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DISSERTATION
ON THE
GIPSIES.
DISSERTAT ION
ON THE
GIPSIES,
E E I N a
AN HISTORICAL E N QJU I R Y,
CONCERNING
The Manner of Life, CEconomy,. Cuftoms and Conditions of thefe People in Europe, and their Origin.
WRITTEN IN GERMAN,
B Y
HEINRICH MORITZ GOTTLIEB GRELLMANN.
TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH,
B Y
MATTHEW RAPER, Elq. F. R. S. & A. S.
LONDON:
Printed for the EDITOR, by G. Bfgg,
And to be had of P. ELMSLEY, and T. CADELL, in the Strand,
and J. SEWELL, in Cornhill. 1787.
V
'9 "5
1 I 5-
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o
ro TO
QS6^£
Sir J O S E P H BANK S, Bart. P. R. S.
S I R,
S I have not the \-anit_\ to tiiiiik it is in my power to add any hiftre 'to a charafter at the fame time fo well known and juftly admired, my only reafon for requefting i^ your permifiion to addrefs this tranflation to you, was, that
I might haV'C an opportunity, pubUcly to declare, how much I eftecm myfelf obliged to you, and that I {hall ever retain the rnofl grateful remembraiTce of your unremitted friehdlhip. I ha\e the honor to be, with the greatcft -relpeifl:,
SIR, •
r
Your much obliged, Humble Servant,
PREFACE.
.,/jlS my chief aim in tranflating the jollowifig Sheets, ivas to give fuch of my Countrymeti, who are unacquainted with the German language, an opportunity of learning from what part of the I'Forld, it is probable the Gipfies came among us; I have been follicitous to render the exaSl meaning of the Author, without endeavoring to compofe an elegant 'Treatife, which would, in manv inflames, have obliged me to deviate too far from the Original.
The Book having been printed off, before I knew it was intended to publifh a Second Edition, it was impojjible for me to incorporate the Additions into the body of the JFork ; therefore to avoid fwelling it too ?nuch, the Reader will find only an AbjlraEl of the mofl material Vajfages, in detached Paragraphs., and a compleat JJfl of the yluthors quoted by the German IFriter.
Part
PRE F A C E.
Part of the Second Edition only tendings to Jlx'w. the great fuper- fiition of fame of the Germans, or to corroborate proofs, already u-ell authenticated in the Firfl, I have onl^ inferted fuch Places, as relate entirely to the Gipjies, and of thofe merely what have not been treated of in the former Edition.
C i )
PREFACE.
Al
LT HOUGH much has been fa'id and writtm concerning the Gipfics, nevertheh'fs, except the article, in th'e Fienna Gazettes, about the Gipfies in Hungarv, nobody has ever thought of publijhing a. circunijlantial, connected account of the ceconomy of thefc pcopkj their opinions and coiuiilion, fmce they have been in Rurope^ Whatever has appeared^ on this fubjeB, has been in detached pieces, eccafionally communicated by zvriters of travels, or by fuch perfons, who, having made particular enquires about the origin of the Gipfcs, formed a fyflem of their ozvn, concerning them ; or laftly fuch hints as zfere buried in old records, or difperfed in various other books.
I cannot, therefore, think., any apology requijite, fur my having carefully eolk£fed ihefe fugitive pieces, diligently examined and fleuled them, in order to try, zvhether it may not be poffible, to compile fame confijlent hijlory of this tribe, which has diffufed itfelf through all the countries of Europe : ■ efpccially as fuch a defription, by reafon of the flrange and Jlriking cufloms of the Gipfies, may be (qually iifeful for entertainment, as for the promotion of thc\ knozvledge of manners and mankind.
a I Jhould.^
( ii )
J Jlmdd noizvUhJlanding, have been laider the nceejin of leavbsr p-cat cbcifriis, ill many places, had I not been aJT'fted with kind comnuinieatioHS from obliging friends, in various parts : to whom I take this opportunity of returning my fmcere thanks.
Many of thefe infonnations arrived very late, which pre- vented my book from coming out, according to promife ; as I was unzvilUng to publijlj before the receipt of them. I mufl, for the fame reafon introduce here, what I could not infert in the fifth page, that there are in Poland and Lithuania, as zvell as in Courland, lan amazing number of Gipfies. Their IVaywods in Courland difiinguif/jcs himfelf from his equals, in other countries, being not only very much refpCLled by his ozvn people, but, even by the Courland nobility, is efleemed a 'man of high rank, and is frequently to be met with at entertainments and card parties in the firft families, where he is always /I welcome guefi. I'he name of the prcfent one is George, cr (according to the Courland pronunciation) Gurgc. His drefs is uncommonly rich, in comparifon of others of his kind, generally filk in fummer, and conflantly velvet in "winter. 'The common Gipfies, on the contrary, are exa£lly like their brethern in other countries, in every particular : even zcith regard to religion, they fi.^ezo the fame levity and indifference; they fuffer their children to be fcvcral times baptifd, they nozv profefs thcmfilves to be Ca'holics, then Lutherans^ end prefmly after nothing at al'»
There
( Hi )
'There might perhaps be jvft cauje to accufe me of prclixifv, in waking my feconJ. fc'dlon Ukezvifi a coUcSiion of opinions, conarnitig the origin of the G/pfes, and detaining the reader zvith all forts of difputeSy before he comes to my ozvn fentiments and exanii':ation, zvere it not a fi/jfcient jujlif cation, that I am bound not only ta believe every one, but alfo to produce him to public I'iezv, in order to afcertain hozv mu-th has already been difcovered concerning the origin of this tribe ; as it is from thence, that people mujl form a judgement whether I have cleared up any doubtful point, or zvhetherj 1 have rendered, zvhat before zvas dark, jVill more intricate.
If I have fucceeded, in my endeavour, to trace the Gipjies front India, it zvould be bafe ingratitude in me, to conceal the great man, (Councellor Biittner) to zvhoni I am indebted for one of my flrongefi proofs, viz. the comparifon of the languages. To him belongs the zvhole catalogue, confijling, as far as relates to the Gipfey idiom, i.'ot only of the Zi'ords collccied and printed, dozvn from Buonaventura VulcaniHS to Mr. Rudigcr ; but alp, in great meafure, and particularly thofe refpeSling the grammar of a zvrittin colleSlion, which Mr. Bauer, Hanoverian Secretary, took the opportunity in a journey to Hungary, of learning from the Gipfies reftdcnt in his ozvn country. For this civility, though intended to Councellor Biittner,
a 2 he
( i-v )
^ye I'iis at the fame time a well founded cla'ini to my thanks, which •I take this public opportumty to return him.
The reafon zvhy this treatife is comprifed in a fmallcr compafs, than was announced by the advertifement, is, that I, at firfr, intended to compare viore languages, viz. every one, that various ■authors had, at different times, given out as the Gipfey tongue. This affair, lonfidering the affiftance I had to depend upon, would rot have been very difficult ; but when I confidered, hoiv well this trouble ?night he fparcd, I confined niyfclf to the Hindofian alone, not doubting, I ff:>all be readilv forgiven, for not, unneceffarily, taking up the reader's time in dry difquijitiom.
Gottifigen, ^th September, 1783.
TABLE
TABLE of C O N T E N T S,
I NTRO D U C-riO N. >
FIRST SECTION.
D.ESCRiPilox of ibe GiPsiKs, tbeir manner of life, their CKJlomi
and properties^
CHAP T E R I.
Farii}us appellations of thefe people. . • P^^s" I
C H A P T E R ir.
On the dlfperfton of the Gipftes and their numbers in Ettrope. a
CHAPTER III. TJ:e properties of their bodies. . . I "7
C H A P T E R IV.
On their food and beverage. • •
R ■
II
CHAPTER V.
On the drefs of the GipJteS. . . • I 1 7
CHAPTER VI,
( vl )
C H A P T E R VI.
On tl'eir fdmily Kconomy, . . • « 2 a
CHAPTER VII.
7'helr occupations and trades. . . . .27
CHAPTER VIII.
Oil their marriages and education. ... 45
CHAPTER IX.
On their ficknefs, death and burial. . . .50
CHAPTER X.
political regulations peculiar to the Gipjies. , • 53
CHAPTER XI.
On the religion of the Gipjies. . . . 5S
CHAPTER. XII.
'Tkelr language^, fciences and arts. . • • 61
CHAPTER XIIL
( vli )
CHAPTER XIII.
Cbara5ler and capacities of the Gipjies ; zvhether they are an
advantage or detrimeiii to a Jlate. , . 65
CHAPTER XIV. Concerning their being tolerated by a Jlate. . • ■ 75
CHAPTER XV. EJfay on their improvement. . - . , ■ . ■ 8z
^ Letter from a noble Hungarian Lady, on the fubjeul of the
Gipfies in Hungary. . . . - 89
SECOND SECTION.
On the Origin of the Gipsies.
CHAPTER I.
The f.rjl appearance of GipJies in Europe. * f 93
CHAPTER II.
On the fincli/y, pafsports, and difference of the former from
the latter Gipfus. . . . . 99
CHAPTER III.
( vi" )
CHAPTER m,
Trefunm Origin of the Gipfies. . , , loj
CHAPTER IV.
On the Egyptian dcfcent of the Gipfies. . . I14
CHAPTER V.
The Gipfies come from Hindojlaii. , , • 131
CHAPTER VI.
The Gipftes aye of the Cajl, called SvJcr 5. . . 1 68
A N
HISTORICAL ESSAY,
ON THE
GIPSIES.
INTRODUCTION.
Jl H E Gipfies are a fmgular phenomenon in Europe ,• whether^ we contemplate their habitations, attend at their meals, or even only look in their faces, they always appear particular, and we ace each moment ftruck with fomething new and extraordinary.
What appears moft worthy of remark is, that neither time, . climate, nor example, have, in general, hitherto, made any alteration. For the fpace of between three and four hundred years, they have gone wandering about, like pilgrims and ftran- gers: they are found in eaftern and weftern countries, as well among the rude as civilifed, indolent and adtive people; yet they remain ever, and every where, what their fathers were — Gipfies. Africa makes them no blacker, nor Europe whiter; they neither learn to be lazy in Spain; nor diligent in Germany: in Turkey
b Mahomet,
( X )
Mahomet, and among Chriftians Chrift, remain equally without adoration. Around, on every fide they fee fixed dwellings, with fettled inhabitants, they neverthelefs, go on in their own way, and continue, for the moft part, unfettled wandering robbers.
When we fearch for fimilar cafes, among all the people who have quitted their mother country, and inhabited a foreign one, we do not meet with a fingle inftance that exadtly agrees with them. Hiftory certainly does record people, that have migrated, and remained the fame in a ftrange country ; but then this con- ftancy has been either, on account of religion, permitted by the regents, or maintained by their viftorious arms: but this laft circumftance has exifted much lefs frequently than one would imagine. Where a conquered people were more enlightened than their conquerors, it has often happened, that the latter have adopted their manners. The Romans became Greeks on the conqueft of Greece; and the Franks became Gauls in that coun- try: The Mantcheous vanquifhed the Chinefe, but Chinefe cuftoms prevailed over thofe of the Mantcheous. How comes it then, that the GIpfies, ^who never eftablifhed their manners and cuftoms by force, nor, being bigotted to them by religion, obtained any toleration from government, remain unchanged, and refemble each other exadly, in every place ? There are two caufes, to which this is principally owinp; one is the place from whence they^ originate, with their coiifequent way of thinking; the other is the circumftances which have hitherto attended tijeir fituation.
The
( xi )
The Gipfies are an eaftcni people, and have eaftern notions. It is inherent in uncivllifed people, particularly thofe of Oriental countries, to be ftrongly attached to their own habits: every cuftom, every conception, which has once been current among them, be it ever fo (i) pernicious or ridiculous, (?.) is invariably preferved; or any affeftion which has once predominated in their minds, retains its dominion even for ages. Innovations do not eafily fucceed with them. The leaft deviation from cuftom is obferved, and often refented with impetuofity. It is neceflary, in order for any new thing to take root, that it be either introdu- ced by cunning and force, or be attended with the moft favorable circumftances. This latter was the cafe with Chriftianity. Pro- vidence had called Greeks and Romans into the eaft, and, by innumerable viciffitudes, had rendered that country ripe for further inftrudlion: then came the great fower, Chrift, fcattered the feed, and it profpered. Mahomet, on the contrary, before he became ftrong enough to convince with the fword, brought about his purpofe by art. He knew that the weak fide of his countrymen, was their veneration for every thing handed down from their forefathers, fo gave his new religion the coloring of antiquity.
He fays, " We have fwerved from the religion of our founder " Abraham, and have introduced novelties among us : Abraham " worfliipped only one God, we' have many Gods. 1 am fent to " retrench thefe novelties, and to bring you back to the religion " of your forefathers." This was the firft ground Mahomet went upon, when the Iftimaelite would not acquiefce in the
b z. having
( xii )
having fallen oft' from Abraham's religion, he proceeded. " Yc " are illiterate people, ye have no books, the inhabitants of the " neighbouring countries have books, which cototain the religion " of Abraham." The Arabians applied to the Jews and Chriflians,
■for information, on this head; as the event turned in favour 6l Mahomet, they yielded without contradidlion. The new prophet proceeded, in teaching, and again appealed to the people with books : the Arabians too continued afking queftions, being more tradable whenever his alTertions were confirmed : when the con- trary happened, a difpute arofe, in which the prophet could only get the better, by defending the antiquity of his madnefs at the
•expence of truth; accufing both the Jews and Chriftians with
'having falfified their books. (3)
What helped Mahomet with the Arabians, has been, in latter times, very ferviceable to the Jefuits, in China. How would thefe cunning fathers have got admiffion for their religion, among the Chinefe, unlefs they had referred to Confucius, (4) in aid of their dodtrines ? Thefe are only inftances of changes in reli- gion, it is the fame in other things. In the eaftern nations no improvement is adopted, be it of what kind it will, merely becaufe it is an improvement. The Chinefe are acquainted with •the ufe of glafs, yet their mirrors are always made of metal, and their windows of oyfter fhells. (5) Mechanical watches have been, for ages, ufed at the court of Pekin, but the bulk of the Jiation depend upon fire and (6) water.
From
( xlii )
'From the above it is evident, that the Gipfies, on account of their eaftern origin, and confequent way of thinking, are not eafily made to change from what they once are. When we further x:onlider the circumftances, under which thefe people have hither- to exifted, we want nothing more, to make us comprehend, why they have remained, to the prefent time, what they were at their iirft arrival in Europe.
Figure to yourfelf a perfon, in whom cuftom, and deep rooted affeclions, are the only, and at the feme time, llrong impulfes to adtion; in whofe foul, no new unwonted thoughts arife, in con- fequence of his own refledions, nor find eafy admittance when propofed by others : leave this man entirely to himfelf, do not permit any of thofe means to be ufed, which are requilite to give a new turn to his ideas, and deep rooted prejudices; he muft neceffarily remain the fame, and his lateft pofterity will continue like him: this is exadlly the cafe with the Gipfies. Unufed to refleft, fettered by habits, they arrived in our quarter of the globe. No flate has, hitherto, done any thing for the exprefs purpofe of inftrufting or reforming them; except the Emprefs Therefa, by her regulations, which were never put in execution. On their firft arrival, they procured paflports, and free quarters, by their holy lies. They difperfed, begged, deceived the com- mon people, by fortune telling ; they ftole, and for a iong time nobody paid any attention to them. At lafl the evil grew too enormous, the complaints againft them became fo loud, that government was conflrained to take official notice of them; they began punidiing; hanging and beheading were not found fuffi-
ciently
( xiv )
ciently efEcacions, yet It was neceffary to go to the root of [the grievance ; it was judged expedient to banifli them ; a method more likely to render them worfe than better, and even in other refpefts is liable to many objedions, although the cuftom has prevailed, down to thelateft times. The neighbour, to whom thefe unpoli{hed guefts were fent, fooner or later, followed the fame method, till, in the end, they were perfecuted by almoft all kingdoms and ftates. Although, many ftates afterwards, relaxing of their feverity, the Gipfies crept in, a few at a time, and were fuffered to remain quiet : yet every one of them flood in fear, innocent or guilty, left he might be taken unawares, merely becaufe he was a Gipfey, and delivered over to the executioner. They had been accuftomed in their own country, to live remote from cities and towns ; now they became ftill more inhabitants of the forefts and outcafts, as. In confequence of the fearch, which was made after them, or at leaft threatened to be made, they judged themfelves to be more fecure, in defarts and concealment, than they would have been in frequenting the places of abode, and having free interdourfe with the civil ifed inhabitants : whereby they were deprived of the moft probable means of making them change their manners. And yet had they not fequeftered them- felves fo much from other people, or had they been more inclined to mix in fociety, it is not probable, without fome direft interfe- rence of the ftate, that they would have been the better for it. They had two great o.bftacles to conquer. Firft, by mere inter- courfe, it would have been, generally fpeaking, a difficult matter, to eradicate the prejudices and cuftoms from their Oriental minds. Secondly, being Gipfies, people would not eafily have eftablifhed
anv
( XV )
a"ny conelpondence with them. Let us reflect how different they are from Europeans ; the one is white, the other black. This cloaths himfelf, the other goes half naked. This fliudders at the thought of eating carrion, the other prepares it as a dainty. Moreover thefe people are famed, and were even from their firft appearance in Europe, for being plunderers, thieves and incen- diaries : fo that the European not only diflikes, but hates them. For the above reafons, Europeans have always driven the Gipfies away from them, (7) and it is only a few fimple people, who have made a nearer acquaintance, in order to confult them in matters of fuperftition.
This is the ftate of what has been done and attempted, for their improvement ; whereas, as foon as it was difcovered, that the Gipfies were ftrangers, who thought of nothing lefs, than returning into their own country, if any plan had been formed to make them apply to fomething, and only half the wife regulations, left behind by the Emprefs Therefa in her ftates, for the management of thefe people, been adopted, and duly enforced, they would long ago have been diverted of the rude nature of their anceftors, and have ceafed to be the uncultivated branches of a wild ftock. On the contrary, having always been left to themfelves, it could not be o^iherwife, but that they muft remain for ever, and in all places, the lame.
Perhaps it may be refcrved for our age, in which fo much is attempted for the benefit of ftates and mankind, to humanife
a people.
( xvi )
a people, who, for centuries, have wandered in error and neglecTc At leaft the great Jofeph has now undertaken (8) it, whofe orders are not ufed to be buried in flumber and oblivion, without effefting the purpofe for which they were intended. It cannot be denied, that, confidering the multitude of them, their reform is a very ferious event to many ftates. Suppofe, according to a rough eftimate, that the Gipfies in Hungary and Tranfilvania, including the Banat, may amount to upwards of one hundred thoufand ; what a difference would it not make, in thofe countries, if one hundred thoufand inhabitants, moftly loungers, beggars, cheats, and thieves, who now reap where they have not fown, confuming- the fiTjits of others labor, were to become induftrious ufeful fubjefts. Their reformation is a difficult taflc, as the attempts, made by the Emprefs Therefa, evince ; a boy, (for you muft begin with them from children, and not meddle with the old ftrock, on whom no efforts will .take effedl: ) would frequently appear in the moft promifing train to civilifation ; on a fudden ; his wild nature would break out, he relapfed. and became a perfeft Gipfey again. But the matter is not, therefore, impoffible : was it not even fo with the Saxons, whom Charles the Great • converted to Chriftianity ? Let the ftate only perfevere in its ■ endeavors, fomething will be gained on the fecond generation, and with the third or fourth, the end will certainly be a£~ complifhed.
On confidering the properties, and manners of the Gipfies, • we may perceive, that thefe people are endued with very good :
capacities.
( xvii )
capacities, which promife to make a profitable return, for much trouble beftowed upon them. In the firft Section I pro- duce only one attempt, made on this fpeculatlon, and Ihall be happy to find it fufficiently compleat, to give the leading features of their charadler.
The origin of the Gipfies has remained a perfe(5t philofopher's ftone till now. For thefe two hundred years paft, people have been anxious, to difcover, who thefe guefts are, who under the name of Gipfies, came unknown and uninvited into Europe, in the fifteenth century, and have chofen to remain here ever fince. No older enquirer ever produced what met with his fucceflbr's approbation ; a fourth fcarce heard what a third had faid, before he pafled fentcnce and broached a new opinion. There is no caufe for wonder at the mifcarriage of thefe en- quiries, which were neither more nor lefs, than a collection of conjeftures, founded on imagination and partial fpeculation. An author fet to work, to difcover a country, or people to whom ' the Gipfies could belong, he found out a place which had been named, for inflance, Zeugitana, or a people who bore fome fainf refemblance to the Gipfies. As one coal lights another, thefe two fimilarities became perfeftly applicable to the Gipfies, he flopped here and publiflied his difcovery.
Several inveftigators laid their foundation on hearfay, and un- authenticated evidence; they then endeavored to help out this t-eftiraony by modelling the extraneous circumftances, which
c -could
( xvui )
could not be paired over, in order to make them coincide with it ; if, notwitliftanding all this, difEeulties ftill occurred, they- borrowed Alexander's fword, and cut the knot which no milder means could undo.
That this has been the mode of proceeding hitherto, it is tinnecefiary to prove here, as it will be frequently done in the courfe of the work. Even hnd the imagination not magnified any- thing, nor modelled cjrcumftances agreeable to its own fancy ; yet the following, which is taken for granted, " that tzvo people- " refembliiig each other in one or tzvo particulars, mujl be defcendei " from the fame Jlock" is an over-hafty conclufion. In the firft place rejcA that the moft different nations may agree in fome points, further, make the allowance for various parts of the world pro-, ducing inhabitants with fimilar fhapes and colors, what then re- mains to prove that the Gipfies are defcended from any one of the.- people which they have, been traced from..
There is no record, or hiftorical fource, leading to a direfii- difcovery of the origin of the Giplies ; thofe which have beeH' thought fo, are not genuine. Therefore nothing remains, but to feek the truth through winding ways, by this means, it' may certainly be found : a man muft not go to tombftones,. lately eredted, in German church yards, nor adduce a fingle cviftom, or the name of a country bearing a refemblance to that of Gipfey, as grpunds of proof; and, on the other hand, over- Ippk an hundred difficulties, or even pofitive contradidions..
