subs. (old).—Explained in quots.—See CRANKE.

1

  1567.  HARMAN, A Caveat. These that do COUNTERFET THE CRANKE be yong knaves and yonge harlots, that deeply dissemble the falling sickness.

2

  1621.  BURTON, The Anatomy of Melancholy, p. 159. A lawyer of Bruges hath some notable examples of such COUNTERFEIT CRANKS. Ibid., 436. Thou art a COUNTERFEIT CRANK; a cheater.

3

  1622.  FLETCHER, Beggar’s Bush, ii., 1.

        And these, what name or title e’er they bear,
Jarkman, or Patrico, CRANKE, or Clapper-dudgeon,
Frater, or Abram-man, I speak to all
That stand in fair election for the title
Of King of Beggars.

4

  1671.  R. HEAD, The English Rogue, pt. I., ch. v., p. 39 (1874), s.v.

5