Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (UK Und.) a written paper, esp. a counterfeit pass or licence, carried by many of the mendicant villains.

c.1561		Awdeley Fraternitye of Vacabondes in Viles & Furnivall (1907) 4: A Whypiacke is one, that by coulor of a counterfaite Lisence (which they call a Gybe, and the seales they cal Iarckes) doth vse to beg lyke a Maryner.
c.1566		Harman Caveat for Common Cursetours in Viles & Furnivall (1907) 83: a gybe a writing.
1592		Groundworke of Conny-catching n.p.: [as cit. c.1566].
1608		Dekker Belman of London D2: A counterfeit Licence to beg from towne to towne, which licence they call a Gybe, and the Seales to it, Iarkes.
1612		Dekker Canting Song O per se O O1: And gybe well Ierkt, tick rome confeck, for backe by glymmar to mawnd.
1637		Dekker Canting Song in Eng. Villainies (8th edn) [as cit. 1612].
1648		Dekker Canters Dict. Eng. Villainies (9th edn).
1665		Head Eng. Rogue I 49: Gybe, Any Writing or Pass.
1674		Head Canting Academy (2nd edn) 54: They have alwaies a Counterfeit pass or Licence which they call a Gybe, and the Seal thereunto Jarkes.
1688		R. Holme Academy of Armory Ch. iii item 68c: Canting Terms used by Beggars, Vagabonds, Cheaters, Cripples and Bedlams. [...] Gybe, a Writing. [Ibid.] Jybe, a License.
c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Gybe c. any Writing or Pass Sealed.
1707		J. Shirley Triumph of Wit 196: [as cit. 1612].
1714		A. Smith Lives of Most Noted Highway-men, etc. I 209: He taught his Pupil a deal of canting Words, telling him [...] Gybe, a Pass.
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. 116: A Pass A Gybe.
1754		Scoundrel’s Dict.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: Glybe, a writing (cant). [Ibid.] Gybe, or jybe, any writing or pass with a seal.
1809		G. Andrewes Dict. Sl. and Cant n.p.: glibe a writing.
1818		Sir W. Scott Heart of Mid-Lothian (1883) 260: Deil a gude fellow that has been but twelvemonth on the lay, be he ruffler or padder, but he knows my gybe as well as the jark of e’er a queer cuffin in England – and there’s rogue’s Latin for you.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1835		G. Kent Modern Flash Dict. [as cit. 1809].
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open [as cit. 1809].
c.1850		Duncombe New and Improved Flash Dict. [as cit. 1809].
1859		Matsell Vocabulum 37: glibe Writing; an written agreement.

2. (UK Und.) a coiner.

c.1850

Duncombe New and Improved Flash Dict.