Historical Fiction Tools: Elizabethan Swearing, Cursing and Vocabulary

I’m writing a historical fiction novel at the moment and damn does it take a lot of research.

I’m not writing it as Shakespeare might’ve, because I want my readers to be able to understand it without sitting through a term of English GCSE lessons, but I’m trying to remain as authentic as possible and not using words like ‘laser’ or ‘a load of hot air’ when they wouldn’t have had lasers or hot air balloons in the late 16th century.

To this end, I’ve been doing a lot of Googling and have compiled a list of Elizabethan saying, idioms, forms of address and some general swear words. Yay!

Enjoy, my fellow #histfic writers:

Elizabethan Insults

Elizabethans sure knew how to bandy around the insults. A lot of insults are based on social status but your moral character could also be called into question (and given that a lot of your business or indeed your dignity would have relied on your ability to make an oath before God and have it believed) this was a pretty damning insult to men and women alike.

What you’re insulting	Insults
Social Status	Action-taking, Arrant, Barber-monger, Base, Beggarly, Caitiff, Churl, Churlish, Coistril, Cullionly, Eater of broken meats, Finical, Glass-gazing, Hundred-pound, Knave, Knavish, Lily-livered, One-trunk-inheriting, Peasant, Proud, Rascal, Rascally, Rogue, Roguish, Ruffian, Ruffianly, Shallow, Slave, Super-serviceable, Three-suited, Varlet, Vile, Villain, Villainous, Whoreson, Worsted-stocking, Wretch, Wretched…
Moral Character	Brazen-faced, Cocklorel, False, Foresworn, Lurdane, Lying, One that wouldst be a bawd, Pander, Recreant, Runagate, Traitor, Traitorous
Intelligence	Ass, Cokes, Coxcomb, Fool, Foolish, Natural, Prating
Likening them to an animal	Beast, Capon, Cur, Dog, Jackanapes, Toad
Saying they’re diseased	Filthy, Lousy (Louse ridden), Scabbed, Scurvy

If you’re feeling particularly angry (or rather, if your characters are) they can also use a combination of the following:

• Beshrew thee
• Fie upon thee
• A pox upon thee/Upon thy
• Devil take thee,
• A plague upon thee/Upon thy…
• Morraine Seize thee
• Hang thee

Elizabethan Oaths

These were a bit stronger than our modern day swear words because taking an oath in Elizabethan times meant invoking God to listen and bear witness to your oath. If you were a Catholic and you said something like ‘God’s Flesh’, you believed that you were actually harming God with your words. This is what makes the latter portion of the oaths table so strong. Needless to say, it would’ve been more than just frowned upon… it would have been outright blasphemy.

Oath Level	Oath
Polite	Truth, Forsooth, In good earnest, La (used mostly by women), ‘Pon my honour/faith, By my troth, Pardy, I’ faith/In faith, Faith, By this light, By this hand, Trust me, On my conscience, So God mend me
Emphatic	Jesu, By the Mass, Coads-nigs, Od rabbit it, Marry, God’s truth, God’s Mercy/vengeance, By the Rood, Cuds-me, By St George, Marry gip, God ‘a mercy (God have mercy), ‘Fore God, Coads, Od rat it, Od save us, By’r lady, By heaven
Strong	God’s [Teeth, Wounds (= nons, ‘zounds), Blood (= ‘Slud), Life (= Lifelings), Heart (= Heartlings), Corpus, Body (Bodikins), Foot, Feet, Bones, Flesh (=Fish), Lid, Lids, Arms. Death, Name, Crown, Dignity, Bread, Loaves, Hat, Malt, Hook (‘zooks), Nails, Plenty, Fury, Gown, Pity (pittikins), Light], God’s blessed mother, God’s precious blood [‘sprecious], God’s blessed will, Codso

Greetings

• Good Morrow/Day/Even,
• [God] Gi’ you good day,
• What ho,
• How do you,
• [God] Save you,
• How now,
• Farewells,
• God be with you,
• Fare [you] well.

