Cap. 1.


Of Canting. How long it hath beene a language; how it
comes to bee a language; how it is deriued, and by 
whom it is spoken.

WHen all the World was but one King­
One language 
through all 
the world at 
the beginning
dome, all the People in that King­
dome spake but one language, A 
man could trauell in those dayes 
neither by Sea nor land, but he mett 
his Country-men and none others.
Two could not then stand gabling 
with strange tongues, and conspire together, (to his 
owne face) how to cut a third mans throat, but he might 
vnderstand them. There was no Spaniard (in that Age) 
to Braue his enemy in the Rich and Lofty Castilian: no 
Romaine Orator to plead in the Rhetoricall and Fluent
Latine: no Italian to court his Mistris in the sweets and 
Amorous Thuscane: no French-man to parle in the full 
and stately phrase of Orleans: no Germaine to thunder
out the high and ratling Dutch, the vnfruitfull crabbed 
Irish, and the Voluble significant Welch, were not then 
so much as spoken of: the quick Scottish Dialect (sister 
to the English) had not then a tongue: neither were the 
stringes of the English speech (in those times) vntyed.
When she first learn'd to speake, it was but a broken
language: the singlest and the simplest Wordsflowed 
from her vtterance; for she dealt in nothing but in Mono­
sillables, (as if to haue spoken words of greater length 
would haue crackt her Voice) by which meanes her 
English toung 
comparable 
to the best.
Eloquence was poorest, yet hardest to learne, and so (but 
for necessity) not regarded amongst Strangers. Yet after­
wards those Noblest Languages lent her Words and



phrazes, and turning those Borrowings into Good hus­
bandry, shee is now as rich in Elocution, and as Aboun­
dant as her prowdest & Best-stored Neighbors.
          
Whilst thus (as I sayd before) there was but one 
Alphabet of Letters, for all the world to Read by; all the 
people that then liued, might haue wrought vpon one 
peece of worke in countries farre distant a sunder, with­
out mistaking one another, and not needing an interpre­
ter to runne betweene them. Which thing Nymrod (the 
first Idolater,) perceiuing, and not knowing better how 
to imploy so many thousand Millions of Subiects as bow­
ed before him: a fire of Ambition burn'd within him, to 
climbe vp so high that hee might see what was done in 
heauen: And for that purpose, workemen were summo­
ned from all the corners of the Earth, who presently were 
Building 
of Babell.
set to Build the Tower of Babell. But the Maister-worke­
man of this Great Vniuerse, (to check the Insolence of 
such a Sawcie builder) that durst raize vp Pynnacles, 
equall to his owne (aboue) commanded the selfe-same 
Spirit that was both bred in the Chaos and had main­
teind it in disorder, to bee both Surueyor of those workes, 
Confusion
described.
and Comptroller of the Labourers. This Messenger was
called Confusion. It was a Spirit swift of sight, and 
faithfull of seruice. Her lookes wilde, terrible and incon­
stant. Her attire, carelesly, loose, and of a thousand seue­
rall coulors. In one hand shee grip'd a heape of stormes, 
with which (at her pleasure) she could trouble the waters: 
In the other she held a whip, to make three Spirits that 
drew her, to gallop faster before her: the Spirits names
were Treason, Sedition & Warre, who at euery time when 
they went abroad, were ready to set Kingdomes in an 
vproare. She roade vpon a Chariot of Clowdes, which 
was alwayes furnished with Thunder, Lightning, Winds, 
Raine, Haile-stones, Snow, and all the other Artillery be­
longing to the seruice of Diuine Vengeance: and when 
she spake, her Voyce sounded like the roaring of many
Torrents, boystrously strugling together: for betweene 



her Iawes did she carry a hundred thousand Tongues.

