2)  to  draw  the  bread  is  to  take  it  out  of  the  oven  when 

it  is  baked. 

(3)  salt-making  term.     To  draw  salt  is  to  take  it  out  of 

the  pan  when  made.  It  is-  done  when  the  pans 
are  hot  with  the  tools  called  Skimmers  and  Rakes, 
It  is  then  put  on  the  Hurdles  to  drain,  and  after- 
wards wheeled  to  the  storehouse. 

(4)  salt-mining  term.      To  raise  the   rock-salt  from  the 

excavation  to  the  surface. 

(5)  tanning  term.      To  draw  hides  is  to  put  them  into 

and  take  them  out  from  the  different  pits.  They 
are  literally  drawn  out  with  a  long-handled  hook. 

DRAW  THE  NAIL,  idiom,  to  break  a  vow. 

This  very  curious  expression  originates  in  an  equally  strange  custom,  not 
perhaps  very  common,  but  occasionally  practised  about  Mobberley  and 
Wilmslow.  Two  or  more  men  will  bind  themselves  by  a  vow  —  say,  not 
to  drink  beer.  They  set  off  together  to  a  wood  at  some  considerable 
distance  and  drive  a  nail  into  a  tree,  swearing  at  the  same  time  that  they 
will  drink  no  beer  while  that  nail  remains  in  that  tree.  If  they  get  tired  of 
abstinence  they  meet  together  and  set  off  to  draw  the  nail,  literally  pulling 
it  out  from  the  tree,  after  which  they  feel  at  liberty  to  drink  beer  again 
without  breaking  their  vow. 

DRAWBOARD,  s.  hatting  term.     An  implement  used  to  press  out 
of  the  hat  body  the  superfluous  stiffening. 


106  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

DRAW  WATER,  idiom,  a  hazy  moon  which  betokens  rain  is  said 
to  be  drawing  water.  KELSALL. 

DREE,  adj.  (i)  tedious. 

A  dree  road  is  a  long,  tedious  road  that  seems  to  have  no  end.  When  a 
crop  takes  a  long  time  to  harvest  by  reason  of  bad  weather  it  is  said  to  be 
a  dree  time. 

(2)  persistent. 

A  man  who  is  difficult  to  deal  with  is  a  dree  bargainer. 

"  He's  nor  a  foo,  although  he  does  na  look  so  very  breet ;   bur  if 
yo'n  eawt  do  wi'  him,  yo'n  foind  him  very  dree" 

(3)  of  long  continuance. 

Heavy,  continuous  rain  is  said  to  be  dree.  WILBRAHAM  explains  dree 
rain  as  "a  close,  thick,  small  rain;"  and  I  have  the  same  meaning  from 
DUKINFIELD. 

DREE,  v.  to  continue  or  hold  out.     W. 

DREELY,  adv.  continuously. 
"  It  rains  dreely." 

DREVEN,  s.  a  draggletail. 

"  What  a  dreven  thou  art !"     L. 

DREYVE,  v.  to  drive.     WILMSLOW. 

DRIFTSMAN,  s.  salt-mining  term.  The  foreman  having  charge  of 
the  miners,  and  setting  out  their  work.  See  DRIFT  (2). 

DRIFT,  s.  (i)  a  drove  of  cattle. 

(2)  salt-mining    term.       A    miner's     length    of    work, 
measured  out  for  him  to  execute. 

DRILL.     See  CHISEL. 
DRINK,  5.  (i)  intoxicating  liquor. 

(2)  a  dose  of  cattle  medicine. 

"  I'll  send  her  a  drink  "  says  the  farrier  when  he  comes  to  prescribe  for 
a  cow. 

DRIP,  v.  to  drip  a  cow  is  to  milk  out  the  few  last  drops  that  have 
secreted  in  the  udder  a  short  time  after  the  regular  milking. 

It  used  to  be  the  custom  for  someone  (frequently  a  young  person  learning 
to  milk)  to  follow  the  regular  milkers  and  drip  all  the  cows.  Many  old- 
fashioned  farmers  still  practice  it ;  but  in  too  many  cases  the  good  old  custom 
is  given  up.  The  person  who  dripped  the  cows  did  not  sit  down,  but  stood 
and  milked  with  one  hand  holding  the  can  in  the  other. 

DRIPPING  CAN,  s.  a  small  can  in  use  for  dripping  cows,  being 
easier  to  hold  in  one  hand  than  an  ordinary  milking  can, 
which  holds  from  ten  to  twelve  quarts. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  IO/ 

DRIPPINGS,  s.  the  last  milk  drawn  from  a  cow  (see  DRIP)  ;  much 
richer  than  the  first  milk. 

The  drippings  were  generally  put  into  the  cream  mug  for  churning,  and 
not  amongst  the  general  milk  for  cheese  making.  They  are  also  considered 
a  potent  drink  for  consumptive  people  and  weakly  children. 

DRIVE,  v.  to  procrastinate,  to  dawdle  over  work,  leaving  everything 
till  the  last  minute. 

DRIVING,  part,  dawdling,  putting  everything  off. 

"  Oo  ne'er  gets  her  dishes  weshed  till  neet,  oo's  that  driving." 

DRIVING  LANE,  s.  an  occupation  road. 

DRONES,  s.  a  steelyard. 

Hay  is  always  weighed  upon  drones  which  are  furnished  with  long  hooks 
to  hook  into  the  bands  with  which  the  trusses  are  tied.  See  TRUSS  WEIGHT. 

DROOK,  s.   the  grass  Bromus  secalinus.      Plentiful,   as   a  weed, 
amongst  corn,  and  popularly  believed  to  be  degenerated  oats. 

A  labourer  once  told  me  that  darnel  (Lolium  temulentum)  only  infested 
wheat  whilst  drook  only  infested  oats,  and  that  darnel  was  degenerated  wheat, 
and  drook  degenerated  oats. 

DROOPING  TULIP,  s.  Fritillaria  Meleagris. 
DROOT,  s.  drought. 

DROOTY,  adj.  dry. 

"  Drooty  weather." 

DROP,  s.  (i)  a  diminution  of  wages. 
"He's  had  a  drop" 

(2)  intoxicating  drink. 

"  Come  and  have  a  drop  "  is  an  invitation  to  drink.  "  I  think  he's  had 
a  drop  "  means  that  a  man  is  half  drunk.  In  this  case  the  accent  would  be 
on  the  words  have,  had.  In  (i)  the  accent  would  be  on  drop. 

(3)  a  considerable  quantity. 

"  We'en  had  a  noice  drop  o'  rain." 

DROP,  v.  (i)  to  reduce  wages. 

"  He's  after  dropping  us  a  shilling." 

(2)  to  cease,  to  leave  off. 
"  Come,  drop  that  now." 

(3)  to  sow  seed  at  intervals. 

"  Dropping  taters  "  is  putting  the  sets  in  the  rows  at  intervals  ready  for 
covering  with  the  plough,  or  putting  them  into  the  holes  made  by  the 
dibble.  Dropping  mangold  seed  is  sowing  at  intervals  in  holes. 

DROP  OUT,  v.  to  quarrel.     MACCLESFIELD. 

DROPPING,  adj.  showery. 

"A  dropping  time  "  is  showery  weather. 


108  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

DROPPING  HER  SALT,  idiom,  salt-making  term. 

The  expression  is  used  when  a  pan  is  making  salt  freely.  The  crystals 
form  on  the  surface  of  the  brine  and  sink  to  the  bottom. 

DROSS,  s.  salt-making  term.  The  refuse  or  marl  left  after  dis- 
solving rock-salt  in  water. 

DROVIER,  s.  a  drover. 
DRUDGE-BOX,  s.  a  flour-dredger. 

DRUM,  s.  salt-mining  term.  A  large  wheel  on  which  the  flat-ropes 
wind  up. 

The  winding  is  done  entirely  by  steam  engines  constructed  on  the 
reversing  principle,  and  so  dexterous  are  many  of  the  engineers  that  a  tub 
can  be  set  down  to  such  a  nicety  as  to  cause  no  concussion  whatever. 

DRUMBLE  or  DRUMBA,  s,  a  small  ravine,  generally  over- 
shadowed with  trees,  and  having  a  little  stream  or  rundle  at  the 
bottom. 

DRUMBOW-DASH.    See  DUMBERDASH. 
DRUV,  v.  drove. 
DRY,  adj.  (i)  thirsty. 

(2)  not  giving  milk.     Said  of  cows. 

DRY,  v.  to  cause  the  flow  of  a  cow's  milk  to  cease,  either  by  milking 
at  longer  and  longer  intervals,  or  by  bleeding  the  cow,  or  by 
giving  medicinal  agents. 

DUB,  v.  to  clip  a  hedge. 

DUBBED,  part,  adorned,  ornamented,  old  word.     L. 
DUBBIN  SHEARS,  s.  shears  for  clipping  a  hedge. 
DUBIOUS,  adj.  (i)  undecided. 
(2)  not  trustful. 

"I'm  very  dubious  abait  ahr  Tom.  It's  my  belief  he's  getten 
agate  wi  some  young  woman,  for  he's  donned  his  Sunday  shute  twice 
this  wik." 

Often  pronounced  DUBOUS  in  MACCLESFIELD. 

DUCK,  v.  (i)  to  stoop  down,  to  bend  the  head.     Also  used  as  a 
reflective  verb. 


(2)  to  dip  the  head  in  water. 

DUCK  MEAT,  s.  Lemna  minor,  L.     The  small  green  plant  which 
grows  on  the  surface  of  stagnant  ponds.     DIGMEAT  (W.  CHES.). 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  1 09 

DUCKS  AND  DRAKES,  s.  a  boy's  game. 

A  favourite  amusement  with  boys,  who  get  flat  stones  and  skim  them 
along  the  surface  of  water.  They  try  whose  stone  will  ricochet  the 
oftenest  or  "  make  the  most  ducks  and  drakes" 

DUCKSTONE,  s.  a  boy's  game. 

It  is  thus  played :  Each  boy  provides  himself  with  a  paving-stone,  and  a 
large  boulder  stone  is  required  upon  which  one  of  the  paving  stones  is 
placed.  After  arranging  who  shall  be  ' '  down  "  first,  that  boy  places  his 
stone  upon  the  boulder  and  stands  near  it,  and  the  others,  standing  eight  or 
ten  yards  off,  bowl  their  stones  at  it.  They  then  run  to  pick  up  their  stones, 
and  the  boy  who  is  down  tries  to  tick  one  of  them  before  he  reaches  home. 
He  can  only  tick  another  if  his  own  stone  is  still  upon  the  boulder.  If  it  has 
been  knocked  off,  he  must  replace  it  before  he  can  tick.  If  he  manages  to  tick 
another,  that  boy  takes  his  place.  It  is  a  rough  and  somewhat  dangerous 
game,  but  is  popular  amongst  Cheshire  schoolboys, 

DUFF,  s.  dough.     Also  DOFF. 

DUFF-CAKE,  s.  a  cake  made  of  dough.     MACCLESFIELD. 

DUG,  s.  a  dog. 

DUMBERDASH,  s.  (i)  a  sudden  and  heavy  fall  of  rain. 

Leigh  also  gives  DUNDERDASH.  Wilbraham  has  it  thus :  "DUNGOW-DASH 
or  DRUMBOW-DASH,  v.  (sic)  dung,  filth.  When  the  clouds  threaten  hail  or 
rain  it  is  said,  '  There  is  a  deal  of  pouse  or  dungo-dash  to  come  down.' " 

(2)  smash,  breakdown.     Mow  COP. 

DUMMY,  s.  hatting  term.     A  wood  or  iron  implement  to  press 
down  the  curls  of  hat  brims. 

DUN,  v.  do. 

"  Dun  yo?"  do  you  ? 

DUNCH,  adj.  deaf.     W. 

DUNGOW-DASH.     See  DUMBERDASH. 

DUN  JOHN,  s.  various  species  of  the  grass  Agrostis. 

Probably  so  called  from  the  colour  which,  when  plentiful,  it  gives  to  the 
fields.  A  labouring  man  once  told  me,  however,  that  he  supposed  the  name 
was  given  to  it  because  it  indicated  that  the  land  was  "  done  "  or  run  out, 
i.e.,  impoverished. 

DUNNA,  DUNNER,  or  DUNNOT,  v.  do  not. 
DUNNOCK,  s.  the  hedge  sparrow,  Accentor  modularis. 

DUNNOT  KNOW,  v.  a  frequent  commencement  of  an  answer  to  a 
question. 

" How  many  children  hive  you?"     "Dunnot  know,  but  I  believe 
I  have  six."    L. 

DUNNY,  adj.  deaf.     MACCLESFIELD,  but  not  in  common  use. 


IIO  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

DUR,  s.  a  door. 

There  is  a  curious  prolongation  of  the  r,  but  without  any  approach  to  a 
trill. 

DURCRATCH,  s.  the  side  of  a  cart. 
DUSNA,  v.  does  not. 

DUST  A,  v.  dost  thou. 

"Dusta  hear?"  or  as  frequently  "dost'  hear." 

DUSTY  HUSBAND,  s.  the  plant  Cerastium  tomentosum,  so  fre- 
quently used  for  the  edgings  of  flower  beds.  Also  Arabis  alpina 
from  the  masses  of  white  flowers. 

DUTCH,  TO  TALK,  v.  to  speak  angrily.     MACCLESFIELD. 

"If  tha  does  that  again,  V II  talk  Dutch  to  the." 

DUTCH  CHEESE,  s.  fruit  of  Malva  rotundifolia. 
DUZZY,  adj.  slow,  heavy.     W.     LEIGH  adds  DOUZZY. 

DWARF,  s.  occasionally  applied  to  a  person  who  is  deformed  in 
any  way;  and  not  particularly  referring  to  diminutive  stature. 
The  a  is  pronounced  as  in  the  word  "far." 

DWINDLE,  v.  to  pine  away  as  a  sickly  plant,  or  an  unhealthy 
animal  does. 

In  Cheshire  it  is  considered  very  unlucky  to  bid  money  for  anything  which 
is  not  on  sale.  Someone  put  a  price  upon  a  woman's  pig  at  Little  Budworth. 
"After  that,"  she  said,  "it  began  to  dwindle,  and  would  never  do  no  good." 

DYM  SASSENACH,  idiom,  the  Welsh  for  "I  don't  understand 
English." 

If  a  man  is  slow  to  take  a  hint,  we  say,  "  It's  Dym  Sassenach  with  him." 
It  seems  to  be  equivalent  to  the  proverb  "  None  so  deaf  as  those  who  won't 
hear." 

DYTCH,  s.  a  ditch.    MOBBERLEY. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  Ill 


E. 


EAG,  it.  to  incite.     MACCLESFIELD. 
EALE,  s.  ale.     W. 

EAM  or  EEM,  v.  to  spare  time,  to  have  leisure. 

"  I  cannot  earn  now."    W. 

Wilbraham  gives  this  as  a  Lancashire  word,  but  Ray  (North  Country 
Words,  E.D.S.  Gloss.)  assigns  it  to  Cheshire.  I  think  it  is  now  obsolete. 

EAM  or  EEM,  adv.  near  at  hand,  at  no  great  distance. 

From  a  manuscript  note  in  Wilbraham's  Glossary,  apparently  written 
about  1826. 

EAMBY,  adv.  close  by,  handy.     W. 

EARE,  s.  air.     CHESTER  J?LA YS,  i.  22.     HALLIWELL. 

EARNEST,  s.  money  given  to  fasten  a  bargain. 

The  custom  in  hiring  farm  servants  was,  and  no  doubt  still  is  in  many 
places,  for  the  servant  to  call  at  the  farm  where  he  or  she  wanted  a  place,  a 
few  weeks  before  Christmas,  and  generally  at  night,  and  if  the  bargain  was 
struck  the  farmer  gave  the  man  or  woman  a  shilling,  and  this  was  understood 
to  fasten  the  servant  for  a  year.  If  anything  occurred  to  break  the  engage- 
ment the  shilling  was  sent  back,  and  if  accepted  there  was  an  end  to  the 
engagement.  When  cattle-dealers  buy  a  beast  which  they  agree  to  take 
away  at  some  future  time  they  always  leave  a  deposit,  generally  a  sovereign,  as 
a  security  for  the  completion  of  the  transaction,  and  in  striking  the  bargain 
they  generally  try  to  force  this  deposit  into  the  farmer's  hand  whilst  bidding 
what  they  profess  to  be  their  ultimatum,  in  order  to  fasten  the  farmer  to  his 
share  of  the  bargain  ;  indeed  they  always  at  the  same  time  make  use  of  the 
expression,  "Well  now,  I'll  fasten  you." 

EARTH-NUT,  s.  Buniumflexuosum,  also  PIG-NUT. 

EASEMENT,  s.  (i)  a  right  which  one  person  has  on  another  man's 
property  without  payment,  as  right  of  way,- 
right  to  obtain  water,  &c.  A  legal  term  in 
general  use,  but  well  understood  in  Cheshire. 

(2)  relief  to  one's  mind.     MACCLESFIELD. 
EASE  POW.    See  AIZE  Pow. 
EASIN,  s.  the  eaves  of  a  house.    Also  AIZIN. 

EASING  SHEAF,  s.  the  easing  sheaf  is  the  beginning  of  the  roof  of 
a  rick,  where  the  sheaf  is  made  to  project  beyond  the  wall  of  the 
rick,  so  as  to  throw  the  rain  off,  instead  of  its  trickling  down  the 
sides  of  the  rick.  L. 


112  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

EASY-MELCHED,  adj.  said  of  a  cow  that  is  easy  to  milk — the 
opposite  quality  is  HARD-MELCHED. 

EATING  WATER,  s.  drinking  water. 

EAWT,  s.  anything. 

"  If  we  wanten  eawt  and  conna  pay,  we  done  bight." 
If  this  maxim  were  always  followed  there  would  not^be  so  many  bankrupts. 

EAVER  or  EEVER,  s.  a  quarter  of  the  heavens. 
The  wind  is  in  the  rainy  eaver.     W. 

EB,  prop,  name,  short  for  Abraham.     WILMSLOW.     Also  YEB. 

EBB,  adj.  shallow. 

Shallow  water  is  ebb.     A  drain  cut  not  very  deep'is  said  to  be  ebb. 

EDDER    FEEDER,  s.   adder  feeder,  a  common  name  for  the 
gadfly.     L. 

EDDERINGS,  s.  radlings  in  a  hedge  are  so  called.     W. 

Radlings  are  explained  as  long  sticks  twisted  together. 
"  Saue  edder  and  stake 
Strong  hedge  to  make." 

TUSSER  (E.D.S.  ed.,  p.  73). 

EDDICK,  s.  the  bur  or  burdock.     Arctium  Lappa,  also  ERRICK. 

EDDISH, 
EDDITCH 

The  word  by  itself  is  confined  to  the  second  growth  of  meadow  grass,  and 
is  not  applicable  to  clover.  The  aftergrass  of  clover  is  generally  spoken  of 
as  the  "second  crop,"  but  if  pastured  it  is  sometimes  distinguished  as 
"clover  eddish." 

EDDISH  CHEESE,  5.  cheese  made  whilst  the  cows  are  eating 
eddish. 

EDDISH  HAY,  s.  hay  made  of  the  aftergrass. 

EDDY,  s.  an  idiot.     HALLIWELL. 

Leigh  says  AN  EDDY  or  A  NEDDY,  of  which  word  if  may  be  a  diminutive 
or  a  corruption. 

EDER,  s.  a  hedge.     L.     See  EDDERINGS. 

EDGE,  s.  a  long  hill.     ALDERLEY  EDGE,  JACKSON  EDGE,  COBDEN 
EDGE. 

EDGE,  v.  to  make  room,  to  go  aside. 
"  Canna  thee  edge  a  bit  ?" 

EDGEGREN,  s.  eddish. 

Used  in  an  old  account  book,  dated  1656.  Edgegren  is  probably  a  mis- 
print for  "  Edgegrew,"  as  the  word  "  Edgrew  "  is  still  in  use  at  Mow  Cop. 


,}  « 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  113 

EDGE  O'DARK,  s.  evening  twilight.    EDGE  O'NEET,  MACCLES- 

FIELD. 

EDGREW,  s.  aftermath.     Mow  COP. 

EDTHER  BOWT,  s.  the  dragonfly. 

EE,  s.  eye;  plural  EEN.     MID-CHES. 

EEK,  v.  to  itch.     YEUK  or  YOKE,  is  the  itch.     L. 

EEL,  v.  (i)  to  cover  in;  to  season  an  oven  when  first  made.     L. 

(2)  to  ail.     W.  CHES. 
"  Whatever  eels  ye  ?" 

EEM,  v.  see  EAM. 

EEM,  adv.  near.     L.     Cf.  AIMER. 

EEN,     1 

EYN'E>}*.  piurai  of  eye. 

EEND,  s.  end. 

EENE,  s.  the  long  part  of  a  spade  handle.     MIDDLEWICH. 

EFFIGIES,  s.  a  hatchment  (which  comes  from  "atchieve merit"). 

In  a  bill  of  church  accounts  in  the  Middlewych  Church  Book,  in  1701,  is 
a  charge:  "  To  removing  the  effigies  of  the  old  Lacly  Buckley."  L. 

EGER,  prop.  name,  a  portion  of  Astmoor  Marsh  in  the  township  of 
Halton  is  called  "The  Eger"  in  old  maps. 

This  marsh  is  covered  by  the  river  Mersey  at  high  tides.  In  Peacock's 
Lincolnshire  Glossary  (E.D.S.  C.  6)  Eger  is  explained  as  "the  high  tidal 
wave  of  the  Trent  and  Ouse. "  According  to  Kennett  (HALLIWELL)  "any 
sudden  inundation  of  the  sea  is  called  an  eger  at  Howden  in  Yorkshire."  I 
take  it  therefore  that  the  name  of  this  portion  of  Astmoor  Marsh  has  been 
given  because  it  is  so  frequently  inundated. 

EGG  or  EGG  ON,  v.  to  urge  on,  to  incite. 

EGGED  ALE,  s.  Egg  Flip,  drunk  at  Easter  in  the  neighbourhood 

Of  WlLMSLOW. 

EGG  PLANT,  s.  the  snowberry,  Symphoricarpus  racemosus. 

EGGS  AND   BUTTER,  s.  the  buttercup,  Ranunculus  acris,  and 
R.  bulbosus. 

EGYPTIAN  THORN,  s.  Cratagus  Pyracantha. 

ELBOW  GREASE,  s.  hard  work. 

Leigh  gives,  in  illustration  of  this  word,  an  amusing  Cheshire  proverb, 
which  he  says  is  as  old  as  1670,  "She  has  broken  her  elbow  at  the  church 
door,"  said  of  a  woman  who,  as  a  daughter,  was  a  hard  worker  and  did  not 
spare  her  elbow  grease,  but  who,  after  marriage,  became  lazy  and  indolent. 

One  hears  it  said  sometimes  that  there  is  nothing  like  tlbmv  grease  for 
polishing  a  table. 
I 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

ELDER,  s.  the  udder  of  a  domestic  animal. 

ELL-RAKE,  s.  a  large  rake  with  curved  iron  teeth  drawn  behind 
the  raker.  Sometimes  it  is  pulled  by  two  persons.  ELLER 
RAKE  (DELAMERE). 

ELLER,  s.  the  elder-tree,  Sambucus  niger. 

Leigh  says,  "  It  is  supposed  to  be  unlucky  to  use  the  elder  for  kindling 
or  lighting  a  fire. " 

ELLO,  inter/,  an  exclamation  of  astonishment. 
ENDWAYS  ON,  adv.  endways.     MACCLESFIELD. 
ENOO,  adv.  enough.     ENOW,  HYDE. 
EPPINS,  s.  stepping  stones.     DELAMERE. 

ERDNOW,  v.  I  don't  know. 

Leigh  gives  the  following  story:  "F.  L.  Olmstead,  in  his  Walks  and 
Talks  of  an  American  Farmer  in  England,  was  more  than  once  dumb- 
foundered  by  this  Cheshire  reply  to  his  queries  addressed  to  a  stupid  farm 
lad,  sitting  astride  of  a  gate  not  far  from  Chester :  '  Who  owns  this  land,  my 
boy?'  l  Erdnow,'1  'What  grain  is  that  field  sown  with?'  l  Erdnow."1  The 
American  gave  it  up  in  despair  and  passed  on."  A  very  good  story, "but  I 
think  the  lad  was  more  likely  to  have  said  "  Aw  dunna  know."  The  word 
is  scarcely  worth  recording,  but  I  enter  it  simply  as  extracted  from  Leigh's 
Glossary. 

ERRICK.     See  EDDICK. 

ERRIF,  s.  goose-grass.  Galium  Apartne.  MIDDLEWICH,  and 
generally  throughout  S.  CHES. 

ERRIWIG,  s.  an  earwig.     MACCLESFIELD.  . 

ESHIN,  s.  a  large  can  for  carrying  milk  from  the  shippon  to  the 
house. 

Wilbrahamhas  ESHIN  or  ASHIN,  a  pail;  and  adds,  "  They  are,  I  believe, 
always  made  of  ash  wood."  I  still,  now  and  then,  see  wooden  milk  pails  in 
use,  but  tin  cans  have  almost  superseded  the  old  wooden  vessels.  The  word 
is  often  pronounced  "Heshin,"  and  I  have  seen  it  so  spelt  in  auctioneers' 
catalogues,  but  I  think  Eshin  is  the  more  correct  word. 

ESHINTLE,  s.  an  eshin  full 

ES-LINK,  s.  a  small  piece  of  iron  shaped  like  a  letter  S,  used  for 
mending  a  broken  chain. 

ESS,  s.  ashes. 

Ray  illustrates  the  word  thus:  "'Skeer  the  esse,'  separate  the  dead 
ashes  from  the  embers."  I  am  not  aware  that  SKEER  is  now  in  use. 

ESS-GRID,  s.  a  grating  which  covers  a  hole  in  the  hearth,  called 
an  ess-hole. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  115 

ESS-HOLE,  s.  an  ash-hole  under  the  grate. 

A  very  common  and  useful  arrangement  in  Cheshire  kitchens.  A  hole 
about  two  feet  long  by  eighteen  inches  wide,  and  eighteen  inches  deep,  is 
made  in  the  hearth ;  this  is  covered  by  a  moveable  grid  or  grating.  The 
cinders  which  fall  from  the  fire  are  raked  backwards  and  forwards  over  the 
grating,  and  all  the  small  ashes  or  ess  fall  through  into  the  receptacle  beneath, 
leaving  the  larger  cinders  to  be  put  on  the  fire  and  burnt  over  again.  The 
ess  or  ashes  are  carried  away  periodically  from  the  ess-hole. 

Ess-hole  is  often  used  metaphorically  for  the  fire  itself.  "Eh,  woman! 
Ah  set  wi'  my  knees  i'  th'  ess-hole  aw  day  long,"  said  one  old  dame  to 
another  after  a  spell  of  extra  cold  weather,  "an  it  was  one  body's  wark  to 
put  coal  on." 

Leigh  illustrates  the  word  by  the  saying,  "  Go's  rootin  in  the  ess-Jiole  aw 
dee,"  which,  I  take  it,  means,  "She's  always  sitting  over  the  fire." 

ESS-MIDDEN,  s.  a  heap  of  ashes. 
ESS-RIDDLE,  s.  a  cinder  riddle  or  sieve. 

ESS-ROOK,  s,  a  dog  or  cat  that  likes  to  lie  in  the  ashes.    MACCLES- 
FIELD. 

ETE,  v.  perfect  tense  of  eat. 

ETHER  or  HETHER,   s.   an  adder  or  snake.     MIDDLEWICH, 
DELAMERE. 

ETTEN,  part,  eaten. 

ETWALL,   s.    the  green  woodpecker,  Picus  viridis.     L.,  quoting 
from  Leycester  (?  Sir  Peter  Leycester). 

EVER,  adv.  at  the  present  moment. 

"  Have  you  ever  a  shilling  as  you  could  lend  me?" 

The  above  explanation  is  scarcely  satisfactory.  The  word  is  in  constant 
use,  but  seems  to  add  no  force  to  a  sentence.  The  illustration  will,  however, 
show  how  it  is  used. 

EVER-SO,  adv.  in  any  case,  however  much. 

"  I  would  na  give  it  him,  if  it  was  ever  so." 

EVERY  WHILE  STITCH,  idiom,  every  now  and  then ;  at  times.  W. 

EXPECT,  v.  to  suppose,  to  believe. 
A  word  in  very  frequent  use. 

EXTORTION,  v.  to  cheat,  to  charge  exorbitantly. 

"I  would  not  give  it  him,  for  I  thought  he  only  wanted  to 
extortion  me." 

The  word  used  as  a  verb  occurs  in  Gower's  Con/.  A  mantis,  Bk.  VII., 
vol.  iii.,  p.  159. 

"  For,  when  he  doth  extortion, 
Men  shall  not  finden  one  of  tho 
To  gracche  or  speke  there  agein, 
But  holden  up  his  oile,  and  sain, 
That  all  is  well  that  ever  he  doth." 


Il6  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

EYABLE,  adj,  pleasing  to  the  eye. 

"Th"  garden  is  more  eyable  than  it  were." 

EYE,  s.  (i)  a  brood  of  young  pheasants  is  called  an  "eye  of  pheasants,"   * 
but  I  think  the  term  is  almost  general,  though  LEIGH 
gives  it  as  a  Cheshire  word.     The  correct  word  is 
"a  ny."     See  HALLIWELL,  s.  v.  Ni. 

(2)  a  meadow   or   piece  of  ground   near   a   river,   partly 

surrounded  by  water. 

At  Chester  we  find  the  "  Roodee  "  and  the  "  Earl's  Eye."  We  have  a 
brook  called  the  "Peover  Eye"  which  seems  to  suggest  that  eye  is  a 
synonym  of  a  brook.  L. 

(3)  a  small  cesspool  built  at  the  mouth  of  a  drain  to  catch 

the  sediment  or  wreck,  which  would  otherwise  choke 
up  the  drain. 

(4)  the  bud  of  a  potato. 

EYEBRIGHT,  s.  the  plant  Euphrasia  officinalis.     W.  CHES. 

EYE-HOLE,  s.  the  depressions  in  a  potato  from  which  the  buds 
spring. 

"Skerries  is  wasty  taters,  they'n  getten  sich  deep  eye-holes ;  bur 
if  yo  keepen  pigs,  it  does  na  so  mitch  matter."  (Because  the  pigs 
can  eat  the  peelings,  and  prevent  the  waste. ) 

EYES,  s.  holes  full  of  rancid  liquid  seen  in  badly-made,  poor  cheese. 

Farm  servants,  when  not  satisfied  with  the  food  that  is  given  to  them,  are 
accustomed  to  say— 

"  Brown  bread  and  mahley  pies, 
Twiggen  Dick  full  o'  eyes, 
Buttermilk  instead  o'  beer ; 
So  I'll  be  hanged  if  I  stay  here." 

The  above  is  the  Middlewich  version.     About  Wilmslow  it  varies  slightly — 
' '  Barley  bread  and  barley  pies, 
Twiggen  Dick  and  full  of  eyes, 
Sour  milk  and  smaw  beer, 
Maks  me  stop  no  lunger  here." 

But  the  saying  being  current  in  such  distant  parts  of  the  county  shows  that  it 
is  a  well-known  colloquism.     See  MAHLEY  and  TWIGGEN  DICK. 

EYE  SARVANT,  s.  said  of  a  screw  cheese  press  which,  if  not 
constantly  watched  and  turned,  will  not  work. — Cheshire  Sheaf, 
vol.  i.,  p.  26. 

EYREN,  s.  iron. 

EYEY,  adj.  badly  made  cheese  is  said  to  be  eyey  when  it  contains 
holes  full  of  rancid  whey.  See  EYES. 

EYNE,  s.  plural  of  eye.     See  EE. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  1 1/ 


F. 

FAC,  s.  a  name  for  soil.     L. 

I  have  never  met  with  this  word,  and  am  inclined  to  think  it  is  a  misprint 
for  FAE.  See  FEE. 

FACE  CARDS,  s.  court  cards  in  a  pack.     MACCLESFIELD. 
FADE,  s.  mould  in  cheese ;  more  frequently  called  GREEN-FADE. 

FADGE,  s.  a  lump,  a  heap,  a  quantity  of  anything. 
"  A  gizztfadge."    Mow  COP. 

FAIGH,  s.  refuse  soil,  stones,  &c.     L. 

FAIN,  adj.  glad. 

"  Au  were  rare  and  fain  as  he  got  th'  job  an'  not  me."  fSaid  by  a  man 
who  had  escaped  doing  some  disagreeable  task,  another  having  been  selected 
for  the  work. 

FAIN,  adv.  gladly. 

"  I'd/am  do  it."    N.  E.  CHES. 

FAINTY   HAITCHES,  s.  slight  indisposition.     DELAMERE.     See 

AlTCH. 

FAIR-FAW,  idiom,  expressing  a  preference  for  a  person.  WILMSLOW. 
"Fair-faw  Johnny;  he's  best  lad  o'  th'  two;  au  con  get  him  to  work  a 
bit,"  that  is,  give  me  Johnny  in  preference  to  someone  else  named.     In 
common  use  fifty  years  since,  but  becoming  obsolete. 

FAIRIES'  PETTICOATS,  s.  the  foxglove,  Digitalis  purpurea. 
FAIRIES'  TABLE,  s.  the  plant  Hydrocotyh  vulgaris. 
FAIR  LADY,  .y.  a  kept  woman. 

FAIRLY,  adv.  properly,  thoroughly,  completely. 

"  Aw'mfairty  done,"  i.e.,  I'm  completely  knocked  up. 

FAIRLY-LOOKING,  adj.  good-looking. 

"Go's  ^.f airly -lookin  woman." 

FALL,  s.  the  autumn.     MACCLESFIELD. 

FALL,  v.  (i)  to  fell ;  we  always  speak  of  falling  timber ;  or  falling  a 
hedge. 

(2)  to  be  disintegrated,  as  lime  by  exposure  to  moisture, 

or  clay  by  exposure  to  frost. 

(3)  to  let  fall. 

"  Now,  mind  you  don't  faw  it." 


Il8  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

FALLATIC,  also  PALATTIC,  adj.  paralytic.     L. 

Leigh  states  that  the  word  was  used  at  the  Cheshire  Assizes,  but  does  not 
say  whether  used  by  a  Cheshire  man.  It  appears  to  be  merely  a  mispro- 
nunciation of  what  was  evidently  a  difficult  word  for  the  speaker. 

FALL-GATE,  s.  a  gate  across  the*high  road.  MACCLESFIELD  FOREST. 

FALLOW,  v.  to  fallow  land  is  to  plough  it  very  shallow,  so  as  just 
to  turn  over  the  sod. 

It  is  allowed  to  lie  thus  for  some  time,  in  order  that  the  sod  may  be 
partially  rotted  before  being  buried  deeper  with  a  second  ploughing. 

FAN,  s.  an  old-fashioned  implement  for  winnowing  corn. 

It  consists  of  a  frame  of  wood  to  which  four  horizontal  rails  are  fixed,  and 
pieces  of  sacking  are  nailed  to  the  rails.  This  framework  is  elevated  upon 
legs,  and  is  turned  round  with  a  handle.  The  pieces  of  sacking  cause  a  con- 
siderable wind  as  they  pass  quickly  through  the  air.  The  corn  is  dropped 
through  a  riddle  in  front  of  the  machine,  when  the  chaff  is  blown  away,  and 
the  grain  falls  in  a  heap  below.  I  have  not  seen  a  fan,  I  think,  for  nearly 
twenty  years,  but  there  are,  doubtless,  still  some  in  use  in  remote  country 
places. 

FAN,  v.  to  winnow  corn  with  a  fan. 

FANCICLE,  adj.  fanciful,  crotchetty. 

"  Oi've  no  patience  wi  ahr  Emma,  po's  sitch  a  fancicle  piece  o' 
goods.  Oo  wouldna  tee  a  shaw  o'er  er  yed,  though  th'  rain  were 
coming  dain  that  dree  it  wetted  through  everything ;  but  oo's  that 
pride." 

FANTEAG,  s.  a  fit  of  ill-temper.     MACCLESFIELD. 

FANTOME,  adj.  (i)  poor,  light. 

Light  corn  is  called  fantome  corn.  Wilbraham  says  fantome  hay  is  light, 
well-gotten  hay.  My  idea  of  fantome  hay  is  light,  poor  hay  from  poor  ground, 
which  has  very  little  feeding  quality.  I  have  often  been  told,  "We  can't 
expect  'em  to  milk  much  on  this  hay,  it's  but  fantome.'''' 

(2)  weakly. 
Horses  are  said  to  be  fantome  in  autumn. — Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  i.,  p.  266. 

FARAND  or  FARRAND,  s.  manner,  custom,  appearance.  We 
have  o\&-farand:  farantly  :  to  do  things  in  the  right  or  wrong 
farand.  W. 

FARE,  v.  (i)  to  begin. 

When  a  cow  is  beginning  to  calve  it  is  always  said,  "Oo  fares  o'  cawvin." 
(2)  to  track  footsteps. 

"There's  bin  a  lot  o'  rappits  i'  th'  garden,  I  can  fare  'em  i'  th' 
snow." 

FAREN,  v.  plural  of  fare  (in  the  sense  of  being  provided  for). 
"  They/area  weel,  nah  th'  owd  mon's  djed." 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  119 

FARGE,  s.  (i)  a  gossip.     L. 

(2)  an  intruder  or  spy.     MACCLESFIELD. 

"Th'  mester's  a  reglar  owd  farge,  he  actilly  coom  i'  th'  back 
kitchen  yesterday  and  cainted  up  th  rubbin  stones." 

FARGE,  v.  (i)  to  gossip.    L. 

(2)  to  loiter  about  or  waste  time.     STOCKPORT. 

FARRANTLY,     FARRINTLY     (DELAMERE)),     FARRINKLY 
(DUKINFIELD,  MACCLESFIELD,  WILMSLOW),  adj.  good-looking. 
"  Go's  zfarrinkly  wench,  that  oo  is." 

FARTHER,  expressive  of  repugnance. 

I  will  be  farther  if  I  do  that,  means,  I  will  never  do  it.     W. 

FARTHIN-BAG,  s.  the  second  stomach  of  a  cow.     RAINOW. 
FASH,  5.  (i)  the  tops  of  turnips  or  mangolds. 

(2)  nonsense. 

"Dunna  talk  sich  loikefash." 

FASH,  v.  (i)  to  trouble,  tease,  shame,  or  cast  down.     W. 

(2)  to  cut  off  the  tops  of  turnips. 

Fashing  turnips  is  generally  done  by  piecework,  at  about  one  halfpenny 
per  score  yards  of  a  drill. 

FASHIOUS,  adj.  unfortunate,  shameful,  troublesome. 

FAST,  part,  (i)  embarrassed. 

"  I've  gettenyorf  among  it,  some  road." 
Leigh  gives  this  illustration,  but  every  Cheshire  man  must  have  heard  it.     . 

(2)  prevented  by  business  or  other  engagements. 

FAST  BY  ONE  END,  a  good  example  of  a  Cheshire  answer, 
which  is  seldom  yea  or  nay,  simply  (see  BELIEVE). 

"  Have  you  cut  your  hay ?"  " It's/ast  by  one  end"  Which  proves  that 
the  hay  is  not  cut,  nor  at  present  liable  to  injury  from  the  wet,  as  the  hay  is 
that  is  mown.  L. 

FASTEN,  v.  (i)  to  sue  at  law.     MACCLESFIELD. 

"  I'll  fasten  the,"  i.e.,  I'll  take  the  law  of  you. 

(2)  to  bind  a  bargain. 

A  butcher,  in  making  what  he  wishes  you  to  consider  his  highest  bid, 
generally  tries  to  thrust  a  piece  of  money  into  your  hand,  at  the  same  time 
saying,  "  Well,  now,  I'll  fasten  you." 

FASTENED, part,  prevented;  otherwise  occupied.    MACCLESFIELD. 
"  I  shall  be  fastened  to-morrow,  and  canna  come." 


120  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

FASTENS,  s.  (i)  fastenings  for  doors  or  windows. 

"To  repairing  and  making  fastens  to  windows,  43.  8d." 

— Blacksmith's  Bill,  dated  July,  1881. 

This  might  be  considered  merely  an  illiterate  error  were  it  not  that  the 
word  is  constantly  used  throughout  the  whole  of  Cheshire. 

(2)  Shrove  Tuesday,  also  called  "Fastens  Tuesday." 

A  seed  cake  used  to  be  the  feast  on  this  day  instead  of  pancakes  as  at 
present.  Langley  mentions  Fastingham  Tuesday.  L. 

The  above  is  evidently  extracted  from  Halliwell,  who  does  not,  however, 
say  that  the  word  is  used  in  Cheshire. 

FAT  HEN,  s.  various  species  of  goosefoot,  Chenopodium. 
FAUF,  s.  a  flea.     DELAMERE. 
FAUGH,  s.  fallow.     W. 
FAVVER,  s.  favour. 

FAVVER,  v.  to  resemble. 

"Thou  favaers  the  fayther." 

FAW,  s.  and  v.  fall. 

FAW  AHT,  v.  to  fall  out,  to  quarrel. 

FAWN,/ar/.  fallen. 

FAWN-FECKAS  or  FAWN-FECKLES,  also  FAWN-PECKAS,  s. 
freckles. 

It  is  said  that  fawn-feckles  come  on  the  face  when  birds  begin  to  lay  their 
eggs,  as  if  there  were  some  supposed  connexion  between  the  brown  spots  on 
birds'  eggs  and  those  on  the  face.     The  following  couplet  is  also  current — 
** Fcrutn-peekas  once  made  a  vow 
They  ne'er  would  come  on  a  face  that  was  fow." 

FAWSE,  adj.  (i)  cunning,  quick-witted. 

"  Go's  afawse  little  thing  ;  oo  knows  her  daddy's  footstep  afore 
ever  he  comes  inside  o'  th'  dur." 

(2)  false. 
FAWT,  s.  a  fault. 

FAY,       ] 

FEE,       \  s.  the  surface  soil  in  contradistinction  to  the  sub-soil. 

FEATH,) 

Amongst  turf-getters  the  hassocks,  stake-turf,  and  other  matters  which 
overlie  the  turf  proper,  constitute  thefeatA. 

FAY  or  FEE,  v.  to  remove  the  surface  soil,  in  order  to  reach  the 
underlying  sand,  marl,  gravel,  or  whatever  the  subsoil  may  be. 

FAYTHER,  s.  father. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  121 

FEABERRY,  s.  the  gooseberry,  Ribes  Grossularia. 

This  name  is  common  enough  in  Lancashire,  but  is  becoming  obsolete  in 
Cheshire,  though  it  would  appear  to  have  been  once  commonly  used,  for 
Gerard  says,  "the  name  is  used  in  Cheshire,  my  native  county."  A  few  old 
people  use  it  about  MACCLESFIELD. 

FEAL,  v.  to  hide  slily. 

"  He  tha.tfea/s  can  find."     L. 

FEAR,  v.  to  frighten. 

"To  fear  crows "  is  to  frighten  rooks  off  the  cornfields. 

FEAR-CROW,  s.  a  scarecrow.     Hence  any  unsightly  object. 

FEARIN,  s.  a  ghost. 

FEART,  adj.  cowardly. 

FEART,  part,  frightened. 

FEATH.     See  FAY. 

FEATHERFEW,  s.  the  plant  Pyrethrum  Parthenium. 

FEB-OO-AIRY,  s.  the  usual  way  of  pronouncing  February. 

FEBRUARY  FILL  DYKE. 

" February  Jill  dyke, 

Whether  black  or  white." 
Leigh  gives  this  as  a  Cheshire  expression. 

FECK  or  FECKS,  an  exclamation.     W. 

FEE.     See  FAY. 

FEERN,  s.  fern. 

FEG,  s.  after  grass ;  the  same  as  FOG.     MIDDLEWICH. 

FEIGHT  (almost  pronounced  like /<*&),  FOIGHT,  v.  to  fight. 

FEND  FOR,  v.  provide  for, 

' '  Aye,  I  can  assure  you,  miss,  it's  hard  work.     Yo  seen  I  have 
for  t' 'fend for  ahr  Emma's  three  childer,  nah  oo's  djed  an  gone." 

FENDIN  AND  PROVIN,  idiom,  arguing  about  trifles. 

"  Dunna  thee  ston  theerfendm  and provin,  but  get  to  thi  wark." 

FENT,  s.  a  remnant  of  linen  or  calico ;  generally  what  is  cut  off  a 
"piece"  of  "cloth"  to  reduce  it  to  the  orthodox  length. 

In  the  bleaching  process,  or  rather  the  beetling  process,  cloth  becomes  a 
good  deal  stretched,  and  there  are  thus  obtained  too  many  yards,  which  are 
cut  off.  Fents  are  sold  remarkably  cheap,  and  the  sale  of  them  constitutes 
a  distinct  trade.  They  are  frequently  exposed  for  sale  on  stalls  in  the 
country-town  markets,  and  another  remarkable  thing  is  that  they  are 
generally  sold  by  weight. 


122  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

FEOFF,  s.  a  flea.     S.  CHES. 
FERMENT,  v.  to  foment. 

FERRET  or  FERRET  AHT,  v.  to  investigate,  to  find  out. 
"  Yo  want  ferret  it  aht,  dun  yo  ?" 

FERRIER,  s.  salt-mining  term ;  one  who  ferries  or  conveys  the 
rock  salt  from  the  workings  to  the  shaft. 

FERRUPS,  excl.  almost  synonymous  with  "deuce."  MACCLESFIELD. 
"What  \hzferrups  are  you  about?" 

FERRY,  s.  salt-mining  term ;  to  convey  rock  salt  from  the  workings 
to  the  shaft. 

FERRY-BOAT,  s.  a  jocose  name  for  the  thin,  shallow,  wooden 
bowl  used  for  skimming  cream  off  milk. 

If  cheese  is  poor  it  is  sometimes  said,  "  T\?  ferry-boat  has  been  too  often 
across  th'  cheese-tub." 

FESTERMENT,  s.  (i)  confusion;  entanglement 
"  A  festerment  o"  weeds." 

(2)  annoyance,  vexation.     L. 

FETCH,  v.  to  give,  in  the  sense  of  giving  a  blow. 
"  He  fetched  im  a  crack  aside1**)'  th'  yed." 

FETCH  ONE'S  BREATH,  v.  to  breathe  with  difficulty  j  to  gasp. 
"  He  could  hardly  fetch  his  breath." 

FETTLE,  s.  order,  repair,  condition. 

A  word  of  very  wide  signification.  A  road  which  has  been  recently 
repaired  is  in  goodi  fettle .  A  person  who  is  extremely  well  is  in  good  fettle  ; 
so  is  an  animal  which  is  fat. 

FETTLE,  v.  (i)  to  mend,  to  put  in  order. 

(2)  to  chastise. 

A  mother  will  threaten  her  child,  "  Y\\  fettle  thee." 

(3)  to  sharpen  knives  for  the  fustian-cutters.     LYMM. 

(4)  to  mull  ale  or  porter. 

FETTLED  ALE,  s.  ale  mulled  with  ginger  and  sugar — much  relished 
in  Cheshire  with  toasted  cheese.  Porter  is  also  fettled  in  the 
same  manner. 

FETTLER,  s.  one  who  sharpens  the  knives  of  the  fustian  cutters. 
LYMM,  LATCHFORD. 

FEVERFEW,  s.  the  plant  Erythraa  Centaurium,  much  used  in 
rustic  medicine  as  a  stomachic  or  tonic. 

FEW,  v.  flew,  perfect  tense  of  the  verb  to  fly.    W. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  123 

FEW,  adj.  not  only  a  small  number,  but  also  a  little  quantity.     W. 
"  A  few  broth." 

This  is  scarcely  the  correct  explanation.  Broth,  porridge,  furmetry,  &c. , 
are  treated  as  plural  substantives,  and  so  few  is  prefixed.  That  this  is  so  is 
proved  by  the  fact  that  in  speaking  of  broth,  &c. ,  we  say,  ' '  They  are  very 
good." 

FIDDLE-FADDLE,  v.  to  trifle,  to  dawdle.     MACCLESFIELD. 

FIDDLER'S  ELBOW,  idiom,  any  very  crooked  job  or  thing  is  said 
to  be  "  like  a  fiddler's  elbow." — Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  L,  p.  83. 

FIDDLERS'  MONEY,  s.  very  small  change. 
FIDGE,  s.  a  fidget,  a  restless  person.     MACCLESFIELD. 

FIGARIES,  s.  fanciful  attire,  such  as  a  superabundance  of  ribbons, 
flowers,  &c.  MACCLESFIELD. 

FIGHTING  COCKS,  s.  the  flower  stalks  of  Plantago  lanceolata. 

They  are  used  for  playing  a  game  in  the  same  manner  as  chestnuts  are 
used  in  the  game  of  CONQUERORS  (which  see).  Each  combatant  gathers  a 
bunch  of  plaintains,  and  they  by  turns  offer  a  plantain  to  be  struck  at,  or 
strike  that  of  their  adversary.  The  one  who  strikes  off"  all  the  heads  of  his 
opponent's  bunch — that  is,  the  one  who  holds  the  last  unbroken  plantain — 
wins  the  game. 

FILBEARD,  s.  the  filbert  nut. 

Tusser  mentions  "filbeards,  red  and  white,"  amongst  "  trees  or  fruites  to 
be  set  or  remooued  "  in  January,  The  "  red  or  white,"  I  suppose,  refers  to 
two  varieties,  differing  in  the  colour  of  the  skin  of  the  kernel,  one  of  which  is 
reddish,  the  other  whitish.  I  have  seen  both  kinds  in  Cheshire,  and  have 
been  told  that  the  variety  with  red  skins  is  the  best. 

FILBOW,  s.  the  part  of  a  gate  hinge  which  is  driven  into  the  gate. 
It  hangs  on  the  hook  or  gudgeon,  which  is  the  part  driven  into  the 
gate  stump,  or  hang-post. 

FILLERS,  s.  salt-making  term.  The  men  who  fill  the  salt  into 
sacks,  when  salt  is  packed  in  that  manner  for  transmission. 

FILLET,  s.  a  broad  band  of  tin  used  for  raising  the  sides  of  a 
cheese  vat  when  the  curd  is  first  put  to  press.  As  the  curd 
sinks  with  pressure,  the  fillet  sinks  with  it  into  the  vat 

FILLILOO,  excL  the  meaning  of  which  I  am  totally  unable  to 
explain.  MACCLESFIELD. 

"  Aye,Jilliloo,  ahr  Sal's  goin  be  wed."     See  FOIN  (2). 

FILMART,  FILMUT,  or  FOOMART,  s.  a  polecat. 

FIND,  v.  to  provide  with  food. 

To  "find  one's  self"  is  to  provide  one's  own  food.  In  hiring  a  farm 
servant  who  was  not  to  live  in  his  master's  house,  it  would  be  stipulated  that 
he  was  to  have  so  much  wages  "and^/fw^ himself." 


124  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

FINE  JOHN,  s.  the  grass  Agrostis  vulgaris. 

FINGER-STALL,  s.  a  covering  for  a  sore  finger ;  usually  made  by 
cutting  off  the  finger  of  an  old  glove. 

FINNIKIN,  adj.  fastidious. 

FINS,  s.  all  the  bones  of  a  fish  are  so  called.     MACCLESFIELD. 

FIR-BOB,  s.  a  fir  cone. 

FIRE,  v.  to  set  fire  to  anything. 

To  "fire  a  chimbley  "  is  to  set  fire  to  it  to  burn  out  the  soot. 

FIRK,  v.  (i)  to  root,  to  scratch.     Mow  COP. 
(2)  to  fidget.     Mow  COP. 

FIRST  BEGINNING,  s.  the  beginning.     A  piece  of  tautology  in 
very  common  use. 

FIRST  END,  s.  the  beginning.     L. 

FIRST  OF  MAY,  s.  the  meadow  saxifrage,  Saxifraga  granulata. 

FIRST-PIECE,  s.  the  ridge  piece  of  roof  timbers,  against  which  the 
upper  ends  of  the  spars  are  placed. 

FIR-WOOD,  s.  the  same  as  what  is  now  called  BOG:WOOD,  which  see. 

"  In  [the  mosses]  is  found  much  of  that  wood  we  c&\\Jirrwood,  which 
serves  the  country-people  for  candles,  fewel,  and  sometimes  for  small  timber  - 
uses;  and  this  the  vulgar  conclude  to  have  layn  there  since  the  flood." — 
NANTWICH,  Phil.  Trans.,  vol.  iv.,  p.  1061. 

Firwood  is  still  obtained  from  Macclesfield  Moss,  and  sold  in  the  town, 
but  not  now  to  any  great  extent.  Formerly  the  cry,  "Firwood,  Firwood" 
was  frequently  heard  in  Macclesfield. 

FISHERY  SALT,  s.  salt-making  term.     Coarse  salt  made  specially 
for  curing  fish. 

FISSES,  s.  plural  of  fist. 

FISTLE,  s.  a  thistle.     MOBBERLEY. 

FITCHES,  s.  vetches,  Vicia  sativa. 

FITCHET,  s.  a  pole-cat. 

A  dark  ferret  is  called  "Jitchet-colomed." — Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  i.,  p.  266. 

FITCHET  CAT,  s.  a  black  cat  marked  with  brown  patches  upon 
the  black.     DELAMERE. 
They  are  highly  valued. 

FITCHET-PIE,  s.  a  pie  composed  of  apples,  onions,  and  bacon, 
formerly  served  at  harvest-home  suppers. 

FITHER,  s.  a  feather.     MID-CHES. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  125 

FITS   AND   GURDS,   idiom,  fits  and  starts.      BUCKLOW    HILL, 
KNUTSFORD,  WARFORD. 

"The  clock  strikes  by  fits  and  gurds." 

FITTER,  v.  to  move  the  feet  quickly,  as  children  do  when  in  a 
passion.     W. 

FIZGIG,  s.  anything  shaggy,  like  a  head  of  hair  which  bristles  in  all 
directions. 

FLABBERGASTER,  v.  to  perplex. 
FLACKET,  s.  a  small  board  behind  a  cart.     L. 
FLACKEY,  s.  a  chaffinch,  Fringilla  ccelebs.     DUKINFIELD. 

FLAG,  s.  salt-mining  term ;  a  very  hard  kind  of  marl  found  near  the 
first  bed  of  rock  salt. 

FLAG,  v,  to  fade. 

FLAKE,  s.  (i)  a  hurdle. 

(2)  hatting   term;    a   small    wicker   grating    used    for 

collecting  the  bowed  wool.     HYDE.     See  Bow. 

(3)  a  wooden  frame  hung  from  the  ceiling  by  cords, 

used  for  drying  oat-cake,  £c.     BREDBURY. 

FLAKE,  v.  to  lie  horizontally.     WILMSLOW. 

To  flake  on  the  grass  is  to  lie  down  on  the  grass.  One  who  is  lazy  in  the 
morning  and  will  not  get  up  is  described  as  "  lying  flaking  \'  bed." 

FLAM,  v.  to  humbug,  or  deceive. 
' '  He's  ony  flammin. " 

FLAMS,  s.  humbug. 

"  Nah  then,  none  of  thy  flams." 

FLANGE,  v.  to  flange  out,  to  spread,  diverge,  to  increase  in  width 
or  breadth.     W.     (Scarcely  local.) 

FLANNIN,  s.  flannel. 

FLAP-JACK,  s.  a  tea  crumpet.     MACCLESFIELD,  but  not  in  very 
general  use. 

FLAPS,  s.  expanded  mushrooms. 

FLASH  or  PLASH,  s.  a  shallow  piece  of  water. 

The  word  often  occurs  in  place  names.  There  is  a  field  in  Mobberley 
called  "  The  Flash,"  and  one  in  Halton  called  "  Flash  Quarter."  There  is 
also  an  old  public-house  at  Butley,  near  Macclesfield,  now  known  as  the 
"  Orange  Tree,"  but  which  old  people  speak  of  as  "  The  Flash." 


126  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

FLASH,  v.  to  put  small  sheets  of  lead  under  the  slates  of  a  house 
where  they  join  the  chimneys,  or  a  wall,  to  prevent  the  rain 
running  into  the  joint. 

FLASKER,  v.  to  flounder  about  or  to  struggle. 

"  Flaskering  i'th'  wayter." 

A  bird  caught  in  a  net  is  said  to  be  "flaskering  to  get  eawt."  Also 
FLUSKER. 

FLASKERT,  part,  (i)  bewildered,  also  FLUSKERT. 

"  For  goodness  sake,  childer,  howd  yer  din,  aw'm  ixxflaskert  wi' 
th'  nize." 

(2)  choked,  smothered. 

A  person  lying  in  the  mud  and  unable  to  extricate  himself  is  said  to  be 
flaskered.  See  Wilbraham,  sub.  v.  FLASKER. 

FLAT,  s.  a  broad  flat  bed  as  distinguished  from  a  narrow  rounded 
butt. 

We  speak  of  ploughing  a  field  in  flats  when  there  is  no  indication  of 
reens.  Wheat  is  generally  sown  on  butts,  oats  on  flats.  A  wide  space 
covered  by  any  particular  crop  is  called  aflat,  as  "aflat  o'  taters." 

FLAT-FINCH,  s.  the  brambling.     L. 

FLAT  ROPE,  s.  salt-mining  term;  the  rope  used  in  drawing  or 
winding  rock  salt.  They  are  flat  and  about  six  inches  wide. 

FLATTER  DOCK,  s.  a  name  given  to  several  large-leaved  plants 
which  float  on  the  water,  especially  the  two  kinds  of  waterlilies, 
Nymphcza  alba  and  Nuphar  lutea.  Also  the  water  form  of 
Polygonum  amphibium,  and,  according  to  Wilbraham,  Potamogeton 
natans. 

FLAY  or  FLEE,  v.  to  flay  clods  is  to  pare  off  sods  of  grass. 
FLEAK,  s.  a  small  bundle  of  hay;  not  a  truss. 

FLECK,  s.   (i)  a  flea  (general),   FLEF  (WILDERSPOOL,  MIDDLE- 
WICH),  FLETH  (MACCLESFIELD). 

(2)  the  fur  of  a  rabbit. 

FLECK,  v.  (i)  to  catch  fleas. 

A  witness  at  the  Assizes,  who  came  to  prove  an  alibi,  said  she  knew  some 
circumstance  had  happened  at  the  particular  time,  "because  her  father  had 
gone  up  io fleck  the  bed."  L. 

(2)  to  fly;  also  FLEG,  FLICK  (Wilbraham),  and,  more 
commonly,  FLIG. 

FLECK  MONTH,  s.  March. 

Because  flecks  (fleas)  are  supposed  to  fly  in  March,  and  therefore  it  is 
said  bedroom  windows  should  never  be  opened  during  that  month. 


FLEE, 
FLEY 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  127 

'  \s.  a  fly. 


FLEECES,  s.  layers  of  hay  in  a  stack. 

"  Yo  mun  cut  some  fleeces  i'  th'  bay."     L. 

FLEE-DOD,  s.  ragwort,  Senecio  Jacobcea.     HALTON,  DELAMERE. 
FLEERED,  part,  frightened.     WILDERSPOOL. 

FLEET,  s.  an  assemblage  of  birds  when  they  come  to  their  feeding 
ground  or  roosting  quarters.     FRODSHAM. 

Large  numbers  of  wild  duck  and  other  waterfowl  assemble  on  Frodsham 
Marsh  in  the  evening.  Sportsmen  go  down  to  shoot  them,  and  speak  of  it 
as  "  waiting  for  the  fleet" 

FLEETINGS,  s.  a  curdy  cream  produced  by  boiling  whey. 

In  the  old-fashioned  method  of  cheese-making  it  was  always  customary  to 
boil  the  whey .  The  first  fleetings  rose  just  before  the  whey  came  to  the  boil. 
These  were  the  richest,  and  were  skimmed  off  and  kept  by  themselves. 
They  were  called  "cream-fleetings,"  and  were  churned  into  butter.  As  the 
whey  began  to  boil  harder,  a  somewhat  coarser  and  less  creamy  kind  of 
fleetings  rose  to  the  surface.  These  also  were  skimmed  off,  and  were  used  for 
the  farm  men's  supper.  A  small  quantity  of  buttermilk  was  then  added  to  the 
boiling  whey,  which  caused  a  very  coarse  curdy  kind  of  fleetings  to  rise,  and 
these  were  kept  for  feeding  calves.  The  whey  was  boiled  in  a  large  boiler 
kept  for  the  purpose,  and  it  required  almost  constant  stirring  to  prevent  the 
fleetings  being  burnt.  A  stick  with  a  small  iron  paddle  at  one  end,  exactly 
like  a  weeding  spud,  was  generally  used  for  stirring  the  boiling  whey. 
Fleetings  are  very  seldom  made  now,  the  whey  being  set  in  pans  until  the 
cream  rises  to  the  surface,  when  it  is  skimmed  off  and  churned. 

FLEET-MILK,  s.  according  to  Wilbraham  the  same  as  FLEETINGS. 
FLEF,  s.    See  FLECK. 

FLESH,  v.  tanning  term.     To  shave  off  the  flesh  which  remains  on 
the  inside  of  a  hide. 

The  operation  is  performed  upon  a  rounded  block  of  wood,  stone,  or 
iron,  called  a  BEAM,  which  see. 

FLESH-MEAT,  s.  butchers'  meat, 

"We  anna  had  a  bit  o' flesh-meat  aw  wik." 

FLETH.     See  FLECK. 

FLET-MILK,  s.  skim-milk.     W. 

FLIG  or  FLIGGE,  adj.  spoken  of  young  full-fledged  birds.     W. 

FLIGGERS,  s.  young  birds  beginning  to  fly.     L. 

FLING,  v.  to  throw.     We  speak  of  flinging  a  stone  and  of  being 
flung  by  a  horse. 

The  following  extraordinary  threat  was  heard  in  Macclesfield  lately,  used 
by  a  mother  to  her  refractory  offspring,  "  If  tha  does  na  leave  of  skriking,  I'll 
fling  my  yed  at  the." 


128  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

FLIT,  s.  a  change  of  residence.     Also  FLITTING. 

It  is  said,  "  Three  flits  are  as  good  as  (or  as  bad  as)  a  fire." 

FLIT,  v.  to  remove  from  one  house  to  another. 

FLITE  or  FLYTE,  v.  to  scold.     W. 

FLIT-MILK,  s.  the  same  as  FLEETINGS.    See  FLEETINGS. 

"  Fleetings  or  Flit-milk" — Holland's  General  View  of  the  Agriculture  of 
Cheshire  (1808),  p.  263. 

FLITTING,  s.     See  FLIT. 

FLITTINGS,  s.  according  to  Wilbraham  the  same  as  FLEETINGS. 

FLIZZE,  s.  the  skin  which  chips  at  the  insertion  of  the  nail.  Also 
called  "  step-mother's  blessing."  L. 

FLOCK-BED,  s.  a  bed  stuffed  with  flocks  instead  of  with  feathers, 
held  in  great  contempt  by  many  old  housekeepers. 

"  Would  ye  believe  it,  they  dressen  up  i'  silks  and  satins,  and 
there's  nowt  bu' 'flock  beds  i'  th'  wull  haise." 

FLOCKS,  s.  locks  of  wool  or  cotton  used  for  stuffing  beds  and 
pillows.  They  are  spoken  of  as  WOOLLEN-FLOCKS  or  COTTON- 
FLOCKS. 

FLOMMUCKY,  adj.  slovenly.  MACCLESFIELD,  but  not  in  very 
common  use.  See  SLOMMAKIN. 

FLOOK,  v.  to  mow  in  steps  or  ridges  like  a  bad  mower.     L. 

FLOOR,  s.  the  ground  generally,  as  distinguished  from  any  eleva- 
tion, and  not  a  boarded  or  regularly  made  floor  in  particular. 

If  anything  were  spilt  upon   the  ground,   it  would   be   spoken  of  as 
"  sheeded  uppo'  tic?  floor" 

PLOUGH,  s.  a  flea ;  pronounced  gutturally.     W. 

FLOUR  CAKE,  s.  a  very  favourite  cake  about  MACCLESFIELD. 

It  is  made  from  a  small  piece  of  ordinary  bread  dough  rolled  to  the  size  of 
a  plate,  and  about  an  inch  thick,  and  then  baked  on  both  sides. 

FLOWERING  BOX,  s.  Vaccinium  Vitis-Idaa. 
FLUEN  or  FLUIN,  part,  thawing.     DELAMERE. 

"Th'  rain'syfttm  th'  frost." 

There  is  a  road  at  Frodsham  called  "Fhten  Lane,"  but  whether  it  has 
any  reference  to  the  above  word  I  do  not  know. 

FLUE  SALT,  s.  salt-making  term.  The  waste  salt  formed  on  the 
flues  where  the  lumps  are  dried. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  129 

FLUFF,  s.  (i)  any  light  downy  particles  that  float  in  the  air.    The 

particles  of  cotton  which  come  off  new  cloth. 
1  'Aw  never  seed  sitch  towels  i'  my  loife.    Aw've  wiped  these  glasses 
twenty  toimes,  and  aw'll  be  hanged  if  they  anna  aw  covered  wi1 'fluff." 

(2)  a  flea.    MACCLESFIELD. 
FLUKE,  s.  (i)  a  fish,  the  flounder. 

(2)  a  much   esteemed   variety  of  kidney  potato,  fast 
dying  out. 

FLUMMERY,  s.  oatmeal  boiled  in  water  till  it  becomes  a  thick 
glutinous  substance.  W. 

FLUMMUX,  s.  agitation.     KNUTSFORD. 

FLURCH,  s.  a  great  many,  a  quantity. 
"Aflurch  o'  strawberries."     L. 

FLUSH,  adj.  lavish. 
FLUSHED,  part,  fledged. 

FLUSKER,) 
FLUSTER,}  v'  to  flutter" 

FLUSKERT,  part,  confused. 

FLUTTER,  s.  a  state  of  agitation. 
"  Aw'm  aw  of  a.  flutter." 

FLUTTER,  v.  to  confuse,  to  agitate. 

FLY-FLAP,  s.  an  instrument  used  by  butchers  to  kill  blue  bottle 
flies,  which  generally  infest  their  shops  in  hot  weather. 

It  is  made  of  an  oval  piece  of  strong  leather,  six  to  eight  inches  long, 
bound  to  the  end  of  a  stick.  . 

FODDER  CHEESE,  s.  cheese  made  before  the  cows  are  turned 
out  to  grass.  L.  That  is,  when  they  are  being  foddered  on 
hay;  the  same  as  BOOSE-CHEESE. 

FOG,  s.  aftergrass;  or  perhaps,  more  correctly,  the  coarse  grass  which 
is  left  uneaten  in  the  autumn. 

In  West  Cheshire  the  farmers  frequently  set  fire  to  this  old,  dead  grass 
after  the  March  winds  have  dried  it,  and  it  is  no  uncommon  thing  to  see 
whole  fields  blazing.  Called  FEG  about  MIDDLEWICH. 

FOGH,  s.  fallow  ground.     L. 

FOIN,  adj.  (i)  fine,  in  all  its  ordinary  senses. 

(2)  smartly  dressed. 

"Asfom  as  a  yew-  (new-)  scraped  carrot "  is  a  common  expression  used  to 
describe  any  one  who  has  dressed  himself  up  smartly  for  any  occasion.  Leigh 
gives  the  expression  "As/oin  as  Phililoo.  See  FILLILOO. 

J 


130  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

FOLK  (sometimes  pronounced  FOWK),  s.  people. 

"  There  were  a  ruck  o'  fowk  theer  last  neet." 
FOO,  s.  fool. 

The  exact  pronunciation  is  difficult  to  write  ;  it  is  perhaps  best  expressed 
by/eaw  orfaoo.  "  He's  a  bom/earn,  and  that's  th'  worst  feaw  of  aw,"  is  a 
not  uncommon  saying. 

FOO-GAWD,  s.  a  fool's  gawd  or  bauble.     A  foolish  plaything.     L. 
FOOLS  PARSLEY,  s.  (Ethusa  Cynapium.    W.  CHES. 
FOOMART  or  FOOMUT,  s.  a  polecat. 
FOOMART  CAT,  a  tabby  cat.     MOBBERLEY.     See  FITCHET  CAT. 

FOOT,  s.  a  measure  of  length,  is  the  same  in  the  plural  as  the 
singular. 

FOOT-ALE,  s.  ale  given  by  an  apprentice  to  the  older  workmen  as 
an  entrance  fee.  Very  much  the  same  as  FOOTING.  MACCLES- 
FIELD. 

FOOT-COCK,  s.  a  small  haycock,  made  by  drawing  a  portion  of  hay 
with  a  rake  towards  the  haymaker,  and  then  turning  it  over  into 
a  guile  with  the  foot  and  rake. 

FOOTING,  s.  drink  money,  paid  by  one  entering  a  new  trade  or 
pursuit. 

A  stranger  going  to  look  over  any  manufactory,  such  as  a  silk  or  cotton 
mill,  or  a  glassworks,  for  the  first  time,  is  expected  to  "pay  his  footing."  It 
is  also  very  common,  when  any  new  piece  of  building  is  begun,  for  the  work- 
people to  try  and  induce  the  owner  to  "set  a  brick."  Of  course,  if  he 
does,  he  is  expected  to  pay  his  footing. 

FORCAST,  s.  forethought  in  contriving  any  work.     MACCLESFIELD. 

FORCAST,  v.  to  contrive  beforehand. 

• 

FOREBAYS,  s.  salt-making  term.  The  brickwork  immediately 
under  the  front  of  a  pan. 

FOREIGNER,  s.  a  stranger ;  but  not  necessarily  the  inhabitant  of 
a  foreign  country.  Even  a  resident  in  another  parish  is  often 
called  a  foreigner. 

In  old  documents  belonging  to  the  Corporation  of  Wlzcclesfield  foreigners 
from  other  towns  are  frequently  spoken  of  as  not  holding  this  or  that  right. 

FORE-MILK,  s.  the  first  portion  of  milk  drawn  from  a  cow. 

FORE-MILK,  v.  to  milk  the  first  half  of  a  cow's  milk  by  itself  for 
the  purpose  of  sending  it  to  market ;  the  second  half,  which  is 
richer,  being  retained  for  making  butter. 

FORENENST  (i)  before.     WIRRALL. 

(2)  opposite,  over-against.     MACCLESFIELD. 
"  He  sat  forenenst  me  aw  th'  toime,  burr  he  never  spoke  a  word. " 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  131 

FORE-NOON,  s.  that  part  of  the  morning  between  breakfast  and 
twelve  o'clock. 

FORE-TOKEN,  s.  a  warning.     MACCLESFIELD. 
FORGEE  (g  hard),  v.  to  forgive. 
FORGEET,  v.  perfect  tense  of  forget. 

FORGEN,  v.  perfect  tense  or  participle  of  forgive. 
"Sir  Philip 'sforgen  him  three  'ears'  rent." 

FORGETTEN,  part,  forgotten. 

FOR  GOOD,  idiom,  (i)  for  ever,  entirely,  once  for  all. 

"  He's  gone  for  good,"  means  he  is  gone  without  any  intention  of  coming 
back. 

(2)  in  earnest — used  principally  when  any  game 

is  played  for  stakes. 
"  Are  we  playing/or  good?"     "  No  ;  let's  play  for  fun." 

FORINK,  adj.  foreign.     MACCLESFIELD. 

"He's  gone  to  live  Y  forink  parts." 

FORINKERS,  s.  foreigners.     E.  CHES. 
FORNICATE,  v.  to  invent  lies.     MACCLESFIELD. 
FORNICATOR,  s.  one  who  invents  lies.     MACCLESFIELD. 

FORRARD,  adj.  forward,  but  generally  used  in  the  sense  of  early. 

" A  forrard  spring"  is  an  early  spring.     " Forrard  taters"   are  early 
potatoes. 

FORTHER,  adj.  foremost. 

"  HisfortAer  feet  want  shoeing  badly." 
"  He's  lame  of  his  farther  feet." 

The  word  occurs  many  times  in  old  documents  belonging  to  the  Cor- 
poration of  Macclesfield. 

FORTHINK,  v.  to  repent.     MACCLESFIELD. 

A  woman  addressing  her  very  hard  landlord  said  to  him,  "Well,  mester,  I 
ony  hope  as  yo  may  live  iofSrthink  them  words  as  yo'n  said  to  me  to-day." 

FORTHOUGHT,  s.  repentance.     W. 

FORYED,  s.  the  forehead.     MACCLESFIELD. 

FOT,  v.  perfect  tense  of  fetch. 

FOTCH,  v.  fetch. 

POTHER,  s.  fodder. 

POTHER,  v.  to  give  fodder  to  cattle. 


132  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

FOTHER-BING  or  FODDER-BING,  s.  a  passage  in  front  of  the 
cows  in  a  shippon,  in  which  fodder  is  kept,  and  from  which  the 
cows  are  foddered.  Occasionally  FOTHER-BAY.  MOBBERLEY. 

FOTHERIN,  s.  fodder.     KELSALL. 

"  It'sfotAerin  for  cattle." 
FOUR-SQUARE,  adj.  rectangular. 


"  He's  makinfow  faces  at  me." 

(2)  abusive. 
"Fow  names." 
"  Forw  i'  her  temper." 


(2)  a  cluster  of  horses.     HYDE. 

(3)  a  layer  of  anything;  a  covering. 
FOWD,  v.  to  fold. 

FOW-DRUNK,  adj.  very  drunk.    W. 

POWER,  num.  four. 

Fourteen  becomes  fowerteen,  but  forty  is  unaltered  in  pronunciation. 

FOWL,  s.  an  inflammation  between  the  claws  of  a  cow's  foot. 

Leigh  gives  the  following  superstitious  remedy,  "  Cut  a  sod  on  which  the 
diseased  foot  has  stood,  the  shape  of  the  foot,  and  stick  it  on  a  bush." 

FOW  LIFE,  very  difficult. 

"  I've  a.fow  life  to  walk  at  all,"  said  a  rheumatic  man.     L. 

FOWT,  v.  perf.  tense  of  fight;  plur.  FOWTEN. 

FOX,  v.  to  sham. 

"He's  onyfoxtn." 

FOXBENCH,  s.  indurated  sand. 

It  is  almost  of  the  nature  of  stone,  of  a  dark  brown  colour,  found  as  a 
substratum  in  many  parts  of  Cheshire,  especially  in  peaty  districts.  Wherever 
it  occurs  the  land  is  very  sterile,  and  burns  up  quickly  in  dry  weather.  Many 
years  ago  it  used  to  be  utilised  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Lindow  Common  for 
making  a  kind  of  mahogany-coloured  paint.  It  was  chiefly  used  for  painting 
rough  wooden  chairs  and  other  kitchen  furniture.  I  believe  some  of  these 
old  chairs,  painted  vrith/ox&encA,  may  still  be  seen  in  some  of  the  Mobberley 
cottages. 

FOX-SLEEPING,  part,  pretending  to  be  asleep. 

"  And  there,  luk  yo,  he  heered  every  word  as  we'd  said,  for  he 
were  nowt  bu"  fox-sleepin." 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  133 

FOXY,  adj.  (i)  wet,  marshy.     L. 

(2)  having  sandy-coloured  hair. 
"  Well,  he  were  a  tidy-sized  chap,  and  he  vteiefoxy. " 

This  sentence  referred  entirely  to  the  colour  of  the  man's  hair,  and  not  to 
any  cunning  propensities. 

FRAB,  z>.  (i)  to  irritate. 

Thus,  you  c3.-a.frab  a  horse  by  pulling  too  hard  at  the  reins. 

(2)  to  fidget. 
A  horse  "frabs  hissel"  when  he  fidgets  about. 

FRAB  BY,  adj.  worrying,  ill-tempered. 

"Whatever  mays  ye  so  frabby  this  morning,  yo'n  getten  aht  o' 
bed  o'  th'  wrong  soide." 

Leigh  has  FRABBLY. 

FRAME,  s.  a  skeleton.     KELSALL. 

Speaking  of  magpies  taking  young  chickens,  a  man  said  they  would  "  limb 
em  alive,"  and  that  they  had  "left  then  frames  onth'  adlant  yonder,  nine 
on  em." 

FRAME,  z;.  to  set  about  the  performance  of  anything. 
"  He  frames  badly." 

FRAMPATH  or  FRAMPOT,  s.  an  iron  ring  attached  to  the  chain 
by  which  a  cow  is  tied,  which  slides  up  and  down  the  ratch- 
stake.  MOBBERLEY. 

FRANZY,  adj.  irritable. 

FRASLING,  s.  the  perch.     HALLIWELL. 

FRATCH,  z/.  to  worry  about  trifles.     HYDE. 

FRATCHETY,  adj.  peevish,  irritable.     MACCLESFIELD.     . 

FRAY,  z>.  to  stock  a  pond  with  young  fish. 

FREE,  adj.  affable. 

"How  do  you  like  your  new  landlord?" — "Well  !  I  think  we 
shall  like  him  very  well ;  he  seems  a  very  free  gentleman." 

FREE  MARTIN  or  MARTIN,  s.  a  twin  heifer  when  the  fellow- 
twin  is  of  the  opposite  sex ;  popularly  supposed  (and  with  some 
reason)  to  be  incapable  of  breeding. 

FREE-SPOKKEN,  adj.  frank,  unreserved  in  address. 

FREETENED,  part,  frightened. 

FREM,  adj.  strange. 

FREM-FOLK,  s.  strangers,  as  distinguished  from  kins-folk. 


134  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

FRENCH  BUTTERFLEE,  s.  a  coloured  butterfly,  white  ones 
being  simply  BUTTERFLEES. 

I  give  this  name  with  some  diffidence,  because  I  have  never  heard  it  but 
once  at  RuNCORN,  and  then  I  did  not  know  whether  my  informant  was  a 
Cheshire  man  or  not.  Remarking  upon  a  sudden  thaw  and  a  warm  day  in 
early  spring,  he  informed  me,  as  a  rare  piece  of  natural  history,  that  he  had 
captured  a  Queen  Ann  a  few  days  previously.  On  my  asking  what  he  meant 
by  a  Queen  Ann,  he  said,  "One  of  those  dark-coloured  butterflees  wi'  red  on 
their  wings;  some  call  'em  French  Butterflees."  I  concluded  he  meant  a 
tortoise-shell  butterfly,  Vanessa  urtictz.  See  RED  DRUMMER. 

FRESH,  s.  salt-making  term.     The  rain  that  falls  upon  the  top  of 
the  brine  in  a  brine-cistern,  which  being  lighter,  floats  on  the  top. 
After  heavy  rain  the  men  talk  of  "running  the  fresh  off." 

FRESH,  adj.  (i)  youthful,  or  rather  not  showing  age,  well  preserved. 
"  He's  very  fresh  for  his  age"  is  said  of  a  hearty  old  man. 
Paint  which  has  not  become  discoloured  \3  fresh. 

(2)  in  good  condition,  but  not  thoroughly  fat ;  said  of 

cattle. 

(3)  frisky. 

"  Yo  mun  stick  on,  he's  very  fresh." 

(4)  slightly  drunk. 

(5)  new. 

"  We'n  getten  s.  fresh  schoo-mester. " 

FRETTEN,  part,  rubbed,  marked.   Used  chiefly  in  pock-/retten.  W. 
FRIDGE,  v.  to  rub,  so  as  to  injure  the  surface. 

FRILL,  s.  the  puckered  edge  of  the  fat  which  is  stripped  from  the 
entrails  of  a  pig.  It  has  a  red,  fleshy  edge,  and  resembles  a 
frill.  MACCLESFIELD. 

FRIM,  adj.  tender,  brittle. 

FRITTENIN,  s.  a  ghost,  or  anything  supernatural. — Manchester 
City  News,  Feb.  26th,  1880. 

FRO,  prep.  from. 

FROG,  s.  the  complaint  of  the  mouth  usually  called  thrush. 
FROG-STOOLS,  s.  toad-stools.     MACCLESFIELD. 
FROMMERING,  s. 

A  writer  in  the  Manchester  City  News  of  March  I2th,  1881,  gives  this  word 
as  occurring  in  an  old  family  will  of  the  Jjth  century,  in  an  inventory  of 
goods  : — "Item,  onefrommering."  The  writer  adds  :  "  Hitherto  no  one  of 
our  day  has  been  able  to  tell  me  what  this  is,  but  it  is  generajly  supposed  to 
be  some  domestic  utensil  or  agricultural  implement."  I  am  unable  to  suggest 
any  other  explanation,  but  I  put  the  word  on  record  in  the  hope  that  some  day 
the  meaning  may  be  discovered. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  135 

FRONT,  v.  to  swell  up,  as  when  boiling  water  is  poured  upon 
Indian  meal. 

Also  to  cause  to  swell,  as  when  indigestible  food  causes  a  full  feeling  at 
the  stomach,  it  is  said  that  "  it  fronts." 

FRORT,         ) 

FROWART,    •«<&.  forward.     W. 

FROWARTS,, 

FROSTED, part,  (i)  spoilt  with  frost. 

"  I  do  doubt  them  taties  '11  be  frosted." 

(2)  frost-bitten,  having  chilblains. 

(3)  horseshoes  put  on  with  frost-nails  were  for- 

merly  said   to   be  frosted.       Academy    of 
Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  iii.,  p.  89.  Still  in  use. 

FROST  NAILS,  s.  nails  with  pointed  heads  put  into  horses'  shoes 
to  prevent  slipping,  mentioned  in  Academy  of  Armory ',  Bk.  III., 
ch.  iii.,  p.  89.  Still  in  use. 

FROWSTY  (MOBBERLEY),  FROWZY  (MACCLESFIELD),  adj.  close 
smelling,  like  a  room  of  which  the  windows  are  never  opened. 

FROZZEN,/ar/.  frozen. 

FRUMP,  s.  a  contemptuous  name  for  an  old  woman,  especially  one 
who  affects  youthful  airs.  MACCLESFIELD. 

FRUMPING,  part,  gossiping ;  spreading  scandalous  tales.    HYDE. 

FUDGE,  s.  nonsensical  talk. 

11  Sitch  fudge !  oi've  no  patience  to  listen  to  ye." 

FUDGE,  v.  to  talk  nonsense;  especially  with  the  intent  to  cram 
another  person. 

FUGLE,  s.  to  whistle.    L. 
FUKES,  s.  the  hair.     W. 

FULL-BAT,  precipitately. 

"  He  ran  agen  him  full-bat." 

FULLOCK,  v.  to  shoot  a  marble  by  jerking  the  hand  forward, 
instead  of  with  the  thumb  only ;  considered  an  unfair  way  of 
playing. 

"  Nye  then  !  T\Q  futtocking." 

FULL  OF  UNBELIEF,  metaphor.  Said  of  a  cow  that  will  not 
stay  in  her  pasture.  WILLASTON. 

FUMMAS,  v.  to  fumble. 

4     "  What  sact/ummastn  with  at  th'  lock  ?    Canna  ye  see  th'  dur's 
bowted  ?  " 

FUMMASING,  adv.  clumsily.     FRODSHAM.     See  THUMBASING. 


136  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

FUN,  s.  to  make  fun  of. 

"Ne'er  heed  him  ;  he's  ony  funning  you." 

FUND,  v.  perfect  tense  of  find. 

FUNERAL  CAKES,  s.  long,  narrow,  sponge  cakes  used  at  funerals. 
Formerly,  I  believe,  they  were  intended  to  represent  a  coffin.  They  are 
presented  with  a  funeral  card  to  each  person  who  has  attended  a  funeral, 
when  he  leaves  the  house.  They  are  folded  up  in  white  paper,  and  sealed  up 
with  black  wax.  The  custom  is  fast  becoming  obsolete  ;  but  when  I  was  a 
boy  a  funeral  would  hardly  have  been  considered  correct  without  the  funeral 
cakes.  The  undertakers  generally  provided  them. 

FUNERAL  CUPS,  s.  drinking  vessels  used  at  funerals. 

I  have  never  met  with  these,  nor  had  I  ever  heard  of  them  until  the 
following  account  was  sent  to  me  by  a  Macclesfield  correspondent :  ' '  Some 
time  since,  I,  like  many  others,  had  a  china  mania,  and  poked  into  all  sorts 
of  cottages  in  search  of  '  bits. '  I  one  day  found  some  tall  upright  cups 
something  like  coffee  cups,  only  larger.  I  exclaimed  to  the  old  man  who 
owned  them,  '  What  beauties  !  but  where  are  the  saucers  ? '  He  replied, 
'  There  be  none  to  them,  Miss  ;  they  are  funeral  cups  ;  they  never  usen  'em 
nye,  bu'  when  I  were  a  bye,  they  uset  for  drink  warm  beer  ait  on  em  at  a 
berryin,  and  smoke  long  pipes ;  bu'  things  alter  so.'  Those  cups  were  at 
least  a  hundred  years  old,  and  had  been  used  at  the  funerals  of  the  family." 

FUNNY,  adj.  (i)  bad,  capricious,  said  of  temper. 
"  Go's  getten  a  funny  temper." 
(2)  strange,  extraordinary. 

The  word  is  perpetually  being  used,  even  on  the  most  solemn  occasions, 
and  without  the  slightest  intention  of  expressing  any  amusement  at  any 
untoward  circumstance.  If  a  man  met  his  death  in  any  extraordinary 
manner,  we  should  say,  "What  a  funny  thing." 

FUR,  s.  the  encrusted  sediment  at  the  bottom  of  a  kettle  or  boiler. 
FURBLES,  s.  fibres,  hairy  roots.     L. 

FURMETRY  or  FURMETTY,  s.  new  wheat  stewed  for  a  con- 
siderable time,  and  then  boiled  with  milk,  sweetened,  and  spiced. 

Sometimes  eaten  at  Christmas,  but  more  usually  on  the  Wakes  Sunday, 
which  varies  in  every  parish.  See  WAKES. 

FURRED,  part,  encrusted  with  sediment. 
FUSSOCK,  s.  a  potato  pudding.     L. 

FUSTIAN  CUTTER,  s.  one  who  finishes  off  fustian  by  cutting  it 
to  a  sort  of  velvetty  pile.  A  common  trade  about  Congleton,  and 
also  at  Lymm. 

FUSTIANY,  adj.  applied  to  sand  with  a  good  deal  of  earth  (the 
colour  of  fustian)  in  it,  that  prevents  its  being  used  for  mortar.  L. 

FUZ-BAW,  s.  the  fungus  Lycoperdon  Bovista.  FUZ-BOB  (MACCLES- 
FIELD). 

FUZZIKY,  adj.  soft,  spongy ;  applied  to  wet,  spongy  land ;  or  to  a 
soft,  woolly  turnip. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  137 


G. 


GABEL  RENT,  s.  an  ancient  tenure  of  land  at  Chester. 

In  the  Domesday  Book  of  Cheshire  and  Lancashire,  as  edited  and 
translated  by  Mr.  W.  Beamont,  we  have  the  very  earliest  existing  reference 
to  this  curious  and  accustomed  tenure  at  Chester  :  "  Whoso  did  not  pay  his 
gabel(i.e.,  not  only  the  annual  reserved  rent,  but  also  the  peculiar  service  due 
to  the  king,  or  other  superior  authority,  at  the  time  appointed,  Christmas), 
forfeited  '  x  shillings,'  But  if  he  was  unwilling  or  unable  to  pay  or  perform 
it,  the  praefect  or  sheriff  took  his  land  into  the  king's  hand."  This  duty  was 
no  doubt  often  felt  irksome  enough  by  the  great  families,  who  usually  farmed 
the  gabel  land  of  the  city.  As  time  advanced,  too,  the  responsibility  would 
certainly  have  been  shirked,  if  it  could  have  been  done  with  impunity ;  but 
the  "x  shillings"  annual  fine,  and  the  danger  of  the  property  becoming 
forfeited  to  the  king  and  the  city,  effectually  prevented  the  custom  from  falling 
into  desuetude.  It  is  only  within  our  own  day  that,  for  a  mere  mess  of 
pottage,  the  city  has  bartered  away  for  ever  this  ancient  and  picturesque 
custom,  involving  the  original  title  to  the  soil  of  rare  old  Chester. — Cheshire 
Sheaf,  vol.  i.,  p.  355, 

GABY.     See  GAWBY. 

GAD,  s.  the  fact  of  starting. 

To  be  "on  the  gad"  is  to  be  on  the  point  of  setting  out. 

GAD,  v.  (i)  (or  GAD  ABOUT),  to  go  about  gossiping. 

"  Keepe  truelie  thy  Saboth,  the  better  to  speed, 
Keepe  seruant  from  gadding,  but  when  it  is  need." 

TUSSER  (Five  Hundred  Points )t  E.D.S.  ed.,  p.  25. 

(2)  cows  are  said  to  gad  when,  in  hot  weather,  they  rush 

frantically  about  the  fields  with  their  tails  in  the  air, 
to  escape  (as  is  supposed)  the  attacks  of  the  gad-fly. 

(3)  to  go,  to  start  off.     MACCLESFIELD. 

"  Nah  then,  thee^W  off." 

GAFFER,  s.  (i)  a  master. 

(2)  the  overlooker  of  a  gang  of  men. 

(3)  the  foreman  of  a  band  of  labourers,  who  acts  for 

them  in  contracting  with  an  employer  for  a  job. 

(4)  a  husband.     WIRRALL. 
"My  gaffer"  i.e.,  my  husband. 

GAFTY,  adj.  doubtful,  suspected. 

A  gafty  person  is  a  suspected  person.     W. 
K 


138  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY, 

GAGGING  OUT,  part,  sticking  out,  projecting.     BUCKLOW  HILL, 
KNUTSFORD,  WARFORD. 

GAIN,  adj.  (i)  handy.     GEEN  (W.  CHES.). 

A  light  spade  would  be  called  "  a  gainer  tool  "  than  a  heavy  one, 

(2)  near. 

The  nearest  way  is  called  the  "  gainest  road," 

(3)  smart,  active. 

"  A  gain  little  titr"  i.e.,  an  active  little  horse. 

GALLOWS,  s.  braces.     L. 

GALLOWS  TANG,  s.  a  jail-bird  ;  also  a  clumsy  fellow.     L.     See 
GALLUS  TAG. 

CALLUS,  adj.  gay,  mischievous)  given  to  larks,  mad-cap. 


GALLUS  TAG,  s.  a  good-for-nothing.     MACCLESFIELU. 
"  He's  a  gallus  tag;  he'll  do  nobody  no  good." 

GAM,  adj.  game,  plucky. 

GAMBLE,  s.  the  hough  of  a  horse.     L.     See  CAMBRIL. 

GAMBREL  LEGGED,  adj.  cow  legged.     Said  of  a  horse.     L, 

GAMMEL  or  GANNEL,  s.  a  slut  ;  also  a  narrow  entry  or  passage. 
L.     See  GBNNEL  and  GINNEL. 

GAMMOCK,  s.  a  jest,  a  lark. 
GAMMOCK,  v.  to  play  pranks. 

GAMMY,  adj.  (i)  imperfect,  diseased. 

"  He's  very  bad  ;  he's  getten  a  gammy  leg." 

(2)  idle,  good  for  nothing.     MACCLESFIELD. 

"  He's  a  gammy  sort  o'   chap;    he  spends  hafe  his  toime  irth 
public  haise." 

GANDER  MONTH.     See  GONDER  MOON. 

GANG,  s.  the  party  of  labourers  who  undertake  to  open  a  pit  and 
dig  out  the  marl.     L. 

GANGER,  s.  the  head  of  a  gang  of  workmen.     L. 

This  and  the  former  word  are  not  localr  but  being  included  in  Leigh's 
Glossary  are  inserted  here. 

GARELOCKS  or  GARELICKS.  s.  a  fighting  cock's  gaffles  or 
artificial  spurs.     L. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  139 

GARGLE,  s.  an  inflammation  in  a  cow's  udder,  known  to  veterinary 
surgeons  as  Mammitis.  See  BODY  GARGLE. 

Leigh  says  that  to  rub  the  udder  with  a  maid's  shift  is  a  reputed  cure  for 
gargle. 

GARGLED  or  GARGILT, /<zr/.  or  adj.  having  gargle  in  the  udder. 

Participially  we  speak  of  a  cow  being  gargled  as  "oo's  gargilt."  Using 
the  word  as  an  adjective  we  say  "  oo's  getten  a  gargilt  elder." 

GARJEE,  s.  hatting  term.     A  byword  for  beer. 
GARLICK,  s.  Allium  ursinum.     WILD  GARLICK  (W.  CHES.), 
GARNER,  s.  a  granary. 
GARRETT,  s.  hatting  term.     A  meeting  of  workpeople. 

GARTERING,  part,  salt-mining  term.  Cutting  a  grip  or  narrow 
passage  into  a  bulk  of  salt,  after  it  has  been  picked  or  yoed 
under,  to  loosen  it  so  that  it  will  fall. 

GATE,  s.  a  road  leading  to  one  or  more  moss-rooms. 

Generally  the  turf  is  not  got  out  of  these  roads,  but  they  are  left  high  and 
dry  above  the  surrounding  land.  It  is  remarkable  that  at  the  Wilmslow,  or 
north  side  of  Lindow  Common,  these  roads  are  called  Gates ;  whilst  at  the 
Mobberley  or  south  side,  only  about  two  miles  off,  they  are  called  Looads. 

GATE,  v.  to  start,  i.e.,  set  anything  going. 

As  a  silk-weaving  term,  it  refers  to  the  preparations  made  by  a  workman 
about  to  weave  a  new  fabric. 

"  I  mun  gate  a  new  loom  next  wik." 

To  start  a  pump  which  is  out  of  order,  by  pouring  water  down  it,  is  called 
gating  it. 

As  a  salt-making  term  it  means  starting  a  pan  to  work. 
"  Au've  gated  moi  pon." 

GATHERERS,  s.  the  collectors  of  the  subscription  after  a  charity- 
sermon.  L. 

GATHERING,  s.  a  collection  in  a  church. 

One  sometimes  hears  an  "  Easter  gathering "  spoken  of. 

GATHER  WASTE,  idiom,  a  factory  term.  To  wind  up,  to  draw 
to  a  conclusion. 

Before  ceasing  work  at  a  factory  for  the  day,  they  "gather  the  waste" 
silk  caused  by  the  breakages  of  the  day.  Thus,  it  is  a  common  saying  when 
an  orator  or  a  clergyman  enters  on  the  peroration,  or  the  "in  conclusion-"  of 
his  sermon,  that  he  begins  "  t' gather  waste."  L. 

GAUBERTS,  s.  iron  racks  for  chimneys.     HALLIWELL. 
GAULISH,  adj.  ill-tempered,  nagging.     KELSALL. 

GAUT  PIG,  s.  a  sow.     L. 

More  correctly,  a  sow  that  has  never  had  pigs. 


1  40  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

GAW,  adj.  open  or  unoccupied.  —  Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  i.,  p.  266. 

"  Gaw  or  waste  land  "  appears  in  an  old  deed  relating  to  land  in 
Allostock.  L. 

GAWBY,  s.  a  simpleton,  a  fool.     GABY  (MACCLESFIELD),  GOBBY 
(MiD-CHES.).     See  APRIL  GAWBY. 

A  woman  said  to  her  husband,  "Tha  great  gawby  ;  sithee  how  th'  art 
muckin  th'  flure  as  aw've  cleeant.  Th'  art  fit  for  nowt  bu'  sit  i"  th'  chimbly 
and  nurse  th'  choilt." 

GAWFIN,  s.  a  clown.     L. 

GAWKIN,  )      ..  awkward 
GAWKY,    j  aaj"  ' 

GAWM,  s.  a  lout. 

"A  gawm  of  a  fellow.  "     L. 

GAWM,  v.  (i)  to  smear  with  anything  sticky. 

(2)  to  grasp  in  the  hand.     MACCLESFIELD. 

(3)  metaphorically,  to  comprehend.     MACCLESFIELD. 

"It's  above  my  thumb,  aw  conna  gawm  it,"  was  said  of  the  music  of 
Mendelssohn's  "Elijah." 


Sort  Of  raild  e 
"Well,  aw'm  gawmed  if  ever  aw  heerd  owt  loike  that.' 

GAWMY,  adj.  sticky. 

GAWN,  s.  a  gallon.     W. 
Leigh  spells  it  GOAN. 

GAWP,  v.  to  gape  or  stare. 

"  What  are  ye  ga-wpin  at?" 

GEAOWT,  s.  (i)  the  gout. 

(2)  spongy,  wet  soil. 

GEAOWTY,  adj.  wet,  spongy,  boggy. 

Leigh  gives  an  amusing  illustration  under  the  word  gouty,     "What's  a 

gouty  place?"     "Awobby  place."     "What's  a  wobby  place?"     "A  miz- 

zick."     "  What's  a  mizzick  ?"     "Amurgin."  "  What's  a  murgin  ?"     "A 
wet,  boggy  place." 

GEAR  or  GEAR  UP,  v.  to  put  harness  on  a  horse. 

GEARS,  s.  harness. 

"What's  Tom  doing  this  wet  day?"      "Mester,  he's  cleaning 
tW  gears." 

GEARUM,  s.  order,  serviceable  condition.     MACCLESFIELD. 
GEE  (g  hard),  v.  to  give, 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  141 

GEED,  v.  gave  (g  hard). 
GEEN,  adj.  See  GAIN. 
GEET,  v.  perfect  of  get. 

GEETEN,  \ 

GETTEN,  I  part,  participle  of  get. 

GOTTEN,  j 

GEN,  part,  given.     GIN  (MACCLESFIELD). 

GENEVA.  PLANT,  s.  the  juniper,  Juniperus  communis.     L. 

GENNEL,    s.    an   entry   or   narrow   passage    between    buildings. 
GINNEL  (HYDE,  DUKINFIELD). 

GER  AIT,  v.  get  out. 
GET,  v.  (i)  to  beget. 

(2)  to  gather  fruit,  or  get  up  roots. 

"  Gettin  damsels."     "  Gettin  taters."     "  Gettin  mushrooms." 

GET  AGATE,  v.  to  begin  anything. 

GETHSEMANE,  s.  the  plant  Orchis  mascula. 

"  One  species  of  orchis,  which  in  Cheshire  is  called  Gethsemane,  is  said  to 
have  been  growing  at  the  foot  of  the  cross,  and  to  have  received  some  drops 
of  blood  on  its  leaves  :  hence  the  dark  stains  by  which  they  have  ever  since 
been  marked." — Quarterly  Review,  July,  1863,  p.  231. 

GETTEN,  part.(\)  got. 

(2)  begotten. 

GET  THEE  GONE,  idiom,  a  kindly  way  of  telling  a  person  to  go. 
See  Go  THY  WAYS. 

GEUSE,  s.  pronunciation  of  goose. 
GEUSE  GOG,  s.  a  gooseberry. 
GEUSE  GRASS,  s.  Galium  Aparine. 

GEUSE  ILE,  s.  goose-grease,  made  by  rendering  down  the  leaf  or 
internal  fat  of  a  goose. 

It  is  very  efficacious  as  an  external  remedy  in  many  cases,  such  as  a 
cold  in  the  chest,  and  is  always  spoken  of  as  very  "searching." 

GEUSE-TONGUE,  s.  Galium  Aparine. 
GEZLIN,  s.  a  gosling. 
GEZLINS,  s.  palm  catkins,  Salix  Capraa. 
GIB,  s.  a  male  ferret     L.     See  HOB. 


142  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

GIDDLE  GADDLE,  s.  a  sheep  walk.     N.  E.  CHES. 
GIDDY,  adj.  angry.     See  Go  GIDDY. 

GIFTS,  s.  white  spots  on  the  nails. 

The  popular  belief  is  that  they  betoken  a  present,  and  children  say — 
"  A  gift  on  the  thumb 

Is  sure  to  come ; 
A  gift  on  the  finger 
Is  sure  to  linger." 

Or  they  vary  it  thus,  beginning  with  the  thumb  and  ending  with  the  little 
finger  :  "A  gift,  a  friend,  a  foe,  a  sweetheart,  a  journey  to  go."  The  event 
to  happen  is  indicated  by  the  word  which  corresponds  to  the  finger  on  which 
the  white  spot  is  seen. 

GIGGE,  s.  "  a  gigge  is  a  hole  in  the  ground  where  fire  is  made  to 
dry  the  flax." — Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  iii.,  p.  106. 

GIL-HOOTER,  s.  an  owl.     W. 

GILL,  j.  (i)  half  a  pint. 

A  Cheshire  labourer  would  stare  if,  when  he  called  for  a  gill  of  ale,  they 
brought  him  imperial  measure. 

(2)  a  female  ferret. 
The  g  is  soft  in  both  cases. 

GILL-BAW  (g  soft),  s.  a  child's  ball.     KNUTSFORD,  WILDERSPOOL. 

"  A  light  thing  like  a  gilt-baw" 

GILLER,   or,   rather,   GUILLER,   s.    several    horsehairs    twisted 
together  to  compose  a  fishing-line.     W. 

GILLIFLOWER  or  GILLIVER  (^soft),  s.  a  wallflower,  Cheiranthus 
Chriri. 

GILT,  s.  a  young  sow  before  she  has  had  a  litter  of  pigs. 
GIMBO,  s.  the  natural  child  of  a  natural  child.     L. 

GINGER,  adj.  sandy-haired. 

"  He's  a  bit  ginger" 

GINGERLY,  adv.  gently,  cautiously.     Scarcely  local. 

GINNEL.     See  GENNEL. 

GIRD,  s.  and  v.  a  push,  to  push  as  a  bull  does.     W. 

GIS-AN-GULLIES,  s.  the  blossoms  of  Salix  Capraa.     MACCLES- 
FIELD.     See  GEZLINS. 

GIVEN  TO,  part,  having  a  propensity  for  anything. 
"  Given  to  drink."     "  Given  to  swearing." 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  143 

GIVE  O'ER,  v.  to  cease,  to  desist. 

"  Has  it  gen  o'er  raining  ?" 
"  Give  o'er,  wilt  ta." 

GIZZANT,  s.  the  gizzard  of  a  fowl     MACCLESFIELD. 

GIZZERN,  s.  the  gizzard.     W. 

GLAB,  s.  a  talkative  person.     MACCLESFIELD,  but  not  common. 

GLAFFER  or  GLAVER,  v.  to  flatter.    W. 

GLASS,  v.  to  glaze. 

Glassing  the  windows  is  to  put  the  panes  into  their  frames.     It  appears  in 
Middlewych  Church  book,  A.D.  1655.     L. 

GLASSES,  s.  spectacles. 

GLASTONBURY,  s.  the  garden  shrub,  Cratcegus  Pyracantha,  no 
doubt  mistaken  for  the  Glastonbury  thorn,  which  is  an  early- 
flowering  variety  of  C.  Oxyacantha. 

GLEAD  or  GLED,  s.  a  kite.     L. 

GLEEDS,  .s.  glowing  embers.  Mow  COP,  but  said  to  be  almost 
obsolete. 

Leigh,  however,  gives  it  as  still  in  use  for  the  bits  of  wood  and  sparks  left 
at  the  bottom  of  a  brick  oven. 


1    \ 

'  I  s'  a  gumPse»  a  glance,  a  squint.     Not  in  common  use. 

GLENT,  I 

CI  TNT     I  7''       glance>  to  squint 

GLIDE,  s.  a  turn  in  the  eye. 

GLIDE,  v.  to  squint. 

GLIFF,  s.  a  glimpse.     W. 

GLOBED  TO,  part,  wedded  to,  foolishly  fond  of.     W. 

GLOOM,  v.  to  be  overcast. 

"  It  looks  very  like  rain."     "I  dunno  know,  I  think  iion\y  glooms 
for  heat." 

GLOPPENED,  part,  bewildered,  astonished. 

Ray  (North   Country   Words}  spells  it  GiOTTEN'D,  but   I  have  never 
heard  the  word  so  pronounced. 

GLOUR  or  GLOWER,  v.  to  have  a  cross  look. 

When  the  clouds  threaten  bad  weather  we  call  them  glowering.     W. 

GLOVES,  s.  hatting  term.  A  flat  piece  of  leather  or  wood  fastened 
on  the  hand  to  protect  it  from  the  hot  water  when  rolling  the 
hats  to  felt  them. 


144  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

GNATTER  or  NATTER,  v.  to  gnaw  to  pieces.    W. 
GOAN.     See  GAWN. 

GOB,  s.  (i)  a  foolish  person,  a  silly,  a  gawk.     L. 
(2)  a  mouthful  of  spittle.     KNUTSFORD. 
GOB,  v.  to  spit.     KNUTSFORD. 

GOBBINSHIRE,  prop.  name,  an  old  name  for  a  portion  of  West 
Cheshire. 

Gobbinshire  seems  to  have  included  Saughall,  Shotwick,  Ness,  Neston, 
and  the  hamlets  on  the  north  shore  of  the  Dee  to  the  borders,  perhaps,  of 
Backford ;  but  its  boundaries  cannot  be  well  defined.  It  has  been  suggested 
that  the  name  means  Gawbyshire,  because  forty  or  fifty  years  ago  the  residents 
there  were  out  of  the  ordinary  run  of  mortals,  and  the  lubberly  boys  and  girls 
who  came  from  those  places  to  Chester  at  Christmas  for  their  annual  hiring 
used  to  be  called,  and  in  fact  were,  " country  gawbies." 

GOBBY.     See  GAWBY. 

GOD-HOP,  s.  a  longer  hop  or  jump  than  usual — quite  out  of  the 
common  way.     WILMSLOW. 

GOD'S  CROFT,  prop.  name. 

The  name  of  a  farm  house  lying  half  way  between  Frodsham  and  Helsby, 
and  supposed  to  be  the  place  indicated  by  the  prophet  Nixon  when  he  was 
asked  where  a  man  should  find  safety  on  the  Judgment  Day.  The  seer 
replied  "in  God's  croff,  between  the  rivers  Mersey  and  Dee."  The  farm 
in  question,  however,  can  scarcely  be  said  to  lie  between  those  two  rivers, 
though  it  is  possible  that  in  very  early  times  the  Mersey  may  have  flowed  in 
a  different  channel.  Some  suppose  that  Nixon  meant  the  whole  promontory 
of  the  Wirral  which  is  situated  between  the  Mersey  and  the  Dee. 

GOD'S  GRACE,  s.  the  plant  Luzula  campestris.     KNUTSFORIJ. 
GO  GIDDY,  v.  to  go  in  a  passion. 
GOHANNA,  s.  guano. 

GOING  OF,  adv.  approaching ;  but  only  used  in  reference  to  time, 
or  to  a  person's  age. 

"  What  time  is  it?"     "  Coin"  of  eleven." 

"  How  old  is  your  daughter  ?"     "  Go's  gain'  of  eighteen. " 

GOINGS  ON,  s.  doings. 

"Aw've  no  patience  wi  tin. gains  on;  tha  goes  every  neet  to  th' 
Bull,  an'  gets  thi  bally  full  o'  swill,  an'  me  an'  th'  childer  mun  sit  a 
worn  clemmin." 

GOLDEN  AMBER,  s.  the  yellow  hammer,   Emberiza  citrinella. 
MACCLESFIELD. 


GOLDEN  BALL,  s.  the  plant  Trollius  europaus. 
GOLDING,  s.  a  marigold.     W. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  145 

GOLD.     For  many  words  beginning  with  "  gold  "  see  GOWD. 

GOLLOP,  v.  to  gobble  up. 

"  Nah  then  !  dunna  thee  gallop  aw  that  puddin  off  at  wunst." 

GOLORE,  adv.  in  abundance. 

GOMMERIL,  s.  a  soft,  foolish  person.     DELAMERE,  SANDBACH. 

GONDER,  s.  (i)  a  gander. 

The  extreme  poverty  of  a  field  was  described  to  me  thus — "  It's  sa  poor, 
it  would  na  keep  a  flock  o'  geese,  and  gander  goo  i'th'  lone." 

(2)  used  metaphorically  for  a  fool. 

(3)  a  gooseberry.     MACCLESFIELD. 

GONDER,  v.  (i)  to  ramble  in  conversation,  to  become  childish. 
W.  CHES. 

(2)  to  go  heedlessly.     Mio-CHES. 
"  Wheer  art  gonderin  to  ?" 

GONDER  MOON,  s.  literally  the  month  during  which  a  goose  is 
sitting,  when  the  gander  looks  lost  and  wanders  vacantly  about ; 
metaphorically  applied  to  the  month  in  which  a  man's  wife  is 
confined. 

A  publican's  wife  had  been  recently  confined,  and  one  of  his  customers 
having  called  for  a  glass  of  ale  repeatedly  without  effect,  another  customer 
observed  "  Oh,  it's  gonder  moon  wi'  'im ;  he's  lost  and  dusna  know  what  he's 
doin'." 

GONE  DJED,  part.  dead. 

"  Owd  Sammnl's  gone  djed&i  last." 

GOO,  v.  go. 

"  Wheer  art  gooin?" 

GOOD,  s.  a  property  of  any  kind.     W. 

GOOD  FEW,  adv.  a  considerable  number. 

"  Have  you  any  raspberries  this  year?"     "  Oh  aye  ;  we'n  getten 
a  good  few, " 

GOODING,  part,  collecting  money  for  the  poor  at  Christmas  for  a 
feast.  Doing  good.  L. 

GOO'  LAADE,  interj.  literally  good  lad,  but  a  very  frequent 
expression  in  urging  a  person,  or  a  dog,  to  fresh  exertions. 
Equivalent  to  "  Well  done  !  go  at  it  again." 

GOOD  LUCK,  "To  play  the  good  luck,"  i.e.,  bad  luck,  is  to  do 
mischief.  L. 

GOOD-T'-NOWT,  s.  a  worthless  fellow. 
"  He's  a  iQg'\a.r  good-f-n<rwt." 


146  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

GOOD  TNOWT,  a.  worthless. 

"  Cob  it  away  ;  it's  good  t'nowt." 

GOODY,  s.  goochvife;  a  kind  of  familiar  address  or  title  given  to 
women  rather  in  an  inferior  station  of  life.  It  grows  much  out 
of  use.  W.  Now,  I  think,  quite  obsolete  ;  and  perhaps  never 
really  local. 

GOOLD,  s.  gold.     MACCLESFIELD.     More  commonly  GOWD. 

GO  ON,  v.  to  scold. 

"  Oo  does  go  on  at  im  above  a  bit,  when  he  comes  worn  drunk." 

GOOSE,  s.  hatting  term.  An  implement  used  in  the  curling  of  hat 
brims. 

For  many  words  beginning  with  goose  see  GEUSE. 

GOOSE  APPLE;  s.  a  green  and  juicy  variety  of  cooking  apple. 

A  tree  of  this  variety  was  supplied  to  me  a  few  years  since  by  a  nursery- 
man at  Romiley,  near  Stockport,  and  it  is  now  growing  in  my  garden  at 
Mobberley,  but  I  do  not  think  the  variety  is  very  common. 

GOOSEFOOT,  s.  another  name  for  "  fat  hen."     L.     Chenopodium. 
GORBY,  adj.  soft,  silly.     L. 

GORMLESS,  adj.  dull,  stupid. 

"  Tha  gormless  chap,  thee ;  tha'll  never  be  worth  sawt   to  thi 
porridge. " 

GORSE-COTE,  s.  a  shed,  the  sides  of  which  are  made  of  gorse 
wound  amongst  upright  stakes. 

A  cheap  and  expeditious  way  of  providing  shelter  in  a  field  for  young 
cattle  during  winter. 

GORSE  HOPPER,  s.  the  bird  called  a  whinchat.     W. 

GORST,  s.  gorse,  Ulex. 

Gorst  is  a  very  common  family  name  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Runcorn 
and  Frodsham. 

GOSTER,  v.  to  swagger      Mow  COP. 
GOSTERER,  s.  a  swaggerer.     Mow  COP. 

GOT,  part,  thoroughly  dried,  as  applied  to  hay. 
"It's  weel got." 

GO  THY  WAYS,  idiom,  a  common  expression  when  bidding  a 
person  to  be  gone ;  used  in  a  kindly  manner.  See  GET  THEE 
GONE. 

GOT  THE  RATS,  idiom,  said  of  a  man  who  has  the  bailiffs  in  his 
house.  L. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  147 

GOUFE  or  GAUFE,  s.  a  simpleton. 
"Thou  great goufe"    L. 

GOVVD,  s.  gold. 

GOWDEN,  adj.  golden. 

GOWD-FINCH,  s.  the  yellow  hammer,  Emberiza  dtrinella. 

GOVVD-NEP,  s.  a  small  yellow,  early   pear.      NORTON,  SUTTON, 
MIDDLEWICH. 

This  pear  was  formerly  much  grown  and  esteemed  in  Cheshire,  but  is 
becoming  scarce.  At  Middlewich  it  is  often  pronounced  GOWD-NAP. 
Leigh  quotes  it  as  GOWD  FEPS,  which  is  perhaps  a  misprint. 

GOWND,  s.  a  gown. 
GRACE,  s.  grease. 
GRACY,  adj.  greasy. 

GRADELY,  adj.  (i)  proper. 

' '  A  gr.adely  road  "  is  a  properly  formed  road,  or  a  public  road  as  dis- 
tinguished from  a  road  which  people  make  without  having  the  right  to  do  so. 

(2)  decent,  well-conducted.    MACCLESFIELD,  HYDE. 

"  A  gradely  woman. " 
At  Hyde  "  a  gradely  mon  "  implies  that  the  man  is  a  right  good  fellow. 

GRADELY,  adv.  properly. 

"  Yo  dunna  do  it  gradely" 

GRAF  or  GRAFT,  s.  the  depth  of  a  spade  in  digging. 

GRAIN,  s.  the  prong  of  a  fork.     GREEN  (W.  CHES.).     See  PIKEL. 

' '  One  casting  a  pikell  .  .  .  the  two  greins  of  the  pikell  ran  on 
both  sides  of  his  leg,  and  hurt  him  not." — Hinde's  Life  of  John  Bruen  of 
Stapleford,  1641,  p.  143. 

GRAIND,  s.  (pronounced  almost  like  grind],  the  ground. 
GRAINS,  s.  spent  malt ;  much  used  for  feeding  milch  cows. 
GRAITH,  s.  riches.     W. 
GRANCH,  v.  to  crunch.     MACCLESFIELD. 

GRAPED,  part,  cattle  are  said  to  be  graped  when. the  lungs  become 
tuberculated,  and  adhere  to  the  side. 

CRASH,  s.  green  fruit  or  vegetables.     MIDDLEWICH. 
GRASS-BOG,  s.  a  tuft  of  coarse  grass  in  a  field.     MIDDLEWICH. 

GRASS  CHEESE,  s.  cheese  made  when  the  cows  have  begun  to 
lie  out  at  night. 


148  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

GRASS  HOOK,  s.  part  of  a  scythe. 

A  short  iron  rod  connecting  the  head  of  a  scythe-pole  and  the  base  of  the 
blade,  cutting  off  the  angle,  as  it  were.  The  effect  of  the  contrivance  is  to 
prevent  the  grass  clogging  around  the  base  of  the  blade. 

GRATER,  v.  (i)  to  grind. 

"He's  gratering his  teeth." 
(2)  to  grate  anything  to  powder. 

GRAUNCH,  v.  to  grind  any  hard  substance  between  the  teeth. 
S.  GHES. 

GRAVES,  s.  refuse  bits  of  meat,  skin,  and  fat  from  the  process  of 
tallow-making. 

They  are  pressed  into  large  blocks,  and  sold  as  food  for  dogs. 

GRAWED,  adj.  and/ar/.  begrimed,  bedaubed  with  dirt.     L. 
GRAZIER,  s.  a  young  rabbit,  just  beginning  to  feed  on  grass.     W. 

GREAT,  s.  "to  work  by  the  great"  is  task  work  in  contradistinction 
to  day  work.  L.  (on  the  authority  of  Wilbraham). 

Wilbraham,  however,  merely  says,  under  the  word  HAGG:  "  To  work  by 
the  Hagg  is  to  work  by  the  great,  in  contradistinction  to  day- work;"  and  he 
nowhere  gives  "  working  by  the  great  "  as  a  Cheshire  expression. 

GREAT,  adj.  friendly,  on  good  terms. 

"Him  and  them  isn't  very  great  just  now." 

GREAT  BINDWEED,  s.  Convolvulus  Sepium.     W.  CHES. 
GREEN  FADE,  s.  blue  mould  in  cheese. 
GREEN  LINNET,  s.  the  greenfinch,  Coccothraustes  chloris* 
GREEN-SAUCE,  s.  the  sorrel,  Rumex  Acetosa  and  R.  Acetosella. 

GREEN-SIDE,  s.  grass.    * 

Land  laid  down  to  grass  is  said  to  be  "  green-side  upp&rds." 

GREEN  SOD  SLUDGE,  s.  sea  mud,  which  was  formerly  much 
used  as  a  manure  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Runcorn.  It  was 
obtained  from  the  salt  marshes  on  the  banks  of  the  Mersey  and 
Weaver. 

"  We  have  what  we  call  the  green  sod  sludge,  and  the  slob  ;  the  former  is 
the  strongest,  and  is  consequently  always  preferred  when  it  is  to  be  had. 

.  .  We  take  one  graft  off  the  lower  part  of  the  marsh,  never  going 
deeper.  One  man  gets  it  with  a  shovel,  whilst  another  puts  it  into  the  cart 
with  a  pitchfork." — Holland's  General  View  of  the  Agriculture  of  Cheshire 
(1808),  Appendix  xiii.,  p.  368. 

GREEN  WHEY,  s.  the  clear  whey  which  separates  from  the  curd 
in  the  cheese-tub. 

It  is  semi-transparent,  and  of  a  greenish  colour.  It  is  called  green  whey 
as  distinguished  from  the  white  whey  which  comes  from  the  curd  under 
pressure. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  149 

GREEN  WINTER,  s.  a  winter  without  much  frost  or  snow. 

We  have  a  saying  that  "a  green  winter  makes  a  fat  churchyard,"  on  the 
supposition  that  warm  winters  are  unseasonable  and  therefore  unhealthy. 
The  statistics  of  the  Registrars  of  Deaths,  however,  show  conclusively  that 
this  popular  idea  is  without  foundation. 

GREET,  s.  grit. 

Whitish  sandstone  pounded  up,  and  used  for  scouring  wooden  dairy 
vessels.  It  is  generally  bought  from  itinerant  vendors,  or,  if  near  enough  to 
quarries  where  it  can  be  obtained,  the  farmer  will  occasionally  send  a  cart 
for  a  supply.  Outside  almost  every  farmhouse  backdoor  is  a  slopstone — a 
flag  set  up  on  brick  pillars — and  on  this  may  generally  be  seen  a  lump  of 
greet,  a  smooth  round  paving  stone  for  pounding  it,  and  a  wisp  of  straw  very 
ingeniously  plaited  into  a  scrubber.  The  scrubber  is  first  dipped  into  water, 
then  into  the  greet,  and  the  vessel-cleaner  works  at  the  tubs  with  a  will,  and 
gets  them  to  a  high  degree  of  cleanliness.  Of  late  years  scrubbers  made  of 
cocoa-nut  fibre,  and  bought  at  the  village  shop,  have  almost  taken  the  place 
of  the  old-fashioned  straw  scrubbers. 

GRESS,  s.  grass. 

GREWD,  part,  stuck  to  the  saucepan  in  boiling.     MACCLESFIELD. 

GREWN-WI-DIRT,  part.  adj.  grimed  with  dirt.     WILMSLOW. 

It  means  almost  more  than  grimed,  as  if  the  dirt  were  completely  grown  in. 

GREY-BOB,  s.  the  lesser  redpole,  Fringilla  linaria. 

GREY  SLATE,  s.  thick  flag  slates. 

These  sandstone  slates  were  formerly  in  constant  use  in  Cheshire,  and 
are  obtained  from  the  quarries  at  Kerridge  and  other  places.  Except  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  the  quarries,  they  are  now  very  little  used,  Welsh  slate 
being  so  much  lighter,  and  not  requiring  such  heavy  roof  timbers.  There 
are,  however,  plenty  of  the  old  grey  slate  roofs  still  in  existence. 

GRID,  s.  a  grating. 

GRIDDLE,  s.  a  gridiron.     MACCLESFIELD. 

GRIDDLY,  adj.  gritty.     Mow  COP. 

GRIG,  s.  heather,  Calluna  vulgaris. 

GRIME,  s.  dirt  thoroughly  worked  in,  not  merely  surface  dirt 

GRIN,  s.  a  snare  to  catch  hares  or  rabbits. 

Made  of  thin  wire  twisted  into  a  noose  and  fixed  in  one  of  their  runs. 

GRINDLESTUN,  s.  a  grindstone.     Also  GRINSTUN  (KNUTSFORD, 
MOBBERLEY). 

Leigh  gives  the  following  as  an  old  Cheshire  saying:  "Naught' 
impossible,  as  t'auld  woman  said  when  they  told  her  caulf  had  swallowed 
grindlestone. " 

Children  about  Macclesfield  say— 

"  Lady-bird,  lady-bird,  fly  away  home; 
All  thi  childer  are  dead  but  one, 
And  he  lies  under  the  grindlestun. " 


150  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

GRINSEL,  s.  groundsel,  Senecio  vulgaris. 
GRINSTUN,  s.  a  grindstone.     See*GRiNDLESTUN. 

GRIP-YARD,  GRIP-YAWD,  or  GRIP-YAWT,  s.  piles  driven  into 
the  banks  of  a  stream,  and  wound  with  twigs,  generally  of  willow, 
to  prevent  the  washing  away  of  the  soil. 

I  frequently  meet  with  the  word  in  old  leases,  where  it  is  obligatory  for 
the  tenant  "  to  keep  all  gripyards  in  good  order."  In  old  documents  of  the 
early  part  of  the  seventeenth  century,  belonging  to  the  corporation  of 
Macclesfield  the  word  is  frequently  quoted,  and  is  spelt  grippe-yotts ;  and 
there  appears  to  have  been  a  functionary  whose  duty  it  was  to  see  that  "all 
grippe-yotts"  were  "seemly  kepet." 

GRIP-YARD,  v.  to  repair  banks  in  the  above  manner. 
GRISKIN,  s.  a  loin  of  pork.     KNUTSFORD,  MOBBERLEY. 

The  word  is  quite  unknown  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Runcorn,  and 
thence  to  Warrington,  and  I  am  also  informed  that  it  is  not  used  about 
Macclesfield. 

GRIZZLED,  adj.  of  a  roan  colour. 

GRONCH,  s.  unripe  fruit.     Mow  COP. 

"  He  made  hissel  bad  wi  eating  sa  mitch  gronch." 

GRONCH,  v.  to  crunch.     Mow  COP. 

GROOND,  s.  a  greyhound. 

GROOP,  s.  a  channel  behind  the  cows  in  a  shippon. 

GROSIER,  s.  a  gooseberry.     L. 

GROUND  ASH,  s.  the  plant  (Egopodium  Podagraria. 

GROUND  ELDER  or  ELLER,  s.  Angelica  sylvestris. 

GROUND  HONEYSUCKLE,  s.  Lotus  corniculatus. 

Leigh  assigns  the  name  to  the  common  birdsfoot  (Ornithopus  perpusilhis), 
but  erroneously,  having  confounded  "Birdsfoot  Trefoil"  and  "Birdsfoot," 
the  respective  book-names  of  the  two  plants. 

GROUND  I  WINS,  s.  Nepeta  Glechoma. 

GROUND  ROCK,  s.  salt-making  term.  Rock-salt  ground  fine  by 
passing  through  a  mill. 

GROWT,  s.  (i)  poor  small  beer.     W. 

(2)  mortar  made  very  sloppy  to  run  between  bricks  or 

stones  used  for  paving. 

(3)  good  breed. 

' '  Grout  afore  brass,  for  me  ! "     L. 

GROWING  DAY,  s.  a  warm,  genial  day,  good  for  vegetation. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  151 

GRUB,  v.  to  make  envious. 

"  He's  grubbed  at  Tom  cutting  him  out."     L. 
GRUBBY,  adj.  small,  poor,  stunted.     MACCLESFIELD. 

GRUB-HAVES  or  GRUB-AVES,  s.  worm-hillocks  seen  on  grass- 
plots  on  dewy  mornings.  WISTASTON. 

GRUMBLEDIRT,  s.  a  man  who  is  always  grumbling.     L. 

GRUMMEL,  5.  dust  and  rubbish.  More  anciently  ROMELL.  L. 
See  RAMILL. 

GRUMPY,  adj.  peevish,  ill-tempered. 

GRUND,/arf.  ground. 

"  Grund  wuts,"  ground  oats. 

GUAGE  BED,  s.  salt-mining  term.  The  solid  bed  formed  in  the 
shaft,  where  marl  or  rock  are  sound  enough  to  form  a  foundation 
for  the  cylinders  or  lining  of  the  shaft. 

GUDGEON,  s.  the  ring  or  staple  in  the  heel  of  a  gate  that  hangs  on 
the  hinge  or  hook  in  the  gate  post. 

GUELVE,  s.  a  three-tined  fork.     L.     See  YELVE. 

GUESS,  v.  to  form  an  opinion. 

The  idiom,  "I  leave  you  to  guess,"  meaning  "You  can  form  your  own 
opinion,"  is  in  very  constant  use.  Thus:  I  was  arranging  with  a  man  about 
felling  some  timber  in  a  rather  deep  ravine,  and  I  said  it  would  be  very 
awkward  to  get  the  trees  out.  He  did  not  see  much  difficulty  about  it,  and 
added,  "  I  fawed  some  trees  at  Rocksavage  in  a  deeper  hole  than  this. 
They  had  to  carry  th'  bark  up  a  ladder,  so  /  leave  you  to  guess. " 

GUEST,  s.  instead  of  guise.  Another  guest  person  is  a  different  kind 
of  person.  W. 

GUILL,  v.  to  dazzle,  chiefly  by  a  blow.     W. 

GUINIAD,  s.  a  fish,  apparently  the  char,  caught  in  Bala  Lake  in 
Wales. 

Leigh  gives  this  as  a  Cheshire  word,  and  quotes  Steele's  Collection  of 
Cheshire  Words  (Bodleian  Library),  1750.  The  name,  however,  is  cleaily 
Welsh.  See  Leigh's  Glossary. 

GULCH,  v.  to  swallow  greedily  and  noisily.     MACCLESFIELD. 

GULL,  s.  a  naked  gull.  So  are  called  all  nestling  birds  in  quite  an 
unfledged  state.  W. 

GULLANTINES,  s.  strong  pruning  shears. 

They  are  used  for  pruning  thick  branches  from  trees  or  hedges.  They 
have  long,  straight  handles,  and  a  very  short  cutting  blade,  about  three 
inches  long,  which  works  into  a  groove  between  two  iron  plates.  The 
leverage  is  thus  very  considerable,  and  branches  of  nearly  an  inch  in 
diameter  can  be  readily  cut  with  them. 


152  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

GULLET,  s.  (i)  a  long,  narrow  piece  of  land.     MACCLESFIELD. 

(2)  a  passage  opening  from  a  street,  and  having  no 
thoroughfare.     MACCLESFIELD. 

GUMPTION,  s.  sense,  talent,  capacity. 

A  person  who  is  slow  to  pick  up  any  kind  of  work  or  knowledge  is  said 
to  have  no  gumption. 

GURDS.    See  FITS  AND  GURDS. 
GURN,  v.  to  grin.    J.  B.  CLOUGH. 

GURR,  s.  diarrhoea  in  calves. 

I  spell  this  words  with  two  rs,  because  there  is  a  sort  of  prolongation  of 
the  r,  though  without  any  approach  to  a  trill. 

GURR,  v.  to  have  diarrhoea. 

There  is  a  superstition  that  if  you  lay  your  hand  on  the  back  of  a  young 
calf  it  will  cause  it  to  gttrr.  The  calf  cringes  when  thus  touched,  and  the 
supposition  is  that  it  causes  some  pain  or  injury. 

GUT,  s.  a  narrow  channel  leading  from  a  river,  amongst  the  mud- 
banks,  and  into  which  the  tide  flows. 

A  channel  of  this  kind  on  Astmoor  salt  marsh  in  the  township  of  Halton 
is  spoken  of  as  "  th'  gut." 

GUTTER,  s.  salt-mining  term,     (i)  Hollows  cut  in  the  walls  of  a 

shaft,  and  lined  so  as  to  be 
watertight,  to  catch  the  water 
trickling  down  the  shaft. 

(2)  salt-making  term.  A  spout  for 
carrying  water  from  the  pan- 
house. 

GUTTER-VIEWERS,  s.  salt-making  term.  Officers  in  the  salt 
towns  who  inspected  the  troughs  or  channels  which  conducted 
the  brine  from  the  sheath  to  the  wych  house.  L. 

GUTTIT,  s.  is,  I  am  credibly  informed,  the  only  name  by  which 
Shrovetide  is  known  among  the  lower  orders  in  Cheshire.  This 
would  seem  to  be  a  corruption  of  Good  tide.  W. 

GUTTLE,  v.  to  drink  greedily.  MACCLESFIELD,  but  not  very 
frequently  used. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  153 


H. 

HAGGLE,  v.  to  grumble,  to  dispute.     Mow  COP. 

HACK,  s.  (i)  a  mattock. 

"A  gorse  hack"    L. 

(2)  the  liver  and  lights  of  a  pig. 

HACKLIN,  adj.  hacking.     Said  of  a  troublesome  cough. 
"  Go's  getten  sitch  a  hacklin  cough." 

HAD  DRINK,  part,  slightly  intoxicated,  but  hardly  drunk. 
HADNA,  v.  had  not. 

HAFE,  )      ,   ,, 
HAWF,rhalf" 

HAFE-WIT,  s.  an  idiot. 

HAFFLE,  v.  to  hesitate.    See  SHAFFLIN  AN'  HAFFLIN. 

HAFT,  s.  the  handle  of  a  knife,  a  hammer,  an  axe,  &c. 

Leigh  says  a  man  not  to  be  depended  on  is  called  "loose  in  the 
haft"  .  .  .  If  an  axe,  for  instance,  is  set  in  a  loose  haft,  the  weapon 
not  only  cannot  be  trusted,  but  may  be  dangerous. 

This  is  no  doubt  classical  English,  but  the  word  handle  is  generally  used 
by  educated  people,  whereas  our  Cheshire  men  never  say  handle,  but  always 
haft. 

HAG,  s.  (i)  job,  bargain. 

To  work  by  the  hag  is  to  work  by  the  piece,  i.e.,  to  make  a  bargain 
respecting  the  work.  JAG  (which  see)  seems  to  be  another  form  of  the  word. 

(2)  trouble,  difficulty. 

Thus  if  one  tries  to  persuade  another  against  his  will  it  would  be  said,  "I 
got  him  to  go  at  last,  but  I'd  a  regular  hag  with  him. " 

HAGGIT,  adj.  careworn,  harassed.     MACCLESFIELD. 
HAGGLE,  v.  (i)  to  chaffer  or  dispute  over  a  bargain. 

(2)  to  bicker. 

(3)  to  carve  meat  badly. 

HAGG  MASTER,  s.   one  who  hires   labourers  and  undertakes 
"  hagg-work."     L. 

HAGUE  or   HAIG,   s.   the    fruit    of   the    hawthorn,     Cratagus 
Oxyacantha. 
L 


154  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

HAIGH  or  HAY,  v.  to  heave. 

".flay  it  up,  "lift  it.     L. 

Leigh  includes  this  on  the  authority  of  Wilbraham ;  but  Wilbraham  gives 
"to  have"  as  the  meaning,  and  not  "to  heave,"  both  in  the  text  and  the 
appendix  of  both  editions.  Moreover,  he  does  not  give  any  illustration  as 
quoted  by  Leigh. 

HAIN,  s.  hatred,  malice.     L. 
HAISE  or  HAHSE,  s.  house. 

HAITCHES,  or,  more  commonly,  AITCHES,  which  see.     Also  see 
FAINTY  HAITCHES. 

HALEWOOD  PLUM,  s.  a  red  plum  formerly  much  cultivated  in 
N.  W.  Cheshire,  and  greatly  esteemed  for  preserving. 

It  is  becoming  more  scarce,  but  may  still  be  bought  in  Warrington 
market ;  and  there  are  several  trees  of  it  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Norton 
and  Frodsham. 

H ALF-SHAKED,  part,  half-witted.     L. 

HALF-TIMERS,  s.  children  under  the  age  of  thirteen,  who  work 
in  cotton  or  silk  factories. 

The  Factory  Act  provides  that  they  are  only  to  work  for  half  a  day,  and 
must  go  to  school  during  the  other  half. 

HALLIDAY,  s.  a  holiday. 

HALOW  or  HAILOW,  adj.  awkwardly  backward,  shy.     W. 

HALSH,  v.  to  tie  a  rope  in  a  peculiar  way  round  timber  or  stone 
which  is  to  be  hoisted. 


HAMES, 
HEMES, 
HAWMS, 


s.  the  iron  arms  which  clasp  a  horse's  collar,  and  to 
which  the  chains  for  drawing  are  attached. 


HOMES, 

They  were  formerly  made  of  wood  partially  plated  with  thin  iron. 

