Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(UK Und.) beggars in general, other than those who parade their (faked) open sores.

c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Fermerly Beggers c. all those that have not the Sham-sores or Cleymes.
1725		New Canting Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. n.p.: fermerdy-beggars all those that have not the sham Sores or Celymes.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: Fermerdy-beggars, all those who have not the sham sores or clymes.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1871–82		B.M. Carew Life and Adventures.