_Political Regulations peculiar to the Gipseys_.
WHEN the Gipseys first arrived in Europe, they had leaders and chiefs, to
conduct the various tribes in their migrations. This was necessary, not
only to facilitate their progress through different countries and
quarters of the globe, but to unite their force if necessary, and thereby
enable them to make a more formidable resistance when opposed: and
likewise to carry any plan, they might have formed, more readily into
execution. We accordingly find, in old books, mention made of knights,
counts, dukes, and kings. Krantz and Munster mention counts, and
knights, in general terms, among the Gipseys; other people give us the
very names of these dignified men: Crusius cites a duke MICHAEL; Muratori
a duke ANDREAS; and Aventinus records a king ZINDELO: not to speak of
inscriptions on monuments, erected in different places, to the memories
of duke PANUEL, count JOHANNIS; and a noble knight PETRUS, in the
fifteenth century. But no comment is requisite to shew how improperly
these appellations were applied. Though the Gipsey chiefs might be
gratified with these titles, and their dependants probably esteemed them
people of rank, it was merely a ridiculous imitation of what they had
seen and admired among civilised people. Nevertheless, the custom of
having leaders and chiefs over them prevails to this time, at least in
Hungary and Transylvania; probably it may also still exist in Turkey, and
other countries where these people live together in great numbers.
Their chiefs—or waywodes, as they proudly call them—were formerly of two
degrees in Hungary. Each petty tribe had its own leader; beside which,
there were four superior waywodes, of their own caste, on both sides the
Danube and Teisse, whose usual residences were at Raab, Lewentz,
Szathmar, and Kaschau: to these the smaller waywodes were accountable.
It would appear extraordinary that any well-regulated state should allow
these people a distinct establishment in the heart of the country, did
not the Hungarian writers assign a reason: viz. that in the commotions
and troubles, occasioned by the Turkish wars, in former centuries, they
were, by means of their waywodes, more easily summoned, when occasion
required, and rendered useful to the community. But the Gipseys in
Hungary and Transylvania were permitted to choose, from their own people,
only the small waywodes of each tribe. The superior waywodes, to whom
the Gipseys, in many districts, were subject, have existed till within a
few years; but they were appointed by the court, and always selected from
the Hungarian nobility. The appointment was by no means despicable; as
each Gipsey was bound to pay the superintendent under whom his tribe was
classed, a guilder annually, of which one half was demanded at Easter,
the other half at Michaelmas. In order to render the levying this tax
more certain, the magistrates, in all towns, cities, and villages, were
ordered to be assisting to the collectors, where necessary; to protect
them also from any violence that might be offered by the Gipseys. These
superior waywodes are now no longer appointed, except a single one in
Transylvania, who has authority over the goldwashers in those parts. But
the Gipseys still continue the custom, among themselves, of dignifying
certain persons, whom they make heads over them, and call by the exalted
Sclavonian title—waywode. To choose their waywode, the Gipseys take the
opportunity when a great number of them are assembled in one place,
commonly in the open field. The elected person is lifted up three times,
amidst the loudest acclamations, and confirmed in his dignity by
presents; his wife undergoes the same ceremony. When this solemnity is
performed, they separate with great conceit, imagining themselves people
of more consequence than electors returning from the choice of an
emperor. Every one who is of a family descended from a former waywode is
eligible; but those who are best clothed, not very poor, of large
stature, and about the middle age, have generally the preference.
Understanding or wise conduct is of no consideration: therefore it is
easy to distinguish the waywode from the multitude, by observing his size
and clothing. The particular distinguishing mark of dignity, is a large
whip, hanging over the shoulder. His outward deportment, his walk and
air, also plainly shew his head to be filled with notions of authority.
It is uncertain how far the waywode’s sway over his subjects extends. A
distinction must here be made, whether the state gives him any power, and
what he assumes or derives by custom from his caste. It were ridiculous
to suppose that the state should, on any occasion, appoint this sort of
illustrious personage a judge. In Transylvania, indeed, the magistrates
do interfere with regard to the fellow whom this or that horde has
elected chief, and impose an obligation on him; but it is only that he
should be careful to prevent his nimble subjects from absconding, when
the time arrives for them to discharge their annual tribute at the
land-regent’s chamber. He has no right to interfere in disputes or
quarrels which the Gipseys have among themselves, or with other people,
further than to give notice of them to the regular courts of the district
where they happen to be. In this point of view, what Toppeltin and
others after him assert, that the waywodes have little or no power over
their own people, is perfectly correct: but if we attend to their
actions, 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 search to be made, in every tent or
hut, and returns the stolen goods to the owner, if they can be found, but
punishes the thief, in presence of the complainant, with his whip.
Certainly it is not by any written contract that he acquires his right
over the people, for no such thing exists among them, but custom gives
him this judicial power. Moreover he does not punish the aggressor from
any regard to justice, but rather to quiet the plaintiff, and at the same
time to make his people more wary in their thefts, as well as more
dextrous in concealing their plunder. These discoveries materially
concern him, since by every detection his income suffers; as the whole
profit of his office arises from his share of the articles that are
stolen. Every time a Gipsey brings in a booty, he is obliged to give
information to the arch-Gipsey of his successful enterprise; and then
render a just account of what and how much he has stolen, in order that
the proper division may be made. In this proceeding the Gipsey considers
himself bound to give a fair and true detail; though in every other
instance he does not hesitate to commit the grossest perjury. We may
therefore judge how precarious success is likely to be, when a waywode is
applied to for the recovery of stolen goods. The Gipseys are cunning
enough to hide what they have pilfered, in such a manner, that out of a
hundred searches the complainer hardly once accomplishes his desire. It
does not at all forward the cause, that the waywode knows who the thief
is: his interest requires him to dissemble. Thus, though he does not
steal himself, the Spanish proverb is a very true one: “The Count and the
Gipsey are rogues alike.” For which reason people seldom apply to so
suspicious a judge. If a thief is caught in the fact, the owner takes
his property, and gives the offender his proper reward, or else delivers
him over to the civil power for correction. Here ensues a truly
laughable scene: As soon as the officer seizes on, and forces away the
culprit, he is surrounded by a swarm of Gipseys, who take unspeakable
pains to procure the release of the prisoner. They endeavour to cajole
him with kind words, desiring him to consider this, that, and the other,
or admonish him not to be so uncivil. When it comes to the infliction of
punishment, and the malefactor receives a good number of lashes, well
laid on, in the public market-place, an universal lamentation commences
among the vile crew; each stretches his throat, to cry over the agony his
dear associate is constrained to suffer. This is oftener the fate of the
women than of the men; for, as the maintenance of the family depends most
upon them, they more frequently go out for plunder.