1522-3. Skelton, Why Come ye not to Courte, 1167. Men wene that he [Wolsey] is pocky, Or els his surgions they lye. Ibid., Balthasor, they helyd Domingo . . . From the puskylde pocky nose . . . Hath promised to hele our cardinals eye: Yet sum surgions put a dout, Lest he will put it clene out, And make him lame of his neder limmes.
1528. Roy, Rede me, &c. [Harl. Mis. [Park], ix. 32]. He [Wolsey] had the pockes, without fayle, Wherefore people on hym did rayle.
1584. [Monday?], Weakest to Wall, i. 2. These Frenchmen's feet have a pocky strong scent.
1588. Lyly, Endimion, iv. 1. A poxe of all false proverbs.
1594. Shakspeare, Love's Lab. Lost, v. 2. Ros. O that your face were not so full of O's! Kath. A pox of that jest! Ibid. (1598), 2 Hen. IV., i. 2. A man can no more separate age and covetousness than a' can part young limbs and lechery: but the gout galls the one, and the pox pinches the other. . . . A pox of this gout! or, a gout of this pox! for the one or the other plays the rogue with my great toe. Ibid. (1609) Pericles, iv. 6. Pand. Now a pox on her green sickness for me. Bawd. Faith there's no way to be rid on't, but by the way to the pox.
1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes, s.v. Varolare, to infect, or to be infected with the poxe. Ibid., Varole, the great or French poxe. Ibid., Varoloso, pockie, full of the poxe, botches, or blanes.
1599. T. Hall, Virgid., 111. i. When ech brasse-basen can professe the trade Of curing pockie wenches from their paine.
1599. Jonson, Ev. Man Out of His Humour, iv. 4. Carlo. Let a man sweat once a week in a hot-house and be well rubbed and froted, with a good plump juicy wench, and sweet linen, he shall ne'er have the pox. Punt. What, the French pox? Car. The French pox! our pox: we have them in as good a form as they. What? Ibid. (1613), Epigrams, xii. But see! the old bawd hath served him in trim, Lent him a pocky whore—She hath paid him. Ibid., Underwoods, lxii. Pox on thee, Vulcan! thy Pandora's pox, And all the ills that flew out of her box Light on thee! or if those plagues will not do, Thy wife's pox on thee, and Bess Broughton's too.
1605. Chapman, All Fools, iii. 1. Da. I know a doctor of your name, master Pock. Po. My name has made many doctors, sir.
1613. Webster, Devil's Law Case, ii. 1. Ari. Incontinence is plagued in all the creatures of the world! Jul. When did you ever hear that a cock-sparrow Had the French pox. Ibid., iii. 3. The scurvy, or the Indian pox, I hope, Will take order for their coming back.
1619. Fletcher, Humorous Lieut., i. 2. Celia. Pox on these bawling drums! I'm sure you'll kiss me.
1631. Massinger, Emp. of East, iv. 4. Surg. An excellent receipt!. . . 'tis good for . . . the gonorrhœa, or, if you will hear it In a plainer phrase, the pox.
d. 1631. Donne, Letters [Nares]. At my return from Kent, I found Peggy had the poxe—I humbly thank God it has not much disfigured her.
1653. Urquhart, Rabelais, 1. xlv. Let me be peppered with the pox if you find not all your wives with child at your return . . . for the very shadow . . . of an abbey is fruitful.
1662. Rump Songs, i. 28. Pox take dem all, it is (Mort-Dieu) Not à la mode de France.
1668. Etheridge, She Would, &c., i. 1. Sir Oliv. Well, a pox of this tying men and women together, for better or worse. Ibid., iii. 2. Sir John. A pox upon these qualms.
1675. Wycherley, Country Wife, i. 1. A pox on't! the jades would jilt me. Ibid. ii. 1. Mrs. Pinch. He says he won't let me go abroad for fear of catching the pox. Alitha. Fy! The small pox, you should say.
d. 1680. Rochester, Works, 63. But punk-rid Ratcliffe's not a greater cully, Nor taudry Isham, intimately known To all pox'd whores.
d. 1680. Butler, Dildoides. By dildo Monsieur sure intends For his French pox to make amends.
1680. Dorset, Poems, 'On the Countess of Dorchester.' Can'st thou forget thy age and pox? Ibid. (1686), Faithful Catalogue. With Face and Cunt all martyred with the pox. Ibid. Thou wondrous pocky art, and wondrous poor.