"The  Frill  Homes  are  the  pieces  of  wood  made  fast  to  the  collar  about  the 
horse  neck,  to  which  hooks  and  the  chains  are  fixed.  The  Homes  are  the 
wooden  pieces  themselves." — Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  viii.,  p.  339. 

HAMIL  SCONCE,  s.  the  light  of  the  village  or  hamlet;  the  Solomon 
of  the  place. 

Sconce  is  either  light  or  head.     L. 

HAMMER  AND  PINCERS,  \  .,. 
HAMMER  AND  TONGS,      ]  *' 

(1)  the  noise  made  by  a  trotting  horse  when  it  strikes  the 

hind  shoe  against  the  fore  shoe. 

(2)  having  high  words. 

"Falling  out  hammer  and  tongs"  is  a  very  common  expression  in 
Cheshire,  though  perhaps  hardly  local. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  155 

HAMPER,  s.  a  measure  of  six  pecks. 

Apples,  pears,  plums,  damsons,  and  gooseberries  are  generally  sold 
wholesale  by  the  hamper.  So  also  are  potatoes,  especially  new  potatoes, 
which  are  always  sent  to  market  in  these  hampers.  The  hampers  are  long- 
square,  and  wider  at  the  top  than  the  bottom,  so  that  when  they  are  brought 
home  from  market  empty  they  can  be  packed  one  inside  the  other  like 
flower  pots,  and  a  great  number  can  be  packed  on  one  cart.  It  is  customary 
also  to  wash  new  potatoes  in  these  hampers,  which  is  conveniently  done  by 
dipping  them  into  a  pit  or  stream  of  water  and  shaking  them  about.  Each 
hamper  holds  half  a  load  of  potatoes,  that  is  six  pecks  or  scores  of  twenty-one 
pounds  to  the  score  (a  long  score). 

HAMPER,  v.  to  burden  with  debt. 

HAMPERED, part,  (i)  burdened  with  debt. 

(2)  choked  up  with  dirt. 

"  Yo  never  seed  sitch  a  place  i'  your  loif,  it  were  aw  hampered  up 
wi  dirt." 

HAN,  v.  have. 

"  Han  yo  getten  owt  ?"     "  Now,  a  hanna." 

HAND-BOARD,  s.  a  tea-tray.     KELSALL. 

HANDED  SQUARES,  s.  salt-making  term.  Squares  of  salt,  such 
as  are  commonly  hawked  about  the  streets. 

HAND-HOOK,  s.  tanning  term.  A  short  iron  hook  fixed  in  a  cross 
handle  of  wood,  with  which  tanners  move  the  wet  hides. 

HAND  STAFF,  s.  the  handle  of  a  flail. 

"The  Hand  Staff,   that   as   the  Thresher  holds   it  \>y."— Academy  of 
Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  via.,  p.  333. 

HAND,  TO  BUY  BY,  idiom,  to  buy  by  hand  is  to  estimate  the 
value  of  anything  instead  of  weighing  it. 

The  expression  is  chiefly  used  in  buying  fat  pigs.  In  buying  inanimate 
objects,  such  as  hay,  the  word  lump  is  generally  used — buying  by  the  lump. 

HANDY  PANDY,  s.  a  child's  game,  when  an  object  is  concealed 
in  one  hand,  and  a  companion  has  to  guess  in  which  it  is 
hidden. 

The  one  who  conceals  the  object  says — 

"Handy  Pandy,  sugary  candy, 
Guess  which  hand  it's  in ; 
Right  hand  or  left  hand, 
Guess  which  hand  it's  in. " 

HANG  CHOICE,  idiom,  no  difference,  one  as  bad  as  the  other. 

"Am  nor  oi  a  better  bye  than  Johnny,  grandmother?"  "Aw 
dunna  know ;  you're  both  so  nowt,  that  it's  hang  choice  between 
you. " 


156  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

HANGED  HAY,  idiom,  hay  hung  on  the  steelyard  to  be  weighed, 
previous  to  selling. 

Wilbraham  gives  as  an  old  Cheshire  proverb,  "  Hanged  hay  never  does 
cattle,"  i.e.f  bought  hay  does  not  pay.  "Slung  hay"  is  another  version, 
and,  like  "hanged  hay,"  refers  to  the  mode  of  weighing.  See  TRUSS 
WEIGHT. 

HANGING  SORT  OF  WAY,  idiom,  wavering  between   sickness 
and  health. 

HANGMENT,  s.  a  word  somewhat  equivalent  to  "  the  deuce." 
"It's  played  the  hangment  with  me." 

HANG-POST,  s.  the  post  to  which  a  gate  is  hung.     See  CLAP-POST. 
HANGS,  s.  wires  to  catch  hares  and  rabbits.     L. 

HANK,  s.  a  term  used  in  flax-dressing. 

"An  Hank  is  a  slipping  made  up  into  a  knot." — Academy  of  Armory, 
Bk.  III.,  ch.  iii.,  p.  107. 

HANKECHER,  s.  a  handkerchief. 

HANKER,  v.  to  desire,  almost  to  covet. 
Leigh  has  also  HANK. 

HANKERING,  s.  a  strong  desire. 

"  Please,  Miss,  an  yo  get  ten  a  sope  o'  red  port  wine  as  yo'd  give 
my  mother;  oo's  been  ta'en  bad  in  her  bowels,  and  oo  has  sitch 
a  hankerin  for  a  sope  o'  red  port  wine." 

Port  wine  is  looked  upon  as  a  complete  panacea  ;  it  is  invariably  spoken 
of  as  red  port  wine. 

BANNER,  }«•  *«*  not.       ;'        '  '  . '.  '       '  j 

HANSEL,  s.  the  first  money  taken  in  the  morning,  or  at  a  newly 
opened  store. 

"Gi  me  a  hansel  this  morning. :> 
There  is  a  sort  of  idea  that  it  brings  good  luck. 

HANSEL,  v.  to  use  a  thing  for  the  first  time,  also  to  taste  a  thing 
for  the  first  time. 

HANSEL  MONDAY,  s.  the  first  Monday  in  the  year.     L. 

It  does  not  quite  appear,  however,  whether  Leigh  gives  this  as  a 
Cheshirism  or  not. 

HANSH,  v.  to  snap  with  the  teeth.     MOBBERLEY. 

"  If  a  dog's  mad,  he'll  hansh  at  anything  that's  near  him." 

HANSHAKER,  s.  a  handkerchief.     MACCLESFIELD. 
HANTLE,  s.  a  handful.     Also  HONTLE. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  157 

HAP,  v.  (i)  to  pat  soil  with  the  back  of  a  spade. 

(2)  salt-making  term.      To  smooth  the  lump  salt  with  a 

happer.     See  HAPPER. 

(3)  to  meet  with  a  person. 

"If  yo're  goin  to  th'  fair  may  be  yo'n  hap  on  our  Jim,  for  he's 
gone  an  hour  sin. " 

HA'PNY,  s.  a  halfpenny.  The  a  is  pronounced  as  in  father.  Also 
HAWPNY. 

HAPPEN,  adv.  perhaps,  possibly.     ME-HAPPEN  (MACCLESFIELD). 

HAPPER,  s.  salt-making  term.  A  small  wooden  spade  or  paddle 
used  to  hap  the  lump  salt,  that  is,  to  give  it  a  smooth  surface  by 
patting  it  or  drawing  the  happer  over  it. 

HAPPY  FAMILY,  s.  a  species  of  Sedum  frequently  grown  in 
cottage  windows. 

HAP  UP,  v.  to  tuck  up.     .. 

"  Put  him  to  bed,  and  put  plenty  of  hillin  on  him,  an  hap  him  up 
warm. " 

HARBOUR,  s.  situation,  spot,  receptacle. 

"  My  word  !  but  this  is  a  wyndy  harbour." 
"A  wood-fent's  a  regular  harbour  for  rottens." 
Dark  corners  in  a  house  are  "harbours  for  dust." 

HARBOUR,  v.  (i)  to  dwell  in  a  place,  to  haunt  a  place. 
Rats  harbour  in  a  barn.     Partridges  harbour  amongst  turnips. 

(2)  to  give  shelter  to,  to  encourage. 
"  He  harbours  aw  th'  powchers  i'th  county." 

HARBOURATION,  s.  a  collection,  a  lodgment. 

"  Oi  ne'er  seed  sich  a  harbouration  o'  dirt  as  that  is." 

HARD,  adj.  becoming  sour.     Said  of  ale. 
HARDENING.     See  BASONING. 
HARD-FACED,  adj.  (i)  obstinate  in  making  a  bargain. 
(2)  close-grained,  hard  in  texture. 

Timber  which  is  hard  and  difficult  to  work  is  said  to  be  hard-faced.  An 
apple  of  so  close  a  texture  that  you  can  scarcely  get  your  teeth  through  it 
would  be  called  hard-faced. 

HARDHEAD  or  HARDYED  (DELAMERE),  HARDINES,  HARD- 
IRON,  s.  the  plant  Centaurea  nigra. 

HARDINES.     See  HARDHEAD. 
HARDIRON.     See  HARDHEAD. 

HARE-SHAWN,/ar/.  having  a  hare-lip. 

"  Oi  could  na  mak  aht  a  word  he  said,  for  he's  harc-shawn." 


158  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

TJ  A  -D  Tp      \ 

HERIF   I  s'  the  plant  Galium  AParine-     W.  CHES. 


HARNISH,  j.  harness. 

HARRISON'S  PIPPIN,  s.  a  variety  of  apple. 

It  is  only  seen  in  old  orchards,  and  probably  could  not  now  be  obtained 
from  any  nurseryman.  It  is  large  and  handsome,  a  first-class  table  fruit,  and 
a  fairly  good  cooking  apple.  There  are  many  apples  to  be  found  in  old 
orchards  in  Cheshire,  and  no  doubt  elsewhere,  which  are  quite  equal,  and  in 
many  cases  superior  to,  the  new  kinds  which  are  now  in  cultivation.  An 
apple  which  I  take  to  be  this  variety  is  mentioned  in  A  Cavalier's  Note-book, 
p.  165,  showing  its  antiquity. 

HARRY-LONG-LEGS,  s.  the  daddy-long-legs.  Occasionally,  but 
daddy-long-legs  is  more  common. 

HARSH,  s.  piercing,  bitter.  Applied  to  the  weather.  The  opposite 
to  MELSH  (which  see). 

Harsh  is  pronounced  almost  like  Hash. 

HARSLET,  s.  the  liver  and  lights  of  a  pig.     MOBBERLEY. 

HARVEST  GEARING,  s.  the  rails  fixed  on  a  cart  for  carrying  hay 
or  corn. 

HASK,  adj.  cold,  piercing,  harsh.     More  commonly  HOSK. 

HASP,  s.  a  clasp  for  the  lid  of  a  box,  which  falls  into  the  lock.  Also 
a  clasp  which  falls  over  a  staple  into  which  a  padlock  can  be 
locked. 

HASSOCK,  s.  (i)  a  word  used  in  turf-getting.  The  surface  layer 
with  heath,  &c.,  upon  it,  cut  about  three 
inches  thick. 

(2)  a  coarse  tuft  of  grass. 

The  large  tufts  of  grass  or  sedge  which  frequently  grow  in  low,  undrained 
meadows  and  boggy  places.  The  grass  which  forms  hassocks  is  chiefly 
Aira  caspitosa  ;  the  sedges  are  Carex  caspitosa  and  C.  paniculala. 

HASSOCK  SPADE,  s.  a  turf-getting  tool. 

It  is  made  in  the  form  of  a  crescent,  and  is  fixed  to  a  long  handle  which 
is  curved  at  the  lower  end.  Its  use  is  to  pare  off  the  surface  of  the  bog. 

HAST  A,  v.  hast  thou. 

HAT  BODY,  s.  hatting  term.  The  foundation  of  which  a  hat  is 
made. 

HATCH,  s.  (i)  a  small  gate. 

(2)  salt-making  term.     The  door  of  a  furnace. 

(3)  a  latch.     MACCLESFIELD. 

"  Dunna  bowt  th'  durr,  lave  it  o'lh  hatch,  and  then  thi  fayther 
can  come  in  when  he's  a  mind  an  we'n  go  to  blanket  fair  (bed)." 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  159 

HATCHEL,  s.  an  instrument  mentioned  by  Randle  Holme  as  used 
in  the  dressing  of  hemp  and  flax. 

"  An  Hatchell,  of  which  there  are  several  sorts  one  finer  than  another, 
theye  are  long  Iron  Finns  set  orderly  in  a  board  with  which  Hemp  and  Flax 
is  combed  into  fine  hairs." — Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  iii.,  p.  106. 

HATC  HELLING,  part,  combing  flax  or  hemp. 

' '  Hatchelli ng,  is  to  comb  with  iron  pinns  to  make  it  finer." — Academy  of 
Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  iii.,  p.  107. 

This  process  is  now  called  in  the  north  of  England  "heckling;"  but  as 
hemp  and  flax  have  long  ago  ceased  to  be  cultivated  in  Cheshire,  this  and 
the  preceding  word  have,  I  suppose,  become  quite  obsolete. 

HATE,  s.  height. 

HATTLE,  adj.  wild,  skittish.     W. 

Possibly  quoted  from  Ray  {North- Country  Words),  who  has  "HATTLE, 
adj.  wild,  skittish,  harmful.  CHES.  '  Tie  the  hattle  ky  by  the  horn,'  i.e. 
the  skittish  cow." 

HATTOCK,  s.  (i)  a  hole  in  the  roof  where  owls  harbour.     L. 
(2)  a  stock  of  corn. 

"We  wanten  a  good  wynd  as  '11  blow  th*  attacks  o'er,  afore  th' 
curn  '11  be  ready  to  lead."     Neighbourhood  of  WARRINGTON. 

Holme  {Academy  of  Armory'),  however,  says  "  v.  Hattock  \&  three  sheafs 
laid  together." — Bk.  III.,  ch.  iii.,  p.  73. 

HAVEING,  part,  cleaning  corn.     HALLIWELL. 

HAVE  ON  THE  HIP,  idiom,  to  get  the  best  in  an  argument 
"  He  had  him  on  th'  hip." 

HAVERDRIL,  s.  a  daffodil,  Narcissus  Pseudo-narcissus.     MORLEY. 

HAVIORS  or  HAVERS,  s.  "to  be  on  one's  haviors"  is  to  be  on 
one's  good  behaviour.     "  To  mind  one's  P's  and  Q's."     L. 

HAW,  s.  a  hall. 

HAWBERRY,  s.  the  fruit  of  the  hawthorn.     MACCLESFIELD. 

HAWF,  s.  half. 

HAWPNY,  a  halfpenny. 

HAWPUTH,  s.  a  halfpennyworth. 

HAY,  .$-.  a  wood.     MACCLESFIELD. 

The  word  is  frequent  in  place-names — as  Hall  o"  th?  Hay,  a  farm  at 
Kingsley  near  Frodsham,  Ashton  Hayes  near  Chester.  It  is  frequently  met 
with  in  old  deeds  having  the  meaning  of  a  •wood. 

HAY-BONT,  s.  the  rope  of  spun  hay  or  straw  with  which  a  truss  of 
hay  is  tied. 


160  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

HAYMENT,  s.  a  fence,  or  boundary. 
The  word  occurs  in  old  deeds. 

HAYSHAKERS,  s.  quaking  grass,  Briza  media. 

HAYSTACK,  s. 

Randle  Holme  makes  a  distinction  between  a  hay  stack  and  a  hay  rick. 
He  says,  "A  Stack,  or  Hay  Stack,  is  several  Loads  of  Hay  laid  about  and 
trodden  close  together  about  a  Stack  Pole,  being  shaped  broad  at  the  bottom 
and  narrow  at  top,  Pyramid-wise.  A  Rick,  or  Hay  Rick,  is  Hay  Mowed 
in  the  open  Air,  and  made  after  the  form  of  a  Barn  with  a  Sheeding  Ridg.  "- 
Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  iii.,  p.  73. 

No  such  distinction  exists  now  ;  and  the  former  method  of  stacking  hay- 
around  a  pole  is  not  adopted. 

HAY-TENTERS,  or  simply  TENTERS,  s.  haymakers,  as  dis- 
tinguished from  the  mowers. 

HAYTHORN,  or,  more  correctly,  HAYTHERN,  s.  hawthorn, 
Cratagus  Oxyacantha. 

This  is  an  old  form  of  the  name.  Tusser  (Five  Hundred  Points,  E.D.S. 
ed.,  p.  76)  spells  it  HAITHORNE. 

H  AYWARD,  s.  the  warden  of  a  common  (?) 

"Originally  a  person  who  guarded  the  corn  and  farm-yard  in  the  night- 
time, and  gave  warning  by  a  horn  in  case  of  alarm  from  robbers.  The  term 
was  afterwards  applied  to  a  person  who  looked  after  the  cattle,  and  prevented 
them  from  breaking  down  the  fences ;  and  the  warden  of  a  common  is  still 
so  called  in  some  parts  of  the  country." — HALLIWELL. 

The  election  of  Hayward  takes  place  annually  at  the  Court  Leet  of  the 
Township  of  Shocklach.  See  Chester  Courant  of  June  27th,  1883. 

HAZZLE,  s.  the  hazel,  Corylus  Avellana. 

HEAD,  s.  the  perpendicular  face  of  marl  at  the  end  of  the  marl  pit. 

HEADACHES,  s.  the  common  poppy.  L.  Papaver  dubium. 
(Papaver  Rhosas  is  very  rare  in  Cheshire.) 

It  is  a  popular  idea  in  Cheshire  that  to  smell  the  flowers  of  the  poppy  will 
cause  headache. 

HEAD-COLLAR,  s.  a  leather  halter  worn  by  horses  when  tied  up 
in  the  stable. 

HEADGREW,  s.  aftergrass.  CHOLMONDESTON,  MINSHULL  VERNON. 
HEAD-STALL,  s.  the  same  as  Head-collar.     MACCLESFIELD. 

HEALD  (more  commonly  pronounced  YELL),  s.  weaving  term. 
The  healds  are  portions  of  the  loom  which  are  raised  by  the 
treddles,  and  which  lift  and  drop  the  ends  of  the  warp. 

HEARKEN  DOWN  or  HEARKEN  UP,  v.  to  look  in,  to  pay 
a  visit. 

"  If  you  canna  give  me  a  answer  to  neet,  I'll  hearken  up  i'th' 
morning. " 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  l6l 

HEARKEN  OUT,  v.  to  be  on  the  look  out  for  information. 

"Miss,  oi  wanted  to  ax  yo  if  yo'd  hearken  aht  for  summat  for 
ahr  Polly,  oo's  a  tidy  sort  o'  wench  and  knows  her  book,  and  oi'd 
like  get  her  a  place,  and  not  send  her  to  th'  mill  (factory)." 

HEART,  s.  condition,  richness,  as  applied  to  land. 

Poor  land  is  said  to  be  "in  bad  heart;"  rich  land  "  in  good  heart" 

HEAR  TELL,  v.  to  hear  about  anything. 
HEARTEN,  v.  to  cheer,  to  encourage.     MACCLESFIELD. 

HEARTH  STAFF,  s. 

Randle  Holme  enumerates  amongst  "things  belonging  to  the  Forge," 
"The  Hearth  Staff,  to  stir  up  the  fire,  and  throw  Cinders  out  of  it."- 
Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  vii.,  p.  324. 

HEART-ROOTED,  adj.  said  of  a  tree  that  is  self  sown. 

HEART-SOUND,  adj.  having  a  thoroughly  good  constitution. 
"Heart  sound  as  a  cabbage"  is  a  colloquial  expression. 

HEARTY,  adj.  (i)  in  good  health. 

(2)  having  a  good  appetite. 
"  He's  very  hearty  for  an  owd  mon." 

HEARTY,  adv.  very. 

"  Oo's  hearty  fow. "    She  is  very  ugly.     L. 

HEASE,  s.  risk.  MORLEY,  WILMSLOW,  but  I  think  almost,  if  not 
quite,  obsolete. 

"  I'll  do  it  at  all  hease,"  i.e.,  "  I'll  do  it  at  all  risks." 

HEATHER,  s.  Erica  dnerea.     W.  CHES. 

HEAVE  or  HAYVE,  v.  (i)  to  lift. 

(2)  to  throw. 

(3)  to  ferment.     See  HOVEN. 

(4)  to  retch  with  sickness. 

HEAVY  ON,  adj.  when  a  cart  is  loaded  too  far  forward  so  as  to 
press  too  much  on  the  horse's  back  it  is  said  to  be  heavy  on. 
Light  on  is  the  reverse. 

HEAZE,  v.  to  cough,  or  hawk.     W. 

HEAZY,  adj.  hoarse. 

"He  were  that  heazy,  he  could  na  spake  a  word,  and  you  could 
hear  him  blowin  like  a  pair  o'  bellus." 


1 62  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

HEBBON,  part,  worth  having. 

"He's  not  much  worth  hebbon,  and  desp'rate  shommakin  in  his  legs,"  i.e., 
awkward  in  his  gait,  was  an  observation  made  by  a  bystander  on  a  young 
man  who  came  to  offer  himself  as  a  groom.  L. 

It  is  clear,  however,  that  hebbon  is  only  a  pronunciation  of  "having,"  and 
scarcely  means  "  worth  having." 

HECKLE-.TEMPERED,  adj.  short  tempered,  hasty,  touchy.     L. 

HEDGE-BACK  or  HEDGE-BACKIN,  s.  the  cop  upon  which  a 
hedge  stands. 

HEDGE-BRUSHINS,  s.  the  clippings  of  hedges. 
HEDGEHOGS,  s.  small,  stunted  trees  in  hedgerows.     L. 
HEDGE  MUSHROOM,  s.  Agaricus  aruemis. 

HEDGING  BILL,  s.  a  bill  with  a  long  handle  for  brushing  or 
cutting  down  hedges. 

HEE,  HEIGH  (ALTRINCHAM),  HOY,  adj.  high. 

HEED,  s.  (i)  notice. 

"Tak  no  heed  o'  what  he  sez." 

(2)  care. 

"TzkAted." 

HEED,  v.  to  take  notice. 

"  Dunna  heed  him." 

HEEL-TREE,  s.  a  kerb  of  wood  or  stone  forming  the  edge  of  the 
groop  or  channel  behind  the  cows  in  a  shippon,  and  holding  up 
the  raised  floor  or  bed  where  the  cow  stands. 

HEERD,  v.  perfect  tense  of  to  hear. 

HEERN,  v.  hear. 

"  Aw  heern  folks  say." 

HEIRABLE,  adj.  entailed.     MACCLESFIELD. 

"Th"  farm  canna  be  sold ;  it's  heirable." 

HELL-RAKE,  s.  a  large  rake  with  long  curved  iron  teeth,  used  for 
raking  up  all  the  scattered  portions  of  hay  or  corn;  usually 
drawn  by  two  men. 

HELVE,  s.  a  haft  or  handle  of  a  tool.     WILDERSPOOL. 

Leigh  gives  as  an  old  Cheshire  proverb  signifying  despair,  "To  throw  the 
helve  after  the  hatchet." 

HEMP  CROFT  ( s'  ver^  cornmon  names  for  small  paddocks  near 

HEMP  YARD   '  I      homesteads,  presumably  because  they  were  set 

{     apart  for  the  growth  of  hemp. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  163 

HEN,  adj.  old. 

Leigh  gives  it  as  explanatory  of  the  meaning  of  Henbury,  a  parish  not  far 
from  Macclesfield.  The  word  is  only  met  with  in  place-names. 

HEN  AND  CHICKENS,  s.  the  proliferous  variety  of  the  garden 
daisy. 

HEN-CORN,  s.  light  grain  used  for  feeding  poultry. 

"  The  wheat  was  so  badly  down,  it  were  nowt  bu'  hen-corn  when 
it  were  threshed." 

HEN-GORSE,  s.  Ononis  arvensis.    BROXTON.    Occasionally  Bartsia 
Odontites  is  so  called. 

HEN-HURDLE,  s.  a  loft  over  a  pigsty,  used  as  a  hen-roost. 

HEN-SCRATS,  s.  light,  scratchy  clouds  portending  rain  (scientifically 
called  Cirro-stratus). 

"It  'II  not  keep  fine  long,  there  are  too  many  hen-scrats  and 
marestails  about." 

HEP,  s.  the  fruit  of  the  rose,  Rosa  canina  and  other  species. 
HEP  BREER,  s.  Rosa  canina. 

HEP  GUN,  s.  a  popgun  made  of  elder  tree,  from  which  heps  are 
fired. 

HER,  pron.  used  instead  of  herself. 
"Go's  cleaning  her." 

HERBIVE,  s.  the  forget-me-not.     L. 

This  and  the  next  name  are  probably  only  copied  from  Gerard  because  he 
was  a  Cheshire  man.  Gerard  does  not  localise  them. 

HERB  PETER,  s.  the  cowslip.     L. 
HERRINGBONE  ROAD,  s. 

A  few  of  these  remnants  of  the  Pack-Horse  period,  though  rapidly  disap- 
pearing, may  still  be  seen.  Stones  placed  like  those  [what  ?]  coming  from 
the  backbone  of  a  fish,  and  which  support  the  narrow  paved  causeway  ;  the 
first  attempt  at  an  improvement  on  a  mere  track  since  the  time  of  those  great 
road-makers,  the  Romans.  L. 

HERST,  s.  a  hearse. 
HESHIN.     See  ESHIN. 

HESITATION,  s.  a  half-promise. 

"  There  was  a  hesitation  about  a  calf  cote."     L. 

HETHER  or  ETHER,  s.  an  adder  or  snake.     MIDDLEWICH. 

HICKWALL,  s.  the  name  of  a  bird  mentioned  by  Randle  Holme. 
Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  xiii.,  p.  308. 


1 64  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

HIDE,  v.  to  beat. 

HIDE-BUN,  adj.  a  general  term  for  a  tightness  of  the  skin  of 
animals,  which  is  a  frequent  symptom  of  illness. 

In  Cheshire  the  term  is  extended  to  an  old  pasture,  the  sod  of  which  has 
become  extremely  tough  and  poor,  and  which  wants  breaking  up ;  it  is  also 
applied  to  a  tree  of  which  the  bark  will  not  expand  sufficiently  to  allow  it  to 
grow. 

HIDING,  s.  a  beating. 

HIDLANCE  or  HIDLANDS,  s.  concealment. 

A  man  of  a  shaky  character  built  a  house  in  an  out-of-the-way  place. 
It  was  said  he  did  so  because  he  wanted  rather  to  be  "  in  hidlands" 

A  person  who  keeps  out  of  the  way  for  fear  of  being  arrested  is  said  to  be 
in  hidlands. 

HIE  or  HYE,  s.  haste.     W. 

HIE,  v.  to  hasten. 

"  Hie  the,  Sarah,  hie  the,  and  bring  me  a  sope  o'  beer,  aw'm 
welly  kilt  wi  droot." 

HIGGLE,  v.  to  carry  on  the  business  of  a  huckster. 

HIGGLEDY  PIGGLEDY,  MALPAS  SHOT,  idiom,  implying  that 
everyone  should  be  served  alike. 

The  following  tradition,  which  I  quote  from  an  article  by  the  Rev.  W.  T. 
Kenyon,  one  of  the  Rectors  of  Malpas,  in  the  Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  ii., 
p.  235,  accounts  for  the  origin  of  the  saying:  "King  James  I.  was  on  a 
royal  progress  such  as  he  was  accustomed  to  make  over  various  parts  of  his 
dominions.  As  he  approached  Malpas  (which,  be  it  observed,  is  on  the  high 
road  between  London  and  Chester)  he  sent  forward  to  the  Rector,  as  the 
principal  person  of  the  place,  to  require  him  to  provide  for  his  suitable  enter- 
tainment. The  Rector,  whether,  unlike  his  kind,  disloyal,  or  like  them, 
parsimonious,  refused.  The  Curate  saw  his  opportunity,  and  ordering  the 
best  viands  the  old  '  Lion '  could  produce,  invited  his  Majesty  to  refresh- 
ment. .  .  .  The  rest  of  the  story  is  less  clear,  and  varies  with  different 
traditions.  It  appears,  however,  that  at  the  end  of  the  banquet  there  was 
some  discussion  as  to  settling  the  account.  His  Majesty,  perhaps,  desired  to 
be  generous ;  the  Curate  insisted  on  the  rights  of  hospitality.  Eventually, 
however,  the  ancient  custom  of  Malpas  prevailed,  even  if  it  were  against  the 
King's  wishes.  Half-and-half,  or  Higgled?  Pi^gledy,  was  the  time-honoured 
rule  of  the  'Lion.'  All  who  came  should  pay  equal  shares  or  'stand  the 
shot '  alike.  Accordingly,  Curate  and  King  divided  the  costs  of  the  festival, 
and  the  Malpas  proverb  received  the  sanction  of  royal  authority.  But  this 
was  not  the  only  thing  divided.  The  monarch,  who  never  said  a  foolish 
thing,  had  a  good  occasion  for  a  practical  joke.  If  'Higgledy  Piggledy' 
was  the  rule  of  the  'Lion,'  it  might  also  be  the  rule  of  the  Glebe  and  the 
Tithes.  '  Malpas  Shot '  was  fixed  upon  the  unfortunate  Rector,  and  the 
Curate  received  henceforth  the  mediety  of  the  Benefice.  .  .  .  The  chair 
in  which  the  King  is  said  to  have  sat  is  preserved  at  the  '  Lion.' " 

A  variant  of  this  tradition  is  given  by  Mr.  Howel  W.  Lloyd,  M.A.,  in 
Bye-gones,  Feb.  17,  1875,  which  I  also  quote  from  the  Cheshire  Sheaf, 
vol.  ii.,  p.  235: — "Happening  to  pass  through  Malpas  when  a  boy, 
on  the  box  of  a  lumbering  Chester  coach,  the  following  account,  as  nearly 
as  I  remember,  of  the  origin  of  this  saying  was  given  by  the  coachman 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  165 

himself;  .  .  .  'Before  his  invasion  of  England,  William  III.  travelled 
in  England  incognito,  with  a  view  to  certify  himself  of  the  state  of  the 
national  feeling  towards  himself  and  his  colleagues,  and,  coming  to  Malpas, 
betook  himself  to  the  inn  for  his  dinner,  a  repast  which  he  happened  to  share 
with  the  Rector  and  Curate  of  the  parish.  The  meal  over,  the  Curate 
proposed  to  the  Rector  to  divide  the  payment  of  the  "Shot,"  that  of  the 
stranger  included,  between  them.  To  this  the  Rector,  who  enjoyed  in  the 
neighbourhood  the  reputation  of  being  a  miser,  strenuously  objected,  exclaim- 
ing "Certainly  not;  higgledy  piggledy,  all  pay  alike."  "By  all  means,'' 
chimed  in  the  future  sovereign,  " higgledy  piggledy,  all  pay  alike;"  and  so  it 
was  arranged.  But  when  William  was  seated  on  the  throne,  the  Rector  of 
Malpas,  among  others,  made  a  journey  to  London  to  worship  the  rising  sun. 
The  King  no  sooner  saw  him  than  he  reminded  him  of  the  incident,  and 
compelled  him  to  resign  a  moiety  of  the  parish  to  his  Curate,  also  with  the 
title  of  Rector,  on  the  principle  embodied  in  his  own  apothegm  "  Higgledy 
piggledy,  all  pay  alike. "  And  from  that  day  forwards  there  have  been  two 
Rectors  of  Malpas.'" 

The  saying  or  proverb  is  frequently  extended  into  "  Higgledy  Piggledy, 
Malpas  Shot;  let  every  tub  stand  on  its  own  bottom." 

HIGGLER,  s.  a  huckster. 

HIGHLONDER,  s.  a  term  of  reproach  for  a  rude  man  or  boy. 
WILMSLOW  (neighbourhood  of  Lindow  Common). 

This  is  no  doubt  a  reminiscence  of  the  '45  rebellion,  when  the  Pretender's 
troops  passed  through  the  neighbourhood. 

HIGHT,  part,  called,  named.     L. 

HIGH  TIME,  full  time. 

"  This  bill's  been  owing  a  good  while,  it's  high  time  it  was  paid. " 

HIHO,  s.  the  name  of  a  bird  mentioned  by  Randle  Holme,  Academy 
of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  xiii.,  p.  309. 

HIKE  or  HOYK,  v.  to  goad,  as  a  bull  does  with  its  horns. 

' '  And  as  I  tell  the,  th'  owd  gentium  were  comin  along  th'  road 
treedin  as  though  he'd  getten  his  shoonfull  o'  pays,  and  owd 
Timothy's  goat  cum  behind  him  and  hiked  him  o'er  th'  hedge.  I 
thowt  I  should  a  deed  wi  laughin." 

HILET  or  HYLET,  s.  a  place  of  shade  or  shelter.     L. 

HILL,  v.  (i)  to  cover. 

"  I  put  some  manure  in  and  hilled  the  soil  atop  of  it,  afore  I  put 
in  th'  seed." 

A  person  in  bed  says  "Hill  me  up,"  which  means  draw  the  bedclothes 
up  around  me. 

(2)  to  make  a  mound  over  a  grave. 

HILLHOOTER,  s.  an  owl.     HALLIWELL. 

It  is  unlucky  to  look  into  an  owl's  nest,  "one  who  did  so  became  melan- 
choly and  destroyed  hissel."    L. 

HILLIER,  s.  a  slater.     L. 


1 66  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

•^ 

HILLING,  s.  (i)  the  covering  of  a  book. 

(2)  bedclothes. 
"  Hast  any  hillin  on  the  i'th'  neet ;  art  warm  i'  bed  ?" 

HINDER,  v.  to  prevent. 

"  If  nowt  hinders  me,  I'll  look  in  to  neet." 

HINGE,  adj.  active,  supple,  pliant.     W. 

HINGE,  v.  to  depend  on. 

"What  you  say,  hinges  upon  what  he  did."     L.     Scarcely  local. 

HINGIN  I'TH'  BELL"  ROPES,  idiom,  a  time  of  suspense.     Mow 
COP. 

From  the  time  the  banns  of  a  couple  are  completed  asking  in  church,  to 
the  time  they  marry,  they  are  said  to  "  king  i'th?  bell  ropes." 

HIPINCH,  s.  a  cloth  or  clout  to  wrap  round  a  baby.     L. 
HIRPLE,  v.  to  limp.     W. 
HIS-SEL,  pron.  himself. 

HITCH,  s.  a  limp. 

To  have  a  hitch  in  one's  gait  is  to  be  lame. 

HITCH,  v.  to  depend  upon. 

"  It  aw  hitches  upon  ahr  John  behavin  hissel  whether  I  come  or 
not." 

HOB,  s.  a  male  ferret.     MID-CHES. 

HOBBITY  HOY  or  HOBBLEDY  HOY,  v.  a  lad  growing  into 
manhood — between  a  man  and  a  boy. 

HOBBLED,  part,  animals  are  said  to  be  hobbled  when  their  forelegs 
are  tied  loosely  together  to  prevent  them  straying. 

HOBBY,  s.  an  overlooker  or  bailiff.     Morning  Chronicle,  .Sep.  5, 
1840,  p.  4,  col.  2.     L. 

HOB-DROSS,  s.  a  kind  of  elf,  fairy,  or  boggart. 

John  Morrell,  an  old  man  who  formerly  used  to  live  at  Morley  on  the 
borders  of  Lindow  Common,  but  who  has  been  dead  many  years,  used  to 
profess  considerable  knowledge  of  the  ways  of  these  supernatural  beings.  He 
said  there  were  different  kinds,  having  different  habits.  Some  were  called 
Hob-drosses  others  Hob-gobs.  There  is  a  lane  in  Mobberley  called  Hobcroft 
Lane,  and  several  adjacent  fields  called  the  Hobcrofts.  These,  he  said, 
received  their  name  from  being  the  scene  of  the  exploits  of  a  noted  Hob-dross. 

HOB-GOB.     See  HOB-DROSS. 

HOODING  SCYTHE,  s.  an  implement  which  was  formerly  used 
in  clearing  land  from  rushes. 

"  The  implement  is  nothing  more  than  a  short,  strong  scythe.  The  blade 
is  about  twenty  inches  in  length,  but  curves  in  a  different  way  to  the  common 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  167 

scythe  ;  the  edge  is  nearly  one  way  of  it  in  a  straight  direction  from  heel  to 
point ;  but  the  flat  part  of  the  blade  forms  a  curvature,  which  varies  about 
four  inches  from  a  straight  line.  .  .  .  The  crown  of  the  rush  roots  by  a 
smart  stroke  of  the  implement,  is  scooped  out  by  the  concave  part  of  the 
blade." — Holland's  General  View  of  the  Agriculture  of  Cheshire  (1808), 
p.  116. 

HODE  or  HOWD,  v.  hold. 

"  Ho-wd  thi  hond."     "  Howd  thi  tongue." 

HODE  THEE  or  HOWD  THEE,  v.  hold  fast. 

Always  said  to  the  man  who  is  on  the  top  of  a  load  of  hay,  when  the  horse 
is  about  to  move  on. 

HODE-UP  or  HOWD-UP,  v.  hold  up. 

Said  to  a  horse  when  you  lift  up  one  of  its  feet ;  or  to  a  man  who  is 
inclined  to  "give  in"  to  any  misfortune. 

HODGE,  s.  the  stomach  of  a  pig,  cleaned  out  and  eaten  as  tripe. 

HOD  HOLES,  s.  hollows  made  by  cutting  rushes  with  a  hodding 
scythe.     See  HOODING  SCYTHE. 

"  The  rush  roots  should  be  carried  off  to  form  a  compost,  and  the  hod 
holes,  or  cavities,  filled  level  to  the  surface,"  &c. — Holland's  General  Vie-M 
of  the  Agriculture  of  Cheshire  (1808),  p.  117. 

HOG,  s.  (i)  a  heap. 

A  potato  hog  is  a  heap  of  potatoes  covered  with  straw  and  soil  to  keep  out 
the  frost.  The  potatoes  are  then  said  to  be  "hogged  up"  or  "in  the  hog." 
Leigh  gives  "  a  hogging"  as  a  synonym  of  hog. 

(2)  a  year-old  sheep ;  but  probably  an  imported  word. 

HOG,  v.  to  earth  up  potatoes  in  a  heap,  or  throw  compost  into  a 
heap. 

HOG-PIG,  s.  a  male  pig  castrated. 

HOIND  or  HOYND,  v.  to  make  a  hard  bargain,  to  screw  up. 

A  landlord  who  behaves  in  this  manner  with  his  tenants,  is  said  to  hoynd 
them.  W. 

HOISTING  DAY.     See  LIFTING  DAY. 

HOLD,  v.  to  bet. 

"  I'll  /Wifthee  sixpence"  means  "I  bet  you  sixpence."  L.  Halliwell 
gives  this  as  a  Shakespearian  word. 

HOLDING,  s.  a  farm  ;  a  tenancy ;  any  portion  of  land  that  a  person 
occupies. 

HOLING,  part,  salt-mining  term.  Cutting  with  a  chisel  holes  in 
various  directions  from  twelve  inches  to  thirty  or  forty  inches 
deep,  and  about  one  inch  in  diameter  for  the  purpose  of  blasting 
the  rock-salt. 


1  68  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

HOLL,  v.  to  throw.     Mow  COP. 
"  He  holled  a  stone." 

HOLLIN,  s.  holly,  Ilex  Aquifolia. 

Hollins  is  a  frequent  family  name  in  Cheshire. 

HOLT, 


HOULT, 


,    ,  . 
hold. 


HOWD, 
HOWT, 

"Tak  howt,"  i.e.,  take  hold. 

(2)  a  holing,  going  into  a  hole,  or  putting  a  ball  into 

a  hole,  which  is  required  at  several  games. 
"  I  gained  three  points  at  one  hoult,"  i.e.,  at  one  holing.     W. 

HOLUS-BOLUS,  adv.  impulsively,  without  consideration.  MACCLES- 
FIELD. 

HOMMAGED,  part,  harassed.     Mow  COP. 
HOMMER,  s.  a  hammer. 

,  the  hand          >£ 

HONDLE,  s.  the  handle  of  a  machine. 

HONESTY,  s.  the  common  garden  plant,  Lunaria  biennis. 

HONEY-FA  W,  s.  (i)  honey-dew. 

(2)  an  accession  of  wealth,  a  "  windfall."     WIL- 
LASTON. 

A  man  who  had  made  several  good  speculations  was  described  as  having 
had  "  two  or  three  good  honey-faws." 

HONEY-POTS,  s.  a  children's  game. 

The  game  consists  in  one  child  sitting  down  and  clasping  its  hands 
together  under  its  knees.  Two  others  then  lift  it  up  by  its  arms  and  swing  it 
backwards  and  forwards,  whilst  they  count  twenty  ;  if  its  hands  give  way 
before  twenty  is  counted  it  is  a  bad  honey-pot,  if  not  it  is  a  good  one. 

HONEYSUCKLE,  s.  Lonicera  Periclimenum,  but  extended  also  to 
Lotus  corniculatus. 

HONTLE,  s.  a  handful. 

HOO,  pron.  she.     Generally  pronounced  "oo." 

HOODWINKS,  s.  two  sheaves  of  corn  inverted  over  a  hattock  to 
keep  out  the  rain.  MACCLESFIELD.  See  HUDDERS,  which  is 
the  more  common  word. 

HOOK,  s.  (i)  the  hinge  of  a  field  gate  upon  which  the  staple  or 

gudgeon  works. 
(2)  see  CART. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  169 

HOOK  OFF,  v.  to  leave  off  work. 

HOOP,  the  same  as  FILLET,  which  see. 

HOOROO,  s.  a  hubbub. 

HOOTER,  s.  an  owl.     NORTON,  MIDDLEWICH. 

Some  cows  which  had  been  turned  out  of  a  good  pasture  into  a  poor  one 
were  described  to  me  as  having  "exchanged  a  hen  for  a  hooter,'"  See  SWOP. 

HOOZEY,  adj.  spongy,  not  firm.     Said  of  land.     NORTON. 

A  field  had  been  ploughed  which  had  a  great  quantity  of  old  rough  grass 
upon  it,  consequently  the  furrows  did  not  lie  solid  by  reason  of  the  grass 
underneath.  I  was  told,  "  I  did  not  expect  the  oats  to  come  up  so  well  i'th' 
Church  Field  ;  it's  so  hoozey" 

HOP-OVER,  s.  a  kind  of  stile. 

It  is  made  by  nailing  a  plank  on  to  two  short  posts,  at  right  angles  to  the 
hedge.  If  the  fence  to  be  got  over  is  high,  two  planks  are  placed  one  above 
the  other,  and  crossing  each  other ;  the  hop-over  then  consists  of  two  steps 
up  and  two  steps  to  descend. 

HOPPERS,  s.  salt-making  term.  Skeleton  salt-crystals,  in  shape 
like  a  hollow,  inverted  pyramid,  that  form  and  float  for  a  time 
on  the  surface  when  coarse  salt  is  being  made. 

HOPPIT,  s.  (i)  a  hopper  (of  a  machine). 

(2)  a  basket  from  which  corn  is  sown  by  hand ;  also 

called  SEED-HOPPIT. 

(3)  salt-mining  term.      The  tub  in  which  rock-salt  is 

raised  to  the  surface.     Not  in  very  general  use. 

HORN  AND  HOOF  FAIR.  A  fair  held  at  Chester  in  February 
used  formerly  to  be  so  called. 

"  At  Chester  there  are  three  very  considerable  fairs  in  the  year.  The 
first,  held  on  the  last  Thursday  in  February,  is  principally  for  cattle  and 
horses,  and  is  called  Horn  and  Hoof  fair." — Holland's  General  View  of  the 
Agriculture  of  Cheshire  (1808),  p.  313. 

HORSE,  v.  salt-making  term.  To  set  the  lumps  of  salt  upon  the 
top  of  each  other  in  the  hothouse. 

HORSE  AND  JOCKEY,  s.  the  old  name  for  the  George  III. 
sovereign,  with  St.  George  and  the  Dragon  on  the  reverse 
side.  L. 

There  is  a  public-house  at  Helsby  bearing  the  sign  of  "  The  Horse  and 
Jockey." 

HORSE-BEANS,  s.  salt-making  term.  The  name  given  to  a  shaggy 
or  broken  marl  in  which  the  brine  frequently  runs.  The  men 
often  call  it  BEANY  MARL,  because  the  bits  of  it  resemble  beans. 

HORSE  CAUSEY,  s.  an  old  paved  road  for  pack  horses. 

In  several  of  the  old  Cheshire  lanes,  which  were  formerly  either  covered 
with  grass  or  were  nothing  but  sand,  and  full  of  deep  ruts,  axle  deep  in  mud 
M 


170  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

in  the  winter,  a  narrow  road  about  three  or  four  feet  wide  was  paved  along  one 
side.  This  was  intended  for  the  pack-horses  or  for  foot  passengers,  and  to 
prevent  the  farmers'  carts  using  them  they  had  frequently  mounds  of  earth 
thrown  up  on  each  side  (Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  i.,  p.  291).  Several  of  these 
ancient  horse  roads  still  exist.  There  is  one  such  in  the  township  of 
Marthall,  and  until  the  last  few  years  one  gave  its  name  to  "Pavement  Lane" 
in  Mobberley.  This  particular  causey  was  pulled  up  a  few  years  since,  and  the 
stones  used  for  repairing  the  highways,  the  ground  it  occupied  being  laid  to 
the  adjoining  field ;  the  name  alone  remains.  When  a  stream  of  water 
crossed  the  road,  the  causey  was  carried  over  on  a  platt,  or  a  small  bridge ; 
but  carts  had  to  ford  the  stream,  as  is  still  the  case  in  the  Marthall  Road, 
where  the  causey  is  carried  over  a  picturesque  and  evidently  very  old 
miniature  bridge.  There  was  until  lately  a  similar  ford  at  Chorley  Hall  near 
Alderley  Station.  At  "Bailey's  o'th'  Brook"  in  Mobberley,  and  at  Preston 
Brook,  streams  not  only  cross  the  road,  but  flow  along  it  for  a  considerable 
distance.  In  both  these  places  the  causey  is  carried  alongside  the  stream, 
but  carts  have  to  travel  along  the  bed  of  the  brook.  A  hamlet  near 
Altrincham  is  called  Peel  Causeway,  and  a  road  near  Warrington  is  known 
as  Wilderspool  Causeway,  presumably  because  both  of  these  places  could 
boast  of  paved  horse  roads  when  all  the  neighbouring  roads  were  mere  rutty 
lanes. 

HORSE-JUG  or  HORSE  PLUM,  s.  a  small,  red  plum. 


HORSE-LACE, 
HORSE-LEYS, 


s.  very  frequent  names  for  fields  on  Cheshire 
farms. 


HORSE-PASTURE, ) 

It  is  customary  to  reserve  a  pasture  for  the  farm  horses,  where  they  are 
turned  out  at  night  during  the  summer ;  and  in  the  course  of  time  such  fields 
have  acquired  one  of  the  above  names,  or  similar  ones. 

HORSES,  s.  salt-mining  term.     Tressels  of  wood  on  which  to  fix 
plank-runs  or  stages. 

HORSE-WESH,  s.  a  pond  by  the  roadside,  where  farm  horses  are 
taken  to  drink  and  to  have  their  feet  washed.     KELSALL. 

HORSING,  part,  marts  appetens,  applied  to  a  mare. 
HOSK,  s.  a  cough  to  which  young  cattle  are  subject. 

HOSK,  adj.  harsh. 

A  cold,  dry  east  wind  is  said  to  be  a  hosk  wind. 

HOSK,  v.  to  cough. 

HOT,  s.  a  small  bag  to  hold  a  poultice  to  protect  a  sore  finger. 

HOT,  v.  to  make  hot. 

"  I've  hotted  the  water." 

HOT  POT,  s.  a  dish  of  potatoes  and  meat  baked  together,  and 
strongly  seasoned  with  pepper. 

HOT-US  (hothouse),  s.  salt-making  term.     The  stove  in  which  salt 
is  dried. 

HO-UP  or  HOW-UP,  excl  a  word  used  in  driving  cattle. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  I/I 

HOUSE,  s.  (i)  (or  HOUSE-PLACE),  the  general  dwelling-room  of 
a  farmhouse  or  cottage. 

(2)  The  act  of  a  cow,  when  turned  out  of  the  shippon, 
throwing  herself  on  a  hedge  or  hedge  bank  to  have 
a  satisfactory  scratch,  working  away  violently  with 
her  horns,  and  often  kneeling  down  to  the  work. 
L. 

Probably  this  should  have  been  entered  in  Leigh's  Glossary  as  a  verb. 
Halliwell  gives  house,  to  stir  up,  quoted  from  Tim  Bobbin. 

HOUSEGREEN,  s.  the  house  leek,  Sempervivum  tedorum. 

HOUSEING,  s.  farm  buildings.     Obsolete. 

The  word  is  found  in  a  Cheshire  deed  dated  1679  where  the  following 
sentence  occurs,  "  for  the  better  securing  his  now  present  houseingt  and 
buildings." — Letter  from  J.  P.  EARWAKER. 

HOUSEKEEPER,  s.  any  old  piece  of  family  furniture.     KELSALL. 
Almost  synonymous  with  "heirloom." 

An  old  oak  chest  in  a  cottage  was  spoken  of  by  its  owner  as  "a  nice  old 
hotisekeeper" 

HOUSE-PLACE.     See  HOUSE  (i). 
HOVE,  v.  to  take  shelter.     W. 

HOVEL,  s.  (i)  a  shed  in  a  field  for  young  cattle  to  shelter  in. 

(2)  the  open  portion  of  a  smithy  where  the  horses  are 
shod. 

HOVEN,  part,  swelled. 

Said  of  cows  when  from  eating  something  very  indigestible  the  stomach 
becomes  distended  with  gas.  Green  clover,  especially  whilst  the  dew  is  upon 
it,  is  very  apt  to  cause  this  disease,  which  is  sometimes  fatal.  See  also 
RISEN  ON  and  DEW-BLOWN. 

Cheese  which  is  puffed  up  from  fermentation  is  said  to  be  hoven.  The  pent 
up  gases  often  lift  the  surface  until  the  cheese  becomes  almost  spherical  and 
bursts,  unless  the  gas  is  liberated  by  pricking  the  cheese. 

HOWD,  v.  hold.     See  HODE. 

HOWLE,  adj.  hollow.     L. 

HOWLER,  but  more  frequently  OWLER,  s.  the  alder,  Alnus glutinosa. 

HOW  LIGHT,  idiom,  how  comes  it?    BREDBURY. 

HOYK.     See  HIKE. 

HUD,  v.  to  collect,  to  gather  together.  MACCLESFIELD,  occasionally. 

HUDDER,  v.  to  place  protecting  sheaves  on  the  corn  stocks. 

HUDDERS,  s.  the  two  sheaves  which  are  placed,  corn  downwards, 
on  the  top  of  the  stooks  or  riders,  to  throw  off  the  rain. 


1 72  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

HUDDLE,  v.  "  to  huddle  up  corn"  is  to  make  it  up  into  sheaves.  L. 

HUD  LARK,  s.  the  skylark,  Alauda  arvensis.     FRODSHAM. 
So  called  from  its  crest  or  hood. 

HUERDS,  s.  tow,  now  called  YERDS,  which  see. 

"  Huerds,  is  that  as  is  pulled  out  of  the  Terre  or  fine  Flax."  "  Hemp 
Huerds,  the  couse  that  is  drawn  out  of  the  dressed." — Academy  of  Armory, 
Bk.  III.,  ch.  iii.,  p.  107. 

HUFF,  s.  a  fit  of  temper. 

HUFFY,  adj.  offended. 

HUFTED,  adj.  sullen.     MIDDLEWICH. 

HUGGER-MUGGER,  adv.  in  a  disorderly  way. 

Used  chiefly  to  express  an  untidy,  unsystematic  way  of  living. 

HULL,  s.  a  pea  or  bean  shell. 
HULL,  v.  (i)  to  throw.    W.     See  HOLL. 
(2)  to  shell  peas  or  beans. 

HULLACK  or  ULLACK,  s.  a  term  of  reproach.     MIDDLEWICH. 

"  He's  an  idle  ullack." 

The  word  is  only  applied  to  a  man ;  the  corresponding  term  for  a  woman 
is  TALLACK. 

HULLOT  or  HULLART,  s.  an  owl. 

HUMBLE,  v.  to  crumble  or  fall,  as  clay  does  after  frost. 

HUMBUG,  s.  a  sweetmeat  made  of  boiled  sugar,  flavoured  or  not 
with  peppermint 

HUMMER,  v.  to  make  a  soft  lowing  noise,  as  a  cow  does  when 
she  sees  her  calf;  or  as  she  does  sometimes  when  the  man  who 
usually  feeds  her  goes  into  the  shippon.  MOBBERLEY. 

HUMMO-BEE  or  HUMMER-BEE,  s.  the  humble-bee. 
HUMOROUS,  adj.  capricious.     L. 
HUMOURSOME,  adj.  capricious. 

HUMP,  v.  to  offend.     N.  W.  CHES. 

A  small  shopkeeper  in  Halton  gave  some  of  his  neighbours  leave  to  dry 
their  clothes  in  his  garden.  Then  other  neighbours  came  and  asked  leave. 
He  did  not  like  to  permit  some  and  refuse  others ;  and  the  consequence  was 
that  at  last  his  garden  became  quite  monopolised  for  the  drying  of  clothes. 
This  was,  naturally,  a  considerable  annoyance  to  him  ;  he  would  gladly  have 
turned  them  all  out,  but  feared  to  do  so  lest  he  should  lose  their  custom  at  his 
shop.  After  telling  me  his  grievances  he  added,  "  You  know  it  does  not  do 
to  hump  folks  when  you're  in  business." 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  173 

HUMPERING,  part,  limping. 

"Jim  came  humpering  along."    L. 

HUMPY,  adj.  offended. 

"  What  makes  you  so  humpy?'1'' 

HUNDREDWEIGHT. 

Formerly  the  long  hundredweight  of  I2olhs.  was  in  general  use  in 
Cheshire;  and  I  can  recollect  the  time  when  the  sets  of  weights  at  farm- 
houses were  6olbs.  and  aliquot  parts  of  60.  Even  now  many  things  are 
reckoned  and  sold  by  the  score  which  is  the  sixth  of  the  old  hundredweight. 
Many  things  are  sold  by  the  load  of  24olbs.  or  pack,  a  term  which  is  fre- 
quently heard,  and  which  is  in  reality  two  long  hundredweights.  I  think  the 
only  article  which  is  still  sold  by  the  long  hundredweight  is  cheese ;  and  in 
weighing  cheese  a  rather  curious  and  ingenious  method  was  adopted  which 
still  prevails  amongst  old-fashioned  people.  The  method  was  perhaps 
invented  because,  before  the  introduction  of  weighing  machines,  it  was  almost 
impossible  to  weigh  more  than  one  or  two  hundredweight  at  a  time  on  an 
ordinary  pair  of  scales ;  perhaps  also,  because  farmers  were  not  very  good 
scholars,  and  to  work  a  long  compound  addition  sum  involving  many  lines  of 
cwts.  qrs.  and  Ibs.  would  have  been  a  difficult  task.  The  scales,  large 
wooden  ones,  hung  by  strong  chains,  were  fixed  up  in  some  convenient  place, 
and  two  6olb.  weights  were  put  into  one  scale — representing  a  hundredweight. 
Cheeses  to  equal  this  as  nearly  as  possible  were  placed  in  the  other  scale,  and 
"l"  was  scratched  upon  the  wall,  or  chalked  up  on  the  door  to  show  that 
icwt.  of  cheese  had  been  weighed.  Of  course  the  cheeses  might  be  a  few 
pounds  over  or  under  the  hundredweight,  and  to  ascertain  the  difference 
small  paving  stones  were  used  instead  of  small  weights.  If  the  cheeses 
weighed  more  than  one  cwt.  stones  were  added  to  the  weights  until  the  scales 
balanced.  These  stones  were  then  called  cheese  and  were  placed  on  the  floor 
near  the  cheese  scale.  If  the  cheeses  weighed  less  than  one  cwt.,  stones  were 
put  in  the  cheese  scale  until  the  two  scales  balanced ;  these  stones  were  called 
weights  and  were  put  on  the  floor  near  the  weight  scale.  This  process  went 
on  until  all  the  hundredweights  of  cheese  had  been  weighed  ;  but  to  avoid 
having  large  piles  of  stones  it  was  customary  to  add  to  or  deduct  from  the 
stones  representing  cheese  as  the  weighing  went  on.  At  the  last  the  stones 
were  weighed  against  each  other,  and  the  difference  added  to  or  subtracted 
from  the  number  of  hundredweights  recorded  on  the  wall.  Occasionally 
2cwt.  instead  of  icwt.  were  weighed  at  each  weighing  ;  but  the  principle  was 
the  same. 

HUNGER-WEED,  s.  Alopecurus  agrestis. 
HUNGRELS,  s.  rafters.     HALLIWELL. 

HUNGRY,  adj.  poor. 

Barren  soil  which  requires  constant  manuring  is  said  to  be  hungry  land. 

HUNT,  v.  to  search. 

HURBISHED,/0r/.  pulled  down,  distressed  or  harassed. 

From  a  manuscript  note  in  a  copy  of  Wilbraham's  Glossary,  written 
apparently  about  1826. 

HURCH,  adj.  tender,  touchy.     L. 

HURDLE,  s.  salt-making  term.  A  table  or  platform  of  wood 
planks  running  along  each  side  of  the  pans,  for  the  purpose  of 
receiving  the  salt  when  drawn  out  of  the  pans. 


1/4  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

HURGHILL,  s.  a  little  stunted  person. 

HURLING,  part,  harrowing  a  field  after  a  second  ploughing. 

HURN,  s.  a  horn. 

HURRY,  s.  a  bout,  a  set  to,  a  scolding,  a  quarrel.     W. 

HURST,  s.  an  old  name  for  a  wood. 

It  is  frequently  used  in  place  names,  as  Burley  Hurst,  Hazlehurst ;  and 
is  also  a  very  common  surname,  and  enters  into  surnames  as  Brocklehurst, 
Hazlehurst. 

HUSH  SHOP,  s.  an  unlicensed  house,  where  those  who   can  be 
trusted  can  get  ale  or  spirits.     L. 

HUSTED,  part,  said  of  the  seed  or  seeding  of  the  pennygrass. 
Perhaps  a  form  of  husk.     L. 

HUTCHIN,y.  a  large  slice  of  bread,  or  lump  of  meat.    A  hunch.    L. 
HUZ,  s.  a  row,  a  clamour. 
HUZ-BUZ,  s.  (i)  a  cockchafer. 
(2)  a  row.     L. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  175 


I. 


I',  prep,  in. 

The  n  is  very  seldom  sounded,  either  before  a  vowel  or  a  consonant. 

ICE-SHACKLE,  s.  an  icicle.     ASHLEY. 

This  does  not  appear  to  be  a  common  word,  but  it  was  used  by  an  Ashley 
farm  labourer  in  speaking  to  me,  and  I  have  represented  his  pronunciation ; 
I  suspect,  however,  that  ishicle  was  what  he  intended,  which  would  be  a  mis- 
pronunciation of  icicle. 

ICET,  s.  ice. 

Pronounced  as  one  syllable,  eyst. 

ICKAS  or  ICKERS,  s.  icicles. 

"  It  wer  so  cowd  that  it  froz  ickas  at  his  chin  eend." 

IDLE-BACK,  s.  broken  lumps  of  plaster  casts  upon  which  plates 
have  been  moulded. 

They  are  sold  by  itinerant  vendors,  and  are  used  for  whitening  stone 
floors.  This  is  only  a  comparatively  modern  term ;  the  old  Cheshire  women 
did  not  use  the  material,  and  the  name  was  applied  to  the  new-fangled 
whitening  for  floors  in  contempt. 

IFFINS  AND  BUTTINS,  idiom,  invalid  excuses;  hesitation  com- 
bined with  unwillingness.     MACCLESFIELD. 

"  Dunna  male  so  many  iffins  an?  buttins;  we  can  do  beawt  thee." 

IF  I  CAN  SPEAK,  idiom,  an  expression  commonly  used  in  cor- 
recting some  slip  of  the  tongue. 

"  I  went  last  Tuesday — no,  Wednesday,  if  I  can  spake." 

IF  OR  BUT,  idiom,  let  or  hindrance.    Very  much  the  same  meaning 
as  IFFINS  AND  BUTTINS,  which  see.     WILMSLOW. 

"  He'll  come,  tha  may  depend  on't,  witheawt  oather  if  or  but." 

IGIE,  prop,  name,  the  short  for  Isaac. 

The  /  is  pronounced  long,  and  the  g  soft.     Also  NIGGIE. 

ILE,  s.  oil. 

ILL,  adj.  bad,  troublesome. 

"  It's  as  ill  as  scutch,"  said  of  some  weed  difficult  to  eradicate. 

ILL,  adv.  badly,  greatly. 

"///  hurt  "  is  badly  hurt;  "///  vexed  "  is  greatly  vexed. 

ILL-CONTRIVED,  adj.  bad  tempered. 


1 76  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

I MBR ANGLED,  part,  entangled 

"  He  geet  imbrangled  wi'  a  woman." 

IMPERANCE,  s.  impudence. 

A  very  common  provincialism  everywhere. 

IMPERIOUS,  adj.  often  used  for  impetuous. 
"  An  imperious  horse. "     L. 

IN  ALL.     See  AN'  ALL. 

IN  A  MANNER  OF  SPEAKING,)  ... 

IN  A  WAY  OF  SPEAKING,          \tdlom'  SO  t0 

"In  a  way  o'  spakin\  one  may  say  it  has  ne'er  raint  sin  May 
coom  in. " 

INBARK,  v.  and  s.  It  is  used  to  express  the  way  in  which  the 
bark  of  some  trees  (yews,  &c.)  not  only  grows  on  the  outside,  as 
bark  commonly  does,  but  also  fills  up  interstices.  L. 

INCH-MEAL,  adv.  inch  by  inch ;  little  by  little ;  minutely. 
MACCLESFIELD. 

INCH-SMALL,  adv.  the  same  as  INCH-MEAL.     MACCLESFIELD. 
INCLE,  s.  tape. 

An  old  word,  now  I  think,  obsolete,  except  in  the  very  common  proverbial 
saying,  "As  thick  as  z'#<r/£-waivers,"  which  is  current  about  MOBBERLEY 
and  WILMSLOW. 

"They're  allus  together,  ne'er  seen  ton  beawt  tother;  they're  as 
thick  as  z'wc/^-waivers. " 

Two  centuries  ago  the  word  was  in  common  use,  as  will  be  seen  from  the 
following  extract  from  the  Congleton  Accounts,.  December  i8th,  1641,  which 
I  copy  from  Leigh's  Glossary.  "The  infection  (i.e.  plague)  first  appeared  in 
one  Laplove's  house,  which  was  warded  day  and  night  at  one  shilling  each. 
His  corpse,  covered  with  a  cover,  and  tied  with  incle,  was  carried  on  a  ladder 
to  be  buried." 

INDISGESTION,  s.  indigestion. 

This  is  the  old  classical  form  of  the  word. 
IN  DRINK, /art.  drunk. 

INDY,  s.  ground  maize. 

This  is,  of  course,  a  modern  word,  as  the  grain  was  not  in  common  use 
fifty  years  since. 

INKLING,  s.  a  hint 

INNOCENT,  adj.  (i)  small  and  neat-looking;  applied  to  flowers. 
(2)  simple,  harmless;  applied  to  an  idiot. 

IN  NOW,  adv.  presently.  (HYDE.)  IN  NEAW  (WILMSLOW). 
Literally  e'en  now  (i.e.,  even  now). 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  177 

INSENSE,  v.  to  instruct;  to  make  a  person  understand. 

"Aw  conna  intense  'im,  no  how." 
Shakspere  uses  the  word  several  times. 

INSETT,  adj.  household. 

"  Insert  stuff. "—Cheshire  Will.     L. 

INTACK,  s.  a  not  uncommon  name  for  a  field  which,  at  some 
period  or  other,  has  been  enclosed  or  taken  in  from  the  waste, 
or  from  the  common  ploughing  or  meadow  lands  of  the  village 
community. 

I  have  a  field  in  Mobberley  called  the  "Old  Inlack;"  but  in  this  case 
there  is  no  appearance  of  its  being  waste  land  enclosed,  as  it  is  a  small, 
long-square  field,  in  the  middle  of  a  most  fertile  tract  of  land,  and  from  the 
study  of  a  map  in  my  possession,  which  is  probably  nearly  300  years  old,  it 
evidently  formed  part  of  the  common  ploughing  lands  of  Mobberley. 

"Newton's  Intack"  is  a  small  field  in  Mobberley,  not  far  from  Lindow 
Common,  and  may  very  likely  have  been  a  moss-room  attached  to  some  of  the 
property  belonging  to  the  Newton  family,  which  has  been  enclosed. 

A  portion  of  Delamere  Forest  which  has  been  enclosed  is  marked  on  the 
map  as  "  Janion's  Intack" 

INYONS,  s.  onions. 

IRON,  v.  to  bore  a  cheese  with  a  scoop  for  the  purpose  of  tasting  it. 

IRON    FLOWER,    s.       Sheeps'   Scabious.       Jasione    montana. 

ROSTHERNE. 

IRON  GRASS.  Carex  prcecox,  and  other  species  of  sedges  which 
grow  in  poor,  clay  pastures.  NEWHALL. 

IRON  KNOBS,  s.  a  flower.     L.     (Centaurea  nigra.} 

ISNA,    )      . 
ISNER,r-lsnot- 

I  SPY,  s.  a  sort  of  hide-and-seek  game  played  by  schoolboys. 

IT,  pron.  used  as  a  possessive  pronoun. 

"  Come  to  it  mammy." 

The  country  people  always  use  the  neuter  pronoun  in  speaking  to  little 
children  or  pet  animals.  It  seems  with  them  to  be  a  more  endearing  term 
than  either  the  masculine  or  feminine  pronoun,  expressing,  as  it  were, 
helplessness. 

"It  shall  have  it  pobs,  it  shall." 

ITE,  prep.  out. 

The  exact  pronunciation  is  something  between  Aht  and  lie.  About 
WILMSLOW  the  pronunciation  is  eawt. 

ITTERED,/ar/.  rubbed  in,  absorbed.     HYDE. 

About  WILMSLOW  it  is  ettered,  and  it  hardly  means  "  rubbed  in  or 
absorbed,"  but  rather  "  grown  in."  Rust  or  blood  would  be  said  to  be 
etteredmio  a  knife  blade. 

I  WENS  or  IVVY,  s.  ivy,  Hedera  Helix. 


178  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


J. 


JAANDERS,   JAANDICE    (WILMSLOW),    JAUNDERS,    s.   the 
jaundice. 

JABBER,  v.  to  chatter. 

This  word  seems  to  me  to  be  in  such  general  use  as  to  be  scarcely  worth 
recording,  but  I  have  entered  it  because  it  occurs  in  Leigh's  glossary. 

JACK,  s.  (i)  the  knave  at  cards. 

(2)  a  small  pike,  Esox  lucius. 

JACK-A-NICKAS,  s.  the  goldfinch,  Fringilla  carduelis.    WILMSLOW. 
Also  occasionally  JACK  NICKER. 

JACKE,  s.  a  coat  of  mail  (?). 

The  word  occurs  in  a  Neston  yeoman's  will,  dated  1525,  which  was 
printed  in  the  Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  i.,  p.  333  :  "And  also  I  bequeath  to  ye 
said  gilbartt  mygrettest  pott,  my  Jacke  and  Sallett,  my  plogh  and  my  cartt." 

A  correspondent  of  the  Sheaf  (vol.  iii.,  p.  116)  suggests  that  as  the 
yeomen  of  those  days  held  their  lands  subject  to  certain  military  duties,  the 
Jacke  and  Sallett  were  part  of  the  soldierly  "  furniture"  they  were  required 
by  their  leases  to  have  always  ready  for  use.  The  sallett  was  probably  a 
headpiece  or  helmet. 

JACKER,  s.  salt-making  term.    The  name  given  by  the  boilers  to  a 
cheap  tar  oil. 

JACKET  O'  MUCK,  s.  a  good  covering  of  manure  on  a  field.    L. 
Scarcely  local. 

JACK-GO-TO-BED-AT-NOON,  s.  the  plant  Ornithogalum  umbel- 
latum,  which  closes  its  flowers  very  early  in  the  day. 
Very  common  in  Cheshire  gardens. 

JACK  NICKER,  s.  a  goldfinch. 

JACK  NOUP,  s.  a  titmouse.     Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  i.,  p.  266. 

JACK-OF-THE-HEDGE,  s.  the  plant  Alliaria  offidnalis. 

JACK  PLANE,  s.  a  coarse  plane  to  take  off  the  roughest  portions 
(jags)  from  timber. 

JACK-SHARP,  s.  a  stickleback. 
JACK  TOWEL,  s.  a  roller  towel. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

JACK  UP,  v.  to  give  up  ;  but  it  rather  conveys  the  idea  of  giving 
up  after  continuous  effort,  or  when  there  is  no  chance  of  success. 

A  man  who  has  begun  a  piece  of  work  and  does  not  carry  it  through  will 
say,  "  I've  jacked  it  up." 

A  card  player,  if  his  hand  does  not  suit  him,  will  say,  "  I  think  I  shall 
jack  it  up. " 

It  also  implies  failure  in  business. 

"  He  tried  hard  for  t'  mak  his  farm  do,  bur  he  could  na,  an  at 
last  he  had  to  jack  up." 

JACKY-DOWKER,  s.  the  lesser  grebe,  Podiceps  minor.     MIDDLE- 
WICH. 

JACOB,  s.  a  round  black  plum,  in  considerable  demand   in  the 
local  markets. 

JAFFOCK,  v.  to  argue,  to  dispute.     HYDE. 

JAG,  s.  a  small  load  of  hay  or  corn.     MOBBERLEY. 

"  An  yo  done  le-adin  curn  ?" 
"Yah,  aw  bur  abaht  a.  jag." 

"  A  Jagg  of  Hay,  is  a  small  load." — Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III., 
ch.  iii.,  p.  73. 

JAG,  v.  to  trim  up  the  small  branches  of  a  tree. 

JAGGER,  s.  one  who  sells  coal  in  small  loads,  or,  in  fact,  who  carts 
odd  loads  of  anything  for  hire. 

There  is  a  strong  accent  on  the  £S,  or  a  sort  of  prolongation  of  the  g  sound. 

JAKE,  prop.  name.     Short  for  Jacob. 
JANGLING,  part,  idle  talking. 

JANNOCK,  s.  (i)  oaten  bread  made  into  loaves. 

(2)  used  metaphorically  for  "  the  right  thing,"  "  a 
fair  or  straightforward  proceeding." 

Thus,  I  had  cut  down  some  trees  in  a  fence,  and  had  promised  the  farmer 
that  I  would  repair  the  gaps.  Before  this  had  been  done,  my  tree  fallers 
went  to  the  tenant  and  offered  to  "  rid  up"  the  roots  for  him,  of  course  at 
his  expense.  He  refused  their  offer ;  and  in  telling  me  about  it  afterwards 
said,  "  I  told  them  I  thought  it  wasn't  hardly  jannock  for  me  to  rid  up  the 
roots  till  my  landlord  had  put  up  the  fence. " 

JANNOCK,  adj.  fair,  straightforward.     About  MACCLESFIELD  pro- 
nounced JONNACK. 

"  Be  jannock." 

JARG,  v.  (i)  to  jar. 

A  heavy  timber  carriage  going  past  would  be  said  "  to  jarg  the  whole 
house." 

If  one  strikes  the  "  funny  bone"  it  jargs  the  whole  arm. 

(2)  to  quarrel.     Mow  COP. 
"  They  rayther/ar£-'«/." 


I80  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

JARLER,  s.  anything  out  of  the  common  way. 

A  bricklayer  who  came  from  the  neighbourhood  of  Winsford  used  to  say 
of  a  brick  that  was  above  the  common  size,  "  It's  like  one  o'  owd  Matty 
Tasker's/ar/<?rj."  I  presume  Matty  Tasker  was  some  local  celebrity  who 
was  given  to  telling  very  wonderful  stories. 

JARSEY.     See  JERSEY  (i). 

JARSEY-SPINNER,  s.  one  who  spins  Jersey.     See  JERSEY  (i). 

JARSEY-WHEEL,  s.   a  wheel  for  spinning  Jersey.      See  JERSEY 
(i). 

JASPER  CRAB,  s.  a  kind  of  apple.     MIDDLEWICH. 

JAW,  s.  talk,  especially  talk  which  annoys  or  aggravates. 
"  Come,  let's  have  none  o'  thy  jaw." 

JAWM,  s.  (i)  a  jamb,  the  projecting  side  of  a  fireplace. 
(2)  the  sides  of  a  door  or  window. 

"The  Jaumes,  or  Peers,  the  window  Sides."  —  Academy  of  Armory, 
Bk.  III.,  ch.  xiii.,  p.  473. 

JEE,  or  A-JEE,  adj.  awry. 

JEE,  v.  to  suit,  or  agree  together. 

"Jack   Hill  and  his  weife  are  allus  fawin  aht;    they'n  never 


JEE,  excl.  said  to  a  horse  when  he  is  to  turn  somewhat  to  the  right. 
About  MIDDLEWICH  pronounced  Chee. 

JEE-AHGEN,  excl.  said  to  a  plough-horse  when  it  is  to  turn  to  the 
right  at  the  end  of  a  furrow.  MOBBERLEY.  JEE-EGGEN 
(RUNCORN,  NORTON  and  the  neighbourhood).  See  COME-AH- 
GEN. 

JEE-BACK,  excl.  said  to  a  horse  when  he  is  to  turn  completely 
round  to  the  right.  MOBBERLEY. 

JEE-EGGEN.     See  JEE-AHGEN. 

JEE-HOCKIN,  excl.  said  to  a  horse  when  he  is  to  go  from  the 
driver,  who  stands  at  the  near  side.  DELAMERE. 

JEEP,  excl.  said  to  a  horse  when  he  is  to  go  faster.  NORTON  and 
the  neighbourhood. 

In  other  parts  of  the  county  it  is  Jee-up. 

JEINT,  pronounced  almost  like  Jaynte,  s.  a  joint.  WILMSLOW, 
MOBBERLEY. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  l8l 

JELLY,  JILLY  (WILMSLOW),  v.  to  congeal. 

Blood  jellies  when  it  stands.  When  black-puddings  are  made  the  pig's 
blood  is  stirred  with  a  stick  for  some  time  to  prevent  it  jellying. 

JEP,  prop.  name.     Short  for  Jeffrey.     MOBBERLEY. 

Old  Jep  Bracegirdle,  who,  besides  being  a  shoemaker,  was  a  bassoon 
player,  was  thus  immortalised  in  a  local  song  : 

"  Owd  Jep,  he  goes  cursin  an  spluttrin  abeawt, 
Wi'  a  great  lump  o'  wood,  an  a  tay-kettle  speawt." 

JERRY,  s.  poor  ale,  such  as  is  sold  at  jerry-shops. 

JERRY,  adj.  unsubstantial,  carelessly  built.     Said  of  bricksetters' 
or  joiners'  work. 

JERRYMANDER,  s.  the  plant  speedwell.     FRODSHAM. 

"  Jerrymander  tay"  is  a  favourite  remedy  for  convulsions. 

JERRY  SHOP,  s.  a  beerhouse. 

JERSEY,  s.(i)  fine  wool. 

' '  Jersey  is  the  finest  Wool  taken  out  of  other  sorts  of  Wool  by  combing 
it  with  a  Jersey-Comb. " — Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  vi.,  p.  286. 

About  WILMSLOW  it  was  always  pronounced  Jarsey,  and  Jarsey-spinning 
was  common  in  that  neighbourhood  up  to  a  hundred  years  ago,  or  perhaps 
even  into  this  century.  The  wheels  upon  which  it  was  spun  were  called 
Jarsey-whzels.  My  correspondent,  Mr.  William  Norbury,  has  one  in  his 
possession  which  formerly  belonged  to  Dame  Barlow,  of  Fulshaw  Hall.  It 
was  spun  by  the  pound  by  those  who  made  a  trade  of  jarsey-spinning,  and 
when  the  pound  was  spun  it  could  be  taken  home  and  the  money  for  spinning 
it  obtained. 

(2)  a  rough  head  of  hair. 

"  Jersey,  or  rather  Jaysey,  a  ludicrous  and  contemptuous  term  for  a  lank 
head  of  hair,  as  resembling  combed  wool  or  flax,  which  is  called  Jersey." 
' '  He  has  got  a  fine  Jaysey. "    W. 

JERSEY-COMB,  s.     (Academy  of  Armory.}     See  JERSEY  (i). 
JERT,  v.  to  throw  a  stone  by  jerking  it. 
JERUSALEM  COWSLIP,  s.  Pulmonaria  offirinalis. 

JETTY  or  JUTTY  (MACCLESFIELD),  JITTY  (WILMSLOW),  v.  to 
suit  or  agree. 

"  They  dunna  seem  to  jetty." 

JEW,  v.  to  defraud. 

JEW'S  EYE,  s.  anything  very  valuable.     WILMSLOW. 

JIGGLE  JAGGLE,  also  JIG  JAG,  adj.  irregular,  not  straight. 
"  The  brook  runs  all  jiggle-jaggle."    L. 

JINE,  v.  to  join.     JEINE  (WILMSLOW),  almost  like  JANE. 


1 82  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

JINNY,  s.  salt-making  term.  A  kind  of  lever  used  in  lifting  the 
pans  when  raised  for  repairs. 

JINNY  GREEN-TEETH,  s.  a  ghost  or  boggart  haunting  wells  or 
ponds. 

Often  used  as  a  threat  or  warning  to  children  to  prevent  them  going  near 
the  water,  lest  "Jinny  Green-teeth  should  have  them."  See  also  NELLY 
LONG  ARMS. 

JITTY.     See  JETTY. 

JOB,  s.  a  blow  with  anything  pointed. 

JOB,  v.  (i)  to  strike  with  the  point  of  anything. 
"What  have  you  done  to  your  eye?" 
"  Aw  jobbed a.  sprinker  into  't." 

(2)  to  deal  in  store  cattle. 

(3)  to  do  odd  jobs  generally,  such  as  going  to  the  mill  with 

a  neighbour's  batch,  or  carting  small  things  for  hire. 

(4)  bricksetters  and  joiners  also  speak  of  jobbing  when  they 

do  small  jobs,  such  as  repairing  ovens,  grates,  &c.,  or 
mending  gates. 

JOBBER,  s.  (i)  a  dealer.     See  COW-JOBBER. 

(2)  a  mechanic  who  does  oddjofrs,  such  as  repairing. 

We  should  be  perfectly  well  understood  if  we  said  of  a  bricksetter  or  a 
joiner,  "  He's  a  good  mon  at  new  work,  but  he's  noo  jobber" 

(3)  one  who  carts  odd  loads  for  hire. 

An  old  man  who  thus  occupied  himself  had  on  his  cart,  "John  Birch - 
enough,  Mobberley,  Jobber.'''' 

(4)  a  thatch  peg;  generally  made  of  deal,  and  cut  to  a 

long  thin  point.     DELAMERE. 

JOCKEY,  s.  a  word  frequently  used  in  describing  a  person  who  has 
something  peculiar  in  his  character,  as  "  a  mischievous  jockey ;" 
"a  sharp  jockey."  It  is  also  applied  to  things  which  are  not 
quite  comme  ilfaut,  as  "  a  tough  jockey;"  "a  hard-faced  jockey," 
said  of  a  hard  apple. 

JOELLIS,  s.  jewels,  in  a  Cheshire  will  (Margaret  Holforde's)  of 
the  sixteenth  century :  it  marks  the  gradual  transition  from 
French  joaillerie  to  jewels.  L. 

JOGGLE-JOINT,  s.  a  term  in  masonry;  a  sort  of  dovetailed  joint. 

JOGGLER,  s.  building  term;  a  block  of  wood  built  into  a  wall  to 
nail  to.  KELSALL. 

JOHN  APPLE,  s.  a  very  favourite,  old-fashioned  variety  of  apple, 
a  good  keeper,  and  excellent  for  cooking.  The  limbs  and 
branches  grow  very  upright. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  183 

JOHNNY  FAIR,  s.  a  hiring  fair  held  at  MACCLESFIELD. 

JOINER,  s.  a  carpenter. 

The  word  carpenter  for  a  worker  in  wood  is,  now,  almost  unknown  in 
Cheshire;  but  Carpenter  Grass  and  Proud  Carpenter  are  names  of  plants, 
which  are  not  uncommonly  used.  Formerly,  however,  a  joiner  was  a  man 
who  did  light  work,  such  as  making  doors  and  windows;  a  carpenter,  one 
who  framed  the  heavy  timbers  of  a  house,  such  as  the  floors  and  roofs,  and 
the  two  trades  were  distinct;  they  are  now  united  under  the  name  joiner. 

JOINT  EVIL,  s.  a  disease  of  the  joints,  chiefly  the  hocks,  affecting 
calves,  and  occasionally  cows.  It  causes  swelling  and  lameness, 
and  is  known  scientifically  as  Arthritis.  About  WILMSLOW  and 
the  district  pronounced  JEINT-EVIL.  See  JEINT. 

JOINTS,  knuckles.     JEINTS  (WILMSLOW). 
JOLLY,  adj.  marts  appetens.     L, 
JONNACK.     See  JANNOCK. 

JORNEY,  s.  a  journey. 

' '  Er  euer  ye  iornie,  cause  servaunt  with  speede 
To  compas  thy  barlie  land  where  it  is  neede. " 

Tusser  (Five  Hundred  Points),  E.  D.  S.  ed.,  p.  134. 
I  take  it  that  iornie  here  means  "to  do  a  day's  work"  and  not  "to 
take  a  journey,"  but  the  old  pronunciation  of  the  word  was  evidently  the 
same  as  the  Cheshire  pronunciation  of  the  present  day. 

JORUM,  s.  a  large  quantity  of  anything  to  eat  or  drink. 
JOSS,  s.  a  foreman.     Used  in  Macclesfield.     L. 

JOW,  s.  (i)  a  kind  of  earthenware  vessel.     MIDDLEWICH.     MAC- 
CLESFIELD. 

"  Oi  jest  set  th'jow  uppo  th'  flure,  and  if  that  soft  Jim  didna  goo 
an'  kick  it,  an'  smashed  it  aw  to  atoms." 

(2)  dew;  or  perhaps  more  correctly  as  to  sound  Djow, 
which  see. 

JOW,  v.  to  knock  together.     MIDDLEWICH,  MACCLESFIELD. 

"  If  tha  does  na  come  in  this  minute  aw'll  jow  thy  yed  an'  th' 
waw  together." 

JOW-MUG,  s.  a  large  earthenware  mug.     MOBBERLEY. 

These  mugs  are  of  red  earthenware,  glazed  with  black  inside ;  they  are 
narrow  at  the  bottom  and  wide  at  the  top,  and  are  used  chiefly  for  kneading 
bread  and  washing  clothes. 

JUD,  prop,  name,  the  short  for  George.     Also  JUDDIE. 

JUKE,  s.  a  fellow,  said  somewhat  in  an  ironical  sense.  MOBBERLEY. 
' '  He's  a  sweet  juke, " 

JUKED,  part,  duped.     Mow  COP. 


1 84  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

JUMBLES,  s.  very  rich  thin  cakes,  made  somewhat  in  the  form  of 
true-lovers'  knots  flattened.  KNUTSFORD,  MOBBERLEY. 

JUMP,  v.  to  fit  end  to  end. 

When  a  joiner,  in  putting  up  rails,  nails  them  to  the  stumps  exactly  end 
to  end,  instead  of  sloping  the  ends  off  and  laying  them  one  on  the  other,  he 
calls  it  "jumping"  the  rails. 

JUMPER,  s.  a  man's  over-flannel  jacket,  like  that  worn  by  navvies. 
L. 

JUMP-JOINTS,  s.  a  term  in  masonry,  when  the  outer  row  of  bricks 
in  a  camber  arch  are  not  concentric  with  the  inner  row,  but  have 
their  square  ends  laid  on  the  inner  circle  of  bricks. 

JUMPS,  s.  stays  worn  by  wet-nurses ;  easily  loosened,  to  facilitate 
nursing  the  child.  W. 

JUNKETTING,  s.  a  pleasure  party,  where  there  is  plenty  of  good 
eating  and  drinking. 

JURNUT  or  YERNUT,  s.  a  pignut,  Bunium  flexuosum. 
JURR,  s.  an  accidental  blow  or  push. 

JURR,  v.  to  knock  against  a  person  accidentally. 

"  He  jurred  agen  me,  and  made  me  faw  deawn." 

JUSTLY,  adv.  exactly. 

"  Aw  dunna/«j//y  know,"  I  don't  exactly  know. 

JUST  MEET  or  JUST  MEET  NEAW,  adv.  (i)  at  once,  now. 
"  Aw  conna  come  just  meet  neaiv." 

(2)  lately. 
"  He  towd  me,jttst  meet  neaw,  that  th'  mon  were  djed." 

JUST  NOW,  adv.  presently. 

"  Aw'm  comin  just  neaw." 

JUTTY.     See  JETTY. 
JY,  s.  joy. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  185 


K. 

KADLE    DOCK,    or,    less    commonly,    KETTLE    DOCK,    s. 

(1)  Semcio  Jacobcea.     MOBBERLEY,  ROSTHERNE. 

(2)  Anthriscus  sylvestris.     MOBBERLEY,  occasionally. 

(3)  Petasites  vulgaris.     GATLEY. 

KAHE,  s.  a  cow. 

The  pronunciation  is  something  between  kay  and  kye.  Plural  KAHES 
and  KEYE  or  KAHE.  The  former  is  used  when  several  individual  beasts 
are  spoken  of ;  the  latter  is  equivalent  to  Kine,  and  is  applied  to  the  species. 
Occasionally  pronounced  KEAW. 

KAILYARDS  or  KELYARDS,  s.  the  name  of  certain  orchards 
now  part  of  the  city  of  Chester,  which  formerly  belonged  to  the 
monks  of  St.  Werbergh. 

KALE.     See  CALE. 

KANDLE  GOSTES,  s.  goose  grass  (Gerard's  Herbal).     L. 

This  would  be  Galium  Aparine,  but  in  all  probability  Orchis  mascula  is 
the  plant  intended  by  Gerard,  who,  moreover,  does  not  specially  state  that 
Kandle-gostes  is  a  Cheshire  name. 

KAY-FISTED,  adj.  left-handed.  MOBBERLEY,  WILMSLOW.  See 
CAPAW. 

KAYS ) 

KFVS  r '  ^e  see(^s  °f  the  sycamore  or  ash. 

KAZARTLY,  adj.  hazardous,  uncertain,  liable  to  accident.  MIN- 
SHULL  VERNON,  MOBBERLEY,  WILMSLOW.  See  CAZZLETY. 

"  Owd  Sammy  is  but  a  very  kazartly  loife  i'th'  lease;  he  met  pop 
off  any  minute." 

KECK,  v.  (i)  to  stand  a  cart  up  on  end. 

Perhaps  more  correctly  it  means  to  partially  raise  the  front  of  the  cart  so 
as  to  empty  the  contents  out  behind.  In  the  old  tumbrils,  or  dung-carts, 
there  is  an  arrangement  by  which  the  cart  can  be  kept  kecked  at  any  angle, 
so  that  the  dung  may  be  hooked  out  from  behind  with  a  muck -hook  as  the 
cart  is  drawn  along  the  field.  The  arrangement  consists  of  an  upright  piece 
of  iron  (formerly  it  was  made  of  wood)  attached  to  the  front  of  the  cart 
framework,  which  works  through  a  slit  in  the  cart  body.  It  is  called  the 
keeker,  and  is  perforated  with  numerous  holes.  The  body  of  the  cart  is 
hinged  to  the  axle.  When  the  cart  is  kecked,  the  front  is  raised,  and  a  peg  is 
put  into  one  of  the  holes  in  the  keeker  to  keep  it  at  the  required  angle. 

(2)  to  raise  anything  with  a  wedge  so  as  to  make  it 
stand  at  an  angle. 

N 


1 86  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

KECKER,  s.  an  upright  piece  of  wood  or  iron  in  front  of  a  tumbril 
to  enable  the  body  of  the  cart  to  be  raised  to  any  angle.  See 
KECK  (i). 

KECKER-PEG  or  KECKING-PEG,  s.  a  peg  placed  in  the  upright 
bar  in  front  of  a  tumbril  to  keep  the  cart  kecked  at  any  angle. 
See  KECK  (i). 

KECK-HONDED,  adj.  left-handed,  and  consequently  clumsy. 
MACCLESFIELD. 

KECKING  OVER,  part,  leaning.     HYDE. 
KECKLE-STOMACHED,  adj.  squeamish.     MACCLESFIELD. 

KECKLING,  KECKLY,  or  KEGLY,  adj.  unsteady,  ricketty,  top- 
heavy.  KIGLY  (S.  CHES.). 

KECKS  or  KECKSY,  s.  many  umbelliferous  plants,  especially 
Anthriscus,  Jferacleum,  and  Angelica;  plural  KECKSIES. 

KECKSY,  adj.  hollow,  like  a  kecks. 

Celery,  when  it  is  inclined  to  run  up  to  stalks,  would  be  called  "  very 
kecksy." 

Leigh  gives  as  an  old  Cheshire  proverb,  "  As  hollow  as  a  keck." 

KEDLOCK,  s.  (i)  the  charlock.     L. 

Probably  the  wild  rape,  Brassica  Napus,  is  intended  rather  than  the  true 
charlock,  Sinapis  aruensis,  as  the  former  is  an  extremely  common  plant  in 
Cheshire,  the  latter  not. 

(2)  Heradeum  Sphondylium,  Angelica  sylvestris,  and 
probably  all  large  Umbel/iferce.  DELAMERE. 
Also  called  KEGLUS  at  Delamere. 

A  piece  of  the  large  valerian,  Valeriana  officinalis,  was  also  sent  me 
labelled,  kedlock  or  keglus,  but  it  had,  perhaps,  been  mistaken  for  Angelica. 
The  large  hollow  stems  of  these  plants  were  formerly  used  with  spinning 
wheels,  about  Delamere,  to  wind  the  ball  of  yarn  upon. 

KEEN,  v.  (i)  to  cauterize. 

(2)  to  light  or  kindle.     See  KIN. 

KEENBITTEN,  adj.  (i)  frostbitten.     L. 

(2)  hard  to  deal  with. 

Said  of  a  man  who  is  of  a  grasping  nature,  and  will  have  his  "pound  of 
flesh"  and  more  if  he  can  get  it. 

KEEND.     See  KIN. 
KEENDING.     See  KINDIN. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  187 

KEEP,  s.  (i)  pasture. 

Leigh  gives  as  an  old  Cheshire  saying,  "  Oo  won't  stand  keep"  said  of  a 
person  spoilt  by  prosperity. 

(2)  maintenance. 
KEEP,  v.  to  maintain. 
KEEPING  COMPANY,  part,  courting. 

KEEP  ON,  v.  to  continue. 

"  Yo  mun  keep  on  for  a  moile  or  so,  and  then  turn  to  yer  reet." 
"  He  kept  on  talking,  till  no  one  could  get  a  word  in  edgeways." 
"  It  keeps  on  raining." 

KEEVE,  v.  to  raise  the  front  of  a  cart  so  as  to  shoot  out  the 
contents ;  or  to  overturn  a  barrow  for  a  similar  purpose. 

Also  used  intransitively  as,  "  Th'  stack's  keeved  o'er  into  th!  lone" — i.e., 
the  stack  has  fallen  over  into  the  lane. 

KEFFIL,  v.  to  knock  lumps  off  the  edge  of  a  flag  with  a  pitcher. 
WILMSLOW.     See  PITCHER, 

"  My  song  \  heaw  he  does  bu'  keffil  it." 

KEGGING,  part,  being  a  forced  teetotaler  for  a  month,  to  gain 
some  temporary  end. 

"  Yo're  ony  just  keggin  a  bit,  Bob  \ — oi'm  afeart  yole  soon  be  at 
it  agen  as  hard  as  ever."     L. 
This  is  probably  a  modern  secondary  meaning  of  an  old  word. 

KEGLUS,  s.     See  KEDLOCK  (2). 

KEG-MEG,  s.  (i)  meat  of  the  lowest  possible  quality.    See  KEK-MEK. 
(2)  a  pert,  saucy  wench.     WILMSLOW. 

"  Howd  thi  tongue,  tha  keg-meg,  thy  tongue's  allus  ready,  an 
tha'rt  allus  puttin  thy  motty  in." 

KEK-MEK,  adj.  squeamish  or  dainty  about  one's  food.     MACCLES- 
FIELD. 

"  Hoo  winner  ate  her  pobs  winner  er?  by  leddy,  wi'n  ave  for  t' 
gi'  her  cakes  an  wine  hoo's  getten  so  kek-mek  wi  her  atin. " 

KELF,  s.  (i)  a  shelf. 

(2)  a  curious  term  with  treefellers  ;  it  means  a  narrow  bit 
left  (as  a  temporary  support)  uncut,  whilst  they  are 
cutting  round  the  tree  on  the  opposite  side. 
"  I  mun  leave  a  keif"     L. 

KENCH,  s.  (i)  a  bend,  as  in  an  iron  rod. 
(2)  a  sprain. 

KENCH,  v.  to  bend. 

It  implies  that  some  rough  force  is  required  in  order  to  effect  the  bend. 


!88  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

KENTE, /<zr/.  taught.— Chester  Plays,  i.  32.     HALLIWELL. 

KEOUT,  5.  a  little  barking  cur-dog. 

Randle  Holme,  in  his  Academy  of  Armory,  uses  skaut  or  kaut  for  the 
same,  which  seems  to  designate  scout  for  its  etymology,  and  this  is  partly 
confirmed  by  that  line  of  Tusser : 

"  Make  bandog  thy  scout- watch  to  bark  at  a  thief."    W. 

KEOW,  s.  a  cow.     See  KAHE. 

KERRY,  s.  noise,  disturbance.     Mow  COP. 

KERRY,    v.   to   rush    about    with    bustle   or  commotion.     MID- 
CHESHIRE. 

A  dog  rushing  after  a  cat  or  rabbit  would  be  said  to  be  kerrying  about. 

KERVE,  v.  to  turn  sour.     W.     See  CARVE. 

KESMUS,  s.  (i)  Christmas. 

(2)  evergreens  used  at  Christmas. 
"  Mester,  win  yo  let  us  get  a  bit  o  Kesmus  ait  o'th'  gardin?" 

KESTER,  prop.  name,  short  for  Christopher.     CONGLETON. 
KETCH,  s.  part  of  the  fastening  of  a  door  or  gate. 
KETCH,  v.  to  catch.     KNUTSFORD  and  district. 

KETTLE,  s.  hatting  term.     A  cauldron. 

The  kettles  used  by  hatters  are  very  large,  and  have  planks  fixed  round 
them  so  that  about  six  men  can  work  at  each  kettle. 

KETTLE  DOCK.     See  KADLE  DOCK. 

KEYPE  or  KYPE,  v.  to  make  a  wry  face ;  but  especially  to  look 
sour  or  sullen  about  the  mouth. 

KEYS,  s.     See  KAYS. 

KEYTHUR,  s.  a  cradle.     BREDBURY. 

KEZZICK  (Keswick),  s.  the  name  of  an  apple,  the  codlin. 

KIBBLE  or  KIBBO,  s.  a  feat  of  strength ;  such  as  lifting  a  sack  of 
corn  from  the  ground  to  the  shoulder  without  help. 

Leigh  gives  the  word  as  KIBBO  KIFT,  and  explains  that  "this,  in 
Cheshire,  is  called  a  proof  of  great  strength,  namely,  for  a  man  to  stand  in  a 
half-bushel,  and  lift  from  the  ground,  and  place  on  his  shoulders  a  load  of 
wheat,  that  is  14  score  weight."  Years  ago  these  feats  of  strength  were  more 
commonly  attempted  than  now;  and  I  recollect  on  one  occasion  a  young 
fellow  trying  to  lift  a  6olb.  weight  in  one  hand  and  raise  it  high  up  above  his 
head.  He  overbalanced  himself,  and  the  weight  dropped  upon  the  chest  of 
a  man  who  was  taking  his  nap  after  dinner  in  the  barn,  and,  as  their  custom 
is,  lying  flat  on  his  back.  Of  course,  he  was  seriously  hurt,  but  ultimately 
recovered. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  189 

KICKLE  or  TICKLE,  adj.  topheavy,  unsteady. 

KID,  s.  a  faggot  of  wood. 

Leigh  gives  as  an  old  Cheshire  saying,  "  Nought  is  counted  six  score  to 
the  hundred,  but  old  women  and  gorse  kids."  There  is,  however,  another 
proverb,  which  is  the  reverse  of  the  above,  namely,  ' '  Everything  six  score  to 
the  hundred  but  men,  money,  and  bricks." 

KID  or  KID  UP,  v.  to  bind  wood  into  faggots. 

Bakers'  ovens  were,  formerly,  all  of  them  heated  with  kids,  which  were 
made  uniform  and  of  such  a  size  that  they  could  be  conveniently  put  into  the 
oven  without  being  unbound. 

KID-CROW,  s.  a  calf-crib. — Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  ii.,  p.  194. 
Wilbraham  gives  the  form  KID-CRF.W  as  well. 

KIDDLE,  v.  to  dribble,  said  of  a  child  when  it  is  cutting  its  teeth. 
MACCLESFIELD,  WISTASTON. 

"  What,  is  it  kiddlin  awready  ?" 

KIFFEY,  s.  the  small  wooden  ball  or  block  used  in  the  game  of 
Hockey  or  Shinney,  called  in  Cheshire  BADDIN.     L. 

KIGLY,  adj.  unsteady.     S.  CHES. 

KILL,  s.  a  kiln.     A  brick-kill,  a  lime  kill,  a  maut-kill,  &c. 

About  WILMSLOW  and  MOBBERLEY  only  one  k  is  sounded  in  brick-kill, 
which  becomes  brickill. 

There  is  a  secondary  sense  in  which  the  word  is  sometimes  used.  The 
kill  most  familiar  to  farmers  is  the  mill-kill,  on  which  the  oats  are  dried 
before  being  ground  into  meal.  The  kiln  is  filled  with  damp  oats,  and  when 
these  are  sufficiently  dry,  a  fresh  lot  is  put  on,  a  kiln  full  at  a  time.  When 
some  of  the  old  topers  of  Mobberley  (and  there  were  many  in  my  younger 
days)  were  drinking,  they  would  begin  early  in  the  morning,  and  be  drunk 
before  noon.  They  would  call  that  "  one  kill"  or  "  one  kill  full,"  and  would 
go  and  lie  down  and  sleep  off  the  effects  of  the  drink,  so  as  to  be  ready  for 
another  ' '  kill "  in  an  hour  or  two  ;  and  thus  the  operation  was  repeated  till 
all  the  loose  money  was  spent. 

KILLER,  s.  salt-making  term. 

"A  S3\t-killer  was  a  man   employed    in   kiln-drying   salt." — 
Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  i.,  p.  291. 
Leigh,  however,  gives  a  different  explanation.     See  KILLERS  OF  SALT. 

At  the  present  time  at  NORTHWICH  a  "killer"  is  a  man  who  weighs  the 
salt ;  and  this  corresponds  very  nearly  with  Leigh's  definition.  But  the  term 
is  nearly  obsolete. 

KILLERS  OF  SALT,  s.  salt-making  term. 

Killers  of  salt  were,  in  old  days,  the  arbitrators  between  buyers  and 
sellers,  and  were  charged  with  looking  sharply  after  those  who  undersold  the 
town's  regular  price.  L. 

KILLING,  part,  salt-making  term.     Weighing  salt. 
KILLING-HOUSE,  s.  salt-making  term.     A  weighing-room. 


IQO  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

KILT,  part,  killed. 

KIN  or  KIND,  v.  to  kindle  a  fire  or  light  a  candle.  KEEN  (HYDE), 
KEEND  (WILMSLOW). 

KINDIN  (DELAMERE),  KEENDIN  (WILMSLOW),  s.  small  firewood 
for  lighting  a  fire. 

"  We're  loike  t'ave  a  bit  o'  kindin  this  weather." 

Years  ago,  when  wife-selling  was  not  unknown,  the  following  conversation 
was  heard  near  Wilmslow : 

"  Bill;  what  did't  do  wi  that  woman  tha  took  off  mi?" 
"Aw  sowd  her  to  owd    .     .     .     for  a  looad  o'  turf,  an  aw'd  a 
bit  o'  keendin  beside." 

I  suppress  names,  as  one  of  the  actors  is  still  living,  aged  ninety-two. 

KINDLE,  v.  to  bring  forth  young. 

Only  used  when  speaking  of  certain  animals,  as  the  hare,  the  rabbit,  I 
think  rats  and  mice,  and,  Wilbraham  adds,  the  cat. 

KINDLING  STUFF,  s.  wood,  shavings,  &c,  used  to  light  a  fire. 
L. 

More  correctly  called  kindin.     See  above. 

KINDLY,  KEINDLY  (WILMSLOW,  almost  like  KAYNDLY), 
KOINDLY,  adv.  heartily. 

"Thank  you  koindly." 

KING  CHARLES  IN  THE  OAK,  s.  a  garden  variety  of  poly- 
anthus. 

The  calyx  is  converted  into  a  ring  of  waved  leaves,  each  of  which  is 
blotched  with  a  large  crimson  spot ;  the  spots  occasionally  vary  to  white. 

KING  COUGH,  s.  another  form  of  CHIN  COUGH.  L.  Whooping 
cough. 

KING-CUP,  s.  an  occasional  name  for  the  three  common  species 
of  buttercup,  Ranunculus  acris,  jR.  bulbosus,  and  R.  repens. 
TABLEY. 

KINGDOM  COME,  idiom,  (i)  death. 

(2)  a  condition  of  happiness.    MACCLES- 
FIELD. 

KING  FERN,  s.  Osmunda  regalis. 

KING  PEAR,  s.  the  Windsor  pear. 

A  fine  old  variety,  almost,  if  not  quite,  discarded  from  modern  gardens. 

KINGS  AND  QUEENS,  s.  the  largest  grains  in  a  head  of  oats. 

They  ripen  a  little  before  the  rest,  and  are  very  liable  to  be  shed  whilst 
the  corn  is  being  cut,  unless  the  farmer  is  careful  to  begin  cutting  before  the 
whole  crop  is  dead  ripe. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  19 1 

KING'S  FISH-BOARD,  s. 

The  "King's  Fish-board  at  Chester"  is  mentioned  in  an  old  tract  in  the 
British  Museum.  It  was  probably  a  stall  at  which  the  quality  of  foreign  fish 
was  tested,  and  at  which  the  Mayor,  as  Clerk  of  the  Market,  bought  such 
fish  as  he  chose  for  the  city's  use. — (Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  i.  158,  where  there 
is  an  interesting  account  of  the  various  orders  relating  to  the  purchase  of  fish 
at  the  king's  board,  such  orders  extending  back  as  far  as  the  reign  of  Henry 
VIII.) 

KINK,  s.  (i)  an  accidental  twist  in  anything,  as  in  wire  or  rope. 
(2)  a  sprain,  or  rheumatic  pain. 
"  Aw've  getten  a  kink  i'th'  back." 

KISSING-BUSH,  s.  a  bush  of  holly,  ivy,  or  other  evergreens,  which 
is  hung  up  in  farm  kitchens  at  Christmas,  and  serves  the  purpose 
of  the  mistletoe. 

Mistletoe  does  not  grow  in  the  North.  Now,  however,  it  is  largely 
imported  into  Liverpool,  Manchester,  and  other  large  towns,  from  the  West 
of  England,  and  the  bush  frequently  contains  a  spray  of  the  mystic  plant. 
The  kissing-bushes  are  usually  prepared  by  the  farm  lads,  on  Christmas  Eve, 
and  they  are  often  tastefully  decorated  with  apples,  oranges,  and  bits  of  gay- 
coloured  ribbon.  I  have  occasionally  seen  them  made  upon  a  framework  of 
hoop  iron,  something  in  the  form  of  a  crown,  with  a  socket  at  the  bottom  to 
hold  a  lighted  candle. 

KISSING  CRUST,  s.  the  rough  crust,  where  the  upper  part  of  a 
"  tin  loaf"  separates  from  the  bottom. 

KISSING  SCAB,  s.  a  sore  place  on  the  lips  or  cheek. 

If  a  girl  (or  boy)  have  any  eruption  about  the  mouth  they  are  sure  to  be 
teased  and  told  they  have  been  kissing  their  sweetheart,  and  have  got  a 
kissing  scab  in  consequence. 

KISS-ME-DICK,  s.  the  plant,  Euphorbia  Cyparisstas,  which  is  very 
frequently  seen  in  cottage  gardens. 

KIT,  s.  a  set  of  people,  a  company. 
"  The  whole  kit  of  them." 

KITLING,  s.  a  kitten. 

KITTLE,  v.  to  bring  forth  kittens. 

"A  cat  kittleth;   a  litter  of  kittleings." — Academy  of  Armory, 
Bk.  II.,  ch.  vii.,  p.  134. 

KIVER,  s.  (i)  a  cover.     W. 

(2)  a  stook  of  corn  in  a  field ;  more  frequently  used  in 

the  plural. 

In  most  glossaries  I  find  that  kivers  are  described  as  consisting  of  twelve 
sheaves.  In  Cheshire  they  have  only  ten,  four  at  each  side,  and  two  hudders 
for  covering,  which,  when  not  in  use  as  coverers,  are  generally  reared  up  at 
the  ends  of  the  kivers. 

KIVER,  v.  to  cover. 


1 92  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

KNACKER,  s.  an  old,  worn-out  horse.     MACCLESFIELD. 

KNACKERS,  s.  testicles. 

KNACKETY.     L.     See  NACKETTY. 

KNAGG.     L.     See  NAG. 

KNAGGY.     See  NAGGY. 

KNATTER.     L.    See  NATTER. 

KNATTY.     L.     See  NATTY. 

KNICKY-KNACKY,  adj.  handy,  adroit.     W. 

KNIT,  v.  (i)  to  grow  together,  as  the  fractured  portions  of  a  bone  do. 

(2)  to  form  for  fruit,  from  the  blossom. 
Potatoes  also  are  said  to  knit  when  the  tubers  begin  to  form. 

(3)  to  cluster  as  bees  do  in  swarming. 

It  is  popularly  supposed  that  "ringing  the  bees,"  that  is,  beating  pans, 
fireirons,  and  such  things  together,  causes  a  swarm  of  bees  to  knit,  and  that 
without  such  a  din  they  will  most  likely  fly  away  and  be  lost. 

KNOBS,  s.  lavender. 

"  What  have  you  been  doing?" 

"  Aw've  been  a  cutting  knobs."    L.     See  NEPS. 

KNOCKER-KNEED,  adj.  knock-kneed. 

KNOCKER-UP,  s.  one  who  calls  up  factory  hands  in  the  morning. 

The  very  curious  avocation  of  waking  the  mill  hands  in  the  manufacturing 
towns  early  in  the  morning,  so  that  they  may  be  able  to  get  to  their  work  in 
good  time,  and  avoid  being  fined  for  being  late,  is  quite  a  special  and 
recognised  business.  The  knocker-up  is  paid,  I  believe,  about  twopence  per 
head  per  week.  He  carries  a  long  pole  with  which  he  taps  at  the  bedroom 
windows  of  his  clients. 

KNOCKING  ABOUT,  part,  a  word  of  rather  wide  meaning,  but 
difficult  to  explain. 

If  there  are  many  people  in  a  place  it  would  be  said,  ' '  There's  lots  o' 
folks  knocking  about. "  If  anything  is  temporarily  lost  it  would  be  said  to  be 
"  knocking  abeat  somewheere. " 

KNOCK  OFF,  v.(i)  to  cease  from  labour. 

(2)  in  places  where  there  are  no  bells  or  steam 
horns  the  foreman  workman  often  makes  a 
peculiar  hammering,  which  the  men  hear, 
and  then  know  that  it  is  time  to  leave  off 
work. 

He  is  said  to  be  "knocking  off"  He  also  "knocks  on"  in  the  same 
manner. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  193 

KNOCK  OFF  SHOP,  v.  hatting  term.  To  pass  a  resolution  to 
refuse  taking  out  any  more  work  until  a  real  or  supposed 
grievance  has  been  remedied. 

KNOTCHELLED.     W.     See  NOTCHELLED. 
KNOTGRASS,  s.  Polygonum  aviculare. 
KNOTTINGS.     L.     See  NOTTINGS. 
KNOWED,  v.  perfect  tense  of  know. 
KNOWING,  adj.  clever,  crafty,  sly. 
KNOWLEDGABLE,  adj.  clever,  well-informed. 

KNUTSFORD  DEVIL,  s.  the  plant  Convolvulus  sepium. 

This  name  was  communicated  by  a  Mobberley  man  who  now  lives  at 
Poynton,  but  I  think  it  is  not  very  general. 

KYE  or  KAHE,  s.  plural  of  cow. 

Used  collectively  for  the  species  in  the  same  sense  as  kine. 

KYPE.     See  KEYPE. 


194  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


L. 


LACE,  v.  to  beat. 


LAD,  s.  man,  boy,  husband. 

The  name,  like  lass,  is  not  confined  to  any  age.  A  man  will  address  his 
boon  companion  as  "owd  lad;"  and  a  woman  frequently  addresses  her 
husband  as  "  lad." 

LADE,  v.  to  bale  out  water ;  to  empty  a  pond  by  means  of  buckets 
and  scoops. 

The  process  is  frequently  resorted  to  in  order  to  catch  fish.  Brooks  are 
sometimes  dammed  up,  and  the  water  allowed  to  run  off  below  the  dam. 
Trout  and  eels  remain  in  the  deeper  pools  left  by  the  receding  water,  which 
are  then  laded,  and  a  considerable  number  of  fish  are  taken.  I  have  been 
present  at  the  lading  of  the  ' '  plunge  hole  "  below  Mobberley  Mill  Dam, 
when  nearly  a  hundredweight  of  fine  eels  have  been  thus  captured. 

LADGEN,  LAGGEN  (W.),  LEDGEN,  or  LEGGEN,  v.  to  close 
the  seams  of  wooden  vessels,  which  have  opened  from  being  kept 
too  dry,  by  putting  them  into  water.  The  water  swells  the  wood 
so  as  to  close  the  seams,  and  makes  the  vessels  again  usable. 

LADIES'  CUSHIONS,  s.  the  sea  pink,  Armeria  maritima,  which 
forms  dense  pink  tufts,  like  cushions.  L. 

LADIES'  FINGERS,  s.  a  kind  of  apple.     MIDDLEWICH. 
LADIES'  PURSES,  s.  the  flower  of  the  Calceolaria.     MACCLES- 

FIELD,  WlLMSLOW. 

LADING  AND  CALING,  idiom,  saving  in  little  things,  so  as  to 
make  both  ends  meet. 

"  Go's  a  sore  life  on  't,  for  t'mak  things  do ;  oo's  allus  ladin  and 
calin. " 

LADING  CAN,  s.  a  small  tin  can,  containing  two  or  three  quarts, 
used  for  taking  hot  water  out  of  a  boiler. 

LAD'S  LOVE,  s.  the  plant  Artemisia  Abrotanum.     See  also  OLD 
MAN  and  SOUTHERNWOOD. 
The  last  is  the  commonest  name. 

LADY  COW,  s.  the  lady  bird,  Coctinella  septempunctata. 
LADY  CRAB,  s.  a  kind  of  apple.     MIDDLEWICH. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  195 

LADY  DONE,  idiom,  a  term  of  praise.     KELSALL. 

At  Utkinton  Hall,  near  Tarporley,  there  once  lived  a  certain  Lady  Done, 
whose  character  and  manners  seem  to  have  rendered  her  very  popular 
amongst  the  country  people,  and  whose  memory  appears  still  to  be  cherished. 
So  that,  when  wishing  to  praise  a  woman,  it  is  not  uncommon  to  say  of  her. 
' '  There's  a  Lady  Done  for  you. " 

Ray  gives  the  proverbial  saying,  "As  fair  as  Lady  Done." 

LADY  GRASS,  s.  the  striped  garden  variety  of  Phalarisarundinacea. 

LADY   POPLAR,  the  Lombardy  poplar,  Populus  fastigiata.     W. 
CHES. 

LADY'S  MILK-SILE,  s.  lungwort,  Pulmonaria  officinalis. 

It  is  a  great  favourite  in  cottage  gardens.  Sile  is  the  Cheshire  pro- 
nunciation of  soil,  meaning  earth,  or,  as  in  this  case,  a  stain ;  and  a  legend 
is  still  current  in  the  county  that  during  the  flight  into  Egypt  some  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin's  milk  fell  on  its  leaves  and  caused  the  white  spots  with  which 
they  are  now  stained. 

LADY  SMOCK,  s.  the  plant  Cardamine pratensis. 

LADY'S  NEEDLEWORK,/,  the  plant  Tori/is  Anthriscus.     DELA- 

MERE. 

LAG,  s.  a  stave  of  a  cask. 

LAG,  v.  to  loiter. 

LAG,  interj.  a  word  used  in  driving  geese. 

LAGGEN.     See  LADGEN. 

LAITH,  s.  leisure,  rest.     LEATH  (Mow  COP). 
"  One  wants  a  bit  o'  leath  sometimes." 

LAITH,  adj.  loth,  unwilling.     W. 

LAKE,  v.  to  play.     W. 

This  is  still  a  North-country  word,  but  is,  I  think,  quite  obsolete  in 
Cheshire. 

LAKE  WEED,  s.  Polygonum  Persicaria  and  P.  Hydropiper. 

The  name  is,  I  think,  used  chiefly  on  the  western  side  of  the  county. 

LAM,  v.  to  beat. 

LAMBS'  EARS,  s.  the  plant  Stachys  lanata,   often   grown  as  a 
border  edging. 

Leigh  assigns  the  name  to  the  Rose  Campion  (Lychnis  coronaria).  I 
have  never  heard  it  given  to  the  latter  plant,  though  the  name  is  not 
inappropriate ;  it  is,  however,  particularly  appropriate  to  the  former. 

LAMBS'  PUMICES.     See  PUMMICES. 

LAMB'S  TONGUE,  s.  the  plant  Chenopodium  album. 

LANCASHIRE  GLOVES,  s.  hands  without  gloves.     L. 


196  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

LAND,  s.  freehold  land,  in  contradistinction  to  leasehold.    BUNBURY. 
"  It's  not  on  lease,  it's  land." 

LAND  CRESS,  s.  Cardamine  amara.     W.  CHES. 

LANDOLES,  s.  probably  the  same  as  DOLES  or  Dows,  q.  v. 

"  Pieces  or  parcels  of  land  or  landoles  situate  lying  or  being  in  a  certain 
meadow  in  Mobberley." — Extract  from  deed  dated  1834. 

This  meadow,  called  ' '  The  Birchen  Lands, "  formerly  consisted  of 
unfenced  lands  or  butts  belonging  to  different  owners. 

LAND  STONES,  s.  the  name  given  in  Cheshire  to  the  pebbles  and 
boulders  turned  up  in  digging  and  draining;  .  .  .  These 
pebbles  are  found  from  a  half  ounce  to  some  tons  in  weight ; 
and  used  in  former  days  to  be  used  as  the  sole  material  for  paving 
and  making  roads.  .  .  .  It  is  a  common  idea  with  the 
peasantry  that  "  stones  grow."  L. 

LANGOT,  s.  (i)  waste  threads. 

(2)  unpleasant  remnants  of  any  kind,  old  scores.     An 
old  debt  hanging  over  one  is  a  langot. 

"  He  keeps  pretty  straight  wi  his  acceaunt  now ;  bu'  there's  an 
owd  langot  i'  th'  book." 

The  word  is,  perhaps,  oftener  than  anything  applied  to  an  old  ale-score. 
LANKY,  adj.  (i)  thin,  long-legged. 

(2)  appertaining  to  Lancashire. 

Sometimes  used  in  Cheshire  in  reference  to  the  "up  and  down  "  fighting 
practised  in  that  county,  which  is  not  tolerated  amongst  our  own  pugilists. 
If  a  Cheshire  man  resorted  to  "punsing"  he  would  be  stigmatised  as 
"feightin  Lanky" 

"They  fowten  up  an  deawn,  Lanky  fashion." 

LAOZE  or  LEOZE,  s.  a  retort  for  inquisitiveness. 

Thus  if  a  child  asks  "What's  that?"  and  the  person  appealed  to  does 
not  choose  to  tell,  the  answer  will  very  likely  be  "  Laoze  for  meddlers." 
Common,  I  think,  to  various  dialects. 

LAP,  s.  (i)  a  fold  in  cloth  or  paper. 

Weavers  make  frequent  use  of  the  word. 

"  I  tried  my  cutt,  and  my  cutt  mark  is  only  ten  laps  uppo  yorn 
beam;  I  shan  finish  it  by  noon." 

(2)  the  leaf  of  a  table. 

(3)  a  section  of  a  clothes  horse. 

(4)  coat-tails ;  but  these  are  generally  specified  as  "  cooert- 

laps." 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  197 

LAP  or  LAP  UP,  v.  to  fold  anything,  to  make  a  parcel,  to  wrap  up. 
"When  tha's  getten  a  cowd,  tha  should  get  some  buttermilk 
porritch,  sweetent  wi'  traycle,  an'  plenty  o'  ginger  in  em,  just  afore 
tha  goes  t'  bed  ;  an'  put  thi  stockin  reawnd  tin  throat,  an'  lap  thi 
flannel  petticoat  reawnd  thi  yed,  an'  lie  still  i'th'  mornin,  an'  let 
Tummus  bring  thee  a  cup  o'  whot  tay,  or  some  rosemary  tay,  an' 
lie  still  an'  try  for  t'  get  of  a  muck-swat." 

LAPPINCH,  s.  a  lapwing,  Vanellus  cristatus. 

LAPWEED,  s.  the  wild  hop.     L. 

The  plant  intended  is  probably  Polygonum  Convolvulus,  which,  in  some 
parts  of  Cheshire,  is  called  Wild  Hop,  and  which  laps  or  winds  around 
other  plants. 

LARGE  DICKY  DAISY.     See  DICKY  DAISY. 
LARN  or  LEARN,  v.  (i)  to  teach. 
(2)  to  learn. 
LARNIN,  s.  learning,  book-knowledge. 

LARRIMAN'S  DOG,  idiom,  to  express  the  intensity  of  laziness. 
MACCLESFIELD. 

" He's  as  lazy  as  Larriman's  Dog" 
About  WILMSLOW  it  is  "Dean's  Dog." 

"  As  idle  as  Dean's  dog  that  laid  it  deawn  t'  bark." 

LARRUP,  v.  to  beat. 

LASH,  v.  a  method  of  threshing  wheat  for  seed. 

To  lash  wheat  was  to  take  handfuls  of  straw  and  beat  them,  not  too 
violently,  against  a  piece  of  wood.  By  this  means  the  finest  grains  were 
knocked  out,  and  were  saved  for  seed.  The  smaller  grains,  which  were  not 
so  easily  beaten  out,  remained  in  the  straw,  which  was  then  threshed  with 
flails  for  general  purposes.  Improved  methods  of  separating  the  grain  by 
machinery  have  rendered  this  primitive  mode  of  selection  unnecessary. 

Cottagers  also  often  adopted  this  mode  of  threshing  the  small  crops  of 
wheat  they  sometimes  grew  in  their  crofts  or  gardens. 

LASH  OUT,  v.  (i)  to  kick,  said  of  horses  or  cows. 

(2)  to  spend  money  freely,  especially  in  some  new 
undertaking. 

LASS,  s.  woman,  wife,  girl. 

Constantly  used  when  speaking  to  a  female,  and  not  confined  to  any  age. 
A  man  frequently  addresses  his  wife  as  "  lass." 

LAT,  s.  (i)  a  lath. 

(2)  hindrance.     W. 

LAT,  adj.  (i)  slow. 

(2)  backward. 
"  A  lot  spring." 


198  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

LAT,  v.  to  hinder.     W. 

LAT AFOOT,  adj.  slow  in  moving.     W. 

LATCH,  s. 

"  It's  aizy  howdin  deawn  Match  when  nobody  poos  at  string  "  is  an  old 
Cheshire  proverb  which  means  that  anything  is  easy  of  accomplishment  when 
no  opposition  is  offered  ;  but  it  is  more  generally  applied  to  a  woman  who, 
never  having  had  an  offer  of  marriage,  boasts  about  remaining  single.  The 
proverb  refers  to  the  old-fashioned  latches  which  were  once  very  common  in 
Cheshire,  but  are  now  almost  things  of  the  past,  though  I  think  I  could  still 
find  a  few  of  them  in  use.  The  latch,  on  the  inside  of  the  door,  has  a 
leather  thong  or  piece  of  string  fastened  to  it ;  the  string  is  then  passed 
through  a  hole  in  the  door,  so  that  the  latch  can  be  lifted  from  the  outside  by 
pulling  at  the  string. 

LATHE,  s.  weaving  term. 

A  lathe  is  an  upright  frame  across  the  loom,  which  holds  the  reed  through 
which  the  thread  or  warp  passes.  The  reed  is  made  of  steel  wire,  and 
between  each  wire  is  an  opening  called  a  dent.  In  weaving,  the  lathe  is 
pushed  back,  the  threads  are  crossed  by  the  yells  worked  by  treddles,  which 
leaves  an  opening  through  which  the  shuttle  carries  the  weft.  The  lathe  is 
pushed  back,  forcing  the  weft  to  the  cloth,  and  is  then  brought  forward 
again  for  a  repetition  of  the  process. 

LATHE,  v.  to  invite  to  a  funeral  or  a  wedding.  I  think  nearly 
obsolete  in  Cheshire,  but  still  used  in  Lancashire. 

LATHER,  or  perhaps  more  correctly  LADTHER,  s.  a  ladder. 

LATLY,  adv.  slowly. 

"  Th'  drain  runs  bu"  latly," 

LATTER  EENDS,  s.  the  poor  corn  separated  from  the  better 
samples  in  the  process  of  winnowing.  Used  for  feeding  poultry. 

LAT  TIME,  s.  a  backward  season. 

LADYKIN  I  *nterJ'  bv  Lawkin,  or  Ladykin,  by  our  blessed  Lady.   W. 

LAWP,  v.  to  eat  clumsily  with  a  spoon. — Manchester  City  News, 
Feb.  26th,  1880  (not  localized). 

LAWS  YOU  NOW,  inter/,  see  you  now  !     Used  as  Lo  !     W. 

LAWYERS,  s.  old  thorny  stems  of  briar  or  bramble,  Rosa  canina 
and  Rubus  fruticosus,  from  which  you  have  some  trouble  to 
escape  if  you  happen  to  be  caught  by  them. 

LAYCH,  s.  a  pool.     BRED  BURY,  WILMSLOW. 

There  are  two  shallow  pools  on  Wilmslow  Racecourse  which  are,  or 
were,  called  respectively  the  Black  Laych  and  the  Green  Laych. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  199 

LAY  DOWN,  v.  (i)  to  sow  arable  land  with  grass  seeds. 

(2)  to  lend  money,  to  advance  money. 

(3)  to  buckle  to ;  to  do  anything  with  energy. 

"  He  likes  to  be  at  a  loose  eend;  he  winnot  lay  d<nvn  to  work." 

LAYING  GROUND,  s.  a  turf-getting  word.  That  ground  upon 
which  the  newly-cut  turf  is  laid. 

LAY  INTO,  v.  (i)  to  work  with  a  will. 

"  Now  then,  lay  into  it,"  means,  "  work  as  hard  as  you  can." 

(2)  to  beat. 
"  Lay  into  him,"  i.e.,  "  Give  him  a  good  threshing." 

LAYLOCK,  s.  lilac,  Syringa  vulgaris. 

LAY  OUT,  v.  (i)  to  turn  the  cows  out  at  night  in  the  spring. 

"  Han  you  layed  out  yet  ?  "  would  be  perfectly  well  understood  without 
using  the  word  "  cows." 

(2)  to  wash  and   otherwise  prepare   a  dead  body, 
immediately  after  death,  for  burial. 

LAY  UP,  v.  to  take  cows  into  the  shippons  at  night 

"Have  you  layed  up?"  would  be  understood  as  meaning,  "Have  you 
taken  the  cows  in  at  night  ?  " 

LEACH,  s.  salt-making  term;  the  brine  (fully  saturated)  which  drains 
from  the  salt,  or  is  left  in  the  pan  when  the  salt  is  drawn  out. 
Formerly  called  "  leach-brine." 

"  Leach  -brine,  which  is  such  brine,  as  runs  from  their  salt  when  'tis  taken 
up  before  it  hardens." — (NANTWICH,  1669)  Philosophical  Transactions, 
vol.  iv.,  p.  1065. 

LEAD,  s.  a  salt  pan. 

A  Roman  lead  saltpan  is  preserved  in  the  Warrington  Museum.  The 
"  Water  Leaders  "  of  Chester  were  formerly  an  incorporated  company,  now 
extinct.  L. 

With  respect  to  the  lead  pan,  probably  not  Roman,  now  placed  in  the 
Warrington  Museum,  Mr.  Beamont,  in  his  Catalogue  of  the  Antiquities  in  the 
Warrington  Museum,  describes  it  thus :  "ANCIENT  LEAD  SALTPAN,  and 
fragment  of  another,  with  others  lying  side  by  side,  found  at  Northwich, 
8  or  9  feet  below  the  surface.  Each  pan  measured  3  feet  6  inches  long,  by 
2  feet  6  inches  wide,  and  6  inches  deep.  Fire  had  been  used  under  them, 
and  pieces  of  charred  wood  adhered  to  the  ends.  They  rested  on  oak  sills, 
and  one  of  them  had  marks  of  this  kind  cut  upon  it,  1 1 1  C  C  C  1 1 1.  From 
these  pans  we  see  what  is  meant  by  '  lead  walling '  in  Holland's  Agri- 
cultural Survey  of  Cheshire,  51  in  notes,  and  Lowthorp's  Abridgt. 
Philosophical  Transactions,  II.,  314."  See  LEAD-LOOKERS  and  LEAD- 
WALLERS. 

LEAD  (pronounced  LEEAD),  v.  to  cart  hay  or  corn  from  the  field. 

Used  both  transitively  as,  "We  shall  leead  corn  to-day,"  and  intran- 
sitively as,  "  I  think  the  hay  'II  be  ready  to  leead  to-day."  Said  also  of  the 
field  itself,  "  We'n  led  th'  barn-field." 


200  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

LEADERS,  s.  tendons. 

LEAD-LOOKERS   or   LEAD- VI EWERS,    s.    officers   appointed 

formerly  in  the  salt  towns,  to  see  that  the  salt  pans  (made  of  lead) 
were  in  proper  order.     L. 

LEAD-WALLERS,  s.  commonly  abbreviated  to  WALLERS.  Men 
employed  in  boiling  brine  for  salt.  The  boilers  or  pans  were 
formerly  of  lead,  hence  the  term. — Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  i.,  p.  292. 

LEAD-WALLING,  s.  a  term  descriptive  of  the  pannage  owned  by 
different  salt  proprietors,  and  appearing  in  the  old  Parish  Assess- 
ments of  Middle wich,  and  in  old  deeds. — Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  i., 
p.  292. 

LEAF,  s.  the  internal  fat  of  a  pig,  which  lies  upon  the  sides,  from 
which  the  lard  is  made.  Also  the  internal  fat  of  a  goose. 

LEAR,  s.  pasture  for  sheep.     HALLIWELL. 

LEASTWAYS,  adv.  anyhow.  L.  A  common  provincialism  every- 
where. 

LEATH,  s.  (i).   See  LAITH. 

(2)  remission  of  pain.     W. 

LEATHER,  v.  (i)  to  beat. 

(2)  to  scald  and  shave  the  hair  off  a  calf's  head,  so 
as  to  leave  the  skin  on,  which  makes  it  much 
better  when  cooked. 

LEAVE-LOOKER,  s.  a  public  officer  who  collected  the  dues  for 
primage  at  the  once  celebrated  port  of  Chester. — Cheshire  Sheaf, 
vol.  iii.,  p.  44. 

LECK,  v.  (i)  to  leak. 

(2)  to  water.     A  person  watering  flowers  is  said  to  be 
leckin  them.     Mow  COP. 

LECKIN  CAN,  s.  a  watering  can.     Mow  COP. 

LECK  OFF,  v.  to  run  liquor  from  a  cask. 

LEDDY,  inter j.  an  abbreviation  of  "  By  our  Lady."     See  BY  LAKIN. 

LEE,  s.  hard  water  softened  by  adding  wood  ashes.     S.  CHES. 

LEE,  v.  lay.     W.  CHES. 

LEEASE,  s.  weaving  term.  The  crossing  of  alternate  ends  of  the 
warp  through  the  Healds  or  Yells. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  2OI 

LEECHED,  v.  used  with  "how"  before  it,  "How  is  it?"     "How 
happens  it?" 

"  How  leeched  you  are  not  gone  to  school  ?"       "  How   leeched 
thou  does  not  go  to  thy  work  ?"     L.     See  How  LIGHT. 

LEEDY,  s.  lady.     W.  CHES. 

This  pronunciation  of  the  letter  a  throughout  a  considerable  part  of 
the  county  is  very  peculiar. 

A  cow  had  knocked  a  child  down,  and  the  mother  arrived  just  in  time  to 
save  it  from  being  gored.  In  describing  the  way  in  which  she  chastised  the 
cow  she  said,  "  And  didn't  I  lee  into  my  leedy," 

LEESING,  part,  gleaning. 

This  word  is  given  by  Randle  Holme  (Academy  of  Armory),  and  may 
therefore  be  presumed  to  have  been  used  in  Cheshire  in  his  time,  as  well  as 
the  word  SONGOING,  which  he  also  gives  in  the  same  sentence. 

LEET,  s.  light. 
LEET,  adj.  light. 

LEET,  v.  (i)  to  light  upon,  to  meet  with. 

"Aw  conna  leet  of  him." 
(2)  or  LEETEN,  to  pretend,  to  feign. 

"You  are  not  so  ill  as  you  leeten  yourself,"  as  you  suffer  yourself  to 
appear.  W. 

LEET  BOWT  or  LIGHT  BOWT,  s.  lightning,  a  thunderbolt. 

LEETEN,  v.  (i)  to   lighten,    in    the   sense   of   relieving   from    a 
burden. 

(2)  to  lighten,  as  in  a  thunderstorm. 

(3)  to  pretend.     See  LEET  (2). 
LEETIN  BOOARD.     See  LET  BOARD. 

LEG,  s.  the  stem  of  a  shrub. 

A  currant  or  gooseberry  bush  is  always  said  to  be  better  when  it  "  stands 
on  one  leg,"  that  is,  when  it  proceeds  from  a  distinct  stem,  instead  of  con- 
sisting, as  is  often  the  case,  of  a  number  of  offsets  shooting  up  from  the 
ground. 

LEG,  v.  to  propel  boats  by  means  of  the  legs.     See  LEGGER. 

LEGGER,  s.  a  name  given  to  men  who  formerly  propelled  the  boats 
through  a  canal  tunnel  at  Barnton,  near  Northwich. 

"A  plank  was  laid  across  the  bow  of  the  boat,  upon  which  two  men  lay 
down  on  their  backs,  and  as  the  tunnel  was  of  very  narrow  dimensions,  they 
were  able  to  push  against  the  sides  with  their  feet,  and  so  to  propel  the  boat 
through.  Hence  they  were  called  liggers  or  leggers,  the  latter  name  being 
apparently  the  proper  one.  Of  late  years  a  steam  tug  has  been  substituted 
for  this  manual  "legging." — Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  iii.,  p.  5.  See  LIGGER. 

LEMBER,  adj.  pliant.     WILMSLOW.     See  LIMBER. 
O 


202  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

LENCH,  s.  salt-mining  term ;  the  middle  portion  of  a  seam  of  rock 
salt,  lying  under  the  Roof  Rock;  usually  from  four  to  six  feet 
thick. 

LENT  LILY,  s.  the  daffodil,  Narcissus  Pseudo-narcissus. 
LET,  v.  (i)  to  alight,  as  a  bird  upon  a  tree. 
(2)  to  hinder.     W. 

LET  BOARD,  s.  the  board  outside  a  pigeon  cote  upon  which  the 
pigeons  alight.  LEETIN  BOOARD  (WILMSLOW). 

LET  DOWN,  v.  (i)  to  reduce  in  quality,  applied  to  liquids,  as  when 
spirits  are  adulterated  with  water. 

(2)  to  swallow.     A  suckling  animal  is  said  to  be 

letting  down. 

(3)  when  a  cow  allows  her  milk  to  flow  freely  she 

is  said  to  let  it  down. 

LET  FLY,  v.  to  strike  out  at  anything. 

LET  ON,  v.  to  tell,  to  divulge  a  secret. 

"Nye,  yo  munna  let  on  as  aw  said  so." 

LET  OUT,  v.  to  distribute  cuttings  or  plants  of  new  varieties. 