This strange Linguist, stepping to euery Artificer that 
Beginning of
languages.
was there at worke, whispred in his eare: whoses lookes 
were there-vpon (presently) fild with a strange distrac­
tion: and on a suddaine whilst euery man was speaking 
to his fellow, his language altred and no man could vn­
derstand what his fellow spake. They all stared one 
vpon another, yet none of them all could tell wherefore 
so they stared. Their Tongues went, and their hands 
gaue action to their Tongues: yet neither words nor 
action were vnderstood. It was a Noise of a thousand 
sounds, and yet the sound of the noise was nothing. Hee 
that spake, knew hee spake well; and he that heard, was 
madde that the other could speake no better. In the end 
they grew angry one with another, as thinking they had 
mocked one another of purpose. So that the Mason was 
ready to strike the Bricklayer, the Bricklayer to beate out
the braines of his Labourer: the Carpenter tooke vp his 
Axe to throw at the Caruer, whilst the Caruer was stab­
bing at the Smith, because hee brought him a Hammer, 
when he should haue made him a Chizzell. He that calld 
for Timber, had Stones laide before him: and when one 
was sent for Nailes, he fetcht a Tray of Mortar.
          
Thus Babell should haue beene raizd, and by this 
meanes Babell fell. The Frame could not goe forward, 
the stuffe was throwne by, the workemen made holly­
day. Euery one packd vp his tooles to be gone, yet not 
to goe the same way that he came: but glad was he, that 
could meete another, whose speech hee vnderstood: for to
what place soeuer he went, others (that ran madding vp 
and downe) hearing a man speake like themselues, fol­
lowed onely him: so that they who when the worke be­
gan were all countrimen, before a quarter of it was fini­
shed, fled from one another, as from enemies & strangers.
And in this maner did Men at the first make vp nations: 
thus were words coynd into Languages; and out of those
Languages haue others beene molded since, onely by the 
mixture of nations, after kingdomes haue been subdued. 



But I am now to speake of a People and a Language, 
of both which (many thousands of yeares since that 
Wonder wrought at Babell) the world till now neuer 
made mention: yet confusion neuer dwelt more amongst 
The Bell­
mans first
booke.
any Creatures. The Bell-man (in his first Voyage which
he made for Discoueries) found them to bee Sauages, yet 
liuing in an Iland very temperate, fruitfull, full of a No­
ble Nation, and rarely gouerned. The Lawes, Manners 
and habits of these Wild-men, are plainly set downe, as 
it were in a former painted Table. Yet least happily a
Stranger may looke vpon this second Picture of them, 
who neuer beheld The first, it shall not bee amisse (in 
this place) to repeate ouer againe the Names of all the
Tribes into which they Diuide themselues, both when 
they Serue abroad in the open fields, and when they lye 
in garrison within Townes and walled Citties.

          
And these are their Rankes as they 
stand in order. viz.


Rufflers.
Vpright-men.
Hookers, alias Anglers.
Roagues.
Wilde Roagues.
Priggers of Prancers.
Palliards.
Fraters.
Abraham-men,
alias
Mad Tom of Bedlam.
Whip-Iackes.
Counterfet Crankes.
Dommerars.
Prigges.
Swadders.
Curtalls.
Irish Toyles.
Swigmen.
Iarkemen.
Patricoes.
Knichin-Coes.
Glymmerers.
Bawdy-Baskets.
Autem-Morts.
Doxies.
Dells.
Knichin-Morts.
          
Into thus many Regiments are they now diuided: but
in former times (aboue foure hundred yeares now past) 
they did consist of fiue Squadrons onely.



viz.

1. Cursitors, alias Vagabondes.
2. Faytors.
3. Robardsemen.
4. Draw-latches.
5. Sturdy Beggars.
    
And as these people are strange both in names and in 
Of canting.
their conditions, so doe they speake a Language (proper 
only to themselues) called Canting, which is more strange.
How long, 
Canting hath 
bin vsed. 
The first Can­
ter hanged.
By none but the souldier of Theise Tottred bandes is it 
familiarly or vsually spoken, yet within lesse then foure­
score yeares (now past) not a word of this Language was 
knowen. The first Inuentor of it, was hang'd, yet left 
he apt schollers behind him, who haue reduced that into 
Methode, which he on his death-bed (which was a paire 
of gallowes) could not so absolutely perfect as he desired.
          
