A new dictionary of the canting crew in its several tribes of gypsies, beggers [sic], thieves, cheats &c., with an addition of some proverbs, phrases, figurative speeches &c. : useful for all sorts of people (especially foreigners) to secure their money and preserve their lives ; besides very diverting and entertaining being wholly new / by B.E.

F (Book F)

Facer, c. a Bumper without Lip-room.

Face in Wine, the Colour. A good Face, a very fine bright Colour. To make a Face, to make a show or feign; also to wryth contract or distort the Face in Con∣tempt or Derision. To set a good Face upon a bad Cause, or Matter, to make the best of it. A good Face needs no Band, or no advantage to set it off. The Broad fac'd Bird, or the Bird that is all Face under Feathers, a Periphrasis for an Owl. Face about to the Right or Left, turn about. to Face Danger, to meet it. Fa∣cing of the Sleeve, the Turn-up.

Facetious, full of Mer∣ry Tales and Jests, plea∣santly merry.

Factitious, Bodies made

by Art, as Glass, Paper, and all Compound or made Metals, as Brass, Steel, Pewter, Latin, &c.

Fadge, it won't fadge or doe.

Fag, c. to Beat.

Fag'd, c. Beaten.

Fag the Bloss, c. bang the Wench,

Fag the Fen, c. drub the Whore.

Faggot the Culls, c. Bind the Men.

Faggots, Men Mus∣ter'd for Souldiers, not yet Listed.

Fair Roe-Buck, the Fifth Year.

Fair Speech, or fine Words. Fair-spoken, or Courteous. A Fair Day, or Fair Weather. Fair in the Cradle, and foul in the Saddle, a pretty Boy, and a hard-favor'd Man. Soft and Fair goes far; or not more Haste than good Speed. Fair and far off; wide of the Mark. You have made a Fair Spech, said in derisi∣on of one that spends many Words to little purpose. A Fair or Mar∣ket for Beasts. A Day af∣ter the Fair, a Day too late, of one that has out-stayed his Markets.

Fall-a-bord, fall on and Eat heartily.

Fallacies, Cheats, Tricks, Deceipts.

Falter, to fail or more particularly a failure, or Trip of the Tongue, entangled with the Pal∣sy, produced also from excess of Drink, or Guilt.

Famms, c. Hands.

Fambles, c. Hands.

Famble-cheats, c. Gold∣rings, or Gloves.

Famgrasp, c. to agree or make up a Difference. Famgrasp the Cove c. to agree with the Adver∣sary.

Family of Love, Lewd Women, Whores; also a Sect.

Fangs, Beast-claws as Talons are of a Bird.

Fanning, or refreshing of the Trees or Woods with Wind. Fanning or refreshing of a Close

Room, opening the Windows. Fire-fanns, little Hand-Skreens for the Fire.

Fantastick, Whimsical, Freakish, or Capricious. A Fantastick Dress, very particular, remarkable,

Fardel, a Bundle.

Fardy, for Ferdinando.

Fare, Hire; also a litter of Piggs.

Farting-crackers, c. Breeches.

Fast-friends, sure or trusty.

Fastner, c. a Warrant.

Fastnesses, Boggs.

Fat, the last landed, inned or stow'd of any sort of Merchandize whatever, so called by the several Gangs of Water-side-Porters, &c.

Fat Cull, c. a rich Fel∣low. All the Fat is in the Fire, of a miscarri∣age or shrewd Turn. Change of Pasture makes Fat Calves, of him that thrives upon mending his Commons.

Faulkner, c. see Tum∣bler, first Part.

Faytors, c. the Second (old) Rank of the Canting Crew.

F E

Feat, strange, odd.

Feats of Activity, ex∣ercise, or Agility of Bo∣dy in Tumbling, turning through a Hoop, Run∣ning, Leaping, Vaulting, Wrestling, Pitching of the Bar, Quoiting, &c. or Slights of Hand, Tricks, Legerdemain, &c.

Feats of Chivalry, Ex∣ploits of War, Riding the great Horse, Tilting, Tournaments, Running at the Ring, &c.

Feather-bed-lane, any bad▪ Road, but particu∣larly that betwixt Dun∣church and Daintrie. He has a Feather in his Cap, a Periphrasis for a Fool. Play with a Feather, of things that are game∣som and full of Play, as Kittens and Kids. To Feather his Nest, to en∣rich himself by indirect means, or at the Expence

of others. Fine Feathers make fine Birds. Gay Cloaths make fine Folks.