About  Wilmslow  the  cultivation  of  the  gooseberry  is  carried  on  to  a  great 
extent,  especially  the  show  kinds  ;  and  in  consequence  there  is  a  great  deal 
of  rivalry  and  jealousy  amongst  the  gooseberry  growers.  I  remember  a  party 
of  Field  Naturalists  having  tea  at  "  The  Ship  "  Inn  at  Styal.  After  tea 
some  of  the  party  wandered  into  the  garden,  but  were  carefully  watched  by 
the  proprietor,  lest  any  accident  should  happen,  or  intentional  damage  be 
done,  to  his  show  gooseberries.  When  a  new  variety  of  gooseberry  has  been 
raised,  young  plants  are  let  out  to  subscribers  only.  The  same  plan  is 
adopted  with  dahlias  or  any  other  new  variety  of  florists'  flowers. 

LET  OUT,  part,  salt-making  term;  when  a  pan  is  emptied  for 
cleaning  or  picking  it  is  said  to  be  "  let  out" 

LET  OUT  A  LEG,  v.  an  expression  for  kicking.     L. 
LETTEN  IN,  part,  deceived,  taken  in. 

LETTING -DOWN,  s.  a  loss  of  character ;  losing  caste. 

"  He  may  say  what  he  will,  but  it's  a  great  Uttin  down  to  him." 

LEUR  or  LEUN,  s.  tax  or  rate.     L. 

LEVEL,  adj.  a  man  of  level  mind  is  one  not  likely  to  go  to  extremes ; 
not  hasty.  L. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  203 

LEWNES  or  LUNES,  s.  taxes,  rates,  leys.     L. 
LEW -WARM,  adj.  lukewarm. 

LEY  (pronounced  LAY),  $,  (i)  a  pasturage  where  cattle,  horses,  or 

sheep  are  taken  in  for  a  season  at 
a  certain  price  per  head. 

Most  of  the  gentlemen's  parks,  of  which  there  are  a  very  great  number  in 
Cheshire,  are  used  as  leys.  The  season  is  generally  from  the  1st  of  May  to 
the  1st  of  October ;  sometimes  from  the  I2th  of  May  (old  May-day)  to  the 
1 2th  of  October.  The  proprietor  of  the  ley  keeps  a  sufficient  number  of 
bulls  for  stock  purposes,  and  provides  a  man  to  attend  to  the  cattle.  See 
LEY-LOOKER. 

(2)  the  law.     W. 

LEY,  v.  to  send  cattle  to  a  ley;  or  perhaps  it  would  be  more  correct 
to  say,  "  to  book  cattle  for  a  ley." 

Farmers,  blacksmiths,  inn-keepers  and  other  people  in  the  surrounding 
villages  act  as  agents  for  the  proprietors  of  leys,  and  receive  a  small  com- 
mission for  booking  the  young  cattle. 

' '  Wheer  'an  yo  leyed  your  cawves  this  year?"  "Aw've  leyed  em  wi'  Tommy 
Weych  o'  Morley  for  Tatton."  Thomas  Wych  being  the  agent  in  Morley  who 
has  booked  the  cattle  for  Tatton  Ley. 

LEY  DAY,  s.  the  day  on  which  cattle  are  taken  to  a  ley. 

LEY -LOOKER,  s.  a  man  who  attends  to  cattle  in  a  ley. 

His  duties  are  to  look  them  over  once  or  twice  a  day ;  book  their  time  of 
calving,  and  report  any  that  are  not  well. 

LEY  OATS,  s.  oats  grown  on  newly-ploughed  grass  land.    See  LEYS. 
LEY  PLOUGHING,  part,  the  ploughing  up  of  grass  lands. 
LEYS,  s.  (i)  grass  lands. 

(2)  parochial  or  county  rates. 
LIBBARD,  adj.  applied  to  cold,  stiff,  clay  land.     L. 

LICH  ROAD,  s.  the  road  by  which  a  corpse  passes  for  interment. 

The  popular  belief  that  the  passage  of  a  funeral  over  any  ground  gives  to 
the  public  a  right  of  way  obtains  in  Cheshire. 

LICIOUS,  adj.  soft,  flabby.     KELSALL. 

LICK,  v.  (i)  to  beat  in  the  sense  of  chastising. 
"  He's  a  bad  un,  he  wants  licking." 

(2)  to  beat  in  the  sense  of  excelling. 

"  It  licks  out,"  i.e.,  "  It  excels,  or  exceeds,  everything." 

(3)  to  vanquish. 
"  Au'm  licked." 


204  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

LICKING,  s.  (i)  chopped  hay  mixed  with  turnips,  or  mangolds,  and 
ground  corn. 

(2)  a  beating. 
LICKING-TUB,  s.  a  trough  in  which  licking  is  mixed. 

LICKSOME,  adj.  neat  in  appearance,  natty.     W.  CHES. 

Wilbraham  explains  it  as  "lightsome,  pleasant,  agreeable,"  and  adds 
that  it  is  chiefly  applied  to  places  or  situations,  which  does  not  seem  to  be 
the  case  in  West  Cheshire.  At  the  same  time  he  says,  in  illustration  of  the 
word,  "  a  pretty  girl  is  said  to  be  a  licksome  girl,"  and  this  corresponds  with 
my  idea  of  its  meaning.  Wilbraham  also  gives  LISSOME  as  a  synonym,  but 
says  "lissome  often  means  active,  agile,  the  same  as  hinge."  I  think  it  is 
an  error  to  couple  Licksome  and  Lissome. 

LICK  THE  MUNDLE,  idiom,  to  humiliate  one's  self  for  the  sake 
of  gain.     See  MUNDLE. 

LIE,  v.  to  sleep. 

"  He  lies  by  hissel,"  i.e.,  he  sleeps  by  himself. 

LIE- BY,  s.  a  bedfellow.    WILMSLOW. 

A  man  will  often  speak  of  his  wife  as  "  my  lie-by." 

LIEF,  adv.  (but  always  preceded  by  "as;"  AS  LIEF),  readily,  willingly. 
"  I'd  as  lief  do  it  as  not." 

LIEFER,  adv.  rather. 

LIE  TO,  v.  to  favour  an  animal  by  giving  it  an  extra  quantity  of 
food. 

"  If  I  see  a  cow  as  '11  keep  to  her  milk  pretty  well,  I  lie  to  her  a 
bit." 

LIE  UP,     \  v.  cows  are  said  to  lie  up  when  they  sleep  indoors  at 
LIE  OUT, )      night;  and  to  lie  out  when  they  sleep  in  the  fields. 

LIFTING,  part,  an  Easter  custom  formerly  practised   throughout 
Cheshire,  but  now  fast  dying  out. 

The  following  description  of  the  custom  is  extracted  from  the  Rev.  H. 
Green's  Knutsford  and  its  Vicinity,  p.  84 :  "  There  is,  or  rather  there  was, 
another  curious  custom,  which  lingered  here  in  common  with  other  parts  of 
Cheshire  and  Lancashire — that  of  lifting  or  heaving  on  Easter  Monday  and 
Tuesday.  The  practice  is  now  almost  confined  to  the  working-classes,  but 
within  memory  it  was  of  general  observance  in  most  of  the  considerable 
mansions  of  the  county.  Indeed,  I  have  heard  that  at  Toft,  a  very  few  years 
ago,  it  was  usual  for  a  chair,  ornamented  with  ribbons  and  garlands  of 
evergreen,  to  be  placed  in  the  breakfast-room,  by  the  women  servants  on 
Monday,  and  by  the  men  servants  on  Tuesday,  and  that  the  master  or 
mistress  of  the  mansion  sat  down  for  an  instant  on  the  rustic  throne,  and 
after  submitting  to  be  heaved,  or  slightly  lifted  from  the  ground,  gave 
largesse  to  the  domestics. " 

The  Vicar  [Rector]  of  Barthomley  differs  a  little  as  to  the  women's  day  and 
the  men's  day  for  performing  this  ancient  ceremony.  He  says  (Barthomley,  by 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  2O$ 

the  Rev.  Edward  Hinchcliffe,  p.  145),  "Lifting,  ^n  ancient  usage  on 
Easter  Monday  and  Tuesday,  is  still  observed  :  on  Monday  the  ladies,  on 
Tuesday  the  gentlemen,  are  favoured  with  this  ceremonial  exaltation.  Early 
in  the  morning  of  each  of  these  days,  an  arm-chair,  decorated  with  flowers 
and  ribbons,  was  placed  at  the  foot  of  the  front  staircase  of  the  Rectory,  in 
which  your  Mamma,  according  to  rule,  first  seated  herself,  and  was  gently 
raised  by  the  servants  three  times  into  the  air  ;  your  sisters,  and  any  female 
visitors,  succeeded  to  the  same  honour.  On  the  next  day,  I  underwent  a 
similar  treatment,  which  drew  forth  no  little  degree  of  mirth  from  the  female 
lifters,  who,  of  course,  were  rewarded  for  their  trouble.  These  little 
familiarities  of  the  season,  coming  but  once  a  year,  are,  I  am  sure, 
advantageous  to  all  parties,  promoting  good  humour  and  kind  feeling  among 
classes  kept  too  much  apart  in  England.  Speaking  for  myself,  I  was  always 
glad  of  the  opportunity  to  make  this  merry  custom  an  excuse  for  presenting 
an  annual  gift  to  my  household,  and  which  they  seemed  to  value  exceedingly. 
As  these  little  customs  are  fast  disappearing,  the  record  of  them  becomes 
precious." 

I  am  told  that  this  lifting  custom  is  not  a  decorous  one,  and  ought  to  be 
altogether  discontinued  ;  but  I  strongly  incline  to  the  opinion  of  the  kind- 
hearted  Vicar  of  Barthomley,  and  at  any  rate  can  advance  in  its  favour  the 
authority  of  its  being  a  very  ancient  observance.  In  the  year  1290  King 
Edward  I.  paid  a  sum  of  money  to  the  ladies  of  the  bedchamber  and  maids 
of  honour,  for  having  at  Easter  taken  their  sovereign  lord  the  king 
prisoner  in  his  very  bed,  arid  complied  with  the  universal  practice  of 
giving  him  a  heaving  or  lifting,  i.e.,  a  raising  up  symbolically  towards 
heaven. 

The  custom  is  sometimes  called  HEAVING  and  occasionally  HOISTING. 

LIFTING  DAYS,  s.  Easter  Monday  and  Tuesday.     See  LIFTING. 
LIG,  s.  a  lie. 

LIG,  v.  (i)  to  lie  down. 

(2)  to  tell  a  lie. 

(3)  to  alight. 

"  Brid  hath  ligged  in  turmits. "     L. 

LIGGER,  s.  (i)  a  liar. 

(2).    See  LEGGER. 

LIGGERTY  LAG,  interj.  used  by  the  leader  of  a  herd  of  rough 
boys  on  running  away  from  some  trouble ;  meaning  simply, 
"  Who'll  stay  long  enough  here  to  be  caught?"  L. 

LIGHT,  v.  (i)  confined,  brought  to  bed. 
"  Is  your  wife  lighted?"     L. 

(2)  to  alight,  to  dismount. 

"  Stand  thee  back,  in  the  darke ;  light  not  adowne, 
Lest  that  I  presently  crack  thy  knave's  crowne." 

— "  The  King  and  Miller  of  Mansfield,"  Percy's 
Reliques,  Ed.  V.,  vol.  Hi.,  p.  231. 


2O6  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

LIGHT  BOWT.  *  See  LEET  BOWT. 

LIGHT  ON,  adj.  a  load  is  said  to  be  light  on  when  the  weight  is 
too  far  back  on  a  cart. 

LIKE  or  LOIKE,  adv.  (i)  expressing  compulsion. 
"  Aw'm  loike  do  it,"  i.e.,  I  must  do  it. 

(2)  probability. 

"The  master  may  like  come  after  baggin,"  i.e.,  he  may  probably  come.    L. 

(3)  nearly,  all  but. 

"  Aw'd  loike  to  have  fawn,"  i.e.,  I  almost  fell. 

LIKE  or  LOIKE,  idiom,  used  constantly  at  the  end  of  a  sentence, 
where  it  is  absolutely  without  meaning.  Sometimes  in  the  middle 
of  a  sentence.  A  sort  of  expletive. 

"  He  gen  him  a  shove,  like,  an  sent  him  clean  o'er  th'  hedge." 

Occasionally  at  the  end  of  a  sentence  it  is  reduplicated,  "like-like;" 
and  I  can  give  no  better  illustration  than  the  sentence  I  have  just  written. 

"  It  is  reduplicated,  like-like." 

LIKE  AIM,  s.  a  shrewd  guess. 

"  Do  you  know  who  did  this  ?"      "  Now,  bur  au've  a  loike  aim.''' 

LILE,  adj.  little.     L. 
LILLY -PIN,  s.  a  linch  pin. 

LIMB,  s.  a  mischievous  child.  Perhaps  scarcely  local,  but  very 
frequently  used  in  Cheshire. 

"  It's  no  use  a  paperin  th'  waws  while  th'  childer  are  young  ; 
that  Tom,  theer,  he'd  skin  th'  kitchen  in  a  week  ; — and  Maud,  oo 
wer  a  reglar  limb  when  oo  wer  young — and  oo's  a  limb  yet !" 

LIMB,  v.  to  tear  limb  from  limb.     KELSALL. 

It  is  said  magpies  will  take  young  chickens  and  "  limb  'em  alive." 

LIMBER,  adj.  pliant,  flexible.     CREWE.     LEMBER  (WILMSLOW). 

It  is  a  popular  belief  in  Cheshire  that  when  a  corpse  is  limber  another 
death  will  soon  take  place  in  the  same  family. 

LIME  ESS,  s.  small  lime,  containing  a  few  cinders. 

When  lime  is  burned  the  larger  lumps  are  selected  and  sold  as  the  best 
"picked"  lime.  The  smaller  portions  are  sold  separately,  at  a  much 
cheaper  rate,  under  the  name  of  Lime  £ss,  i.e.,  lime  ashes,  and  are  useful 
for  agricultural  purposes,  or  for  grinding  up  in  a  mortar  mill. 

Near  the  Derbyshire  lime-kilns  there  were  formerly  (and  perhaps  are 
still)  great  heaps  of  these  lime  ashes  which  had  grown  quite  hard  like  rock, 
and  in  some  places  caves  were  dug  out  in  them  where  people  lived.  My 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  2O/ 

informant  went  into  one  of  these  cave  dwellings  near  Buxton  about  thirty- 
five  years  since,  and  upon  entering  looked  up  at  the  irregular  roof  with  some 
apprehension.  An  old  woman  in  the  nook  said,  "  You  need  not  be  afraid ; 
I  think  it  will  not  fall  while  you  stop  ;  I've  been  in  it  seventy  years. " 

I  mention  this  circumstance  to  show  the  antiquity  and  solidity  of  these 
heaps  and  of  the  cave  dwellings,  and  to  illustrate  the  customs  of  the  labouring 
classes  early  in  this  century. 

The  sanitary  authorities  would  not  permit  people  to  live  in  caves  now-a- 
days  ;  but  forty  or  fifty  years  since  a  family  was  brought  up  in  one  of  the 
sandstone  caves  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Frodsham. 

LING,  s.  the  heather,  Calluna  vu/garis,  and  occasionally  Erica 
Tetralix. 

LING  BEESOMS,  s.  brooms  made  of  ling,  Calluna  vulgaris. 
LINGE,  v.  to  work  so  violently  as  to  cause  exhaustion.    WILMSLOW. 
LINING,  s.  (i)  part  of  a  cart     See  CART. 

(2)  the  cord  of  which  a  bricksetter's  (or  other  work- 
man's) line  is  made. 

"Jack,  caw  at  rope  and  twine  shop,  and  buy  me  some  lining; 
my  line's  done  ;  its  full  o'  knots  an  bullythrums." 

LIN -PIN,  s.  the  pin  holding  the  wheel  on  the  arms  of  a  cart. 
MIDDLEWICH. 

LINT,  s.  the  flocculent  dust  which  collects  in  bedrooms,  or  under 
looms. 

LINTY,  adj.  idle. 

"  What  ails  him  ?  is  he  ill  ?"      "  Not  he;  nowt  ails  him,  but  he's 
linty." 

LIFE  HOLE,  s.  a  loop-hole;  applied  to  the  slits  in  the  walls  of  a 
barn,  which  are  left  for  the  admission  of  air.  MOBBERLEY.  LOUP 
HOLE  (NORTON). 

LIPP'N,  v.  to  lippen,  to  expect.     W. 
LISSOME,  adj.  active.     See  LICKSOME. 

LITE,  s.  a  little. 

A  farmer,  after  enumerating  the  number  of  acres  he  has  in  wheat  and 
barley,  will  often  add,  "and  a  lite  wuts,"  i.e.,  a  little  oats.  W. 

LITHE,  v.  to  mix  flour,  starch,  oatmeal,  &c.,  with  a  little  water, 
before  pouring  it  into  a  saucepan  to  boil  and  thicken. 

LITHER,  adj.  idle,  lazy;  long  and  lither  is  said  of  a  tall,  idle 
person.  W. 

Ray  gives  as  a  Cheshire  proverb,  "If  he  were  as  long  as  he  is  lither ;  he 
might  thatch  a  house  without  a  ladder." 

LITHING  or  LITHINGS,  s.  thickening  for  the  pot.     See  LITHE. 


208  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

LITIGIOUS,  adj.  I  have  heard  weather  that  impeded  the  harvest  so 
called;  but  I  believe  it  is  only  a  cant  term,  and  not  a  true 
country  word.  W. 

This  seems  very  like  a  misapplication  of  a  word,  heard  once  in  a  way 
only ;  but  Leigh  also  says  he  has  heard  it. 

LI VERD  or  LIVERY,  adj.  close-grained  and  wet ;  applied  to  a  soil 
which  ploughs  up  sodden. 

LIVE  TALLY,  v.  to  live  in  a  state  of  concubinage. 

LOACH,  v.  to  ache. 

"  My  yed  loaches"     L. 

LOAD,  s.  (i)  three  or  four  bushels,  or,  as  they  are  called  in  Cheshire, 
measures,  according  to  the  kind  of  produce. 

A  load  of  potatoes  consists  of  three  bushels  of  84lbs.  each,  or  25albs.,  that 
is,  12  score  I2lbs.,  or  twelve  long  scores  of  2ilbs.  each,  the  score  answering 
to  a  local  peck.  Potatoes  are  also  sold  by  the  score,  and  by  the  half-load 
hamper.  A  load  of  wheat  consists  of  four  measures,  and  varies  in  weight  in 
different  localities.  In  some  places  it  is  customary  to  sell  7olbs.  for  a 
measure  ;  in  other  places  the  measure  contains  75lbs.,  and  again  in  others 
Solbs.  These  different  customs  prevail  in  almost  contiguous  parishes  ;  so 
that  in  selling  wheat  it  is  always  necessary  to  specify  how  much  a  measure 
is  to  weigh,  and  the  load  is  14,  15,  or  16  scores,  according  as  the  measure 
weighs  70,  75,  or  Solbs.  But  taking  Cheshire  generally,  the  load  of  14 scores 
is  the  most  in  use  for  wheat.  A  load  of  barley,  beans,  Indian  corn,  or  Indian 
meal  weighs  24olbs. 

(2)  a  lane;  more  commonly  looad.     See  LOOAD. 
LOAD -BACK,  s.  a  variety  of  pear.     MIDDLEWICH. 
LOADED,  part,  drunk. 

LOADEN,  part,  loaded,  laden.  Mow  COP.  LOOADEN  (WILMS- 
LOW,  MOBBERLEY). 

LOAMY  or  LOOMY,  adj.  applied  to  sand  which  is  of  a  fine,  soft, 
character,  from  being  slightly  intermixed  with  argillaceous  soil. 
Such  sand  is  not  so  good  for  mortar  as  what  is  called  a  sharp  sand. 

LOB,  s.  mud,  pulp.     DELAMERE,  ROSTHERNE. 

I  am  rather  at  a  loss  to  explain  this  word.  I  do  not  think  it  would  ever 
be  used  by  itself  as  a  name  for  mud  or  pulp,  but  anything  is  said  to  be  "aw 
of  a  lob "  when  it  is  muddy  or  pulpy.  Thus  an  old  lady  at  Rostherne, 
speaking  of  the  earthen  floors  which  used  to  be  common  in  Cheshire,  said 
that  when  they  wetted  them  or  anything  was  spilt  upon  them  they  went  "  all 
of  a.  fob."  At  Delamere  the  word  was  thus  explained:  When  the  potatoes 
are  boiling  hard  and  the  outside  of  the  potato  boils  away  and  mixes  with  the 
water,  rendering  it  thick,  it  is  said  to  be  "aw  of  a  lob."  This  last  explanation 
reminds  one  of  "lobscouse,"  or  potato  hash,  in  which  the  potatoes  are 
pulped  by  boiling  ;  but  whether  there  is  really  any  connexion  between  the 
two  words  or  not  I  do  not  venture  to  decide.  See  WOB. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  209 

LOCKED,  part,  a  faced  card  in  a  pack  is  said  to  be  locked.    W. 

LODGED,  part,  said  of  corn  when  beaten  down  by  the  storm.    L. 

I  have  frequently  heard  this  word  used,  but  never  by  Cheshire  men.  In 
Cheshire  we  invariably  speak  of  the  corn  being  laid. 

LOFFELING,  part,  a  form  of  lolling,  idling. 
''Loffeling  on  the  squab."     L. 

LOFFER,  adj.  lower.     Mow  COP.     LUFFER  (WILMSLOW,  MOR- 
LEY,  but  becoming  obsolete). 
"Th'  to/ereend." 

A  portion  of  Lindow  Common  adjoining  Morley  used  always  to  be  called 
"the  luffer  moss."  It  was  formerly  pronounced  laugher  with  a  strong 
guttural  sound,  but  gradually  became  softened  into  luffer. 

LOFT,  s.  salt-making  term;  the  storeroom  over  the  stove. 

LOFT,  v.  salt-making  term;  to  loft  the  salt  is  to  pass  it  from  the 
stove  to  the  room  above. 

LOFTER,  s.  salt-making  term ;  the  man  who  "lofts"  the  salt,  i.e., 
passes  it  from  the  stove  to  the  loft. 

LOMMER,  v.  to  climb  or  scramble;  but  the  word  also  conveys  an 
idea  of  a  certain  amount  of  clumsiness. 

LOMMOCrC  (MACCLESFIELD),  LUMMOCK  (DELAMERE,  MOB- 
BERLEY,  WILMSLOW),  s.  a  big,  rough  lump. 

LOMPOND  (or,  as  it  should  probably  be  spelt,  LOM  POND),  s. 
the  pond  in  a  farm  yard  into  which  all  refuse  runs.  L.  See 
LUM  HOLE. 

There  is  a  place  at  the  junction  of  two  brooks  (the  Allum  and  the  Croco 
at  Kinuerton)  called  Lompon. — Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  i.,  p.  292. 

LOND,  s.  land. 

LONDON  PRIDE,  s.  the  plant  Saxifraga  umbrosa. 

This  name  is  in  such  general  use  that  I  should  not  have  included  it  but 
for  the  fact  that  the  plant  which  was  originally  called  London  Pride  was  the 
Sweet  William,  and  it  is  still  so  called  in  several  counties.  I  have  entered 
it  to  show  which  of  the  two  plants  is  called  London  Pride  in  Cheshire. 

LONE,  s.  a  lane. 

LONE  EEND,  s.  the  end  of  a  lane,  where  one  road  joins  another. 

LONG  ART,  s.  the  tail  or  end  board  of  a  cart  or  waggon.    HALLIWELL. 

LONGBACK,  s.  an  old  term  for  a  slate  of  a  certain  length. 

Long-backs,  Short-backs,  and  Wybits  were  names  formerly  given  by 
slaters  to  the  different  lengths  of  grey  slates.  The  slates  were  at  that  time  of 
random  sizes,  and  had  to  be  sorted  into  courses  for  which  these  terms  were 
used. 


210  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

LONG  HUNTHERT  or  LUNG  HUNTHERT,  s.  a  long  hundred- 
weight, that  is,  i2olbs. 

Formerly  most  things  were  sold  by  the  long  hundredweight;  but  it  is  now 
only  used  in  weighing  cheese. 

LONGNIX,  s.  a  heron.     L.     Ardea  cinerea. 

LONG  PASTUR  or  LUNG  PASTUR,  idiom,  the  lanes,  where 
cottagers  used  to  turn  their  cattle  previous  to  the  passing  of  the 
new  Highway  Act. 

"Where  do  you  keep  your  cows,  you've  no  land?"    "  I  turns  'em 
i'th'  lung  pastur. " 

LONG -WING,  s.  the  swift,  Cypselus  Apus.     FRODSHAM. 
LONLERT,  s.  a  landlord. 

LOOAD,  s.  a  lane;  in  MOBBERLEY  applied  to  the  roads  leading  to 
the  various  mossrooms  on  Lindow  Common.  See  GATE. 

LOOK  SHARP,       ) 

LOOK  SLIPPERY,  \  v.  be  quick. 

LOOK  SLIPPY,      J 

LOOM,  s.  a  frame  for  weaving;  but  Wilbraham  explains  it  as  "a 
utensil,  a  tool,  a  piece  of  furniture." 

It  is,  however,  also  used  metaphorically  in  reference  to  putting  a  person 
to  rights,  or  punishing  him. 

"  If  he  does  na  howd  his  neize,  aw'l  square  his  loom  for  him." 

LOON  or  LOUNT,  s.  a  butt  in  a  field  which  belongs  to  another 
owner,  and  which  no  doubt  has  formerly  been  a  strip  in  a 
common  field. 

The  word  is  frequently  found  in  old  Cheshire  documents  and  maps.  In 
Morton's  Cyclopaedia  of  Agriculture,  LOOMS  is  given  as  a  Cheshire  word,  and 
is  defined  as  "wide  lands,  wider  than  butts."  Looms  is  no  doubt  a  mistake 
for  loons,  and  the  definition  is  hardly  accurate. 

LOOSE,  v.  to  leave  off  work,  to  finish  school-hours,  &c. 
"  What  time  does  church  loose?" 

LOOT,  s.  salt-making  term ;  a  skimmer. 

"  A  skimmer  made  with  a  wooden  handle  thrust  through  a  long  square  of 
wainscot  board,  twice  as  bigg  as  a  good-sized  trencher;  this  they  call  a  loot." — 
(NANTWICH,  1669)  Phil.  7rans.,  vol.  iv.,  p.  1065. 


LOO'  THE,  inter/,  look  you! 

Said  old  Mr.  ,  of  Runcorn,  pointing  to  a  pile  of  sovereigns  on  the 

mantel-piece,  "Loo  the!  John;  folks  sen  as  cottage  property's  not  worth 
havin;  but  I  think  it  is;  yon's  aw  cottage  property;  and  it  comes  in  every 
week." 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  211 

LOP,  v.  perfect  tense  of  leap. 

LOP  -LOLLARD,  s.  a  lazy  fellow.     MACCLESFIELD.     Not  general. 

LOPPEN,  v.  perfect  tense  plural,  and  participle  of  leap. 

LORD  OF  THE  PIT,  s.  the  head  man  of  a  gang  of  marlers,  who, 
amongst  other  things,  received  and  disbursed  all  money  given  to 
the  gang. 

Marling  had  ceased  before  my  time ;  but  I  remember  a  man  in  Mobberley, 
who  had  been  a  great  hand  amongst  the  marlers  in  his  day,  who  always  went 
by  the  name  of  Lord  Lowndes.  So  completely  has  marling  gone  out  of 
fashion  that  the  customs  connected  with  it  seem  quite  forgotten.  During  the 
year  1881  I  tried  the  experiment  of  marling  a  small  piece  of  ground  at 
Norton,  and  opened  a  marl  pit.  I  went  one  day  to  the  men  and  stood 
talking  with  them  for  some  time,  in  the  full  expectation  that  they  would  ask 
me  for  drink  money  according  to  the  old  custom ;  in  fact,  I  went  partly  to 
see  if  they  would  do  so.  They,  however,  made  no  sign,  and  appeared  to  be 
quite  ignorant  of  the  old  usage. 

LORD  RALPH,  s.  a  currant  cake. 

When  the  husband  goes  from  home,  the  wife  makes  a  Lord  Ralph  and 
invites  her  friends,  just  as  the  husband,  under  similar  circumstances,  hoists 
the  besom  and  invites  his  cronies.  L. 

LORDS  AND  LADIES,  s.  the  plant  Arum  maculatum. 

LORGESSE,  s.  the  present  given  by  any  one  to  a  gang  of  marlers : 
if  it  is  sixpence,  it  is  formally  announced  by  the  lord  as  "  six- 
pence, part  of  ^500;"  if  half  a  crown,  as  part  of  ^1,000; 
evidently  largesse.  L. 

LORJUS,  interj.  a  very  frequent  profane  exclamation,  supposed  to 
be  an  abbreviation  of  Lord  Jesus. 

LOSSELL,  s.  a  lazy  fellow,  a  ne'er  do  weeL     L.     See  LOZZEL. 

LOTHE,  v.  to  offer  at  a  price. 

"  He  lathed  it  me  for  twenty  pound." 

The  th  has  the  thick  sound  as  in  "that,"  not  the  thin  sound  as  in  "thin." 
There  is  rather  a  nice  distinction  about  the  exact  meaning  of  this  word. 
Halliwell  defines  it  "to  offer  for  sale ;"  but  it  means  more  than  that;  a  price 
must  also  have  been  asked,  as  in  the  above  illustration,  and  even  then  the 
lowest  price,  the  ultimatum,  must  have  been  named.  I  do  not  remember 
ever  to  have  heard  the  expression  unless  a  price  had  been  asked. 

LOUGHING,  part,  laughing.     WILMSLOW. 
Pronounced  with  a  strong  guttural  sound. 

LOUME,  adj.  soft,  gentle.     HALLIWELL. 
LOUNT,  s.     See  LOON. 


212  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

LOUP  HOLE,  s.     See  LIPE  HOLE. 

LOUSE'S  LADDER  or  LATHER,  s.  an  open  slit  in  a  stocking 
caused  by  dropping  a  stitch.     MACCLESFIELD. 

LOVE-CHILD,  s.  an  illegitimate  child. 

LOVE  YOU  AND  LEAVE  YOU,  idiom,  a  common  saying  when 
any  visitor  is  going  to  take  his  departure. 
"Well  a'  mun  love  ye,  and  leave  ye." 

LOW,  adj.  short  in  stature. 

"  What  sort  of  a  man  is  he  ?"     "  Well,  he's  a  low  man."     This  would  not 
in  the  least  imply  that  he  was  vulgar  or  disreputable,  but  merely  little. 

LOWE,  s.  a  hill,  often  used  in  place  names  :  Buck/<?z£/  Hill,  Shutlings 
Lowe,  Werneth  Lowe. 

LOWKING,  s.  andflart.  weeds;  weeding.     L. 
LOZENGER,  s.  a  lozenge. 

LOZZEL,  v.  to  lop  about  in  a  lazy  manner.     WILMSLOW. 

"  He'll  do  nowt  bu'  lozzel  on  th'  screen,  for  aw  he  knows  heaw 
busy  aw  am. " 

LUCK,  v.  to  happen  by  good  fortune.      If  I  had  lucked,  if  I  had 
had  the  good  fortune.     W. 

LUCKA,  interj.  look  you  !     MACCLESFIELD. 

LUCKY -BONE,  s.  the  coracoid  bone  of  a  fowl.     MACCLESFIELD. 

LUCK  YO,  interj.  look  you !     KNUTSFORD. 

LUFFER.     See  LOFFER. 

LUFFER- BOARDS,  s.  the  louvres  of  a  drying  shed  in  a  tan-yard. 

LUG,  s.  the  ear.     WILDERSPOOL. 

LUG,  v.  to  pull  the  hair,  or  the  ear. 

LUG  UPPARTS,  idiom,  to  apply  any  very  severe  measure. 

To  pull  the  hair  upwards  is  more  painful  than  pulling  it  downwards; 
hence  any  severe  measure  is  spoken  of  as  lugging  upparts. 

LUKE'S  LITTLE  SUMMER,  idiom,  the  few  days  of  fine  warm 
weather  which  often  come  about  St.  Luke's  day,  October  i8th. 

LULLIES,  s.  kidneys.     HALLIWELL. 
LUM,  adj.  numb. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  213 

LUMBER,  s.    (i)  mischief. 

"  He's  allus  i'  some  lumber  if  my  back's  turned." 

(2)  trouble. 

"  He's  i'  lumber  again ;  he's  been  drunk  an  leathert  th'  policeman, 
an  neaw  he's  got  for  t'  goo  afore  his  betters,  an  he'll  likely  get  sent 
prison  for  'L  " 

LUM  HOLE,  s.  a  small  pond  in  a  garden.     WIRRALL.     Obsolete 
or  becoming  so. 

In  the  meadows,  however,  which  lie  between  Frodsham  and  the  salt 
marsh,  there  is  a  small  piece  of  morass  which  is  called  "The  Lum."  The 
meadow  in  which  it  is  situated  is  known  as  "  The  Lum  Meadow." 

LUMMOCK.     See  LOMMOCK. 

LUMP,  s.  to  buy  anything  "  by  the  lump"  is  to  bargain  for  it  without 
weighing  or  measuring. 

Pigs,  for  instance,  are  usually  sold  per  Ib. ;  but  occasionally  the  seller  and 
buyer  will  agree  about  the  price  without  reference  to  weight  j  they  then 
speak  of  the  transaction  as  "by  the  lump" 

LUMPING  PENNORTH,  idiom,  good  weight,  or  good  measure. 
"He  ne'er  weighed  it;  he  gen  me  a  lumping  pennorth." 

LUMP  ROCK,  s.  salt-mining  term ;  the  large  pieces  of  rock  salt 
got  in  working. 

LUMPS,  s.  salt-making  term.      The  name  for  the   salt  made  in 
moulds ;  they  are  sometimes  conical,  sometimes  four-sided. 

LUNG,  adj.  long. 

LUNGE,  v.  (i)  to  break  in  a  horse  by  running  it  round  in  a  circle, 
holding  it  by  a  long  rein. 

(2)  to  thieve.     DELAMERE. 
"  Does  she  lunge  ?"  was  asked  of  a  cat. 

LUNGEOUS,  adj.  (i)  unexpectedly  violent. 

(2)  thievish.     DELAMERE. 

LURCHING,  part,  sneaking  about,  being  after  no  good.     L. 
LURKEY-DISH,  s.  the  herb  penny-royal.    W.     Mentha  Pukgium. 
LUSTY,  adj.  fat ;  but  perhaps  more  especially  it  means  bulky. 

LYMM  FROM  WARBURTON,  idiom,  complete  separation. 

"To  pull  anything  Lymmfrom  Warburton"  means  to  pull  it  completely 
to  pieces. 

I  believe  the  expression  originates  from  the  fact  that  the  church  livings  of 
Lymm  and  Warburton  were  formerly  held  together,  but  that  they  were  even- 
tually separated,  and  the  income  of  the  rectors  of  Lymm  thereby  reduced. 


214  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

LYMM  GREYS,  idiom,  a  sobriquet  for  the  inhabitants  of  Lymm.     L. 

Leigh  explains  it  thus  :  "  In  former  (cock-fighting)  days,  different  town- 
ships were  called  after  the  peculiar  breed  of  their  fighting  cocks ;  by  which 
afterwards,  and  to  this  day,  the  inhabitants  are  designated,  although  the 
origin  of  the  name  is  forgotten  by,  or  unknown  to,  nine  hundred  and  ninety- 
nine  out  of  a  thousand  inhabitants.  Thus  we  have  ' Lymm  Greys'"  and 
'  Peover  Pecks. ' " 

LYMM  HAY,  idiom,  anything  extra  good. 

"  To  lick  it  up  like  Lim  hay"  is  a  proverb  given  by  Ray,  and  explained 
thus:  "  Lim  is  a  village  on  the  river  Mersey  that  parts  Cheshire  and  Lan- 
cashire, where. the  best  hay  is  gotten."  Hence  anything  superexcellent  is 
likened  to  Lymm  hay. 

LYTHE,  adj.  supple,  pliant. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  215 


M. 


MACK.LY,  adj.  comely,  good-looking.     DUKINFIELD. 

MAD,  adj.  angry. 

"  As  mad  as  a  wasp  "  is  a  common  saying. 

MADE  FIRM,  part,  confirmed  by  the  bishop.     MOBBERLEY. 
Used  in  a  sort  of  jocular  way. 

MADE  UP,  part,  closed  up. 

When  a  gap  in  a  hedge  has  been  mended  it  is  said  to  be  made  up.  A 
person's  eye,  which  is  swelled  and  closed  up  from  some  accident,  is  made  up. 

MADE  WINE,  s.  home-made  wine. 
MADPASH,  s.  a  madbrain.     W. 

MAD -START,  s.  a  wild,  madbrained  person  or  animal.     MOB- 
BERLEY, WILMSLOW. 

I  once  had  a  cow  with  so  vile  a  temper  that  no  one  could  milk  her.  She 
would  put  her  tongue  out,  snort  and  bellow,  and  throw  herself  down,  rather 
than  be  handled;  she  always  went  by  the  name  of  " Madstart."  The  bull- 
grips  (which  see)  eventually  brought  her  to  a  considerable  extent  to  her 
senses.  When  she  had  to  be  milked  they  were  clapped  on  her  nose,  and 
then  tied  to  a  bar  in  front  of  her,  and  she  soon  learnt  to  know  that  as  long  as 
she  remained  quiet  they  gave  her  no  pain,  but  that  if  she  got  out  of  temper 
she  punished  herself. 

MAFFLEMENT,  s.  concealment,  under-hand  work.     L. 
MAG,  v.  to  chatter. 

MAHLY,  adj.  mouldy.     MIDDLEWICH,  WILMSLOW,  and  probably 
general,  though  MOWLDY  is  often  used. 

"  They  ayten  bread  at  owd  Robert  Ward's  so  mahly  that  it  smooks 
eawt  o'  their  maiths." 
See  also  illustration  to  TwiGGEN  DICK. 

MAIDEN,  a  clothes  horse.    See  CLOTHES  MAIDEN. 

MAID  OF  THE  MEAD,  s.  meadow-sweet,  Spiraa  Ulmaria.    W. 
CHES. 


2l6  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

MAIL  or  MEAL,  v.  to  milk  a  cow  once,  instead  of  twice  a  day, 
when  near  calving. 

"  You  mun  mail  Cherry."     L. 
Halliwell  gives  it  as  a  north  country  word. 

There  is  a  little  misapprehension  here  of  the  exact  meaning  of  mail  or 
meal.  As  a  substantive  it  means  one  milking;  and  to  "mail  Cherry  "  simply 
means  putting  her  on  one  meal  a  day  instead  of  two.  For  further  explanation 
see  MEAL. 

MAIN,  s.  a  main  at  bowls  is  a  match  played  by  a  number  of  couples, 
the  winners  again  playing  in  couples  against  each  other  till  one 
man  is  left  the  victor. 

Bowls  is  quite  the  game  of  the  district  around  Runcorn,  Halton,  &c. 

In  the  olden  days  it  was  similarly  applied  to  cock-fighting.  "  A  main  of 
cocks." 

There  is  also  the  term  Welsh  main,  applied  in  a  secondary  sense  to 
voting:  voting  until  only  two  are  left  in,  and  then  for  those  two  alone. 
WILMSLOW. 

MAITH,  s.  (i)  mouth.     Pronounced  almost  like  my  the. 

(2)  the  portion  of  a  spade  which  goes  into  the  soil. 

"Aw  mun  send  th'  shoo  to  th'  smithy  to  have  a  yew  maith"    See 
YEW. 

(3)  the  bowl  of  a  spoon.     WILMSLOW. 

MAK,  s.  kind,  sort ;  literally  make. 

"  What  mak  of  a  mon  is  he  ?" 


(2)  to  lock,  or  fasten. 

"  May  th'  durr,"  i.e.,  "  fasten  the  door." 

Shakspere  uses  the  word  make  in  the  same  sense:  "Make  the  doors 
upon  a  woman's  wit,  and  it  will  out  at  the  casement." — As  You  Like  It, 
Act  iv.,  Sc.  I. 

MAKE,  s.  a  mate  or  companion. 

"  Rise  up,  Adam,  and  awake; 
Heare  have  I  formed  thee  a  make. " 

Chester  Plays,  i.  24  (HALLIWELL). 

MAKE  A  PUT,  v.  make  an  attempt.     Mow  COP. 

MAKE  AWAY  WITH,  v.  (i)  to  destroy,  to  discard,  to  throw  away 
as  being  worthless. 

(2)  to  kill. 

"  It's  not  worth  rearing,"  said  of  a  calf  which  had  come  prematurely  and 
was  very  weakly,  "but  I  dunno  like  to  make  away  with  it." 

A  person  who  commits  suicide  is  said  to  "  make  away  with  himself." 

MAKE  FOR,  v.  to  go  towards. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  2 \"J 

MAKE  FOR  OFF,  v.  to  make  a  move  of  departure. 
MAKESHIFT,  s.  a  temporary  substitution. 
MAKE  SHIFT,  v.  to  contrive,  to  manage. 

MAKE  SHORT  UP,  v.  to  run  a  course  quickly,  to  draw  to  a  hasty 
conclusion,  generally  applied  to  fast  life. 

A  young  man  dying  of  dissipation  is  said  "  To  have  made  short  up."     W. 

MAKE  UP,  v.  (i)  to  decide,  to  intend. 

"  We'd  made  it  up  for  goo  this  week  end." 

(2)  to  be  reconciled. 

"  Come,  you  two  mun  try  and  make  it  up." 

(3)  to  repair,  to  close  up. 
"  You  mun  mak  yon  gap  up. " 

(4)  a  caterpillar  is,  in  the  language  of  the  working- 

men  naturalists,  said  to  make  up  when  it  turns 
into  a  chrysalis. 

MAL  or  MALLY,  s.  for  Moll  or  Molly.     W. 

MALT-COOMS,  s.  the  culms  or  sprouts  of  barley  which  fall  off 
during  the  process  of  malting. 

They  contain  a  considerable  quantity  of  saccharine  matter,  and  are  much 
used  for  feeding  cows  that  are  milking. 

MANDRAKE,  s.  the  plant  Bryonia  dioica.     W.  CHES. 

MAN-HOLE,  s.  a  trap-door  in  a  ceiling  through  which  a  man  can 
get  to  inspect  the  roof;  or  a  hole  in  a  sewer  or  liquid  manure 
tank,  through  which  a  man  may  descend  to  clean  them  out. 

MANK,  s.  a  trick,  a  prank. 
MANK,  v.  to  play  tricks  or  pranks. 

MANKY,  adj.  lively,  frisky. 

"  I  could  hardly  ride  th'  tit,  he  were  that  manky." 

MANNERLY,  adj.  (i)  well  mannered. 

(2)  Leigh  gives  it  as  having  much  the  same 

meaning  as  farantly. 

He  says:  "A  Cheshire  shoemaker  said  to  a  gentleman  who  was  ordering 
shoes,  '  I  know  what  you  would  wish,  sir,  you  would  have  a  pair  of  shoes, 
with  a  farantly  toe  and  a  mannerly  heel.'  '  Farantly'  and  '  mannerly'  have 
much  the  same  meaning,  except  that  to  the  latter  is  attached  rather  more 
elegance  than  to  the  former — in  short,  being  in  fashion." 

MANTICKS,  s.  pranks.     WILMSLOW. 

MANY  A  TIME   AND   OFT,   a  common   expression,    meaning 
frequently.     W.     It  can  scarcely  be  considered  local. 
P 


2l8  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

M'APP'N,  adv.  perhaps. 
MAR,  v.  (i)  to  damage. 

(2)  to  spoil  by  petting. 

MARA,  s.  the  forest  of  Mara ;  the  old  name  of  the  forest  of  Dela- 
mere. — RANDLE  HOLME.     W. 

MARCHANT,  s.  merchant,  but  very  frequently  used  to  describe 
one  who  takes  pride  in   any  speciality;    a  fancier.     Thus  we 
speak  of  a  "hen  marchant"  or  a  "  dog  marchant" 
"  He  wur  th'  ronkest  dog  marchant  as  ever  a  seed." 

MARE  or  MERE,  s.  a  small  lake,  of  which  there  are  a  good  many 
in  Cheshire. 

Rostherne  Mare  is  a  favourite  resort  for  Manchester  holiday  folk.  It  is  a 
very  picturesque  sheet  of  water,  and  is  extremely  deep. 

MARE- FART,  s.  ragwort,  Senecio  Jacolxza. 

MARES'  TAILS,  s.  long  streaky  clouds,  which  indicate  stormy 
weather. 

MARGARETS,  or  EARLY  MARGARETS,  s.  an  early  variety  of 
apple,  very  sweet  and  very  red. 

MARGIT,  prop,  name,  the  local  pronunciation  of  Margaret. 

MARIGOLD,  s.  generally  the  garden  plant    Calendula  officinalis. 
In  W.  CHES.  Chrysanthemum  segetum  is  included. 

MARINE,  adj.  salt-making  term  ;  applied  to  a  kind  of  grainy  butter 
salt. 

MARKET-FRESH,  adj.  in  extra  good  spirits,  from  having  had  "  a 
good  twothry  glasses  "  at  market. 

MARKET-PEERT,  adj.  the  same  as  MARKET-FRESH.     W.  CHES. 

MARL,  s.  salt-mining  term.     The  usual  name  for  the  clays  above 
the  rock-salt.     The  salt-marls  themselves  are  called  metals. 

MARL,  -v.  (i)  to  spread  marl  on  land. 

.Marl  was  considered  such  an  excellent  manure  that  it  was  commonly  said : 
"  He  who  marls  sand 

May  buy  the  land  " — 
because  he  would  be  sure  to  grow  rich  if  he  used  marl  on  sandy  soil. 

(2)  metaphorically  "to  marl  a  man"  is  to  follow  the 
drinking  of  his  health  by  cheering  him. 

Taken  from  the  old  customs  of  the  county,  where  the  gang  [of  marlers], 
after  receiving  any  small  sum  as  a  present  from  a  chance  visitor,  stand  in  a 
ring  and  cheer.  L. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  219 

MARLERS,  s.  men  who  work  in  a  marl  pit. 

MARL  HEAD,  s.  the  face  of  marl  at  the  deepest  end  of  a  marl  pit. 

MARLOCK,  s.  fun,  a  joke,  especially  a  practical  joke. 

MARLOCK,  v.  to  play  jokes. 

About  HYDE  it  appears  to  mean  simply  "  to  play."  Leigh  gives  mar- 
laking  as  an  adjective,  and  explains  it  as  frolicksome. 

MARLPIT,  s.  the  hole  from  which  marl  is  dug. 

MARRED,  adj.  spoilt,  petted. 

"A  marred"  child  is  a  spoilt  child.  "  A  marred"  cat  is  one  that  likes 
to  be  petted.  I  once  heard  a  woman  call  her  calf  "  a  marred  owd  stink." 

MARRIED  ALL  O'ER,  idiom.  Said  of  women  who  after  mar- 
riage lose  their  good  looks.  MACCLESFIELD. 

MARROW,  s.  (i)  a  mate,  a  companion. 

Pigs  of  the  same  litter  are  called  "  marrow  pigs." 

(2)  an  exact  counterpart. 

(3)  an  equal.     WILDERSPOOL. 

"  There  binna  his  marrow." 

(4)  a  husband. 

MARROW  TO  THE  PATCH,  idiom,  well  matched.     WALTON. 

A  husband  and  wife  who  were  rather  strange  characters,  and  about 
equally  eccentric,  were  said  to  be  "  marrow  to  the  patch." 

MARRY  !  COME  UP,  MY  DIRTY  COUSIN,  is  an  expression 
used  to  those  who  affect  any  extreme  nicety  or  delicacy  which 
does  not  belong  to  them ;  or  who  assume  a  distinction  to  which 
they  have  no  claim.  L. 

MARSH  MALLOW,  s.  Malva  sylvestris  and  M.  rotundifolia. 

Much  used  in  cases  of  lacerated  bruises  as  an  emollient  poultice,  and  with 
good  effect. 

MARSH  MARIGOLD,  s.  Caltha  palustris. 
MARTIN,  the  same  as  FREE-MARTIN. 

MARTON  CHAPEL. 

"All  on  one  side  like  Marton  Chapel"  is  a  common  expression  about 
WII.MSLOW.  See  PARKGATE. 

MARVIL,  s.  a  marble. 

MASH,  v.  to  infuse. 

Pouring  a  small  quantity  of  boiling  water  on  tea,  and  letting  it  stand  a 
little  while  on  the  hob  before  filling  it  up,  is  "mashing  the  tea."  Pouring 
boiling  water  on  malt  for  brewing  is  "mashing  the  malt." 


220  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

MASHING-MUNGLE,  s.  a  staff  for  stirring  the  wort  in  the  boiler 
when  ale  is  being  brewed.  MACCLESFIELD.  See  MUNDLE. 

MASH -TUB,  s.  a  large  tub  in  which  malt  is  mashed  for  brewing. 
Scarcely  local. 

MASKE,  s.  a  mesh  of  a  net.     L. 

Leigh  gives  this  on  the  authority  of  Wilbraham;  but  as  I  understand  it, 
Wilbraham  merely  intended  to  say  that  maske  meant  the  mesh  of  a  net  in  the 
Flemish  language. 

MASKER,  v.  to  choke  or  stifle. 

MASKERT,  part,  choked,  smothered. 

A  crop  overgrown  with  weeds  would  be  said  to  be  " maskert  wi'  weed." 
See  SMOSKERT. 

MASLIN,  s.  an  alloy  of  copper  with  some  harder  metal. 

I  believe  this  word  is  obsolete  in  Cheshire,  but  it  was  formerly  in  use.  A 
description  has  been  sent  me  of  an  old  spoon,  apparently  made  of  some  alloy 
of  copper,  not  brass,  but  more  like  gold  in  appearance,  which  the  grandfather 
of  my  informant  spoke  of  some  fifty  years  since  as  a  maslin  spoon.  Brass 
preserving  pans  are  still  called  "  Maslin  Pans  "  at  Stourbridge  (Notes  and 
Queries,  6th  S.,  vol.  x.,  p.  289),  and  the  name  seems  to  signify  any  mixture, 
whether  of  metals  or  of  corn.  See  MEZLIN. 

MASSACREE,  v.  to  massacre,  but  applied  to  destruction  of  life  by 
any  accident. 

An  old  shepherd  objected  to  some  canal  scourings  being  placed  on  a 
meadow  where  ewes  were  lambing,  lest  the  young  lambs  should  flounder  into 
the  soft  mud  and  be  "  wassacreed." 

MASTER  COW,  s.  the  leader  of  a  herd. 

In  most  herds  of  cattle  there  is  generally  one  cow  to  which  all  the  others 
give  way.  She  is  called  the  ' '  master  cow, "  and  generally  leads  the  way  from 
one  pasture  to  another,  the  rest  following.  She  sometimes  also  leads  the 
others  into  mischief.  How  she  gains  her  supremacy  it  is  difficult  to  say,  but 
she  certainly  does  exercise  an  influence  over  the  herd. 

MASTERFUL,  adj.  headstrong,  overbearing,  unmanageable. 

MASTER  HANDLE  (of  a  plough),  s.  "  is  that  on  the  left  hand, 
which  the  man  holdeth  while  he  cleareth  the  plough  from  clogging 
earth." — Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  viii.,  p.  333. 

MATE  or  MEAT,  s.  food  of  any  kind ;  by  no  means  confined  to 
butchers'  meat,  which  is  always  distinguished  as  flesh-mate. 
Cattle  food,  even,  is  called  mate. 

"What  wage  dost  get?"     "A  shilling  an'  my  mate,"  i.e.,  food  of  all  kinds. 

MATE,  s.  (i)  a  fellow  workman. 

(2)  a  friend  or  companion. 

(3)  a  wife. 

This  word  can  scarcely  be  considered  local  in  any  of  its  significations;  but 
I  have  entered  it  because  in  Cheshire  it  is  so  especially  used  in  its  first  meaning. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  221 

MATTOCK,  s.  a  tool  somewhat  resembling  a  pick-axe,  but  formed 
like  a  blunt  axe  at  one  end  and  a  blunt  adze  at  the  other. 
Its  use  is  for  grubbing  up  tree-roots,  hedges,  &c. 

MATTY,  prop,  name,  the  short  for  Martha. 

MAUL,  v.  (i)  to  handle  anything  unnecessarily  so  as  to  make  it 
disagreeable. 

(2)  to  treat  roughly,  to  pull  one  about. 

MAULY,  adj.  sticky. 

Applied  to  the  soil  when  there  has  been  rain  enough  to  make  it  clag  on 
horses'  feet  or  on  the  wheels  of  a  cart. 

MAW,  s.  (i)  the  stomach.     W.     Scarcely  local. 

(2)  the  mouth.     W. 

(3)  a  mall. 

A  large  wooden  hammer  with  a  long  handle,  for  driving  stakes  into  the 
ground.  The  head  is  shod  with  an  iron  hoop  at  each  end.  In  salt-making 
a  mail  is  also  used  for  breaking  lumps  of  salt. 

MAW- BUND,  part,  a  state  of  costiveness  in  a  cow,  caused  by  an 
obstruction  in  the  third  stomach. 

MAWKIN,  s.  (i)  a  bunch  of  clouts  at  the  end  of  a  pole,  used  to 
wipe  out  the  embers  from  a  brick  oven  before 
setting  in  the  bread. 

The  clouts  are  usually  attached  to  the  pole  by  a  short  chain.  In  using  it, 
it  is  dipped  in  water,  and  is  pushed  backwards  and  forwards  over  the  bottom 
of  the  oven. 

(2)  a  scarecrow. 
MAWKISH,  adj.  (i)  sick,  faint.     L. 

(2)  insipid,  but  perhaps  scarcely  local. 
MAWKS,  s.  a  dirty  figure,  or  mixture.     W. 

MAW-SKIN,  s.  the  stomach  of  a  calf  used  for  rennet  in  coagulating 
milk.     See  BAG-SKIN. 

MAXFIELD,  MAXFILT,  or  MAXILT,  prop,  name,  the  town  of 
Macclesfield. 

Good  measure  is  spoken  of  as  "  Max  field  measure,  upyepped  and 
thrutched,"  that  is,  heaped  up  and  pressed  down.  Such  superabundant 
measure  is  now  prohibited  by  the  Weights  and  Measures  Act. 

A  correspondent  writes  that  an  old  servant  of  her  family  used  to  pride 
herself  on  never  having  been  out  of  Macclesfield,  and  spoke  "  nowt  bur 
gradely  Maxilt." 

MAY  BIRCHERS.     See  MAY  BIRCHES. 


222  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

MAY  BIRCHES,  s.  branches  of  various  kinds  of  trees  fastened  over 
the  doors  of  houses  and  on  the  chimneys  on  the  eve  of  May  Day. 
They  were  fixed  up  by  parties  of  young  men,  called  May  Birchers,  who 
went  round  for  the  purpose,  and  were  intended  to  be  symbolical  of  the 
character  of  the  inmates.  Some  were  complimentary  in  their  meanings, 
others  were  grossly  offensive ;  and  they  sometimes  gave  rise  to  much  ill-feeling 
in  rural  districts.  Generally  the  name  of  the  tree  rhymed  with  the  character 
it  symbolized.  Thus,  owler  (alder)  for  a  scowler,  &c.,  &c. 

MAY  FLOWER,  s.  (i)  Cardamine  pratensis.    MOBBERLEY,  KNUTS- 
FORD. 

(2)  Caltha  palustris.     W.  CHES. 

MAY-HAPPEN,  ME-HAPPEN  (MACCLESFIELD),  adv.  perhaps. 
MAY-SINGERS.     See  MAY-SINGING. 

MAY-SINGING,  part, 

A  day  or  two  before  the  first  of  May  parties  of  young  men  go  out  in  the 
early  morning  to  the  various  farmhouses  singing  a  song  in  welcome  of  the 
"merry  month."  They  are  always  spoken  of  as  "the  May  Singers,"  and 
their  song  is  known  as  "  the  May  Song." 

MAY  SONG.     See  MAY-SINGING. 

For  words  and  music,  see  Appendix. 

MAZY,  MEEZY  (W.  CHES.),  adj.  giddy. 

ME,  pron.  used  instead  of  "  myself." 
' '  Aw've  scawded  me. " 

MEADOW  BOUT,  s.  the  marsh  marigold,  Caltha  palustris.    MOB- 
BERLEY. 

MEADOW-SWEET,  s.  Spircea  Ulmaria. 

MEAL,  s.  a  milking ;  that  is,  the  appointed  time  when  a  cow  is 
milked. 

Thus  we  speak  of  a  cow  giving  ten  quarts  at  a  meal,  that  is,  at  one 
milking.  The  term  is  extended  to  cheese-making;  thus,  if  a  cheese  is  made 
of  the  morning's  milk  only,  it  would  be  called  a  one-meal  cheese  ;  if  from 
the  milk  of  two  meals,  a  two-meal  cheese  ;  of  three  meals,  a  three-meal 
cheese.  But  as  most  cheese  is  made  of  the  night's  and  morning's  milk 
mixed  together,  one  seldom  hears  of  one-meal  or  two-meal  cheeses.  It  is 
when  the  cows  fall  off  in  milk  in  the  autumn,  and  two  meals  are  not 
sufficient  to  make  a  cheese,  one  hears  of  three  or  four-meal  cheeses. 

MEALS-MEAT,  s.  food  enough  for  a  meal.     MACCLESFIELD. 

MEALY-MOUTHED,  adj.  soft  spoken,  plausible. 
It  implies  a  certain  amount  of  insincerity. 

MEASURE,) 

MIZZER,    'p- *  local  bushel. 

Wilbraham,  and  after  him  Halliwell,  explains  it  as  a  Winchester  bushel ; 
but  this  is  not  the  case ;  now,  at  any  rate.  The  measure  varies  for  different 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  223 

materials  and  in  different  localities.  (See  LOAD.)  A  measure  of  wheat 
varies,  sometimes  in  neighbouring  parishes,  from  7olbs.  to  75lbs.  or  Solbs. 

Oats  are  generally  45lbs.  to  the  measure;  in  Chester  461bs.;  and  in  some 
districts  5olbs. 

A  measure  of  beans  weighs  6olbs. ;  of  potatoes  84lbs. 

MEAT.     See  MATE. 

MEEATH,  s.  mead,  wine  made  from  honey.      WILMSLOW,  MOB- 

BERLEY. 

Leigh  gives  it  as  "  METH  ;  short  for  Metheglin." 

MEE-MAWIN,  part,  caressing  in  a  wheedling  manner.  DELAMERE, 
WILMSLOW. 

"  Dunna  be  mee-mawin  me  a  that'ns,  for  get  o'er  me." 
MEE-MAWS,  s.  soft  tricks.     WILMSLOW. 

MEENY,  adj.  many.     MOBBERLEY,  WILMSLOW. 

"  How  are  your  potatoes  ?  "     "  Whei,  there's  a  meeny  rotten." 

MEER,  s.  a  boundary.     Obsolete,  but  still  found  in  combination. 
See  MEER  STONE,  MEER  TREE. 

Many  place-names  in  Cheshire  embody  the  word,  now  spelt  mere.  Thus 
we  have  the  township  of  Mere,  near  Knutsford,  and  not  far  distant  the  hamlet 
of  Mere  Heys  or  Mare  Heys.  Mere  Hills  is  a  hamlet  between  Knutsford 
and  Chelford ;  and  in  Mobberley  there  is  a  Mere  House.  Some  of  these, 
however,  may  be  connected  with  mere,  a  lake. 

MEER,  v.  to  mark  out  or  measure  land. 

This  word  is  probably  quite  obsolete,  but  in  a  Cheshire  deed,  dated  1679, 
a  man  was  permitted  "  to  meere  out"  an  acre  of  common  land,  and  to  build 
upon  the  land  "so  meered out. " 

In  a  deed  made  in  1775,  concerning  the  enclosure  of  land  for  the  erection 
of  the  old  poorhouse  at  Lindow,  near  Wilmslow,  occurs  the  following  phrase : 
"  from  the  common  called  or  known  by  the  name  of  great  Lindow  as  the 
same  is  now  meered  out  by  meters  and  bounds." 

There  is  a  field  in  Mobberley  called  the  Mere  or  Mare  Flats.  I  find  from 
an  extremely  old  map  in  my  possession,  that  this  field  was  formerly  part  of 
the  common  ploughing  land  of  Mobberley,  and  was  laid  out  in  strips  or 
"lands"  appropriated  to  different  owners  or  occupiers.  The  name  may, 
perhaps,  be  derived  from  the  fact  of  the  field  having  been  meered  or  measured 
off  from  the  common  lands. 

MEER  STONE,  s.  a  boundary  stone. 

They  are  sometimes  placed  in  a  hedge  to  show  where  one  man's  portion 
terminates  and  another's  begins.  Sometimes  put  at  the  corners  of  a  quillet 
or  loon,  to  show  the  property  of  an  individual  when  lying  unenclosed  amongst 
other  lands.  There  are  many  such  stones  on  Halton  Hill ;  also  on  a  large 
field  called  the  "  Dowes,"  at  Astmoor  in  Halton.  The  boundary  of  the 
townships  of  Keckwick  and  Daresbury  runs  in  a  tortuous  line  through  a  wood 
called  Keckwick  or  Daresbury  Firs.  It  is  marked  by  a  number  of  mere-stones 
and  mere-trees,  and  the  burley-men  of  Keckwick  walk  the  boundaries 
periodically,  and  place  a  dab  of  whitewash  upon  each  of  the  stones  and  trees, 
which  mark  the  boundary  of  the  two  townships. 


224  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

MEER  TREE,  s.  a  tree  planted  to  mark  a  boundary,  serving  the 
same  purpose  as  a  mere-stone. 

MEET,  s.  might.     W. 

I  have  never  heard  it  so  pronounced.     Mel  is  common. 

MEET,  adv.     See  JUST  MEET  Now. 
MEETY,  adj.  mighty.     W. 
MEEZY.     See  MAZY. 

MEG-HARRY,  s.  (i)  a  tomboy,  a  young  girl  with  masculine  man- 
ners.    W. 

(2)  an  hermaphrodite. 

MEGPIE,  s.  a  magpie.     DELAMERE. 
PIANNOT  is  the  more  common  name. 

MEG  WATER,  s.  salt-mining  term ;  a  weak  or  bastard  brine  found 
in  sinking  shafts. 

ME-HAPPEN,  adv.  perhaps,  possibly.     MACCLESFIELD. 

"  Me-happen  yo'n  come  in  a  bit  to-neet  at  after  dark." 

M  ELDER  (of  oats),  s.  a  kiln  full,  as  many  as  are  dried  at  a  time  for 
meal.  W. 

MELL,  v.  to  meddle. 

MELLOT,  s.  the  short-tailed  field  mouse.     CREWE. 

MELSH,  adj.  mild,  soft ;  applied  chiefly  to  the  weather,  but  also 
occasionally  to  anything  soft. 

"  Hens  '11  begin  a  layin  soon,  its  so  melsh."    See  HARSH. 

MELSHED,  part,  milked,  but  used  as  a  compound  adjective,  as 
easy-melshed,  hard-melshed,  i.e.,  easy-to-be-milked,  hard-to-be- 
milked. 

Thus  we  speak  of  a  cow  as  "oo's  an  easy-welshed  \m." 

"  Oo's  too  ezsy-melshed ;  I  doubt  oo'l  run  her  milk  ite." 

MELT,  s.  the  milt  or  spleen  of  an  animal. 

MEND,  v.  to  recover. 

"  How's  your  wife  to-day?"     "  Oo's  mendin  nicely,  thank  you." 

MEOW,  v.  to  make  a  wry  face.     MACCLESFIELD. 

This  word  is  only  used  in  a  very  secondary  sense.      Its  primary  meaning 
is,  of  course,  the  mewing  of  a  cat. 

MERE,  s.  a  small  lake.     See  MARE. 
MERRIKING,  adj.  rollicking,  up  to  a  lark.     L. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  225 

MERRY,  s.  the  wild  cherry,  Primus  Avium. 

MERRY  MEAL,  s.  junketting  when  a  child  is  born. 

It  is  customary  for  those  present  (except  the  mother)  to  take  something  to 
drink,  generally  spirits,  to  bring  luck  to  the  new  comer.  It  is  called 
"wettin'  choilt's  yed. " 

The  Cheshire  version  of  the  proverb  "  The  more  the  merrier"  is  "  More 
and  merrier,  less  and  better  fare,  like  Meg  o'  Wood's  merry-meal." 

MESS,  s.  (i)  a  dish  of  anything;  a  quantity  sufficient  for  a  meal. 

"  We  had  a  mess  o'  these  taters  just  to  try  em,  an  I  never  tasted 
any  better ;  they  wun  like  balls  o'  flour." 

"And  he  took  and  sent  messes  unto  them  from  before  him:  but  Benjamin's 
mess  was  five  times  so  much  as  any  of  theirs. " —  Genesis  xliii.  34. 

(2)  the  mass.     See  BY  MASS,  which  is  often  pronounced 
BY  MESS. 

MESS,  v.  to  divide  food  amongst  a  number  of  people.     WILMSLOW. 
"Come  an'  tay  th'  cheilt,  wheile  aw  mess  th'  dinner  for  th'  men." 

MESTER,     )      ,  . 
MESTHER,HI)maSter- 

"  Han  you  seen  th'  mester  lately  ?  " 

(2)  mister. 

"  Are  yo  Mester  'olland  ?  " 

(3)  husband. 

A  wife  always  speaks  of  her  husband  as  her  ' '  mesler. " 
In  Cheshire  a  husband  and  wife  never  walk  arm  in  arm.     The  mester 
walks  in  front  and  the  wife  follows  about  two  yards  behind. 

MET,  v.  might. 

METAL,  s.  salt-mining  term;  the  name  given  by  the  sinkers  to  the 
various  salt  marls  found  in  sinking  shafts. 

METER,  adj.  moderate.     L. 
METERLY,  adv.  moderately.     L. 
METH.     See  MEEATH. 

MEXEN,  v.   to  clean  out  a  pigsty,  or  shippon,  or  any  building 
where  animals  are  kept.     Leigh  also  gives  the  form  MIXEN. 

MEYTHER,) 

MYTHFR 

MOIDER  '     '  v'  to  k°tner>  to  Bewilder. 

MOITHER,  , 

"  Dunna  moither  me."     "  Don't  bother  me." 
"  Thast  goo  if  tha  dusna  meyiher  me." 


226  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

MEYTHERING, 


/-bewildering. 
MOITHERING, 

MEZLIN,  s.  wheat  and  rye  grown  together. 

A  custom  quite  out  of  fashion  now;  and  the  word,  I  think,  almost 
obsolete.  I  can,  however,  remember  hearing  of  mezlin  frequently  when  a 
boy.  Halliwell  spells  it  maslin,  and  gives  it  as  a  north-country  word.  See 
MASLIN. 

MEZZLED  or  MEZZL'T,  adj.  measled  ;  a  disease  in  pigs. 
"  Mezzled  pigs  "or  "  nuzzled  pork  "  are  commonly  spoken  of. 

MICHAELMAS  DAISY,  s.  Aster  Tripolium,  which  is  common  on 
the  salt  marshes  bordering  the  Mersey. 

In  gardens  there  are  several  species  of  Aster  so  called. 

MICHAELRIGGS,  s.  the  autumnal  equinoctial  gales,  happening 
about  Michaelmas. 

"  Rigg  "  means  a  strong  blast  of  wind.     L. 

MICKLES,  s.  size. 

"  He's  of  no  mickles'"  he  is  of  no  size  or  height.     W. 

MIDDEN,  s.  a  manure  heap,  or  the  cesspool  of  a  privy. 

MIDDEN-HOLE,  s.  the  place  where  manure  is  heaped  in  a  farm- 
yard ;  generally  slightly  sunk  below  the  surface  of  the  ground. 

MIDDLE  BANT,  s.  the  thong  (usually  made  of  whitleather)  by 
which  the  capling  of  a  flail  is  fastened  to  the  swipple. 

"  The  Middle  Band,  that  Leather  Thong,  or  Fish  Skin  as  tyeth  them 
together."  —  Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  viii.,  p.  333. 

MIDDLING,  adv.  (i)  tolerably,  passably. 

'  '  Middling  good.  " 

(2)  rather  poorly. 

"  How  are  you  to-day?"     "  But  middling" 
"  But  in  a  middling  way." 

MIDDLINGS,  s.  the  mediocrity. 

"Among  the  middlings"  is  an  idiom,  meaning  that  a  person  or  thing  is 
nothing  to  boast  of.  Asking  the  character  of  a  man  who  had  applied  to  me 
for  work,  I  said  to  his  employer,  "  What  sort  of  a  man  is  your  team-man?" 
The  answer  was,  "  Well  !  he's  just  about  among  the  middlings;"  so  I  did  not 
engage  him. 

MID-FEATHER  or  MID-FITHER,  s.  (i)  a  narrow  ridge  of  land 

between  two  pits. 

Most  of  our  ponds  or  pits  are  old  marl  pits,  and  the  mid-feather  appears 
to  have  been  left  between  an  old  and  a  new  pit.  The  reason  probably  was 
that  by  the  time  a  new  pit  was  wanted  the  old  one  had  become  filled  with 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  227 

water  and  could  not  be  again  worked ;  but  the  same  seam  of  marl  was  worked 
as  near  the  old  pit  as  possible,  the  mid-feather  being  left  to  dam  the  water 
out  of  the  new  pit. 

It  is  also  a  turf-getting  term.  In  former  times  there  was  no  drainage  from 
the  peat  bogs ;  and  when  a  turf-getter  in  digging  out  turf  got  to  the  bottom 
of  a  hole  the  water  filtered  in  upon  his  work  and  stopped  him.  He,  there- 
fore, left  a  mid-feather  of  solid  turf  between  the  hole  he  was  digging  and  the 
previous  hole,  and  baled  the  water  over  it,  whilst  he  got  the  bottom  "  lift" 
of  the  turf  out. 

(2)  a  wall  dividing  two  flues 

in  a  chimney  stack. 

(3)  salt-making  term  ;   the 

plates  running  between 
the  fires,  and  parallel 
to  the  sides  of  the  pan. 
MIDGE,  s.  a  kind  of  gnat. 

Leigh  says  it  is  used  as  a  term  of  contempt  for  any  small  and  contemptible 
object. 

MID-THRILLS.     See  CART. 

MILK-CANS,  s.  the  plant  Stellaria  Holostea.     LYMM. 
Leigh  gives  the  name  as  MILK-PANS. 

MILK-WARM,  adj.  lukewarm.     WILMSLOW. 
MILK-SIEVE,  s.  a  milk-strainer. 

MIMICK,  v.  "  Mimicking  work  "  is  work  made  to  look  well  for  a 
time,  but  not  to  last,  like  bad  contract  work;  soft  or  lime  bricks, 
unseasoned  or  unlasting  timber,  inferior  slates,  &c.,  &c.  L. 

MIND,  v.  to  look  after,  to  take  care  of. 
"Afindin*  th'  babby." 

MIND  OUT,  v.  (i)  get  out  of  the  way. 
(2)  to  be  on  one's  guard. 

MINSK ULL  CRAB,  s.  a  variety  of  cultivated  apple  found  in  many 
of  the  old  orchards. 

It  is  much  valued  on  account  of  its  keeping  properties,  being  extremely 
hard  in  texture.  It  is  too  sour  to  eat,  but  is  a  most  excellent  cooking  apple — 
with  about  its  own  weight  of  sugar.  In  the  New  Bot.  Guide,  vol.  i.,  p.  255, 
the  name  is  assigned  to  Mespiius  germanica,  the  quince,  which  it  is  stated 
grows  "  in  all  the  hedges  about  Minshull."  This  is  probably  an  error,  as 
the  Hon.  J.  L.  Warren  writes  that  ' '  nothing  is  known  of  Mespiius  there 
since  anything  like  the  memory  of  man." 

MINSTREL  COURT  OF  CHESHIRE,  s.  a  court  founded  by 
Randle  Blundeville,  Earl  of  Chester,  from  1181  to  1232,  and 
discontinued  rather  more  than  a  century  ago. 

Sir  Peter  Leycester  (Historical  Antiquities,  p.  141)  gives  the  following 
account  of  the  origin  and  duties  of  this  Court:  "This  Randle  among  the 


228  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

many  Conflicts  he  had  with  the  Welsh,  as  I  find  in  an  ancient  Parchment 
Roll,  written  above  two  hundred  Years  ago,  wherein  the  Barons  of  Halton 
with  their  Issue  were  carefully  collected,  was  distressed  by  the  Welsh,  and 
forced  to  retreat  to  the  Castle  of  Rothelent  in  Flintshire,  about  the  Reign  of 
King  John,  where  they  Besieged  him :  He  presently  sent  to  his  Constable  of 
Cheshire,  Roger  Lacy,  sirnamed  Hell,  for  his  fierce  Spirit,  that  he  would 
come  with  all  speed,  and  bring  what  Forces  he  could  towards  his  Relief. 
Roger  having  gathered  a  tumultuous  Rout  of  Fidlers,  Players,  Coblers, 
debauched  persons,  both  Men  and  Women,  out  of  the  City  of  Chester  (for 
'twas  then  the  Fairtime  in  that  City)  marcheth  immediately  towards  the  Earl. 
The  Welsh  perceiving  a  great  multitude  coming,  raised  their  Siege  and  fled. 
The  Earl  coming  back  with  his  Constable  to  Chester,  gave  him  Power  over 
all  Fidlers  and  Shoemakers  in  Chester,  in  reward  and  memory  of  this  Service. 
The  Constable  retained  to  himself  and  his  Heirs,  the  Authority  and  Donation 
of  the  Shoemakers,  but  conferred  the  Authority  of  the  Fidlers  and  Players  on 
his  Steward,  which  then  was  Dutton  of  Dutton ;  whose  Heirs  enjoy  the  same 
Power  and  Authority  over  the  Minstralcy  of  Cheshire  even  to  this  day;  who 
in  memory  hereof  keep  a  yearly  Court  upon  the  Feast  of  St.  John  Baptist  at 
Chester,  where  all  the  Minstrels  of  the  County  and  City  are  to  attend  and 
Play  before  the  Lord  of  Dutton:  And  none  ought  to  use  their  Minstralcy  but 
by  Order  and  License  of  that  Court,  under  the  Hand  and  Seal  of  the  Lord 
Dutton  or  his  Steward,  either  within  Cheshire  or  the  City  of  Chester.  And 
to  this  day  the  Heirs  of  Dutton,  or  their  Deputies,  do  in  a  solemn  manner 
yearly  upon  Midsummer-day,  being  Chester  Fair,  Ride  through  the  City  of 
Chester,  with  all  the  Minstralcy  of  Cheshire  playing  before  them  on  their 
several  Instruments,  to  the  Church  of  St.  Johns,  and  at  the  Court  renew  their 
Licences  yearly." 

MINT-DROPS,  s.  peppermint  lozenges. 

It  used  to  be  a  constant  custom  in  country  places  for  old  women  to  com- 
fort themselves  in  church  by  sucking  mint-drops.  In  years  gone  by  the  smell 
of  peppermint  in  Mobberley  Church  on  Sunday  afternoons  used  to  be  quite 
overpowering. 

MIPIN,/#r/.  showing  indifference  to  food.     Mow  COP. 
" Mipin  an  mincin." 

MIPUSIN,  part,  the  same  as  MIPIN.     WILMSLOW. 
MISDEEMFUL,  adj.  suspicious.     MACCLESFIELD. 
MISDEEMOUS,  adj.  the  same  as  MISDEEMFUL.     WILMSLOW. 
MISE,  v.  to  value  for  rating  purposes.     See  MISE  OF  CHESHIRE. 
MISE  BOOK,  s.  a  parish  valuation  book.   See  MISE  OF  CHESHIRE. 

MISE  OF  CHESHIRE,  s.  an  ancient  tax. 

A  tribute  of  3,000  marks,  which  the  inhabitants  of  the  County  Palatine 
paid  at  the  change  of  every  owner  of  the  Earldom,  for  enjoying  their  liberties. 
There  was,  and  perhaps  still  is,  at  Chester  a  mise-book,  in  which  every  town 
and  village  in  the  county  is  rated  for  this  tax.  See  Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  ii. , 
p.  3°i- 

MISERD,  s.  a  miser.     MACCLESFIELD. 

MISFORTUNE,  s.  giving  birth  to  an  illegitimate  child  is  always 
spoken  of  as  "  having  a  misfortune." 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  229 

MISLEST,  v.  to  molest,  to  interfere  with. 

The  third  person  singular  of  the  present  tense  is  misZesses. 
"  No  one  never  mis/esses  us." 

MITCH  (i)  much. 

(2)  unlikely,  strange,  extraordinary. 
"  It's  mitch  if  he  comes  now." 

MITCHNESS,  s.  equality. 

Things  are  "mitch  of  a  mitchness"  when  there  is  not  much  difference 
between  them. 

MITTENS,  j.  strong  leather  gloves  used  in  hedging. 

They  have  a  place  for  the  thumb,  but  the  fingers  are  not  separated. 

MIXEN,  s.  a  dunghill.     W. 
MIXEN-HOLE,  s.  a  midden  hole.     W.  CHES. 
MIZZER,  s.  a  measure.     See  MEASURE. 
MIZZER,  v.  to  measure. 
MIZZICK,  s.  a  boggy  place.     W. 

MIZZICKY,  adj.  boggy. 

In  South  Lancashire  the  substantive  Mizz  is  used,  meaning  a  boggy  place. 
I  have  never  heard  the  word  as  a  substantive  in  Cheshire,  but  there  is  in 
Mobberley  a  place  called  Mizzy  Wood,  which  probably  means  "boggy 
wood,"  and,  if  so,  the  adjective  mizzy  would  be  formed  from  the  substantive 
mizz,  which  may,  therefore,  very  likely  have  been  in  use  formerly  in  Cheshire 
as  well  as  in  Lancashire. 

MIZZLE,  v.  (i)  to  rain  very  fine  rain. 

(2)  to  run  away;  or  it  rather  corresponds  to  the  phrase 
"  to  take  oneself  off." 

MIZZLY,  adj.  small,  fine,  applied  to  rain. 
"It's  a  mizzly  sort  o'  rain." 

MOBBERLEY  CLOCK.     At  Wilmslow  the   following  colloquial 
saying  is  current : — "  Always  too  late  like  Mobberley  Clock" 

MOBBERLEY  CRABS,  prop,  name,  the  inhabitants  of  Mobberley 
are  known  by  this  soubriquet. 

It  was  formerly  the  custom  amongst  rough  Mobberley  people  to  pelt 
passers  by  with  crabs,  just  as  they  now  pelt  with  snowballs.  I  have  also  heard 
it  said  that  the  parson  used  to  be  pelted  with  crabs  on  "Wakes  Sunday." 

MOBBERLEY  HOLE,  idiom,  about  Wilmslow  there  is  a  tradition 
that  all  the  rain  comes  from  Mobberley  Hole. 

At  Mobberley  the  honour  is  given  to  Bexton.  The  explanation  of  course 
is  that  Mobberley  lies  south-west  of  Wilmslow,  and  Bexton  south-west  of 
Mobberley,  and  that  the  rain  frequently  comes  from  the  south-west. 


230  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

MOBBUM  BREAD,  s.  bread  made  from  mezlin. 

"A  Cheshire  servant-maid  .  .  .  told  me  in  November,  1746,  that 
in  that  part  of  Cheshire  where  she  had  lived,  they  eat  ...  bread  made 
with  half  rye  and  half  wheat-meal,  which  they  there  call  Mobbum  bread ;  but 
in  other  parts  of  Cheshire,  towards  Manchester,  she  says,  they  eat  sour  cake, 
that  is  to  say,  oat-cake-bread." — W.  ELLIS,  Country  Housewife,  p.  18,  as 
quoted  in  Old  Country  and  Farming  Words,  E.D.S.  ed. 

MOGGINS,  s.  shoes  with  wooden  soles,  commonly  called  clogs.    L. 
MOGGY,  s.  a  young  calf.     MACCLESFIELD. 
MOIDER.     See  MEYTHER. 

MOIL,  s.  a  mile. 

The  plural  is  the  same. 

"It's  three  moil  to  Knutsford." 

MOILING,  part,  slaving  oneself,  doing  extra  work. 
Generally  used  in  the  phrase  "  moiling  and  toiling." 

MOILY,  adj.  dirty,  sticky.     L.     See  MAULY. 
MOITHER.     See  MEYTHER. 

MOLLCOT  or  MOLLICOT,  s.  a  soft,  effeminate  man  ;  one  who 
will  potter  about  and  do  women's  work. 

MOMMOCKS,  5.  fragments,  scraps. 
MON,  s.  a  man. 

MONKS-WOOD,  s.  monkshood,  several  garden  species  of  Aconitum 
being  included. 

MONNY,  adj.  many. 

MONTH  or  MONETH,  s.  "To  have  a  month's  mind"  is  to  have  a 
strong  inclination  to  do  something.     L. 

MOON  DAISY,  s.  Chrysanthemum  Leucanthemum. 

MOONDARK,  s.  money  saved  by  a  wife,  as  her  own  particular  nest 
egg,  "unbeknown"  to  her  husband.     L. 

MOONPENNY,  s.  the  moon  daisy.     L.     Chrysanthemum  Leucan- 
themum. 

MOOR,  s.  marshy  land;  but  not  necessarily  a  peat  bog. 

Sale  Moor  (now  drained  and  built  over),  Knutsford  Moor,  Astmoor  in 
Halton. 

MORAL,  s.  exact  likeness.     MORAL  SPIT  (MACCLESFIELD). 
"  He's  just  the  very  moral  on  him." 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  231 

MORE  COST  NOR  WORSHIP,  idiom,  not  worth  the  cost;  an 
old  Cheshire  saying.  L. 

MORLEY  GAWBIES,  prop,  name,  a  soubriquet  for  the  inhabitants 
of  Morley. 

MORRIS  DANCERS,  s. 

At  Cheadle  Wakes  the  ancient  Morris-dancing  is  still  one  of  the 
attractions,  and  it  is  a  pretty  sight  to  see  the  dancers,  fantastically  dressed 
with  gay  ribbons  hanging  from  their  arms  and  legs,  dancing  in  a  sort  of  pro- 
cession, with  the  cracking  of  carters'  whips,  and  to  a  quaint  tune  the  notes  of 
which  I  have  not  been  able  to  pick  up.  Very  likely  modern  tunes  are  now 
adapted  to  the  dance,  but  some  fifteen  or  sixteen  years  ago  I  saw  these 
Morris  Dancers  parading  through  Stockport  to  a  very  peculiar  tune  played  on 
fifes,  which  had  quite  a  traditional  ring  about  it. 

In  former  times  there  was  also  Morris-dancing  at  Wilmslow  at  the 
Rushbearing. 

MORT,  s.  a  great  deal,  a  great  number. 
"  He's  gett'n  a  mart  o'  brass." 

MORTACIOUS,  adj.  dreadful,  terribly  bad,  troublesome.     W. 

MORTACIOUS,  adv.  extremely. 

"  A  mortacious  foine  sect,"  an  extremely  fine  sight. — J.  C.  CLOUGH. 

MORTAL,  adv.  very. 

"  A  mortal  hard  brick." 

MOSEY,  adj.  overripe,  as  applied  to  fruit. 
"  A  mosey  pear."     L. 

MOSING,  part,  smouldering,  burning  slowly.     SANDBACH. 

MOSS,  s.  a  peat  bog ;  as  Lindow  Moss,  Adder's  Moss,  Feather-bed 
Moss,  Carrington  Moss. 

MOSS-DIRT,  s.  peat  soil,     MOBBERLEY. 

MOSSES  MARE,  idiom. 

Leigh  gives  the  following  as  a  Cheshire  adage  : — "  To  catch  a  person 
sleeping,  as  Moss  caught  his  mare. " 

MOSS  FLOWER,  Pedicularis  palustris.     DODCOTT,  CHECKLEY. 

MOSS-REEVE,  s.  a  bailiff  or  reeve  appointed  to  regulate  claims  for 
land  on  the  mosses. 

MOSS-ROOM,  s.  narrow  plots  of  land  on  a  peat  bog,  formerly 
allotted  for  turbary  to  each  house  in  the  township  in  which  the 
moss  was  situated. 

Each  person  was  restricted  to  width,  but  might  work  towards  the  centre 
of  the  moss  as  far  as  he  liked  ;  consequently  the  Moss-rooms  in  time  became 
long,  narrow  strips.  In  many  cases  they  have  been  drained,  enclosed,  and 
cultivated  ;  so  that  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  peat-bogs  there  are,  at  the 
present  day,  a  great  number  of  extraordinarily  long  and  narrow  fields. 


232  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

MOST  AN  END,  adv.  usually,  almost  constantly  and  without  inter- 
mission.    Mow  COP. 

2ND  CITIZEN:  "What  will  this  girl  do?" 
MERCHANT:  "Sure  no  harm  at  all,  sir, 

For  she  sleeps  most  an  end. " 
— MASSINGER,  A  Very  Woman,  Act  iii.,  Sc.  I. 

MOT,  s.  (i)  moat,  a  wide  ditch  for  defence,  surrounding  antient 
country  seats  or  castles.     W. 

(2)  the  mark  on  which  a  taw  is  placed  to  be  shot  at  in  the 
game  of  marbles.     L. 

MOTE,  s.  a  moth.     MOBBERLEY,  SANDBACH.      MOWT  (KNUTS- 
FORD,  MIDDLEWICH). 

MOTHER,  s.  mould  in  liquids  rendering  them  turbid. 
MOTHER  DEE,  s.  the  plant  Torilis  Anthriscus.     DELAMERE. 
MOTHER  OF  THOUSANDS,  s.  the  plant  Linaria  Cymbalaria. 
MOTHERY,  adj.  turbid  with  mould. 

MOTTY,  s.  word. 

"What  art  puttin  thy  motly  in  for?" 

MOULD  BREAD,  v.  to  make  it  into  loaves. 

Randle  Holme  gives  this  as  one  of  the  terms  used  by  bakers. — Academy 
of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  iii.,  p.  85. 

MOUNTAIN  FLAX,  s.  Linum  catharticum. 

MOUNTAIN  SAGE,  s.  Teucrium  Scorodonia.     DELAMERE. 

MOUTH.     See  MAITH. 

MOUZLE,  v.  to  mess  or  make  untidy.     L. 

MOWBURNT,  adj.  hay  or  corn  overheated  in  the  stack  is  so  called. 

MOWDIWARP,  s.  a  mole,  Talpa  europcea.     MOBBERLEY,  KNUTS- 
FORD.     MOWLEWARP  (MIDDLEWICH). 

MOWED  UP,  crowded  up ;  having  no  room  left  to  work  in. 

MOWLDY,  adj.  mouldy. 

MOWT,  s.     See  MOTE. 

MOWT,  v.  to  moult.     MAIGHT  (WILMSLOW). 

MOY  SAKE  or  MOI  SAKE  ALOIVE,  inter j.  my  sake  — a  fre- 
quent expletive. 

MUCH,  s.  a  wonder,  a  marvel.     HALLIWELL. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  233 

MUCK,  s.  manure. 

MUCKED  TO  DEEATH,  idiom,  overmanured. 

MUCKFOODLE,  adj.  boastful,  braggart.     MOBBERLEY. 

"  I  cannot  abide  to  hear  him;  sitch  muckfoodle  talk  he's  full  of." 

MUCK-FORK,  s.  a  fork  for  spreading  manure  or  mexening  ship- 
pons,  &c. 

MUCK-HOOK,  s.  a  hook  with  a  long  handle  for  dragging  manure 
out  of  a  cart. 

MUCKINDER,  s.  a  dirty  napkin  or  pocket-handkerchief.     W. 
MUCK  MIDDEN,  s.  a  heap  of  manure. 

MUCK   ROBIN,   s.   a  term  of  opprobrium   often   used   to   lads 
who  are  always  whistling  and  disturbing  their  elders. 

"  Owd  thi  neize,  it  allus  rains  when  muck  robins  whistlen." 
I  am  unable  to  find  the  primary  meaning  of  "  Muck  Robin."     Probably 
it  is  some  bird  whose  note  portends  rain. 

MUCK-SWAT,  s.  a  profuse  perspiration.     WILMSLOW. 

MUDGE  HOLE,  s.  a  dirt  hole,  a  soft  boggy  place,  liable  to  give 
way  under  the  weight  of  a  cow. 

"  Oo  were  welly  marred  in  a  mudge-hole."     L. 

MUFFLED,  adj.  tufted  with  feathers. 

Hens  with  top-knots  or  with  feathers  puffing  out  under  their  throats  are 
said  to  be  muffled. 

MUFFLER,  s.  a  thick  handkerchief  for  the  neck. 
I  think  rather  a  modern  term. 

MUG,  s.  a  drinking  vessel,  not  necessarily  of  pottery. 

A  silver  tankard  would  be  called  a  mug;  so  would  a  half  pint  pot  of 
earthenware. 

MUG,  adj.  made  of  crockery. 

MUGGIN,  s.  "  To  receive  a  muggin  "  is  to  be  beaten.     L. 

MUGGY,  adj.  warm  and  damp,  as  applied  to  the  weather. 

MUGWORT,  s.  Artemisia  vulgaris.      MOBBERLEY.      MUGWEED 
(DELAMERE). 

MULLIGRUBS,  s.  (i)  stomach  ache. 

(2)  depression   of    spirits,    "blue   devils,"    ill- 
humour. 


234  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

MULLOCK,  s.  (i)  turf  dust,  rubbish,  small  refuse  of  any  kind. 
Chaucer  uses  the  word  in  speaking  of  the  fruit  of  the  medlar. 
"Til  it  be  rotten  in  mullok,   or   in   stre." — Canterbury   Tales,    Reve's 
Prologue. 

(2)  confusion.     Mow  COP. 

MULSH,  s.  long  litter,  put  round  plants  and  delicate  trees  and 
shrubs,  to  keep  the  frost  out.  L.  Scarcely  local. 

MULSH,  adj.  soft,  damp,  drizzling  weather.     L. 
MUMCHANCE,  adv.  stupidly  silent.     MACCLESFIELD. 
MUN,  s.  the  month.     W. 

MUN,  v.  must.     A  very  old  form  of  the  word. 

&  soe  fast  hee  called  vpon  Sir  Cawline, 

"  Oh  man,  I  redd  thee  fflye  ! 
ffor  if  cryance  come  vntill  thy  hart, 
I  am  a-feard  least  thou  mun  dye." 

— "  Sir  Cawline,"  /V/ry  Folio  MS.,  vol.  iii.,  p.  7, 
ed.  Hales  and  Furnivall. 

MUNCORN.  s.  blencorn,  mengecorn  and  blendecorn,  maslin,  wheat 
and  rye  mixed  together  as  they  grow.  W. 

MUNDLE,  s.  a  round  piece  of  wood,  generally  made  of  ash,  to  stir 
porridge  or  pigs'  food  with.  MIDDLEWICH.  MUNGLE  (MAC- 
CLESFIELD). 

"  Have  a  little,  give  a  little,  let  neighbour  lick  the  mundle"  is  a  saying 
to  illustrate  the  maxim  that  you  must  look  after  yourself  first. 

Another  common  saying,  when  anyone  has  been  currying  favour  with 
another,  is,  "  That's  th'  lad  as  licked  th'  mtindle." 

MUNDLE-DIRT,  s.  a  dirty,  clumsy  woman.     WILMSLOW. 

A  woman  like  a  mundle,  which  is  often  fouled  with  the  batter  it  stirs. 

MUNG,  s.  a  crowd  of  people.     HALLIWELL. 

MUNGE,  s.  a  porridge  slice,  or  piece  of  wood  used  to  stir  porridge. 
HYDE.  See  MUNDLE. 

MUNGER,  v.  to  do  anything  awkwardly.     KELSALL. 

"What  art  mungerin  at  it  a  that'ns  for,  astead  o'  doin  it  properly?" 

MUNGLE.     See  MUNDLE. 

MUNNA,    ) 
MUNNER,iz'-mustnot- 

MURENGER,  s.  an  officer  whose  duty  it  was  to  keep  the  walls  of 
a  city  in  repair. 

The  definition  in  the  Imperial  Dictionary  is  as  follows:  "  Two  officers  of 
great  antiquity  in  the  City  of  Chester,  annually  chosen  from  the  aldermen,  to 
see  the  walls  kept  in  repair,  and  to  receive  a  certain  toll  for  the  purpose." 
The  office,  however,  was  not  confined  to  Chester. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  235 

MURGIN,  s.  a  bog.     HALLIWELL. 

MUSE,  s.  a  hole  in  a  hedge,  made  by  being  the  regular  run  of  a 
hare. 

The  s  has  a  sibilant  sound,  not  pronounced  like  z. 

MY  LADY'S   PINCUSHION,   s.   the   garden   plant  Pulmonaria 
officinalis,  the  spots  on  the  leaves  resembling  pin  heads. 

MY  RESPECTS,  excl.  the  toast  always  used  instead  of  "  your  good 
health." 

MYSEL,  pron,  myself. 

MY  SONG,  excl.  a  very  frequent  form  of  mild  adjuration.     MOB- 

BERLEY,    WlLMSLOW. 

MYTHER.     See  MEYTHER. 


236  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


N. 


NA,  adv.  not,  when  the  next  word  begins  with  a  consonant.     See  NER. 

NACKETTY,)0^'.  handy,  ingenious;  perhaps  the  best  definition 
NACKY,          j      would  be  "expert  in  little  things." 

NAG,  v.  (i)  to  be  perpetually  finding  fault. 

(2)  to  keep  up  a  dull  pain  ;  as  the  first  symptoms  of  tooth- 

ache. 
"  How's  your  face,  now  ?"     "  Well,  it  nags  a  bit." 

NAGGLING,  part,  bartering.     KNUTSFORD. 

Perhaps  more  correctly  disputing  about  any  matter  with  a  view   to   a 
bargain  or  otherwise. 

NAGGY,  adj.  (i)  snappish.     Leigh  adds  NAGGETY. 
(2)  aching  with  a  dull  pain. 


NAIL  PASSER,  s.  a  gimlet.     MACCLESFIELD. 

I  think  a  south-country  word  imported,  but  it  is  also  in  use  in  Shropshire. 

NAKED  BOYS,  s.  the  plant  Crocus  nudiflorus.     GATLEY,  where  it 
is  plentiful  in  the  meadows  bordering  the  Mersey. 

NAKED  GULL,  s.  an  unfledged  bird.     HALLIWELL. 

NAKED  VIRGINS,  s.  the  plant  Cokhicum  autumnale,  the  flowers 
of  which  come  up  in  autumn  when  the  plant  is  destitute  of  leaves. 

NANCE,  prop.  name>  Nancy. 
NAOWTJ 

- 


NANCY  WILD,  s.  Wild  Nancy.     Narcissus.     L. 
Generally  called  SWEET  NANCY  or  WHITE  NANCY. 

NAOW,  l      , 
NOW,     )  adv'  na 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  237 

NAPPE,  s.  the  head  of  foam  on  a  glass  of  ale. 

William  Webb,  writing  about  1621  (King's  Vale-Royall,  1656,  p.  78), 
speaks  of  ' '  our  ale  here  at  Sandbach  being  no  less  famous  than  that  [at 
Derby]  of  [i.e.,  for]  a  true  nappe." 

On  a  tombstone  in  Prestbury  Churchyard  to  Thomas  Bennison,  head 
huntsman  many  years  to  Charles  Leigh,  of  Adlington,  Esq.,  who  died  1 7th 
February,  1768,  aged  75,  are  these  lines  : — 

"  The  Joys  of  his  Heart  were  good  Hounds  and  good  Nappy, 
Oh!  wish  him  for  ever  still  more  and  more  Happy." 

— J.  P.  EARWAKER,  East  Cheshire,  vol.  iii.,  p.  202. 
The  adjective  nappy  was,  of  course,  a  word  in  general  use  ;  but  nappe  as 
a  substantive  appears  to  have  been  rather  local. 

NAR,  adj.  near,  nearer.     W. 

NARROWED,  part,  reduced. 

Thus  we  sometimes  say  a  man's  circumstances  are  narrowed ;  or  he  has 
been  narrowed  in  his  circumstances.  Leigh,  however,  gives  the  verb  a  more 
transitive  form,  and  speaks  of  the  man  himself  being  narrowed.  "He's 
been  narrowed  lately"  i.e.,  he  has  fallen  in  the  world,  he  is  not  so  well  off 
as  he  was. 

NATION,  adj.  an  emphatic  form  of  very,  or  extremely;  probably 
an  abbreviation  of  damnation  or  tarnation. 

NATRAL,  s.  an  idiot. 

NATTER,  v.  to  gnaw,  to  nibble. 

NATTERED  or  NATTERT,  adj.  snappish,  ill-tempered. 

NATTY,  adj.  ingenious,  clever,  handy.     DELAMERE. 
"  A  natty  fellow." 

NATURE  or  NATUR,  s.  condition,  quality,  strength. 

Anything  which  is  beginning  to  deteriorate  is  said  to  have  lost  its  nature, 
or  to  have  no  nature  in  it. 

Timber  which  is  perished  from  age,  and  has  lost  its  toughness,  has  no 
nature  in  it.  Land  which  has  become  impoverished  has  no  nature  in  it. 

NAZZY,  adj.  ill-tempered.     S.  CHES. 

NEAR,  adj.  stingy,  niggardly. 

NEARING,  part,  getting  near  to,  approaching. 

NEBBURLY,  adj.  neighbourly.     NEEBURLY  (W.  CHES.). 

NECK.     See  CUTTING  THE  NECK. 

NECK-HOLE,  s.  the  nape  of  the  neck. 

NEELD,  s.  a  needle.     L. 

NE'ER,  adv.  never. 


238  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


NEEZE,  s.  a  nest. 

NEEZE,  v.  to  sneeze. 

NEEZLE,  v.  to  nestle,  to  settle  oneself  in  a  good  situation.     W. 

NEINTER  or  NOINTER,  s.  a  mischievous  lad.     WILMSLOW. 

NELLY  LONG  ARMS,  s.  a  sort  of  bogey  for  frightening  children. 
WILMSLOW,  MOBBERLEY. 

This  boggart  was  supposed  to  inhabit  wells,  and  children  were  told  that 
Nelly  Long  Arms  would  pull  them  in  if  they  went  too  near. 

NEPS,  s.  lavender  spikes,  Lavandula  vera. 

NER,  conj.  nor. 

NER,  adv.  not,  when  the  next  word  begins  with  a  vowel.      See  NA. 

NERE,  s.  the  kidney.     W. 

NERVISH,  adj.  nervous. 

NESH,  adj.  tender,  delicate,  unable  to  withstand  physical  pain. 

NESHIN,  v.  to  make  tender.  W.,  who  gives  it  as  an  old  word;  it 
was,  therefore,  probably  obsolete  in  his  day. 

NEST,  s.  "  to  get  upon  the  nest"  is  sometimes  used  metaphorically 
to  express  that  a  young  wife  has  begun  to  have  a  family  about 
her.  The  allusion  is,  of  course,  to  a  sitting  hen.  MOBBERLEY. 

NETHER,  s.  an  adder. 

NETHER,  adj.  lower,  as  applied  to  the  names  of  places. 
Nether  Knutsford,  Nether  Peover,  Nether  Alderley. 

NETTLE  FOOT,  s.  Stachys  sylvatica.     DELAMERE. 

NEVER  NO  MORE,  idiom,  a  very  frequent  expression  to  denote 
that  the  speaker  never  intends  to  have  anything  more  to  do  with 
a  person  or  thing;  that  having  been  once  taken  in,  he  is  not  to 
be  caught  again. 

NEVIT,  adj.  neat,  compact.     WILMSLOW. 

A  neat  little  woman  would  be  spoken  of  as  "a  nice  little  nevit  body." 

NEWY,  s.  a  nephew. 
NEW-FAW'N,  part,  newly  calved. 

NEXT,  adj.  nearest. 

"  Th'  next  road  "  is  the  nearest  way. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  239 

NEXT  THOWT,  idiom,  next  thought,  i.e.,  now  I  come  to  consider, 
or  to  recollect.  MOBBERLEY. 

NICE,  adj.  fastidious  as  regards  food. 
NIDDY-HOMMER,  s.  a  fool.     HYDE.      • 

NIGGARD,  s.  a  movable  side  to  a  kitchen  grate,  which  can  be 
wound  up  with  a  handle,  so  as  to  make  the  fire  narrow  or  wide 
according  as  it  is  required. 

NIGGIE,  prop,  name,  the  short  for  Isaac ;  also  IGIE. 

NIGHT-JACKET,  s.  a  short  calico  jacket  to  sleep  in,  worn  over 
the  chemise. 

NIP,  s.  (i)  a  small  glass  of  neat  spirit. 

(2)  a  pinch. 
NIP,  v.  to  pinch. 
NIP  OFF,  v.  to  make  a  hasty  exit. 

NIPPER,  s.  a  sharp,  quick  person.     W.  CHES. 

Sometimes  used  as  a  soubriquet,  as  "Nipper  Trimble." 

'      hips  of  the  wild  rose-     K     Rosa  canina' 


NITEM,  s.  a  token  or  signal.     Mow  COP. 

"  Oo  gen  him  th'  nitem." 

There  is  no  doubt  that  this  has  originally  been  an  item  corrupted  into  a 
nitem  ;  but  the  use  of  the  definite  article  shows  that  the  original  word  is 
forgotten.  About  WILMSLOW,  however,  the  word  item  is  well  known,  and 
means  a  private  hint. 

NIZZLY,  adj.  applied  to  weather,  inclined  to  rain,  foggy,  drizzly.  L. 

NOATHER,  eonj.  neither. 

"  Which  on  'em  did  it  ?"     " Noather  on  em." 

NOBBUR, 


NO  DANGER,  inter j.  not  likely  !  certainly  not ! 
A  very  common  deprecatory  expression. 

NODDY,  s.  Tom  Noddy,  a  silly  fellow.     L. 

NO  DUR  (no  door),  idiom,  metaphorical  expression  for  a  failure. 
WILMSLOW. 

The  expression  has  its  origin  in  a  custom  formerly  very  prevalent  at 
Shrovetide,  of  shooting  for  tea  kettles  with  bullets  out  of  a  common  gun  at  a 
door  for  a  target.  If  the  shooter  missed  the  door  altogether,  the  bystanders 
shouted  ' '  Noo  dur. " 


240  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

NOGER,  (i)  an  auger. 

No  doubt  from  an  oger  (auger)  being  corrupted  into  a  noger;  but  we  now 
speak  of  the  noger. 

(2)  a  borer  used  by  cheese  factors  for  tasting  cheese. 
"  A  good  cheese  should  stick  to  the  noger" 

NOGGIN,  s.  (i)  a  quarter  of  a  pint. 

(2)  "in  Cheshire,  a  wooden  kit  or  piggin  is  called  a 
noggin. — Kennet,  MS.  Lansd.  1033."  HALLI- 
WELL. 

NOGGING  or  NOGGING  PANES,  s.  the  filling  up  of  the  squares 
in  the  old  timber  buildings. 

Formerly  raddle  and  dobe  was  used ;  but  when  that  decays  the  squares  are 
filled  up  with  bricks,  which  still  retain  the  name. 

NOGGINTLE,  s.  a  noggin ful. 

NOGGS,  s.  tow.     Cheshire  Sheaf ,  vol  L,  p.  322. 

NO  GREAT  SHAKES,  idiom,  not  good  for  much. 

NOGS,  s.  (i)  pieces  of  wood  built  into  a  brick  wall,  in  order  that 
nails  may  be  driven  in  when  anything  is  intended 
to  be  fixed  to  the  wall. 

(2)  the  short  handles  attached  to  the  pole  of  a  scythe. 
NOINT,  v.  to  anoint ;  figuratively,  to  beat  severely.     W. 

NOINTED  ONE,  adj.  or  part,  an  unlucky  or  mischievous  boy, 
who  may  be  supposed  to  have  been  severely  corrected,  is  so 
called.  W. 

More  commonly  NEINTER,  which  see. 

NOIT,  s.  night.     See  NEET. 

NOMINEE,  s.  a  marling  term. 

The  giver  of  a  present  to  the  lord  of  the  pit  (marl)  for  himself  and  his 
men  is  called  the  nominee,  and  when  the  money  is  spent  in  drink  afterwards 
at  the  public-house,  the  lord  and  his  men  "shout"  the  name  of  the 
nominee.  L. 

I  suspect  Leigh  is  in  error  in  this  explanation,  and  that  the  nominee,  or 
as  I  think  it  should  be  written  nominy,  referred  to  the  words  the  men  shouted 
and  not  to  the  person  who  gave  the  money.  See  NOMINY  and  SHUTTING. 

NOMINY,  s.  a  speech,  a  discourse,  a  sermon ;  also  the  burden  of  a 
song.  See  SHUTTING. 

I  was  present  on  one  occasion  at  a  supper  given  by  the  Churchwardens  of 
Halton  to  the  old  men  of  the  parish.  My  next  neighbour  remarked  to  me, 
"  If  owd  Pennington  had  been  here,  he'd  a  gen  us  a  norniny."  Old 
Pennington  was  a  great  preacher  amongst  the  Wesleyans,  and  at  these 
gatherings  generally  "  improved  the  occasion." 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  241 

NONPLUSH,  s.  a  dilemma,  a  position  of  difficulty. 
A  pronunciation  of  nonplus, 

NOOKSHOTTEN,  adj.  (i)  out  of  the  square,  crooked;  often  applied 

to  a  crooked  pane  of  glass. 

"A  Querke  is  a  nook-shoten  pane,  whose  sides  and  top  run  out  of  a 
square  form." — RANDLE  HOLME,  Academy  of  Armory. 

(2)  disappointed,    mistaken,    having    over- 
shotten  the  mark.     W. 

This  is  scarcely  the  exact  definition.  It  rather  means  crooked  in  temper 
as  a  result  of  disappointment. 

NOOPE,  s.  the  run  of  a  hare  or  rabbit.     L. 

NOR,  adv.  than. 

"  he  is  ffine  in  the  middle,  &  small  in  the  wast, 

&  pleasant  in  woman's  eye; 
&  more  nor  this,  he  dyes  for  your  Love, 
Therfore,  Lady,  show  some  pittye." 

— "  Will  Stewart  and  John,"  Percy  Folio  MS.,  vol.  iii., 
p.  219,  Hales  and  Furnivall  Ed. 

NOR  AW  THEER  (not  all  there),  idiom,  weak  in  intellect. 
NOSSROW,  s.  a  shrew  mouse.     MIDDLEWICH. 

NOTCHELLED,  part,  when  a  man  makes  a  public  announcement 
that  he  will  not  pay  his  wife's  debts,  she  is  said  to  be  notchelled. 
See  CRY  NOTCH  ELL. 

NOTE,  s.  time  of  calving,  or  period  when  milking  begins. 

A  cow  is  said  to  make  a  good  note  when  she  calves  at  a  good  time  for 
yielding  milk,  and  is,  therefore,  likely  to  give  a  maximum  quantity  during 
that  season.  A  dairy  of  cows  is  said  to  be  in  good  note  when  they  all  happen 
to  come  into  milking  conveniently  for  making  cheese. 

If  a  cow  is  expected  to  calve  pretty  soon,  it  would  be  said,  ' '  Go's  for  an 
early  note."  See  CROSS-NOTED. 

NOT  THIS  TIME,  THANK  YOU,  idiom,  the  usual  way  of 
declining  to  take  any  more  food  at  meal  times. 

A  "gradely  Cheshire  mon,"  when  asked  if  he  will  take  any  more,  never 
says  simply,  "  no,  thank  you  ;"  but  with  characteristic  caution  qualifies  his 
refusal  by  "  not  this  time"  or,  "  not  at  present '." 

NOTTIMAZE,  s.  a  skeleton.     KELSALL.     See  OTTIMAZE. 

NOTTINGS,  s.  wheat  which  remains  in  the  husks  after  threshing 
and  is  separated  in  winnowing.  Used  for  feeding  poultry. 

NOTTLED,  adj.  or  part,  stunted  in  growth. 

Said  of  imperfectly  formed  fruit,  or  stunted  and  diseased  plants. 


242  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

NOURISHMENT,  s.  wine  or  spirituous  liquors  when  given  medi- 
cinally. 

There  is  a  strong  accent  on  the  last  syllable. 

"  How's  Betty  to-day  ?"     "Oh,  oo  conna  live  lung,  oo  tay's  nowt, 
neaw,  bu'  nourishments." 

NOW,  adv.  no. 

NOWMAN,  s.  a  silly  or  unsettled  person.     BREDBURY. 

NOWP,  v.  to  hit.     DELAMERE. 

NOWSE,  s.  sense. 

NOWT,  s.  (i)  nothing. 

(2)  with  the  prefix  "to"  is  used  idiomatically  to  express 

close  resemblance. 
rf'He's  his  fayther  to  nowt"  i.e.,  he  exactly  resembles  his  father. 

(3)  a  good-for-nothing. 
"  He's  a  reglar  nowt." 

NOWT,  adj.  (i)  bad  in  disposition,  worthless,  naughty. 
"  He's  a  nowt  lad." 

(2)  savage. 
A  bull  that  will  "  run  you"  is  said  to  be  nowt. 

Wilbraham  (who  spells  it  nought)  adds,  "stark  nought,  good  for  nothing, 
is  often  employed  in  the  sense  of  unchaste." 

At  the  present  day  it  appears  to  have  lost  the  latter  meaning  and  implies 
simply  anything  utterly  worthless. 

NOWTINESS,  naughtiness,  wickedness. 

"  He's  as  full  of  nowtiness  as  he  can  be." 

NOWTY,  adj.  naughty. 
NUD,  v.  to  butt  with  the  head. 

NUDGE,  s.  (i)  a  slight  push  with  the  elbow. 

(2)  a  hint. 

"  I  did  give  you  a  bit  of  a  nudge  yesterday,  but  you  did  not  seem 
to  take  it." 

NUDGE,  v.  to  give  a  slight  push,  as  when  one  boy  accidentally 
touches  the  elbow  of  another  during  the  writing  lesson,  and 
causes  him  to  make  a  blot  or  a  slip  of  the  pen. 

"What  have  you  been  doing  to  your  copy-book?"     "Please, 
sir,  he  nudged  me. " 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  243 

NURR,  s.  ( i )  a  round  ball  of  wood  used  for  playing  hocky. 

The  word  is  chiefly  used  in  Lancashire  and  Yorkshire,  but  in  its  secondary 
sense  is  common  in  Cheshire. 

(2)  a  hard,  enduring  man. 
"  He's  a  regular  nurr." 

NURRING,  adj.  striving,  enduring. 

NURSE-CHILD,  s.  a  child  put  out  to  nurse,  that  is  placed  with 
strangers  to  be  brought  up,  an  allowance  being  paid  for  its  keep. 

Illegitimate  children  are  very  frequently  nurse-children ;  and  the  converse 
is  also  true ;  nurse-children  are,  in  three  cases  out  of  four,  illegitimate. 

NUT,  s.  the  head.     W.  CHES. 

NUT-RAGS,  s.  the  male  catkins  of  the  hazel  nut,  Corylus  Avellana. 

NUTTING- HOOK,  s.  (i)  a  hooked  stick,  like  a  shepherd's  crook, 

to  pull  down  the  nut  bushes.  * 

(2)  a  hooked  nose. 

A  man  with  a  hooked  nose  is  sometimes  said  to  have  "a  good  nutting- 
hook" 

NUZZLE,  v.  to  nestle,  as  a  young  animal  against  its  mother. 
NYE,  adv.  now. 


244  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


O. 


OAF,  s.  a  fool.    W. 

About  MOBBERLEY  and  WILMSLOW  pronounced  AUVE, 

OAK-APPLE,  s.  an  oak  gall. 

OAK-ATCHERN,  s.  an  acorn.     MOBBERLEY,    KNUTSFORD,   and 
I  think  Mid-Cheshire  generally. 

GATHER,  pron.  either. 

"  Gather  on  em  '11  do." 

OBSHACKLED,  adj.  lame,  limping.     L. 

The  more  usual  pronunciation  is  huffshakert. 

OCCAGION,  s.  occasion,  used  in  the  sense  of  cause  or  motive,  as 
"  I  was  the  occasion,  or  cagion,  of  his  doing  so."    W. 

OCCASIONALLY,   adv.   as   a    makeshift,   for  want   of  a   better. 
MOBBERLEY. 

"Can  you  make  shift  with  this  axe?    It's  not  very  sharp."     "Yoi, 
it'll  do  occasionally." 

OCCUPATION,  s.  an  old  term  for  a  salt  house  or  holding.     (Spelt 
occupation)  Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  i.,  p.  322. 

ODD  MAN,  s.  one  who  does  odd  jobs  on  a  farm. 
ODDMENTS,  s.  scraps,  odds  and  ends. 

ODD    RAPPIT    IT,    excl.    meaning   pretty   much    the   same   as 
"  confound  it." 

O'ER,  prep.  over.     It  is  almost  always  thus  abbreviated. 
O'ER-ANENST,  prep,  (i)  over-against,  opposite.     HALTON.     O'ER- 

NENST  (WlRRALL). 

Leigh  gives  it  as  OERANENT. 

(2)  used  metaphorically  to  signify  equality. 

"  He  asked  moi  age,  and  he  towd  me  his,  and  was  o'er-anenst  me,  just  as 
if  oi'd  been  his  equal." — Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  i.,  p.  211. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  245 

O'ER-FACE,  v.  (i)  to  surfeit. 

If  a  cow  has  more  food  given  her  than  she  can  eat,  she  is  o'er/cued. 
(2)  to  overdo. 

A  man  who  has  harder  work  to  do  than  he  can  accomplish  is  "o'erfaced 

wi'  work." 

•v 

O'ER-GET,  v.  (i)  to  overtake. 

(2)  to  escape  from. 

(3)  to  over-dry  hay. 

O'ERGETTEN,  part,  overgot. 

Said  of  hay  which  is  too  much  dried  before  being  carried. 

O'ER-LAY,  v.  to  kill  by  lying  upon,  as  drunken  women  sometimes 
kill  their  children. 

"  We'n  had  bad  luck  with  uz  soo ;  oo's  e'er-laid  welly  aw  her  pigs." 

O'ER-NENST,  prep,  opposite.     WIRRALL,  becoming  obsolete. 
O'ER-RUN,  v.  (i)  to  escape  from  a  person. 

(2)  to  go  without  permission;  to  "take  French  leave." 
"He's  e'er-run  his  work." 

O'ER-RUN  ONE'S  COUNTRY,  idiom,  to  run  away  from  creditors, 
or  to  escape  being  imprisoned,  or  called  to  account  for  any 
misbehaviour. 

O'ER-RUN  THE  CONSTABLE,  idiom,  to  get  out  of  the  way  of 
creditors. 

O'ER-TH'-LEFT,  idiom,  an  ironical  way  of  explaining  that  what  has 
been  said  must  be  taken  as  meaning  just  the  contrary. 

"Dun  yo  think  he  likes  you?"     "Aye,  he  likes  me—d'er-tK'-lift." 
Left  is  usually  pronounced  lift. 

OF,  prep.  for. 

"  We'n  not  heeard  on  him  <p/"ever  so  long." 

OFF,  prep.  from. 

"  He  took  it  off  me." 

OFFAL,  s.  refuse  portions,  that  is,  the  poorer  samples  of  anything. 

The  word  in  Cheshire  does  not  refer  to  garbage.  The  offal  of  an  animal 
does  not  particularly  mean  the  intestines,  but  those  portions  which,  in  selling 
by  weight,  become  the  butcher's  perquisite;  such  as  the  head,  feet,  skin, 
internal  fat,  liver,  &c.  Market  prices  are  often  quoted  as  "sinking  the 
offal,"  that  is,  selling  the  carcase,  but  giving  the  above  portions  in. 

In  grinding  corn,  the  husks  and  dust  are  spoken  of  as  offal,  in  contradis- 
tinction to  the  meal. 

"Th1  wuts  maden  pratty  weel  o'  male,  an  aw'd  offal  for  th'  pigs." 


246  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

OFFAL  CORN,  OFFAL  WHEAT,  s.  the  lighter  grains  winnowed 
from  the  marketable  samples,  and  used  for  feeding  fowls. 

OFFAL  PORK,  s.  all  the  joints  of  a  pig  which  are  not  bacon, 
hams,  or  hands.  MOBBERLEY. 

OFF-HIS  (or  HER)-YED,  idiom,  insane. 
OFF-IT,  adj.  (i)  insane. 

(2)  mistaken. 

OI,  pron.  the  pronoun  I,  especially  when  emphatic. 
"If  yo  dunna  tell  him,  oi  shall."     See  AH. 

OIREN,  adj.  iron.     KNUTSFORD. 
OKKERT,  adj.  awkward. 

OLD,  adj.  is  often  used  in  the  sense  of  great,  famous,  such  as  was 
practised  in  old  times. 

Old  doings,  signify  great  sport,  great  feasting,  an  uncommon  display  of 
hospitality.     W. 

For  several  compound  words  beginning  with  "Old,"  see  Own. 

OLD  HOB,  s.  an  old  Cheshire  custom,  carrying  about  a  horse's 
head  covered  with  a  sheet  to  frighten  people.  L.  See  DOBBY- 
HORSE. 

OLD  MAN,  s.  (i)  the  plant  southernwood.      Artemisia  Abrotanum. 
(2)  the  asthma.     L. 

OT  FR      \ 

'     I  s'  l^e  a^er>     -Alnus  glutinosa. 


OLLEY.    See  ALLEY  (3). 

ON,  prep,  (i)  of. 

"One  on  'em."     "Noather  on  'em." 

(2)  said  of  any  animal  which  is  marts  appetens. 
ONCET  (pronounced  wunsf)  or  ONST,  adj.  once. 
ONEDER,  s.  (i)  the  afternoon.     L. 

(2)  behind.     HALLIWELL. 
ONEEND,  adv.  (i)  uprightly,  on  end. 

(2)  perpetually. 
ONE-O'CLOCKS.     See  CLOCKS. 

ONION,  s.  the  melt  or  wart  inside  a  horse's  legs. 

It  has  a  very  strong  smell,  and  dogs  are  particularly  fond  of  it.     L. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  247 

ONLIEST,  adj.  pronounced  ownliest,  superlative  of  only. 

The  best  or  most  approved  way  of  doing  anything  is  said  to  be  the  onliest 
way.  W. 

ONNY,  adv.  any,  also  pronounced  ANNY. 

ONNYTHIN  or  ONNYTHINK,  s.  anything.  Also  ANNYTHINK. 

ON  SPREE  or  ON  THE  SPREE,  idiom,  to  be  having  a  drinking 
bout. 

QQ,pron.  she.     See  Hoo. 

OON,  s.  an  oven. 

OON  PEEL,  the  same  as  PEEL,  which  see. 

OON  PIKEL,  s.  a  fork  with  two  prongs  like  a  hayfork,  but  with  a 
long  iron  neck,  two  or  three  feet  long,  so  that  the  wooden  handle 
cannot  get  burnt. 

OON  STUN,  s.  oven  stone. 

A  flag,  square  at  the  bottom  and  rounded  at  the  top,  to  fix  against  the 
mouth  of  a  brick  oven  when  the  bread  is  baking.  To  prevent  all  escape  of 
heat,  it  is  plastered  round  or  stopped  with  clay,  so  as  to  close  up  every 
crevice. 

Any  purely  useless  effort  is  spoken  of  as  "  like  stoppin  an  oon  wi'  butter." 

OPEN  or  OPPEN,  adj.  (i)  mild,  as  applied  to  weather  in  the  winter. 

(2)  a  sow  is  said  to  be  open  when  she  is  not 
spayed. 

OPENARSE,  s.  a  medlar,  Mespilus  germanica.    L. 

I  fare  as  doth  an  open  ers; 
That  ilke  fruit  is  euer  lenger  the  wers, 
Til  it  be  rotten  in  mullok,  or  in  stre. 

— CHAUCER,  "Reve's  Prologue." 

OPINION  TO  THINK,  idiom,  inclined  to  the  opinion. 

"  I?m  of  opinion  to  think"  is  the  somewhat  strange  expression  which  is 
almost  invariably  used  to  indicate  that  a  person  is  inclined  to  any  opinion. 

OPPEN,  adj.  open. 

ORNARY,  adj.  (i)  inferior,  ordinary. 

(2)  naughty,  ill-disposed.     HYDE. 

(3)  not  very  well. 

ORRIS,  s.  the  angular  edge  of  a  square  object. 

Thus  a  joiner  who  planes  off  the  angles  of  a  square  pole  to  make  it 
octagon  is  said  to  "  take  off  the  orris." 

Also  applied  to  the  angle  at  which  a  plough  furrow  is  laid.  Thus,  if  a 
ploughman  lays  his  furrows  too  flat,  it  is  said  "  they  (the  furrows)  should  be 
ploughed  with  more  orris" 


248  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

ORRIS,  v.  to  take  off  the  angles. 

"John,  orris  them  jeists." 

ORTS,  s.  remnants  of  food  left  by  cows  or  horses  in  their  stalls  or 
mangers.  Broken  victuals  of  any  kind. 

OSS,  v.  (i)  to  offer  to  do  a  thing. 

"He's  owed  me  ten  pound  for  ever  so  long,  and  he  ne'er  osses 
pay  me." 

(2)  to  begin,  to  try,  to  set  about. 

"  He  osses  badly"  would  be  said  of  a  man  who  began  a  job  in  a  clumsy 
manner. 

The  following  conversation  actually  took  place  in  Rainow  Sunday- 
school: — "Teacher:  'Why  did  Noah  go  into  the  ark?'  Scholar:  'Please, 
teacher,  because  God  was  ossin  for  t'  drown  th'  world.' "  • 

Philemon  Holland  in  his  Translation  of  Pliny  uses  the  word  osses  for 
prophecies.  See  Boss. 

OTTIMAZE,) 

OTTOMIZE,  [  s.  a  person  worn  to  a  skeleton. 

OTTOMY,     J 

It  is  occasionally  heard  with  the  prefix  «,  an  ottimaze  having  become 
a  nottimaze.  (See  illustration  to  WITCHED.)  Miss  Jackson  in  the  Shropshire 
Word  Book  also  gives  it  as  Nottamy.  See  NOTTIMAZE. 

OTTY-MOTTY,  s.  suspense. 

"Keepin  him  in  otty-moity,  an  noather  tellin  him  one  thing  or 
another — it's  enough  to  vex  annybody." 

OUT,  adv.  aloud. 

"To  shout  out"  is,  of  course,  quite  a  common  expression;  but  in 
Cheshire  we  say  "  Shall  I  read  it  out?"  meaning,  "  Shall  I  read  it  aloud?" 

OUTING,  s.  going  from  home,  a  day's  pleasuring. 

OUTLET,  s.  the  same  as  BOOZING  FIELD,  but  in  leases  and  farm 
agreements  outlet  is  the  word  generally  used. 

OUT  OF  COLLAR,  idiom,  out  of  work. 
OUT  OF  PUFF,  idiom,  out  of  breath. 

OVERBLOW,  v.  to  blow  hard.     L. 

"It  is  like  to  overblow;  take  in  your  sprit-sail,  stand  by  to  hand  the 
fore-sail." — STURMEY'S  Compleat  Mariner,  1669. 

OVERWAIST,  adj.  covered  with  water  like  a  ham  boiling  in  a  pot.  L. 

OVERWELT,  part,  a  sheep  overthrown  and  lying  on  its  back  is 
said  to  be  ovenvelt,  i.e.,  it  is  overwalted.  W.  See  REEN- 
WAWTED. 

O-WARPS,  s.  a  landing  place.     LYMM,  WARRINGTON. 
OWD,  adj.  old. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  249 

OWD-ANCIENT,  adj.  ancient. 

Any  antiquity,  such  as  a  ruined  castle,  is  always  so  described. 

OWD-FASHINT,  adj.  old-fashioned. 

Children  are  said  to  be  owd-fashint  when  they  are  clever  and  thoughtful 
beyond  their  years. 

Leigh  gives  as  a  Cheshire  saying,  "  That  vwd- fashioned,  he  might  a  bin 
o'  the  earth  afore." 

OWD  LAD,      \ 

OWD  SCRATJ  *'  names  for  the  deviL 

It  is  often  said  of  a  mischievous  boy  "Th'  owd  lad  has  thrown  his  club 
o'er  him." 

OWD  MON,  s.  the  spotted  flycatcher,  Muscicapa  grisola. 

This,  like  the  robin,  wren,  and  swallow,  is  considered  a  sort  of  sacred 
bird,  and  its  nest  and  eggs  are  respected  by  the  schoolboy. 

OWD-REST-PIECE,  s.   a  piece  of  land  which  has  not    been 
ploughed  up  for  a  considerable  time. 

OWLER,  see  OLER. 

OWLERT,  s.  an  owl.     L. 

More  frequently  pronounced  ULLERT. 

OWNDER  or  AUNDER,  s.  the  afternoon.    W. 

OWT,  s.  (i)  everything. 

"It  caps  owt,"  i.e.,  it  exceeds  everything. 

(2)  anything. 
"  Han  you  getten  owt?"  i.e.,  have  you  got  anything  ? 

OX-HARROWS,  s.  strong  heavy  harrows. 

They  were  formerly  always  used  to  break  up  the  stiff  clay  lands  which 
were  being  summer-worked.  Bare  or  summer  fallows  are  things  of  the  past, 
and  one  seldom  sees  a  pair  of  ox-harrows  being  used ;  but  I  now  and  then 
see  them  advertised  in  auctioneers'  bills  of  farm  sales,  where  all  the  old 
implements  collected  from  odd  corners  are  brought  to  light. 

OXLIP,  s.  the  caulescent  form  of  Primula  imlgaris. 
OX  VOMIT,  s.  the  drug  nux  vomica. 


R 


250  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


P. 


PACE  EGG,  s.  an  Easter  egg. 

During  Holy  Week,  children,  and  sometimes  older  people,  go  round  to 
the  farm-houses  begging  for  pace-eggs.  They  collect  a  considerable  number, 
and  have  a  custard  pudding  on  Easter  Sunday.  Occasionally  some  of  the 
eggs  are  boiled  hard,  with  bits  of  ribbon  wrapped  round  them,  or  onion  skins, 
to  stain  them,  and  they  are  then  kept  for  a  time  as  ornaments.  In  the 
neighbourhood  of  Wilmslow  the  following  song  was  sung  by  those  who  were 
begging  for  eggs : 

"  Here's  two  or  three  jovial  boys  all  in  a  mind ; 
We're  come  z.  face-eggin  if  you  will  prove  kind ; 
But  if  you'll  prove  kind  with  your  eggs  and  strong  beer, 
We'll  come  no  more  here  until  the  next  year. 

Fol  de  riddle  lol 

Fol  de  ray 

Fol  de  riddle  lol  de  lay." 

The  following  Easter  song  is  sung  by  the  children  in  the  Wirral  district 
when  they  come  round  Pace-egging  : 

"  Please,  Mr.  Whiteley, 

Please  give  us  an  Easter  egg. 
If  you  do  not  give  us  one 
Your  hen  shall  lay  an  addled  one, 
Your  cock  shall  lay  a  stone." 

— Leigh's  Ballads  and  Legends  of  Cheshire. 
(Communicated  by  Gen.  the  Hon.  Sir  E.  Cust. ) 

PACE-EGGERS,  s.  those  who  go  out  collecting  pace-eggs. 
PACE- EGGING,  part,  collecting  pace-eggs. 

PACK,  s.  (i)  a  dairy  of  cows.     HALLIWELL. 

I  have  never  met  with  the  term,  nor  is  it  included  in  either  Wilbraham  or 
Leigh,  and  I  suspect  it  is  an  error. 

(2)  twelve  score  weight,  i.e.,  240  Ibs. ;  two  long  hundred- 

weights. 

(3)  a  pedlar's  bundle. 

PACK,  v.  an  order  to  begone. 
"Pack  off '!"     L. 

PACKET,  s.  any  horse-pannel,  to  carry  packs  or  bundles  upon. 
HALLIWELL. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  251 

PACKMAN,  s.  a  pedlar. 

There  are  many  men  who  travel  about  the  county  selling  various  kinds 
of  woven  goods.  There  are  also  itinerant  shoe-vendors ;  and  one  man  I 
know  who  sells  hats.  Travelling  tea-men  also  are  numerous. 

PACK-STAFF,  s.  a  stick  with  which  a  packman  carries  his  bundle 
on  his  back. 

PAD,  s.  (i)  a  foot-path. 

(2)  a  padded  leather  saddle  to  support  the  chains  of  a 

plough  horse ;  more  commonly  called  a  PLOO-PAD. 

(3)  hatting  term ;  a  delivery  of  work. 
PAD   ) 

POD*    I    V'  t0  Wa^'  t0  8°  On  tramP-       WlLMSLOW. 

PADDING,  part,  the  term  used  by  a  workman  when  he  takes  back 
to  his  employer  work  he  has  done  at  home. 

"Padding  his  work"  is  walking  back  to  his  employer  with  finished 
work.  L. 

PADDING-CAN,  s.  a  common  lodging-house. 

PADDY-HOUSE,  s.  a  bothy  for  the  use  of  the  Irish  labourers  on  a 
farm.  W.  CHES.,  where  many  Irish  are  employed.  Also 
occasionally  called  an  IRISH-HOUSE. 

Paddy  is  the  general  name  for  an  Irishman  throughout  the  county. 

PAD  THE  HOOF,)  idiom,    to   go   away   on   tramp,  to  walk  off. 
POD  THE  HOOF,)       WILMSLOW. 

"  If  he  does  na  behave  hissel,  he'll  have  to  pod  th?  hoof"  i.e.,  he  will  have 
to  leave  his  present  place  of  work  and  go  on  tramp. 

PAD -WAY,  s.  a  foot-path. 

PAIGLE,  s.  the  primrose  or  cowslip.     L. 

I  have  never  heard  this  name  in  Cheshire,  and  very  much  doubt  whether 
it  is  used,  as  it  is  more  especially  an  East  Anglian  word ;  at  the  same  time 
Holme,  who  was  a  Cheshire  man,  uses  it  in  his  Academy  of  Armory,  but 
confines  it  to  a  double  garden  cowslip. 

PAIN,  v.  to  cause  bodily  pain. 
"Does  it /am  thee?" 

PAINFUL,  adj.  active,  hardworking,  painstaking. 

Leigh  speaks  of  "honest  and  painful  parents. "  I  do  not  think  it  is  a 
very  common  word;  but  I  have  heard  sung  at  rent  dinners  a  song  about  "the 
painful  plough. " 

"  Such  seruants  are  oftenest  painfull  and  good, 
that  sing  in  their  labour,  as  birdes  in  the  wood." 

— TUSSER,  E.D.S.  ed.,  p.  170. 


252  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

PEEL'  } s- a  fortress-   w-  CHES- 

Enters  into  place-names,  as  the  Old  Pale  and  New  Pale  in  Delamere ; 
Peel  Hall  in  Kingsley ;  Peel  Causeway,  near  Altrincham,  &c. 

PALE,  v.  (i)  to  strike  continuously.     WILMSLOW. 

A  man  felling  a  tree  said,  "Moy  axe  is  so  dull  aw  conna  cut  a  chip,  bur 
aw  keep  onpalin  at  it,  an  aw  dinge  em  off." 

(2)  to  beat  barley.     HALLIWELL. 
PALL,  prop,  name  for  Molly  or  MolL     L. 

PALMS,  s.  catkins  of  willow,  Salix  caprcza.  More  commonly 
called  GESLINS. 

PAN,  s.  (i)  a  purline  in  a  roof.     MOBBERLEY. 

(2)  salt-making  term;  large  vessels  of  iron  plates  riveted 
together  in  which  the  brine  is  evaporated. 

They  vary  in  size,  the  smaller  ones  being  30  feet  long  by  15  feet  in 
breadth ;  large  ones  reaching  to  100  feet  in  length  by  30  feet  in  breadth. 
They  are  set  upon  brick  walls  with  a  row  of  furnaces  at  one  end  and  a 
chimney  at  the  other. 

PANCAKE  BELL  or  PONCAKE  BELL,  s.  a  bell  rung  at  eleven 
o'clock  on  Shrove  Tuesday  morning  at  several  Cheshire 
churches. 

PANE,  s.  a  panel  of  doab  or  of  bricks  between  the  wooden  frame- 
work of  the  old  black-and-white  buildings. 

PANCUTTERS,  s.  salt-making  term;  now,  I  think,  obsolete. 
Officers  appointed  in  the  salt  towns  to  measure  the  pans,  to  see 
that  they  were  of  the  standard  dimensions  appointed  by  the 
towns.  L. 

PAN-MUG  or  PON-MUG,  s.  coarse  red  and  black  crockery  used 
for  bread,  milk,  buttermilk,  &c. 

PANNEL,  s.  "is  Canvice  stuffed  with  Wool  to  lie  next  the 
Horse." — Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  iii.,  p.  93. 

