subs. (old).—1. A generic endearment: also (of a favourite son) WHITE SON: see WHITE, adj. 1.
1554–63. FOXE, Acts and Monuments, ii. 190. The Pope’s own WHITE SON.
1588. R. GREENE, Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay [DYCE, Works, I. 174].
| He is great Prince of Wales…. | |
| Then ’ware what is done, | |
| For he is Henry’s WHITE SON. |
1611. BEAUMONT and FLETCHER, The Knight of the Burning Pestle, ii. 2. Mrs. Mer. What says my WHITE BOY?
1633. FORD, ’Tis Pity She’s a Whore, i. 4. ‘I know,’ quoth I, ‘I am his WHITEBOY and will not be gulled.’
1635. BUNYAN, The Pharisee and the Publican. The Pharisee … calls himself … one of God’s WHITE BOYS.
1640. BRATHWAITE, The Two Lancashire Lovers, iv. 19. Fie young Gentleman, will such a brave sparke as you, that is your Mothers WHITE-BOY, undoe your hopes, in marrying such a Countrey Ioan as I am?
1641. MILTON, An Apology for Smectymnuus. His first addresse was an humble remonstrance by a dutifull son of the Church, almost as if he had said her WHITE-BOY.
1774–81. T. WARTON, The History of English Poetry, iv. 65. [NARES: T. Warton adds, as an illustration, that Dr. Busby used to call his favorite scholars his WHITE BOYS; and says that he could add a variety of other combinations.]
2. (Irish political).—A member of a secret political society, agrarian in character (c. 1759–60). [LECKY: ‘Their object was to do justice to the poor by restoring the ancient commons and redressing other grievances.’ This they sought to accomplish by throwing down fences, levelling enclosures, and generally destroying the property of anyone—landlords, agents, Protestant clergy, tax or tithe collectors—who had made themselves obnoxious to the association. They styled themselves Whiteboys ‘because during their nocturnal excursions they covered their usual attire with white shirts. This disguise was used principally to enable them while scouring through the darkness to recognise each other’ (DANIM)].
3. (London).—London rioters.
1768. WALPOLE, To the Earl of Strafford, 25 June, in Letters, III. 250. Those black dogs, the WHITEBOYS or coal-heavers, are dispersed or taken.
