Eighteenth Century Waifs

Fine Ale drank in the Coffee-room, call’d the ‘Alderman,’ because brew’d by Alderman Parsons.

55

A Runner is a Fellow that goes abroad of Errands for the Prisoners.

56

Begs.

57

Persons who give any Considerable offence are often try’d, and undergo the Discipline of the Pump. The Author was one of these in a drunken Frolick, for which he condemns himself.

58

A Spacious place, where there are all sorts of Exercises, but especially Fives.

59

A Publick Place, free for all Prisoners.

60

Where those lie who can’t pay their Master’s Fee.

61

There are several of these Jiggers, or Door-keepers, who relieve one another, and, when a Prisoner comes first in, they take a nice Observation of him, for fear of his escaping.

62

A cant Word for giving some Money in order to show a Lodging.

63

Which is One Pound, Six, and Eightpence, and then you are entitled to a bed on the Master’s-side, for which you pay so much per Week.

64

Mount-scoundrel, so-call’d from its being highly situated, and belonging, once, to the Common-side, tho’ lately added to the Master’s; if there be room in the House, this Place is first empty, and the Chamberlain commonly shows this to raise his Price upon you for a better.

65

Half-a-guinea.

66

A Bed-fellow so call’d.

67

When you have a Chum, you pay but fifteen Pence per Week each, and, indeed, that is the Rent of a whole Room, if you find Furniture.

68

The Upper Floors are accounted best here, for the same Reason as they are at Edinburgh, which, I suppose, every Body knows.

69

It is common to mention the Fleet by the name of the Place, and I suppose it is call’d the Place by way of Eminence, because there is not such another.

70

A Cant Word for a Dram of Geneva.

71

A Chew of Tobacco – supposed to be given him.

72

When there are Holes above Heel, or the Feet are so bad in a Stocking that you are forced to pull them to hide the Holes, or cover the Toes, it is call’d Coaxing.

73

As the Prison is often called the College, so it is common to call a Prisoner a Collegian; and this Character is taken from a Man who had been many Years in the Place, and like to continue his Life.

74

The Name of the Cook of the Kitchen.

75

A place in the Cellar call’d Bartholomew Fair.

76

Who goes out? is repeated by Watchmen Prisoners from half-an-hour after nine till St. Paul’s Clock strikes Ten, to give Visitors Notice to depart.

77

While St. Paul’s is striking Ten, the Watchman don’t call Who goes out? but when the last stroke is given they cry All told! at which time the Gates are lock’d and nobody suffer’d to go out upon any Account.

78

A werst is one thousand and sixty-seven metres.

79