3. See quots., and FILE.
1669. The Nicker Nicked, in Harleian Miscellany (ed. PARK), II., 108. BULKER occurs in a list of names of thieves.
1674. R. HEAD, Canting Academy, 35. BULK and File. The one jostles you, whilst the other picks your pocket.
1678. Four for a Penny, in Harleian Miscellany (ed. PARK), IV., 147. He is the treasurer of the thieves’ exchequer, the common fender of all BULKERS and shop-lifts in the town.
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. BULK and File, c. one jostles while the other Picks the Pocket.
d. 1704. T. BROWN, Works, iii., 60. In comparison of whom (cheating gamesters) the common BULKERS and pickpockets are a very honest society.
1725. A New Canting Dictionary. BULK, an assistant to a File or Pickpocket, who jostles a Person up against the Wall, while the other picks his Pocket.
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. BULK and file, two pickpockets; the BULK jostles the party to be robbed, and the file does the business.
