What I find very interesting is that, among the Roman occupying Forces, the officials spoke with lovely, refined British Accents while the ordinary foot soldiers had Cockney Accents!
(Why can’t the English teach their children how to speak?
This verbal class distinction by now should be antique.
If you spoke as they do sir, instead of the way you do,
Why you might be occupying Judea too!”
My understanding is that in the 18th Century American and English-English were pretty much the same, bearing in mind that a Bostonian and a Virginian could have differed just as a Yorkshireman would from a Londoner. There was no one way of speaking the language.