1596. Shakspeare, Merry Wives, i. 3. III. I will incense Page to deal with poison. I will possess him with YELLOWNESS. Ibid. (1600), Much Ado, i. 1. Civil as an orange, and something of that jealous complexion. Ibid. (1602), Twelfth Night, ii. 4. With a green and YELLOW melancholy. Ibid. (1604), Winter's Tale, ii. 3. 107. 'Mongst all colours, No YELLOW in't, lest she suspect, as he does, Her children not her husbands.
1607. Dekker, Northward Hoe, i. 3. Jealous men are either knaves or coxcombs; be you neither; you wear YELLOW HOSE without cause. Ibid. (1607), Westward Hoe. ii. 2. I'll make the YELLOW-HAMMER, her husband, know . . . that there's a difference between a cogging bawd, and an honest motherly gentlewoman.
1621. Burton, Anat. Melan., III. III. i. 2. At length he began to suspect, and turne a little YELLOW, as well he might, for it was his owne fault; and if men be jealous in such cases . . . the mends is in their owne hands. . . . The undiscreet carriage of some lascivious gallant . . . may make a breach, and by his over-familiarity, if he be inclined to YELLOWNESS, colour him quite out.
1623. Massinger, Duke of Milan, iv. 1. If I were The duke (I freely must confess my weakness) I should wear YELLOW BREECHES.
1633. Brome, Antipodes, L. (4to). But for his YELLOWS, Let me but lye with you, and let him know it, His jealousy is gone.
1640. Two Lancashire Lovers, 27. Thy blood is yet uncorrupted, YELLOWS has not tainted it.
16[?]. Roxburgh Ballads, ii. 61. If thy wife will be so bad. . . . Why . . . WEARE STOCKINGS that are YELLOW? Tush, greeve no more, A cuckold is a good man's fellow.
1678. Butler, Hudibras, iii. 1. In earnest to as jealous piques; Which th' ancients wisely signify'd By th' YELLOW mantuas of the bride.
2. See Yellowstockings.
Baby's yellow subs. phr. (nursery).—Excrement, shit (q.v.): spec. infantine fæcal matter.
Yellow-Admiral. See Admiral.
Yellow-banded Robbers (The), subs. phr. (military).—The Prince Albert's Somersetshire Light Infantry, late the 13th Foot.
Yellow-belly, subs. (provincial).—1. A Lincolnshire fen-man.
2. (American).—A half-caste: also YELLOW-BOY {q.v.) or YELLOW-GIRL.
3. (American).—A Dutchman.
Yellow-boy, subs. phr. (common).—A gold coin: spec. a sovereign, 20s.: formerly a guinea: Fr. jaunet: see Rhino (B. E. and Grose). Also YELLOW-HAMMER (tailors'), YELLOW-MOULD, and YELLOW-STUFF (generic); YELLOW-FEVER = gold fever: cf. Scarlet-fever.
1633. Shirley, Bird in a Cage, ii. Is that he that has gold enough? would I had some of his YELLOW-HAMMERS.
1661. Middleton, Mayor of Quinborough, ii. Simon the Tanner. Now, by this light, a nest of YELLOW-HAMMERS. . . . I'll undertake, sir, you shall have all the skins in our parish at this price.
1663. Dryden, Wild Gallant, i. How now, YELLOW BOYS, by this good light! Sirrah, varlet, how came I by this gold?
1706. Ward, Wooden World, 24. No Liquor could overcome him, the last Remedy then was, to bring out some yellow Boys.
1713. Arbuthnot, Hist. John Bull, i. 6. John did not starve his cause; there wanted not YELLOW-BOYS to fee counsel.
1751. Smollett, Peregrine Pickle, viii. I wish both their necks were broke, though the two cost me forty good YELLOW BOYS.
1830. Lytton, Paul Clifford. Fighting Attie, my hero, I saw you to-day A purse full of YELLOW BOYS seize.
1840. Dickens, Old Curiosity Shop, xlii. 'The delight of picking up the money—the bright, shining YELLOW BOYS—and sweeping 'em into one's pocket!'
