The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #76091   Message #1371877
Posted By: pavane
05-Jan-05 - 07:14 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: cockney rhyming slang songs
The earliest version (of William and Dinah) I have seen is a broadside entitled 'William and DIANA' dated sometime before 1820, in the Bodleian ballad library.

The awfulness of the original was mentioned in Stephen Sedley's collection (The Seeds of Love, I think it was). Was he the first to make that comment?