But
But if ih language of the Gipjies, tkeir m>ne, the conformation of ' their bodies and minds, their cujioms and religious principles, mark d country, where it is pqffible for them to have been indigenous : zvhen Hiflory and Chronology corroborate it, and there is not any other country in the zvorld, to which the Gipjies, all thefe particulars taken together, could belong .' Then the country, where all thefe cir- cumftances meet, muft be likewile their true mother country.
Whether their Hindoftan origin has fo much in its favor, is more than I will venture to affirm; as it may be very poffible, that I believe what does not exift. The examination- of judges muft determine, whether, like my predeceflbrs, I have err&d, or have difcovered the truth*.
Differ tation on the Gipsies.
SECTION I.
Description of the Gipsies, their manner of life, their cujloms
and properties..
CHAPTER I.
Fdrious appellations of thefe people.
JL T is no uncommon thing, for the fame people to be called by different names, in different nations; this is the cafe of the Gipfies. The French had their firft accounts of them from Bohemia, which occafioned their giving them the name of (Bohemiens) ( i ) Bohemians : the Dutch, fuppofing they came from Egypt, called them Heathens (Heydens.) In Denmark, Sweden, and fome parts of Germany, Tartars (2) were thought of: the Moors and Arabians, perceiving their propenfity to thieving, chofe the name Charami (3) (robbers) for them. They were formerly called Pharaohites, in Hungary, (Pharoah nepek, Pharoah's people) and the vulgar in Tranfilvania, continue that name for them. (4) The Englifh do not differ much from thefe latter, calling them Egyptians (Gipfies), any more than the Portuguefe and Spaniards (Gitanos). (j) The .Cle-
B mentines
( ^ )
Chap. I. mentines in Syrmia, ufe the appellation, Madjub, (6) and th^ inhabitants of the leffer Bucharia that of Diajii. (7) The name of Zigeuner has extended itfelf farther than any other : thefe people are fo called not only in all Germany, Italy and Hungary, (tzigany) but frequently in Tranfilvania, (8) Wallachia and Moldavia (Cyganis). (9) Moreover the Turks, and other eaftern nations have no other than this name for them (10) (Tfchingenes), and perhaps the before cited Diajii, of the Bucharians, may be the very fame. Some fay they call themfelves Moors, (11) but that is falle, as Moor is not the name of any people, it is only an adjund : (12) it is really a pity, fmce this name would have been fo fair a pretence to make Amorites of them, as fome writers have done. It is not by any means proved, that the modern Greeks called them Athingans; (13) this opinion refts more on the arbitrary afTertions of fome learned men, than on real fafts : which is alfo the cafe with the reft of the catalogue of nanies, that have been difperfed, in various treatifes on the origin of the Gipfies ; as will be demonftrated farther on.
CHAPTER II.
On the difperfion of the Gipfies, and their numbers in Europe.
JL T is incredible how numerous thefe people are, and how wide they have difperfed themfelves over the face of the Earth. They wander about in Afia ; ( i ) in the interior part of Africa, they plunder the merchants of Agades; (2) and, like locufts, have overrun moft European countries. America feems to be the only part of the world, where they are not known, as I find no mention made of them, by any writer on that quarter of the globe. I
flrall
C 3 )
fHall not detain my reader with the hlftory of thofe in Afia and ' Chap. II. Africa ; as we have not any minute accounts of them ; but will confine myfelf to thofe in Europe.
There are but few countries, here, which are entirely free from Gipfies ; although, for centuries, every ftate has been endeavouring to rid itfclf of them. Under King Henry VIII. (3) and Queen Elizabeth, (4) they were fet up as a mark for general perfecution in England : there are, neverthelefs, great numbers ftill to be found there : (5) feven or eight years ago, they even threatened to fet the town of Northampton on fire, becaufe the magiftrates had arrefted fome of their young people, whofe releafe they foUicited in vain : feveral of them were hanged for it : they had in the mean time (hewn plainly, that their race was nothing lefs than annihilated. It is not uncommon, in the county of Bedford particularly, to fee them lying, in bye places, to the number of forty or fifty together : but they are cautious how they travel about in companies, and are rarely feen, in towns or villages but by one at a time.
Spain contains fo many of thefe people, efpecially in the fouthern provinces, that they go about in large troops ; threat- ening to plunder and murder travellers, whom they happen to meet, in lonely places, where there is no city, nor any place of refuge near. (6)
Swinburne rates their number very high, affuring us, that the lofs of the Gipfies would only be perceived by the apparent diminution of population. (7) Now as Spain contains eleven millions of people, how confiderable a draft mufl; it be to render it perceptible. Twifs alfo mentions a great many, but fums up
B 2. a determinate.
\
X 4 )
Ghap. -11. a determinate quantity, 40,000; (8) which is a great number to be lure, but certainly rather twice twenty, or even twice forty thoufand too few, than a man too many ; unlefs we charge Swinburne and others, with having greatly exceeded, even admit- ting, that he means to be underftood as fpeaking of the fouthern provinces only.
In France they are rather fcarce, for the obvious reafon, that every Gipfey who can be apprehended, falls a facrifice to the police. Lorrain and AU'atia are indeed exceptions, they being very nume- rous there, efpecially in the forefts of Lorrain. Here they feem to meet with milder treatment, yet, according to the affurances of a traveller, many of them are to be found in the goals of Lorrain. They have increafed the more in this diftrift, in confequence of the late Duke of Deuxponts' having been very affiduous in looking after, and driving them from his dominions ; whither the prefent duke will not fuffer them to return.
-I now come to Italy, where they are univerfally to be found, infomuch that, as I am informed, even Sicily and Sardinia are not free. They are moft numerous in the dominions of the Church ; I prefume, hecauCc there is the worft police, and much fuperftition. The former does not difhirb, and the latter entices them to deceive the ignorant, as it affords them an opportunity to make a plentiful harveft by their fortune telling, and enchanted amulets. There is a general law throughout Italy, that no Gipfey fliall remain more than two nights (9) in any one place : by this regulation, it is true, no place retains its gueft long, but no fooner is one gone, ihan another comes in his room : it is a continvial circle, and quite cs convenient to them as .a perfeft toleration would he. Italy
rather
( 5 )
rather fulfers than profits by this law, as, by keeping thcfe people Chap. II-
in continual motion, they do more mil'chief there than in other
places.
They are very fcarce in many parts of Germany; as well .as in Switzerland and the Low Countries. A man may live many years in Upper Saxony, or in the diftridls of Hanover and Brunfwic, without feeing a fingle Gipfey : when one, by chance, ftrays into a village or town, he makes as much difturbance as if the black gentleman appeared, with his cloven foot ; he frights children from their play, and draws the attention of the older people, till the police officers get hold of him, and make him again invifible. On the contrary, in other provinces, particularly on the Rhine, a Gipfey is a very common fight. A few years ago there were fuch numbers of them in the Dutchy of Wurtemburg, that they were lying about every where : but as they either, according to cuftom, lived by thieving, by fortune telling or other tricks, plundering the common people of their money, the prefent Duke ordered fome hundred foldiers, to drive them from their holes and lurking places, throughout his country, then tranfported the congregated fwarm out of his dominions, juft in the fame manner as was above related, that they were treated by the Duke of Deuxponts.
I do not know how they are fituated in Poland.
That they are to be found in Denmark, (lo) Sweden, (ii) -and Ruffia, (12) is certain, but how numerous they are in thofe countries I cannot affirm. I fliall therefore proceed to the South ■Eaft part of Eitrope.
Thefe
( 6 )
Chap. II. Thefe countries feem to be the general rendezvous of the- Gipfies ; their number amounts in Hungary, according to a writtea- account I have before me, to upwards of 50,000 : (13) and in the diftrifts of the Banat, Grifellini (14) aflures us, that when Count Clary occupied the place of Prefident, they were reckoned to be 5500 : yet they appear to be ftill more numerous in Tranfilvania. It is not only Mr. Benko, who fays they fwarm upon the land like locufls, (15) but I have alfo a certain calculation from Hermanftadt, wherein their numbers are eftimated at between 35 and 36,000.
Cantemir fays the Gipfies are difperfed all over Moldavia, where every Baron has feveral families of them fubjeft to him; (16) in Wallachia, and the Sclavonian (17) countries, they are quite as numerous. In Wallachia and Moldavia they arc divided into two clafles, the princely and bojarifh, the former, according to Sulzer, amount to many thoufands, but that is a mere trifle, in comparifon of the latter : there is not a fingle bojar in Wallachia, but has at leaft three or four of them for flaves, the rich have often fome hundreds each, under their command.
Beflarabia, all Tartary, Bulgaria, Greece, and Romania, fwarm (18) with them; even in Conftantinople (19) they are innumerable. In Romania, a large trad of Mount Hsmus, which they inhabit, has acquired from them, the name 'Tfchenghe Falkan^ (Gipfey Mountain.) This diftrift extends from the city Aydos, quite to Philippopolis, and contains more Gipfies than any other province in the Turkifli empire. (20)
From what has been advanced, the reader will be enabled to form fome conception, how confiderable a fet of people the Gipfies
are.
( 7 )
are in Europe, independent of the numbers that are in (21) Egypt, Chap. II. and fome parts of Alia.
If we had an exadt eftimate of ihem in the different countries, or if the unfettled life of diefe people, did not render it extreamly difficult to procure fuch an one ; the immenfe number would greatly exceed what we have any idea of. At a moderate calcula- tion, without being at all extravagant, they might be reckoned at ■between 7 and 800,000. What a ferious matter of confideration, when we refleft, that the greateft part of thefe people are idlers, cheats and thieves ? What a field does this open for many a government's contemplation ? but more of this in another place.
CHAPTER III.
The properties of their bodies.
H
A D the Giplies made no more than a temporary appear- ance, and we could only be acquainted with them, from the annual publications of former centuries ; it would be difficult to form any other idea, than that they were a herd of Monfters and Beelzebubs. We find in thofe books, frequent mention made of a favage people, black ( i ) horrid men. But now that they have continued to our time, and we have an opportunity of feeing, with our own eyes, hew tlKy are formed, and what appearance they make, they are fo fortunate, as to have authors, who commend their beauty, and take great pains to fet forth their advantages ; though (2) many, indeed moft of the moderns, their color and looks being the lame, (3) perfedly agree v/ith the writers of paft centuries, in their
accounts
C 8 )
CtK'.p. IJI, accounts of them. Both parties are in the right, when we confider, that what appears beautifbl in the eyes of one perfon, is poffibly' ugly and deformed in the eyes of another : tliis depends entirely upon u!e. For this reafon their dark brown, or olive colored Ikin,- with their white teeth appearing between their red lips, may be a difgufting light to an European, unaccuftomed to fee fucii' piftures. Let me only afk if, as children, we have not at fome time or other run affrighted from a Glpfey ? The cafe is entirely altered, if we only diveft ourfelves of the idea that a black Ikin is' "lifagreeable. Their white teeth, their long black hair, on which' rhey pride themfelves very highly, and will not permit to be cut off, their lively black rolling eyes, are, without difpute, properties, which mufh be ranked among the lift of beauties, even by the modern civilized European world. They are neither overgrown giants, nor diminutive dwarfs ; their limbs are formed in the jufteft proportion. Large bellies are, among them, as uncommon as liump backs, blindnefs or other corporal defefts. When Grifellint afferts that tlie breafts of the Gipfey women, at the time of their jiurftng, increafe to a larger fize than the child they give fuck to, it is an affcrtion deRitute of proof, and juft as true as many other arguments he adduces to prove the Giplies are Egyptians. Pro- bably he may have confounded himfelf, by thinking of the Hottentots, that circumftance being true of them, though not of the (4) Gipfies. Every Gipfey (1^) is naturally endued with agility, great fupplenefs, and the free ufe of his limbs : thefe qualities are perceptible in his whole deportment, but in an extraordinary degree, whenever he happens to be furprized in
an.
C 9 )
an improper place : in the aft of thieving, with a flolen goofe Chap. III.
or fowl in his hand, he runs off fo nimbly, that unlefs his purfuer
be on (6) horfeback, the Gipfey is fure to efcape. Thefe people
are blefled with an aftonifhing good fiiate of health. Neither
wet nor dry weather, heat nor cold, let the extreams follow each
other never fo quick, feem to have any effetfl on them. Gipfies
are fond of a great degree of heat ; it is their grcatefh luxury to
lie day and night fo near the fire, as to be in danger of burning ;
at the fame time they can bear to travel, in the fevereft cold and
froft bareheaded, with no other covering than a torn fliirr or fome
old rags, careleflly thrown over them, without fear of catching
cold, cough, or any other diforder. (7)
If we endeavour to difcover the caufes of thefe bodily qualities of the Gipfies, we find them, or at leaft, fome of them, very evidently in their education and manner of life. They are lean, but how ftiould they be corpulent, as they are not guilty of excefs in eating or drinking ; for if they get a full meal to day, they muft not repine, if they fhould be vinder the neceffity of keeping ftrift faft tomorrow, and the next day. They have iron conftitutions, becaufe they have been brought up hardily. The pitilefs mother, takes her three months old child upon her back, wanders about in fair or foul weather, in heat or cold, without troubling her head what may happen to it. When a- boy comes to be three years old, his lot is ftill harder. While an infant, and his age ■
reckoned by weeks and months, he was at leafi: wrapped up clofc in rags : but now, deprived even of thofe, he becomes, equally with his parents, expofed to the rigour of the elements, for want of covering ; he is now put to the trial how far his legs will carry
C him,.
C fo )
Ciiip. in. him, and miifl; be content to walk on the ice in the froft, witJi no other defence for his feet than thin focks. Thus he grows up, and attains his good health by hardlhip and mifery : We may as eafily account for the colour of their flcin. The Laplanders, Samoyeds, as well as the Siberians, have brown, yellow colored fkins, in confequence of living, from their childhood, in fmoak and dirt as the Gipfies do : thefe would, long ago, have got rid of their fwarthy complexions, if they had difcontinued their Gipfey manner of living. Obferve only a Gipfey from his birth, till he comes to man's eftate, and one muft be convinced, that their color is not, fo much, owing to their defcent, as to the naftinefs of their bodies. In fummer the child is expofed to the fcorching fun, in winter it is fliut up in a fmoaky hut. Some mothers fmear their children over with a black ointment, and leave them to fry in the fun or near the fire. (8). Theyfeldom trouble themfelves about walliing, or other modes of cleaning themfelves. Experience alfo Ihews us that it is more education and manner of life, than defcent, which has propagated this black color of the Gipfies, from generation to generation. Among thofe' who profefs mufic in Hungary, or ferve in the Imperial army, where they have learnt to pay more attention to order and cleanlinefs, there are many to be found, whofe ex- traftion is not at all difcernible in their (9) color. As they had, probably, remained to the age of twelve or fourteen years, under the care of their filthy parents ; they muft neceflarily have borne the marks of the dirt contrafted during thefe fourteen years, when they firft began to adopt a different mode of life. How much lefs then, Ihould we be able to diftinguifli a Gipfey, if taken when a child from its lluttifh mother, and brovight up under fome cleanly
perfon.
perfon. In trie fame manner, we may account for their white teeth Chap. ITI. and found limbs, from their manner of life. The former are evidences of their fpare diet, the latter prove them to have been reared more according to the didlates of nature, than thofe of art, and tendernefs. r
CHAPTER IV.
On tkeir food and beverage.
T.
HOSE among them, who are more connefted with civilized- people, are not remarkable in their diet ; though it is to be obferved .of them, as well as other Gipfies, that they are not at all neat in their cookery. The others, on the contrary, have their table furniilied in a very extraordinary way. Sometimes they faft, or at beft, have only bread and water to fubfift upon, at other times they regale on fowls and geefe. It is a great feaft to them, whenever they can procure a roaft, of cattle that have died of any diftemper. It js all one to them, whether it be the carrion of a fheep, hog, cow, or other beaft, horfe flefl^ only excepted : they are fo far from being difgufted with it, that to eat their fill of fuch a meal, is to them the height of epicurifm. When any one cenfures their tafte, or fhews furprife at it, they anfwer, " the " flefh of a beaft which God (i) kills, muft be better than of one " killed by the hand of nian."^ They therefore take every oppor- tunity of getting fuch dainties. That they take carrion from a layftall, as is affirmed of the Gipfies in Hungary, (2) is by no means certain, any more than that they eat horfe fledi. (3) Bui;.
C z if
( 12 )
Chnp. I\'- if a beaft, out of im herd dies, and they find it before it becomes rotten and piitrified ; or if a fiirmer gives them notice of a cow dead (4) in the flable, they proceed without helitation, to get pofleffion of their booty. Their favourite objeft is animals, that have been deftroyed by fire, therefore, whenever a conflagration has happened, either in town or country, the next day the Gipfies, from every neighbouring quarter, aflemble and draw the fuftbcated, half confumed beafbs out of the afhes. Men, women and children, in troops, are extreamly bufy, joyfully carrying the flefh home to their dwelling places : they return feveral times, provide themfelves plentifully with this roaft meat, and gluttonize in their huts, as long as their noble fare lafts. (5) The manner of dreffing this delicious food, is curious, they boil or roaft what is intended for the firft day, if they have more than they can confume at once, the remainder is either dried in the fun, or fmoaked in their huts, then eaten without any farther preparation. (6)
I might here introduce fomething concerning their tafte for human flefh, and adduce as proofs, the inftances which have lately happened in Hungary, (7) were I not apprehenfive it might be objefted, that thefe examples are different from common experience, as well as from the old accounts, handed down to us, concerning thefe people. I fhall, therefore, not infift on this article, but entirely give up the point, of Gipfies being men eaters, except juft hinting, that it would be expedient for governments to be watchful. The inftances, in Hungary, do not appear, by any means, fo cafual and uncommon, as people may imagine. AVhat, according to the niceft examination has been done, not by o/ic but k'uihj, not by ten, but even two hundred, and perhaps by tkoufands ; not yejlerday
and
( 15 ) ^
• ■ . Chap. I\
antl to dav, but many years back; finally, not by the whole body together, but fmgle parties by them/elves, in different places ; Ihall thefe things be deemed only cafual exceffes ? Should it be aflerted, in addition to this, that the eating human flcfli is in u(e, and an allowed thing, in the country from whence they originate; we might with greater probability mention this fhocking faft, ot feeding on human fleih, as a prevailing cuftom among the Gipfies. This is expreffly mentioned in hiftories, which affure us, chat among the particular clafs of people, from whom the Gipf.e^ fpring, it is a long eftabliflied habit, for the neareft relations and friends, to kill and eat each other. I (ball not bring proof of ir in this place, as it belongs to the fecond feftion : let it fuffice, jufi to have hinted the matter, in order that it may be known, towards what people we are to look for the Gipfws. As to the objeftion, that among all the crimes with which they have been charged, in •the older writings, eating human fieJJ: is not pofitively alledged againft them, it may be obviated by more than one anfwer. In the firft place let it be attended to, hiftory relates, and the event in Hungary confirms, that they murder one another; further, confider their wandering way of life ; laftly, that they generally abide in bye places ; and it may all be eafdy accounted for. An hundred fathers may facrifice their children to their voluptuoufnefs, and the crime as often remain concealed. The abfent perfon is not mifled, as nobody watches over a family, continually in motion, and every where a ftranger. Juft as unlikely is it, that government Ihould be informed of it ; they cannot attend to ^^'hat is tranfafted in corners, at a diftance from their place of refidence. There is no reafon to fuppofo any of their o^vn people ftould think it their
dutv
( H )
Chap. IV. duty to inform, as. not being contrary to their ufual praclicc, tiia,y do not efteem it wrong. It is very poflible for them to have deftroyed many others, without being recorded in the courts of juftice, or jioticed in the annual publications. Who ever thought to enquire of them, after any traveller, who, far diftant from his own country, might have fallen into their hands and been cut off. Or how are the remains of the poor vidim to be traced, if they devour what is eatable, and burn the bones. (8) Thofe Hunga- rian wretches, have, according to their' own account, for twelve years gratified their horrid cravings, undifcovered by the magif- trates, in a country where the police is by no means bad : perhaps they might have gone on unfufpefted for ever, had they not laid their unlucky hands on the people of the country, thereby bring.- ing on a ftr,i(ft enquiry, and rendering the difcovery more eafy. Nor do the older writings feem to be entirely filent on this head, at leaft there is an appearance of fomething of the kind in them. Many authors mention the Gipfies ftealing people, and accufe them particularly of .lying in wait for young children. (9) Others again deny this, faying, that the Gipfies have brats enough of their own, therefore need covet nothing lefs than ftrange chil^ dren. (10) How does it look, if we fuppofe they did not want to rear thefe children, but to facrifice them to their inordinate appetite, and the Hvingarian intelligence expreffly fays, they were particularly fond of., young, fubjecls. What renders the truth of this accufation, in the old writings fufpicious, is, that before even a fingle Gipfey had fet his foot in Europe, the Jews lay under the fame imputation. (11) Perhaps in this, as in manv other inftances, the calumny invented againft the Jews, might be transferred tp
th<i
( '5 )
the Gipfies alio. This alone confidered, the imputation of kid- Chap. IV. napping children might become doubtful, but then occurs the weighty circumflance, that it has been judicially proved in England ; and, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, an aft of parli- ament was palfed on the occafion. (12) Enough of this; let people realon upon the cannibal appetite of the Gipfies as they will, from what has been faid, there will always remain ground for fufpicion.
After having (hewn how little nice they are in their appetites, we Ihould fcarcely expert to find them fqueamifli, with regard to thofe things which are highly eftcemed among civilized people. Grifelini gives a long catalogue of articles of diet, which are dlfagreeable to a Gipfey's palate. Not to mention beans and oniorts, the other rejected meats are by no means trifling, viz. red bream, pcarch, lampreys, Avltli every kind of Avild fowl. (13) This aflTertion is very dubious, for Gipfies not only do eat beans and onions, but are very fond of them, (14) and as for the red bream, pheafants, partridges, peairch and lampreys, their only reafon fdr abftaining from them, is the difficulty of procuring them : in that they are in the fame predicament with many other people.