Slang

Elizabethan Word	Definition
‘Fore God	An emphatic oath
A Coin/a penny	Half a farthing.
A-swame	Fainting
Abject	To cast out. To reject.
Abram-man, Abraham-man	a category of vagrant who excited sympathy or fear in onlookers by feigning madness.
Abram, Abraham	a lunatic or mad; naked.
Abroach, To Set	To let the liquid out of a cask.
Ace	A one on a die.
Action-taking	An insult of social position.
Advoutery	Adultery.
Affiance	Confidence, trust.
Agnus Dei	A wax disc imprinted with the Lamb of God and the crossed keys of the Papacy and has been blessed by the Pope
Ague	Malaria
Alderman	The elected representative of a Ward to the City Council.
Ale-bush	Inn sign, Inn.
All Hallows	Toll collector’s office at the market. (Eve) Halloween
Altham	Wife of a vagabond.
Amerce	To fine (as a legal punishment)
Ames-ace	A term of contempt, referring to “snake-eyes” on dice.
Amort, all	Out of spirits.
Angel	A gold coin, value 10 shillings.
Angler	A thief who uses a hook on a line, also Hookman, Curber or Hooker.
Antic	A clown or merry-andrew.
Apple-squire	Pimp.
Apronman	A workman or mechanic.
Apt	To make fit, adapt.
Aqua Fortis	Nitric Acid
Aqua Vitae	“Water of Life”; Whisky or Brandy
Armour of proof	Strong armour of tested quality.
Arquebus	A Firearm, matchlock or Wheellock
Arrant	1.(subs.) Errand. 2.(Adj) Itinerant, Downright. An insult of social position.
Ass	An insult of an intellectual character
Ataunt	Drunk (see Taunt)
Autem	A Church.
Autem-mort	A married, female vagrant.
Backsword	Heavy single-edged short sword
Bailie	Bailiff, Sherrif or Constable’s officer
Bale (of Dice)	2-3 matched dice, the set required for any game.
Ballow	(North Midlands) Cudgel
Balter, Baltered	(North Midlands) To Matt, Matted.
Band, falling	Flat plain linen collar worn instead of a ruff.
Bandog	A fierce watchdog.
Bandore	Stringed musical instrument like a Lute or Guitar.
Barb, or Barbary Horse	A breed of horse from “Barbery” or Berber, coast of the Mediteranean. Smaller than the Arab horse
Barber-monger	An insult of social position.
Barnard, Barnacle	A member of a group of swindlers; he first appears to be the victim of a joke in which the dupe takes part.
Barnard’s law	A special “department” of the cony-catcher’s craft. The dupe is persuaded to think he is cheating others
Barred Dice	See Dicing terms.
Bartholomew Babies	Dolls similar to those sold at Bartholomew Fair.
Base	An insult of social position.
Bash	To be put out of countenance.
Basil	A fetter
Basilisco	A piece of heavy ordinance, cannon.
Basinet	A round, bowl-like pot helm.
Bat-fowling	Cony catching at cards.
Bate	Strife or Dicord.
Batlet	A bat used to beat clothes in the wash
Batteler	A rank among the poor students at Oxford.
Bauer	Beaver, the lower face portion of the helmet.
Bausan	Horse colors	White spots on a coloured background
Bawd	A lower class woman, generally a prostitute.
Bawdy Basket	Name for a peddling woman.
Bawker	a rougish player in a Bowling Alley who has confederates in the audience.
Bay	(French, Bai; Spanish, Bayo; Latin, Badius) Horse colours	A chestnut coloured body with black points (which make it different to a bay)
Bayamblanc	(French) Horse colours	Bay or Chestnut with white points.
Baybauson	(French) Horse colours	Bay or Chestnut with white spots.
Bayclere	(French) Horse colours	A brightly coloured bay.
Beadle	1. One who makes a proclamation for another, or who bears another’s warrant or mandate for a duty. 2. A Herald, or crier. 3. An under-baliff or tipstaff. 4. An officer appointed by a Parish to keep order in church, to punish petty offenders and act as messenger of the Parish n general. 5. A Parish Constable.
