or handsel, subs. (common).—The first money taken in the morning; lucky money. Hence, earnest money; first-fruits, &c. HANSEL-MONDAY = the first Monday in the new year, when presents were received by children and servants. [A.S., handselen = to deliver into the hand.]
1587. GREENE, Menaphon (ARBER), p. 71. He should like inough haue had first HANDSELL of our new Shepheards sheepehooke.
1614. JONSON, Bartholomew Fair, ii. 1. Bring him a sixpenny bottle of ale: they say a fool’s HANDSEL is lucky.
1609. HOLLAND, Ammianus Marcellinus, 46. With which wofull tidings being sore astonied, as if it were the first HANSELL and beginning of evils comming toward him.
1787. GROSE, A Provincial Glossary, etc. (1811), p. 121. It is a common practice among the lower class of hucksters, pedlars, or dealers in fruit or fish, on receiving the price of the first goods sold that day, which they call HANSEL, to spit on the money, as they term it, for good luck.
1815. SCOTT, Guy Mannering, ch. iii. There was a whin bonnie lasses there, forbye mysel’, and deil ane to gie them HANSELS. Ibid., ch. xxxii. Grizzy has naething frae me, by twa pair o’ new shoon ilka year, and maybe a bit compliment at HANSEL MONANDAY.
1821. SCOTT, Kenilworth, ch. xix. ‘How wears the Hollands you won of me?’ ‘Why, well, as you may see, Master Goldthred,’ answered Mike; ‘I will bestow a pot on thee for the HANDSEL.’
Verb (common).—1. To give handsel to; also (2), to use for the first time.
1596. NASHE, Lenten Stuffe (GROSART, Works, v., 249). And gather about him as flocking to HANSELL him and strike him good luck.
1605. CHAPMAN, etc., Eastward Hoe, ii. My lady … is so ravished with desire to HANSELL her new coach.
1639–61. Rump Songs, i. [1662], 137. Belike he meant to HANSELL his New Satten.
1663. PEPYS, Diary, 12 April. Coming home to-night, a drunken boy was carrying by our constable to our new pair of stocks to HANDSEL them.
1874. G. A. LAWRENCE, Hagarene, ch. xvii. The habit of stout blue cloth … was Pete Harradine’s last and crowning extravagance, as they passed through town on their way to Fulmerstone, and it had never been HANSELLED yet.
1881. BESANT and RICE, Sweet Nelly, in Ten Years’ Tenant, etc., Vol. I., p. 200. I wanted to present her with something to HANSEL friendship.