Feble, the narrowest Part of the Sword-blade nearest the Point.

Feinting, or Falsifying, to deceive the Adver∣sary, by pretending to thrust in one Place, and really doing it in ano∣ther.

Fence, c. to Spend or Lay out. Fence his Hog, c. to Spend his Shilling. A Fence, c. a Receiver and Securer of Stolen-goods.

Fencing Cully, c. a Bro∣ker, or Receiver of Sto∣len-goods.

Fencing-ken, c. the Magazine, or Ware∣house, where Stolen-goods are secured.

Ferme, c. a Hole.

Fermerly Beggers, c. all those that have not the Sham-sores or Cley∣mes.

Ferret, c. a Trades∣man that sells Goods to young Unthrifts, upon Trust at excessive Rates.

Ferreted, c. Cheated; also driven out of Holes and lurking Places, and hunted as Conies, by a little, Fierce, red-eyed Beast. Hence Ferret-eyed: or Eyes as red as a Ferret.

Fetch, a Trick or Wheedle. A meer Fetch, that is far fetched, or brought in by Head and Shoulders.

Fetids, Vegetables, or Animals, rank and strong-scented; as Gar∣lick, Assa soetida, &c. Pole-cats, Foxes, Goats, &c.

Fewmets, Deers Ex∣crements.

F I

Fib, c. to beat; also a little Lie.

Fib the Cove's quar∣rons in the Rum-pad, for the Lour in his Bung, c. Beat the Man in the High-way lustily for the Money in his Purse.

Fickle, mutable, or changeable, of many

Minds in a short time.

Fiddle, c. a Writ to Arrest.

Fiddle-faddle, meer silly Stuff, or Nonsense; Idle, Vain Discourse.

Fidlers-pay, Thanks and Wine.

Filch, c. to Steal.

Filchers, c. Thieves, Robbers. A good Filch, c. a Staff, of Ash or Hazel, with a Hole through, and a Spike at the bottom, to pluck Cloathes from a Hedge or any thing out of a Casement.

Filching-cove, c. a Man-thief.

Filching-mort, c. a Wo∣man-thief.

File, c. to Rob, or Cheat. The File, c. a Pick-pocket.

Fine-mouth'd, nice, dainty.

Finical, spruce, neat.

Finify, to trick up, or dress sprucely.

Fire-drakes, Men with a Phenix for their Badge, in Livery, and Pay from the Insurance-Office, to extinguish Fires, cover∣ing their Heads with an Iron-pot, or Head∣piece; also a Fiery Me∣teor, being a great une∣qual Exhalation infla∣med between a Hot and a Cold Cloud.

Fire-ship, a Pockey Whore.

Fire-side, a Health to the Wife and Chil∣dren.

Firkin of soul Stuff, a very Homely coarse corpulent Woman.

Fishing Bill, in Chance∣ry, to make what Dis∣coveries may be. Who Cries Stinking Fish? or who dispraises his own Ware? Good Fish when it is Caught, of what is not got so soon as reckoned upon. All is Fish that comes to Net, of him that flies boldly at all Game. I have other Fish to Fry, I am otherwise taken up, engag'd, or have other Business on my Hands.

Fixen, a froward, pee∣vish,

Child; also a She-Fox.

Fizzle, a little or low∣sounding Fart.

F L

Flabby, flimsy, not sound, firm or solid.

Flagg, c. a Groat; also a coarse rough Stone us'd in Paving. To Flagg, to fall off, droop, decline, or fail; also to suspend or let fall a Suit or Prosecuti∣on. The Flag of Defi∣ance is out, (among the Tarrs) the Fellow's Face is very Red, and he is Drunk.

Flam, a Trick, or Sham-story.

Flanderkin, a very large Fat Man or Horse; also Natives of that Country.

Flanders-fortunes, of small Substance.

Flanders-pieces, Pictures that look fair at a dist∣ance, but coarser near at Hand.

Flapdragon, a Clap or Pox.

Flare, to Shine or glare like a Comet or Beacon.

