This gentleman was an implacable enemy to all Mr. Carew's subjects. He
therefore, happening to be in that town, and overhearing the mayor
talking to a gentleman in the street, and saying that he was going to
dine with Captain Colloway, of Upton, he thought this a proper
opportunity for taking some revenge of the mayor, for the many
indignities he had put on his subjects. Having soon got intelligence
what suits of clothes the mayor had, and understanding he had a good
snuff-coloured suit, he went to his house, and informed the lady mayoress
that he was a seaman under misfortunes, had met with the mayor, as he was
going to dinner at Captain Colloway's, of Upton, and his honour had sent
him to her, giving him orders to receive his snuff-coloured suit of
clothes from her; which the good natured gentlewoman hearing, without the
least scruple, quickly brought him the coat, waistcoat, and breeches.
Thus our hero, by turning his natural ingenuity to account, procured a
handsome suit of clothes, while, at the same time, he was revenging
himself upon his enemy; fulfilling the old proverb of killing two dogs
with one stone. It is unnecessary to say, that our hero departed from
Weymouth forthwith.
Mr. Carew being in Bristol, at a time when there was a hot press, wherein
they not only impressed seamen, but able-bodied landmen they could any
where meet with, which made some fly one way, and some another, putting
the city into a great rout and consternation, he, among the rest, knowing
himself to have a body of rather a dangerous bigness, he was willing to
secure himself as effectually as he possibly could, greatly preferring
his own ease to the interest and honour of his king. He therefore set
his wife and landlady to work, who with all speed, and proper attention
to cleanliness, made a great number of small mutton-pies, plum-puddings,
cheesecakes, and custards, which our hero, in the ordinary attire of a
female vender of these commodities, hawked about the city, crying,
Plum-pudding, plum-pudding, plum-pudding; hot plum-pudding; piping hot,
smoking hot, hot plum-pudding. Plum-pudding echoed in every street and
corner, even in the midst of the eager press-gang, some of whom spent
their penny with this masculine pie-woman, and seldom failed to serenade
her with many a complimentary title, such as bitch and whore.
Arriving at Squire Rhodes's seat, near King's-bridge in Devonshire, and
knowing the squire had married a Dorsetshire lady, he thought proper also
to become a Dorsetshire man, and of Lyme, which was the place of the
lady's nativity, and applied himself to the squire and his lady, whom he
met both together, giving them to understand that he was lost in a vessel
belonging to Lyme. The squire and his lady gave him five shillings each,
for country's sake, and entertained him very well at their own house.
This was early in the forenoon, and he wished to put off his time a
little, before proceeding upon another adventure.
Going from hence, he went to a public-house, called Malston-cross, about
a quarter of a mile from the squire's; he there fell into company with
Squire Reynolds, Squire Ford, Dr. Rhodes, brother to the squire, and
several other gentlemen, who were met there to make happy after a
hunting-match, in which they had been uncommonly successful, and were
much inclined to be jovial. In the afternoon there was a terrific storm
of rain, thunder, and lightning, that continued with great violence for
several hours: in the midst of this tempestuous weather, he (having a
great mind to clear his afternoon's expenses) stripped off all his
apparel, except his nightcap, shoes, and breeches, and went to Squire
Rhodes's. Nothing could possibly look with a more deplorable appearance
than this naked and wretched spectacle, in such dreadful weather: the
landlord with pity regarding his destitute appearance, fetched him a
shirt, as he thought, to cover his nakedness; but upon his endeavouring
to put it on, it proved to be a smock belonging to the good woman of the
house, which afforded a great deal of diversion to the good squire and
his benevolent lady, who happened to be looking from their window
enjoying the mistake; when, calling to him, and inquiring from whence he
came, he pretended to have been cast away at Bigbury-bay, during the late
violent tempest, in a vessel belonging to Poole, and he was the only
person on board that had escaped. Squire Rhodes ordered a fine Holland
shirt, and a suit of good clothes to be given to him, as also a hearty
refreshing dram; and then, kindly giving him five shillings, dismissed
him with every mark of commiseration for his unfortunate condition, not
in the least suspecting him to be the poor Lyme man, whom both his lady
and himself had been so generous in relieving his wants in the morning.
