Is the phrase "All my eye & Betty Martin" something to do with Samuel Pepys?

Question

I listened to the Life of Samual Pepys on BBC7 and heard the reference to the affair he had with A Betty Martin and also that he suffered from serious Eye problems. It rang a bell of the phrase which I used to hear when I was A Kid in Liverpool many moons ago and I wondered if the two were linked.

Answer 1

Not my own answer but a good one!
http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-all3.htm

It also seems to be recorded as 'All my eye and Paddy Martin'
http://www.anu.edu.au/andc/ozwords/October_96/6._betty.htm

Neither make any reference to an association with Samuel Pepys and I suspect that the people who used the saying would not be particularly aware of the goings on in literary society in the 17th Century.

There is even a song by Breathless (whoever they are, though if they sing it like it's written then I guess they would be!)

ALL MY EYE AND BETTY MARTIN

Push a little don't force it when the time's right we'll climb up we know we're winning I can feel we're winning we can prove what we're worth Wait a minute what do I do now? you say you don't know and I know you do too It's all my eye to outwit the suspect trumped up and sold out concocted to counterfiet i know half as much to what's coming round the corner tell me if it's true You say you don't know i know you do too Oh this never knowing half suspecting baited rat trap to decoy the ambush this luring trap door to trip wire the deadfall it's all my eye to outwit the suspect trumped up and sold out concocted and counterfeit

(which makes less sense to me than a donkey saying the Lord's prayer)

Answer 2

i think it is from world war one, the majority of the troops could not speak belgian (or french) so they mimicked the sound of what they were hearing.

Answer 3

I have never heard that saying before.

Answer 4

No...sorry!