subs. phr. (old).—A hobgoblin: hence anything to terrify or disconcert.
1580. R. SCOT, Discovery of Witchcraft, 152. And they have so fraid us with BULL-BEGGERS, spirits, witches, urchens, elves, etc.—and such other bugs, that we are afraid of our own shadowes.
1585. FLEMING, The Nomenclator, 469b, s.v. Terriculamentum, A scarebug; a BULBEGGER; a sight that frayeth and frighteth.
1612. SHELTON, trans. Don Quixote, 190. Look what a troop of hobgoblins oppose themselves against me; look what ugly visages play the BULL-BEGGERS with us.
1677. E. COLES, English-Latin Dictionary, s.v. BULL-BEGGAR, Larva, terriculamentum.
