or butter-box, subs. phr. (old).—1. A Dutchman.
1600. DEKKER, The Gentle Craft [Works (1873) I. 21]. We have not men enow, but wee must entertaine every BUTTER-BOX.
1620. Westward for Smelts [NARES]. At this time of the yeere, the pudding-house at Brooke’s wharfe is watched by the Hollanders eeles-ships, lest the inhabitants, contrarie to the law, should spill the bloud of innocents, which would be greatly to the hinderance of these BUTTER-BOXES.
1650. HOWELL, Familiar Letters. And for the latter strength we may thank our countryman Ward, and Dansker the BUTTERBAG Hollander, which may be said to have bin two of the fatallest and most infamoust men that ever Christendom bred.
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew. BUTTER-BOXES, Dutchmen.
1707. WARD, Hudibras Redivivus, II. iv.
| The fro believing from my joaks, | |
| I fancy’d not her BUTTER-BOX, | |
| Cock’d up her head, took leave in scorn, | |
| To seek one fitter for her turn. |
1811. GROSE and CLARKE, Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v. BUTTER BOX. A Dutchman, from the great quantity of butter eaten by the people of that country.
