Some 16th and 17th Century Underworld Characters

Introduction

England in the 16th and 17th Century was a society in constant change. Empire building. Wars with Spain (and itself). Political and religious upheavals. But no matter what period of history, one section of society stays fairly constant: that of the criminal underworld.

The names and quotations in this article stretch from 1552 to 1698, covering roughly 150 years. This period is completely arbitrary, though it fits broadly with the emergence of modern English spelling and pronunciation. The entries show part of the evolution of the English language. The content of the entries, however, shows that perhaps societies don't evolve that much at all. Many of the "types" are still with us. "Fence", for example has the same meaning today as it did in 1698.

Some of the words are Cant, the language of the criminal underworld. Thomas Dekker in the early17th described it thus:

"To Cant, (that is to say) to be a Vagabond and Beg, and to speake that pedlars French … which is to be found among none but the Beggars."

Dekker The Belman of London 1608

Here, "to cant" is a verb meaning to talk as beggars do. A modern definition is:

"the specialised vocabulary of a particular group, such as thieves or lawyers."
Collins English Dictionary

This list of Figging Law (pickpocketry) gives some of the flavour of mid-16th Century Cant:

The Cupurse - a Nip

He that is halfe with him - the Snap

The knife - the Cutting Boung

The pickepocket - the Foin

He that faceth the man [victim] - the Stale

Taking the purse - Drawing

Spying of him - Smoking

The purse - the Bong

The monie - the Shels

The act of doing - striking

Walker Diceplay 1552

e.g.: After the Snap has smoked a Stale, the Nip approaches and draws his bong with his Cutting Boung, etc.

[See Nip and Foist below]

It is sometimes difficult to differentiate between proper cant and slang, but that is out-with the scope of this article as is the nature, origin and history of Cant.

What follows instead is a selection of characters in chronological order. Some words remain untranslated ¹ but the general meaning is plain throughout. Not all are criminals, some are those who have found themselves involved with the criminal underworld.

Characters of the Underworld ²

Cousin

A professional gambler's term for a prospective victim.

"Be they young, be they old, that falleth into our laps, and be ignorant of our arte, we call them all by the name of couzin; as men that we make as much of as if they were of our kin"

Walker Diceplay 1552

Upright Man

The head beggar who controls others by intimidation and violence.

"An Upright man is one that goeth wyth the trunchion of a staffe, which staffe they cal a Filtchman. This man is of so much authority, that meeting with any of his profession, he may cal them to accompt, and commaund a share or snap unto him selfe, of al that they have gained by their trade in one moneth, And if he doo them wrong, they have no rememdy agaynst hym, no though he beat them, as he useth commonly to do. He may also commaund any of their women, which they call Doxies ³ below to serve his turne. He hath ye chief place at any market walke, and other assemblies, and is not of any to be contolled."

Awdeley The Fratermitye of Vacabondes 1562

Dell

A young girl who finds herself attached to beggars after being left orphaned or running away from home/serving duties.

"A Dell is a younge wenche, able for generation and not yet knowen or broken by the upright man. These go abroade yong, eyther by the death of their parentes, and no bodye unto them, or els by some sharp mystress that they serve, do runne away out of service; either she is naturally borne one, and then she is a wyld Dell: these are broken very yonge; when they have been lyen with all by the upright man, then they be Doxes and no Dels. These wylde dels, beinge traded up with their monstrous mothers, must of necessaytie be evill, or worsse, than their parents, for neither we gather grapes from greene bryars, neither fygs from Thystels. But such buds, such blosoms, such evyll seed sowen, wel worsse being growen"

Harman A Caveat 1566

Harmen beck

A policeman.

"The harmen beck, the Constable"

Harman A Caveat 1566

Prigger of Pauncers

A horse thief.

"A Prigger of Pauncers be horse stealers; for to prigge signifieth in their language to steale and a Prauncer is a horse; so being put together, the matter is playne. These go commonly in Jerkins of leatherr, or of white frese, and carry little wands in their hands, and will walke through grounds or pasture, to search and se horses meet for their purpose. And And if they chaunce to be met and asked by the owners of the grounde what they make there, they fayne strayghte that they have lost their waye."

Harman A Caveat 1566

High Lawyer

A highwayman who practices High Law [robbery on the highways].

"The High Lawyer that challength a purse by the way side"

Green A Notable Discovery of Cosnage 1591

Nip and Foyst

Two varieties of pickpocket. Foyst is the same as Foist, Foin, Foyne, etc...

