Costermonger is a corruption of Costardmonger, a seller of the famous costard apple introduced into this country by the Dutch in 1736. Both these terms are used by Shakespeare; nevertheless, they bore a totally different signification in his time. The word Monger comes from the Anglo-Saxon mongere, one who trades. An itinerant salesman in the olden time was styled a Pedlar, in accordance with the Latin pedes, the feet, because he travelled on foot; whereas Hawker comes from the German hoken, to carry on the back, to retail. Hawkers and Pedlars were first licensed in England in 1698. An itinerant salesman of another kind is known as a Cheap Jack on account of the word “cheap” which is Saxon for market, derived from ceapan, to buy. A travelling medicine-vendor originally received the nickname of Quack-doctor, or Quack, from Quacksalber, the German term for quicksilver, because, differing from the regular practitioners, he resorted to mercury and other dangerous ingredients. At times a Quack, or any other individual gifted with humorous colloquial powers, is dubbed a Merry Andrew, in allusion to Andrew Borde, a physician of the time of Henry VIII., noted for his facetious manners and sayings. Juggler is a corruption of jongleur, the French designation of one of the companions of the troubadours, whose business it was to supplement the lyrical accomplishments of the latter with feats of sleight-of-hand and other tricks for the amusement of the company. A Stump Orator is properly one who delivers a speech from the stump of a tree; the literal meaning of a Stump Speech being thus explained.
The now approbrious name of Blackguard was formerly given to the scullions or dirty dependants of the English Court who washed out the saucepans, carried coals up to the kitchens, and performed other menial duties. As the “Guards of Honour” in the Royal Household were distinguished by their fine appearance, so these kitchen-men were equally distinguished by their grimy appearance; consequently the latter were styled “Black Guards.” The origin of the word Scullion was the Norman-French esculle, a porringer or dish. The place where the dishes are cleansed is still called a Scullery, while the domestic who performs such work bears the name of Scullery Maid. A rascal or sharper is designated a Blackleg, because such a one was generally to be found among the lower orders of turf and sporting men at the time these were especially characterized by the wearing of black top-boots. A Plunger is one who bets heavily either on the turf or at the gaming-table, without consideration for the risks he incurs. A Bookmaker is so called because he arranges his book, i.e., his bets, in such a manner that his losses and gains upon each day’s racing must balance themselves. The Bookmaker who absconds after a race in order to avoid paying those who have entered bets with him and won is styled a Welsher, in allusion to the thieving propensities of a certain race of people, as set forth in the old song, which begins, “Taffy was a Welshman, Taffy was a thief,” &c. The word Burglar is made up of the Old English burgh, a borough, derived from the German burg, a fortified place, and the French lair, a thief; the allusion being that such a one breaks into a private dwelling for purposes of theft. Down to a comparatively recent date the common hangman in this country bore the nickname of Jack Ketch, really a corruption of Richard Jacquett, to whom the manor of Tyburn, where our malefactors were executed prior to the year 1783, belonged.
A native of London is popularly styled a Cockney, pursuant to the Old English cockeney, an effeminate person, or rather one who has been rendered effeminate by the luxuries of the table; this term tracing its origin directly from the Latin verb coquere, to cook, whence we have the Italian cuchina, the French cuisine, the German küche, and the English kitchen. A popular satiric poem of the thirteenth century, entitled “The Land of Cockaygne,”—i.e., Kitchen Land, draws a picture of an imaginary Fool’s Paradise, where there is nothing but eating and drinking, where care, trouble, and toil find no place—a desirable country for those monks of the Church who delight in the pleasures of the table rather than the observance of their spiritual exercises. After this performance the term Cockaigne or Cockaygne gradually came to be applied to our capital city, where cockenies, or kitchen-servants, abounded, and where the luxury of good living was supposed to attain its highest development.
A raw youth, or a countryman new to the ways of the world, is dubbed a Greenhorn, in reference to the undeveloped horns of a young ox; the word “Green” being derived from the Anglo-Saxon grêne, that which is in process of growing. Nincompoop is a corruption of the Latin phrase non compos [mentis], not in sound mind. A person of defective mind is called a Lunatic, from the Latin luna, the moon, in accordance with the Roman idea that the mind was affected by the changes of the moon. A person addicted to making foolish mistakes is styled a Dutchman, in allusion to the dull comprehensions supposed to be possessed by the inhabitants of the Low Countries. The term first came into use as an epithet of derision during the wars with Holland. A Humbug is one whose representations, though sounding plausible enough, are not to be relied upon. The origin of this word is as follows: In olden times there resided in the neighbourhood of the Mearns, in Scotland, a gentleman of landed property whose name was Hume, and whose estate was known as “The Bogue.” Owing to the great falsehoods which this “Hume of the Bogue” was in the habit of relating about himself, his family, and everything connected with his affairs, it became customary, as often as the people of that district heard anything at all remarkable or absurd to exclaim, “That is a Hume of the Bogue.” The word spelt in its present form first appeared on the title-page of “The Universal Jester: a choice collection of bonmots and humbugs,” published by Fernando Killigrew about the year 1736. The assurance that Humbug is of such old date can scarcely tend to our satisfaction.
MALT LIQUORS.
At the present day the terms Ale and Beer are used somewhat confusedly. The former, derived from the Gaelic and Irish ól, drink, is the real name of our national beverage, which, to judge from its intoxicating effects, must, in the days of our forefathers, have been a very strong drink indeed. The latter, on the other hand, is essentially a Saxon word, from the same root as barm, signifying “fermented drink,” and used to denominate the lighter kinds of fermented liquors generally, as well as other drinks obtained from the roots or leaves of plants, such as Ginger-beer, Spruce-beer, &c. We still speak of Old Ales; whereas Small Beer indicates a liquor of very poor quality.
In former times the only varieties of malt liquor in this country were Ale and Beer, the one strong, the other comparatively weak. To these a third, popularly described as Twopenny, was eventually added. However, it was rare that any one of these three was demanded singly; it being the custom, particularly in London, for the working-classes to call either for Half-and-Half or Three Thirds, meaning a tankard filled with equal portions of ale and beer, or of ale, beer, and twopenny. This custom remained in vogue until the year 1730, when it occurred to Mr. Harwood, a brewer of East London, to prepare a liquor analogous to the mixture of ale, beer, and twopenny; and thus save the time of the tavern-keepers, who were compelled to serve each customer from three different casks. Almost immediately, therefore, he introduced the malt liquor known as Entire, because it was drawn entire from one cask. It was first retailed at the sign of “The Blue Last,” in Curtain Road, Shoreditch, where it soon came to be in active demand by the City porters, who made this house their regular resort, whereupon the enterprising publican adroitly called it Porter. The word “Entire” still appears upon the facia-boards of numerous taverns throughout the Metropolis; but who thinks of calling for Entire at the present day? By the term Stout is implied a malt liquor of the stoutest quality, i.e., having the most body in it.
Stingo expresses an old beer of particular sharpness, in allusion to its stinging properties; while Yorkshire Stingo is, of course, peculiar to the county of York. Originally the single X displayed on beer-barrels denoted that the liquor had paid a ten shillings’ duty. The additional X’s are merely brewers’ trade-marks, indicating various degrees of strength over and above that of the single X ale.