or hemp-seed, stretch-hemp, hemp-string, hempy, subs. (old).—1. A rogue; a candidate fit for the gallows. Frequently used jocularly. A CRACK-HALTER (q.v.). Fr., une graine de bagne.
1532. MORE, Confutation of Tindale in Wks. [1557], folio 715. [He] feareth [not] to mocke the Sacrament, the blessed body of God, and ful like a STRETCH HEMPE, call it but cake, bred, or starch.
1566. GASCOIGNE, Supposes, iv., 2 [HAZLITT (1869), Poems, i. 232]. Ps. If I come neere you, HEMPSTRING, I will teache you to sing sol fa.
1598. SHAKESPEARE, 2 Henry IV., ii. 1. Do, do, thou rogue, thou HEMP-SEED!
1606. CHAPMAN, Monsieur D’Olive, Act v., p. 135 (Plays, 1874). Van. A perfect young HEMPSTRING. Va. Peace, least he overhear you.
1659. Lady Alimony, iv., 6 [DODSLEY, Old Plays (HAZLITT), 4th ed., 1875, xiv., p. 350]. Flo. Now, you HEMP-STRINGS, had you no time to nim us, but when we were upon our visits?
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v. HEMP. YOUNG HEMP; an appellation for a graceless boy.
1817. SCOTT, Rob Roy, ch. xxxiv. She’s under lawful authority now; and full time, for she was a daft HEMPIE.
1839. W. H. AINSWORTH, Jack Sheppard [Ed. 1840], p. 139. ‘We’ll see that, young HEMPSEED,’ replied Sharples.
2. (old).—A halter.
1754. FIELDING, Jonathan Wild, iv. 14. Laudanum, therefore, being unable to stop the health of our hero, which the fruit of HEMPSEED, and not the spirit of poppy-seed, was to overcome….
Verb (American).—To choke or strangle.
1859. G. W. MATSELL, Vocabulum; or, The Rogue’s Lexicon, s.v.
TO WAG HEMP IN THE WIND, verb. phr. (old).—To be hanged. See HEMPEN FEVER and LADDER.
1532. MORE, Confutation of Tindale, in Wks. [1557], folio 715. Tindall calleth blessing and crossynge but wagging of folkes fingers in the æyre, and feareth not (like one yt would at length WAGGE HEMPE IN THE WINDE) to mocke at all such miracles.