The Gipfies are not much accuftomed to baking of bread, that is an article which they buy, beg, fteal, or go entirdy with- out. If by chance they do bake, it is done quite in the eaftern method. A wood fire is made on the ground, which foon becomes embers, in the mean time the mother kneads her dough, forms it; into fmall cakes, Ifys them en the hot \aihes, which bake them, (i ;)
h
( i6 )
Chap. lY. It is no part of their politenefs to eat with a knife and fork, to ufe a table or plate, even a difii is by no means univerfal among them. Their whole kitchen and table apparatus, confift of an earthern pot, an iron pan, which, alfo ferves for a dilh, a knife and a fpoon. When the meal is ready, the whole family fit around the pot or pan, the boiled or roaft is divided into pieces, on which they fall to ; their fingers and teeth, ferving them for knives and forks, as does the ground for table and plates. ( 1 6)
The common drink of the Gipiies is water, ; now and then beer when it cofts them nothing. Wine is too coftly, nor is it particu- larly grateful to them. The cafe is very different when (17) brandy comes in queftion, which they love immoderately. They like to intoxicate themfeives, which being eafieft, and foonefl effefted with brandy, it is in their efteem. the only liquor worth purchafmg, all they can earn goes that way ; whenever by chance they become poffefTed of a penny, it is expended at the tieft houle where brandy (18) is to be met with. Every chriftening, wedding, or other occafion of rejoicing,, is folemnized with brandy. If they have plenty of li; they carry the world before them, each tries, by fcreaming or hallowing, to exprefs his felicity, and fhew how perfeft his happinefs is. (19)
Notwithfl:anding the great thirft the Gipfies have for brandy, it is even exceeded by their immoderate love for tobacco. This is nor, as one fliould fuppofe, peculiar to the men ; for the women fbmetimes exceed them in it : they not only fmoak it, but chew and fwallow the very leaves and flalks, with great avidity. In order that it may the fooner reach its place of defti- aation, and fhimulate the gums and tongue more forcibly, they
make
( n )
make ufe of a pipe not longer than one's finger ; this pipe is made Chap. V.
of wood, for oeconomical reafons, as it abforbs the moifture, and
thereby becomes a very great Gipfey delicacy, for having fmoaked
it as long as they chufe, they gnaw it with aftonifliing greed incfs,
till not a fplinter remains. It is immaterial, whether the pipe be
fmoaked by the perfon himfelf or another, to bring it to the
proper degree of perfeftion. He accepts it, as a valuable prefent
from any body, and is fo choice of it, that it frequently lafts him
many days. He will abftain from food for more than a day, when
he can procure a leaf of tobacco, or a piece of his pungent pipe,.
which he chews, drinks a little water, and is happy. (20) This-
furely exceeds every thing one has heard, of the moft famous
fraoaker,
CHAPTER V.
On the drefs of the Gipjies^
Ti
HERE is no reafon to expeft, that the defcription of the,- drefs of a fet of people, whofe whole oeconomy belongs to the clafs of beggars, (liould exhibit any thing but poverty and want.. The firft of them which came to Europe, appeared ragged and miferable, (i) unlefs we perhaps allow their leaders to have been an exception, (2) in like manner their defcendants have made fliift for hundreds of years, and ftill do. This is remarkable in the countries about the mouth of the Danube, which abound with Gipfies, namely Tranfilvania, Hungary, and Turkey in Europe, where they drefs |nore negligently, than in any part of Germany.
D The
( '8 )
Chap. V. "The Gipfies efteem a covering for the head a vety ufelefs thing : the wind will not eafily blow his hat off, who never wears any thing of the kind, except when he has a mind to make a figure, even then a rough cap (3) fupplies the place of one. The covering for his feet alfo does not coft him much. In winter, provided the female Gipfies do not knit focks, which their women in Moldavia and Wallachia do, with wooden (4) needles, they wind a couple of rags round the feet, which in fummer they lay afide as unneceflary. (5) They are not better provided with linen, as the women neither fpin, few, nor wafh. For want of change, what he once puts on his body, remains there till it rots and falls off >of itfelf. (6) His whole drefs often confifts of only a pair of breeches and a torn fliirt.
We are not to fuppofe that the Gipfies drefs fo ill becaufe they are indifferent about it, on the contrary, they iove fine cloaths to an extravagant degree : the want proceeds from neceffity, which is become a fecond nature, forgetting that labour and care are the means to procure, as well cloaths as nourifhment. Whenever an opportunity offers of acquiring a good coat, either by gift, pur- chafe, or theft, he immediately beftirs himfelf to become mafter of it, he puts it on direftly, without attending, in the leaft, to whether it futes the reft of his apparel. If his dirty fliirt had holes in it as big as a barn door, or his breeches v/ere fo out of condition, that one might perceive their antiquity at the firft glance; were he unprovided with fhoes, ftockings, or a hat, it would not prevent his ftrutting about in a laced coat, and valuing himfelf the more upon it, in cafe it happened to be a red one. Martin Kelpius rjierefore fays, that the Gipfies in Tranfilvania,, fpend all their
earnings
C ^9 )
♦earnings in akhoufes and in cloaths. Their drefs is fo particular, Chap. Vh that it would excite laughter in the fterneft philofopher, to fee a Gipfey parading about, with a beaver hat, a fdk or red cloth coat, at the fame time his breeches torn, and his fhoes or boots covered with patches. (7) ,
Benko alfo aflures us, that this kind of ftate is common iu Tranfilvania, and adds, the Gipfies are particularly fond of cloaths made after the Hungarian fafhion, or which had been worn by people of diftindit)n (8). All this is equally the cafe with refpeft to the Gipfies in Hungary. I fhall tranfcribe rhe whole paflage from the Imperial Gazettes, being very much to the purpofe. " Notwithftanding thefe people are fo wretched, that they have " nothing but fags to cover them, which do not at all fit, and " are fcarce fufficient to hide their nakednefs; yet they betray " their foolifh tafte and vain oftentation, whenever they have " an opportunity."
la Tranfdvania fome of them wear the AVallachian drefs, bus in Hungary they are fo wedded to the country habit, that a Gipfey had rather go half naked, or wrap himfelf up in a lack, than he would condefcend to wear a foreign garb, even though a very good one were given to him. They like green very well, but fcarlct li the colour which they prefer to all others ; for which reafon a man cannot appear abroad in a red habit, though worn out, withoutv being furrounded by a crowd of Gipfies, old and young, who iri the open ftreet want to purchafc of him, be it coat, pelliffe, or breeches. Unlefs feverely pinched by the cold, or in cafe of th^ greateft neceffity, they will not deign to put on a boors coat : they, rather chufe to buy for their own ufe caft off cloaths, if they,
D. z happen
( 20 )
■:Chap. V. happen to be ornamented with lace or loops, they ftrut about in fuch drefles, as proudly as if they were not only lords of the diflrid, but of the whole creation. Thus they expend all the money they can fpare, in fuch fort of cloaths, as are not at all becoming their ftation, nor anfvver any other purpofe, but to betray their filly notions, and expofe them to the world. They do not pay the lead regard to fymmetry, nor care what reafonable people think of their drefs ; if they can only get fomething fhining to put on, that will catch the eye, they give themfelves no concern whether the reft is very bad, or whether they have it not at all. It is no uncommon fpeftacle to fee a Gipfey, parading the flreets, in an embroidered pellifle, or laced coat trimmed with filver buttons, barefooted, without an hat, and a dirty ragged fbirt, or a pair of embroidered fcarlet breeches, and perhaps no other covering but half a fliirt. (9)
Nothing pleafes an Hungarian Gipfey fo much, as a pair oT yellow (tfchifchmcn) boots and fpurs : no fooner do thefe glitter on his feet, but he bridles up, and marches confequentially about, often eying his fine boots, but never minds that his breeches may have loft a fore or a hind part, or be in fome other refpefts quire :liabby. (10)
The uiual drefs of the women is not a jot better than the men's, they have generally been thought rather to go beyond them ip. filth and n^ttinefs. (11) (12)
Their appearance is lliocking to any civilized perfon : their
whole covering confifts of, either a piece of linen thrown over
the head and wound round the thighs, or an old iliift hung over
'.them, through which their Ihwaky hides appear in numberlefs
places.
( 21 )
places. Sometimes, in winter, the)' wrap ihemfelves in a piece of Chap. ▼. woollen ftufF like a cloak. Occafionally their drefs partakes of the other fex, as they (13) wear breeches or fome other male habiliment. They ufe the fame covering for the feet as the men, cither a pair of coarfe focks, knit with wooden needles, which is commonly done in Moldavia and 'Wallachia, or they few them up In rags, which remain on till the ftufF perilhes and falls off, cr till fpring comes on, at which feafon, both men and women go barefooted. (14)
They are as fond of drefs as the men, and equally ridiculous in it, they often zcriir a drefs cap, while their rotten linen jacket, fcarce covers thofe parts which nature inftrufts us to conceal, or leave their fmoaked breafts open to view. (15) Tn Spain the\ hang all forts of trumpery in their ears, plaifter their temples with great patches of black filk, befides a number of baubles about -t4ie neck. (16)
The Gipfies take very little trouble about their childrens drefs, thefe run about naked in the true Calmuc ftile, till ten years of . age, when the boys get breeches, and the girls aprons. But this nuifance is probably at an end now, in the Imperial dominions, both in Germany and Hungary, an order, to that purpofe, being IlTued out by__ the great Jofeph, whole piercing eye, nothing cfcapes.
Before I difmifs this fubjeft, I muft nionrion a laudable cuftom among the Giplles, in order to ilivc their cloaths ; when they have quarrelled, and mean to fight. Before they proceed ro aclion, a truce takes place for a minute or two, to give the combatants time to llrip to their fhirts, that their cloaths may not
fuffer
Chap. v. fuffer In the fray : then the ftorm breaks loofe, and each lays or the other as hard as he can. (17) It has this ufe in it, that whenever any body appears in a ragged coat, they may afErnv on their honour, that it was not done in a; Gipfey brawl.
CHAPTER VI.
On their family aconomy.
Ti
HAT thefe people are ftill the unpoliflied creatures that Tude nature formed them ; or at moft, have only advanced one degree towards hurnanity, is evinced, among other circumftances, by their family ceconomy.
Many of them are ftationary, having regular habitations, accords ing to their fituation in life. To this clafs belong thofe who keep public houfes in Spain, and others who follow fome regular bufinei's in Tranfilvania and Hungary, which latter, have their own miferable hyts near Hermanftadt, Cronftadt, Biftritz, Groff- waradein, Debrezin, Eperies, Karchau, and other places. There are alfo many flaves to particular Bojars, in Moldavia and Walla- chia,, who do not wander from their place of refidence any more than the others. But by far the greateft number of thefe people, lead a very different kind of life : ignorant of the comforts attending a fixed place to live at, they wander from one diftridl to another in hords, having no habitations, but tents, holes in the rocks, or caves; the former fliade them in fummer, the latter fcreen them in winter. Many of thefe favage people, particularly
in
( ^3 )
5a Germany and Spain, (i) do not even carry tents with them. Chap. VT.
but fliekcr thcmfelves, from the heat of the fun, in forefts, fhaded
by the rocks, or behind hedges : they are very partial to wiUows,
under which they ered their fleeping place, at the clofe of the
evening. Some 4ive in their tents (in their language called
(tfchater) both fummer (2) and winter; which they generally prefer
to every thing elie. In Hungary, even thofe who have given up
their rambling way of life, and built houfes for themfelves, feldom
let a fpring pafs, without taking advantage of the firft fettled
weather, to fet up a tent for their fummer refidence ; under this
each one enjoys himfelf, with his family, nor thinks of his houfe,
till the winter returns, and the froft and fnow drive him back to
it again. (3)
\Mien he can get it, the wandering Gipfey, in Hungary and Tranfilvania, has an horfe ; (4) in Turkey, an afs (5) ferves to carry his v\'ife, a couple of children, with his tent. When he arrives at any place he likes, near a village or city, he unpacks, pitches his tent, ties his animal to a ftake to graze, and remains lome weeks there : or if he does not find his ftation convenient, he breaks up in a day or two, loads his beaft, and looks out for lome more agreeable fituation, near fome other town. Indeed, he h^s it not always in his power to determine how long he fliall remain in the fame place; for the boors are apt to call upon him, on accovmt of fowls and geefe, he has made free with. It fometimes happens, when he is very much at his eafe, they flilly out with bludgeons or hedge-flakes, making ufe of fuch forcible arguments, that he does not hefitate a moment, to fet up his ftaff a little further off. Though, in general, the Gipfies are cunning enough, •
when
C 24 )^
Qhap. VI. when they have purloined any thing, or done oth"&r mifchief," to make oft' in time, before the villagers begin to fufped them. (6)
For their winter huts they dig holes in the ground, ten or twelve feet deep, their roof is made of rafters laid acrofs, which are covered with flraw and fods : the ftable, for the beaft which carried the tent in fummer, is a fhed built at the entrance of the hollow, and clofed up with dung and ftraw. (7) This flied, with a little - opening, rifing above the roof, to let out the fmoak, are the only marks by which a traveller can diflinguifli their dwellings. Both in fummer and winter, they contrive to have their habitation in the neighbourhood of fome village, or city. (8) Their favorite method of building Is againft an hillock, the holes in the level' ground being only ufed in cafes of necefiity, when there is no riling ground near the fpot they have pitched upon to pafs the winter at. An Hungarian writer thus defcribes their method of conftrufting the fecond fort of huts. *' They dig an hollow, " about a fathom broad, far enough into the hillock to bring " their floor on a level with the reft of the plain, in order to " form a firm upright wall, for the back of the building. Into •' the wall they fix a beam, about fix feet from, and parallel to the " floor, this beam reaches as far as the intended depth of the " houfe, feldom exceeding feven or eight feet. One end being " faft in the v.'all, the other refhs on, and is fixed to, a pillar *' or poft driven into the grotind. When that is done, they lay " boards, balks, or fiich other wood as they can find, againft it " on each fide, in form of a pointed roof, which viewed from a " diftance, exhibits a front in the fhape of an equilateral trianglq.
" The
*' Tile operalion is concluded by covering the whole "building Chap. VL
" with ftraw, fods, and earth, to fecure its inhabitants, from
■" the rain, fnow and cold. They always contrive, when they
" can, to place their edifice fo as to front either the rifmg or
" mid day fun ; this being the fide where the opening is left,
" for a door to go in and out at, which is clofed at night, either
" with a coarfe woollen cloth, or a few boards." (9)
One may eafily imagine, how difmal and horrid, the infide of fuch Gipfey huts muft be. Air and daylight excluded, full of damp, ftink and filth, ihey have more the appearance of wild beafts dens, than •the habitations of intelligent beings. Rooms and feparate apart- ments are not even thought of; all is one open fpace, in the middle whereof is the fii-e, ferving both for the purpofe of cooking, and warming them ; the father and mother lye half naked, the children entirely fo, round it. Chairs, tables, beds or bedfteads, find no place here, they frt, eat, ileep, and do eixry thing on th^, Ijare ground, or at moft, (jjread an old blanket, or in the Banat, a fheep fkin under them. When they have a fine day, the dooi" is fet open for the fun to Ihine in. Which they continue watching, fo long as it is above the horizon ; when the day clofes, they Ihut their door, confign chemfelves over to reft, and ileep till the its return. When the weather is cold, or tlte fnow prevents their opening the door, they make up the fire, fit round it till they fall alleep, without any more light than it affords. (10)
The furniture and property of the Gipfies have been already defcribed ; they confift of an earthen pot, an iron pan, a fpoon, a jug and a knife; when it i'o happens, that every thing is complear, they fometimes add a difli : thefe ferve for the whole family.
E When
( 26 )■
Chap. VI. When the mafter of the hoiife is a Imith by trade, as will be mentioned by and bye, he has a pair of bellows to blow up his fire, a fmall ftone anvil, a pair of tongs, perhaps a couple of hammers, add to thefe a few -old tatters, in which, as before mentioned, he dreffes himfelf, his knapfack, fome pieces of torn bed deaths, his tent, with his antiq\iated jade, and yovi have a compleat catalogue of a nomadic Gipfey's eftate.
There is very little to be faid concerning the domeftic employ- ment of the women, the care of their children is little, indeed hardly any at all. They neither wafli, mend their cloaths, nor cjean their utenfils, they feldom bake, the whole of their bufinefs then, is reduced to thefe few articles : dreffing their food and eating it, fmoaking tobacco, prating, aiul fleeping. They con- tinue the whole winter in their hut, but at the firft croaking of the frogs, they pull down their houfe and march off. (ii)
Such is the condition of the Giplies who wander about in Hungary, Turkey, and other countries, being no where, or rather every where, at home. The remainder of thefe people, who have reconciled themfelves to a fettled way of life, are in much better circumftances, and vaftly more rational, than thofe I have jufl defcribed. It might be reafonably expefted, that thofe Spanifli Giplies, who are innkeepers, and entertain ftrangers, ihould be more civilifed, but it alfo holds good, with regard to thofe in Hungary and Tranfilvania, who have different ways of gaining a livelihood. Their habitations are conveniently divided into chambers, are likewife furniflied with tables, benches, decent kitchen furniture, and other necefTaries. The few who farm or breed cattle, have a plough and other implements of hufbandry, the others in
a certain
c ^7 y
a certain degree what is ^vanted for carrying on their trade; though Chap. VI. even here you arc not to expeft fuperfluity. Their habitations, cloaths, as well as every thing elfe belonging to them, indicate, ' that even thefe belong to the clafs of poor. They are very fond of gold and lilver plate, particularly filver cups, which is a difpo- fition they have in common with the wandering Gipfies. They let flip no opportunity of acquiring fomething of the kind, they will even ftarve themfclves to procure them. Though they feem little anxious to heap up riches for their children, yet thefe fre- quently inherit a trcafure of this fort, and are obliged in their turn to preferve it as a facred inheritance. The ordinary travelling Gipfies, who are in pofledion of fuch a piece of plate, commonly bury it under the hearth, of their dwelling, in order to prevent ■ ' its being made away with. (12) This inclination to deprive ones felf of necelfaries, that wc may poffefs a fuperfluity, as well as many other of their cuftoms, is curious : yet appears to be ancient., and it was probably inherent in them when they were firft feen bv -Europeans. (13)
CHAPTER VIT.
Tbeir occupations and trades.
X come now to the means, the Gipfies make ufe of, to maintain themfelves. Here we lb all difcover the reafon, why poverty and want are, fo generally, their lot : it is owing to their lazinefs, and being fo fond of their eafc. If you want to find people, who earn their bread by the i\\cat of their brow, jow muft certainly
E 2 not
( 28- )
Ch^>p. VII. not feek them among the Gipfey tribe. They abhor all kinds op work, which are either laborious or require application ; and had ' rather fuffer hunger and nakednefs, than exert themfelves to- procure food and raiment, on fuch hard terms. They therefore- . either chufe fome trade, which is eafily carried on, allowing them many idle hours, or addid themfelves. to unlawful courfes, as anyi body may eafily be convinced.
Black and white fmiths, are the moft ufual trades among the Gipfies ; in Spain very few follow any regular bufmefs, but among ■ thefe few, fome are fmiths; (i) on the contrary, in Hungary this> trade is fo common among them, that it is a proverb, fo- many,Gipfies, fo many fmiths ; (2) the famei might be faid of thofe in Tranfilvania, Wallachia, Moldavia, and all Turkey in Europe;, at leaft fuch workers in fire are very numerous (3) in all thofe. countries. This occupation feenis to have been a favorite one among them from the moft diftant periods, as appears not only by Bejlonius's (4) account, but by an older record, of an Hun- garian king Uladiflaus, in the year 1496, mentioned by the Abbe. Pray, in his Annals, and Friedwaldfky, in his Mineralogy, wherein it is ordered, that every, officer and fubjeSl, of whatever rank or condition, do allozv to Thomas Polgar, leader of tzventy five tents of wandering Gipfies, free refidence every where, and on no account to jnolefl either him or his people ; becaufe they had prepared mufket bullets, and other military flores, for the Bifhop Sigifmund, at Fiinfkirchen. (5) Another inftance occurred in the year 1565, v^hen Muftapha, Turkifli regent of Bofnia, befieged Crupa, the Turks having expended their powder and cannon balls, Gipfies were employed ; to make balls, part of irpn, the refl of ftone cafed with lead.. (6)
The
( ^-9 )
The Gipfies of our time, do not like to undertake Heavy work, Chap. Vli/ I do not find the)' go beyond a pair of light horfe-flioes : in general they confine themfelves to fmall articles, fuch as rings, Jews-harps, fmall nails, mend old pots and kettles, make knives, feals, needles, and fometimes work trifles in tin or brafs. (7)
Their materials, tools, apparatus, all are bad, and of the moft' inferior kind. Their common way is, to colled; fmall pieces of rufty iron, old nails, broken horfe (hoes, and fuch kind of rubbifh, which they fufe and fhape to their purpofe. (8) The anvil is a ftone, the other implements are, a pair of hand bell6ws, a pair of pincers, a hammer, a vife, and a file : (9) thefe are the materials, a nomadic Gipfey, carries with him, from place to place. (10) AVhenever he has a mind to work, he is at no lofs for fliel ; on his arrival at a ftation, where he means to remain a few days or weeks, he takes his beaft, loads him with wood, builds a fmall ' Iciln,- and manufa(fb.ires his own coals. (11) In good weather, the work is carried on out of doors ; when it is ftormy, or the fun too powerful, he retires under his tent. He does not fland, but fits down on the ground, crofs legged to his work; which pofition is rendered neceffary, not only by cuftom, but the quality of his tools. The- wife fits by to work the bellows, In which ■ operation, flie is fometimes relieved by the elder children ; (12) the little ones fit naked as they were born, round the fire. They are generally praifed, for their dexterity and quicknefs, notwith- fbanding the wretched tools they have to operate (13) with. When any piece of work requires much time to finifh, they are • apt to lofe their patience, and, in that cafe, become indifferent :. - vAether it be v,«ll executed or not. They never think of labour.