Beak	1. To season by heat. 2. Magistrate
Beast	A bestial insult
Beater	Taker-up, the first person in a group of Cony- catchers to introduce himself to the dupe.
Beaupere	Companion
Beck	Constable
Beggarly	An insult of social position.
Bell-Brow	A place where one might find a receiver of stolen property.
Bellman	Watchman or Town Crier.
Belly Cheat	Apron
Bench-whistler	Idler
Bene	Good.
Bene faker of Gybes	One who manufactures false passes, licences, etc.
Beneship	Very Good, Goodness.
Beray	Befoul
Bestraighted	Distraught
Bett	Past tense and participle of “To Beat”
Bevor	A piece of plate armor protecting the throat and chin.
Biggin	Close fitting cap worn by babies.
Billman	(arch.) a Member of the watch who carried a Bill.
Bing	To go.
Bing a waste!	Go you hence!, Bugger off!
Bird	A cozener’s dupe.
Bit	Bite. Coin or Money.
Black Boy	Black Coat Parson, Priest
Black Jack	Leather drinking mug, tarred on the outside. Also Jack.
Bleater	Victim of a “Jack in a box” (q.v.)
Bleating Cheat	Calf or sheep
Blood	A fast or foppish man.
Blow	Inform.
Blower	Informer.
Blue Bottle	Constable
Blue Coat	Beadle or servant in livery
Bob	1. To steal from a person; 2. To make fun of a person.
Boil	To betray.
Boll	To drink.
Bolt	1. A roll off textile fabric; 2. To stir.
Bombast	Stuffing for clothes.
Boon	Good?
Boot-haler	A freebooter or a Brigand.
Booty	1. A form of play that begins with one player intentionally losing to encourage their oppononent to gamble more readily
Bord	A shilling.
Borsholder	A petty constable.
Boun	To get onesself ready
Bouse	1. Alcoholic Drink; 2. To consume such.
Bousing ken	Ale house.
Brabble	To quarrel.
Brach	A bitch hound.
Brazen-faced	An insult of a moral nature
Bread sippets	Slices of toast laid under meat to soak up juices
Bribering	Stealing
Bristle Dice	See Dicing Terms.
Broomman	A street sweeper or scavenger.
Buck	1. Large wooden tub with a lid; 2. Clothes prepared for washing; 3. The water involved. 4. The action of washing
Budge a beak	To Flee from Justice.
Budget	A bag or wallet.
Bufe, Bugher	(Bufay or Buufer) A dog.
Bully rook	Fine fellow
Bung	A purse, a pocket.
Buy	A purse.
By heaven	An emphatic oath
By my troth	A polite “oath”, suitable for women and children
By St George	An emphatic oath
By the Mass	An emphatic oath
By the Rood	An emphatic oath
By this hand	A polite “oath”, suitable for women and children
By this light	A polite “oath”, suitable for women and children
By’r lady	An emphatic oath
Cackling-cheat	Cock, capon, chicken
Cacodaemon	An evil spirit.
Caitiff	An insult of social position.
Calenture	A stroke
Caliver	A light Musket, a Carbine
Callet	A drab.
Canary	A fortified wine
Candlemas	February 2 and the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin.
Canions	Loose breeches, usually worn as undergarments.
Cannikin	The plague.
Cannon, Lower	Piece of plate armor protecting the lower arm. Also called a Vambrace.
Cannon, Upper	Piece of plate armor protecting the upper arm.
Canon Law	The body of law, apart from the common law, which was applied in ecclesiastical courts, and related mainly to religious and Church matters.
Cant	1. The creole and jargon spoken by thieves, beggers, and vagabonds. 2. To speak this secret language. 3. To beg in a whining fashion.
Cantel	The protuberant part at the rear of a saddle.
Cap-case	Traveling bag.
Capon	A bestial insult
