Sturdy beggars who roamed about the country pretending to be lunatics and extorted a living from the compassion or terrors of the weak were called "Abraham men." "To sham Abraham" is a phrase still in use. In the time ot James 1., "an Abram Cove" and a "Tom o' Bedlam" were identical expressions. The sturdy beggar who had infringed the law often claimed the immunities of lunatics discharged from Betlilem Hospital.
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Bibliographic details
Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 237, 6 October 1936, Page 17
Word Count
71Page 17 Advertisements Column 1 Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 237, 6 October 1936, Page 17
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