( 30 -)
Chap. yil. as long as they have got a dry cruft, o; any thuig elfe to iatisfy their hunger. (14) They frequently have orders for different articles, but if not, as foon as a few nails, or fome other trifles are manufaftured, man, woman, and children diflodge,to carry their merchandife, from houfe to houfe, for fale, in the neighbouring villages : their traffick is carried on fometimes for ready money, •tometimes by barter for eatables or other necefTaries. (15)
Another branch of commerce much followed by the Gipfies is horfe dealing, (16) In thofe parts of Hungary where the climate is lb mild, that horfcs may lie out all the year, the Gipfies avail themfelves of this circumftance to breed, as well as deal in horfes : by which they, fomethimes, not only procure a competency, but grow rich. (17,) This laft fort are not very numerous, for the greateft number of them only deal in blind worn out jades, which they drive about to different markets, to fell or barter. When not fortunate enough to find a chap for them, they lead them to the collar maker, who values the hide, and takes him off" their (18) hands for a few grofchens. In order to avoid being reduced to this neceflity, they often praftice the flyeft tricks to conceal the animal's defefts. In Spain therefore, Gitano and Gitaneria (Gipfey and Gipfeyifm) are grown into common expreffions, to imply a cheater in hotfes (19) with the tricks he makes ufe of. In the year 1727, they became fo notorious in Sweden, that it was taken into confideration at the diet, and their total expulfion voted to be a neceffary (20) meafure. The following trick is frequently played in Hungary, and the adjacent country, to make an horfe appear brifk and aftive. The rider alights, at a fmall diftance from the place where he means to offer his horfe for fale, and belabors the poor bcaft,
till
( 31 >
till he has put the whole mufcular fj'ftem th motion with fright, Chap. VIL he then mounts again and proceeds. The poor beaft, recollefting the blows he has received, jumps about, or fets out full fpeed, at the leaft fignal ; the buyer, entirely ignorant of the preparatory difcipline he has undergone, looks upon this as natural vivacity, and in hopes that good feeding with care, will render him ftill more lively, ftrikes a bargain ; but the next day he has the morti- fication to difcover, that he has bought a jade, on which all his care will be thrown away, as the beaft has not a leg to ftand (21) upon. In Swabia and on the Rhine, they have another device ; they make an incilion in fome fecret part of the fkin, through which they blow the creature up, till he looks fleihy and plump, they then apply a ftrong flicking plaifter, to prevent the air from coming out again. If what Wolfgang Franz aflures us, be true, they fometimes make ufe of another device with a live eel, to this blown up horfe, that he may not only appear in good condition, but fpirited and lively. (22) One would imagine, that on accouitt of thele, and fuch like pieces of roguery, nobody wovild ever venture to deal with a Gipfey for an horfe, was not the poffibility . .
of it proved by the faft itfelf. But we fee inftances of this infa- tuation in other tranfaclions : it is well known that every Jew will cheat, whenever he has an opportunity, yet thefe people have lived by trade, ever fince their difperfion from Babel. Then thefe frauds do not conftantly happen, the Gipfies too always fell their horfes cheap, and poor people cannot afford to pay dear for them, which is the reafon that the Gipfies can continue their traffick in horfes. .
. Ta:.,
( 3" )
Chap. VII To the above two trades, commonly followed by the men, may be added, that fome are carpenters or turners ; the former make waterin^g troughs and chefts, the latter turn trenchers, difhes, make fpoons and other houfehold furniture, which they hawk about. Others make fieves, or maintain them- felves by cobling fhoes. Many of thefe, as well as the blackfmiths and whitefmiths, find conftant employment in the houfes-of the better fort of people, for whom they work the year round. They are not paid in money ; but, befides other advantages, find a certain fubfiftence. Thofe who are not thus provided for, do not wait at home, for cuftomers, but throw their implements in a fack, over their fhoulders, feeking bufmefs in the cities or villages : When any one calls, they throw down the bundle, and prepare the apparatus for work, before the door of their employer. (23.)
The Gipfies have a fixed averfion to agriculture, and had rather fuffer hunger or want, than follow the plough, to earn a decent livelyhood, from the grateful earth. (24) But as there is no general rule without an exception, fo, befides the flaves to the Bojars, in Moldavia and Wallachia, who are conftrained to apply to it, (25) there are fome in Hungary, who do it of their own accord. Since the year 1768, the Emprefs Therefa, has com- manded, that the Hungarian and Tranfilvanian Gipfies fliould be inftrufted in hufbandry, but thefe orders have been very little attended to. At this time there are fo few of them farmers, in this country, that they are not worth mentioning, (26) though in Spain, (27) and other European countries, they are ftill more
fcarce.
( 33 )
fnsrce, as it would be difficult to find one who had ever made a Chap. VII. furrow in his life.
It was formerly very common in Hungary, and in Tranlilvania, almoft univerfally the cufhom, to employ the Gipfies for hangmen and executioners. They ftill perform tljc bulinefs of flayers in Hungary, and of executioners in different parts of (28) Tranlil- vania. Their afliduity in torturing, their cruel invention in tor- menting, are defcribed by Toppeltin to be fo fliocking, as plainly proves no people fo well calculated for works of barbarity as the Gipfies. (29) Flaying is not their regular profeffion in any place, but merely a cafual occupation, which they follow, over and above their fmiths or other work. Whenever a beafl dies, near where they chance to be, it is a fortunate circumflance, if there happens to be no fkinner in the place ; not becaufe they can make much of the {km, which they always leave with the owner for a trifling conlidcration, but they are fure thereby to procure a plentiful provifion of flefli for the family. (30)
Such are the mens employments. I Ihall now proceed to the women, and fliew their particular methods of getting their bread. It was formerly, and ftill is the cuftom, among the wandering Gipfies, efpecially in winter, that the man does not maintain the wife, but the wife the hufliand. (3 1 ) Where this is not quite the cafe, as in iurrHner, when the men have the before recited occupa- tions, or among thofe, who have a regular fettlement, yet the women always endeavour to contribute their (hare towards the maintenance of the family : fome deal in old cloaths, others fre- quent brothels, or let their perlbns out, in fome other way, for h^re. This is common in Spain, (32) ftill more lb in Conftan-
F tinople.
c 34 y
(^hap. VII. tinopie, (33) and all over Turkey: (34) probably becaufe, in other places, nobody likes to be connefted with fuch uncleanly beings. There are others in Conftantinople, who make and fell brooms, and this trade is followed by thofe, chiefly, who are too old to get a livelihood by their debauchery. Dancing is another means they have of getting fomething, they generally pradlice this when, begging, particularly from men in the ftreets, or calling in at houfes afking charity. Their dances are the moft difgufting that can be conceived, always ending with fulfome grimaces, or the moft lafcivious attitudes and geftures, uncovering thofe parts, which the rudeft and moft uncultivated people carefully conceal ; nor is this indecency confined to the married women only, but is rather more praftifed by yovmg girls, travelling with their fathers, who are alfo muficians, and for a trifling acknow- ledgement, exhibit their dexterity to any body, who is pleafed with thefe unfeemly dances. They are trained up to this impu- dence, from their earlieft years, never fuffering a paffenger to pafs their parents hut, without trying to get fomething, by frilking about naked before him. (35)
I fhall not fay any thing concerning fortunetelling, with which they impofe on people's credulity, in every diftrift and corner of Europe ; this being a thing univerfally known. Yet it is extraordinary, that women, generally too not till they become old hags, fhould be fo fliarpfighted, as to difcover, in every perfon's hand, the dark myflery of futurity. A few inftances there are of men being thus gifted, but they are fo few, that they^re only exceptions to a general rule. It is therefore owing to the Gipfey women alone, that faith in divination ftill remains, in the minds .
of
( 35 )
•of millions of people. It; is true, Europe is not originally beholden Chap. VIL to the Gipfies for it, it being deep rooted in the iliipidity of the middle age, (36) when they arrived and brought it with them alfo. This fcience was already brought to a greater degree of perfedtion than among them, rules were invented to tell lies from the infpeclion of the hand, whereas thefe poor wretches were efteemed mere bunglers. During the lad, and beginning of this century they were looked upon as only a fupernumerary party ; as there were men of great learning, who not only read leftures in college, on the divine art of chiromancy, but wrote many books, vilifying; the Gipfies, and endeavouring to fpoil their market (3 7) by expoling their ignorance. But thefe enlightened men are no more, their knowledge is depofited in the dead archives of literature; and probably, if there were no Gipfies, with them would alfo have died the belief in chiromancy, in the fame manner as, in aftrology, necromanc}', oneirocritica, and the other offsprings of fancy. By thefe alone, will this deceit be kept alive, till every Gipfey is ' conftrained to acknowledge fome country, and to have fome oftenfible mode of gaining a livelihood. We can only pity the poor deluded -wTetches, who pay their grofchen or kreutzer, for a few unmeaning words ; as if it were pofTible, for people to inftrucl us, concerning our future fortune in life, v,ho are ignorant ■of their own ; being unable to determine whether a day or two hence, they may ftill be telling fortunes, or taken up by the magif- ^:rates, and hanged for theft.
I muft add to the chiromantic deception of the Gipfey women, that they alfo, but not exclufive of the men, cure bewitched cattle, difcover thefts, and poflefs noftrums of various kinds, to which
F 2 they
( 3^ )
Chap. VI^. they afcribe great virtues. Thek noftrums confift prhicipally of roots, and amulets made of unfermented dough, marked with ftrange figures, and dried in the air. Grifelini fays that, in the Biinat of Temefwar, they fell certain fmall ftones, chiefly a kind of fcoriiE, which they fay poflefs the quality, to render the wearer fortunate in love, play, (38) and other things. Were that true, they are the neareft, why deliver to another, what they have fq much occafion for themfelves ? Why do they beg and fteal, when,, with the afliflance of thefe ftones, they might honorably acquire riches, and good fortune ? Yet thefe ftones are purchafed not only in the Banat, but in Germany. People ufe their quack medicines, call the Gipfey woman into the ftable, to exorcife their bewitched cattle, without fufpefting any trick, although the whole is founded on deceit. So the open-hearfed farmer, in Suabia and Bavaria, has recourfe to the Gipfies on many occafions, making ufe. of them as doctors, for man and beaft : and conftantly in cafes of enchantment, flies to the Gipfey ; this circumftance happens ofteneft among thofe of the common people, who rail moft againft, witches and witchcraft. Whenever a cow does not feed kindly,, fomething is immediately fufpefted, and the Gipfey woman is called, who is often fo fuccefsful as to remove the complaint. She goes into the flable, orders the cow to be ftiewii to her, remains a few minutes alone with it, after every one. olfe is gone out ; having tinilhed her operations, fhe calls in the mafter, acquaints him with the beaft's recovery, and behold it eats heartily. How, happens this ? Was it not a piece of enchantment, v/herein the Gipfey really afted the magician ? Certainly not. The fraud is. this. When the cattle are feeding abroad, the Gipfey woman.,
takes
( 37 )
takes advantage of the keeper's abfencc to entice fome of them. Chap, VII.
with a handful of fodder to follow her, than fmears them, over
tJie nofc and mouth, with fome naftinefs, flie has ready in the other s
liand. From that moment the creature loaths all kinds of food or
drink, as every thing fmells of the naftinefs. V/hen Ilie is called
in to apply a remedy, the whole Ikill required, is to wipe oft" the
fluff, (lie had put on, a day or two before : by this means the
true fmell is reftored, and the cow being hungry, it is no wonder
ihe fliouki fall to greedily. From this fmgle inftance, a judgemenc.
may be formed of other cafes.
The common Gipfey occupations, wherein men, and women take an equal fhare, are, in Spain, keeping inns; (39) princi-- pally mulic in Hungary and (40) Turkey ; and gold-wafhing in Tranfilvania, the Banat, Moldavia and Wallachia. They ufed, formerly, to be concerned in (41) fmuggling, and probably ftill are, although it is not mentioned by any later writers.
Both men and women Gipfies, attend at entertainments, with their mufic, and fliew great proficiency in the art; befides fome wind inftrument, they have generally a violin : many have attained to.fo great a perfection on that inftrument, as to be employed in the chapels of the nobility, and admired as great matters. Barna Mihah', was an Orpheus of thb kind, in the country of Zips, who diftingulflied himfelf, about the middle of the prefent century, in the chapel of the Cardinal, Count Einerick von Cfchaky, The Cardinal, who was a judge of mufic himfelf, had fo great a value for him, that he rendered his likenefs immortal, (42) by one of the moft capital painters. Such inftances are not wanting in the other fex; it is well known that a Gipfey girl^ was fo famous, as..
a fidler>
'Kl^l
( 38 )
■Chap. VII- -a iidler, at fourteen years of age, that the richefl and moft faniion- able people in Hungary, ufed to fend twenty or thirty miles, for her, to play at their balls. There are likewife many fcrapers, to whom Zeiller's words are applicable, " that their mufic has a " difmal found." (43) But thefe are generally fuch as have learned of other fcrapers, at their own expence. This kind travel aboiit, with the daiicers abovcmentioned, or play to the peafants, who, not having much tafte, always make them welcome at their weddings, or dances. They fcratch away on an old patched violin, or rumble on a broken bafs, neither caring about better inftruments, nor minding to ftop in tune, being what they are, more for want of application, than capacity. (44) Others praftife vocal mufic, (45) and make their fortunes, particularly in Spain, "by finging. (46) , Goldwalhing, in the rivers, is another occupation, by whicli many thoufand Gipfies, of both fexes, procure a livelihood, in the Banat, Tranfilvania, Wallachia and Moldavia. As this is ■only a fummer employment, they are under the neceffity of finding fome other method of maintaining themfelves, during the winter. It is not permitted for every one without exception, to be a gold- walher : in Tranfilvania, fuch only can do it, who have leave from the office of Mons ; and thefe only enjoy the privilege under •certain reftriftions. (47) It is the fame in Wallachia and Mol- davia, where none of the Bojar's flaves, thence called Bojarefk (Bojar Gipfies) are allowed to meddle with goldwafliing, that being a liberty granted, only to thofe who, like other fubjefts, are immediately vmder the prince, thence called Domnefk (princely Gipfies) which are alfo fubdivided into three claflcs; the firft
named
C 39 )
<
named Radar; the fecond Urfir;. and the iKird Lajafchen, The Chap. VII. Rudars alone have the licence abovementioned ; the two laft are obliged to get their livelihood (48) in fome other way. Each perfon is forced to pay a certain tribute to government. The goldwafhers in Tranfilvania and the Banat, pay four guilders annually, which is difcharged in gold duft : the fame fum is due from every Gipfey, though many evade it. Thev contrive to keep out of the way, when the time for payment comes on, parti- cularly the Hungarian Gipfies. (49) The tribute in Wallachia and Moldavia, does not go into the public treafury, but belongs to ■ the Princeffes for pin money. In Cantemir's time, thofe in Moldavia, produced yearly one thoufand fix hundred drams; ( 5o)and the Confort of the Wallachian Hofpodar, Stephen Rakowitza, in the year 1764 received from her Rudars, two hundred and forty in number, twelve hundred and fifty four drams, a fum, according to General von Bauer and Sulzer, amounting to one thoufand and three drams, fine gold. What the Gipfies, in Wallachia and Moldavia, get over and above their head money, goes to the grand Aimafch, at two lion gilders the dram ; this he afterwards fells again, at a higher price, according to its real (51) value; as General von Bauer believes, for his own profit, not for that of the -prince. The goldwafhers in the Banat and Tranfilvania, difpofe of theirs at the royal redemption office, (52) in Zalatnya. The earnings of thefe people is various, according to time and place : during heavy rains and floods are the moft favorable feafons ; befides that their profit is more or Icfs, according to the quality of the river- they wafh in ; at the moft profitable times, viz. at the floods, Grifelini (53; calctilates. their daily gain to be about three gro~
fchens
( 40 )
Oiftp. VIl. fchens at the highfft. If we underftand, as we ought to do, that this is not earned by each perfon, but by a whole family, it will agree, pretty nearly, with Mr. Dembfcher (54) account : he fays, " In the year 1770, there were in the diftriifls of Uj-Palanka, " Orfova, and Caranfebes, upwards of eighty goldwafhers, all "of whom Itad families, and followed the bufinefs, with their " wives and children, yet this number of hands, delivered in only " fix or feven hundred ducats worth of gold." Take half of the doubtful feventh hundred, deduft three hundred and twenty guilders head money, from the grofs fum, divide the remainder among eighty families, and -each will receive yearly thirty two guilders, allot to each day, in the fummer half year. Its proportion, it will be very little more or kfs than three grofchens. As I mentioned above, the labor of two hundred and forty Rudars, produced, in the year 1764, twelve hundred fifty four drams; General von Bauer adds, this fum was exaftly the half of what was collefted, over the whole country, in the fame year. (55) Now as thefc GIpfies were under the neceffity of parting with their twelve or thirteen hundred drams, which remained after the capitation tax was paid, to the grand Armafch, at the rate of two lion guilders per dram ; they earned ftill lefs than thofe in the Banat : although the rivers in Wallachia contain fufficient plenty of gold, to make ten times that advantage, but their lazinefs prevents them. The Tranfilvanian rivers yield the moft : there are annually, from eight to ten hundred weight of gold feparated from their fand, which are brought to Zalatnya, (56) to be difpofed of. As this qviantity is not produced by Gipfies only, but by the Wallachians alfo, and we have no account of the grofs number of goldwafliers,
how
( 41 )
^iow many of them are Gipfies, nor what proportion they have, of Chap. VIT. ihefe eight hundred weight; it is impoflible to afcertainthe profits of the Tranfilvanian Gipfey goltiwadiers. That they are better off, than thofc in the Banat and other places, is certain, from the circumftance, of the rivers abounding more with gold, than tlfewhere.
I Ihall now give the procefs of goldwafiilng, in the words of thofc, who, as mineralogifts, have fuperintended the work. The account communicated by the Councellor von Kotzian, Concerning the goldwafhing in the Banat, (57) is as follows, " The operation confiRs, in firft providing a board of lime " wood, about one fathom long, and half a fathom broad, " being hollowed at the upper end, in the form of a dllh, " from which are cut ten or twelve channels, in an oblique " direclioh. This board is fixed up, fo as to forin an angle of " forty five degrees ^vith the horizon; the fand, containing the " gold, being laid in the upper hollow, a quantity of water is " then poured upon it, which carries the lighter parts over the " board; fuch as as are more heavy they fliove down hy hand ; " what^remains in the channels or furjows, is difcharged into ah "oblong tray, carried to the ftraining trough, and the gold, " which remains, picked clean out. The whole of this work is '* performed in fo carelefs a manner, that rnuch pure gold is loft, " it is moreover to be lamented, that the Giplies get only the '' gold, which is perfeftly feparated from the fand, bv:t by no '■• means any that fticks to the ore, which they throw away, though *' there is gold in it."
G As
^.
4^ )
Ghap. VII, As it feems to be evident, that this method is not at ait a provident one, confequently that much gold muft be wafted : we are the more furprized, when another author, _ in the following words, affures us of the contrary. (58) " As negligent and " carelefs as the work of the Gipfies appears at firft fight, juft "•' as effeftual it tuins out, when put to the teft. Daily pradice " gives thefe people a degree of difcernment, without which, " another perfon would think they muft lofe a great deal : I " convinced myfelf in the following manner. When they had " finiftied their wafhing on the board, for which they commoqly "' ufed from fifteen to twenty troughs of coarfe ftuff. I divided •'' the waflied ftuff into thres parcels, the ten or fifteen uppermoft " furrows, always contained the moft gold, the fecond divifion "' not more than an eighth part as much, but the laft fifteen to " twenty furrows', fcarcely three grains. I have alfo narrowly " examined the refufe, and very feldom found any traces of gold *' in it."
The art of goldwafning is brought to much greater perfeftion in Tranfilvania. In the (59)defcription of it in thofe parts, it is faid, that all the rivers, brooks, and even the pools which the rain forms, in Tranfilvania, produce gold ; among thefe the Aranyofch is the richeft, infomuch, that hiftorians in thofe countries, compare it to the Tagus and Paftolus. Befides the Wallachians, who live by the rivers, the goldwaftiers confift chiefly of Gipfies. They know, with the greateft exaftnefs, where they can wafh to advan- tage. Their apparatus for this work, is a crooked board, four or five feet long, by two or three broad, generally provided with a wooden rim on each fide ; over this they fpread woollen cloths,
an.d
•( 43 )
and fliake the gold fand mixed with water, upon it; the fmall Chap. Vlf. grains remain flicking to the doth, they wafli thefe cloths in a veflel of water, then feparate the gold by means of the trough. When they find larger particles of (and, in their wafliing, they have deeper channels made in the middle of their crooked boards, which flop the fmall pieces as they roll down : they examine thefe fmall flones afterwards, and pick fome out, which are fre- quently found to have folid gold fixed in them.
Thefe are the cuflomary tranfaftinns, and occupations of Giplies, in the different countries, and ftates of Europe. People mufl not imagine, that their fmiths fliops are continually refounding with the hammer, or that thofe of other p'rofeflions, are fo atten- tive to their callings, as to provide even a daily fubfiflence ; not to think of a comfortable maintenance. Their lazinefs, on the contrary, makes lb many idle hours in the day, that their family is often reduced to the greatefl diflrefs ; for which reafon, begging or flealing, are by far more common methods, (60) than dili- gence and affiduous application to bufinefs, for quieting their hunger. If you except foldiers, who are kept in order by thfe 'difcipline of the corporal, with fome of the Tranfilvanian gold- wafliers, who apply to mufic, and living feparate from their own caft, in conflant habits of intercourf* with people of a better fort, have thereby acquired more civilized manners, and learned the ■diflinclion, if not between right and wrong, at leaft between fecial 'honor (61) and difgrace, the remainder arc in the moft unlimited fenfe, arrant thieves. (62) They fcem only to make a pretence of working, in order the better to carry on their thieving, as the articles which they prepare for fale, in the cities knd villages,
G 2 furniili
c 44 y
Chap. VII. fprnifli an excellent blind, for fneaking into houfes, to pry wher% there is any thing which they may appropriate to themfelves^ This kind of artifice is particularly the province of the women, who have always bsen reckoned more (63) dextrous than the men, in the art of ftealing. They commonly take children with them, which are tutored, to remain behind, in the outer part of the houfe, to purloin what they can, while the mother is negociating (64) in the chamber. It is generally the women's office, to make, away with the boor's geefe and fowls, when they are to be found hi a convenient place. If the creature makes a noife when feized, it !% killed and drclfed for the canfuraption of the family, but if, by. chance, it fhould have ftrayed fo far, from the village, that its, crying cannot give any alarm, they keep it alive, to fell at the next market town. Winter is the time when the wopien generally. are moft called upon to try their fkill in this way : during that leafon, many of the men. remaiain their hvits, fending the womea abroad to forage. They go about under the difguife of beggars, in a very fcientific manner, and commonly carry with them a couple of children, miferably expofed to the cold and.froft; one of thefe is led in the hand, the other tied in a cloth to the woman's back, in order to ex.cite compaffion, in well difpofed people. They alfo tell fortunes, and impofe on the credulous with amulets. Befides all this, they feldom return to their hufbands (65) without fome pilfered booty. Many writers confine the thefts of the Gipfies to fmall matters, and will not allow that they are ever: guilty of violence. (66) This is not only denied by the teftimony, (67) of others, but abfolutely contradiifled by fome recent in- ftancea, It is true that, on account of their natural timidity, they^
do
( 45 ).
do nor like to commit a robbery, which appears to be attended Chap. VH..
with great danger, nor often break open hoiifes by night, as other
thieves do : they rather content thcinfelves with fmall matters,
than, as tlicy think, deftroy (68) themfelves at once by a great,
and dangerous adlion. Yet we have more than one (69) proof,,
that they make no fcruple to murder a traveller, or plunder
cities and villages.
