The Gypsies in Great Britain.
* * * * *
The traits of character and the habits of the Gypsies on the Continent of
Europe, exhibited in this work, are sufficient for an examination, in
what degree these people correspond with those under the same
denomination in England.
The earliest account which the writer of this section has been able to
collect from British History, was printed in the year 1612; when a quarto
work, by S. R. was published, to detect and expose the art of juggling
and legerdemain; in which is the following description of the Gypsies.
"This kind of people, about a hundred years ago, beganne to gather an
head, as the first heere, about the southerne parts. And this as I am
informed, and can gather, was their beginning: Certain Egyptians banished
their country, (belike not for their good conditions,) arrived heere in
England, who for quaint tricks and devices, not known heere, at that
time, among us, were esteemed, and had in great admiration; insomuch,
that many of our English _Loyterers_ joined with them, and in time
learned their craftie cosening.
"The speach which they used, was the right Egyptian language, with whom
our Englishmen conversing, at least learned their language. These people
continuing about the country, and practising their cosening art,
purchased themselves great credit among the country people, and got much
by palmistry, and telling of fortunes; insomuch, they pitifully cosened
poor country girls, both of money, silver spoons, and the best of their
apparelle, or any goods they could make."
From this author, it is collected, they had a leader of the name of
_Giles Hather_, who was termed their King; and a woman of the name of
_Calot_, was called Queen. "These riding through the country on
horseback, and in strange attire, had a prettie traine after them."
After mentioning some of the laws passed against them, this writer adds:
"But what numbers were executed on these statutes you would wonder; yet,
notwithstanding, all would not prevaile, but they wandered as before uppe
and downe, and meeting once in a yeare at a place appointed; sometimes at
the Peake's Hole in Derbyshire, and other whiles by Ketbroak at
Blackheath."
About the same time, Spellman's Portrait of the Gypsey Fraternity seems
to have been taken, ad vivum, and is as follows:
"Egyptiani, Erronum, Impostorumque genus nequissimum, in Continente
ortum; sed ad Britannos nostras et Europam reliquam pervolans, nigredine
deformes, excocti sole, immundi veste, et usu rerum omnium faedi, &c.;"
which may be thus translated, "Egyptians, the worst kind of wanderers and
impostors, springing up on the Continent, but yet rapidly spreading
themselves through Britain, and other parts of Europe, disfigured by
their swarthiness; sun-burnt; filthy in their clothing, and indecent in
all their customs, &c."
According to the first of these statements, the arrival of Gypsies in
England might be about the year 1512; or ten years at least before the
Statute of the 22d of Henry VIII; in the 10th chapter of which, they are
described to be, "_An outlandish people_, _calling themselves Egyptians_,
_using no crafte_, _nor feat of merchandise_; _who have come into this
realm_, _and gone from shine to shire_, _and place to place in great
company_; _and used great_, _subtle_, _and crafty means_, _to deceive the
people_, _bearing them in hand_, _that they by palmistry could tell men's
and yeomen's fortunes_; _and so_, _many times by crafte and subtlety have
deceived the people of their money_; _and also have committed many
heinous felonies and robberies_." Wherefore they are directed to avoid
the realm, and not to return under pain of imprisonment, and forfeiture
of their good and chattels; and upon their trials for any felonies which
they may have committed, they shall not be entitled to a Jury _de
medietate linguae_.
The Act passed the 27th of the came reign goes farther, as will appear by
the following abstract of it: "_Whereas certain outlandish people_, _who
do not profess any crafte or trade whereby to maintain themselves_, _but
go about in great numbers from place to place_, _using insidious_,
_underhand means to impose on his Majesty's subjects_, _making them
believe that they understand the art of foretelling to men and women
their good and evil fortune_, _by looking in their hands_, _whereby they
frequently defraud people of their money_; _likewise are guilty of thefts
and highway robberies_: _it is hereby ordered that the said vagrants_,
_commonly called Egyptians_, _in case they remain one month in the
kingdom_, _shall be proceeded against as thieves and rascals_; _and on
the importation of any such Egyptian_, _he_, (_the importer_) _shall
forfeit_ 40 pounds _for every trespass_."
By the above recited Acts of Parliament, it appears, that it was from
their own representation of being Egyptians, they were so denominated in
England; and that they did not on their arrival in this country, feign
themselves, as in Germany, to be pilgrims; or as in France, to be
penitents; neither of which impositions would have been well adapted to
the temper of the government of Henry VIII; or to his subversion of papal
power, and abolition of monastic influence. The character they assumed,
was the best adapted to establish their reputation, for the arts and
deception they intended to practise in England. The fame of Egypt in
astrology, magic, and soothsaying, was universal; and they could not have
devised a more artful expedient, than the profession of this knowledge,
to procure for them a welcome reception by the great mass of the people.
