"my Ghossips cock", 1641?

[Laurence Horn]

At 2:26 PM -0400 4/23/08, Joel S. Berson wrote:
>What is the sense of "cock" in the following quotation (OED2, under
>gossip, n., 2.a?
>
>  1641 Brome Joviall Crew ii. (1652) D2b, He makes us even sick of
>his sadness, that were wont to see my Ghossips cock to day; mould
>Cocklebread; daunce clutterdepouch [etc.].
>
>
>(I note that OED2 has "penis" from 1614.)
>
>Joel

Rght, but remember: "pudoris causa, not admissible in polite speech
or literature".  In terms of antedating, we can push it back a bit
farther.  Farmer & Henley cite Henry V (1600), II.i, which I assume
is a reference to the pun in the following exchange.  (Note also
Pistol's illeism in the relevant passage.)

LH
=================

HOSTESS:
Good Corporal Nym, show thy valour, and put up your sword.

NYM:
Will you shog off? I would have you solus.

PISTOL:
'Solus,' egregious dog? O viper vile!
The 'solus' in thy most mervailous face;
The 'solus' in thy teeth, and in thy throat,
And in thy hateful lungs, yea, in thy maw, perdy,
And, which is worse, within thy nasty mouth!
I do retort the 'solus' in thy bowels;
For I can take, and Pistol's cock is up,
And flashing fire will follow.

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