[38] This introduction was written in 1859, before the new edition of _Worcester_, and Nuttall's recent work, were published.
[39] Introduction to Bee's _Sportsman's Dictionary_, 1825.
[40] The Gipsies use the word Slang as the Anglican synonym for Romany, the Continental (or rather Spanish) term for the Cingari or Gipsy tongue. Crabb, who wrote the _Gipsies' Advocate_ in 1831, thus mentions the word:--"This language [Gipsy] _called by themselves_ Slang, or Gibberish, invented, as they think, by their forefathers for secret purposes, is not merely the language of one or a few of these wandering tribes, which are found in the European nations, but is adopted by the vast numbers who inhabit the earth."
[41] The word Slang assumed various meanings amongst costermongers, beggars, and vagabonds of all orders. It was, and is still, used to express "cheating by false weights," "a raree show," "retiring by a back door," "a watch-chain," their "secret language," &c.
[42] North, in his _Examen_, p. 574, says, "I may note that the rabble first changed their title, and were called the "mob" in the assemblies of this [Green Ribbon] club. It was their beasts of burden, and called first _mobile vulgus_, but fell naturally into the contraction of one syllable, and ever since is become proper English." In the same work, p. 231, the disgraceful origin of SHAM is given.
[43] I am afraid my predecessor was of a somewhat satirical turn of mind, or else he had peculiar notions of melody.--ED.
[44] This latter is, as I take it, an error, as the sign was originally intended to represent the king's head and cross guns, and may still be seen in parts of the country.--ED.
[45] Savez-vous cela?--[I fancy this is from the Spanish _sabe_. The word is in great use in the Pacific States of America, and is obtained through constant intercourse with the original settlers.--ED.]
[46] At page 24 of a curious old Civil War tract, entitled, _The Oxonian Antippodes_, by I. B., Gent., 1644, the town is called Brummidgham, and this was the general rendering in the printed literature of the seventeenth century.--[This must have been the first known step towards the present vulgar style of spelling, for properly the word is Bromwich-ham, which has been corrupted into Brummagem, a term used to express worthless or inferior goods, from the spurious jewellery, plate, &c., manufactured there expressly for "duffers."--ED.]