A ragged fellow, one all in tatters, a tatterdemallion.
Definition taken from The 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, originally by Francis Grose.
See also the definition in Nathan Bailey's 1721 dictionary of canting and thieving slang.
rag water * railsNathan Bailey's 1721 Dictionary of canting and thieving slang
John S. Farmer's collection of canting songs and slang rhymes