Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a cheat, a confidence trickster.

1673		Head Canting Academy [title page] The vicious and remarkable lives of Mother Craftsby and Mrs. Wheedle.
1674		Jackson’s Recantation in C. Hindley Old Bk Collector’s Misc. 16: Least [...] he might be snatched out of our hands, by some other Craftsby.