Just to expand your personal vocabulary, here's a taste of the "flash" language:
Stealing a purse - filed the bit; boned the cole; clicked the ready bag
Prison - a sheep walk; the quod
Newgate Prison - King's Head Inn
Turnkeys - Gaggers
Hanging - Scaffold hornpipe; Newgate Morris; scragged; twisted; crapped; nubbed; Jack Ketched; dancing on Newgate's stage or rope gargling
Pistol - Stick
Sword - Tail
Stage - Deck
Good man - Flash scamp
Victim - Mum scull
Money - Rhino
Brothel - Academy
Prostitute - Frow
Flash - underworld; criminal; daring
To be criminal - On the cross
To be honest - On the square
Gallows Thief - Crap prig
For more slang from the era, check out this site.
To learn about the Regency period (1812-1830) check out the Eras of Elegance website.
For a complete list of Cornwell's books, check out his own site.
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