subs. (common).—1. A generic term of abuse and contempt: spec. a mean, or low fellow; and (2) in pl. = the small cards from the deuce to the ten. Hence BEGGAR’S-BROUN = scotch snuff (made of the stem of tabacco leaf); BEGGAR’S-BULLET = a stone: also BEGGAR’S-BOLT; BEGGAR-MAKER = a publican; BEGGAR-NIGGLER = one who toys with a beggar-woman; BEGGAR’S-PLUSH = corduroy; BEGGAR’S-VELVET = downy particles which accumulate under furniture, otherwise called SLUTS’-WOOL (q.v.). Also in phrases, to go home by BEGGAR’S-BUSH = to go to ruin: also BEGGAR’S-STAFF: according to Miège, BEGGAR’S-BUSH = a rendezvous for beggars: see quot. 1868, but there are other places so-named, e.g., Russell Hill near Croydon is locally so-known, and many punning allusions depend on the name of a place: cf. Peckham, Holloway, Clapham, Needham and many others. TO SWEAR BY NO BEGGARS = to swear hard, to pledge one’s word solemnly. Likewise in many contemptuous proverbs.—‘A BEGGAR’S wallet is never filled’ (1539); ‘BEGGARS should not be choosers’ (1562); ‘A BEGGAR may sing before a thief’ (1562); ‘I know him as well as a BEGGAR knows his bag (or dish’); ‘BEGGARS mounted run their horses to death’; ‘Rich when young, a BEGGAR when old’; ‘As great as BEGGARS’; ‘Sue a BEGGAR and catch a louse’; ‘Set a BEGGAR on horseback and he’ll ride to the devil’ (or the jakes), i.e., sudden accession to wealth often induces pride that will not allow of walking, to the place where even the king goes on foot; and many others (see quots.).
c. 1300. Cursor Mundi, 13662.
| ‘Herd yee þis lurdan,’ coth þai, | |
| ‘Hu he wald lere vs nu vr lai, | |
| þat BEGGAR þat in sin was goten!’ |
c. 1460. Towneley Mysteries, 70.
| If siche a BEGGERE shold | |
| My kyngdom thus reyf me. |
[?]. Ms. Addit., 5008. So that dyvers of our saylors were much offended, and sayd, SET A BEGGER ON HORSBACKE and he wyl ryde unreasonablye.
1506. Plumpton Correspondence, 199. We are brought to BEGGAR STAFFE.
1539. TAVERNER, Proverbs of Erasmus (1522), 9. One BEGGAR byddeth wo that another by the dore shuld go. Ibid., 39. A BEGGARS SCRYP is never fylled.
1562. HEYWOOD, Proverbs and Epigrams (1867), 23. BEGGERS SHOULD BE NO CHOOSERS. Ibid., 38. The BEGGAR MAIE SYNG BEFORE THE THEEFE. Ibid., 171. I KNOW HIM AS WELL AS THE BEGGER KNOWTH HIS BAG.
1581. B. RICH, Farewell to Militarie Profession. This Letter brought Mistres Doritie into suche a furie when she had perused it, that she sware BY NO BEGGERS she would be reuenged vpon the Doctor.
1584. HUDSON, Judith [SYLVESTER, Du Bartas (1608), 698].
| A packe of country clowns … that them to battail bownes, | |
| With BEGGERS BOLTS and LEVERS. |
1592. GREENE, A Quip for an Upstart Courtier (1891), 6. Walking home by BEGGER’S BUSH for a pennance.
1594. Contention (1843) 2nd Pt., 132. BEGGERS MOUNTED run their horse to death.
1613. The Vncasing of Machivils Instructions to his Sonne, 7.
| And thou do proue the prouerbe often tolde, | |
| ‘A CARELESSE COURTIER YONG, A BEGGER OLDE.’ |
1614. Terence in English. For even this Pamphilus, how often did he SWARE deepely BY NO BEGGERS unto Bacchis, even so, that anybody in the world might have beleeved him, that so long as shee lived, he would not take him a wife; but loe he is married.
1617. FYNES MORYSON, An Itinerary, III. II. i. 6. Who know the way ASWELL AS A BEGGER knowes HIS DISH.
c. 1640. JOHN DAY, Peregrinatic Scholastica or Learninges Pilgrimage (1881), 73. Notwithstanding … Industry … he was forct to take a napp at BEGGARS BUSHE.
