knavishness

In their measureless conceit they do not admit any defects in themselves, they are like that species of practical rogues, innate Tartuffes and Falstaffs, who are such thorough rogues that at last they have come to believe that that is as it should be, that is, that they should spend their lives in knavishness; they have so often assured every one that they are honest men, that they have come to believe that they are honest men, and that their roguery is honesty.

Knavishness; from picaro, a rogue, knave, or loafer. 

A Greek navigator who landed on the British Isles around 310 B.C. formed a favorable impression of the residents: "They are simple in their habits, and far removed from the cunning and knavishness of modern man."

Everything that is bad, corrupt, and wicked, all duplicity and cruelty, calumny, knavishness and brutal violence, is considered as Gallic and Corsican.

It must be acknowledged that Louisa herself is a trifle mad: no amount of mere knavishness would have enabled her to maintain so long a wager.