Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a parson.

1725		New Canting Dict. n.p.: autem bawler A Preacher, or Parson, of any Sect. [Ibid.] The Autem-Bawler, will soon quit the Hums, for he chops up the Whiners; i.e. The Parson will soon have dispatch’d the Congregation, for he huddles over the Prayers; used by such as wait till Divine Service is over, to pick Pockets, &c.
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict.
1750–1882		B.M. Carew Life and Adventures.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
[1793		J. O’Keeffe London Hermit (1794) 51: You are the canting bawler that broke down one of my statues].
1809		G. Andrewes Dict. Sl. and Cant.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		‘Jon Bee’ Dict. of the Turf, the Ring, the Chase, etc.
1828		Lytton Pelham III 297: Dressing up one of the pals, whom the sinner could not recognize, as an ‘autem bawler,’ and so obtaining him the benefit of the clergy without endangering the gang by his confession.
1834		(con. 1737–9) W.H. Ainsworth Rookwood (1857) 206: There’s that infernal autem-bawler.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open.
1852		Kendal Mercury 17 Apr. 6/1: The coves next jigger (door) are hangers on (dependents) of the Autembawlers (ministers) and turn up their snuff-traps whenever there’s a shindy.
1881		Trumble Sl. Dict. (1890) Autom [sic] Bawler, a preacher.
1891		Star (Guernsey) 26 Dec. 2/7: A preacher — an ‘autem-bawler’.
1895		C. Crowe Aus. Sl. Dict 5: Autum bawler.
1960		(con. 1950-1960) R.A. Freeman Dict. Inmate Sl. (Walla Walla, WA) 4: Autumn bawler – a parson; sky-pilot.

1. a dissenter, spec. a Puritan.

1723		‘Whipping-Tom’ Democritus III 6: Entring [...] Oliver’s Tabernacle, situated not a Mile from the Gate-house, I hear’d a fanatical Cackler.
1725		New Canting Dict.
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict.
1750–1882		B.M. Carew Life and Adventures.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1809		G. Andrewes Dict. Sl. and Cant.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		‘Jon Bee’ Dict. of the Turf, the Ring, the Chase, etc.
1835		G. Kent Modern Flash Dict.
1846		Swell’s Night Guide 110/1: Autem cacklers, dissenters of all sects.
c.1850		Duncombe New and Improved Flash Dict.
1859		‘Hundred Stretches Hence’ Matsell Vocabulum 124: The autum-cacklers, autum-coves, / The jolly blade who wildly roves.
1876		C. Hindley Life and Adventures of a Cheap Jack 260: A Jew was selling cocoa-nut, when the ‘autem-cackler,’ i.e., dissenting minister, came and wanted to impart to the Israelite the sin he committed in carrying on his vocation on such a day [Sunday].
1891		F.W. Carew Autobiog. of a Gipsey 412: The old ’un was an autem-cackler – what they calls a Baptist.

2. (Aus.) a married woman, a wife.

1895

C. Crowe Aus. Sl. Dict 5: Autum Cackler, a married woman.

a conventicle or dissenters’ meeting house.

1725		New Canting Dict.
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1809		G. Andrewes Dict. Sl. and Cant.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1835		G. Kent Modern Flash Dict.
1846		Swell’s Night Guide 108/2: Anthem cackle ken, a house hired by Methodist preachers or ranting Dissenters, also Gospel lumber, gaming crib.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open.

(UK Und.) a church, a pulpit.

c.1850

Duncombe New and Improved Flash Dict.

an Anabaptist.

1725		New Canting Dict.
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1835		G. Kent Modern Flash Dict.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open.
c.1850		Duncombe New and Improved Flash Dict.

1. a pickpocket specializing in robbing from church congregations.

