Also 6 kene. [Vagabonds’ slang.] A house; esp. a house where thieves, beggars, or disreputable characters meet or lodge. Freq. with qualifying words, as bousing-, dancing-, smuggling-, stalling-, touting-ken (q.v.) Phr. to burn the ken (see quot. 1725).
1567. Harman, Caveat (1869), 83. A ken, a house. Ibid., 85. Tower ye [= look you], yander is the kene.
1622. Fletcher, Beggar’s Bush, V. i. Surprising a boore’s ken for grunting cheates.
1641. Brome, Joviall Crew, II. Wks. 1873, III. 388. Bowse a health to the Gentry Cofe of the Ken.
1725. New Cant. Dict., Burnt the Ken, when Strollers leave the Ale-house, without paying their Quarters.
1800. Sporting Mag., XVI. 26. Called at a ken in the way home.
1851. Mayhew, Lond. Labour, I. 351/2. Up she goes to any likely ken,… and commences begging.
1860. Dixon, Pers. Hist. Ld. Bacon, v. § 15. These … skulk about the kens of Newgate Street.