"The Nip and the foyst, although theyr subject is one which they work on, that is, a well-lined purse, yet their manner is different, for the Nip useth his knife, and the foyst his hand: the one cutting the purse [or the purse-strings], the other drawing pocket: but of these two scurvy trades, the Foyst holdeth himself of the highest degree and therefore tearme themselves Gentlemen foysts, and so much disdain to be called Cut-purses… that the Foyst refuseth even to wear a knife about him, least he be suspected to grow into the nature of a nip."

Greene Second Conny-catching 1592

Bawdy Basket

Women of easy virtue.

"they are faire-spoken [women], and will seldome sweare whilst they are selling theire waires but will lye with any man that hath a mind to their commodities."

Dekker The Belman of London 1608

Dopey

A beggar's prostitute. Synonomous with Doxie (see Dell above)

"These Dells... after the Upright Men have deflowered them, ... then they are free for any of the brother-hood and are called Dells no more but Dopeys… When thay have gotten the title of Dopies… they walke for the most part with their betters called Morts, but wheresoever an Upright Man is in presenc, the Dopye is onlye at his command"

Dekker The Belman of London 1608

Lifter

A thief who pretends to be a servant of a rich man so as to steal his belongings from an inn.

"Then there is a kind of Lift, who like a Jugler doth all his feates of himselfe, not caring for the help of others; he goes attired like a Servingman, booted and spurrd and dirtie as if hee had new ridden; his haunts are the best townes in the countrie upon market dayes, but most commonly Faires; the birdes he watches for are Knights, Esquires or Gentlemen, that light at the greatest Innes, whither most resort is; who shall no sooner come form horse, but this Lifter is ready to hold his stirrop, or too walk his horse, as officiously as if he wore his cloth: So that to the Guest he seems to be one belonging to to the house, and to the servants of the house he appears to bee a followerof the Gentleman newly alighted. But the Guest being departed from his Inne, to the towne or into the faire, back comes this counterfeit Blewcoat, running in all haste for his masters cloake-bag or portmatua, and calls to the ostler or chamberlaine by his name to deliver it, because some things must be taken out for his Knight, or the Gentleman his maister, that are in it. The prey is (hereupon) into the Vultures tallents, and away flies he presently to his neste, to feede and fat his ravenous gorge with garbage which he hath gotten."

Dekker The Belman of London 1608

Leaders, Forlone Hopes, Woodpeckers, Gulls, Gull Groper, Eagles

Gamblers slang for a variety of individuals.

"They that sit downe to play [in a card game] are at first called Leaders. They that sit lose, are the Forlone Hope. He that stands by and ventures is the Woodpecker. The fresh Gallant that is fetcht in, is the Gull. He that stands by, and leads, is the Gull Groper. He that is the winning Gamester, is the Eagle."

Dekker Lanthorne and candle-light 1608-09

Abraham Cove

A type of begger

"A lustie strong Roague who walketh with a Slade about his quarrons [wrapped in a sheet], Trining, hanging to his hammes, bandelier-wise… A face staring like a Sarasin, his hair long and filthy knotted… a good Filche (or Staffe)… in his Famble [hand]… and sometimes a sharpe sticke, on which he hangeth Ruffpecke. These walking up and downe the Countrey are more terribly to women and children, than the name of Raw-Head and Bloudy-bones..., so that when they come to any doore a begging, nothing is denyed them."

Dekker O per se O 1612

Nicker

"One who cheats at dice or cards"

Anon Leathermore's Advice concerning Gaming 1666

Tongue-padder

One who obtains information about passengers on a coach which he then passes on to his colleague, the highwayman.

"A tongue-padder...is one that hath a fine Tongue, a quick Wit, and can speak several Languages"

Anon A Warning for House Keepers 1676

Cadator

A con-man. See also Mumper below.

"One of those gentile Mumpers we call Cadators; he goes a circuit around England once a year, and the pretence of a decay’d Gentleman, gets both Money and Entertainment at every good House he comes at. And if he has Opertunity to handsomly convey away a Silver Beaker, or a Spoon or Two, he holds no long dispute with his Conscience about the Honesty of the Matter."

Ward The London Spy 1698

Fence

"A receiver and Securer of Stolen goods."

B.E. The Canting Crew 1698

Mumper

"Gentile-Beggers who will not accept of Victuals but Money or Clothes"

B.E. The Canting Crew 1698

Rum Chub

"A rich Fool, that can easily be Bit, or Cheated by anybody; also one that is very generous and kind to a Mistress."

B.E. The Canting Crew 1698