Randle  Holme  enumerates  this  amongst  "  Terms  used  in  the  Sadler's 
Art." 

"&  on  our  Mill  horsses  full  swift  wee  will  ryd, 
with  pillowes  Sapannells  as  wee  shall  provyde." 

— Percy  MS.  "Kinge and  Miller,"!.  174,  vol.  ii.,  p.  155, 
Hales  and  Furnivall  ed.     See  PACKET. 

PAN  PICKS,  s.  salt-making  term;  strong  long-headed  hammers, 
used  when  the  pan  is  let  out,  that  is,  not  at  work. 

They  are  used  to  break  up  the  scale  or  incrustation  on  the  pan  bottoms. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  253 

PAN  SCALE,  s.  salt-making  term ;   the  thick  scale  that  forms  on 
the  bottom  of  a  pan. 

PAPES,  s.  (i)  any  pulpy  material. 

When  mortar  is  mixed  too  thin  a  bricksetter  will  say:  "Aw  conna  use 
this,  it's  as  thin  as papes ;  it  winna  lie  on  my  trowel." 

(2)  bread  and  milk.     L. 

PAPE'S  MILK,  s.  juice  of  poppies. 

Mentioned  by  Sir  W.  Brereton  in  his  Travels  (A.D.  1634)  as  one  of  the 
ingredients  of  a  drink  he  took  for  curing  the  flux  (diarrhrea),  p.  130.  L. 

PAPISH,  s.  a  papist. 

PAPPA,  s.  papa. 

The  accent  is  always  on  the  first  syllable. 

PAP  PER,  s.  paper. 

PAOO,  s.  a  pool. 

It  is  almost  impossible  to  indicate  the  very  peculiar  Cheshire  pronunciation 
of  many  words  in  which  double  o  occurs  without  some  phonetic  method  of 
spelling  understood  by  both  writer  and  reader. 


PARGE, 
PARGET, 


s.  plaster;  but  about  WILMSLOW  generally  applied  to 
plaster  for  the  inside  of  chimney  flues,  made  of  a 
mixture  of  cow-dung  and  mortar. 


PARGETTED,  part,  plastered. 

PARISH  WAITER,  s.  used  metaphorically  for  rain.     ANTROBUS. 

"Aw  dunna  loike  anny  parish  -waiter  for  get  into  th'  liquid 
manure  tank." 

PARKGATE. 

"  All  on  one  side  like  Parkgate "  is  said  of  anything  that  is  lop-sided. 
Parkgate  is  a  fishing  village  on  the  Cheshire  side  of  the  river  Dee,  con- 
sisting of  one  long  street  with  houses  on  one  side  only,  the  sea  wall  being  on 
the  other  side.  About  WILMSLOW  it  used  to  be  commonly  said,  "Aw  o'  one 
side,  like  Marlon  Chapel. "  Why,  I  have  not  the  least  idea. 

PARLE  or  PARLEY,  s.  a  talk,  a  long  conversation.     L. 

PARLIAMENTING,  part,  talking  for  the  sake  of  talking. 
"  He  was parliame nting  a  good  deal."   L. 

PARLOUS,  adj.  perilous.     L. 

PARSLEY-PERK,  s.  the  plant  Alchemilla  arvensis.     MOBBERLEY. 
PARSON-IN-THE-PULPIT,  s.  the  plant  Arum  maculatum. 
PARTICULAREST,  adj.  superlative  of  particular.     L. 


254  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

PARTLETS,  s.  ruffs,  or  bands  for  women.  RAY  (E.D.S.  Gloss., 
B.  15). 

PARTLY,  adv.  nearly.     Also  PARTLY-WHAT  (WILMSLOW). 
"  He  sect  afore  th'  feire  till  he  were partly-what  roasted." 

PASH,  s.  (i)  a  sudden,  heavy  shower;  a  gush. 
' '  A  posh  o'  rain. "     ' '  A  fash  o'  tears. " 
If  a  rain-tub  burst,  the  water  would  come  out  "  wi  a  reglar/aw^." 

(2)  brains. 
"  He's  moore  brass  till  fash  "  i.e.,  more  money  than  brains.     L. 

PASSIONS,  s.  the  plant  Polygonum  Bistorta. 

"  In  Cheshire  Passhions  and  Snakeweede,  and  there  used  for  an  excellent 
pot-herbe." — GERARD,  p.  323.     Now  called  PATIENT  DOCK,  q.v. 

PASTATE,  s.  a  pasty. 

A  circular  piece  of  paste  doubled  into  a  half-moon  shape,  with  apples  or 
other  fruit  inside. 

PASTE,  s.  dough  for  piecrusts. 

PATCH,  s.  (i)  a  shade  worn  over  the  eye. 

Some  years  ago  a  cattle  dealer,  who  was  blind  of  one  eye  and  wore  a 
black  shade,  always  went  by  the  soubriquet  of  "/fcfcA-Eye  Wright." 

(2)  a  small  quantity  of  any  growing  crop. 
"A  patch  o'  wheat;"  "  a  patch  o'  potatoes." 

PATCH  AND  DAUTCH,  idiom,   to   strive   hard;    to   inch   and 
pinch.     KELSALL. 

"  Eh  dear,  missis  !  how  otf\  patch  an'  oo'l  dautch  an'  oo'l  powler 
for  them  childer." 

PATENT  BUTTER,  s.  salt-making  term.  A  very  fine  heavy 
boiled  salt,  made  in  circular  pans  with  moveable  scrapers  and 
other  "patent"  apparatus. 

PATIENT  DOCK,  s.  Polygonum  Bistorta.     MOBBERLEY. 

PAY-RICE,  s.  pea-sticks.     WISTASTON. 

PAYS,  s.  peas. 

PAY-SWAD,  s.  (i)  a  pea  shell. 

(2)  a  boys'  game. 

It  was  somewhat  similar  to  duckstone.     Each  boy,  when  he  threw  his 
stone,  had  to  say  " pay-sivad"  or  he  had  to  go  down  himself. 

PECK,  s.  food. 

"  He  gets  fower  shilling  a  week  an  his  peck." 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  255 

PECKA  or  PECKLE,  s.  a  freckle. 

Leigh  gives  as  an  old  Cheshire  saying — 
"  Fa wn /9ft£/u  once  made  a  vow 
They  never  would  come  on  a  face  that  was  fow." 

PECKERT,  adj.  spotted. 

PECK  FOR  ONE'S  SELF,  idiom,  to  gain  one's  own  livelihood. 

A  father  complained  to  me  one  day  how  his  grown-up  son  still  lived  upon 
him,  and  added,  "  It's  toime  ee  pecked  for  issel ;  oi  peck  for  woz'sel." 

PEDLAR'S  BASKET,  s.  a  name  given  to  two  trailing  plants — 

(1)  Linaria  Cymbalaria,  but  more  generally  to 

(2)  Saxifraga  sarmentosa. 

This  is  a  favourite  plant  in  cottage  windows.  The  pots  in  which  it 
grows  are  generally  placed  upon  a  little  square  board,  and  suspended  by  four 
strings  from  the  top  of  the  window.  The  long  threadlike  runners  of  the 
plant  hang  down  around  the  pot,  and  are  supposed  to  resemble  the  threads 
and  tapes  hanging  out  of  a  pedlar's  basket. 

PEE,  v.  (i)  to  look  with  one  eye.     W. 

(2)  to  pay.     W.  CHES. 

"  If  yo  pleese,  sir,  I've  come  to  pee  for  a  peck  o'  poteeturs." 

PEED,  adj.  having  only  one  eye.     W. 

PEEL,  s.  (i)  a  flat  piece  of  wood  at  the  end  of  a  pole,  used  for  setting 
bread  into  a  brick  oven,  or  taking  it  out. 

It  is  planed  to  a  thin  edge,  so  that  it  can  be  slipped  easily  under  the 
loaves.  The  long  handle  allows  the  baker  to  reach  to  the  further  end  of  the 
oven  without  getting  too  near  the  hot  oven  mouth. 

(2)  a  fortress.     See  PALE. 
PEERCH,  s.  (i)  a  perch  (fish). 

(2)  a  perch  for  a  bird. 
PEERCH,  v.  to  perch. 
PEERK,  PERK,  or  PERKY,  adj.  brisk,  sharp,  well.     L. 

PEERT,  adj.  (i)  lively,  brisk. 

"  Poor  an'  peert,  like  th'  parson's  pig,"  is  a  common  proverbial  saying 
about  WILMSLOW.  It  probably  refers  to  the  times  when  the  parson  collected 
his  tithe  in  kind.  The  pig  reserved  for  him,  being  a  small  one  and  not 
overfed,  was  consequently  brisk  and  active. 

(2)  in  good  health. 

"How  bin  yo  ?"     "Oh,  aw'm  pretty  peert." 
Applied  also  to  a  plant  which,  being  transplanted,  has  not  drooped. 

PEESNIPS,  s.  a  pronunciation  of  peewits.     L. 
PEET,  prop.  name,  the  short  for  Peter.     NORTON. 


256  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

PEG-LEG,  s.  a  wooden  leg. 

PEGGY,  s.  (i)  an  implement  for  washing  clothes,  the  same  as  a 
DOLLY,  q.v.     MOBBERLEY. 

(2)  the  game  of  hockey  played   with  a  wooden  ball. 
MACCLESFIELD.    Also  called  PIGGY. 

PEGGY  WHITETHROAT,   s.    the   lesser  whitethroat,    Curruca 
cinerea. 

PELLET,  s.  a  shot. 

PELT,  s.  the  skin  of  an  animal,  especially  a  sheepskin. 

PEN,  s.  (i)  a  small  enclosure  made  with  hurdles.     PIN  (WILDERS- 
POOL). 

(2)  a  feather  just  sprouting  through  the  skin.     Also  called 

a  PEN-FITHER. 

(3)  a  female  swan. 

(4)  a  shoot  for  grafting. 

PEN,  v.  (i)  to  graft. 

(2)  to  confine  in  a  pen. 

PENCE  APIECE  or  PENNIES  APIECE,  idiom,  one  penny  each. 

PENK,  s.  (i)  a  minnow. 

Wilbraham  also  gives  PINK. 

(2)  a  small  blow,  a  tap. 

A  bricklayer's  labourer  said:    "If  tha  does  that  again  aw'l  gie  thee  a 
penk  wi'  th'  brick  hommer  beak." 

PENNY,  adj.  said  of  poultry  when  the  skin   is  full  of  sprouting 
feathers,  rendering  them  very  troublesome  to  pluck. 

PENNY  GRASS,  j.  Rhinanthus  Crista-galli. 

It  is  always  considered  that  hay  grass  is  ready  for  mowing  when  the  penny 
grass  comes  into  flower. 

PENNY  RYAL,  s.  penny  royal,  Mentha  Pulegium. 
PENNY  WHIP,  s.  very  small  beer,  swipes  watered.     L. 

PENTICE,  s.  a  penthouse.     Hence  the  Pentice  and  Pentice  Court 
at  Chester.     L. 

The  Pentice  at  Chester  was  an  ancient  building  attached  to  St.  Peter's 
Church,  which  was  taken  down  about  the  year  1806. 

PEOVER  PECKS,  prop.  name,  a  soubriquet  for  the  inhabitants  of 
Peover  (pronounced  PEEVER).     L.  '  See  LYMM  GREYS. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  257 

PEPPERGATE. 

There  is  a  Cheshire  proverb  "  When  the  daughter  is  stolen,  shut  the 
Pepper  gate"  This  is  equivalent  to  "  when  the  steed  is  stolen,  shut  the  stable 
door. "  The  proverb  is  said  to  be  founded  on  fact.  At  any  rate  the  legend 
runs  that  the  daughter  of  the  Mayor  of  Chester  was  stolen  as  she  was  playing 
at  ball  in  Pepper  Street ;  and  the  young  man  who  carried  her  off  took  her 
through  the  Pepper  Gate.  After  the  loss  of  his  daughter,  the  Mayor  ordered 
the  gate  to  be  closed. 

PEPPILARY,  s.  the  poplar,  Populm  nigra.     W. 

PEPPIN  (less  frequently  PIPPIN),  s.  (i)  an  apple  or  pear  pip. 

(2)  a  variety  of  apple  raised 
from  a  pip  (?)  MOBBER- 
LEY. 

There  is  a  distinction,  at  any  rate,  between  apples  in  general  and 
peppins.  I  have,  on  several  occasions,  asked  the  name  of  an  apple  which 
I  was  not  acquainted  with,  and  been  told,  "  Well,  I  dunna  know,  but  I 
think  it  must  be  some  kind  of  a  peppin. " 

PEPT,  v.  perf.  tense  of  peep. 

PERIS  WI,part.  killed  or  starved  with  cold. 

PERK  UP,  v.  to  revive.     MACCLESFIELD. 

PERT,  adj.  forward.     DELAMERE. 
"  Hoo's  a  pert  lass." 

PESTER,  v.  to  worry,  to  be  importunate. 

PETERS,  s.  hatting  term.     Work  which  has  been  paid  for  before 
completion. 

PETTY,  s.  a  privy. 

PEW-IT,  s.  a  peewit,  Vanellus  cristatus. 

The  bird  is  more  commonly  called  LAPPINCH,  q.v.  Randle  Holme  spells 
it  Puett. 

PEW-IT   LAND,   s.   undrained  land,    such   as   is   frequented   by 
peewits. 

Leigh  gives  the  following  as  an  old  Cheshire  saying  relating  to  poor, 
wretched  land,  "  'Twould  take  an  acre  to  keep  a  peewit." 

PIANET,  s.  the  garden   pseony,   Pceonia  officinalis.     DELAMERE. 
Also  PIONY  (general  ?)  and  PIANNOT. 

"Double  peony,  vulgarly  called  apianet." — Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  II., 
p.  71. 

PIANNOT,  s.  (i)  a  magpie. 
(2)  the  pseony. 


258  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

PICK,  s.  (i)  a  basket  used  for  drawing  coals  out  of  a  pit. 

(2)  a  pick-axe. 

In  salt-mining  the  picks  used  are  of  a  somewhat  special  construction. 
The  handle  of  wood  is  about  30  inches  long ;  the  head  is  straight  but  tapering 
at  each  end,  with  sharp  steel  points.  The  weight  is  from  four  to  six  pounds. 

PICK,  v.  (i)  to  vomit 

(2)  (or  PICK  CAWF)  to  calve  prematurely. 

Abortion  in  cattle  often  takes  the  form  of  an  epidemic.  It  is  probably 
caused  by  the  presence  of  the  ergot  fungus  in  the  grasses  which  constitute 
their  food ;  but  the  popular  idea  is  that  it  is  infectious,  or  even  that  one  cow 
influences  another  in  some  mysterious  way;  and  several  superstitious 
practices  are  resorted  to  in  order  to  prevent  the  spread  of  the  disease.  One 
remedy  is  to  bury  the  first  prematurely  born  calf  under  its  mother's  boose. 
Occasionally  the  calf  is  nailed  up  against  a  wall,  and  left  there  to  decay. 

PICK  AT,  v.  to  persecute. 

Of  a  boy  at  school  who  was  always  being  teased  by  his  schoolfellows,  or 
a  cow  in  a  herd  that  was  constantly  being  persecuted  by  the  rest,  it  would  be 
said,  "They're  allus/zV&»  at  him,  or  her." 

PICKING,/^,  (i)  finding  fault.     FRODSHAM. 

(2)  salt-making  term ;  breaking  up  and  taking 
away  the  scale  that  forms  on  the  bottom 
of  a  pan. 

PICKING  PEG,  s.  weaving  term.  The  handle  by  which  the 
shuttle  is  thrown. 

PICKING  SALT,  s.  salt-making  term.  The  first  salt  made  after  a 
pan  has  been  "picked,"  that  is,  has  had  the  scale  taken  off  the 
bottom. . 

PICKING  UP,  part,  a  term  for  picking  a  pocket.     L. 
PICK  UP,  v.  (i)  to  be  convalescent. 

(2)  to  prosper. 

"He's  picking  up  his  crumbs  nicely,"  said  of  anyone  who  is  prospering. — 
Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  i.,  p.  322. 

PIDDLE-P ADDLE,  s.  very  poor  ale.     WILMSLOW. 

PIECE,  s.  a  recitation. 

In  the  country  schools  when  children  recite  poetry  it  is  always  called 
"  saying  their  pieces." 

PIED-FINCH,  s.  the  chaffinch,  Fringilla  Calebs.  More  commonly 
abbreviated  into  PYDIE. 

PIG-COTE,  s.  a  pigsty. 

PIGGIN,  s.  a  small  wooden  pail,  one  of  the  staves  of  which  is  left 
longer  than  the  rest,  and  serves  for  a  handle. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  259 

PIGGIN  CAWF,  s.  literally  a  calf  not  suckled  on  the  cow,  but  fed 
out  of  a  pail  or  piggin. 

In  this  sense  the  word  is  communicated  to  me  from  DELAMERE.  About 
KNUTSFORD  and  MOBBERLEY,  however,  the  term  "piggin  calf"  used  to  be 
restricted  to  a  calf  reared  after  the  cows  go  out  to  grass,  when  milk  becomes 
too  valuable  to  give  to  calves,  all  being  required  for  the  cheese-tub.  These 
calves  were  fed  upon  fleetings  instead  of  milk,  and  were  the  wife's  perquisite ; 
consequently  she  used  generally  to  feed  them  with  cream  fleetings ,  which  are 
extremely  rich,  and  the  calf  was  soon  fed  up  to  the  value  of  four  or  five 
pounds.  See  FLEETINGS. 

PIGGIN  STAKE,  s.  a  stake  on  which  to  hang  milk  cans. 

It  is  often  formed  of  a  post  about  five  feet  high,  with  side  pegs  mortised 
into  it,  like  a  hat  stand;  sometimes  it  is  made  of  a  branching  piece  of  oak, 
peeled.  It  is  fixed  into  the  ground  near  the  kitchen  door,  and  the  milk-cans 
and  smaller  dairy  vessels  are  hung  upon  it  after  being  washed  and  scalded. 

PIGGINTLE,  s.  a  pigginful. 
PIGGY.     See  PEGGY  (2). 

PIG-NUT,  s.  Bunium  flexuosum,  and  occasionally  the  seed  capsules 
of  Viola  sylvatica,  which  children  are  in  the  habit  of  eating. 

PIGS,  s.  the  divisions  of  an  orange. 

PIG'S  HACK,  s.  the  rough  fat  from  the  inside  of  a  pig. 

PIG-SWINYORT,  s.  a  dealer  in  pigs. 

PIG  VIOLET,  s.  Viola  sylvatica,  occasionally  so  called.    MOBBERLEY. 

PIKE,  s.  salt-making  term  ;  a  one-pronged  instrument  (one  can 
hardly  call  it  a  fork  seeing  it  has  but  one  prong)  used  for  lifting 
and  handling  lumps  of  salt 

PIKE,  v.  to  pick.     NORTON. 

"  Pikin  scutch." 

"  he  calles  them  knaues  your  hignes  keepe, 

with -all  hee  calls  them  somewhatt  worsse, 
he  dare  not  come  in  without  a  longe  staffe, 

hees  ffeard  lest  some  bankrout  shold  pike  his  pursse. " 

— Percy  MS.,  "The  pore  man  and  the  Kinge,"  vol.  Hi., 
p.  20 1,  Hales  and  Furnivall  ed. 

PIKEL  or  POIKEL,  s.  a  hayfork. 

PIKELET,  s.  a  muffin. 

Randle  Holme  calls  it  a  Bara-Piklett.  It  "is  bread  made  of  fine  flour, 
and  knodden  up  with  Bearm,  which  makes  it  very  light  and  spungy,  its  form 
is  round  about  an  hands  breadth."— A  cademy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  iii., 
P-  293- 

Bara  is  the  Welsh  for  bread. 

PIKETHONK,  s.  an  officious,  meddlesome  person.    WILMSLOW. 


260  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

PIKING,  part,  joking.     L. 

PILCH,  s.  the  back.     WILMSLOW. 

Lads  playing  at  leap-frog  will  say  to  each  other,  "Set 

PILL,  v.  to  peel. 


PILLARS,  s.  salt  -mining  term  ;  compact  masses  of  rocksalt  left  in 
excavating  a  mine,  extending  from  floor  to  ceiling,  in  order  to 
support  the  overlying  strata. 

PILLGARLIC,  s.  a  thing  of  no  value.     L. 

Scarcely  local,  and  very  little  used  in  Cheshire. 

PILLING  IRON,  s.  an  instrument  for  raising  the  bark  of  felled 
oak  timber. 

PILLOW-BEAR,  s.  a  pillow-case. 

This  word,  which  occurs  in  Chaucer,  and  is  there  spelt  pilwe-bere,  was  in 
use  in  Cheshire  until  a  comparatively  recent  date.  The  following  extract  is 
taken  from  the  old  township  books  of  Pownall  Fee.  '  '  27  May,  1  782.  Acct. 
of  all  the  Goods  &c.  of  Widow  Dix  of  Pownal  Fee  taken  by  us  Daniel  Taylor 
and  Edward  Pierson  Overseers  of  the  Poor  for  the  sd.  Fee  and  Samuel  Dale 
constable  for  the  sd.  Fee  aforesaid  as  Follows.  Houseplace.  A  rug  or 
Covering  for  a  Bed  a  pair  of  sheets  a  Blanket  a  Fither  bed  Pillow  and  Pillow- 
beur  a  pair  of  Bed  -stocks,"  &c. 

The  word  is  also  found  in  an  inventory  of  property  belonging  to  Margery 
Glutton  of  Nantwich,  1611.  —  Local  Gleanings,  Feb.,  1880,  p.  300,  where  it 
is  further  stated  that  pillow  cases  are  still  called  in  Cheshire  pillow-beards. 

PILLOW-SLIP,  s.  a  pillow-case. 

PILPIT,  s.  a  pulpit.     W. 

PIMMEROSE  or  PIMROSE,  s.  a  primrose,  Primula  vulgaris. 

PIN,  s.     See  PEN  (i). 

PINDER,  s.  the  parish  officer  whose  duty  it  is  to  impound  stray 
cattle.  L. 

PINDERT,/ar/.  burnt,  dried  up. 

"  He  left  his  dinner  i'th  oon,  an  forgeet  it,  an  it  were  pindert 
away.  " 

PIN-EYED,  adj.  Polyanthuses  are  said  to  be  pin-eyed  when  the 
pistil,  which  resembles  a  pin's  head,  is  seen  in  the  throat  of  the 
flower. 

The  various  kinds  of  the  genus  Primula  are  what  is  called  in  botanical 
language  dimorphous,  that  is  they  have  two  forms  of  flowers.  In  one  the  pistil 
is  long  and  reaches  to  the  mouth  of  the  flower,  and  the  stamens  are  short, 
being  placed  half  way  down  the  tube  ;  in  the  other  the  pistil  only  reaches  half 
way  up  the  tube,  whilst  the  stamens  are  long  and  fill  up  the  mouth  of  the 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  26 1 

tube.  These  latter  are  called  thrum-eyed  flowers,  and  as  they  have  a  richer 
appearance,  are  preferred  by  florists.  In  fact  pin-eyed  flowers  are  not  admis- 
sible for  exhibition  purposes. 

Pin-eyed  may  possibly  be.  a  general  gardening  term,  but  I  think  thrum- 
eyed  is  local.  The  more  general  gardening  terms  are,  I  think,  pin-centred 
and  rose-centred. 

PINFOWT,  s.  the  pound. 

"You  mistake  ;  I  mean  the  pound,  a  pinfold." 

—  Two  Gentlemen  of  Verona,  Act  i.,  Sc.  I. 

PINGOT,  s.  a  small  croft.     Wilbraham  has  PINGLE. 

PINING  FOR  THEIR  MOTHER,  idiom. 

When  young  oats  cease  to  draw  nutriment  from  the  seed,  and  begin  to 
feed  from  the  soil,  they  very  often  look  yellow  and  sickly.  It  is  then  said 
that  they  are  pining  for  their  mother,  or  that  they  are  "being  weaned  ;"  and 
these  curious  expressions  actually  describe  the  physiological  changes  that  are 
taking  place  in  the  plant.  MOBBERLEY. 

PINK.     See  PENK. 
PINK-EYE,  s.  a  kind  of  potato. 

PINK  GRASS,  s.  Carex  prcecox,  C.  glauca,  and  other  allied  species 
of  sedge. 

PINNED,  adj.  impounded.     L. 

PINSONS,  s.  a  pair  of  pincers. 

PIONY,  s.  the  peony,  Pceonia  officinalis.     See  PIANET. 

PIP  or  PEEP,  s.  a  single  blossom  where  flowers  grow  in  bunches.   W. 

The  word  is  now  in  general  use,  whatever  it  may  have  been  in  Wilbra- 
ham's  time. 

PIPE,  s.  a  small  dingle  or  ravine,  breaking  out  from  a  larger  one.   W. 
PISSABED,  s.  the  dandelion,  Lentodon  Taraxacum. 
PISSIMOTE,  s.  an  ant. 
PIT,  s.  a  pond. 

PITCH,  v.  to  pave.     L. 

I  question  whether  this  word  is  really  localized  in  Cheshire. 

PITCHER,  s.  a  tool  used  by  stone  masons  to  knock  large  pieces 
off  the  edges  of  stones  or  flags. 

PITCH  HOLE,  s.  the  window  of  a  hayloft  through  which  hay  or 
straw  are  put. 

PITSTEAD,  s.  a  place  where  there  has  been  a  pit  or  a  collection 
of  pits. 


262  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

PIZZLY,  adj.  rough,  tufty,  applied  to  pasture  land.     NORTON. 

PLAIN,  adj.  and  adv.  exposed  to  the  wind. 

"  Its  a  cowd  shop,  it  stands  very  plain"  is  often  said  of  a  house. 

PLANK,  s.  hatting  term,    (i)  the  workmen's  bench  or  table  which 

surrounds  the  kettle.     See  KETTLE. 

(2)  used  metaphorically  for  work. 

"  He's  getten  a  plank  at  Denton's  "  would  mean  that  he  has  got  work  at 
Denton's. 

PLANKING,  part,  hatting  term.  The  felting  of  hat  bodies  by 
rolling  them  on  a  plank,  and  frequently  immersing  them  in 
acidulated  water. 

PLASH,  v.  (i)  to  renew  a  hedge  by  cutting  half  way  through  the 
stems,  so  as  to  bend  them  down. 

The  cut  stems  throw  up  numerous  vertical  shoots,  and  the  bottom  of  the 
hedge  becomes  thick  again. 

"Cut  vines  and  osier 
plash  hedge  of  enclosier." 

— TUSSER,  E.D.S.  ed.,  p.  86. 
(2)  to  splash. 

PLASTER,  s.  salt-mining  term.     The  common  name  for  gypsum. 

A  bank  along  the  River  Weaver  where  the  gypsum  is  much  exposed  is 
called  "Plaster  Brow."  See  PLASTER  HILL. 

PLASTER  FLOORS,  s. 

In  many  old  Cheshire  farmhouses  the  cheese-room  floors  used  to  be  made 
of  an  extremely  hard  calcareous  clay,  which  was  sometimes  laid  upon  laths, 
but  not  unfrequently  upon  reeds.  The  material  was  obtained  from  seams  of 
shaly  rock,  which  are  found  in  the  clays  of  the  New  Red  Sandstone 
formation.  It  was  burnt  and  treated  like  Plaster  of  Paris.  There  are  not 
many  of  these  floors  now  existing  in  houses,  but  one  is  to  be  seen,  or  was 
very  lately  to  be  seen,  at  Mr.  Thomas  Dale's  house  in  Morley.  I  have  met 
with  them,  however,  once  or  twice  in  repairing  old  farmhouses.  The  same 
material  was  used  for  barn  floors;  and  in  out-of-the-way  places  there  may  be 
several  of  these  still  left.  The  fodder-bing  in  my  own  farm  buildings  at 
Mobberley,  which  were  built  about  200  years  ago,  still  has  the  original  clay 
floor.  It  is  perfectly  hard  though  somewhat  uneven,  and  has  certainly  not 
deteriorated  during  the  last  forty  years. 

PLASTER  HILL,  s. 

On  the  banks  of  the  river  Bollin,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Mobberley  and 
Styall,  there  are  one  or  two  high  escarpments  of  clay  containing  calcareous 
bands  of  shaly  stone.  These  escarpments,  and  especially  one  on  the  Oversley 
Ford  farm,  are  called  plaster  hills.  They  furnished  the  material  for  the  hard 
clay  floors  described  above. 

PLAT,  s.  a  small  flat  bridge  over  a  stream  or  gutter,  or  where  a 
ditch  is  carried  by  means  of  pipes  across  a  gate-place. 

About  Frodsham  the  watercourse  itself  under  the  plat  is  called  the  Trunk. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  263 

PLAT,  v.  (i)  to  plait,  as  straw  is  plaited  for  a  hat. 

(2)  used  metaphorically  for  crossing  the  legs. 

Leigh  says,  "  upon  enquiry  about  the  antecedents  of  a  man  and  his  wife 
who  had  died  very  suddenly  of  cholera,  my  informant  told  me  they  were  very 
respectable  people,  but  both  loved  a  sope  of  drink ;  and  that  he  had  often 
seen  them  platting  their  legs  as  they  were  returning  home  market  peart." 

PLATTER,  s.  a  plate. 

"A  beast's  heart's  a  very  profitable  piece,  it  covers  th'  platters"  i.e.,  you 
can  cut  good  large  slices. 

PLATTER,  v.  "to  platter  along"  is  to  walk  in  an  awkward  and 
scrambling  way,  like  a  man  with  bad  corns.     L. 

PLATTERDOCK,  s.  Potamogeton.    L.     More  commonly  FLATTER 
DOCK,  which  see. 

PLAY  ONE'S  SELF,  v.  to  be  not  working,  either  intentionally  or 
of  necessity. 

A  man  who  is  unable  to  get  any  work  is  said  to  be  "  playing  him."  Mill 
hands  when  on  strike  are  ' '  playing  them. "  The  expression  is  extended  to 
horses  standing  idle  in  the  stable. 

PLAZE  or  PLEEASE,  v.  (i)  to  please. 

(2)  to  satisfy  with  a  gift,  in  money  or  other- 
wise, in  payment  for  some  service 
rendered ;  to  fee  a  person. 

In  my  practice  as  a  land-agent  I  have  frequently  been  told,  "  If  you  will 
arrange  this  for  me  with  so-and-so,  I'll  please  you,"  i.e.,  "I'll  pay  you  for 
your  services. " 

"Once  ended  thy  haruest  let  none  be  begilde, 

please  such  as  did  helpe  thee,  man,  woman  and  childe. " 

— TUSSER,  E.D.S.  ed.,  p.  132. 

Very  often  the  "pleasing"  seems  to  be  offered  in  the  light  of  a 
bribe.  Thus,  a  tenant,  anxious  for  a  farm,  has  sometimes  said  to  me,  "  Now, 
if  you'll  get  that  farm  for  me,  I'll  f  lease  you." 

PLEASIN,  s.  choice,  ordering. 

A  little  boy  said  to  his  uncle  :  "  Uncle,  whose  pleasin  is  it  what  we  have 
for  dinner  ?  yours  or  my  aunt's  ?" 

PLECK,  s.  a  place.     WILMSLOW,  but  rarely  used. 
"  This  is  the  very//«v£." 

PLECKS,  s.  a  term  in  haymaking,  applied  to  the  square  beds  of 
dried  grass.     HALLIWELL. 

PLEE,  v.  to  play.     W.  CHES. 

PLEURISY  STITCH,  s.  the  pleurisy.     MOBBERLEY. 

A  man  is  never  said  to  be  suffering  from  pleurisy,  but  that  he  has  "getten 
a.  pleurisy  stitch" 


264  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

PLIM,  adj.  perpendicular. 

PLIM,  v.  to  plumb  with  a  plummet. 

PLIM-BOB,  a  plummet  hung  to  a  string  for  the  purpose  of  ascer- 
taining if  work  is  perpendicular. 

PLOO,  s.  a  plough. 

Formerly  pronounced  with  a  strong  guttural  sound,  ploogh. 

PLOO,  v.  to  plough. 

PLOO  CLATES,  s.  iron  wedges  belonging  to  a  plough. 

"  The  Plow  dates,  a  kind  of  Wedge  to  raise  the  Beam  higher  or  lower,  to 
make  it  strike  accordingly  into  the  ground." — Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III., 
ch.  viii.,  p.  333. 

PLOO  COCK,  s.  the  front  portion  of  a  plough  beam. 

"  The  Plow  Cock,  is  the  Iron  to  tye  the  Oxen  to  the  Plow." — Academy 
of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  viii.,  p.  333. 

It  is  given  as  distinct  from  the  Buck  which  is  said  to  be  the  iron  "  which 
the  Horses  are  tyed  unto." 

FLOOD  TO  DEEATH,  idiom,  land  which  has  been  too  long  in 
tillage,  and  has  been  impoverished  thereby,  is  sometimes  so 
described.  MOBBERLEY. 

PLOOING  DAY,  s. 

When  a  new  tenant  enters  a  farm,  it  is  customary  for  his  neighbours  to 
give  him  a  day's  ploughing.  He  goes  round,  generally  with  some  friend 
who  lives  in  the  place,  to  invite  them  to  come  on  a  certain  day,  when  dinner 
is  provided,  and  a  considerable  amount  of  ploughing  is  done  for  the  new 
comer.  I  lately  let  a  farm  to  a  young  man  who  had  so  many  friends  anxious 
to  help  him,  that  no  less  than  forty  teams  made  their  appearance  in  his  field 
on  ploughing  day.  It  was  rather  too  much  of  a  good  thing,  for  they  got  in 
each  other's  way ;  and  the  piece  of  ground  that  each  team  had  to  plough  was 
so  small  that  the  work  was  finished  long  before  dinner  was  ready,  whereupon 
the  men  all  grumbled,  and  squabbled  amongst  themselves ;  and  when  at  last 
the  dinner  made  its  appearance  there  was  not  enough  for  so  many  mouths. 
This  caused  more  grumbling,  and  altogether  the  day,  which  had  been  begun 
with  such  good  intentions,  was  a  complete  failure — an  excellent  illustration 
of  the  old  saying,  "  Save  me  from  my  friends !" 

PLOO-PADS,  s.  the  soft,  padded  saddles  which  support  the  chains 
of  a  plough  horse.  MOBBERLEY. 

PLOO  STAFF,  s.  a  paddle  for  scraping  earth  from  a  plough-share. 

"The  Plow  Staff  &n.&  Poddle,  by  which  the  man  cleaneth  the  Plow  from 
clogged  Earth  or  Mould." — Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  viii.,  p.  333. 

PLOO  TAILS,  s.  the  handles  of  a  plough. 

"  The  Plowtails  or  Stilts." — Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  viii.,  p.  333 
"  To  be  brought  up  at  the ploo-tail"  is  equivalent  to  saying  that  a  person 
is  a  peasant 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  265 

PLOO  WITH  DOGS,  idiom,  used  to  express  the  slowest  possible 
way  of  doing  a  thing. 

"  My  knife  is  so  blunt  I  might  as  well  plough  with  dogs."    L. 
PLUG,  s.  (i)  a  pull. 

(2)  a  piece  of  wood  to  stop  a  hole. 

(3)  a  wedge  of  wood  driven  into  brickwork  for  the  purpose 

of  nailing  anything  to  a  wall,  the  nail  fastening  into 
wood  better  than  into  mortar. 

P*LUG,  v.  to  pull  the  hair. 

PLUG  UPPARTS,  the  same  as  LUG  UPPARTS,  which  see. 

PLUM-PUDDING,  s.  the  plant  Epilobium  hirsutum. 

POBS,  s.  bread  and  milk. 

POCK-FRETTEN,  part,  marked  with  the  smallpox.     L. 

POD,  see  PAD. 

PODDER,  s.  one  who  gathers  field  peas  for  market. 

POD  THE  HOOF,  see  PAD  THE  HOOF. 

POISONING,  part,  salt-making  term ;  said  of  a  pan  when  some 
ingredient  is  put  into  it  to  make  the  brine  work  differently ;  or 
to  prevent  it  working  freely  and  properly. 

POKERS,  s.  the  bulrush,  Typha  latifolia.     W.  CHES. 

POLER,  s.  a  barber.     HALLIWELL. 

POLER,  v.    See  POWLER. 

POLITITIONER,  s.  a  politician.     L. 

POLLER.     See  POWLER. 

POLLIANTS,  s.  garden  polyanthuses.     DUKINFIELD. 

POLLY,  s.  a  polled  cow. 

POLSY,  adj.  bad,  spoilt. 

"Polsy  hay,"  badly  got  hay.     L. 

POMPER,  v.  to  pamper.     MOBBERLEY. 
PON,  s.  a  pan. 

POO,  v.  to  pull. 

"Aw'11/00  thoi  yure  for  the." 

S 


266  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

POOD  BY  A  PAP,  idiom,  milked.     MOBBERLEY. 

"Go's  as  good  a  little  kye  as  ever  vraxpoodby  a  pap." 

POOR  MAN'S  TREACLE,  s.  garlick,  A  Ilium.     L. 

Gerard  assigns  this  name  to  Allium  sativum,  but  does  not  give  it  specially 
as  a  Cheshire  name. 

POOR  MAN'S   WEATHER-GLASS,  s.  the  pimpernel,  Anagallis 
arvensis. 

POOT,  s.  a  pullet. 

POOTHER,  s.  powder,  dust.     Also  PUDDER  (WILMSLOW). 

"  What  a.  poother  tha  kicks  up  wi'  thi  brush  !" 
POP,  s.  ginger  beer. 
POP,  v.  to  pawn. 

POP  OFF,  v.  to  die. 

"Brother  Bill  popped  off  sudden,  didn't  he?" 

POPPET,  s.  a  term  of  endearment  for  a  child. 
POPPILARY  or  PEPPILARY,  s.  the  poplar  tree.     W. 
POPPY,  s.  corn  cockle,  Lychnis  Githago.     W.  CHES. 

POPPY  SHOW  or  PUPPY  SHOW,  s.  a  peep  show. 

Children  place  flowers  behind  a  small  piece  of  glass,  and  fold  all  up  in 
paper.  They  then  cut  a  trapdoor  in  the  paper,  and  make  it  into  a  sort  of 
peepshow.  Each  person  who  looks  at  it  has  to  pay  a  pin. 

POP-SHOP,  s.  a  pawn  shop. 

PORRITCH,  s.  porridge. 

This,  like  several  other  kinds  of  semi-liquid  food,  is  a  plural  noun. 

PORRITCH  PIES,  s.  porridge  pies.     WILMSLOW  and  the  neigh- 
bourhood. 

These  were  raised  pies  made  of  coarse  flour,  and  the  crust  very  hard ; 
they  were  filled  with  a  sort  of  batter  composed  chiefly  of  flour  and  treacle, 
and  were  seen  at  many  of  the  farmhouses  some  forty  or  fifty  years  ago.-  They 
were  sickly  things,  and  by  no  means  relished  by  the  farm  servants  for  whom 
they  were  made.  I  should  think  these  dainties  are  quite  things  of  the  past ; 
in  fact,  farm  servants  are  more  particular  now-a-days,  and  would  not  tolerate 
such  coarse  food.  They  were  occasionally  filled  with  rice. 

POSNET,  s.  an  iron  or  brass  pan  for  making  posset. 

From  an  inventory  of  property  belonging  to  Margery  Glutton  of  Nantwich, 
1611. — Local  Gleanings,  Jan.,  1880,  p.  264. 

POSS,  v.  to  pass  is  a  jocular  punishment  common  among  marlers 
when  anyone  comes  late  to  work  in  the  morning. 

He  is  held  across  a  horse  with  his  posteriors  exposed,  and  struck  on  them 
with  the  flat  side  of  a  spade  by  the  head  workman  called  the  lord  of  the  marl 
pit.  W.  This  strange  custom  is,  like  the  marling  itself,  quite  obsolete. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  267 

POSSET,  v.  to  dance.     DELAMERE. 

"Sammy,  let's  posset" 
POSSIT,  v.  to  bring  up  small  quantities  of  food  as  a  baby  does. 

POST  AND  PATRIL, 
POST  AND  PETRIL 


1  \  s.  framed  woodwork  fixed  on  stone. 


POTATO  CAKE,  PRATO  CAKE,  or  TATER  CAKE,  s.  a  tea 
cake  made  of  mashed  potatoes  and  flour  in  equal  parts,  buttered, 
and  eaten  hot. 

There  is  another  kind  called  "grathert  tater-cake"  (grated  potato  cake), 
which  is  thus  made:  The  raw  potatoes  are  grated  on  a  large  grater  and  are 
mixed   with   flour,    occasionally   currants,   and  milk   to   the  consistence   of 
batter.     The  batter  is  poured  on  a  backstone  and  baked  over  the  fire. 

POT  BAW,  s.  a  dumpling. 

"A  Pot-Ball,  or  Dumpling  or  baked  of  Bread"  is  enumerated  amongst 
the  dishes  for  the  "First  Coursse"  in  a  Bill  of  Fare  given  by  Randle 
Holme  {Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  iii.,  p.  79). 

POT  CROCKER,  s.  a  boy  employed  in  a  large  garden,  who  learns 
the  rudiments  of  the  gardener's  art. 

One  of  his  frequent  occupations  is  to  break  up  "  crocks  "  or  potsherds 
with  which  the  flower-pots  are  drained,  hence  the  name. 

POTE,  v.  to  poke  or  kick.     WILMSLOW. 

th"  clooas  off  him  i'  bed." 


POTINGER,  s.  a  porringer  or  cup. 

From  an  inventory  of  property  belonging  to  Margery  Glutton  of  Nantwich, 
1611.  —  Local  Gleanings,  Feb.,  1880,  p.  299. 

POT  MARVILS,  s.  the  commonest  kind  of  boys'  marbles  made  of 
unglazed  earthenware. 

POTTER,  v.  to  disturb  or  confound.     W. 
POTTERED,  part,  confused,  disturbed.     W. 

POTTERING,  part,  fumbling,  working  without  result. 
Used  also  adjectively,  "He's  a  potterin  owd  chap." 

POTTLE,  s.  a  measure  of  two  quarts.     L. 

Leigh  gives  as  an  old  Cheshire  saying,  "  Who  would  keep  a  cow  when  he 
can  have  z.pottU  of  milk  for  a  penny?" 

POUND,  s. 

A  pound  of  butter  used  formerly  to  weigh  eighteen  ounces  generally 
throughout  Cheshire,  but  in  certain  markets  the  weight  varied. 

POUND  PEAR,  s.  an  old-fashioned  variety  of  pear. 

It  was  very  large,  very  hard,  and  most  excellent  for  stewing,  but  totally 
unfit  for  eating  uncooked.  A  very  old  tree  in  my  garden  was  blown  down 
many  years  ago,  and  I  have  never  seen  one  since. 


268  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

POUSE-DIRT,  s.  anything  inferior  or  dirty. 
POUSEMENT,  s.  the  same  as  POUSE-DIRT. 

POVERTY-WEED,   s.  the  ox-eye  daisy,  Chrysanthemum  Leucan- 
themum.     L. 

POW,  s.  a  pole. 

POW,  ».  to  cut  the  hair. 

POWCHER,  s.  a  poacher.     PEAWCHER  (WILMSLOW). 

POWER,  s.  a  large  quantity. 
"A. power  o'  money." 

POWERATION,  s.  a  large  quantity. 

The  word  occurs  in  a  manuscript  note  in  a  copy  of  Wilbraham's  Glossary, 
written  apparently  about  1826.  Halliwell  gives  it  as  a  west-country  word, 
but  it  would  seem  to  have  been  in  use  in  Cheshire  at  the  beginning  of  this 
century. 

POW-FAGGED,  adj.  (i)  tired  out,   exhausted   with   work,  either 

manual  or  mental. 

(2)  applied,  in  a  secondary  sense  probably, 
to  bad,  rough  mowing,  as  if  it  were 
done  by  men  who  were  tired  out. 

POWK,  s.  a  pimple  or  small  pustule. 

POWLER,  v.  to  ramble  about,  to  prowl. 

"After  a  bit  o'  snow  th'  grass  is  sweet,  and  th'  sheep  powlern 
after  it  like  annythink." 

Wilbraham  has  also  POLLER,  explaining  it  "to  beat  the  water  with  a  pole, 
and  figuratively  to  labour  without  effect ;"  and  Leigh  has  POLER,  to  toddle 
about  doing  little  things. 

POWSE,  s.  (i)  dirt,  filth,  dregs. 

(2)  also  used  in  a  semi-metaphorical  sense  to  describe 

anything  which  is  troublesome  or  destructive. 
"  Rappits  is  wary  powse." 

POWSELS  AND  THRUMS,  s.  dirty  scraps  and  rags. 
POWSY,  adj.  full  of  powse,  or  dust 
PRAT  A,  s.  a  potato. 

PRATA-CLODS,  s.  tough  sods  cut  from  a  peat   bog,   used  for 
covering  potato  and  turnip  hogs  to  keep  off  the  frost. 

PRATE,  v.  to  utter  the  noise  made  by  a  hen  before  she  lays. 

PRATTY,  adj.  pretty,  handsome. 

A  good-looking  man  is  even  called  "  a  pratty  mon." 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  269 

PREPARING  THEIR   BOBS.     Said  of  fir-trees  enlarging  their 
cones,  which  swell  as  the  spring  advances.     L. 

PRESBYTERIAN    ROAD,  idiom,  passing  the  bottle  the  wrong 
way.     L. 

PRESPERATION,  s.  perspiration. 
A  very  general  provincialism. 

PRESS,  s.  (i)  a  coffin. 

Leigh  gives  this  on  the  authority  of  Wilbraham,  but  I  am  unable  to  find 
it  either  in  the  1820  or  the  1826  edition,  and  I  think  it  is  an  error. 

(2)  a  linen  or  clothes  chest. 

PRICKED,  part,  fermented. 

Said  of  preserves  in  which  a  slight  vinous  fermentation  has  commenced. 

PRICKER,  s.  (i)  a  prickle  or  thorn. 

(2)  salt-mining  term;  a  tool  used  in  charging  a  hole 
for  blasting. 

It  is  a  short  iron  rod  inserted  after  the  powder  is  put  in,  to  keep  an 
opening  for  the  fuse. 

PRICK-MEET,  adj.  fastidious,  exact,  particular. 
PRICK  NOTES,  v.  to  copy  music. 

PRICK  THE  LOAF,  v.  "  is  to  make  little  holes  on  the  top  of  the 
loaf  with  a  Bodkin." — Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  iii.,  p.  85. 

This  refers  to  pricking  bread  before  putting  it  into  the  oven,  for  what 
purpose  I  do  not  know.  It  is  now  generally  done  with  a  steel  fork. 

PRIDE,  s.  to  have  a  pride  in  his  pace,  or  way  of  going,  is  a  quaint 
ironical  way  of  saying  a  man  is  lame.     L. 

PRIESTS'  PINTLE,  s.  the  early  purple  orchis,  Orchis  mascula. 

PRISON  BARS,  s.  the  game  known  as  Prisoners'  Base. 

It  used  always  to  be  played  at  Mobberley  wakes  in  one  of  my  fields,  but 
has  become  quite  obsolete  for  many  years. 

PRI  THE,  inter/,  pray. 

A  lady  of  my  acquaintance  considered  it  best  to  feed  her  children  at  stated 
times,  and  never  to  allow  them  to  eat  between  meals.  This  was  rather  con- 
trary to  the  Cheshire  adage  :  "  Eat  when  you're  hungry,  and  drink  when 
you're  dry."  A  neighbour  commenting  upon  the  delicate  look  of  one  of  these 
children  gave  my  friend  the  following  good  advice:  " Pri  the,  woman! 
dunna  bring  em  up  by  rule ;  you  know — 

'  A  child  and  a  chicken 

Should  always  be  pickin.'" 
This  last  is  a  very  common  Cheshire  saying. 

PRIVATE,  s.  hatting  term ;  the  particular  mark  by  which  a  work- 
man knows  his  own  work. 


2/0  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

PRIVILUS,  adj.  of  little  value.     Mow  COP. 

Perhaps  from  frivolous,  though  not  used  in  quite  the  same  sense.  The 
word  is  used  to  denote  a  thing  of  little  value — a  matter  of  small  importance. 
It  is  never  applied  to  persons ;  so  we  never  speak  of  a  friirilus  young  woman, 
and  we  have  no  such  word  as  privolity. 

PRIVY,  s.  privet,  Ligustrum  vulgare. 

"  Set  priuie  or  prim, 
set  boxe  like  him."— TUSSER,  E.D.S.  ed.,  p.  33. 

PROCKLEIN,  s.  old  brown  earthenware.     DELAMERE. 

PRODIGAL,  adj.  (i)  extravagant. 

A  man  sowing  seed  too  thickly  would  be  told  by  the  farmer,  "  Dunna  be 
so  prodigal  wi'  that  seed;  it  winna  hode  ite." 

(2)  smart  looking.     WIRRAL. 

A  gallows  prodigal  chap  is  a  smart,  conceited  kind  of  man. 

(3)  violent,  impetuous.     L. 

PROFFER,  v.  to  offer. 

"  forth  came  an  old  Knight 
pattering  ore  a  creede, 
&  he  preferred  to  this  little  boy 
20  markes  to  his  meede." 

— "Boy  and  Mantle,"  1.  83,  vol.  ii.,  p.  307, 

Hales  and  Furnivall  ed. 
PROKE,  v.  to  poke. 

"Proke  th'  fire  a  bit." 

PROKER,  s.  a  poker. 

PRONOUNCIATION,  s.  pronunciation. 

An  old  joiner  who  had  worked  for  three  generations  of  my  family  was  a 
great  local  preacher  amongst  the  Wesleyans.  On  one  occasion  we  were  dis- 
cussing together  something  about  Church  matters,  I  forget  what — but 
amongst  other  things  he  informed  me  that  he  frequently  went  to  hear  our 
rector  at  church,  and  was  very  fond  of  listening  to  his  sermons;  "in  fact," 

he  continued,    "I've   learnt   more   from    Mr.    M than  from  anyone   I 

know — especially  in  pronounciation. 

PROSPERATION,  s.  prosperity.     L. 

PROTESTANTS,  s.  a  variety  of  potato ;  almost,  if  not  quite,  lost 
now. 

PROUD,  adj.  pleased. 

"  I'm  sure  I'm  very  proud  to  see  you." 

PROUD  CARPENTER,  s.  the  plant  Prunella  vulgaris.    W.  CHES. 
PROVABLE,  adj.  said  of  corn  that  yields  well. 

PROVANT,  s.  corn,  chopped  hay,  and  such  like  dry  food  given  to 
horses. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  271 

PROVE,  v.  to  prove  pregnant,  spoken  of  cattle.     W. 
Misquoted  by  Leigh  as  "puve." 

PROW,  v.  to  prowl. 

PROW  ITE,  PROW  EAWT  (prowl  out),  v.  to  seek  food.     MOB- 

BERLEY. 

Cows  are  said  to  prow  ite  when  they  spread  over  the  fields  in  search  of 
new  pasture  in  the  spring. 

PRUDENT,  adj.  chaste. 

PRUSSIAN  ROCK,  s.  salt-mining  term;  the  rock  salt  as  got, 
large  and  small  together. 

PUDDER,  see  POOTHER. 
PUDDINGS,  s.  intestines. 

PUDDINING,/flr/.  presenting  an  egg,  a  handful  of  salt,  and  a  bunch 
of  matches  to  a  new-born  infant.  —  Leigh's  Ballads  and  Legends 
of  Cheshire,  Note,  p.  65. 

PUDGE,  s.  (i)  a  short,  fat  person. 

It  is  sometimes  applied  as  a  soubriquet.  Many  years  ago  a  man  of  this 
build  kept  the  "Bird  in  Hand"  public  house,  at  Mobberley,  who  went  by  the 
name  of  Pudge  Graisty. 

(2)  dirt,  rubbish;   often  applied  to  bad  mortar,  or  to 

loamy  sand  unfit  for  making  mortar. 
"  It's  good  t'  nowt  ;  it's 


PUFF,  s.  breath. 

"  Wait  a  bit,  I'm  out  of  puff." 

PUFFLE,  v.  (i)  to  swell. 

(2)  to  put  one  out  of  breath. 
"  Going  up  \u\\puffles  me." 
Also  used  intransitively,  as,  "I'm  <\mtepuffled." 

PUGGIL,  s.  rubbish.     Mow  COP. 

The  word  is  usually  used  to  denote  something  bad  or  inferior  in  the  shape 
of  food. 

"  It's  nowt  bat  /*££&" 

PU  GORFIN,  v.  to  make  faces.     L. 

PULL,  s.  advantage. 

"  We  desarven  a/«//nye."     As  much  as  to  say,  "you've  had  the  advan- 
tage hitherto  ;  now  it  ought  to  be  our  turn.  " 

PUMMER,  adj.  big,  plump.     L. 


2/2  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

PUMMICES,  s. 

"Sheep  Fummices  is  the  Head,  Heart,  Lights,  Liver  and  Wind-Pipe  of  a 
Sheep  all  hanging  together.  Lambs  Pumices,  is  the  same  of  a  Lamb."  — 
Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  iii.,  p.  88. 

PUN,  -v.  to  pound. 
PUNCE, 


PUNCH,  T't( 

The  first  form  is  used,  I  think,  more  especially  on  the  Lancashire  borders. 

PUNCH  ROD,  s.  . 

"Is  With  or  Wreathen  Stick  turned  about  the  Head  of  a  fire  punch  to 
hold  it  on  the  hot  Iron  while  it  is  striking  through  or  making  a  hole  in  it.  "- 
Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch,  iii.,  p.  89. 

Enumerated  amongst  "Terms  used  by  Smiths  and  Farriers." 

PUNGER,  v.  to  puzzle  or  confound. 

A  farmer  in  distress  said,  "  I  am  so  pungered,  I  know  not  which  eaver  to 
turn  to."  W. 

PUNGOW,  v.  PUNGOWING,  part.  Very  much  the  same  as 
PUNGER.  To  bother,  bothering,  wearing. 

"  To  lead  a  threppoing,  pungowing  life"  means  the  sort  of  life  where  it  is 
hard  to  make  both  ends  meet,  when  one  is  puzzled  how  to  get  on;  a  hand- 
to-mouth  sort  of  existence.  L. 

PUNISH,  v.  to  cause  pain. 

"  This  tooth  does  punish  me  above  a  bit." 

PUNISHMENT,  s.  pain. 

'  '  Aw  pinched  my  thumb  i'th'  durr,  an  it  were  awfu'  punishment.  ' 

PUNNER,  s.  a  piece  of  wood  used  for  pounding  or  beating  in  the 
soil  when  filling  up  a  hole,  as  in  setting  posts  and  rails.  Also  a 
paviour's  rammer. 

PUPPY  SHOW.    See  POPPY  SHOW. 
PUR,  v.  (i)  to  kick. 

(2)  to  beat  or  bang.     ALTRINCHAM. 
PURGING  FLAX,  s.  Linum  catharticum.     W.  CHES. 

PTTRT  FT)  \ 

PURRED*  \Part-  Pullgd  down  with  sickness. 

PUSH-PLOO,  s.  a  paring  plough,  worked  by  hand  and  pushed 
before  the  ploughman  in  order  to  pare  off  sods  for  burning. 

Paring  and  burning  is  prohibited  in  some  old-fashioned  Cheshire  leases. 
Land  which  has  been  pared  with  one  of  these  instruments  is  said  to  be 
"push  plood."  They  are  almost  obsolete  in  Cheshire,  but  I  have  seen 
one  at  work,  on  reclaimed  peat  bog,  within  the  last  twenty  years. 

PUT  ABOUT,  part,  vexed,  annoyed. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  273 

PUTHERY,  adj.  hot,  close— said  of  weather. 

PUT  IN,  v.  to  rake  up  hay  into  windrows  ready  for  leading. 

PUTTEN,  part.  put. 

PUTTER,  v.  PUTTERING,  part,  an  unhealthy  state  of  the  body 
of  cattle,  when  the  skin  feels  as  if  it  had  paper  under  it     L. 

* 

PUTTIN  ON,  idiom,  used  substantively  for  a  makeshift ;  a  tempo- 
rary supply. 

"It's  not  a  livin;  it's  on'y  a puttin  on." 

PUT  THE  PEG  IN,  idiom,  to  put  a  veto  upon  anything 
When  a  shopkeeper  will  trust  no  more  he  puts  the  peg  in. 
This  expression  has  its  origin  in  the  method  adopted  to  fasten  an  ordinary 
thumb  latch  which  can  be  opened  from  the  outside;  or  perhaps  it  had  its 
origin  before  thumb  latches  became  common,  when  a  door  latch  was  opened 
from  the  outside  by  means  of  a  piece  of  string  or  a  thong  which  passed 
through  a  hole  in  the  door.     By  pulling  the  string  the  latch  was  raised.     In 
other  cases  the  latch  was  raised  by  pushing  one  finger  through  a  round  hole 
in  the  door  immediately  under  the  latch.      The  latch,   however,    can   be 
effectually  locked  by  putting  a  peg  of  wood  above  it  into  the  carry  latch. 

PYDIE,  s.  a  chaffinch,  Fringilla  ccelebs. 

PYNCK,  s.  a  pinch. 

"  Aye  pynckes  is  your  paye. "—  Chester  Plays,  L,  p.  126.     L. 


2/4  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


Q- 


QUAAK,  v.  to  quack  like  a  duck,  but  applied  metaphorically,  or 
derisively,  to  anyone  who  chatters  and  gossips.     WILMSLOW. 
"  He's  allus  quaakin  abeawt." 

QUAKERS,  s.  quaking  grass,  Briza  media.     GERARD. 

Gerard  says  it  "is  called  in  Cheshire,  about  Nantwich,  Quakers  and 
shakers"  but  whether  he  intended  this  as  one  name  or  two  I  am  unable  to 
say.  About  Wilmslow  it  is  called  TREMBLING  GRASS.  It  is  also  pretty 
generally  known  as  QUAKING  GRASS. 

QUAKING  GRASS.     See  QUAKERS. 

QUALIFIED,  adj.  (i)  able,  capable. 

(2)  in  good  circumstances. 
A  rich  man  would  be  said  to  be  qualified. 

QUALITY  or  QUALITY  FOLKS,  s.  the  upper  classes. 

"  Oo's  bin  from  worn,  an'  bin  visitin  among  th'  quality" 

QUANK,  adj.  quiet.     L.,  who  probably  copied  it  from  Pegge,  who 
gives  it  as  a  Cheshire  word. 

It  is  now  quite  obsolete,  if  indeed  it  was  ever  in  use. 

QUARREL,  s.  (i)  a  pane  of  glass. 

(2)  a  square  flooring  tile;  also  QUARRY. 

(3)  apparently  an  old,  and  perhaps  the  original  name 

for  a  stone  quarry. 

Quarry  Bank,  a  farm  house  in  Morley,  which  takes  its  name  from  its 
proximity  to  a  stone  quarry,  is  called  in  the  old  township  books  of  Pownall 
Fee,  Quarrell  Bonk;  and  it  was  so  called  by  old  people  forty  or  fifty  years 
since.  Mr.  Earwaker,  in  his  East  Cheshire,  states  that  in  the  lease  of  the  land 
on  which  Messrs.  Greg's  cotton  mill  stands,  dated  1 778,  the  place  is  called 
Quarrell  Hole. 


QUARREL  PICKER,  s.  a  soubriquet  for  a  glazier.     L. 

Apparently  quoted  from  Halliwell,  who  does  not  state  that  it  i: 
word. 

QUART,  s.  a  measure,  is  pronounced  to  rhyme  with  Cart. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  275 

QUARTER,  s.  (i)  the  fourth  part  of  a  cow's  udder;  pronounced  to 
rhyme  with  Carter. 

When  a  cow,  from  any  accident,  ceases  to  give  milk  from  one  teat,  she  is 
said  "to  have  lost  a  quarter." 

(2)  a  sawyer's  term. 

When  a  log  of  wood  is  cut  into  four  pieces  right  through  the  middle,  it  is 
said  to  be  cut  "  on  the  quarter. " 

QUARTER,  v.  to  drive  a  cart  or  carriage  so  that  the  wheels  shall 
not  run  in  the  old  ruts. 

It  is  spoken  of  as  "  quartering  the  wheels." 

QUARTER  WOOD,  s.  a  piece  of  timber,  four  square  and  four  inches 
thick.     BAILEY. 

"Quarter  wood  att  the  wiche  howses"  is  mentioned  in  an  inventory  of 
property  belonging  to  Margery  Glutton  of  Nantwich,  1611. — Local  Gleanings, 
Feb.,  1880,  p.  302. 

It  is  stated  in  explanation  that  no  coal  was  used  in  the  salt-houses  in 
Nantwich  at  that  time,  and  there  were  laws  regulating  the  amount  of 
Quarter  wood  allowed  to  each  wiche-house  by  the  Rulers  of  Walling. 

QUEASY,  adj.  qualmish.     MACCLESFIELD. 

QUEECE,  s.  a  wood  pigeon,  Columba  palumbus.  « 

Wilbraham  spells  it  Queeze. 

QUEEN  ANN,  s.   one   of  the   names   for  a   coloured   butterfly. 
RUNCORN.     See  FRENCH  BUTTERFLEE  and  RED  DRUMMER. 

QUEENING,  s.    an   old  variety  of  apple  mentioned   by  Randle 
Holme. 

"  The  Queening  is  a  fair  and  striped  Apple,  and  b'eautiful  in  its  Season, 
being  a  kind  of  Winter  Fruit" — Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  iii.,  p.  48. 

QUEENING,  part,  an  occasional  pronunciation  of  Coining.     MOB- 

BERLEY. 

"  He's  queenin  money." 

QUEEN'S  FEATHER,  s.  London  Pride,  Saxifraga  umbrosa.     L. 

QUEERE,  s.  a  choir.     Prestbury  Church  Accounts,  1572. 

Also  frequently  so  called  in  the  Chapter  accounts  of  Chester  Cathedral.    L. 
This  is  still  the  Yorkshire  and  Lincolnshire  pronunciation  of  choir.     See 
E.D.S.  Glossaries.     Tusser  uses  the  same  word — 
"  The  better  brest,  the  better  rest, 
To  serve  the  Queere,  now  there  now  heere." 

— five  Hundred  Points,  E.  D.  S.  ed. ,  p.  206. 
The  modern  pronunciation  is  Coir,  and  about  WILMSLOW  Queighre. 

QUEER  STREET,  idiom,  a  dilemma. 
"  He's  in  queer  street" 

QUEIGHT,  s.  a  quoit.     WILMSLOW. 


276  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

QUEIGHT,  adv.  quite.     WILMSLOW,  MOBBERLEY. 
QUEIGHTIN,  part,  playing  at  quoits.     WILMSLOW. 

QUEINT,  adj.  quaint. 

"A  queint  lad,"  a  fine  lad,  used  ironically.     L. 

QUELL,  v.  to  subdue;  a  word  of  very  frequent  use  in  Cheshire. 
"  Yon  mon's  goin'  mad  ;  see  if  you  can  quell  him." 
"Th'  feirehas  getten  sitch  a  yed,  we  shan  ne'er  be  able  to  quell  it." 

QUERK,  s.  (i)  anything  out  of  the  square. 

"A  nook  shoten  pane  of  glass,  or  any  pane  whose  sides  and  top  run  out 
of  a  square  form." — Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  ix.,  p.  385. 

(2)  a  twist  or  quibble. 

"Aw's  no'  straight  theere;  there's  a  querk  somewheer." 
"He  wer  axin  him  a  quesht'n  wi'  a  bit  of  a  querk  in  it." 

(3)  an  ornamental  pattern  knitted  in  the  ankle  of  a 

stocking.    MACCLESFIELD,  but  not  very  commonly 
used. 

QUESHT'N,  s.  a  question. 

QUEST,  s.  an  inquest. 

QUICKS,  s.  young  hawthorn  plants  for  hedges. 

QUIFF,  s.  a  dodge,  a  quirk.     Mow  COP. 
"Theer'sa^wz/'mit." 

QUIFTING  POTS,  s.  half  gills,  a  measure  for  drink.     L. 

QUILE,  s.  a  small  hay  cock.     The  same  word  is  used  in  the  plural. 
About  WILMSLOW  pronounced  queile. 

QUILE,  v.  to  make  hay  into  quiles. 

"  They're  agate  o'  quilin  th'  hay." 

QUILL,  s.  silk-weaving  term.  The  bobbin  of  shoot  or  woof  put  in 
the  shuttle. 

QUILLET,  s.  a  small  plot  of  land  lying  within  the  property  of 
another  proprietor,  and  not  separated  therefrom  by  any  fence. 
Chiefly  used  in  W.  CHES. 

Of  course  the  owner  of  the  quillet  has  a  right  of  road  to  his  property. 
There  is  a  piece  of  land  called  "  The  Quillet  "  which  formerly  belonged  to 
the  Marquis  of  Cholmondeley,  but  was  surrounded  by  other  land  belonging 
to  Sir  Richard  Brooke. 

"  Lot  6.  Nine  pieces  of  land,  being  Quillets  in  Big  Maes  Ewlin." — From 
particulars  of  Auction  Sale  by  Messrs.  Churton,  Elphick,  &  Co.,  at  Chester, 
Oct.  8th,  1881. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  277 

QUILLET  STONES,  s.  boundary  stones  to  mark  where  one  man's 
quillet  ends  and  another  begins.     L. 

QUILT,  v.  to  beat. 
QUILTING,  s.  a  beating. 
QUIRKEN,  v.  to  choke.     L. 

QUIST,  V,  tO  twist.       MOBBERLEY. 

There  are  many  people  in  Cheshire  who  use  this  pronunciation  in  several 
words  that  begin  with  tw,  as,  for  instance, 

Quig      for  twig, 

Quenty  „  twenty, 

Quelve  ,,  twelve, 
but  the  rule  is  by  no  means  universal. 

QUISTED,  adj.  twisted,  spiral.     MOBBERLEY. 

"Jeffrey  Bray's  getten  some  owd-ancient  chairs  wi'  quisled  rails.'' 

QUITE  BETTER,  adj.  entirely  recovered  from  sickness. 

QUYSION,  s.  a  cushion. 

"It.  vj  quysions    ....   v8 — ." — From  an  inventory  of  the  property 
of  Margery  Glutton  of  Nantwich,  1611.— Local  Gleanings,  Jan.,  1880,  p.  262. 


2?8  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


R. 


RABBIDGE,  s.  a  rabbit.     L. 
RABBLED,  part,  ravelled,  entangled. 
RABBLEMENT,  s.  a  rabble,  a  noisy  crowd. 

RACCONALS,   s.   cowslips    and    oxlips,    Primula    verts    and   P. 
variabilis.     BUTTON,  near  Frodsham. 

In  use  some  forty  or  fifty  years  since,  but  now,  I  think,  obsolete. 

RACE,  s.  (i)  a  series  of  anything,  a  row. 

(2)  a  track. 
A  wheel  race  is  the  place  in  a  corn  mill  where  the  wheel  turns. 

RACHE,  v.  to  smoke. 

"  Chimley  racAes."     L. 

RACK,  s.  weeds,  sticks,  and  rubbish  of  all  kinds  brought  down  by  a 
stream. 

RACK  or  RACK  OFF,  v.  to  pour  off  liquor  from   one   cask   to 
another. 

RACK   O'TH'   EYE,   idiom,   judging  by  the   eye  instead   of  by 
measurement. 

' '  Aw  con  tell  by  th'  rack  o'tK'  eye  as  stack  has  abeawt  fower  ton 
in  it." 

" He'd  noo  pattern;  he  made  it  by  th'  rack  a'th'  eye." 

RACK  UP,  v.   to  choke  up,   as   a   drain   becomes  choked   with 
sediment. 

It  is  used  actively,  as  "  I  doubt  this  drain  '11  soon  rack  up;"  and  we  also 
speak  of  a  drain  being  "racked  up." 

RACKED  UP,/ar/.  (i)  choked  up. 

(2)  in  difficulties,  sold  up. 

(3)  brick   or  stone  pavement   is   said   to    be 

racked  up  when  the  joints  are  filled  up 
with  gravel  or  grout. 

RADDLE,  v.  to  beat. 

"Aw '11  raddle  thi  bones  for  thee." 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  279 

RADDLE  AND  DAWB  (or  DOBE),  s. 

The  old  Cheshire  buildings  were  framed  with  timber  which  formed 
squares.  Long  sticks  were  wound  together  between  the  timber,  forming  a 
sort  of  basketwork  or  raddle,  upon  which  clay,  and  clay  mixed  with  chopped 
straw,  was  plastered.  This  was  the  dobe,  the  whole  forming  a  raddle  and  dobe 
house.  See  DAWBER. 

RADICAL,  s.  a  very  favourite  variety  of  early  potato.  MOBBERLEY, 
MIDDLEWICH. 

I  have  known  this  "  breed  "  for  more  than  forty  years,  and  I  think  they 
are  still  in  existence. 

RADLING,  s.  a  long  stick  or  rod,  either  from  a  staked  hedge,  or 
from  a  barn  wall  made  with  long  sticks  twisted  together  and 
plastered  with  clay.  W. 

RAFE,  prop.  name,  this  is  always  the  pronunciation  of  Ralph  in 
Cheshire,  and  occasionally  it  is  so  spelt. 

RAG,  s.  the  tongue. 

RAG,  v.  to  rifle. 

To  rag  a  bird's  nest  is  to  rob  it  of  the  eggs. 

RAGGAMUFFIN,  adj.  idle,  loose,  scampish. 
"  He's  sitch  raggamuffin  ways  wi'  him." 

RAGGED  ROBIN,  s.  the  cuckoo-flower  lychnis,  Lychnis  Flos-cuculi. 
RAG  JACK,  s.  the  goosefoot,  Chenopodium  album.     ROSTHERNE. 

RAGMANNERT,  adj.  of  rude  manners. 

"  He's  a  very  ragmannert  sort  o'  chap." 

RAIN,  s. 

We  have  a  very  curious  saying  about  rain,   "Rain  has  such  narrow 
shoulders,  it  will  get  in  anywhere."     L. 

RAINBOW,  s.  (i)  it  is  said 

"A  rainbow  at  night  is  the  shepherd's  delight ; 

A  rainbow  in  the  morning  is  the  shepherd's  warning ;" 

and,   "  If  you  run  to  the  place  where  the  rainbow  touches  the  earth,  you  will 
find  a  bag  of  money." 

(2)  the  hairy  caterpillar  of  the  tiger  moth  is  sometimes 
called  a  rainbow,  and  is  said  to  portend  rain 
when  it  crosses  your  path. 

RAIND  (pronounced  almost  like  rynd),  adj.  (i)  round. 

Warburton  in  his  Hunting  Songs  has  RoiND.      About  Wilmslow  it  is 
REAWND. 

(2)  coarse. 
" Raind,  or  reawnd  male"  is  coarse  oatmeal. 


28O  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

RAIND-ABAIT,  adj.  not  direct. 

"A  very  raind-abait  road." 

About  WILMSLOW  pronounced  REAWND-ABEAWT. 

"To  go  reawnd-abeawt  for  th'  next  road "  is  a  proverb  applied  when  one 
attempts  a  short  cut  and  it  proves  longer  than  the  ordinary  way. 

RAIND-HAISE  or  REAWND-HEAWSE,  s.  a  lock-up  or  local 
prison.  WILMSLOW. 

RAINIES,  s.  reins  for  driving.     MOBBERLEY. 
RAIN-TUB,  s.  a  water-butt 

RAISE  ONE  DOWNSTAIRS,  TO,  idiom,  a  Cheshire  saying  which 
means  getting  a  disadvantage  instead  of  an  advantage,  like  being 
made  one  of  the  hands  of  a  mill  after  having  been  an  over- 
looker. L. 

RAISE  THE  WEIND,  idiom,  to  get  means. 

RAKE-FIRE,  s.  used  metaphorically  for  one  who  comes  to  pay  a 
visit  and  stays  very  late.  See  RAKE  THE  FIRE. 

RAKELL,  s.  a  thoroughly  bad  man. 

RAKER,  s.  (i)  salt-making  term;  a  piece  of  flat  iron  at  the  end  of 
a  long  handle,  used  for  raking  the  salt  off  the 
fires  and  to  the  sides  of  the  pan. 

(2)  a  big  lump  of  coal  by  means  of  which  a  cottage  fire 
is  usually  kept  in  through  the  night.     Mow  COP. 

RAKE  THE  FIRE,  v.  to  pile  slack,  i.e.,  small  coal,  upon  the 
kitchen  fire  before  going  to  bed,  so  that  it  may  remain  burning 
all  night  and  save  the  trouble  of  lighting  it  in  the  early  morning. 

This  is  a  very  general  practice  in  old-fashioned  farm-houses.  There  are 
many  houses  where  the  kitchen  fire  only  goes  out  once  a  week  that  the  grate 
may  be  thoroughly  cleaned. 

In  the  neighbourhood  of  peat  bogs  turf  hassocks  are  generally  used  for 
the  same  purpose. 

RAKINGS,  s.  the  scattered  corn  raked  up  in  a  cornfield  after  the 
corn  is  stooked. 

They  usually  get  a  good  deal  dirtied  with  the  soil,  and  are  frequently 
weathered.  They  are  mostly  kept  by  themselves,  and  threshed  at  once  for 
hen  corn  or  pig- meat.  The  scattered  hay  raked  up  after  the  crop  is  carried 
is  also  known  as  rakings. 

RAKKUSIN,  adj.  noisy,  boisterous. 

RALLY,  s.  a  rush,  impetus. 

"Go  quietly,  dunna  go  i'  such  a  rally." 

"Th'  waggon  coom  deawn  th'  broo  wi'  a  rally." 

RALLY,  v.  to  recover  or  revive.     MOBBERLEY. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  28 1 

REAM*  f  v'  to  stretc^  out  ^e  arm  as  ^ to  reacn  anything,     W. 

See  RAWM,  which  is  also  given  by  Wilbraham,  and  which  is  the  present 
pronunciation  of  the  word. 

RAMMEL  or  RAMMIL,  s.  (i)  broken  bits  of  branches  used  for  fire- 
wood, or  any  other  rubbishy  bits. 

"  It.  ffyve  wayne  loads  of  Coles,  some  JRamell,  Kids,  pooles  (poles),  &  a 
stone  trough." — From  an  inventory  of  property  belonging  to  Margery 
Glutton  of  Nantwich,  1611. — Local  Gleanings,  Feb.,  1880,  p.  297. 

The  broken  bits  of  turf  at  the  bottom  of  a  stack  are  also  called  rammel. 

(2)  stony  or  brashy  subsoil. 
RAMMELLY,  adj.  partaking  of  the  character  of  brash  or  gravel. 

RAMMY,  adv.  tasting  or  smelling  strong  like  a  ram.     MOBBERLEY. 
A  boar  when  he  is  killed  "  tases  very  rammy." 

RAMPAGEOUS,  adj.  boisterous. 

RAM  PICKED,  adj.  a  rampicked  tree  is  a  stag-headed  tree.     W. 
Those  trees  which  die  at  the  top  are  so  called, 

RANDAN,  s.  the  very  coarsest  flour,  or  rather  the  very  finest  bran, 
ground  almost  as  fine  as  flour. 

RANDOM,  adj.  irregular. 

A  random  wall  is  one  built  of  stones  of  various  shapes  and  sizes,  in  con- 
tradistinction to  a  "  coursed  "  wall,  which  is  built  of  squared  stones. 
Random  flags  are  flags  of  all  sizes,  not  ranked. 

RANGER,  s.  salt-making  term ;  a  long  poker  used  for  stirring  up 
the  fires. 

RANGE  STAKE,  s.  the  wooden  stake  to  which  cows  are  tied  in  the 
shippon.     W.  CHES.     See  RATCH  STAKE  and  RING  STAKE. 

"  She'd  like  the  boose,  but  not  the  range-stake  "  is  a  Cheshire  saying,  the 
meaning  of  which  is  that  a  young  woman  who  was  courted  liked  the  suitor's 
house  and  fortune,  but  not  to  be  tied  to  him. 

Range  is  pronounced  to  rhyme  with  "  flange." 

RANK,  s.  a  "  rank  of  flag"  is  a  row  all  of  one  width. 

RANK,  adj.  vexed,  in  a  passion. 

"  He  wer  rank  when  he  seed  aw  th'  milk  knocked  o'er  into  th' 
groop  behind  th'  keaw." 
See  RONK  and  its  compounds. 

RANSTIEST,  superl.  adj.  difficult,  hard. 

"  It's  the  ranstiest  job  that  au  ever  heard  on."    L. 

RANTING  WIDOW,  s.  the  plant  Epilobium  angustifolium. 

Very  frequent  in  cottage  gardens,  and  so  called  from  its  exuberant  growth, 
at  least  so  explained  to  me  by  a  cottager. 

RANTIPOW,  s.  a  see-saw.     HYDE. 
T 


282  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

RAP  AND  RING,  idiom,  scrape  together.     L. 
RAP-A-TAG,  s.  a  name  for  a  ne'er-do-well,  a  scamp.     L. 

RAP  OUT,  v.  to  break  out  into  bad  language. 

It  also  rather  implies  that  there  has  been  a  previous  attempt  to  suppress  it. 

RAPPIT,  s.  a  rabbit. 

R  APPIT  IT,  excl.  a  mild  form  of  imprecation. 

RARE,  v.  to  rear. 

RASE-BRAINED,  adj.  violent,  impetuous.     W. 

RASSERT,  adj.  (i)  vexed,  ill-tempered. 

(2)  done  up.     WILMSLOW. 
"  He  con  go  noo  furr  ;  he's  rassert." 

RATCH,  s.  the  space  in  a  loom  between  the  yarn-beam  and  the 
healds. 

RATCH  STAKE,  s.  the  stake  to  which  a  cow  is  tied  in  the  shippon. 
MID  CHES.     In  W.  CHES.  RANGE  STAKE,  q.v. 

RATS-TAIL  or  RATS-TAIL  GRASS,  s.  Phleum  pratense.     L. 

RATTLETRAP,  s.  the  mouth,  when  foolish  speech  is  uttered. 
"Shutthi  rattletrap." 

RAUGHT,  v.  perfect  tense  of  reach.     W. 

RAW,  v.  to  pull  excessively. 

"JRawing}toss&\  to  death." 

RAWM,  v.  to  reach. 

A  bricklayer  trying  to  reach  too  high  to  his  work  would  be  told,  "  Get 
summat  under  thi  feet,  an'  then  tha  con  do  it  beawt  rawmin." 

RAWMY,  adj.  rank,  coarse. 

Applied  to  the  sort  of  loose  innutritious  hay  that  grows  about  a  hedge  or 
under  trees  ;  or  to  corn  that  has  grown  rank  and  leafy,  and  becomes  laid. 

RAWNY,  s.  (i)  a  dead  bough  on  a  growing  tree. 

"  Chips  and  rawnies  belong  to  the  faller." — Old  Cheshire  saying.     L. 
This,  however,  scarcely  seems  to  be  a  colloquial  saying ;  but  a  simple 
assertion  of  a  fact  that  the  chips  and  dead  branches  are  the  perquisite  of  the 
man  who  fells  the  timber. 

(2)  a  fool. 

RAWP,  v.  to  scratch.— Manchester  City  News,  Feb.  26th,  1880,  but 
not  localized. 

RAW-YED,  s.  a  soft  fellow. 
RAYL,  adj.  real. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  283 

RAYLLY,  adv.  really. 

There  is  a  peculiar  use  and  a  peculiar  pronunciation  of  this  word  in 
certain  cases  where  it  becomes  emphatic ;  there  is  then  a  very  strong  accent 
upon  the  second  syllable,  thus :  ' '  Raylet,  mon,  aw  could  stond  it  no  lunger ; 
aw  were  forced  for  t'  spake." 

RAYTHER,  adv.  rather. 

RAYTHER  OF  GATHER,  idiom,  an  imperceptible  inclination  in 
a  certain  direction. 

"  Is  your  fayther  mendin?"  "  Well !  aw  con  scarcely  tell;  bur  aw 
think  he  rayther  of  oather  gains  strength." 

"  Is  yon  waw  plim?"  "Aye,  it's  what  you-  may  caw  plim,  th' 
bant  beats  o'  th'  line;  but  yet  it  rayther  of  oather  batters." 

RAZZER,  s.  (i)  a  razor. 

(2)  a  small  cop  or  hedge  narrow  at  the  top.    Sometimes 

an  adjective.     L. 
"  They  didna  stop  for  razzur  cop. " — Warburton's  Hunting  Songs. 

RAZZORED,  part,  enraged.     L.     See  RASSERT. 

REAP  UP,  v.  to  recur  to  something,  generally  of  an  irritating  or 
disagreeable  nature.     Mow  COP. 

A  woman  said,  "  My  husband  never  hit  me  but  once,  and  I  reaped  it  up 
so  often,  he  begged  me  to  let  it  drop. " 

REAR,  v.  (i)  to  bring  up  a  young  animal. 

(2)  to  mould  the  crust  of  a  raised  pie. 
REARING,  s.  (i)  a  calf  which  is  being  reared. 

(2)  a  supper  given  to  the  workmen  who  are  building  a 
house,  as  soon  as  the  roof  timbers  are  put  on. 

REAWK,  v.  to  ramble  off  for  a  gossip. 

"  Go's  allus  reawkin  eawt  at  neets." 

REAWKIN,  s.  a  gossiping  meeting.     L. 

RECKON,  v.  to  suppose,  to  conjecture,  to  conclude. 

RED  BUTCHER,  s.  the  red  campion,  Lychnis  diurna,     CREWE. 

REDDEN  UP,  v.  to  become  red. 

"  The  hens  begin  to  redden  up." 
It  is  a  sign  they  are  going  to  lay,  when  their  combs  get  a  bright  colour.    L. 

REDDING  COMB,  s.  a  comb  for  dressing  the  hair. 

RED  DRUMMER,  s.  a  name  used  by  the  Cheshire  and  Lanca- 
shire working  men  naturalists  for  a  coloured  butterfly.  White 
ones  are  called  "  butterflees."  See  FRENCH  BUTTERFLEE  and 
QUEEN  ANN. 


284  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

REDDY,  v.  (t)  to  comb. 

"  Go's  reddyin  her  hair." 

(2)  to  strip  the  rough  fat  from  the  intestines  of  a  pig. 
"  Reddyin  rops." 

(3)  also  used  as  a  sort  of  indefinite  threat- 
"Aw'll  reddy  his  rops  for  him." 

RED  JACK,  s.  the  red  campion,  Lychnis  diurna.     ROSTHERNE. 

RED  KNEES,  s.  the  plant  Polygonum  Persicaria.  RED  LEGS 
(W.  CHES.). 

RED  LINNET,  s.  the  goldfinch. 

RED  LONE,  s.  used  idiomatically  for  the  throat. 
"His  money's  aw  gone  dain  th'  red  lone." 

RED  RAG,  s.  (i)  the  poplar,  so  called  from  its  red  catkins.     L. 

Populus  nigra  is  probably  the  species  intended,  which  produces  a  great 
quantity  of  red  catkins. 

(2)  a  writ  is  occasionally  so  called.     WILMSLOW. 

RED  ROCKET,  s.  the  lilac  variety  of  Hesperis  matronalis.  Common 
in  gardens. 

RED  SOLDIER,  s.  the  red  campion,  Lychnis  diurna.     DELAMERE. 

REDWEED,  s.  Geranium  Robertianum.  DELAMERE  FOREST. — 
Science  Gossip,  1877,  p.  39. 

REEAN  or  REEN,  s.  the  furrow  or  gutter  between  two  butts  in  a  field. 

REEAN-WAWTED  or  REEN-WAWTED,  part,  a  sheep  or  other 
animal  is  said  to  be  reean-wawted  when  it  gets  on  its  back  in  a 
reea-n,  and,  as  is  often  the  case,  cannot  get  up  again  without 
assistance. 

REECH,  v.  to  retch,  to  vomit 

REED,  s.  (i)  weaving  term.  A  frame  of  flattened  wires  for  sepa- 
rating the  threads  of  the  warp,  and  for  beating  the 
weft  up  to  the  web. 

(2)  used  metaphorically  for  state  or  condition. 

One  lunatic  speaking  to  another  at  an  asylum,  and  receiving  no  answer, 
turned  to  my  friend  who  stood  by,  and  said,  "Is  yon  mon  i'th  same  reead 
as  me  ?" 

" To  be  in  a  poor  reed"  is  to  be  in  a  poor  condition. 

"What  sort  of  bricks  has  he  to  sell?"     "But  middling;  he's  in 
a  poor  reed'yask.  now." 

REEDIMADAZY,  s.  a  child's  first  lesson  book,  called  "Reading 
made  easy;"  but  invariably  pronounced  by  the  children  as  I 
have  written  it. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  285 

REEF,  s.  a  rash  on  the  skin ;  the  itch,  or  any  eruptive  disorder.     W. 
REEN,  s.  (i)  rain.     W.  CHES. 

(2)  a  furrow.     See  REEAN. 

REEST,  s.  the  mould-board  of  a  plough. 

REESTY,  adj.  rancid,  said  of  bacon. 

"  Through  follie  too  beastlie 
much  bacon  is  reastie." — TUSSER,  E.D.S.  ed.,  p.  53. 

REET,  adj.  (i)  right.     REIGHT  (WILMSLOW). 
(2)  sane. 
"  He's  no'  reel,  poor  lad." 

REEVE,  v.  to  separate  corn  that  has  been  winnowed  from  the  small 
seeds  which  are  among  it ;  this  is  done  with  what  they  call  the 
reeving  sieve. — Academy  of  Armory.  W. 

REMEDDY,  s.  remedy. 

The  accent  is  always  on  the  second  syllable. 

REMEMBER,  v.  to  remind. 

''Remember  me  for  t'  pay  yo  back;  win  yo?" 

RENDER,  v.  (i)  to  melt  down,  as  lard  or  other  fat. 
(2)  to  plaster  a  wall  or  ceiling. 

RENSE,  v.  to  rinse. 

RENSINGS,  s.  rinsings,  especially  of  milk  cans. 

RESOLVE,  v.  (i)  to  dissolve. 
(2)  to  explain. 
"Aw  canna  mak  it  ait,  yo  mun  resolve  it." 

RESORTER,  s.  frequenter,  an  uncommon  word  found  in  Newes 
out  of  Cheshire  of  the  new-found  well,  A.D.  1600.  L. 

RETCH,  v.  (i)  to  stretch. 

"  If  a  cawf  retches  when  it  gets  up,  it  doesner  ail  mitch." 
(2)  to  exaggerate. 

REYNOLDS,  s.  a  fox  is  frequently  spoken  of  as  Mister  Reynolds. 

RHEUMATICS,) 
RHEUMATIZ,   }  *  rheumatism. 

It  is  a  very  common  idea  amongst  the  country  people,  especially  the  older 
generation,  that  rheumatics  and  rheumatism  are  not  quite  the  same  disease. 
"  Has  yo're  mester  getten  th'  rheumatiz?" 
"Now,  its  no  th'  rheumatiz;  its  rheumatic." 

In  the  same  way  I  have  heard  a  distinction  made  between  epilepsy  and 
epileptic. 


286  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

RIB,  s.  a  wife. 

RIB  GRASS,  s.  Plantago  lanceolata. 

RIBBON  GRASS,  s.  the  variegated   garden   variety   of  Phalaris 
arundinacea. 

RICK,  s.  (i)  a  stack;  an  occasional  word. 

Randle  Holme  describes  a  Rick  as  being  different  from  a  Stack.  See 
HAYSTACK. 

(2)  the  noise  made  by  a  polecat  or  ferret.     L. 

RICK,  v.  to  chatter.     WILMSLOW  and  the  neighbourhood. 

"  Oo  ricks  as  bad  as  a  jay  "  is  said  of  a  chattering  or  scolding  woman. 
A  polecat  or  ferret  also  make  a  noise  which  is  called  ricking.      See  RIKE 
and  RIKERS. 

RICKING-RIPE,  adj.   dead  ripe.      WILMSLOW  and    the  neigh- 
bourhood. 

Applied  to  corn,  probably  because  it  then  makes  a  rattling  noise.  See 
RICKKA. 

RICKKA  or  RICKKER,  v.  to  rattle.     WILMSLOW  and  the  neigh- 
bourhood. 

Many  years  ago  there  was  an  old  weaver  named  Jacob  Bradbury  who 
lived  in  Morley  who,  when  times  were  bad,  was  accustomed  to  go  and  ask 
for  a  few  days  work  at  the  neighbouring  farms,  in  the  hope  of  getting  better 
food  than  he  was  able  to  provide  at  home.  Forty  or  fifty  years  ago  farm  men 
in  Cheshire  were  fed  with  very  coarse  food.  Raised  pies  made  of  brown 
flour,  and  filled  with  apples,  or  even  crabs,  sweetened  with  treacle,  were  not 
unfrequently  set  upon  the  table.  They  were  extremely  hard,  and  not  very 
palatable,  and  these  pies  used  to  disgust  old  Jacob.  He  always  called  them 
"Crab  Lanterns,"  and  said  that  when  he  "picked  th'  poy  up  fro'  th'  table, 
and  shak't  it,  he  could  hear  th'  app'es  rickka  i'  th'  insoide. " 

RID  or  RID  UP,  v.  to  clear  out,  or  pull  up. 

Applied  to  pulling  up  a  hedge,  or  getting  a  tree  up  by  the  roots. 

RIDDLE,  s.  a  coarse  sieve. 

RIDE  AND  TIE,  v.  alternate  walking  and  riding  when  two 
travellers  have  only  one  horse  between  them. 

The  process  is  rather  curious.  A  and  B  start  together,  A  on  horseback, 
B  walking.  A  rides  on  quickly  for,  say  a  mile,  and  then  ties  his  horse  to  a 
gate,  and  walks  on.  B,  after  a  while,  comes  up  with  the  horse,  mounts  him, 
and  rides  on  quickly,  passes  A,  ties  up  the  horse  a  certain  distance  in  advance, 
and  walks  on.  Thus  they  continue  to  the  end  of  the  journey,  performing  it 
quicker  than  if  they  kept  together,  each  having  an  equal  amount  of  rest,  and 
the  horse  likewise  resting  at  intervals.  I  used  frequently  to  hear  of  this 
method  of  travelling  when  I  was  a  boy. 

RIDE-EAWT,  s.  a  commercial  traveller. 

RIDER  or  RYTHER,  a  stook  of  corn;  generally  made  of  ten 
sheaves;  four  on  each  side,  and  two  "hudders"  or  covering 
sheaves. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  287 

RIDGE-POLE  or  RIDGE-POW,  s.  the  topmost  piece  of  wood  in  a 
roof;  also  the  cross  pole  that  supports  a  stack  sheet. 

RIDGING  STONE,  s.  the  stone  capping  seen   upon  old  roofs. 
Blue  tiles  are  now  used  instead. 

RIDGE-UTH,  s.  the  chain  back  band  which  goes  over  the  saddle  of 
a  carthorse,  and  supports  the  shafts. 

Leigh  spells  it  RIDGWITH,  and  a  correspondent  from  the  neighbourhood 
of  Warrington  spells  it  RiDGWORTH,  but  I  have  always  heard  it  pronounced 
as  I  have  spelt  it. 

RIDING  STANG,/ar/. 

A  summary  mode  of  punishment  adopted  in  cases  of  matrimonial 
quarrels,  and  more  especially  in  cases  of  unfaithfulness  on  the  part  of  either 
husband  or  wife.  A  stang,  i.e.,  a  pole,  was  supported  on  the  shoulders  of 
two  men,  and  the  culprit  was  made  to  sit  astride  of  it,  and  was  then  paraded 
through  the  streets  or  lanes  followed  by  a  rabble  of  men  and  boys,  who  beat 
upon  tin  cans  and  made  as  much  din  as  possible.  The  procession  stopped 
at  every  corner,  and  also  opposite  the  house  of  the  culprit,  where  the  misdoer's 
delinquencies  were  proclaimed.  In  later  times  a  ladder  was  often  substituted 
for  a  pole,  and  the  culprit  was  represented  by  someone  else,  or  even  by  an 
effigy.  I  have,  on  one  occasion,  known  a  cart  to  be  used,  in  which  the  man 
stood  who  repeated  the  nominy.  The  custom,  though  dying  out,  is  still 
practised.  The  last  occasion  that  I  remember  was  about  twelve  or  thirteen 
years  ago. 

RIFE,  adj.  commonly  known  or  reported. 
"  The  news  is  rife." 

RIFF-RAFF,  s.  (i)  offal. 

(2)  metaphorically,  the  scum  of  society. 
RIFT,  v.  to  eructate, 
RIFTING  FULL,  adj.  full  to  repletion. 
RIG,  s.  (i)  a  quiz.     L. 

(2)  a  strong  blast  of  wind. 

The  storms  which  usually  prevail  about  the  time  of  the  autumnal  equinox 
are  called  Michaelmas  Riggs.  W. 

(3)  a  male  horse  not  fully  developed,  and  which  cannot  be 

castrated. 

RIGGOT,  s.  a  channel  or  gutter. 

RIKE,  v.  to  gad  about  gossiping.     Mow  COP. 
"  Hoo's  all'ays  rikin." 

RIKERS,  s.  gossiping  women.     Mow  COP. 
RIMY,  adj.  white  with  hoar  frost. 


288  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

RINER,  s.  a  toucher.     It  is  used  at  the  game  of  quoits. 

A  Kiner  is  when  the  quoit  touches  the  peg  or  mark.  A  whaver  is  when 
it  rests  upon  the  peg,  and  hangs  over,  and  consequently  wins  the  cast.  "  To 
shed  riners  with  a  whaver  "  is  a  proverbial  expression  from  Ray,  and  means 
to  surpass  anything  skilful  or  adroit  by  something  still  more  so.  W.  I  think 
the  word  is  not  now  in  use. 

RING  DAIN,  v.  when  the  church  bell  ringers  increase  the  speed  of 
the  ringing  preparatory  to  tolling  the  tenor  bell  for  the  last  five 
minutes  before  going  into  church. 

"Look  sharp,  you'n  be  late  for  church ;  they're  ringin  dain" 

RINGER,  s.  a  crowbar. 

An  iron  or  steel  lever,  usually  about  four  feet  long.  In  Plott's  History  of 
Staffordshire,  ed.  1686,  p.  153,  is  a  description  of  the  process  of  quarrying 
limestone.  The  rock  is  described  as  in  horizontal  layers,  "broken  up  with 
iron  wedges  knock't  in  with  great  sledges  (hammers),  and  prized  up  [with] 
great  leavers  with  rings  round  them  to  stay  the  feet  of  the  workmen  who  get 
upon  them,  whereof  some  weigh  at  least  150  Ibs." — Cheshire  Sheaf, 
vol.  i.,  p.  322. 

RINGE  WAVE  BUTTER,  s. 

"It.  x  potts  of  Ringe  waye  butter  &  some  out  of  potts." — From  an 
inventory  of  property  belonging  to  Margery  Glutton  of  Nantwich,  161 1. — Local 
Gleanings,  Feb.,  1880,  p.  300. 

It  is  suggested  that  this  is  "Ring  Whey -butter;"  the  ring  being,  probably, 
a  press  placed  on  the  ivhey  butter  in  the  pots  to  exclude  the  air,  so  as  to  keep 
it  good  for  a  long  time. 

RING  STAKE,  s.  the  stake  to  which  the  cows  in  a  shippon  are 
tied.  L.  See  RANGE  STAKE  and  RATCH  STAKE. 

RINKS,  s.  circle,  quasi  ring.     Part  of  Tabley  Park  is  so  called.     L. 
There  is  a  circle  of  trees  in  Talton  Park  called  "  the  bull-ring." 

RIP,  s.  (i)  a  scapegrace. 

(2)  an  old,  lean  horse  would  also  be  spoken  of  as  "a  rip  of 
a  tit." 

RIP,  v.  to  behave  in  a  violent  manner. 

We  frequently  speak  of  a  man  "  ripping  and  swearing." 

RIPSTITCH,  s.  a  harum-scarum  person. 

RISEN  ON,  part,  a  peculiar  swelling  of  the  body  of  a  cow,  caused 
by  a  cold  wind  blowing  upon  her  when  she  has  been  turned  out 
of  a  warm  shippon  in  winter.  Such  cases  are  sometimes  fatal. 

RISK,  s.  a  rush.     W. 

"All  the  wyves  of  Tottenham  came  to  see  that  syzt 
With  wyspes,  and  kexis,  and  ryschys  there  lyzt." 

— Percy's  Reliques,  ed.  v.,  vol.  ii.,  p.  23. 

RIT  or  RITLING,  s.  the  smallest  pig  of  a  litter.  Also  applied  to  a 
puny  child. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  289 

RITE,  part,  arrived.  WILMSLOW,  MOBBERLEY,  but  almost,  if  not 
quite,  obsolete. 

"  If  a'd  had  th'  luck  to  have  rite  afore  he  went  away." 

RITLING.     See  RIT. 

RIZZOM,  s.  the  head  of  the  oat. 

When  oats  are  well-headed  they  are  said  to  be  vtell-rizzomed. 

ROAD,  s.  manner,  way. 

"  That's  not  th'  reet  road  for  do  it,  come  an'  111  show  thee." 

ROAD,  v.  to  show  the  way.     WILMSLOW. 

"  Aw'll  road  thee  heaw  to  manage  him." 

ROADED,  part,  streaked  with  lean.     Said  of  bacon. 

ROAST,  v.  to  bake  meat  in  an  oven. 

If  roasted  in  the  orthodox  way,  it  is  specified  as  "  roasted  before  the  fire  " 
or  "  in  front  of  the  fire." 

ROAST  MEAT,  s. 

There  is  an  old  Cheshire  saying,  "Roast  meat  does  cattle."  L.  (See 
DOE.)  Which  means  that  grass  in  a  very  dry  season,  half  roasted,  as  it 
were,  is  more  fattening  than  grass  in  a  rainy  season. 

ROBIN,  s.  hatting  term.  A  coating  of  paste  or  pasted  paper  put  in 
the  angle  of  a  hat  crown  to  keep  it  in  proper  shape. 

ROBIN  HOOD  WIND,  s.  a  cold,  piercing  wind  from  the  south 
or  south-east,  which  often  accompanies  the  breaking  up  of  a  long 
frost. 

This  is  generally  spoken  of  as  a  "  thaw  wind,"  or,  as  it  is  pronounced,  a 
tho  wind ;  but  it  has  also  received  the  above  curious  name ;  and  it  is  further 
added  in  explanation  that  "Robin  Hood  could  stand  anything  but  a  tho 
wind."  I  have  never  been  able  to  trace  out  any  reason  or  any  tradition  to 
connect  the  celebrated  outlaw,  in  the  Cheshire  mind,  with  a  thaw  wind. 

ROBIN  RED-BREAST,  s.  the  red,  mossy  gall  which  grows  upon 
the  branches  of  the  wild  rose.  KELSALL. 

ROBIN-RUN-I'TH'-EDGE,  s.  (i)  the  ground  ivy,  Nepeta  Glechoma. 

(2)  Bindweed.     L. 
ROCHE,  s.  refuse  stone.     W. 
ROCK-GETTER,  s.  salt-mining  term;  a  rock-salt  miner. 

ROCK-GETTING,  part,  salt-mining  term;  used  for  all  the 
processes  of  working  out  the  rock  salt,  either  with  tools  or  by 
blasting. 

ROCK  HEAD,  s.  salt-mining  term ;  the  surface  of  the  first  bed  of 
rock  salt 


290  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

ROCK  MINE,  s.  salt-mining  term ;  the  local  name  for  a  rock  salt 
mine. 

ROCK-PIT  HOLE,  s.  salt-mining  term ;  a  pit  or  hole  formed  by 
the  falling  in  of  rock  salt  mines. 

Such  subsidences,  not  always  caused  by  the  falling  in  of  a  mine,  but  by 
the  pumping  of  brine  from  beneath  the  earth,  are  of  common  occurrence  at 
Northwich,  causing  the  houses  in  the  streets  to  be  very  irregular,  some 
leaning  one  way,  some  another. 

RODNEY,  s.  a  confirmed  idler  (Mow  COP),  but  more  generally  a 
man  who  is  notorious  for  any  kind  of  nowtiness. 

At  one  of  the  "  revival "  services  amongst  the  Methodists  a  man  began 
to  pray,  but  not  being  used  to  reverent  forms  of  expression,  he  soon  relapsed 
into  his  vernacular,  and  said,  "Oh!  Lord,  have  mercy  upon  me,  for  Thou 
knows  I've  been  a  rodney." 

ROG,  v.  to  shake. 

A  window  or  door  rogs  with  the  wind.     L.     Also  ROGGER,  which  see. 

ROGER  GARY'S  DINNER,  idiom,  a  -saying  when  the  dinner  is 
scanty,  or  "  just  enoo  and  none  to  spare."     L. 

ROGGER,  v.  to  rattle  violently;    to  jolt.      WILMSLOW  and   the 
neighbourhood. 

"  What  art  roggerin  at  th'  dur  for,  when  tha  knows  its  lockt?" 
"Aw  could  hear  th'  cart  roggerin  on  th'  causey  as  far  off  as 
Knowles  Green." 

ROGUE,  v.  to  cheat. 

"  Dost  think  aw'm  gooin  rogue  thee?" 

ROMANCE,  v.  to  make  up  a  story;  to  "  shoot  with  a  long  bow." 
"Tak  no  heed  o'  what  he  sez ;  he's  nowt  bu'  romancing." 

ROMBLIN,  adj.  restless.     MACCLESFIELD. 
ROMPETY,  adj.  violent,  restless;  said  of  a  horse.     L. 
RONDLE,  prop.  name,  the  pronunciation  of  Randal  or  Randle. 
RONDLE,  v.  to  pull  the  hair. 

RONGE,  v.  to  reach,  as  cattle  reach  over  a  hedge  to  get  at  some- 
thing they  are  not  intended  to  have.     MACCLESFIELD. 

RONGIN,  adj.  rough,  unruly. 

RONK,  adj.  (i)  rank,  keen,  strong. 

"  He  were  as  rank  a  dog  marchant  as  ever  lived,"  i.e.,  he  was  as  keen  a 
dog  fancier. 

"As  rank  a  wick-sond  as  ever  aw  seed." 

(2)  luxuriant  in  growth,  as  of  wheat  or  potatoes. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  29 1 

(3)  fully,  completely. 

"  Rank  ripe,"  i.e.,  fully  ripe,  said  of  fruit. 

(4)  bad,  cunning,  mischievous. 

(5)  man's  appetens,  said  of  a  sow. 

(6)  having  a  bad  smell. 

RONKLE,  v.  to  fester,  to  be  inflamed. 

"Aw  geet  a  prick  i'  my  thumb,  an'  it's  done  nowt  bu'  rankle 
ever  sin." 

ROOD,  s.  a  lineal  measure  of  eight  yards. 

It  is  the  foundation  of  all  Cheshire  land  measurements,  as  the  rod  is  of 
statute  measure.  Such  piece-work  as  hedging  and  ditching,  draining,  putting 
up  posts  and  rails,  &c. ,  is  done  at  so  much  per  rood.  Digging  is  done  by  the 
square  rood  of  64  yards.  A  rood  of  marl  was  formerly  64  cubic  yards.  Rood 
is  the  same  in  the  singular  and  the  plural.  See  ACRE. 

ROOF,  s.  salt-mining  term;  the  top  of  a  mine. 

As  the  salt  is  first  got  at  the  roof  the  process  is  called  roofing. 

ROOFING.     See  ROOF. 

ROOF  ROCK,  s.  salt-mining  term ;  the  upper  portion  of  rock  salt 
in  a  working. 

ROOM,  s.  a  quantity. 

"A  room  of  water,"  i.e.,  a  flood.     L. 

ROOSLE,  v.  to  dust  their  feathers  as  birds  and  poultry  do,  in  sand, 
dust,  or  ashes.  L. 

ROOT,  v.  to  enquire  into,  to  meddle  with. 

ROOTS,  s.  the  counterfoils  of  bank  and  other  cheques. 

A  Chester  alderman  lately,  at  an  audit,  refused  to  pass  some  cheque 
receipts,  unless,  as  he  said,  the  officers  produced  the  roots.  L. 

ROOT-WARTED,  part,  a  tree  pulled  up  by  the  roots  is  called 
root-warted,  in  contradistinction  to  one  that  is  cut  or  sawn 
down.  L. 

ROPS,  s.  the  small  intestines  of  an  animal. 

ROPY,  adj.  viscous. 

ROSAMUND,  s.  the  wild  garlic,  Allium  ursinum.     L. 

ROSE  NOBLE,  s.  the  hounds-tongue,  Cynoglossum  officinah,  NEW 
BRIGHTON,  WALLASEY,  where  it  is  very  plentiful  upon  the 
sandhills. 

ROSE  OF  SHARON,  s.  Hypericum  calycinum. 


292  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

ROSIDANDUM  (MOBBERLEY),  ROSADANDY  (Mow  COP),  s.  the 
rhododendron. 

ROSKERT  or  ROSCUT,  adj.  scabbed  and  rusty,  said  of  potatoes. 
ROT,  s..  a  rat 

ROTTEN,  s.  a  rat.     MOBBERLEY. 
The  plural  is  rottens. 

ROUGHED  or  ROUGHENED,  part,  horses  are  said  to  be  roughed 
when  their  shoes  are  sharpened  to  prevent  slipping  in  frosty 
weather. 

ROUGH  LEEAF,  s.  the  second  leaves  of  seedlings,  especially 
turnips. 

"They're  welly  safe  from  flee,  when  they'n  getten  i'  th'  rough 
leeaf."    ' 

ROUGH-NUT,  s.  the  sweet  or  Spanish  chestnut,  Castanea  vesca. 
L. 

ROUGH-NUTTING,  part,  going  out  to  gather  or  pick  up  rough- 
nuts.  L. 

ROUK,  adj.  rich,  fertile.     Very  rich. 

"As  rouk  as  th'  Roodee." — Old  Cheshire  Proverb. 

The  Roodee,  the  Champ  de  Mars  of  Chester,  naturally  and  artificially 
most  fertile.     L. 

ROVE,  v.  to  disarrange,  to  tear  in  pieces. 

"It  wur  a  rough.neet;  th'  wind's  roved  aw  th'  thatch  off." 

ROVING,  part,  scattered. 

"  It  lies  roving  many  a  rood,"  said  of  a  wounded  or  shot  bird's  plumage 
scattered  over  the  turnip  tops.     L. 

ROWEL,  s.  a  seton. 

Many  farmers  insert  rowels  in  the  dewlaps  of  their  calves  to  prevent  them 
being  "  struck." 

ROWLER,  s.  a  roller. 

ROWLER-COVERER,  s.  a  man  who  covers  with  leather  the  small 
rollers  through  which  cotton  is  drawn  in  a  cotton  mill. 

ROWM,  s.  (i)  a  room.    ACTON  GRANGE. 
"We  never  usen  that  rowm." 

(2)  room,  in  the  sense  of  space.     ACTON  GRANGE. 
"  No  rowm  for  'im." 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  293 

ROWS,  s. 

The  Rows  of  Chester  are  covered  footways  above  the  lowest  story  and 
under  the  third  story  of  the  houses.  Some  of  the  best  shops  are  in  the  Rows. 
There  are  also  shops  in  the  lower  story,  level  with  the  street.  Thus  the 
people  who  walk  in  the  rows  are  walking  over  the  ceilings  of  the  lower  range 
of  shops,  and  under  the  projecting  bedrooms  or  sitting  rooms  of  the  upper 
range  of  shops. 

RUBBING-STONE,  s.  a  calcareous  stone  used  for  whitening  kitchen 
floors. 

It  is  sold  by  rag  and  bone  men,  who  bring  it  round  in  carts  and  exchange 
it  for  rags,  bones,  bottles,  &c.  It  is  generally  in  blocks  of  about  three  inches 
cube ;  but  sometimes  larger  pieces  are  fixed  at  the  end  of  a  long  handle,  so 
that  the  person  using  them  need  not  stoop. 

RUBBITCH,  s.  rubbish  of  any  kind. 

Also  used  metaphorically  for  bad,  low  people. 
"  They're  nowt  bu"  rubbitch." 

RUBBITCHY,  adj.  poor,  worthless. 

"They're  a  rubbitchy  lot  o'  pratoes." 

RUBUB,  s.  rhubarb. 

RUBWORT,  s.    Geranium  Robertianum.      DELAMERE   FOREST. — 
Science  Gossip,  1877,  p.  39. 

RUCK,  s.  (i)  a  heap. 

1 '  Put  it  in  a  ruck. " 

' '  The  devil  always  tips  at  the  biggest  ruck  "  is  a  saying  about  MIDDLE- 
WICH. 

(2)  a  large  quantity,  or  number. 
"A  ruck  o'  brass,"  i.e.,  a  great  deal  of  money. 
"A  ruck  o'  childer,"  i.e.,  many  children. 

RUCK  or  RUCK  UP,  v.  (i)  to  make  a  heap. 
"  Yo'd  best  ruck  it." 
"  We'n  getten  th'  hay  rucked  up." 

(2)  to  get  close  or  huddle  together  as 

fowls  do.     W. 

(3)  shrivelled   and   withered,    as    flowers 

exposed  to  the  hot  sun.    FRODSHAM. 

(4)  to  attack  in  a  body. 

"They  could  do  nowt  wi'  him  single-honded,   bu'  they  rucked 
him." 

RUCKLING,  s.  the  least  of  a  brood.     W. 

RUCKS  AN'  YEPS,  idiom,  untidy.     DELAMERE. 

"  Wi  me  bein  ait  so  mitch,  missis,  it's  aw  rucks  an'  yefs"  meaning  the 
place  was  untidy. 


294  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

RUD,  s.  (i)  the  roach-dace.     MOBBERLEY. 

(2)  spawn  of  toads  or  frogs. 
"Toad  rud" 

RUD,  adj.  red.     Rudheath.     L. 

Rudheath  is  generally  pronounced  Ridheeath. 

RUE,  v.  to  repent. 

A  woman  who  married  a  widower  with  six  young  children  said,  "  On  th' 
first  day  aw  weshed,  an'  aw  skriked,  an'  aw  rued." 

RUE-BARGAIN,  s.  a  bargain  from  which  the  purchaser  draws  back. 

RUFFERS,  s.  hatting  term,  the   men  who  put  the  nap  on  those 
hats  known  as  "  beavers." 

This  branch  of  industry  was  superseded  about  thirty  years  ago  by  the  intro- 
duction of  silk  hats,  which  are  made  by  covering  a  stiffened  calico  body  with 
a  silk  plush,  and  the  men  employed  as  ruffers  had  to  seek  other  employment. 
About  four  years  ago  the  beaver  hat  was  again  introduced  for  ladies'  wear, 
and  on  account  of  the  great  demand,  and  small  number  of  workmen  then 
living  who  understood  the  work,  great  difficulty  was  experienced  in  meeting 
the  demand.  These  men,  who  were  all  grown  old,  were  eagerly  sought  out ; 
and  many  who  had  gone  into  the  workhouses  to  end  their  days  were  fetched 
away  and  put  in  easy  and  lucrative  employment.  See  RUFFING. 

RUFFIN,  s.  a  ruffian. 

RUFFING,  part,  hatting  term.     The  process  of  putting  the  nap  on 
beaver  hats. 

It  is  a  more  interesting  process  than  many  in  the  hat-making  industry. 
After  the  hat  body  has  been  made  and  stiffened  with  a  solution  of  shellac, 
the  beaver  or  other  material  which  is  to  form  the  nap  is  spread  out  and  cut 
to  the  shape  of  the  hat  body  flattened.  It  is  then  laid  on  the  hat  body  in 
three  folds,  but  between  each  fold  being  laid  on,  the  hat  has  to  be  rolled  in  a 
cloth  so  as  to  get  the  nap  to  adhere.  After  the  third  layer  or  fold  has  been 
put  on  the  hats  are  rolled  for  three  hours,  and  frequently  immersed  in  boiling 
acidulated  water,  the  effect  of  which  is  to  cause  the  nap  to  grow  quite  fast  to 
the  hat  body.  The  fibres  of  the  nap,  having  projections  like  teeth,  pointing 
outwards,  work  into  the  body,  and  cannot  be  pulled  out ;  and  if  this  rolling 
process  were  continued  long  enough  the  nap  would  work  through  the 
hat  body,  and  come  out  on  the  other  side.  The  third  and  last  layer  which 
is  put  on  is  mixed  with  cotton,  which,  being  a  vegetable  fibre,  will  not  felt ; 
and  this  prevents  the  nap  from  felting  during  the  continuous  rolling  to  which 
it  is  subjected.  Only  animal  fibres  will  felt ;  and  it  is  remarkable  that  wool 
taken  from  sheepskins  has  not  the  same  felting  properties  as  wool  which  has 
been  shorn  from  the  back  of  the  living  sheep. 

RUINATE,  v.  to  seduce. 

RUINATION,  s.  ruin. 

"Jack  were  the  ruination  o'  Bill." 

RUMPUS,  s.  row,  disturbance. 

RUN-A-BUR-JUMP,  s.  a  jump  where  the  impetus  is  gained  by 
taking  a  run.     See  BURR  (4). 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  295 

RUNAGATE,  s.  an  idle  person. 

This  antiquated  word  is  still  in  common  use  in  Cheshire. 

RUNDLE,  s.  a  small  running  stream. 

RUNGE,  s.  salt-mining  term.  A  large  tub  or  bucket  used  for 
drawing  water  or  brine  out  of  a  rock-salt  mine. 

RUNGEING,  adj.  savage,  violent.     FRODSHAM. 

A  sow  which  was  so  violent  that  a  man  was  unable  to  put  a  ring  in  her 
nose  was  described  as  "  a  great,  big,  rungeing  thing." 

RUNNER,  s.  a  policeman.  Becoming  obsolete,  but  quite  common 
thirty  years  ago. 

RUNNER-DOWN,  s.  hatting  term.  A  small  implement  with  a 
groove  by  which  a  tight  cord  can  be  moved  up  and  down  the 
crown  of  a  hat. 

RUN  ONE'S  COUNTRY,  v.  to  abscond  from  creditors. 

RUN  KYI, part,  (i)  impoverished;  said  of  land  that  has  been  too 
heavily  cropped,  and  not  sufficiently 
manured. 

(2)  extinct. 
"Billy  Green  pratoes  are  run  ait,  there's  none  on  em  nai." 

RUNT,  v.  to  hum,  to  whistle.     L. 

RUSHBEARING,  s.  a  custom  of  carrying  rushes  to  the  Church, 
still  kept  up  at  Lymm,  Farndon,  Aldford,  Coddington,  Tilstone, 
Shocklach,  and  probably  many  other  parishes. 

Formerly  the  rushes  were  strewed  on  the  floor,  presumably  for  the 
purposes  of  warmth  ;  but  now  the  custom  takes  the  form  of  decorating  the 
walls  of  the  church  with  flowers  and  rushes,  and  laying  rushes  on  the  graves 
of  departed  friends ;  hence  the  custom  has  also  been  called  Rush-burying. 

The  following  details  concerning  the  rushbearing  formerly  observed  at 
Wilmslow  is  supplied  by  a  correspondent :  "  I  know  from  my  grandfather  and 
grandmother  that  there  was  formerly  a  rush-bearing  at  Wilmslow,  with  the 
accompaniment  of  Morris  Dancing,  &c.  A  Mary  Massey,  called  Mary 
Lappinch,  from  the  name  of  the  place  where  she  lived — Lappinch  Hall,  on 
Lindow  racecourse — being  the  presiding  genius  at  this  Morris  Dancing.  I 
just  remember  the  old  woman.  When  1  knew  her  she  was  very  old,  and  I 
was  only  a  child.  From  what  I  gathered  from  my  grandparents  this  rush- 
bearing  was  for  a  useful  purpose.  The  rushes  were  gathered  some  time 
previously  by  the  swains  of  the  parish  gratuitously,  and  on  the  set  day  some 
of  the  farmers'  teams  would  carry  them  to  the  Church  with  rejoicings.  The 
rushes  were  then  strewn  all  over  the  floor  of  the  Church,  for  the  purposes  of 
warmth  during  the  coming  winter.  I  have  often  heard  my  grandmother 
speak  of  the  great  comfort  these  rushes  afforded  ;  for  these  were  not  the  days 
of  hot  water  apparatus,  &c." 

RUT,  s.  the  dashing  of  the  waves.     HALLIWELL. 
RUTC H ART,  prop.  name.  Richard.    W.  CHES. 


296  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

RUTE,  v.  to  cry  with  vehemence,  to  strive  as  children  do  sometimes 
in  crying,  to  make  as  much  noise  as  they  can ;  to  bellow  or  roar. 
W.  The  word  is  quite  obsolete,  I  think. 

RYAL,  adj.  pronunciation  of  royal 

RYNT,    ) 

ROYNT,  \  v.  to  get  out  of  the  way. 

RUNT,    ) 

ltRynt  thee,"  is  an  expression  used  by  milk-maids  to  a  cow  when  she  has 
been  milked,  to  bid  her  get  out  of  the  way.     W. 

Ray  gives  " Rynt  you,  witch,  quoth  Besse  Lockett  to  her  mother,"  as 
an  old  Cheshire  saying. 

RYTHER.    See  RIDER. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  297 


s. 


SACK.     See  SECK. 

SACKERS,  s.  salt-making  term.     Men  who  hold  the  salt   sacks 
whilst  they  are  being  filled. 

SACKING  or  SECKING,  part,  salt-making  term.      When  a  sack 
is  too  full  to  stitch  properly,  the  men  jump  it  up  and  down,  to 
cause  the  salt  to  settle  more  closely ;  this  is  called  sacking. 
Shaking  corn  in  a  bag  to  make  it  more  solid  is  also  called  sacking  it. 

SAD,  adj.  sodden,  livery. 

Said  of  bread  which  is  heavy. 

SADE,  v.  to  surfeit,  to  tire.     Mow  COP. 

"Too  much  puddin  ud  sade  a  dog"  is  the  local  way  of  expressing  the 
undesirability  of  too  much,  even  of  a  good  thing.  See  ^ilso  SATE. 

SADED,  part,  tired.     DELAMERE. 
"  I'm  quite  saded  out." 

SAFE,  adj.  sure,  certain. 

" Safe  to  be  drownded."     "  Safe  to  be  hung." 

SAG,  v.  to  swag.     MOBBERLEY. 

A  beam  that  drops  in  the  middle  is  said  to  sag. 

SAGE  CHEESE,  s.  cheese  with  the  juice  of  sage  mixed  amongst 
the  curd. 

It  gives  it  a  peculiar  green-mottled  appearance,  and  a  flavour  much 
relished  by  some.  Occasionally  the  vat  is  half-filled  with  sage  cheese,  and 
filled  up  with  plain  cheese,  so  that  when  a  wedge  of  cheese  is  brought  to 
table  one  half  is  flavoured  with  sage  and  the  other  not,  and  each  person  can 
be  helped  to  the  kind  he  likes  best.  Very  few  sage  cheeses  are  now  made. 

SAHL,  SOHL  (WILBRAHAM),  SOLE,  or  SOW.     See  Sow. 

SAID,  part,  advised,  induced,  deterred. 
"  He  winna  be  said." 

SAILOR,  s.  a  long,  black,  coleopterous  insect. 

There  is  a  red  one,  very  similar  in  shape,  called  a  "  Soldier." 

SAINT  ANTHONY'S  FIRE,  s.  erysipelas, 
u 


298  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

SAIN  YE,  excl.  a  term  of  reprobation,  an  oath. 

SAKE,  s.  (i)  a  wet  spot  where  the  water  oozes  out  on  the  surface  of 
the  land;  a  land  spring.  MOBBERLEY,  and  I  think 
general. 

(2)  surface  water  in  contradistinction  to  water  from  a  deep 
spring. 

Thus  a  very  shallow  pump-well  made  to  collect  merely  the  water  that 
drains  from  the  surface  of  the  land  is  spoken  of  as  "only  a  sake,"  whilst  a  deep 
well  would  be  dignified  as  "a  spring." 

SAKE,  v.  to  percolate,  as  water  does  either  into  or  out  of  anything 
or  any  place. 

SALADINE,  s.  celandine,  Chelidonium  majus. 
SALARY,  s.  celery. 

SALLET,  s.  salad;  formerly  extended  to  pickles. 

"Sallet,  is  either  Sweet  Herbs,  or  Pickled  Fruit,  as  Cucumbers,  Samphire, 
Elder-Buds,  Broom-buds,  &c.,  eaten  with  Roasted  meats." — Academy  of 
Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  iii.,  p.  84. 

At  public  dinners  the  country  people  still  eat  pickles  with  hot  roast 
meat. 

When  grass  is  firm  and  good  to  mow  the  mowers  say  "  it  cuts  like  a 
sallet." 

SAMCLOTH,  s.  an  old  and  apparently  the  refined  word  for  a 
sampler. 

"A  Samcloth,  vulgarly  a  Sampler." — Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III., 
ch.  iii.,  p.  73. 

SAMMUL,  prop.  name.  Samuel. 

SAMSON  CLOTH,  s.  hatting  term.  A  coarse  cloth  used  in  the 
early  stage  of  felting. 

SAMSON-TRAP,  s.  a  kind  of  mousetrap  which  kills  the  mouse  by 
a  block  of  wood  falling  on  it.  WILMSLOW. 

SANCTUARY,  s.  the  herb  Erythraa  Centaurium,  largely  collected 
by  the  herb  doctors  and  used  as  a  stomachic,  and,  I  believe,  one 
of  the  ingredients  of  what  is  sold  in  the  towns  as  "botanic  beer." 

SANDING  FOR  WEDDINGS. 

A  curious  custom  originally  peculiar  to  Knutsford,  but  now  extended  to  a 
few  of  the  neighbouring  villages.  On  the  occasion  of  a  marriage  the  friends 
of  the  bride  and  bridegroom  put  sand  before  their  doors  in  patterns,  the  most 
approved  pattern  being  like  scale  armour.  Mottoes  are  also  written  in  sand, 
one  of  the  most  popular  being 

"Long  may  they  live  and  happy  may  they  be; 

Blest  with  contentment  to  all  eternity." 

The  sanding  extends  about  halfway  across  the  streets  from  each  house,  and  if 
the  bride  and  bridegroom  are  favourites,  or  are  people  of  distinction,  almost 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  299 

the  whole  town  is  thus  sanded,  having  a  strange  but  pretty  effect.  The 
patterns  are  made  by  trickling  the  sand  through  a  large  funnel,  occasionally 
sands  of  various  colours  being  used. 

The  origin  of  this  custom  is  veiled  in  obscurity.  There  is,  however,  a 
tradition  that  it  is  not  of  very  great  antiquity,  but  that  it  was  first  practised 
about  150  years  since,  when  the  bell  of  the  Chapel  of  Ease,  which  stood  in 
the  Lower  Street,  was  cracked,  and  was  too  discordant  to  be  rung  at 
weddings,  and  the  people  exercised  their  ingenuity  in  devising  this  new 
method  of  testifying  their  joy.  The  tradition  has  not  a  genuine  ring  about 
it,  and  sounds  very  much  like  one  invented  to  account  for  a  custom  of 
unknown  origin. 

SANJEM,  s.  an  early  variety  of  apple,  supposed  to  be  ripe  on  St. 
James's  day  (July  25). 

Leigh  has  San  Jam  Pear,  and  explains  it  as  the  "  Green  Chiswell  Pear." 
I  have  never  heard  this  pear  so  called,  and  I  think  it  must  be  an  error. 

SANJEM  FAIR,  s.  a  very  popular  fair  held  at  Altrincham  on  St. 
James's  day. 

SAP,  s.  the  soft  outside  part  of  timber.     It  is  always  spoken  of  as 
sap,  not  sap-wood. 

It  is  an  old  and  common  saying  amongst  joiners  that  "  Sap  and  heart  are 
the  best  of  the  wood,"  meaning  that  all  parts  of  the  timber  are  useful  for 
some  purpose  or  other. 

SAPPY,  s.  a  soft,  foolish  person. 

SAP-YED,  s.  a  soft  person. 

SARMONT,  s.  a  sermon. 

SARTIN,  adj.  certain. 

SARTIN  SURE,  adj.  absolutely  certain. 

SARVE,  v.  to  serve. 

The  assistant  who  hands  the  straw  up  to  the  thatcher,  or  bricks  and 
mortar  to  the  bricklayer,  is  always  said  to  "sarve"  him. 

SARVENT,  s.  a  servant. 
SARVENT-WENCH,  s.  a  female  servant. 

SARVER,  s.  (i)  a  small,  round,  flat  basket,  used  as  a  measure  for  a 
feed  of  oats  for  a  horse. 

(2)  one  who  serves  a  bricklayer,  thatcher,  &c. 

SARVE  UP  or  SERVE  UP,  v.  to  litter  and  fodder  horses  and 
cattle  before  leaving  them  for  the  night. 
This  is  generally  done  about  eight  o'clock. 

SATE,  v.  to  cloy,  to  satiate.     See  SADE. 
SATING,  part.  adj.  cloying,  satiating. 


300  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

SAUCE  ALONE,  s.  the  hedge  garlic,  Alliaria  offidnalis. 

SAUGH,  s.  the  sallow  tree.     W.     Salix. 
I  think  now  quite  obsolete. 

SAVAGE,  adj,  rank-growing,  luxuriant. 

Often  applied  to  the  dark  green  colour  which  indicates  a  luxuriant  growth 
in  plants.  MOBBERLEY. 

Thus  wheat  or  other  plants  are  often  said  to  be  "  of  a  good  savage  colour. " 

SAVATION,  s.  (i)  saving,  economy. 

(2)  protection  from  injury. 

Old  Mrs.  Powell,  who  worked  on  a  farm  at  Norton,  always  wore  a  pair 
of  men's  trousers.  Meeting  her  one  day  with  her  petticoats  tucked  up  so  that 
the  trousers  were  visible,  I  said  to  her,  ' '  Then  you  wear  the  breeches,  Mrs. 
Powell?"  "  Oh  ay,"  said  she,  "  they're  a  great  savation  to  my  legs." 

SAVER,  s.  the  sides  of  a  cart,  removable  at  pleasure.     L. 

SAVVER,  v.  to  savour,  to  relish.     Also  to  smell  appetising. 
"  Do  you  like  that  ?"     "Ay,  it  savvers  weel." 
"  There's  summat  good  i'th'  oon,  it  sawers  weel." 

SAW-FILER,  s,  the  great  titmouse,  Parus  major,  whose  note  is  like 
filing  a  saw.  Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  i.,  p.  322. 

SAW  FITCH  or  FINCH,  s.  the  larger  tom-tit.    L.     Parus  major. 
SAW  GATE,  s.  the  cut  made  by  a  saw  in  passing  through  timber. 

SAWING,  part,  a  term  used  in  the  New  Red  Sandstone  quarries 
about  RUNCORN,  HALTON,  DARESBURY,  and  elsewhere. 

The  process  consists  in  cutting,  by  means  of  pick-axes,  a  deep,  narrow 
groove  behind  a  block  of  stone.  When  deep  enough,  the  stone  is  detached 
from  its  becfby  means  of  wedges.  The  usual  price  for  sawing  is  about  ijd. 
per  square  foot. 

SAWMIL,  s.  a  great,  clumsy  fellow.     WILMSLOW. 
SAWNEY,  s.  a  soft  fellow. 
SAWT,  s.  and  adj.  salt. 

SAWT-CART,  s.  salt-making  term.  A  small  two-wheeled  truck  with 
high  sides,  open  at  one  end  only  for  convenience  of  discharging 
or  "tipping"  the  salt. 

They  contain  about  five  cwt.  when  loaded,  and  are  handled  by  one  man 
each  by  means  of  a  small  pair  of  shafts. 

SAWT-MAN,  s.  an  itinerant  vendor  of  salt. 

These  men  hawk  lump  salt  all  over  Cheshire  in  small  carts. 
SAY,  v.  to  advise,  induce. 

"  Will  nothing  say  the  ?" 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  30 1 

SBLID,  excl.  an  oath;  by  his  blood.     W. 

I  am  not  aware  that  I  ever  heard  this  oath  in  Cheshire.  I  think  it  is 
obsolete. 

S GABBLE,  v.  to  square  up  large  stones  in  a  quarry  with  a  flat-edged 
pick. 

SCABBY-HEAD,  s.  the  plant  Torilis  Anthriscus.     DELAMERE. 
SCAFFLING,  s.  (i)  a  scaffold  for  building. 
(2)  an  eel     HALLIWELL. 
SCAFFLINGS,  s.  stone  chippings. 

SCALE,  s.  salt-making  term.     Incrustations  of  dirt  or  lime  on  the 
pan  bottoms. 

SCALE,  v.  salt-making  term.     When  a  man  allows  salt  scale  to  form 
on  the  fireplates,  he  is  said  to  "  scale  his  pon." 
The  result  of  scaling  is  the  burning  through  of  the  plates. 

SCAMP,  v.  to  scamp  work  is  to  do  it  badly,  or  rather  dishonestly, 
such  as  using  bad  materials  when  the  contract  is  for  good. 

SCAR,  s.  a  rock. 

Often  one  overhanging  a  river.     Overton  Scar.     L. 

SCAWD,  s.  sometimes  hot  tea  is  so  called. 
"  Wilt  have  a  cup  o'  stawd?" 

SCAWD,  v.  to  scald. 

SCAWD  A  PIG,  v. 

In  Cheshire  a  slaughtered  pig  is  never  singed  as  in  many  counties. 
Directly  it  is  killed  it  is  placed  in  very  hot  water,  by  which  means  the  hair 
and  scarf-skin  can  be  easily  scraped  off. 

"  He'd  drink  as  mitch  ale  as  would  scawd  a  pig  "  is  a  sort  of  proverbial 
phrase  applied  to  great  topers. 

SCAWM,  s.  litter,  dust,  disturbance.     L. 
SCAYBRIL,  s.  the  field  Scabious,  Scabiosa  arvensis. 
SCHARN,  s.  cow  dung.     W. 

SCHAYME  or  SCHEME,  v.  to  plan,  to  arrange,  to  contrive. 
"  Canna  yo  schayme  it  ?" 

SCHOLARD,  s.  a  scholar. 

SCHOOLIN  or  SCHOOIN,  s.  education. 
"  He  never  had  no  schoolin." 

SCOLD'S  BRIDLE.     See  BRANK. 


302  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

SCOPE,  s.  a  bowl  with  a  straight  wooden  handle  fixed  to  it.  Used 
for  baling  or  skimming. 

A  flour-scope  is  of  a  different  form,  used  for  getting  flour  out  of  a  sack  or 
a  bin. 

A  midden-scope  is  a  bowl  at  the  end  of  a  long  handle,  used  for  baling 
liquid  manure  on  to  a  manure  heap. 

In  salt  making  a  scope  is  a  wooden  bowl  used  for  skimming  the  scum 
from  brine. 

SCOPERIL,  s.  a  term  of  reproach  applied  to  a  fidgetty  person.  HYDE. 

SCORE,  s.  (i)  public  pasture  ground. 

The  salt-marshes  about  Frodsham,  where  each  farm  has  the  right  of  so 
many  cow-gates  (which  see),  is  generally  called  Frodsham  Score. 

(2)  the  numerical  score  is  in  constant  use  in  Cheshire  in 
counting  or  in  computing  weights. 

The  weight  of  animals  is  reckoned  in  scores,  not  in  stones.  Turnips, 
potatoes,  &c.,  when  got  up  by  piece-work  are  paid  for  at  so  much  per  score 
yards. 

SCOT,  s.  a  Scotch  beast ;  but  any  black  beast  is  often  so  called. 
I  have  heard  a  butcher  say  he  was  going  to  kill  a  Welsh  Scot! 

SCOUR,  v.  to  purge. 

SCOUVER,  s.  scurry,  confusion.     L. 

SCRAG-PIECE,  s.  (i)  a  carpenter's  term  for  a  useless  bit  of  wood 
that  cannot  be  employed.     L. 

(2)  a  term  of  contempt. 
SCR  ANN  Y,  adj.  thin,  meagre.     W. 

SCRAPE,  s.  seeds  or  corn  laid  on  the  snow,  in  order  to  get  a  raking 
shot  at  birds.  L.  See  SHRAPE. 

SCR  APED  AYTIONS,  \  ,  ,      .     , 

SCRAPE-DISH  I  s'  a  carem^  miserly  person.     L. 

SCR  AT,  s.  (i)  the  itch.    W. 

(2)  an  hermaphrodite.     W. 

SCRAT,  v.  to  scratch. 

"  Th'  ens  have  been  i'  th'  garden,  and  scratted up  everythink." 

SCRATCH,  s.  a  hanging  frame  for  bacon.     L. 

SCRATCHERN  CAKES,  s.  the  same  as  CRATCHERN  CAKES,  q.v. 

SCRATCHERNS,  s.  the  same  as  CRATCHERNS,  q.v. 

SCRATTLE,  s.  (i)  dispute,  disturbance.     Mow  COP. 

(2)  a  precarious  livelihood  is  called  "a  scrattle  for 
a  living." — Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  i.,  p.  83. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  303 

SCRATTLE,  v.  to  scratch  as  fowls  do.     W. 