Flash, c. a Periwig. Rum Flash, c. a long, full, high-priz'd Wig. Queer Flash, c. a sorry wea∣ther-beaten Wig, not worth Stealing, fit only to put on a Pole or dress a Scare-Crow. Flash∣ken, c. a House where Thieves use, and are connived at.

Flasque, a Bottle (or it's resemblance) of Sand, bound about with Iron, into which the melted Metal is by Coyners and others pour∣ed; also a Pottle or five Pints and half, that quantity, formerly of Florence, now of any Wine: A Box for Gun∣powder; a Carriage for Ordinance; an Arch∣line somewhat distant from the corner of the Chief, and swelling by degrees toward the mid∣dle of the Escutcheon.

Flat, dead Drink; al∣so dull Poetry or Dis∣course.

Flavour, Scent of Fruits; as Peaches, Quinces, &c. Or of Wines, as Rhe∣nish, Canary, &c.

Flaunting, tearing-fine. To Flaunt it, to Spark it, or Gallant it.

Flaw, a water-flaw and a crack in Chrystals, as well as a speck in Gemms and Stones.

Flaw'd, c. Drunk.

Flay, to flea or skinn. He'll flay a Flint, of a meer Scrat or Miser.

Flear, to grinn. A Flearing Fool, a grinning silly Fellow.

Fleece, to Rob, Plun∣der or Strip; also Wooll, the true Golden-Fleece of England, a clear Spring, or Flowing Foun∣tain of Wealth.

Fleet, swift of Wing or Foot, in flight or Course, used not only of Birds upon the Wing, but of winged Arrows, resembling them in Flight.

Flegmatic, dull, heavy. A Flegmatic Fellow, a drows yinsipid Tool, an ill Companion.

Flesh-broker, a Match∣maker; also a Bawd; between whom but lit∣tle difference, for they both (usually) take Money.

Flibustiers, West-In∣dian Pirates, or Bueka∣neers, Free-booters.

Flicker, c. a Drink∣ing Glass. Flicker snapt, c. the Glass is broken. Nim the Flicker, c. Steal the Glass. Rum Flicker, c. a large Glass or Rum∣mer. Queer Flicker, c. a Green or ordinary Glass. To Flicker, to grin or flout: Flick∣ering, grinning or laugh∣ing in a Man's Face.

Flicking, c. to cut, cutting.

Flick me some Panam and Cash, c. cut me some Bread and Cheese.

Flick the Peeter, c. cut off the Cloak-bag or Port-manteau.

Flip, Sea Drink, of

small Beer. (chiefly) and Brandy, sweetned and Spiced upon occa∣sion: A Kan of Sir. Clous∣ly, is among the Tarrs, a Kan of choice Flip, with a Lemon squeez'd in, and the Pill hung round.

Flippant, pert and full of Prattle.

Flimsy, flabby, not firm, sound or solid.

Flocks and Herds, Flocks are of lesser Cat∣tel, Herds are of Black Cattel, a Flock of Sheep or Goats, and some∣times of Birds, as Pid∣geons; and in Imitation of the Gregarious Crea∣tures, Men, that are sociable, are said to follow and flock after one another as Sheep, or to flock together to see Shows and Specta∣cles.

Flog, c. to Whip Flog'd, c. severely Lasht.

Flogging-cove, c. the Beadle, or Whipper in Bridewell, or any such Place.

Flogging-stake, c. a Whipping-post.

Flogg'd at the Tumbler, c. Whipt at the Cart's Arse.

Flogging, c. a Naked Wo∣man's whipping (with Rods) an Old (usu∣ally) and (sometimes) a Young Lecher. As the Prancer drew the Queer-Cove, at the crop∣ping of the Rotan, the Rum Pads of the Rum vile, and was Flogg'd by the Rum Cove, c. the Rogue was dragg'd at the Cart's tail through the chief Streets of London, and was soundly Whipt by the Hangman.

Florence, a Wench that is rouz'd and ruff∣led.

Florentine, a made Dish of Minced Meats, Currans, Spice, Eggs, &c. Bak'd.

Flounce, to toss, to fling and flounce, to fling and toss.

Flout, a jeer, to flout or jeer.

Flummery, a cleans∣ing

Dish made of Oat∣meal boyl'd in Water to a kind of Jelly or Consistence and strain∣ed.

Flush in the Pocket, c. full of Money. The Cull is flush in the Fob, the Spark's Pocket is well Lined with Money. Flushing in the Face, a frequent redning, occasion'd by a sudden Question, sur∣prize, and also from a distemper'd Liver.

