Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a miser, a banker, a usurer.

1694		J. Eachard (trans.) Plautus’s Comedies Pref. a 4: Dost think, Boy, we shall be able to squeeze out a swinging sum of Money of this old Gripes, to purchase our Freedom with?
1709		S. Centlivre Busy Body Act V: I have Estate enough to purchase a Barony, and be the immortalizing of the whole Family of the Gripes.
1786		Life of Fanny Davies 10: That son of Gripus [...] was a person worth near 100,000l. yet he almost starved himelf and the fair one.
1890–1904		Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.