Having succeeded so much to his satisfaction in levying two
contributions, in one day, on the benevolent Squire Rhodes and his lady,
he quickly determined on making another trial upon their good-nature: for
which purpose he retired to the nearest house which was frequented by the
members of his community, where he dressed himself as a farmer, and
speedily returned to the squire's, to whose presence he was admitted. He
stated that he had been a tenant on the estate of Squire H---, (a
gentleman between whom and Squire Rhodes he knew there was a disagreement
of long standing,) for many years, where he had reared a numerous and
happy family in respectability: that about three years ago the squire had
seduced his eldest daughter, a handsome girl of eighteen years, who died
in giving birth to a still-born son: that his wife had died shortly after
of a broken heart, and he was left to struggle through the world with a
helpless family of young children: that, through bad crops and bad debts,
he had fallen in arrears of his rent; and his cruel landlord had seized
upon his whole stock, and turned him out of his favourite home, to become
a destitute wanderer--destitute of food, shelter or clothing for himself
and family. The benevolent Squire Rhodes whose ear was ever open to the
tale of pity--whose heart was ever ready to relieve the unfortunate,
after venting many imprecations on the hard-hearted squire, bestowed a
guinea on the poor farmer.
Having obtained this third contribution from the unsuspecting squire, he
returned to the public-house, where the gentlemen waited for him (for
they were the principal occasion of this last adventure); and being
informed how he had fared, diverted themselves exceedingly with the
stratagem; and shortly after, meeting with Squire Rhodes, they discovered
the various impositions that had been practised upon him, and very
heartily bantered him thereupon.
Some time after this, Mr. Carew, exercising his profession at Modbury
(where squire Rhodes's father lived), among other houses made his
application to Legassick's, where he by chance was visiting. Mr. Carew
knocked at the kitchen door, which being opened, he saw his old friend
the squire, who was then alone, and in a careless manner swinging his
cane about. As soon as he began to tell his lamentable tale, Mr. Rhodes
said, "I was three times in one day imposed on by that rogue, Bampfylde
Moore Carew, to whose gang you may very likely belong; furthermore, I do
not live here, but am a stranger." Mean time in comes Mr. Legassick,
with a bottle of wine in his hand, giving Mr. Carew a private wink, to
let him understand that he knew him, and then very gravely inquired into
the circumstances of his misfortune, as also of the affairs and
inhabitants of Dartmouth, from whence he pretended to have sailed several
times; of all which he gave a full and particular account; upon which Mr.
Legassick gave him five shillings, and recommended him as a real object
to Mr. Rhodes, who also made the same present; upon which Mr. Legassick
burst out laughing; and, being asked the reason thereof, he could not
forbear telling him, even in Mr. Carew's presence; when Mr. Rhodes,
finding himself a fourth time imposed upon by the same person, with a
great deal of good nature made himself very merry therewith.
Mr. Carew being now advanced in years, and his strength beginning to
fail, he was seized with a violent fever, which confined him to his bed
for several weeks; on recovering he reflected how idly he had spent his
life, and came to the resolution of resigning the Egyptian sceptre. The
assembly finding him determined, reluctantly complied, and he departed
amidst the applause, as well as the regrets of his subjects, who
despaired of ever again having such a king.
Our hero returned home to the place of his nativity, but finding the air
of the town not rightly to agree with him, and the death of some of his
relations rendering his circumstances quite easy, he retired to the west
country, where he purchased a neat cottage, which he embellished in a
handsome style, and lived in a manner becoming a good old English
gentleman, respected by his neighbours, and beloved by the poor, to whom
his doors were ever open. Here he died, full of years and honours,
regretted by all.
Having left his daughter a handsome fortune, she was married to a
neighbouring gentleman of good family, by whom she had a numerous family
of promising children.
We shall now conclude our true history, by observing, that we consider
Mr. Carew to have as good a claim to fame and immortality as any of the
heroes of the present age. We acknowledge he had his faults, but every
body knows a perfect character is quite out of fashion, and that the
authors of the present age hold it as an absurdity to draw even a
fictitious hero without an abundance of faults.
A DICTIONARY OF THE CANT LANGUAGE.
