Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. to beg; thus maunder on the fly, to beg in the streets; maundering, begging, prone to begging; maundering tools, items used to enhance one’s begging image and thus gain more sympathy and alms.

1621		Beaumont & Fletcher Thierry and Theodoret V i: omnes: Why, what would you have us to doe Captaine? dev.: Beg, beg, and keepe Constables waking, wear out stocks and whipcord, mander for buttermilk.
1630		J. Taylor ‘Fennors Defence’ in Works (1869) II 152: Thou sayst, the Maundering begger credit got, / For that, thou knowst I know a Poet wrot.
1648		Dekker ‘Canters Dict.’ Eng. Villainies (9th edn).
1748		Dyche & Pardon New General Eng. Dict. (5th edn).
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open 115: Maundering, begging.
1852		Kendal Mercury 3 Apr. 6/1: There’s a tidy swarm of maunderers (beggars) and molls on the chanting lark (singing) [...] sharpers (razor-grinders), and crocusses (quack doctors).
1852		Kendal Mercury 17 Apr. 6/1: Honly think of it! a precious christian stopping his tatar-trap (mouth) vith slippery (soap), and rolling himself about the pave like a prad (horse) in the bits. Any dodge, I think, in maundering before that.
1859		Hotten Dict. of Modern Sl. etc. 62: MAUNDERING ON THE FLY, begging of people in the streets. Old cant.
1865		Leaves from Diary of Celebrated Burglar 60/2: A large and varied assortment of ‘maundering-tools,’ consisting of wooden legs, crutches, wadded hump-backed jackets, green eye-blinders, soldiers’ war-worn togs, Billy-in-the-bowls, dog wagons with dogs in harness, old greasy and tattered trowsers, coats, &c.
1868		Manchester Wkly Times 26 Dec. 11/3: ‘He did naught but drink, an’ maunder about th’ country-side, wi’ o’maks o’ sleeveless wastrels’.
1873		Sl. Dict.

2. (UK und.) writing begging letters, counterfeit documents, etc.

1849

Paul Pry 19 Mar. 1/2: The third was [...] ‘Mandering Sam’ this last name having been bestowed upon him in consequence of his present calling, viz., that of giving characters to persons seeking situations, writing begging letters, petitions, &c.