SCRAUNCHERN,  s.  overdone  fat  meat.     BREDBURY,  near  Stock- 
port.     See  CRATCHERNS  and  SCRATCHERNS. 

SCRAWL,  s.  a  mean  man.     WILMSLOW. 

SCRAWL,  v.  to  crawl. 

SCRAWM,  v.  to  scramble,  to  gather  hastily  together.     HYDE. 

SCRAWP,  s.  a  scrape.     Manchester  City  News,  Notes  and  Queries 
column,  Feb.  26,  1881,  but  not  localized. 

SCREAK,  v.  to  creak. 

SCREEN,  s.  (i)  a  wooden  settee,  something  like  a  sofa,  but  with 
square  ends  and  a  perpendicular  back. 

In  some  screens  the  back  is  low,  in  others  it  is  high,  reaching  well  above 
the  heads  of  persons  sitting  on  the  screen..  The  older  specimens  of  both 
kinds  are  elaborately  carved.  The  high-backed  screens  are  often  placed 
alongside  the  fire,  so  as  to  form  a  snug  sort  of  chimney  corner. 

(2)  Sometimes  a  permanent  wall  is  built  out  from  the 

fireplace,  and  to  it  a  fixed  seat  is  attached  ;  and 
this  also  is  called  a  screen,  also  a  speer,  q.v. 

(3)  a  large  square  sieve  reared  up  in  a  sloping  position 

for  the  purpose  of  sifting  coals,  gravel,  sand  for 
building,  &c. 

The  material  to  be  screened  is  thrown  against  it,  the  small  going  through 
and  the  coarse  falling  at  the  front  of  it. 

SCREEN,  v.  to  sift. 
SCREETCH,  v.  to  shriek. 

SCREEVE,  v.  to  ooze  out,  to  exude  moisture. 

An  old  woman  in  describing  the  appearance  of  the  corpse  of  a  relative 
who  had  died  said,  "Aw  shanna  go  to  see  her  again,  for  oo  were  badly 
swelled,  an  oo'd  begun  to  screeve;  for  aw  they'd  putten  a  plate  o'  sawt  on 
her." 

It  is  customary  in  Cheshire  to  place  a  plate  of  salt  on  a  corpse  to  keep  it, 
as  is  supposed,  from  swelling. 

SCRIBE,  v.  (i)  to  mark  timber  by  means  of  a  tool  called  a  scribing 
iron. 

(2)  to  mark  a  board  with  a  pair  of  compasses  so.  as  to 
make  it  fit  an  uneven  surface. 

The  straight  edge  of  the  board  is  placed  against  the  uneven  surface ;  a 
pair  of  joiner's  compasses  are  then  fixed  open  a  sufficient  distance  ;  one  point 
is  drawn  along  the  uneven  surface,  the  other  marks  a  line  parallel  to  it  on 
the  board  to  which  it  is  cut.  The  board  then  exactly  fits  the  uneven  surface. 

SCRIBING  IRON,  s.  an  instrument  for  marking  timber. 


304  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

SCROOGE,  v.  to  squeeze. 

SCROWE,  s.  row.     L. 

SCRUB,  s.  a  mean  fellow. 

SCRUFF,  SCUFF,  or  SCUFT,  s.  the  back  of  the  neck. 

SCUFF.     See  SCRUFF. 

SCUFFLER,  s.  a  kind  of  garden  hoe  which  the  workman  pushes 
before  him.  It  has  a  sharp  edge,  and  cuts  the  weeds  off  just 
below  the  surface  of  the  soil. 

SCUFFLIN,  adj.  dirty,  dusty.     L. 
SCUFT,  s.  (i)  a  blow  with  the  hand. 
(2)  See  SCRUFF. 

SCUFT,  v.  to  seize  a  person  by  the  back  of  the  neck. 
"Scuff  him." 

SCURRICK,  s.  (i)  particle,  scrap. 

"  Not  a  scurrick  shalt  thou  have."     L. 

(2)  applied  to  people  to  indicate  the  whole  number, 
the  whole  band.     HYDE. 

"  Every  scurrick  of  them." 
SCURVY  GRASS,  s.  Galium  Aparine.     W.  CHES. 

SCUTCH,  s.  (i)  Triticum  repens  and  other  creeping  rooted  grasses. 
Also  called  SCUTCH-GRASS. 

(2)  a  blow  with  a  whip  or  a  switch. 

(3)  a  switch,  a  whip. 

(4)  a  bricklayer's  hammer  with  two  faces  for  cutting 

bricks. 

SCUTCH,  v.  (i)  to  whip. 

"Scutch  behint,  mester ;  scutch  behint,"  the  boys  shout  to  the  driver  of 
a  carriage  when  a  young  urchin  is  hanging  on  behind. 

(2)  to  face  blocks  of  stone  by  chipping  the  surface 
with  a  small  sharp  pick. 

SCUTTER,  v.  (i)  to  scramble  away  in  a  hurry. 

(2)  to  scatter  anything  which  is  to  be  scrambled  for. 
Years  ago  they  used  to  scutter  money  at  weddings. 

SCUTTLE,  s.  a  small  piece  of  wood  pointed  at  both  ends,  used  at 
a  game  like  trap-ball.  W. 

I  presume  this  is  what  is  now  generally  called  a  cat. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  305 

SEAL,  s.  a  wart  on  a  horse.     L. 

SEAM,  v.  (r)  to  sear  new  cheeses  with  a  hot  iron,  so  as  to  close  up 
all  surface  cracks,  in  order  to  prevent  cheese  flies 
from  entering  to  deposit  their  eggs. 

(2)  to  sew  a  seam. 

SEAM-RENT,  part,  (i)  (or  SHEEAM-RENT),  said  of  a  shoe  when 
the  upper  leather  begins  to  part  from 
the  sole.  MOBBERLEY.  SHEM-RENT 
(MIDDLEWICH). 

(2)  also  used  figuratively  when  one  part  of  any- 
thing separates  from  another  part. 

SEARCE  or  SEARCER,  s.  a  peculiar  kind  of  sieve  described  by 
Randle  Holme. 

"  The  Scarce  or  Scarcer,  it  is  a  fine  Sieve  with  a  Leather  cover  on  the  top 
and  bottom  of  the  Sieve  Rim,  to  keep  the  Dant  or  Flower  of  any  Pulverised 
Substance  that  nothing  be  lost  of  it  in  the  Searcing."  —  Academy  of  Armory, 
Bk.  III.,  ch.  viii.,  p.  337. 

SEARCHING,  /ar/.  adj.  penetrating. 


Goose  grease  is  in  great  repute  to  rub  on  the  chests  of  children  when  they 
have  a  severe  cold,  because  "  it's  so  searching." 

SEATH  or  SEETH,  s.  an  old  word,  found  in  some  legal  documents, 
for  a  brine-pit.  L.  See  SHEATH. 

SEAT-ROD  or  PUNCH-ROD,  s.  a  smith's  tool,  mentioned  by 
Randle  Holme.  See  PUNCH  ROD. 

Now  called  a  set-rod. 

SEAVE,  s.  a  rush. 

It  is  generally  used  for  a  rush  drawn  through  melted  grease,  which  in  the 
northern  counties  serves  for  a  candle.     W. 

SECK,  s.  a  sack. 

To  "  get  th'  seek  "  is  metaphorical  for  being  discharged  from  service. 

To  "give  th'  seek  a  turn"  is  equivalent  to  the  ordinary  expression  "to 
turn  the  tables."    See  SHUTTING. 

SEDCOCK,  s.  the  missel  thrush,  Turdus  visrivorus.  MOBBERLEY. 
SEDGECOCK  (MIDDLEWICH).  See  also  SHELLCOCK  and 
SHERCOCK. 

SEDGECOCK.     See  SEDCOCK. 

SEECH,  SECH,  SIKE,  or  SYKE,  s.  a  spring  in  a  field,  which, 
having  no  immediate  outlet,  forms  a  boggy  place.  W.  See 
SAKE. 

SEECHY,  adj.  boggy.     W. 


306  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

SEED,  v.  perf.  tense  of  see. 

SEED-HOPPIT,  s.  a  basket  from  which  a  sower  sows  his  seed. 

It  is  slung  round  the  neck  by  a  strap,  and  has  a  wooden  handle  standing 
up  from  the  outer  edge,  which  the  man  grasps  with  his  left  hand. 

SEEING  GLASS,  s.  a  looking  glass. 

Mentioned  in  an  inventory  of  property  belonging  to  Margery  Glutton  of 
Nantwich,  1611. — Local  Gleanings,  Feb.,  1880,  p.  298. 

SEENY,  s.  senna. 

SEET,  s.  (i)  sight. 

(2)  a  great  number,  or  quantity. 
"A  seefo'  folk." 

SEET,  v.  perf.  tense  of  sit. 
SEETCH,  v.  to  seek. 

SEETLY,  adj.  sightly.     Is  generally  used  in  the  sense  of  handsome. 
' '  A  seetly  wench  "  is  a  handsome  girl.     W. 

SEG,  s.  (i)  a  lump  of  skin  inside  the  hand,   where  it  has  been 
thickened  by  hard  work. 

(2)  a  bull  castrated  when  full  grown. 

SEGGED,  part,  (i)  hardened;   said  of  hands  when   the   skin   is 
thickened  by  hard  work.     WILDERSPOOL. 

(2)  castrated,  but  only  applied  when  the  operation 
is  performed  on  full-grown  animals. 

SEICHE.     See  SIGHE. 

SEL,  pron.  self. 

Used  only  in  the  compounds  mysel,  yoursel,  hissel,  hersel,  &c. 

SELL  SHOP,  v.  to  keep  a  shop.     Mow  COP. 

It  is  locally  said  of  a  trades-person  that  "  he  sells  shop." 
SELT,  s.  chance,  a  thing  of  rare  occurrence.     W. 

SEN,  v.  plural  of  the  present  tense  of  say. 
' '  They  sen  so. " 

SENEVE,  v.  a  corpse  which  begins  to  change  is  said  to  seneve;  so 
is  joiners'  work,  which  begins  to  warp.     W. 

SENNA,  s.  a  sinew. 

SENNA-GREWN,  part,  stiff  in  the  sinews,  or  rather  having  the 
sinews  contracted. 

"Aw've  getten  th'  rheumatics  so  bad,  aw'm  welly  senna-groan." 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  307 

SERGE,  s.  any  flaglike  water  plant,  especially  the  bulrush.      Typha. 

SERROP,  s.  syrup. 

SESS,  s.  a  heap,  a  pile.     Mow  COP. 

SESS,  v.  (i)  to  soak  straw  with  water  in  preparation  for  thatching. 

(2)  to  pile  up  boards  for  seasoning. 

(3)  to  pile  up  bricks  or  slates  neatly. 

SESS-YED,  s.  a  turf-getting  term ;  the  face  of  turf  which  has  not 
been  got  standing  high  up  above  the  land  from  which  the  turf 
has  been  removed. 

SET,  s.  (i)  a  cutting  of  a  potato  or  a  small  potato  for  planting. 

(2)  salt-making  term.     When  the  crystals  of  bay-salt  begin 

to  form  upon  the  strings  and  thorns,  the  pan  is  said 
to  have  a  good  or  a  bad  set  according  as  the  crystals 
are  large  or  small. 

(3)  a  blacksmith's  tool  for  cutting  into  hot  iron,  it  is  held  in 

the  bend  of  a  twisted  hazel  rod ;  also  called  a  SWAGE. 

(4)  a  place  where  carts  are  habitually  loaded  or  unloaded. 
The  raised  platform  in  front  of  a  mill  is  called  the  "  mill-set." 

Carts  are  loaded  at  a  coal-pit  at  the  set. 

SET,  v.  (i)  to  harden. 

Mortar  sets  when  it  becomes  hard,  and  jelly  sets  when  it  solidifies. 

(2)  to  let  work  by  piece. 

(3)  to  let  a  house  or  land  to  a  tenant. 

(4)  to  accompany. 

"I'll  set  you  a  piece  of  the  way"  means  "  I'll  go  a  little  way  with  you." 

(5)  to  plant. 

(6)  to  place  a  cart  ready  for  loading  or  unloading  at  a  raised 

platform,  such  as  is  seen  in  front  of  a  mill. 

(7)  to  put  together,  a  cheese-making  term. 

Setting  a  cheese  is  mixing  the  evening's  and  the  morning's  milk  in  the 
cheese-tub,  adding  the  rennet,  raising  all  to  the  proper  temperature,  and  in  fact 
making  all  the  preparations  necessary  for  the  coagulation  of  the  curd. 

SET  DOWN,  v.  salt-making  term.     To  prepare. 

When  a  pan  is  prepared  for  making  a  particular  kind  of  salt,  it  is  said  to 
be  set  down  for  it.  In  salt-makers'  language  a  pan  is  spoken  off  as  "she." 

SET  IN,  v.  to  put  bread  into  the  oven. 

SET-OFF,  s.  a  projection  in  a  building,  or  perhaps  more  correctly 
it  is  the  portion  of  the  wall  which  recedes  that  should  be  called 
a  set-off. 


308  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

SET-OVER,  s.  (i)  an  application  of  manure  to  a  field. 

When  manure  is  freely  applied,  the  farmer  is  said  to  be  giving  his  field 
"a  good  set-over." 

(2)  a  projecting  cover  to  the  top  of  a  wall. 

SET  OVER,  v.  salt-making  term.  When  a  thin  film  is  formed  over 
the  pan  it  is  said  to  be  set  over. 

SET-ROD,  s.  a  hazel  stick  twisted  round  a  blacksmith's  punch, 
with  which  it  is  held  whilst  punching  or  cutting  red-hot  iron. 
See  SEAT-ROD. 

SETTING-STICK,  s.  a  short  pointed  stick,  used  for  planting 
cabbages. 

Generally  made  out  of  a  broken  spade  handle. 

SETTLE,  s.  (i)  a  long  wooden  seat;  the  same  as  SCREEN  (i). 

(2)  any  bench  or  frame  for  supporting  heavy  weights. 
Thus  a  barrel  of  beer  might  be  said  to  be  stillaged  "on  a  stone  settle." 

SETTLE  STONE,  s.  a  hollow  stone  for  washing  on.     L. 
SETTLINGS,  s.  sediment. 
SHACKUSSIN,  adj.  shambling. 
SHADE,  s.  a  shed. 

SHADED,  part,  sheltered — not  only  from  the  sun  but  from  wind,  &c. 

"Th'  plants  '11  grow  weel  uppo  yon  bed;  its  shaded  from  th' 
east  wynd." 

SHADOM,      ] 

SHEEDOM,    \adj.  surprising,  strange,  past  belief. 

SHEEADOM,) 

"  It's  shadow" 

SHAFFLIN  AND  HAFFLIN,  idiom,  undecided,  shilly-shallying. 
HALTON. 

"  Go's  shafflin  and  hafflin,  and  conna  tell  whether  oo'll  gie  th' 
lond  up  or  not." 

SHAGGY  METAL,  s.  salt-mining  term.  Porous  clay  in  the  side  of 
the  shaft,  which  admits  the  ingress  of  fresh  water.  Also  called 
BEANY  MARL  and  HORSE-BEANS. 

SHAITE,  1 
SHAOUTJ*  to  shout' 

SHAKE,  s.  (i)  a  raffle. 

"  My  mon  won  the  picture  in  a  shake." 

Raffles  are  very  fashionable  amongst  the  country  people.  Guns,  watches, 
hens,  geese,  cheeses,  fat  pigs,  and  a  host  of  other  things  are  constantly  being 
sold  by  this  means.  The  throwing  of  dice  decides  the  ownership. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  309 

(2)  a  crack  in  growing  timber. 

(3)  a  shivering  fit. 

"  I  doubt  oo's  in  a  bad  way ;  oo's  had  a  shake" 

(4)  a  permanent  diminution  of  health. 

"He's  not  what  he  was  last  summer;  that  illness  he  had  at  th' 
back  eend  has  gen  him  a  shake" 

SHAKEBAG,  s.  a  worthless,  improvident  fellow.     WILMSLOW. 

SHAKEN,  part.  adj.   (i)  a  tree  of  which  the  timber  is  cracked 

longitudinally  is  said  to  be  shaken. 

(2)  also  said  of  a  person  wanting  in  intellect. 
SHAKERS,  s.  quaking  grass,  Briza  media. 
SHAKING  ASP,  s.  the  aspen  tree,  Populus  tremula.    MACCLESFIELD. 

SHAKIT,  s.  a  child's  night  dress.     Manchester  City  News,  Notes 
and  Queries  column,  Feb.  12,  1881 ;  but  not  localized. 

This  seems  a  very  unusual  word,  and  I  am  inclined  to  think  it  a  mis- 
apprehension of  n\$A-jacket. 

SHALE,  v.  to  clear  peas  or  beans  from  their  pods.     W.     More 
frequently  SHULL. 

SHAM,  v.  to  tread  out  a  shoe  on  one  side. 
SHAMMOCKIN,  adj.  ungainly,  clownish.     See  SHOMMAKIN. 
SHANDRY,  s.  a  spring-cart. 

SHANKS    GALLOWAY   or   SHANKS    PONY,   s.   used    meta- 
phorically to  signify  that  a  person  walks. 

"  How  did  you  come  ?"     "  Oh  !  uppo  Shanks  Galloway" 

SHANNA   or  SHONNA   (before   a   consonant),    SHANNER   or 
SHONNER  (before  a  vowel  or  h  mute),  v.  shall  not. 

SHAOUT,  v.  to  shout.     WILMSLOW. 

SHAOUTER  O'  GATLEY  (Shouter  of  Galley),  idiom,  any  loud 
spoken,  boisterous  person  was  formerly  so  called.     WILMSLOW. 

SHAOUTERS,  s.  shouters.      Applied  to  currants  in  bread  or  in  a 
pudding  when  they  are  very  few  and  far  between.    WILMSLOW. 

SHAPE,  s.  the  pudendum  of  an  animal. 

SHAPE,  v.  (i)  to  begin,  to  set  about  anything. 
To  "shape  for  gooin"  means  to  prepare  to  go. 

(2)  to  do  a  thing  properly,  to  promise  well. 

A  young  beginner  "shapes  well"  or  "shapes  badly"  as  he  begins  his 
work  well  or  ill. 


3io 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


SHARAVIL,  s.  a  potato  fork.     COMBERMERE. 

SHARP,  adj.  (i)  cold,  frosty. 

"Its  very  sharp,  this  morning." 

(2)  pungent  in  taste. 
"  A  good  sharp  cheese." 

(3)  quick,  active. 

"  Now,  look  sharp,"  i.e.,  "  Be  quick." 

(4)  quick-witted. 

"  Go's  a  sharp  little  wench." 

SHARPS,  5-.  (i)  a  very  coarse  quality  of  flour,  frequently  used  as 
pig  food. 

(2)  metaphorical  for  needles,  or  perhaps  more  correctly 
an  idiom  meaning  "at  your  own  risk." 

"If  you  come  on  to  (i.e.,   attack)  me,   you  come  on  your  sharps,    as 
tailior  said  when  he  shewed  his  needle,"  is  a  sort  of  proverbial  expression. 

SHATTERY,  adj.  hair-brained,  giddy.     W. 
SHAVER,  s.  a  mischievous  person. 
SHAW,  s.  a  wood.     L. 

SHAWM,  s.  a  hautboy. 

The  instrument  was  always  so  called  by  old  people  about  Wilmslow  fifty 
years  since. 

SHEAR,  v.  to  reap  corn  with  a  sickle. 
SHEARER,  s.  a  reaper. 

SHEATH,  s.  (i)  a  part  of  a  plough,  described  by  Randle  Holme. 

"  The  Sheath,  is  the  Iron  which  holds  the  Beam  and  Throck  together.  "- 
Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  viii.,  p.  333. 

(2)  salt-mining  term;  the  old  name  for  a  brine-shaft. 

The  street  in  Northwich  where  the  old  brine-shaft  was  is  still  called  Sheath 
Street. 

SHED,  s.  difference. 

"There  is  no  shed  between  them  "  is  a  common  saying. 

It  is  also  used  for  the  hair  of  the  head  falling  to  the  right  and  left.     W. 

SHED,  v.  to  surpass  or  divide.     W. 

SHEEAD  or  SHEED,  s.  weaving  term ;  the  crossing  of  the  bunches 
of  warp  through  which  the  rods  pass. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  311 

SHEED,  v.  (i)  to  shed,  to  spill. 

Used  both  as  regards  liquids  and  dry  substances. 

"  the  litle  boy  had  a  home 

of  red  golde  that  ronge  ; 
he  said,  '  there  was  noe  Cuckolde 

shall  drinke  of  my  home, 
but  he  shold  ith  sheede 

Either  behind  or  beforne.'  " 

— "Boy  and  Mantle,"  Percy  MS.,  Hales  and 

Furnivall  ed. 
"Th'  curn's  sheedin  i'  th'  field." 

(2)  to  slope. 

SHELL   BOARD,  s.  one  of  the  parts  of  a  plough,  enumerated  by 
Randle  Holme.     Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  viii.,  p.  333. 

SHELLCOCK,  s.  the  missel  thrush.     See  SEDCOCK. 

SHELL  MARL,  s.  a  shaly  marl  found  between  the  upper  beds  of 
the  new  red  sandstone. 

SHELLY,  adj.  (i)  not  thriving;  applied  to  hide  bound  cattle  which 
do  not  grow  well. 

(2)  salt-mining  term.  Applied  to  marl  having  flakes 
of  limestone  in  it ;  or  which  being  foliated 
cleaves  into  flakes. 

SHEM-RENT.     See  SEAM-RENT. 
SHEPSTER,  s.  (i)  a  starling.     Sturnus  vulgaris. 

(2)  a  worthless  fellow.     WILMSLOW. 
SHERCOCK,  s.  the  missel  thrush.     See  SEDCOCK. 

SHIFT,  s.  contrivance,  handiness.     WILMSLOW. 
"  He's  noo  shift  in  him." 

SHIFT,  v.  to  change  the  clothes  of  a  sick  person. 
"  He  was  na  shifted  of  a  month." 

SHIM,  adj.  a  clear  bright  white.     W. 

SHINGLES,  s.  "laths  or  clefts  of  wood  to  cover  houses  with." 
(BAILEY.  ) 

Mentioned  in  an  inventory  of  property  belonging  to  Margery  Glutton  of 
Nantwich,  1611. — Local  Gleanings,  Feb.,  1880,  p.  301. 

Probably  the  shingles  mentioned  in  the  inventory  were  broad  laths  upon 
which  to  lay  thatch. 

SHIP,  s.  "so  they  call  a  great  cistern  by  their  panns  sides,  into 
which  the  brine  runs." — (NANTWICH,  1669)  Philosophical  Trans- 
actions, vol.  iv.,  p.  1065. 


312  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

SHIPPON,  s.  a  cow-house. 

SHIRT  ONE'S-SELF,  v.  to  put  on  a  clean  shirt  for  Sunday. 

It  is  customary  for  farm  labourers,  who  live  in  the  farmer's  house,  to  have 
their  washing  done  at  their  own  homes,  or  at  the  house  of  some  relative  or 
friend.  They  go  home  on  Saturday  night,  or  on  Sunday  morning,  and  put 
on  a  clean  shirt,  leaving  the  dirty  one  to  be  washed  against  the  next  week- 
end. This  is  called  "  going  home  to  shirt  him." 

SKITTER  OFF,  v.  to  trickle  off,  as  small  coal  or  gravel  would 
trickle  off  a  cart  when  the  backboard  is  removed.  WILMSLOW. 

SHIVE,  s.  a  slice.     SHEIVE  (WILMSLOW). 
SHOAF  or  SHOFE,  s.  a  sheaf  of  corn.     W. 

SHOAT,  s.  (i)  a  young  pig  between  a  sucker  and  a  porker. 

(2)  a  term  of  contempt  applied  to  a  young  person. 
SHOG,  v.  to  jolt.     WILMSLOW. 
SHOMMAKIN,  adj.  shaky. 

"Tha  talks  abite  bein  sober,  bu'  tha'rt  desperate  shommakin."- 
J.  C.  CLOUGH. 

SHONNA.     See  SHANNA. 

SHOO,  s.  a  shovel  or  spade. 

"Th'  sexton  has  shaked  his  shoo  at  him  "  is  a  Cheshire  saying,  meaning 
that  a  man  is  so  ill  he  is  not  likely  to  get  better. 

SHOO,  v.  (i)  to  shovel  anything  up  with  a  spade;  but  not  to  dig  in 

the  ordinary  sense  of  the  word. 
To  clean  a  ditch  is  to  "  shoo  it  ite." 

(2)  to  drive  anything  away,  as  hens  from  a  garden. 
Generally  accompanied  with  the  exclamation,  "  Shoo!  Shoo  !" 

SHOO,  excl.  used  when  driving  anything  away. 

SHOOINGS,  s.  the  scourings  of  ditches  or  of  the  sides  of  roads. 

SHOON,  s.  plural  of  shoe. 

"  He'll  dee  in  his  shoon  "  is  synonymous  with  saying  that  a  man  will  be 
hanged. 

SHOOT.     See  SHUTE,  which  is  the  more  correct  pronunciation. 

SHOOTER  BOARDS  or  SUITER  BOARDS,  s.  boards  placed 
between  two  cheeses  in  the  press.  NANTWICH.  Local  Gleanings, 
Feb.,  1880,  p.  301. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  313 

SMOOTHER,  s.  a  shoulder. 

"To  put  one's  shoulder  out "  is  an  idiom  meaning  to  take  offence. 

I  heard  an  altercation  between  a  woman  in  Runcorn  and  the  driver  of  a 
coal  dealer's  cart.  It  appeared  from  the  conversation  that  the  coal  dealer 
had  been  charging  too  much,  and  the  woman  had  bought  coals  cheaper  from 
some  one  else,  and  that  the  original  coal  dealer  was  aggrieved  thereby.  The 
woman  finished  her  harangue  by  observing,  "There's  plenty  of  coal  for  less 
money,  and  what'll  pee  one  '11  pee  another  ;  he's  no  need  to  put  his  shoother 
ite  abite  his  coal." 

SHOOTHER,  v.  to  shoother  (or  shoulder)  a  pig  is  to  stick  it  clumsily 
so  that  the  knife  touches  the  shoulder. 

The  portion  so  damaged  does  not  bleed  quite  freely,  and  often  will  not 
take  the  salt. 

SHOOTHER-WARK  (shoulder-work),   s.  any  work   that   is   con- 
tinuously hard. 

Used  figuratively  from  a  horse  Drawing  a  load  up  hill,  of  which  it  is 
said,  "  It's  allus  uppo  th'  shoother." 

SHOOTS,  s.  salt-making  term.     Broken  stoved  salt. 
SHORING,  s.  a  lean-to,  or  shed,  built  against  another  building. 

SHORT-BACK,  s.  a  name  given  by  slaters  to  a  particular  sized 
grey  slate.     See  LONG-BACK. 

SHORT-TURN,  s.  hatting  term,  a  treating  given  to  workmen  when 
in  search  of  employment. 

SHORT-WAISTED,  adj.  applied  figuratively  to  a  short-tempered 
person. 

SHOT,  s.  an  alehouse  reckoning. 

SHOT-HOLE,  s.  the  hole  made  in  rock  for  blasting. 

SHOULDIER,  s.  a  soldier. 


SHOUTING   DEAF,  adj.  a  person  is  called  so  who  is  so  deaf  that 
you  must  shout  to  him.     L. 

SHOVERING,  s.  a  shoring  or  penthouse. 

This  is  an  old  word  found  in  Cheshire  documents  of  the  sixteenth  century, 
but  now  obsolete,  or  contracted  into  shoring. — Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  ii.  202. 

SHOVES,  s.  broken  pieces  of  hemp  stalk. 

"Shoves,  are  the  small  breakings  of  the  Hemp  or  Flax  Stalks,  which 
often  sticketh  in  the  courses!  sort  of  them." — Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III., 
ch.  iii.,  p.  107. 

SHRAPE,  s.  corn  or  seeds  laid  for  birds.    WILMSLOW    See  SCRAPE 
V 


314  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

SHROVE  TUESDAY,  s. 

A  curious  custom  prevails  about  MOBBERLEY  and  ASHLEY.  Everyone 
tries  to  eat  as  many  pancakes  as  he  or  she  possibly  can.  Anyone  who  is 
staiued,  that  is,  who  cannot  get  through  his  pancakes,  is  carried  out  by  the 
rest  and  tumbled  on  to  the  midden. 

SHUDES,  s.  husks  of  oats,  sifted  from  the  meal. 

Bacon  is  often  stowed  away  in  a  chest  amongst  shoods;  it  is  supposed  to 
keep  it  free  from  reest.  Occasionally  oat  shoods  are  ground  -  up  very  fine  for 
the  purpose  of  adulterating  oatmeal  and  other  pig-meat ;  but  very  few  millers 
care  to  grind  it,  as  it  gets  so  hot  that  there  is  considerable  danger  of  setting 
the  mill  on  fire.  A  street  in  Manchester,  occupied  almost  exclusively  by 
cheese  and  bacon  factors  and  wholesale  provision  dealers,  is  called  Shude-hill. 
It  is  said  to  have  derived  its  name  from  the  shoods  which  were  constantly 
being  emptied  out  from  the  bacon  stores ;  but  it  is  probable  that  the  name  is 
far  older  than  the  bacon  and  cheese  stores,  for  the  old  manorial  mill  was 
situated  just  below  Shude-hill,  and  it  has  been  conjectured  that  the  shudes 
were  carted  from  the  mill  and  spread  on  the  road  to  make  the  hill  passable  in 
slippery  weather. 

SHUF,  s.  (i)  a  shoe. 

(2)  a  shovel.     HYDE. 

SHULL,  v.  to  shell  peas  or  beans. 

SHUPARIOR,  adj.  superior. 

SHUSY,  prop.  name,  diminutive  of  Susan.     MOBBERLEY. 

SHUTE,  s.  (i)  a  suit  of  clothes. 

(2)  the  weft  or  woof  which  is  shot  across  the  warp  in 

silk-weaving. 

(3)  a  spout  for  rain  water. 

(4)  diarrhoea  in  cattle. 

SHUTE,  v.  (i)  to  suit. 

A  father  came  to  recommend  his  daughter  as  a  servant,  and  finished  up 
the  list  of  her  good  qualities  by  saying,  "  Th'  place  '11  shute  her,  an'  oo'll 
shute  th'  place." 

(2)  to  have  diarrhoea. 

(3)  salt-mining  term.     To  ignite  the  fuse  in  blasting. 
SHUTEABLE,  adj.  suitable. 

SHUTER,  s.  an  animal  that  has  chronic  diarrhoea,  indicating  that  it 
is  unsound,  or,  as  is  commonly  called,  "rotten." 

SHUT  OF,  prep,  free  from. 

To  get  shut  o/a.  man  is  to  get  rid  of  him. 

SHUTTANCE,  s.  riddance  from  a  troublesome  person  or  thing. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  315 

SHUTTING,  s.  a  harvest  custom  which,  since  the  introduction  of 
reaping  machines,  is  almost,  if  not  quite,  obsolete. 

This  could  hardly  be  called  a  harvest-A0/#i?  custom,  as  it  took  place,  not 
when  the  last  load  was  brought  home,  but  when  the  last  field  of  corn  was 
cut.  Generally  it  was  only  those  farmers  who  had  finished  in  pretty  good 
time  who  ventured  upon  a  shiitting.  Those  who  were  very  much  behind- 
hand did  not  care  to  let  their  neighbours  know  they  had  been  so  dilatory. 
There  was  a  sort  of  friendly  rivalry  as  to  who  should  finish  first.  The 
shutting  took  place  in  this  wise  :  The  men  used  first  to  come  to  their  master 
and  ask  permission  to  go  through  the  ceremony,  which,  being  granted,  they 
proceeded  to  the  highest  ground  on  the  farm,  or  near  the  homestead,  where 
their  voices  could  be  heard  a  long  way  off,  and  there  formed  a  ring.  One  of 
them  then  acted  as  spokesman  and  gave  out  the  nominy,  which  in  the 
Cheshire  language  means  an  oration.  The  first  nominy  was  as  follows,  and 
was  always  given  in  the  recognised  form : — 

"  Oh,  yes !  oh,  yes !  oh,  yes !  this  is  to  give  notice 
That  M  ester  'Olland  'as  gen  th'  seek  a  turn, 
And  sent  th'  owd  hare  into  Mester  Sincop's  standin  curn." 

Then  they  took  hold  of  hands,  and,  bending  down,  shouted  at  the  top  of 
their  voices  a  prolonged  and  most  unearthly  "  Wow  !  wow-w  !  wow-w-w !" 

Other  nominies  followed,  varied  according  to  the  taste  and  oratorical 
powers  of  the  spokesman,  having  reference  to  special  circumstances,  such  as 
gratuities,  donors,  &c.  After  the  shutting  the  men  had  an  extra  allowance 
of  beer ;  and  in  the  evening  a  supper,  to  which  their  wives  generally 
accompanied  them.  In  West  Cheshire  the  custom  called  "  Cutting  the 
neck  "  (which  see)  took  the  place  of  the  shutting  of  the  middle  and  north- 
eastern parts  of  the  county.  See  also  SECK. 

SHUTTING  A  PIT,  part,  is  a  marling  term,  and  implies  that  the 
marlers  have  ceased  to  "  yoe  "  marl  out  of  that  pit.     L. 

SIBBED,  adj.  related  to,  of  kin  to.     W. 

SIDE,  adj.  long,  trailing. 

Used  in  Skinner's  time ;  e.g.,  "  I  do  not  like  side  frocks  for  lirtle  girls. "     L. 

SIDE  or  SIDE  UP,  v.  to  put  away,  to  make  a  place  tidy. 

To  side  up  the  kitchen  is  to  arrange  it  and  put  away  all  that  has  been  in 
use  and  is  not  required  any  longer. 

To  side  up  the  dinner  things  is  to  wash  all  the  plates  and  dishes  and  put 
them  away. 

The  word  is  even  occasionally  used  for  burying  a  person. 

"  My  mother  '11  come  back,  from  Hale  when  they'n  sided  owd 
Kirkley." 

SIDE-BOARDS,  s.  boards  to  raise  the  sides  of  a  cart.     See  CART. 
S I DE-RAZZERS,  s.  building  term.  The  purlins  of  a  roof.  KELSALL. 
SIDE-RAILS,  s.  part  of  the  harvest  gearing  of  a  cart.     See  CART. 

SIDLANDS,  s.  sloping  ground  is  said  to  be  "on  the  sidtands." 

(• 

SIDLE,  v.  to  move  sideways  in  a  fidgety  manner. 


316  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

SIFTINGS,  s.  salt-making  term.     The  waste  and   large  salt  that 
passes  over  the  sieves. 

Generally  what  passes  through  sieves  would  be  called  siftings. 

SIGHE,  s.  a  sieve  or  strainer;  also  spelt  SEICHE. 

From  an  inventory  of  property  belonging  to  Margery  Glutton  of  Nantwich, 
1611. 

"  Farmers  still  say  'sigh  the  milk,'  i.e.,  strain  it  to  take  out  the  hairs, 
&c.,  that  may  have  fallen  into  the  can  during  milking." — Local  Gleanings, 
January,  1880,  p.  265. 

SIGHT,  s.  a  great  number ;  a  great  quantity.     Also  SEET. 
"  A  sight  o'  folks."     "  A  sight  o'  butther." 

SIKE,  v.  (i)  to  sob. 

"  Th'  poor  babby  does  nowt  bu'  sike" 

(2)  to  sigh. 

"  What  are  you  sikin  for?" 

"  Every  time  you  sike,  you  lose  a  drop  of  heart's  blood,"  is  a  Cheshire 
saying. 

"  on  his  bed  side  he  sette  him  downe, 
he  siked  sore  and  fell  in  swoone." 

— "  Eger  and  Grine,"  Percy  Folio  MS.,  Hales  and 
Furnivall  ed. 

SILE,  s,  (i)  soil  (earth). 
(2)  soil  (a  stain). 
SILE,  v.  to  soil,  to  dirty. 

SIMNELL,  s. 

"  Is  a  thick  copped  Cake  or  Loaf  made  of  white  bread  knodden  up  with 
Saffron  and  Currans." — Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  vi.,  p.  293. 

Simnels  are  still  eaten  on  Mid-Lent  Sunday  in  Lancashire,  but  have 
ceased  to  be  a  Cheshire  speciality. 

SIMON,  s.  a  log  for  a  fire.     WILMSLOW. 
SIN,  prep,  since. 

SINK-DITCH,  s,  a  wide  deep  hole,  or  ditch,  into  which  the  drainage 
of  a  farm  yard  runs. 

The  liquid  manure  which  collects  in  it  is  soaked  up  with  peat  soil,  sand, 
dead  leaves,  and  any  rubbish  of  that  kind  that  will  rot  and  also  collect  the  sedi- 
ment. The  solid  contents  are  shooed  out  periodically  for  putting  on  the  land. 

SINK-FENCE,  s.  a  sunk  fence. 

SINK  IT,  excl.  almost  equivalent  to  damn  it. 

"Damn  it  an'  sink  it,  mon,  tha'll  kill  th'  tit." 
Sink  thi  is  also  used. 

SIPPER,  v.  when  ducks  filter  dirty  water  through  their  bills  they 
are  said  to  be  sippering.     MOBBERLEY. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  317 

SIRRY,  s.  sirrah,  a  contemptuous  term  often  used  to  dogs.     W. 
SURRY  is  the  word  now  more  commonly  used. 

SISS,  v.  to  hiss. 
SITCH,  adv.  such. 

SITHEE,  exd.  look  you  ! 

Also  very  frequently  used  in  setting  a  dog  at  anything. 

SITHERS,  s.  scissors. 

SITTEN,/tfr/.  (i)  stunted. 

"  That  tree  will  grow  no  more,  its  quite  sitten." 
Also  used  adjectively,  "its  a  poor,  sitten  thing." 

(2)  burnt. 
"Sitten  porridge."     L. 

SITTERS,   s.   roots   of  trees  left  in  hedges  after  felling  timber. 
NORTON. 

SIVE,  s.  a  sieve. 

"  Sives  or  Riddles." — Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  viii.,  p.  337. 

SIX  O'CLOCK,  metaphor. 

"  It's  welly  six  o'clock  with  him  ;"  said  of  one  evidently  failing.     L. 

SIXT,  adj.  sixth. 

SKAOO  or  SKEOO,  s.  school. 

SKAVENGERS,  s.  officers  appointed  in  the  seventeenth  century  by 
the  lord's  court  of  burgesses  of  North wich.     L. 

I  believe  these  officers  are  still  appointed  at  most  Courts  Leet. 

SKEEACE,  adj.  scarce.     W.  CHES. 

SKEER,  v.  (i)  to  rake  out,  applied  to  a  fire. 
"  Sheer  th'  ess,"  i.e.,  rake  out  the  ashes. 
"  Skeer  your  own  fire  "  is  a  sort  of  proverbial  expression. 
(2)  to  frighten,  to  startle. 

SKEERED,  part.  adj.  afraid.     DELAMERE. 
"  He's  sheered  like,  i'th'  dark." 

SKELLERT,  adj.  crooked,  out  of  the  perpendicular. 

SKELP,  s.  a  sharp  stroke.     WILMSLOW. 

SKELP,  v.  (i)  to  leap  awkwardly,  as  a  cow  does.     W. 

(2)  to  strike  sharply.     WILMSLOW. 

(3)  to  pare  off  uneven  surfaces. 

"  Skelpin  a  stack"  is  raking  the  sides  smooth,  or,  in  the  case  of  a  corn- 
stack,  cutting  the  rough  ends  of  the  straw  with  a  scythe. 


318  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

SKEN,  v.  (i)  to  squint. 

(2)  to  look  furtively,  to  peer. 
SKEP  (HYDE),  SKIP  (MOBBERLEY),  s.  a  hamper. 
SKERRY  BLUES,  abbreviated  into  SKERRIES,  s.  a  variety  of  potato. 

SKEW  or  SKEWBALD,  adj.  spotted  or  piebald.    WILDERSPOOL. 

In  most  places,  however,   skewbald  is  brown   and  white,  in  contradis- 
tinction to  piebald,  which  is  black  and  white. 

SKEW-UP,  v.  a  builder's  term. 

It  means  finishing  off  the  brickwork  of  a  gable  after  the  roof  timbers  are 
put  on,  by  building  it  up  to  the  level  of  the  spars. 

SKEW-WIFT,  v.  to  place  anything  corner-wise. 

SKEW-WIFTER,  s.  an  unexpected  blow. 

"  He  gen  him  a  skew-wifter  wi'  his  left  bond." 

SKEW-WIFTER,  adj.  twisted.     WILDERSPOOL. 
SKILLET,  s.  a  brass  pan. 

SKIM,  v.  (i)  to  plough  a  very  shallow  furrow  preparatory  to  cover- 
ing it  with  another  and  deeper  furrow. 
The  whole  operation  is  called  TRENCH-PLOUGHING,  q.v. 

(2)  to  skim  wheat  is  to  soak  it  in  brine  or  some  chemical 
solution,  by  which  means  the  germs  of  parasitic 
fungi  are  destroyed.  The  light  grains,  which  are  not 
likely  to  germinate,  also  float  to  the  surface  and  are 
skimmed  off. 

SKIM-BOARD,  s.  salt-making  term.  A  peculiar  piece  of  wood  for 
skimming  the  flakes  from  the  surface  of  a  pan  making  bay-salt. 

SKIM-COULTER  or  SKIM-COOTHER,  s.  a  small  coulter 
attached  to  the  front  of  a  plough,  which  skims  off  and  turns  the 
sod  preparatory  to  its  being  covered  by  the  regular  furrow. 

SKIM-DICK,  s.  poor  cheese  made  in  early  spring  before  the  cows 
go  out  to  grass,  generally  of  skim  milk. 

SKIMMER,  s.  salt-making  term.  A  kind  of  circular  spade  bent  in 
a  peculiar  form  and  perforated,  used  for  drawing  the  salt  out  of 
the  pans. 

Also  a  wooden  bowl  at  the  end  of  a  long  handle  used  for  skimming  the  pan. 

SKIMP  or  SKIMPING,  adj.  scanty. 
"  Her  dress  is  very  skimp." 

SKIMP,  v.  to  economise. 
SKINNY,  adj.  mean,  miserly. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  319 

SKIP,  s.  (i)  a  large  square  basket  used  in  cotton  mills  for  conveying  the 
bobbins  from  the  spinning  rooms  to  the  weaving  shed. 

(2)  a  hamper.     MOBBERLEY. 
SKIT,  s.  a  joke. 
SKITTER,  v.  to  scatter. 

SKITTERING,  s.  a  scattering. 

"  Au  just  gen  it  a  leet  skitterin  o'  muck." 

SKITTERWIT,  s.  a  soft,  foolish  person.      SKITWIT  (DELAMERE). 

SKRIKE,  s.  a  scream,  a  shriek. 

' '  Oo  gen  sitch  a  skrike. " 

' '  with  that  a  grievous  scrike 

among  them  there  was  made, 
&  every  one  did  seeke 

on  something  to  be  stayd." 

— "Drowning  of  Henry  the  I.,"  Percy  Folio  MS., 

Hales  and  Furnivall  ed. 

To  be  "awuppo  th'  skrike"  is  used  idiomatically  to  express  being  in 
acute  pain,  as  if  one  could  scarcely  restrain  oneself  from  screaming  out. 

SKRIKE,  v.  to  scream. 

SKRIKE  O'  DAY,  idiom,  daybreak. 

SKUDS,  s.  the  undigested  pellets  of  hair,  bones,  &c.,  thrown  up  by 
owls,  and  found  in  quantities  in  places  they  frequent.  L.  Also 
CUDS  and  BOGGART-MUCK. 

SLAB,  s.  the  outside  board  sawn  from  a  log  (either  round  or  square) 
of  timber. 

' '  Sawne  slab  let  lie, 

for  stable  and  stie." 
— TUSSER  (Five  Hundred  Points),  E.D.S.  ed.,  p.  33. 

SLACK  or  SLECK  s.  (i)  small  coal 

(2)  a  hollow  place  in  a  field. 
"A  bit  of  a  slack,"    A  slight  hollow.     Used  also  as  an  adjective. 

SLACK  or  SLECK,  adj.  (i)  hollow. 
"A  slack  place." 

(2) loose. 

"Yon  rope's  too  slack;  give  it  a  poo." 

(3)  scarce,  scanty,  in  small  quantity. 
"Slack  water  is  when  there  is  not  sufficient  water  to  turn  a  mill."     L. 

(4)  short  of  work. 

"  Are  you  busy?"     "Naow,  we're  very  slack." 

SLADDERING  DRAY,  s.  a  small  sledge,  drawn  by  one  horse.     L. 


320  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

SLADE,  s.  a  hollow  with  wooded  banks. 

Found  occasionally  in  place-names,  as  the  Slade,  Mobberley. 
"&  when  he  came  to  Barnesdale, 

great  heauiness  there  hee  hadde  ; 
he  ffound  2  of  his  own  fellowes 
were  slaine  both  in  a  slade." 

—  "Guye  of  Gisborne,"  Percy  Folio  MS.,  Hales 
and  Furnivall  ed. 

SLAIN,  fart,  dried  up,  withered. 

Said  of  mowed  grass  after  being  exposed  to  the  sun. 

Wet  brush> 


'r'  t0  Protru(^e  t^ie  tor)gue- 
SLAM,  v.  to  shut  a  door  violently. 
SLANCE,  v.  to  cut  and  lay  a  hedge.     W.  CHES. 

SLANGING  or  SLANCHING,  part,  prying.     Applied  to  a  cat. 

'  '  Th'  cat  is  stanching  into  everything.  "     L. 

The  meaning  of  this  word,  thus  metaphorically  used,  can  scarcely  be  prying, 
but  making  free  with  everything  (in  the  shape  of  food),  attacking  it,  "walking 
into  "  it,  as  a  workman  would  slance  a  hedge. 

SLANGING  HOOK,  s.   a  bill  for  slancing  or  trimming  hedges. 
W.  CHES. 

Leigh  has  SLANCHING  HOOK. 

SLANCINGS,  s.  the  cuttings  of  a  hedge.     L. 

SLANG,  s.  a  long,  narrow  tract  of  land.     S.  CHES. 

"  1  he  Slang"  is  a  frequent  field-name  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Comberrnere. 

BLANKER,  v.  to  slacken  pace,  to  saunter.     Mow  COP. 
"  He  danker"  t  behind." 

SLAPE,  adj.  (i)  slippery. 

"Mind  you  dunna  go  dain,  its  very  slape." 
(2)  slimy,  or  mawkish  to  the  taste. 
"Aw  connot  abide  gruel,  its  sich  slope  stuff." 

SLARE,  v.  to  slide.     DELAMERE. 

SLASH,  v.  pruning  a  hedge  that  is  trimmed  and  not  laid.     L. 

SLAT,  v.  (i)  to  scatter,  to  spill.     Perhaps  more  correctly  to  throw 
away  violently. 

"Aw'd  saved  it  for  him  till  he  coom  whom,  an'  after  aw  my  care 
he  slat  it  to  th'  dog  afore  my  face." 

(2)  to  put  the  tongue  out  derisively.     L. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  321 

SLATE  MARL,  s.  a  shaly  variety  of  marl,  the  same  as  SHELL 
MARL,  q.v. 

SLATE  OFF,  idiom,  not  quite  right  in  intellect. 

It  is  a  common  expression  to  say  of  a  weak-minded  person  ' '  He's  getten 
a  slate  off,  and  one  or  two  unpegged." 

SLATERHOUSE,  s.  the  slate  roof  of  a  house. 

"See !  there's  a  cat  on  th'  slaterhouse ;  chuck  a  stone  at  him."    L. 

SLATHER,  v.  to  slide.     W. 

SLATTER,  v.  to  spill  or  upset  anything  carelessly.  Applied  to  dry 
materials  rather  than  to  liquids. 

SLATTERY,  adj.  applied  to  weather ;  wet,  sloppy.     L. 
SLAUME,  v.  to  smear,  to  deface.     HYDE. 

SLAUMY,  adj.  wet  and  sticky,  or  slimy. 
Corn  half  rotted  by  wet  is  slautny. 

SLAVVER,  s.  spittle. 
SLAY,  v.  to  dry  up  or  wither. 

SLEA,  v.  to  dry  or  wither. 

Spoken  of  corn  exposed  to  sun  or  wind  before  it  is  gathered  or  bound. 
HALLIWELL.  One  of  the  forms  of  slay. 

SLEAK.     See  SLAKE. 
SLECK,  s.     See  SLACK. 

SLECK,  v.  (i)  to  quench  one's  thirst. 

(2)  to  put  out  a  fire  by  pouring  water  upon  it. 

SLECK-RUCK,  s.  a  heap  of  slack  or  small  coal. 

"  He's  too  good  a  mon  to  be  thrown  to  th'  sleek-ruck  "  is  a  figurative  way 
of  saying  a  man  is  too  good,  or  clever,  not  to  have  his  merits  recognised. 

SLECK-TROUGH,  s.  the  iron  cistern  attached  to  a  blacksmith's 
forge,  containing  water  used  for  damping  the  coals,  or  for  cooling 
iron. 

SLED,  s.  a  sledge,  an  implement  for  drawing  a  plough  from  one 
place  to  another. 

It  is  formed  of  a  slab  of  wood  with  the  round  side  downwards  ;  and  into 
the  flat  upper  surface  is  driven  a  large  square  staple.  The  plough  is  then 
lifted  bodily  on  to  the  sled,  and  the  point  of  the  plough  suck  put  through  the 
staple ;  the  whole  thing  is  then  drawn  by  a  horse  much  more  readily  than  if 
the  plough  itself  were  dragged  upon  the  ground  ;  and  there  is  no  risk  of  the 


322  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

plough  being  broken.     The  horse  is  yoked  to  the  plough,  not  to  the  sled. 
Thus  the  plough  pushes  the  sled  along. 

"  A  plough  beetle,  ploughstaff,  to  further  the  plough, 

great  clod  to  a  sunder  that  breaketh  so  rough ; 
A  sled  for  a  plough,  and  another  for  blocks, 

for  chimney  in  winter,  to  burne  vp  their  docks. " 

— TUSSER  (Five  Hundred  Points},  E.D.S.  ed.,  p.  37. 

SLEEAD,  s.  a  sledge. 

SLEECH,  v.  to  scoop  water  with  a  bowl  or  bucket.     MIDDLEWICH. 

SLEECHING-NET,  s.  a  net  fixed  at  the  end  of  a  long  pole,  for 
catching  fish.     MIDDLEWICH. 

SLEEVE,  v.  to  cleave. 

SLEEVELESS,  adj.  purposeless,  ineffective.     MOBBERLEY,  WILMS- 
LOW. 

"  A  sleeveless  arrant "  is  a  bootless  errand. 

SLENCH,  v.  (i)  to  prune  a  hedge,  the  same  as  SLASH.     L. 

Halliwell  explains  it  "to  cut  one  side  of  a  hedge  and  leave  the  other 
untouched." 

(2)  to  quench.     DELAMERE. 
SLEP,  v.  perfect  tense  of  sleep. 

SLICKEN,  adj.  smooth. 

"  Its  a  bad  tree  to  climb,  its  so  slicken." 

SLICKEN,  v.  to  smooth. 

SLICKENED,  part,  made  smooth. 

SLICK-STICK,  s.  a  tool  for  smoothing  the  sole  of  a  shoe. 

SLIMP,  adj.  slim,  thin.     Mow  COP. 
"  A  slimp  young  chap." 

SLINK,  s.  (i)  the  untimely  foetus  of  a  cow. 
(2)  bad  language.     MOBBERLEY. 

SLINK  BUTCHER,  s.  a  butcher  of  the  lowest  class. 

One  who  deals  in  "Keg-meg"  meat ;  cows  that  have  been  "killed  to  save 
their  lives,"  and  such  like.  They  are  so  named  from  the  supposition  that 
they  dress  and  offer  for  sale  "  slink  veal,"  i.e.,  the  untimely  fcetus  of  a  cow. 

SLINK-MEAT,  s.  any  unwholesome  meat  not  fit  for  human  food. 

The  inspector  of  nuisances  at  Leigh  (Lancashire),  a  Cheshire  man,  wrote  to 
me  very  lately  "I  must  now  be  off  to  the  market  and  look  out  for  slink-meat.'1'' 

SLINK  VEAL,  s.  veal  from  the  untimely  foetus  of  a  cow. 

SLIP,  s.  silk  weaving  term.     A  hank  of  silk  or  yarn  before  it  is 
wound  on  the  quills  or  pirn. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  323 

SLIP  CAWF,  v.  to  calve  prematurely.     The  same  as  PICK  CAWF. 

SLIPPING,  s.  a  term  used  in  the  spinning  of  flax  and  hemp, 
mentioned  by  Randle  Holme. 

"A  Slipping  is  as  much  as  is  wound  upon  the  Reel  at  a  time,  which  is 
generally  about  a  pound  of  Yarn." — Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  iii., 
p.  107. 

SLIPPY,  adj.  (i)  slippery. 

"  Moind  ye  dunna  faw,  its  very  slippy.'1'' 
(2)  quick.     See  LOOK  SLIPPY. 

SLITHER,  v.  to  slide. 

SLIVE,  v.  to  cut  off. 

SLIVER,  s.  a  slice.     MACCLESFIELD. 

SLOAMY,  adj.  applied  to  laid  corn.     L. 

Leigh  does  not  define  the  meaning  of  this  word,  but  no  doubt  it  is  the 
same  as  slaumy,  which  see. 

SLOB,  s.  (i)  puddle. 

(2)  sea  mud,  formerly  much  used  as  a  manure  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Runcorn.     See  GREEN  SOD  SLUDGE. 

SLOBBER,  s.  (i)  saliva  which  dribbles  from  the  mouth. 

(2)  rain. 
"  Cowd  slobber,"  cold  rain.     L. 

SLOBBER,  v.  to  dribble,  to  let  the  saliva  run  from  the  mouth. 
SLOB  BRICKS,  s.  the  thin  bricks  found  in  very  old  buildings. 

SLOBBER-CHOPS,  s.  an  old  kind  of  pear,  so  called  from   its 
juiciness. 

SLOG,  s.  a  slough.     L. 

SLOMMAKIN,  adj.  slovenly. 

SLOOD,  s.  a  cart  rut. 

SLOP,  s.  a  white  linen  jacket,  used  whilst  working. 

SLOP-DASH,  v.  to  whitewash.     WILMSLOW,  MOBBERLEY. 

SLOPPING-WAITER,  s.  water  only  used  for  swilling  or  cleaning, 
and  not  pure  enough  to  drink. 

SLOPSTONE  or  SLOPSTUN,  s.  a  sink. 

Generally  made  of  a  large  flagstone  hollowed  out ;  but  earthenware 
slopstones  are  also  becoming  common. 

SLOP-TROUGH,  s.  the  same  as  SLOPSTONE. 


324  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

SLOP-TUB,  s.  a  tub  of  water  in  a  brickmaker's  table. 
SLOTCH,  s.  a  great  or  greedy  drinker.  WILMSLOW. 
SLOTCH,  v.  to  spill,  to  slop.  Mow  COP. 

SLOTE,  s.  a  bar  of  a  gate  or  hurdle. 

The  cross-bars  of  a  thrippa  are  thrippa-slotes. 

"The  Slates,  the  cross-pieces  (of  a  harrow)." — Academy  of  Armory, 
Bk.  III.,  ch.  viii.,  p.  335. 

"  The  Slotes,  are  the  vnder  peeces  which  keepe  the  bottom  of  the  Cart 
together." — Ibid.,  p.  337. 

SLOTHER,  v.  to  drag  the  feet.     WILMSLOW. 

SLOTTEN,  part,  divided. 

When  at  the  game  of  whist  the  honours  are  equal  on  each  side,  they  are 
said  to  be  sloven  or  slotten.  W.  See  SLOVEN. 

SLOUCH,  v. 

A  boy,  who  saw  a  woman  digging  up  on  the  sly  some  stolen  money,  said 
' '  I  seed  her  slouching  up  th'  brass. "  L. 

SLOVEN,  part,  cloven,  still  used  by  old  people. 
SLUDGE,  s.  mud.     Mow  COP. 
SLUR,  s.  a  slide. 

SLUR,  v.  to  slide. 

Leigh  gives  as  a  Cheshire  proverb,  "To  as  much  purpose  as  geese  slur 
on  the  ice." 

SLUTCH,  s.  mud. 

SLUTCH,  v.  to  clear  away  slutch. 

To  "slutch  a  pit"  is  to  clean  out  the  mud  from  a  pond. 

SLUTCHY,  adi.  muddy, 

SLUTHER,  s.  muck,  dung;  or  anything  of  the  same  consistency  as 
wet  cow-dung. 

SMACK  AT,  v.  to  make  a  determined  effort. 
"  Come,  smack  at  it." 

SMALL-GANG,  v.  a  term  at  a  mill. 

When  any  man,  or  big  bully,  has  made  himself  intolerable  to  the  boys 
amongst  the  hands,  they  take  measures  to  small-gang  him.  Upon  the 
principle  that  union  is  strength,  they  watch  or  make  their  opportunity,  and 
all  at  once,  or  by  relays,  fall  upon  the  oppressor,  till,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
they  get  him  down,  and  give  him  a  most  severe  beating ;  thus  revenging 
the  past,  and  securing  a  future  of  peace.  L. 

SMARTEN,  v.  third  person  plural  of  the  present  tense  of  smart 
(with  pain). 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  325 

SMATCH,  s.  a  taste.     DELAMERE. 

When  anything  contracts  a  flavour  from  another  thing  it  is  said  to  have  a 
smatch  of  it  —or  one  thing  is  said  to  give  another  a  smatch. 

SMATCH,  v.  to  give  a  flavour.     DELAMERE. 

"It  winna  do  to  put  wood  i'  th'  oon  while  mate's  cookin ;  it'll 
smatch  it. 

SMATCHY,  adj.  having  contracted  a  bad  flavour.     DELAMERE. 
"Th1  butter's  gone  smatchy." 

SMAW,  adj.  small. 

SMAW  STRAY,  s.  the  garden  warbler,  Safaaria  locustclla. 

SMEACH, ) 

SMOUCHJ*  a  klss"     WlLMSLOW- 

SMEETH,  v.  to  iron  linen.     L. 

SMELTING,  part,  running  lime. 

Preparing  lime  by  mixing  it  with  water,  and  pouring  it  through  a  sieve  to 
remove  impurities.  L 

SMICKET,  s.  a  woman's  shift.     WILMSLOW. 

SMITE,  s.  an  atom,  a  mite. 

"Aw  winna  gie  the  one  smite." 

SMITING,  adj.  captivating. 

Said  of  a  woman — or  a  bonnet. 

SMITTER,  s. 

A  woman,  whose  husband  (one  of  the  beaters  at  a  shooting  party)  had 
been  severely  peppered  by  one  of  the  guns,  told  me  his  coat  and  face  were 
"  smittered  o'er  "  with  shot.  L. 

SMOCK,  s.  (i)  a  garment  made  of  very  coarse  linen,  and  worn  over 
the  clothes  at  milking  time. 

(2)  a  woman's  shift. 

A  common  prize  at  former  merry-makings  in  Cheshire,  for  the  best 
woman  runner.  In  a  notice  of  Bowdon  Wakes,  2 1st,  22nd,  and  23rd  of 
September,  1812,  is  the  following  : — "  Same  day  a  race  for  a  good  Holland 
smock  by  ladies  of  all  ages,  the  second  best  to  have  a  handsome  Sattin 
ribbon.  No  lady  will  be  allowed  to  strip  any  further  than  the  smock  before 
starting."  L. 

"but  then  shee  put  of  her  peticoate 

with  many  a  salt  teare  still  from  her  eye  ; 
&  in  a  smocke  of  braue  white  silke 

shee  stood  before  young  Andrews  eye." 

— "  Younge  Andrew,"  Percy  Folio  MS.,  Hales 
and  Furnivall  ed. 

SMOCK-FACED,  adj.  smooth-faced,  without   whiskers    or  beard, 
like  a  woman. 


326  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

SMOOK,  s.  smoke. 

SMOSKERT,  part,  smothered.     WILMSLOW.     See  MASKERT. 
"  Lad,  tha'll  be  smoskert  if  tha  faws  i'  that  trench." 

SMOUCH.     See  SMEACH. 

SMUT,  s.  the  foetid  fungus  affecting  corn,  Tilletia  caries. 

SNAG,  v.  (i)  to  bite.     KELSALL. 

"Th"  dog  snagged  at  me." 

(2)  to  draw  away  by  the  hand  branches  of  trees,  also  to 
cut  off  the  lateral  branches.     W.     (Spelt  SNAGG.) 

SNAKE,  s.  and  v.  sneak. 

SNAPE,  s.  snub,  rebuke.     WILMSLOW.     See  SNEAP. 

SNAPSTALKS,  s.  Stellaria  Holostea. 

SNAP  THE  HEAD  OFF,  idiom,  to  make  sarcastic   remarks,  to 
take  a  person  up  sharply. 

' '  He  welly  snapped  my  yed  off. " 

SNARLY,   adj.  (i)  salt-making  term.      Applied  to  brine   when  it 
does  not  work  freely. 

(2)  thread  when  it  gets  entangled  is  said  to  be  snarly. 

(3)  snappish,  ill-tempered. 

SNATCH,  s.  a  sharp  experience  of  anything. 

' '  A  snatch  of  frost. "     "A  snatch  of  toothache. " 

SNATCH,  v.  to  pull  sharply  at  anything.     MOBBERLEY. 

When  a  horse  throws  his  weight  into  the  collar  in  order  to  move  some 
very  heavy  weight  he  is  said  to  "snatch  at  it." 

SNEAP,  s.  snub,  check,  rebuke.     Mow  COP. 
SNEAPED,  part,  snubbed.     DELAMERE. 
SNEATH  or  SNEYD,  s.  the  handle  of  a  hodding  scythe,  q.v. 
SNECK,  s.  the  latch  of  a  door. 

SNECK,  v.  (i)  to  close  a  door  by  latching  it. 

(2)  to  shut  with  a  snap. 
SNEYD.     See  SNEATH. 

SNICKET,  s.  (i)  a  naughty  female  child,  and  term  of  reproach  for 
a  little  girl.     L. 

(2)  a  peevish  woman  (DUKINFIELD);  a  careless,  im- 
pudent female  (HYDE). 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  327 

SNIDDLE,  s.  any  kind  of  sedge,  Carex. 

The  larger  kinds  used  formerly  to  be  collected  and  dried  for  putting 
under  cheeses  in  a  cheese-room.  It  was  supposed  that  they  did  not  heat 
like  straw  or  hay. 

The  name  is  extended  to  the  tufted  hair  grass,  Aira  cczspitosa. 

SNIDDLE-BOG,  s.  the  sort  of  marshy  place  where  sniddle  grows.  L. 

SNIFTER,  v.  to  sniff,  or  snivel  preparatory  to  crying. 

An  old  farmer  drove  past  a  farm  he  had  occupied  some  years  previously, 
and  during  the  interval  the  chemical  vapours  from  St.  Helens  had  devas- 
tated it.  He  told  me,  "Eh!  when  aw  seed  th'  owd  place,  it  made  me 
snifter  a  bit." 

SNIG,  s.  an  eel. 

Leigh  gives  the  following  as  an  old  Cheshire  saying  relative  to  a  restless 
child,  which  is  said  to  "  wriggle  about  like  a  snig  in  a  bottle." 

SNIG,  v.  to  drag  timber  along  the  ground. 

SNIG-BALLIED,  adj.  very  thin. 

Said  of  an  animal  that  has  very  little  carcase. 

SNIGGER,  v.  to  laugh  in  a  sneering  way. 

SNITE,  s.  mucus  nasi.     W. 

SNITTER,  v.  to  creep  or  walk  slowly.     L. 

SNOOKED,/ar/.  over-reached. 

"  I'm  snooked"  i.e..  I  am  taken  in,  I  am  sold.     L. 

SNOP,  v.  to  bite  the  young  shoots  of  a  hedge,  as  lambs  do.     L. 
SNOTCH,  s.  a  knot  or  notch.     Gen.  Mag.,  pt.  L,  pp.  126,  167.    L. 
SNOTTY,  adj.  very  pert,  saucy,  impudent.     WILMSLOW. 

SNOWBAW,  s.  the  Guelder  Rose,  the  garden  form  of  Viburnum 
Opulus. 

SNUDGE,  s.  an  intrusive,  sponging  fellow.     L. 
SNUDGE,  v.  to  "  hang  on  "  to  a  person. 
SNUFT,  s.  the  snuff  of  a  candle. 

SNURTCH,  v.  to  snort. 

"  Our  lonlert's  very  stout,  and  he  coom  here  shootin  yesterday  ; 
and  eh  !  how  he  did  bu'  pant  and  inurtch." 

SNUZZLE,  v.  to  nestle. 

SNYE,  adj.  overrun. 

"  The  house  is  welly  snyt  wi'  rotten,"  the  house  is  swarming  with  rats. 


328  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

SOCK  or,  more  commonly,  SUCK,  s.  a  ploughshare. 

SOD-DRAINING,  s.  a  method  of  subsoil  draining  much  practised 
in  Cheshire  before  the  introduction  of  draining  pipes. 

Sod-drains  were  constructed  in  the  following  manner  :  —  The  sod  was 
carefully  pared  off  and  laid  on  one  side.  A  trench  was  then  cut  to  the  required 
depth,  leaving  it  about  a  foot  wide  at  the  bottom.  Along  the  middle  of  the 
bottom  a  channel,  nine  or  ten  inches  deep  and  four  or  five  inches  wide,  was 
cut  with  a  narrow  rounded  spade.  A  tool  similar  to  those  still  in  use  for 
the  bottoms  of  drains  was  drawn  along  the  channel  to  level  it  for  the  flow  of 
water  ;  and  then  this  bottom  channel  was  covered  with  the  sod  laid  grass- 
side  downwards,  and  the  drain  filled  up  again.  These  drains  were  very 
effectual  and  inexpensive.  I  can  recollect  a  field  being  so  drained  about  the 
year  1839  or  1840;  the  drainage  was  perfect,  and  remained  effective  for  at 
least  30  years,  but  the  drains  are  now  completely  worn  out. 

Another  method  of  sod-draining  was  to  cut  a  quantity  of  sods  the  size 
and  shape  of  bricks,  and  with  them  to  build  up  a  drain  at  the  bottom  of  the 
trench  exactly  like  an  ordinary  brick  drain,  covering  them  as  in  the  other 
system  with  surface  sods  laid  grass  side  downwards. 

SOD  SLUDGE,  5.  sea  mud,  used  as  a  manure.     L. 

SOE,  s.  the  drainage  from  a  midden.    Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  i.,  p.  322. 

SOFTY,  s.  one  not  over  wise  ;  effeminate. 

SOG,  v,  to  hit  heavily.     Mow  COP. 


SOHL.     See  SOLE. 

SOIVING,  part,  passing  anything  through  a  sieve.    WILDERSPOOL. 

SOJER  or  SOJJER,  s.  (i)  a  soldier. 

(2)  a  red  coleopterous  insect. 
SOJERS,  s.  the  red  lychnis,  Lychnis  diurna. 

SOLE  or  SOW,  s.  (i)  a  kind  of  yoke  formerly  in  general  use  for 

tying  cows  in  the  shippons. 
"  Safes,  fetters,  and  shackles,  with  horselock  and  pad, 
a  cow  house  for  winter,  so  meete  to  be  had." 

—  TUSSER  (Five  Hundred  Points),  E.D.S.  ed.,  p.  38. 
"  Soles  about  the  Cows  Necks."  —  Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  v., 
p.  243.     See  Sow. 

(2)  salt-mining  term.     The  bottom  of  the  mine. 

SOLE  CUT,  s.  salt-mining  term.     The  lowest  seam  of  workable 
rock  salt,  lying  just  below  the  bottom  cut. 

SOLEMN,  adj.  mournful. 

"  It's  a  very  solemn  winter."     L. 

SOLID,  adj.  used  for  solemn. 

"I'll  take  my  solid  oath.  "     L. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  329 

SOLIDS,  s.  salt-making  term.     The  solid  brickwork  about  the  fires, 
on  which  the  bars,  bearers,  and  other  ironwork  rests. 

SOLSH,  v.  to  flop  down  on  a  dry  floor. 
SOND,  s.  sand. 

SOND-POT,  s.  a  small  bed  of  wet  sand  lying  amongst  the  subsoil. 
Almost  like  a  quicksand. 

Sand  pots  are  very  troublesome  to  drainers  ;  for  when  a  drain  crosses  one, 
the  wet  sand  is  sure  to  run  into  the  drain,  which  not  only  impedes  the  work 
but  frequently  causes  the  sides  of  the  drain  to  fall  in. 

SOND  SCALE,  s.  salt-making  term.     A  very  hard,  thin  scale  that 
forms  over  the  fires. 

SONGER,  s.  a  gleaner.     CONGLETON.     (Obsolete?) 

The  substantive  formed  from  the  verb  to  songer  should  be  songerer.  I 
suspect  the  above  is,  or  was,  an  abbreviated  form  of  songerer. 

SONGER,  v.  to  glean.     DELAMERE. 

A  little  girl  from  the  village  took  a  present  of  wheat  flour  lately  to  a 
friend  of  mine  at  Kelsall,  explaining,  "  Its  what  me  and  Annie  songert." 

"  To  go  a  songering"  is  to  go  gleaning. 


To  go  sangowing  is  to  go  gleaning.     W.     See  SONGER, 

SOO,  s.  (i)  a  sow. 

(2)  a  giddiness  or  swimming  in  the  head.     KELSALL. 
"  My  yed's  aw  of  a  soo." 

SOO,  v.  to  moan  as  the  wind  does. 

SOOING,  adj.  moaning,  said  of  the  wind. 
"  A  sooing  weind." 

SOON  D  ED,  part,  stunned.     Mow  COP. 
SOOPLE,  adj.  supple. 

SOPE,  s.  a  sup,  a  drink. 

"Wilt  'ave  a  sope  o'  beer?" 

The  act  of  drinking,  however,  is  never  called  soping,  but  supping  ;  so 
that  a  Cheshire  man  would  say,  "  Sup  a  sope,  mon,  it'll  do  the  good." 

SOPE  O'  RAIN,  idiom,  a  fair  quantity  of  rain,  a  refreshing  shower. 
"  We'n  'ad  a  noice  sope  o'  rain," 

SOPPETT,  s  .  the  same  as  FETTLED  ALE,  which  see.    MACCLESFIELD. 
W 


" 


33O  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

% 

SORD,  s.  (i)  the  rind  of  bacon.     Also  SORT. 

(2)  the  cross  bars  to  which  the  boards  of  a  door  are  nailed. 

MOBBERLEY. 

(3)  an  upright  piece  of  wood  fixed  to  the  front  of  a  dung- 

cart.     MIDDLEWICH. 

It  works  through  a  slot  in  the  front  of  the  cart,  or  rather  the  cart  when 
tipped  slides  up  the  sord.  The  sord  has  holes  in  it  and  a  peg  to  fix  the  tilted 
cart  at  any  angle, 

SORE,  adv.  very  much. 

Richard  Brereton,  Esq.,  1557,  of  Lea,  near  Middlewych,  left  "two  pair 
of  sore  worn  velvet  breeches. "  L. 

SORRY,  adj.  vile,  worthless. 

SORT,  v.  (i)  to  beat. 

"  Moi  sake !  but  oi'll  sort  yer." — Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  i.,  p.  322. 

(2)  to  tidy  things  away. 

"  Come,  Mrs.,  sort  these  things  (tea-things)." — Id.,  vol.  i.,  p.  322. 

SOSS,  s.  a  heavy  or  sudden  fall.     MIDDLEWICH. 

SOSS,  -v.  to  sit  down  suddenly,  to  plump  down.     MACCLESFIELD, 
especially  on  something  wet. 

SOSSENGERS,  s.  sausages. 

SOUGH,  s.  the  blade  of  a  plough.     HALLIWELL. 

"The  Sough  or  Suck  is  that  as  Plows  into  the  ground." — Academy  of 
Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  viii.,  p.  333. 

SOUL-CAKE,  s.  a  cake  for  All  Souls'  Day. 

SOUL-CAKERS  or  SOULERS,  s.  parties  of  men  and  boys  who 
go  round  in  the  evening  of  All  Souls'  Day  begging  money,  &c. 

They  are  fantastically  dressed,  and  sing  a  song,  of  which  various  versions 
are  given  in  the  appendix.  At  this  date  also  is  performed  the  play  of  St. 
George  and  the  Slasher,  of  which  also  a  version  is  given  in  the  appendix. 

The  custom  itself  is  spoken  of  as  "Soul-caking  "or  "  Souling." 

SOULERS,  }  c 

SOULING,  I  See  SOUL-CAKERS. 

SOUND,  s.  a  covered  entry.     WILMSLOW. 
"Slack's  sound" 

SOUR   DOCK  s.  Rumex  Aeetosa  and  R.  Acetosella. 

SOURING,  s.  (i)  vinegar,  or  verjuice,  taken  with  meat. 
About  WILMSLOW  it  used  to  be  pronounced  Saherink, 

(2)  Buttermilk  put  into  cream  to  make  it  sufficiently 
sour  for  churning.     MACCLESFIELD. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  331 

SOUSE,  s.  collared  pig's  head. 

Also  pronounced  Sahse,  almost  like  Sise. 

SOUSE  or  SAHSE,  v.  to  cuff.     WILMSLOW. 
"Souse  his  ears." 

SOW,  s.  (i)  a  wooden   collar   by   which   cows   were    tied   in   the 

shippons. 

Formerly  in  general  use,  and  perhaps  still  to  be  found  in  out-of-the-way 
places.  I  knew  one  old  farmer,  about  twenty  years  ago,  who  still  used  them. 
I  cannot  do  better  than  give  Randle  Holme's  description  of  the  contrivance. 
"A  Sow  is  a  Wooden  Instrument  made  half  round,  and  the  ends  fastned 
in  another  streight  piece,  which  may  be  taken  off  and  put  on  the  ends  at 
pleasure.  This  Husbandmen  used  to  put  about  their  Cows  and  Oxen's 
Necks  when  they  tye  them  to  their  Booses  in  the  Cow-Houses,  or  such  like 
places. "—  Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  vii.,  p.  327.  See  also  SOLE 
and  CASPE. 

(2)  the  size  which  cotton  weavers  use  to  dress  their  work, 
made  of  wheaten  flour.     WILMSLOW. 

SOW-BOW,  s.  a  soft,  clownish  fellow. 

SPACT,  adj.  quick,  comprehensive.     Also  in  one's  senses. 

"  He  is  not  quite  spact"  means  he  is  under  some  alienation  of  mind.    W. 

SPADGER,  s.  a  sparrow. 

SPAN,  v.  to  understand,  to  make  out. 

"  Au  canna  justly  span  what  he  means."    L. 

SPANG-FEW,  v.  to  jerk  anything  into  the  air  with  a  lever. 

There  is  a  cruel  sport  practised  by  boys,  of  balancing  a  strip  of  wood 
upon  the  top  of  a  stump  or  a  rail,  then  placing  a  toad  on  one  end  of  the  wood, 
and  striking  the  other  end  sharply  with  a  stick,  by  which  means  the  toad  is 
shot  up  many  yards  into  the  air.  This  is  "  Spang-fewing  a  toad." 

Leigh  spells  it  Spank  Flue,  and  Halliwell  Spank  Whew. 

SPANK  FLUE.     See  SPANG-FEW. 

SPAR,  s.  the  small  transverse  timbers  of  a  roof  to  which  the  laths 
are  nailed. 

"  Saue  crotchis  of  wud, 
Saue  spars  and  stud. " 
— TUSSER  (Five  Hundred  Points),  E.D.S.  ed.,  p.  73. 

SPARKLE,  v.  to  disperse.     W. 

SPARLING,  s.  a  fish,  the  smelt. 

SPARRIB,  s.  the  ribs  of  a  pig  cut  from  the  side  of  bacon. 

SPARROW-BILLS,  s.  small,  square  nails  for  putting  into  shoe-soles. 

SPARROWFARTS,  s.  very  early  morning. 

" Tha  mun  be  up  by  sparrowfarts  or  tha'll  be  too  late." 


332  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

SPATTLE,  v.  to  splash.     MACCLESFIELD. 
SPEAK  UP  or  SPAKE  UP,  v.  to  speak  loud. 
SPECKT  BAW,  s.  a  suet  dumpling  with  currants  in  it. 
SPEEL,  v.  to  spoil.     MIDDLEWICH. 


SPEER,  s.  a  partition  built  out  from  a  fire-place. 

In  old  houses  in  which  there  were  the  large  chimneys,  the  door  was  often 
at  the  same  side  of  the  room  as  the  fire-place,  and  between  the  door  and  fire- 
place a  partition  was  built,  which  served  partly  to  keep  out  the  draught, 
partly  to  support  the  chimney  beam,  and  partly,  perhaps,  to  prevent  anyone 
who  came  to  the  door  seeing  everything  that  was  being  done  in  the  house  place. 
This  partition  was  the  speer. 

"As  big  a  rogue  as  ever  peeped  at  a  speer"  is  an  old  Cheshire  saying. 

Wilbraham  describes  the  speer  as  "  the  chimney  post  on  each  side  of  the 
fire-place.  "  The  same  thing  probably,  and  no  doubt  the  post  is  the  principal 
part  of  the  speer;  but  it  is  most  unusual  to  have  a  post  at  each  side 
of  the  fire-place.  In  all  old  houses  which  I  have  seen,  the  beam  on  which 
the  chimney  is  built  is  run  into  the  wall  at  one  side  of  the  room  and  is 
supported  on  the  speer  at  the  other  ;  and  as  the  chimney  beam  is  always 
very  low,  the  speer  was  a  contrivance  to  prevent  its  being  carried  to  the 
opposite  wall,  for  if  carried  quite  across  the  room  it  would  have  interfered 
with  the  passage  to  the  outside. 

SPER,  v.  to  question.     HYDE. 

This  is  really  a  Lancashire  word  which  has  extended  across  the  borders. 

SPERRIT,  s.  spirit. 
SPERRITFUL,  adj.  full  of  spirit. 
SPIER,  s.  the  same  as  SPEER.     HYDE. 
SPINNERS,  s.  a  tool  for  twisting  hay-bands. 
SPINNEY,  s.  a  small  plantation.     MACCLESFIELD. 
SPIRE  UP,  v.  to  grow  erect  with  one  stem.     FRODSHAM. 

SPIRT,  s.  the  size  that  silk-weavers  use  to  dress  their  work,  made 
of  glue  or  gum. 

SPIT,  s.  (i)  the  depth  of  a  spade  in  digging. 
"  You  mun  delve  two  spit  deep."     L. 
A  very  common  word  and  scarcely  to  be  considered  local. 

(2)  spittle. 

(3)  likeness. 

"  He's  the  very  spit  of  his  feyther." 

SPIT-SPARROW,   s.  pit-sparrow,   from   its   nesting  near  pits   or 
ponds  —  the  black-headed  bunting,  Emberiza  sch&nidus. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  333 

SPITTLE,  s.  a  tool  used  by  thatchers. 

It  is  almost  like  the  blade  of  an  oar,  and  has  a  cross  handle,  or  cosp,  by 
which  it  is  held.  It  is  used  for  raising  up  portions  of  hay  on  a  stack  roof,  or 
portions  of  the  old  thatch  on  a  house,  and  inserting  the  ends  of  the  new 
thatch  in  the  holes  so  made. 

SPLASHED,  adj.  slightly  drunk.     L.     More  often  plashed. 

SPLATHER,  v.  to  sprawl,  to  spread  about.     KNUTSFORD. 

A  procumbent  plant  which  spreads  over  the  ground  would  be  said  to 
"  splat  her  about." 

SPLATHER-FOOTED  or  SPLOTHER-FOOTED,  adj.  awkward. 
S.  CHES. 

SPLENTER,  s.  a  splinter. 
SPLICED,  part,  married. 
SPOKKEN,  part,  spoken. 
SPOO,  s.  a  bobbin. 

SPOON,   s.    salt-mining    tool.      Used    in    charging    the    hole    for 
shooting. 

SPOT,  v.  to  fall  in  heavy  drops,  like  rain  which  is  premonitory  of  a 
thunderstorm. 

SPRADE,    ) 
SPREEAD,U.  to  spread 
SPREED,    ) 

SPRAG  or  SPRIG,  v.  to  nail  rails  together.     L. 
SPREE,  s.  a  jollification. 
SPREED,  v.  to  spread. 

SPREE-SPRINKLE,  s.  Orchis  maculata.     SUTTON  WEAVER. 

The  word  was  in  general  use,  I  am  told,  forty  or  fifty  years  ago,  but  is,  I 
think,  now  obsolete. 

SPRIG,  s.  a  small  thin  nail  without  a  head. 

The  kind  which  in  many  places  is  called  a  brad. 

SPRIG-BIT,  s.  an  instrument  for  boring  holes  for  nails — in  many 
places  called  a  brad-awl. 

SPRING,  v.  (i)  said  of  a  cow  when  she  begins  to  show  signs  of 
calving;  but  we  more  frequently  use  the  participle 
than  the  present  tense,  and  say  "  Go's  springing 
for  cawving." 

(2)  to  rise  in  offering  a  price. 

"He  bid  them  £12  for  goin  across  th'  land,  and  they  wanted  more,  but 
he  wouldn't  spring  none. "  This  was  for  a  right  of  road. 


334  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

SPRINGE,  v.  to  throb,  to  shoot  with  pain. 

"My  corns  are  springeing;  its  going  to  rain." 

SPRINGOW,  adj.  nimble,  active.     W. 

SPRINKER,  s.  a  stick  made  of  hazel  or  other  pliable  wood,  pointed 
at  each  end  and  twisted  in  the  middle,  used  for  thatching. 
MID  CHESHIRE. 

SPRIT,  s.  a  sprout  from  the  eye  of  a  potato,  or  the  young  radicle  of 
corn  when  it  first  begins  to  grow. 

SPRIT,  v.  (i)  to  sprout,  said  of  potatoes  and  corn. 

(2)  to  put  potato  sets  in  a  warm  place  to  cause  them  to 

sprout  before  being  planted. 

(3)  to  pull  off  the  sprouts  of  potatoes  which  are  required 

for  market  in  the  spring,  so  as  to   prevent   them 
becoming  soft  and  worthless. 

SPRITTING-BOX,  s.  a  flat  wooden  tray  in  which  early  potato  sets 
are  stored,  and  in  which  they  sprout  before  being  planted. 

They  are  becoming  pretty  general  throughout  the  country,  but  are  more 
especially  used  in  the  early  potato  district  between  Warrington  and  Chester. 
A  spritting-box  is  about  two  feet  six  inches  long  and  eighteen  or  twenty  inches 
wide,  and  the  sides  are  about  three  inches  high.  The  sides  and  ends  are 
nailed  to  square  blocks  of  wood,  which  project  about  three  inches  above  the 
sides.  The  boxes  are  filled  with  potatoes,  often  carefully  arranged  with 
the  eyes  upwards,  and  are  then  piled  one  on  the  top  of  another,  each  box 
resting  on  the  corner  blocks  of  the  one  below  it.  By  this  arrangement  a 
great  number  of  boxes  can  be  piled  on  the  top  of  each  other,  and  a  large 
quantity  of  potatoes  stored  in  a  small  space  ;  whilst  there  is  a  free  current  of 
air  passing  over  the  potatoes  in  every  box.  Of  course  they  are  kept  in  some 
building  where  the  frost  cannot  reach  them  ;  generally  in  the  loft  over  the 
cows ;  frequently  even  in  bedrooms.  The  boxes  are  made  for  about  eight- 
pence  each,  and  farmers  who  grow  early  potatoes  require  many  hundreds  of 
them. 

SPRIZE,  v.  to  prize  ;  to  force  anything  open  by  using  a  lever. 

SPROZE,  v.  to  boast. 

"  What  a  sprozin  chap  you  be !" 

SPUDS,  s.  potatoes. 

SPUR,  s.  (i)  a  piece  of  wood  used  for  repairing  a  post  which  is 

broken  near  the  ground. 

The  spur  is  sunk  in  the  ground  alongside  the  post,  and  then  the  part 
which  is  above  ground  is  nailed  firmly  to  the  post. 

(2)  The  thick  root  of  a  tree.     Plural,  SPURN. 

SPUR,  v.  (i)  spurring  the  banks  of  a  river  is  supporting  them  from 
falling  in,  or  being  carried  away  by  floods,  by  driving 
in  piles,  commonly  made  of  alder.  L. 

(2)  to  repair  a  broken  post  by  means  of  a  spur. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  335 

SPUT,  v.  perfect  tense  of  spit. 

"  She  sput  in  my  face."     L. 

SQUANDERED,  part,  separated  or  dispersed. 

"Cat's  feared  th'  chickens,  an'  they're  squandered  aw  o'er  th'  place." 

SQUASHY,  adj.  (i)  soft,  unripe,  immature. 

It  is  sometimes  said  of  young,  unripe  potatoes,  "they  eat'n  squashy." 

(2)  also  used  metaphorically  in  describing  young 
and  foolish  persons.     Mow  COP. 

SQUAWK,  v.  to  squeal. 

SQUEEK,  s.  the  swift.     MIDDLEWICH. 

SQUIB,  s.  gunpowder  moistened  with  water  and  worked  into  a  pasty 
mass,  used  for  smoking  a  wasp's  nest. 

SQUOB,  s.  a  sofa,  generally  made  of  oak. 
SQUOZ,  part,  of  the  verb  to  squeeze. 

SRIMP,  s.  a  shrimp. 

The  pronunciation  of  sJir  is  a  perfect  shibboleth  to  a  Cheshire  man.     I 
recollect  that  at  Mobberley  Church  one  of  the  hymns  began 
' '  Praise,  oh  praise  the  Name  divine, 

Praise  it  at  the  hallowed  shrine." 
The  clerk  used  always  to  give  it  out — 

"  Praise  it  at  the  hallowed  srine." 

And  the  singers  used  to  sing  it  "srine,"  the  effect  being  somewhat  ludicrous. 
The  same  pronunciation  is  followed  in  all  words  beginning  with  sAr—a.  very 
common  provincialism. 

STACK-BOTTOM,  s.  beams  of  wood,,  branches  of  trees,  and  such 
like,  placed  under  a  stack  to  keep  the  hay  or  corn  from  contact 
with  the  damp  earth. 

STACK  UPO'  TH'  KILL  (Kiln),  s.  a  rough  game  formerly 
played  about  MOBBERLEY  and  WILMSLOW. 

The  game,  if  game  it  could  be  called,  consisted  in  getting  a  man  down 
on  the  ground  and  then  others  falling  on.  the  top  of  him  till  there  was  a  com- 
plete pile  or  stack  of  men.  Of  course  it  was  extremely  painful  for  the 
lowermost  man,  and  deaths  have  even  been  caused  by  this  foolish  kind  of 
amusement. 

STAGGED   UP,  part,  done  up.     WILMSLOW. 

STAGGERING  BOB,  s.  the  name  given  by  butchers  to  very  young 
calves. 

STAIKE,  s.  the  handle  of  a  jug.  MORLEY,  WILMSLOW.  STIKE 
(Mow  COP). 

STAIL  (general),  STEEL  (W.  CHES.,  also  Mow  COP),  s.  the  handle 
of  a  broom,  rake,  fork,  &c. 


336  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

STAIR,  adj.  steep,  hilly.     Mow  COP. 
STAIR-HOLE,  s.  a  closet  under  a  flight  of  stairs. 

STAKE,  v.  to  cause  constipation  of  the  bowels.  STALK  (DELA- 
MERE). 

"  They'n  staked  their  pigs  wi  too  mich  Indy." 

STAKED,  part,  constipated. 

STAKE  TURF,  s.  an  inferior  quality  of  turf  cut  immediately  below 
the  Hassocks  (q.v.) ;  but  both  this  and  the  hassocks  themselves 
are  used  for  fuel. 

On  Lindow  Common,  near  Wilmslow,  there  is  occasionally,  though 
rarely,  cut  a  very  peculiar  kind  of  turf  which  would,  I  think,  also  rank  as 
stake-turf.  In  the  hollows  near  the  old  Wilmslow  racecourse  there  are  two 
small  lakes,  or,  as  they  were  locally  called,  laches,  the  Black  Lache  and  the 
Green  Lache.  In  very  droughty  summers  these  lakes  become  nearly  dry, 
and  then  the  sediment,  solid  and  black,  and  composed  largely  of  humus,  is 
exposed.  This  mud  is  several  yards  in  thickness,  but  is  entirely  destitute  of 
vegetable  fibres.  It  is  of  a  soapy  texture,  and  will  not  bear  cutting  into  flat 
cakes  like  ordinary  turf ;  it  is  therefore  dug  out  in  square  blocks.  These  are 
carried  to  the  hard  ground  above  the  lakes,  and  are  then  chopped  up  into 
angular  pieces  and  left  there  to  dry.  When  dry  they  are  used  for  fuel. 
They  become  very  hard  and  black,  and  are  hogged  like  potatoes,  and 
covered  with  clods  to  keep  them  dry,  and  so  retained  for  winter  use.  I 
believe  none  of  this  kind  of  turf  has  been  got  for  many  years.  In  or  about 
the  year  1838  a  large  quantity  was  got,  and  the  holes  from  whence  it  was 
obtained  were  very  deep.  They  have  now  entirely  disappeared,  being  filled 
up  by  the  same  deposit;  so  that  if  the  lakes  were  again  to  become  dry, 
probably  a  new  supply  of  this  peculiar  turf  would  be  obtained. 

STALK.     See  STAKE. 

STALL,  v.  to  jib. 

Used  when  the  horse  refuses  the  collar,  or  is  too  weak  to  spring  into  it. 
L.  Cfr.  STAWED. 

STAND,  s.  a  small  round  table  with  one  stem  branching  into  three 
feet,  frequently  used  to  set  beside  the  bed  of  an  invalid. 

STANDARD,  s.  part  of  a  cart.     See  CART. 

STANDING,  s.  salt-making  term.  A  gangway  or  standing  room 
alongside  the  pans,  for  the  convenience  of  the  workmen  in 
drawing  the  salt. 

They  are  generally  the  depth  of  the  rim  of  the  pan  below  the  hurdles. 

STAND  ON,  v.  to  be  incumbent  on. 

"It  stands  everyone  on  to  take  care  of  himself."    W. 
STAND  THE  MARKET,  idiom. 

Farmers'  wives  call  it  standing  the  market  when  they  sell  their  butter, 
eggs,  &c.,  in  the  open  market  instead  of  taking  them  to  shops  or  from  house 
to  house.  ALTRINCHAM,  MOBBERLEY. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  337 

STANG,  s.  a  pole. 

A  couple  of  stangs  were  frequently  used  for  carrying  haycocks  to  the 
stack.  See  RIDING  STANG. 

STANG,  s.  to  carry  hay  upon  poles. 
STANK,  s.  a  dam.     W.  CHES. 
STANK,  v.  to  dam.     W.  CHES. 

STANSHON,  s.  an  upright  iron  bar  fixed  in  the  opening  part  of  a 
casement  window  to  prevent  the  possibility  of  entrance  from 
without. 

STARE,  s.  a  starling,  Sturnus  vulgaris.     SANDBACH. 
STARK,  adj.  stiff  and  sore.     WILMSLOW. 

STAR-SLUTCH,  s.  the  gelatinous  conferva  (Nostoc  commune),  which 
is  frequently  found  upon  timber  or  gravel  walks  after  a  shower 
of  rain. 

From  its  sudden  appearance  it  is  supposed  to  have  fallen  from  the  stars, 
or  to  be  the  deposit  of  a  falling  star.  A  farmer  from  Utkinton  lately  went  to 
see  a  friend  of  mine  at  Delamere  who  has  an  astronomical  telescope.  He 
spoke  of  Star-slutch  as  a  natural  phenomenon  seen  in  that  neighbourhood 
and  connected  with  the  stars.  My  friend  had  never  heard  of  such  a  ghostly 
commodity,  and  suggested  that  he  must  be  alluding  to  glow-worms.  ' '  No, " 
said  he,  "its  to  be  seen  i'  broad  day-leet ;  aw  raind  th'  foot  o'  th'  stacks  it 
lies.  It  faws,  aw  reckon,  mester."  The  man  was  evidently  surprised  at  my 
friend's  ignorance,  and  had  an  implicit  belief  in  planets  "  rulin,"  as  he  called  it. 

START,  v.  to  begin. 

STARVED,  part,  perished  with  cold ;  but  not  used  in  Cheshire  for 
perished  with  hunger. 

Land  is  also  said  to  be  starved  when  it  is  cold  for  want  of  drainage. 

STAVE  FOR,  v.  to  plead  for.     Mow  COP. 

STAVES,  s.  the  rungs  of  a  ladder,  or  the  cross  bars  of  a  stile. 

STAWED,  part,  (i)  impeded. 

When  a  cart  is  so  heavily  loaded  that  the  horse  cannot  draw  it,  he  is  said 
to  be  stawed. 

(2)  full  to  repletion. 
"  Aw  conna  ate  noo  more ;  aw'm  fairly  stawed," 

STAWTER,  v.  to  stagger. 

STED  or  STEDE,  s.  the  foundation,  made  of  sods,  for  the  drying 
wall  in  a  brickfield.  Also  ACKSTED  or  ACKSTEDE. 

STEEL,  s.  (i)  see  STAIL. 

(2)  the  stalk  of  a  flower.     W. 

(3)  a  stile. 


338  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

STEEL  MARL,  s.  salt-mining  term.  A  hard  bluish  marl  found 
below  the  sands  and  boulder  clays  in  sinking  a  shaft. 

STEEN  or  STEEAN,  s.  a  tall  earthenware  mug,  black  inside  and 
glazed,  used  for  collecting  cream  for  churning  or  for  keeping 
buttermilk  in. 

STEEP,  s.  (i)  rennet;  an  infusion  of  the  prepared  stomach  of  a  calf, 
used  to  coagulate  milk. 

(2)  the  liquid  left  in  cheese  when  not  properly  pressed. 

MIDDLEWICH. 

(3)  the  act  of  soaking. 

To  put  a  thing  in  steep  is  to  put  it  in  soak. 

STEEP,  v.  to  soak,  to  immerse. 

STEEPLE   DICK   COPING,  s.  a  coping  for  a  stone  wall,  made  of 

triangular  pieces  set  on  edge.     RUNCORN,  HALTON. 
The  coping  stones  are  long  and  short  alternately. 

STEM,  v.  salt-mining  term.  To  ram  round  the  charge  and  fuse  to 
make  solid  preparatory  to  blasting. 

STEMMER,  s.  salt-mining  tool.  An  iron  rod  used  for  ramming 
powder  into  a  hole  for  blasting. 

STEN,  s.  a  stretcher  in  trace-harness.  Morton's  Cyclopedia  of 
Agriculture. 

STEPMOTHER,  s.  (i)  a  small  piece  of  torn  skin  by  the  side  of 
the  nail.     MACCLESFIELD. 

(2)  a  kind  of  cold,  blue  clay.     W.  CHES. 

Land  with  this  clay  subsoil  is  said  to  be  stepmothery.     The  clay  is  some- 
times called  STEPMOTHER  CLAY. 

STEPMOTHER'S  BLESSING,  s.  the  same  as  STEPMOTHER  (i). 
STEW,  s.  a  state  of  vexation  or  perplexity. 

STICKER,  s.  one  who  is  persistent. 

A  hard-working  man  would  be  called  a  sticker  in  contradistinction  to  one 
•    who  is  "off  and  on." 

About  MOBBERLEY  a  person  who  calls  on  you  and  never  knows  when  to 
go  is  said  to  be  "a  sticker." 

STICKING  PIECE,  s.  the  part  of  the  neck  of  an -animal  where 
the  butcher  sticks  his  knife  in  to  kill  it. 

STIDDY,  s.  an  anvil.    WILMSLOW,  MOBBERLEY. 

STIDDY,  adj.  steady. 

"  He's  a  stiddy  chap." 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  339 

STIDDY,  v.  to  make  steady. 

"Thou  mun  tak  another  glass,   it'll  stiddy  thi  yed."— J.    C. 
CLOUGH. 

STIFF,  adj.  difficult  to  deal  with,  inflexible,  obstinate. 

A  butcher  will  tell  you  "You're  very  stiff  this  morning"  if  you  will  not 
come  down  at  all  in  the  price  of  a  beasl. 

STIG  MONTH,  s.  the  month  in  which  a  man's  wife  is  confined.  L. 

STILL  UPON,  conj.  still,  nevertheless.     ANTROBUS,  HALTON. 

"I  was  going  to  have  done  it,  still  upon  if  you'd  rather  I  didn't,  I  won't." 

STILLYERDS,  s.  steelyards.     DELAMERE. 

STINCH,  v.  to  stinch  it  out  is  to  stake  or  mark  a  thing  out. 

From  a  manuscript  note  in  Wilbraham's  Glossary,  written  apparently 
about  1826. 

A  field  in  Runcorn,  now  nearly  built  over,  is  called  the  Stinch.     Perhaps 
it  may  have  some  connection  with  the  above  meaning. 

STINKING     NANCY,    s.    the     Devil's-bit     Scabious,     Scabiosa 
Succisa.     L. 

STINKING  ROGER,  s.  figwort,  Scrophularia  aquatica. 

STINK-O'-BRASS,  s.  a  soubriquet  frequently  applied  to  an  extremely 
rich  man. 

I  think  it  generally  also  conveys  the  idea  that  he  is  rather  niggardly. 

"  He's  a  reg'lar  owd  Stink-o1 -brass." 
It  is  also  used  as  a  verb.     "  He  stinks  o'  brass." 

STINK-SEEKER,  s.  an  inspector  of  nuisances.     MOBBERLEY. 

A  highly  expressive  term  which  has,  of  course,  arisen  since  the  appoint- 
ment of  those  officers. 

STIR,  s.  an  entertainment,  any  great  doings,  such  as  a  wedding,  a 
dinner  party,  &c. 

STIR,  v.  to  plough  land  a  second  time  across  the  original  furrows. 

"  The  following  May  it  is  ploughed  across  the  former  furrows,  which  is 
called  stirring." 

"  In  March  the  land  is  stirred  across,  and  harrowed." — Holland's  General 
View  of  the  Agriculture  of  Cheshire,  1808,  p.  128,  129. 

STIR-ABOUT,  or  more  commonly  STURRA,  s.  thick  oatmeal  porridge. 

Leigh  spells  it  Stirrow,   and  gives    "As  thick  as  stirroiv"   as   an   old 
Cheshire  proverb. 

Halliwell  also  has  "  STIRROW,  a  hasty  pudding.     Ches." 

STIRES,  s.  an  old  name  for  some  kind  of  apple. 

The  following  note  was  sent  me  by  Mr.  J.  P.  Earwaker :  "  In  a  lease  of 
a  messuage  and  lands  in  Odd  Rode,  co.  Chester,  dated  17  June,  1699,  there 


340  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

is  a  proviso  that  the  lessor  '  shall  enjoy  the  two  little  parlours  in  the  said 
messuage  and  one  cockloft  wherein  her  goods  now  lie  and  also  one  measure 
of  apples  or  crabs  commonly  called  stires  and  two  measures  of  apples  out  of 
the  orchard  yearly  when  there  is  a  great  store  of  them. ' " 

STIRK,  s.  a  young  cow,  between  one  and  two  years  old. 
From  two  to  three  they  are  called  heifers. 

STIR-UP  SUNDAY,  s.  the  Sunday  before  Advent,  the  Collect  for 
which  day  begins  with  the  words  "  Stir  up." 

Leigh  says  it  is  popularly  supposed  to  be  a  warning  to  housewives  to 
prepare  and  mix  and  stir  up  the  ingredients  for  mincemeat  for  Christmas. 

STITCHERS,  s.  salt-making  term.  Women  employed  in  stitching 
sacks  for  salt. 

STITHE,  s.  an  anvil     L. 

I  have  never  met  with  this  word,  and  I  suspect  Leigh  should  have  written 
stithy,  which  would  be  a  very  natural  Cheshire  pronunciation  of  stiddy.  See 
STIDDY. 

STIVED   UP,  part,  confined  in  a  hot  atmosphere. 

STIVING,  part,  stifling. 

"Dunna  thee  sit  stivin'  i'th  haise  so  mitch." 

STOCK   CARDS,  s.  standing  or  fixed  combs  for  carding  wool. 

"A  payre  of  Stocke  cards" — From  an  inventory  of  property  belonging  to 
Margery  Glutton  of  Nantwich,  1611. — Local  Gleanings,  Feb.,  1880,  p.  301. 

STOCK,  LOCK  AND  BARREL,  idiom,  the  whole  lot,  everything. 
"They'n  sowd  him  up,  stock,  lock,  and  barrel" 

STOCKPORT  COACH  or  CHAISE,  s.  a  horse  with  two  women 
riding  sideways  on  it  is  so  called,  a  mode  of  travelling  more 
common  formerly  than  at  present.  W. 

Both  the  method  of  travelling  and  the  name  for  it  are  now  quite  obsolete. 

STOCKPORT  HORSE,  s.  a  pillion. 

When  roads  were  bad  and  impassable  for  wheels,  a  pillion  was  almost  the 
only  way  in  which  a  woman  could  get  to  market.  L. 

STODGE,  v.  to  cram  with  food.     L. 
STODGY,  adj.  thick,  said  of  spoon-meat. 
STOMACH,  v.  (i)  to  relish. 

"It's  aw  fat,  aw  conna  stomach  it." 

(2)  metaphorically,  to  believe. 
"  Aw  couldna  stomach  aw  he  said." 

(3)  also  metaphorically,  to  guess. 
"  I  stomached  as  much,"  I  guessed  as  much.     L. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  341 

STOMACHER  PIECE,  s.  an  irregular,  awkward  shaped  piece  of 
land.  L. 

STOND,  v.  to  stand. 

STONE,  v.  to  stone  a  road  is  to  put  large  stones  or  boulders  on  the 
road,  to  force  carriages,  carts,  and  horses  to  go  over  the  fresh 
laid  metal,  instead  of  the  beaten  part  of  the  road.  L. 

STONED  HORSE,  s.  a  stallion. 

STONE  MARL,  s.  a  variety  of  marl,  which  is  at  first  obtained  in 
stony  blocks,  but  pulverises  by  exposure  to  the  atmosphere. 

STONSH,  v.  (i)  to  staunch  bleeding. 

(2)  to  satisfy. 
"  Stonsh  his  guts,"  i.e.,  give  him  his  fill  of  food. 

STON-US,  s.  a  lock-up.     Mow  COP. 

' '  They'n  getten  him  i'th  ston-us. " 

Of  course  this  is  simply  a  pronunciation  of  Stone  House,  but  a  brick 
building  would  also  be  so  called. 

STOO,  s.  (i)  a  stool. 

(2)  a  brickmaker's  table. 

"Is  Bradley  making  many  bricks  this  summer?"     "Aye,  he's 
getten  three  stoos  at  work. " 

(3)  a  log  of  wood.     DELAMERE. 

"  Clap  yon  owd  stoo  a'  top  o'  th'  foire." 

STOO-BING,  5.  a  place  in  the  shippon  where  the  milking-stools 
are  kept.  MIDDLEWICH. 

STOO-DRINK,  s.  ale  given  when  they  commence  making  bricks. 
STOOL,  s.  a  number  of  wheat-stalks  springing  from  the  same  root.   L. 

STOP  AGAIN  ) 

STOP  ON        '  I  v'  to  remam  m  t^ie  same  service  for  another  year. 

"I'm  stopping  again  at  Holland's." 
STORMCOCK,  s.  the  missel  thrush,  Turdus  viscivorus. 

STOUK  or  STOWK,  v.  to  put  ears  or  handles  to  such  vessels  as 
require  them.  L. 

STOUT,  adj.  (i)  hearty,  healthy;  but  never  used  in  the  sense  of 
being  fat. 

(2)  staunch,  plucky.     FRODSHAM. 
"You're  stout,  mester,  to  work  i'  this  hot  sun." 

STOVE,  s.  salt-making  term.  A  drying  house  generally  heated  with 
hot-air  flues,  for  the  purpose  of  drying  fine  moulded  salt.  Also 
called  a  Hot- us. 


342  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

STOVED  SALT,  s.  salt-making  term.      All  fine  salts,  which  are 
dried  in  the  hot-house  or  stove. 

STOW,  s.  an  old  log,  or  the  stump  of  a  tree  left  in  the  ground. 
STOO  (DELAMERE). 

STOW,  ) 

STOW  ITE,      \v.  to  make  offsets  or  young  shoots. 

STOW  EAWTj 

Wheat  is  said  to  stow  when  it  tillers.  A  stem  which  is  cut  off  close  to  the 
ground  and  sends  out  a  number  of  young  shoots,  stows  out. 

STOWK,  s.  stalk  or  handle  of  a  pail.     It  is  also  a  drinking  cup 
with  a  handle.     W. 

STOWN,/ar/.  stolen. 

ST.  PETER'S  NEEDLE,  idiom,   suffering,    or   trial,  any   serious 
misfortune.     NORTON. 

A  man  who  became  bankrupt,  and  was  sold  up,  described  it  as  having 
"gone  through  St.  Peter's  Needle.'1'' 

STRACT,  part,  abbreviation  of  distracted.     W. 

STRANGER,  s.  (i)  a  film  of  soot  hanging  loosely  on  the  bar  of  the 
grate. 

It  is  customary  amongst  young  people  to  clap  the  hands  close  to  it  so  as 
to  cause  a  slight  puff  of  wind.  As  many  times  as  the  hands  are  clapped 
before  the  soot  is  detached,  so  many  days  will  elapse  before  the  stranger 
comes. 

(2)  a  white  mark  on  the  nail  is  sometimes  so  called. 

STRAY,  s.  straw.     Also  STREEA,  which  see. 
STRAY,  v.  to  strew,  to  scatter.     WILDERSPOOL. 

STRAY-MOUSE,      )  s.    the    nettle-creeper,    Sa&aria    loeustella. 
STREEA-MOUSE,  J        FRODSHAM. 

STREEA,  s.  straw. 

Wilbraham  says  one  who  goes  out  of  the  country  for  improvement,  and 
returns  without  having  gained  much,  is  said  to  have  left  it  "  to  learn  to  call 
a  streea  a  straw. " 

STRET,  adj.  narrow,  tight. 

STRET,  adv.  tightly. 

"Tee  it  stret"  tie  it  tightly. 

STRET  STAFF,  s.  a  stretcher  between  the  chains  of  a  plough 
horse. 

'  The  Strett  Staffe,  is  the  Staffe  fixed  between  the  Chains  or  Ropes  to 
keep  them  from  gauling  the  Horse  sides." — Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III., 
ch.  viii.,  p.  339. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  343 

STREVE,  v.  to  stray.     Mow  COP. 

"  Th'  ky's  streve  't  off  somewheer." 

STRICKLES,  s.  (i)  the  hone  generally  fastened  to  the  scythe  for 
sharpening  purposes.     L. 

(2)  a  stick  for  striking  a  bushel. 

"The  Strickles,  is  a  thing  that  goes  along  with  the  Measure,  which  is  a 
straight  Board,  with  a  Staff  fixed  in  the  Side,  to  draw  over  Corn  in  measureing, 
that  it  exceed  not  the  height  of  the  Measure,  which  measureing  is  termed 
Wood  and  Wood." — Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  viii.,  p.  333. 

STRIKE,  s.  (i)  the  black  smut  in  corn,  Uredo  segetum. 

(2)  (of  corn)  a  common  bushel  of  corn.     W. 

STRIKE,  v.  (i)  a  brick  oven  is  said  to  strike  when  it  reaches  the 
desired  heat. 

(2)  to  give  a  sensation  of  heat. 

When  one  goes  out  of  the  cold  frosty  air  into  a  hothouse  we  say  "it 
strikes  warm. " 

(3)  to  level  the  corn  to  the  top  of  the  measure. 
STRIKES,  s.  the  handles  of  a  wheelbarrow.     MIDDLEWICH. 

STRIP,  v.  to  take  off  one's  outer  garments  preparatory  to  working 
hard  or  before  fighting. 

"  If  yo  will  feight,  strip."     See  illustration  to  SMOCK  (2). 

STRIPPINGS,  s.  the  last  milk  drawn  from  a  cow.     The  same  as 
DRIPPINGS. 

STROGLET,  adj.  streaked,  striped.     Mow  COP. 

STROKES,  s.  short  pieces  of  iron  used  to  form  the  tire  of  a  wheel. 
"  The  Stroke,  is  the  Iron  Rim  about  the  Felloes." — Academy  of  Armory, 
Bk.  III.,  ch.  viii.,  p.  332. 

STROKINGS,  s.  the  last  milk  that  can  be  drawn  from  a  cow.     W. 
The  same  as  DRIPPINGS. 

STRONOMIZE,  v.  to  be  in  deep  thought,  in  a  "brown  study." 

WlLMSLOW. 

"  What  art  stronomizin  abeaut  neaw  ?" 

STROUT,  v.  to  swell  out. 

"The  pasture  maketh  the  Kines'  udders  to  strout  to  the  paile. — "Ancient 
Account  of  Cheshire.  The  Generall  of  Great  Britaine.  Time  of  James  I."  L. 

STRUCK  or  STRUCK-WITH-HYENT  (?  iron),  part,  (used 
substantively)  splenic  apoplexy,  to  which  young  cattle  are  very 
subject  upon  some  land. 

STRUG,  s.  a  stray  pigeon. 


344  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

STRUSHINS,  s.  abundance,  plenty. 

"  Is  there  any  beer  i'th'  barrel  ?"     "  Aye,  stntshins." 

STRUSHION,  s.  destruction.     W. 

STUB,  s.  a  short  twig  of  a  hedge. 

"  Then  to  the  earth  shee  gott  a  thwacke  ; 

no  hurt  in  the  world  the  pore  man  did  meane ; 
to  the  ground  hee  cast  the  Ladye  there  ; 
on  a  stubb  she  dang  out  one  of  her  eyen. " 

— "  Marke  more  foole,"  Percy  Folio  MS.,  Hales  and 
Furnivall  ed. 

STUB,  v.  to  injure  one's  self  with  a  twig  or  stub  of  a  tree. 

I  remember  a  man  telling  me  he  had  "stubbed  his  eye"  when  he  had 
accidentally  bobbed  it  against  a  branch  of  a  hedge,  and  half  blinded  himself. 

STUBBA  or  STUBBO,  s.  stubble. 

Wilbraham  adds  STRUBBOW. 

STUBBO  or  STUBBED,  adj.  thick,  short.     W. 

Leigh  adds,  on  the  authority  of  Wilbraham,  "A  rough  head  of  hair, 
unkempt  and  bristly,  is  called  a  stubbory  pow. "  Wilbraham,  however,  gives 
no  such  illustration.  At  the  present  day  the  word  is  STUBBY. 

STUD,  s.  (i)  an  upright  rib  of  wood  to  which  laths  are  nailed  in 

making  a  partition,  or  lining  a  wall.     MOBBERLEY. 
A  wall  thus  lined  with  lath  and  plaster  is  said  to  be  studded. 

(2)  a  piece  of  iron,  in  form  something  between  a  nail  and 
a  wedge,  used  for  nailing  the  tires  on  to  wheels. 

STUMPERS,  s.  salt-making  term.     Sacks  which  are  too  full  -to  be 
stitched  without  sacking.     See  SACKING. 

STUMPING,  part,  hatting  term.     The  last  process  of  felting  a  hat 
body. 

STUNCH,  v.  to  stake  out. 

"  To  stunch  it  out "  is  to  stake  or  mark  a  thing  out.     See  STINCH. 

STUNNER,  s.  anything  first-rate. 

STUNNY,  s.   numbness  occasioned  by  a  blow ;  from  the  verb  to 
stun. 

From  a  manuscript  note  in  Wilbraham's  Glossary,  written  apparently 
about  1826. 

The  word  though  explained  as  numbness  is  probably  an  adjective, 
meaning  numb. 

STUPID,  adj.  obstinate. 
STURRA.    See  STIR-ABOUT. 
STUT  or  STUTTER,  v.  to  stammer. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  345 

SUB,  v.  to  draw  money  in  advance  on  a  job.     HALTON. 

The  following  was  said  of  a  veterinary  surgeon  who  was  in  very  bad  cir- 
cumstances: "  I  knowed  he  were  hard  up,  for  when  he  come  to  my  cow  as 
was  ill  he  subbed  on  th'  job. " 

SUCK,  s.  the  share  of  a  plough.     See  SOCK. 
SUCKIE,  excl.  the  call  word  for  a  calf, 

SUCKING  GONDER,  idiom,  a  term  applied  when  anyone  does  or 
propounds  something  particularly  senseless. 

"  He's  noo  moor  sense  than  a  sucking  gander™ 

SUFF,  s.  a  drain. 

SUITER  BOARD.     See  SHOOTER  BOARDS. 

SULKY,  adj.  hard  to  work.  Applied  to  inanimate  objects,  as 
rock  which  has  no  cleavage  and  is  difficult  to  quarry,  very  cross- 
grained  timber,  &c. 

SUMMER  AND  WINTER,  idiom,  to  summer  and  winter  a  person 
is  to  have  known  him  sufficiently  long  to  test  his  character  or 
disposition  under  all  circumstances. 

SUMMER-WORK,  s.  a  summer  fallow. 
SUMMERWORK,  v.  to  summer  fallow  a  field. 
SUMMUT,  s.  something. 

SUNDAY  SALT,  s.  a  salt-manufacturing  term.  The  salt  which 
crystallizes  between  Saturday  and  Monday  when  the  fires  are 
slackened. 

' '  The  large  grained  flaky  salt  is  made  with  an  evaporation  conducted  at 
the  heat  of  130  or  140  degrees  .  .  .  Somewhat  harder  than  common 
salt  ...  As  salt  of  this  grain  is  often  made  by  slackening  the  fires 
betwixt  Saturday  and  Monday,  and  allowing  the  crystallization  to  proceed 
more  slowly  on  the  intermediate  day,  it  has  got  the  name  of  Sunday  Salt." — 
Holland's  General  View  of  the  Agriculture  of  Cheshire,  1808,  p.  55. 

SUN-SUCKERS,  s.  streaks  of  light  which  are  often  seen  radiating 
from  the  sun  behind  a  cloud,  or  which  stretch  across  the  sky 
before  sunrise  or  after  sunset.  MOBBERLEY. 

SUP,  v.  to  drink. 

"John  sent  after  his  neighbors  both, 
Hodgkine  long  &  hobb  of  the  lath, 
they  were  beene  ath  his  biddinge. 
3  pottles  of  wine  in  a  dishe 
they  supped  it  all  off,  as  I  wis, 
All  there  att  their  partinge." 

—"John  de  Reeve,"  Percy  Folio  MS.,  Hales  and 
Furnivall  ed. 


346  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

SUPPING  or  SUPPINGS,  s.  buttermilk  or  whey  given  on  farms 
to  day-labourers  who  bring  their  meals  with  them. 

In  W.  CHESHIRE  breakfast  and  supper  of  bread-and-milk  are  given  to 
the  Irish  labourers,  and  are  called  suppings. 

SUPPLEMENT,  s.  corrosive  sublimate.    MOBBERLEY,  KNUTSFORD. 

A  chemist,  if  asked  for  supplement,  would  perfectly  well  understand  what 
was  wanted. 

SURCEASE,  v.  to  cease. 

"All  civil  mutinies  shall  then  surcease" — Chester's  Triumph,  1610.     L. 

SURFEIT,  s.  an  attack  of  cold. 

It  is  difficult  to  say  whether  surfeit  means  an  attack,  or  whether  it  refers 
to  the  disease  itself,  for  one  hears  it  said  "  he's  getten  a  surfeit  o'  cowd,"  and 
as  frequently,  "  he's  getten  a  surfeit." 

SUSPICION,  v.  to  suspect 

"  I  nupiciotudtani." 

SUTTER,  s.  a  blow,  of  such  a  character  as  would  be  likely  to  send 
a  person  staggering.     Mow  COP. 

"  I'll  fetch  thee  a  good  suffer." 

SWAB,  s.  one  of  the  many  names  for  an  oak  "  settle  "  or  sofa.     L. 
SWABSON,  s.  fat.     KELSALL. 

SWAD,  s.  (i)  the  shell  of  a  bean  or  pea. 

(2)  a  boy's  game,  something  like  duckstone.     WILMSLOW. 

SWADDLEDIDAFF,  s.  a  term  of  endearment — sweetheart.     L. 

SWAG,  v.  to  bend  in  the  middle  as  a  long  beam  sometimes  does. 
Also  SAG. 

SWAG  BASKET,  s.  a  pedlar's  basket  containing  various  kinds  of 
smallware. 

SWAGE,  s.  a  blacksmith's  tool. 

An  iron  wedge  held  in  a  twisted  hazel  rod,  used  for  cutting  hot  iron. 

SWAGE  or  SWAGE  AWAY,  v.  (i)  to  reduce  a  swelling,  such  as 

a  tumour,  by  fomentation  or 
some  external  application. 

(2)  to  disperse  the  milk  in  the 
human  breast  or  in  the 
udder  of  an  animal  by 
rubbing  with  oil,  or  some 
embrocation. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  347 

SWALE,  v.  (i)  to  burn  to  waste  as  candles  do  when  they  stand  in  a 
draught.     Also  SWEAL  (which  see). 

(2)  to  deal  in  corn. 
There  is  an  old  Cheshire  proverb,  "  Let  every  one  swale  his  own  wuts." 

SWALER,  s.  a  dealer  in  corn. 
SWALLOWMASS,  s.  a  glutton.     L. 

SWANG,  s.  a  small  breadth  of  some  second  kind  of  crop  in  a  field. 
WILMSLOW. 

"  What  is  there  in  the  four-acre?"     "Well,  mostly  pratoes,  but 
there's  a  swang  o'  turmits." 

SWARM,  v.  to   climb  a  tree  by  clasping  it  with  the  arms   and 
legs. 

SWARTH,  s.  (i)  the  row  of  mown  grass  made  by  a  scythe. 

(2)  the  whole  crop. 

Thus  we  speak  of  a  heavy  crop  being  "  a  good  swartk,"  even  before  it  is 
cut. 

SWARTH,  v.  to  swarth  a  mower  is  to  encumber  him  with  the  next 
cut  of  grass.     NORTON. 

Now  and  then  it  is  done  in  the  hayfield  as  a  practical  joke,  or  to  show  off 
the  prowess  of  the  leading  mower.  When  two  men  are  mowing  together  the 
strongest  man  generally  leads,  and  occasionally,  to  show  his  strength,  he  will 
push  on  faster  than  his  mate  can  follow,  and  having  come  to  the  end  of  his 
cut,  he  will  return  and  follow  up  the  other  till  he  catches  him,  and  throws  his 
swarth  in  his  way.  This  is  called  swarthing  him,  and  it  is  an  indignity 
which  is  seldom  forgiven. 

SWARY,  s.  "  a  swary  of  fields,"  fields  lying  together.     L. 
SWAT,  s.  sweat  (general).     SWATE  (DELAMERE). 
SWAT,  v.  to  perspire. 

SWEAL,  v.  (i)  to  waste  away,  to  melt. 

Any  lump  or  swelling  in  the  flesh  of  a  person  is  said  to  be  sweated  away 
when,  under  the  influence  of  rubbing  with  some  paste  or  liquid,  it  gradually 
disappears.  Mow  COP. 

A  lighted  candle  sweats  away  when  it  stands  in  a  draught.  SWALE 
(MID-CHESHIRE). 

(2)  to  tarnish  or  blacken  by  exposure  to  smoke. 

If  a  bright  copper  kettle  were  put  on  the  fire  and  it  became  blackened 
and  tarnished,  it  would  be  said  to  be  sweated. 

A  brick  in  a  kiln  that  is  black  and  not  rightly  burnt,  is  said  to  be  only 

"\i\\\-swealed." 


348  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

SWEAT,  v.  cheese  is  said  to  be  sweating  when  it  ferments  in  the 
process  of  ripening.  Hay  also  is  said  to  sweat  when  it  heats  in 
the  stack. 

SWEE,  s.  a  swing. 

SWEE,  v.  to  swing.     SWEIGH  (Mow  COP). 

SWEE-BED,  s.  (i)  a  block  of  ice  about  a  yard  square  cut  from  the 
surface  of  a  pond  and  left  floating. 

It  is  a  common  amusement  for  boys  to  cut  a  number  of  these  twee-beds, 
and  then  dare  each  other  to  run  along  the  floating  pieces. 

(2)  a  loose  wet  bog  upon  which  the  cranberry  grows 
is  also  said  to  be  a  swee-bed. 

SWEE-POW,  s.  swing  pole. 

The  iron  bars  across  the  large  old-fashioned  open  chimneys ;  once  common 
in  cottages  and  farmhouses,  and  from  which  hung  a  few  links  of  chain  to 
hold  the  pothooks.  On  one  of  these  the  kettle  or  cast-iron  pot  was 
suspended. — Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  i.,  p.  322. 

SWEET-BRAT,  s.  an  old  variety  of  apple.     MIDDLEWICH. 

SWKFT-BRI  \R   ) 

"        '     '  \s.  the  sweetbread  of  an  animal.     MOBBERLEY. 
o  W  £j£j  1  -r>KrLli,K,  J 

SWEET  CAKE,  s.  a  sort  of  crumpet,  but  without  the  holes,  toasted 
and  buttered.  MACCLESFIELD. 

The  old-fashioned  formula  for  toasting  it  was  to  turn  it  nine  times. 

SWEETEN,  v.  to  bid  the  lots  up  at  an  auction,  not  with  the 
intention  of  buying  them,  but  to  raise  the  price. 

SWEET  FLAG,  s.  the  plant  Acorns  Calamus.     W.  CHES. 

SWEET  NANCY,  s.  Narcissus  poeticus. 

Both  the  single  and  the  double  forms  so  much  cultivated  in  Cheshire 
gardens ;  also  called  WHITE  NANCY. 

SWEET  WATER,  s.  a  drink,  apparently  peculiar  to  Chester,  in 
frequent  use  a  hundred  years  ago. 

"At  Chester  the  very  lowest  class  of  the  people  drink  a  kind  of  fermented 
liquor.  At  our  sugar-houses,  the  molds  in  which  the  sugar  is  refined  are 
immersed  in  water  to  dissolve  what  adheres  to  them  after  the  loaf  is  taken 
out.  The  water,  having  served  this  purpose  for  a  week,  becomes  impreg- 
nated with  sugar,  and  is  sold  under  the  denomination  of  sweet  water,  at  the 
rate  of  six  gallons  for  a  penny ;  so  that  the  very  poorest  may  purchase  it. 
This  liquor,  fermented  with  yeast,  is  drunk  as  small  beer ;  and  844  gallons 
are  consumed  every  week.  It  is  not  so  pleasant,  however,  but  that  many 
prefer  milk  or  even  water."—  Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  i.,  p.  27.  Quoted  from 
"  A  medical  Commentary  on  Fixed  Air"  (1779). 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  349 

SWELT,  v.  to  swell. 

Rice  is  swelled  by  being  laid  in  milk  and  subjected  to  heat  before  the  eggs 
and  sugar  are  added  to  it  for  a  pudding.  Wheat  also  is  swelled  (the  same  as 
creed)  before  being  made  into  furmetry. 

SWELTED   or   SWELTERED,  part,  (i)  swelled,  as  rice  for  a 

pudding. 

(2)  oppressed  with  heat. 
SWELTERING,  adj.  very  hot,  said  of  the  weather. 

"  It's  a  sweltering  day." 

SWENGLE,  v.  to  separate  flax  after  it  has  been  beat.     L. 
SWEP,  v.  perfect  tense  of  sweep. 

SWIFT,  s.  (i)  a  weaving  term.  The  one  large  barrel  upon  which 
the  hank  of  weft  is  put  in  order  to  wind  it  on  the 
bobbins. 

(2)  a  sand  lizard.     DELAMERE. 

SWILKER,  s.  the  motion  of  liquid  in  a  vessel  that  is  being  moved. 
SWILL  or  SWILLINGS,  s.  pig  wash,  /.<?.,  liquid  food  for  pigs. 

SWILL  or  SWILL  OUT,  v.  to  rinse. 

To  swill  a  floor  is  to  throw  water  upon  it  after  scrubbing  it. 

"  Then  Sir  Tristeram  tooke  powder  forthe  of  that  box, 

&  blent  it  with  warme  sweet  milke ; 
&  there  put  it  vnto  that  home, 
&  swilled 'it  about  in  that  ilke." 

— "  King  Arthur  and  the  King  of  Cornwall,"  Percy  MS., 
Hales  and  Furnivall  ed. 

SWILL-TUB,  s.  the  tub  in  which  buttermilk  or  house  wash  is  stored 
for  pigs. 

SWINGING,  adj.  very  great. 

"A  swinging  lot "  means  a  great  quantity. 

SWINGLE  HAND  or  SWINGOW  HOND,  s.  an  implement 
mentioned  by  Randle  Holme  amongst  "things  belonging  to 
dressing  and  spinning  of  hemp  and  flax." 

"A  Swingle  Hand,  corruptly  a  Swingow  Hand:  a  thing  like  a  Wooden 
Fouchion  with  a  square  hole  or  handle." — Academy  of  Armory,  Kk.  III., 
ch.  Hi.,  p.  1 06. 

SWINYERT,  s.  a  dealer  in  pigs. 

SWIPPA  or  SWIPPO,  s.  the  striking  part  of  a  flail. 


350  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

SWIPPO  or  SWIPPOW,  adj.  supple.     W. 
SWITCH  CLOG,  s.  a  black  beetle.     L. 
SWOP,  v.  to  exchange. 

SWOP    AND    SWARVE,   idiom,    to    exchange    in   a   capricious 
manner,  as  a  man  who  is  constantly  changing  his  horse,  &c. 
"  He's  ne'er  reet ;  he's  allus  swoppin  an'  sivarvin," 

SWOPPERY,  s.  exchange. 

"  Swoppery's  no  robbery  "  is  a  frequent  proverb. 

SWORD  GRASS,  s.  Phalaris  arundinacea. 
SYTCHE,  s.  a  ditch.     L. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  351 


T. 


TABER,  v.  to  tap  with  the  fingers ;  to  beat  time.     MACCLESFIELD. 
TACK,  s.  (i)  the  term  of  a  lease. 

(2)  hold,  confidence,  reliance. 

There  is  no  tack  in  such  a  one,  he  is  not  to  be  trusted.     W. 

(3)  a  bad  flavour. 

Ale  which  has  been  put  into  a  musty  cask  is  said  to  have  a  tack,  or  a 
tack  of  the  cask. 

TACK,  v.  (i)  to  sew  roughly  together  with  very  long  stitches,  pre- 
paratory to  the  regular  sewing  of  a  seam. 

This  can  scarcely  be  considered  a  Cheshire  word,  as  it  is,  I  think,  common 
to  most  counties,  but  it  gives  rise,  according  to  Leigh,  to  an  old  Cheshire 
proverb,  "Dunna  stitch  thoi  seeam  afore  thou's  tacked  it,"  which  is  equivalent 
to  "  Look  before  you  leap." 

(2)  to   tack  one's  teeth  into  anything  is  to  set  about  it 
heartily.     W. 

TA'EN  (pronounced  tane\part.  (i)  taken. 

"  Seuen  times  hath  Janus  tane  new  yeere  by  hand." — TUSSER  (Five 
Hundred  Points},  E.D.S.  ed.,  p.  151. 

(2)  favourably  impressed. 
"  Aw'm  no  ta'en  wi'  him,  aw  con  tell  the." 

TAFFY,  s.  what  is  called  coverlid. 

This  is  treacle  thickened  by  boiling,  and  made  into  hard  cakes.     W. 

TAIL-EENDS,  s.  small  corn ;  the  last  and  worst  of  anything. 

TAIL-SHOTEN  SOKER ;  also  called  TAILSOKE,  s.  a  disease  of  a 
cow's  tail.     L.     See  WORM  i'  TH'  TAIL. 

TAILYER,  s.  a  tailor. 

TAIN    (pronounced    almost    like    fine),    s.    a    town.      TEAWN 
(WILMSLOW). 

TAK,  v.  to  take.     Also  TAY. 


352  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

TAK  AFTER,  v.  to  resemble,  but  applied  to  disposition  rather 
than  to  feature. 

"  He's  a  dree  chap;  he  taks  after  his  fejrther." 

TAK  IN,  v.  to  enclose  land  from  the  waste. 

TAKING,  s.  excitement,  rage. 

A  person  who  is  very  angry  is  said  to  be  "  in  a  great  taking." 

TAKING,  part. 

"  The  ice  is  taking"  means  it  is  beginning  to  freeze. 

TAK  OFF,  v.  to  mimic. 

TAK  ON,  v.  to  grieve  excessively. 

TAK  ONE'S  HANDS   OFF,  idiom,   to  repudiate   a   bargain,    or 
perhaps,  more  properly,  to  decline  a  bargain.     ACTON  GRANGE. 
"  He  was  to  have  had  th'  farm ;  but  he  took  his  hands  off  it,  and 
then  I  took  it." 

TAK  TO,  v.  to  become  attached  to  anyone. 
"  Au  dunna  tak  to  im,  some'ow." 

TAK  UP,  v.  (i)  to  become  fine  after  rain. 

(2)  to  borrow  money. 

(3)  to  take  into  custody.. 
TALKATION,  s.  a  light  discourse.     WILMSLOW. 

TALLACK,  s.  a  term  of  reproach  applied  to  a  woman.     MIDDLE- 
WICH. 

"AdntyfeOzoi." 

About  WILMSLOW  it  is  not  limited  to  the  female  sex. 

TALLANT,  s.  a  hay-loft.     KELSALL. 

TALL-BOY,  s.  a  tall,  narrow  ale-glass  standing  on  a  stem.     MAC- 

CLESFIELD. 

TALLY-WIFE,  s.  a  woman  who  lives  unmarried  with  a  man. 

TANCEL,  v.  to  beat.     MACCLESFIELD. 

TANGLEMENT,  s.  a  difficulty ;  anything  involved  or  confused. 

TANGS,  s.  (i)  the  teeth  of  a  fork  or  pikel. 

(2)  the  principal  roots  or  branches  of  a  tree. 

TANGED,  part,  forked. 

"  A  two-tanged  tree,"  "a  lhio&-tanged  tree." 

TANK,  s.  a  blow,  a  rap.     WILDERSPOOL, 
"Fetch  him  a  tank  o'th'  maw." 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  353 

TAN-PIN,  s.  a  plumber's  tool  for  stopping  a  pipe  temporarily. 
TANSY,  s.  (i)  Tanacetum  vulgare. 
(2)  Achillea  Millefolium, 

TANTADLIN  TART,  s.  an  open  preserve  tart.     MOBBERLEY. 

I  heard  the  word  used  in  this  sense  at  a  rent  dinner  on  February  24th, 
1882.  A  very  old  word  in  various  forms.  See  HALLIWELL  s.v.,  tantablin. 

The  word  is  not  always  confined  to  tarts,  but  is  sometimes  used  for  all  the 
small  sweets  at  a  dinner,  such  as  cheese  cakes,  custards,  &c.,  in  contra- 
distinction to  the  more  substantial  roast  joints  and  plum  pudding. 

TANTONY  PIG,  s.  to  follow  anyone  like  a  Tantony  Pig,  is  to  stick 
as  close  to  him  as  Saint  Anthony's  favourite  is  supposed  to  have 
done  to  the  saint.  W. 

TANTRUMS,  s.  outbursts  of  passion. 
Wilbraham  also  gives  TANTRELLS. 

TAP,  v.  to  re-sole  boots  or  shoes.     MACCLESFIELD. 

TAR-BANT,  s.  thick  tarred  string,  used  for  tying  sacks ;  sometimes 
used  for  thatching. 

TARDY,  s.  a  fine  for  being  late. 

The  accounts  of  the  company  of  smiths,  cutlers,  pewterers,  and  card- 
makers  at  Chester  contain  many  similar  entries  to  the  following: — "Nov. 
u,  1679,  received  from  Reignold  Woods  for  a  tardy,  3d."  L. 

TARE,  s.  Vicia  hirsuta. 

TAR  FITCH,  s.  Vicia  Cracca,  also  called  BLUE  TAR  FITCH  to 
distinguish  it  from  Lathyrus  pratensis,  which  is  called  YELLOW 
TAR  FITCH. 

Palsgrave  has  "Tarefytche,  a  corne,  lupyn."     HALLIWELL. 

TARNATION,  adj.  an  emphatic  adjunct  to  a  word;  almost  an 
imprecation. 

TARPORLEY  PEACH,  s.  the  Aston  Town  pear  is  so  called,  as  it 
is  generally  ripe  about  the  time  of  the  Tarporley  races  and 
the  meeting  of  the  club,  which  takes  place  in  the  first  week  in 
November.  L. 

TARRAS,  s.  strong  lime  and  hair  mortar,  such  as  is  used  for 
pointing  slates. 

