or scellum, subs. (old cant).—A rascal: a vagabond: cf. SKELDER.
1611. CORYATE, Crudities.
| He longs for sweet grapes, but going to steale ’em, | |
| He findeth soure graspes and gripes from a Dutch SKELUM. |
1630. TAYLOR (‘The Water Poet’), Workes, ii. 123, ‘A Thiefe.’ None holds him, but all cry, Lope SCELLUM Lope.
1663. PEPYS, Diary, 3 April. He ripped up Hugh Peters (calling him the execrable SKELLUM), his preaching stirred up the maids of the city to bring their bodkins and thimbles.
1690. The Pagan Prince. Let me send that SKELLUM to perdition.
1719. D’URFEY, Wit and Mirth; or Pills to Purge Melancholy, i. 210.
| Now to leave off writing, | |
| SKELLUMS pine and grieve, | |
| When we’re next for Fighting, | |
| We’ll not ask you leave. |
1791. BURNS, Tam o’ Shanter.
| She tauld thee weel thou was a SKELLUM, | |
| A blethering, blustering, drunken blellum. |