It was necessary, that a people (so fast increasing, and so 
daily practising new and strange Villanies) should borrow 
to themselues a speech, which (so neere as they could (none 
but themselues should vnderstand: And for that cause was 
How canting 
grew to be a 
language.
this Language, (which some call Pedlers French,) Inuen­
ted, to th'intent that (albeit any Spies should secretly steale 
into their companies to discouer them) they might freely
vtter their mindes one to another, yet auoide that danger. 
The Language therefore of Canting, they study euen 
from their Infancy; that is to say, from the very first 
houre, that they take vpon them the names of Knichin 
Coes, till they are grown Rufflers, or Vpright-men, which 
are the highest in degree amongst them.
          
This word Canting seemes to bee deriued from the La­
How Can­
ting is deri­
ued.
tine verbe (Canto) which signifies in English, to sing, or to 
make a sound with words, thats to say to speake. And ve­
ry aptly may Canting take his deriuation à Cantando, 
from singing, because amongst these Beggerly consorts 
that can play vpon no better instruments, the Language 
of Canting is a kind of musick, and he that in such assem­
blies can Cant best, is counted the best Musitian.
          
Now as touching the Dialect or phrase it selfe, I see not 



that it is grounded vpon any certaine rules; And no mer­
uaile if it haue none: for sithence both the Father of this 
new kinde of Learning, and the Children that study to 
speake it after him, haue beene from the beginning and 
still are, the Breeders and Norishers of all base disorder, in 
their liuing and in their Manners: how is it possible, they 
should obserue any Method in their speech, and especially 
in such a Language, as serues but onely to vtter discour­
ses of villanies?

And yet (euen out of all that Irregularity, vnhansom­
nesse, & Fountaine of Barbarisme) do they draw a kinde 
of forme: and in some words, (aswell simple as com­
pounds) retaine a certaine salte, tasting of some wit, and 
some Learning. As for example, they call a Cloake (in the 
Canting tongue) a Togeman, and in Latine, Toga signi­
fies a gowne, or an vpper garment. Pannam is bread: and 
Panis in Lattin is likewise bread. Cassan is Cheese, and is
a word barbarously coynde out of the substantiue Caseus 
which also signifies Cheese. And so of others.

Then by ioyning of two simples, doe they make almost 
The Dialect 
of Canting.
all their compoundes. As for example: Nab (in the Can­
ting tongue) is a head, and Nab-cheate, is a hat or a cap, 
Which word Cheate beeing coupled to other words, 
stands in very good stead, and does excellent seruice: 
For a Smelling Chete, signifies a Nose: a Prat-ling 
Chete, is a tongue. Crashing chetes, are Teeth: Hearing 
chetes are Eares: Fambles, are Hands: and therevpon a 
Ring is called Fambling chete. A Muffling chete, signi­
fies a Napkin. A Belly chete, an Apron: A Grunting 
chete, a Pig: A Cackling Chete, a Cock, or a Capon: 
A Quacking chete, a Duck: A Lowghing chete, a Cow: 
A Bleating chete, a Calfe, or a Sheepe: and so may that 
word be maried to many others besides.
          
The word Coue, or Cofe or Cuffin, signifies a Man, 
a Fellow, &c. But differs something in his property, 
according as it meetes with other wordes: For, a Gen­
tleman is called a Gentry Coue, or Cofe: A good fellow, 



is a Bene Cofe: A Churle is called, a Quier cuffin; Quier 
signifies naught, and Cuffin, (as I sayd before) a Man.
 and in Canting they terme a Iustice of Peace, (because 
hee punisheth them belike) by no other name then by 
Quier Cuffin, thats to say a Churle, or a Naughty man. 
And so, Ken signifying a House, they call a Prison, a Qui­
er ken, thats to say, an ill house.