As the Language of the Community of Gipseys is very expressive, and
different from all others, we think we shall gratify the curious by
publishing a specimen of it.
* * * * *
_ABRAM_, naked, without clothes, or scarce enough to cover the nakedness.
_Ambi-dexter_, one that goes snacks in gaming with both parties; also a
lawyer that takes fees of a plaintiff and defendant at once.
_Alel-Wackets_, blows given on the palm of the hand with a twisted
handkerchief, instead of a ferula; a jocular punishment among seamen, who
sometimes play at cards for wackets, the loser suffering as many strokes
as he has lost games.
_Abram Cove_, among thieves signifies a naked or poor man; also a lusty
strong rogue.
_Adam_, _Tiler_, a pickpocket's associate, who receives the stolen goods.
_Air_ and _Exercise_. He has had air and exercise, i.e., has been
whipped at the cart's tail; or, as it is generally expressed, at the
cart's arse.
_Alls_, the Five Alls is a country sign, representing five human figures,
each having a motto under him. The first is a king in his regalia; his
motto, I govern all: the second a bishop in his pontificals; motto, I
pray for all: third, a lawyer in his gown; motto, I plead for all:
fourth, a soldier in his regimentals, fully accoutred; with the motto, I
fight for all: and the fifth, a poor countryman with his scythe and rake;
motto, I pay for all.
_Amen Curler_, a parish clerk.
_Anodyne Necklace_, a halter.
_Arch Rogue_, or _Dimber Damber Upright Man_, the chief of a gang of
gipseys.
_Arch Doxy_, signifies the same in rank among the female canters or
gipseys.
_Ard_, hot.
_Autumn Mort_, a married woman; also a female beggar with several
children, hired to excite charity.
_Autumn_, a church; also married.
_Autumn bawler_, a preacher.
_Autumn cacklers_ or _prick-ears_, dissenters of whatever denomination.
_Autumn divers_, church pickpockets; but often used for churchwardens,
overseers of the poor, sidesmen, and others, who manage the poor's money.
_Autumn jet_, a parson.
_Babes in the Wood_, criminals in the stocks.
_Back'd_, dead.
_Badge Coves_, parish pensioners.
_Balsam_, money.
_Bam_, a jocular imposition, the same as humbug.
_Bandog_, a bailiff, or his followers; a sergeant, or his yeomen; also a
fierce mastiff.
_Bandero_, a widow's mourning peak; also a musical instrument.
_Baptised_, rum, brandy, or any other spirits that have been lowered with
water.
_Barker_, a salesman's servant that walks before the shop, and cries,
coats, gowns, &c., what d'ye buy?
_Barking irons_, pistols, from their explosion resembling the barking of
a dog.
_Barnacles_, a good job, or a snack easily got; also, the irons worn by
felons in gaols.
_Barrel Fever_, he died of the barrel fever; he killed himself by
drinking.
_Battner_, an ox.
_Bawbee_, a halfpenny.
_Baudrons_, a cat.
_Beak_, a justice of peace, or magistrate.
_Beard splitter_, a whoremaster, or a beadle.
_Beater cases_, boots.
_Bellows_, the lungs.
_Belly cheat_, an apron.
_Bill of sale_, a widow's weeds.
_Bing_, to go, bing avast; get you gone. Binged avast in a darkmans;
stole away in the night. Bing we to Rumvilck; shall we go to London.
_Bingo_, brandy, or other spirituous liquor.
_Bingo boy_, a dram drinker.
_Bingo mort_, a female dram drinker.
_Bingowaste_, get you hence.
_Black fly_, the greatest drawback on the farmer is the black fly, i.e.
the parson.
_Bleating rig_, sheep-stealing.
_Blind harpers_, beggars counterfeiting blindness, playing on fiddles,
&c.
_Black box_, a lawyer.
_Black Indies_, Newcastle, from whence the coals are brought.
_Black spy_, the devil.
_Blind cheek_, the breech.
_Blowen_, a whore.
_Bluffer_, an innkeeper, or victualler.
_Boarding school_, Bridewell, Newgate, or any other prison, or house of
correction.
_Bob_, a shoplifter's assistant, or one that receives and carries off
stolen goods.
_Bob ken_, or _a Brownmanken_, a well furnished house.
