Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a rustic, a simpleton; often found as a generic proper name.

1560		Becon Early Works Parker Soc. (1843) 253: What a sport they have to deceive a simple hob and plain fellow of the country!
1569–70		T. Preston Cambyses E: Hob and Lob, a ye Cuntry patches.
1592		Greene Quip for an Upstart Courtier B2: But Hob and John of the countrey they stept in churlishly, in their high startvps.
1599		Nashe Praise of the Red Herring 8: His yeomen bolde cast their heeles in their necke, and friske it after him, and thence spouteth that obscene appelation of Sarding sandses, with the draffe of the carterly Hoblobs thereabouts.
1605		Chapman & Jonson Eastward Ho! II ii: I have known poor Hob in the country, that has worn hob-nails on’s shoes, have as much villany in’s head as he that wears gold buttons in’s cap.
1623		J. Taylor ‘World runnes on Wheeles’ in Works (1869) II 236: To bid good man Hobs, good-wife Grub, or the youth of the parish, welcome at christmas-time.
1637		N. Whiting Albino and Bellama 104: Thou art some Fury, Hag, or Hob, I troe, That boldly ay my lodge dost thunder so.
1654		Mercurius Fumigosus 9 26 July-3 Aug. 6: If Country Hobbs do liquor so their Peas, your City Ladies they must highly please.
1684		A York-Shire Dialogue 61: Come hither Hobb, [...] I know thou’s Addled some with driving Plew.
c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Hob a plain Country Fellow; or Clown.
1705–07		N. Ward Hudibras Redivivus II:3 16: In Country Barns, the Hobs amuse, / With but one Heel to both their Shoes.
1719		in D’Urfey Pills to Purge Melancholy I 141: How think ye I shall do with Hob and Sue.
1725		New Canting Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1785		‘Mistress Stitch in Clover’ in Nightly Sports of Venus 30: Hob in his breeches went to bed, And Mistress Stitch was in the middle, Her face turn’d close to Bodkin’s head, To leather breeches her Bum-fiddle.
1793		Sporting Mag. Dec. III 162/2: Our hobs can swivle noses, / At single stick who fight.
1809		G. Andrewes Dict. Sl. and Cant.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1835		G. Kent Modern Flash Dict.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open.
c.1850		Duncombe New and Improved Flash Dict.
1859		Matsell Vocabulum 42: hobb a country fellow [...] hobinol A clown.
1881		Trumble Sl. Dict. (1890).