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The Vulgar Tongue confifts of two parts: the first is the Cant Language, called fometimes Pedlars French, or St. Giles's Greek; the fecond, thofe burlefque phrases, quaint allufions, and nick-names for perfons, things, and places, which, from long uninterrupted usage, are made claffical by prescription..

Respecting the first, that is, the canting. language, take the account given of its origin, and the catastrophe of its inftitutor, from Mr. Harrison's Description of England, prefixed to Hollingshead's Chronicle; where, treating of beggars, gypfies, &c. he says, "It is not yet fifty years fith this trade began but how it hath profpered fithens

that time, it is easy to judge; for they are "now fuppofed, of one fexe and another, "to amount unto above ten thousand per

fons, as I have harde reported. More"over, in counterfeiting the Egyptian roges,' they have devifed a language among themfelves, which they name Canting, but "others Pediars French, a fpeache compact

thirty yeares fince of English, and a great "number of odde wordes of their own devifing, without all order or reafon; and yet fuch it is, as none but themselves are

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"able

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xi

"able to understand. The first devifer "thereof was hanged by the neck, as a just "reward, no doubt, for his defartes, and a common end to all of that profeffion.

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"A gentleman (Mr. Thomas Harman) "alfo of late hath taken great paines to "search out the fecret practizes of this un

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gracious rabble; and, among other things, "he fetteth down and defcribeth twenty-two "forts of them, whofe names it fhall not "be amiffe to remember, whereby each one "nry gather what wicked people they are, "at. what villany remaineth in them."

For this lift fee the word CREW.-This was the origin of the cant language; its terms have been collected from the following Treatises:

The Bellman of London, bringing to light the most notorious villanies that are now practised in the kingdom. Profitable for gentlemen, lawyers, merchants, citizens, farmers, mafters of households, and all forts of fervants, to marke, and delightfull for men to reade.-Lege, Perlege, Relege.1608.

PREFACE TO THE

Thieves falling out, true men come by their goods.-1615.

English Villanies, feven feverall times preft to death by the printers; but (still reviving againe) are now the eighth time (as the first) difcovered by lanthorne and candle-light: and the helpe of a new cryer, called O-per-fe O; whose loud voyce proclaimes, to all that will heare him, another confpiracy of abuses lately plotting together, to hurt the peace of the ki gdom; which the bell-man (because he ther went stumbling i'th' dark) could never fee till now; and because a comp ty of rogues, cunning canting gypfies, and ell the scumme of our nation, fight under their tattered colours. At the end is a canting dictionary to teach their language, with canting fongs. A booke to make gentlemen merry, citizens warie, countrymen carefull; fit for juftices to reade över, because it is a pilot by whom they may make ftrange difcoveries.- London, 1638.

Bailey's, and the new Canting Dictionary, -have alfo been confulted, with the History -of Bamfield More Carew, the Seffions Papers, and other modern authoriti

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many of these terms are ftill profeffionally ufed by our prefent race of free-booters of different denominations, who seem to have established a fyftematical manner of carrying on their business, a knowledge of them may therefore be useful to gentlemen in the commiffion of the peace.

The fecond part, or burlefque terms, have been drawn from the most claffical authorities; fuch as foldiers on the long march, feamen at the capftern, ladies difpofing of their fish, and the colloquies of a Gravesend boat.

Many heroic fentences, expreffing and inculcating a contempt of death, have been caught from the mouths of the applauding populace, attending thofe triumphant proceffions up Holborn-hill, with which many an unfortunate hero till lately finished his course and various choice flowers have been collected at executions, as well thofe authorized by the sentence of the law, and performed under the direction of the fheriff, as those inflicted under the authority and in

ion of that impartial and summary

called the Mob, upon the pick pockets,'

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pockets, informers, or other unpopular criminals.

In the courfe of this work many ludicrous games and customs are explained, which are. not to be met with in any other book: the fucceffion of the finishers of the law, the abolition of the triumph or ovation of Holborn Hill, with the introduction of the prefent mode of execution at Newgate, are chronologically ascertained; points of great importance to both the present and future compilers of the Tyburn Chronicle.

To prevent any charge of immorality being brought against this work, the Editor begs leave to observe, that when an indelicate or immodeft word has obtruded itself for explanation, he has endeavoured to get rid of it in the most decent manner poffible; and none have been admitted but fuch as either could not be left out without rendering the work incomplete, or in some meafure compenfate by their wit for the trefpafs committed on decorum. Indeed, respecting this matter, he can with great truth make the fame defence that Falstaff ludicrously urges in behalf of one engaged in rebellion,