Green’s Dictionary of Slang

to go out looking for sex; also as n.

1618		N. Field Amends for Ladies I i: Like one of these same rambling boies, That raigne in Turnebull-street.
1624		Massinger Parliament of Love V i: I doe confesse I coold him, spoyl’d his ramblinge.
1633		J. Shirley Gamester I i: She’ll give me leave To ramble where I list, and feed upon What best delights my appetite.
1668		C. Sedley Mulberry Garden I i: A Rambling, methinks that word sounds very prettily i’the Mouth of a young Maid.
1672		Wycherley Love in a Wood I ii: A Ramble to St. James’s Park to night, upon some probable hopes of some fresh Game I have in chase.
1675		Head Nugae Venales 2: One Gentleman [...] who had been rambling all Night.
1685		J. Crowne Sir Courtly Nice I i: A rambling woman [...] will be apt to bring her virtue as a traveller does his money, from a broad piece to a brass farthing.
1704		Cibber Careless Husband V iii: He’s upon some Ramble, I’m afraid.
1772		G. Stevens ‘Transit of Venus’ in Songs Comic and Satyrical 151: If Husbands who ramble [...] go but Home and they’ll find, / At Home they had Business enough.
1821		W.T. Moncrieff Tom and Jerry II ii: Well, here we are, just before them – and now to cure them of their love and rambling it must be our plan to involve them in all the scrapes we can.
1833		‘Life In London’ in Swell!!! or, Slap-Up Chaunter 10: Life in London’s now the start – / The rambling kids are down, sir.