Many peeces of this strange coyne could I shew you, 
but by these small stampes, you may iudge of the 
greater.

Now because, a Language is nothing els, then heapes 
of wordes, orderly Wouen and Composed together: and 
that (within so narrow a circle as I haue drawne to my 
selfe) it is impossible to imprint a Dictionary of all the
Canting phrases, I will at this time not make you surfet 
on too much, but as if you were walking in a Garden, 
you shall onely pluck here a flower, and there another, 
which (as I take it) wilbe more delightfull then if you 
gathered them by Handfulls.

But before I lead you into that walke, stay and heare 
a Canter in his owne Language, making Rithmes, albeit 
(I thinke) those charmes of Poesy which (at the first)
made the Barbarous tame, and brought them to Ciuility,
can (vpon these sauage Monsters) worke no such won­
der. Yet thus he singes (vpon demaunde whether any 
of his own crue did come that way: to which he answers, 
yes (quoth he)


Canting Rithmes.


ENough -- with bowsy Coue maund Nace,
Tour the Patring Coue in the Darkeman Case,
Docked the Dell, for a Coper meke,
His wach shall feng a Prounces Nab-chete,
Cyarum, by Salmon, and thou shalt pek my Iere
In thy Gan, for my wetch it is nace gere,
For the bene bowse my watch hath a win &c.



This short Lesson I leaue to be construed by Him that 
is desirous to try his skill in the Language, which he may 
do by helpe of the following Dictionary; into which way that 
he may more redily come, I will translate into English 
this broken French that followes in Prose. Two Can­
ters hauing wrangled a while about some idle quarrell, at 
length growing friends, thus one of them speakes to the 
other. viz.
          
    
A Canter in prose.


STowe you beene cofe: and cut benar whiddes, and bing 
wee to Rome vile, to nip a boung: so shall wee haue 
lowre for the bowsing Ken, and when we ieng back to 
the Dewse a vile, we will filch some Duddes, off the Ruff­
mans, or mill the Ken for a lagge of Dudes.


Thus in English.


Stowe you, beene cofe: hold your peace good fellow.
And cut benar whiddes: and speake better words.
And bing we to Rome-vile: and goe we to London.
To nip a bung: to cut a purse. 
So shal we haue lowre: so shall we haue money.
For the bowsing Ken: for the Ale-house.
And when we bing backe: and when we come back.
To the Dewse-a-vile: into the Country.
We wil filch some duddes: we will filch some clothes.
Off the Ruffmans: from the hedges.
Or mil the Ken: or rob the house.
For a lagge of Duddes: for a buck of clothes.




Now turne to your Dictionary


ANd because you shall not haue one dish twice set be­
fore you, none of those Canting wordes that are eng­
lished before shall here be found, for our intent is to feast 
you with variety.




The Canters Dictionary



AVtem, a Church. 

Autem-mort, a married woman. 

Boung, a Purse. 

Borde, a shilling. 

Halfe a Borde, six pence. 

Bowse, drinke. 

Bowsing Ken, an Ale-house. 

Bene, good. 

Beneship, very good. 

Bute, a Dogge. 

Bing a wast, get you hence. 

Caster, a Cloake. 

A Commission, a Shirt. 

Chates, the Gallowes. 

To cly the Ierke, to bee whipped. 

To cutt, to speake. 

To cutt bene, to speake gently. 

To cutt bene whiddes, to speake good words. 

To cutt quier whiddes, to giue euill language. 

To Cant, to speake. 

To Couch a Hogshead, to lye downe a sleepe. 

Drawers, hosen. 

Dudes, clothes. 

Darkemans, the night. 

Dewse-a-vile, the Countrie. 

Dup the Giger, open the doore. 

Fambles hands. 

Fambling chete, a Ring. 

Flag, a Groate. 

Glasiers, eyes. 

Gan, a mouth. 