TARRIER,  s.  a  terrier  dog. 

TARR  ON,  v.  to  excite  to  anger  or  violence,  still  used  in  Cheshire. 
W.  See  TORE  ON. 

TASSEL,  s.  a  mild  term  of  reproach  for  a  girl.  Also  TASSEL-RAG 
(2),  which  see. 


354  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

TASSEL-RAG,  s.  (i)  catkins  of  Salix  Caprcea.     L. 

(2)  a  word  of  half  blame  and  half  endearment. 
"  Aw'll  fettle  yo,  yo  young  tassel-rag." 

TATCHIN-END  (general),  THATCHIN-END  (WILDERSPOOL),  s. 
the  waxed  thread  with  which  a  shoemaker  sews  his  shoes. 

More  correctly  it  means  only  the  ends  of  such  threads  to  which  the 
bristles  are  attached,  after  the  shoemaker  has  used  them  as  far  as  he  can,  and 
sometimes  the  meaning  is  thus  restricted. 

"  Mester  Barrow,  would  yo  gie  my  mother  tatchin-eends  to  sew 
my  buttons  on  wi'  ?" 

TATER,  s.  a  potato. 
TATER-TRAP,  s.  the  mouth. 

"  Shut  your  later- trap." 

TATNA  (or  TATTENHALL)  GIRDERS,  s.  an  old-fashioned  pear 
much  cultivated  about  Frodsham;  or  rather  there  are  many  old 
trees  of  the  kind  in  that  district. 

It  is  considered  about  the  poorest  pear  that  grows,  but  it  is  a  wonderfully 
free  bearer,  good  looking,  and  sells  well  in  Warrington  and  the  neighbouring 
markets.  It  also  goes  by  the  name  of  Winter  Jargonelle,  and  if  there  is  any 
difficulty  about  selling  it,  the  market  women  give  it  the  more  complimentary 
name.  It  is,  however,  a  good  pear  for  stewing,  and  should  always  be  used 
for  that  purpose. 

TAUNTY,  s.  human  excrement.    WILMSLOW. 

TAW,  s.  (i)  a  large  marble. 

(2)  a  strange  man.     WILMSLOW. 
TAY,  s.  tea. 
TAY,  v.  to  take. 

Wilbraham  spells  it  Taigh. 
TAY-BOOART,  s.  a  tea  tray. 

TAY   THY   HURRY,  idiom,  do  not  hurry. 

It  is  as  much  as  to  say  "What  are  you  in  such  a  hurry  for? 
Cannot  you  wait  a  minute  ?" 

TE,  adv.  than. 

"Greater  te  that."     L. 
In  reality  this  is  merely  an  abreviation  of  Till.     See  TILL. 

TED,  -v.  to  scatter  the  grass  from  the  swarths ;  the  first  process  of 
hay  making. 

"  Go  sirs  and  away, 

to  ted  and  make  hay. 

If  stormes  drawes  nigh, 

then  cock  apace  cry." 

— TUSSER  (Five  Hundred  Points}, 
E.D.S.  ed.,  p.  121. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  355 

TEDIOUS,  adj.  troublesome,  wearisome. 

A  cross  child  is  said  to  be  very  tedious.  A  long  lane  that  seems  "to  have 
no  turning"  is  said  to  be  a  "long,  tedious  road."  A  long  protracted  harvest 
is  "  a  tedious  time."  Often  pronounced  taygious. 

TEEL,  s.  tail.     W.  CHES. 

TEEM,  v.  to  pour. 

Applied  to  either  liquids  or  solids.  You  can  teem  water  out  of  a  can;  or 
you  can  teem  a  lot  of  potatoes  out  of  a  sack. 

"It  teems  wi'  rain,"  i.e.,  "it  pours  with  rain." 

TEEN,  s.  (i)  when  any  one  is  in  misfortune  or  bad  plight  he  is  said 
to  be  in  fow  teen.     W. 

(2)  anger.     W. 
TEEN,  part,  taking.     HALLIWELL. 

TEENS,  s.  something  above  ten.     Generally  applied  to  money. 

"What  did  So-and-so  get  for  his  cow?"      "Au  dunno  know, 
but  it  wur  i'th'  teens. " 

TEENY,  adj.  very  small,  tiny. 

Frequently  reduplicated  into  TEENY-TINY. 

TEETOTALLY,  adv.  completely. 
A  sort  of  superlative  of  totally. 

TELL'N,  v.  plural  of  tell. 

"We  telFn  yo  that  we  winna  do  it." 

TENK,  s.  a  small  blow.     WILMSLOW. 

TENT,  v.  (i)  to  look  after,  to  attend  to. 

"  Tentingkye  i'th'  lone,"  looking  after  the  cow  in  the  lane.  "  Tenting 
th'  hay  "  is  attending  to  the  making  of  the  hay,  tedding  it,  turning  it,  raking 
it  up,  but  it  does  not  include  the  operations  of  mowing  or  leading.  The 
people  who  make  the  hay  are  called  "hay-tenters." 

"  it  was  a  sore  office,  O  Lord,  for  him 

that  was  a  lord  borne  of  a  great  degree ! 
as  he  was  tenting  his  sheepe  alone, 
neither  sport  nor  play  cold  hee. " 

— "Lord  of  Learne,"  Percy  Fol.  MS.,  Hales  and 
Furnivall  ed. 

Ray  gives  the  following  as  a  Cheshire  proverb,  "I'll  tent  thee,  quoth 
Wood ;  if  I  cannot  rule  my  daughter,  I'll  rule  my  good. " 

(2)  to  watch. 

"Th'  cat's  tenting  th'  rat  hole." 

(3)  to  scare  or  frighten. 

"  Tenting  crows"  is  scaring  rooks  off  the  newly-sown  corn. 


356  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

TENTER,  s.  one  who  looks  after  anything. 

TERRIBLE,  adv.  excessively. 

Very  constantly  used  without  the  slightest  meaning  of  anything  dreadful 
being  attached  to  it.     We  should  even  say  "I'm  terrible  glad  to  see  you." 

TERRY-DIDDLE    (FRODSHAM),     TERRY-DIVIL,    TETHER- 
DEVIL,  s.  (i)  the  Bitter-sweet  Nightshade,  Solatium  Dulcamara. 
Boys  about  Frodsham  chew  the  roots  and  say  it  tastes  like  stick  liquorice. 

(2)  Polygonum  Convolvulus  is  also  called  TETHER- 
DIWLE  and  DIVVLE-TETHER  at  DELAMERE. 

TETTER  or  TITTHER,  s.  a  slight  breaking  out  of  the  skin. 

TEWTER,  s.  an  instrument  for  breaking  flax,  as  a  brake  for  hemp. 
HALLIWELL. 

TRACK,  s.  thatch.     W. 
THACKER,  s.  a  thatcher. 
THAH,  pron.  thou. 

THANDER,  adj.  yonder. 

"  Wheer's  our  Dick?"    "Crewdling  in  thander  corner."    Hiding  away  in 
yonder  corner.     L. 

THARM-ROPES,  s.  hay  bands.     WILMSLOW.     But  not  common. 

THAT,  adv.  so  or  so  very. 

"I  were  that  vexed  I  did  not  know  what  I  said." 

THATCH,  s. 

"  As  weet  as  thatch"  is  a  common  simile.     The  straw  for  thatching  being 
partially  rotted  with  water  before  it  is  put  on  a  roof. 

THATCH-HOOKS,  s.  iron  hooks,  driven  into  the  spars,  to  hold 
down  the  first  layers  of  straw  in  thatching  a  house. 

THATCH-PRICKS,   s.   sticks    sharpened    at    one    end    used    in 
thatching. 

THATCHIN-END.    See  TATCHIN-END. 
THAT'NS.     See  A-THAT'NS. 

THAW-WIND  or  THO-WIND,  s.  a  south  wind  which  brings  on 
a  thaw.     See  ROBIN  HOOD  WIND. 

THAVE  or  THEAVE,  s.  a  ewe  of  the  first  year,  that  has  never  had 
a  lamb.     L. 

THEER,  pron.  there. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  357 

THEIRSELS,  pr.  themselves. 

THEM,/w«.  those. 

THEY'N,  v.  they  were;  an  abbreviation  oitheyweren.    WILMSLOW. 

THICK,  adv.  friendly. 

THICK-YED,  s.  a  stupid  person. 

THICK  AN'  THREE-FOWD,  idiom,  very  numerous,  very  frequent. 

"He's  a  bonny  lot  o'  childer  i'  this  short  time;  they'n  com'n 
thick  an'  three-fowd." 

THIEF,  s.  a  burning  excrescence  on  the  wick  of  a  candle,  which 
causes  it  to  gutter. 

If  it  assumes  a  bright  appearance  it  is  sometimes  called  a  letter,  and  is 
supposed  to  foretell  the  receipt  of  one. 

THIMBLE,  s.  the  iron  socket  in  which  any  pivot  turns.     Also  the 
socket  into  which  a  bolt  shoots.     MOBBERLEY. 

THING  O'  NOTHING,  idiom,  a  trifle ;  next  to  nothing. 

"  He  bought  a  lot  o'  taters  for  his  cows,  and  got  'em  for  a  thing 
o'  nothing." 

"  This  cask  leaks. "     Brewer:  "Oh!  its  a  thing  o1  nothing.'''' 
"  Have  you  cut  yoursel?"     "Aye  ;  but  its  a  thing  o1  nothing." 
Shakspeare  uses  this  phrase. 

"  HAM.  :  The  body  is  with  the  king,  but  the  king  is  not  with  the  body. 

The  king  is  a  thing — 
GuiL. :  A  thing,  my  lord  ? 
HAM.:  Of  nothing:  bring  me  to  him." — Hamlet,  Act  iv.,  sc.  2. 

THINGS,  s.  personal  apparel. 

"  Get  your  things  on  an'  we'll  goo." 

THINK  ON,  v.  (i)  to  remember. 

(2)  to  remind. 
"  Yo  mun  think  me  on,  or  I  shall  be  sure  to  forget." 

THINK  YOU  ?  v.  do  you  think  ? 

This  form  of  the  question  is  almost  always  used. 

THIN,  adj.  cold,  piercing ;  applied  to  a  wind  that  penetrates  to  the 
bones. 

One  frequently  hears  it  said,  "  My  word  !  but  it's  a  thin  wind  this 
morning;  it'll  go  through  you  before  it'll  go  round  you." 

Such  a  wind  is  also  said  "  to  make  thin  linings ;"  that  is,  it  makes  one's 
clothes  feel  excessively  thin. 

THIRL,  v.  to  pierce ;  a  term  used  by  colliers  when  they  make  an 
opening  between  a  new  and  old  working.     Mow  COP. 


358  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

THIS'NS.     See  A-THIS'NS. 

THISTLE-TAKE,  a  duty  of  a  halfpenny,  anciently  paid  to  the 
Lord  of  the  Manor  of  Halton,  in  the  county  of  Chester,  for  every 
beast  driven  over  the  common,  suffered  to  graze  or  eat  but  a 
thistle. — Bailey's  Dictionary. 

The  custom  is  very  ancient,  as  appears  from  the  following  extract  from  a 
report  on  the  Halton  Court  Rolls,  published  a  few  years  ago  by  Mr.  Beamont, 
of  Warrington : — "In  1375  there  was  an  officer  called  the  taxator,  who 
was  to  take  an  account  of  the  swine  feeding  in  the  lord's  woods,  and  to 
receive  the  pannage  due  for  them.  This  year  the  sums  received  for  pannage, 
thistle-take,  and  the  perquisites  of  the  halmote  were  twenty-two  pence  for 
the  pannage  and  thistle-take,  and  thirteen  shillings  and  three  pence  for  the 
Court  perquisites." 

Blount  in  his  Law  Dictionary,  a  work  of  authority,  explains  thistle-take 
almost  in  Bailey's  words. 

(Frequent  enquiries  having  been  made  as  to  what  has  become  of  the 
Court  Rolls  of  Halton,  I  may  say  that  they  are  now  lodged  in  the  Public 
Record  Office  in  London.) 

THODDEN,  adj.  close,  heavy. 

Heavy  bread  is  described  as  thodden.  A  waxy,  watery  potato  is  also 
thodden. 

THONK,  s.  a  thong,  a  bootlace ;  also  THUNK. 
THORNBERRIES,  s.  fruit  of  Cratcegus  Oxyatantha,  occasionally. 

THOU,  pron.  is  in  constant  use. 

Equals  "  thou  and  thee"  each  other,  and  superiors  "  thou"  inferiors  ;  but 
inferiors  always  address  their  superiors  as  "you."  Generally  pronounced 
thah.  Not  unfrequently  a  superior  will  address  an  inferior  in  the  third  person, 
"  Now  he  mun  tak  this  letter  to  Mester ,  an'  he  mun  wait  for  an  answer." 

THOUSAND-FLOWER,  s.  Linaria  Cymbalaria.     L. 
THOUSAND-LEAF,  s.  the  yarrow.     Achilha  Millefolium.     MOB- 

BERLEY. 

Erroneously  applied  by  Leigh  to  A.  Ptarmica. 

THOWT,  s.  thought. 

"Next  thowt  "is  a  very  common  expression  to  indicate  that  you  have 
suddenly  remembered  something  that  you  had  almost  forgotten. 

"  Aw'll  go  buey  some  baccy;  bu'  next  thowt  aw  have  na  brass 
enoo. " 

THOWT,  v.  perfect  tense  of  think. 

THRAMP-WITH,  s.  a  sliding  noose  of  withy  or  rope  to  fasten  cows 
in  their  stalls.  HALLIWELL.  See  FRAMPATH. 

THRAPE,  THREEP,  or  THREEAP,  to  contradict,  to  main- 
tain an  assertion.  Often  THRAPE  DOWN. 

THRASKET,  s.  a  flail  or  thresket.     L. 

Probably  misprints  for  thrashet  and  threshet.     See  THRESHATS. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  359 

THRAVE,  s.  twenty-four  sheaves  of  corn. 

The  threshing  machine  has  almost  entirely  superseded  the  flail,  but  when 
corn  was  threshed  by  hand,  it  was  generally  done  by  the  piece  at  so  much 
per  throve.  The  farmer  counted  out  two  or  three  thraves  at  a  time  for  his 
men  to  thresh,  and  each  kept  a  record  of  the  amount  of  work  done.  In 
threshing,  four  sheaves  used  to  be  spread  out  on  the  floor,  head  to  head,  and 
when  threshed  they  were  tied  up  into  two  battens  of  straw,  thus  a  thrave  of 
corn  only  makes  twelve  sheaves  of  .straw ;  and  this  may,  perhaps,  account 
for  Wilbraham's  somewhat  ambiguous  definition  of  a  thrave,  "generally 
twelve,  but  sometimes  twenty-four  sheaves  of  corn."  At  auction  sales  corn 
is  frequently  sold  by  the  thrave. 

THREE-CORNERED,  adj.  irritable.     MACCLESFIELD. 

THREE-LEGS,  s.  three  larch  poles  fastened  together  at  the  top  by 
means  of  a  slightly  curved  iron  pivot. 

The  legs  are  spread  open  at  the  bottom,  and  a  pulley  is  fixed  under  the 
apex,  they  then  serve  for  hoisting  timber  or  other  heavy  materials.  Smaller 
ones  are  in  use  to  hang  scales  to  when  potatoes  are  being  weighed  in  a  field. 

THREEP.     See  THRAPE. 
THREE-SQUARE,  adj.  triangular. 

THREEWICK,  s.  three  weeks. 

We  speak  of  "a  three-wick  in  the  singular  number  in  the  same  manner  as 
we  speak  of  a  fortnight.  The  pronunciation  is  rather  peculiar,  the  first 
syllable  being  short.  It  sounds  almost  like  threiv-ick. 

THRESHATS,  s.  pi.  a  flail,  i.e.,  the  handstaff  and  swipple  joined 
together. 

Randle  Holme  calls  them  Threshalls.  Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  iii., 
ch.  viii.,  p.  333. 

THRID,  s.  thread. 

THRIFT,  s.  growing  pains. 

"What  ails  the,   pooin  thi  face?     It's  nowt  bu'  th'  thrift  that 
tha's  getten." 

THRILL-BARS,  s.     See  CART. 

THRILLS,  s.  the  shafts  of  a  cart.     MIDDLEWICH. 

THRIPPA  or  THRIPPOW,  s.  the  harvest  gearing  of  a  cart. 

Two  thrippas,  one  at  each  end  of  the  cart,  constitute  the  harvest  gearing ; 
they  are  movable,  and  are  only  put  on  when  hay  or  corn  are  to  be  carried. 

THRIPPA  or  THRIPPOW,  v.  to  beat.     W.     See  RIPPER. 
THRIPPA  SLOTES,  s.  the  bars  of  a  cart  thrippa. 

THRIPPLE,  s.  the  beating  part  of  a  flail.     L. 
More  commonly  SWIPPA,  which  see. 

THRIPPOWING,  part.  adj. 

A  thrippowing  pungowing  life  is  a  hard  laborious  life.     W. 


360  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

THROAT  FAYVER  (fever),  s.  diphtheria.     MOBBERLEY. 

THROCK,  s.  Randle  Holme  enumerates  this  amongst  the  parts  of 
a  plough. 

"The  Throck  is  the  piece  of  Timber  on  which  the  Suck  is  fixed."  —  Academy 
of  Armory,  Bk.  iii.,  ch.  viii.,  p.  333. 

THROLLY,  s.  a  thrush,  Turdus  musicus.     FRODSHAM. 
THRONG,  adj.  busy. 

THROPE,        )  v.   perfect   tense   and   participle   of    the    verb   to 
THROPPEN,  )       threap.     W. 

THROSTLE,  s.  a  thrush,  Turdus  musicus. 

THRUCK,  s.  the  piece  of  wood  that  goes  through  the  beam  of 
a  plough,  at  the  end  of  which  the  suck  or  share  is  fastened. 
HALLIWELL.  See  THROCK. 


THRUFF,  />?/.  through,  not  common. 

THRUM,  s.  (i)  a  tangle  or  mess.     KELSALL. 

A  piece  of  tangled  string  is  said  to  be  "  in  a  thrum." 

(2)  a  naughty  child.  —  Manchester  City  News,  February 
26,  1880,  but  not  localized. 

THRUM-EYED.     See  PIN-EYED. 

THRUMMELL,  s.  a  large  clumsy  lump  of  a  fellow.     L. 

THRUMS,  s.  short  ends  of  worsted,  which  can  be  bought  from  the 
carpet  shops,  and  which  used  formerly  to  be  much  used  for 
knitting  into  hearth  rugs  and  door  mats. 

THRUNK,  adj.  thronged,  crowded. 

"As  thrunk  as  three  in  a  bed  "  is  a  common  saying.  Also  "As  thrunk 
as  Cheddle  Wakes,  noo  ream  areat." 

THRUSTINGS,  s.  white  whey,  the  same  as  thrutchings,  q.v. 

"In  the  process  of  making  whey  butter,  in  some  instances,  the  thrustings, 
or  white  whey,  is  set  in  cream  mugs  to  carve,  and  acidulate  tor  churning."  — 
Holland's  General  View  of  the  Agriculture  of  Cheshire,  1808,  p.  261. 

THRUT,  v.  perfect  tense  and  participle  of  the  verb  to  throw. 
"He/-4r«/itdain." 

THRUTCH,  v.  to  push,  to  squeeze,  to  thrust. 

A  lad  who  was  being  pushed  off  the  end  of  a  form  at  a  village  tea  party, 
by  reason  of  so  many  other  lads  all  crowding  on  to  the  same  seat,  said,  "  I'st 
be  thrutched  off  here,  I  shall  that;  thrutch  up  a  bit." 

A  common  proverb  is  "  Where  there's  least  room  there's  most 
tkrutching." 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  361 

THRUTCHINGS,  s.  whey  which  is  thrutched  or  squeezed  out 
whilst  the  cheese  is  under  pressure. 

It  runs  out  .nearly  white,  and  is  thicker  than  the  first  or  green 
whey. 

THUMBASING  or  THUMMASING,  part,  fumbling  with  the 
hands  as  if  all  the  fingers  were  thumbs.  Fumasing  is  used  in 
the  same  sense. 

From  a  manuscript  note  in  Wilbraham's  Glossary,  written  apparently 
about  1826. 

There  seems  to  be  an  idea,  not  in  Cheshire  only,  but  generally,  that  the 
thumb  is  an  inferior  organ  to  the  fingers,  and  more  clumsy ;  accordingly,  one 
frequently  hears  it  said,  "  I  can't  manage  it  at  all  to-day;  my  fingers  seem  all 
thumbs."  A  good  illustration  of  this  occurred  at  a  rent  dinner  at  which  I 
was  presiding.  The  host  of  the  inn  where  we  were  dining  had  recently  lost 
his  wife.  His  health  was  drunk,  and  the  man  who  proposed  it  made  some 
allusion  to  his  loss,  but  hoped  he  would  in  due  time  find  solace  in  a  second 

helpmate.  In  returning  thanks,  poor  O said  he  thought  he  should 

remain  as  he  was,  and  he  ended  by  saying  that  his  late  wife  was  so  clever 
that  whenever  she  took  anything  in  hand,  her  thumb  never  seemed  to  be  in 
the  way. 

FUMMASING  (which  see)  seems  to  be  merely  another  pronunciation  of 
the  word,  Th  and  F  being,  in  some  degree,  interchangeable  letters.  We 
have  an  illustration  of  this  in  Thistle,  which  in  Cheshire  is  very  frequently 
pronounced  Fistic. 

THUNDER  BOLTS,  s.  the  corn  poppy,  Papaver  Rhceas.     L. 

Probably  Fapaver  dubium  is  intended,  P.  Rhceas  being  extremely  rare  in 
Cheshire,  if  indeed,  it  occurs  at  all. 

THUNGE,  s.  a  heavy  blow. 

THUNGE,  v.  to  strike  a  heavy  blow. 

"What  art  thungin  at  th'  durr  for?    Conna  thee  wait  till  a 
oppen  it?" 

THUNGER,  s.  anything  of  unusual  size. 
THUNK,  s.  a  thong,  a  bootlace;  also  THONK. 

THUNKED,  part,  having  a  stricture.     NORTON. 

"  When  the  teat  of  a  cow  becornes  knotted  as  if  it  had  a  thong  tied  round 
it,  and  her  milk  cannot  flow  freely,  the  teat  is  said  to  be  thunked. 

THUNNER,  s.  thunder. 
THUNNER-BOWT,  s.  thunder-bolt. 
THURN,  s.  a  thorn. 

THURN-BUSH,  s.  a  hawthorn  tree,  Cratoegus  Oxyacantha. 
Y 


362  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

TICE,  v.  to  entice. 

"Tummy  wer  gooin  to  his  work  reet  enough,  bu'  Jack  ticed\nm 
off  to  th'  wakes,  an  they  booath  geet  drunk. " 

"  if  I  may  know  after  this 
that  thou  tice  me,  I  wis 

thou  shall  have  the  law  of  the  land." 

— "Sir  Triamore,"  Percy  FoL  MS.,  Hales  and 
Furnivall  ed. 

TICK,  s.  foot  and  mouth  disease  in  cattle.     MOBBERLEY. 
TICKLE,  adj.  (i)  unsteady,  top  heavy. 

(2)  difficult,  delicate. 
"  Au've  getten  rayther  a  tickle  job  here." 

TICKLE-STOMACHED,  adj.  squeamish. 
TICKLISH,  adj.  skittish,  mettlesome  ;  said  of  a  horse. 

TIDY,  adj.  in  addition  to  the  ordinary  meaning  "  neat,"  the  word  is 
used  on  a  variety  of  occasions  to  signify 

(1)  considerable. 

"A  tidy  lot  "  is  a  rather  large  quantity. 
"  A  tidy  distance  "  is  a  long  distance. 

(2)  good. 

"  A  tidy  sort  o'  chap  "  is  a  good  sort  of  a  man. 

TIED  BY  THE  TOOTH,  idiom,  a  curious  expression,  ex- 
plaining why  sheep  and  cattle  do  not  break  through  fences, 
though  they  are  bad,  because  the  pasture  is  good,  which  prevents 
rambling.  L. 

TIFT,  s.  a  quarrel,  a  tiff. 

TIKE  or  TYKE,  s.  ( i )  a  little  dog.     W. 

(2)  an  epithet  applied  to  a  person  in  mischief. 
"  Come  ite,  yo  tike  ?" 
A  cross  child  is  often  called  "  a  cross  tike." 

TILL,  conj.  than. 

TIMBER-TOED,  adj.  the  toes  turned  inwards. 

TIME,  s.  season. 

"  A  dropping  time  "  means  a  spell  of  wet  weather. 

TIMERSOME,  adj.  timorous. 
TIN,  adv.  until. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.        ,  363 

TIN  or  TINE,  v.  (i)  to  repair  a  fence.     MINSHULL  VERNON. 

(2)  to  shut. 
"7m»thedur."    W. 

(3)  also  TIND. 

To  find  the  fire  is  to  light  the  fire.     W. 

(4)  to  lose  one's  temper.     L 

TIN-LOAF?'  \s'  bread  baked  in  a  tin' 

TINING,  s.  the  dead  wood  used  for  filling  up  a  gap  in  the  hedge.    W. 

TINSEL,  \ 
TYNSELj* 

In  a  deed  of  mortgage,  1637,  the  mortgagor  gives  the  mortgagee  leave  "  to 
take  sufficient  trouse  and  tynsel,  growing  or  to  grow,  on  the  premises,  for  the 
fencing  in  and  repairing  of  the  hedges  and  heyment  in  and  about  the  demised 
Close."  Tynsel is  evidently  a  synonym  for  brushwood.  L. 

TIP,  s.  a  heap  of  rubbish,  or,  perhaps,  more  exactly,  faz  place  where 
rubbish  is  tipped  or  deposited. 

TIP,  v.  to  discharge  the  contents  of  a  cart  or  railway  wagon  by 
tipping  it  up. 

"  The  devil  always  tips  at  the  biggest  ruck  "  is  an  old  Cheshire  saying. 

TIPE,  v.  to  tipe  over  is  to  fall  over  in  a  fainting  condition.     See 
TOYPED  OFF. 

TIPPING,  s.  a  railway  embankment  formed  by  tipping  wagons  full 
of  soil  or  stone.     L. 

TIRING-IRONS,  s.  an  old  game  with  iron  rods  and  rings. 
TIT,  s.  a  horse. 

TIT-BACK,  s.  horse-back. 

"  How  was  he  travelling?"     "  He  were  on  tit-back," 

TITMAUPS,  s.  a  titmouse.     L. 
TITTHER.     See  TETTER. 
TITTIMAW,  s.  a  titmouse. 

TITTY,  s.  a  mother's  breast. 

To  give  a  baby  "its  titty"  is  to  give  it  suck. 

TIZACKY,  adj.  particular  about  food.     Mow  COP. 

T'N,  adv.  than. 

"  I'm  bigger  t'n  him." 

TOAD-FLAX,  s.  the  corn  spurrey,  Spergula  arvensis. 


364  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

TOAD-RUDD,  s.  frog-spawn. 

TOATLY  or  TOERTLY,  adj.  quiet,  docile. 

TO-DO,  s.  fuss,  bustle,  outcry. 

"  What  ails  him?  he's  making  a  great  to-do" 

TO-DO,  adj.  amiss. 

"  What's  to-do  wi'  thee  ?" 

TOFF,  adj.  tough. 

TOFFY  STICKS.     See  TRAYCLE  TOFFY. 

TOM  AND  JERRY,  s.  a  beerhouse. 

TOMMY  DODD,  slang  expression,  salt-making  term. 

A  lever  used  for  jumping  or  sacking  the  salt  in  place  of  its  being  done  by 
men.  The  mouth  of  the  sack  is  attached  to  hooks  on  a  ring  fixed  at  the  end  of 
the  short  arm  of  a  lever.  One  man  can  thus  work  the  lever  and  jump  the  sack. 

TOMORROVV-COME-NEVER,  idiom,  an  indefinite  time. 

Synonymous  with  the  Parliamentary  phrase  "this  day  six  months." — 
Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  ii.,  p.  27. 

TOM-TIT,  s.  a  titmouse.     Also  TITTIMAW. 

TON  or  TONE,  s.  one,  or  rather  "  the  one." 

"  I  met  old  Aspbury  on  the  waste,  and  I  said  '  Our  chimney  wants 
sweeping,  and  there  are  no  sweeps  in  Kelsall ;  what  must  I  do  ?'    And 
he  says  '  Get  a  hollin-bush,  missis,  or  set  it  afire  !  ton  o'th'  two. ' " 
A  very  common  way  of  sweeping  chimneys  in  Cheshire  is  to  tie  a  holly- 
bush  in  the  middle  of  a  cart  rope.     One  end  of  the  rope  is  then  weighted 
with  a  stone  and  passed  down  the  chimney.     A  man  at  the  top  and  another 
at  the  bottom  then  pull  the  holly-bush  up  and  down  until  all  the  soot  is 
dislodged.     See  TOTHER. 

TONGUE-FENCE,  s.  argument,  talk.     WILMSLOW. 
TOOKEN,  v.  perfect  tense  plural  of  the  verb  to  take. 
TOOL,  s.  a  draining  spade. 

TOOL-BING,  s.  a  small  room  amongst  the  farm  buildings  where 
tools  are  kept.     MIDDLEWICH. 

TOOT,  v.  to  pry  curiously  or  impertinently  into  any  little  domestic 
concern.     W. 

TOOT  HILL,  prop,  name,  a  steep  hill  near  Alvanley. 

There  are  many  hills  throughout  the  country  which  bear  this  name.  There 
is  generally  the  remains  of  an  ancient  camp  in  their  vicinity,  and  the  name 
either  signifies  "a  look-out ;"  or  else,  as  has  sometimes  been  suggested,  it  is 
connected  with  the  worship  of  the  Celtic  deity  Tot  or  Thoth. 

Halliwell  has  "Totehill,  an  eminence,  Chesh."  which  is  probably  taken 
from  Wilbraham,  who  says  "a  totehill  is  an  eminence  from  which  there  is  a 
good  look-out." 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  365 

TOOTY  POT,  s.  a  hole  in  a  road  or  pavement  full  of  water.     L. 

TOO  VERY,  adv.  too. 

"  Dunnot  dig  it  too  very  deep." 

TOP  O'  TH'  TREE,  idiom,  the  highest  position  attainable. 

TOPPER,  s.  something  very  good. 

A  highly  popular  man  is  sometimes  described  as  "  a  topper." 

TOPPING,  adj.  noted,  eminent. 

"  He's  a  topping  plooman." 

TOPS  AND  BOTTOMS,  idiom,  an  expression  relative  to  the  cul- 
tivation of  cottage  gardens.  Tops  are  fruit  trees,  bottoms  are 
vegetables. 

"  Why  do  you  not  grow  potatoes?"     "  Au  canna  have  tops  and 
bottoms  as  well,  and  tops  pee  best. "     L. 

TOP-SAWYER,  s.  a  first-rate  hand;  a  great  person. 

TOP-SIDE,  s. 

The  top  side  of  a  tree  is  the  side  of  the  stem  which  has  been  exposed  to 
the  north  when  growing,  and  which  some  consider  injuriously  affects  the 
quality  of  the  wood  on  that  side.  —  Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  ii.,  p.  27. 

TOP  UP,  v.  (i)  to  finish  off  a  stack. 

(2)  to  put  the  best  at  the  top  when  fruit  or  any  other 
article  is  for  sale. 

TORE  ON,  v.  to  struggle  through  with  any  task.     MOBBERLEY. 
"  Have  you  welly  finished  ?"     "  No,  bur  aw'm  taring  on." 

TORT,        ) , 
TOWART,Fr^lowards- 

TOTEHILL.     See  TOOT  HILL. 

TOTHER,  s.  the  other. 

Frequently  used  after  TON.     "  One  or  the  other  "  is  "  Ton  or  father ." 
"  Wife,  pluck  fro  thy  seed  hemp  the  fiemble  hemp  clene, 

this  looketh  more  yellow,  the  other  more  grene : 
Vse  ton  for  thy  spinning,  leave  Mihel  the  father, 
for  shoo  thred  and  halter,  for  rope  and  such  other." 

— TUSSER  (Five  Hundred  Points],  E. D.S.  ed.,  p.  123. 

TOUCH-ME-NOT,  s.  the  plant  Cardamine  hirsuta,  which  shoots 
out  its  seeds  when  touched.     MOBBERLEY. 

TOW-BAR,  s.  a  turnpike. 

TOW-DISH,  s.  toll  dish.     A  miller's  toll  measure. 

TOWER- WHEELS,  s.  salt-mining  term.  The  wheels  at  the  top  of 
the  towers  on  which  \^&  flat-ropes  run. 


366  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

TOWLER,  s.  an  instrument  for  breaking  flax.     L. 

TOWN,  s.  a  village.     Used  often  in  place  names. 

"  Norton  Town "  is  often  spoken  of,  though  Norton  is  an  extremely 
small  village ;  and  two  bridges  on  the  Bridgewater  Canal,  which  runs  through 
Norton,  are  called  respectively  "Norton  Town  Bridge,"  and  "Norton  Town 
Field  Bridge."  We  have  the  "Town  Lane"  in  Mobberley ;  and  in  the 
same  parish  there  is  the  "  Town  Field,"  a  field  which  formerly  consisted  of 
a  number  of  small  allotments,  cultivated  conjointly,  as  it  were,  by  the  various 
inhabitants  of  the  township.  In  an  old  deed  relating  to  property  in  the  village 
of  Hal  ton,  an  enclosure  is  named  as  "  the  yard  at  the  end  of  the  town." 

TOYPED  OFF,/0rf.  (i)  fainted. 

(2)  damped  off,  like  an  over-watered  flower.  L. 
TRADDLE,  s.  a  treadle. 

TRADDLE-HOLE,  s.    (i)   a  hollow  place  in  the  floor  under  a 

loom  where  the  treadles  work  up  and 
down. 

(2)  an  old-fashioned  variety  of  apple. 

The  tradition  is  that  a  weaver  found  an  apple  pip  growing  in  the  trandle- 
hole  under  his  loom,  and  planted  it  in  his  garden.  In  due  time  it  bore  fruit 
of  good  quality,  and  the  variety  was  named  Traddle-hole  from  the  place 
whence  the  pip  came. 

TRADE,  s.  a  handicraft. 

The  word  has  no  reference  to  buying  and  selling,  or  keeping  a  shop. 
"  He  gave  th'  lad  a  trade;  he  put  him  to  a  shoemaker." 

TRADE,  v.  to  tread. 

TRADE  MORTAR,  v,  to  mix  lime  and  sand  for  mortar  by  treading 
it  with  the  feet,  a  practice  now  almost  obsolete. 

TRADESMAN,  s.  a  handicraftsman. 

TRAMMEL,  s.  a  builder's  tool. 

In  working  circular  work,  a  staff  of  the  radius  of  the  circle  is  a  trammel. 

TRAMMLE,  v.  to  trample. 

TRANSMOGRIFY,  v.  to  metamorphose,  to  effect  a  visible  change 
for  the  better. 

A  jobbing  tailor  offered  to  transmogrify  all  my  carpets  when  I  was 
removing  to  a  new  house  j  meaning  that  he  would  alter  them  to  suit  the  new 
rooms. 

TRANSOM,  s.  the  cross  piece  of  wood  that  holds  up  the  log  on  a 
saw-pit. 

A  back-transom  is  a  spare  one  always  kept  under  the  log  for  safety. 

TRAPS,  s.  salt-making  term.     The  holes  in  the  floor  between  the 
hothouses  and  the  lofts,  up  which  holes  the  lumps  are  put. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  367 

TRASH,  s.  an  iron  plate  to  lock  the  wheel  of  a  wagon  going  down 
hill.  MIDDLEWICH. 

TRASH,  also  TRASHER,  v.  to  shuffle,  as  one  does  with  shoes 
down  at  heel. 

A  woman  who  was  summoned  before  the  Frodsham  School  Attendance 
Committee  for  not  sending  her  son  to  school,  gave  as  an  excuse  that  she  had_ 
been  unable  to  buy  him  a  pair  of  boots,  and  added,  "He'd  nowt  bur  an  owd 
pair  o'  moine  as  he  had  for  t'  trash  abait  in,  an'  ah  couldna  send  him  i'  them." 

"  His  shoon  are  queit  done;  he's  trashert  em  eawt" 
TRASHERT,  adj.  poorly  shod. 
TRASHES  or  TRASHERS,  s.  old  shoes  or  slippers. 

TRAUNCE,  s.  a  tedious  journey. 

"  He  led  me  a  fine  trautxe" 

TRAUNCIN,  part,  taking  a  tedious  journey,  without  much  result. 

"He  said  he  were  on'y  goin  to  Helsby,  but  he  kep  me  trauncin 
abait  au  dee. " 

TRAVIS,  s.  a  place  enclosed  with  rails,  for  shoeing  an  unruly  horse. 

TRAYCLE  TEAWN  (Treacle  Town),  prop,  name,  a  soubriquet  for 
the  town  of  Macclesfield. 

TRAYCLE  TOFFY,  s.  sometimes  called  TOFFY  STICKS.  A  very 
favourite  sweetmeat  amongst  Cheshire  school  children. 

I  am  not  acquainted  with  the  exact  mode  of  manufacture,  but  I  suppose 
the  treacle  is  thickened  by  boiling  till  it  will  draw  out  into  sticks  a  foot  or 
more  long,  which  harden  as  they  cool.  The  sticks  are  covered  with  strips  of 
paper  wrapped  around  them  spirally. 

TRAYPSE,  s.  a  long,  dirty,  tiring  walk. 

"  Eh !  bur  aw've  had  such  a  traypse,  an'  aw  for  nowt." 

TRAYPSE,  v.  to  walk  in  a  slovenly  manner,  through  mud  and  dirt. 
TRAYPSED,  part,  draggled,  poverty-stricken.     MIDDLEWICH. 
TREENE  WARRE  (treen  ware),  s.  earthen  vessels. 

From  an  inventory  of  property  belonging  to  Margery  Glutton  of  Nant- 
wich,  1611. — Local  Gleanings,  January,  1880,  p.  265. 

TREFOIL,  s.  Trifolium  minus. 

TREMBLING  GRASS,  s.  quaking  grass,  Briza  media.   WILMSLOW. 

TRENCH,  v.  to  dig  two  spades  deep,  burying  the  sod  at  the 
bottom. 

TRENCH-PLOUGH,  v.  to  turn  over  a  very  shallow  furrow  in 
the  first  instance,  and  then  cover  it  by  means  of  a  second  plough 
set  much  deeper. 


368 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 


TRENTALL,  s.  a  collection  of  thirty  things. 

Lawrence  Mainwaring  in  his  will  (1533,  A.D.)  leaves  money  to  pay  "for 
a  trentalloi  masses,"  i.e.,  thirty  masses.     L. 

TRIAL,  s.  a  coarse  sieve  in  a  winnowing  machine. 

TRICKLING,  part,  applied  to  the  uncertain  scramble  of  a  wounded 

hare. 

"  I   seed   the   hare   a  trickling  along  the   deitch,  through   the 
brimbles  under  the  boo  of  yon  wicken."     L. 

TRIG,  s.  a  trot,  between  a  walk  and  a  run  (not  applied  to  a  horse's 
trot). 

"  He's  allus  uppo  thr  trig."    Always  in  a  hurry. 

TRIG  or  TRIG  OUT,  v.  to  bedeck. 

TRIM  THE  JACKET,  idiom,  to  beat. 
"  Aw'll  trim  thy  jacket  for  thee." 

TRINDLE,   s.   the    wheel    of   a    barrow.      MIDDLEWICH.      Also 
TRUNDLE. 

TRINKLEMENTS,  s.  nick-nacks,  trinkets. 

TRINCUM-TRANCUMS,  s.  ornaments  of  dress,  fallals.     WILMS- 
LOW. 

TRIVANT,  s.  truant.     WILMSLOW. 

"  He  ticed  ahr  Jacii  o  play  trivant  from  schoo." 

TROLLOP,  s.  a  slattern. 

TROLLY,  s.  a  low,  two-wheeled  cart.     MACCLESFIELD. 

TRON,  v.  to  contrive  something  in  joiner's  work  or  the  like.     L. 

TROSSLE,   s.   making  a  trossle  of    oneself— being   slatternly  or 
turning  out  disreputably.     L. 

TROU,  s.  a  small  cart  or  drag.     HALLIWELL. 

TROUSE,  s.  a  thorn  or  bough,  used  to  stop  a  gap  in  a  hedge.     L. 

TROWS,  s.  a  steelyard.     Mow  COP. 

TRUCK,  s.  odds  and  ends  which  are  almost  worthless. 

"Th'  sale  begun  at  one  o'clock,  but  they'll  ony  be  sellin  truck  for 
an  hour  or  so." 

TRUCK,  v.  to  barter. 

"  He  conna  sell  th'  tit ;  he'll  have  to  truck  wi'  somebody  to  get 
beawt  it." 

TRUNDLE,  s.  the  wheel  of  a  wheelbarrow ;  also  TRINDLE. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  369 

TRUNDLE-BOWL,  s.  a  boy's  hoop. 

TRUNK,  s.  the  pipe  which  conveys  the  water  under  &plat.  FRODS- 
HAM.  See  PLAT. 

TRUSS-WEIGHT,  s.  a  rather  curious  and  ingenious  method  of 
weighing  hay  for  market. 

For  market  a  ton  of  hay  is  cut  into  forty  trusses,  which  are  supposed  to 
weigh  561bs.  each.  The  hay-cutter  cuts  the  truss  as  near  the  required  weight 
as  he  can  guess,  and  then  weighs  it  on  a  steelyard  (locally  called  drones], 
which  is  furnished  with  two  long  hooks  to  hook  into  the  bands  around  the 
truss.  The  drones  are  hung  to  the  stail  (or  handle)  of  zfikel  (or  pitchfork), 
the  grains  (prongs)  of  which  are  thrust  into  the  side  of  the  haystack,  the 
other  end  of  the  pikel  resting  on  the  man's  shoulder.  Of  course  it  very 
rarely  happens  that  a  truss  weighs  exactly  561bs.,  but  whatever  weight 
is  under  or  over  the  561bs.  is  recollected,  and  the  underweight  or  overweight 
of  each  succeeding  truss  is  subtracted  from  or  added  to  the  previous  total 
under  or  over  weight,  until  the  whole  forty  trusses  are  weighed.  In  fact,  a 
very  ingenious  mental  Dr.  and  Cr.  account  is  kept.  An  example  will  best 
illustrate  the  process.  Suppose  the  first  truss  weighs  59lbs.,  this  is  3lbs. 
overweight;  truss  two  weighs  5Slbs.,  or  lib.  underweight;  the  lib.  sub- 
tracted from  the  3lbs.  leaves  2lbs.  overweight  for  the  two  trusses.  Truss 
three  may  weigh  only  5olbs.,  or  61bs.  short;  but  there  are  already  2lbs.  over; 
the  balance  therefore  is  4lbs.  short  in  the  three  trusses.  When  the  errors  are 
so  small  as  these  they  are  allowed  to  pass,  but  if  the  error  is  large,  or  the 
balance  begins  to  get  much  too  high  or  too  low,  'some  hay  is  taken  from  or 
added  to  a  truss  to  equalize  it  again.  When  the  last  truss  is  weighed  the 
whole  ton  may  be  a  few  pounds  over  or  under,  but  cannot  be  more  incorrect 
than  a  few  pounds  ;  and  this  error  is  easily  rectified  in  the  last  truss.  See 
CATCH  WEIGHT. 

TRYING  PLANE,  s.  a  long  heavy  plane  used  for  the  careful  dress- 
ing, levelling,  and  squaring  up  of  timber  after  the  first  roughness 
has  been  taken  off  with  the  jack  plane. 

TUB,  s.  salt-making  term.*  A  square  box  of  wood  in  which  fine  salt 
is  moulded  before  drying. 

They  are  generally  eighteen  to  twenty  inches  long  and  six  to  eight  inches 
square. 

TUBBY,  adj.  round-bellied. 

TUB-GUTS,  s.  a  pot-bellied  man.     WILMSLOW. 

TUB-THUMPER,  s.  (i)  a  cooper. 

(2)  a  ranting  preacher. 

TUCKED  UP,  part,  an  animal  having  very  little  stomach  is  said  to 
be  tucked  up. 

TUMBRIL,  s.  a  dung  cart ;  smaller  than  an  ordinary  cart. 
"Horse,  Oxen,  plough,  tumbrel,  cart,  waggon,  &  waine." 

— TUSSER  (Five  Hundred  Points},  E.D.S.  ed.,  p.  35. 

TUMMLE,  v.  to  tumble. 


3/0  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

TUMMUS,  (i)  prop.  name.  Thomas. 
(2)  s.  a  toad.     L. 

TUN-DISH,  s.  a  funnel. 
TUNGLED,  part,  plagued.     L. 
TUP,  s.  a  ram. 
TUP  CAT,  s.  a  torn  cat.     L. 

TURF,  s.  peat  dried  for  fuel.  The  word  is  never  applied  in 
Cheshire  to  a  grass  sod. 

Turf-getting  is  a  peculiar  industry  carried  on  at  most  of  the  larger  peat 
bogs,  and  notably  at  Lindow  Common  near  Wilmslow.  The  turf  is  nicked 
out  into  parallelograms  about  12  inches  by  9  inches,  and  cut  horizontally  into 
cakes  about  3  inches  thick ;  these  are  laid  on  the  earth  to  dry  ;  afterwards 
reared  two  together ;  then  piled  into  -windrows,  and  lastly  stacked  in  conical 
heaps  for  winter  fuel.  There  are  two  qualities  of  turf,  the  grey  and  the 
black.  The  grey  lies  uppermost  and  is  formed  chiefly  of  white  moss 
(Sphagnum)  which  is  only  very  slightly  decomposed.  It  dries  spongy.  The 
black  turf  is  underneath,  and  dries  very  hard. 

TURF-GETTER,  s.  one  who  cuts  and  prepares  turf  for  fuel. 

TURF-SPADE,  s.  a  thin,  sharp  spade,  made  perfectly  flat,  so  that 
it  can  be  used  either  side  up,  for  the  purpose  of  cutting  the  turf 
blocks  both  perpendicularly  and  horizontally. 

TURMIT,  s.  a  turnip. 

TURN  AGAIN,  v.  to  turn  back. 

TURNED,  fart,  (i)  past,  as  regards  age. 
"  He's  turned  seventy. " 

(2)  sour,  said  of  milk. 

TURNEL,  s.  a  shallow,  oval  tub. 

Large  ones  are  used  for  scalding  pigs  and  are  called  "pig  turnels." 
Smaller  ones  are  used  for  various  purposes,  such  as  putting  under  a  cheese 
press ;  kneading  bread,  salting  meat,  &c. 

TURNING  AND  TYPING,  idiom,  contriving,  so  as  to  make 
things  fit.  WILMSLOW. 

TURNOVER,  s.  (i)  a  pasty  made  of  a  circular  paste  doubled  over 
and  the  edges  pinched   together.     It  may 
contain  fruit  or  meat. 
(2)  an  apprentice  transferred  to  a  new  master.     L. 

TURN  OVER,  v.  to  repeat. 

"Aw  hears  so  many  tales  that  are  na  worth  turning  o'er  again." 

URN  THEE,  excl.  said  to  a  horse  or  cow  when  they  are  required 
to  move  to  one  side. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  371 

TURN  UP,  v.  (used  metaphorically). 

"It  winna  bear  turning  up"  like  a  smart  gown  over  a  draggle-tail 
petticoat.  Said  of  a  person  who  really  is  not  what  he  seems  to  be,  or  what 
he  would  wish  people  to  imagine  he  was.  L. 

TUSH,  s.  a  tusk. 

TWAN  ABOUT,  v.  to  go  about  aimlessly.  MOBBERLEY,  WILMSLOW. 

"  What  hast  bin  doin  aw  day  ?     Aw've  seen  the  do  nowt  bu' 
twan  abeawt,  aw  o'er  th'  place/' 

TWANG  A  BOW,  v.  hatting  term. 

In  "bowing"  the  materials  for  hat  bodies  the  Bow  (which  see)  is  taken 
in  the  left  hand,  and  the  Bow  Peg  (which  also  see)  in  the  right.  The  string 
of  catgut  is  pulled  by  the  end  piece  of  the  bow  peg  and  then  let  go;  the 
effect  is  to  spread  and  open  out  the  materials  upon  which  it  is  laid. 

TWARLY,  adj.  peevish,  cross.     W. 

TWEEND,  v.  to  wind  round  or  twist.     MIDDLEWICH. 

TWELFT,  s.  twelfth. 

TWELL,  v.  to  twirl.     WILMSLOW. 
"  7 well  it  reawnd." 

TWIGGEN,  adj.  made  of  wickerwork. 

"A  twiggyn  flaskett"  (i.e.,  a  wicker  basket)  is  mentioned  in  an  inventory 
of  property  belonging  to  Margery  Glutton  of  Nantwich,  1611. — Local  Glean- 
ings, February,  1880,  p.  298. 

TWIGGEN  DICK,  s.  a  coarse  kind  of  cheese,  with  very  little  fat  in  it. 

Servants  when  not  satisfied  with  the  furnishing  of  the  table  used  very 
frequently  to  repeat  the  following  rhyme,  and  perhaps  do  so  still,  at 
MIDDLEWICH  : — 

"Browan  bread,  mahleypies, 
Twiggen  Dick  full  o'  eyes  ; 
Buttermilk  instead  o'  beer ; 
So  I'll  be  hanged  if  I  stay  here. " 
At  WILMSLOW  the  rhyme  varies  thus : — 

"Barley  bread,  and  barley  pies, 
Twiggen  Dick  and  full  o'  eyes, 
Sour  milk  and  smaw  beer, 
Maks  me  stop  no  lunger  here." 

TWIGGERY,  s.  an  ozier  bed. 
TWIGS,  s.  oziers. 

TWIN,  v.  to  divide  into  two  parts,  especially  applied  to  a  field,  or  a 
building. 

TWINK,  s.  a  chaffinch,  Fringilla  ccslebs.    FRODSHAM. 

TWIST,  s.  appetite. 

"  Eh  !  which  a  twist  thou's  getten." 


372  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

TWITCH,  s.  (i)  a  short  stick  with  a  noose  of  string  at  one  end, 

used  for  holding  a  refractory  horse. 

The  noose  is  placed  around  the  upper  lip  of  the  horse,  and  is  twisted  round 
until  the  lip  is  held  tight. 

(2)  couch  grass,  Triticum  repens. 
TWITCH  CLOG,  s.  a  black  beetle. 

TWITCH  EL,  s.  a  person  whose  intellect  is  so  weakened  by  age  as 
to  become  childish  is  called  a  twitchel.     W. 

TWITCHEL,  v.  (i)  to  geld  by  means  of  a  cleft  stick.     W. 
For  description  of  the  operation  see  Wilbraham's  Glossary. 

(2)  a  dog  is  said  to  be  twitchelled  when  it  has  a  can 
tied  to  its  tail.     WILMSLOW. 

TWITCHINGS,  s.  "ends  of  Horse  Shooe  Nails  cut  off."— Academy 
of  Armory,  Bk.  III.,  ch.  iii.,  p.  89. 

TWITE,  v.  to  cut.     L. 

TWIZZLE,  v.  (i)  to  twirl,  to  twist. 

A  chicken  is  said  to  have  its  neck  t-wizzled  when  it  is  slaughtered  in  that 
manner. 

(2)  to  twine  round.     DELAMERE. 
The  bindweed  is  said  to  "  twizzle  round  the  corn." 

TWO  FOLK,  idiom,  at  variance. 

"John  an'  James  are  two  folk." 

TWO-FOOT,  s.  a  carpenter's  rule. 

"  Han  yo  seen  my  two-foot?" 

TWO-FOWD,  adj.  double. 

TWOTHRY,  s.  two  or  three.     Used  also  to  express  any  indefinite 
number. 

Sometimes  it  means  rather  a  large  number;   thus    "a   good   two-thry 
glasses"  would  imply  that  a  considerable  quantity  of  drink  had  been  imbibed. 

TVVYNTER  HEIFER,  s.  a  two  year  old  (two-winter)  heifer. 

Mentioned  in  an  inventory  of  property  belonging   to   Margery  Glutton 
ofNantwich,  1611.— Local  Cleanings,  February,  1880,  p.  302. 

TYKE,  s.  see  TIKE. 

TYNAN,  v.  to  enrage,  or  provoke.     L. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  373 


U. 


ULLET  or  ULLERT,  s.  an  owl.  ULLARD  (MIDDLEWICH). 

ULLET  HOLE  or  ULLERT  HOLE,  s.  a  hole  left  in  the  gable 
of  a  building  to  admit  owls,  which  destroy  an  amazing  number 
of  mice  in  farm  buildings. 

UMBER,    l 

OUMBER,  •  s.  the  shade. 
OUMER, 

Corn  does  not  ripen  well  if  it  is  in  the  umber.     W. 

UMBERELL,  s.  an  umbrella. 

UMBRELLA  RAIN,  s.  rain  which  comes  straight  down.     KELSALL. 

UN,  s.  one. 

"  That's  a  good  un,  any'ow." 

UNBARE,  v.  to  strip,  to  make  bare. 

"  He'll  unbare  th'  prato  hog  morrow  morning  if  it  does  na  freeze." 

UNBEKNOWNST,  adv.  unknown,  clandestinely. 

UNBETHINK,  v.  to  recall  to  mind. 

It  invariably  takes  the  accusative  case  of  the  pronoun  after  it.  "Now  I 
unbethink  me;"  and,  as  Wilbraham  observes,  it  somewhat  implies  a  change 
of  opinion. 

"  and  unbethought  him  of  awhile, 
how  he  might  that  wilde  bore  beguile." 

— "Sir  Lionell,"  Percy  Fol.  MS.,  Hales  and 

Furnivall  ed. 
Frequently  pronounced  umbethink. 

UNCO,    UNCOW,    or    UNKERT,   adj.    awkward,   strange,   un- 
common.    W. 

UNDENIABLE,  adj.  (i)  excellent. 

It  also  has  a  meaning  which,  at  first  sight,  appears  almost  the  reverse  of 
excellent,  namely — 

(2)  unmistakeable,  absolute. 
"  He's  an  undeniable  rascal." 

UNDERLING,  s.  a  cow,  pig,  or  other  animal  bullied  by  the  others. 
"  That's  a  little  underling"  said  a  farming  man,  pointing  to  a  cow  in  a 
straw  yard,  "  and  the  others  run  it."     L. 


374 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 


,V   1  v.  to  put  new  walling  under  a  wall  already  built. 
UNDrl.Koii.1 ,  ) 

UNDER  TH'  WEATHER,  idiom,  in  poor  circumstances,  down  in 
the  world. 

UNFACE,  v.  to  expose. 

To  "unface  sand"  would  be  to  dig  away  all  the  soil  so  as  to  expose  a 
face  of  sand. 

UNGAIN,  adj.  not  handy,  inconvenient. 
The  reverse  of  fain,  which  see. 

UNGIVE,  v.  to  give  way,  to  melt. 

When  glue  does  not  stick  it  is  said  to  ungive.  When  a  thaw  begins  to 
set  in,  the  frost  is  said  "  to  ungive  a  bit."  Salt  ungives  or  becomes  moist  in 
damp  weather.  A  lump  of  rock  salt  is  often  used  as  a  barometer,  being  hung 
up  by  a  piece  of  string  to  a  hook  in  the  houseplace  ceiling.  When  it  ungives 
and  drips  on  the  floor  it  indicates  coming  wet  weather. 

UNHAIR,  v.  a  tanning  word,  meaning  to  divest  a  hide  of  the  hair. 

UNHUDDER,  v.  to  take  off  the  top  protecting  sheaves  (hudders) 
from  corn  stocks  preparatory  to  carrying  them,  so  as  to  let  the 
sun  harden  the  corn  which  has  been  previously  covered  up. 

UNKEMPT,  part,  uncombed.     Still  in  use. 

UNKIND,  adj.  unripe,  or  rather  not  able  to  ripen. 

"  Unkind  corn"  is  corn  which,  from  some  circumstance,  such  as  being 
shaded  with  trees,  does  not  come  properly  to  maturity,  and  is  ill-fed. 

UNLEVEL,  adj.  not  level. 

UNLUCKY,  adj.  always  in  mischief. 

A  boy  who  is  perpetually  in  some  scrape  or  another  is  stigmatised  as  "an 
unlucky  lad. " 

A  cow  which  has  a  propensity  for  breaking  through  fences  is  said  to  be 
unlucky,  and  is  often  blufted,  or  has  a.  yoke  hung  round  her  neck. 

When  it  was  the  fashion  for  country  girls  to  wear  veils,  people  used  to 
say  of  them  jokingly  "Go's  unlucky,"  in  allusion  to  the  blufting  of  a  cow. 
See  BLUFTED  (i). 

UNPOSSIBLE,  adj.  impossible. 

UNTOWERTLY,  adj.  unpromising,  unmanageable. 

A  correspondent  writes  as  follows  : — "  I  was  a  nervous,  delicate  child, 
and  therefore  very  amenable  to  nursery  rule,  and  she  [the  nurse]  always  spoke 
of  me  as  "a  taughtly  little  thing  ;"  whereas  my  sister,  who  utterly  defied  the 
powers  above,  was  described  as  "an  untvwertly  baggage." 

It  is  rather  remarkable  that  the  two  words  toatly  or  tauutly  and 
untowertly,  which  appear  to  be  the  positive  and  negative  forms  of  the  same 
word,  and  which  certainly  express  two  opposite  qualities,  are  almost 
invariably  pronounced  differently,  as  indicated  in  the  above  quotation. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  375 

UP,  v.  (i)  to  get  up. 

"  I  upped  and  towd  im." 

(2)  to  lift  up. 

"  I  upped  wi'  my  fist  and  fetched  'im  a  crack  o'th'  yed." 

UP  AN'  DAIN  or  UP  AN'  DEAWN,  idiom,  applied  to  a  Lanca- 
shire method  of  fighting,  where  kicking,  &c.,  is  resorted  to,  in 
contradistinction  to  a  Cheshire  "stand  up  "  fight.  See  LANKY  (2). 

UPBRAITH,  v.  to  upbraid. 

UP-EEND,  v,  to  turn  anything,  such  as  a  barrel,  on  its  end. 

UPHOWD,  v.  (i)  to  uphold  in  argument;  to  assert,  to  maintain. 

(2)  to  certify, 
"What  he  says  is  true,  I  uphowdyo." 

UP  I'  YEARS,  idiom,  getting  old,  as  applied  to  human  beings. 
Often  singly  f  years,  without  the  prefix  up. 

UPKECK,  v.  to  upset. 

To  upkeck  a  cart  is  to  tip  a  cart  up  so  as  to  shoot  out  the  contents. 

UPPO,  prep,  upon,  when  the  next  word  begins  with  a  consonant. 
"  Uppo  th'  roof." 

UPPO  TH'  NEEST,  idiom. 

A  woman  is  said  to  be  "getten  uppo  (A'  neest"  when  she  is  beginning  to 
have  a  family.     MOBBERLEY. 

UPSIDES,  adj.  even. 

To  be  upsides  with  anyone  is  to  be  even  with  him ;  to  pay  him  out. 

UPSTONDING,  part.  adj.  (i)  erect,  tall  and  well  grown,  majestic- 
looking. 
"A  good  upstanding  crop." 

(2)  sometimes  it  merely  means  standing 

up. 
"Aw  drunk  his  health  upstanding" 

UP  TO  THE  KNOCKER,  idiom,  properly,  in  a  workmanlike 
manner. 

UP  TO  THE  NINES,  idiom,  the  same  as  UP  TO  THE  KNOCKER. 

"  There  aren't  more  than  two  or  three  in  Runcorn  as  can  dress  a 
cawf  up  to  th'  nines. " 

UPYEPT,  part,  heaped  up. 

URBISH,  v.  to  plague  or  tease.     WILMSLOW. 

URBISHING,/0rt.  adj.  troubled,  plagued.     WILMSLOW. 

A  man  who  is  sorely  plagued  and  troubled  by  adverse  circumstances  is 
said  to  have  ' '  an  urbishing  time  of  it. " 


376  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

URCHANT  or  URCHIN,  s.  (i)  a  hedgehog. 

(2)  salt-making  term.  Pieces  of  salt 
scale  are  so  called  when  they 
have  been  allowed  to  form  over 
the  fires. 

A  man  is  said  to  have  "an  urchant  in  his  pan"  when  he  has  "scaled 
his  fires." 

URR,  v.  to  snarl. 

"  What's  th'  dog  urrin  at  ?" 

US,//v«.  (i)  we. 

"Must  us  go  now." 

(2)  me. 

"Give  us  an  apple." 

USED  TO  COULD,  idiom,  used  to  be  able. 

"Aw  used  to  could  &  done  it,  but  aw  think  aw've  welly  forgetten 
heaw  neaw." 

UTICK,  s.  (i)  the  whinchat,  Pratincola  rubetra. 

The  note  of  the  bird  is  "  Utick,  tick,  tick,"  uttered  very  distinctly, 

(2)  a  term  of  reproach  to  a  lad. 
"  Tha  young  utick." 

UZSELS,  pron.  ourselves. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  377 


V. 


VALLEY,  s.  and  v.  value. 

Wilbraham  sub.  v.  Value  says  "  amount  as  well  in  measure  as  in  quantity; 
circiter,  when  you  come  to  the  value  of  five  feet.  " 

VAMP,  s.  the  upper  leather  of  a  shoe. 
VARGING  or  BARGING,  part,  quarrelling.     L. 

VARIEGATED  NETTLE,  s.  Lamium  maculatum,  frequently  seen 
in  cottage  gardens. 

VARIETY,  s.  a  rarity.     W. 

VARJUS,  s.  verjuice. 

VARMENT,  s.  vermin. 

VARMENT-LOOKING,  adj.  sporting  looking.     L. 

VAST,  s.  a  great  number. 

"  Theer  were  a  -vast  o'  folk." 

VEIL,  s.  a  child's  caul;  supposed  to  confer  safety,  especially  from 
drowning.     KELSALL. 

"  I  had  a  uncle  as  had  a  charmed  life  ;  he  was  born  with  a  veil 
over  his  face.  " 
Also  called  a  COLT. 

VEMON,  s.  venom. 
VEMONOUS,  adj.  venomous. 


VEMONT,  /0r/.  venomed,  poisoned. 
"  He's  vemont  wi'  a  tooad." 

VENTER,  v.  to  venture. 

VENTERSOME,  adj.   adventurous,   or,   perhaps   more  correctly, 
reckless  of  danger. 

VESSEL-CLEANER,  s.  an  under  dairymaid,  whose  business  it  is  to 
clean  the  cheese  tub,  cans,  and  dairy  apparatus. 

VESSELS,  s.  the  various  cans,  tubs,  &c.,  pertaining  to  a  dairy. 

VEW,  s.  a  yew  tree,  Taxus  baccata. 
Z 


378  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

VIEWSOME,  adj.  commanding  a  good  view.     KELSALL. 

A  house  overlooking  a  very  beautiful  prospect  was  spoken  of  by  someone 
who  called  as  "  a  viewsome  house." 

VILE,  adv.  very,  exceedingly. 

' '  Aw'm  -vile  bad  wi'  th"  toothache. " 
"  He's  vile  nowt." 

VIRGIN  MARY'S  HONEYSUCKLE,  s.  Pulmonaria  officinalis.— 
Gardeners  Chronicle^  1873,  P-  579- 

VIRGIN  MARY'S  THISTLE,  or  FISTLE,  s.  Carduus  Marianus, 
not  uncommon  in  cottage  gardens. 

VIRGINS,  s.  a  kind  of  apple.     MIDDLEWICH. 

VIRTUE,  s.  strength;  pronounced  vertcha. 

"  It's  noo  use  puttin  more  wayter  on  th'  tay  leeaves,   aw  th' 
vertchcts  gone  eawt." 

VITRID,  adj.  angry,  malicious,  vicious.     Mow  COP. 
"  Go's  very  vitrid  at  him." 

VIVERS,  s.  small  roots,  fibres.     L. 
VIZARD,  s.  a  mask. 

VOIDYERS,  s.  vessels  for  carrying  table  furniture  in,  knives,  plates, 
&c. 

Mentioned  in  an  inventory  of  property  belonging  to  Margery  Glutton  of 
Nantwich,  1611.— Local  Gleanings,  February,  1880,  p.  299. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  379 


W. 


WACK,  s.  hatting  term.  A  name  given  to  materials  which  have 
been  pilfered  by  workmen  during  the  course  of  manufacture. 

WACKER,  s.  a  shake. 

"Aw  of  a  wacker,"  all  of  a  shake,  like  a  person  frightened  or  cold.  The 
same  as  DITHER. 

WACKER,  v.  to  tremble. 

WAGE,  s.  wages. 

The  word  is  generally  used  in  the  singular. 

WAIF,  s.  goods  dropped  by  a  thief;  also  goods  and  chattels  lost, 
and  not  claimed  after  a  year  and  a  day,  when,  after  certain 
forms,  they  belong  to  the  lord  of  the  manor.  L. 

WAIRIBREE,  s.  a  large  wart  upon  the  body  of  an  animal. 
Leigh  spells  it  WARRIBEE,  which  I  have  never  heard. 

WAIRY,  adj.  (i)  weary,  tired. 

(2)  troublesome,  vexatious. 
"  Rappits  are  wairy  powse." 

(3)  disreputable. 

"  He's  a  wairy  rascal." 

WAKE,  adj.  weak. 

WAKE  ROBIN,  s.  (i)  Orchis  maseula.     L. 
(2)  Arum  maculatum. 

WAKES,  s.  the  annual  feast-day  of  a  village  or  township. 

The  Wakes  are  generally  held  on  or  about  the  Saint's  day  to  whom  the 
Church  is  dedicated  ;  though,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  I  know  of  no  wakes  which 
are  held  at  any  other  season  than  the  autumn  ;  and  I  have  thought  that  pos- 
sibly they  may  be  survivals  of  some  ancient  pagan  autumnal  festival,  which 
in  Christian  times  was  transferred  to  such  Saints'  days  as  occurred  about  the 
same  season.  The  wakes  are  one  of  the  grand  events  of  the  year  from  which 
dates  are  often  reckoned  ;  and  it  is  customary  for  friends  from  a  distance  to 
visit  each  other  during  "  Wakes  week."  Leigh  says  the  word  is  always  used 
in  the  plural,  but  the  country  people  seem  to  treat  it  as  a  singular  word  ;  for 
they  would  say  "I  remember  a  score  of  Mobberley  Wakeses."  I  have  also 
very  often  heard  people  lamenting  that  the  Wakeses  are  beginning,  as  it  is  a 
sure  indication  that  winter  is  not  far  off.  Bowdon  Wakes  are  the  earliest, 


380  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

I  think,  and  they  have  given  rise  to  a  proverbial  saying — "  When  Bowdon 
Wakes  is  at  Bowdon  winter  is  at  Newbridge  Hollow."  Newbridge  Hollow 
is  about  a  couple  of  miles  from  Bowdon.  It  is  or  was  the  custom  (for  such 
customs  are  fast  changing)  for  farmhouse  servants  to  be  re-hired  in  Mobberley 
at  the  WTakes,  though  they  did  not  actually  change  their  places  till  Christmas. 

WAKKEN,  adj.  wide  awake  as  regards  intellect. 

"  He's  a  wakken  un"  is  said  of  a  very  cute  lad.  It  also  rather  implies 
that  the  lad  has  a  spice  of  harmless  mischief  in  him. 

WALK,  v.  to  walk  a  flag  or  heavy  stone  is  to  rear  it  on  end,  or  as 
we  should  say  in  Cheshire,  "to  up-eend  it,"  and  then  to  move 
it  along  by  advancing  one  corner  at  a  time,  the  other  corner 
acting  as  a  pivot  upon  which  to  screw  it  round. 

WALK  APRON,  s.  hatting  term.  The  apron  used  by  workmen  to 
keep  them  dry  when  working  at  the  kettles. 

WALK  BECK,  excl.  Come !  That  is,  come  nearer  to  the  driver. 
Said  to  the  first  horse  of  a  team.  DELAMERE. 

WALK-MILL,  s.  a  fulling  mill. 

There  is  a  farm  called  Walk-mill  Farm  in  the  township  of  Dodcot-cum- 
Wilkesley ;  and  in  the  parish  of  Wilmslow,  where  Dean  Row  joins  Newton, 
there  used  to  be  a  footbridge  over  the  Bollin  called  Walk-mill  Bridge.  Many 
years  ago  it  wore  away  and  has  never  been  replaced.  No  doubt,  formerly, 
fulling  mills  existed  at  both  places. 

WALK-PIN,  s.  hatting  term.  A  round  piece  of  wood  thickest  in 
the  middle  and  tapered  off  at  each  end,  used  to  press  the  water 
out  of  hat  bodies. 

WALL,  s.  a  spring  of  water.     W. 

WALL,  v.  (i)  '•'•wall,  that  is,  to  make  salt." — (NANTWICH,    1669) 
Philosophical  Transactions,  vol.  iv.,  p.  1063. 

"The  bank  [is]  accidentally  raised  by  rubbish  of  long  making  salt,  or 
walling,  as  they  call  it."— Ib.,  p.  1061. 

Wall  literally  means  to  boil. 

(2)  to  put  unburned  bricks  into  a  wall  to  enable  them 
to  dry. 

WALLER,  s.  salt-making  term.     A  salt-maker  or  boiler. 

At  present  the  men  call  boilers  those  who  make  staved  va&.  butler-salt,  and 
the  others  wallers.  Formerly  they  were  all  called  wallers. 

Halliwell  explains  wallers  as  "women  who  rake  the  salt  out  of  the  leads 
at  the  saltworks  at  Nantwich."  See  LEAD  WALLERS. 

WALLET  or  WALLY,  s.  a  workman's  bag.  A  word  of  very 
frequent  use  in  Cheshire. 

A  boy  carries  his  dinner  to  school  in  a  wallet;  a  shoemaker  also  carries 
shoes  to  his  customers  in  a  wallet.  As  a  hatting  term  it  is  a  workbag  with 
the  entrance  in  the  centre  and  made  up  at  each  end. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  381 

WALLING,  part,  (i)  the  old  name  for  salt-making. 

(2)  making  walls  of  bricks  in  a  brickfield,  paid  for 

at  so  much  per  thousand  bricks. 
"  What  art  doin  i'th'  brickfielt  ?"     "  Why,  aw'm  walling.'1'' 

WALLOP,  v.  (i)  to  boil  violently.     MACCLESFIELD,  occasionally, 
but  I  think  imported  from  Shropshire. 

(2)  to  beat. 

WALL  UP,  v.  to  spring  up  as  water  does.     W. 
WALM,  s.  (i)  a  bubbling  or  boiling.     L. 

(2)  a  certain  measure  of  salt  after  boiling.     L. 

WALM,  v.  to  seethe  or  boil.     W.     Used  by  Randle  Holme. 

WAMMA  (WILMSLOW),  WAMMY  (FRODSHAM),  adj.  feeble,  faint 
from  exhaustion,  flabby. 

' '  He'd  had  nowt  t'ate  for  aw  day,  an  he're  queight  wake  an 
wamma." 

A  plant  in  a  pot  which  was  faded  and  flabby  was  said  to  be  "  weak  and 
wamtny." 

WAMMOCKY,  adj.  weak,  feeble.     L. 
WANGLE,  v.  to  totter  or  vibrate.     W. 

WANTEN,  v.  plural  of  want. 

"  Hey  !  mester;  we  wanten  yo  here." 

WANTING,  adj.  short  of  intellect,  weak  minded. 
"  I  think  he's  a  bit  wanting." 

WANY,  adj.  imperfect,  deficient. 

The  first  few  boards  which  are  cut  off  a  round  log  and  are  narrower  at  one 
end  than  the  other,  or  have  "feather  edges,"  would  be  called  "wany 
boards." 

WAPENTAK  SUMNANCE  (Summons),  idiom,  a  sort  of  vague 
threat  of  some  kind  of  legal  proceedings.  WILMSLOW. 

WAPPOW  or  WEPPOW,  s.  railings  placed  across  a  brook  to 
prevent  cattle  encroaching  or  entering  the  neighbouring  fields. 
LYMM. 

WAPS,  s.  a  wasp. 

WARCH,  s.  ache,  pain.     See  BALLY-WARCH. 

WARCH,  v.  to  ache. 

"  Moi  bally  wardies." 

WARD,  s.  world.     W. 


382  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

WARD,  v.  to  take  care  of,  to  watch.     L.     Scarcely  local. 

WAR  HAWK,  excl.  take  care,  beware.     MOBBERLEY. 

WARK,  s.  work,  is  pronounced  like  "  ark,"  though  not  universally. 

WARLD,  s.  world. 

Th'  world's  eend,"  the  world's  end,  said  sometimes  of  a  very  sequestered 
place. 

WARLOCK,   s.   a  term   used    in    binding    straw    on    a    wagon. 

MlDDLEWICH,    MlNSHULL   VERNON. 

The  ropes,  after  being  made  fast,  are  tightened  by  being  drawn  together 
with  another  length  of  rope,  or  sometimes  twisted  with  a  peg.  This  peculiar 
method  of  tightening  is  called  a  warlock.  The  word  is  also  used  as  a  verb ; 
thus  we  speak  of  -warlocking  the  ropes  ;  or  we  say  the  load  is  warlocked. 

WARM,  adj.  is  pronounced  to  rhyme  with  "  arm." 

WARM,  v.  to  chastise. 

"  I'll  warm  thee,  if  thou  doesna  come  in." 

WARRE  or  WORRE,  adj.  worse.     W. 

WARTWORT,  s.  cudweed,  Gnaphalium  uliginosum.     L. 

WARTY,  adj.  work-day;  as  "warty  clothes"  in  contradistinction 
to  Sunday  clothes.     HYDE. 

WASTE,  v.  to  diminish. 

WASTRIL,  s.  (i)  a  good-for-nothing  person,  a  spendthrift 

(2)  an  imperfect  article,  cast  out  as  unsaleable,  or 
sold  at  a  lower  price. 

Crooked  plates  and  dishes  are  generally  called  "wastrils,"  and  are  sold 
very  cheap  by  itinerant  "pot-men."  The  word  is  also  used adjectively  as  "a 
•wastril  plate." 

WASTY,  adj.  containing  useless  space. 

A  house  much  larger  than  one  requires  would  be  described  as  "  a  great, 
•wasty  place." 

WATCH-GUARDS,  s.  Cytisus  Laburnum.     FRODSHAM. 

WATER  AGRIMONY,  s.  the  plant  Eupatorium  cannabinum.    MID 
CHES. 

WATER  LILY,  s.  the  arum  lily,  Catta  palustris. 

WATER  PINE,  s.  Stratiotes  aloides. 

WATER  ROT,  s.  Hydrocotyle  vulgaris.     W.  CHES. 

WATER  SHAFT,  s.  salt-making  term.     A  shaft  sunk  to  collect  the 
fresh  water  near  the  main  shaft. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  383 

WATER-TABLE.     See  WEATHERING  COURSE. 

WATTLE  AND  DOBE,  s.  the  same  as  RADDLE  AND  DAUB,  q.v. 

WAUNT,  s.  a  synonym  for  a  mole.     Mentioned  in  the  Prestbury 
Church  accounts,  A.D.  1720.     L. 

WAUR  DAY,  s.  week  day,  or  perhaps  work  day,  as  opposed  to 
Sunday.     LANCASHIRE  BORDERS. 

WAUVE,  v.  to  lean  over  so  as  to  be  unstable. 

"  It's  wauved  o'er  into  th'  deitch.  " 

When  the  fine  old  tower  of  St.  John's  Church,  Chester,  fell  in  the  spring 
of  1881,  a  man  at  Delamere,  speaking  of  the  circumstance,  said  "it  were 
•wauvin  many  a  'ear  sin.  " 

WAW,  s.  a  wall. 

WAW-PLATE,  s.  a  piece  of  timber  placed  on  the  top  of  a  wall,  to 
which  the  roof  spars  are  nailed. 

WAW-ROBIN,  s.  the  spotted  Flycatcher,  Muscicapa  Grisola,  which 
very  frequently  builds  its  nest  in  a  hole  in  a  wall.     NORTON. 

WAWT,  v.  to  overturn. 

Applied  chiefly  to  the  overturning  of  a  cart  or  a  carriage.  When,  how- 
ever, a  sheep  gets  "cast  "  on  its  back,  and  cannot  get  up  again,  it  is  said  to 
be 


WAXEN  KORNEL  or  WAXY  KORNEL  (Kernel),  s.  a  swelled 
gland.  MOBBERLEY,  KNUTSFORD. 

WAY,  excl,  said  to  a  horse  when  he  is  to  stop. 

WAYBREAD,  s.  the  herb  plantain,  Plantago  major.     MOBBERLEY. 

WAY-GOOSE  or  WAYZ-GOOSE,  s.  an  entertainment  given  to 
journeymen  workmen. 

WAYTER,  s.  water. 

WAYTER-BAG,  s.  the  placenta  of  an  animal. 

WAYTER-TAUMS,  s.  the  eructations  of  water  into  the  mouth 
common  in  bad  cases  of  indigestion.  WILMSLOW. 

WAY-WIZER,  s.  a  pedometer. 

WEAL  AND  WORSHIP,  idiom,  the  closing  toast  at  any  Congleton 
festivities,  intimating,  it  may  be  concluded,  that  welfare  and 
religion  should  go  hand  in  hand.  L. 

WEANED,  part,  said  of  young  oats  that  look  yellow. 

When  young  oats  or  barley  cease  to  obtain  nutriment  from  the  seed,  and 
collect  their  food  from  the  soil  by  means  of  their  roots,  they  are  in  a  very 
tender  condition,  and  unless  the  weather  is  genial  they  frequently  become 
yellow  and  sickly.  The  young  plant  in  this  condition  is  spoken  of  as  "being 
weaned"  or  as  "pining  for  its  mother." 


384  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

WEAR,  v.  to  spend  money ;  but  conveying  a  sense  of  judicious  ex- 
penditure. 

"  What  did  yo  -wear  on  it  ?" 

WEATHER-BREEDERS,  s.  mare's  tail  clouds,  and  "  henscrats " 
which  portend  rain,  are  said  to  be  sure  weather-breeders. 

WEATHERED,  part,  spoilt  by  exposure  to  the  weather.  Chiefly 
used  with  respect  to  hay. 

WEATHERING  COURSE,  s.  bricks  set  out  from  the  wall  round 
the  bottom  of  a  chimney,  to  protect  the  thatch  where  it  joins 
the  chimney. 

Since  the  introduction  of  lead  "flashing"  these  projecting  courses  have 
become  unnecessary.     Sometimes  called  WATER-TABLE. 

WED,  v.  perfect  tense  of  weed. 

WEDDING-PROUD,  adj.  engaged  in  wedding  festivities.   HALTON. 

WEDGED,  part,  swelled  and  hard. 

When  a  cow's  udder  becomes  gorged  with  milk  and  is  hard  previous  to 
calving  it  is  said  to  be  wedged. 

WEEBROO,  s.  the  plantain,  Plantago  major.     HALTON. 
WEEK,  s.  the  wick  of  a  candle. 

WEEK  END  or  WICK  EEND,  s.  the  space  of  time  from  Saturday 
to  Monday. 

WEEKING,  s.  salt-making  term.  The  wick  of  the  lamp  used  in 
the  pan -houses  and  hot-houses. 

WEET,  s.  wet  weather.     W. 
WEET  or  WET,  v.  to  rain  slightly. 

WEEZE,  v.  to  ooze. 

"There's  a  spring  of  water  weezes  out  from  yon  hill  side." 

WEIFE  (WILMSLOW),  WOIFE  (general),  s.  wife. 

WEIGHS,  s.  scales  for  weighing. 

WEIGHTY,  adj.  heavy. 

WELL,  v.  to  weld. 

WELLER,  adj.  comparative  of  well.     L. 

WELLING  HEAT,  s.  (i)  welding  heat.     The  proper  temperature 

at  which  iron  will  weld. 

(2)  violent  exertion,  or  rather  the  result  of 
violent  exertion. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  385 

WELL  UNDERFOOT,  idiom,  in  good  circumstances. 

A  man  who  had  failed  said,  "  It's  hard  to  have  to  work  at  my  time  of 
life  ;  I've  been  well  brought  up,  and  well  underfoot." 

WELLY,  adv.  almost. 

"  Look  sharp,  wench  ;  aw'm  welly  clemmed." 

WELSH  MAIN,  s.  a  method  of  voting.     See  MAIN. 
WELT,  s.  (i)  a  coarse  seam.     MACCLESFIELD. 

(2)  a  sharp  stroke. 

(3)  a  weal,  or  raised  mark  on  the  skin,  caused  by  a  stroke 

from  a  lash  or  switch. 

WELT,  v.  to  beat. 
WE'N,  v.  we  have. 

WENCH,  s.  a  girl. 

The  women-servants  of  a  farmhouse  are  spoken  of  as  "  the  wenches"  It 
never  conveys  the  idea  of  a  woman  of  loose  character,  but  is  simply  the  femi- 
nine of  "lad." 

WERN,  v.  were. 

WERRIT,  v.  to  worry,  to  bother. 
WESH,  v.  to  wash. 
WESH-TUB,  s.  a  washing  tub. 

WE'ST,  v.  we  shall. 

"Come  on,  we'st  be  i'th  dark." 

WETCHERD, 


WEVER,  s.  a  river.     HALLIWELL. 

I  think  there  must  be  a  misconception  here  ;  Weaver  is  the  name  of  a 
particular  river  which  flows  into  the  Mersey  at  Frodsham  ;  and,  as  far  as  I 
know,  never  means  a  river  in  general.  In  West  Cheshire  it  is  pronounced 
Weever,  in  Mid  and  North-East  Cheshire,  Wayver. 

WHABBLE  or  WHABBOCK,  s.  puddle. 

"The  fields  are  aw  of  a  whabbock"  i.e.,  all  of  a  swim.    L.     C/r.Vfov. 

WHANY,  s.  a  blow. 

"  I'll  fetch  thee  a  whany"  I'll  hit  you.     L. 

WHANY,  v.  to  throw.     L. 

WHARRE,  s.  crabs  or  the  crab  tree. 

"  Sour  as  wharre."    W.     Pyrus  Malus. 

WHAVE,  v.  to  hang  over.     W.     See  WAUVE. 


386  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

WHAVER,  s.  a  term  used  at  the  game  of  quoits.     See  RINER. 

WHAVER,  v.  to  drive  away.     L. 

WHEADY,  adj.  that  measures  more  than  it  appears  to  be.     W. 

WHEAM,  adj.  lying  near,  convenient,  ready  at  hand.     W. 
"  It  lies  wheam  for  me."     RAY. 

WHEAMOW,  adj.  nimble,  active.     W.,  who  apparently  quotes  it 
on  the  authority  of  Ray. 

Ray  (North  Country  Words)  gives  the  following  proverb,  but  does  not 
specify  it  as  a  Cheshire  one  : — "  I  am  very  ivheamow,  quoth  the  old  woman, 
when  she  stept  into  the  milk-bowl."  Leigh  gives  it  somewhat  differently, 
as  if  he  might  have  actually  heard  the  proverb  :  "I'm  very  wheamow,  as 
t'ould  woman  said  when  she  stept  into  the  bittlin;"  and  he  explains  "  bittlin" 
as  a  milk-bowl. 

WHEEL,  s.  a  whirlpool.     L. 

WHEELBARROW  FARMER,  s.  a  very  small  farmer  who  rents 
two  or  three  acres  of  land.     WRENBURY. 

He  is  supposed  to  wheel  his  manure  on  to  the  land  in  barrow-loads 
instead  of  using  a  cart. 

"Uz  wheelbarrow  farmers  pays  more  rent  than  big  farmers,  and 
we're  obliged  to  grow  twice  as  much  on  uz  land." 

WHEELTENED,  v.  perfect  of  to  wheel. 

"  I  wheeltened  the  snow  away."    L. 

WHEER,  adv.  where. 

WHEINT,  adj.  quaint.     W. 

Ray  gives  this  as  a  Cheshire  word,  "A  wheint  lad,  q.  queint ;  a  fine  lad  : 
ironice  dictum.  Also  cunning,  subtle." 

WHELLERS,  s.  extra  stockings  without  feet,  or  haybands  wrapped 
round  the  legs  to  protect  them  from  wet.     WILMSLOW. 

There  is  a  good  story  told  of  one  John  Howarth  of  Lindow  End,  who 
called  upon  an  old  Quaker  draper,  of  Stockport,  to  buy  a  pair  of  whellers. 
Of  course  the  draper  had  only  stockings.  "  Cut  me  the  feet  off,"  said  John. 
The  Quaker  did  so.  "  Naow,  what  don  you  want  for  th'  whellers  ?"  "  Same 
as  for  the  stockings,"  replied  the  draper.  "  Aw'll  gi  the  a  shilling  for  th' 
•  whellers,"  said  John.  "  Well,"  said  the  old  Quaker,  "  thou  canst  take  them, 
but  thou  wilt  wheller  me  no  more. " 

WHETSTUN,  s.  a  stone  for  sharpening  knives;  also  used,  appa- 
rently, in  a  figurative  sense  to  describe  any  hard  swelling. 

Previous  to  calving,  my  cow's  udder  was  not  as  much  distended  with  milk 
as  usual,  and  I  remarked  to  my  cowman  that  her  "elder"  was  not  very  full. 
His  reply  was  :  "  No,  but  I  don't  care  for  it  being  so  whetslun."  He  was  a 
man  from  Wistaston,  near  Crewe. 

WHEY  BUTTER,  s.  butter  made  from  the  cream  which  remains  in 
the  whey  in  the  process  of  cheese-making. 

If  the  cheese  is  well  made  there  should  be  a  very  small  quantity  of  cream 
left  in  the  whey,  perhaps  yielding  not  more  than  half  a  pound  of  batter  per 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  387 

cow  per  week ;  but  through  carelessness  in  the  handling  of  the  curd  there  is 
frequently  a  good  deal  more.  At  any  rate  it  is  generally  considered  to  be 
worth  saving.  Such  butter  has  a  somewhat  peculiar  flavour  and  is  soft,  and 
'not  being  worth  so  much  to  sell,  is  consumed  at  home,  the  real  cream  butter 
being  sent  to  market.  See  WHEY  CREAM. 

WHEY  CREAM,  s.  the  cream  which  remains  in  the  whey. 

It  is  obtained  in  two  ways.  One  process,  the  simplest,  is  to  set  the  whey 
in  pans,  when  the  cream  gradually  rises  to  the  top  and  is  skimmed  off.  The 
other  process  is  to  raise  the  cream  by  boiling.  See  FLEETINGS.  Such  whey 
cream  is  also  called  CREAM  FLEETINGS. 

WHEY  HOUSE,  s.  a  wagon  shed.  (?) 

From  an  inventory  of  property  belonging  to  Margery  Glutton  of  Nantwich, 
1611. — Local  Gleanings,  February,  1880,  p.  297. 

WHEY-SPRINGY,  adj.  said  of  cheese  from  which  the  whey  has  not 
been  properly  separated. 

It  oozes  out  in  wet  spots  on  the  surface,  and  such  spots  are  liable  to 
putrify. 

WHICH,  pron.  what. 

"  Eh  !  si'  the'  which  a  pratty  horse." 
"  Which  a  pratty  little  wench  oo  is  !" 

WHIG,  s.  (i)  whey. 

(2)  any  obstruction  to  a  drain,  like  roots,  &c. 
"  The  suff  is  welly  racked  up  wi  whigs."     L. 

WHIMMY,  adj.  full  of  whims. 

WHIM-WHAM,  s.  (i)  a  whim,  a  new  theory. 

A  man  who  is  always  full  of  schemes,  first  trying  one  thing,  then  another, 
would  be  said  to  be  "  full  o'  whim-whams." 

(2)  used  idiomatically  for  a  sort  of  "  put  off." 
KELSALL. 

Thus,  should  two  elders  be  talking  together,  and  a  younger  person  come 
in  between  and  ask,  "What  are  you  talking  about?"  the  answer  would  be, 
"  Oh  !  a  whim-wham  from  Yocketon." 

WHINSTONE,  s.  a  coarse  grained  stone,  toad  stone,  ragstone.    W. 

WHIP,  s.  a  subscription  to  be  spent  in  drink,  collected  from  the 
company  assembled  round  a  dinner  or  a  supper  table  at  any 
public-house  entertainment.  HALTON. 

If  sixpence  apiece  is  collected,  it  is  called  a  "sixpenny  whip;''  if  a  shil- 
ling apiece,  a  "  shilling  whip ;"  and  so  on.  I  first  became  acquainted  with 
this  custom  at  a  ploughing  match  supper  at  Halton,  at  which  I  was  the 
chairman.  As  soon  as  the  cloth  was  removed,  a  shilling  whip  was  called  for, 
and  someone  volunteered  to  go  round  the  tables  and  collect  the  shillings. 
The  amount  was  then  handed  to  the  innkeeper,  who  supplied  each  person 
with  whatever  he  liked  to  call  for,  and  continued  to  do  so  till  all  the  money 
was  expended.  He  then  came  and  told  me  that  all  was  spent,  and  a  sixpenny 
whip  was  collected,  which  being  spent  the  company  broke  up. 


388  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

WHIRLIGIG,  s.  a  turnstile.  MACCLESFIELD,  or  generally,  anything 
that  turns  very  easily. 

WHISKIN,  s.  a  black  pot.     RAY. 
WHISSUN,  s.  Whitsuntide. 

WHISSUN-CAKE,  s.  a  three-cornered  cake  of  puff  paste  containing 
currants,  eaten  at  the  Knutsford  Whitsun  fair. 

I  am  afraid  these  cakes  are  becoming  obsolete ;  but  when  I  was  a  boy 
they  were  plentiful,  and,  as  I  thought,  superlatively  good.  This  fair  was 
instituted  in  9  Edward  III.,  under  seal  of  the  Exchequer  at  Chester,  and  is 
still  held  at  the  Higher  Town,  Knutsford  (formerly  called  Knutsford  Booths), 
on  Monday  and  Tuesday  in  Whitsun  week. 

WHISTLE,  ?'.  to  sing,  as  birds  do. 

A  Cheshire  native  seldom,  or  never,  speaks  of  birds  singing,  but  always 
•whistling. 

WHISTLE  BALLY  VENGEANCE,  s.  the  same  as  BALLY  VEN- 
GEANCE. L. 

WHISTLE  PEG  FAIR,  s.  Whitsun  Fair  at  Knutsford. 
WHITE  or  WHATE,  excl  the  word  used  in  calling  ducks  to  be  fed. 
WHITE,  v.  to  requite,  as,  "  God  white  you."     RAY. 
WHITE  BEECH,  s.  the  hornbeam,  Carpinus  Betulus. 
WHITE  ELLER  (Elder),  s.  Viburnum  Opulus,     W.  CHES. 

WHITE  FROST,  s.  hoar  frost. 

It  is  supposed  that  after  three  nights'  white  frost  it  is  almost  sure  to  rain. 

WHITE  HORSE,  s.  a  triangular  framework  of  wood,  painted  white, 
and  formed  of  three  rails  connected  by  iron  rods  at  each  end ; 
used  to  turn  carts,  &c.,  on  to  a  newly-repaired  road.  L. 

WHITE  MAYS,  s.  the  plant  Arabis  alpina. 

This  name  was  used  in  Mobberley  by  a  girl  whose  parents  came  from 
Frodsham ;  but  I  cannot  find  it  in  use  at  either  place.  I  record  it  as  it  is 
probably  current  in  some  part  of  Cheshire. 

WHITE  MERRY,  s.  a  dwarf  variety  of  Prunus  Avium,  growing  in 
hedges. 

WHITE  NANCY,  (i)  see  SWEET  NANCY. 

(2)  there  is  a  small  stone  building,  with  a 
pointed  roof,  built  also  of  stone,  which 
stands  on  the  top  of  Kerridge  hill.  The 
whole  structure  is  kept  whitewashed,  so 
that  it  is  visible  from  a  long  distance. 
It  always  goes  by  the  name  of  WHITE 
NANCY. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  389 

WHITE  ROCK,  s.  (i)  the  plant  Ardbis  alpina. 

(2)  a  variety  of  potato. 
WHITE  ROT,  s.  Hydrocotyle  vulgaris.     W.  CHES. 

WHITES,  s.  salt-making  term. 

"They  take  a  quart  of  whites  of  eggs  .  .  .  mix  them  with  twenty 
gallons  of  brine  .  .  .  and  thus  what  they  call  the  -whites  is  made." 
(NANTWICH,  1669.) — Philosophical  Transactions,  vol.  iv.,  p.  1065. 

WHITESTER,  s.  a  bleacher  of  linen.     W. 
WHITE-THORN,  s.  Cratcegus  Oxyacantha. 

WHITE  WHEY,  s.  whey  which  comes  from  the  curd  by  pressure. 

It  is  thicker  and  whiter  than  that  which  simply  drains  from  the  curd  in  the 
cheese  tub.  See  GREEN  WHEY. 

WHITE-WOOD  TREES,  5.  all  kinds  of  trees  except  oaks. 

WHOAVE,  v.  to  cover. 

"  Whoave  th'  hauf  mizzer  o'er  it." 

Ray  has  the  following  proverbial  expression  :  "  We  will  not  kill  but 
whoave.  CHES.  Spoken  of  a  pig  or  fowl  that  they  have  overwhelmed  with 
some  vessel  in  readiness  to  kill. " 

WHOM  or  WOM,  s.  home. 

"  Go  -worn  wi  thee." 

WHOOK,  v.  to  shake.     HALLIWELL. 

WHOOKED,  part,  broken  in  health,  shaken  in  every  joint.     W. 
Apparently  quoted  from  RAY. 

WHOR,  pron.  what,  when  used  by  itself  as  a  query. 
In  combination  with  other  words  what  would  be  used. 

WHOT,  adj.  hot. 

WHO  WHISKIN,  s.  a  whole  great  drinking  pot. 

Who  being  the  Cheshire  dialect  for  whole,  and  a  whiskin  signifying 
a  black  pot.  RAY. 

\\l\prep.  with. 

WIBROW,  | s.  the  herb  plantain.    W.     Plantago  major.     See  WAY- 
WYBROW, }     BREAD  and  WEEBROO. 

Leigh  gives  WYBROW  WORROW  as  one  name.     I  think  it  is  a  misprint. 

WIB-WOBBIN,  part,  shaking.     DELAMERE. 

WICH  or  WYCH,  several  place  names  in  Cheshire  have  this  ter- 
mination, indicating  saltworks. 

WICH'US  (Wych  House),  s.  salt-making  term.     The  pan  house  or 
house  in  which  salt  is  made. 


390  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

WICK,  adj.  alive. 

"  Well,  Mary,  how  are  you  to-day  ?"  "  Wei,  mon,  awm  teighert " 
(tired).  "What  with,  Mary?"  "  Wei,  yo  seen  yon  owd  foo  bowt 
some  snigs,  an'  they'n  wick  when  he  geet  em  worn  ;  an'  aw  skinned 
em,  an'  they'n  wick  then  ;  aw  cut  em  i'  pieces,  an'  they'n  wick  then ; 
aw  fried  em,  an'  they'n  wick  i'th"  pon  ;  an'  eawr  Jonathan's  etten  em, 
an'  aw  know  they're  wick  in  his  guts  yet."  ( They'n  =  they  were, 
an  abbreviation  of  they  wern.) 

WICKEN,  s.  mountain  ash,  Pyrus  Aucuparia. 

The  mountain  ash  is  a  sacred  tree  in  Cheshire  as  elsewhere.  It  consti- 
tutes one  of  the  most  infallible  charms  for  the  cure  of  whooping  cough.  See 
CHIN-COUGH.  I  have  also  noticed  an  objection  on  the  part  of  Cheshire 
labourers  to  cut  one  down. 

Leigh  also  gives  WYCHEN  and  WICKEY. 
WICKET,  s.  a  small,  light  gate. 
WICKS,  s.  (i)  young  hawthorn  plants. 

(2)  intestinal  worms,  maggots. 
WICKSILVER,  s.  quicksilver. 

WICK-WOOD,  s.  the  hawthorn  when  planted  in  hedges. 
WIDDAL,  s.  a  blade  of  grass.    DUKINFIELD. 
WIDD'N,  v.  to  widen. 

WIDOW,  s.  a  widower.     WIDOW-MON  (Mow  COP). 
WIDOW- WOMAN,  5.  a  widow. 
WIG,  s.  old,  dead  grass  left  on  a  pasture. 
WILBRANCH,  s.  stringhalt  in  horses. 

Leigh  spells  it  WlLLMARANCHE. 

WILBRANCHEL>,/ar/.  having  the  stringhalt. 

WILDFIRE,  s.  (i)  the  erysipelas,  mentioned  as  one  of  the  diseases 
cured  by  the  new-found  well  in  Cheshire,  A.D. 
1600.  L. 

(2)  a  small  blue  flame  which  is  often  seen  running 
along  the  face  of  a  coal  in  a  fireplace. 

WILD  GARLICK,  s.  Allium  ursinum.    W.  CHES. 

WILD  HOP,  s.  Polygonum  Convolvulus. 

WILD  VINE,  s.  (i)  black  briony,  Tamus  communis.     L. 

(2)  Bryonia  dioica.     W.  CHES. 
WILL-JILL,  s.  an  hermaphrodite.     W. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  391 

WILLOW  HERB,  s.  Epilobium. 

WILT  or  WILT  A,  v.  will  you? 

WIMBERRY,  s.  the  bilberry,  Vaccinium  Myrtillus. 

WIM BERRY  BESOM,  s.  a  broom  made  of  twigs  of  wimberry.  See 
BAYSOM. 

WIMBLE,  s.  a  gimlet. 

WIMPER,  v.  to  cry  in  a  subdued  way. 

WIN,  v.  will. 

"  Win  yo  do  it  ?" 

WIND-EGG  or  WIN-EGG,  s.  an  egg  without  a  shell.     WINDLE- 
EGG  (MIDDLEWICH). 

WINDERING,  part,  diminishing,  lessening.     L. 
WIND-FLOWER,  s.  Anemone  nemorosa. 

WINDLE    or   WINDLE-STRAY,  s.   a   dead   stalk   of  grass  left 
standing  in  the  field.     WINDLE-STREE  (MIDDLEWICH). 

WINDLE-EGG.     See  WIND-£GG. 
WINDLE-STREE.     See  WINDLE. 

WIND-ROW  or  WIN-ROW,  s.  a  long  row  of  hay  raked  together 
preparatory  to  carrying  it,  or  to  setting  it  up  in  large  cocks. 
Turf  also  is  put  in  wind-rows. 

WING,  s.  the  wing  of  a  goose  used  as  a  dusting  brush. 
WIN  K-A-PEEP,  s.  pimpernel,  Anagallis  arvensis. 

WINNA,   ) 
WONNA,    •  v.  will  not. 

WUNNA,  t 

When  before  a  word  beginning  with  a  vowel  or  h  mute  they  become 
WINNER,  WONNER,  WUNNER. 

WINNY,  v.  to  neigh." 

WINSCUT,  s.  wainscot ;  panelling  inside  a  room. 

Joiners  often  call  it  bull  winscutting  when  they  are  putting  up  stumps  and 
rails. 

WINSTRAYS,  s.  thin  reeds,  by  pools.     WILDERSPOOL. 

WINTER  GILLIFLOWER,  s.  the  wallflower,  Cheiranthus  Cheiri. 

"  They  flower  .  .  .  especially  in  winter,  whereupon  the  people  of 
Cheshire  do  call  them  Winter  Gilloflowers." — GER.,  p.  371.  1  am  not 
aware  that  the  name  is  in  use  at  the  present  day. 


392 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


WINTER-PROUD,  adj.  said  of  wheat  which,  on  account  of  a  mild 
winter,  is  considered  rather  too  luxuriant  in  the  spring,  and 
therefore  more  likely  to  be  laid  with  heavy  rain. 

WIRKEN,  v.  a  term  used  in  feeding  infants,  when  food  is  given 
them  too  fast,  so  as  to  make  them  cough.  L. 

WISHFUL,  adj.  desirous. 
WISHING  STEPS,  s. 

"  Near  the  south-east  corner  of  the  city  walls  at  Chester,  and  forming  part 
of  the  wall,  as  you  turn  northwards  are  a  flight  of  steps  called  '  The  Wishing 
Steps.'  The  religio  loci  is,  that  whatever  wish  may  be  formed  at  the  bottom  of 
these  steps  will,  in  the  course  of  time,  be  surely  fulfilled,  provided  the  wisher 
can  run  to  the  top  and  back  without  drawing  breath.  Another  version  is  that 
the  aspirant  must  not  only  go  up  and  down,  but  up  again,  .  .  .  there  are 
six  flights  of  three  steps  each,  with  a  landing  of  five  feet  between  each 
flight." — Leigh's  Ballads  and  Legends  of  Cheshire,  note  p.  99. 

WISHING  WELL,  s. 

"  It  is  thought  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Gayton,  that  anyone  who  may 
here  form  a  wish,  and  throw  a  stone  backwards  into  the  well,  will  ensure  the 
realization  of  their  desires." — Leigh's  Ballads  and  Legends  of  Cheshire,  note 
p.  230. 

The  Holy  Well  on  Alderley  Edge  is  also  sometimes  called  the  Wishing 
Well. 

WISH-ME-WELL,'j.  speedwell,  Veronica  Chamcedrys.     W.  CHES. 

WISKET,  s.  a  common  kind  of  basket  used  for  carrying  potatoes, 
or  carrying  "chop"  to  cows,  &c.,  generally  made  of  ash  timber 
cloven  into  very  thin  layers,  or  of  oziers. 

WITCH,  v.  to  bewitch. 

It  is  related  that  formerly  "a  witch  named  Ailse  Cawley,  who  lived  in  a 
low,  thatched,  white  cottage  on  the  Kelsall  hills,  kept  a  toad  in  a  teacup  on 
her  bed,  with  which  she  witched  folk." 

WITCHED,  part,  spell-bound  by  a  witch. 

The  following  story  was  related  by  a  woman  at  Kelsall  not  long  since, 
showing  that  a  belief  in  the  power  of  witches  still  exists: — "A  woman 

named went  to  the  cottage  of  a  witch  on  the  Kelsall  hills  one  day, 

either  to  do  some  business,  or  to  ask  a  favour.  However,  they  came  to 
words,  and  after  that  the  child  that  she  carried  on  her  arm  was  supposed  to 
be  witched,  for  it  went  into  a  nottymaze  and  died." 

WITCH-HAZZLE,  s.  Ulmus  montana. 

WITCH-PAP,  s.  a  mole  which  hangs  or  projects  from  the  skin. 

WITE,  s.  weight. 

"If  you'll  believe  me,  Missis,  I've  never  taken  the  wite  of  a  pin, "  was 
the  answer  of  a  servant  who  had  been  accused  of  dipping  into  the  jam-pot,  or 
some  such  petty  pilfering. 

WITHEN  or  WITHY,  s.  a  willow. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  393 

\ 

WITHERING,  adj.  strong,  lusty. 

"  A  great  withering  fellow." 

WITHIN,  prep,  opposed  to. 

"  Well  !  aw'm  no'  within  givin  him  a  trifle." 

WITTY,  adj.  knowing,  clever. 

"  He's  a  witty  man  about  cattle."     L. 

WITWALL,  s.  the  green  woodpecker,  Picus  viridis.     Mentioned  by 
Randle  Holme  (Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  II.,  ch.  xiii.,  p.  308). 

WIZZEN  or  WIZZEN  AWAY,  v.  to  fade  or  wither  away.     W. 
WIZZEN-FACED,  adj.  delicate  looking. 
WIZZENT,  part,  withered,  stunted,  shrunken. 


WOB,  s.  shake.     NORTON. 

When  slaked  lime  is  carried  any  distance  in  a  cart,  it  gradually  becomes  more 
liquid,  and  shakes  and  splashes  about  ;  it  is  then  said  to  be  "  all  of  a  wob." 

WOBBLE,  v.  to  shake. 

Anything  which  is  loose  and  ought  to  be  fast  is  said  to  "wobble  abeawt." 
A  fat  man's  cheeks  wobble  when  he  rides  in  a  cart. 

WO  !  COME  'ERE,  excl.  said  to  a  horse  when  he  is  to  turn  some- 
what to  the  left.     NORTON  and  the  neighbourhood. 

WOLE,  s.  the  whole. 

WOLE  MILK,  s.  unskimmed  milk. 

WON,  WONE,  or  WOOAN,  v.  to  dwell.     WOOANT  did  dwell.     W. 

WOOD,  WOODE,  or  WODE,  adj.  mad. 

"  Hoo  stamped  and  hoo  stared  as  if  hoo'd  ben  woode."  —  Warrickin  (War- 
rington)  Fair,  A.  D.  1448.     L. 

WOOD  AND  WOOD,  idiom.     See  STRICKLES  (2). 
WOOD  BETONY,  s.  the  plant  Stocky  s  Betonica. 

WOODEN  SHUTE,  s.  a  wooden  suit  (of  clothes),  metaphorical  for 
a  coffin. 

WOOD-FENT,  s.  a  stack  of  firewood,  also  the  place  where  firewood 
is  stored. 

WOOD  TENDERS,  s.  officers  employed  in  the  salt  towns  who 
were  answerable  for  the  fuel  being  properly  stacked,  and  that 
there  was  no  risk  of  fire.     L. 
AA 


394  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

WOP,  v.  to  beat. 

WOPPER,  s.  anything  very  large,  or  out  of  the  common  way. 

I  have  heard  it  said  of  a  great  lie,  '  '  What  a  wopper  /"  and  of  a  fat  woman, 


WORDING  HOOK,  s.  a  dung-rake.    HALLIWELL.     See  WORTHING. 

WORK-BRITTLE,  adj.  diligent  in  work;  but  with  a  sort  of 
implication  that  diligence  is  rather  unusual. 

"  My  word  !  but  you're  work-brittle  to-day." 

Leigh  spells  it  WORK-BRACCO,  or  BRACCON,  and  WORK-BRATTLE  ;  and 
Ray  has  WORCH-BRACCO. 

WORM,  s.  a  gimlet.     L. 

WORM  I'TH'  TAIL,  s.  an  imaginary  disease  to  which  cows  are 
supposed  to  be  liable  ;  or  rather  several  ailments  are  attributed 
to  the  supposed  presence  of  the  worm. 

Near  the  extremity  of  the  tail  there  is  a  spot  somewhat  softer  than  the 
rest,  as  if  two  of  the  vertebrae  were  slightly  separated.  This  is  supposed  to 
indicate  the  position  of  the  worm,  and  various  methods  are  resorted  to  to 
dislodge  it,  as  cutting  the  place  with  a  knife.  The  belief  is  very  widely 
spread,  and  is  by  no  means  confined  to  Cheshire.  Called  also  TAIL-SHOTEN 
SOKER,  q.v. 

WORTHING,  s.  an  old  word  for  dung. 

This  word  was  probably  in  common  use  both  in  Lancashire  and  Cheshire 
in  the  1  7th  century,  though  I  have  not  yet  actually  met  with  any  Cheshire 
document  in  which  it  occurs.  But  the  name  Worthington  is  as  common  in 
Cheshire  as  in  Lancashire,  and  is  connected  with  the  above  word.  The  fol- 
lowing note  by  Mr.  J.  P.  Earwaker,  in  reference  to  this  name,  appeared  in 
Notes  and  Queries  (6th  S.,  xii.,  p.  286),  and  is  very  interesting  :—  "The  anns 
of  the  old  Lancashire  family  of  Worthington  are  Argent,  three  dung  forks 
sable,  and  it  has  been  frequently  matter  of  conjecture  how  such  curious  arms 
should  have  been  assigned.  In  recently  examining  a  North  Lancashire  will 
I  have  found  an  expression  which  at  once  explains  how  these  arms  came  to 
be  given  to  the  Worthington  family.  Margaret  Spencer,  of  Hurstwood, 
North  Lancashire,  in  her  will,  dated  April  II,  1602,  bequeaths  to  one  of  her 
sons  '  all  my  manure  or  worthinge,'  showing  that  -worthing  was  an  old  word 
for  dung,  and  that  these  arms  are  only  another  instance  of  the  canting  arms 
so  well  known  in  heraldry." 

WORTLE   O'ER,  v.  to  topple  over.     MACCLESFIELD. 

One  of  my  correspondents  illustrates  this  word  by  the  following  little 
episode  :  —  "Once  I  fell  down  in  a  faint,  and  in  describing  it  to  my  mother, 
she  (an  old  servant  of  the  family)  said  '  hoo  wur  sittin  upo'  th'  settle,  and  hoo 
gen  sich  a  skrike,  abbur  afore  I  geet  to  her  hoo  wortlet  o'er.  '  " 

WORT-TURNEL,  s.  a  mash  tub  for  brewing. 

"A  worte  turnell  &  a  brewinge  stool."  —  From  an  inventory  of  property 
belonging  to  Margery  Glutton  of  Nantwich,  1611.—  Local  Gleanings,  January, 
1880,  p.  265. 

The  wort  turnel  stood  upon  the  brewing  stool  when  in  use. 
WOSS,  sometimes  WOSSER,  adj.  worse.     Mow  COP. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  ,  395 

WOTTLE,  s.  iron  skewers,  heated  to  enlarge  holes  in  wood.     L. 

WOWND,  s.  and  v.   wound,   always  pronounced   to   rhyme   with 
"sound." 

"  My  body's  wounded, 
My  heart  is  confounded." 

— King  George  and  the  Slasher  ;  a  mock-heroic  play 
performed  on  All  Souls'  Day. 

WRANGLESOME,  adj.  quarrelsome.     L. 

WRECK,  s.  rubbish,  such  as  dead  leaves,  straw,  sticks,  &c.,  floating 
down  a  stream. 

WRITHE,  v.  to  twist. 

WRITHEN,  part.  adj.  (i)  twisted,  warped. 

(2)  bad-tempered. 
WRITINGS,  s.  title  deeds. 

WROSTLE,  v.  to  wrestle,  to  struggle  or  fight.  Also  used  to  express 
the  struggling  with  any  difficulty. 

WRUNG,  adj.  wrong. 

WUN  UP,  part,  literally  wound  up,  but  used  metaphorically  to 
express  being  "ready  for  action." 

A  countryman  being  asked  to  sing  will  excuse  himself  on  the  plea  of  not 
yet  being  "wun  up"  if  he  has  only  had  one  glass.  After  another  glass  or 
two  he  will  have  more  confidence  in  himself,  and  will  then  consider  himself 
sufficiently  "  wun  zip"  to  respond  to  the  call. 

WUR,  adj.  worse. 

WUR   AN'  WUR,  idiom,  worse  and  worse. 

WUR,  v.  was. 

WUT-CAKE  or  WOAT-CAKE,  s.  oat  cake.  Seen  still  about 
Macclesfield,  but  not  much  used  elsewhere,  unless  in  the  N. 
East  corner  of  Cheshire. 

WUTS'       \s  oats 
WHOATSJ 

WUTS  AND  FITCHES,  s.  oats  and  vetches;  sown  together  to 
mow  green  for  horses. 

WUT  THOU,  v.  wilt  thou?    W. 

Whatever  it  may  have  been  in  Wilbraham's  time,  this  abbreviation  is  now 
used  for  "  wouldest  thou?" 

WYBIT,  s.  a  name  given  by  slaters  to  a  particular  sized  grey  slate. 
See  LONG- BACK. 


396  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

WYCHEN,  s.  the  mountain  ash.     L.     See  WICKEN. 
WYCH- HOUSE,  s.  a  place  where  salt  is  made. 

WYCH-WALLER,  s.   a  salt    boiler  at   one    of   the    wyches    in 
Cheshire.     W. 

Leigh  gives  as  an  old  Cheshire  proverb,  "To  scold  like  a  wych  waller."" 

WYNDY,  adj.  wild,  racketty. 

"  He'  a  wyndy  chap," 

WYNDY-MILL,  s.  a  windmill. 

WYNT,  s.  breath. 

"Wait  a  bit,  aw've  lurst  my  wynt" 

WYNT,  -v.  to  pause  for  breath. 

"Let  th'tit  wyw/abit." 

WYZEN,  v.  to  consider ;  to  plan  in  one's  mind. 

A  farmer's  wife  said  to  her  husband,  who  sat  smoking  longer  than  she 
thought  proper,  "Are  you  going  to  sit  smoking  all  day?"  His  reply  was, 
"  I'm  wyzening,  wench  ;  I'm  wyzening." 

WYZLES,  s.  the  stems  of  potatoes. 

WYZOMES,  s.  an  old  form  of  wyzles.     Academy  of  Armory. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  397 


Y. 


YAFF,  v.  to  bark. 

A  little  favi  yaffing  cur  is  a  little  ugly  barking  cur.     W.     See  YAPP. 

YAH,  | 

YAI,   \adv,  yes. 

YOY,) 

YAIL,  s.  an  island.     DELAMERE. 

YAIR,/n?#.  your.     W.  CHES. 

"I  think yair  men  are  not  very  good  ploughmen." 

YALLER,  adj.  yellow. 

YALLER  FLAG,  s.  Iris  Pseudacorus.     W.  CHES. 

YALLER-FLOWER,  s.  charlock.     Sinapis  arvensts,  with  which  is 
included  Brassica  Napus.     Also  YALLER-WEED. 

YALLER  RATTLE,  s.  Rhinanthus  Crista-galli.     W.  CHES. 

YALLER  ROD,  s.  the  wild  snapdragon,  Linaria  vulgaris.     DELA- 
MERE. 

YALLER  SANCTUARY,  s.  Chlora  perfoliata. 

YALLER  SLIPPERS,  s.  a  name  given  by  butchers  to  very  young 
calves. 

YALLER  TAR-FITCH,  s.  Lathyrus  pratensis. 
YALLER-WEED.     See  YALLER-FLOWER. 

YAMMER,  s.  to  hanker. 

A  lamb  newly  weaned  yammers  after  the  ewe. 

YAPP,  v.  to  yelp;  to  bark  in  the  sharp  way  a  small  dog  does. 

MOBBERLEY. 

YAPPING,  part.  adj.  yelping. 

"  A  little  yapping  cur." 

YARB  DOCTOR,  s.  a  herb  doctor. 


398  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

YARBS,  s.  herbs;  but  more  especially  wild  plants  which  are  used 
medicinally. 

The  country  people  of  Cheshire  are  great  herb  doctors,  and  there  are 
plenty  of  people,  especially  in  the  manufacturing  towns,  who  make  their 
living  by  collecting  yarbs  in  the  fields. 

YARB-TAY,  s.  herb  tea  ;  an  infusion  of  various  kinds  of  herbs  used 
as  a  diet  drink. 

YARLY,  adv.  early. 

Leigh  gives  as  a  Cheshire  proverb,  "It's  the  yarly  bird  as  gollaps  th' 
wurm. 

YARN  or  YORN,  s.  spun  hemp  or  flax 

"  Yarn  is  the  single  thrid  of  either  Hemp  or  Flax." — Academy  of  Armory, 
Bk.  III.,  ch.  iii.,  p.  107. 

YARNDLE,  s.  an  instrument  for  winding  yarn. 

"  An  instrument  [for  measuring]  which  is  usually  called  a  cross  or  square 
.  .  .  .  having  an  hole  at  the  Center,  like  those  things  which  here  in 
Cheshire  we  call  Yarndles,  being  used  by  Country  Housewives  in  winding  of 
their  Yarn." — Adam  Martindale's  Countrey  Survey  Book,  1682,  p.  69.  See 
YARRINGLE. 

YARR,  s.  hoar  frost.     W.  CHES. 

YARRINGLE,  s.  an  instrument  for  winding  yarn,  in  use  sixty  or 
seventy  years  since.     MIDDLEWICH. 

s.  enumerated  by  Randle  Holme  amongst 
"Things  belonging  to  Dressing  and 
Spinning  of  Hemp  and  Flax."  Bk.  III., 
ch.  iii.,  p.  106. 

YARRY,  adj.  covered  with  hoar  frost.    W.  CHES.     YERRY  (Mow 
COP). 

' '  A  yarry  morning. " 

"  A  yarry  frost." 

"  Th'  edges  are  very  yarry  this  morning." 

YARTH,) 
YERTH,  \s.  earth. 
YETH,    J 

YATE,  s.  a  gate.    W. 

y  AWING,  part,  talking  in  a  disagreeable,  offensive  way.     L. 

YAWN,  v.  to  cry.     WILMSLOW. 

"  What  zrlyawnm  for  ?  has  somebody  licked  the  ?" 
YAWP,  v.  to  bellow. 

"  Dunna  stand  yawping  there."     L. 


YARRINGLE  BLADES, 
YARRINGLE  PEGS, 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  399 

YAY,  pron.  you.     W.  CHES. 

"  Now_yay  men,  come  on." 

YEAN,  v.  to  bring  forth  lambs. 

YEB,  prop,  name,  short  for  Abraham.     WILMSLOW.     Also  EB. 

YED,  s.  the  head. 

YED-COLLAR,  s.  head  collar. 

A  kind  of  bridle  which  a  horse  wears  in  the  stable,  and  by  which  he  is 
fastened  to  the  manger. 

YEDDERS,  s.  binding  bricks  or  stones  put  in  a  wall  with  the  heads 
or  ends  outwards. 

YEDDIN,  s.  literally  heading.     Weaving  term ;  the  first  beginning 
of  a  warp. 

YEDDLE,  v.  to  earn  or  to  addle.     L. 
YEDMUNT, /w/.  name,  Edmund.     WILMSLOW. 

YELD  or  YELL,  s.  a  hill.     DELAMERE. 

"  It's  a  foine  bad  place  for  wayter,  is  yonder  yeld." 

YELL,  s.(i)  ale. 

(2)  a  hill.     See  YELD. 

(3)  weaving  term.     See  HEALD. 

YELVE,  s.  a  potato  fork.     DELAMERE. 

Randle  Holme  enumerates  "The  Parts  of  a  Yelve." — Academy  of  Armory, 
Bk.  III.,  ch.  viii.,  p.  335. 

YELVE,  v.  to  dig,  chiefly  with  the  yelve.     W.     HALLIWELL  also 
has  YELF. 

YEOMAN,  s.  hatting  term.     The  difference  in  size  of  a  hat  crown 
between  the  band  or  head  part  and  the  top  of  the  crown. 

YEP,  s.  a  heap. 

YERDS,  s.  tow. 

YERN  or  YARN,  s.  a  heron.     W. 

YERNUT,  s.  a  pignut.     W.     Bunium  flexuosum. 

YERRY-FROST,  s.  a  hoar  frost.     Mow  COP. 

YERTH.     See  YARTH. 

YETH.     See  YARTH. 

YETH-NUT,  s.  the  earth-nut,  Bunium  flexuosum. 


400  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

YETHURT,  prop,  name,  Edward.     WILMSLOW. 

YEW,  adj.  new.     MOBBERLEY,  ALTRINCHAM. 
"  Yew  pratoes."     "  Yew  shoon." 

YEWKING,  adj.  YEWKINGLY,  adv.  having  a  sickly  appearance.  W. 

YIELD,  v.  (i)  reward. 

"  God  yield  you  !"  or  rather,  as  it  is  pronounced,  "  God  eeld  you  !"  God 
reward  you.  W. 

(2)  to  produce  a  large  crop ;  or  rather  to  produce  plenty 

of  seed  in  proportion  to  straw  or  husk. 

Thus  we  speak  of  a  good  crop  of  wheat  as  "yielding  well,"  or  peas  which 
have  many  seeds  in  a  pod  as  "yielding  well." 

YIP  YAP,  s.  an  upstart.     L. 

YO,pron.  a  frequent  pronunciation  of  "you." 

YO  or  YOW,  v.  to  hew. 

In  the  old  marling  days,  digging  marl  was  always  called  "  yowin"  marl. 

As  a  salt-making  term  "yowin"  means  breaking  up  the  hard  salt  that 
forms  on  the  flues  in  the  hothouse.  Also  picking  under  or  undermining  the 
rock  salt  in  a  mine  to  loosen  it. 

YOBBIN,  v.  to  cry. 

"What  vttyobbinin  for?    Thi  mother  '11  be  back  soon." 

YOBBINS,  s.  rows,  uproars,  yells ;  always  used  in  the  plural.     L. 

YOINGS  (hewings),  s.  salt-making  term.     The  hard  salt  hewed  off 
the  flues  in  the  hothouse. 

YOKE,  s.  a  long  bar  of  wood  suspended  crosswise  from  an  animal's 
neck,  to  prevent  it  creeping  through  hedges. 

Randle  Holme  enumerates  amongst  "Things  necessary  for  keeping  of 
Swine,"  "  Yokes,  to  put  about  their  necks  to  keep  them  from  running  through 
Hedges,  and  breaking  them  down." — Academy  of  Armory,  Bk.  II.,  ch.  ix., 
p.  181. 

I  have  never  seen  a  pig  yoked,  but  yokes  are  still  in  common  use  for 
cattle  and  sheep ;  and  I  have,  on  one  occasion  at  least,  seen  a  number  of 
hens  all  wearing  yokes. 

YOKING,  s.  the  time  during  which  horses  are  at  work. 

The  word  is  chiefly  used  when  we  speak  of  "making  one  yoking."  When 
a  field  which  has  to  be  ploughed  is  at  such  a  distance  from  home  that  a  con- 
siderable amount  of  time  is  lost  in  going  to,  and  coming  from,  the  work,  it  is 
often  customary  to  remain  working  during  the  dinner  hour,  and  then  to  leave 
off  at  three  o'clock  instead  of  at  six.  This  is  called  "  making  one  yoking." 

YON,  adv.  yonder,  but  used  instead  of  the  pronoun  "  that." 
"  Yon  mon,"  "  Yon  house." 

Of  course  it  implies  that  the  person  or  thing  spoken  of  is  at  some  little 
distance. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  401 

YO'N,  v.  you  have. 

"  Nah  then  !  ydn  been  an'  done  it." 

YONDERLY,  adj.  vague ;  also  applied  to  persons  of  small  intellect. 
HYDE. 

YORK,  v.  to  gore,  to  puncture.     WILMSLOW. 
"Th'  keaw yorkt  her  hum  into  him." 

YORN,  s.  the  old  pronunciation  of  yarn  in  the  days  when  our  grand- 
mothers spun  hemp  and  flax.     MIDDLEWICH. 

YORNEY,  s.  a  fool.     WILMSLOW. 

YORT,  s.  yard. 

Grave-yort,   church-yort,   stack-j???,    grvp-yort,   &c.      Almost  obsolete, 
except  in  grip-yort. 

YO'ST,  v.  you  shall. 
YOUNGST,  adj.  youngest. 

YOUNG  YOUTH,  s.  a  youth,  a  young  man  not  of  age.    Mow  COP. 
Youth  is  generally  pronounced  to  rhyme  with  south. 

YOW.     See  Yo. 

YOWIN-KNIFE,    s.    the    tool  with   which    slates   are  trimmed. 
KELSALL. 

YOWL,  v.  to  howl. 

"  Th'  Aogyowlt  aw  neet ;  there'll  be  a  death." 

YOY,  adv.  yes. 

YURE,  s.  hair. 

"  Aw'll  lug  thy  yure  for  thee." 

YURE-SORE,  adj.  (i)  when  the  skin  of  the  head  is  sore  from  any 
cause,  as  from  a  cold. 

It  may  sometimes  be  naturally  tender ;  at  any  rate  yure-sore  is  looked 
upon  as  a  real  and  almost  incurable  disease. 

(2)  also  applied  figuratively  to  a   man  who  is 
very  touchy  and  ready  to  take  offence. 


402  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 


Z. 


ZOWKS,  excl.  much  the  same  as  zounds. 

"  Zmuks  !  mon,  tha  munna  mak  sitch  a  din ;  thou'll  wakken  th' 
babby,  an'  then  th'  owd  woman  '11  gie  us  what  for. " 


ENGLISH     DIALECT     SOCIETY. 
VOL.    XVI. 


WORDS    USED    IN 

THE    COUNTY    OF    CHESTER. 


A    GLOSSARY     OF    WORDS 


USED    IN    THE 


COUNTY  OF  CHESTER. 


ROBERT     HOLLAND,     M.R.A.C., 

JOINT  AUTHOR   OF   THE   DICTIONARY  OF   ENGLISH   PLANT-NAMES. 


XonDon : 

PUBLISHED    FOR   THE   ENGLISH    DIALECT   SOCIETY, 
BY    TRUBNER    &    CO. 

1886. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

PREFACE     iii 

GLOSSARY         i 

SUPPLEMENT  TO  GLOSSARY       403 

PRONUNCIATION  OF  PLACE-NAMES          427 

PRONUNCIATION  OF  FAMILY  NAMES 434 

PROVERBS,  SAYINGS,  WEATHER-LORE     443 

DIALECT  STORY.     By  J.  C.  Clough ...  458 

A  VILLAGE  ROMANCE.     By  J.  C.  Henderson     473 

SEQUEL  :  A  VILLAGE  TRAGEDY.     By  J.  C.  Henderson    ...  475 

A  CHESHIRE  RUNDLE.     By  John  Hoole 478 

FETCHIN  UP  THE  KEIGH.     By  John  Hoole 479 

FARMER  DOBBIN:  A  DAY  wi'  THE  CHESHIRE  Fox  DUGS. 

By  R.  E.  Egerton-Warburton 481 

THE  MANUFACTURE  OF  SALT        • 485 

CUSTOMS  :— 

Chester  Glove    ...         ...  ...         ...         ...         ...         495 

Cutting  the  Neck    ...  ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  496 

Funeral  Customs           ...  ...         ...         ...         ...        499 

May-Singing  502 

Pancake  Bell     ...         ...  ...         ...         ...         ...         504 

Rush-bearing          ...  ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  505 

Souling  or  Soul-Caking  506 

ERRATA       514 


SUPPLEMENT    TO    GLOSSARY. 


[Words  distinguished  by  the  mark  *  have  already  appeared  in  the  Glossary,  but 
some  additional  information  is  given  respecting  them  in  this  list.] 


A. 


*ABUNDATION. 

I  am  informed  by  Mr.  Hoole  that  this  word  was  in  frequent  use  at 
Middlewich  thirty-five  years  ago.  I  had  previously  given  it  as  a  doubtful 
Cheshire  word. 

ACKSTED  or  ACKSTEDE,  s.  a  foundation  of  sods  for  the  drying 
wall  in  a  brickfield.     Also  STED  or  STEDE. 

ADAM'S  ALE,  s.  water. 

In  very  common  use  throughout  the  county. 

*AIMER.     Add  CHOLMONDESTON. 

"He  lived  aimer  this  way  afore  he  took  yon  farm." 

ALLABLASTER,  s.  the  general  pronunciation  of  alabaster. 
ANGUISHOUS,  adj.  painful.     ALTRINCHAM  district. 
ASTEAD,  prep,  instead. 

AT  ONE  EEND,  idiom,  having  a  hand  in  anything — having   "a 
finger  in  the  pie." 

"  If  he's  not  at  one  eend  on  it,  it'll  be  done  wrong." 

When  a  farmer's  wife  saw  the  master  kissing  one  of  the  maids,  she  said, 
"  'Owd  !  stop  !  if  there's  to  be  anny  o'  that  work  goin  on,  aw  mun  be  at  one 
eend  on  it  mysel." 

ATWIXT,  prep,  amongst,  between.     ALTRINCHAM. 
An  old  form  used  by  Spenser. 

AWM,  s.  the  handle  of  an  axe  or  pick.     MIDDLEWICH. 
BB 


404  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

AW  MACKS,  s.  all  sorts,  odds  and  ends.     ALTRINCHAM. 

In  the  Glossary  this,  which  is  in  reality  two  words,  is  spelt  Allmacks  on 
the  authority  of  Leigh.  It  is,  however,  pronounced  as  above,  and  is  common 
in  the  Altrincham  district.  The  following  quaint  illustration  has  come  to 
hand : — 

A  tailor,  who  went  out  by  the  day  to  work  at  farmhouses,  was 
praising  the  thrift  of  his  wife.  "  Oo  con  mak  a  dinner  o'  a-w  macks, 
oo  con;  oo  con  mak  one  aht  o'  a  dish-clout."  A  labourer,  who 
heard  him  thus  boasting,  quietly  replied,  "Eh  !  mon  !  aw've  etten 
them  macks  o'  dinners,  an"  aw  mak  nowt  on  'em." 


B. 

BABBY  (general),  BEEBY  (W.  CHES.),  s.  a  baby. 

BABS,  s.  pictures,  especially  illustrations  in  a  book.     ALTRINCHAM 
and  district. 

BADLY,  adj.  ill. 

"  How  are  you  to-day,  Mary  ?" 
"  Whey,  aw'm  badly" 

BAIT-IRONS,  s,  irons  which  fix  into  the  shafts  of  a  cart,  and  which 
support  a  piece  of  sacking  to  hold  horses'  food. 

BELLACES'>  W°w«.     ALTR.NCHAM. 

BAMPED  UP,  part,   done   up  to  last   for  awhile;   vamped  up. 
DELAMERE. 

BARRAGE,  s.  this  word,  which  is  probably  now  quite   obsolete, 
appears  to  signify  an  allowance  for  beer  given  to  a  workman. 

"  Given  to  the  carpenter's  two  men,  for  their  Barrage,  8d." 
"  And  to  the  smithes  for  their  Barrage,  6d." 

— Goostrey  Churchwardens'  Accounts,  1648.     Communicated 
by  Mr.  J.  P.  Earwaker. 

BARREL  FAYVER  (fever),  s.  illness  after  excessive  drinking. 

BAZZLE,  v.  to  drink  greedily.     MOBBERLEY,  WILMSLOW. 

"Dunna  bazzle  so  mitch  at  that  whey,  it'll  gie  theth'bally-warch." 
See  BEZZLE,  which  form  is  also  used  in  the  district  though  less  frequently. 

BEGGEL,  s.  very  small  beer;  treacle  beer.  MOBBERLEY,  WILMSLOW. 
"This  ale's  good  for  nowt ;  its  noo  mawt  in  it ;  its  nowt  bu'  beggel. " 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  405 

*BELLART.     Add  (2),  a  bull-ward;  the  man  who  looked  after  the 

town  bull.       MOBBERLEY. 

The  man  who  looked  after  the  Game  Butt  that  was  bated  at  Mobberley 
Wakes  was  also  called  a  bellart,  or  perhaps  bellert  represents  the  pronuncia- 
tion more  correctly. 

BELL-HORSES,  s.  children  running  races  are  often  started  by  this 
rhyme : 

"  Bell-horses,  bell-horses,  what  time  o'  day  ? 
One  o'clock,  two  o'clock,  three  and  away  !" 

BELT,  s.  the  rudder  of  a  ship  (?). 

Children  repeat  the  following  lines  : — 

"  There  were  a  mon  i'  Doubledeed, 
He  sowed  his  garden  full  o'  seed  ; 
When  the  seed  begun  to  grow 
'Twas  loike  a  garden  full  o'  snow ; 
When  the  snow  begun  to  melt 
'Twas  loike  a  ship  withait  a  belt ; 
When  the  ship  begun  to  sail 
'Twas  loike  a  brid  withait  a  tail ; 
When  the  brid  begun  to  fly 
'Twas  loike  an  aigle  in  the  sky  ; 
When  the  sky  begun  to  roar 
'Twas  loike  a  loion  at  my  door ; 
When  my  door  begun  to  crack 
'Twas  loike  a  stick  across  my  back ; 
When  my  back  begun  to  smart 
'Twas  loike  a  pen-knife  i'  my  heart ; 
When  my  heart  begun  to  bleed 
'Twas  toime  for  me  to  doy  indeed." 

*BELT,  v.     Add  (2),  to  thrash  a  person. 

BELTING,  s.  a  thrashing. 

"If  tha'  throws  at  th'  'ens,  aw'll  gie  the  a  good  belting" 

*BENCH  is  applied  to  many  other  things  besides  haystacks,  e.g., 
marl,  or  turf. 

"  A'wl  tay  th'  top  bench  first,  and  th'  bottom  bench  when  the 
weather's  drier." 

BEND,  s.  heather,  Calluna  vulgaris.     DELAMERE. 

BENDIGO,  s.  a  soft  cap  with  flaps  to  cover  the  ears  and  back  of  the 
neck,  formerly  much  patronised  by  the  "fancy."     ALTRINCHAM. 

BETWEEN-WHILES,  prep,  in  the  intervals  of  time. 

BIAT,  or  BIOT,  s.  (i)  a  name  given  to  the  old  brine  pit  at  Nantwich. 

