Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a term of abuse.

1600

J. Day Blind Beggar of Bednall-Green Act IV: can:Strowd, y’are a Nit, a Slave, and a Pessant. t. stro.: How a Fessant?

2. a promiscuous woman.

c.1550		C. Bansley Pryde and Abuse of Women line 85: Your blasynge wyfe maye be your sygne And serve to call in gesse A phasaunte stale for the devyll hym selfe, And a member of all lewdnesse.
1635		J. Shirley Lady of Pleasure III i: Which is less servile, to bring up the pheasant, And wait, or sit at table uncontroll’d, And carve to my own appetite?
1637		T. Nabbes Microcosmus Act III: My method is to dresse Phesant, Partridge and Coney for Lords, but their Ladies many times make the sawce.

3. a herring.

1861		(con. 1840s–50s) H. Mayhew London Labour and London Poor III 141/2: Mummers’ feed is a herring, which we call a pheasant.
1909		J. Ware Passing Eng. of the Victorian Era.
[1984		(con. WW2) T. Jones Heart of Oak [ebook] There I was to learn [...] cackleberries and kye, bangers and Spithead pheasant].