subs. (old cant).—A begging-letter writer: a fabricator of false characters, counterfeit-passes, and certificates.
1567. HARMAN, A Caveat or Warening for Common Cursetors, p. 60. For as much as these two names, a IARKEMAN and a Patrico, bée in the old briefe of vacabonds, and set forth as two kyndes of euil doers, you shall vnderstande that a Iarkeman hathe his name of a Iarke, which is a seale in their Language, as one should make writinges and set seales for lycences and pasporte.
1608. DEKKER, The Belman of London, sig. C. 3 (ed. 1608). There [are] some in this Schoole of Beggers that practise writing and reading, and those are called JARKMEN [old ed. JACKMEN]: yea, the JARKMAN is so cunning sometimes that he can speake Latine; which learning of his lifts him vp to aduancement for by that means he becomes Clarke of their Hall, and his office is to make counterfeit licenses, which are called gybes, and to which he puts Seales, and those are termed JARKES.
1622. BEAUMONT and FLETCHER, Beggar’s Bush, ii. 1. And then, what name or title e’er they bear, JARKMAN or Patrico.
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v.
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v.
1834. W. H. AINSWORTH, Rookwood, iii. 5. No JARKMAN, be he high or low.
1859. G. W. MATSELL, Vocabulum; or, The Rogue’s Lexicon, s.v.
