1528. Roy and Barlow, Rede me and be not wrothe, p. 117 [ed. Arber, 1871]. In carde playinge he is a goode Greke And can skyll of post and glycke, Also a prayre of dyce to trolle.
1568. Satirical Poems, ‘Scottish Text Soc.’ [1889–91] i., 77. A cowle, a cowle, for such a greek were fitter far to wea’re.
1598. Florio, A Worlde of Wordes. Grecheggiare … to play the Greek.
1602. Shakspeare, Troilus and Cressida, v. 6. Come, both you cogging Greeks; have at you both.
1819. Moore, Tom Crib, xxviii. Most of the cant phrases in Head’s English Rogue, which was published, I believe, in 1666, would be intelligible to a Greek of the present day.
1823. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry, ii., 5. Come lads, bustle about; play will begin—some of the pigeons are here already, the Greeks will not be long following.
1834. Ainsworth, Rookwood, bk. IV., ch. i. Jerry was a Greek by nature, and could land a flat as well as the best of them.
1855. Thackeray, Newcomes, ch. xxxvi. He was an adventurer, a pauper, a blackleg, a regular Greek.
1861. Once a Week, 25 May, p. 97. As the Greek places the packet [of cards] on the top of the other, he allows it to project the least bit in the world.
1884. Saturday Review, 16 Feb., p. 202. Without a confederate the now fashionable game of baccarat does not seem to offer many chances for the Greek.