Gage, a Quart pott. 

Grannam, Corne. 

Gybe, a writing. 

Glymmer, fire. 



Gigger, a doore. 

Gentry Mort, a Gentlewoman. 

Gentry cofes Ken, a Noble mans house. 

Harman bek, a Constable. 

Harmans, the Stockes. 

Heaue a bough, rob a Boothe. 

Iarke, a Seale. 

Ken, a house. 

Lagge of Dudes, a Buck of clothes. 

Libbege, a bed. 

Lowre, money. 

Lap, Butter, Milke, or Whaye. 

Libken, a house to lye in. 

Lage, Water. 

Light-mans, the day. 

Mynt, Golde. 

A Make, a halfe-penny. 

Margery prater, a Henne. 

Mawnding, asking. 

To Mill, to steale. 

Mill a Ken, rob a house: 

Nosegent, a Nunne. 

Niggling, companying with a woman. 

Pratt, a Buttock. 

Peck, meate. 

Poplars, Pottage. 

Prancer, a Horse. 

Prigging, Riding. 

Patrico, a Priest. 

Pad, a way. 

Quaromes, a body. 

Ruff-beck, Bacon. 

Roger, or Tib of the Buttry, a Goose. 

Rome-vile, London. 

Rome-bowsie, Wine. 

Rome-mort, a Queene. 



Ruffmans, the woodes, or bushes. 

Ruffian: the Diuell. 

Stampes: legges. 

Stampers: shooes. 

Slate: a sheete. 

Skew: a cup. 

Salomon: the masse. 

Stuling ken: a house to receiue stolne goods. 

Skipper: a barne. 

Strommel: straw. 

Smelling chete: an Orchard or Garden. 

To scowre the Cramp-ring: to weare boults. 

Stalling: making or ordeyning. 

Tryning: hanging. 

To towre: to see. 

Wyn: a penny. 

Yarum: milke. 




And thus haue I builded vp a little Mint,  where you 
may coyne wordes for your pleasure. The payment 
of this was a debt, for the Bel-man at his farewell (in his 
first Round which hée walk'd) promised so much. If hée 
kéepe not touch, by tendring the due Summe, hée desires 
forbearance, and if any that is more rich in this Canting 
commodity will lend him any more, or any better, hée 
will pay his loue double: In the meane time, receiue 
this; and to giue it a little more weight, you shall haue a 
Canting song, wherein you may learne, how This cursed 
Generation pray or (to speake truth) curse such Officers 
as punish them.


A Canting song.


THe Ruffin cly the nab of the Harman beck,
If we mawn Pannam, lap or Ruff-peck,
Or poplars of yarum: he cuts, bing to the Ruffmans,



Or els he sweares by the Light-mans,
To put our stampes in the Harman.
The ruffian cly the ghost of the Harman beck,
If we haue a booth, we cly the Ierke.

If we Niggle, or mil a bowsing Ken,
Or nip a boung that has but a win,
Or dup the giger of a Country cofes Ken,
To the quier cuffin we bing
And then to the quier Ken to scowre the Cramp-ring,
And then to the Tryn'de on the Chates, in the lightmans,
The Bube and Ruffian cly the Harman beck and Harmans.


Thus Englished.


THe Diuell take the Constables head,
If we beg Bacon, Butter-milke or Bread.
Or Pottage, to the hedge he bids vs hie,
Or sweares (by this light) ith Stocks we shall lie.
The Diuill haunt the Constables ghost,
If we rob but a Booth, we are whip'd at a post.

If an Ale-house we rob, or be tane with a whore,
Or cut a purse that has iust a penny and no more,
Or come but stealing in at a Gentlemans dore,
To the Iustice straight we goe,
And then to the Iayle to be shackled: And so
To be hang'd on the gallowes ith day time: the pox
And the Diuill take the Constable and his Stocks.

We haue Canted (I feare) too much, let vs now giue
eare to the Bel-man, and heare what he speakes in English.