Flustered. Drunk.

Flute, c. the Recorder of London, or of any other Town.

Flutter, or Flie low, anciently to Flitter, hence a Flitter-mouse or Bat; as much as to say, a Fly∣ing Mouse, as an Owl is a Flying-Cat.

Flyers, c. Shoes.

Flying-Camps, Beggers plying in Bodies at Fu∣nerals.

F O

Fob, c. a cheat, trick; also a little Pocket.

Fob off, slyly to cheat or deceive.

Fogus, c. Tobacco. Tip me gage of Fogus, c. give me a Pipe of To∣bacco.

Foiling, the Footing of Deer on the Grass, scarce seen.

Folks, the Servants, or ordinary People, as Country-folks, Harvest-Folks, Work-folks, &c. The Folks Bread or Pud∣ding, for the coarsest Bread or Pudding.

Fool's Coat, or Colours, a Motley of incon∣gruous Colours too near a Kin to match, as Red and Yellow, which is the Fool's Coat with us, as Blew and Green is with the French. A Fool's-Coat, a Tulip so called, striped with Red and Yellow.

Fools-Cap, a sort of Paper so called.

Footman's Mawnd, c. an artificial Sore made with unslack'd Lime, Soap and the Rust of old Iron, on the Back

of a Begger's hand, as if hurt by the bite or kick of a Horse.

Foot-pad, c. see Low∣pad, for one Foot in the Grave, a Pariphrasis an old Man. He has the length of his Foot.

Fop, Foppish, one that is singular or affected in Dress, Gestures, &c.

Foplin, the same, on∣ly younger.

Forebode, to presage, betoken or fore-show.

Foreboding-signs, tokens, Presages of ill Luck; as spilling of the Salt, a Hare's crossing the Way; Croaking of Ravens; Screaking of Screach-Owls. Or of ill Weather, either natural Signs or artificial; as, Aches, Corns, Cry of a Peacock, Water-galls, Weather-Glasses, &c.

Forecast, contrivance or laying a design; Pre∣caution, or the Wisdom of Prevention, which is beyond the Wisdom of Remedy. To Forecast, to contrive, or digest Matters for Execution.

Foreman of the Jury, he that engrosses all the Talk to himself.

Forestall, to antedate or anticipate.

Fork, c. a Pick-pocket. Let's fork him, c. let us Pick that Man's Pocket, the newest and most dextrous way: It is, to thrust the Fingers, strait, stiff, open, and very quick into the Pocket, and so closing them, hook what can be held between them.

Fork is often Rakes Heir, or after a scraping Father comes a scatter∣ing Son.

Forlorn-hope, c. losing Gamesters; also in ano∣ther Sense, a Party of Soldiers, &c. put upon the most desperate Ser∣vice.

Fort, the broad Part of the Sword-blade near∣est to the Hilt.

Fortune, a rich Maid, or wealthy Widdow, an Heiress.

Fortune-hunters, Pur∣suers of such to obtain

them in Marriage. A Creature of Fortune, one that Lives by his Wits. A Soldier of Fortune, the Heir of his own Right∣hand as the Spaniards call him. A Gamester of Fortune, one that Lives by shaking his Elbow. He has made his Fortune, he has got a good E∣state.

Fortune-Tellers, c. the Judges of Life and Death, so called by the Canting Crew: Also Astrologers, Physiognomists, Chiroman∣cers, &c.

• ...Founder'd
  • Horse, Lame.
  • Ship at Sea▪ that sprung a Leak and Sunk down∣right.

Foundling, a Child dropt in the Streets for the Parish (the most a∣ble) to keep.

Foul Jade, an ordinary coarse Woman.

Foul Wine, when it stinks; also when unfine, or Lees flying in the Glass.

Fox, the second Year; also a sharp cunning Fellow. Fox'd, Drunk. He has caught a Fox, he is very Drunk. An old Fox, after the second Year; also a subtil old Fellow; also an old broad Sword. A Fox-blade, a Sword-blade with a Fox (or some thing like it) Grav'd on it, esteem'd good Me∣tal.

Foxkennelleth, Lodg∣eth.

Foy, a farewell or tak∣ing leave, usually a Part∣ing-glass. To Pay his Foy, to make his Friends Merry, before he leaves them.

