Transcriber's note:
Text with Old English font is surrounded with + signs.
Small capital text has been replaced with all capitals.
The carat character (^) indicates that the following letter is
superscripted (example: 12^o). If two or more letters are superscripted
they are enclosed in curly brackets (example: 10^{te}).
[Illustration]
THE BOOK OF VAGABONDS
AND BEGGARS.
[Illustration]
THE
+Book of Vagabonds and Beggars+:
WITH A VOCABULARY OF THEIR LANGUAGE.
EDITED BY
MARTIN LUTHER
IN THE YEAR 1528.
NOW FIRST TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH, WITH
INTRODUCTION AND NOTES,
BY
JOHN CAMDEN HOTTEN.
LONDON:
JOHN CAMDEN HOTTEN, PICCADILLY.
1860.
[Illustration]
PREFACE.
As a picture of the manners and customs of the Vagabond population of
Central Europe before the Reformation, I think this little book, the
earliest of its kind, will be found interesting. The fact of Luther
writing a Preface and editing it gives it at once some degree of
importance, and excites the curiosity of the student.
In this country the _Liber Vagatorum_ is almost unknown, and in Germany
only a few scholars and antiquaries are acquainted with the book.
In translating it I have endeavoured as much as possible to preserve
the spirit and peculiarities of the original. Some may object to the
style as being too antique; but this garb I thought preserved a small
portion of the original quaintness, and was best suited to the period
when it was written.
For several explanations of old German words, and other hints, I am
indebted to a long notice of the _Liber Vagatorum_, which occurs in the
“Wiemarisches Jahrbuch,” 10^{te}, Band, 1856,—the only article of any
moment that I know to have been written on the little book.
With respect to the facsimile woodcut, as it was too large to occupy a
place on the title, as in the original (of 4to. size), it is here given
as a frontispiece.
Perhaps some apology is required for the occasional use of
plain-spoken, not to say coarse words. I can only urge, in
justification of their adoption, that the nature of the subject would
not admit of their being softened,—unless indeed at the expense of the
narrative. As it is, I have sent forth this edition in very much more
refined language than the great Reformer thought necessary when issuing
the old German version.
J. C. H.
_Piccadilly_,
June 1, 1860.
[Illustration]
CONTENTS.
Page
PREFACE v
INTRODUCTION ix
Mendicant Friars.—Schreiber’s description of the Golden
Age for Mendicants.—Knebel’s Chronicles of the Trials at
Basle, in 1475.—Sebastian Brant.
LIBER VAGATORUM.—Various editions.—Gengenbach’s
metrical version; Gödecke’s claim for the priority of
this refuted xv
MARTIN LUTHER.—Occupied in the work of the Reformation.—Writes
several popular pieces.—Edits the
_Liber Vagatorum_ xix
ENGLISH BOOKS ON VAGABONDS.—Harman’s Caveat for
commen Cvrsetors.—The Fraternitye of Vacabondes.—Greene,
Decker, and Shakespeare xxiv
ANCIENT CUSTOMS OF ENGLISH BEGGARS.—Licences with
Seals.—Seals now disused.—Wandering Students or
Vagabond Scholars xxviii
GERMAN ORIGIN OF TRICKS PRACTISED BY ENGLISH VAGABONDS.—Masters
of the Black-Art.—Fawney Riggers.—Card-Sharpers.
—Begging-Letter-Writers.—Shabby-Genteels.—Mechanics
out of employ.—Shivering Jemmies.—Maimers of Children.—Borrowers
of Children.—Simulated Fits.—Quack Doctors.—Treasure-Seekers.
—Travelling Tinkers xxxi
OLD GERMAN CANT WORDS xxxvi
LIBER VAGATORUM 1
LUTHER’S PREFACE 3
PART I.—THE SEVERAL ORDERS OF VAGABONDS 7