CHAPTER Vlir.
On their marriages and education.
X. HERE is not, perhaps, any other people, among whorrc marriages are contracted with fo little confideration, or folemnized with fo little ceremony, as among the Gipfies. As foon as a boy has attained the age of fourteen or fifteen years, he begins to per- ceive, that fomething more than mere eating and drinking, is neceflary to him. Having no fear of confequences, nor being- under any reftraint from his parents, he forms a ( i ) conneiflion, with the girl he moft fancies, of twelve, or at moft thirteen years old, without any fcruple of confcience, (2) whether fhe be his neareft relation, or an entire flranger. God's commandments are unknown to him, and human laws cannot have much influence, over one who lives in a defart, remote from the obfervation of ajiy ruling power. The term of courclhip is very (hort, often only long enough for the parties to communicate their mutual incjiination. They do not wait for any marriage ceremony, as
it.
( 46 )
Chap. ~V11I, it is a matter of no confequence to them, whether it be performed afterwards, or not at all. Yet they do not feem to be entirely indifferent about matrimony, not on account of conforming to any inftitution, but a pride they have in imitating what is done by other people, left they Ihould appear to be inferior to them : As the very early age of the parties, or fome other irregularity, might meet with objeftions from a regular clergyman, they fre- quently get one of their own people to aCl the prieft, and tack the decent couple together. (3) A marriage being thus accomplilhed, the man provides a ftone for an anvil, a pair of pincers, a file, and hammers away as a fmith, or works at fome other trade, he may have juft learned from his father, then begins his perigrination. Should his wife commit a fault at any future time, he gives her half a dozen boxes on the car, or very likely, for fome trifling caufe, turns her off entirely. (4) Her conduft muff, in general be very much regulated by his will, and flie is obliged to be more attentive to him than to herfelf. It is always to be remembered, that a Gipfey never marries a perfon who is not of the true Gipfey (5) breed. When the woman lyes in, which happens frequently, thefe people being remarkably fruitful, (6) the child is brought forth, either in their miferable hut, or, according to circumftances, it may be in the open air, but always eafily and fortunately, a woman of the fame kind performs the office of midwife. True Gipfey like, for want of fome veffel, they dig a hole in the ground, which is filled with cold water, and the new born child waflied in it. This being done, it is wrapped up in fome old rags, which the motherly forefight has taken care to provide. Next comes :.the chriftening, at which ceremony they prefer ftrangers, for
witneffes.
( 47 )'-
witnefTes, rather than their own caft : but what kind of folks they Chap. VIII,.
are, may be coUeded from the mode of entertaining them. When
the chriftening is over, the father takes the fponfers to an (7) ale-
houfe, or if none be near, to fome other houfe, where he treats
them with cakes and brandy. If he is a little above the loweft
ftate of mifery, and has a mind to be generous, other things are
provided ; but he does not join the company, being taken up with
ferving his guefls. Thus the affair ends. The lying in woman,
paffes her Ihort time of confinement, feldom exceeding eight days,
with her child, in the hut, or under a tent, in the.fmoak by the .
fire. Refrelhments are fometimes fent from the godfathers and
godmothers, yet they are often fo uncivil, that they do not hefitate
to quarrel with, or even to difcharge them (8) from the trufl:,
if they think the prefent they make too fmall, or they do not
lilffe the provilions fent to them. When this happens, they
have another chriftening, in fome other place, nay fometimes even
a third. (9)
Some of the Gipfey women, as already mentioned, are accuf- tomed to fmear their children over with a particular kind of . dintment, then lay thejn in the fun, or before the fire, in order that the Ikin may be more compleatly parched, and their black beauty thereby increafed. They do not ufe a cradle, nor even poffefs fuch a piece of furniture ; the child fleeps, either in its mother's arms, or on the ground. When the lying in is over, the Gipfey woman goes to church, and immediately from, thence, either to begging or ftealing. While the child remains in her arms, flie perhaps imagines that people will be more merciful in their chaf- tifements, is more rapacious than at other times, and takes, whatever
fhs..
-,'i*.
( 4S )
Cnap. VIII. fliC Tan lay her hands on. If flie cannot efcapc without a beat- ing, flie fcreens herfelf by holding up the child to receive the blows, till (he has an opportunity of retiring imperceptibly, and running away.
As the child gets a little ftronger, and attains the age of three or four months, the mother feldom carries it any longer on the arm, but at her back, where it fits, winter and fummer, in a . linen rag, with its head over the flioulder, of the perfon who carries it. If (lie gets more children, in a courfe of time, which flie feldom fails to do, ss this race of beings is fo prolllick, flie leads one or two by the haiid, while fuch as are older run by her fide, and thus attended, Ihe ftroUs through the villages and into houfes. Notwithftanding their dark complexion, and bad nurfing, writers are unanimous in their teftimony, that thefe chudren are good looking, well fliaped, lively, clever, and have fine (lo) eyes. The mother plaits their black hair on the crown of the head, partly to keep it out of their face, and partly for ornament. TJiis is all flie ever does towards drefling her child out, for in fummer they wear no cloaths till ten years of age, and in winter they are forced to be content with a few old rags hung about them.
As foon as the boy or girl cati go about, it is taught to dance, which confifts in jumping about on one foot, and conflantly ftrik- ing themfelves behind with the other. As the children grow up, this dance is increafed, with all forts of poftures, by which they ftrive to divert, and get fomething from, every body, that pafles their parent's habitation. What they are farther taught, .efpecially by their mothers, is the art of dealing, which they
often
( 49 )
often put in praclice, as defcribed above. Inftruclion or fchool Chap. VIIL are never thought of, nor do they learn any bufinefs, except perhaps blowing the fire, when the father forges, or to aiTift in goldwafhino;.
In the twelfth or thirteenth year, a boy acquires fome knowledge of his father's trade, and then becomes emancipated from parental authority ; as at this time he gets into hin head, the idea of forming (ii) his own feparate connexions. What is common to uncivilized people, holds good with the Giplies, I mean
'unbounded love for their children ; this is the fource of the moft '
unpardonable negleft. Gipfey children never feel the rod, they fly out into the moft violent paffions, at the fame time hear nothing
■from their parents but flattery and (12) coaxing. In return, they acl, as is commonly the conlequence of fuch education, with the greateft (13) ingratitude. This exceffive fondnefs for their children, is attended with one advantage, that when they are indebted to any body, which frequently happens, in Hungary and Tranfilvania ; the creditor feizes a child, and by that means gets his demJtnd fatisfied ; as the Gipfey immediately exerts every method to difcharge the debt, and procure the releafe of his (14) darling offspring.
Such is the pifture of Gipfey marriages, and education, te
Which th6ve are but- few exceptions ;- and thofe oniy of a frnall pro- portion of them who have fixed habitations. The charader of people being formed by their education ; how can it be wondered at, that Gipfies fliould be, idlers, thieves, mm'derers, and incen- •diaries. Is k probable, that man fliould become diligent, v.ho has l)een educated in kzinefs ? Can it be expe&ed tkov fliould leave
1 1 every
( 5° )
Ghap. VIII. every one in pofleflion of their own property, when father and, mother have taught them to fteal, from their earlieft infancy ? Who can have a general idea of fair dealing, that, knows not right from wrong, nor has ever learned the diftindion between good and evil, virtue and vice ?• Punifhments infiifted on others, for their crimes, have no effeft upon one, who is not fufficiently. attentive, to take warning by the examples of ftrangers ; and when his own experience teaches him, that he.isjiot to lay hands on the property of others, the milder punifliments leave no lafling (15) impreffion ; the more fevere ones, which reach the life, cannot have the efte<fl, it being impoffible for a thief to grow better, after he has bocn hanged. So long therefore as their education conti- nues to be what it is, we cannot hope, that they fliould leav.e ci« to be thieves and. murderers.
CHAPTER IX.
On their fuknefs, death, and burial.
iVluCH has been faid, above, concerning the conftant good health of thefe people, and it is fadl^ that they do enjoy it more uninterruptedly, and perfeftly, than the moft regular people, who pay the greateft attention to themfelves. They get no cold noi; defluxions, from the inclemency of the air. They are not liable to rafhes, even poifon, or epidemical diforders, have no effeft on, them. Any prevailing ficknefs penetrates fooner into ten habita- tlQjis of civilized people, than it. find its way under a Gipfey'5
tent.
( 51 )
tent, or into his hut. They arc equally liable to the fmall-pox Chap. TX. and meafles, with other people, though with infinitely lefs danger of being carried off by them, and they are fubjeft to a diforder in »■
the eyes, occafioned by the continual finoak and fleam in their huts, during the winter f'eafon ; in other refpefts, the Gipfies experience no inconveniences till the time comes, that nature demands her own back again, and entirely deflroys the machine. Though this be not always at a great old age, it is generally at a pretty advanced one ; it being very uncommon for a Gipfey to die, early in life, or in his childhood. Their love of life is beyond, defcription, yet they hardly ever take the advice of a phyfician, or ufe medicines ; even ift'the riiofl dangerous maladies. They generally leave every thing to nature or good fortune : if they do rt/7)- thing, it is, to mix a little faifron in 'their foup, or bleed and fcarify themfelves ; having obferved that their horfes ufe bleeding, as a remedy for diforders. When the ficknefs indi- cates that he is likely to be very bad, and the univerfal enemy to life is rellly In earnefl, he breaks out into fighs and lamentations, on account of his departure ; till at lafl he gives up the ghoft, in his ufual place of relidence, under a tree, or in his tent.
As the preparations for death a:re, generally, regulated according to a perfon's notions of religion, fo a Gipfey, who neither knows nor believes any thing, concerning the immortality of the foul, or of rewards and punilliments, beyond this life, for the moft part dies like a beaft, who is ignorant of himfelf and his Creator, as well as utterly incapable of forming any opinion about an higher defli nation.
Ill The
( 5^ )
Chi'.p, IX. The inftant the perfon Is deceafed, begins the crying, lamentuig, and tearing the hair, of a woman for her hufband, or children for their parent. Parents, in particular, who have loft their children, appear inconfolable. Little can be faid of their burials, only, that on this occafion the cries and bewailings are redoubled, and become very violent. When the leader of an hord dies, things are condufled more quietly. His own people carry him, with great refpeft, to the grave, where each one appears earneft and attentive ; although, at the fame time eipployed in a manner to excite laughter.
This is the manner of proceeding when a Gipfey dies a natural death. It often happens that he lofes his life by violent means, not by his own hands, for felf murder or deftroylng their offspring, are equally unheard of among them. No Gipfey ever puts a period to his own exiftence on account of vexation, anxiety or defpair, he is much too fond of it, behdes, that care or defpair are unknown to him.
Even in the grcateft diilrefs, he is never troubled with low fpirits; ever merry and blythe, he dies not till he cannot help it : this often happens on the gallows, attended with fccnes, ridiculous as the moft ludicrous imagination could invent. One man requefted, as a particular aft of grace, that he might not be hanged with his face towards the high road, faying, " many of his acquaintance " paffed that way, and he fliould be very much afliamed, to be *' feen by them, hanging on a gallows." Another time the rela- tions of one who was leading to execution, perceiving by the difcourfe and geftures of the criminal, how unwillingly he advanced, flot having the lalft inclination tojjc hanged; addreffed themfelves
to
( 53 )
to tile magiflratcs and officers of juftice, with the following wife Chan, IX.
remonftrance. " Gentlemen, pray do not compel a man, to
" a thing for which you fee he has no defirc nor inclination."
Such laughable fcenes happen, at almoft every Gipfcy execution,
which arc proofs of the inconfiderate way of thinking of thefe-
people. ( I )
CHAPTER X.
Political regulations, peculiar to- the Gipjies. .
VV HEN the Gipfies firft arrived in Europe, they had different le&ders and chiefs, to conduft the various tribes in which they came* This was necelfary, in order to facilitate their progrefs,. through different countries, and quarters of the globe ; or in cafe it fliould be requifite, to unite their force, and thereby make a more formidable refiftance, when oppofed ; likewife to carry any plan, they might have formed, 'more readily into execution. In con- fequence of this, in the old books, v.e find mention made of Knights, Counts, Dukes and Kings. Not only Krantz (i) and MuNSTER, (2) mention Counts and Knights, in general, terms, among the Gipfies ; other people give us the very names of thefe dignified men; Crvsius (3) cites a Duke Michael; MuRATORi a Duke Andreas; (4) and Aventinus records a King Zindelo : (5) not to talk of ini'criptions on monuments, erefted in different places, to the memories of Duke Panuel, Count Johannis, and a noble Knight Petrus, in the fifteenth (6) century. But it. does not reqijire any comment, to Ihew,
how
( 54 )
*Chn;-). X. liow improperly thefe appellations were applied. Although the Gipfey chiefs might be pleafed with thefe titles, their dependents too might efteem them people of rank ; it was nothing but ridi- culous imitation of Avhat they had feen and admired among civi- lized people.
Neverthclefe, the cuftom of having Chiefs and Heads over them prevails to this time, at leaft in Hungary and Tranfdvania ; probably it may alfo ffcill exift in Turkey and other countries, where thefe people live together in great numbers. I only iflention Hungary with Tranfdvaaia, becaufe I have pofitive teftimony of it.
Their Chiefs, or Waywodes, as they proudly call them, were Tormetly of two kinds in Hungary. Each petty tribe had its own leader ; befides which, they had four fuperior Waywodes, of their own caft, on both fides the Danube and Teiffe ; whofe ufual refidences were at Raab, Lewentz, Szathmar, and KASCHAti: to thefe the fmaller (7) Waywodes were accountable. There would be great reafon to wonder, how ahy well regulated ftate, could allow thefe people fuch a diftinft eftablifliment, in the heart of there country, did not the Hungarian writers affign a reafon for it : viz. that in the commotions and troubles, occafioned by the Turkifli wars, in former centuries, they were more eafily fummoned, when occafion required, (8) and rendered ufeful to the ftate by means of their Waywodes. But the Gipfies in Hungary and Tranfilvania, were fo circumftanced, as not to be at liberty to chufe any except the fmall Waywodes of each tribe, from their own people, but not the fuperior Waywodes. Thefe fuperintendants, xo whom the Gipfies, in many diftridts, were fubjeft, have exifted
till
( 55 )■
till lately; there is ftill one in Tranfilvania, who has jurifdiction Chap. X* over the goldwafhers, but they were appointed by the court, and always felefted from the Hungarian (9) Nobility. It was by no means a defpicable appointment, as each Gipicy was bound to pay him a guilder (10) annually, of which one half was demanded at Eafter, the other half at ( 1 1 ) at Michaelmas. In order to render the levying this tax more certain, the magiftrates, ia all towns^ cities and villages, were ordered to be aflifting to the colle£tors, where neceffary; to proteft them alfo, (12) from any violence that might be offered by the Gipfies. . Thefe fuperior Waywodes are now no longer appointed, (13) except the fingle one in Tranfilvania, who has authority over the goldwafliers in thofe parts. But, the Gipfies ftill continue the cuftom, among themfelves of dignifying certain perfons, whom they make heads over them, and call by the exalted Scalvonian title, Waywode. They take the opportu- nity, when, a great number of Gipfies are affembled ia one place, to chufe their Wa^'wode, which is commonly done in the open field. The elected perfon is lifted up three times, amidft the loudefl acclamations, and confirmed in his dignity by prefents ; his wife undergoes the fame ceremony. When. this folemnity is performed, they . feparate with great conceit, and iriiagine them- felves people of more confequence, than Electors returning from the choice of an Emperor. Every one is capable of being eleded, who is of a family, defcended from a former Waywode : but thofe have generally the preference, who are beft cloathed, not very poor, of a large ftature, and about the middle age. Underftanding or wile conduft have nothing to do in the bufinefs. Therefore it is eafy to diftinguifh the Waywode from the multitude, by obferving
his^..
C 56 )
Chiip. X. his fize and cloathing. The particular diftingiiifliing mark of dignitj', is a large whip, hanging over the (houlder. His outward deportment, his walk and air, alfo plainly fliew his head to be fluffed with notions of (14) authority.
I have not been able to difcOver, how far his fway over his fubjefts extends. A diftinftion muft here be made, whether the ilate gives him any power, and what he afliames or derives by cuftom from his cafl. It were ridiculous to believe, that the ftate fhould, on any occafion, appoint this fort of illuflrious perfonage a judge. In Tranfilvania, indeed, the magiflrates do interfere, with regard to the fellow whom this or that hord have elefted Chief, and impofe ani obligation on him; but it is only, that he fhall be careful, to prevent his nimble fubjefts from abfconding, when the time comes, for them to difcharge their annual tribute at the Land Regent's chamber. He has no right to meddle with difputes or quarrels, whidi the Gipfies have among themfelves, or with other people ; farther than to give notice of them, to the regular courts of the (15) diftridl they happen to be in. In this point of view, it is perfectly true what Toppeltin, and others after him, aflert, that they have little or no power over their own (16) people : but if we attend to their aftions, the affair carries a very different appearance. Whenever a complaint is made, that any of their people have been guilty of theft, the Waywode not only orders a general fearch to be made, in every tent or hut, and returns the flolen goods to the owner, if they can be fovmd, but punifhes the thief, in prefencc of the com- plainant^ with his whip. Certainly it is not by any written contraft, that he acquires his right over the people, for no fuch thing exifls
amonii
( 57 )
among them, but cuftom gives him this judicial power. Moreover Chap. X. he does not punifli the aggreflbr from any regard to juflice, but rather to quiet the plaintiff, and at the fame time to make his people more wary in their thefts, as well as more dextrous, in concealing their prey. Thefe very materially concern him, fince, by every difcovery that is made, his income fuffers ; as the whole profit of his office arifes from his (hare of the articles that are - ftolen. Every time any one brings in a booty, he is obliged to give information, to the arch Gipfey, of his fuccefsful enterprife, then render a juft account, of what and how much he has flolen ; in order that the proper divillon may be made. This is the fituation where a Gipfey looks on himfelf bound to give a fair and tnie detail, though in every^ other inftance he does not hefitate to perjure (17) himfelf. We may therefore judge how precarious the fuccefs is likely to be, when a Waywode is applied to for the recovery of ftolen goods. The Gipfies are cunning enough, to hide what they have pilfered, in fuch a manner, that out of an hundred fearches, the complainer hardly once accomplifhes his defire. It does not at all forward the caufe, that the Wajnvode knows who the thief is : his interefl requires him to difTemble. Thus, though he does not fteal himfelf, the Spanilli proverb is a very true one: "The Count and the Gipfey are (18) rogues " alike." For which reafon people have left off applying to fo fufpicious a judge. If a thief is catched in the fad, the owner takes his booty away, and gives him his proper reward, or elfe delivers him over to the civil powei", for correclion ; Here enfues a truly laughable fcene : As Toon as the officer feizes on, and carries away the peifon, he is furrounded by a fwarm of Gipfies,
1 who
( 58 )
Chap. X. who take unfpeakable pains, to procure the releafe of the prifoner^ They endeavour to cajole him with kind words, defire him to confider this, that, and the other, or admonilh him not to be fo uncivil. When it comes to the infliction of punilTiment, and the malefaftor receives a good number of lafhes, well laid on, in the public market place ; an univerfal lamentation commences among the vile crew ; each ftretches his throat, to cry over the agony, their dear affociate is conftrained to fuller. This is oftener the fate of the women than of the men, as the maintenance of the family depends more upon them, they more frequently go out for pkrnder. (19)
CHAPTER XL
On the religion of the Gipjies,
T.
HESE people did not bring any particular religion with them from their native country ; by which, as the Jews, they could be diftinguifhed among other perfons ; but regulate themfelves, in religious matters, according to the country where they live. Being very inconftant in their choice of refidence, they are likewife fo in refpedl: to religion. No Gipfey has an idea of fubmiffion to any fixed profeflTion of faith : ( i ) it is as eafy for him to change his religion, at every new village, as for another perfon to fliift his coat. They fuffer themfelves to be baptifed in Chriftian countries; among Mahometans to be circumcifed. They are Greeks with Greeks, Catholics with Catholics, and again profefs themfelves to
be
C 59 )
be Proteftants, whene\-er they happen (2) to refide where that is chap. XI. the prevailing religion.
From this mutability, we conceive what kind of ideas they have, and from thence we may deduce their general opinions of religion. As parents fuffer their children to grow up, without either education or infti-uftion, and were reared in the fame manner themfelves, fo neither the one nor the other have any knowledge of God or religion. Very few of them like to attend to any difcourfe on the fubject, they hear what is faitl with indifference, nay rather with impatience and repugnance ; defpifing all remon- ftrance, believing nothing, they live on w ithout the leaft foUici- tude, concerning what fliall become of them after this life. An inftance, quoted by Toppeltin, will fully illuftrate this matter. Gne of the more civilized Gipfies in Tranfilvania, took the refo- lution of fending his foh to fchool : leave being obtained from the government, the lad was admitted, and was going on very well, under his teachers hands. The child died, whereupon the relations applied immediately to the magiftrates,and the clergy, for permiffion to give the young man Chrifhian burial, he being a ftudent at the time of his death. On this occalion the prieft afked whether they believed the deceafed Ihould rife again at the laft day. " Strange " idea" they anfwered, " to beliexe, that a carcafe, a lifelefs corpfe, " Jhould he reanimated, and rife again : in our opinion it zvould-be no " more likely to happen to him, than to the horfe zve Jlayed a few days " ago." (3) In this manner the greatefh part of thefe people think, with regard to religion ; it naturally follows, that their condudl fliould be conformable to fuch opinions and conceptions. Every duty is neglecled, no prayer ever pafles their lips, as little are
J 2 thev
( 6o )
Chap. XI. they to be found in any aflembly of public worfliip : from whence the Wallachians have a faying. " The Gipfies chvirch was built " with bacon, and the dogs ate it." (4) The religious party, from which a Gipfey apoflatifes, as little lofes a brother believer, as the one into which he goes acquires one. He is neither Maho- metan, nor Chriftian; for the doftrines of Mahomet, and of Chrift, are alike unknown or indifferent to him, producing no other effeft, than, that in Turkey his child is circumcifed, and baptifed in Chriftendom. Even this is not done from any motive of reverence for the commands of religion, at leaft the circumftance, of a Gipfey's chufing to have his child feveral times baptifed, in order to get more chriftening money, flrongly indicates a very different reafon. (5)
This is the ftate of the Gipfey religion, in every country where they are found. It is true, that in this, as well as in other things, there may be exceptions, but they are very rare ; (6) by much the greateft part of them are as above defcribed. V/herefore the more (7) ancient, as well as the more (8) modern writers, agree, in pol'itively denying, that the Gipfies have any religion; and place them even below the Heathens. (9) This fentence cannot poffibly be contradicted ; fince, fo far from having any religion, they have an averfion to every thing which in the leaft relates
r- to it.
