Obs. In 5 wapp, 6 wappe. [f. WAP v.3] A kind of mongrel formerly used as a house-dog.
Owing to a mistake of his translator Fleming (1576), Caius has commonly been said to have identified the ‘wappe’ with the ‘turnspit,’ and to haue given waupe as an actual variant form. His Latin for Wappe is Admonitor (rendered ‘Warner’ by Fleming); for Turnespete he gives Versator.
1464. Plumpton Corr. (Camden), 14. Sir Henry Vavasor was gone hence or I wist, so that I might not speak to him for the wapp.
1570. Caius, De Canibus Brit., 12 b. Ad postremum, degeneres, Wappe and Turnespete nominari dicebamus: hunc à verbo nostrati turne,… & spete…: illud à naturali canis voce Wau, quàm in latratu ædit admonendo. Vnde, originaliter Waupe dicendum fuit. Sed euphoniæ bonæque consonantiæ gratia, vocali in consonantem mutata, Wappe à nostris vocitatur.
1589. Nashe, Anat. Absurd., B 4. The sillie Sheephearde committing his wandering sheepe to the custodie of his wappe.