Carcanet	A collar of Jewels.
Carl	A common fellow, a country man.
Carrel	A cubbyhole office in a library or a cloister.
Casson	Cheese.
Cast	1. Condemn. 2. Overthrow.
Caster	Cloak
Castle	v. To See or Look
Catchpole	An officer employed for making arrests.
Cater	1. A person who buys provisions, or caters. 2. a four on a die.
Cates	Foodstuffs or victuals.
Caudel	Hot, spiced wine made with gruel
Caul	A spider’s web.
Cautel	Precaution or wariness.
Cent/Sant	A card game whose goal is to win a hundred points.
Chafer	A saucepan.
Chapman	A trader, a salesman, a bargainer.
Charger	A serving dish
Charm	A person that picks locks.
Cheap	To trade or Bargain.
Cheaped	Something gained at a bargain.
Cheat	1. A fine, forfeiture or reversion that falls to a landlord OR gallows or gibbit
Cheats/Chats	Gallows
Chepemans	Cheapside Market.
Chestnut	Horse colours	A chestnut coloured body (Light, bright, dark, or brown) with points of the same colour
Chip	A worthless thing.
Chop	To buy and sell.
Chop a card	To change a card’s place in the deck secretly.
Chopping	Vigorous, “Strapping”
Christendom	The Christian World as a whole.
Churl	An insult of social position.
Churlish	An insult of social position.
Cinque	A five on a die.
Citron	A pale yellow color
Clapperdudgeon	1. Chief Beggar. 2. A beggar born. 3. A term of reproach.
Clark	Clerk
Clewner	Chiefman among Rogers, or beggars pretending scholarship.
Cleym	A sore.
Clink, the	A debtor’s prison
Clinker	To cause to shrink.
Close stool	A chamber pot hidden inside a seat with a lid.
Clothman	A clothier.
Cloy	To “snap,” steal, obstruct, or encumber.
Cloyed	To be intruded upon by others claiming a share.
Cly	To steal or seize.
Cly the jerk	To be whipped.
Clyster thread	A thread inserted into the skin to caused a localized irritation believed to draw the infection away from another part of the body
Coads	An emphatic oath
Coads-nigs	An emphatic oath
Cob	A short legged stout type of horse for riding. Not a special breed.
Cockle/Corncockle	A weed of cultivation.
Cocklorel	An insult of a moral nature
Codso	A strong oath, a rude word (“God’s Own”?)
Coffe	Cough
Cog	1. A type of cargo ship. 2. a coin. 3. To cheat at dice or cards, or otherwise practice deceit
Coif	1. A close fitting head covering with a whole for the face, such as those worn by Nuns. 2. A Mail hood worn by men at arms.
Coistril	An insult of social position.
Cokes	An insult of an intellectual character
Cole	A cheating knave.
Collops	Chops of meat
Colour	1. Pretence. 2. A false appearance of correctness.
Colt	1. A cheating knave. 2. An innkeeper who becomes the victim of rank-riders.
Comfits	Sweets
Commission	Shirt
Commodity	1. Advantage, Profit. 2. A parcel of goods handed over by a money lender instead of money (“a commodity of brown paper”). 3. A Prostitute.
Complected	The balance of one’s humours (shown in your face)
Conceit, to take a	To sicken of some morbid affection.
Congee	To make a ceremonious bow.
Conject	To devise or plot.
Contraries	False dice with an opposite tendency to those that are in play.
Conveyance	A trick or piece of roguery.
Conycatch	To Con or Cheat
Cope	To fasten up a ferret’s mouth.
Copesmate	Associate, Comrade.
Copy, to change one’s	To alter ones behavior.
Cornipes	A Horse.
Cornuto	A cuckold (literally, “Furnished with horns”)
Corporal Oath	Corporale Juramentum, taken while touching a sacred object.
Corsie	A corrosive.
Costiveness	Constipation
Cote-Card	Court or face card.
Couch	A form of embroidery.
Couch a hogshead	To lie down to sleep.
