apple davy?

[Robin Hamilton]

Joel noted:

> ...
> I first saw the ole black oss,
> He was standing on 'is 'ead, was that noble quadruped,
> And a playing at a game o* pitch and toss.
> He'd a fine Roman nose, and he walk'd on his toes,
> I'll take my apple-davy it is true,
> His neck was awry and he'd only got one eye,
> And his tail was all a-swivel and a-skew.
> So she says, says Mary Ann

Could "apple-davy" as used in the line above be a nonce cod spelling of
"affidavit"?

It almost sounds as if it ought to be cockney rhyming slang.

Robin

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