Sworn at Highgate—a ridiculous custom formerly prevailed at the public-houses in Highgate, to administer a ludicrous oath to all travellers of the middling rank who stopped there. The party was sworn on a pair of horns, fastened on a stick: the substance of the oath was, never to kiss the maid when he could kiss the mistress, never to drink small beer when he could get strong, with many other injunctions of the like kind; to all which was added the saving cause of “unless you like it best.” The person administering the oath was always to be called father by the juror; and he, in return, was to style him son, under the penalty of a bottle.
Definition taken from The 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, originally by Francis Grose.
High Water * HikeNathan Bailey's 1736 Dictionary of canting and thieving slang
John S. Farmer's collection of canting songs and slang rhymes