Counsellor	Solicitor, Advising barrister.
Country	Often used in the place of “County”, ergo a “Countryman of mine” means a person from my country
Couples	Pairs of leashes holding two hunting dogs.
Courtesy-man	The spokesman of a company of beggars pretending to be ex-soldiers; any speaker for a group of others
Courtlax	Cutlass
Cousin	A dupe.
Couter	A piece of plate armor protecting the elbow joint. (Aka “Elbow Cop”)
Cove	A man, person, or fellow.
Covert	Protection, shelter
Covetise	Couvetousness.
Coxcomb	An insult of an intellectual character
Crack	Talk, big, boast, brag.
Crackmans	a Hedge.
Cramp-rings	Fetters.
Crank, The	Epilepsy, or the “Falling Sickness”. A “counterfeit crank” is one who pretends to be an
Craven.	An insult based on social status
Cuffin	A man, fellow.
Cuir Boulli	Leather that has been hardened by the application of boiling water.
Cullionly	An insult of social position.
Cur	A bestial insult
Curb	The curber/angler/hooksman’s hook.
Curber	See Angler.
Cursitor	A Wanderer, vagabond, or tramp.
Curtal	“Curtail” 1. A small piece of artillery. 2. A horse with a docked tail. 3. Used as a term of abuse. 4. A vagabond who wears a short cloak.
Cushnet	A little cushion.
Cut	To speak or say.
Cut Bene Whids, to	To speak properly, or truely.
Cut benely, to	To speak in the fashion of one of gentle birth.
Cuttle	Knife
Cuttle-Bung	A cutpurse’s knife.
Dag	Pistol
Dappled	Horse colours	Marked with round apple sized spots. Therefore a “dapple gray” horse has dark spots on a gray background.
Darkmans	The night.
Dauphin	(French) The heir to the French Throne.
Dead Spaniard	A grey brown colour
Decoy	A card game.
Dell	A young vagrant woman.
Demander	One who gains monies through menace.
Demanders for glimmer	Beggers who seek relief on the plea that their homes and goods have been burnt.
Demi or Demi-bar	A false die that has hone half the usual Bias.
Denier	A penny (from the French for 1/12 of a sou)
Deuce	A two on dice.
Deuce-ace	“two-one”, Acey-Deucy roll on dice.
Devonshire Kersey	A form of rough cloth, originally from Devonshire.
Dewse-a-vill	The country, as opposed to the Town.
Dicker	Half-score, or ten.
Dickering and Doddering	Shivering.
Dish of coals	A frying pan containing hot coals with a griddle on top.
Dispence	Heavy spending.
Diver	Snakesman.
Doddypol	A foolish person.
Dodkin	“Doit”, a Dutch Coin, or any small coin.
Dog	A bestial insult
Dorsermaker	Maker of Panniers.
Dosser	Basket.
Dottrel	1. Kind of Plover. 2. An easy prey.
Doxy	A female vagabond, travelling usually with a man.
Draw	To pick a pocket.
Draw-latch	A petty thief.
Drift	A scheme.
Drigger	A thief.
Drink Tobacco	To draw in, or inhale tobacco smoke.
Drover	A cheating horse-dealer in Smithfield Market.
Drug	Drudge.
Dry-vat	A box or cask for dry goods.
Duds	1. Clothes (“lag of duds” a washbundle). 2. Things in general.
Duke of Exeter’s daughter	The Rack, imported by the D.of Exeter in Henry VIII’s time.
Dummerer	A begger who feigns dumbness.
Dun	From the Saxon “Dun” or Chestnut-brown Horse colours	A dull or dingy brown. If nearly gray, it may be called “Blue-dun”, if almost brown a “Golden” or “Yellow dun”. Dun Horses may have black socks
Dup	To open (a door or gate)
Dure	Endure.
Eater of broken meats	An insult of social position (indicating that the person eats other people’s leftovers).
Faith	A polite “oath”, suitable for women and children
False	An insult of a moral nature
Fauvus	(Latin; French, Fauve; Italian, Falbo) Horse colours	Tawny, or Brown
