Thieves’ cant. Obs. Also 6 stawlinge-, staulinge-, 7 stawling-, stuling-. [f. stalling, vbl. sb. f. STALL v.2 + KEN sb.] (See quots.)
1567. Harman, Caveat, 32. Whych [pigs or poultry] they brynge to their stawlinge kens, which is their typplyng houses. Ibid., 83. A staulinge ken, a house that wyll receaue stolen ware.
1621. B. Jonson, Masque Gypsies (1640), 48. Till … he be able to beate it on the hoofe to the bene bouse, or the stauling Ken.
1624. Bp. Mountagu, Gagg, Pref. 17. They and their Trulls may meet at their stawling kenns with such clapper dogeons as your selfe.
1676. Coles, Dict., Stalling-ken, a brokers, or any house that receives stolen goods.
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, Stalling-ken. Ibid., Stuling-ken. Also in later Dicts.