Foyl-cloy, c. a Pick-pocket, a Thief, a Rogue.

Foyst, c. a Cheat a Rogue; also a close strong Stink, without Noise or Report.

F R

Fraters, c. the eighth Or∣der of Canters, such as Beg with a Sham-pa∣tents

or Briefs for Spitals, Prisons, Fires. &c.

Fray, an Encounter, or Disorder. Better come at the latter end of a Feast, than the beginning of a Fray. To Fray, to scare or frighten; also to break or crack in wearing. Hence frail, brittle or soon broke; and when Deer rub and push their Heads against Trees to get the pells of their new Horns off.

Freak, a Whim or Maggot.

Freakish, Fantastic, Whimsical, Capricious.

Freameth, see Wild Boar.

Free-booters, Lawless Robbers, and Plunderers; also Soldiers serving for that Privilege without Pay, and Inroaders.

Freeholder, he whose Wife goes with him to the Ale-house; also he that has to the Value of Fourty Shillings (or more) a Year in Land.

Freeze, a thin, small, hard Cyder much us'd by Vintners and Coo∣pers in parting their Wines, to lower the Price of them, and to advance their Gain.

French Gout, the Pox. A blow with a French Faggot-Stick, when the Nose is fallen by the Pox.

Frenchified, in the French Interest or Mode; also Clapt or Poxt.

Fresh-man, a Novice, in the University.

Fresh-water-seamen, that have never been on the Salt, or made any Voyage, meer Land-Men.

Fret▪ to fume▪or chafe; also Wine in ferment∣ing is said to be upon the Fret.

Fricassee, any Fried Meats, but chiefly of Rabbets.

Friggat well rigg'd, a Woman well Drest and Gentile.

Frigid, a weak disa∣bled Husband, cold, im∣potent.

Frippery, old Clothes.

Froe, c. for Urowe, (Dutch) a Wife, Mi∣stress, or Whore Brush to your Froe, (or Bloss,) and wheedle for Crap, c. whip to your Mistress and speak her fair to give, or lend you some Money.

Frog-landers, Dutch∣men.

Frolicks, lewd or mer∣ry Pranks, pleasant Ram∣bles, and mad Vaga∣ries.

Frummagem'd, c. choak∣ed.

Frump, a dry Bob, or Jest.

F U

Fuants, Excrements of all Vermin.

Fubbs, a loving, fond Word used to prety lit∣tle Children and Wo∣men; also the Name of a Yacht.

Fuddle, Drink. This is Rum fuddle, c. this is excellent Tipple.

Fuddle-cap, a Drunk∣ard.

Fulsom, is a Nauseous sort of Excess; as ful∣som fat, loathsom fat, or fat to loathing. Fulsom flattery, nauseous or gross Flattery laid on too thick; as Embroidery too thick Laid on is dawbing with Gold or Silver-lace.

Fumbler, an unperform∣ing Husband, one that is insufficient, a weak Brother.

Fumblers▪Hall, the Place where such are to be put for their Nonper∣formance.

Fun, c. a Cheat, or slippery Trick; also an Arse. What do you fun me? Do you think to Sharp or Trick me? I'll Kick your Fun, c. I'll Kick your Arse. He put the Fun upon the Cull, c. he sharp'd the Fellow. I Funn▪d him, c. I was too hard for him, I out-wit∣ted or rook'd him.

Fund, or Fond, a Bank, or Stock or Ex∣chequer of Money, or Moneys worth; also a Bottom or Foundation.

A Staunch Fund, a good Security.

Funk, c. TobaccoSmoak; also a strong Smell or Stink. What a Funk here is! What a thick Smoak of Tobacco is here! Here's a damn'd Funk, here's a great Stink.

Furbish-up, to Scrub-up, to Scowre, or Refresh old Armour, &c. He is mightily Furbish'd-up on a suddain, when a Man not accustom'd to wear fine Cloaths, gets a▪ good Suit on his Back.

Fur-men, c. Aldermen:

Fussocks, a meer Fus∣socks, a Lazy Fat-Ars'd Wench. A Fat Fussocks, a Flusom, Fat, Strapping Woman.

Fustian-verse. Verse in Words of Iofty Sound, and humble Sense.

Fustiluggs, a Fulsom, Beastly, Nasty Woman.