Ferrandus	(Latin; French, Ferraunt) Horse colours	Iron grey.
Ferrantamblanc	(French) Horse colours	Iron grey with white points.
Ferrauntpompyle	(French) Horse colours	Irongreyy with darker, apple sized spots.
Fig of Spain	A rude gesture, consisting of a fist with the thumb inserted through the first or second fingers.
Filch	a thief.
Filthy	An insult of a health nature.
Finical	An insult of social position.
Flense	To skin.
Flux	Dysentery.
Foin	(1) Stab with a spear (2) To engage in sexual congress.
Fool	An insult of an intellectual character
Foolish	An insult of an intellectual character
Footpad	Mugger
Foresworn	An insult of a moral nature
Forsooth	A polite “oath”, suitable for women and children
French Pox	The Spanish Disease, the English Curse.
Gallow	To Frighten
Geck	A fool
Glass-gazing	An insult of a social or moral nature (I *think* suggesting that the person is a fortune
God ‘a mercy (God have mercy)	An emphatic oath
God’s ‘zounds)	A strong oath
God’s Arms	A strong oath
God’s blessed mother	A strong oath
God’s blessed will	A strong oath
God’s Blood (= ‘Slud)	A strong oath
God’s Body (Bodikins)	A strong oath
God’s Bones	A strong oath
God’s Bread	A strong oath
God’s Corpus	A strong oath
God’s Crown	A strong oath
God’s Death	A strong oath
God’s Dignity	A strong oath
God’s Feet	A strong oath
God’s Flesh (=Fish)	A strong oath
God’s Foot	A strong oath
God’s Fury	A strong oath
God’s Gown	A strong oath
God’s Hat	A strong oath
God’s Heart (= Heartlings)	A strong oath
God’s Hook (‘zooks)	A strong oath
God’s Lid	A strong oath
God’s Lids	A strong oath
God’s Life (= Lifelings)	A strong oath
God’s Light]	A strong oath
God’s Loaves	A strong oath
God’s Malt	A strong oath
God’s Mercy/vengence	An emphatic oath
God’s Nails	A strong oath
God’s Name	A strong oath
God’s Nigs	A strong oath
God’s Pity (pittikins)	A strong oath
God’s Plenty	A strong oath
God’s precious blood [‘sprecious]	A strong oath
God’s Teeth	A strong oath
God’s truth	An emphatic oath
God’s Wounds (= nons	A strong oath
Goodman/Goodwife	A term or respect for a common person, one down from Mister or
Gorget	A plate protecting the neck or throat.
Gossip	(“God-sibling”) An old friend, especially female.
Greave	A Piece of armor that protects the shin and calf region.
Grisel	(French) Horse colours	Grey
Griselferraunt	(French) Horse colours	Grey with dark grey points
Grisliard	(French) Horse colours	Very small spots of white on a grey coat
Groat	A silver four pence piece.
Halberd	A polearem that is still carried by the Yeoman of the Guard.
Haquenai	(French)[Middle English, Hakene] A riding horse, usually small, and sometimes a pacing horse
Highmen/lowmen	False dice altered to throw High/low.
Hobyn	[Hobi, Hobin] A hobby — a small horse or middle-sized pony from Ireland
Honey-stalk	A regionalism used to denote stalks of clover
Hongre	(French, Cheval Hongre) A gelding.
Hookman	Hooker, or a thief who uses a long hook to steal things
Horse Coper	Farrier or Blacksmith.
Hundred-pound	An insult of social position.
I’ faith/In faith	A polite “oath”, suitable for women and children
Iconoclasts	Protestant religious hooligans who destry images on the grounds
In good earnest	A polite “oath”, suitable for women and children
Inkhorn terms	Old, little known words used for obfuscation
Jackanapes	A bestial insult
Jakes	Privy. Toilet.
Jennet	(Spanish, Jineta; French, Genet) A small Spanish horse; also a light horseman.
Jesu	An emphatic oath
Jordan	Chamber pot
Knave	Knavish. An insult of social position.