"In  Partridge's  History  of  Nantwich  (1774),  there  is  at  pp.  59-60,  an 
account  of  the  ceremony  that  took  place  in  that  town  on  Ascension  Day, 
when  'that  ancient  salt-pit,  called  the  Old  Biat  .  .  .  was  on  that  day 


4o6  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

bedecked  with  green  boughs,  flowers,  and  ribbands,'  and  'a  hymn  of  thanks- 
giving for  the  blessing  of  the  brine'  was  sung.  Pennant  (Journey  from 
Chester  to  London),  1811,  p.  40,  describes  it  as  'a  very  ancient  pit,  called 
the  Old  Brine;'  but  Platt  (Hist,  of  Nantwich),  1818,  p.  79,  declares  this  to 
be  erroneous,  and  to  have  been  a  term  invented  by  Pennant  himself !  It  is 
somewhat  remarkable  that  Hall,  in  his  recent  History  of  that  place,  affirms 
of  this  term  Old  Biot,  'Nowhere  ...  in  any  ancient  deed  or  record 
that  has  come  under  my  notice,  has  this  local  name  occurred'  (p.  252). 
Platt  continues,  'The  Old  Biot  is  a  word  (as  used  in  this  part  of  Cheshire) 
of  extensive  meaning.  But  in  this  instance  it  more  particularly  means  a 
support,  or  supporter.  It  is  customary  for  the  good  old  people  resident  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  Nantwich  to  exclaim,  "Give  me  my  old  Biot," 
"Where  is  my  old  Biot?"  meaning  the  stick  with  which  they  support  them- 
selves when  walking.  It  is  also  certain  that  this  brine-pit  was  called  by  the 
provincial  name  of  Biot,  as  being  the  only  support  which  the  inhabitants  had 
when  the  brine  in  the  other  pits  was  exhausted ;  this  being  to  them  an 
inexhaustible  source  of  that  necessary  article.'  On  the  authority  of  Platt, 
therefore,  the  word  Biot  was  formerly  used  in  Nantwich  (and  was  probably 
restricted  to  it),  in  the  sense  of  support,  and  to  have  been  derived  from  the 
name  by  which  the  old  salt-pit  was  known.  The  absence  of  any  notice  of  it 
in  the  local  records,  referred  to  by  Mr.  Hall,  does  not  negative  the 
probability  of  its  employment  as  a  popular  term.  I  may  add  that  no  Glossary 
or  Dictionary  with  which  I  am  acquainted  mentions  the  word  in  this  sense. 
Halliwell  has  Biat,  but  with  an  entirely  different  rendering." — T.  N. 
Brushfield,  M.D.,  in  Cheshire  Sheaf,  Jan.  6th,  1886. 

(2)  a  walking  stick  (?)  or  any  kind  of  support. 
BIERS,  s.  weaving  term.     Bundles  of  the  warp. 
BIG,  adj.  pregnant. 

*BISHOPPED.    About  MIDDLEWICH  when  milk  is  burnt  it  is  said, 
"  Th'  bishop's  put  his  foot  in  it." 

BLACKSMITH'S  EYE,  idiom,  anyone  very  correct  in  seeing  and 
judging  is  said  to  have  "  a  blacksmith's  eye" — a  trained  eye. 

BLACK-UNS,  s.  the  blacks  (?) ;  a  disease  in  fowls. 

BLASH,  s.  a  sudden  and  short  blaze. 

Light  sticks  would  be  said  to  be  of  no  use  for  a  good  fire,  "  they  only 
make  a  blash." 

BLATHER,  s.  (i)  a  bladder. 

(2)  vanity,  nonsense.     ALTRINCHAM. 
"He's  getten  nowt— nobbut  pride  an'  blather." 

BLETHER-YED,  s.  an  empty-headed  person. 

BLIZZOM,  s.  a  mild  term  of  reproach  for  a  young  woman. 
"  Oo's  a  bonny  blizzom." 

BLOB-TONGUE,  s.  a  gossip.     MIDDLEWICH. 

"  Better  tell  th'  bellman  then  that  blob-tongue" 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  407 

BLOOD  LARK,  s.  the  tit-lark  (?).     FRODSHAM. 

I  have  not  been  able  to  identify  this  bird  with  absolute  certainty,  but  from 
the  description  of  the  boys  who  use  the  name,  I  take  it  to  be  the  meadow 
pipet  or  tit-lark,  Anthus  pratensis. 

BLUE-UNS,  s.  delirium  tremens. 
BLUNDER- YED,  s.  a  stupid  fellow. 

BLUNGER,  s.  a  tool  used  at  the  flint-mill.     MIDDLEWICH. 

It  consists  of  a  wooden  handle  about  twelve  feet  long,  with  a  triangular 
plate  fixed  at  one  end.  Its  use  is  to  stir  the  slop-flint.  See  BLUNGE. 

BOFF,  v.  to  balk.     WILMSLOW. 

"Aw  were  just  springin  to  jump,  but  he  shaited  ait  suddenly  an'  boj/ft 
me." 

BOGGART-MUCK,  s.  the  undigested  portions  of  food  cast  up  by 
owls. 

*BOTTLE.  The  word  is  in  use  about  MIDDLEWICH,  where  the 
common  saying,  "  As  bad  as  looking  for  a  needle  in  a  bottle  of 
hay,"  is  also  in  frequent  use. 

BOTTOM  DRAWER,  metaphor,  used  for  the  imaginary  receptacle 
where  a  girl  is  supposed  to  keep  articles  which  she  has  prepared 
for  future  possible  housekeeping. 

Thus,  if  a  young  woman  were  to  buy  a  set  of  teathings,  or  a  tablecloth, 
or  what  not,  and  were  asked  what  use  she  had  for  such  things,  she  would 
answer,  "Oh !  they're  to  put  in  my  bottom  drawer." 

BOTWELL,  s.  a  wicker  basket  for  covering  the  end  of  the  tap  in  a 
mash-tub.  NANTWICH. — Local  Gleanings^  Jan.,  1880,  p.  266. 

*BOW,  s.  Add  (2),  a  piece  of  flexible  ash  fixed  over  a  cooper's 
lathe  to  which  was  fastened  a  rope  connecting  it  with  the  treadle. 
The  spring  of  the  ash  drew  the  treadle  up  again  when  it  had  been 
pressed  down  with  the  foot.  This  arrangement  is  now  superseded 
by  a  wheel. 

BOWSTER-YED,  s.  an  empty-headed  fellow. 

BOX,  s.  weaving  term.  A  frame  that  can  be  elevated  at  pleasure  at 
one  end  of  the  lathe  that  holds  the  different  shuttles. 

BRANDERT,  s.  an  iron  frame  hung  over  the  fire  for  a  bakestone 
to  lie  on. 

From  an  inventory  of  the  property  of  Margery  Glutton  of  Nantwich, 
1611. — Local  Gleanings,  Jan. ,  1880,  p.  264. 

Now  called  BRUNDRIT,  which  see. 
*  BRASS.     Add  (2),  impudence. 


408  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

BREAD-FLAKE,  s.  a  wooden  frame  hung  to  the  ceiling  in  front  of 
the  chimney  to  dry  oatcakes  on.     ALTRINCHAM. 
See  FLAKE  (3). 

BREAST-BEE  AM,  s.  weaving  term.  A  beam  in  a  loom  which 
reaches  up  to  the  weaver's  breast. 

BREWING  STOO,  s.  a  bench  upon  which  the  mash-tub  is  placed 
in  brewing.  See  WORT  TURNEL. 

*BRIEF,  still  in  use.     See  BRIEF. 

"  Smaw-pox  ha'n  bin  very  brief,  and  a  meeny  have  deed." 
"Fleigh  (flees)  are  very  brief  this  whot  weather  i'   these  owd 
thatcht  heawses." 

BRIZZING,  part,  cattle  are  said  to  be  brizzing  when  they  gallop 
about  in  very  hot  weather.  MIDDLEWICH. 

BROKKEN  PATTERN,  s.  weaving  term.  When  the  ordinary 
pattern  of  "  crossover  "  weaving  is  varied  by  a  broader  stripe  at 
intervals.  MOBBERLEY,  WILMSLOW. 

The  handloom  weaving  of  this  district  was  the  making  of  cotton  "  cross- 
overs," or,  as  it  was  pronounced,  "  crosso'ers,"  that  is  the  stripes  went  across 
the  piece  and  not  lengthwise.  If  the  stripes  went  both  along  and  across  the 
piece  it  constituted  a  "check."  The  colours  were  always  blue  and  white, 
and  the  material  was  chiefly  used  for  aprons  and  bed-hangings. 

BRUCK,  s.  a  brook.     MOBBERLEY,  WILMSLOW. 
BRUCK,  v.  to  clean  out  a  brook.     WILMSLOW. 
BULLYRAG,  v.  to  blackguard,  to  abuse  with  the  tongue. 
BULLYRAGGING,  s.  a  violent  scolding,  a  blackguarding. 

BULLYTHRUMS,  s.  frayed  tufts;  such  as  would  be  seen  on  a 
bricksetter's  line  after  much  usage. 

BUTTERMILK  MON,  s.  an  opprobrious  name  for  a  trooper  of 
the  Cheshire  Yeomanry.  ALTRINCHAM. 

BUTTER-MO WT,  s.  a  butterfly.     ALTRINCHAM. 

BUZZARD,  s.  (i)  a  moth.     ALTRINCHAM  district. 

(2)  a  cockchafer.    ALTRINCHAM  district.  • 

(3)  a  shortsighted  person.     ALTRINCHAM  district. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  409 

C. 

CABBITCH-LOOKING,  adj.  silly-looking.     ALTRINCHAM. 

CADDOWE,  s.  some  material  mentioned  in  an  inventory  of  property 
belonging  to  Margery  Glutton  of  Nantwich,  1611. — Local 
Gleanings,  Feb.,  1880,  p.  298. 

It  is  suggested  that  as  Bailey  has  "  Cadew=an  Irish  mantle,"  the  above 
may  mean  Irish  linen  for  which  Chester  market  was  once  famous. 

CADLIN,  adj.  delicate;  applied  to  young  girls.     WILMSLOW. 

CAGGY,  adj.  sticky. 

Wheat  that  was  ground  too  new  was  described  as  "caggy  and  damp,  like." 

•  GAG  MARL,  s.  marl  that  is  not  shaly  but  tenacious.     W.  CHES. 

CAMPERLASH,  s.  pert,  saucy  language.  The  same,  probably,  as 
CAPERLASH,  which  see. 

CANT,  s.  a  gossip.     MIDDLEWICH. 

"  Oo's  an  owd  cant,  that's  what  oo  is." 

*CANT,  v.     Add  (2),  to  gossip.     MIDDLEWICH. 

' '  Come  i'th'  haise,  an'  dunna  stond  cantin"  theer. " 

CAT- LATHER,  s.  (i)  an  open  slit  in  a  stocking  caused  by  dropping 

a  stitch.     See  LOUSE'S  LADDER. 
(2)  a  ladder  placed   perpendicularly   against   a 
wall  in  a  shippon  or  stable  for  climbing 
into  the  loft;  usually  made  of  a  plank  with 
holes  cut  for  the  hands  and  feet. 

CAT-ROSE,  s.  Rosa  arvensis,  to  distinguish  it  from  the  Dog-rose, 
J?.  canina. 

CHARGER,  s.  a  pewter  plate. 

Mentioned  in  an  inventory  of  property  belonging  to  Margery  Glutton  of 
Nantwich,  1611. — Local  Gleanings,  Feb.,  1880,  p.  299. 

CHEEVER,  s.  a  cockchafer.     ALTRINCHAM. 
CHETTERY,  s.  the  act  of  cheating. 
CHIST,  s.  a  chest.     MOBBERLEY,  WILMSLOW. 

CLAPPERGATE,  s.  an  old-fashioned  kind  of  stile,  one  end  of 
which  falls  down,  and  rises  up  again  when  the  foot  is  taken  off  it. 
ALTRINCHAM  district. 

*CLINKER.  Add  (3),  a  peculiar  nail  for  protecting  the  toes  of  strong 
shoes;  much  used  by  the  boatmen  on  the  canals.  MIDDLEWICH. 


410  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

*CLIP-ME-DICK.     Add  (2),  Polygonum  Convolvulus.    DELAMERE. 

CLOSSE  BOLKES,  s.  dairy  utensils  mentioned  in  an  inventory  of 
property  belonging  to  Margery  Glutton  of  Nantwich,  1611. — 
Local  Gleanings,  Jan.,  1880,  p.  265. 

It  is  suggested  that  these  were  "Closed  Bowkes,"  i.e.,  "large  wooden 
pails  with  an  upright  T-shaped  handle,  containing  two  14  quart  cans  of 
milk,  used  for  carrying  milk  from  the  shippons  to  the  milkhouse.  It  is  still 
a  Cheshire  saying,  'A  good  cow  will  give  a  bowke  full  of  milk.'  These 
were  perhaps  closed  with  a  lid  to  keep  the  vessel  clean."  See  BOWK. 

CLOTH-BEEAM,  s.  weaving  term.  A  beam  in  a  loom  on  which 
cloth  was  wrapped,  worked  by  a  wheel  and  a  catch. 

CLUNTER,  s.  a  big  lump. 

CLUNTER-WEDGE,  s.  a  big  wedge. 

A  large  piece  of  cheese  brought  to  table  would  be  called  "  a  great 
clunter-wedge" 

COAFER  SCREEN  or  COFFER  SCREEN,  s.  a  screen  the  seat 
of  which  lifts  up,  forming  the  lid  of  a  box  underneath. 

The  word  occurs  in  the  old  township  books  of  Pownall  Fee,  in  1773,  in 
an  inventory  of  goods  sold  to  the  overseers  and  churchwardens.  See  SCREEN. 

*COCAM.  The  word  is  in  use  about  MIDDLEWICH,  but  the  spelling 
which  seems  more  correctly  to  represent  the  pronunciation  is 
COCUM.  A  slow  person  is  said  to  "  have  no  cocum" 

COLLOP  MONDAY,  s.  the  Monday  before  Lent.     ALTRINCHAM. 
CONSARN,  s.  and  v.  concern. 

COPPE,  s.  a  tilt  or  waterproof  cover  of  a  cart. 

Mentioned  in  an  inventory  of  property  belonging  to  Margery  Glutton  of 
Nantwich,  1611. — Local  Gleanings,  Feb.,  1880,  p.  299. 

CORBE  LEADS,  s.  vessels  lined  with  lead  for  cooling  beer. 

From  an  inventory  of  property  belonging  to  Margery  Glutton,  1611. — 
Local  Gleanings,  Jan.,  1880,  p.  265. 

"COUNTERFEITS  AND  TRINKETS. 

The  word  counterfeits  occurs  in  an  inventory  of  property  belonging  to 
Margery  Glutton  of  Nantwich,  1611. — Local  Gleanings,  Feb.,  1880,  p.  299. 

CRANNOCK,  CRENNOCK  (See  CORNOKS). 

"In  The  Shuttleworih  Accounts  (edited  by  J.  Harland,  Chetham  Soc., 
1856-1858,  p.  29)  is  the  entry  :— 

'  Towe  Krennekes  [?  crannocks]  and  a  halffe  of  salte  at  the  North 
Wyche,  xxxvj.' 

In  other  portions  of  the  work,  the  word  appears  as  crenneke,  crenoke,  crineoke, 
and  crynoke. 

Crannock  or  crennock  is  rendered  in  Bailey's  Dictionary,  and  in  some 
others,  as  'an  ancient  measure  of  corn,'  but  without  any  statement  as  to  the 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  411 

quantity.  A  writer  in  Notes  and  Queries  (2nd  S.,  vi.  232)  reports  the 
word  to  be  frequently  found  in  the  Rolls  of  King  John,  and  quotes  from  a 
Close  Roll  of  Henry  III.  (1218-9),  where  it  was  spelt  crennoc.  In  the  same 
periodical  (2nd  S.,  xi.  396),  Mr.  J.  Morrin,  of  the  Rolls  Court,  Dublin,  gives 
an  extract  from  the  Memoranda  Roll  of  6  Edward  II.  (1312-3),  containing 
the  following  interesting  paragraph  : — 

'  Six  crannocks  of  wheat,  each  containing  8  pecks,  and  \\  cran- 
nocks  of  oats,  each  of  16  pecks.' 

Mr.  Harland  (pp.  cit.  p.  558)  states,  '  We  have  been  unable  to  ascertain 
the  quantity  represented  by  this  term,  unless  its  English  is  the  same  as  its 
Irish  measure.  In  Edward  I.  an  Irish  measure  of  a  crannock,  containing 
two  quarters,  is  mentioned.'  Assuming  the  peck  and  the  quarter  of  this 
period  to  have  been  synonymous  with  their  present  meaning  as  to  quantity, 
the  discrepancy  between  these  two  statements  is  very  remarkable. 

In  Ledwick's  Ireland,  p.  445,  cronnog  or  crannacus  is  defined  as  '  a 
basket  or  hamper  ...  for  holding  corn,  lined  with  skin.'  This  word, 
or  a  slight  variant  of  it,  appears  to  be  a  very  inclusive  term ;  as  in  O'Reilly's 
Irish-Eng:  Dicty.  we  find  crannog  signifies  '  a  boat,  a  pulpit,  a  hamper,  a 
habitation,'  the  Irish  crannoges  being  the  well-known  lake  fortresses  on  arti- 
ficial islands.  In  the  Manx  tongue,  crannog  is  a  pulpit.  All  this  points  to  a 
Celtic  origin  of  the  word,  which  has  descended  to  us  under  various  shades  of 
rendering.  I  have  already  mentioned  that  the  word  is  not  found  in  our  local 
Glossaries : — the  pages  of  Leigh,  however,  contain  the  following : — 

'  Cornoks  :  A  corn  measure  containing  four  bushels. '  Mr.  Holland  has 
copied  this  entry,  without  adding  any  note.  Leigh  most  probably  obtained 
his  information  from  Randle  Holme's  Academy  of  Armoury  (bk.  3,  ch.  8,  p. 
337)  >  where  a  quarter  of  corn  is  stated  to  consist  of  '8  measures,  or  2  cor- 
nocks.''  In  several  Dictionaries  of  the  last  century,  as  well  as  in  Halliwell's 
and  in  Wright's  Glossaries,  it  appears  in  the  variant  form  of  curnock  (and  in 
one  as  currock,  an  apparent  misprint),  which  gives  a  clue  to  its  pronunciation ; 
and  in  each  instance  it  is  defined  to  signify  four  bushels  of  corn.  In  Wor- 
cestershire a  curnock  of  barley  or  oats  =  4  bushels:  of  wheat  9  score  10  Ibs.  = 
3  bushels  (Old  Country  and  Farming  Words,  by  J.  Britten,  E.D.S.,  1880). 
Crannock  and  cornock  are  therefore  identical  in  meaning  as  signifying  a 
measure  of  corn  ;  and  according  to  Davies  (Supp.  Glossary)  they  are  both 
used  to  denote  'the  coomb,  or  half  a  quarter.' 

We  find  then  from  these  data  that  the  terms  crannock,  crennock,  cornock, 
curnock  were  usually  understood  to  mean  a  measure  of  grain  varying  (in 
England  at  least)  from  2  to  4  bushels,  and  being  different  (less)  in  the  case  of 
wheat,  from  that  of  other  grain.  That  the  crannock  of  the  Shuttlewortk 
Accounts  was, — to  quote  the  authority  of  Mr.  Harland,  a  measure  used  in  the 
Salt  Wyches  of  Cheshire  in  the  sixteenth  century  is  clear  from  the  entries 
there, — appears  to  be  a  tolerable  certainty.  It  is,  however,  not  equally 
certain,  that  it  was  a  measure  of  similar  capacity  to  that  used  for  corn ;  the 
evidence  points  the  other  way.  The  last  entry  in  these  Accounts  in  which 
mention  is  made  of  it,  runs  thus  [June,  1591] : — 

'  Thrie  crynokes  and  a  halfe  of  salte,  liiijs  ;  those  that  fechide  the 
same  at  towe  severall  tymes,  vs.  zy'd. ;  towle  at  the  Wyche  for  the 
same  vtijd.'  (p.  66). 

Now  3i  crannocks  of  four  bushels  each  (corn  measure)=l34  bushels. 
But  as  the  cart  had  to  go  twice  to  the  Saltworks  to  bring  this  amount  away, 
it  would  imply  that  the  crannock  of  salt  was  a  far  greater  quantity  than  that 
of  grain  ;  and  would  probably  approximate  to  the  Irish  measure  mentioned 
by  Mr.  Harland,  viz.: — two  quarters.  Moreover,  the  price  paid,  54?.,  would 
indicate  the  larger  quantity. 

My  remarks  have  extended  to  a  greater  length  than  I  had  originally 
intended;  but  I  was  desirous  of  submitting  fairly  to  the  notice  of  your 


4I2  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

readers  my  reasons  for  not  excluding  the  words  descanted  on  from  any 
Glossary  of  the  County,  and  at  the  same  time  to  elicit  their  opinions  upon  the 
subject." — T.  N.  Brushfield,  M.D.,  in  Cheshire  Sheaf,  Jan.  2Oth,  1886. 

CRANSH,  v.  to  crunch.     ALTRINCHAM. 

CRAPPIN,  s.  the  trimming  of  poplar  trees  often  used  for  pea-sticks. 
MIDDLEWICH. 

CRAPPIN  CLOGS,  part,  mending  the  soles  of  clogs  with  the  heads 
of  horseshoe  nails.  MIDDLEWICH. 

CRESSET,  s.  a  lantern. 

From  an  inventory  of  property  belonging  to  Margery  Glutton  of  Nant- 
wich,  1611. — Local  Gleanings,  Jan.,  1880,  p.  265. 

CRONKIN,  part,  grumbling,  croaking.     WILMSLOW.  ' 

"  He's  lame  an'  conna  get  eawt  o'th'  heawse,  but  he  sits  cronkin 
i'th  nook  from  mornin  to  neet. " 

CROSS-O'ERS,  s.  weaving  term.  A  peculiar  sort  of  heavy  cotton 
goods,  with  blue  and  white  stripes  running  across;  formerly 
woven  chiefly  about  Mobberley  and  Wilmslow. 

CUDS.  s.  the  pellets  of  half-digested  food  cast  up  by  owls.  See 
SKUDS. 

*CUT.  Add  (4),  weaving  term.  So  much  of  cloth  as  was  woven 
before  cutting  off. 

CUTBORD  (cut-board),  s.  a  board  for  cutting  bread  on. 

From  an  inventory  of  property  belonging  to  Margery  Glutton  of  Nantwich, 
1611. — Local  Gleanings,  Jan.,  1 880,  p.  266. 

CUTTERIN,/ar/.  talking  confidentially. 

Two  persons  in  company  having  their  own  private  talk  in  a  corner  would 
be  said  to  be  cutterin. 


D. 

*DAFFOCK,  s.  a  slut.  ALTRINCHAM,  on  the  authority  of  Mr.  J.  C. 
Clough.  Leigh  explains  it  as  "  a  woman's  dress  that  is  too  short ;" 
but  I  take  it  that  Mr.  Clough's  explanation  is  the  correct  one. 

DAGS,  s.  daring  feats. 

"I'll  do  thy  dags"  is  the  name  of  a  boy's  game  provocative  of  all  kinds 
of  mischief. 

DANDY-PUFF,  s.  an  interfering,  meddlesome  young  person. 
DELAMERE. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  413 

DEE-I'TH'-MUCK,  v.  when  a  top  has  ceased  spinning  if  it  does 
not  reel  out  of  the  ring  it  is  said  to  dee-i'th'-muck.  WILMSLOW. 

DEGGIN-POT,  s.  weaving  term.  A  pot  that  holds  water  and  a 
broom  to  deg  or  sprinkle  the  cloth. 

DENT,  s.  weaving  term,  the  space  between  the  wires  of  a  reed.  See 
LATHE. 

DICKY,  s.  a  shirt  front. 

DICKY-PUG,  s.  the  wren,  Troglodytes  vulgaris.     FRODSHAM. 

DIEING,  s.  colouring  for  cheese  (?). 

"Paid  for  dicing  8d." — From  an  old  farm  memorandum  book 
belonging  to  Joseph  Birchall  of  Outwood,  Stockport  Etchells,  dated 
1773- 

DIET-DRINK,  s.  a  tonic. 

DISH  AND  SPOON,  idiom,  everything,  the  whole  lot.  See 
STOCK,  LOCK,  AND  BARREL. 

DISTILL,  s.  a  still. 

Mentioned  in  the  Town's  Books  of  Pownall  Fee,  1 782,  in  an  inventory  of 
goods  belonging  to  "  Widow  Dix." 

DITHER-A-WACK,  s.  a  trembling  or  shivering.  . 

"  He's  stood'n  i'th'  lone  beawt  cooert  till  he's  aw  of  a  dither-a- 
wack." 

"  Aw  of  a  dither-a-wack,  loike  a  new-baked  custhut"  seems  almost  a 
proverbial  expression. 

DIVVLE-TETHER  or  TETHER  DIVVLE.  Polygonum  Con- 
volvulus. DELAMERE. 

DOGE,  adj.  moist,  of  a  proper  consistency. 

It  would  be  said  of  mortar,  "  It  works  nice  and  doge,  noather  too  weet 
nor  too  dreigh."  Or  of  a  piece  of  leather  for  a  shoe  sole,  that  has  been 
soaked  till  it  is  nice  and  soft  for  working. 

DRAVING-IN  HOOK,  s.  weaving  term.  A  hook  with  which  to 
pick  the  reed  and  put  the  ends  through. 

DRAWING  KNIFE,  s.  a  "  drawinge  wood  ky'fe  "  is  mentioned  in 
an  inventory  of  property  belonging  to  Margery  Glutton,  161 1.  It 
is  suggested  that  it  was  a  wooden  knife  used  for  drawing  through 
butter  in  order  to  take  out  hairs,  which  adhere  to  the  knife. 

DRESSING,  s.  weaving  term.  In  applying  the  sow  (which  see)  to 
the  warp,  which  is  done  the  whole  length  of  the  loom  at  once, 
the  length  so  dressed  is  called  "a  dressing." 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

DRESSING-BRUSHES,  s.  weaving  term.     Brushes  for  applying 
the  sow. 

DRINKING  CLOTH,  s.  a  napkin  tied  to  the  handle  of  a  silver 
goblet,  which  was  used  as  the  cup  was  passed  round  the  company. 
From  an  inventory  of  property  belonging  to  Margery  Glutton  of  Nant- 
wich,  1611.—  Local  Gleanings,  Feb.,  1880,  p.  300. 

DRUMSTICK,  s.  the  chaffinch  (?)  Fringilla  Calebs.     FRODSHAM. 
DUR-HOLE,  s.  a  doorway.    ALTRINCHAM. 
DUR-STUN,  s.  threshold.     ALTRINCHAM. 

DYTCH,  v.  to  clean  out  a  ditch. 
"He's  dytching." 


E. 

*EAM  or  EEM,  adv.     Still  in  use  in  MIDDLEWICH. 
EAR-RINGS,  s.  Cytisus  Laburnum.     FRODSHAM. 

EDDER  WARE,  s.  wicker-work  (?). 

"  One  medder  Edder  Ware    £o    4    o 

Ghorn  Edder  Ware      o    5    o" 

— From  an  account  in  the  township  books  of  Pownall 

Fee,  1767. 

Medder  may  possibly  mean  "a  measure,"  and  if  so  "one  medder  Edder 
Ware"  would  be  a  bushel  measure  made  of  basket  work;  but  at  the  same 
time  it  is  difficult  to  understand  how  a  chum  (if  chorn  means  "churn")  could 
be  made  of  the  same  material. 

EMPTY,  s.  weaving  term.     The  bobbin  on  which  the  pin  is  wound. 

*ENOO. 

I  have  omitted  to  explain  that  this  is  the  plural  form  of  the  word ;  in  the 
singular  it  is  pronounced  enuf.  Thus  a  farmer  would  say,  "  Aw'st  ha'  muck 
enuffor  my  graind,  an'  aw  think  aw'st  ha'  pratas  enoo  for  set  it." 

*EVER. 

I  am  still  at  a  loss  to  define  the  exact  meaning  of  this  word.  In  the 
following  sentence  it  certainly  does  not  mean  "  at  the  present  moment,"  as  I 
had  previously  given  it,  but  rather  "such  a  thing  as" — 

"  Go  an'  see  if  tha  con  foind  ever  a.  nail  as  '11  do,  wilt  ta,  Sammy." 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  415 

F. 

FAWING  LUCK,  s.  bad  luck.    ALTRINCHAM. 

FAYVER,  s.  fever. 

FEEACE,  s.  the  face. 

FEYRE  (E.  CHES.),  FOIR  (general),  s.  fire. 

*FLAKE,  v.     Add  (2),  to  romp,  to  be  out  on  spree,     ALTRINCHAM. 

FLASKETT,  s.  a  wicker  basket,  also  called  in  Cheshire  a  botwell, 
placed  in  a  mash-tub  to  protect  the  tap. 

From  an  inventory  of  property  belonging  to  Margery  Glutton  of  Nant- 
wich,  1611. — Local  Gleanings,  Jan.,  1880,  p.  266. 

FOUGOURD,  adj.  trumpery,  worthless.     KELSALL. 

A  father,  seeing  his  daughter  doing  some  crochet  work  (then  something 
new),  said,  "  Put  that  fougourd  thing  away."     See  FOO-GAWD. 

*FRENCH  BUTTER-FLEE  is  in  very  common  use  at  MIDDLE- 
WICH. 

*FRESH.     Add  (6),  a  river  is  said  to  be  "  fresh"  when  slightly 
flooded. 

FRIZZENT,  part,  starved  with  cold,  or  rather  very  susceptible  to 
the  feeling  of  cold. 

FRO'RT,  prep,  from ;  an  antithesis  to  TO'RT  (toward). 

"  Poo  to'rt  the." 
"  Yushfro'rt  the." 

FULLOCK,  s.  impetus,  force. 

"He  coom  off  th'  looad  wi'  a  bonny  fullock." 


G. 

GABBER,  v.  to  chatter.     WILMSLOW. 

GABBERING,  part.  adj.  chattering.     WILMSLOW. 
"  He's  a  gabberin  faoo." 

*GALLOWS.     Add  (2),  the  bands  that  lift  the  healds  in  a  loom. 
GAME  BULL,  s.  a  bull  kept  for  baiting.     MOBBERLEY. 


416  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

*GAWBY. 

This  was  formerly  a  soubriquet  of  the  inhabitants  of  Morley,  the  young 
men  were  always  spoken  of  as  "  Morley  Gawbies." 

*GEARS.     Add  (2),  weaving  term.     The  yells,  reed,  and  ropes,  &c., 
connected  with  a  loom. 

These  were  supplied  by  the  weaving  master.  When  a  man  ceased  to 
weave  "to"  a  "mester,"  he  took  in,  that  is,  returned  the  gears  ;  this  practice 
has  given  rise  to  a  proverbial  expression,  "He  has  tay'n  his  gears  in," 
meaning  that  he  has  finally  ceased  doing  anything.  Though  weaving  is  almost 
a  thing  of  the  past,  the  proverb  is  still  occasionally  heard. 

*-  a  bi&  soft  lad"     KELSALL' 


GETS,  s.  wages.    WILMSLOW. 

"He's  a  mon  i'  good  gets,"  i.e.,  he  is  a  man  who  earns  good 
wages. 

*GILLER  about  MIDDLEWICH  means,  not  the  whole  fishing-line, 
but  the  short  piece  of  gut  or  silk  between  the  hook  and  the  line 
proper. 

GIMLET-EYED,  part,  having  an  eye  with  a  bad  cast  in  it. 
*  GINGER.    Add  (2),  frail,  dilapidated.     ALTRINCHAM. 

"  Mind  how  yo  sit  yo  dain,  that  cheer's  very  ginger." 

GIN-RING  (the  first  g  soft),  s.  the  circle  where  a  horse  walks  when 
working  a  threshing-machine  or  a  pug-mill.  MIDDLEWICH. 

GOB-A-GAW,  s.  a  gaby,  a  lubber.     KELSALL. 

GOBBIN  or  GOBLIN,  adj.  uncouth,  lubberly.     KELSALL. 

"  Tha  great  goblin  faoo." 

COLBERT,  s.  a  smoke  jack. 

"It.     iij  spits  :&  one  payre  of  Colberts    .     .     .     vj." 

—  From  an  inventory  of  the  property  of  Margery  Glutton 
of  Nantwich,  1611.  —  Local  Gleanings,  Jan.,  1880, 
p.  165. 

GOOD  DOINS,  s.  good  eating  and  drinking. 

"  There'll  be  good  doins  when  th'  heir  comes  of  age,  for  they'n 
kill  a  bullock  an'  give  ale  i'  th'  park.  " 

GOOD  HAND  GOOD  HIRE,  idiom,  payment  according  to  the 
amount  of  work  done  (?),  piece-work  (?). 

The  expression  occurs  in  the  Town's  Books  of  Pownall  Fee,  1787,  in  a 
record  of  an  examination  of  one  Samuel  Thorneycroft  before  Charles  Prescott, 
Clerk,  and  John  Astley,  Esquire  — 

[He]  "saith  since  which  he  has  lived  in  Stockport  and  worked 
sometimes  on  weekly  wages,  and  sometimes  good  hand  good  hire, 
but  was  never  hired  for  twelve  months.  " 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  417 

GOOD  MATTER,  s.  reality,  good  earnest. 

"  Art  ony  iokin  when  tha  says  tha'll  gie  me  thi  watch,  or  art  i' 
good  matter  ? 

"He  says  he'll  leather  the  if  tha  stops  ait  again,  an'  he  meeans 
what  he  says ;  he's  i'  good  matter. " 

GOT  THE  FLAGGERS,  idiom,  having  the  bailiffs  in  the  house. 
WILMSLOW.     The  same  as  GOT  THE  RATS,  which  see. 

GOWFIN,  s.  a  soft  fellow.     WILMSLOW. 

"  Tha  great  gowfin,  tha  never  will  have  ony  sense." 
See  GAWFIN. 

GREW,  v.  to  fur  or  become  foul. 

"The  teapot  is  a  good  one,  it  never  grews." 

GRUTS,  s.  literally  groats,  but  used  metaphorically  for  property. 
ALTRINCHAM. 

"  He's  getten  th'  gruts,  bur  he  hasna  getten  th'  blood."  That  is 
he  has  got  one  of  the  ingredients  of  black  puddings,  but  not  the 
other ;  the  sense  being  that,  though  he  may  have  plenty  of  money, 
he  is  not  a  gentleman. 

GUIDERS,  s.  tendons. 


H. 

HACKING  KNIFE,  s.  a  cleaver  (?). 

From  an  inventory  of  the  property  of  Margery  Glutton  of  Nantwich, 
1611. — Local  Gleanings,  Jan.,  1880,  p.  265. 

*HAMIL  SCONCE.  This,  is  occasionally  in  use,  but  is  more 
generally  pronounced  HOMMIL  SCONCE.  Its  primary  meaning 
is  a  great  tin  candlestick  hung  up  against  a  wall. 

HARD-BUN,  adj.  constipated. 

HATE  or  ATE,  excl.  said  to  a  horse  when  he  is  to  turn  slightly  to 
the  right.  MIDDLEWICH. 

HEETHENBERRY,  s.  the  fruit  of  the  hawthorn.     MIDDLEWICH. 
HERIFF,  s.  the  plant  Galium  Aparine.     W.  CHES. 

HETCHEWES,  s.  a  tool  to  dress  flax  or  hemp.     See  HATCHEL. 

Mentioned  in  an  inventory  of  property  belonging  to  Margery  Glutton  of 
Nantwich,  1611. — Local  Gleanings,  February,  1880,  p.  298. 


41 8  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

HEWIN,  prop,  name,  Evan. 

HEWIN  OR  DICK,  idiom,  one  thing  or  the  other. 
"  Come,  be  oather  Hewin  or  Dick." 

HILL,  s.  the  bed  covering. 

"  A  hillt  an'  a  fill,  an'  an  o'er-neet"  is  an  idiom  meaning  a  night's  lodging. 
Fill  =  a  meal ;  o'er-neet  =  a  place  to  pass  the  night  in. 

"Aw  dunna  know  wheer  he'll  get  a  hill,  an'  a  fill,  an'  an  o'er- 
neet." 

HOB-EEND,  s.  the  hob  of  an  old-fashioned  fireplace. 

In  the  old  Cheshire  fireplaces,  before  iron  ovens  were  common,  there 
were  grates  made  by  the  village  blacksmith,  which  consisted  of  bars  only, 
rounded  at  each  end,  with  flags  placed  on  brick  pillars  at  some  little  distance 
from  the  ends  of  the  grate.  These  were  the  hob-eends. 

HOG  PIPES,  s. 

A  writer  in  The  Cheshire  Sheaf  (vol.  ii.,  p.  181)  asks  for  information  as 
to  the  meaning  of  this  word.  He  quotes  the  following  extract  from  a  letter 
written  presumably  about  1780  :  "  Send  me,  I  beg  of  you,  one  of  your  hog 
pipes,  which  cannot  be  got  anywhere  only  in  Chester."  I  cannot  suggest 
any  meaning  ;  but  I  record  the  word  in  the  hope  that  some  one  else  may  be 
able  to  do  so. 

HORSE-BITER,  s.  a  dragonfly. 

HOUGHSHAKERT  (pronounced  HUFFSHAKERT),  adj.  lame, 
limping. 

HOUSING  or  OUSING,  s.  a  large  semi-circle  of  leather  that  stood 
up  above  the  collar  of  carthorses'  gears.  Seldom,  if  ever,  seen 
now. 

HOWDIN  STROKE,  idiom.  "  with  a  howdin  stroke"  means  without 
intermission.  Mow  COP. 

HOWLER,  ?'.  to  shout  out,  to  holler. 

*HULLACK.  About  Wilmslow  no  difference  is  made  in  gender 
between  HULLACK  and  TALLACK;  both  are  applied  to  either  a 
man  or  a  woman. 

HUSTLEMENTS,  s.  odds  and  ends. 

The  word  occurs  in  the  township  books  of  Pownall  Fee,  in  an  inventory 
of  goods  belonging  to  John  Booth,  which  were  bought  by  the  Overseer  and 
Churchwarden,  December  1st,  1773. 

£    s.    d. 
"In  Lumber  or  Hustlements....  .026" 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  419 

I. 

INCOMPOOT,  s.  a  nincompoop;  a  fool,  a  trifler.     WILMSLOW. 
ITEM,  s.  a  private  hint.     WILMSLOW.     See  NITEM. 


J 


JOGGLE,  v.  to  shake.     ALTRINCHAM. 

"Th"  Mobberley  road's  welly  enuf  to  joggle  you  to  bits." 


K. 

KEGLY,  adj.  unsteady. 

KID-FENT,  s.  a  stack  of  faggots     WYBUNBURY. 

KILL-SWEALED,   part,    blackened;    said   of   a   brick    that    is 
blackened  with  the  smoke  in  a  kiln,  but  is  not  rightly  burnt. 


L. 

LANDIRONS,  s.  laundry  irons ;  box  irons. 

From  an  inventory  of  the   property  of  Margery  Glutton  of  Nantwich, 
1611. — Local  Gleanings,  Jan.,  1880,  p.  265. 

LEATHER-YED,  s.  a  man  with  no  brains,  as  if  his  head  was  made 
of  leather. 

LICK  ONE'S  CAUF  O'ER  AGAIN,  idiom,  to  do  one's  work 
over  again.  WILMSLOW. 

LIKE-I-GO-MAD,  idiom,  violently,  with  intensity. 
"He's  swearin  like-i-go-mad." 
"  He's  workin  this  morning  after  his  spree  like-i-go-mad.'" 

LINDERINS,  s.  weaving  term.  Cords  fastened  to  the  extremities 
of  the  warps  to  enable  the  weaver  to  weave  up  to,  or  almost  up 
to,  the  end. 

*LISSOME.     Add  (2),  pliant.    ALTRINCHAM. 

"At  after  oo  were  djed,  her  jyntes  were  as  lissome  as  when  oo 
were  wick." 

CC 


42O 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


LOBSCOUSE,  s.  potato  stew. 

LOOM-KNIFE,  s.  weaving  term.    A  knife,  with  tweezers  and  hook 
to  pick  the  cloth. 

LOOM-POSTS,  s.  weaving  term.     Upright  timbers  of  the  loom, 
like  bed-posts. 

LOOM-RAILS,  s.  weaving  term.     Horizontal  rails  of  a  loom. 

LOOSE  I'TH'  HAFT,  idiom,  said  of  a  man  who  is  not  to  be 
depended  on. 

LURST,  v.  lost.   • 

"  Aw've  lurst  my  knoife,  lads ;  ban  yo  seen  it  ?" 


M. 


MACK,  s.  sort,  kind. 

"  It  taks  aw  macks  to  mak  every  mack." 

MAGGOT,  s.  a  fidgetty  child.    ALTRINCHAM. 

"  Eh  !  tha  unaisy  maggot!" 

MART-CART,  s.  a  market  cart. 

"Mar.  14.  Bo*  a  mart-cart  at  Thos.  Henshall's  sale  for 
;£o.  145.  od." — From  an  old  farm  memorandum  book  belonging  to 
Joseph  Birchall  of  Outwood,  Stockport  Etchells,  dated  1787. 

*MASLIN. 

The  word  occurs  in  an  inventory  of  property  belonging  to  Margery 
Glutton  of  Nantwich,  1611. 

"  It.  xiiij  brasse  Candlesticks  &  ij  maslyn  basens." — Local  Glean- 
ings, Feb.,  1880,  p.  300. 

MONKEY-HAT,  s.  the  nasturtium.     Tropaolum  majus.   ALTRINC- 
HAM. 

MOPPET,  s.  a  term  of  endearment  to  a  child. 

"  It's  a  little  moppet,  it  is;  bless  it  little  heart." 

MOULD  WARP  RAKE,  s.  a  tool  for  spreading  mole  hillocks. 

The  word  occurs  in  an  inventory  of  property  belonging  to  Margery  Glutton 
of  Nantwich,  1611. — Local  Gleanings,  Jan.,  1880,  p.  266. 

MOUNT AYNS,  s.  horse  mounts  or  steps  (?). 

"  It.  Tyle,  Mountayns,  shingles  &  pannels." — From  an  inventory 
of  property  belonging  to  Margery  Glutton  of  Nantwich,  1611. — 
Local  Gleanings,  Feb',  1880,  p.  301. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  421 

MUSTER D  WHIRLES,  s.  mustard  seeds  (?). 

"  A  bottom  of  musterd  whirles"  is  mentioned  in  an  inventory  of 
property  belonging  to  Margery  Glutton  of  Nantwich,  1611.  It  is 
suggested  that  it  was  the  bottom  of  a  vessel  in  which  mustard  seeds 
were  crushed. — Local  Gleanings,  Jan.,  1880,  p.  266. 


N. 

NACKERS,  s.  testicles. 

NASH,  s.  weaving  term.     The  course  of  the  shuttle  along  the  lathe. 

NICKER,  s.  the  goldfinch,  Fringilla  carduelis.     MIDDLEWICH. 

NOATHER  EEND  NOR  SIDE,  idiom,  ambiguous;  rambling. 

"There's  noather  e end  nor  side  to  his  tale;  aw  con  mak  nowt  on't." 


o. 

OCCAGION,  v.  to  importune,  to  appeal  to.     WILMSLOW. 

A  tramping  shoemaker,  asking  a  master  unsuccessfully  for  work,  would 
say,   "  I  occagioned  all  the  masters  in  the  town,  but  could  not  get  any  work." 

*ORNARY.     Add  (4),  ugly. 

OWD  IRON,  .y.  weaving  term.     Pilfered  weft  sold  to  weavers  in  a 
small  way  who  made  their  own  cloth. 


P. 

*PARTLY-WHAT,  is  also  commonly  used  in  W.  CHES. 
"  He  partly-what  promised  to  stay."     See  PARTLY. 

PEEVISH,  adj.  petted.     MOBBERLEY. 

A  cow  that  likes  to  be  petted,  or  a  cat  that  likes  being  fondled,  is  said  to 
be  peevish. 

PICKER,  s.  weaving  term.     A  small  frame  of  buffalo  leather  fitted 
on  the  spindle  which  propels  the  shuttle  across  the  yarn. 

PICKING-BANT,  s.  weaving  term.     The  band  from  the  picker  to 
the  picking-peg. 

*PILLOW-BEAR. 

The  word  occurs  in  an  inventory  of  property  belonging  to  Margery 
Glutton  of  Nantwich,  1611. — Local  Gleanings,  Feb.,  1880,  p.  300,  where  it 
is  also  stated  that  pillow  cases  are  still  called  in  Cheshire  pillow -beards. 


422  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

PIN  or  PIRN,  s.  weaving  term.     A  bobbin  of  weft  wound  ready 
for  use. 

PIN-WHEEL,  s.  weaving  term.     A  wheel  used  for  winding  the 
bobbins,  or  pins  of  weft. 

POME-PECKERT  or  PAWM-PECKERT,  part.   adj.  freckled. 
WILMSLOW.    See  FAWN-FECKAS. 

PROD,  s.  a  blow  with  a  pointed  instrument 

PROD,  v.  to  give  a  blow  with  a  pointed  instrument. 
"  Moind  tha  does  na  prod  my  een." 

*PROW.     Add  (2),  to  probe,  to  sift  evidence.     ALTRINCHAM. 

' '  It  were  ne'er  gradely  prtnved  ite,  bur  aw  awways  thowt  he 
were  th'  guilty  party." 

*PUGGIL,  5.  small  dust  in  coal,  which  is  so  rubbishy  that  it  will 
scarcely  burn.     MIDDLEWICH. 

PUT  EAWT,  v.  to  give  out  work  to  a  hand -loom  weaver  to  be  done 
at  home.    WILMSLOW. 

PUTTER-EAWT,  s.  weaving  term.    The  servant  of  a  weavin-mester, 
who  gave  out  and  took  in  the  work  of  the  operatives. 


R. 

RACK  AND  RUIN,  s.  complete  ruin. 
RACKED  Wr  PAIN,  part,  in  great  pain. 

RADDLE,  or  perhaps  more  commonly  RED-RADDLE,  s.  the  red 
ochre  with  which  sheep  are  marked. 

*RADDLE,  v.    Add  (2),  to  mark  sheep  with  raddle. 

RAITHE,  s.  weaving  term.  A  frame  of  wood  and  wire  through 
which  the  biers  pass,  and  which  keeps  the  warp  evenly  spread  out 
whilst  it  is  being  wound  on  the  yarn-beam. 

RANT,  v.  to  rend.     ALTRINCHAM. 

RIDGIL,  s.  an  imperfectly  castrated  horse,  or  one  which,  not  being 
perfectly  developed,  cannot  be  castrated. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  423 

RIPPER,  v.  to  beat.     WILMSLOW. 

"They'rn  i'th*  orchart  when  aw  geet  worn  ;  bur  aw  rippert  em 
eawt  an'  smartly." 

RUMP  AND  STUMP,  idiom,  a  clean  sweep. 
"He  wur  sowd  up  rump  an'  stump." 


S. 

SAUCY,  adj.  dainty  as  to  food. 

SAUCY-HUNGRY,  adj.  not  hungry  enough  to  eat  plain  food ;  but 
requiring  the  palate  to  be  tempted  a  little. 

SAW-WHETTER,  s.  the  greater  tit,  Parus  major.     MIDDLEWICH. 
SCALE  THE  FIRE,  v.  to  clear  the  fire  of  ashes.     ALTRINCHAM. 
SCORGE,  v.  to  scorch.     ALTRINCHAM. 
SCOTCHMAN,  s.  a  very  frequent  name  for  a  pedlar. 

SCUFFLIN,  part,  hurrying,  scrambling. 

"  Tha's  been  i'  bed  till  brexfust  toime,  an'  tha'll  be  scufflin  aw 
mornin  to  get  up  wi'  thi  work." 

*SCUTTLE,  s.     Add  (2),  a  conical  basket.     MIDDLEWICH. 
SECKIN,  s.  sacking. 

SECKIN-BOTTOMED,  part,  bedsteads  are  so  called  which  have 
sacking  from  side  to  side,  instead  of  cross  laths. 

SHE-BROOM,  s.  the  white  broom,  Spartium  multiflorum,  a 
Cheshire  remedy  for  dropsy. 

SHORT-CUTS,  s.  lots.     ALTRINCHAM. 

"  We'n  have  to  draw  short-cuts,  aw  reckon."     See  CUTS  (2.) 

SHOWING  OFF,  part.  It  was  the  custom  about  MOBBERLEY  and 
WILMSLOW,  fifty  or  sixty  years  since,  for  a  newly-married  couple 
to  appear  at  church  the  first  Sunday  after  their  wedding.  This 
was  always  spoken  of  as  "  showing  off."  In  those  days  the 
church  music  consisted  of  fiddles,  clarionets,  bassoons,  &c.,  and 
the  choir  at  Wilmslow  Parish  Church  always  sang  on  such 
occasions  the  "Wedding  Anthem,"  the  words  being  taken  from 
the  1 28th  Psalm,  "  Thy  wife  shall  be  as  a  fruitful  vine,"  &c. 

*SLICKEN,  adj.     Add  (2),  plausible. 

"  Which  Bentley  dost  meean  ?  dost  meean  slicken  Bentley  ?" 


424 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


SLOP-FLINT,  s.  ground  flint  lixiviated  with  water;  one  of -the  pro- 
cesses in  use  at  the  Middlewich  flint  mill  in  preparing  flint  for 
the  manufacture  of  pottery. 

SPANNER  or  SPONNER,  s.  a  screw-key  or  wrench  for  screwing 
a  nut. 

SPIT  O'  RAIN,  v.  to  begin  to  rain. 

"It  just  spits  o"  rain,  yo'd  best  wait  a  bit." 

STARV'N,  adj.  sensitive  to  cold.     ALTRINCHAM. 
"  He's  very  starv'n." 

STICK  AND  STUMP,  idiom,  the  whole  lot,  everything. 

STUMPS,  s.  the  heads  of  waste  horseshoe  nails.     MIDDLEWICH. 

Much  used  to  mend  the  soles  of  clogs  with,  the  operation  being  called 
"crapping  clogs." 

SWILK,  v.  to  sweep  off,  to  scatter.     KELSALL. 

A  girl  in  a  farm  kitchen,  in  throwing  her  cloak  round  her,  nearly  swept 
the  things  off  the  table.  "Mind  what  your  doin,'"  said  her  mother,  "or 
vou'll  swilk  them  mugs  off." 


T. 

TAGGELT,  s.  a  rascal.    ALTRINCHAM. 

*TAK  IN.    Add  (2),  or  TAY  IN,  to  carry  home  weaving  that  has 
been  done  at  home. 

"  Aw'd  tayn  it  in  afore  he  coom." 

The  "  weaving  mester"/M£r  eawt  at  the  same  time,  that  is,  he  gives  out 
fresh  work  to  be  done. 

TEMPLES,  s.  weaving  term.     An  arrangement  of  rods  with  pins  in 
the  ends,  to  keep  the  piece  of  cloth  on  the  stretch  as  to  width. 

THREATEN,  v.  to  intend,  to  propose. 

" I've  threatened  to  go  and  see  him  many  a  time:  but  I've  never 
been." 
This  peculiar  use  of  the  word  is  constantly  heard  in  Cheshire. 

*THRUMS.     Add  (2),  also  lengths  of  silken  thread,  used  for  whip- 
cord, and  tor  gillers  to  fishing-lines.     MIDDLEWICH. 

*TIZACKY.     Add  (2),  asthmatic. 

"  A  tizacky  cough." 

This  is,  of  course,  the  primary  signification;    "particular  about  food," 
recorded  as  being  in  use  at  Mow  Cop,  is  a  secondary  meaning. 

TOMMY  NOWP,  s.  the  blue  tit,  Parus  carukus.     MIDDLEWICH. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  425 

TOO  AD-BACK,  s.  a  variety  of  pear.     MIDDLEWICH. 
It  is  erroneously  entered  as  LOAD-BACK  in  the  glossary. 

*TRASH,  s.     Add  (2),  weaving  term.     The  course  of  the  shuttle 
along  the  lathe. 

TROWNCE,  s.  a  tedious  journey.     KELSALL. 

TWISTING-IN,  part,  weaving  term.     Piecing  the  new  warp  to  the 
old  one  that  is  in  the  gears. 


U. 

*URBISH.       I  find  this  word  is  also   used   in   W.   CHESHIRE 
(FRODSHAM)  with,  perhaps,  a  slightly  different  meaning;  namely, 
that  of  plaguing,  teasing,  or  troubling  one's  own  self. 
"Dunnot  urbish  yoursel;  I'll  nurse  beeby." 


W. 

WAFT,  s.  a  current  or  puff  of  air. 

"  Sitch  a  waft  o'  stinkin  fish." 

WEAVING-MESTER,  s.  weaving  term.      A  master  weaver  who 
gives  out  work  to  be  done  by  the  operatives  at  their  own  homes. 

WEAVING-RODS,  s.  weaving  term.     Rods  put  through  the  yarn  at 
several  places  in  the  ratch,  to  keep  it  straight. 


Y. 

*YARN.     Add  (2),  a  heron,  Ardea  cinerea.     MIDDLEWICH. 

YEAL,  v.  to  season  an  oven,  or  a  boiler,  or  a  frying-pan.   WILMSLOW. 
See  EEL. 

The  old  women  used  to  yeal  a  frying-pan  by  frying  potato  peelings  and 
some  greasy  matter  for  a  time  before  putting  in  meat  for  cooking. 

YELL-HOOK,  s.  weaving  term.     A  hook  for  putting  yarn  through 
yells  and  reed. 


426  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

YELL-YORN,  s.  weaving  term.     A  peculiar  sort  of  worsted  yarn  of 
which  the  yells  are  made. 

YELP,  s.  a  short,  snappish  bark. 
YELP,  v,  to  bark  snappishly. 

YORN-BEEAM,  s.  weaving  term.     The  beam  in  a  loom  on  which 
the  warp  is  wrapped. 

YOWLERIN,  s.  the  howling  of  a  dog. 


THE    PRONUNCIATION    OF    PLACE    AND 
FAMILY    NAMES. 


In  compiling  the  following  lists,  I  have  to  acknowledge  the 
valuable  assistance  I  have  received  from  Mr.  Thomas  Hallam,  who 
has  not  only  supplied  names  and  variants  of  pronunciation  with 
which  I  was  previously  unacquainted,  but  has,  also,  in  every  instance, 
added  the  pronunciation  in  Glossic.  The  column  of  "Approximate 
Pronunciation"  represents  the  sounds  as  closely  as  they  can  be 
expressed  in  ordinary  spelling,  and  will,  probably,  be  sufficient  for 
the  general  reader ;  but  the  addition  of  the  Glossic  equivalents  will 
render  the  lists  of  much  greater  value  to  the  scientific  phonologist. 

These  lists  are,  doubtless,  very  far  from  complete;  but  we  have 
thought  it  better  to  confine  ourselves  to  names  of  which  the  pro- 
nunciation was  actually  known  to  one  or  other  of  us. 


[NOTE. — In  the  Glossic  notation  for  the  Place-Names  and  Family  Names — 

(1)  [e] is  substituted  for  [ae]; 

(2)  [i]  unaccented „          „  [i']  unaccented; 

(3)  [u]  unaccented ,,  ,,   [u']  unaccented. 

When  unaccented  [u]  is  final,  [u]  is  used  to  prevent  ambiguity. 

The  substituted  symbols  will  render  the  Glossic  considerably  easier  for 
general  readers. 

In  complete  Glossic,  the  Southern  sound  of  short  e  in  net,  pen,  &c.,  is 
represented  by  [e],  and  the  Midland  sound  (including  that  of  Cheshire)  by  [ae]; 
but  as  the  Southern  sound  is  not  found  in  the  Cheshire  dialect,  [e]  can  be 
substituted  for  [ae]  without  causing  any  confusion. 

In  substituting  unaccented  [i]  and  [u]  for  unaccented  [i']  and  [u'J  we  dispense 
with  many  diacritics,  as  both  these  unaccented  sounds  occur  very  often.  — T.  H.] 


428 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


PLACE-NAMES. 


Name. 


Approximate 
Pronunciation. 


Glossic 
Pronunciation. 


Acton  Bridge    Ack'n  Bridge   [Aak-n  Brij] 

Adlington Adlit'n     [Aad'litn] 

Alderley  Edge Awtherly  Edge        ...  [Airdhurli  Ej] 

(E.  CHES.) 

Awdly  Edge    [Airdli  Ej] 

The  latter  not  often  heard  now,  but  frequent  forty  years  since. 

Allostock Aw-lostuck       [Atrlos'tuk] 

Alpraham Awperum [Airpurum] 

Awprum [Atrprum] 

Alsager      Awjer       [Airjur] 

Altrincham        Awtojum [Airtujum] 

Awtridgum       [Airt'rijum] 

Thrutchum      [Thruch-um] 

The  last  pronunciation  scarcely  ever  used  now. 

Alvanley    Awvanly [Airvunli] 

Ashton       Ash'n       [Aash'n] 

Astbury      Assbery    [Aas'buri] 

Astle Assl [Aas'l] 

Audlem      Awlum     [Auium] 

Baguley     Baggily      [Baagili] 

Baigly      [Bai-gli] 

Barrow       Barra        [Baaru] 

Barthomley       Bartomly [B:aa*rtumli] 

Bollington Bollit'n     [Bolitn] 

Bosley        Bawzly      [Bavrzli] 

Boughton Bawtt'n     [Bairttn] 

Bramhall    Bramma [Braanru] 

Broxton Brox'n      [Brok'sn] 

BucklowHill    Bucklylll        [Buk'li  :!•!] 

Very  few  names  are  aspirated  in  Cheshire. 

Budworth Budduth [Bhd'uth] 

Bunbury    Bumbery [Biinrburi] 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


429 


Name. 


Approximate 
Pronunciation. 


Glossic 
Pronunciation. 


Burwardsley 

...  Buzly        

...    [Buuz-li] 

Caldecott  

...  Cawkut    

...    [Kairkut] 

Calveley    

...  Caavly      

...    [Kaa-vli] 

Carrington  

...  Carrit'n    

...    [Kyaaritn] 

Charles  Head    ... 

...  ChulsYed       ... 

...    [Chuul-zy:ed] 

Cheadle     

...  Chedd'l    

...    [Ched-1] 

Cheadle  Hulme 

...  Chedd'1-aoom  ... 

...    [Ched-1  6om] 

Chelford    

...  Chelfurt   

...    [Chel-furt] 

Cholmondeley  ... 

...  Chumly    

...    [Chum-li] 

Cholmondeston 

...  Churmstun 

...    [Chuurmstun] 

Christleton 

...  Crislit'n    

...    [Kris-litn] 

Chunal       

...  Choona    

...    [Chdo-nu] 

Clotton      

...  Tlott'n      

...    [Tlofn] 

Coddington 

...  Coddit'n  

...    [Kod-itn] 

Cogshall    

...  Cocksh'l  

...    [Kok-shl] 

Cockshul  

...    [Kok-shul] 

Compstall  

...  Comsta     

...    [Konrstu] 

Congleton  

...  Congert'n  

...    [Kong-gurtn] 

Coppenhall 

...  Cop'nul     

...    [Kop'nul] 

Cuddington 

...  Cuddit'n  

...    [Kud-itn] 

Daresbury  

...   Darsbry    

...    [D:aa-rzbri] 

Davenham 

...   Daynum  

...    [Dai'num] 

Davenport  

...   Dainpurt  

...    [Dai'npurt] 

Dean  Row 

...   Dain  Ro  

...    [Dai-n  Roa-] 

Delamere  

...  Dallamer  

...    [Daal  umur] 

Dallimer  

.  .  .    [DaaHmur] 

Dallimoor 

...    [DaaHmoour] 

Disley        

...  Dissly       

...    [Dis-li] 

Dukinfield  

...  Duck'nfilt 

...    [Diik-nfilt] 

Eardswick  

...  Yarzic       

...    [Y:aa-rzik] 

This  pronunciation  is  not  now  heard  much  in  conversation ;  but  formerly  it 
was  universal.     There  is,  however,   a  local   rhyme  concerning   the 
numerous  family  of  the  Wrights  which  perpetuates  it : 
' '  Wrights  o'th'  farm ;  Wrights  o'th'  mill ; 
Yarzic  Hall,  and  Minshull  Hill." 

Eddisbury Edzbery [Ed'zburi] 

Edgbery [Ej-buri] 


430  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

Approximate  Glossic 

Name.  Pronunciation.  Pronunciation. 

Ellesmere  Port Elzmer  Port     [El'zmur  P:oa-rt] 

Etchells     Etchez     ,..(   [Ecrruz] 

Farndon    Farn         ....  [F:aa-rn] 

Frodsham Fradsum [Fraad'sum] 

Fratsum [Fraafsum] 

Frodsum [Frod'sum] 

The  first  and  second  pronunciations  are  still  retained  by  a  few  old  people ; 
but  the  younger  generation  employ  the  last. 

Gawsworth        Gozuth  [Goa'zuth] 

Goostrey    Goostry  [Goo'stri] 

Grappenhall      Gropnal  [Grop-nul] 

Gropna  [Grop-nu] 

Halton      Hautt'n    [Hairttn],   slight 

aspirate 

Handforth         Honfurt [Horrfurt] ,  slight 

aspirate 

Hayhead Ay-yed     [Ai-y:e'd] 

Hazel  Grove     Azz'l  Grove     [Aaz-1  Groa'v] 

Hollingworth    Ollinwuth         [OHnwuth] 

Holmes  Chapel        ...  Aooms  Chapil [6o'mz  Chaap'il] 

Hough      Uf    [tiff] 

Hough  near  Alderley  always  has  the  definite  article  before  it — Th'  Uf. 
[Th)Uff] 


Hough's  Bank  ... 

...  Aooks  Bonk    ... 

...    [6o-ks  Bongk] 

Hurdsfield  
Hyde  

...  Utsfilt      
...  Eyd  

...    [tifsfilt] 
TEv'dl 

Keckwick  

...  Kegwidge 
By  old  people. 

...    [Kyeg'wij] 

Kelsall       

...  Kelsa        

...    [Kyel-su] 

Kettleshulme     .  .  . 

...  Kettlesum 

.  .  .    [Kyet'lsum] 

Knutsford  

...  Nutsfurt   

...    [Nufsfurt] 

Kermincham     .  .  . 

...  Kermidgum 

.  .  .    [Kyermijum] 

Lindow      

...  Linda       

...    [Lhrdu] 

Lindow  End 

...  Linda  Eend     ... 

...    [Lin-du  Ee-nd] 

Macclesfield 

...  Maxfilt     

...    [Maak-sfilt] 

Maxilt      

...    [Maak-silt] 

MaxTt     

...    [Maak-slt] 

CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


431 


Approximate 


Glossic 


Name. 

Pronunciation. 

Pronunciation. 

Malpas       

Mawpus  

...    [Mau  -pus] 

Marple       

Marpa      

...    [M-aa-rpu] 

Marthall    

Martha     

...    [M:aa-rthu] 

Middlewich       

Middlewitch     ... 

...    [Midiwich-J 

(W.  CHES.) 

Middleweytch  ... 

...    [Mid-lweych] 

(E.  CHES.) 

Middlewych     .  .  . 

...    [Midlwahych] 

Millington  

Millit'n     

...    [MiHtn] 

Mollington        

Mollit'n    

...    [Molitn] 

Nantwich  

Nantwitch 

...    [Naarrtwictr] 

(W.  CHES.) 

Nantweytch 

...    [Naantweych] 

(E.  CHES.) 

Nantwych 

...    [Naairtwahych] 

Neston       

Ness'n      

...    [Ness'n] 

Northenden       

Northen   

...    [N:airrdhin, 

Nordhin] 

North  wich  

Nawth  witch 

...    [Natrdhwiclr] 

(W.  CHES.) 

Nawthweytch  ... 

....    [Nairdhweych] 

(E.  CHES.) 

Nawth  wych 

...    [Nairdhwahych] 

Oakmere    

Oakmare  

...    [Oa'kmae'r] 

Ollerton     

Owlerton  

...    [Uuwlurtn] 

Oulton       

Owt'n       

...    [Uuw-ttn] 

Oversley  Ford  

O'erzly  Ford    ... 

...    [Oa-rzli  Foa-rdJ 

Oozly  Ford 

...    [Oo-zli  Foa-rd] 

Overton     

Ovvert'n  

...    [Ovurtn] 

Uvvert'n  

...    [IJvurtn] 

Partington  

Partit'n     

...    [P:aa-rtitn] 

Peover       

Peever      

...    [Pee'vur] 

Plemondstall,now  often 

spelt  Plemstall 

Plimston  

...    [Plim-stun] 

"Plinsta     

...    [Plin-stu] 

Pott  Shrigley     

Pot  Sigly  

...    [PottSig'li] 

Poundswick      

Paaindswick    ... 

...    [PaaynzwikkJ 

432 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


Name. 

Approximate 
Pronunciation. 

Glossic 
Pronunciation. 

Poynton     .  .  . 

Peygnt'n  
(E.  CHES.) 

...    [Peyntn] 

Prestbury  ... 

Pressbery  

...    [Pres'buri] 

Rainow 

Raina       

...    [Rai'nu] 

Rainer      

.  .  .    [Rai'nur] 

Ravenscroft 

Reenscroft 

...    [Ree-nskroft] 

(NORTHWICH) 

Ravensmoor 

Ramner    ... 

.  .  .    [Raanrnur] 

(S.  CHES.) 

Ring  way    ... 

Runja       

...    [Rfrn-ju] 

Runjy       

...    [Riirrji] 

Rostherne  .  .  . 

Rostern    

...    [Rost'urn] 

Sandbach  ... 

Sanbitch  

...    [Saarrbich] 

Shocklach  ... 

Shoklatch  

...    [Shok-laach] 

Shurlach    .  .  . 

Surlash     

.  .  .    [Suurlush] 

Siddington... 

Sithit'n     

...    [Sidh-itn] 

Sproston     .  .  . 

Spross'n    

...    [Sproa-ssn] 

Stapleford  ... 

Stapplefurt 

...    [Staap-lfurt] 

Stockport  ... 
Styal 

Stoppurt  ... 
...  Stya  

...    [Stop-urt] 
[Stahy  u] 

Swettenham 

Swetnum  ... 

...    [Swet'num] 

Tarporley  ... 

Tarply      

...    [T:aa-rpli] 

Tattenhall... 

Tatt'na    

...    [Taatfnu] 

Taxal  

Taxa        

...    [Taak-su] 

Thelwall     .. 

Thelwul  

...    [Thel-wul] 

Tilston 

Tils'n       

...    [Til-ssn] 

Tintwistle  .  .  . 

Tinsil       

...    [Tin-sil] 

Tiverton    .  .  . 

Teert'n     

...    [Teeu-rtn,  Ttee-urtn] 

Torkington 

Torkit'n   

...    [Tor-kitn] 

Tytherington 

Tithit'n     

...    [Tidh-itn] 

Utkinton    .  .  . 

Utkit'n     

...    [frfkitn] 

Warburton... 

...     ...  Wahrbutt'n 

...    [W:aa*rbutn] 

The  "a" 

is  pronounced  as  in  "far." 

Warrington 

Warrintun 

.  .  .    [Waar  intun] 

Werrit'n    

...    [Wer-itn] 

By  a  few  old  people, 

but  nearly  obsolete. 

CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


433 


Name. 

Waverton 

Weaverham 

Werneth  Low    .. 

Weston      

Wettenhall 

Wheelock 

Wildboarclough 

Wilmslow 

Wincle       

Winnington 

Wirral        

Wistaston 

Withington 

Woodford 

Woodhead 

Worth        

Wybunbury 

Yarwood  Heath 
Yeardsley  ... 


Approximate 
Pronunciation. 

Wahrtun  ... 
Wairum  ... 
Weverum ... 
Werny  Low 
Wess'n 

Wetna      ...     . 
Willock    ...     . 
Wilbertluf 
Wimsla    ... 
Winka 
Winnit'n  ... 
Wurrel      ...      . 
Wistiss'n  ... 
Withit'n    ...     . 
Witfurt     ...     . 
Woodyed ... 
Wuth        ...     . 
Widd'nbery 
Wimbery  ... 
Yarrad  Eeath  . 
Yurdsly    ... 


Glossic 
Pronunciation. 

[W:aaTtun] 

[Wae'rum] 

[Wee'vurum] 

[Werni  Loa-] 

[Wes'sn] 

[Wefnu] 

[Wil-uk] 

[Wil-burtliiff] 

[Winrzlu] 

[Wingk'u] 

[Win-itn] 

[Wuur-ul] 

[Wis-tisn] 

[Widhitn] 

[Wiffurt] 

[Wud-y:e-d] 

[Wuuth] 

[Wid-nburi] 

[Winrburi] 

[Yaar-ud  :Ee-uth] 

[Yuur'dzli] 


434  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 


FAMILY     NAMES. 


N.B. — See  note  on  the  Glossic  symbols  prefixed  to  the  list  of  Place-Names. 

The  pronunciation  of  most  of  the  Family  Names  is  given  as  general,  i.e., 
without  being  limited  to  any  particular  part  of  the  county.  Of  a  considerable 
number  of  these  the  pronunciation  is,  no  doubt,  confined  to  West,  or  West  and 
Mid  Cheshire.  Generally  speaking,  names  having  the  terminal  syllables  -ingtoii 
and  -inson,  would  have  the  same  pronunciation  respectively  in  all  parts  of  the 
county  ;  so,  respectively,  would  the  terminations  -al,  -all,  -ley,  -show,  -worth. 

[In  the  case  of  those  names  which  contain  dr-,  tr- ;  or  -der,  -ter  unaccented, 
pure  </=[d]  and  /=[t]  are  given  in  the  Glossic;  but,  should  any  of  these  occur  in 
East  Cheshire,  dental  </=[d']  and  /=[t']  would  be  used  in  these  positions. — T.  H.] 


Approximate 

Glossic 

Name. 

Pronunciation. 

Pronunciation. 

Acton        

Ack'n       

[Aak-n] 

Adshead    

Atchut      

[Aachnit] 

Albiston    

Awbis'n    

[Au'bisn] 

Alcock       

Awcock    

[Airkokk] 

Awcuk      

[Airkuk] 

Aldcroft     

Odcroft    

[Od-kroft] 

Ardern       

Athern     

[Aa'dhurn] 

Awthern  

[Airdhurn] 

In  the  first  approximate  pronunciation  given 

the  initial  A  is  to  be  pro 

nounced  as  in  ' 

'father." 

Ashton       

Ash'n       

[Aash'n] 

Aspbury  ] 
Astbury   J 

Assby       
(W.  CHES.) 

[Aas-bi] 

Astington  

Aaster      

[Aa-stur] 

Astle  

Ass'l  

[Aas-1] 

Atkinson    

Atkis'n     

[Aafkisn] 

Baguley     

Baggiley  

[Baag-ili] 

Balrner      

Bawmer    ...   •  

[Bairmur] 

(MlDDLEWICH.) 

Balshaw     

Bolsha      

[Bol-shii] 

Bancroft    

Banky      

[Baangk'i] 

CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 


435 


Name. 


Approximate 
Pronunciation. 


Glossic 
Pronunciation. 


Barlow       

...  Barla        

[B:aa-rlu] 

Baskerville 

...  Baskerfile  

[Baas-kurfahyl] 

Basky  (for  short) 

[Baas'ki] 

Bebbington 

...  Bebbit'n  

[Beb'itn] 

Bellis  

Ballis 

[Baal  'is] 

Beswick     

...  Bessick     

[Bes-ik] 

Birch  

Betch 

[Bech] 

Birchenough 

...  Birchinuf         

[Berchinuff] 

Betchinuf         

[Bedrinuff] 

Birtles        

...  Bettles      

[Beflz] 

Blackshaw  

...  Blatcha    

[Blaaclru] 

Bloor,  or  Blower 

...  Blooer      

[Bloou-r] 

Blundell     

...  Blundret  

[Blun-drit] 

Boothby     

...  Booby      

[Boo  -hi] 

(E.  CHES.) 

Boughey    

...   Boffy        

[Bofi] 

Bower        

...   Bo-er        

[Boa'ur] 

Bracegirdle 

...  Breskit'l   

[Bres-kitl] 

Bradbury  

...  Bredbery  

[Bred-buri] 

Bradshaw  

...  Bradsha  

[Braad'shu] 

Brierley      

...  Breerly     

[Breeu-rli] 

Briscoe       

...  Brisca       

[Bris-ku] 

Broadhurst 

...  Brawthust        

[Brau-dhust] 

Brocklehurst 

...  Brokk'lust        

[Brok-1-ust] 

Brooks       

...  Bruks       

[Bruks] 

Brookshaw 

...  Bruksha   ... 

[Bruk-shu] 

Broughton  

...  Brewerton        

[Broo'urtn] 

Brown        

...  Braain      

[Br:aa*yn] 

Brownlow  

...  Braainla   

[Braaynlu] 

Cadman     

...  Cadnum  (occasionally) 

[Kyaad'num] 

Calveley     

...  Caavly      

[Kaa-vli] 

Chadwick  

...  Chaddick  

[Chaad-ik] 

Chaddock        

[Chaad-uk] 

Chorlton    

...  Chaoott'n         

[Chuuwtn] 

Chawrt'n  

[Ch:au-rtn]  . 

DD 


436  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

Approximate  Glossic 

Name.  Pronunciation.  Pronunciation. 


Cholmondeley  ... 

...  Chumly    

[Chunrli] 

Colclough  

...  Coltluf     

[Kol-tluf] 

Coppenhall 

...  Cop'nul    

[Kop-nul] 

Coppock    

...  Cockup    

[Kok-up] 

Cumberbirch     .  .  . 

...  Cumberbetch  

[Kunrburbech] 

Davenport  

...  Damepurt        

[Darmpurt] 

Dainpurt  

[Dai'npurt] 

Denpurt  

[Den-purt] 

Dawson      

...  Dows'n  (occasionally) 

[Duuwsn] 

Dean  

Dane        

[Darn! 

Downs       

...  Daains     

L                  J 

[Daaynz] 

Drinkwater 

...  Drinkwayter    

[Dringk'wraitur] 

(W.  &  MID  CHES.) 

[D'ringk-wiait'ur] 

(E.  CHES.) 

Dumville   

...  Dumbil    

[Dunvbil] 

Dunbavand 

...  Dunbabbin      

[Dunbaab'in] 

The  name  is  also  very  frequently  spelt  Dunbabin. 

Eardley      Urdly       [:UuTdli] 

Earlam      Ellam       [El'ura] 

(WlLMSLOW.) 

In  the  district  around  Norton,  Runcorn,  and  Halton,  Ellam  and  Ellam 
are  very  common  names  [El'um,  El'umz]. 

Eden Aydin       [Ai'din] 

Etchells     Etchez      [Ech-uz] 

Evans        Ivvins       [Ivinz] 

Fairclough Fairtluf    [Farrtluff] 

Farrington Farrit'n     [Faar'itn] 

Faulkner    Fokener [Foa'knur] 

Fernyhough       Ferniuf    [Fuurni-uff] 

Gaskell      Geskil       [Gyes-kil] 

Cleave       Dlaves      [Dlai'vz] 

Goddard    Gothert    [Godh-urt] 

Golburn     Goburn     [Goa-burn] 

Golding     Goo-din    [Goo-din] 

Goodwin    Goodin    [Gud-in] 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


437 


Approximate 


Glossic 


Name. 

Pronunciation. 

Pronunciation. 

Goodyer     

Goodjer    ...     . 

[Guj-ur] 

Gough 

Gof  

[Goff] 

V    U£^..* 

Gouldbourne     

Gole-burn 

[Goa'lburn] 

Gradwell    

Gratta 

[Graafu] 

Graistv  ) 

Gresty   I 

Gresty 

[Gres-ti] 

Greenhalgh 

Grinna 

[Grin-u] 

Hadfield    

Atfilt        ...     . 

..     ..:   [Aaffilt] 

Hamilton  

Ambleton 

[Aanvbltun] 

Amlinton... 

[Aam-lintun] 

Hammond  \      

Ayman     ... 

[Ai'mun] 

Hayman      J      

Hayman  ... 

..     [Hai'mun] 

Hampson  

Ams'n 

[Aanvsn] 

Hankinson        

Ankiss'n  ... 

[Aangk'isn] 

Hazelhurst  ) 
Hazlehurst  J 

Azzl'ust    ... 

[Aaz-1-ust] 

Heald        

Yeld  

[Yeld] 

Yell  

.    rYelll 

Henshall  \       

Ensha 

[En-shu] 

Henshaw  /       

Hensha    ... 

[Hen-shu] 

Heron        

Ern  

.    [Ernl 

Hern        ...     . 

[Hern] 

Hesketh    

Eskit        ...     . 

[Es-kit] 

Higginson  

Iggis'n      ...     . 

[Ig'isri] 

Hodgkinson      

Odgkis'n  ... 

[Oj-kisn] 

Holbrook  

Howbruk  ... 

[Huuwbruk] 

Owbruk    ... 

[Uuwbruk] 

Holt  

Owt    

[Uuwtt] 

Hough       

Uf    

Houghton  

Hawt'n     ...     . 

[Hau-tn] 

Hoftun     ...     . 

[Hof-tun] 

Offtun      ...     , 

,  [Of'tun] 

(NORTON). 

The  pronunciation, 

TT  1-  i  /  

however,    is   very 

capricious.       I   know  a 

Charles 

Houghton  (pronounced   Hawt'n)  whose  father  was  invariably  called 
"old   Charles   Hoftun."     I   suppose   Houghton  to  be  the  original 


438 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


name;  and  that  the  idea  is  to  give  the  "ough"  the  same  labio-dental 
sound  as  in  "cough,"  as,  by  the  same  rule,  "dough"  is  pronounced 
"doff"  in  Cheshire.  Another  somewhat  similar  name,  Offland,  is 
very  common,  and  there  seems  to  be  come  confusion  also  between 
this  and  Offtun. 


Name. 


Hulme 
Hulse 


The  name  is 
Hutchinson 
Jameson    ... 
Jennings    ... 
Joddrell     ...     . 


Approximate 
Pronunciation. 

Aoom       

Aoomz     

Oose        

(FRODSHAM.) 

•Ulse 

(E.  CHES.) 
also  spelt  Hoose  about  Frodsham. 

Utchis'n 

Jems'n      

Jannis       

Jawdril     

Jawthril    

(E.  CHES.) 

Jothril      

(E.  CHES.) 


Joynson     
Kelsall       

...  Jynes'n     
...  Kelsa        

Lawton      
Lea    

...  Layt'n      
...  Leea  

Leathwood 
Legh  j 

...  Laythut    
.  .  .  Lee  

Leigh  1 
Lloyd  

.  .  .  Lyde 

Lomas        

...  Lummus  

Lomax       ...  '  ... 

...  Lummus  

Lowndes    

...  Laaindz    

Lythgoe     
Maddock  

•••  Lygo      

...  Mattock  

Main  waring 
Makinson  
Mallinson  

...  Mannering 
...  Maykis'n  
...  Mallis'n    

Molineux  

...  Mullinax  )        
Mullino   /       
(FRODSHAM.) 

Glossic 
Pronunciation. 

[Uuwm  or  Uwm] 
[Uuwmz  or  Uwmz] 
[6o-ss] 

[tils] 

[Uch-isn] 

[Jenvsn] 

[Jaan-is] 

[Jau-dril] 

[Jau-d'ril] 

[Joa-d'ril] 

[Jahynsn] 
[Kyel-su] 
[Lai -In] 
[L-eeni] 
[Lai-thut] 

[L^e] 

[Lahyd] 

[Lunvus] 

[Lunvus] 

[Laaynz] 

[Lahygoa] 

[Maafuk] 

[Maan'urin] 

[Mai'kisn] 

[Maalisn] 

[MuKnaax] 

[Mul'inoa  ••] 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


439 


Name. 

Moore        

Morrell      

Morris        

Newall       

Newton      

Ockleston 

Oldham     

Ollerenshaw      

Oulton       

Overend    

Owen 

Peacock     

Pearson  or  Pierson  ... 
Perhaps  merely  from 

Pennington        


Approximate 
Pronunciation. 


Glossic 
Pronunciation. 


Moorz      [M:oo*urz] 

Murral      [Muurul] 

Murris      [Muuris] 

Ewel  (occasionally)...  [Ydo'ul] 

Yewt'n  (occasionally)  [Yoo'tn] 

Okkes'n  (occasionally)  [Ok-isn] 


Aowdum 

Oansha    

(E.  CHES.) 

Ole-t'n      

Overand 

Ow-in       

Peeacock  

Peers  (frequently) 


[Uuwdum] 
[Oa*nshu] 


[Oa-ltn] 
[Oa-vuraand] 
[Aawin] 
[P:ee'ukok] 
[P:ee-urz] 
a  confusion  between  the  two  names. 

Pennitent [Penitunt] 

(E.  CHES.) 
Pinnington  [Pin'ingtun] 

(HALTON.) 
And  in  W.  CHES.  often  so  spelt. 


Percival     

...  Parsiva     

...    [P:aa'rsivu] 

Pine  

...  Spines      

.  .  .    [Spahynz] 

(DELAMERE.) 

Pollock      

...  Pawk        

...    [Pau-kk] 

(ALTRINCHAM.) 

Pownall      

...  Paaina     

.  .  .    [P.-aa-ynu] 

Rathbone  ... 

...  Rayburn  

...    [Rai'burn] 

(DELAMERE.) 

Read  

Reead      

...    [R:ee'ud] 

Richardson 

...  Richas'n  

...    [Rich'usn] 

Ridgway    

...  Ridja        

...    [Rij-u] 

Robinson  

...  Robis'n    

...    [Rob'isn] 

Roscoe       

...  Roska      

...    [Ros-ku] 

Roughsedge  "1 
Roughsage    / 

...  Roostidge 

...    [Roo-stij] 

Rowbottom 

...  Roobottom 

.  .  .    [Rdo'botum] 

440  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

Approximate  Glossic 

Name.  Pronunciation.  Pronunciation. 

Rowlinson Rollis'n    [RoHsn] 

Royds        Rydz        [Rahydz] 

Roylance Rylance    [R:ah'yluns] 

Royle         ...     Ryle [R:ahyl] 

Schofield Scowsel     [Skuuwsul] 

(WlLMSLOW.) 

This  pronunciation  was  in  common  use  formerly,  but  is  now  probably 
obsolete. 

Shatwell    Shatta      [Shaafu] 

Shuttleworth     Shuttle     [Shufl] 

It  is  usually  pronounced  as  spelt,  but  "  Shuttle"  is  occasionally  used  as  if 
to  shorten  a  long  name. 

Simcock    Sinkup     [Singk'up] 

Skelhorn    Skellern    [Skyel'urn] 

Somerville     ^    Summerfield    [Sunrurfeeld] 

SummervilleJ    Summerfile       [Sunrurf:ahyl] 

Southern    Suthun     [Sudh'un] 

Sproston    Spross'n [Sproa-ssn] 

Stephenson  1 

h    Steevis'n [SteVvisn] 

Stevenson    J 

Stockton    Stock'n     [Stok-n] 

Stoddard    Stothert    [Stodh'urt] 

Stonehewer        Stannier   ...     [Staan-iur] 

Stonnier [Ston'iur] 

Sumner      Sunner     [Smrur] 

A  few  old  people  use  this  pronunciation,  but  it  is  dying  out. 

Swan  wick Swannick [Swaan'ik] 

Swetenham        Swetnum [Swefnum] 

(E.  CHES.) 

Taylor       Taylier     [TaHiur] 

(ASHLEY,  HALE,  RINGWAY,  E.  CUES.) 

Thomason Tummas'n        [Tunvusn] 

Thompson Thumston        [Thum-stun] 

(WlLMSLOW.) 

This  was  always  the  pronunciation  at  the  beginning  of  this  century.     In  a 

list  of  the  inhabitants  of  Morley  in  the  year  1800  it  is  even  spelt 
Thumpston. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


441 


Name. 


Approximate 
Pronunciation. 


Glossic 
Pronunciation. 


Tomkinson 

Tomkis'n  

[Tonrkisn] 

Torkington 

Tawkit'n  

[Tairkitn] 

Torkit'n   

[Torkitn] 

Travis 

Trewis     

[Trevis] 

Vaudrey     .  .  . 

Vodry       

[Voa-dri] 

Vernon 

Varnum    

[V:aa-rnum] 

Wain  wright 

Wainreet  

[Wai-nre'ett] 

Walkden    .  .  . 

Wogdin    

[Wog-din] 

Walthew    ... 

Wolthy     

[Wol-thi] 

Walton 

Wawt'n     

[Watrtn] 

Warhurst    .  .  . 

Worust     

[Worust] 

Warrington 

Warrit'n  

[Waaritn] 

The  "a" 

has  the  same  sound  as  in  "  parry." 

Waters 

Wayters    

[Wai-turz] 

Watkinson... 

Watkiss'n  

[Waat'kisn] 

Watkin  (frequently)  .  .  . 

[Waafkin] 

Whalley     ... 

Wolly       

[Woli  and  ?  Wairli] 

Whatmough 

Watmo     

[Waat'moa] 

Whitehead 

Whiteyed  

[W:ahyty:aed] 

Wheytyed        

[W:ae-yty:aed] 

(E.  CHES.) 

Whitlow     ... 

Witla        

[Wiflu] 

Wilkinson  ... 

Wilkis'n    

[Wil-kisn] 

Willis 

Willy        

[Wil-i] 

(DELAMERE.) 

L                   J 

Willock      ... 

Weeler     

[WeVlur] 

(HANDFORTH.) 

Winnington 

Winnit'n  

[Winitn] 

Woodfine  ... 

Woodfin  

[Wud-fin] 

Woodward 

Woodward       

[Wud*w:aard] 

The  "a" 

having  the  same  sound  as  in  "star." 

Woothert  

[Wudtrurt] 

Woodert  

[Wudurt] 

Woolstencroft 

...  Oos'ncroft        

[6o-snkroft] 

Ooz'ncroft        

[6o-znkroft] 

(E.  CHES.) 

442 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 


Name. 

Worrall      ... 
Worthington 

Wright 
Yarwood    , 


Approximate 
Pronunciation. 


Glossic 
Pronunciation. 


...  Worra       [Woru] 

...  Wethit'n [Wedhitn] 

Wurthit'n [Wuurdhitn] 

...  Reet [Rde-tt] 

(NORTHENDEN.) 

...  Yarrad     [Yaarud] 


PROVERBS,    COLLOQUIAL    SAYINGS, 
WEATHER-LORE,    &c. 


In  the  following  list  of  proverbial  expressions  I  have  made  no 
attempt  at  classification,  for  I  found  it  would  be,  in  many  cases, 
difficult  to  place  some  of  the  sayings  under  their  proper  headings, 
as  they,  in  fact,  might  be  referred  equally  well  to  more  than  one 
class.  I  have,  therefore,  simply  arranged  them  alphabetically. 
Those  which  I  have  extracted  from  Ray's  collection  are  distinguished 
by  the  letter  R.  The  letters  W.  and  L.  indicate  that  they  are  taken 
from  Wilbraham's  or  Leigh's  Glossaries.  The  rest  I  have  either  met 
with  myself,  or  they  have  been  actually  heard  by  some  of  my 
correspondents. 

Many  of  these  sayings  are,  no  doubt,  like  the  words  of  the 
vocabulary,  common  to  other  counties;  but  even  when  that  is  the 
case,  I  think  it  will  be  generally  found  that  there  is  some  slight  local 
variation. 

Abacko'  behind,  like  a  donkey's  tail.     L. 

A  dry  March  and.  a  wet  May 

Fill  barns  and  bays  with  corn  and  hay.     MIDDLEWICH. 

There  are  several  variants  of  this  couplet  which  will  be  found  in  their 
alphabetical  order. 

A  face  like  a  Buckley  panmug. 

Said  of  a  man  with  a  red,  coarse,  blotchy  countenance.     L. 

Afraid  of  far  enough. 

Of  that  which  is  never  likely  to  happen.     R. 

Afraid  of  him  that  died  last  year.     R. 


444  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

Afraid  of  the  hatchet  lest  the  helve  stick  in's  a .     R. 

A  green  winter  makes  a  fat  churchyard. 

That  is  warm,  and  therefore,  unseasonable  weather  in  winter  causes 
illnesses  which  are  fatal  to  many ;  a  popular,  idea  which  is  by  no  means 
substantiated  by  the  returns  of  the  Registrars. 

A  lean  dog  for  a  hard  road. 

All  on  one  side,  like  Marton  Chapel. 

All  on  one  side,  like  Parkgate.     See  PARKGATE  in  vocabulary. 

Always  behind,  like  Mobberley  clock. 
A  common  saying  about  WILMSLOW. 

An  evil  suspicion  has  a  worse  condition. 

An  old  thing  and  a  young  thing  both  of  an  age.     L. 

This  saying,  which  means  that  things  must  be  considered  old  or  young  by 
comparison,  becomes  more  intelligible  when  the  story  told  by  Leigh  in 
illustration  of  it  is  read.  A  young  girl  of  eighteen  sold  a  very  old  gander  to 
a  purchaser.  He  reproached  her  with  having  told  him  a  lie  in  saying  the 
bird  was  young.  "Why,  you  don't  call  me  ould?"  said  the  girl;  "and 
mother  allis  said  gander  was  hatched  the  same  day  I  was  born." 

Any,  good  Lord,  before  none. 

The  proverb  is  said  to  have  originated  thus :  A  spinster  of  uncertain  age 
was  rising  one  morning,  and  was  at  her  matutinal  devotions  by  her  bedside. 
Amongst  other  good  things  she  prayed  for  a  husband.  It  was  an  old 
thatched  house,  and  a  thatcher,  who  was  repairing  the  thatch,  just  at 
that  moment  stuck  his  spattle  into  the  thatch,  and  lifted  a  portion  up 
to  insert  some  new  straw.  Through  the  opening  thus  made  he  overheard 
the  petition,  and  immediately  asked,  "Please  'm,  would  a  thatcher  do?" 
The  good  lady  took  it  as  a  voice  from  heaven,  and,  in  a  spirit  of  humble 
resignation,  replied  in  the  words  which  afterwards  became  a  proverb,  "  Any, 
good  Lord,  before  none." 

A  pretty  fellow  to  make  an  axle-tree  for  an  oven.     R. 

A  rainbow  at  morn  , 

Is  a  sign  of  a  storm ; 
A  rainbow  at  night 
Is  a  shepherd's  delight. 

A  red  pig  for  an  atchern. 

A  rolling  stone  gathers  noo  moss;  but  a  tethered  sheep  winna  get 
fat. 

As   aizy   as   fawin   off  a  chair    when    yo're    drunk.     MOBBERLEY, 
WILMSLOW. 

As  big  a  rogue  as  ever  peeped  at  a  speer.     See  SPEER  in  vocabulary. 
As  blue  as  a  wimberry. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  445 

As  broad  as  narrow,  like  Paddy's  plank,  too  long  at  one  end,  and 
too  short  at  tother. 

As  clear  as  a  bell. 

As  crookit  as  a  dog's  elbow. 

As  dark  as  dungeon. 

As  deep  as  a  draw  well. 

Said  of  a  shrewd  fellow. 

As  fair  as  Lady  Done.     R.     See  LADY  DONE  in  vocabulary. 

As  fause  as  a  fox. 

As  fine  as  a  yew  (new)  scraped  carrot. 

As  fine  as  Phililoo.     L.     See  FOIN  and  FILLILOO  in  vocabulary. 

As  good  as  goose  skins  that  never  man  had  enough  of.     R. 

As  hard  as  a  north  toad. 

This  really  means  "as  hardy  as  a  north-country  fox."    Toad  =  tod  =  fox. 

As  hard  as  brazzin.     MIDDLEWICH. 

Miss  Jackson,  in  her  Shropshire  Word  Book,  explains  brazzin  as  "iron 
pyrites."  Leigh,  in  his  Cheshire  Glossary,  gives  the  above  saying  thus : 
"  As  hard  as  a  brazil,"  and  explains  it  as  referring  to  a  Brazil  nut,  which  is 
excessively  hard.  A  Brazil  nut  is  pronounced  Brdzzil  nut  in  Cheshire,  but 
I  suspect  the  iron  pyrites  is  what  is  really  referred  to  as  symbolical  of 
excessive  hardness. 

As  hoarse  as  a  cuckoo. 

As  hollow  as  a  keck. 

As  hollow  as  an  old  shoe ;  or, 

As  hollow  as  a  shoe  when  the  foot's  out. 
Said  of  a  deceitful  person. 

As  idle  as  Dain's  dog  as  laid  it  deawn  t'bark.     WILMSLOW. 
As  lazy  as  Larriman's  dog.     MACCLESFIELD. 
As  light  as  a  fither. 

As  long  as  Helsby  Hill  wears  a  hood, 
The  weather's  never  very  good.     W.  CHES. 

As  much  wit  as  three  folk,  two  fools  and  a  madman.     R. 

As  queer  as  Dick's  hatband,  as  went  nine  times  round  and  would  na 
tee  at  last. 

As  rotten  as  a  pear. 


446  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

As  rouk  as  th'  Roodee.     L. 

This  proverb  is  given  by  Leigh  under  the  word  ROUK,  which  is  explained 
as  "  rich,  fertile."  I  have  no  doubt  that  "  rouk  "  is  a  misprint  for  "ronk." 
See  RONK  (2)  in  vocabulary.  The  Roodee  at  Chester  is  a  natural  pasture  of 
a  remarkably  fertile  character. 

As  rugged  as  a  foal. 

As  simple  as  a  ha'p'orth  o'  soap  in  a  weshin  mug. 

That  is,  as  ineffectual  as  so  small  a  quantity  of  soap  would  be  in  so  large 
a  vessel  of  water. 

As  soft  as  a  biled  turmit. 

Applied  to  weakness  of  character. 

As  solid  as  a  brick. 

Applied  to  stolidity  of  character. 

As  sound  as  a  atchern. 
As  sour  as  a  crab ;  or, 
As  sour  as  varjis. 

As  straight  as  a  yard  o'  pump  wayter. 
Often  said  of  a  tall,  lanky  girl. 

As  stupid  as  a  jackass. 

As  sulky  as  a  bull 

As  sure  as  a  louse  in  bosome.     R. 

As  surly  as  a  cow's  husband. 

As  thick  as  incle  weavers. 

As  thick  as  stirrow.     L. 

See  STIR-ABOUT  in  vocabulary. 

As  thrunk  as  Cheddle  Wakes,  noo  reeam  areeat. 

That  is,  as  crowded  as  Cheadle  Wakes,  no  room  out  of  doors. 

As  thrunk  as  three  in  a  bed. 

As  well  try  to  borrow  a  fiddle  at  a  wakes. 

As  wet  as  thatch. 

Straw  is  prepared  for  thatching  by  soaking  it  in  water. 

As  yaller  as  a  meadow-bowt  (Marsh  Marigold). 

A  thin  wind,  that  will  go  through  you  before  it  will  go  round  you. 

A  wet  and  windy  May 

Fills  the  barn  with  corn  and  hay. 

or,       A  wet  May 

Brings  corn  and  hay.     FRODSHAM. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  447 

A  whim-wham  from  Yocketon. 

This  is  used  as  a  sort  of  put  off,  like  "layo'ers  for  meddlers."  If  a 
young  person  were  inquisitively  to  ask  what  elder  people  were  talking  about, 
the  answer  would  be,  "  Oh !  a  whim-wham  from  Yocketon." 

A  whistling  woman  and  a  crowing  hen 
Will  fear  the  devil  out  of  his  den. 

or,       A  whistling  woman  and  a  crowing  hen 
Are  neither  fit  for  God  nor  men. 

Aw  of  a  dither-a-wack,  like  a  new-baked  custhut. 

Bag  and  pump  don't  pay  like  bag  and  milk. 

Meal  and  water  will  not  fatten  like  meal  and  milk.     L. 

Be  oather  Hewin  (Evan)  or  Dick. 

That  is,  be  decided  ;  be  one  thing  or  the  other. 

Best  by  hissel,  like  Lowndes's  tup. 

Said  of  a  disagreeable,  quarrelsome  fellow. 

Best  first,  best  always. 

Better  bad  than  bowt  (without). 

Better  marry  over  the  mixon  than  over  the  moor.     R. 

Beware  of  breed,  /.<?.,  bad  breed.     R. 

Brought  up  at  the  plough  tail. 
That  is,  uncouth,  a  peasant. 

But  when,  quoth  Kettle  to  his  mare.     R. 

Cheshire  bred,  beef  down  to  th'  heels. 
Said  of  any  very  stout  person. 

Clean  heels,  light  meals. 

This  proverb  refers  to  the  superiority  of  clay  land  over  sand  land  for 
yielding  milk.  When  pasturing  on  sand  land,  cows  generally  come  up  to  be 
milked  with  clean  feet ;  but,  on  clay  land,  the  gate  places  are  often  muddy, 
and  the  cows  come  home  with  dirt  up  to  their  fetlocks. 

Coal  pit  cale. 

Equivalent  to  "  First  come,  first  served."    See  CALE  in  Vocabulary. 

Counting  the  pothooks. 

When  a  servant  goes  to  a  new  place,  and  does  not  quite  know  what  to  do 
with  herself  the  first  evening,  and  sits  very  quietly,  it  is  commonly  said 
that  "  Oos  caaintin  th'  potooks." 

Curst  cows  have  short  horns.     L. 

The  same  proverb,  however,  occurs  in  Herbert's  collection  published 
about  1633. 

Curst  here  means  bad-tempered. 


448  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

Did  you  ever  know  the  kitling  bring  a  mouse  to  t'ould  cat?     L. 

Used  in  illustration  of  the  reluctance  of  children  to  support  their  parents. 

Do  chickens  ever  bring  out  to  t'ould  hen?     L. 

Don't  be  bit  twice  by  the  same  dog. 

Dunna  stitch  thoi  seeam  afore  thou's  tacked  it.     L. 

Dunna  waste  a  fresh  haft  on  an  old  blade.     L. 
That  is,  do  not  throw  good  money  after  bad. 

Empty  barrels  make  the  most  noise. 

Evening  grey  and  morning  red, 

Rain  will  come  down  on  the  traveller's  head ; 

Evening  red  and  morning  grey 

Are  sure  signs  of  a  fine  day. 

Every  knife  of  his'n  has  a  golden  haft. 

That  is,  everything  he  undertakes  turns  out  well.     L. 

Everything  is  counted  six  score  to  the  hundred  but  men,  money, 
and  bricks. 

Far  fetched  and  dear  bought  is  good  for  ladies. 

Fawn  peckles  made  a  vow 

They  never  would  come  on  a  face  that  was  fow.     L. 

Febooary  (February)  fill  dyke. 

Go  fiddle  for  shives 
Amongst  old  wives. 
Shive  =  a  slice  of  food.     L. 

Go  to  bed  and  sleep  for  wit,  and  buy  land  when  you've  more  money. 
Good  to  make  a  sick  man  sorrow,  and  a  dead  man  woe.     R. 
Hail  brings  frost  in  its  tail. 

Hanged  hay  never  does  cattle.     W. 

"  Hanged  hay"  is  bought  hay,  so  called  because  it  is  weighed  by  hanging 
it  on  a  steel  yard.  Presumably  it  does  not  feed,  or  doe,  cattle  because,  being 
bought,  it  is  economised  too  much. 

Have  a  little,  give  a  little,  let  neighbour  lick  the  mundle. 

Mundle=a  stick  to  stir  porridge  with;  and  the  proverb  seems  either  to 
mean  that  "charity  should  begin  at  home,"  or  that  if  you  possess  only  a  little, 
you  should  share  it  with  those  who  are  in  want. 

He  does  na  crack  many  deeaf  nuts. 

Said  of  a  person  or  animal  that  is  fat  and  well-to-do. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  449 

He  has  lost  the  leease. 

That  is,  he  is  completely  "at  sea" — he  cannot  proceed  any  further. 

The  proverb  has  its  origin  in  a  weaving  term,  leease,  which  is  the  crossing 
of  the  yarn  up  and  down  over  the  warp  in  regular  order.  If  by  any  chance, 
such  as  burning,  the  warp  is  divided,  the  crossing  or  leease  is  lost,  and  the 
weaving  cannot  be  continued.  The  weaver  has  come  to  a  "  dead  lock." 

He  has  tay'n  his  gears  in. 

That  is,  he  has  finally  ceased  doing  anything.  See  GEARS  in  Supplement 
to  vocabulary. 

He'll  dee  in  his  shoon. 

That  is,  he  is  born  to  be  hanged. 

He'll  never  get  a  mile  from  a  ess-midden. 

Meaning,  he  will  never  go  about  much  for  want  of  pluck  or  energy. 

He's  allus  backin'  i'th'  breechbant. 

Applied  to  a  person  who  is  never  ready  to  go  ahead. 

He's  a  velvet  true  heart.     R. 

He's  flown  high,  and  let  in  a  cow-clap  at  last. 

Said  of  anyone  who  has  been  hard  to  please  in  the  choosing  of  a  wife, 
and  has  made  an  ill-assorted  marriage  after  all. 

He's  gen  th'  seek  a  turn. 

That  is,  given  the  sack  a  turn;  equivalent  to  reversing  the  order  of 
things ;  ' '  turning  the  tables. " 

He's  more  than  nits  an'  lice  in  his  yed. 

This  elegant  proverb  is  frequently  said  of  a  man  who  has  "  something  in 
him ;"  clever  above  the  average. 

He  stands  like  Mumphazard,  who  was  hanged  for  saying  nothing.    R. 
He  stares  like  a  stuck  pig. 

He's  swopped  his  hen  for  a  hullart  (or  hooter).     NORTON. 

That  is,  he  has  made  a  bad  exchange. 
Hullart  and  hooter  are  both  names  for  the  owl. 

He's  turned  a  narrow  adlant. 

That  is,  he  has  had  a  narrow  escape.     L. 

He  that  feals  can  find.     L. 

Feal  =  to  hide  slily. 

He  who  marls  sand 
May  buy  the  land. 

Marl  was  formerly  used  to  a  very  great  extent  as  a  fertilizer  in  Cheshire  ; 
and  the  efficacy  of  marl  as  a  manure  is  unquestionable.  The  saying  means 
that  a  person  is  sure  to  grow  rich  who  adopts  so  good  a  method  of  farming. 

He  winks  an'  blinks  like  a  duck  i'  thunner. 


450 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


Higgledy  Piggledy,  Mawpus  shot ;  let  every  tub  stand  on  its  own 
bottom. 

See  HIGGLEDY  PIGGLEDY  in  vocabulary. 

If  a  house  had  to  be  thatched  wi'  muck,  there  would  be  more 

taychers  than  raychers  (teachers  than  reachers). 

That  is,  people  are  always  more  ready  with  their  advice  than  with  their 

help. 
If  he  were  as  long  as  he  is  lither,  he  might  thatch  a  house  without  a 

ladder.     R. 
If  ice  holds  a  goose  before  Christmas,  it  winna  hold  a  duck  at  after. 

If  oak  is  out  before  the  ash 

There'll  be  a  splash ; 
If  ash  is  out  before  the  oak 

There'll  be  a  soak. 

If  oo  seeaks  let  her  stay,  but  if  oo  slotches  dreive  her  away. 

Supposed  to  be  said  originally  of  a  sow  drinking  out  of  a  cheesetub. 

If  thou  hadst  the  rent  of  Dee-mills  thou  would'st  spend  it. 

Dee  is  the  name  of  the  river  on  which  the  city  of  Chester  stands :  the 
mills  thereon  yield  a  great  annual  rent,  the  biggest  of  any  houses  about  that 
city.  R. 

If  thou  won't  have  me  owd  Shenton  will.     KELSALL, 

This  is  a  sort  of  proverbial  saying  that  is  said  to  have  had  its  origin  thus  : 
Many  years  back,  two  men  came  a-courting  a  servant-woman  at  a  farmhouse. 
One  evening,  both  coming  at  the  same  time,  she  put  one  into  the  brick  oven, 
and  being  somewhat  piqued  at  the  slowness  of  the  other,  she  said, — "  If  thou 
won't  have  me,  owd  Shenton  will."  "Will  he?"  said  old  Shenton  from  the 
oven  ;  and  ever  since  then  it  has  been  a  saying  in  that  neighbourhood. 

If  you  come  on  to  me,  you  come  on  your  sharps,  as  tailor  said  when 
.  he  showed  his  needle. 

That  is,  you  will  attack  me  at  your  peril. 

If  you've  graith  and  grout,  you'll  ne'er  be  without.     L. 
Graith  =  riches ;  grout = good  breed. 

I'll  tent  thee,  quoth  Wood,  if  I  can't  rule  my  daughter,  I'll  rule  my 
good.     R. 

I  looked  at  my  oats  in  May, 
And  came  sorrowing  away; 
I  went  again  in  June, 
And  came  away  in  a  thankful  tune. 

The  explanation  being  that  oats  often  look  yellow  and  sickly  in  May,  but 
have  recovered  their  verdure  during  June. 

I  must  love  you  and  leave  you. 

Very  frequently  said  on  taking  leave  of  a  person. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  451 

I'm  very  wheamow,  as  t'ould  woman  said  when  she  stept  into  the 
bittlin.     L. 

See  remarks  s.v.  WHEAMOW  in  vocabulary. 

It  rains,  it  pains,  it  patters  i'th'  docks; 
Mobberley  wenches  are  weshin  their  smocks. 
Sung  by  Morley  children  when  it  rains. 

It  runs  i'th'  blood,  like  wooden  legs. 
Said  of  any  family  peculiarity. 

It's  aizy  howdin  deawn  t'latch  when  nobody  poos  at  string. 
See  LATCH  in  vocabulary. 

It's  an  ill  bird  that  bedeets  its  own  nest.     L. 

It's  aw  along  with  Colly  Weston. 

Used  when  anything  goes  wrong.     W. 
See  COLLYWEST  in  vocabulary. 

It's  dym  sarsnick  with  him. 

That  is,  he  pretends  not  to  hear  or  understand.     See  DYM  SASSENACH  in 
vocabulary. 

It's  hard  to  get  a  stocking  off  a  bare  leg. 

It  was  used  apropos  of  a  debtor,  as  much  as  to  say,  "  you  cannot  get 
more  from  a  man  than  he  possesses." 

It's  time  to  yoke  when  the  cart  comes  to  the  caples,  i.e. ,  horses. 
That  is,  it's  time  to  marry  when  the  woman  woos  the^man.     R. 

It  taks  aw  macks  to  mak  every  mack. 

It  would  make  a  dog  doff  his  doublet.     R. 

Lads'  love  and  lasses  delight; 

And  if  lads  don't  love,  lasses  will  flite.     L. 
Flite  =  scold. 

Lads'  love's  a  busk  of  broom,  Hot  awhile  and  soon  done.     R. 
Lasses  are  lads'  leavings.     R. 

Least  said,  soonest  mended;  but  nowt  said  needs  no  mending. 

This  is,  in  Cheshire,  a  sort  of  double  proverb,  or  repartee  to  a  proverb ; 
thus,  if  a  person  were  to  say,  "least  said,  soonest  mended,"  the  rejoinder 
would  be,  "aber,  nowt  said  needs  no  mendin." 

Let  everyone  swale  his  own  wuts. 

Let  everyone  look  after  his  own  business,  and  not  leave  it  to  others.  See 
SWALE  (2)  and  SWALER  in  vocabulary. 

Like  Goodyer's  pig,  never  well  but  when  he  is  doing  mischief.     R. 

Like  one  o'  owd  Matty  Tasker's  jarlers.     WILMSLOW. 

Said  of  anything  out  of  the  common  way;  above  the  average  in  size. 
Who  Matty  Tasker  was,  I  have  no  idea;  but  she  appears  to  have  been  some 
person  given  to  "shooting  with  a  long  bow." 

EE 


452 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


Like  stopping  an  oon  wi'  butter. 

Said  of  any  purely  useless  effort.     See  OON-STUN  in  vocabulary. 

Like  the  parson  of  Saddleworth,  who  could  read  in  no  book  but  his 
own.     R. 

Like  the  quest,  always  saying,   "do,  do,"  but  everybody  knows  it 
makes  the  worst  nest  i'th'  wood. 

Referring  to  those  whose  theory  is  better  than  their  practice.     L. 

March  borrowed  twelve  days  from  April,  and  paid  them  back  in 
October. 

The  saying  originates  in  the  fact  that  rough  March  weather  is  often  con- 
tinued into  April :  and  the  rough  weather  is  accounted  for  by  our  being 
"still  in  the  borrowed  days,"  alluding,  of  course,  to  the  correction  of  the 
Calendar  which  took  place  in  1752.  The  latter  part  of  the  saying  relates  to 
the  warm  summer-like  weather  which  often  returns  to  us  towards  the  end  of 
October,  and  which  is  known  as  "Luke's  little  summer." 

Marry  come  up,  my  dirty  cousin. 

An  expression  used  to  those  who  affect  any  extreme  nicety  or  delicacy, 
whkh  does  not  belong  to  them,  or  who  assume  a  distinction  to  which  they 
have  no  claim.  W. 

Maxfield  measure,  heap  and  thrutch.     R. 
The  modern  version  is — 

Maxfilt  mizzer,  heeapt  an'  thrutcht. 
T  have  also  heard  "upyept  an'  thrutcht." 

Mitch  of  a  mitchness. 

More  and  merrier,  less  and  better  fare,  like  Meg  o'  Wood's  merry- 
meal.     See  MERRY-MEAL  ia  vocabulary. 

More  cost  nor  worship. 

That  is,  not  worth  the  cost.     L. 

Naught  is  counted  six  score  to  the  hundred  but  old  women  and  gorse 
kids.     L. 

Naught's  impossible,  as  t'auld  woman  said  when  they  told  her  cauf 
had  swallowed  grindlestone.     L. 

Nichils  in  nine  pokes  or  nooks. 
That  is,  nothing  at  all.     R. 

No  more  fleetings,  thank  you. 

Said  when  any  one  makes  a  pretence  of  not  hearing  or  understanding 
what  is  said. 

The  proverb  is  said  to  have  originated  thus:  A  bricklayer  had  been 
building  a  brick  oven  at  a  farmhouse,  and  after  finishing  his  job  was  regaled 
with  bread  and  cheese  and  fleetings.  As  soon  as  he  went  away  the  mistress 
of  the  house  went  into  the  oven-house,  and  saw  that  the  oven  had  fallen  in ; 
so  she  ran  out,  and  shouted  after  the  bricklayer,  "Come  back,  mon;  th' 
oon's  faw'n."  "  Noo  more  fleetings,  thank  you,"  he  cried,  and  kept  on  his 
way. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  453 

No  more  sibbed  than  sieve  and  riddle,  that  grew  both  in  a  wood 
together.     L. 

Sibbed  =  related  to. 

Gather  by  Trugs  i'th'  Hole  or  by  Brokken  Cross. 

That  is,  I  have  only  the  choice  of  two  alternatives,  one  of  them  must  be 
taken. 

The  saying  is  common  about  WILMSLOW  and  ALDERLEY,  and  is  said  to 
have  originated  thus :  Trugs  i'th'  Hole  and  Broken  Cross  both  lie  between 
Alderley  and  Macclesfield,  but  upon  different  roads.  A  man  in  that  neigh- 
bourhood lay  a-dying,  and  was  visited  by  a  clergyman,  who,  enquiring  what 
were  his  prospects  for  the  other  world,  asked  him  which  way  he  was  for — 
upwards  or  downwards.  The  sick  man  knew  he  was  on  his  deathbed,  but 
utterly  failed  to  see  his  friend's  meaning,  mistaking  it  for  an  enquiry  which 
way  he  would  wish  his  body  to  be  taken  to  the  burial  ground ;  so  he  carelessly 
replied  that  "he  did  na  moind  which;  he  rnun  go  oather  by  Trugs  i'th' 
Hole  or  by  Brokken  Cross." 

One  mon's  mate's  another  mon's  pison. 

One  year's  seed,  seven  years'  weed. 

Oo'd  swear  the  cross  off  a  jackass's  back.     L. 

Oo  likes  the  boose,  but  not  the  ring-stake. 

Said  of  a  woman  who  marries  for  fortune,  and  who  likes  the  plenty,  but 
frets  at  the  confinement  and  chains  with  which  the  plenty  has  been  pur- 
chased. L. 

Ossing  comes  to  bossing.     R. 

Courting  is  soon  followed  by  kissing. 

Owd  Turn  Dooley's  note,  booath  barren  and  dreigh.     WILMSLOW. 
Said  of  a  cow  both  dry  and  barren. 

Peter  of  wood,  church  and  mills  are  all  his.     R. 

Poor  and  peert,  like  the  parson's  pig. 

This  saying  probably  arose  from  the  poorest  pig  of  a  litter  being  chosen 
for  the  parson's  tithe. 

Put  another  man's  child  in  your  bosom,  and  he'll  creep  out  at  your 
elbow. 

That  is,  cherish  or  love  him,  he'll  never  be  naturally  affected  towards 
you.  R. 

Quietness  is  best,  as  the  fox  said  when  he  bit  the  cock's  head  off. 
Right  master  right,  four  nobles  a  year's  a  crown  a  quarter.     R. 

Roast  meat  does  cattle.     L. 

The  meaning  of  this  is  that  cattle  feed  better  in  dry  than  in  wet  seasons. 

Robin  Hood  could  stand  anything  but  a  thaw  wind. 

A  "thaw  wind,"  that  is,  a  cold  wind  that  often  accompanies  a  thaw,  is 
called  a  "Robin  Hood  wind." 


454  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

"  Roynt  thee  witch,"  said  Bessy  Locket  to  her  mother.     L. 
Sap  and  heart's  the  best  of  wood. 

She  has  broken  her  elbow  at  the  church  door. 

Said  of  a  woman  who,  as  a  daughter,  was  a  hard  worker,  but  who,  after 
marriage,  became  lazy  and  indolent.  L.,  who  says  the  proverb  is  as  old  as 
1670. 

She  has  given  Lawton  Gate  a  clap. 

Said  of  a  girl  who,  from  misconduct,  finds  it  convenient  to  leave  the 
county — Lawton  being  the  boundary  of  Cheshire  towards  Staffordshire.  L. 

She  hath  been  at  London  to  call  a  s,trea  a  straw  and  a  waw  a  wall. 

This  the  common  people  use  in  scorn  to  those  who,  having  been  in 
London,  are  ashamed  to  speak  their  own  country  dialect.  R. 

Skeer  your  own  fire.  • 

That  is,  mind  your  own  business. 

Sour  as  wharre.     L.  *  .^ 

Wharre  =  a  crab  apple. 

Swoppery's  no  robbery. 

Taych  your  granny  to  suck  eggs. 

Said  to  anyone  who  thinks  he  knows  better  than  you  do. 

Th'art  like  owd  Mode  o'  Mobberley,  that  seed  th'  new  moon  i'th' 

morning.     WILMSLOW. 
The  bag  mouth  was  open. 

That  is,  something  had  "come  to  light;"  a  parallel  expression  to  "the 
cat  has  jumped  out  of  the  bag."  "  Aw  never  knew  how  things  were  with 
him,  till  the  bailies  were  in  the  house,  and  then  the  bag  mouth  was  open."  L. 

The  devil  always  tips  at  the  biggest  ruck.     MIDDLEWICH. 

The  mayor  of  Altrincham  and  the  mayor  of  Over, 
The  one  is  a  thatcher,  the  other  a  doaber. 

Altrincham  and  Over  are  said  to  be  the  two  smallest  corporations  in 
England,  consequently  the  mayors  may  occasionally  be  working  men. 

There  are  as  many  Leighs  as  fleas,  and  as  many  Davenports  as  dogs' 
tails. 

Said  of  the  county  generally,  where  Leigh  and  Davenport  are  very  common 
names. 

There's  no  law  for  a  town's  bull. 

A  town's  bull,  being  the  common  property  of  the  parish,  manifestly  could 
not  trespass  within  the  bounds  of  the  parish. 

There's  only  one  pretty  child  in  the  world,  and  every  mother  has  it. 

The  sexton  has  shaked  his  shoo  at  him. 

Said  of  one  who  is  ill,  and  not  likely  to  get  better. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  455 

The  third  time  pays  for  all. 

They're  pluckin  their  geese  i'  Wales,  and  sendin  their  fithers  here. 
Said  during  a  snowstorm. 

Th'  owd  lad  has  thrown  his  club  o'er  him. 
Said  of  a  mischievous  boy. 

Th'  rain  always  comes  eawt  o'  Mobberley  hole.     WILMSLOW. 
At  Mobberley  they  say  the  same  of  Bexton. 

Three  yarry  frosts  are  sure  to  end  in  rain.     W.  CHES. 
To  as  much  purpose  as  the  geese  slurr  on  the  ice.     R. 
To  as  much  purpose  as  to  give  a  goose  hay.     R. 
To  be  bout  as  Barrow  was.     R. 

To  catch  a  person  napping,  as  Moss  caught  his  mare.     W. 

Anent  Moss's  mare  tke  following  rhyme  is  current  about  MIDDLEWICH  : — 

"  Come  aw  ye  buttermilk  sellers  that  have  buttermilk  to  sell, 
Ah'd  have  ye  give  good  mizzer,  an'  scrub  yo'r  vessels  well ; 
For  there's  a  day  o'  reckoning,  an'  hell  will  have  its  share  ; 
An'  the  devil  will  have  yon  nappers  as  Mossy  ketched  his  mare." 

To  come  home  like  the  parson's  cow  with  a  calf  at  her  foot.     R. 

To  feed  like  a  freeholder  of  Macklesfield,  who  hath  neither  corn  nor 
hay  at  Michaelmas.     R. 

To  follow  one  like  T'  Antony's  pig.     L. 

To  go  round  about  for  the  next  road. 

Applied  when  one  attempts  a  short  cut  and  finds  it  the  longest. 

To  grin  like  a  Cheshire  cat. 

See  CHESHIRE  CAT  in  vocabulary. 

To  have  got  into  Cherry's  boose. 

Cherry  being  a  favourite  name  for  a  red  cow,  which  colour  is  among  the 
country  people  the  most  esteemed  for  milking ;  any  person  who  is  got  into  a 
comfortable  situation  is  said  "  to  be  got  into  Cherry's  boose."  W. 

Of  course  this  implies  that  Cherry,  being  a  favourite,  gets  from  the  cow- 
man "  the  lion's  share"  of  the  food. 

To  lick  it  up  like  lim  hay. 

Lim  is  a  village  on  the  river  Mersey  that  parts  Cheshire  and  Lancashire, 
where  the  best  hay  is  gotten.  R. 

To  look  like  a  strained  hair  in  a  can,     R. 

To-morrow  come  never. 
An  indefinite  time. 


456  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

Too  too  will  in  two. 

That  is,  strain  a  thing  too  much  and  it  will  not  hold.     R. 

To  scold  like  a  cut  purse.     R. 

To  scold  like  a  wych-waller. 

That  is,  a  boiler  of  salt :  Wych  houses  are  salt  houses,  and  walling  is 
boiling.  R. 

To  shed  riners  with  a  whaver. 

That  is,  to  surpass  anything  skilful  or  adroit  by  something  still  more  so. 
W.  (quoted  from  Ray,  but  not  distinctly  stated  to  be  a  Cheshire  saying). 
See  RINER  in  vocabulary. 

To  throw  the  helve  after  the  hatchet. 
Signifying  despair.     L. 

To  wriggle  like  a  snig  in  a  bottle. 
Said  of  a  restless  child.     L. 

Two's  company,  three's  none. 
Ugly  enough  to  wean  a  foal. 

Very  likely,  co  John  Platt. 

A  common  saying  about  WILMSLOW.     Co  =  quoth. 

Well,  well,  is  a  word  of  malice.     R. 

We  will  not  kill  but  whoave. 

Spoken  of  a  pig  or  fowl  that  they  have  overwhelmed  with  some  vessel  in 
readiness  to  kill.  R. 

What  comes  o'er  the  devil's  back  goes  under  his  bally. 
The  proverb  refers  to  ill-gotten  gains. 

When  Bowdon  Wakes  is  at  Bowdon,  winter's  at  Newbridge  Hollow. 

When  the  wakes  begin  we  know  it  is  fast  drawing  to  the  end  of  the  year ; 
and  Bowdon  Wakes  are  the  earliest  on  the  list.  Newbridge  Hollow  is  about 
a  couple  of  miles  from  Bowdon. 

When  Candlemas  Day  is  come  and  gone, 

Snow  lies  on  a  whot  (hot)  stone. 

Although  after  Candlemas  Day  the  sun  gets  considerable  power,  and  we 
have  warm,  spring-like  weather,  we  must  not  be  surprised  if  winter  returns 
upon  us  with  all  its  rigour,  and  even  snow  succeeds  the  bright  sunshine. 

When  the  daughter  is  stolen  shut  the  Peppergate. 
See  PEPPERGATE  in  vocabulary. 

When  the  wind  is  in  the  east 

Its  noather  good  for  man  nor  beast. 

When  the  drink's  in,  the  wit's  out. 

Where  there's  least  room  there's  always  the  most  thrutching. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  457 

Who  would  keep  a  cow  when  he  can  have  a  pottle  of  milk  for  a 
penny  ?     L. 

Pottle  probably  means  a  "  pot-full,"  and  does  not  refer  to  the  "  pottle  " 
measure.  On  the  same  principle  we  have  "baskettle,"  a  basket  full; 
"  cantle,"  a  can  full ;  "  whiskittle,"  a  whisket  full,  &c. 

You're  always  i'th'  field  when  you  should  be  i'th'  lone. 

You  been  like  Smithwick,  either  clem'd  or  borsten.     R. 
That  is,  always  in  extremes. 

You  cannot  whip  blood  out  of  a  post. 

You  must  look  for  grass  on  the  tops  of  the  oak  trees. 

That  is,  the  early  foliation  of  the  oak  indicates  a  good  grass  year. 

You  will  play  with  the  bull  till  you  get  his  horn  in  your  eye. 


458  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


DIALECT     STORY. 


BETTY  BRESSKITTLE'S  PATTENS,  OR  SANSHUM  FAIR,  A  CHESHIRE-MON'S 
CRACK.    BY  J.  C.  CLOUGH. 

[Reprinted  by  permission  of  the  Author. — All  rights  reserved.} 


[The  following  amusing  story  chiefly  illustrates  the  dialect  of  the  district  between 
Altrincham  and  Knutsford,  where  the  peculiarity  of  adding  a  "k"  to  words 
ending  in  "ing,"  as  "gooingk,"  "fleyingk,"  for  "going,"  "flying,"  is 
frequently,  though  not  universally,  heard.  In  most  parts  of  Cheshire  the 
"g"  is  dropped  altogether,  and  we  say  "gooin,"  "floyin." 

In  a  letter  addressed  to  me,  Mr.  Clough  said  that  he  had  derived  much 
of  his  knowledge  of  our  dialect  from  conversations  with  the  miller  at  New 
Mills,  Mobberley.  I  knew  old  Burgess  (for  that  was  his  name)  well,  and  his 
talk  was  very  characteristic ;  and  though,  in  the  following  story,  there  are  a 
few  words  spelt  somewhat  differently  from  the  orthography  I  have  adopted  in 
the  vocabulary,  I  have  not  ventured  upon  any  alterations ;  for  the  folk- 
speech,  the  idioms,  and  the  mode  of  thought  of  the  people  are  represented,  on 
the  whole,  with  such  marvellous  accuracy  that,  whilst  I  read  the  pages, 
"owd  Jud  Bresskittle"  and  his  "weife"  seem  to  stand  up  before  me  as 
living  personages.  With  respect  to  the  spelling,  Mr.  Clough  further  explains 
that  when  he  wrote  this  sketch  he  endeavoured  to  reproduce  the  dialect  as  it 
was  spoken  before  the  railway  from  Altrincham  to  Manchester  was  opened, 
say  forty  years  since  ;  hence,  probably,  some  of  the  orthographical  differences 
between  us. — R.  H.] 


BETTY   BRESSKITTLE'S    PATTENS. 

"Whey?  Moy  weife  lemme  go  to  Thrutcham  to  th'  Market 
to  sell  th'  butther  an'  th'  eggs !  By  gum !  hoo'd  welly  be  abayt 
thinkingk  o'  gooingk  to  th'  owd  mon  fleyingk  uppo  th'  eend  o'  a 
baysom  stail  afore  hoo'd  lemme  goo  agen  !  Ah,  bu'  aw  did  go 
wunst,  that  aw  did  !  An'  didna  aw  coom  hwom  soabur !  It's  noine 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  459 

'eer  sin  coom  Bowdon  waakes  sin  then;  ah !  bu'  aw  con  welly  hear 
th'  owd  lass  shaoutingk  at  me  a  thissens,  '  Jud  Bresskittle,  tha  mun 
coom  hwom  soabur !  Thah  gurt  borsten  gawpingk  picked  cawf ! 
Thah  mun  coom  hwom  soabur  !  else  aw'll  may  thi  yed  as  maazy  wi 
th'  shippon  stoo  as  tha  has  may'd  it  wi  th'  yell  o'  th'  Axe  an 
Cleaver  !  Thah  gurt  borsten  soo  !  then  tha  sud  coom  hwom  soabur! ' 
An  hoo  up  wi  th'  cheer  an'  hoo  gen  me  a  gradely  good  un  o'  th'  top 
o'  th'  yed  wheyl  th'  sparks  flew  aht  o'  mi  een  for  monny  a  wheyl  at 
aftur !  By  gum  !  hoo's  getten  th'  kink  i'  th'  smaw  o'  her  back,  good 
luck  to  her  for't,  an  aw'll  go  for  aw  that  to  Sanshum  fair  i'  th' 
morningk,  if  aw  dee  for't,  that  aw  will ! " 

So  argid  i'  his  own  moind  owd  Jud  Bresskittle,  a  farmer  o' 
Ashley,  th'  neet  afore  Sanshum  fair. 

Nah,  Betty  Bresskittle,  his  weife,  were  awful  bad  wi'  th'  rhoomatic 
i'  th'  smaw  o'  her  back,  an  hoo  sot  theer  i'  th'  cheer,  chunneringk  an 
as  fow  i'  her  temper  as  yoh  ne'er  heeard  tell  on  i'  ony  Christen  wim- 
men  folks,  aw'st  be  bahnd  ! 

Hoo  had  an  awfu'  neet  on  it,  an'  hoo  screetched  welly  wheyl  tha 
met  a  heeard  her  to  th'  lone  eend. 

So  Jud  thowt  t'  were  a  good  toime  to  may  a  cleean  brust  on  it, 
so  he  ses  to  her,  ses  he, 

"  Betty,  me  wench,  this  cooms  o'  gettingk  thi  feet  weet  through 
not  havingk  ony  pattens,  but  thah'rt  aw  ways  agate  o'  chunneringk 
when  thah  mun  lay  aht  a  shellingk." 

"  Heugh !"  ses  hoo,  "thah's  reet,  aw  welly  think;  it  aw  cooms 
o'  that  sarvent  wench,  th'  brassy  faaced  hussey !  heugh !  oh !  oh  ! 
slattingk  mi  pattens  i'  th'  feyre,  heugh  !  oh  !  an  brunningk  'em  !  aw 
welly  think  aw  mun  han  a  yew  pair  !  heugh  ! " 

"  Well,  aw  mun  be  gettingk  a  yew  muck  fork,  an  a  peykil,  an 
theer's  Jud  Drinkwaiter  owes  me  for  that  wheyte  cawf  that  coom  off 
Cherry,  an  he  ne'er  osses  pay  me,  an  aw  hearn  foaks  sen  he  isna 
gettingk  on  gradely  reet,  so  aw'st  just  caw  an  ax  for  th'  brass  afore 
he  goes  to  th'  wa',  an  then  aw'st  caw  an  get  thee  a  yew  pair  o' 
pattens  as  aw  coom  hwom  ! " 

"  Eh,  mon  !  heugh,  oh  !  but  wilta  coom  hwom  soabur  ?  " 
•    "Ah!  that  aw  will!" 


460  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

"Then  howd  thi  din;  thah'st  go  if  thah  dusna  meyther  me  !" 

So  Billy  sneck'd  his  maith  up,  an  slep  loike  a  top,  an'  Betty  git  a 
wee  bit  sleep  at  aftur  dayleet. 

Nah  i'  th'  morningk  when  Jud  had  getten  his  breksfust,  an'  his 
baggingk,  he  coom  into  th'  hayse  an  git  hissel  clee'an,  an  his  owd 
weife  Betty  were  aw  th'  toime  sot  chunneringk  i'  th'  cheer.  Ah  bu' 
when  he  were  getten  ready  an  were  welly  as  "  foine  as  a  yew  scrap'd 
carrot,"  as  folks  sen,  an  were  just  thinkingk  o'  puttingk  th'  tit  i'  th' 
shandry  Betty  baws  aht : 

"  Thah  mun  coom  hwom  soabur !  an  sithee,  sit  thi  dahn,  aw 
mun  trey  an  insense  thee  gradely  abaht  these  pattens  !  heugh  !  oh  ! 
bad  cess  to  this  kink  aw've  getten !  aw  sud  loike  go  an  buey  'em 
mysel,  aw  rayally  sud ! " 

"  Aw  wish  thah  cud,  lass !"  ses  Jud,  but  he  ne'er  thowt  it;  "Aw 
wish  thah  cud,  lass  ! " 

" Arta  sartin  sure  tha'll  coom  hwom  soabur?" 

"  Eh  !  lass,  thah'rt  agate  on  me  as  if  thah  thowt  aw  cudna  keeap 
my  word." 

"Weel,  then,"  says  hoo,  "thah  mun  fotch  me  a  pair  o'  pattens 
fro  Thrutcham,  an  thah  munner  gen  moor  nor  a  shellingk  for  'um, 
an  they  munna  be  too  heigh  kecklingk,  ner  too  low  carkingk,  ner  too 
weide  gawpingk,  ner  too  narra  laumingk,  ner  too  lung  pokingk,  ner 
too  shirt  pinsingk*;  an,  sithee,  if  thah  dusna  bring  'em  gradely  reet, 
aw'll  lug  thi  yure,  wheyl  thi  yed  gits  as  maazy  an  as  meythert  as  th' 
weather  cock  uppo  Thrutcham  Taan  Haw." 

Jud  staared  at  her  foinly  loike  a  cawf  wi  aw  his  een,  an  he  ses, 

"  Lass !  aw've  getten  rayther  a  tickle  job  afore  me,  aw  reckon. 
Lemme  see !  they  munna  be  too  heigh  carkingk,  ner  too  lung 
kecklingk,  ner  too  narra  pinsingk,  ner " 

"Jud  Bresskittie,  thah'rt  a  foo  !" 

"Whur?" 

"  They  munna  be  too  heigh  kecklingk,  ner  too  low  carkingk,  ner 
too  weide  gawpingk,  ner  too  narra  lawmingk,  ner  too  lung  pokingk, 
ner  too  shirt  pinsingk !  Dosta  hear?" 

*  These  directions  were  really  given  by  the  original  of  Betty  Bresskittie  when  she  wanted  a 
new  pair  of  pattens.— J.  C.  C. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  461 

"  Ah !  aw've  getten  it  nah,  aw  reckon.  They  munna  be  too 
heigh  kecklingk,  ner  too  low  carkingk,  ner  too  weide  gawpingk,  ner 
too  narra  laumingk,  ner  too  lung  pokingk,  ner  too  shirt  pinsingk  ! 
By  gum  !  Thah'rt  bahnd  get  a  good  shellingk's  worth,  aw'll  swear." 

"  Coom  mon,  thah  hasna  done  yet !  An  if  thah  dusna  bring 
'em " 

"  Oh,  ah !  aw  can  tell  thi !  an  if  aw  dunna  bring  'em  gradely 
reet  aw'll  lug  thi  yure  wheyl  thi  yed  gets  as  maazy  an  as  meythert  as 
th'  weather  cock  uppo  Thrutcham  Taan  Haw." 

"  Jud  Bresskittle  !  artna  shaamed  o  thisel !  Thah's  getten  a  yure 
o'  owd  Scrat  in  thi,  that  thah  has,  an  thah  shanna  buey  'em  for  me, 
that  thah  shanna,  for  aw's  buey  'em  mysel,  so  thee  just  put  th'  cheer 
i'  th'  shandry  an  aw'll  go  wi  thee.  Thah'rt  nobbut  loike  a  gurt  hob- 
bityhoy  wi  a  beeard,  aw  conna  trust  thi  aht  o'  mi  sect !" 
"Ah  bu'  aw'st  go,  aw  know  !" 

"  Ah  lad,  tha'st  go,  an  aw'll  tak  good  care  on  thi,  aw  con  tell  thi, 
that  thah  cooms  hwom  soabur  ! " 

"  Weel,  weel, 

What  conna  be  cured 
Mun  be  endured. 

So  caw  th'  sarvent  wench,  an'  get  thi  ready,  wheyl  aw  go  put  th'  tit 
i'  th'  shandry." 

So  sayingk  Jud  Bresskittle  geet  off  to  th'  staable  weel  content 
eneuf  for  th'  fawse  felly  know'd  varry  weel  that  wunst  at  Sanshum 
fair  his  owd  rhoomaticky  weife  cudna  hinder  him  fro  mitch  fun. 

He  wurna  lung  noather  afore  he'd  getten  th'  shandry  at  th'  door, 
an  he  teyed  th'  tit  to  th'  eyren  ringk  i'  th'  wa'  an  git  i'  th'  hayse  to 
fotch  th'  owd  lass. 

