Daily entries from the 17th century London diary
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The word chouse appears to have been introduced into the language at the beginning of the seventeenth century. In 1609, a Chiaus sent by Sir Robert Shirley, from Constantinople to London, had chiaused (or choused) the Turkish and Persian merchants out of 4,000l., before the arrival of his employer, and had decamped. The affair was quite recent in 1610, when Jonson’s “Alchemist” appeared, in which it is alluded to .
chouse
v : cheat, shaft, screw, chicane, jockey (defeat someone in an expectation through trickery or deceit) http://wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=chouse
chiaus in Jonson’s “Alchemist” ACT 1. SCENE 1.1.
“DAPPER, a Lawyer’s Clerk. . And will I tell then! By this hand of flesh, Would it might never write good court-hand more, If I discover. What do you think of me, That I am a chiaus?
FACE, the Housekeeper. . What’s that?
DAP. The Turk was here. As one would say, do you think I am a Turk?
FACE. I’ll tell the doctor so.
DAP. Do, good sweet captain.
FACE. Come, noble doctor, pray thee let’s prevail; This is the gentleman, and he is no chiaus.
SUBTLE, the Alchemist. Captain, I have return’d you all my answer. I would do much, sir, for your love — But this I neither may, nor can.
FACE. Tut, do not say so. You deal now with a noble fellow, doctor, One that will thank you richly; and he is no chiaus: Let that, sir, move you.”
http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext03/lchms10.txt