(until I become a proper linguist...
Well, my dear, I really can't say as to your propriety, but there is no question as to the other.

It was the 17thC, Sweet Nicholas:
http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=20000602

I found this thanks to tsuwm:
http://wordsmith.org/board/showthreaded.pl?Cat=&Board=words&Number=1717