Note 42 — A SHORT HISTORY OF SLANG, OR THE VULGAR LANGUAGE OF FAST LIFE.

North, in his Examen, p. 574, says, “I may note that the rabble first changed their title, and were called the “mob” in the assemblies of this [Green Ribbon] club. It was their beasts of burden, and called first mobile vulgus, but fell naturally into the contraction of one syllable, and ever since is become proper English.” In the same work, p. 231, the disgraceful origin of SHAM is given. [42]