subs. phr. (old).—A poor lodging; a jail. Fr., Hôtel de la modestie = the Poor Man’s Arms.

1

  1608.  The Penniles Parliament of Threed-bare Poets. Those that depend on destiny, and not on God, may chance look through a narrow lattice at FOOTMANS INN.

2

  1612.  ROWLANDS, The Knave of Hearts.

        Which at the heeles so hants his frighted ghost,
That he at last, in FOOT-MAN’S INNE must host,
Some castle dolorous compos’d of stone,
Like (let me see) Newgate is such a one.

3