CHAPTER
( 6. )
CHAPTER XII.
fkcir language^ fciences, and arts.
IJESIDES that every Gipfey underftands and fpeaks the language of the country where he lives ; thefe people having been always famed, for their knowledge of various ones, (i) acquired by their frequent removal from place to place; they have a general language of their own, in which they always con- verfe with each (2) other. Writers are of difFerent opinions, concerning this, whether it be a fadlitious language, or really that of any country, and who are the people, from whom it originates. Some pronounce it a mere (3) jargon, others fay it is (4) gibberifh. We can by no means agree with the firft, as the only oround for the aflertion is barely, that they do not know any other language, correfpondent to that of the Gipiles. Bue they do not feem to have confidered, how extravagant a furmife it is, to believe a whole language, an invention, that too of people nide, uncivilized and hundreds of miles diftant from each other. This opinion is too extravagant to employ more time to contro- vert it. The Gipfey language cannot be admitted, for gibberifh neither; unlefs by thofe who know nothing of the former, or are totally ignorant of the latter, which is cornipt (5) German; whereas the former has neither German words, inflexions, nor the leaft affinity in found. No German would comprehend a fingle expreflion, although he fhould liften, a whole dviy, to a Gipfey
r'^'^'-rfation.
Chap. XII.
( 62 )
Chap. XII. converfatlon. (6) A third party allow, that the language of the original Gipfies was really vernacular, and that of fome country, but alfert, it to be lb difguifed and fallified, partly with defign of the Giplies themfelves, partly by adventitious events, through length of time, and the continual wandering of thele people, that it is entirely new formed, and now ufed by the Gipfies (7) only. This opinion contains much truth, but carries the matter too far, in not allowing that any traces remain, to prove any particular one to be the Gipfies' mother tongue. Perhaps the great Bi'ifching means the fame thing, when he fays, " the Gipfey " language is a mixture of corrupt words from the Wallachian, " Sclavonian, Hungarian, and other (8) nations." Among thefe, the beft founded notion may be, that it is the dialed of fome particular country, though no longer fo pure as it is in the country from whence it (9) originated. This opinion meets the greateft concurrence of the learned ; and will, I hope, be fully proved, in another part of this book, where I (liall difcufs the fubjeft again, more fvilly, in order to corroborate my other proofs of the origin of this people. Then it will be certified, in what country this is the native, mother tongue. This is a point, concerning which, moft writers think differently. Sometimes the Gipfies are Hebrew?, then Nubians, Egyptians, Phrygians, Vandals, Sclavonians, or, as opinions vary, perhaps fomething elfe.
It appears extraordinary, that the language of a people, who •have lived centuries among us, and has been matter of enquiry, almofl ever fince, fliould ftill remain an affair of fo much uncer- tainty. Gipfies are to be found every where, and might be very eafily examined, as clofely and often, as any body plcafed, about
theii-
( 6j )
their language. It would have been no great trouble, to have Chan. XIJ, made fo much acquaintance, as to brmg them to conveife, with variety of people, and by means of comparifon, have attained fome degree of certainty. This founds plaufiblc, but on a clofer examination, the cafe is very different. First it is not fo eafy, as people may imagine, to gain much information from the Gipfies, concerning their language. They are fufpicious, ap- prehending it might be dangerous to themfelves, were they to explain it : which makes it not fo prafticable to come to the know- ledge of what you want. To this mufh be added, that great levity prevents their ever being attentive to the queftioos pvit to them. A writer, who had frequent experience of it, expreffes himfelf to the following effed:. " Suppofe any perfon had an inclination " to learn the Gipfey language, it would be a very difficult matter " to accomplilh his purpofe. The intercourfe, with thefe people, " is almoft infufferable, and very few of them have fenfe enough " to teach any thing, or to give a proper anfwer to a queftion. " If you afk about a fmgle word, they chatter a great many, " which nobody (lo) can make fenfe of; others have equally " failed of fuccefs, not being able, with all the pains they could " take, to get from them the pater noflier (ii) in their own " language." Secondly, fuppofe the language of the Gipfies had been perfedly underftood, foon after their arrival in Europe, that would not have prevented the variety of opinions, among the learned. It would flill have been neceffary, in order to come at the truth, to have revifed the original languages, of all the inhabitants both in and out of Europe, or at leaft a general fketch of them. By fuch a review, the Gipfies mother tongue might
eafily
( 64 )
Chap. XIL eafily have been difcovered. But many there are, as Biittner, Schlozer, Gibelin and Bachmeiller, who have taken great pains, in the minute inveftigation of the languages, as well as manners of different people, and count, thofe they have learned, by dozens. How was it, indeed, poffible, for the learned of former centuries, to be competent to the enquiry, as they had not the aids, which now fo copioufly occur to the hiftorical etymologill. Many dialefts have been difcovered, and our knowledge of others greatly Increafed, within thefe fifty years. During that term, the treafures of the fartheft north have been opened, and the moft eaftern idioms become more familiar to us : we even know how the Otaheitian exprefles himfelf. All this did not exift before ; the knowledge, in this fcience, was much more confined, than now'; nor was it in the nature of things, for the mofi; learned man, fo circumftanced, to point out the country in which the Gipfey language was fpoken.
The Gipfies have no writing, peculiar to them, in which to exprefs their language. (12) Writing or reading are, In general, very uncommon accomplifliments with any of them, nor muft they be at all expefted among the wandering fort. Sciences, and the refined arts, are not even to be thought of, amongft people, whofe manner of living and education are fo rough. Twifs does, indeed, mention, that the Spanlfli Gipfies have fome knowledge of medi- cine and furgery ; but woe betide the perfon who confides In their ikill. It is abfurd to believe, that they have any fecret for extin- guifhing fire : fuperftition formerly gave the Jews credit for this art, in procefs of time, the Gipfies alfo, were (14) gifted with it. Mufic is the only fcience in which the Gipfies participate. In any
conliderable
( 65 )
confiderable degree ; they compofe likewife, but it is after the Chap. XH. manner of the Eaftern people, extempore. In Wallachia, no other people poffefs this talent, and, like the Italian improvilatori, they always accompany their verfes with linging and mufic. The quality of the poetry of thefe ready compofers, may be known, by the cir- cumftance, of the rhyme being the part moft confidered ; in order to accomplifli this, they are frequently guilty of the moft glaring folecifms in grammar, befides, the common train qf their ideas is of the moft obfcene kind, thefe too they exprefs in the ; grofs ftile of rude unpolilhed people. It is not neceffary, therefore, to be a great mafter, a Wieland, to hold their art in the greateft contempt. (15)
CHAPTER XIII.
Charaaer and capacities of the Gipfies ; whether they are am advantage or detriment to a Jlate.
Imagine people of a childhh way of thinking; their minds filled with raw, undigefted conceptions; guided more by fenfe than reafon; ufmg underftanding and refleftion fo far only as they promote the gratification of any particular appetite ; and you have a perfeft Iketch of the Gipfies charader.
They are lively, uncommonly loquacious and chattering ; fickle in the extreme, confequently inconftant in their purfuits, faithleis to every body, even their (i) own caft; void of the leaft emotion of gratitude, frequently rewarding benefits with the moft infidious
]^ malice.
( 66 )
Quip. Xin. malice. (2) Fear makes them flaviflily (3) compliant when under fubjeclion, but having nothing to apprehend, like other timorous ■people, they are cruel. (4) Defire of revenge often caufes them to take the moft defperate (5) refolutions. To iuch a degree of violence is their fury fometimes excited, that a mother has been known, in the excefs of paflion, to take her fmall infant by the feet, and therewith ftrike the objeft (6) of her anger, when no other inftrument has readily prefented itfelf. They are fo addided to drinking, as to facrifice what is moft neceffary to them, that they may feaft tlieir paJate with fpirits. (7) They have too, what ■one would little expect, an enormous fhare of (8) vanity, which fhews itfelf in their fondnefs for fine cloaths, and their gait and deportment when dreffed in them. One might imagine, that this pride would have the good effeft, to render a Gipfey cautious, not to be guilty of fuch crimes as fubjeft him to public fliame ; but here comes in the levity of charafter, for he never looks to the right nor to the left in his tranfacfllons. In an hours time he forgets that he is juft untied from the whipping (9) poft. But their pride is grovmded on mere triviality, as appears plainly from their making it a point of honor, to abufe their companions, and pvTt on a terrible appearance, in the public market, where they are fure to have many fpeftators, they cry out, make a violent noife, challenge their adverfary to fight, but very feldom any thing comes (10) of it. Thus the Gipfey feeks honor, of which his ideas coincide very little with thofe of other people, fometimes deviate entirely from propriety ; Therefore, I fhall not be guilty of- any contradiftion, in now aflerting, what everyone, w'-o has jnade obfervations on thefe people agrees in, viz. that honor or
fhame
' , C 67 )
fliame are indifferent to them. This decifion holds good, if we Chap. XIII. compare Gipfey notions with our own ; trying their dealings and condudl by this ftandard, they will often appear ridiculus, fre- quently even infamous.
Nothing can exceed the unreftrained depravity of manners, exifting among thefe people, I allude particularly to the other fex. Unchecked by any idea of fhame, they give way to every defire. The mother endeavors, by the moft fcandalous arts, to train her daughter for an offering to fenfuality, and this is fcarce grown up, before flie becomes the feducer of others. Let the dance, formerly mentioned, be called to mind, it will then be unneceffary to adduce frefli examples, which my regard for decency oblige me to omit.
Their hidolence has been quoted before. Lazinefs is fo pre- valent among them, that were they to fubfift by their own labor only, they would hardly have bread for two of the feven days, in the week. This indolence increafes their propenfity to flealing and cheating, the common attendants on idlenefs. They feck and avail themfelves of every opportunity, to fatisfy their lawlefs defires. This has not grown upon the latter Gipfies, by degrees, in oppofition to the practice of thofe who firft arrived^ Thomallus does indeed endeavour to propagate ( 1 1 ) fuch a notion, quoting Stumpffor his authority ; who talks of Chriftian difcipline and order among the original Giphes, he afTures us too that they paid (12) ready money for all they wanted ; but this teftimony does not deferve attention : the Gipfies in Stumpf 's time, were the fame as they are at this (13) day, nor are differently defcribed by any of the old writers. (14)
K z This.
( 68 )
Chap. XIII. This is a tolerable lift of evil and minous properties in the 'Gipfies charadler, which applies nor only to a few individuals, but to by far the greateft number of thefe people. I fcarce know how to name any virtue, that could exift in a foul fo replete with vices. What at firft fight appears leaft cenfurable, or perhaps even amiable in them is, their conftant content in their fituation. They have no care about futurity, they are unacquainted either with anxiety ■ or folicitude, and go through every day lively and fatisfied. But this, in itfelf, commendable refignation, is as little to be accounted virtue, among the Gipfies as among the Iroquois, and proceeds from the exceffive levity of their dil- pofitions.
Let us now take a glance at the natural qualities, and capacities • of the Gipfies. Here they will appear in a favorable point of view. It does not require much obfervation to be convinced of it. Take them at whatever employment you will, there always appear fparks of genius. It is well known, and no writer omits to remark, with what artful curious devices they know how to perpetrate any cheat or robbery ; but this is not the only particular, wherein they fhew brains and capacity. The following words, of an Hun- garian author, who was a nice obferver of thefe people, contain many other inftances of them.
" Thefe people," he fays, " have a fertile imagination, in " their way, are quick and ready at expedients, fo that in many " ferious dubious cafes, they foon recoUeft how to aifl in order " to extricate themfelves. One cannot, indeed, help wondering, •" when one attends to and confiders, the fkill they exert in ^' preparing and bringing their works io (15) perfection, which
( 69 )
" is more neccflary, from the fcarcity and want of proper tools ..Chap. XllL
" and apparatus. They are very acute and cunnuig, in cheating
" or thieving ; and when called to account, for any fraud or
" robbery, fruitful and perfuafive in their inventions to defend
" themfelves. " '
At Debrezin, as well as at other fchools in Hungary and Tran- filvania, there have been feveral lads admitted for inftruftion, they have at this time a Gipfey boy in the Evangelical fchool at — Clevernefs is obfervable in all, and no defpicable talents for (i6) ftudy. If another proof (hould be wanting, let us advert to their ikill in mufic. That no Gipfey has ever fignalized himfelf in any branch of fcience^ notwithftanding, according to the foregoing accounts, many of them have and ftlU do partake of the inftrudion to be difpenfed at public fchools, is no contradidion to the point in queftion. Their volatile difpofition and un- fteadinefs do not allow them to cempleat any thing, which requires perfeverance or application. Frequently the bud dies before it blows, or if they proceed fo far that young fruit appears, it commonly falls off and rots, before it comes to maturity- In the midft of his career of learning, the recoUeftion of his origin feizes him, a defire arifes to return to, what he thinks, a more happy manner of life, this increafes, he gives up all at once, turns back again, and configns over his knowledge to (17) oblivion. Such is the caufe, why the Gipfey race has never produced a learned man, nor ever w ill as long as they retain thefe principles.
Nobody will be able eafily to prove, that the Gipfies are deficient in capacity, nor that they have not throughout a wicked depraved turn of mind. The former might render them very
profitable
( 70 )
Chap. XIII.^ profitable fubjefts to the ftace, but the latter makes them the mofs ufelefs pernicious beings. They are not fit for agriculture, nop any other art which requires induftry ; on the contrary, they aro burthenfome from their begging, they do mifchief by their variouj impofitions, bclides, being thieves and robbers, the)' deflroy tho fecurity of a ftate. The goldwafhers, in Tranfilvania ^nd the Banat, are the only confiderable exceptions; thefe Gipfies are efteemed the heft of the caft, they have no intercourfe with thofe of their own nation, nor do they like to be called Gipfies, but Brafchen, and in the Hungarian language Aranyafz ( gold colleftors). Their employment is not profitable, wherefore they are generally- poor and neceflitous, yet feldom beg, it is ftill more rare for them to fteak Content with their fcanty fubfiftanee, they fift gold fand in fummer, in winter they make trays and throughs, which they fell in an honeft (i8) way. Thefe properties render them, not only harmlefs, but ufeful to, government ; as they annually produce large fums, Vv'hich, but for them, would remain in the earth. What pity it is, that fo fmall a part ihould be well inclined, in proportion to the multitude, in Tranfilvania and elfewhere, who live in the manner above defcribed. There remains perhaps one more line, in which a ftate might reap advantage from the Gipfies, viz. enlifting them for foldiers. They feem to doubt of this in Spain, as no Gipfey there, even were he fo inclined, can become (19) a foldier. In other countries people think differently. For example in the two Hungarian regiments, the Eflerhafifli (now Orofailh) and the Julaifh, nearly every eighth man is a Gipfey. In order to prevent either them, or any othei; perfon from remembring their defcent, it k ordered by government^,
that
( 7^ )
that as foon as any of them join the regiment, he is no longer to Chap. Xill. be called a Gipfey. Here he is placed, promifcuoufly with other men, and by fuch a wife regulation, may be fyftematically rendered ufefiil. But whether he would be adequate to a foldier's ftation, unmixed with ftrangers, in the company of his equals only, is very dubious. His healthy robuft body, aftive on every occafion, at the fame time fo inured to hardfliip, that he can defy hunger, ihirft, heat, cold, and other inconveniencies, make him uncom- monly qualified for a military life : on the other hand, his remaining properties feem to be incompatible with his profeffion, and contain but few of the requifites for a ferviceable foldier. How could a regiment, compofed of people, without heart or courage, who would be overcome with fear and difmay, on the leaft appearance of danger, would give up every thing, and only think of faving themleves by flight, ever perform any great action ? Or how could one expeft from their levity, and un- fpeakable want of forefight, that they (liould avail themfelves, to the utmofl of any advantage with proper precaution and judgement. The following incident, taken from the Hungarian annals, may ferve as proof, whether this fufpicion be well founded or no. In the year 1557, during the troubles in Zapoly, the caflle of Nagy Ida, in the county of Abauywar, was in danger of being befieged and taken, by the Imperial troops. Francis von Perenyi, who had the command, being fliort of men, was obliged to have recourfe to the Gipfies, of whom he colleftcd a thoufand, thefe he furniflied w ith proper means of defence, and ftationed them in the outworks, keeping his own fmall compliment of men to garrifon the citadel. The Gipfies imagined, that nobodv could anoy them
behind
C r- )
Cli?'P. XIII. behind iheir entrenchments, therefore went courageoufly to their- pofts. Every thing was in order when the enemy arrived, and the ftorm commenced. The Blacks, behind their fortifications, fup- ported the attack with fo much more refolution than was expefted, returning the enemy's fire with fuch alacrity, that they fufpedled nothing lefs than a fwarm of Gipffes to be the defendants, and were aftually retreating. They had hardly quitted their ground, when thefe conquerors, elated with joy on their viftory, crept out of their holes, crying after them, '•' go and be hanged, *' you rafcals, thank God we had no more powder and (hot, " or we would have played the very Devil with you, nor have " fufFered a foul to efcape." " Ha! ha!" replied the retiring befiegers, as they turned about, and, to their great aftonifhment, inflead of regular troops, difcovered a motley Gipfey tribe, " Are you the heroes ? is it fo with you ?" immediately wheeling about to the left, fword in hand, they drove the black crew back to their works, forced their way after, and in a few minutes totally fubdued them (20). Thus the affair ended. In this manner Gipfies would frequently trifle away, by heedleffnefs, what they might have gained by good fortune and alacrity, if they were permitted to aft in feparate corps.
There are many inftances, in the annals of former centuries, where Gipfies have been employed in military expeditions ; but i'eldom, or rather never that they were thought of as foldiers. At Cnipa, in 1565, they prepared cannon balls for the (21) Turks: ftill earlier, in 1496, they ferved Sigifmund, Bilhop of Fiinfkirchen for the fame purpofe. (22) In the thirty years war, the Swedes likewife had a body of Gipfies in their (23) array.
And
( 73 )
And when Hamburg was befieged by the Dunes, in 1686, there Chap. Xllr. were three companies of them againfl; it. Their deftination was not lo much to Hand to their arms, as to perform other (24) fervices; they were chiefly employed in flying parties, to burn, pkinder, or lay wafte the (25) enemies country. As thefe are the operations moll fuitable to their genius, they are now, by the Turks deftined to fuch purpofes, and incorporated with the Sains, Serdenjefl:i, and Nephers. (26)
Thefe are the ufes which have hitherto been made of the Gipfies in war ; from whence we experience the poflibility of their being rendered ferviceable, although the ftricl watch, neceflTary to be kept over them, on account of their propenfity to be guilty of exceffes and irregularities, would be troublefome.
But in order to bring the advantages, and difadvantages, attend- ing them, to a fair difcufllon, it mud not be forgotten, that, at the very time one part of thefe people might be moft beneficial? viz. in time of war ; another part have it in their power to do more mifchief ; by reafon of the diforder which then prevails, when the relaxed attention of the magiflrates, makes them more daring in their robberies. Befides, what is the worft of all, they are very convenient for the enemy to ufe as machines for their treachery. What they were accuftomed to praftice very commonly, at l?aft formerly, they flill continue to carry on, whenever they they have an opportunity, as their difpofition is what it ever was. They have been generally decried, in early times, as traitors (27) and fpies : perhaps this accufation may be extended too far, but it is not totally without foundation. A Gipfey poflTefTes all the properties required to render him a fit agent to be employed
( 74 )
Chap, XIII. In trakerous undertakings. He is eafily won over, becaufe he h neceffitous, alfo his mifconceived ambition and pride, perfuade him that he becomes a perfon of eonfequence ; he docs not refieft on danger, becaufe he is too inconfiderate, and works his way under difficult circumftances, as he is artful to the greateft degree.
This accufation may be proved, by more than one example. Count Eberhard of Wirtemberg, made a pilgrimage into Palef- tine in the year 1468, with a train of forty people; and, as Crusius (28) fays, fell into the hands of the Sultan of Egypt, through the treachery of the Gipfies. Further, during the troubles excited by John Zapolya, in Hungary, in the fixteenth century, fundry fpies and delegated incendaries were taken, which proved to Jje Gipfies. (29) In 1602 Count Bast a, the Imperial General, who befieged the city of Biftritz, in Tranfilvania, when he wanted to circulate a letter among the befieged, effefted it by means of a Gipfey. (30)
Sometimes they were dangerous to a country, by harbouring other fpies, who, iinder the difguife of Gipfies, made excurfions, furveying cities and countries, without being noticed. An example of this kind is recited, in the adventures of a certain French engineer, Peter Durois, which is a circumftance, in the records of Louis XIV. perhaps as much unknown as it i/ re- markable. It relates, that at Padock (Patak) in Upper Hungary, a great fire happened, through the careleflhefs of the Gipfies ; by which not only the little city adjoining the fort was burnt, i)ut the beautiful Bruderhoff was alfo reduced to aflies : for which .feven Gipfies were felzed ; among them a French engineer, Peter
Durois,
r 75 )•
rJi'Rois, was taken into cuftody. This perfon had travelled Chap. XIIL about with them nine years ; he had fkctches (31) of all the great fortifications, in the whole Roman Empire, and the Imperial hereditary dominions, in the moft concife manner, with remarks where each place was lead defenfible. This affair has ftill another voucher, who fays, in the month of June, of the year 1676, the Gipfies fired this little city (Patak) together with the church. Among thefe Gipfies was found a French engineer, named Peter DuRois, who had been nine years with them, and received confiderable remittances from France. He was taken by the- Imperialifts, and there were found upon him, (3 2) plans of almoft all the cities of Upper Hungary, and the German Empire.
