A Family Friendly Look at the underside of society

LANGUAGE of the CANTING CREWS

The language very much set these crews apart. It was partially to recognize each other, to pass messages and to confuse the locals. While it at first may seem just a mixture of common usage words and a few bits og 'gibberish' thrown in, a closer look shows us not only words still in use today, but many were based on their original Latin roots.
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Rich in symbolism and romance, there have been stories, plays, songs and poems written in the 'Cant' tongue for 400 years.

Beggars Curse
Lanthorne and Candlelight (1608)

The ruffin cly the nab of the Harmonbeck!
If we maund Pannum, Lap of Rough-peck,
Or Poplars of Yarum: he cuts, ‘Bing to the Roughmans!”
Or he swears by lightmans,
to have our stamps in the Harmons!

If we heave a booth, or cly the jerk,
If we niggle, or mill a bousing ken,
Or nip a boung that has but a win,
Or dupe the giger of a Gentry coves ken,
To the queer cuffing we bing; and then to the queer ken,
To scour the Cramp-ring, and then to the Trin’de on the chates, in the lightmans.

The bube and the ruffin cly the harmanbecks nab and harmons.

Interesting Terms

ADAM COVE – poor beggarman usually dressed in ribbons and rags
ARD – hot, usually related to weather
AUTUM – referring to elements of church life
BEL WETHER – the boss of a particular group within the crew
BENE – verb meaning good or fine
BLIND MANS HOLIDAY – nighttime usually with no moonlight
BONE(S) – straight or “un-gimmicked” die or dice for gaming
BONED – arrested
BOUNG – purse
BOWSING KEN – tavern
BUBBLE – an easily cheated person
BUDGD – sneak, person who breaks in at night
BUM – bailiff or sergeant
BUMPKIN – person of less than average intelligence of the ways of the world
BUTTER – to smoothly and easily cheat a person – also to double or triple the bet to try to get back earlier losses
CACKLING CHEATS – chicken
CACKLING FARTS – chicken eggs
CAT IN PAN – to turn on others of the crew
CATERPILLAR – soldier
CHATTER BREW – tea
CHEAT – literally translates to “thing” (Ex. “Cackling cheat” is a “cackling thing”)
CLEYM – a false sore or raised area on the body
CLY – to steal
COG – cheat at doce
COMB THE HAIR – scold
COVE – man
CRY BEEF – sound an alarm
CUT – speak, say
DELL – girl who is a common kitchen scullery maid or tavern “wench”
DEUSAVILLE – countryside
DISHED UP – gone broke usually by being cheated at gambling
DUP – open or enter
FAKE – implies action upon an object (Ex. “Fake a ken” is to rob a house)
FAM – fingers also to feel or handle something
FFAMBLE CHEATS – rings or gloves
FLAYBOTTOMIST – schoolteacher who regularly uses the rod
FLOGGING COVE – the Beadle or watchman
GIGGER – door
GINGERBREAD – money
GLAZIERS – eyes
GOBFONDERED – very hungry
GRUNTING PECK – pork
GULLGROPER – usurer who hangs around gambling areas to lend money
HAND IN POCKET SHOP – inn that sells food for money or valuables
HEDGE TAVERN – meeting place for Sharpers, usually a known tavern or inn
HOW DOST THOU BUFF – familiar salutation among canters
HUMS – people (congregation) at church
JOSEPH – a coat or cloak
KEN – literally translates to “place” usually a building
LACED MUTTON - woman
LAY – implies to a crime (Ex. “Roost lay” is to rob a henhouse
LIGHTMANS – daytime
LULLABY CHEAT – child
MARRIAGE MUSIC – children’s cries
MILL – see FAKE and LAY but with much violence
NAP THE BIB – cry
NICK NINNY – foolish
NIGHTMANS - nighttime
NOSE AND GAG – to offer information to the constabulary, usually wrong
PLAY LEAST IN SIGHT – run away
PLUMP IN THE POCKETS – a person with ready money
PRIG – verb meaning to steal, usually animals
PROG – meat
RHINOCERICOL – wealthy
RIGGING – suits of clothing
RUFFMAN – the devil
RUM – verb meaning good
RUMP AND KIDNEY MAN – musician who plays whenever in exchange for food
SCOTCH MIST – rainy weather
SCRATCH – money
SNILCH – to watch or observe closely
SPREAD THE BROADS – three card monte
SQUAWL – voice
STAND BUFF – not give away secrets of the crew
STATIONER – (flying) balladeer/ballad seller (running) newspaper/dying statements/sermons (walking) broadsheets/chapbooks
STOWE YOU – keep quiet, stop talking, shut up
SWELL – gentleman
TAT(S) – die or dice that have been “gimmicked” or “loaded” to cheat
TAYLE – sword
TEAGUELAND(ER) – Ireland/Irish person
THIMBLERBRIGGING – shell and pea
THROW THE BONES – playing at dice
TIB – girl
TIP – give or lend, usually money
TIPS OF THE BUTTERY – a goose
TIGER IN PETTICOATS – female sharper
TOGS – clothing
TOUT(ING) – look around (also a lookout for another who does the thieving)
VAGARIES – wild or extravagant frolics
WITHER D’YE GO – overbearing demanding wive
WHOW BALL – milkmaid
WIPER – handkerchief or stealer of handkerchiefs
YAM – overeat
YORK – to stare at something rather impolite
ZNEEZY WEATHER – frosty and cold
ZNUZ – frozen
HONEST
EMPLOYMENT

