also buckle-beggar, subs. (old).—A celebrant of irregular marriages—as the Chaplain of the Fleet; a hedge priest. A Spanish colloquialism for such a marriage is bodijo.
1737. SWIFT, Proposal for Badges to the Beggars. Nay, their happiness is often deferred until they find credit to borrow, or cunning to steal, a shilling to pay their popish priest, or infamous COUPLE-BEGGAR.
1842. LEVER, Handy Andy, ch. xxix. This was a degraded clergyman, known in Ireland under the title of COUPLE-BEGGAR, who was ready to perform irregular marriages on such urgent occasions as the present.
