subs. phr. (old).—A girl: an endearment: see TITTER. Hence (2), a woman’s eye.—B. E. (c. 1696); GROSE (1785).
13[?] CHAUCER, The Remedy of Love. Come hither, ye PIGGESNYE, ye little babe.
d. 1529. SKELTON [DYCE, Works, i. 20, 19].
| Good mastres Anne there ye do shayle. | |
| What prate ye praty pyggys ny. |
1534. UDALL, Roister Doister [ARBER, i. 4, p. 27]. M. Mery. Then ist mine owne PYGS NIE, and blessing on my hart.
1580. SIDNEY, Arcadia, 277. Miso, mine own PIGSNIE, thou shalt have news of Dametas.
d. 1588. TARLETON, Horse Loade of Fooles [HALLIWELL]. The player fooles deare darling PIGSNIE.
1594. J. LYLY, Mother Bombie, ii. 2. PIGSNIE is put vp, & therefore now Ile let him take the aire.
1621. BURTON, The Anatomy of Melancholy, III., ii. 4, 1. All the pleasant names may be invented; bird … lamb, puss … PIGSNEY, hony, love, dove … he puts on her.
1665. Homer-à-la-Mode [NARES].
| As soon as she close to him came, | |
| She spake and call’d him by his name, | |
| Stroking him on the head, PIGSNY, | |
| Quoth she, tell me who made it cry. |