1725		New Canting Dict. n.p.: autem-divers Church-Pickpockets.
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict.
1750–82		B.M. Carew Life and Adventures.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1809		G. Andrewes Dict. Sl. and Cant.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		‘Jon Bee’ Dict. of the Turf, the Ring, the Chase, etc.
1835		G. Kent Modern Flash Dict.
1846		Swell’s Night Guide 110/1: Autem divers, pickpockets who practise in churches, also church-wardens and overseers of the poor, who defraud, deceive, and impose upon the parish.
1848		‘Ned Buntline’ Mysteries and Miseries of N.Y. I 113: ‘Autem-divers.’ Pickpockets in a Church.
1881		Trumble Sl. Dict. (1890).
1895		C. Crowe Aus. Sl. Dict 5: Autum Diver, a church pickpocket.

2. a churchwarden or other petty official charged with responsibility for distributing alms to the poor; their charges regarded them as little more than licensed robbers.

1725		New Canting Dict. n.p.: autem-divers [...] often used among the Canters, for Church-Wardens, Overseers of the Poor, Sides-men and others, who have the Management of the Poor’s Money.
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict.
1750–82		B.M. Carew Life and Adventures.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1809		G. Andrewes Dict. Sl. and Cant.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1835		G. Kent Modern Flash Dict. 4: Autem divers [...] churchwardens and overseers of the poor, who defraud, deceive, and impose on the parish.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open.
c.1850		Duncombe New and Improved Flash Dict.

(UK Und.) a fortune-teller, a conjuror.

1725		New Canting Dict. n.p.: autem-gogglers A Crew of Religious Cants, pretending to be persecuted Camisars, or French Prophets, distorting their Faces with ridiculous Grimaces, &c. and laying Claim to Inspiration, in order to gather People about them, with intent to rob, plunder, or pick Pockets.
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. n.p.: autem-gogglers, pretended French prophets.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: Autem goglers, (cant) pretended French prophets.
1809		G. Andrewes Dict. Sl. and Cant.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1822		Bell’s Life in London 13 Oct. 5/3: If you’re up to the slums Autem Gogglers should know; What is my luck to be? — said the mummers, ‘so,so!’.
1835		G. Kent Modern Flash Dict.
1846		Swell’s Night Guide 110/1: Autem gogglers, conjurors, fortune tellers.
c.1850		Duncombe New and Improved Flash Dict.

a parson.

1725		New Canting Dict.
1750–82		B.M. Carew Life and Adventures.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
a.1790		H.T. Potter New Dict. Cant (1795).
1809		G. Andrewes Dict. Sl. and Cant.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open.
c.1850		Duncombe New and Improved Flash Dict.
1859		Matsell Vocabulum.
1903		Dundee Eve. Post 26 Nov. 6: They all dodge the Jet Autem, and sneak down the slade, / To appear arm-in-arm at the Monkey’s Parade.

(UK Und.) a church service.

c.1850

Duncombe New and Improved Flash Dict.

(UK Und.) a beggar who poses as pious to play on the sympathies of church-goers.

1846

Swell’s Night Guide 108/2: Anthem mot, or anthem quester, a man or woman faking the pious dodge with the shallow kids, cadging browns on amen and bounce.

a dissenter, spec. a Puritan.

1725		New Canting Dict.
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1809		G. Andrewes Dict. Sl. and Cant.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open.

a Quaker; thus autem quaver tub, autem quaver’s butt, a Quaker meeting house.

1725		New Canting Dict. n.p.: autem-quavers the Sectaries call’d Quakers, who first began their Schism by quavering, shaking, and other ridiculous Gestures. [Ibid.] autem-quaver-tub a Meeting-House, particularly for Quakers.
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: Autem quavers, quakers. [Ibid.] Autem quaver tub, (cant) a quakers meeting-house.
1809		G. Andrewes Dict. Sl. and Cant.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum [as cit. 1785].
1823		‘Jon Bee’ Dict. of the Turf, the Ring, the Chase, etc.
1835		G. Kent Modern Flash Dict. 4: Autem quaver’s tub, a quaker’s meeting house.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open.
c.1850		Duncombe New and Improved Flash Dict. n.p.: Autumn quaver’s butt quaker’s meeting house.
1871–81		B.M. Carew Life and Adventures.

the robbery of churches or chapels.

1823

‘Jon Bee’ Dict. of the Turf, the Ring, the Chase, etc.