Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a crippled or deformed person; thus as adj., short and clumsy; given the other terms in cit. 1705–07, all referring to foreigners, hodmedod here may be a corruption of SE Hottentot, although Ward (Vulgus Brit. 1710) uses Hodmontots for this.

c.1642		T. Killigrew Parson’s Wedding (1664) V iv: Nay, can any woman be honest that let’s such Hod-man-dods crawle o’re her Virgin breast, and Belly?
1705–07		N. Ward Hudibras Redivivus I:11 7: Had Hodmedod’s and Prester John’s / Been mix’d with Sarazens and Huns.