By gingo!

[Benjamin Zimmer]

On Sat, 23 Jul 2005 14:04:05 -0700, Jonathan Lighter
<wuxxmupp2000 at YAHOO.COM> wrote:

>The Cowley cite beats OED by nearly 30 years.

OED has "by jingo" from 1694, but it has "hey/high jingo" from 1670. So
it's a more modest antedating.

Here's the full context -- "Hey boys Gingo" is preceded by some rhymes
about a Quack that have an almost hiphop feel to them...

-----
1663 Abraham Cowley, _Cutter of Coleman Street_. Act II, Scene 8.

Wor.
Away with't, Cutter; hum---
Come fill us the Glass o' Sack.

Cut.
What Health do we lack?

VVor.
Confusion to the Quack.

Both.
Confound him, Confound him,
Diseases all around him.

Cut.
And fill again the Sack,

Wor.
That no man may Lack,

Cut.
Confusion to the Quack,

Both.
Confusion to the Quack,
Confound him, Confound him,
Diseases all Around him.

Wor.
He's a kind of Grave-maker,

Cut.
A Urinal Shaker,

VVor.
A wretched Groat-taker,

Cut.
A stinking close-Stool raker,

VVor.
He's a Quack that's worse than a Quaker.

Both.
He's a Quack, &c.

VVor.
Hey, Boys---Gingo---

Joll.

Give me the Glass, VVill. Ile venture once more what  /  e're come on't,
here's a Health to the Royal Travailer, and so  /  Finis Coronat.  /

VVor.
Come on Boys, Vivat; have at you agen then.
Now a Pox on the Poll, of old Politique Noll.

Both.
Wee'l drink till we bring,
In Triumph back the King.

VVor.
May he Live till he see,
Old Noll upon a Tree.

VVor.
And many such as he.

Both.
May he Live till, &c.
-----


--Ben Zimmer