Picking Pockets

Pockets, as we know them, did not exist until the 17th century. Before this, the things we call pockets were actually worn on the outside and were generally known as purses. This can be become extremely difficult to tell your players when there is a thief skill called "pick pockets." But don't worry! You can still be saved! Look at the online etymology dictionary and explain everything to your players in these terms:

pocket (n.)

mid-14c., "bag, pouch, small sack," from Anglo-Fr. pokete (13c.), dim. of O.N.Fr. poque "bag," from Frank. *pokka "bag," from Gmc. *puk- (see poke (n.)). Meaning "small bag worn on the person, especially one sewn into a garment" is from early 15c. Mining sense is attested from 1850; military sense of "area held by troops surrounded by the enemy" is from 1918. The verb, with implications of dishonesty, is from 1630s. Pocket-knife is first recorded 1727; pocket-money is attested from 1630s. Pocket veto attested from 1842, Amer.Eng.

So there you have it; honor preserved, and historical accuracy (or historical verisimilitude if you want to be precise) achieved.

Now that we're on the subject, we can talk about thieves in AD&D. They've got something strange going on, some confluence of two different philosophies about playing smashed together. AD&D 2e was the the turning point, the crux that lies between player skill and character skill. It deals with a little of one and a little of the other. Go much further back and your games are all player skill. Go one iteration ahead and your games are all character skill. Only in 2e are we stuck in the balanced limbo where some of both is required.