Thus thefe people caufe much damage and mifchief, with, little or no profit, take them in whatever point of view you will.
CHAPTER XIV.
Concerning their being tolerated by a Jlatc.
X^ ROM the uncommonly bad and pernicious qualities of the Gipfies, the queftion arifes, what a government can do with them. It is already a long time, fince people have ferioufly taken into confideration, the evil they oecafion, and how means my be devifed to fecure themfelves againft it. As banifhment was very much in vogue formerly, nothing could be more natural, than that it fhould likewife be exercifed againft the Gipfies. Not only the
L 2 clergy
( 76 )
Chap. XIV. clergy (i) and politicians, (2) inveighed ftrongly, againft the toleration of thefe people, but their exile was actually refolved upon, in moft of the countries of Europe.
About the end of the fifteenth tentury Spain made the beginning. King Ferdinand, who efteemed it a good work to (3) expatriate ufeful and profitable fubjefts, could much lefs be guilty of any impropriety, in laying hands on the mifchievous progeny of the Gipfies. The edift for their extermination came out (4) in the year 1492. Inftead of paffing the boundaries, they flunk into hiding places, and Ihortly after appeared every where, in as great numbers as before. The Emperor Charles V. perfecuted them afreili, as did Philip II. alfo. (5) But fince that time they have nellled in again, and been left to them- felves till very lately, when, vinder the prefent King, they were threatened with another ftorm ; but it blew over, without taking effeft. (6)
In France, Francis I. paffed an edift for their expulfion; (7) and at the aflembly of the States of Orleans, in 1561, all o-overnors of cities, received orders to drive them away, (8) with fire and fword. Neverthelefs, in procefs of time, they had collefted again, and increafed to fuch a degree, that in 16 12, a new order came out for their extermination. (9)
In Italy, their fituation has been equally precarious. In the year 1572, they were compelled to retire from the territories of Milan (10) and Parma, and fomething earlier they were chafed beyond the Venetian (i i) jurifdidion.
England firft endeavored to difburthen itfelf of them, in the year ic;^i, under Henry VIII. but as the ad, palled, for
that
( 77 ) that purpofe, fell into difregard, a new (12) one came out under Chap. XI\'. Elizabeth.
They were not allowed the privilege of remaining unmolefted in Denmark, as the code of Danilli laws Ipecifies. The Tatars (Gipfies) who wander about every where, doing great damage to the people, by their lies, thefts, and witchcraft, Ihall be taken (13) into cuftody, by every magiftrate.
Sweden has not been more favorable, having, at three different times, attacked them. A very iharp order, for their expullion, came out in the year 1662. The Diet, of 1723, publillied a fecond : and that of 1727, repeated the foregoing, with additional (14) feverity.
They were excluded from the Netherlands, under pain of death, partly by Charles V. and partly afterwards by the United Provinces in 1582. (15)
Finally, the greateft number of fentences of exile, have been
pronounced againft them, in Germany. As well Imperial
decrees, as thofe of particular Princes, have been repeatedly iffued,
for removing thefe people. The beginning was made, under
Maximilian I. at the Augsburg Diet, in 1500: where the
following article was drawn up on this bufinefs. " Rcfpefting
" thofe people, who call themfelves Gipfies, roving up and down
" the country. By public edift, to all ranks of the empire,
" according to the obligations, under which they are bound, to
" us and the Holy Empire ; it is flrictly ordered, that in future
" they do not permit the faid Gipfies ; (fince there is authentic
" evidence of their being fpies, fcouts, and conveyers of intelli-
" gence, betraying the Chriftians to the Turks, ) to pafs or
" remain
( 7-8^ )
Chap. XIV. "remain within their territories, nor to trade or traffic ; neither- " to grant them proteftion nor convoy. And that the faid Glpfies- *f do withdraw themfelves, before Eafter next enfuing, from the " German dominions, entirely quit them^ nor fuffer themfelves. " to be found therein. As in cafe they fliould tranfgrefs, after '^ that time, and receive injury from any perfon, they fhall have- " no redrefs, nor Ihall fuch perfon be thought to have committed; " any crime." The fame affair occupied the Diet in 1530... 7544 . . . 48 . . . 51 and was alfo. again enforced^ in the. improved, police regulation (16) of Frankfort in 1577.
Several princes were fo little attentive to thefe orders of the Empire, that, inflead of endeavouring to drive out the Gipfies,., ihey on the other hand, furniflied them with paffports (17) and fafe condufts : others on the contrary, and by far the greateft number, exerted themfelves to the utmofl, to clear- th^ir Rates of- tliis vermin, and fome ftill continue the fame watchfulnefs.
From hence it ap^^ears, how univerfally the opinion was adopted, that banilhing the Gipfies, was the only method to be fecure from their malignity. Perhaps, there is not one civilized ftate, Hun- gary (18) and, Tranfilvania excepted, where this remedy has not been tried : but whether it be as expedient, as it has been hitherto-, general, is much to be doubted.
In thi FiKsi: place, it had very little effeft, and that little was . only temporary. Even if every civilized nation had driven the ■ Gipfies from them, at the fame time, Europe could not have been entirely cleared of them, fo long as they preferved an afylum in Turkey, and that they would have done, fince Ofman tolerates every nation in his dominions. Now as experience evinces, there
is
{ 79 )
is no country, in which a conftant equal attention is paid to the Chap. XIV-
execution of the laws, they would, in more or lefs time, have
infinuated themfelvcs again, inro the neighbouring countries ;
from thefe into others, and recommenced where they had left off.
But this never did happen, for the laws, for banifliing them, pafled
in one ilate, before it was ever thought of in the next ; or when
a like order had long become obfolete and fallen into oblivion.
Thefe defirable guefts were, therefore, difpatched into that land,
where they remained, till government began again to clear them
away ; upon which the fugitives either retired back, from whencfc
they came, oT went on progreflively, to a third place : thus
making an everlafting revolution.
Secondly, this remedy was premature ; endeavouring to e'xterminate was the fame thing, as if a furgeon flrould proceed diredlLy to the amputation of a difeafed limb, becaufe it created inconvenience to the reft of the body. Whereas the firft enquiry fliould be, whether the diforder were of fuch a nature, as not to be removed but by entire reparation. This is a defperate remedy^ which Ihould only be adopted, when no other can be efficacious. Had the Gipfies, hitherto, occafioned never fb much mifchief, it was no impoflible thing, that they might ceafe to be fuch per- nicious beings. At leaft there had never been any trial made,- from which this impoffibility could be afcertained. Men may be formed to any thing. Had proper means been Xjfed, for their im- provement, the event would have proved, that they were not incapable of becoming better. If feveral at different times, have of themfelves, emerged from their favagenefs, how much more likely is it, that the remainder might have been altered, had they
received
( So )
Chap. X|fIV. received fuch aids, as their neceffities required. But it was not merely a premature ftep, to expell the Gipfies intireljf. It was, Thirdly, a wafteful one. This may perhaps found odd, but is certainly indifputable, as long as the Hate maxim holds good, that an increafed population is more advantageous than a fmaller one, which is in ibme degree a confequence of the laft mentioned circumftance. It is allowed, that a ftate would not lofe any thing by the Gipfies, as Gipfies ; on the contrary, it would be a gainer, becaufe an obftacle to the general welfare would be removed ; but this is not the matter in q\ieftion. Every man has taxes to pay, and powers to exert, the Gipfies none of the leaft ; if he does not know how to make ufe of them, let the date teach him, and keep liim in leading firings till the end is attained. If the root of tlvs depravity lies lo deep, in the hrft generation, that it cannot be removed immediately, a continuation of the fame care will, in the fecond or third defcent, be fure of meeting its reward. Now let us refleft on a Gipfey, when he has difcontinued his Gipfey life, confider him with his fecundity and numerous family, who being reformed, are made vifeful citizens, and we fliall perceive how great want of oeconomy it was to throw him away as drofs.
Pretty near the fame idea has ftruck other authors ; at leaft tliey fo far agree, in what has been advanced, that they advife making the Gipfies ufeful in fome way : only the means they recommend have powerful objeftions to them. They think the ftate might make public Haves, or penitentiaries, of thefe people, and fet them (19) to all kinds of work. But fuch dependants, even fuppofing them to be employed in the moft beneficial way,
ate
( Sr )
are always a nuifance and burdien to a (late. Befides, in the above Chap. XIV.
fcheme, there is no propofal made for the bettering thefc people,
fo they muft either be fulTered to wear out, or remain under the
conflraint of convicts, from generation to generation. The firfl
fliould not be permitted, becaulc when they were extindt, they
could render no further fervice to the community. They muft
therefore be allowed to increafe. But what could be done at laft
with this multitude and their brood? Would it not lequirc
whole diftrids, and large cities to be built, merely to turn the
thoufands of thefe wretches into. Moreover what an expence,
and inconvenience to fuperintend them. As plaulible, therefore, as
that propofal appears at the firft glance, as little will it ftand the
teft of a clofer examination.
Therefore banifliment was not the proper method to be adopted, nor would it have been advifeable, to make them penitentiaries or galley flaves ; but care fliould have been taken, to enlighten their underftandings, and to mend their hearts.
But what has been omitted formerly, there is ftill time enough to execute. Few, or almoft none of the larger ftates, are fo entirely cleared of Gipfies, that they may not here and there be found by hundreds, in moft countries by thoufands. The times, when the firft fentences of banifliment were pronounced, were too unphilofophical, for any thing preferable to be fuggefted ; but it may be expefted, from a more informed age, to adopt better maxims. We fend ApoflJes to the Eaft and Weft, into the moft diftant parts of the Earth; and, as will be fliewn below, into the very country, to the brethren of the Gipfies, in order to inftrud: the people who know not God. Is it not inconfiftertt, for men
M to
( 82 )
Chap. XIV. to be foUicitous for thofe who are without, and to throw off and ■ leave to chance thofe, who, equally wretched, have brought their errors home to us. If it be a good work, to teach religion and virtue, to fuch as are ignorant of their Creator, why not begin with thofe neareft to us : efpecially as negleft, in this particular, is attended with detriment to fociety in general. They have been long enough among civilized people, to prove, that they will not be allured, by the mere example of others, to free them- fclves from the (20) fetters of old cuftoms and vices. In order to accomplifli that, foreign and more effeftual help is requifite. It were in vain to hope for any confiderable progrefs, from thofe who are grown up, it would be fufficient by compulfion, to make them quit their unfettled manner of life, by inftruftion and teaching, to convey a glimmering of light to their underftandings, and endeavour at fome melioration of the heart. Proper care being taken of the education of the children, fociety would be more likely to have its endeavors crowned with fuccefs.
CHAPTER XV.
Ejfay on their improvement.
XT would be a lamentable cafe, if fuch regulations were only pious wilhes. Let us hope fomething better ! the work is already- begun, a great Emprefs, Therefa, has laid the plan, to win over thefe poor unfortunate people, to virtue and the ftate. It is only great pity, that the execution of her wife difpofitions, refpefting
the
( 83 )
tlie GIpllcs In Hungary, feems to have been entrufted to people Chap. XV- inadequate to the tafk.
What was done, in her time, towards the accomplifhing this work, may be feen by the following article, in the Ncwfpaper already often quoted, called, Anzeigen aus den Kayferl. Konlgl. Erblandern, (Intelligence from the Hereditary Imperial Royal Dominions). " Since the year 1768, feveral decrees, rep-ardinp- thefe people have been publiflied, In the country (Hungary), and the ilriclcfl orders difpatched to the feveral diftrlfts. In confequcnce. They were prohibited from dwelling In huts or tents ; from wandering up and dowa the country ; from dealing in horfes ; from eating animals which died of themfelves, and carrion ; and from ele<5ling their own Wayda or Judge. It was intended to extirpate the very name and language of thefe folks, out of the country. They were no longer to be called GIpfies, but New Boors (Uj Magyar), not to converfe any longer with each other in their own language, but in that of any of the countries in which they chufe to refide. Some months were to be allowed, after which time they were to quit their Gipfcy manner of life, and fettle, like the other inhabitants, in cities or villages ; to '
build decent houfes, and follow fome reputable bufinefs. They were to procure Boors cloathing, to commit themfelves to the protedtlon of fome territorial fuperior, and live regularly. Such as were fit for Soldiers, to be enllfted Into the regiments." Neverthelefs lb apparently as thefe regulations were calculated, entirely for the good of thefe people and the ftate ; jufl; as little were the greateft part benefited by them. The fmall effeft which was produced, gave occalion. In the year 1773, for thefe orders
M z not
C S4 )
Chap, XV. not only to be repeated, but made more rigid ; and when even this would not anfsver the end, it became neceffary to pro- ceed to extremity, with them. Wherefore it was ordered, that no Gipfey fliovild have permiffion to marry, who could not prove himfelf in condition, to provide for and maintain a wife and children. That from fuch Gipfies who were married and had families, the children fliould be taken away, by force, removed from their parents, relations, or intercourfe with the Gipfey race, to have a better education given them. A beginning was made, in fome (i) places, and where they would not comply voluntarily, they were compelled to fubmit to the decree. At Fahlendorf, in Schiitt, and in the diftrid of Prefsburg, all the children of the New Boors (Gipfies) above five years old, were carried away in waggons, in the' night of the twenty-firft of December 1773, by overfeers appointed for that purpofe ; in order, that, at a diftance from their parents or relations, they might be more ufefuUy educated, and become accuftomed to work. Thofe Boors who are willing to receive and bring up thefe children, are paid eighteen guilders yearly from Government. On the 24th of April 1774, between five and fix o'clock in the morning, the children of the Gipfies, which had been growing up, from December of the foregoing year, were again removed from Fahlendorf in Schiitt and Hideghid, for the purpofe of being put \mder the fame courfe of difcipline as the others. Among the former was a girl fourteen years old, who was forced to fubmit to be carried off in her bridal ftate. She tore her hair for grief and rage, and was quite befide herfelf with agitation : but (he has
now
• ; ( 85 )
now (1776) recovered a compofed ftate of mind, having, 'hi Chap. XV. Fafching, obtained permiflion to accomplilh her marriage.
So far our intelligence quoted from the Gazettes ; from whence we may fee, how prudently every thing was concerted. It is true, the means here made ufe of are compulfory, but neceffary, and the only ones capable of infuring fuccefs. Moreover, it may at the fame time be obfervcd, although the publifher of this infor- mation endeavours to conceal it, how little thefe falutarv regu- . . lations were put in force, there were fcarcely two places in the kingdom, where it was even endeavored to give them proper eifeft. This fupinenefs muft have been unknown to the great Jofeph, or he would certainly have enforced them afredi, to all chiefs and governors, at the fame time, that he gave orders for their being obferved in Tranfilvania.
This, more late decree of the Emperor's, which came out laft year, means, as was the intention of Therefa, with the Hungarian Gipfies, that thofe alfo in Tranfilvania fliould become better men, and more ufeful inhabitants. For which reafon, it prohibits their wandering about and living under tents ; requires that they (hall become fettled, and put themfelves under fome territorial chief. In order to ftrike at the root of the evil, neceffary and minute diredlions are given, for the improvement of their religious ideas and opinions together with their lives as citizens. (2)
First, with refpeft to religion, they muft
1. Not only be taught the principles of religion, themfelves, but fend their children early to fchool.
^ 2. Pre:
( 86 )
Chap. XVo 2. Prevent, as much as poffible, their children from running about naked, in the houfe, the roads, and ftreets, thereby giving offence and difguft, to other people.
3. In their dwellings, not permit their children to fleep pro-
mifcuoufly by each other, without diftinftion of fex.
4. Diligently attend at church, particularly on Sundays and
holidays, to give proof of their Chriftian difpofition.
5. Put themfelves under the guidance of fpiritual teachers, and
condufl; themfelves conformably to the rules laid down by them.
Secondly, with refpeft to their temporal condud and better mode of living, they are bound
I, To conform to the cuftom of the country, in diet, drefs, and language : confequently to abftain from feeding on cattle, which have died of diftempers ; not to go about in fuch unfeemly dreffes ; and to difcontinue the ufe of their own particular language.
z. Not to appear any more in large cloaks, which are chiefly ufeful, to hide things that have been ftolen.
3. No Gipfey, except he be a goldwafher, fball keep an horfe, alfo the goldwafhers
4. Muft
( 87 )
4- Mufl refrain from all kinds of bartering at the nnnual fairs. Chap. XV.
5. The Magiftrates, of every place muft be very attentive, that no Gipfey wafle his time in idlenefs ; but at thofe feafons, when they have no employment either for themfelves, or any landholder, recommend them to fome other perfon^ with whom they (hall be compelled to work for hire,
6. They are to be kept, particularly, to agriculture ; therefore
7. It is to be attended to, where poflible, that every Territorial
Lord, who takes any Gipfies under his jurifdiftion, do allot them a certain piece of ground to cultivate.
8. Whoever is remifs, in his hufbandry, fliall be liable to
corporal punilhment.
9. They fhall only be permitted to amufe themfelves with
mufic, and other things, when there is no field work to be done.
Thefe regulations will, probably, be attended with the moft efficacious confequences, as Jofeph's eye is too watchful, to fuffer any thing, he has planned to remain unexecuted. Should his undertaking fucceed, and he (hould, moreover, revive this bufinefs, with good effedl in Hungary, where it feems to have fallen into
oblivion -
C «8 )
Chap. XVe oblivion ; it will be an additional jewel in his crown, nor will it be the laft among his other atchievements, tranfmitted to pofterity, that upwards of eighty thoufand miferable wretches, ignorant of God and virtue, deep funk in vice and brutality, like only half men, wandering in error, were by him drawn out of their delufion, converted to human creatures, and made good citizens.
APPENDIX.
( h ) APPENDIX.
Letter from a noble Hungarian Lady, on the fubjed. of the Gipjies'
in Hungary. ( i )
A READ the Paper called, News from all the Imperial, Royal Hereditary Dominions : for as I live in the country, where, befidcs my own domeftick affairs, I have no employment but reading and writing ; I receive partic\ilar fatisfadion from thefe fheets, as they fiipply matter for inveftigation, for refledtion, and alfo for practice. You know I have only one daughter, you are alfo not ignorant, that I educate other young ladies of q\iality, and keep them with me till they marry. In order that, in addition to domeftic ccconomy, they may acquire fome general knowledge, it is my cuftom to keep a fort of fchool, that they may not mifapply their capacity for improvement ; but, as much as poffibie turn it to the greateft (2) advantage. Among other things, we are now difcufiing the narrative in your paper, about the Gipfies. There are a great number of them, on my eftates, but I have permitted two families in particular, to eftablifli themfelves at the place of of my own refidence, under the exprefs condition, that no others fhall come here and join them. I took all poffibie pains, to make them reafonable creatures. I fet the elder ones to work ; the younger ones tend the cattle. I obferved that they were more fond of horfes, than any thing elfe ; for which reafon I placed a
N Gipfey
( 9° )
Appendix. Gipfey under each groom. I had their children cloathed, that, none of them might be running about naked, according to their 'ufual praflice. It appeared, however, that cuftom was become nature with them. The old ones worked diligently, fo long as any body flood over them ; the moment their back was turned, they got all together in a circle, their legs acrofs, facing the fun, and chattered. Thus they cannot poffibly earn more, indeed hardly fo much, as would find them bread, although very cheap v/ith us ; for the bread I give them does not ftand me in half a kreutzer the pound. Even in winter they cannot bear a hat on their head, nor fliocs on their feet. The boys run like wild things, wherever they are fent, either on foot or on horfeback ; but they fpoil horfes unmercifully, beat them on the head, jerk the bits in their mouths, fo as to make them nin down with blood. They cannot be brought, by any means whatever, to drefs horfes. Cloath them as you will, they always fell or lofe their cloaths. In a word, one cannot but confider them as void of reafon ; it is really fhocking to fee even well grown children, put whatever they find into their mouths, like infants before they can fpeak ; wherefore they eat every thing, even carrion, let it ftink never fo much. Where a mortality happens among the cattle, there thefe wretched beings are to be found, in the greateft numbers. This winter, I was fo unfortunate as to have an infecflion among my hogs ; immediately, inftead of my two families, I had ten, infomuch that I was forced to drive them away ; fearing they would rob me, that being their chief occupation. I fometimes ftand by them, for an hour together, and enquire 'concerning their religion. They profefs to be Roman Catholicks, but know
nothing
C 9t )
aothing of the matter. I afked them, if they knew there is a Appendix. God ? They faid yes. How they knew it ? I perceived, by their confufed anfsvers, that according to the Apoftle Paul, in the firft chapter of his Epiftle to the Romans, they know the Creator, from feeing tlie things created. I firft afked if they love him ? As their anfv/er feemed to indicate, that they more fear than love him, I enquired, Whether they had not fufficient proofs of his goodnefs ? They then anfwered, becaufe he killed them : for they are extremely afraid of death. It would take up much time, to convey to them an idea of a life to come, I therefore declined the attempt, and only endeavoured to convince them, that when, with advanced age, nature became weak, and the ftrength im- paired, a good death was one of the greateft benefits God could confer upon mankind. They burft into a general laugh, faying, what they had was fomething, but when they died all was gone.. From whence we may infer how ignorant they are. It would be a bleffing to them, if they had human, rational principles. As they are, their great neceffity makes them thieves, robbers, and liars. Their mode of life is downright brutifh ; their marriases are not holy, and in general, the accounts lately publiflied, make it appear, that even the Hottentos poffefs more religion, than we find among thefe poor people. It is true that orders come from the Royal Office, concerning them, but they pafs unobferved. They are driven from one place to another, without being allowed a chance of getting a maintenance, or making provifion for the better education of their children. This does not concern me ; but excites compafilon when I refleft on it.
- ' N 2 I have
< 9^ )
Appendix. I have compared their language with the Gazettes, but thai fpoken by my Gipfies is different, and bears more refemblance to the Latin. They call God, Di . . . bread-pan . . . water-apa. This feems to be corrupt Latin, and they have many more fuch words. ' They mix Sclavonian and Hungarian words with their own, but give them quite a different fignification.
H. C.
■g- V. J,
ai. April, 1776.
Tind of the FIRST PART.
Diflertation on the Gipsies,
SECTION II.
On the Origin of the Gipsies.
CHAPTER I.
The firjl Appearance of Gipfies in Europe.
