or screave, subs. (old).—1. Anything written: a begging letter, a testimonial, chalk pavement work, &c. Also (2) a bank note (Scots’): cf. SCREEN; SCREEVETON = the Bank of England. As verb. = to write, or draw; SCREEVER (or SCREEVE-FAKER) = (1) a cheeky beggar (GROSE, VAUX), and spec. (2) a pavement-‘artist.’
1821. D. HAGGART, Life, 25. The SCREAVES were in his benjy cloy.
1851–61. H. MAYHEW, London Labour and the London Poor, I. 339. Of professional beggars there are two kinds—those who ‘do it on the blob’ (by word of mouth), and those who do it by ‘SCREEVING,’ that is, by petitions and letters. Ibid., I. 341. Such a ‘fakement’ [a begging petition, &c.] … put into the hands of an experienced lurker, will bring the ‘amanuensis,’ or ‘SCREEVER,’ two guineas at least, and the proceeds of such an expedition have in many cases averaged 60l. per week. Ibid., I. 542. His chief practice was in ‘SCREEVING,’ or writing on the pavement. Ibid. (1862), IV. 442. The next ‘SCREEVE’ takes the form of a resolution at a public meeting.
1857. Punch, 31 Jan., p. 49, ‘Dear Bill, This Stone-jug.’ It ’s agin the rules is SCREEVIN’ to pals out o’ gaol.
1866. The London Miscellany, 3 March, 57, 1, ‘London Revelations.’ “You’d better be a SCREEVER if they ask you,” said he. “That’ll account for your hands, you know.” “You mean a begging-letter writer?”
1883. Punch, 14 July, 13, 2. Here is a brilliant opening for merry old Academicians, festive flagstone “SCREEVERS,” and “distinguished amateurs.”
1884. World, 16 April, 15, 1. A correspondent writes: “Apropos of SCREEVER … does it get its derivation from the Italian scrivere, to write?”
1887. W. E. HENLEY, Villon’s Straight Tip to all Cross Coves, I. Suppose you SCREEVE? or go cheap-jack?
1889. Answers, 27 July, 136, 2. A list of subscribers to a charity is carefully cut out by the SCREEVERS and studied. Ibid. A clerk is frequently called a SCREEVER, but a SCREEVER proper (or improper) is such a remarkable person.
