A humorous poem, abounding in Slang and pugilistic term, with a burlesque essay on the classic origin of Slang.
Vacabondes, the Fraternatye of, as well as of ruflyng Vacabones, as of beggerly, of Women as of Men, of Gyrles as of Boyes, with their proper Names and Qualities, with a Description of the Crafty Company of Cousoners and Shifters, also the XXV. Orders of Knaves; otherwyse called a Quartern of Knaves, confirmed by Cocke Lorell, 8vo. Imprinted at London by John Awdeley, dwellyng in little Britayne strete, without Aldersgate. 1575.
It is stated in Ames’ Typog. Antiq., vol. ii. p. 885, that an edition bearing the date 1565 is in existence, and that the compiler was no other than old John Audley, the printer, himself. This conjecture, however, is very doubtful. As stated by Watt, it is more than probable that it was written by Harman, or was taken from his works, in MS. or print.
Vaux’s (Count de, a swindler and pickpocket) Life, written by himself, 2 vols., 12mo, to which is added a Canting Dictionary. 1819.
These Memoirs were suppressed on account of the scandalous passages contained in them.
Webster’s (Noah) Letter to the Hon. John Pickering, on the Subject of his Vocabulary, or Collection of Words and Phrases supposed to be peculiar to the United States, 8vo, pp. 69. Boston, 1817.
Wild (Jonathan), History of the Lives and Actions of Jonathan Wild, Thieftaker, Joseph Blake, alias Blueskin, Footpad, and John Sheppard, Housebreaker; together with a Canting Dictionary by Jonathan Wild, woodcuts, 12mo. 1750.
Wilson (Professor), contributed various Slang pieces to Blackwood’s Magazine; including a Review of Bee’s Dictionary.
Witherspoon’s (Dr., of America,) Essays on Americanisms, Perversions of Language in the United States, Cant phrases, &c., 8vo, in the 4th vol. of his works. Philadelphia, 1801.
The earliest work on American vulgarisms. Originally published as a series of Essays, entitled the Druid, which appeared in a periodical in 1761.