Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(UK Und.) branded on the hand.

1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. n.p.: charactered burnt in the Hand; as, They have pawn’d the Character upon him, i.e. They have burnt the Rogue in the Hand.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1812–82		B.M. Carew Life and Adventures.
c.1850		Duncombe New and Improved Flash Dict.