Green’s Dictionary of Slang

the gallows.

a.1674		‘Of the Budge’ Head Canting Academy (1674) 12: From hence we are divorced / To the Nubbing cheat in a Cart.
1688		J. Shirley Triumph of Wit 213: The Gallows Nubbing cheat.
c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Nubbing-cheat The Gallows.
1703		Hell Upon Earth 5: Nubbing-Chit, the Gallows.
1714		A. Smith Lives of Most Noted Highway-men, etc. I 142: For fear the Nubbing-Cheat, that is to say, the Gallows, should catch him at least.
1725		New Canting Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1749		Fielding Tom Jones (1959) 281: I will show you a way to empty the pocket of a queer cull without any danger of the nubbing cheat. [...] Nubbing cheat [...] is a cant phrase for the gallows.
1754		Scoundrel’s Dict. 30: Mark you well, heark you well, / See where they’re rubb’d. / Up to the Nubbing-cheat, and there they’re nubb’d.
1764		Bloody Register I 128: But his name being too well known at the Old Bailey, he was now terribly afraid of the Nubbing Cheat (the gallows).
1788		‘De Night before Larry was Stretch’d’ Irish Songster 6: When he came to the nubbing chit, / He was tuck’d up so nate and so pritty.
a.1790		H.T. Potter New Dict. Cant (1795).
1809		G. Andrewes Dict. Sl. and Cant.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
c.1816		‘The Night Before Larry Was Stretched’ in Farmer Musa Pedestris (1896) 81: [as cit. 1788].
1822		Life and Trial of James Mackcoull 54: Is it at all probable that he would have lost so favourable an opportunity of ‘sherking the nubbing cheat?’.
1833		‘A Shove In The Mouth’ in Regular Thing, And No Mistake 61: And how too I lagged at the nubbing-cheat door, / To hear if you were spoke for a jig.
1835		Worcester Herald 26 Dec. 4/3: The numin [sic] cheat, the gallows.
1841		‘Bon Gaultier’ ‘The Faking Boy to the Crap is Gone’ in Farmer Musa Pedestris (1896) 124: The faking boy to the crap is gone, / At the nubbing-cheat you’ll find him.
c.1850		Duncombe New and Improved Flash Dict.
1869		‘Thief-Catcher’s Prophecy’ in W.H. Logan Pedlar’s Pack of Ballads 142: [as cit. 1754].
1887		A. Barrère Argot and Sl. 272: [...] Gallows, scrag, nobbing cheat, or government signpost.
1894		‘Price Warung’ Tales of the Early Days 13: P’r’aps ye’d like to do th’ nubbling cheat trick at once? Better now than later.

the hangman.

1674		Head Canting Academy (2nd edn).
c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Nubbing-cove The Hangman.
1707		J. Shirley Triumph of Wit (5 edn) 194: The Prancer drew the Quere Cove at the cropping of the Rottam through the Rum pads of the Rum-vill, and was flogg’d by the Nubbing-cove. [The Rogue was dragged at the Cart’s Arse through the chief Streets of London, and whipp’d by the Hangman].
1724		‘John Sheppard’s Last Epistle’ in Dly Jrnl (London) 16 Nov. 1: The Nubbing Cull pops on the Cheat, / And into the Tumbler conveys me.
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. 114: The Hangman The Nubbing Cove.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1790		‘The Bowman Prigg’s Farewell’ in Wardroper (1995) 284: The nubbing cove pops from the pit.
c.1800		Song No. 25 Papers of Francis Place (1819) n.p.: The Nubbing cull pops from the pit / And into the tumbril conveys us.
1809		G. Andrewes Dict. Sl. and Cant.
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.

the Sessions house.

1674		Head Canting Academy (2nd edn).
1688		J. Shirley Triumph of Wit 218: The Sessions-house Nubbing-ken.
c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Nubbing-Ken The Sessions-house.
1719		A. Smith Lives of Most Notorious Highway-men, etc. (1926) II [as cit. c.1698].
1725		New Canting Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1754		Scoundrel’s Dict. 19: The Sessions-house – Nubbing-ken.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
a.1790		H.T. Potter New Dict. Cant (1797).
1809		G. Andrewes Dict. Sl. and Cant.
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.

(UK Und.) the gallows.

c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Nubbing Post The Gallows.
1741		Canting Academy, or the Pedlar’s-French Dict.