Green’s Dictionary of Slang

one who robs on the highway, but does not work from a horse.

1610		Rowlands Martin Mark-all 50: Such as robbe on horse-backe were called high lawyers, and those who robbe on foote, he called Padders.
1625		Massinger New Way to Pay Old Debts II i: Are they Padders? or Abram-men, that are your consorts?
1630		Tinker of Turvey Epistle: Be you all then, (my Brother-strowlers, and Padders on the High way,) as Iouiall as I am.
1665		Head Eng. Rogue I 386: He gives some instructions to his Country-men, first how to know Padders on the Road.
1667		Dryden Sir Martin Mar-all IV i: There were those that would have made bold with Mistriss Bride; an’ if she had strirr’d out of Doors, there were Whipsters abroad i’faith, Padders of Maiden-heads, that would have truss’d her up, and pick’d the Lock of her Affections.
1671		‘L.B.’ New Academy of Complements 204: The third was a Padder, that fell to decay; / And when he was living, took to the High-way.
1679		Proc. Old Bailey 15 Oct. n.p.: One French, a very lusty fellow , and notorious Padder, charged with two Indictments, one for Robbing a Gentel-man of 30 Shillings and other things on the Road , and another for stealing a Horse pleaded guilty to both.
1688		J. Crowne City Politicks V i: I’ll [...] cut the throats of such rogues as you, who abuse your trade, and like so many padders, make all people deliver their purse that ride in the road of justice.
1693		Dryden Juvenal III 51: Chas’d from their Woods and Bogs the Padders come To this vast City.
1701		N. Ward ‘A Walk to Islington’ in Writings (1704) 76: Buttocks and Files, House-Breakers and Padders, / With Prize-Fighters, Sweetners, and such sort of Traders.
1712		‘Black Procession’ in Farmer Musa Pedestris (1896) 37: The third was a padder, that fell to decay, / Who used for to plunder up on the highway.
1725		New Canting Dict.
1746		Poor Robin n.p.: What does that thief Mercury do with Venus? Why even the very same that hectors and padders do with ladies of pleasure [N].
1754		Scoundrel’s Dict.
1791		J. Walker Pronouncing Dict. 377/1: Padder, A robber a foot highway man.
1818		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.
1833		‘My Dimber Mot’ in Regular Thing, And No Mistake 66: When Charleys in their wink cribs squat, / And padders rum, are loosed: / When coveys tip a flashy chaunt / Beneath Sir Olive’s glare, / And upright doxies sport and flaunt, / And bargain for their ware.
1869		‘Thief-Catcher’s Prophecy’ in W.H. Logan Pedlar’s Pack of Ballads 142: The third was a Padder [...] Who used to plunder upon the Highway.