La	A polite “oath”, suitable for women and children, and used mostly by women
Leman	(arch.) male or female lover
Liard	(French)[Lyart, lyard] Horse colours	Very small spots of white on a grey background, or vice versa, giving a silvery grey appearance.
Lily-livered	An insult of social position.
Lour	Money
Lousy (Louse ridden)	An insult of a health nature.
Lurdane	An insult of a moral nature
Lying	An insult of a moral nature
Marchpane	Marzipan
Marrano	A Portuguese Sephardic Jew
Marry	An emphatic oath
Marry gip	An emphatic oath
Melancholia	Depression
Mint	Gold
Mobled	Muffled
Murrey	Dull brown purple colour
Nasal	A metal bar sometimes fitted to a pot helm to cover the nose.
Natural	An insult of an intellectual character
Nightrail	Nightgown
Nithing	(arch.) Wimp
Nonny-nonny	A term of indelicate allusion, based on the practice of using these words to render rude Italian songs
Od rabbit it	An emphatic oath
Od rat it	An emphatic oath
Od save us	An emphatic oath
On my conscience	A polite “oath”, suitable for women and children
One that wouldst be a bawd	An insult of a moral nature
One-trunk-inheriting	An insult of social position.
Orangado	A Seville Orange, partially hollowed and filled with sugar.
Ordinary, the	The set meal at an Inn, often stew thickened with vegetables and bread
Palliard	Begger
Pandar	An insult of a moral nature
Pannam	Bread
Papal Bull	A decree issued by the Pope.
Pardy	A polite “oath”, suitable for women and children
Pash	Smash
Passado	Early version of the fencing lunge.
Patten	A large wooden overshoe worn to protect the slippers.
Pauldron	A piece of armor that protects the shoulder joint.
Peledargent	(French) Horse colors: “Silver-skin”
Penner	A leather belt pouch designed to carry pens, penknife and inks.
Petard	An explosive charge used in seiges.
Piccardils	Stiffened strips of cloth to support a ruff on a collar.
Pick	1. A hand weapon used to punture armor. 2. A Battering Ram with a narrow point.
Piebald	Horse colours	Two different colours, strictly speaking black and white. See also Skew Bald.
Pike	A very long lance or spear-like weapon.
Pillicock	(1) The penis. (2) A vulgar term for a boy.
Plainnesse	The use of Plain, well known terms
Points	1. Laces for tying clothes shut or together. 2. Horse colours: The Mane, Tail, and most of the legs. May also indicate the muzzle.
Poleyn	A piece of armor that protects the knee joint. Aka a Couter, or in modern language, a “Knee Cop”
Pomyle	Pommele (French) Horse colours: Marked with round apple sized spots. See also Dappled.
Pon my honor/faith	A polite “oath”, suitable for women and children
Posset	A warming or medicinal drink.
Potch	Thrust
Pottage	Stew
Prating	An insult of an intellectual character
Prig	(1)(2) To steal
Primero	A complex card game similar to poker.
Proud	An insult of social position.
Punk	Prostitute.
Punkateero	A purveyor of Punks, a Pimp.
Rascal	Rascally. An insult of social position.
Recreant	An insult of a moral nature
Recusant	Someone who breaks the law by not going to Church on Sundays
Roan	Horse colours: A mixed colour with a decided shade of red. They may also have grey or white
Roaring Boys	Hooligans, Thugs
Rogue	Roguish. An insult of social position.
Ruffian	Ruffianly. An insult of social position.
Runagate	An insult of a moral nature
Rushlight	A cheap candle made by dipping a dried rush stem into tallow (aka a “Tallow Dip”)
Sabaton	(French) A Piece of Armor protecting the upper surface of the foot.
Sack	Sherry
Sallet	A Type of Pot Helm.