J.T is no where recorded, in what year, or in what part of Europe, Gipfies made their firfl appearance. But it is to be premifed, what will afterwards be inveftigated, that they did not originate in our quarter of the World ; on the contrary, that they ftrayed hither, as Oriental fhangers, either from Egypt, Asia Minor, or fome other part: we fhall then examine, whether it may not be poffible, by means of what is related, in old \\ritings, concerning the difcovery of them, in different countries, to follow the track fo far, as to make out, where and. when they firfl: fet foot on European ground.
Mention is made of them in Germany, fo early as the year 141 7, when they appeared in the vicinity of the North Sea. (i) A year afterwards we find them alfo in Switzerland and Graubundten. (2) In 1422 they likewife appeared in (3) Italy. It is unknown what was the earlieft period, that they were obferved
in
( 94 )
Chap. I. in France and Spain: but their appearance, in thefe countries muft have been of later date, than among us, as is proved in refpedl to France, by the name Bohemians, which they bear there: in regard to Spain, Cordova, in order to contradict fome furmifes, about the Gipfies mother country, ufcs the argument, that they were known in Germany prior (4) to either Spain or Italy. The French make the firfl mention of them, in 1427, when they ftraggled about Paris, having arrived there on the 17th day of Augufh (5)
From what country did they come into Germany ? It is MuRATORi's opinion, from (6) Italy : but how unfounded this is, appears clearly from their coming to that country, after they had been in Germany. The Bologna Chronicle afcertalns the time, when Italy became acquainted with thefe people. The hord, therein mentioned, which arrived in that city on the 1 8th of July 1422, confifted of about an hundred men; whofe leader or (as they called him) Duke's name, was Andreas. They travelled from Bologna to Forli, intending to proceed to pay the Pope a vifit at (7) Rome. Muratori founds his judgement on this Chronicle, not knowing, that Gipfies are fpoken of in the German prints, five years earlier.
Still lefs tnie is what Majolus aflerts, that they came from Spain, and only entered (8) the German territories in the year 1492, when they were driven out of Spain, by Ferdinand the Catholic. Hungary is certainly the country from whence they came into Germany. Not only the time confirms this conjefture, as we find them (9) in Hungary in 141 7, the very fame year, that they were firfl obferved in Germany, but Aventin expreffly
mentions
( 95 )
^mentions Hungary, among the countries from which he Aippofes Chap. I. them (lo) ro come.
In this flate our examination refts, in regard to whether they appeared earlier in fome other place, or arrived here firft.
That Poland fliould be the country which harboured the firft Gipfies, and that they fpread from thence into Wallachia, Tran- filvania, and other places, is a mere arbitary furmife. The writer (ii) who is of this opinion, appeals to MiiiosTER's intelligence, but that does not contain a fyllable in confirmation of it. Others, with the greateft confidence, maintain, that Wallachia and Moldavia, where they alfo wandered about in 141 7, are the (12) places in which they made their firft appearance among us. Can- TEMiR, on the contrary, is very undecided In this matter, faying, " From whence, or at what time this nation arrived in' *' Moldavia, neither do they know themfelves, nor is there any *' mention made of it in our annual (13) publications." How- ever, the fecond opinion fecms to approach very near the truth, but does not point out the particular province, in which the Gipfies were firft obferved, (and of what ufe would that be.) But one information, compared with other clrcumftances, is of fo much afliftance here, that we may, without hefitation, pronounce Turkey to be the country, from v/hich thefe Eaftern guefts found their way to us. This is probable . . . First, becaule AvENTiN expreflly makes Turkey their original place of rendez- vous. Secondly, as this explains why the fouth eaft parts of Europe are moft crouded with Gipfies, as was aflTerted in the beginning of the other ( 1 4) part. What they did in every other place, happened likewife in Turkey, viz. many remained behind,
In
( 96 )
Chap. I. in every country they pafled through. Now as all that came to Europe pafled by here, whether at once, or in different divifions, it was poflible, indeed a neceflary confequence, that a greater number fhould remain here, than in the different countries, where their hords were much divided and diminifhed.
The time when they arrived, has been as little certified, as the particular place where they landed. Perhaps, the before quoted Chronicle of Bologna, may give us fome inlight into this matter: It relates, as appears by the context, from the mouth of the leader of the hord which it defcribes ; that thefe people, at the time of their arrival at Bologna, had been five years wandering (15) about in the world. Now, if this account is to be depended on, they cannot have arrived in Europe earlier than the year 141 7. But, in order for this relation to be believed, it is principally to be confidered, whether the author of it be deferving of credit. To place any confidence in Gipfey narrations in general, would be nothing lefs than prudent ; as there are too many proofs, that their fayings are mere nonlenfe, and contradiftory prattle : but the cafe in queftion, feems to be an exception. All the ftuff and lies which the Gipfies gave out, concerning whence they came, with the reaibns for their wandering, have an end in view. But with regard to the time, if he knew, he is more to be trufted, as he could not perceive any injury to refult from a mere date. Now tlie inference to be drawn is, that the leader of an hord, might, not only know how long he had retired from Egypt, or Asia Minor, and travelled about in Europe, as the time had been- fliort ; but it may alfb be fuppofed, that he laid what he knew. In the mean time, we will compare this cited term, of five years,.
with
( 97 )
with other circumftanccs, and fee whether they make for, or Chap. 1. againft our argument. The firft cafe would be, whether there are any earlier, authentic, accounts of their appearance in Europe, than 141 7? But we do not find fuch (16) any where. The fecond thing to be enquired is, whether, if they were not feen towards the Black Sea, before 1417, they could in one year's tinie have reached the North Sea. This doubt is a very trifling one. A year was quite fufficient, for fuch a wandering people, who never tarried long in a place, to have migrated even far beyond where they were met with. And then, if they were not earlier in Moldavia and Wallachia, than the year 141 7, yet appeared the fame year in the neighbourhood of the North Sea ; what great difference would it make, if they came from a provifice, next beyond Moldavia or Wallachia, fo on that account travelled, a few miles further, tc arrive at the fame place ? It is therefore very credible, that 141 7 was the rime of their arrival.
Although immediately after their coming into Germany, they fpread fo rapidly, that in 141 8 their names were (17) recorded rn the annual publications of almoft every part of it ; yet par- ticular places feem to have been favored by them. Thus in Bavaria they were not noticed till 1433, (18) and they muft have very quickly withdrawn themfelves again, from thefe parts, as, fix years afterwards, it was remarked as fomewhat new and unheard of, that in this year, (1439) the Gipfies, a pack of fcoundrels, a riff raff gang, were come into that country, with their King, whofe name was Zundl. (19.)
They did not travel together, but in different hords, each having its leader, fometimes called Counts, at others giving
O themfelves
( 93 )
Chap, I. themfelves out for Dukes or (20) Kings of Lesser Egypt. One herd, which arrived at Augfburg in 141 9, although it conlifted of only feventy men, had even two of thefe Dukes, befides fome Counts, (21) with them. But what foit of creatures, thefe dignifyed perfons among the Gipfies were, has been explained in another (22) place.
If Stumpf is right, the number of thefe people muft have been very confiderable. Thofe alone, who came into Switzerland in, 3718, women and children included, were (23) eftimated at 14000. But here, he, or his authorities, feem to have greatly mifcounted. It is true, that he likewife remarks, they did not keep all together, but went about in feparate parties ; notwithftanding this his account is much to be do\ibted. By what I can find concerning particular hords, there were none which exceeded one or two (24) hundred. That which went to Augfburg in 1419, confifted of only feventy men : therefore if they had been as abundant as Stumpf fays, there muft have been at leaft an hundred fuch hords, difperfed through Switzerland. It was at this time, 141 8, that Gipfies were firft feen at Zurich, they were a fwarm whofe leader's name was Michael. It was not till four years afterwards that they were known at Bafil, and the fame fet, being no other, than the very hord of this (25) Michael. Would not fome other tribe have got to Bafil, before thefe, if they had been fo numerous? Thomasius adopts this number of 14000, without fufpicion, and underftands it to comprehend the whole multitude, all over (26) Germany : but then he does not appear to have quoted Stumpf's teftimony in the fenfe it was meant. There muft certainly have been, a vaft quantity of them arrived, as they fpread every where
fa
( 99 )
fo prodigiovifly, but to pcrfift in any nearer invefligation of their Chap. T. numbers, would be only trouble thrown away.
Their poflefTions were, as at prefent, fmall, and their whole arrangement lingular, befidcs that, according to the Eaftern cuflom, they hung cloths about them^ inftead of other garments ; thefe confifted of ragged tatters. Their leader only, or fome of thofe, above the common rank, who would be Nobles, or even Counts were (27) exceptions. Several had hories, aifes or mules with them, on which they loaded their tents, with other things, and the whole family into the bargain. They had alio dogs in their company, with which, Kranz afferts, they ufed illegally to kill (28) game : but probably the dogs were not fo much intended to hunt hares, as to kill fowls and geefe.
•C H A P T E R II.
On the fanEi'tly, pajfporls, and difference of the former, from the
latter Gipjies.
\T was the fafhion, foon after their arrival, to believe them Egyptians and pilgrims, who were conftrained to wander on a religious account. This miftake originated from the Gipfies own relation ; but on giving a more circumftantial detail, of the reafons for their pilgrimage, they varied very much from each other. One part of them declared, that they w^ere compelled to make this emigration, as an atonement for their forefathers having, for fome time, (1) apoftatifcd from the Chriftian faith. Others gave
O 2 out
( loo )
Chap. IL out that the King of Hungar}', had feized their country, and iii like manner, impofed this penance of wandering, on them, h third (2) party related, that God had fignifyed to them the neceffity of this pilgrimage, by univerfal ilerility in their country. The caufe of this vifitation, was on account of the fin committed by their anceftors, in refufing to receive the infant Jefus, with his Mother and Jofeph, when they (3) fled to Egypt, as an afylum^ from the perfecution of Herod. The term of their pilgrimage was to be feven years.
There is no need of any evidence to determine that thefe were mere fables ; and it is matter for aftonidiment, that men fhould be found, who adduced long winded proofs of the origin of thefe people, grounded on no better authority, than fuch idle tales. Although we have not now any polltive grounds remaining, to ihew how thefe legends were invented, or what gave rife to them : the real truth, which lies at the bottom of all this, feems to be merely, that upon being aJked, from whence they came, they anfwered from Egypt ; and there is no reafon exifting, to deny their having come from thence. Now very likely, priefts, monks, or perhaps other people, might wonder why they fhould quit fo Holy a country, whither formerly the Mother of God, with the child Jefus, and Jofeph had fled for refuge, unlefs their forefathers
had been guilty of fome tranfgreflion, on that occafion, and
But be this as it will ; all that could be faid, with regard to the erigin of their legends, would be only mere conjeftures, and 1 leave every body at liberty to form ihofe for themfelves. Let it fuffice to fay, they chufe to be looked upon every where as
pilgrims.
• ( lOI )
pilgrints, and they met with more ready belief, as it coincided Chap. IL with the infatuation of the times.
This credulity, with which people gave into the idea that th; Gipfies were real pilgrims and holy people, was attended with the confequence, that not only nobody oppofed them ; but, if the information on this head may be depended on, every body gave them affiftance, with exprefs fafe condufts. Thefe fiife condudls are mentioned in feveral old writings. Munster de- clares, not only in general terms, that they carried about with < them, paffports and feals, from the Emperor Sigifmund and other Princes, by means of which, they had free paflage, through different countries and cities ; but that he had himfelf, feen (4) an attefted copy of fuch a letter, in the pofTeffion of fome Gipfies at' Eberbach. Befides Kranz, Stumpf, and Guler; Laurentius Palmirenus (15) alfo agrees in this; but is guilty of a miflake, in confounding the Emperor Sigifmund with Sigifmund King of Poland. The Gipfies at Bologna, likewife, flievved an inftrument from Sigifmund, but he appears to have granted this to them, not as Emperor, and in Germany, but in Hungary, and as King of Hungary. (6) A pafs of another King of Hungary, Uladiflaus II. which the Gipfies obtained, chiefly on account of their fuppofcd fanclity, and pilgrimage, might be quoted. In Tranhlvania, they were not deftitute, if it be true, that they received this fort of letters of proteftion, from the Princes of the Houfe of Bathorv. (7) Wehner faj^s, that the Gipfies in France, likewife quoted ancient privileges, granted to them by the former (8) Kings of that country. CR.USIUS, WuRSTiSEN and Guler, mention papal permiflions,
which.
( I02 )
Chap. II. which thefe people acquired, for wandering, unmoleftcJ, through all Chriftian countries, as long as the time of their pilgrimage lafted. (9)
This is what we find, difperfed here and there, concerning the privileges and pafles of the Gipfies. How much or how little are we to give credit to ? Thomasius believes every thing (10) as it {lands. Ahasuerus Fritsch, on the contrary, declares it all to be lies, and the Gipfies own (11) invention. It certainly carries a very equivocal appearance, as none of thefe inftruments, are verbally handed dov,'n to us, fo that they can be properly proved ; except that of Uladiflaus II. which does not belong to this queftion. Moreover, it has been frequently experienced, that the Gipfies, ufing the pretence of fuch fafe condufts, have com- mitted all manner of exceffes, and when compelled to produce them, had either nothing to fliew, or fuch kind of papers, as did not at all refemble, what are (12) ufually given from a public office. It cannot be denied they have pradiifed deceit, but it is impoffible to allert, with certainty, that the whole was fallacy. If the contents of that paflport, to be found in Muratori,. (13) is conceived in fuch terms as to allow the hord, which pofleffed it, to wander about feven years, to rob or Ileal every where, without any perfon being permitted to bring them to juftice ; fuch a letter feems to carry falfehood, on the very face of it, as no fenfible Prince could ever 2:rant fuch an one. But what fliall we fay, if thefe words do not fo much convey the fenfe of the inftrument, as a crafty explanation of the author, on recollefting the many irregularities, praftifed by the Gipfies, who availed themfelves of this freedom, to travel about everywhere unmolefted.
Further,
C 103 )
Further, with refpect to the paffport, which Munster perufed Chap. II, at EuERBACH, although every one mufl look upon the reafons,. (14) given by the Gipfies, for their emigration, as mere fidions, yet we cannot entirely rejccSl it. ^Vhat could it benefit them, being old, and having loft its validity many years ago ? ^Vhy did not the hord to which it belonged carry with them fonie writing, that might afford them prelent protedion ? If they had been guilty of any knavery, about this letter, why was it juft of that kind, as could only ferve, incontrovertibly, to prove they were cheats ? Thefe documents would certainly not have been found among them, had they not been tranfmitted, from their parents and anceftors, as things of value. Suppofmg this matter to have been invented by themfelves, it is difficult to conceive, why they fhould confine their privileges to feven years, and not rather leave them unlimittod. But there are other proofs of the authenticity of fuch letters. The firjl is, they were looked upon as pilgrims, and as it was quite conformable to the cuftom of thofe fuperftitious times, to grant to pilgrims, as Holy People, all forts of paffes, and fafe conducts. Secondly, we cannot do otherwife than believe, that this did happen, with the Gipfies, when we read, with what chagrin, Aventin mentions their thefts and excelTes, concluding thus. " Robbing and ftealing are prohibited to others, under " pain of hanging or beheading, but thefe people (15) have " licence for them." When Thirdly, in the decree of the Diet at Augfburg Anno 1 1^00, all ranks of people in the Empire are ftridlly enjoined, in futui'e, not to permit the people called Gipfies, to travel through their countries and diftridls, nor to grant them any further protedion and convoy, it certainly implies that
people
( T04 )
Chap. IL people had formerly granted them fuch protection and convoy. Whoever has ftill any doubts remainuig, may read, Fourthly, in a decree of the Empire, of fifty years later date, a reg\ilar complaint, preferred on account of the paffports granted by various Princes, to the Gipfies, and whicii are, by that Diet, declared to be null and (i6) void. All this taken together, will not, I believe, allow the fliadow of a doubt to remain, that fuch letters •of convoy, had really been gxanted to the Gipfies.
TheGipfies golden age continued a confiderable time, but at laft, when about half a century had elapfed, and people began to have a watchful eye over them, the old prejudice gave way. They endea- voured to prolong the term, partly by giving out, that their return home was prevented, by foldiers, ftationed to (17) intercept them : partly by wiiliing to have it believed, that new parties of pilgrims were to leave their country every year, otherwife their land would be rendered totally (18) barren. All this was of no avail ; people faw too clearly, that inftead of Holy Pilgrims, they were the mere refui'e of humanity ; upon which followed the fentences of banifhment, that have been mentioned above.
Before I proceed to other matters, I muft fay a few words about what has been allerted in fome writings, that the later Gipfies differed very widely from thofe who went about during the firft feven years, both with refpeft to their conduci and defcent. Stumpf, for inftance, and others after him relate, that thefe firft Gipfies obferved very decent, Chriilian order, did no harm to any one, but paid ready money for Vihat they confumed : for which purpofe they received frefh remittances conftantly, and at the expiration of feven years returned home. Afterwards an idle
defpcrate
( '©5 )
defperate crew united, who, when the GIpfies were withdrawn, Chap, il, took their place, and by blacking their faces, at the fame time iifmg the like outlandifli garments, wanted to perfuade the world that they were the identical Egyptians.
This is all related with fo miich appearance of veracity, that, at the firft view, one is not even tempted to harbour a lufpicion ; wherefore Thomasius readily adopted the whole as real, and founded his whole fyftem about the Gipfies upon it : whereas, upon clofer examination, we find, there is not a fyllable of • truth in it.
This tranfaftion, we acknowledge, is recorded in four different annual (19) publications, but all the four amount only to a hngle teftimony, which refts entirely upon Stump f, from whom the other three have drawn their aflertions : it therefore, all flows from Stumpf's fpring. Let it remain, as Thomasius will have it, (20) an old manufcript account or chronicle, it is ftill evident, that the favorable defcription of the ancient Gipfies, originates from the fame prejudice, as firft produced their pafT- ports. And even thefe pafTports may have contributed to recom- mend the name of the firfl Gipfies. They have had fo much effed; on Thomasius, that all the good he has given the abovemen- tioned primitive Gipfies credit for, has been principally owing to them. (21)
When Stvmpf, or rather his authority, mentions among other circumftances, that the earlier Gipfies received remittances, from time to time, out of their own country ; it was a necefTary addition, to fupport the Editor's opinion : As the reader, who was to believe, that thefe people, did not fteal, but paid money
P for
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Chap. II. for every thing, would have wanted faith, had he not been affured beforehand, where the money came from, in order to provide for their neceffities, in an honeft way, during the term of feven years. With regard to the latter Gipfies, they were certainly lineal defcendants from the former ; who were undoubtedly equally thieves, cheats, and rafcals, as thefe. (22) The falfe uprightnefs and honefty, allowed to the Giplies, in the Manufcript Chronicle, which Stumpf copied, might, even before Stump f's time, induce the continuator of this Chronicle to believe, on finding his cotemporary Gipfies lived in a very different way, from what they had formerly the credit of doing, that thefe were not the true Egyptians : and becaufe the further connexion of the affair, according to his imagination, appeared very probable, he wrote down his furmife, not by way of conjefture, but as pofitive tmth, and Stumpf, in his Annual Regifler, afterwards quoted it as fuch. Whoever does not allow this, but looks upon the latter Gipfies in the light that Stumpf reprefents them, muft be ready to anfwer, when called upon to folve, the following doubt. How was it poffible, that a colleftion of rafcals, affembled in Europe, fuppofing, that in refpeft to complexions and cloathing, they fliould be able to transform themfelves into real Gipfies ; could at once acquire foreign countenances, fpeak a foreign language, and both in confLitution and turn of mind, become perfedly Oriental, contract a :tafte and defire for carrion, which remains with them to this day. It cannot be denied but fome depraved people, have affociated themfelves with the Gipfies, (23) fo as to live with them : but I cannot allow, that particular inftances are proof
at general maxims^
CHAPTER
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CHAPTER III,
Prefumed origin of the Gipjies.
J.T would be equally ufelel's, prolix and difgufting to reconfider the multitude of conjeftures, which the queflions, " What race of people are the Gipfies ?" " And where are we to look for their true mother country?" have occafioned. The greateft part of them are of fuch a nature, that they only require to be heard, to be totally rejefted. I muft neverthelefs produce fome as examples, in order to be excufed for having pafTed over the reft in filence.
People have tried various methods, to obtain a folution of thefe queries. Some adverted to this or that name only of the Gipfies, without attending to other circumftances. Becaufe they were likewife called Gipfies (Cingani) they muft imme- diately derive from the Grecian heretics, called (i) Athin- gans ; then again they muft have wandered, from the African Province, formerly called, (2) Zeugitana ; Another time they are fuppofed to be the fugitives, driven from the city (3) Singara, in Mefopotamia, by Julian the Apoftate ; others again tranf- planted them to Mount Caucafus, and made them (4) Zochori, or to the Palus IVIcEotis, making them (5) defcendants from the Ziches. Some people imagined, that inftead of Zigeuner, they ftiould be called Zigarener, which they efteemed a corruption of Saracener, and they muft certainly be (6) Saracens. Another writer, (to return to Africa) condufts them from the Mauritanian province Tingitane, and judges them to be the Canaanites, which, being
P 2 driven
Chap. III.
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Chap. III. driven out by Jolliua, fettled (7) here. Still another bring', them from Mauritania, and to corroborate his opinion by the name, calls them defcendants of Chus, as he thinks nothing can have a greater affinity in found, than Zigeuner and (8) Chufener. Herbelot takes the coafl of Zengebar for their mother (9) country. Bellonius, on the contrary, looks for them in Bulgaria and Wallachia, where their Anceftors are laid to have lived, under the name (10) Sigynner. Cordova thought on Zigere, formerly a city of Thrace, which he affigns as their (11) native foil. Some people fancied they had heard that the Gipfies called themfelves More, and often ufed the name amori among •one another (not amori, but dfcha more .... get out fellow !) and now they are (12) Amorites. ...
Another fet, befides this or that particular name of the Gipfies, confidered their unfettled way of life alfo ; or culled fome particular circumftance, from their manners, by which they decided concerning their origin. Wherefore they were fome- times (13) Torlaques, Fakirs or (14) Kalendars ; fometimes the remains of Attilas [15] Huns; at other times the Avari, who were vanquifhed by Charles the Great ; Then again Petfchenegers, who played their laft part in the twelfth ( 1 6) century .; or perhaps a mixture of all kinds of rafcally people gathered together, having colleftively no certain country, as their name Zigeuner indicates, fignifying, to wander up and down : for which