ABIGAIL – ladies maid
BUB (BAILIFF) – Sergeant or Constable
BURN CRUST - baker
CATERPILLAR - soldier
COLD COOK - undertaker
COSTERMONGER – street musician
CUCUMBER – tailor (also PRICK-LOUSE)
FAULKNER – tumbler, street jongouler, performer of small tricks
FLAYBOTTOMIST – schoolteacher or traveling tutor
GOLDFINDER – night soil man (also TOM TURDMAN)
GUT SCRAPER – fiddler 
HOP MERCHANT – dancing master
PUREFINDER – collector of dog excrement
RUMP AND KIDNEY MAN – musician who plays wherever in exchange for food
SMUDGE - blacksmith
SNOB - shoemaker
STATIONER – 
     FLYING – balladeer/ ballad seller
     RUNNING – newspaper/dying statements/sermons
     WALKING – broadsheets/chapbooks
TALLY MAN – a renter of women’s clothing by the week, month or year
WHOW BALL – milkmaid 
YELPER – town cryer 

NOT HONEST EMPLOYMENT

ADAM-TILLER – one who takes the stolen good from the Toyle to the Stalling Ken
ANGLER – using a stick with a hook to steal from windows, behind grates or out of baskets
BEL WETHER – the boss of a particular group
BO PEEP – lookout, rarely seen or recognized as such
BOUNG NIPPER – a cut purse
BUDGE – house breaker
CLANK KNAPPER – one who steals mugs from a tavern
DIVER – pickpocket (females are “Jenny Diver”)
FAYTOR – ne claiming to know future based on birthdate
FAULKNER – street jongouler of small tricks
GULGROPER – userer who hangs around gambling areas to lend money
KATE – picklock
KIDNAPPER – stealer of children
KINCHEN (COVE/MORT) – begging children
MOURNING DOVE – pretending to be a maid to gain entrance to houses
ROGUE – non-specialized general thief
SHARPER – gambling cheat, monte and thimble rigger, usually of the more “genteel” sort
SWEETNER – shill that works with Sharpers to sucker others to bet
TAT MONGER – dice cheat
TIGER IN PETTICOATS – female Sharper
TOM OF BEDLAM – an Adam Cove that steals clothes from children
WIPER DRAWER – stealer of handkerchiefs