From the abstract of the Act of 27th, Henry VIII, we may infer, that the
Gypsies were so much in request, as to induce some of our countrymen to
import them from the Continent, or at least to encourage their migration
to this Island. The importation of these people must have been prevalent
from some cause, to require parliamentary interference, and even a fine
to prevent it, of such an amount as 40 pounds; which according to the
relative value of money, would, at the present time, be equal to a large
sum.
During the same reign, we find that a number of Gypsies were reshipped at
the public expense, and sent to France.
In the Book of Receipts and Payments, of the 35th of Henry VIII. are the
following entries.
"Nett Payments 1st Sept. 36th of Henry VIII,
"Item to Tho. Warner, Sergeant of the Admyraltie, 10th Sept. for victuals
prepared for a shippe appointed to convey certaine Egupeians, 58s.--Item
to the same Tho. Warner to th' use of John Bowles for freight of said
shippe, 6 pounds 5s. Item to Robt. Ap. Rice, Esq. Shriff of Huntingdon
for the charge of the Egupeians at a special gaile delivery, and the
bringing of them to be conveied over the sees; over and besides the sum
of 4 pounds 5s. 0d. growing of seventeen horses, sold at five shillings
{82} the piece, as apperythe by a particular book, 17 pounds 17s. 7d.
Item to Will. Wever appointed to have the charge of the conduct of the
said Egupeians to Callis, 5 pounds."
There were subsequent acts relating to Gypsies in the reign of Ph. & M.;
and 5th of Eliz.; by which, "_If any person being_ 14 _years old_,
_whether natural born subject or stranger_, _who had been seen in the
fellowship of such persons_, _or had disguised himself like them_,
_should remain with them one month at once_, _or at several times_, _it
should be felony without benefit of clergy_."
But notwithstanding these measures to extirpate Gypsies, Wraxall, in his
History of France, Vol. II. page 32, in referring to the Act of Eliz. in
1563, states, that in her reign, the Gypsies throughout England were
supposed to exceed ten thousand.
And it appears by the following Order of Sessions, copied from the
Harleian M.S.S. British Museum, No. 364, that about the year 1586, there
were great complaints of the increase of vagabonds and loitering persons,
&c.
"Orders, Rules, and Directions, concluded, appointed, and agreed uppon,
by us the Justices of the Peace, within the countie of Suffolk, assembled
at our General Sessions of Peace, holden at Bury the 22d daie of Aprill,
in the 31st yeare of the Raigne of our Souraigne Lady, the Queen's
Majestie, for the punishinge and suppressinge of Roags, Vacabonds; idle,
loyteringe, and lewde persons; which doe, or shall hereafter wander and
goe aboute, within the hundreths of Thingo cum Bury, Blackborne,
Thedwardstree, Cosford, Babings, Risbridge, Lackford, and the half
hundreth of Exninge, in the said countie of Suffolk, contrary to the law,
in that case made and provided.
"Whereas, at the Parliement beganne and holden at Westminster, the 8th
daie of Maye, in the 14th yeare of the raigne of the Queen's Majestie,
that nowe is, one Acte was made, intytuled, "An Acte for punishment of
Vacabonds, and for releife of the Pooere, and Impotent." And whereas, at
a Session of the Parliament, holden by prorogacon, at Westminster, the
eight daie of February, in the 28th yeare of her Majestie's raigne, one
other Acte was made and intytuled, "An Acte for settinge of the Poore to
work, and for the avoydinge of idleness." By vertue of which, severall
Acts, certeyne provisions and remedies been ordeyned, and established, as
well for the suppressinge, and punishinge of all roags, vacabonds, sturdy
roags, idle and loyteringe persons; as also for the releife, and setting
on worke of the aged and impotente persons within this realm; and
authoritie gyven to Justices of Peace, in their several charges and
commission, to see that the said Acts and Statuts be putte in due
execution, to the glorie of Allmightie God, and the benefite of the
common welth.
"And whereas also yt appeareth by dayly experience, that the number of
idle, vagraunte, loyteringe, sturdy roags, masterles men, lewde and yll
disposed persons are exceedingly encreased, and multiplied, committinge
many grevious and outeragious disorders and offences, tendinge to the
great . . . of Allmightie God, the contempte of her Majestie's laws, and
to the great charge, troble, and disquiet of the common welth.--We the
Justices of Peace, above speciefied, assembled and mett together at our
general sessions above named, for remedie of theis and such lyke
enormities which hereafter shall happen to arise or growe within the
hundreths and lymits aforesaid, doe by theis presents, order, decree and
ordeyne, That there shall be builded or provided one convenient house,
which shall be called the House of Correction; and that the same be
established within the towne of Bury, within the hundreth of Thingoe
aforesaid. And that all persons offendinge or lyvinge contrary to the
tenor of the said twoe Acts, within the hundreths and lymitts aforesaid,
shal be, by the warrante of any Justice of Peace, dwellinge in the same
hundreths or lymitts, committed thether and there be releived, punished,
sett to worke, and ordered in such sorte, and accordinge to the
directions, provisions, and limitations, hereafter in theis presents
declared and specified.
