1822. Scott, The Fortunes of Nigel, ch. iv. Put your monies aside, my lord; it is not well to be seen with such goldfinches chirping about one in the lodgings of London.
1826. Buckstone, Luke the Labourer, iii., 4. Good-night, noble captain. Pipe all hands at five o’clock, for I’ve a day’s work to do. We’ll jig it to-morrow, to the piping of gold-finches.
1834. W. H. Ainsworth, Rookwood, p. 101 (ed. 1864). Here’s a handful of goldfinches ready to fly.
Goldfinch’s Nest, subs. (venery).—The female pudendum. For synonyms, see Monosyllable.
1827. The Merry Muses, p. 70. And soon laid his hand on the goldfinch’s nest. [[173]]
Gold-finder, subs. (old).—1. An emptier of privies. Also Tom-turd-man; Gong-man; and Night-man. Fr., un fouille-merde; un fifi. Also passer la jambe à Jules = to upset Mrs. Jones, i.e., to empty the privy tub.
1611. Cotgrave, Dictionarie, Gadouard, a gould-finder, Jakes-farmer.
1635. Feltham, Resolves. As our goldfinders … in the night and darkness thrive on stench and excrements.
1653. Middleton, Sp. Gipsy, ii., 2, p. 398 (Mermaid series). And if his acres, being sold for a maravedii a turf for larks in cages, cannot fill this pocket, give ’em to goldfinders.
1659. Torriano, Vocabolario, s.v.