_Bone_, to apprehend, seize, or arrest.
_Bone box_, the mouth.
_Bone Darkmans_, a good night.
_Bone setter_, a hard-trotting horse.
_Booby hutch_, a one-horse chaise, noddy, buggy, or leathern bottle.
_Borde_, a shilling.
_Bouncing cheat_, a bottle.
_Bracket face_, ugly, ill-favoured.
_Brown George_, an ammunition loaf.
_Buck's face_, a cuckold.
_Bufe_, a dog.
_Butt's eye_, a crown, or five shilling piece.
_Bung_, a purse, pocket, or fob.
_Bur_, a hanger-on, a dependant.
_Bum bailiff_, a sheriff's officer who arrests debtors; so called perhaps
from following his prey, and being at their bums, or as the vulgar phrase
is, hard at their a---s. Blackstone says it is a corruption of bound
bailiff, from their being obliged to give bond for their good behaviour.
_Bum brusher_, a schoolmaster.
_Bus-napper_, a constable.
_Bus-napper's kenchin_, a watchman.
_Bye-blow_, a bastard.
_Calle_, a cloak or gown.
_Cank_, dumb.
_Canniken_, the plague.
_Cap_, to swear.
_Captain Queernabs_, a fellow in poor clothes.
_Caravan_, a good round sum of money about a man.
_Case_, a house, shop, or warehouse.
_Cassun_, cheese.
_Caster_, a cloak.
_Calfskin fiddle_, a drum. To smack calfskin; to kiss the book in taking
the oath. It is held by the St. Giles's casuists, that by kissing one's
own thumb instead of smacking calfskin, the guilt of taking a false oath
is avoided.
_Canticle_, a parish clerk.
_Canting_, preaching with a whining affected tone, perhaps a corruption
of chaunting; some derive it from Andrew Cant, a famous Scotch preacher,
who used that whining manner of expression. Also, a kind of gibberish
used by thieves and gipseys, called, likewise, pedlar's French.
_Catamaran_, an old scraggy woman; from a kind of float, made of spars
and yards lashed together, for saving shipwrecked persons.
_Catch Club_, a member of the catch club; a bum bailiff.
_Chanticleer_, a cock.
_Charactered_, or _Lettered_, burnt in the hand. They have palmed the
character upon him, they have burned him in the hand.
_Charm_, a picklock.
_Chates_, the gallows.
_Chats_, lice.
_Chanter culls_, grub-street writers, who compose songs and carrols for
ballad singers.
_Cherubims_, peevish children, because cherubim and seraphim continually
do cry.
_Cheat-the-devil_, a dicky.
_Chife_, a knife, file, or saw.
_Chosen Pells_, highwaymen who rob in pairs, in the streets and squares
of London; to prevent being followed by the sound of their horses' shoes
on the stones, they shoe them with leather.
_Chuck farthing_, a parish clerk.
_Clank napper_, a silver tankard.
_Clickman Toad_, a watch; also, an appellation for a west-countryman,
said to have arisen from the following--a westcountryman, who had never
seen a watch, found one on a heath near Pool, which, by the motion of the
hand, and the noise of the wheels, he concluded to be a living creature
of the toad kind; and, from its clicking, he named it a clickman toad.
_Clowes_, rogues.
_Cloy_, thief, robber, &c.
_Cloyes_, thieves, robbers, &c.
_Cly_, money; also, a pocket. He has filed a cly; he has picked a
pocket.
_Cold burning_, a punishment inflicted by private soldiers, on their
comrades, for any trifling offences of their mess laws; it is
administered in the following manner--the prisoner is set against the
wall, with the arm which is to be burned tied as high above his head as
possible; the executioner then ascends a stool, and having a bottle of
cold water, pours it slowly down the sleeve of the delinquent, patting
him, and leading the water gently down his body, till it runs out at the
bottom of his trowsers--this is repeated to the other arm, if he is
sentenced to be burned in both.
_Cloak_, a silver tankard.
_Coach wheel_, or _a fore coach wheel_, half-a-crown; _a hind coach
wheel_, a crown.
_Cobblecotter_, a turnkey.
_Collar day_, execution day.
_Colquarron_, a man's neck.