1652. R. BROME, A Joviall Crew, ii. Do we look like old BEGGAR-NIGLERS?
1677. A. YARRANTON, England’s Improvement by Sea and Land, 99. We are almost at BEGGARS-BUSH, and we cannot tell how to help our selves.
1680. W. WALKER, Idiomatologia Anglo-Latina, 46. SUE A BEGGAR; and CATCH A LOUSE.
1682. BUNYAN, Holy War, 260. When Cerberus and Mr. Profane met, they were presently as GREAT AS BEGGARS.
1686. Twelve Ingenious Characters. He throws away his wealth as heartily as young heirs, or old philosophers, and is so eager of a goal, or a mumper’s wallet, that he will not wait fortune’s leisure to undo him, but rides post to BEGGAR’S BUSH, and then takes more pains to spend money than day-labourers to get it.
1688. London Gazette, No. 2370, page 4. A person … in a dark grey Cloth Coat … Breeches of BEGGAR’S PLUSH.
16[?]. CLEVELAND, Midsummer Moon, 180. If a man be a Tree invers’d, he’s BEGGARS-BUSH.
1710. SWIFT, Polite Conversation, i. Lady Ans. Do you know him, Mr. Neverout? Nev. Know him? Ay, Madam, AS WELL AS A BEGGAR KNOWS HIS DISH.
1711. London Gazette, 4888. 3. A green BEGGARS VELVET Trock with Metal Buttons.
17[?]. PRIOR, The Conversation, 79.
| Know him! d’ye question it? Odds-fish! | |
| Sir, does A BEGGER KNOW HIS DISH? |
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. ‘The BEGGARS BULLETS began to fly; i.e., they began to throw stones.
1809. MALKIN, Gil Blas [ROUTLEDGE], 43. I would have made a man of him, but the BEGGAR ON HORSEBACK gave himself airs to Dame Jacintha.
1809. COBBETT, Political Register, XV, xii, 429. Our own old saying, ‘SET A BEGGAR ON HORSEBACK, AND HE’LL RIDE TO THE DEVIL.
1867. BROUGHTON, Not Wisely, but too Well, xvi. They say I’m a sulky, ill-conditioned sort of BEGGAR.
1868. BREWER, Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, 78. BEGGAR’S BUSH. TO GO BY BEGGAR’S BUSH (or) GO HOME BY BEGGAR’S BUSH, i.e., to go to ruin. BEGGAR’S BUSH is the name of a tree which once stood on the left hand of the London road from Huntingdon to Caxton, so called because it was a noted rendezvous for beggars. These punning phrases and proverbs are very common.
2. (colloquial).—An endearment: e.g., LITTLE BEGGAR, SAUCY BEGGAR, etc.: cf. BAGGAGE, DOG, ROGUE, MONKEY, etc. Also in jocular or familiar speech generally.
1833. MARRYAT, Peter Simple, II. xiv. Sir John left Sir Hyde Parker, with six sail of the line, to watch the Spanish BEGGARS.
1857. T. HUGHES, Tom Brown’s School-days, I. viii. You’re uncommon good-hearted LITTLE BEGGARS.
1873. W. BLACK, A Princess of Thule, xvii. The cheekiest YOUNG BEGGAR I have the pleasure to know.
Verb. (colloquial).—To confound: e.g., ‘BEGGAR the thing’! = Hang it! ‘I’ll be BEGGARED if I do’! = an emphatic asservation; i.e., ‘I’ll give up everything, even to being reduced to beggary, if,’ etc.: often with an eye on BUGGER (q.v.).
STURDY BEGGAR, subs. phr. (old).—An able-bodied man, begging without cause, and frequently by violence and menace: cf. ABRAM-MAN and BEDLAM.
1538. T. STARKEY, England in the Reign of King Henry the Eighth (1871), 176. Thys grete nombur of STURDY BEGGARYS therby schold vtturly be taken away.
1597. Act 39 Elizabeth, IV. 1. For the suppressing of rogues, vagabonds and STURDY BEGGERS.
1711. STEELE, The Spectator, No. 48, 25 April. The Heroes appear only like STURDY BEGGARS.
1860. R. A. VAUGHAN, Hours with the Mystics, I, 143. There are some STURDY BEGGARS who wander about the country availing themselves of the name of Beghard to lead an idle life.
