Hoax (1801)

[James A. Landau]

In a message dated  Wed, 19 May 2004 19:34:20 -0400,    "Douglas G. Wilson"
<douglas at NB.NET> quotes
>
>  _Times_ (London), 21 Jan. 1801: p. 2, col. 2:
>
>  <<Certainly the Opposition must count upon a great infusion of blunder and
>  solecism into the Imperial Parliament, before they could propound all this
>  confusion and absurdity for the grounds of an amendment to the unknown and
>  perhaps uncomposed Address of the Houses: or is it meant as a hoax upon the
>  IRISH members?>>

Sounds to me like "hoax" is an Irish word, picked up into British English as
something perpetrated on, and/or perpetrated by, Irishmen.

         - James A. Landau