Samite	A heavy Satin
Sauced Drink	Tobacco or food that have been “enhanced” by the addition of herbs
Scabbed	An insult of a health nature.
Screw	A form of battering ram with a twisting action to increase damage.
Scurvy	An insult of a health nature.
Secretary Hand	The prevalent style of handwriting
Shallow	An insult of social position.
Sherrif	A royal official who lookas after the Crown’s business in a particular shire.The word was originally ‘Shire Reeve’
Skewbald	Horse colours	Two different colours, generally large, irregular patches of white on a different coloured background other than black and white
Slave	An insult of social position.
So God mend me	A polite “oath”, suitable for women and children
Sonipes	Horse (poetic/literary term).	A bright chestnut color, reddish brown
Sorel	Sor (French; English, Sorrel) Horse colours
Spada	Spado. A gelding, or spayed horse.
Stays	Corsets, Bodices
Stews	A brothel
Stockfish	A form of fish dried to be stored forever.
Stomacher	A boned triangular piece of cloth, often embroidered, pinned to the front of the corsets.
Stoned Horse	Stallion.
Stud	A collection for the breeding of horses, now usually centred on a stallion, but originally centred on the mares
Super-serviceable	An insult of social position.
Tarre	To provoke or incite
Tawny	Orange-Gold color
Tercio	Spanish equivalent of a Brigade (about 3000 men, including pike and arqubusiers).
Tertian fever	Three day Malaria
Tester	Roof of a four poster bed.
Three-suited	An insult of social position.
Tithe	A tax paid to the Church, ormally one tenth of a person’s income.
Toad	A bestial insult
Tobacco	Introduced to England by Hawkins and as fashionable (and early on as expensive as) Cocaine.
Trained Bands	Company size groups that formed the bulk of the English Military. Regional militia.
Traitor	Traitorous. An insult of a moral nature
Trencher	Dinner plate, early of bread, now of wood, silver, or pewter.
Trucklebed	Small bed on wheels that was normally pushed under another bed when not in use. Trundlebed.
Trull	Prostitute.
Trust me	A polite “oath”, suitable for women and children
Tunnage and Poundage men	Customs officers.
Upright Man	Sturdy Begger or vagrant.
Vails	(North Midlands) Perks or Tips
Varius	(Latin; French, Vair) Horse colours
Varlet	An insult of social position.
Varmint	Vermin
Veney	Playing a friendly practice fight with sticks, often ending in broken bones.
Veney stick	A heavy stick, like a sledgehammer handle used for sword practice.
Vile	An insult of social position.
Villain	Villainous. An insult of social position.
Whoreson	An insult of social position.
Winding up a jack	Winding the clockwork mechanism for turning a spit for even cooking.
Worsted-stocking	An insult of social position.
Wretch	An insult of social position.
Writ	A legal document which could be obtained in order to bring a case to court without the normal time it took.
Yard	The Naughty bits of a Stallion.

 

Coming Spring 2025!

Scheduled for spring 2025, The Lamplighter’s Bookshop is my debut novel, a historical romance set in 1899 telling the story of Evelyn Seaton, the aristocratic daughter of a gambling father. The synopsis reads: “After she and her mother are made destitute, Evelyn secretly answers an advertisement for a bookshop assistant at the shambling yet captivating Lamplighter’s Bookshop in York, but she is not the only candidate … competition comes in the person of William, a charming yet enigmatic writer hiding secrets of his own.”