To cheat, or trick: also to insult: he thought to have topped upon me. Top; the signal among taylors for snuffing the candles: he who last pronounces that word word, is obliged to get up and perform the operation.— to be topped; to be hanged. The cove was topped for smashing queerscreens; he was hanged for uttering forged bank notes.
Definition taken from The 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, originally by Francis Grose.
Top Ropes * Top DiverNathan Bailey's 1736 Dictionary of canting and thieving slang
John S. Farmer's collection of canting songs and slang rhymes