"Fyrst, That yt maie appeare what persons arre to be apprehended,
committed and brought to the House of Correction, it is ordered and
appointed, That all and every person and persons which shal be found and
taken within the hundreths and lymitts aforesaid, above the age of 14
yeares, and shall take upon them to be procters or procurators goinge
aboute withowt sufficiente lycence from the Queen's Majestie. All idle
persons goinge aboute usinge subtiltie and unlawfull games or plaie--all
such as faynt themselves to have knowledge in phisiognomye, palmestrie or
other abused sciences--all tellers of destinies, deaths or fortunes, and
such lyke fantasticall imaginations."
From the tenor of the above Ordinance, it might be inferred that, at the
time of issuing it, Gypsies, and their adherents, abounded in the County
of Suffolk; and it may be concluded, that they continued to attach
themselves to that part of the nation, as Judge Hale remarks, that "at
one Suffolk Assize, no less than thirteen Gypsies were executed upon
these Statutes, a few years before the restoration."
To the honour of our national humanity, however, Judge Blackstone
observes, there are no instances more modern than this, of carrying these
laws into practice; and the last, sanguinary act is itself now repealed.
The severe statute of 5th Eliz. c. 20 is repealed by 23d Geo. III. c.
51--and Gypsies are now only punishable under the Vagrant Act, which
declares, "that all persons pretending to be Gypsies, or wandering in the
habit, and form of Egyptians, shall be deemed rogues, and
vagabonds."--17th Geo. II. c. 5.
In Scotland, these people seemed for a time to enjoy some share of
indulgence; for a writ in favour of John Faw, Lord and Earl of Upper
Egypt, was issued by Mary, Queen of Scots, 1553; and in 1554, he obtained
a pardon for the murder of Numan Small.
In 1579, however all the legislative provisions respecting vagrants,
beggars, &c. in Scotland, were reduced into one law, by the following
very comprehensive statute: "Forameikle as there is sindrie loyabil Acts
of Parliament, maid be our soveraine Lord's maist nobil progenitours, for
the stanching of maisterful and idle beggars, away putting of Sornares,
and provision for the pure: bearing that nane sall be thoiled to beg,
nouther to burgh, nor to land, betwixt 14 and 70 zeires.
"That sik as make themselves fules, and ar bairdes, or uther sik like
runners about, being apprehended, sall be put into the Kinge's waird, or
irones, sa lang as they have ony gudes of their awin to live on. And fra
they have not quhairupon to live of their awin, that their eares be
nayled to the trone, or to an uther tree, and their eares cutted off, and
banished the countrie; and gif thereafter they be found againe, that they
be hanged.
"And that it may be knowen, qwhat maner of persones ar meaned to be idle
and strang begares, and vagabounds, and warthy of the punischement before
specified, it is declared: "That all idle persones ganging about in ony
countrie of this realm, using subtil, craftie, and unlawful playes, as
juglarie, fast-and-lous, and sik uthers; the idle peopil calling
themselves _Egyptians_, or any uther, that feinzies themselves to have a
knawledge or charming prophecie, or other abused sciences, qwairby they
perswade peopil, that they can tell their weirds, {89} deathes, and
fortunes, and sik uther phantastical imaginations, &c."
Notwithstanding this law, a writ of Privy Seal, dated 1594, supports John
Faw, Lord and Earl of Little Egypt, in the execution of justice upon his
company of folk, conform to the laws of Egypt, in punishing certain
persons there named, who had rebelled against him, left him, robbed him,
and refused to return home with him.
James' subjects are commanded to aid in apprehending them, and in
assisting Faw and his adherents to return home.
From all these circumstances, it appears that this John Faw, or two
persons of the same name and distinction, succeeding each other, staid a
long time in Scotland; and from him this kind of strolling people might
receive the name of Faw Gang, which they still retain, as appears by
Burn's Justice.
But the Scottish laws, after this time, were not less severe than those
of Queen Elizabeth. By an Act passed in 1609; "Sorners, common thieves,
commonly called Egyptians, were directed to pass forth of the kingdom,
under pain of death, as common, notorious, and condemned thieves."
Scottish Acts, I. 850.