or by-scape, by-chop, by-slip, subs. phr. (old) = a bastard; a SIDE-SLIP (q.v.): in BY-SCAPE an eye may be kept on BLOODY-ESCAPE (q.v.) FROM A FRENCH LETTER (q.v.).

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  1594.  BARNFIELD, Affectionate Shepherd.

        In such a ladies lappe, at such a slipperie BY-BLOW,
That in a world so wide could not be found such a wilie
Lad; in an age so old, could not be found such an old lad.

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  1625.  MASSINGER, The Parliament of Love, II., i. Give to each BY-BLOW, I know mine, a farm.

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  1632.  JONSON, The Magnetic Lady, iv. 7.

                        First I have sent
BY-CHOP away; the cause gone, the fame ceaseth.

4

  1646.  EARL OF MONMOUTH, Biondi’s History of the Civill Warres of England, VI., ix., 197. For his being God-son to her Brother, and … for that (being very fair) she thought him a BY-SCAPE of his.

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  1663.  R. STAPYLTON, The Slighted Maid, ii. 27.

          Fil.  No, of the English Drakes, great Captain Drake
(That sail’d the World round) left in Spain a BY-BLOW,
Of whom I come.

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  1678.  COTTON, Scarronides, I., 21 (ed. 1725).

        Now Venus was Æneas’ Mother,…
In the behalf then of her BY-BLOW,
Which had endur’d many a dry Blow.

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  1692.  J. HACKET, Life of Archbishop Williams, ii., 37. As Pope Paul the Third carried himself to his ungracious BY-SLIPS (an Incubus could not have begot worse) who made no further inquisition after their horrid facts, but to say, They learnt it not of him.

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  c. 1696.  B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. BY-BLOW, a Bastard.

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  1705–7.  WARD, Hudibras Redivivus, II., ii., 19.

        The poor Man’s House abounds with Brats,
As country Barn with Mice and Rats;
And Parishes be fill’d with BY-BLOWS
As thick as Butchers’ Stalls with Fly-blows.

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  1748.  T. DYCHE, A New General English Dictionary (5 ed.). BY-BLOW (s.), a bastard or illegitimate child.

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  1772.  BRIDGES, A Burlesque Translation of Homer, 175.

          One of old Antenor’s BY-BLOWS:
His wife Theano, ’tis well known,
Nurs’d this young bastard like her own.

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  1868.  BROWNING, The Ring and the Book, iv., 612.

              A drab’s brat,
A beggar’s BYE-BLOW.

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  1875.  OUIDA, Signa, I., iii., 34. The one who held the child turned his light on the little wet face;… ‘And whose BY-BLOW is this?’ said he. ‘The devil knows,’ said he who knelt by the mother. ‘But it is Pippa.’

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