Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(UK Und.) the gallows.

c.1566		Harman Caveat for Common Cursetours in Viles & Furnivall (1907) 84: chattes, the gallowes.
1576		Tyde taryeth no Man in Collier (1863) II 47: But, cosen Cutpurse, if ought thou do get, / I pray thee let me haue part of thy cheate. / I meane not of thy hanging fare, / But of thy purse, and filched share.
1592		Groundworke of Conny-catching A2: [as cit. c.1566].
1608		Dekker Belman of London (3rd) J3: We may happen on the Harmans, and cly the Iarke, or to the quire ken, and scowre quire crampings, and so to trymming on the chetes.
1610		Rowlands Martin Mark-all 37: Chates, the Gallowes: here he mistakes both the simple word, because he found it printed, not knowing the true originall thereof, and also in the compound; as for Chates it should be Cheates, which word is vsed generally for things, as Tip me that Cheate, Giue me that thing: so that if you will make a word for the Gallous, you must put thereto this word Treyning, which signifies hanging; and so Treyning Cheate is as much to say, hanging things, or the Gallous, and not Chates.
1611		Middleton & Dekker Roaring Girle V i: Else trine me on the cheats – hang me.
1612		Dekker O per se O ‘Canting Song’ O2: Bein darkmans then, bouse, mort, and ken / the bien coue’s bingd a wast; / On chates to trine, by Rome-coves dine / for his long lib at last.
1637		Dekker ‘Canting Song’ in Eng. Villainies (8th edn) O3: [To] Deuse-a-vile didst runne, else the Chates had thee undone.
1651		T. Randolph Hey for Honesty III i: By these good stampers, upper and nether duds; I’le nip from Ruffmans of the Harmanbeck, Though glimmer’d in the fambles, I cly the chates.
1665		Head Eng. Rogue I 48: Chats, The Gallows.
a.1674		‘Canting Song’ Head Canting Academy (1674) 23: [as cit. 1612].
1688		R. Holme Academy of Armory Ch. iii item 68c: Canting Terms used by Beggars, Vagabonds, Cheaters, Cripples and Bedlams. [...] Chates, the Gallows.
c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew.
1707		J. Shirley Triumph of Wit 200: [as cit. 1637].
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict.
1743		Fielding Life of Jonathan Wild (1784) IV 258: See what your laziness is come to – to the cheat, for thither will you go now, that’s infallible.
c.1750–1882		B.M. Carew Life and Adventures.
1754		Scoundrel’s Dict.
1785, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: Chates, the gallows, (cant).
1786		Oxford Jrnl 4 Mar. 3/2: Tho’ thou hast scapt the chates for this bout, I may see thee a babe in the wood before tis over: and so the ruffin cly thee.
c.1786		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue ms. additions n.p.: Chatts [...] according to the canting academy, the Gallows.
1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue (2nd edn, 3rd edn).
1811		Lex. Balatronicum [as cit. 1785 & 1796 (2)].
1835		G. Kent Modern Flash Dict.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open.
c.1850		Duncombe New and Improved Flash Dict.
1859		Matsell Vocabulum.
1859		Hotten Dict. of Modern Sl. etc. 18: CHATTS [...] formerly the gallows.
1860		Hotten Dict. of Modern Sl. etc. [as cit. 1859].
1862		E. de la Bédollière Londres et les Anglais 313/2: chats, la potence.
1870		Hotten Sl. Dict. [as cit. 1859].
1881		Trumble Sl. Dict. (1890).
1949		Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn).