malicho

In the old copies it is _munching malicho_, in which we find traces of the true reading, _mucho malhecho_, much mischief.

Notes and Queries, Number 52, October 26, 1850 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc Various 1852

We found Mr Farmer, the first-lieutenant, with him, and had it not been for a sly twinkling of the eye of the captain, and very significant looks that now and then stole from Mr Farmer, as he caught the expression of his commander's countenance I should have thought that that day there was no "minching malicho," or anything like mischief meant.

Rattlin the Reefer Edward Howard 1820

He devoted over 14 pages to the matter, treating also several other words galimatias, salmagundi, salmi, etc. — even Hamlet's 'miching malicho' and the Anglo-Indian mulligatawny which he perceived to be connected by the root 'ma', meaning in his opinion a small bird or chicken and serving as an important piece of evidence for the previous existence of a language, possibly older than Sanskrit, which had already been lost in medieval times but which was the source of numerous words used in the kitchen.

languagehat.com: MA, A SMALL BIRD. 2005

"_Miching malicho_ is lurking mischief, or evil doing.

Notes and Queries, Number 72, March 15, 1851 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc. Various 1852