_Comefa_, a shirt, or shift.
_Commission_, a shirt.
_Comfortable impudence_, a wife.
_Cooler_, a woman.
_Costard_, the head.
_Court card_, a gay fluttering coxcomb.
_Cow's baby_, a calf.
_Cow-handed_, awkward, not dextrous.
_Crab shells_, shoes.
_Cramp word_, sentence of death passed on a criminal by a judge:--he has
just undergone the cramp word; sentence has just been passed upon him.
_Crew_, a knot or gang: the canting crew are thus divided into
twenty-three orders:--
MEN.
1. Rufflers.
2. Upright Men.
3. Hookers, or Anglers.
4. Rogues.
5. Wild Rogues.
6. Priggers, or Prancers.
7. Pailliards.
8. Fraters.
9. Jarkmen, or Patricoes.
10. Fresh Water Mariner's or Whip Jackets.
11. Drummerers.
12. Drunken Tinkers.
13. Swaddlers, or Pedlars.
14. Abrams.
WOMEN.
1. Demanders for Glimmer or Fire.
2. Bawdy Baskets.
3. Morts.
4. Autumn Morts.
5. Walking Morts.
6. Doxies.
7. Delles.
8. Kinchin Morts.
9. Kinchin Coves.
_Crookmans_, hedges.
_Coxy_, a stupid fellow.
_Crook_, sixpence.
_Croker_, a groat, or fourpence.
_Croppen_, the tail of any thing.
_Cucumbers_, tailors.
_Cuffin cove_, a drunken fellow.
_Cull_, a fellow.
_Cut his stick_, run away.
_Culp_, a kick, or blow.
_Cup hot_, drunk.
_Cursitors_, pettyfogging attornies.
_Cussin_, a man.
_Darby_, ready money.
_Dace_, twopence;--tip me a dace; lend me twopence.
_Dag_, a gun.
_Damber_, or _Dimber_, a rascal.
_Dancers_, stairs.
_Darkmans_, night.
_Dash_, a tavern drawer.
_Dawbe_, a bribe or reward for secret service.
_Decus_, a crown.
_Degen_, a sword.
_Diddle_, gin.
_Diggers_, spurs.
_Dimber Damber_, a top-man among the canting crew; also the chief rogue
of the gang, or the greatest cheat.
_Dimbermort_, a pretty wench.
_Doash_, a cloak.
_Dobin rig_, stealing ribbons from haberdashers early in the morning, or
late at night, generally practised by women in the disguise of
maid-servants,
_Doctor_, milk and water, with a little rum and some nutmeg; also the
name of a composition used by distillers, to make spirits appear stronger
than they really are.
_Doctors_, loaded dice that will run but two or three chances--they put
the doctors upon him; they cheated him with loaded dice.
_Dodsey_, a woman; perhaps a corruption of Doxey.
_Downy cove_, a smart fellow.
_Drumbelow_, a dull fellow.
_Dunnikin_, a necessary, or little-house.
_Dunaker_, a stealer of cows and calves.
_Eriffs_, rogues just initiated, and beginning to practise.
_Eternity box_, a coffin.
_Facer_, a bumper without lip room.
_Families_, rings.
_Famms_, hands.
_Fastener_, a warrant.
_Fawney_, a ring.
_Feeder_, a spoon:--to nab the feeder; to steal a spoon.
_Fermerdy beggars_, all those who have not the sham sores or clymes.
_Ferret_, a pawnbroker or tradesman, that sells goods to young
spendthrifts upon trust, at excessive rates, and then hunts them without
mercy, and often throws them into jail, where they perish for their debt.
_Fidlam Ben_, general thieves; called also St. Peter's sons, having every
finger a fish-hook.
_Flag_, a groat.
_Flash_, a periwig.
_Flaybottomist_, a bum-thrasher, or schoolmaster.
_Flick_, old-fashioned, or sly.
_Flicker_, a drinking-glass.
_Flicking_, to cut, cutting; as flick me some panea and cassan, cut me
some bread and cheese.
_Flute_, the recorder of London, or any other town.
_Flyers_, shoes or boots.
_Fogus_, tobacco: tip me a gage of fogus; give me a pipe of tobacco.