Eh,  mon  !  ha  hoo  did  grunt  an  groen,  poor  owd  wench  !  wi'  th' 
rhoomatic  as  they  tooken  howd  on  her  to  put  her  i'  th'  shandry  ! 
Hoo  welly  repented  her  o'  her  bargain,  that  hoo  did !  But  they 
getten  her  landed  saafe  and  saand  at  th'  last  i'  th'  shandry,  an  oop 
jumps  owd  Jud  lest  hoo  sud  awter  her  moind;  gen  th'  tit  a  bit  o> 
a  switch  wi'  th'  whip,  an  off  they  went,  the  dust  fleyingk,  th'  owd 
woman  shaouting  "heugh  !"  an  "  ho  !"  an  Jud  cracklingk  th'  whip 
an  agate  o  mayingk  as  mitch  din  as  a  dozen  foaks  when  they'd 


462  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

getten  th'  last  sheaf  o'  kurn  led,  an  are  agate  shuttingk  th'  hare  into 
other  folks  laand. 

When  they'd  getten  a  wee  bit  on  th'  rooad  Jud  tuk  his  toime,  an 
th'  owd  woman  didna  caw  an  baw  aht  queyt  so  mitch. 

By  an  by  Betty  began  to  noatise  that  theer  wer  an  uncommon 
ruck  o'  folks  aw  bahnd  to  Thrutcham,  an  hoo  couldna  queyt  may  it 
aht,  till  at  th'  last  one  owd  body  shahts  aht  to  her, 

"  Eh,  Betty !  an  so  tha'rt  bahnd  to  Sanshum  fair,  rhoomatic  or 
no  rhoomatic,  art  a?" 

" Sanshum  fair !"  ses  hoo,  "by  golly,  'tis  Sanshum  fair  to-day, 
an  aw'd  clee'an  forgetten  aw  abaht  it  aw  along  o'  this  kink  i'  my  back ! 
bad  cess  to  't,  an  bad  cess  to  thee,  Jud  Bresskittle,  wi  thi  muck  fork 

» 

an  thi  peykil  an  thi  brass  at  Jud  Drinkwayter's  for  th'  wheyte  cawf 
that  coom  off  owd  Cherry  !  bad  cess  to  thee !  aw'll  tan  good  care 
tha  gits  no  brass  to-day  for  no  cawf  that  aw  will,  for  tha'd  nor  rest 
till  tha'd  spent  it  aw  at  th'  jerry  shop  !" 

"  Nay,  aw  wudna;  aw've  ne'er  bin  i'  th'  jerry  shop  i'  moy  loife  !" 
ses  Jud,  switchingk  th'  tit  wheyl  Betty  were  welly  fawingk  aht  o'  th' 
shandry. 

"  Whey,  mon !  dosta  want  brak  every  booan  i'  my  skin  that  tha 
dreyves  a  thatens  ?  Thah'll  be  fain  eneuf  when  aw  dee,  aw'se 
warrant !  Aw  amna  so  bleind  but  aw've  seen  thi  a  lookingk  at  th' 
sarvant  wench  ahint  mi  back,  an  aw  dar  varry  weel  sen  thah's  trod- 
den o'  her  toes  under  th'  table  !  Thah'll  be  fain  eneuf  when  aw  dee !" 

"  Ah !  aw  wish  thah  wud  dee,  lass !  mebbe  aw'se  be  agate  o'  sum 
plum  cake  if  thah  will  nobbut  dee;  for  ne'er  a  beyte  o'  that  an  aw 
getten  sin  aw  were  at  th'  berryingk  o'  owd  Billy  Reyle  at  Bowdon, 
mebbe  three  'eer  sin.  So  if  thah  wants  dee,  thah'd  better  be  agate 
on  't  this  varry  minute ;  thah'll  foind  cottages  i'  Peel  Cosey  clee'an 
eneuf  to  leye  in ;  so,  owd  lass,  be  agate  o'  deeingk,  an  aw'll  buey  th' 
plum  caake  o'  owd  Nance  Wharton's  i'  Thrutcham.  Coom,  there's 
a  wench  Betty,  dee,  do,  wench  !" 

Owd  Betty  barst  aht  i'  a  flud  o'  tears. 

"Eh,  Jud!"  ses  hoo,  "th'  toimes  are  changed  sin  thah  used 
meeat  me  i'  th'  meadows  uppo  th'  road  to  Bolliton,  an  sin  thah  used 
t'  donee  wi  me  uppo  th'  green  at  Rosterne  Mare  ;  but  aw've  getten 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  463 

owd  sin  then,  an  thah  dusna  luv  me  no  moor,  that  thah  dusna  !    Aw 
rayally  wish  aw  were  djed  an  laid  i'  th'  church  yard !" 

"  Weel,  Betty,"  seys  owd  Jud,  a  wheypingk  his  een  wi  his  cooat 
sleeve,  "  thah's  getten  a  tung  as  lung  as — ah,  as  lung  as  a  beysom 
stail,  an  when  thah'rt  wunce  agate  o'  thissens  thah'rt  as  fow  as  a 
vixen  wi  a  sore  yed  !  Thah  taks  aw  wrung  as  ever  aw  does,  an  when 
thah'rt  agate  o'  talkingk  sitch  loike  fash,  then  aw  conna  help  sayingk 
summat  too !  so,  lass,  aw'll  be  mate  if  thah'll  be  marrow !  let's  be 
mate  an  marrow  ! " 

"  Ah,  Jud,  that  aw  will,  if  thah'll  nobbut  luv  me  !" 

"  Weel,  lass,  that's  aw  settled.  Here  we've  getten  to  Peel  Cosey; 
we'se  soon  be  i  Thrutcham  !" 

When  they  did  git  to  Thrutcham  they  druv  reight  to  th'  Market 
Plaace  to  th'  Roebuck,  which  used  to  be  i'  th'  middle  o'  th'  market 
when  George  the  Thurd  were  king  an  moi  gronny  were  wick,  an  it 
were  reight  i'  th'  thick  o'  aw  th'  fun. 

Theer  were  shows,  and  fleyingk  boats,  an'  dobby  horses,  an'  merry 
go  rainds,  an'  nuts  to  shoot  for,  an'  spin  um  rainds  aw  prizes  and  no 
blanks,  an  fat  wimmen  foaks,  an  leean  men,  geyants,  an  dwarfs  an 
aw  th'  rest. 

"Eh,  wench!"  ses  Jud,  "this  is  a  mortacious  foine  sect!  welly 
as  foine  as  th'  fair  twenty  ear  sin  when  aw  tuk  thi  i'  aw  th'  shows 
an  git  th'  prize  for  grinningk  through  th'  horse  collar!  Eh,  wench! 
it  maks  me  yung  agen !  it  maks  me  yung,  aw  dunna  feeal  loike  foive 
and  forty,  that  aw  dunna!" 

"  Well !  well,  lad !  tay  th'  tit  aht,  an  lemme  git  i'  th'  Roebuck 
parlour  wheyl  tha  bueys  th'  pattens  and  does  thi  wee  bit  jobs  i'  th' 
taan.  Tha  sees  aw've  forgen  thi !" 

So  owd  Jud  git  her  i'  th'  parlour  and  put  th'  tit  i'  th'  staable,  an 
at  after  he  git  to  th'owd  weife. 

Then  ses  owd  Betty,  "Ah  bu' tha  winna  go  buey  th'  muckfork 
baht  me  ?" 

Jud  looked  at  her,  and  then  he  ses,  "  Now,  aw  winna !" 

"  Then  tha  may  go ;  stop  a  minute ;  tha'rt  in  a  gradely  hurry," 
ses  hoo ;  "  an  tha  winna  go  buey  th'  peykil  baht  me  !" 

Jud  looked  at  her  agen,  an  then  he  sez,  "  No,  aw  winna,  owd  lass  !" 


464  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

"Then  tha  may  go;  stop  a  minute  moor,"  ses  hoo,  "  nah  !  tha 
winna  go  git  th'  brass  fro'  Drinkwaiter's  for  th'  wheyte  cawf  that  we 
got  fro'  owd  Cherry  baht  me  ?" 

Jud  look'd  at  her  agen,  an  then  he  ses, 

"  Now,  owd  lass  !  that  aw  winna !" 

Jud  was  just  off  agen,  when  hoo  caws  him  back  agen. 

"  Tell  me,  lad !  tha'll  com  hwom  soabur,  winna  't  a?" 

"  Ah,  lass !  ah  winna  get  drunk  baht  thee  !" 

"Jud  Bresskittle !  aw  wunder  at  thi !" 

"  It's  aw  reel,  lass  !" 

"Well,  sithee  then;  tha  munna  forget  mi  pattens,  an  tha  munna 
gen  moor  nor  a  shillingk  for  em,  an  they  munna  be  too  heigh 
kecklingk,  ner  too  low  carkingk,  ner  too  weide  gawpingk,  ner  too 
narra  laumingk,  dost  a  hear?  ner  too  lung  pokingk,  ner  too  shirt 
pinsingk  !  Dosta  hear  ?" 

"Aw  hear !  art  a  gradely  done  nah  ?  eh,  lass  ?" 

"Aye  !  aw've  done  !" 

"  Then  aw  con  go  ?" 

"Ah!" 

Nah  he'd  getten  leeave  Jud  started  off  into  th'  fair. 

"  Aw  munna  buey  th'  muckfork,  an  aw  munner  buey  th'  peykil, 
an  aw  munna  git  th'  brass  fro  Drinkwaiter  for  th'  wheyte  cawf  that 
aw  git  fro  Owd  Cherry  !  Whey  !  there's  nowt  for  me  to  do  'cept  git 
drunk !  nay,  mon,  tha  munna  get  drunk  !  tha  mun  buey  th'  pattins, 
nay  aw  munna  git  drunk  noather  !  Hooray  !  aw've  getten  nowt  to 
do  but  buey  th'  pattins  ! " 

"  Eh  !  Jud !  is  that  thee,  owd  lad  ?" 

Jud  turn't  hissel,  an  who  shud  he  see  but  Jonas  Pricket. 

"  Eh !  Jonas  !  is  it  thee,  lad  ?    What  art  agate  on  ?  " 

"  Oh  nowt !  just  lookingk  raind  loike  !  Wilt  coom  an  have  a  soap 
o' drink?" 

"  Ah  !  aw  will !  Now  !  aw  munna  git  drunk,  th'  owd  ooman  ses, 
or  awst  git  my  yed  purred." 

"  Git  drunk !  What  art  agate  on,  eh  mon  ?  aw  didna  say  owt 
abaht  gettingk  drunk  !  Theer's  a  vast  atween  gettingk  a  soap  o'  beer 
aht  o'  a  gill-pot,  and  soapingk  a  piggintle !" 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  465 

"Tha'rt  reet,  Jonas!" 

An  so  they  git  to  th'  Axe  an  Cleaver,  an  Jonas  trated  Jud,  and 
then  yoh  know  that  Jud  trated  Jonas;  an  then  Jemmy  Reyle  o' 
Sandyway  coom  in,  an  Jonas  trated  Jimmy  and  Jud,  an  Jud  trated 
Jonas  an  Jimmy,  an  Jimmy  trated  Jonas  and  Jud ;  and  then  in  coom 
Jock  Carter  o'  Runjer,  an  he  trated  em  aw,  an  they  aw  trated  him, 
an  they  aw  trated  one  another ;  an  then  they  git  agate  o'  a  argiment 
abaht  th'  shows,  when  Jock  Carter  o'  Runjer  ses  they'd  getten  th' 
best  preize  feighters  i'  aw  Cheshire  theer,  to  which  Jud  Bresskittle 
ses,  "It's  fawse!"  So  Jock  axed  whoa  cud  feight  em?  an  Jud  ses, 
"Aw  con!" 

"Thah  con?"  ses  Jock. 

"  Ah,  aw  con  !"  ses  Jud. 

"  Nay,  thah  conna !"  ses  Jemmy. 

"  Yea,  aw  con,  an  aw'll  doo't !"  ses  Jud. 

"  An  if  thah  dusna  doo't  wilt  a  stond  glasses  o'  brandy  aw  raind?'' 

"Yea,  aw  will!" 

"  An  aw'll  stond  em  aw  raind  if  tha  does  ! " 

So  they  aw  tummelt  aht  o'  th'  Axe  an  Cleaver  an  git  em  into  th' 
fair  to  th'  feightingk  show  wi  a  girt  black  nigger  wi  th'  gloves  on,  a 
challengingk  aw  Cheshire  to  coom  up  theer  an  feight  him.  An 
another  mon, — he  were  a  wheyte  'un, — were  a  knockingk  as  hard  as 
he  could  upo  a  thingk  that  looked  loike  a  girt  copper  freyingk  pon, 
an  makkingk  din  erieuf  to  meyther  aw  th'  foak  i'  Thrutcham,  an  he 
were  a  bawlingk  aht : — 

"  Valk  hup,  ladies  and  gennelmen  !  valk  hup  !  honely  von  penny 
to  see  the  great  prize  fight  between  Brassy  Jack  of  Hoxford,  that 
beat  hall  the  stoodents  hof  the  Huniversity,  and  Chicken  'Arted 
'Arry  of  London,  that  beat  the  Fightin'  Cock  o'  Brummyghem,  and 
knocked  'im  hall  to  nuffin  for  two  'undred  pound  aside  !  Vill  com- 
mence in  five  minutes  free  gratis  for  nuffin  for  hall  the  vorld  that 
pays  the  small  sum  hof  von  penny  has  haforesaid  ! " 

Jud  Bresskittle  queyte  forgit  that  th'  show  were  just  oppysit  the 
Roebuck  wheer  his  weife  were,  an  so  he  shaouted  aht, 

"  Mesther  Blackymoor !  const  a  feight  ?  eh,  owd  mon  ?  " 

"  Valk  hup,  sir  !  valk  hup  !  hand  I'll  send  you  hinto  the  middle 


466  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

of  next  veek,  hall  hin  two  minutes,  free,  gratis,  for  nuffin !     Come 
'ere,  sir,  give  us  yer  'and  ! " 

Jud  sprung  upo'  th'-stage  leet  as  a  buck  an  bowd  as  a  dandycock, 
an'  th'  mon  what  were  playingk  th'  drum  (only  it  wer'nt  a  gradely 
drum)  gen  him  a  pair  o'  gloves.  Jud  began  a  sparringk,  an  th'  foaks 
shaouted,  "  Hooray!  Go  it,  owd  Jud  !  Tha'rt  a  gradely  Cheshire 
mon!" 

Th'  black  felly  next  gen  Jud  a  wee  bit  o'  a  bang  i'  th'  reet  ee,  an 
Jud  git  as  weild  as  weild,  an  hit  reet  aht,  but  some  hah  he  couldna 
git  a  gradely  bang  at  th'  black  mop.  At  aftur  two  or  three  minutes 
th'  black  felly  knocked  Jud  dahn,  an  t'other  chap  coom  and  picked 
him  up,  an'  touched  Jud's  faace  wi'  th'  spunge  everywheer  wheer  he'd 
getten  a  bang,  but  th'  spunge  had  getten  a  gurt  lot  o'  red  ruddle  on 
it  so  that  it  made  gurt  red  blotches  upo  Jud's  faace  wheer  it  touched 
it ;  an  th'  foaks  shaouted  an  shaouted,  "  Hooray,  Jud  !  Owd  mon  ! 
at  em  agen  !"  An  Jud  let  floy  a  good  un,  an  th'  mon  wi'  th'  spunge 
had  to  pick  th'  blackeymoor  up  this  toime  an  put  th'  ruddle  upo  his 
faace  just  at  under  th'  ee. 

"  Hooray,  Jud !  hooray,  owd  mon ! "  shaouted  Jock  Carter  or 
Runjer;  "  tha'rt  game  if  tha'rt  owd  !" 

Just  at  that  vary  minit  Jud's  weife,  bad  as  hoo  were  wi'  th' 
rheumatic,  pushed  her  roaad  through  th'  folks  an  stood  i'.  th'  frunt 
o'  th'  show. 

"  Go  it  agen,  Jud !  here's  th'  weife  coom  t'  see  hah  gam  tha  art ! " 
shaouted  Jonas. 

Jud  turn'd  rahnd  an  gurned  at  th'  frunt  o'  th'  show  wi'  his  faace 
aw  ruddle. 

"Tha  girt  borsten  soo!  I'll  baste  thi  when  aw  get  thi  hwom,  that 
aw  will!"  shaouted  Betty  Bresskittle ;  "aw  wunder  tha  artna ashamed 
o'  thisen  to  stond  theer  a  feightingk  th'  deevil  hissel !" 

"Hooray!  hooray!  here's  a  bonny  marlock!"  shouted  aw  th' 
foaks  as  Betty  shak'd  her  fist  at  Jud. 

"  Sithee !  Jud  Bresskittle !  as  sure  as  tha'rt  caw'd  Jud  Bresskittle 
aw'll  mak  it  aw  reet  wi'  th'  milkingk  stoo'  when  aw've  getten  thi 
hwom !" 

Bu'  Jud  didna  seeam  to  loike  it,  so  he  slipp'd  th'  gloves  off  his 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  467 

bonds,  an  joomp'd  off  th'  show,  an  off  he  cut  through  th'  foaks  welly 
loike  a  hare,  and  Jock  Carter  and  Jonas  Pricket  an  Jemmy  Reyle  an 
aw  their  chums  at  tafter. 

"  Stop  Jud !  Jud !  hoo  isna  a  comingk ! "  shaouted  Jemmy  Reyle. 

So  Jud  stopped,  and  sed,  "  Aw'd  cleean  fergetten  hoo'd  getten 
th'kink!" 

Then  his  chums  aw  shook  honds  wi  him  an  sed: 

"Cheer  up,  Jud!  tha  mun  tay  a  glass  o'  brandy  to  keep  thi 
pekker  up!  Coom,  lad!" 

And  so  they  went  into  th'  nearest  public  hahse,  which  were  th' 
Unicorn,  an  shaouted  for  brandies  aw  rahnd,  an  maade  Jud  pay  for 
th'  lot  cause  he  hadna  threshed  th'  blackeymoor. 

Then  Carter  paid  for  brandies  aw  rahnd,  an  Pricket  at  tafter,  an 
Jud  were  getten  joost  abaht  jolly  an  nebburley. 

"  Coom,  lad !"  ses  Carter,  "  another  glass  '11  stiddy  thi  yed,  an 
then  tha  const  coom  hwom  an  flare  oop  a  bit  loike;  send  th'  owd 
lass  to  th'  middle  o'  next  ear  if  hoo  osses  start  agate  o'  cawingk 
thee!" 

"It  isna  th'  cawingk!"  ses  Jud,  "it's  th'  puncingk  my  yed  an 
pooingk  my  yure  that  aw  moinds!  aw  conna  foncy  that,  no  hows!;> 

"  Then  tha  mun  tay  fourpenno'th  o'  brandy  wi  two  penno'th  o' 
whisky,  rayal  Eyrish  in't,  an  then  tha'll  be  i'  good  fettle,  loike  a 
shouldier  nobbut  th'  red  cooat !" 

"  Bu  aw  munna  ferget  th'  pattens,  or  noather  lh'  brandy  nor  th' 
whisky  '11  do  me  a  a'wpo'th  o  good  !  Some  on  yo  go  get  me  a  yew 
paar  o'  pattens  for  th'  owd  lass !  Me  yed's  getten  aw  o'  a  muddle !" 

"That  aw'll  do!"  ses  Jock  Carter  o'  Runjer,  "an  aw'll  get  me 
aht  o'  this  hole  and  doo't  wheyl  tha  gets  thi  stuff  soaped  !" 

So  wheyl  Jud  soaped  th'  brandy  wi  th'  whisky,  Jock  o'  Runjer 
fotched  th'  pattens,  an  when  he  were  coom  back  he  gen  um  to  Jud 
wropped  up  i'  papper.  Jud  put  'em  i'  his  poke  baht  sayingk  owt. 

"Nay,  mon!"  ses  Jock,  "tha  winnat  goo  hwom  baht  gieingk  me 
th'  brass  for  th'  pattens,  wilt  a?  Thah'rt  welly  drunk !" 

"  Eh !  mon !  awd  cleean  fergetten  th'  brass,  th'  owd  lass  that  sits 
i'  th'  Roebuck  threap'd  me  foinly,  that  aw  sudna  gie  no  moor  nor  a 
shellingk  for  em.     So  here,  hasta  a  shellingk  every  awpenny  on  't !" 
FF 


468  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

An  he  gen  him  a  fistfu'  o  brass,  which  Jock  tell't  o'er,  and  then  gen 
him  noine  pennies  an  foive  awpennies  back. 

"  Hasta  tan  aw  tha  wants  ?"  ses  Jud. 

"  Ay,  aw  have !" 

"  An  they  munna  be  too  low  gawpingk,  nor  too  heigh  kecklingk, 
ner  too  long  pinsingk !  Dosta  welly  think  they're  gradely  reet  ?" 

"Ay,  aw  welly  do!  But  dosta  welly  think  tha  const  may  thi  way 
hwom  baiht  a  meycrooscoop?" 

"Whur?  What  dosta  sen,  mon?  tha  maks  me  feeal  aw  overish 
loike !  Oh  law !  oh  law !" 

"  A  megnifeyingk  glass  is  what  aw  meean,  a  glass  that  maks  fleys 
welly  loike  cawves!" 

"  Eh,  mon !  aw've  getten  two  megnifeyingk  glasses  i'  mi  yed 
awready,  for  here's  this  weife  o'  moine  that's  no  bigger  ner  a  fley  has 
getten  me  under  her  thoom  welly  as  if  hood  been  a  yolliphant,  an 
aw  winna  stan  it  no  moor,  that  aw  winna,  nor  aw  winna  sit  mysel 
dahn  to  it  noather,  coweringk  i'  th'  chimbley  nook  wheyl  hoo's  agate 
o'  chunneringk ! 

For  aw's  a  jolly  good  felly ! 
An  aw's  a  jolly  good  felly ! 
An  aw's  a  jolly  good  fel-el-el-ly ! 

An'  my  naem's  Jud  Bresskittle,  an  aw's  bahnd  for  Ashley,  so  aw'll 
jist  get  aht  o'  this  hole  wheyl  aw'm  wick,  and  if  yo  donna  loike  it, 
ye  con  let  it  baide ! " 

"Wheerbista  bahnd?" 

"  Hwom !  mon,  hwom  !  for  theer  aw've  getten  sitch  a  swate 
craytur  o'  a  weife,  so  aw'll  jist  gang  hwom  wheyle  aw'm  soaber ! 

For  aw  mun  gang  hwom  soaber  ! 

Soaber,  soaber  ! 
Aw  mun  gang  hwom  soaber 
To  leead  a  queyet  loife  ! 

By  gum!  ha  th'  street. rows  abaht !  Aw  welly  think  th'  awminack 
proffeyside  a  yarthqueyke  !  By  gum  !  ha  th'  Market  Haw  steeaple 
dodders ! 

An  aw's  jest  bahnd  for  'Stralier  ! 

Bu  aw  at  the  Queen's  expense  !" 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  469 

An  at  tafter  he'd  sung  this  he  donced  welly  loike  wicksilver  on  th' 
top  o'  a  drum  yed,  an  talked  to  hissen  a  thissens : — 

"  Come,  Jud,  mon  !  wheer's  thi  shandry?" 

"  Oh  !  aw'll  fotch  it  in  now  !  Jock,  tha  dusna  walk  gradely  reet, 
mon  !  Tha  artna  soaber  !  Eh  mon  !  aw  reckon  theer's  been  a  good 
toothery  glasses  agate  aw  rahnd  wheer  tha's  bin  ! 

Here's  to  aw  widders  o'  bashful  sixteen, 

An'  here's  to  yung  wenches  o'  sixty, 
An'  we'll  get  us  a  glass  that's  fit  for  a  queen, 

An  oather  o'  brandy  or  whisky  ! 

Here,  Missis  Roebuck  Inn,  sithee  lass!  Wheer's  moy  shandry? 
Coom,  lass,  get  a  eshintle  o'  th'  best  Jock  Barleycorn !  an'  moind 
theer's  no  wayter  in  't ! 

V 

For  aw  con  pleugh,  an  aw  con  sow, 
Aw  con  reeap,  an  aw  con  mow, 
An  aw  con  to  the  market  go, 
An  sell  my  daddy's  kurn  an  hay 
An  yeddle  my  saxpence  ivery  day  ! 

Theer !  mon,  theer's  th'  shandry,  nah  aw'll  get  me  hwom  an  get 
this  mortacious  fashious  bizness  o'er ! " 

So  off  goes  owd  Jud  through  th'  fair  as  happy  as  happy,  shaoutingk 
an  singingk  a  thissens : — 

"  Thah  should  coom  hwom  soaber  !  than  gurt  rakussingk  scrag- 
peeace  !  Aw'll  raddle  thi'  bones  for  thee,  that  aw  will ! 

Theer  isna  luck  abaht  the  hayse  ! 
Theer  isna  luck  at  aw  ! 

No  moor  theer  is  when  th'  mon  dusna  coom  hwom  soaber !  So 
aw'll  gang  hwom  wi'  th'  pattens  an  see  what  hoo's  getten  to  saay  ! 

"  They  munna  be  too  heigh  gawpingk,  ner  too  lung  kecklingk, — 
nay,  that  isna  it  noather, — they  munna  be  too  heigh  kecklingk,  ner 
too  lung  gawpingk,  that's  it — nay — they  munna  be  too  narra  laumingk, 
that's  it — they  munna  be  too  shirt  gawpingk — Eh !  mon,  tha's  a  foo ! 
an  aw's  welly  gloppened  that  thah's  forgetten  aw  as  aw  tell'd  thee  ? 
Eh !  that's  it,  mon  !  forgetten  !  forgetten  !  Eh  mon  !  aw've  forgetten 
sum  mat !  Too  heigh  pokingk !  Aw  shud  a  browt  summat  fro' 


47O  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

Thrutcham!  What  have  aw  forgetten?  Thah  shud  coom  hwom 
soaber !  That's  it ! 

Then  thah  shud  coom  hwom  soaber ! 

Soaber!  soaber! 

Thah  shud  coom  hwom  soaber  !  • 

When  thah  goes  to  Sanshum  fair ! 

Sithee  raon !  con'sta  tell  me  what  aw've  forgetten  ?  Th'  pattens 
munna  be  too  low  gaupingk,  nor  too  lung  pinsingk,  nor  too  heigh 
kecklingk!  Oh  deary,  oh  deary,  mi  yed's  aw  ov  a  maaze!  aw'se 
welly  meithert !  Ah,  bu'  theer's  a  vast  o'  foaks  is  war  than  oi  this 

neet! 

Shud  moi  weife's  pattens  be  forgot 
An  never  browt  to  min'  ? 

Aw'll  tak  a  gill  for  coomfort  sake 
•  When  aw  get  to  the  Wolf ! 

That's  Bobby  Burns  wi'  management  in  't !  Eh,  mon !  theer's  th' 
Wolf!  dang  it !  but  somebody  shall  tell  me  what  aw've  fergetten  !" 

When  owd  Jud  had  getten  to  th'  Wolf 't  were  welly  dark,  but  he 
gets  anuther  gill  an  off  he  gangs  hwom. 

Aw  at  wunst  he  stops  th'  tit  and  slaaps  his  hond  upo  his  leg. 

"  By  gum !  that  last  gillfull  has  maade  me  soaber !  aw've  forgetten 
nowt !  Jud  Bresskittle,  dusna  thah  moind  that  thah  munna  buey  th' 
peykil  baht  me !  and  thah  munna  buey  th'  muckfork  baht  me  !  an 
thah  munna  git  th'  brass  fro  owd  Drinkwaiter  for  th'  wheyt  cawf  as 
coom  off  owd  Cherry  baht  me  !  Hooray  ! 

"  Aw  welly  think  aw'd  getten  th'  mill  wheel  i'  my  yed;  for 

They  munna  be  too  heigh  laumingk 

Laum,  laum,  laumingk! 
They  munna  be  a  laumingk 

My  owd  woife  ahwom ! 
Thah  shud  coom  hwom  soaber ! 

Aw  caares  for  nobody 
No  not  aw ! 

For  nobody  cares  for  me ! 

Aw  wish  it  were  to-morrow  morningk,  that  aw  do,  an  then  aw  shud 
a  getten  this  fashious  business  o'er.  Hooray !  aw've  fergetten 
nowt !" 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  471 

An  at  last  singingk  and  shaoutingk  owd  Jud  git  hwom. 

"An  so  yo're  theer,  are  yoh?"  said  th'  sarvant  wench. 

"  Yes,  an  aw've  getten  th'  pattens  here  i'  my  poke  for  the  owd 
lass;  wheer  is  hoo?" 

"  Isna  hoo  coom  hwom  wi'  yoh  !     Wheer  is  hoo?" 

"Whur-r-r!" 

"  Isna  hoo  coom  hwom  ?" 

•'Whoa?" 

"Th' missis!" 

"  Th'  missis  !  th'  missis  !  Oh  law !"  ses  owd  Jud,  an  he  turn'd 
as  wheyte  as  a  sheet. 

"Ah!  th'  missis! "ses  hoo,  "yoh  hanna  tummelt  her  aht  o' 
shandry  an  kilt  her,  han  yoh  ! " 

"  Now,  wench  !  worser  nor  that  /" 

"Ishoodjed?" 

"Now!  now!  worser  nor  that!  worser  nor  that!  aw'll  never 
doo't  agen  as  lung  as  aw  live ! " 

"What  han  yoh  done  wi'  her?" 

"  Aw've  fergetten  her!  Oh  moi!  Oh  moi !  Aw  know'd  aw'd 
fergetten  summat ! "  An  owd  Jud  cowerd  hissel  dahn,  an  welly 
creyed. 

At  afther  a  wheyle  th'  owd  lass  hersen  oppen'd  th'  dooer  and 
coom  in. 

"  So  th'art  theer,  arta  ?    Jud  Bresskittle  !  th'art  theer,  arta  ?" 

"  Aw  winna  doo't  agen,  that  aw  winna  ! " 

' '  Aw  know'd  tha  wert  after  that  gurt  brassy  faced  hussey  !  hoo's 
getten  eneuf  brass  i'  her  faace  to  mak  a  tay  kittle !" 

"  Ah !  bu'  hoo  hasna  getten  eneuf  to  mak  a  Bresskittle,  hoo 
hasna !" 

"  Dosta  mee'an  it?" 

"Ah!  that  aw  do!" 

"  Then  aw'll  forgie  thi !  That  is,  till  aw'm  betther  !  aw'll  tayche 
thi  to  look  at  th'  sarvent  wenches  wi'  a  baysom  stail !  that  aw  will, 
afore  a  dee!  Tha  shanna  get  anuther  Missis  Bresskittle  baht 
payingk  for  her,  that  aw  con  tell  thee  ! " 

"  Aw've  dun  aw  as  thah's  towd  me !" 


472  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

"An  thah's  fergetten  thi  weife  !  An  if  it  hadna  a  bin  for  Johnny 
Brain  o'  Mobberley  aw  met  a  bin  nah  i'  Thrutcham  !  Bu'  Johnny's 
weife's  djed,  an  aw'll  gang  off  wi'  Johnny  in  now !  that  aw  will,  as 
shure  as  moi  naam's  Betty  Bresskittle!  Thah  gurt  borsten  soo! 
wheer  are  th'  pattens?  An  if  they  arena  too  heigh  kecklingk,  ner 

too  low  carkingk,  ner  too Jud  Bresskittle,  th'art  a  born  foo !  It 

aw  cooms  o'  feightink  wi'  owd  Scrat !  Thah'st  getten  bad  luck  top 
eend  thah  cumberlin !  an  for  aw  thah  tawks  so  grand  baht  beingk 
soaber  tha'rt  desp'rate  shommakin !" 

"  What's  th'  matter  ?" 

"Thah  gurt  borsten  drunken  soo!  What's  th'  matter?  aw'll  tell 
thee  what's  th'  matter !  theer !  that's  th'  matter !" 

An  hoo  let  fley  wun  o'  th'  pattens  at  his  yed  ! 

"Thah  ruddle-faaced  mawkin  to  coom  thi  marlocks  uppo  me, 
theer!" 

An  hoo  let  fley  th'  tother  patten  at  his  yed. 

"Whur!  By  gum!  what  dosta  meean?  Marlocks?  aw  conna 
may  it  aht !  Aw've  getten  thi  pattens  !" 

"Pattens!  fiddle  as  leike!  Bu'  aw'll  mak  it  aw  reet  wi  th' 
shippon  stoo' !" 

An  hoo  let  fley  th'  tally  eyrons  at  his  yed. 

"  Dosta  think  aw'm  a  babby!" 

"A  babby?    Thah  dusna  hit  leike  a  babby!" 

"  A  babby!     Thah's  nobbut  browt  me  a  paar  o'  babby's  clogs!" 

"Babby's  clogs!" 

Jud  look'd  at  th'  pattens,  an  for  shure  they're  nowt  but  a  paar 
of  clogs  for  a  babby  toothree  'ear  owd  ! 

"Then  thah  shud  coom  hwom  soaber!"  ses  th'  owd  lass  wheyl 
hoo  jowd  his  yed  agen  th'  wa,  "An  as  shure  as  thah'rt  cawd  Jud 
Bresskittle  aw'll  mak  it  aw  reet  wi'  th'  shippon  stoo  when  aw've 
getten  gradeley  shut  o'  this  kink  i'  my  back,  an  tha  shanna  forgit 
Betty  Bresskittle's  pattens  as  lung  as  thah  lives  !" 


DIALECT     POEMS. 


[I  have  met  with  very  little  poetry  written  in  the  Cheshire  dialects.  Our 
county  has  not,  as  yet,  given  birth  to  an  Edwin  Waugh  or  a  William  Barnes ; 
still  I  venture  to  think  that  the  following  selections  will,  at  any  rate,  show  that 
we  have  amongst  us  men  with  true  poetic  feeling  and  a  simple  love  of  nature, 
whose  verses  are  by  no  means  deficient  in  either  imagination,  pathos,  or  humour. — 
R.  H.] 


A    VILLAGE    ROMANCE. 

By  J.  C.  HENDERSON. 
(Reprinted  from  The  Spectator,  October  gth,  1886.) 

Aye,  Nellie  wur  married  to-day 
To  Dick,  up  at  th'  farm  on  the  'ill; 

An'  ye've  'eered  nought  abaout  it,  ye  say? 
Why,  mon,  ye  mun  keep  very  still 

Not  to  know  what's  the  talk  o'  the  plaace 
An'  fur  manny  a  mile  fur  that  matter, 

Fur  Nellie — God  bless  'er  sweet  faa'ce ! — 
Is  loved, — why  yer  teeth's  all  a-chatter ! 

'Ere,  pu'  yer  cheer  furder  from  th'  dur, 
An'  I'll  mak'  up  the  fire  a  bit; ' 

Theer's  a  draught  comes  along  o'  the  flur, 
An'  ketches  ye  just  wheer  ye  sit. 

I  wur  talkin'  o'  Nellie — aye,  sure — 
When  'oo  comes  'ere  to  see  me,  I  say 

'Er  smile  is  as  good  as  a  cure 
To  frighten  th'  rheumatics  away ; 


474  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

'Oo'll  sit  o'  this  stool  by  the  fire, 
An'  chat  away  'omely  an'  free 

By  the  hour,  when  I'm  sure  she  mun  tire 
Of  a  stupid  owd  feller  like  me. 

The  childer  as  plays  i'  the  street, 
When  they  sees  'er,  all  runs  to  'er  side, 

An'  she's  allus  as  bright  an'  as  sweet, — 
Why  'oo  gin  little  Johnny  a  ride 

On  'er  showldhers  one  day,  an'  the  rest 
Runs  shoutin'  an'  laughin'  behind ; 

I  see'd  'er  myse"n,  an'  I'm  blest 
If  a  lass  i'  the  plaace  is  as  kind  ! 

I  went  up  to  th'  church,  an'  I  thowt 
Theer  wur  niver  a  prattier  sight; 

Dick,  'e  wur  rare  an'  proud  as  'e  browt 
'Er  away,  tho'  she  seemed  a  bit  white, 

An'  niver  looked  up  nur  replied, 

When  I  gin  'er  "good  luck"  as  she  passed ; 

I  couldna  help  thinkin'  a  bride 

Shud  'a  smiled  'stid  o'  lookin'  downcast. 

Owd  Sally  said  some'at  las'  neet, 
Abaout  'er  not  weddin'  fur  love, 

But  I  canna  believe  as  she's  reet 
Fur  I'll  warrant  as  Nellie's  above 

Takkin'  annyone  just  fur  'is  gowd; 

Besides,  "Dick's  as  proper  a  man 
As  ye'll  see  annywheer.     I've  been  towd 

'E's  settled  the  'ouse  an'  the  Ian' 

On  Nellie,  if 'e  dies  the  fust; 

But  'oo'd  niver  'a  tuk  'im  fur  that ! 
Folks  allus  likes  thinkin'  the  wust, 

An'  Sally's  a  good  un  at  that. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  475 

'Oo  said  theer  were  some  other  lad 

Come  a  courtin'  o'  Nellie  las'  year, — 
It  must  be  my  memory's  bad, 

Or  else  as  I  didna  just  'ear, 

Fur  I  canna  think  on  at  'is  name, — 

'E  wur  not  o'  this  parish,  she  said, 
An'  Sally, — 'oo  thowt  t'were  a  shame, — 

Eh !  mon, — ye're  as  white  as  the  dead ! 

What!    Ye'n  getten  a  chill? — I'm  afear'd 
It's  a  bad  un, — 'ere,  stop ! — well,  I'm  beat ! — 

'E's  gone  out  as  pale  an'  as  skeered 
As  a  ghost,  an'  is  aif  down  the  street ! 


A    VILLAGE    TRAGEDY.— A    SEQUEL. 

By  J.  C.  HENDERSON. 
(Reprinted  from  The  Spectator,  October  i6th,  1886.) 

'Im  yonder? — Dick  White,  do  ye  meaan? — 
Why  'e's  not  abo'  forty  year  owd! — 

It's  th'  trubble  an'  sorrow  'e's  seean 
As  'as  aged  'im  a  that'n,  I'm  towd. 

My  missus  'ud  tell  ye  the  best, 
'Oo  know'd  'im  w'en  'e  wur  a  boy, 

An'  Nellie,  'at's  gone  to  'er  rest, 

When  'er  faace  wur  a'  sunshine  an'  joy. 

Ye  mi't  'a  gone  fur  to  'a  foun' 

A  gradelier  feller,  she'll  say — 
Ef  ye'd  'unted  a'  th'  parishes  roun' — 

Nur  Dick  o'  that  bright  summer's  day, 


476  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

When  'im  an'  sweet  Nellie  wur  wed, 
An'  'e  stud  by  'er  side  tall  an'  strong; — 

The  prattiest  couple,  folks  said, 
As  'ad  beean  afore  th'  parson  fur  long ! 

Parson's  wife  thowt  a  power  o'  Nell, 
An'  'oo'd  'ad  a  fine  breakfast  prepared 

Up  at  th'  Rectory,  so  I've  'eered  tell; — 
Nayther  trubble  nur  munny  wur  spared; 

An'  they'd  drunk  to  the  bridegroom  an'  bride, 
"Long  life"  to  'em  both,  an'  "good  luck," 

An'  Dick  'e  stud  up  an'  replied, — 

But  stopped  short, — same  as  ef  'e  wur  struck ; 

Fur  'e  see'd  as  all  faaces  wur  turn't 
Tow'rt  Nellie, — 'oo  set  theer  as  white 

As  a  corpse,  an'  'er  eyes,  they  jus'  burnt 
Like  a  fire,  so  glitt'rin'  an  bright. 

"Wot's  fear't  ye,  my  lassie?"  'e  said, 

An'  follered  'er  eyes  as  'e  spoke; 
But  'oo  'eered  'im  no  more  nur  the  dead, 

Starin'  dazed  like  an'  skeered,  as  theer  broke 

Through  the  folks  as  wur  stannin'  aroun', 
A  mon — or  a  ghost — an'  stud  still, 

Right  facin'  'er, — then  wi'  a  soun' 

'Twix'  a  groan  an'  a  laff,  'arsh  an'  shrill, 

'E  wur  gone  like  a  flash  through  the  dur, 

While  Nellie  spoke  niver  a  word, 
But  fell  on  'er  faace  upo'  th'  flur, 

Saame  as  ef  'oo'd  bin  pierced  wi'  a  sword ! 

Theer ! — I'm  soft  now !     Aye,  sure — 'oo  wur  dead,- 

'Oo  wur  niver  to  ca'  very  strong; 
T'wur  the  shock  as  'ad  done  it,  they  said, 

But  Dick  wouldna  believe  it  fur  long; 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  477 

'E  threw  'isself  down  by  'er  side, 

So  Liz — that's  my  missus — 'ull  say, 
An'  ca'd  'er  'is  "wife"  an'  'is  "bride," 

Till  th'  parson's  wife  got  'im  away. 

'E  shut  'isself  up  all  alone, 

In  'is  farm  upo'  th'  brew  theer,  I'm  towd, 
Seemed  like  as  'e'd  turn't  to  a  stone, — 

In  a  year  'e  wur  feeble  and  bow'd. 

My  missus  'ull  cry  like  a  child, 

Wen  she  sees  'im  go  by  i'  the  street; 
'Oo  says  'e's  skeerce  spoken  nur  smiled 

Sin'  Nell  died, — an'  I  doubtna  she's  reel. 

Wot? — 'im? — t'other  chap,  do  ye  meaan? — 

'Im  an'  Nellie  wur'  sweet  once,  they  say, 
An'  a  quarrel,  or  some'at,  'ad  beean 

The  cause  of  'is  goin'  away. 

'E  niver  wur  'eered  on  agen 

Sin'  that  day. — 'E  wur  not  o'  this  part, 
An'  I  canna  imagine  myse"n, 

'Ow  'oo  cum  fur  to  gin  'im  'er  'eart ! 

It  seems  as  the  rights  o'  the  caase, 

Folks  niver  cud  fairly  cum  at ; 
Theer  wur  a'  soarts  o'  talk  i'  the  plaace, 

Abaout  weddin'  fur  munny  an'  that ; 

But  Lizzie,  'oo  said  from  the  fust, 

They  wur'  doin'  poor  Nellie  a  wrong; 
T'wur  a  mystery,  sure,  but  'oo'd  trust — 

Eh ! — theer  she  be,  comin'  along ! 

'Go's  better  at  tellin' — a  sect, — 

Fur  'oo  know'd  a' — wot?— canria  ye  stay? — 
I  thowt  ye  mi't  like — well, — ye're  reet — 

It  gits  dark  soon, — gud  day,  sir, — gud  day ! 


478  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

A     CHESHIRE     RUNDLE. 

(MIDDLEWICH    DIALECT.) 

By  J.  HOOLE. 

Oi  know  a  little  run  die  side 

Wheer  th'  pimrose  blooms  i'  th'  spring ; 
An'  theer  the  throssle  from  a  boo 

Maks  aw  the  valley  ring. 
An'  if  yo  could  bur  'ear  'is  sung, 

Oi'm  sure  t'would  do  yo  good 
Ta  'ear  'im  on  that  poplar  tree, 

An'  th'  echo  into  th'  wood. 

You'll  also  find  alung  that  bruck, 

Wheer  babblin  wayters  run, 
The  'azzle  shows  its  smaw,  red  flowers 

Afore  the  spring's  begun. 
An'  when  the  spring  is  fairly  come, 

When  gress  is  tall  an'  green, 
The  medda  wheer  that  rundle  is, 

Is  th'  nicest  oi  have  seen. 

For  theer  the  cahslops,  sitch  a  crahd, 

Fair  cover  aw  the  grahnd ; 
An'  th'  lark,  an  brids  o'  many  a  sole 

Fill  aw  the  air  wi'  sahnd. 
Bu'  most  of  aw  i'  summer  time, 

When  th'  djew  lies  thick  an'  deep, 
That  medda  is  a  bonny  show 

Wi'  horses,  keigh,  an'  sheep. 

An'  then  as  autumn  sidles  rahnd, 
When  nuts  are  brahn  an'  full, 

The  lads  wi'  many  a  merry  laff 
The  loaded  branches  pull; 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  479 

Till  gigglin  wenches,  full  o'  fun, 

Gether  the  clustered  prize, 
An'  throw  rewards  to  sweethearts  theer 

From  blue  an'  twinklin  eyes. 

An'  when  lung  winter  neets  wur  come 

When  th'  fire  wur  bleezin  breet 
An'  th'  candle  flickert  upo'  th'  stand 

Wi'  dim  an'  glimmery  leet ; 
The  childer  listened  to  the  tales 

That  th'  owd  folks  towd  wi'  pride, 
Abaht  the  brids,  an'  flowers,  an'  nuts 

Alung  that  rundle  side. 


FETCHIN    UP    THE    KEIGH. 
By  J.  HOOLE. 

Dahn  by  the  weighndin  river 

When  the  within  trees  wur  green, 
As  I  stroll't  alung  the  medda 

Just  to  see  what  could  be  seen ; 
Theer  I  met  a  wench  as  bonny 

As  I  ever  did  behold ; 
Hoo  wur  singin  like  a  linnet 

A  sweet,  favorite  sung  of  old. 
A  laylock  hood  of  cotton 

Hid  her  curls  of  jet-black  hair, 
An'  the  short  sleeves  of  her  bedgahn 

Showed  her  strong  arms,  red  an'  bare ; 
Her  bedgahn's  bright  pink  body 

Matched  her  skirt  of  deepest  black, 


480  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

An  her  white  brat's  snowy  tape  strings 

Hung  like  ribbins  at  her  back. 
An  hoo  tripp't  alung  so  sprightly 

Although  brass-clasped  clogs  hoo  wore, 
An,  like  some  owd  noss-tale  fairy, 

In  her  hand  a  stick  hoo  bore. 
As  we  met,  I  said,  "Fair  maiden, 

May  I  ax  yo  wheer  yo  stray? 
What's  yo'r  arrant  dahn  the  medda 

On  this  lovely  summer  day?" 
"Yo  ax  me  what's  me  arrant?" 

(An  hoo  smil't  an'  look't  so  sleigh.) 
"Weigh,  good  mon,  it's  not  an  arrant; 

I'm  just  fetchin  up  the  keigh." 
As  hoo  spok  a  merry  twinkle 

Flash't  upon  me  from  her  eye; 
Yet  the  blush  upon  her  features 

Shamed  the  rose's  deepest  dye. 
But  hoo  praadly  pass't  on  by  me, 

An  that  flowery  medda  low 
Soon  resahnded  wi'  the  music 

Of  that  wench's  sweet  "  Hou  Oh ! 
Hou  O,  Hou  O,  Hou,  Hou,  Hou  Oh!" 

Utter'd  lahdly,  filled  the  air, 
An'  a  drove  of  lowin  cattle 

Gethered  rahnd  that  wench  so  fair. 
Then  hoo  caw'd  one  "Bonny  Pimrose," 

An'  another  "Pratty  Jane" — 
So  hoo  chatted  wi'  the  cattle 

As  hoo  druv  em  into  th'  lane. 
Then  I  sidled  up  an'  whispered, 

"Never  mind  em;  talk  to  me;" 
But  hoo  said,  "  I  conna  bother 

When  I'm  fetchin  up  the  keigh." — 
"Well,"  I  said,  "then  prithee  answer 

When  tha'll  wawk  wi'  me  alone; 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  481 

I've  a  burden  in  me  bosom 

I  con  only  tell  to  one." 
"Nahe,  I  towd  thee  not  to  bother, 

Dunna  stond  theer  like  a  foo; 
Tak  thi  burden  to  thi  mother, — 

I've  got  summat  else  to  do." 


FARMER    DOBBIN. 

A   DAY  Wl'  THE  CHESHIRE   FOX   DUGS. 

By  R.  E.  EGERTON-WARBURTON. 
Reprinted  from  Hunting  Songs  (Eighth  Edition,  1887),  by  permission  of  the  Author. 

I. 

"Owd  mon,  it's  welly  milkin  toim,  wherever  'ast  'ee  bin? 
Thear's  slutch  upo'  thoi  coat,  oi  see,  and  blood  upo'  thoi  chin;" 
"Oiv  bin  to  see  the  gentlefolk  o'  Cheshur  roid  a  run; 
Owd  wench  !  oiv  been  a  hunting,  an  oiv  seen  some  rattling  fun. 

ii. 

"Th'  owd  mare  was  i'  the  smithy  when  the  huntsman  hove  in  view, 
Black  Bill  agate  o'  fettling  the  last  nail  in  her  shoe; 
The  cuvver  laid  so  wheam  loik,  an  so  jovial  foin  the  day, 
Says  I,  'Owd  mare,  we'll  tak  a  fling,  and  see  em  go  away.' 

in. 

"  When  up,  an  oi'd  got  shut  ov  aw  the  hackney  pads  an  traps, 
Orse  dealers  an  orse  jockey  lads,  and  such  loik  swaggering  chaps, 
Then  what  a  power  o'  gentlefolk  did  I  set  oies  upon ! 
A  reining  in  their  hunters,  aw  blood  orses  every  one ! 


482  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

IV. 

"They'd  aw  got  bookskin  leathers  on,  a  fitten  'em  sotoight, 
As  raind  an  plump  as  turmits  be,  an  just  about  as  whoit ; 
Their  spurs  wor  maid  o'  siller,  an  their  buttons  maid  o'  brass, 
Their  coats  wor  red  as  carrots,  an  their  collars  green  as  grass. 

v. 

"A  varment  looking  gemman  on  a  woiry  tit  I  seed, 
An  another  close  besoid  him,  sitting  noble  on  his  steed ; 
They  ca'  them  both  owd  codgers,  but  as  fresh  as  paint  they  look, 
John  Glegg,  Esquoir,  o'  Withington,  an  bowd  Sir  Richard  Brooke. 

VI. 

"I  seed  Squoir  Geffrey  Shakerley,  the  best  un  o'  that  breed, 
His  smoiling  feace  tould  plainly  how  the  sport  wi'  him  agreed ; 
I  seed  the  'Arl  ov  Grosvenor,  a  loikly  lad  to  roid, 
I  seed  a  soight  worth  aw  the  rest,  his  farencly  young  broid. 

VII. 

"Zur  Umferry  de  Trafford  an  the  Squoir  ov  Arley  Haw, 

His  pocket  full  o'  rigmarole,  a  rhoiming  on  em  aw; 

Two  members  for  the  cainty,  both  aloik  ca'd  Egerton ; — 

Squoir  Henry  Brooks  and  Tummus  Brooks,  they'd  aw  green  collurs  on. 

VIII. 

"Eh!  what  a  mon  be  Dixon  John,  of  Astle  Haw,  Esquoir, 
You  wudna  foind,  and  measure  him,  his  marrow  in  the  shoir ; 
Squoir  Wilbraham  o'  the  Forest,  death  and  danger  he  defoies, 
When  his  coat  be  toightly  button'd  up,  and  shut  be  both  his  oies. 

IX. 

"The  Honerable  Lazzles,  who  from  forrin  parts  be  cum, 
An  a  chip  of  owd  Lord  Delamere,  the  Honerable  Turn; 
Squoir  Fox  an  Booth  an  Worthington,  Squoir  Massey  an  Squoir 

Harne, 
An  many  more  big  sportsmen,  but  their  neames  I  didna  larn. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  483 

X. 

"I  seed  that  great  commander  in  the  saddle,  Captain  Whoit, 
An  the  pack  as  thrung'd  about  him  was  indeed  a  gradely  soight ; 
The  dugs  look'd  foin  as  satin,  an  himsel  look'd  hard  as  nails, 
An  he  giv  the  swells  a  caution  not  to  roid  upo'  their  tails. 

XI. 

"Says  he,  'Young  men  o'  Manchester  and  Liverpoo,  cum  near, 
Oiv  just  a  word,  a  warning  word,  to  whisper  in  your  ear, 
When,  starting  from  the  cuvver  soid,  ye  see  bowd  Reynard  burst, 
We  canna  'ave  no  'unting  if  the  gemmen  go  it  first.' 

XII. 

"Tom  Ranee  has  got  a  single  oie,  wurth  many  another's  two, 
He  held  his  cap  abuv  his  yed  to  show  he'd  had  a  view; 
Tom's  voice  was  loik  th'  owd  raven's  when  he  skroik'd  out  '  Tally-ho ! ' 
For  when  the  fox  had  seen  Tom's  feace  he  thoght  it  toim  to  go. 

XIII. 

"Ey  moy!  a  pratty  jingle  then  went  ringin  through  the  skoy, 
Furst  Victory,  then  Villager  begun  the  merry  croy, 
Then  every  niaith  was  open  from  the  owd  'un  to  the  pup, 
An  aw  the  pack  together  took  the  swellin  chorus  up. 

XIV. 

"Eh  moy!  a  pratty  skouver  then  was  kick'd  up  in  the  vale, 
They  skim'd  across  the  running  brook,  they  topp'd  the  post  an  rail, 
They  didna  stop  for  razzur  cop,  but  played  at  touch  and  go, 
An  them  as  miss'd  a  footin  there  lay  doubled  up  below. 

xv. 

"I  seed  the  'ounds  a  crossing  Farmer  Flareup's  boundary  loin, 
Whose  daughter  plays  the  peany  an  drinks  whoit  sherry  woin, 
Gowd  rings  upon  her  finger  and  silk  stockings  on  her  feet; 
Says  I,  '  it  won't  do  him  no  harm  to  roid  across  his  wheat.' 
GO 


484  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


XVI. 


"So,  toightly  houdin  on  by  th'  yed,  I  hits  th'  owd  mare  a  whop 
Hoo  plumps  into  the  middle  o'  the  wheatfield  neck  and  crop; 
And  when  hoo  flounder'd  out  on  it  I  catch'd  another  spin, 
An,  missis,  that's  the  cagion  o'  the  blood  upo'  my  chin. 

XVII. 

"I  never  oss'd  another  lep,  but  kep  the  lane,  an  then 
In  twenty  minutes'  toim  about  they  turn'd  toart  me  agen  ; 
The  fox  was  foinly  daggled,  an  the  tits  aw  out  o'  breath, 
When  they  kilt  him  in  the  open,  an  owd  Dobbin  seed  the  death. 

XVIII. 

"  Loik  dangling  of  a  babby,  then  the  Huntsman  hove  him  up, 
The  dugs  a  bayin  raind  him,  while  the  gemmen  croid  'Whoo-hup!' 
As  doesome  cawves  lick  fleetings  out  o'  th'  piggin  in  the  shed, 
They  worried  every  inch  of  him,  aw  but  his  tail  an  yed. 

XIX. 

"Now,  missis,  sin  the  markets  be  a  doing  moderate  well, 
Oiv  welly  maid  my  moind  up  just  to  buoy  a  nag  mysel ; 
For  to  keep  a  farmer's  spirits  up  'gen  things  be  gettin  low, 
Theer's  nothin  loik  Fox-huntin  and  a  rattling  Tally-ho!" 

1853- 


THE    MANUFACTURE    OF    SALT. 


[The  following  account  of  the  salt  springs  and  manufacture  of  salt  in  Cheshire 
is  extracted  from  Philosophical  Transactions,  vol.  iv.,  p.  1060,  the  date  1669,  or 
five  years  earlier  than  Ray  published  his  account  of  the  preparation  of  some  of 
our  minerals  (see  E.D.S.  Glos.  B.  15,  p.  21);  though  Ray  had,  as  he  tells  us, 
seen  the  manufactures  many  years  before. 

Who  the  "learned  and  observing"  Dr.  William  Jackson  was,  or  whether  he 
was  at  all  recognised  as  a  scientific  man,  I  have  not  been  able  to  discover;  but 
one  gathers,  from  many  local  words  he  uses,  that  he  was  a  native  of  Cheshire,  or 
at  any  rate  had  long  lived  in  the  county. 

The  paper  is  reprinted  in  this  volume,  not  merely  for  its  antiquity,  but 
because  it  is  interesting  as  containing  a  considerable  number  of  technical  words 
connected  with  the  making  of  salt,  many  of  which  are  now,  probably,  obsolete.  — 
R.H.] 


Some  Inquiries  Concerning  the  Salt-Springs  and  the  Way  of  Salt- 
making  at  Nantwich  in  Cheshire;  Answered  by  the  Learned  and 
Observing  William  Jackson,  Dr.  of  Physick. 

i.  What  is  the  depth  of  the  Salt- Springs  ?  The  depths  are 
various,  in  some  places  not  above  3  or  4,  yards.  In  our  Town  of 
Nantwich,  the  Pitt  is  full  7  yards  from  the  footing  about  the  Pitt ; 
which  is  guessed  to  be  the  natural  height  6f  the  Ground,  though  the 
Bank  be  6.  foot  higher,  accidentally  raised  by  rubbish  of  long  making 
Salt,  or  Walling  as  they  call  it.  In  other  places  the  Springs  lye  much 
shallower;  for  in  two  places  within  our  Township  the  Springs  break 
up  so  in  the  Meadows,  as  to  frett  away  not  only  the  grass,  but  part 
of  the  earth,  which  lyes  like  a  breach,  at  least  halfe  a  foot  or  more 
lower  than  the  turfe  of  the  Meadow,  and  hath  a  Salt  liquor,  ousing, 
as  it  were,  out  of  the  Mudd,  but  very  gently. 


486  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

2.    What  kind  of  Country  'tis  thereabout,  where  the  Springs  are, 
whither  Hilly,  ov.  /  and  what  Plants  grow  near  them  ?     Our  Country 
is  generally  a  low  ground,  Witness  the  name  given  to  it  (the  Vale 
Royal  of  England;)  yet  'tis  very  full  of  Collicular  Eminencies,  and 
various  Risings,  to  distinguish  it  from  being  all  Meadow.     We  have 
also  a  peculiar  sort  of  ground  in  this  County,  and  some  adjacent 
parts,  which  we  call  Mosses;  and  they  are  a  kind  of  Moorish  boggy 
ground,  very  stringy  and  fatt :  which  serveth  us  very  well  for  Turfs, 
cutt  out  like  great  Bricks  and  dried  in  the  Sun.     And  this  kind  of 
ground  is  so  much  here,  that  there  are  few  Townships  but  they  have 
their  particular  Mosses.     In  these  is  found  much  of  that  Wood  we 
call  Firr-wood,  which  serve  the  Country  people  for  Candles,  Fewel, 
and  sometimes  for  small  Timber-uses ;  and  this  the  Vulgar  concludes 
to  have  layn  there  since  the  Flood.     But  generally  these  Mosses 
seem  to  be  places  undermined  by  some  Subterraneous  Streams,  or 
by  the  dissolution  of  some  matter,  that  made  them  equal  with  the 
rest  of  the  ground  formerly:  In  which  conjecture  I  am  confirmed  by 
this,  That  near  a  place  of  My  Lord  Cholmondelefs,  called  Bilkely, 
about  9.  or  10.  years  since,  not  far  from  one  of  these  Mosses,  without 
any  Earth-quake,  fell  in,  a  piece  of  ground  about  30.  yards  over, 
with  a  huge  noise,  and  great  Oakes  growing  on  it  fell  with  it  together : 
which  hung  first  with  part  of  their  heads  out,  afterwards  suddenly 
sunck  down  into  the  grounds,  so  as  to  become  invisible:  Out  of 
which  Pitt  they  drew  Brine  with  a  pitcher  tyed  to  a  cart-rope,  but 
could  then  find  no  bottom  with  the  ropes  they  had  there;  Since,  the 
Pitt  is  filled  up  with  water,  and  now  doth  not  taste  Salt,  but  a  very 
little  brackish,  a  very  small  rindlet  passing  through  it.     The  nearest 
Salt  springs  to  this  place  are  at  Dartwich  about  3.  miles  from  it, 
belonging  to  the  present  Lord  Keeper,  and  my  Lord  Cholmondeley. 

Some  Hills  we  have,  but  no  bigg  ones,  near  our  Springs,  which 
generally  lye  all  along  the  River  Weever,  as  Hankillow,  Hatherton, 
Osterson,  Bartherton,  Nantwich,  Weever,  Leftwich,  Northwich:  yet 
there  is  an  appearance  of  the  same  Veine  at  Midlewich  nearer  the 
River  Dane,  than  Weever ;  which  notwithstanding  seems  not  to  be 
out  of  the  Line  of  the  Weverish  streame;  and  these  lye  all  near 
Brooks  and  in  Medowish  grounds. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  487 

As  to  Plants  I  could  observe  no  singularity  at  all ;  for  where  the 
Salt  reaches  the  surface,  it  frets  away  all  (as  I  said  before)  and  upon 
the  Turfe  near  the  old  decayed  Pitts  grows  the  very  same,  that  doth 
in  the  remotest  place  of  the  Meadow :  Only  I  observe,  that,  where 
the  TurfFwas  fretted  away,  Rushes  maintain'd  their  station  longest; 
yet  they  grow  also  in  other  moist  grounds,  so  that  they  are  no  friends 
to  the  Salt-Springs,  but  I  perceive,  they  resist  them  best. 

3.  Whether  there  be  any   Hot- Springs  near  the  Salt  ones?  and 
Whether  the  Water  of  the  Salt-Springs  be  hotter  or  cooler,  than  other 
Spring-water  ?    The  Water  of  the  Salt  springs  here  is  very  cold  at 
the  bottom  of  the  Pitt,  insomuch  that  when  the  Briners  sometimes 
goe  about  to  cleanse  the  Pitt,  they  cannot  abide  in,  above  half  an 
hour,  and  in  that  time  they  drink  much  Strong  water. 

There  is  not  any  Hot  Springs  (that  I  can  hear  of)  nearer  us  than 
J3uckston-\ve\\,  which  is  about  30  miles  distant  near  Darby-Peak  Hills. 

4.  Whether  they  find  any  Shells  about  those  Springs,  and  what 
kind  of  Earth  it  is  ?    I  cannot  hear  of  any  Shells  digged  up,  though 
of  late  several  new  Brine-Springs  have  been  both  sought,  and  found 
by  sinking  deep  Pitts;  yet  none  knows  of  any  Shels,  but  rather  a 
blackish  Slutch  mixt  with  the  Sand,  which  infects  the  whole  Spring 
(like  the  Scuttle-fish)  black,  when  'tis  stirr'd;   else  the  water  runs 
very  clear. 

5.  How  strong  the  Water  is  of  Salt?    Springs  are  rich  or  poore 
in  a  double  sence ;  for  a  Spring  may  be  rich  in  Salt,  but  poor  in  the 
quantity  of  Brine  it  affords.     Thus  they  have  a  rich  Brine  in  their 
chief  Pit  at  Midle-wich,  which  yields  a  full  fourth  part  of  Salt,  like 
the  rich  Burgundian  Springs  mentioned  in  Kircher's  Mundus  Sub- 
terraneous ;  yet  this  is  so  thrifty  of  its  Brine,  that  the  inhabitants  are 
limited  to  their  proportions  out  of  it,  and  their  quantity  is  supply'd 
out  of  Pitts  that  affords  a  weaker  brine.     Our  Pitt  at  Nantwich  yields 
but  a  sixth  part;  but  then  'tis  so  plentiful  a  Spring,  that,  whereas 
they  seldom e  Wall,  that  is,  make  Salt,  in  above  6.  Houses  at  a 
time,  and  there  are  or  should  be  about  50.  Wich-houses  in  the 
Town ;  this  Pitt  is  judged  sufficient  to  supply  them  all :  And  this 
advantage  would  accrew  over  and  above,  that  such  quick  Use  of  the 
Pitt  extreamly  strengthens  the  Brine,  perhaps  to  a  degree  little  less 


488  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

than  that  of  Middle-wick  Pitt :  For  I  have  tryed  it  myself,  that  a 
quart  of  Brine,  when  the  Pitt  hath  been  drawn  off  3.  or  4.  days  first, 
to  supply  5.  or  6.  Wich-houses,  hath  yielded  an  Ounce  and  an  halfe 
more  of  Salt,  than  at  another  time,  when  it  hath  had  a  rest  of  a  week  or 
thereabout.  But  I  conclude,  that  the  nearest  conjecture,  to  be  made 
of  the  strength  of  this  Brine,  is,  to  yield  one  pound  of  Salt  for  six 
pounds  of  Brine ;  as  I  have  severall  times  tryed  without  any  opera- 
tion that  might  obscure  the  working  :  By  which  proportion  you  see, 
that  six  Tuns  of  Brine  yield  one  Tun  of  Salt :  which  may  be  built 
upon;  though  in  their  ordinary  way  of  working  they  make  such 
variety  of  Additions,  that  'tis  impossible  for  any  to  be  confident  of 
the'Product. 

To  adde  some  particulars,  concerning  this  point ;  I  shall  tell  you, 
that  March  8.  1668.  I  weighed  two  pounds  of  distilled  water  in  a 
narrow  mouthed  Glass-bottle,  that  I  might  make  an  exact  marke 
for  a  quart.  This  Bottle  being  filled  with  our  Brine  to  the  very 
same  mark,  weigh'd  (besides  the  tare  of  the  Bottle)  two  pounds  three 
ounces  and  five  drachmes.  This  was  taken  up,  when  the  Wich- 
houses  but  began  to  work,  so  that  the  Pitt  was  but  little  drawn.  I 
fill'd  up  the  Bottle  with  the  same  Brine,  and  it  weighed  just  three 
drachms  more.  This  Brine,  boyled  away  without  any  addition  or 
clarification,  madejfcr  ounces  and  two  drachmes  of  Salt.  Five  days 
after,  when  the  Pitt  had  been  drawn  all  that  while  for  the  working  of 
the  Wich-houses,  vid.  March.  13.  the  same  Bottle,  fill'd  to  the  Quart 
mark  aforesaid  with  Brine  then  taken  up,  weighed,  besides  the  Bottle, 
two  pound/our  ounces  and  one  drachme :  the  same  time  the  Bottle, 
filled  as  in  the  former  Experiment,  weighed  just  two  pounds  and  an 
halfe,  which  is  three  drachms  more  than  the  quart  mark  before : 
which  boyl'd  into  Salt  made  six  ounces  six  drachms  and  two  scruples, 
though  the  Brine  exceeded  the  former  in  weight  but  four  drachms. 

By  which  Tryall  I  confuted  also  a  Tradition,  which  the  Briners 
have  amongst  them,  viz.  That  the  Brine  is  strongest  at  times  of  the 
Spring  Tydes,  to  wit,  at  the  Full  and  Change  of  the  Moon.  For 
March  8th  aforesaid  was  only  one  day  past  the  Full,  and  then  the 
Brine  was  weaker  than  it  was  the  i3th  day,  when  'twas  6.  days  past 
the  Full.  So  that  I  conclude,  there  could  be  no  other  reason,  than 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  489 

that  the  much  drawing  makes  way  for  the  Salt-springs  to  come  the 
quicker,  and  allows  the  less  time  for  the  admission  of  Fresh  Springs. 

6.  What  is  the  Manner  of  their  Work;  or  What  Time  of  boyling 
the  Salt  water?  Whether  they  use  any  peculiar  thing  to  make  it 
granulate,  and  if  so,  What  that  is  ?  Their  manner  of  working  is 
this  :  They  have  .formerly  boyl'd  their  Brine  in  6.  Leaden  pans  with 
woodfire  :  upon  which  accompt  they  all  claime  their  interest  in  the 
Pitt  by  the  name  of  so  many  Six  Leads  Walling,  by  which  they  each 
know  their  proportion;  but  in  the  memory  of  many  alive  they 
changed  their  6.  Leads  into  4  Iron-pans,  something  better  than  a 
yard  square,  and  about  6.  inches  deep,  still  fitting  the  Content  of 
these  to  that  of  the  6.  Leads :  and  of  late  many  have  changed  the  4 
Iron  pans  into  two  greater ;  and  some  Wall  but  in  one :  But  still  the 
Rulers  gage  it  to  their  Old  proportions.  Thus  much  seem'd  neces- 
sary for  understanding  the  several  Operations. 

They  use  for  their  Fevvell,  Pit  coals,  brought  out  of  Staffordshire. 
These  Panns  are  set  upon  Iron-barrs,  and  made  in,  on  all  sides,  very 
close  (that  the  flame  nor  smoak  break  through)  with  clay  and  bricks: 
They  first  fill  their  Pans  with  Brine  out  of  the  Pitt ;  which  corns  to 
them  in  several  Woodden  Gutters  :  then  they  put  into  their  Pann? 
amongst  their  Brine  a  certain  mixture,  made  of  about  20.  Gallons 
Brine,  and  2  quarts  of  Calves  Cows  and  chiefly  Sheeps  bloud,  mixt 
into  a  Clarret-Colour  :  Of  this  mixture  they  put  about  2  quarts  into 
a  Pann  that  holds  about  360.  quarts  of  Brine ;  this  bloudy  brine,  at 
the  first  boyling  of  the  Pann,  brings  up  a  scumm,  which  they  are 
careful  to  take  off  with  a  Skimmer,  made  with  a  woodden  handle 
thrust  through  a  long  square  of  Wainscoat-board,  twice  as  bigg  as  a 
good  square  trencher:  this  they  call  a  Loot.  Here  they  continue 
their  fire  as  quick  as  they  can,  till  halfe  the  Brine  be  wasted,  and 
this  they  call  Boyling  upon  the  Fresh.  But  when  'tis  halfe  boyled 
away,  they  fill  their  Panns  again  with  New  Brine  out  of  the  Ship  (so 
they  call  a  great  Cistern  by  their  Panns  sides  into  which  their  Brine 
runs  through  the  Woodden  Gutters  from  the  Pump,  that  stands  in 
the  Pitt)  then  they  put  into  the  Pann,  2.  quarts  of  the  Mixture 
following:  They  take  a  quart  of  Whites  of  Eggs,  beat  them 
thoroughly  with  as  much  Brine*  till  they  are  well  broken  :  then  mix 


490  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

them  with  20.  Gallons  of  brine,  as  before  was  done  with  the  Bloud ; 
and  thus  that  which  they  call  the  Whites  is  made.  As  soon  as  this 
is  in,  they  boyle  sharply,  till  the  second  Scum  arise ;  then  they  scum 
it  off  as  before,  and  boyle  very  gently  till  it  Corne ;  to  procure  which, 
when  part  of  the  Brine  is  wasted  they  put  into  each  Pann  of  the 
Content  aforesaid  about  a  quarter  of  a  pint  of  the  best  and  Strongest 
Ale  they  can  gett:  this  makes  a  momentary  Ebullition,  which  is  soon 
over,  and  then  they  abate  their  fires,  yet  not  so  but  that  they  keep  it 
boyling  all  over,  though  gently ;  for  the  Workmen  say,  that  if  they 
boyle  fast  here,  (which  they  call  Boyling  on  the  Leach,  because  they 
usually  all  this  time  lade  in  their  Leach-brine,  which  is  such  Brine, 
as  runs  from  their  salt  when  'tis  taken  up  before  it  hardens)  if  I  say, 
they  boyle  fast  here,  it  wasts  their  salt.  After  all  their  Leach-Brine 
is  in,  they  boyle  gently,  till  a  kind  of  Scum  come  on  it  like  a  thin 
Ice ;  which  is  the  first  appearance  of  the  Salt :  then  that  sinks,  and 
the  Brine  everywhere  gathers  into  Comes  at  the  bottom  to  it,  which 
they  gently  rake  together  with  their  Loots:  I  say  gently;  for  much 
stirring  breakes  the  Corne.  So  they  continue,  till  there  is  but  very 
little  brine  left  in  the  Pann ;  then  with  their  Loots  they  take  it  up 
the  Brine  dropping  from  it  and  throw  it  into  their  Barrows,  which 
are  Cases  made  with  flat  cleft  wickers,  into  the  shape  almost  of  a 
Sugar-loaf,  the  bottom  upper-most.  When  the  Barrow  is  full,  they 
let  it  stand  so  for  an  hour  and  an  halfe  in  the  Trough,  where  it  drains 
out  all  the  Leach-brine  above-said,  then  they  remove  it  to  their  Hot- 
house behind  their  Works;  made  there  by  two  Tunnels  under  their 
Panns,  carried  back  for  that  purpose.  The  Leach-brine,  that  runs 
from  the  Barrows,  they  put  into  the  next  Boyling,  for  'tis  to  their 
advantage,  being  salt  melted,  and  wanted  only  hardening. 

This  work  is  perform'd  in  2.  hours  in  the  smaller  panns,  which 
are  shallower,  and  generally  boyle  their  brine  more  away;  wherefore 
their  Salt  will  last  better,  though  it  does  not  granulate  so  well, 
because,  when  the  Brine  is  wasted,  the  fire  and  stirring  breaks  the 
Cornes.  But  this  Salt  weighs  heavier,  and  melts  not  so  soon;  and 
therefore  is  bought  by  them,  that  carry  it  farr.  But  in  the  greater 
Panns,  which  are  usually  deeper,  they  are  above  halfe  an  hour 
longer  in  boyling;  but,  because  they  take  their  salt  out  of  their 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  491 

Brine,  and  only  harden  it  in  their  Hot-house,  'tis  apter  to  melt  away 
in  a  moist  Air :  Yet  of  this  sort  of  Salt  the  bigger  the  grain  is,  the 
longer  it  endures;  and  generally  this  is  the  better  granulated  and 
the  clearer,  though  the  other  be  the  whiter.  Vpon  which  I  rather 
think,  'tis  the  taking  of  the  Salt  out  of  the  Brine  before  it  is  wasted, 
that  causes  the  granulating  of  it,  than  the  Ale  to  which  the  Workmen 
impute  it.  This  kind  measures  profitably  well,  therefore  much 
bought  by  them  that  buy  to  sell  again. 

They  never  cover  their  Panns  at  all,  during  the  whole  time  of 
Boyling.  They  have  their  Houses  like  Barns  open  up  to  the  thatch 
with  a  cover  hole  or  two,  to  vent  the  steam  of  the  panns.  Possibly 
Tiles  may  do  better,  but  nobody  is  yet  so  curious  as  to  try,  but  the 
steam  is  such,  that  I  am  confident,  no  plaister  will  stick,  and  boards 
will  warp,  and  their  nailes  will  rust  so,  as  quickly  to  fret  in  pieces. 

7.  Whether  the  Salt,  made  of  these  Springs  be  more  or  less  apt  to 
dissolve  in  the  Air,  then  other  Salt?  And  whether  it  be  as  good  to 
powder  Beef  or  other  Flesh  with,  as  French  Salt?  This  Question  I 
cannot  well  answer,  in  regard  that  French  Salt  corns  not  to  us,  to 
compare  the  efficacy  of  the  one  with  the  other  experimentally ;  but 
this  I  can  assure  for  our  Salt,  that  with  it  both  Beef  and  Bacon  is 
very  well  preserv'd  sweet  and  good  a  whole  year  together;  and  I  do 
apprehend  this  Salt  to  be  rather  more  searching  than  French  Salt, 
because  I  have  often  observed,  that  meat  kept  with  this  Salt  shall  be 
more  fiery  Salt  to  the  midst  of  it,  than  I  have  observed,  when  I  have 
eaten  powder'd  meat  on  Ship-board,  which  was  probably  done  with 
French  Salt,  I  then  being  on  the  South-side  of  England,  and  in  a 
Dutch  Vessel.  'Tis  certain,  Cheshire  sends  yearly  much  Bacon  to 
London,  which  never  yet  had  any  mark  of  infamy  set  upon  it;  and 
hanged  Beef  (which  others  call  J/a/Y/Vz-mass-Beef)  is  as  good  and  as 
frequent  in  Cheshire,  as  in  any  place;  so  that  I  conclude,  that  this 
Salt  is  fully  effectual  for  any  Use,  and  as  good  as  any  other;  and 
therefore  hope,  'twill  be  prosecuted  in  the  use,  that  so  the  Trade  of 
our  own  Commodities  may  rather  be  advanced,  than  of  forraign, 
especially  this  of  Salt ;  which  if  it  shall  please  the  R.  Society  to  pro- 
mote, they  will  lay  an  obligation  on  all  our  Country  never  to  be 
forgotten. 


492  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

Meantime,  if  I  have  related  here  anything  obscurely  or  imper- 
fectly, I  am  ready  to  answer  any  new  Queries,  that  shall  arise  out  of 
this  obscurity,  or  give  larger  satisfaction  to  any  of  the  Old,  that  shall 
be  thought  hereby  not  sufficiently  explained. 


[Phil.  Trans,  iv.  1077.] 
AN    APPENDIX 

To  the  Discourse  concerning  the  Salt  work,  publisht  in  Numb.  53, 
communicated  by  tlie  same  Doctor  Jackson,  in  a  Letter  0/Novemb. 
20,  1669. 

Qu.  i.  Wliether  those  Salt  springs  do  yield  less  water  and  more  of 
the  Salt,  in  great  Droughts,  than  in  wet  seasons  ?  Ans.  Our  Springs 
do  not  sensibly  alter  in  their  decrease  or  increase  in  either  dry  or 
wet  seasons;  for,  being  plentiful  Springs,  we  have  always  the  Pitt 
full :  Only  this  is  observed  by  the  Briners,  that  they  make  more  Salt 
with  the  same  quantity  of  Brine  in  dry,  than  in  wet  seasons :  and 
more  Salt  of  the  same  quantity  of  Brine  at  the  Full  of  the  Moon, 
than  at  any  other  time. 

2.  How  long  before  the  Spring,  or  in  the  Spring,  it  may  be,  the 
Fountains  break  out  into  their  fullest  sources  ?     An.  Tis  not  observ- 
able at  all  in  our  Salt-springs,  that  the  Brine  riseth  more  plentifully 
in  the  Spring-time,  than  at  any  other  season  of  the  year :  neither  is 
there  any  sensible  difference  in  the  quickness  of  the  sources  as  to  the 
times  of  the  day. 

3.  How  much  Water  the  Spring  yields  daily,  or  in   an  hour, 
ordinarily,  or  in  great  Droughts?     An.  Our  Pitt  is  about  5  yards 
square  or  better,  and  of  so  plentiful  a  source  that  I  believe  it  cannot 
be  guessed ;  and  the  rather,  because  it  seems  not  to  run  much,  when 
'tis  permitted  to  come  at  its  full  guage,  where  a  vent  through  the 
bank  into  the  River  is ;  but  being  drawn  much,  so  as  to  sink  it  below 
its  usual  guage,  it  so  plentifully  lets  in,  that  'twill  serve  all  the  houses 

n  the  Town  to  work,  without  falling  much  lower  than  ayard  or  two 
at   most:  so   that   I   believe   that,   when  'tis  full,  it's   own  weight 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  493 

ballances  much  the  influx  of  the  Springs,  which  are  much  quicker  in 
a  low  Pitt,  than  a  full  one. 

4.  At  what  distance,  the  two  richest  Springs,  of  Nantwich  and 
Droytwich  are  from  the  seal    An.  That  of  Nantwich  is  from  the  Sea 
about  30  Miles.     Droytwich,  being  in  Worcestershire,  is  not  known 
to  me. 

5.  How  near  the  foot  of  an  Hill  is  to  those  Springs;  and  what 
height  the  next  Hill  is  of?    An.  The  nearest  Hill  (of  those,  that  are 
worth  calling  Hills)  to  our  Springs  is  about  7  miles  distant  from 
them :  the  Hill  steeper,  but  not  much  higher,  than  High  Gate  Hill. 

6.  Wherein  consist  the  Distinctions  of  those  sorts  of  Salt,  which 
are  called  Catts  of  Salt,  and  Loaves  of  Salt  ?    An.  As  White  Salt  is 
that,  deliver'd  in  my  former  discourse,  and  Gray  Salt  the  sweepings 
of  such  Salt,  as  is  constantly  shed  and  scatter'd  about  on  the  floore 
without  taking  much  of  the  Dirt,  which  occasions  its  grayness  (which 
sells  not  at  half  the  rate  of  the  White  Salt,  and  is  only  bought  up  by 
the  poorer  sort  of  People,  and  serves  them  in  salting  Bacon,  course 
Cheese,  &c.)     So  Catts  of  Salt  are  only  made  of  the  worst  of  Salt, 
when  yet  wettish   from   the   Panns;   molded   and   intermix!  with 
interspers'd  Cummin-Seed  and  Ashes,  and  so  baked  into  an  hard 
lump  in  the  mouths  of  their  Ovens.     The  use  of  these  is  only  for 
Pigeon-houses  :  But  Loaves  of  Salt  are  the  finest  of  all  for  Trencher 
use.     No  difference  in  the  boyling  of  these  from  the  common  way 
of  the  fine  Salt ;  but  in  the  making  up  some  care  is  used ;  for  first 
they  cut  their  Barrows,  they  intend  for  Salt  Loaves,  with  a  long  slit 
from  top  to  bottom  equally  on  both  sides;  then  they  tye  both  sides 
together  with  cords ;  then  fill  this  Barrow  with  Salt  boiled  as  usually, 
but  in  the  filling  are  careful  to  ramm  down  the  Salt  with  the  end  of 
some  wooden  bar,  continuing  this,  till  the  Barrow  be  fill'd  to  their 
minds ;  then  place  it  speedily  in  their  Hot-house,  and  there  let  it 
stand  all  the   time   of  the  Walling ;  Wherefore   they   prepare  for 
these  Loaves  at  the  beginning  of  their  Work,  that  they  may  have  all 
the  benefit  of  their  Hot-houses ;  and  when  these  begin  to  slack,  they 
take  out  the  Loaves,  and  untye  the  cords,  that  fastned  the  Barrow, 
that  both  sides  of  the  same  may  easily  open  without  breaking  the 
Loaf.     Then  they  take  the   Loaf  and  bake  it  in  an  Oven  where 


494  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

houshold-bread  hath  been  baked,  but  new  drawn  forth.  This  they 
do  twice  or  thrice,  till  they  see  it  baked  firm  enough ;  and  this  being 
plac'd  in  a  Stove  or  in  a  Chimney  corner,  and  close  cover'd  with  an 
Hose  of  Cloth  or  Leather,  like  the  Sugar-Loaf  papers,  will  keep  very 
white,  and  when  they  have  occasion  to  use  any,  they  shave  it  off 
with  a  knife  (as  you  do  Loaf-Sugar)  to  fill  the  Salt-seller. 

I  must  not  omit  telling  you,  that  all  the  ground,  where  Salt  or 
Brine  is  spilt,  is,  when  dugg  up,  excellent  Muck  for  Grazing  Ground; 
and  even  the  Bricks,  that  are  thoroughly  tinged  with  it,  are  very  good 
Muck,  and  will  dissolve  with  other  Muck,  and  fertilize  Land  con- 
siderably (especially  Grazing  Ground)  for  at  least  four  years  :  but  of 
this  I  shall  perhaps  take  occasion  to  say  more  in  my  Answers  to  your 
Queries  of  Agriculture. 


C  U  STO  M  S. 


This  section,  like  the  earlier  one  upon  Proverbs,  comes,  no 
doubt,  more  correctly  under  the  head  of  Folklore  than  of  Dialect. 
I  have,  however,  throughout  the  whole  of  this  volume  endeavoured 
to  infuse  a  little  interest  into  what  would  otherwise  have  been  merely 
a  dry  list  of  words,  by  describing  the  old  customs  of  the  county, 
and  by  illustrating,  as  far  as  I  was  able,  the  habits,  the  peculiarities, 
and  the  thoughts  of  its  people.  The  following  subjects  have  already 
been  touched  upon,  but  not  fully  described;  a  more  exhaustive 
account  of  them  than  it  was  possible  to  give  in  the  vocabulary  may 
be  of  interest. 

•CHESTER   GLOVE. 

Very  little  that  i§  authentic  is  known  as  to  the  origin  of  this 
curious  relic,  or  its  early  use.  It  is  preserved  in  the  Mayer  Museum 
in  Liverpool,  where  it  is  accompanied  by  the  following  note : — 

"This  Piece  of  Oak,  better  known  in  the  city  of  Chester  as  'The  Glove,' 
has  for  many  centenarys  been  occasionally  hung  out  as  an  Indication  of  the 
Commencement  of  Each  Fair.  In  Olden  Times  the  glove  was  suspended  from  a 
pole  in  the  front  of -the  Old  Pentice,  opposite  the  Cross.  On  the  removal  of  the 
Pentice,  in  the  year  1803  (in  order  to  widen  the  passage  into  Northgate,  near 
Watergate  Street)  the  Glove  afterwards  was  hung  out  at  every  Fair,  from  that 
period  till  the  year  1836,  from  the  South  East  corner  of  St.  Peter's  Church.  The 
Glove  has  been  many  years  in  the  care  of  one  Peter  Catharal,  the  clerk  of  St. 
Peter's  Church,  who  received  35.  gd.  per  year  to  recompense  him  for  the  trouble 
of  fixing  it  up  at  the  commencement,  and  taking  it  down  at  the  conclusion,  of  each 
Tair.  In  October,  1836  (end  of  the  first  year  of  the  Municipal  Reform  Corpora- 
tion), Catharal,  the  clerk,  Presented  the  glove  to  the  Mayor  (an  old  custom)  and 
claimed  35.  gd. — a  customary  fee — for  the  charge  on  the  glove.  The  Mayor  took  the 
glove  and  looked  at  it  very  minutely,  seemingly  much  astonished  at  its  age.  After 
applying  his  knife  to  prove  the  soundness  of  this  piece  of  old  Cestrian  antiquity, 
the  Mayor  threw  it  at  Catharal  and  Exclaimed,  'I  will  not  allow  you  35.  gd.  for 
any  such  old  foolish  customs.  You  may  do  what  you  like  with  it !'  It  passed  from 


496  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

Catharal  to  a  person  named  Wilkinson,  who  sold  it  for  two  Pints  of  Ale  at  the 
sign  of  the  Boot,  in  the  city  of  Chester,  on  2;th  Nov.,  1836."— Charles  T.  Gatty, 
curator  of  the  Mayer  Collection,  in  Cheshire  Sheaf,  vol.  ii.,  p.  326. 

Another  writer  in  The  Sheaf  (vol.  iii.,  p.  119)  says  : — 

"  I  can  offer  a  few  observations  on  this  historic  emblem,  which,  though  it  is 
of  no  artistic  form  or  character  whatever,  has  found,  I  suppose,  a  permanent 
home  in  the  Liverpool  Free  Public  Museum.  As  the  relic  has  literally  nothing  in 
common  with  Liverpool  City,  but  represents,  on  the  other  hand,  a  distinct  feature 
in  the  ancient  trade  of  Chester,  in  which  city  the  Glovers'  was  the  staple  article 
of  manufacture  ; — perhaps  when  the  New  Museum  shall  have  been  built  and  got 
into  working  order,  this  unshapely  emblem  may  be  gracefully  restored  to  its  old 
home.  Some  of  the  particulars  supplied  by  your  correspondent,  Mr.  Gatty,  do 
not  quite  agree  with  the  story,  as  told  to  and  known  by  myself  at  the  time, — say 
40  or  50  years  ago. 

"  I  remember  on  many  occasions  in  my  boyhood  seeing  the  '  glove '  dangling 
like  an  executed  felon  from  a  pole  hanging  forward  from  the  roof  of  St.  Peter's 
Church  just  over  the  spot  where  the  fountain  now  stands  ;  and  I  was  once  taken 
indeed  on  to  the  roof  to  see  it  put  out  by  the  late  Mr.  Edwin  Siddall,  cutler,  who 
was  at  that  time  Parish  Clerk  of  St.  Peter's ;  and,  as  such,  had  charge  of  the 
glove,  an4  received  some  slight  annual  allowance  from  the  city  for  attending  to 
that  customary  duty.  Peter  Cathrall,  of  the  'Bridgewater  Arms,'  who  had  for 
many  years  preceded  him  as  sexton,  in  his  tenure  of  the  keys,  had  been  porter 
also  of  the  'Glove,'  and  was  one  of  the  established  ringers  of  St.  Peter's 
melodious  peal." 

This  is  all  I  am  able  to  glean  concerning  the  history  of  this 
ancient  relic.  I  should  suppose  it  to  have  been,  originally,  a  sort  of 
sign  belonging  to  the  Glovers  of  Chester,  and  perhaps  hung  out  in 
the  quarter  where  they  carried  on  their  trade,  just  as  we  still  occa- 
sionally see  a  large  wooden  representation  of  a  stocking  hung  in 
front  of  a  hosier's  shop.  Why  it  should  have  been  hung  out  to 
indicate  the  opening  of  fairs,  and  when  that  custom  commenced, 
appear  to  be  circumstances  upon  which  local  history  is  silent. 


CUTTING    THE    NECK. 

The  custom,  modified  according  to  locality,  appears  to  be  very 
ancient  and  very  wide-spread.  It  likewise  appears  to  be  mixed  up 
and  connected,  in  some  of  its  details,  with  the  custom  of  "Shutting," 
described  in  the  Glossary,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  following  extracts. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  497 

Under  the  name  of  "Crying  the  Mare,"  Halliwell  (Dictionary 
of  Archaic  and  Provincial  Words)  writes  as  follows :  "  An  ancient 
sport  in  Herefordshire  at  the  harvest  home,  when  the  reapers  tied 
together  the  tops  of  the  last  blades  of  corn,  and,  standing  at  some 
distance,  threw  their  sickles  at  it,  and  he  who  cut  the  knot  had  the 
prize.  Also  called  crying-the-neck." 

"Crying  the  mare,"  that  is,  offering  to  lend  a  mare  to  those  who 
have  been  dilatory,  is  similar  to  "sending  the  hare,"  as  we  do  in 
Cheshire  into  other  people's  corn. 

A  writer  in  Notes  and  Queries  (5th  S.,  vol.  xii.,  p.  492)  thus 
describes  a  Dorsetshire  harvest  custom  : — 

"As  soon  as  the  company  had  partaken  of  as  much  beef  and  plum-pudding 
as  was  considered  desirable,  an  adjournment  was  made  to  a  large  tree  that  stood 
near  the  homestead,  where  the  following  quaint  custom,  peculiar,  I  was  informed, 
to  the  West  of  Dorset,*  took  place. 

"The  men  formed  themselves  into  a  circle,  and  each  taking  off  his  hat,  and 
holding  it  cut  in  front  of  him,  stooped  to  the  ground ;  then,  led  by  one  standing 
in  the  centre,  chanted  the  words  'We  have  'em.'  The  first  word,  'we,'  is- 
commenced  in  a  very  low  tone — the  men  the  while  slowly  and  gradually  raising 
themselves  up — and  so  prolonged  till  they  have  almost  reached  their  full 
height.  They  close  the  sentence  by  saying  '  have  'em  '  more  quickly.  This  is 
done  three  times.  They  then  shout  'huzza,'  once.  Again  they  stoop  down,  and 
go  through  the  same  performance,  finishing  up  this  time  with  two  huzzas.  This 
is  repeated  once  more,  and  finally  wound  up  by  huzzaing  three  times.  As  soon 
as  the  men  have  finished,  the  women  come  forward  and  go  through  the  same 
ceremony.  This,  when  well  performed,  has  a  not  altogether  unimpressive  or 
unmusical  effect.  The  words,  I  believe,  bear  reference  to  the  conclusion  of  the 
harvest  and  the  sheaves  of  corn  being  satisfactorily  '  had '  in." 

On  the  one  hand,  the  Dorsetshire  custom  above  described  seems 
to  be  connected  with  our  Cheshire  "Shutting,"  by  the  men  standing 
in  a  circle,  and  bending  down  in  so  peculiar  a  manner  when  they 
utter  their  cry.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  connected  with  the  custom 
of  "Cutting  the  Neck"  by  the  use  of  the  words  "we  have  'em,"  for 
in  other  counties  when  these  words  are  used  the  question  is  asked, 
"What  have  you?"  and  the  answer  is  "A  neck,  a  neck." 

"In  Herefordshire  the  harvest  home  cry  is  'I  have  her;'  'What 
have  you?'  'A  mare,  a  mare.'  In  Cornwall  the  cry  is  'I  have  her;' 

*  The  following  foot-note  is  given  : — "  It  would  seem  to  be  somewhat  similar,  however,  to 
the  custom  of  '  crying  the  knack '  which  obtains  in  Devon  and  Cornwall.  (And  see  Brand's 
Pop.  Ant.,  Hone's  Every  Day  Book,  and  Chambers's  Book  oj  Days  thereon.)" 


498  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

'What  have  you?'  'A  neck,  a  neck;'  and  the  bunch  of  wheat,  pro- 
fusely decorated,  is  hung  up  in  the  farmer's  kitchen."  (Notes  and 
Queries,  Series  6,  vol.  vl,  p.  286.) 

The  tying  of  the  bunch  of  standing  corn  in  Cheshire  seems  to  have 
some  connexion  with  the  decoration  of  the  sheaf  in  Herefordshire. 

Mrs.  Bray,  in  her  Traditions  of  Devonshire,  describes  a  curious 
custom  .formerly  prevalent,  and  perhaps  still  known  in  that  county, 
at  harvest  time.  She  says  :— 

"When  the  reaping  is  finished,  towards  evening  the  labourers  select  some  of 
the  best  ears  of  corn  from  the  sheaves.  These  they  tie  together,  and  it  is  called 
the  nack.  The  reapers  then  proceed  to  a  high  place.  The  man  who  bears  the 
offering  stands  in  the  midst,  elevates  it,  while  all  the  other  labourers  form  them- 
selves into  a  circle  about  him.  Each  holds  aloft  his  hook,  and  in  a  moment  they 
all  shout  these  words :  '  Arnack  (or  ah  nack),  arnack,  arnack,  wehaven  (pronounced 
wee-hav-en),  wehaven,  wehaven.'  This  is  repeated  three  several  times."  (Notes 
and  Queries,  $th  Series,  vol.  ix.,  p.  306.) 

Dr.  Charles  Mackay  at  the  above  reference  seeks  to  derive  the 
words  arnack  and  wehaven  from  the  Celtic  language,  translating 
them  thus,  "Husbandry!  husbandry!  huzza!  huzza!  huzza!" 
Another  writer  (Notes  and  Queries,  5th  Series,  vol.  x.,  p.  51)  con- 
siders the  words  to  be  Scandinavian,  and  thinks  that  "the  term  nack 
seems  clearly  to  be  another  form  of  a  root  which  appears  in  the 
modern  literary  dialect  of  Scandinavia  as  neg,  and  signifies,  like  its 
Devonshire  parallel,  a  sheaf  of  corn."  .  .  .  "The  exclamation 
'ahnack,  wehavenj  I  therefore,"  he  says,  "take  to  be  the  expression 
of  a  wish  for  a  bounteous  harvest,  or  (to  render  the  words  literally) 
'rich  sheaves  of  ears  of  corn,'  and  to  be  a  linguistic  relic,  recalling 
the  period  of  the  ancient  Danish  settlement  in  our  island." 

There  seems  to  me  to  be  no  doubt  that,  from  whatever  language 
it  may  be  derived,  the  meaning  of  neck  or  nack  is  simply  a  bunch,  or 
sheaf  of  corn.  And  the  words  we-hav-en  are  merely  the  local 
pronunciation  of  "we  have  it,"  meaning  that  the  harvest  is  secured. 

At  the  last  reference,  a  writer  from  Cornwall  says:  "  Here  the 
custom  is  styled  'calling  the  neck.'  The  day  on  which  the  last  of 
the  wheat  is  cut  is  the  one  observed.  A  sheaf  is  taken  and 
decorated  with  flowers;  then,  when  the  day's  work  is  over,  all  the 
labourers  assemble.  One  with  the  loudest  voice  takes  the  neck  and 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  499 

calls  out  'I  have  'im,'  three  times.  A  second  answers,  'What  have 
ye?'  three  times.  He  is  answered  'A  neck,  a  neck,  a  neck,'  when 
the  whole  assembly  give  three  cheers.  This  ceremony  is  gone 
through  three  times,  after  which,  in  accordance  with  old  custom,  all 
the  men  retire  to  supper  in  the  farmhouse." 

A  similar,  or  nearly  similar,  custom  is  also  described  as  taking 
place  in  North  Devon,  and  in  that  locality  the  neck  is  suspended  in 
the  farmer's  kitchen  as  an  ornament  till  the  next  season. 

From  the  above  extracts  I  gather  that  our  two  customs  of 
"shutting"  and  "cutting  the  neck,"  which  at  the  present  time  do 
not  seem  to  have  much  in  common,  were  originally  connected,  and 
were  different  portions  of  a  very  ancient  ceremony.  Miss  Burne, 
however  (Shropshire  Folklore,  p.  372),  is  of  a  different  opinion.  It 
seems  to  me  probable  that  the  whole  ceremony  is  a  relic  of  the 
worship  of  Ceres,  or  of  some  goddess  who,  in  Scandinavian  mythology, 
takes  the  place  of  the  classical  Ceres ;  and  not  improbable  that  the 
sheaf  of  corn  decorated  with  ribbons  may  be  a  sort  of  personification 
or  symbolization  of  the  goddess  herself. 


FUNERAL    CUSTOMS. 

Funeral  cakes,  funeral  cups,  and  other  matters  connected  with 
the  burying  of  the  dead,  having  been  incidentally  mentioned  in  the 
Vocabulary,  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  describe  the  various  customs 
which  are  practised  at  funerals,  the  more  so  as  some  of  them  are  fast 
becoming  obsolete.  The  customs  I  am  about  to  describe  are  such 
as  I  remember  to  have  been  in  vogue  at  Mobberley  some  thirty  or 
forty  years  since,  and  I  think  they  were  pretty  general  throughout 
the  county;  though,  doubtless,  the  funeral  customs  of  various  parts 
of  Cheshire  differed  to  some  slight  extent  then,  as  they  do  still. 

The  first  thing,  perhaps,  that  would  strike  strangers,  and 
especially  Londoners,  as  curious,  is  the  apparent  hurry  exhibited  in 
committing  the  departed  to  the  earth.  The  funeral  usually  takes 
place  on  the  third  day  after  death;  that  is,  only  two  clear  days 
intervene  between  death  and  burial.  The  joiner  who  makes  the 
HH 


500  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

coffin  carries  it  to  the  house  of  the  deceased  in  the  evening, 
generally  after  dark.  I  have  thought  the  reason  of  this  is  that  there 
are,  then,  fewer  persons  about;  for  many  Cheshire  people  have  a 
strong  objection  to  meet  a  coffin  being  carried  home ;  or  even  to 
meet  a  funeral.  I  have  known  some  even  turn  out  of  the  road,  and 
go  another  way,  sooner  than  meet  one.  Those  who  do  chance  to 
meet  a  funeral  generally  stand  still  and  take  their  hats  off  as  it  passes. 
This  is  probably,  now,  intended  merely  as  a  mark  of  respect  to,  and 
condolence  with,  the  mourners ;  but  it  is  not  unlikely  that  the 
custom  had  its  origin  in  a  supposed  means  of  averting  the  evil 
consequences  attendant  on  the  meeting  of  a  funeral.  The  joiner 
and  his  assistant,  having  brought  the  coffin,  place  the  dead  body 
therein,  and  they  expect  an  allowance  of  gin  after  the  work  is  over. 
A  bottle  of  gin  and  a  wineglass  are  usually  left  in  some  conspicuous 
place  in  the  room,  and  the  joiner  and  his  man  are  at  liberty  to  help 
themselves.  Woollen  shrouds  are  in  constant  use;  and  woollen 
night-caps,  tied  under  the  chin,  used  to  be  also  generally  used ;  but 
I  am  not  sure  whether  the  latter  have  not  been  almost  discarded  of 
late  years.  It  is  to  be  hoped  so,  for  they  were  excessively  ugly.  A 
pewter  plate  (if  obtainable,  if  not,  an  ordinary  plate)  of  salt  is  placed 
upon  the  stomach  of  the  corpse,  to  prevent,  as  is  supposed,  the  body 
swelling ;  though  doubtless,  the  original  object  in  using  salt  was  to 
drive  away  evil  spirits.  Before  the  funeral  the  body  is  decorated 
with  flowers,  which  are  tastefully  arranged  in  the  coffin.  Those  who 
have  no  gardens  beg  flowers  for  the  occasion  from  neighbours  who 
grow  them. 

The  poorer  classes  usually  bury  about  three  o'clock  or  four  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon;  wealthier  people  earlier  in  the  day,  at  eleven  o'clock 
or  twelve  o'clock.  Possibly  this  difference  may  arise  from  the  fact  that 
those  who  attend  a  funeral  return  to  the  house  for  a  meal, — in  the 
case  of  the  wealthier  classes,  to  a  sort  of  dinner ;  but  the  poorer 
people,  who  cannot  so  well  afford  dinner,  provide  only  tea  for  their 
friends.  I  am  not  at  all  sure  that  this  is  the  real  reason;  but  it 
seems  the  most  natural  way  of  accounting  for  the  difference. 

Those  who  are  invited  to  a  funeral  assemble  at  the  house  about 
an  hour  before  the  funeral  really  starts.  They  sit  round  the  room, 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  50 1 

and  cake  or  biscuits,  wine  and  spirits  are  handed  round.  The 
females  of  the  family,  for  the  most  part,  do  not  appear  until  after 
the  mourners  have  returned  from  the  church. 

In  the  hall  or  lobby  was  generally  a  tray  upon  which  were  placed 
a  number  of  sprigs  of  rosemary,  the  stalk  of  each  sprig  being  wrapped 
round  with  a  bit  of  white  paper.  Each  person,  as  he  passed  out  to 
join  the  procession,  took  a  piece  of  rosemary  and  carried  it  with  him 
to  church,  casting  it  into  the  grave  as  soon  as  the  coffin  was  lowered. 
We  seldom  use  the  rosemary  now.  At  the  words  "  earth  to  earth  " 
in  the  funeral  service,  each  one  picks  up  a  small  handful  of  soil  and 
throws  it  on  to  the  coffin. 

As  soon  as  the  funeral  is  over  the  mourners  are  expected  to  return 
to  the  house,  where  a  substantial  meal,  a  regular  dinner  it  may  be 
called,  has  been  set  out  during  their  absence,  to  which  ample  justice 
is  usually  done.  Sometimes  the  females  of  the  family  appear  at  this 
meal;  sometimes  the  younger  female  members  only  act  as  waiters 
and  look  after  the  comfort  of  the  guests. 

Formerly,  on  leaving  the  house,  each  person  was  presented  with  a 
funeral  cake  (see  Vocabulary)  and  a  funeral  card,  but  the  cakes  are 
very  seldom  seen  now-a-days.  Cards  are  still  universal,  and  the 
recipients  set  great  store  by  them ;  in  many  cases  the  poorer  people 
have  them  framed,  and  hang  them  up  on  the  walls  of  their  cottages. 
Sometimes  the  cakes  were  distributed  with  the  rosemary  when  the 
friends  left  the  house  to  follow  the  funeral. 

The  amount  of  bell-tolling  depends  on  the  wishes  of  the  family, 
and  the  amount  of  payment  that  can  be  afforded.  It  is  usual  to  toll 
the  bell  for  a  certain  time  the  day  before  the  funeral;  and  at 
Frodsham  the  peculiar  custom  exists  of  ringing  the  sex  of  the 
defunct  after  the  tolling  is  finished;  three  strokes  being  given  on 
each  bell  for  a  man,  two  for  a  woman,  and  one  for  a  child.  For 
a  certain  time  before  the  funeral  the  minute-bell  tolls  until  the 
procession  appears  in  sight,  when  the  bell  rings  much  quicker  till 
they  arrive  at  the  church  gate.  At  Frodsham  before  the  funeral, 
instead  of  the  minute-bell,  or  as  an  occasional  relief  from  the  tolling, 
hymn  tunes  are  played  on  the  bells,  if  the  friends  desire  it  to  be  done 
and  pay  the  extra  cost,  which  is,  I  believe,  sixpence. 


502 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


MAY- SINGING. 

I  never  heard  the  May-singers  anywhere  but  at  Mobberley; 
though  I  do  not  suppose  the  custom  of  thus  welcoming  "  the  merry 
month"  was  confined  to  that  locality.  Even  at  Mobberley  it  is  some 
years  since  I  heard  any  May-singing,  and  I  fear  that  the  quaint  and 
pretty  custom  is  a  thing  of  the  past.  The  following  are  the  words  of 
the  song,  taken  down  at  the  time,  as  they  were  sung  by  a  party  of 
May-singers  about  thirty-five  years  since : — 

MAY-SONG. 

All  on  this  pleasant  morning  together  we  will  go ; 

For  the  summer  springs  so  fresh,  green,  and  gay ; 
We'll  tell  you  of  a  blossom  here  that  hangs  on  every  bough ; 

Drawing  near  is  the  merry  month  of  May. 

Rise  up  the  master  of  this  house,  you  are  the  country's  pride ; 

For  the  summer  springs  so  fresh,  green,  and  gay ; 
And  turn  unto  your  loving  wife  who  lies  down  by  your  side ; 

Drawing  near  is  the  merry  month  of  May. 

Rise  up  the  mistress  of  this  house,  with  gold  upon  your  breast ; 

For  the  summer  springs  so  fresh,  green,  and  gay ; 
And  if  your  body  be  asleep  we  hope  your  soul's  at  rest ; 

Drawing  near  is  the  merry  month  of  May. 

Rise  up  the  children  of  this  house,  so  pretty  and  so  fine ; 

For  the  summer  springs  so  fresh,  green,  and  gay ; 
And  every  hair  upon  your  head  like  silver  it  should  shine ; 

Drawing  near  is  the  merry  month  of  May. 

Rise  up  the  young  man  of  this  house,  put  on  your  coat  of  blue ; 

For  the  summer  springs  so  fresh,  green,  and  gay ; 
And  to  the  girl  that  you  love  best,  we  hope  you  will  be  true ; 

Drawing  near  is  the  merry  month  of  May. 

Rise  up  the  fair  maid  of  this  house,  put  on  your  gown  of  silk ; 

For  the  summer  springs  so  fresh,  green,  and  gay ; 
You  are  deserving  of  a  man  with  forty  cows  to  milk ; 

Drawing  near  is  the  merry  month  of  May. 

So  now  we're  going  to  leave  you  in  peace  and  plenty  here 
For  the  summer  springs  so  fresh,  green,  and  gay ; 

And- we'll  come  no  more  a- May -singing  until  another  year; 
For  to  drive  the  cold  winter  away. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


503 


The  last  line  of  each  verse  is  repeated  in  singing.  The  notes  of 
the  sojig,  also  taken  down  at  the  time,  are  given  below;  as  well  as 
another  version  of  the  tune  which  I  copied  from  a  manuscript  book 
belonging  to  old  James  Wainwright,  the  principal  bass  singer  of  the 
Church  choir.  Which  may  be  the  original  version  I  am  unable  to 
decide.  The  first  has,  at  any  rate,  the  merit  of  being  the  one  which 
was  actually  sung;  and  I  think  the  very  peculiar  method  of  changing 
from  the  key  of  C,  in  which  I  have  written  it,  to  that  of  F  by 
introducing  Bb  into  the  melody  in  the  fourth  full  bar,  gives  that 
version  a  sort  of  genuine  traditional  ring;  though  the  greater  sim- 
plicity of  the  second  version  has,  no  doubt,  to  a  certain  extent,  an 
air  of  antiquity. 

MAY-SONG    AS    SUNG    AT    MOBBERLEY. 


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504  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


PANCAKE  BELL. 

The  ringing  of  the  tenor  bell  at  eleven  o'clock  on  Shrove 
Tuesday  morning  is  probably  a  relic  of  the  times  when  the  people 
were  summoned  to  church  for  the  annual  "shrift."  Now  it  goes  by 
the  name  of  the  "Pancake  Bell,"  and  is  supposed  to  be  a  reminder 
to  the  good  housewives  that  pancakes  must  be  prepared  for  dinner. 
The  pancake  bell  is  still  rung  at  Tarvin,  at  Congleton  at  the  Church 
of  S.  Peter  ad  Vinculas,  and  at  Middlewich;  or  it  was  at  any  rate 
rung  at  Middlewich  some  few  years  ago;  and  probably  at  other 
churches  in  Cheshire.  A  complete  list  of  parishes  where  the  pan- 
cake bell  is  still  rung  would  be  of  interest. 

The  following  lines  were  written  by  the  late  Rev.  Charles  O'Niel 
Pratt,  when  a  curate  at  Middlewich.  They  can  hardly  find  place 
here  as  a  Cheshire  poem,  as  Mr.  Pratt  was,  I  believe,  an  Irishman ; 
but  they  commemorate  the  ringing  of  the  bell  at  Middlewich,  and 
they  are  so  graphic,  that  but  little  apology  is  needed  for  their 
insertion.  I  have  extracted  them  from  The  Cheshire  Sheaf  (vol.  ii., 
p.  46). 

"THE    PANCAKE    BELL." 

"  What  sound  is  that  which  greets  mine  ear, 
As  it  sweeps  along  through  the  sky  so  clear  ? 
Of  millions  of  chickens  it  rings  the  knell, 
For  I  wot  it  is  the  Pancake  Bell. 

Full  many  a  farm-yard  cock  hath  crowed, 
And  tender  love  on  his  wives  bestowed  ; 
But  over  her  brood  has  waved  the  spell, 
As  sure  as  she  hears  the  Pancake  Bell. 

And  many  a  hen  her  store  has  watched, 
And  counted  her  chickens  as  yet  unhatched  ; 
For  the  farmer's  wife  those  eggs  will  sell, 
As  sure  as  she  hears  the  Pancake  Bell. 

And  the  housekeeper  goes  to  the  huxter's  shop, 

And  the  eggs  are  brought  home,  and  there's  flop !  flop !  flop  ! 

And  there's  batter,  and  butter,  and  savoury  smell, 

While  merrily  rings  the  Pancake  Bell. 


CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY.  505 

And  with  frizzle  and  fizz  the  condiment's  tossed, 
And  dished,  and  dusted  with  sugary  frost, 
And  the  youngsters  at  home  the  fun  can  tell 
That  follows  the  sound  of  the  Pancake  Bell. 

And  into  the  batter  will  Mistress  fling, 
That  mystic  token,  the  marriage  ring, 
And  the  bosom  of  many  a  maid  will  swell 
With  hope  as  she  hears  the  Pancake  Bell. 

For  if  smiles  and  loving  looks  be  true 
Someone  may  whisper  a  word  or  two ; 
And  when  Lent  is  over,  then  Easter  will  tell 
Its  old,  old  story— the  Wedding  Bell." 


RUSH-BEARING. 

I  extract  the  following  additional  information  respecting  this 
undoubtedly  ancient  custom  from  various  contributions  to  the 
Cheshire  Sheaf.  As  to  its  antiquity,  the  Editor  of  the  Sheaf  writes 
as  follows  (vol.  i.,  p.  117): — 

"Our  earliest  parish  records  in  Cheshire  do  not  go  back  beyond,  say  1541,  the 
year  of  the  Reformation.  It  is  almost  hopeless,  therefore,  to  seek  for  traces  of  any 
local  customs  of  this  class  prior  to  that  date.  But  whatever  practices  we  find  existing 
then,  there  is  good  reason  for  believing  had  been  of  long  previous  continuance. 

The  first  notices  we  have  met  with  are  in  the  Treasurer's  Accounts  of  Chester 
Cathedral,  and  we  give  a  few  as  samples  of  what  are  of  annual  occurrence  down 
to  the  close  of  the  i6th  Century: — 

'1546.     For  rysshes  in  festo  Pasce    iiijd. 

,,        For  ryngyng  at  Eester viijd. 

,,        For  rysshes  at  Wytsontyd    vjd. 

,,          ,,         „       ,,  Mydsomer     viijd. 

1551.  For  ryshys  in  festo  omn' sanctor'        vjd. 

1552.  For  russhes  against  All  Hallowtyde xd. 

,,        For  ryngyng  on  All  Hallow's  nyght xvjd.' 

These  entries  are  in  every  instance  associated   with   charges  for  ringing  the 
Cathedral  bells. 

A  generation  further  on  we  come  upon  an  entry  of  more  than  usual  signifi- 
cance; significant  in  the  last  degree  to  the  Dean  and  Chapter  themselves,  for  it 
was  to  them  the  precursor  of  rapine  and  semi-ruin,  inasmuch  as  it  ended  in  the 
loss  of  much  of  their  capitular  property.  It  runs  thus : — 

'1584.  To  Edward  Griffith  for  boughes,  rishes,  and 
other  thinges,  at  what  time  the  Earle  of 
Leicester  came  hither  xviijs  .  ijd.' 


506  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

In  reference  to  this  event,  Smith,  in  the  Vale  Royal,  says  : — 

'This  year,  the  Earles  of  Darby  and  Leicester  were  received  into  Chester, 
and  lodged  at  the  Bishop's  Palace  very  honourably.' 

It  would  have  been  a  good  thing  for  the  Chapter  of  Chester  if  Robert  Earl  of 
Leicester  had  never  been  born  ;  it  is  impossible  indeed  to  reprobate  too  severely 
his  unprincipled  conduct ;  for  while  accepting  their  hospitality  and  confidence 
with  one  hand,  he  mercilessly  robbed  them  and  their  successors  with  the  other. 

One   other  quotation    shall    suffice, — this   time   from   an   early   MS.    local 

chronology  in  our  possession.     The  original  leaf  is  imperfect  at  this  spot,  and  we 

are  therefore  unable  either  to  fully  give  or  explain  the  words,  which  run  as  follows : — 

'1606.     A  Rishe  berrying  set        ...      St.  Bride's,  Mr.  Robt. 

Amery    .     .     .' 

This  is  the  very  earliest  local  instance  we  are  aware  of  of  the  actual  term  'rush- 
berrying,'  and  it  is  a  great  pity  the  record  should  have  survived  to  us  in  so 
incomplete  a  form. " 

Another  writer  (vol.  i.,  p.  178)  says: — 

"This  ancient  custom  is  mentioned  in  Lysons'  'Magna  Britannia'  Cheshire, 
p.  463 ;  but  it  is  not  necessary  to  quote  the  reference  to  it  here,  except  that  it 
'  was  attended  by  a  procession  of  young  men  and  women,  dressed  in  ribbands, 
and  carrying  garlands,  &c.,  which  were  hung  up  in  the  Church  :'  we  saw  these 
garlands  remaining  in  several  churches." 

In  his  History  of  Cheshire,  Hanshall,  p.  581,  gives  us  the  follow- 
ing extracts  from  the  Parish  Accounts  of  Congleton : 

"'1595.     Gave  for  wine  to  the  Rushbearers 0.3.5 

J599-     Gave  for  wine  to  those  who  brought  Rushes 

from  Buglawton  to  our  Chapel 0.3-0 

1607.  To  the  Rush-bearers,  wine,  ale,  and  cakes  ...  0.6.0" 
I  do  not  think  the  use  of  rushes  to  cover  the  floors  of  churches  can  have  any- 
thing to  do  with  the  use  of  them  to  decorate  the  churches  as  mentioned  by  the 
Lysons,  or  yet  the  present  practice  of  hilling  therewith  the  graves  of  departed 
friends.  As  a  covering  for  church  floors,  rushes  would  have  to  be  brought  several 
times  each  year,  whilst  Rushbearing  occurs  once  a  year  only." 


SOULING    OR    SOUL-CAKING. 

When  I  was  a  boy,  the  customs  connected  with  All  Souls'  Eve 
were  generally  called  "Soul-caking;"  but  now,  for  the  most  part,  it 
is  abbreviated  into  "Souling."  At  Frodsham,  however,  and  in  the 
neighbourhood,  the  old  word  is  still  in  use. 

As  far  as  I  can  ascertain,  several  customs  which  were  formerly 
distinct,  and  which  took  place  at  different  times  of  the  year,  are  now 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  507 

confounded  together,  and  all  take  place  at  the  same  time  of  year. 
These  customs  were  Soul-caking  proper,  which  took  place  on  All 
Souls'  Eve;  the  performance  of  a  mock-heroic  play,  which,  I  suspect, 
was  originally  performed  at  Easter,  but  which  in  many  counties  is 
now  acted  at  Christmas;  and  the  "Dobby  Horse"  performance, 
which  I  think  may  have  been  part  of  the  Christmas  mummings. 

The  Souling  used  to  consist  of  parties  of  children,  dressed  up  in 
fantastic  costume,  who  went  round  to  the  farm  houses  and  cottages, 
singing  a  song,  and  begging  for  cakes  (spoken  of  as  "Soul-cakes"), 
dpples,  money,  or  anything  that  the  goodwives  would  give  them. 
Brand,  in  his  Popular  Antiquities  (though  I  am  unable  to  give  the 
exact  reference),  gives  the  following  version  of  the  song,  as  sung  by 
Cheshire  children : — 

"Soul  Day,  Soul  Day,  Saul! 
One  for  Peter,  two  for  Paul, 
Three  for  him  who  made  us  all. 
An  apple,  a  pear,  a  plum,  or  a  cherry, 
Any  good  thing  that  will  make  us  merry. 
Put  your  hand  in  your  pocket  and  pull  out  your  keys, 
Go  down  into  the  cellar,  and  bring  up  what  you  please, 
A  glass  of  your  wine,  or  a  cup  of  your  beer, 
And  we'll  never  come  souling,  till  this  time  next  year. 
We  are  a  pack  of  merry  boys  all  in  one  mind, 
We  have  come  a  souling  for  what  we  can  find. 

Soul !  Soul !  sole  of  my  shoe, 

If  you  have  no  apples,  money  will  do. 

Up  with  your  kettle,  and  down  with  your  pan, 

Give  us  an  answer  and  let  us  be  gone." 

Now-a-days,  the  "acting,"  as  it  is  called,  is  combined  with  this; 
but  the  actors  still  begin  their  operations  by  singing  a  souling  song 
outside  the  door.  The  following  is  the  version  as  sung  at  Halton : — 

"  Kind  gentlemen  of  England  we  hope  you  will  prove  kind; 
With  your  ale  and  strong  beer. 

And  we  will  come, 

And  we  will  come 

No  more  a  souling 
Until  this  time  next  year. 


508  CHESHIRE   GLOSSARY. 

Go  down  into  your  cellar  and  see  what  you  can  find, 
If  your  barrels  be  not  empty  we  hope  you  will  prove  kind ; 
We  hope  you  will  prove  kind ; 
We  hope  you  will  prove  kind, 
With  your  ale  and  strong  beer; 
And  we  will  come, 
And  we  will  come, 
No  more  a  souling 
Until  this  time  next  year. 

God  bless  the  master  of  this  house,  the  mistress  also, 
Likewise  the  little  children  that  round  your  table  go ; 
Likewise  your  men  and  maidens,  your  cattle,  and  your  store ; 
And  all  that  lies  within  your  house,  we  wish  you  ten  times  more. " 

The  above  was  supplied  me  by  a  correspondent  from  Halton, 
who  is  accustomed  to  take  part  in  the  performance.  From  a  Middle- 
wich  correspondent  I  have  the  following  version,  which  is  very  nearly 
like  the  one  I  have  always  heard  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Mobberley. 
The  exact  Mobberley  version,  however,  I  am  unable  to  recover. 

"We  are  two  or  three  good,  hearty  lads,  and  we  are  all  of  one  mind; 
And  we  are  come  out  a  souling,  and  we  hope  you  will  prove  kind. 
We  hope  you  will  prove  kind  with  your  apples  and  strong  beer ; 
And  we'll  come  no  more  a  souling  until  this  time  next  year. 

Step  down  into  your  cellar,  and  see  what  you  can  find ; 
If  your  barrels  are  not  empty,  we  hope  you  will  prove  kind. 
We  hope  you  will  prove  kind  with  your  apples  and  strong  beer ; 
And  we'll  come  no  more  a  souling  until  this  time  next  year. 

God  bless  the  master  of  this  house,  the  mistress  also ; 
God  bless  his  sons  and  daughters,  that  round  his  table  go. 
We  hope  you  will  prove  kind  with  your  apples  and  strong  beer  ;- 
And  we'll  come  no  more  a  souling  until  this  time  next  year. 

God  bless  his  men  and  maidens,  his  cattle  and  his  store  ; 
And  all  that  lie  within  your  gates,  we  wish  you  ten  times  more. 
We  wish  you  ten  times  more  with  your  apples  and  strong  beer ; 
And  we'll  come  no  more  a  souling  until  this  time  next  year." 

The  tune  to  which  I  have  always  heard  the  Mobberley  version 
sung,  and  which  also  suits  the  above  words,  is  as  follows : — 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 


509 


ET^JP—  J  

^  = 

t  1  1  —  \- 

<rJ  m  m 

/L     4      m'P    m 

0    m    ?    * 

--F-f-*-j 

— 

1     1     .     i 

r  f  i  i 

i  r 

a;  d 

J  J  J  -U 

C3^Z  [—  >  1  -    - 

•—  1  1  —  LJ- 

-i  —  i  —  ^—  i 

9  •  J     ' 

—  ft~^*t  '•  —  "~~^5  

J    1  f    1 

—  i  j  j 

^~*~~0 

-~P  —  I  —  I— 

ff\     *T        _'       !    A    ' 

* 

wzm 

& 

J  J 

viy          *,  •  ^ 

1     • 

(A 

1       J  * 

Cf  3fiL              [^         ; 

f  n^     "fr       &  +  ^    &    & 

It  is  a  remarkable  fact  in  connexion  with  this  air  that  it  is,  note 
for  note,  the  same  as  a  certain  portion  of  a  march  of  which  Handel 
claimed  the  authorship.  There  is  also  a  song,  "Let's  drink  and 
sing,"  published  in  The  Convivial  Songster  of  1782,  which  is  prac- 
tically the  same  air  as  the  march.  It  will  be  found,  with  new  words, 
and  called,  "  Our  swords  are  sheathed,"  amongst  a  series  of  Old 
English  Songs  and  Melodies  which  was  issued  with  the  Illustrated 
London  News  in  1852,  the  musical  arrangement  being  by  the  late 
Sir  Henry  R.  Bishop.  From  its  structure,  I  have  very  little  doubt 
but  that  the  version,  as  sung  at  Mobberley,  is  the  original  traditional 
tune;  and  that  Handel,  who,  it  is  well  known,  appropriated  and 
adapted  any  musical  subject  that  took  his  fancy,  having  heard  the 
song  somewhere,  worked  up  the  melody  into  his  march;  and  I  think 
it  probable  that  the  song,  "Let's  drink  and  sing,"  would  then  be 
taken  from  Handel's  composition.  That  our  "Souling  Song"  is  the 
original  of  the  other  two  I  cannot  doubt;  for  it  is  extremely  im- 
probable that  country  lads  would  adapt  a  march  of  Handel's  to 
the  words  of  a  song  used  in  one  of  their  ancient  customs. 

I  have  occasionally  seen  the  play  performed  by  young  boys  ;  but 
as  a  rule  children  confine  themselves  to  the  souling  proper,  whilst  the 
play  is  performed  by  young  men. 

Having  finished  their  song,  the  "actors"  knock  at  the  door,  and 
beg  to  be  admitted  into  the  kitchen.  Leave  is  generally  granted, 
and  all  the  family  and  servants  assemble  to  see  the  performance. 


510  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

The  words  are  entirely  traditional,  being  handed  down  orally  from 
one  generation  to  another ;  consequently  many  palpable  errors  have 
crept  in,  and  the  text  varies  in  almost  every  village.  When  I  was  a 
boy  the  play  was  much  longer  than  it  is  now ;  but,  unfortunately,  I 
cannot  remember  all  the  old  version  myself,  nor  have  I  been  able  to 
meet  with  anyone  who  can  help  me  to  recall  it.  There  is  a  small 
chap-book  called  "  The  Peace  Egg,  or  St.  George :  an  Easter  Play," 
"  printed  for  the  Booksellers  "  by  Messrs.  Looney  &  Pilling,  Spear 
Street,  Manchester,  which  is  more  like  the  play,  as  I  recollect  it, 
than  any  other  version  which  I  have  been  able  to  obtain;  still  I 
think  even  this  differs  in  some  respects  from  our  old  Cheshire  version 
of  "  King  George  and  the  Slasher." 

THE  SOULER'S   PLAY,  AS   PERFORMED  AT  HALTON,    1886. 
DRAMATIS   PERSONS. 


OLD  WOMAN. 

KNIGHT  GEORGE. 

TURKISH  CHAMPION. 

DOCTOR. 

BELZEBUB  (so  pronounced). 


JERRY  DOUT. 

OLD  HORSE  (see  DOBBY  HORSE 

in  Vocabulary). 
DRIVER. 


Enter  OLD  WOMAN. 
Old  Woman.   Open  this  door  to  let  us  in ; 

We  have  your  favour  for  to  win. 
Whether  we  sit,  stand,  or  fall, 
We'll  do  our  best  to  please  you  all. 

Room,  room,  ye  brave  and  gallant  boys ;  give  us  room  to  rhyme ; 

We  will  show  you  a  little  of  our  activity  before  the  Christmas  time. 
Active  youth,  and  active  age — 
The  like  was  never  acted  on  a  stage. 
If  you  don't  believe  in  what  I  say, — 
Enter  in,  Knight  George,  and  clear  the  way. 

Enter  KNIGHT  GEORGE. 

Knight  George.    Here  comes  Knight  George,  from  England  have  I  sprung, 
Many  a  gallant  deed,  and  nobler,  to  be  done ; 
Many  a  long  year,  in  close  keep,  have  I  been 
Kept  out  of  that  in  a  prison ; 
Left  out  of  that  in  a  rock  of  stone, 
Where  there  I  made  my  grievous  moan. 
I'll  fight  better  here;  I'll  show  my  deadly  weapon. 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  511 

Is  there  a  man  that  will  before  me  stand  ? 
I'll  cut  him  down  with  my  iron  hand. 
What  art  thou  ? 

Enter  TURKISH  CHAMPION. 
Turkish  Champion.    I  am  the  Turkish  Champion,  from  Turkey  land  I  came, 

To  fight  the  Knight  George  by  name. 
I  will  cut  thee ;  I  will  slash  thee ;  and  after  that 
I  will  send  thee  over  to  Turkey  to  be  made  mince  pies  of. 

Knight  George.   What !  what !  thou  black  Morocco  dog !  let  me  hear  no  more  of 
that ; — or  if  I  draw  my  deadly  weapon,  I  will  surely  break  thy  head. 

Turkish  Champion.    How  canst  thou  break  my  head? 

When  my  head  is  made  of  iron,  my  body  armed  with  steel ; 
My  hands,  feet,  and  knuckle  bone,  I  challenge  thee  to  feel. 

(They  fight,  and  the  Turkish  Champion  is  slain.) 

Knight  George.   This  man  is  dead,  his  blood  is  shed, 

And  what  will  become  of  I  ? 
He  challenged  me  to  fight  with  him, 

And  how  could  I  deny? 
A  doctor !  a  doctor !  ten  pounds  for  a  doctor ! 
Is  there  never  a  man  to  be  found 
To  cure  this  map  of  his  deadly  wound? 

(Wound  is  pronounced  to  rhyme  with  sound.) 

Enter  DOCTOR. 
Knight  George.   Art  thou  a  doctor? 

Doctor.   Yes,  I  am  a  doctor,  pure  and  good ; 

And  with  my  sword  I  will  draw  thy  blood; 
But  if  I  this  man's  life  am  to  save, 
Four  hundred  guineas  I  must  have. 

Knight  George.    Cure  that  man,  doctor ! 

Doctor.    Here,  Jack !  take  a  drop  of  this  nip-nap 
Down  thy  tip-tap; 

(Pours  medicine  down  his  throat.) 
A  drop  of  this  bottle 
Down  thy  throttle. 
Rise  up,  Jack !  and  fight  the  battle ! 

(  Turkish  Champion  comes  to  life  again. ) 

Knight  George.    How  far  have  you  travelled,  doctor  ? 


5!  2  CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY. 

Doctor.    Through  hickity,  pickity,  High  Spain  and  France, 

(Query,  France  and  High  Spain?) 
And  now  have  returned  to  Old  England  again. 

Knight  George.    Any  further,  doctor? 

Doctor.   Yes,  from  the  fireside  into  the  cupboard,  upstairs,  and  into  bed. 
Knight  George.    What  have  you  seen  in  your  travels,  doctor  ? 

Doctor.    Houses  thatched  with   pancakes,  roads  made  of  dumplings,  windows 
made  of  matches,  little  pigs  running  about  the  streets  with  knives  and 
forks  in  their  backs,  saying  "Who  will  have  a  slice?" 
If  you  don't  believe  in  what  I  say, 
Enter  in,  Belzebub,  and  clear  the  way. 

Enter  BELZEBUB. 
Belzebub.    In  comes  I,  Belzebub, 

On  my  shoulder  I  carry  my  club ; 
In  my  hand  a  dripping  pan  ; 
And  think  myself  a  jolly  old  man. 

A  ring,  ting,  ting;  a  sup  more  drink  will  make  the  old  kettle  cry  "sound." 
I  saddled  and  bridled  an  old  black  snail, 
And  made  my  whip  of  a  mouse's  tail, 
If  you  can't  believe  in  what  I  say, 
Enter  in,  Little  Jerry  Dout,  and  clear  the  way. 

• 

Enter  JERRY  DOUT. 
Jerry  Dout.    In  comes  I,  little  Jerry  Dout, 

If  you  don't  give  me  some  money,  I'll  sweep  you  all  out. 

Money  I  want,  and  money  I  crave, 
If  you  don't  give  me  money,  I'll  sweep  you  all  to  the  grave. 

(Sweeps  whilst  the  dripping-ladle  is  handed  round Jor  contributions.) 
If  you  don't  believe  in  what  I  say, 
Enter  in,  old  horse,  and  clear  the  way. 

Enter  HORSE  led  by  DRIVER. 

Driver.   When  thou  wast  a  young  horse,  and  in  thy  youthful  prime, 
Thy  master  used  to  ride  on  thee,  and  think  thee  very  fine. 
But  now  thou  hast  grown  old,  and  nature  does  decay, 
Thy  master  frowns  upon  thee,  and  these  words  we  heard  him  say — 
"Poor  old  horse  !  poor  old  horse !  "     "Poor  old  horse,"  says  we. 

(Horse  prances,  and  snaps  its  jaws.) 
When  thou  stood  in  thy  stable,  thy  jacket  it  did  shine; 
Thy  clothing  used  to  be  of  the  best  superfine; 
Thy  feeding  of  the  best  corn  and  hay 


CHESHIRE  GLOSSARY.  513 

That  grew  in  the  fields  and  meadows  so  gay. 

But  now  thou  hast  grown  old,  and  scarcely  can  scrawl, 

Thou'rt  forced  to  eat  the  poorest  grass  that  grows  against  the  wall. 

( Horse  prances,  &c.) 

This  is  the  horse  that  run  so  swiftly  so  many  miles ; 
He  could  clear  hedge,  ditch,  brook,  or  stile; 
He  is  healthy,  wealthy,  blooming,  and  sound; — 
A  better  horse  in  Old  England  never  could  be  found. 

(Horse  prances,  &°c.) 

Behold  how  this  horse  stands  upon  the  stones! 
He  is  short  in  the  leg,  but  full  in  bone. 
He  has  an  eye  like  a  hawk,  an  ear  like  a  dove ; 

As  many  wrinkles  in  his  forehead  as  there  is  in  an  acre  of  ploughed 
ground. 

( Horse  prances,  &c.) 
Behold,  this  horse  has  only  three  legs, 
And  for  his  living  he  is  forced  to  beg; 
And  what  he  begs  is  very  small, 
And  that  is  obliged  to  serve  us  all, 

(Horse  prances,  &*c. ) 

Poor  old  Dick  had  a  misfortune  last  week ;  he  fell  down,  and  broke  his 
cart;  so  open  your  hearts,  and  give  a  trifle  towards  buying  a  new 
cart. 

(Exeunt  o nines. ) 


ERRATA. 

PAGE 

v    Preface,  line  9  from  bottom,  for  "Joseph  E.  Ward  "  read  "Thomas  Ward." 

i    in  prefatory  note,  "1880"  is  given  as  the  date  of  the  publication  of  Leigh's  Glossary 

read  "1877." 

28   s.v.  'BEVuv.tiyfbr  "raise"  read  "rinse." 
33    fourth  line  from  top,  for  "  Old  Blat"  read  "Old  Biat." 
72  for  "Cloutering  "  read11  Clontering." 

no.  for"Dfm  Sassenach"  read"'D'ym  Sarsnick,"  which  is  the  Cheshire  pronunciation. 
132   s.v.  FOWD  (2),  for  "horses"  read  "houses." 
153   s.v.  HAG,  delete  the  word  "Jag"  and  to  the  end  of  the  sentence. 
191    s.v.  KISSING  SCAB,  for  "a  girl  (or  boy)"  read  "girls  or  boys." 
208  for  "Load-back"  read  "Toad-back." 
292    ROUK.     I  have  no  doubt  that  this  word  (quoted  from  Leigh)  is,  in  his  Glossary,  a  misprint 

for  "ronk." 

358   s.v.  THOWT.     In  the  illustrative  sentence,  "enoo"  should  be  "  enuf,"  the  latter  form  being 
used  in  the  singular  number,  the  former  only  in  the  plural. 


A.  Ireland  &  Co.,  Printers,  Pall  Mall,  Manchester. 


PE 

1847 

H65 


Holland,  Robert 

A  glossary  of  words  used 
in  the  County  of  Chester 


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