Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (UK Und.) straw.

c.1566		Harman Caveat for Common Cursetours in Viles & Furnivall (1907) 85: I towre the strummel trine upon thyn nabchet and Togman I see the strawe hang upon thy cap and coate.
1608		Dekker Lanthorne and Candle-Light Ch. 1: The Canters Dictionary Strommel, straw.
1611		Middleton & Dekker Roaring Girle V i: I have [...] my dell and my dainty wild dell, with all whom I’ll tumble this next darkmans in the strommel.
1618		B. Holyday Technogamia n.p.: No by Salomon, vnlesse it be Strommell sometimes in a Skipper; wee had rather Mawnd then Milllto keepe vs from Trining.
1622		Beaumont & Fletcher Beggar’s Bush III iv: Twang dells i’ th’ strommel, and let the Quire Cuffin / And Harman Beck strine and trine to the ruffin.
1637		Dekker Canting Song in Eng. Villainies (8th edn) O2: Store of Stroommell weele have here, and i’th skipper Lib in state.
1639		J. Taylor Crabtree Lectures 191: Mort. Ile tell thee queere Cove, thou must [...] lib in the Strummel, al the darkmans, and budge a beake in the light mans.
1641		R. Brome Jovial Crew II ii: The bratling’s born; the doxy’s in the strummel, / Laid by an autem mort of their own crew, / That serv’d for midwife.
1651		T. Randolph Hey for Honesty III i: I’ll [...] Liggen in strommel.
1656		Mennis & Smith ‘The Louse’s Peregrination’ Musarum Deliciae (1817) 48: A Lord of this Land that lov’d a Bum well, / Did lie with this Mort one night in the Strummel.
a.1674		‘The Rogues . . . praise of his Stroling Mort’ Head Canting Academy (1674) 18: Store of strummel wee’l have here, / And i’th’ Skipper lib in state.
1688		R. Holme Academy of Armory Ch. iii item 68c: Canting Terms used by Beggars, Vagabonds, Cheaters, Cripples and Bedlams. [...] Strommell, Straw.
c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Strommel straw.
1707		‘Maunder’s Praise of His Strowling Mort’ in Farmer Musa Pedestris (1896) 33: [as cit. 1637].
1720		in D’Urfey Pills to Purge Melancholy VI 265: With Hammer on Kettle he tabbers all Day, / At Night he will tumble on Strumil or hay.
1725		New Canting Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1741		Canting Academy, or the Pedlar’s-French Dict. 112: Is there good Hay for the Horses, Is there rum Strummel for the Prads.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1812		Vaux Vocab. of the Flash Lang.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1835		G. Kent Modern Flash Dict. 32: Strammel – straw.
1847–81		Halliwell Dict. Archaic and Provincial Words II 820/2: strommell Straw.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open [as cit. 1835].
1859		Hotten Dict. of Modern Sl. etc. 104: STROMMEL, straw. Ancient cant.
1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict. [as cit. 1859].
1906		A. McCormick Tinkler-Gypsies of Galloway 104: The following words appear to be still in use in one form or another amongst Galwegian tinkler-gypsies – Strammel – Straw.

2. hair; thus strummulo, false pubic hair.

1648		Dekker Eng. Villainies n.p.: strommel Hayre.
1660		Wandring Whore I 3: First to show the use of Strummulo or Merkin.
1660		‘Eugenius Theodidactus’ 3: All thy Pumpings, Inventions, Romances, Stories of the Strummulo, the Merkin, Spunges of several sorts.
1665		Head Eng. Rogue I 52: Strommel, Straw or Hair.
1725		‘Vain Dreamer’ in Farmer Musa Pedestris (1896) 46: Her strammel, curl’d, like threads of gold, / Hung dangling o’er the pillow.
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. n.p.: strommel [...] Hair, as, She hath good Store of Strommel on her Nob.
1741		Canting Academy, or the Pedlar’s-French Dict. 117: A Woman’s Hair A Bite Strummel.
c.1750–1882		B.M. Carew Life and Adventures.
1812		Vaux Vocab. of the Flash Lang. in McLachlan (1964) 272: strummel the hair of the head. To get your strummel faked in twig, is to have your hair dressed in the style.
1834		(con. 1737–9) W.H. Ainsworth Rookwood (1857) 178: Ne’er was there seen such a dashing prig, / With my strummel faked in the newest twig.
1845		G.W.M. Reynolds Mysteries of London vol. 2 142: Strummel Hair.
1859		Hotten Dict. of Modern Sl. etc. 104: Strummel the hair. Norf.
1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict.
1873		Sl. Dict.
1881		Newcastle Courant 2 Sept. 6/5: He doffed his coat, concealed his fiery strummel under a jasey.