_Froglanders_, Dutchmen.
_Frummagemmed_, choked, strangled, or hanged.
_Furmen_, aldermen.
_Gaberlunzie_, a beggar.
_Gan_, a mouth.
_Gans_, the lips.
_Gage_, a liquor pot, or a tobacco pipe.
_George_, a half-crown piece.
_Gem_, a fire.
_Gentry cove_, a gentleman.
_Gibberish_, the cant language of thieves and gipseys, called pedlars's
French, St. Giles's Greek, and the Flash tongue: also the mystic language
of Geber, used by chemists. Gibberish likewise means a sort of disguised
language, formed by inserting any consonant between each syllable of an
English word; in which case it is called the gibberish of the letter
inserted; if _f_, it is the _f_ gibberish; if _g_, the _g_ gibberish; as
in the sentence, How do you do? Howg dog youg dog?
_Gigg_, a nose: snitchell his gigg; fillip his nose: grunter's gigg; a
hog's snout. Gigg is also a high one-horse chaise.
_Gipseys_, a set of wandering vagrants found in the country. When a
fresh recruit is admitted into this fraternity, he is to take the
following oath, administered by the principal maunder, after going
through the annexed forms:--
First, a new name is given him, by which he is ever after to be called;
then standing up in the middle of the assembly, and directing his face to
the dimber damber, or principal man of the gang, he repeats the following
oath, which is dictated to him by some experienced member of the
fraternity:
I, Crank Cuffin, do swear to be a true brother, and that I will in all
things obey the commands of the great tawney prince, and keep his
council, and not divulge the secrets of my brethren.
I will never leave nor forsake the company, but observe and keep all the
times of appointment, either by day or night in every place whatever.
I will not teach any one to cant, nor will I disclose any of our
mysteries to them.
I will take my prince's part against all that shall oppose him, or any of
us, according to the utmost of my ability: nor will I suffer him, or any
one belonging to us, to be abused by any strange abrams, rufflers,
hookers, pailliards, swaddlers, Irish toyles, swigmen, whip jacks,
jarkmen, bawdy baskets, domerars, clapper dogeons, patricoes, or
curtails; but will defend him or them, as much as I can, against all
other outliers whatever. I will not conceal aught I win out of libkins,
or from the ruffmans, but I will preserve it for the use of the company.
Lastly, I will cleave to my doxy-wap stiffly, and will bring her duds,
margery praters, goblers, grunting cheats, or tibs of the buttery, or any
thing else I can come at, as winnings for her wappings.
_Gigger_, a door.
_Globe_, pewter.
_Glue-pot_, a parson; from joining men and women together in matrimony.
_Glaziers_, eyes.
_Glim_, a dark lantern.
_Glimfenders_, hand-irons.
_Glim_, a candle.
_Glimstick_, a candlestick.
_Gaoler's coach_, a hurdle.
_Goose Riding_: a goose, whose neck is greased, being suspended by the
legs to a cord tied to two trees or high posts, a number of men on
horseback, riding full speed, attempt to pull off the head; which if they
effect, the goose is their prize. This has been practised in Derbyshire
within the memory of persons now living.
_Grannan gold_, old hoarded coin.
_Green bag_, a lawyer.
_Grig_, a farthing.
_Gropers_, blind men.
_Gutter-lane_, the throat.
_Hammer_, a great lie, a rapper.
_Halberhead_, a silly foolish fellow.
_Half nab_, at a venture, unsight, unseen, hit or miss.
_Half-borde_ sixpence.
_Hams_, breeches.
_Hamlet_, a high constable.
_Hand-me-downs_, second-hand clothes.
_Hanktel_, a silly fellow, a mere cod's-head.
_Hansan kelder_, a jack in the box, the child in the womb, or a health to
it.
_Harman_, a constable.
_Harmanbeck_, a beadle.
_Hawk_, a sharper.
_Hazel gold_, to beat any one with a stick.
_Hearingcheats_, ears.
_Heaver_, the breast.
_Hell_, the place where the tailors lay up their cabbage or remnants,
which are sometimes very large.
_Hempen widow_, one whose husband was hanged.
_Henfright_, those commanders and officers who are absolutely swayed by
their wives.