A Historical Survey of the Customs, Habits, & Present State of the Gypsies. John Hoyland
and such trifles. Their dress is extremely shabby; they shave their chins, but indulge a great length of hair, which they seldom disturb with either comb or scissars.
“As to their religion, it is a secret which they keep locked up in their own breasts. They seem to have no great veneration for the Virgin Mary, but are supposed to believe in Christ. All the proof we have of their belief, depends upon appearances, and an occasional conforming to the ceremonies of the Roman Catholic religion, in marriages, burials, &c.; but if the priests start any difficulties, they manage the matter without their interference, and perform the functions according to their own ceremonies, which in many points resemble those of the heathens.
“At their weddings they carry torches, and have paranymphs to give the bride away, with many other unusual rites.
“It is in reality, almost absurd to talk of the religion of a set of people, whose moral characters are so depraved, as to make it evident they believe in nothing capable of being a check to their passions. They are usually accounted pilferers, cheats, faithless, and abandoned to dissoluteness.
“They tell fortunes, and play juggling tricks, just as they do in all other countries where they are to be found. In 1560, they were banished the kingdom as thieves, cheats, and spies for the Turks. In 1569 and 1685, the order was resumed, but not being enforced, had little effect.
“A Gypsey being brought to trial for a larceny, declared, that his law allowed him to take as much from others, every day, as sufficed for his maintenance.
“These people make use of two languages, one Calabrian, with a foreign accent and pronunciation; the other a peculiar one of their own, which in sound, seems to have great affinity to the Oriental tongues; and is spoken when they have secrets to impart to each other. They sleep like dogs in a kennel, men, women, and children huddled together.”
The learned Grellmann states, that “Gypsies were universally to be found in Italy; insomuch, that even Sicily and Sardinia were not free from them.
“But they were the most numerous in the dominions of the church; probably because there was the worst police, with much superstition. By the former they were left undisturbed; and the latter enticed them to deceive the ignorant, as it afforded them an opportunity of obtaining a plentiful contribution, by their fortune-telling and enchanted amulets.
“There was a general law throughout Italy, that no Gypsey should remain more than two nights, in any one place. By this regulation, it is true, no place retained its guest long; but no sooner was one gone, than another came in his room. It was a continual circle, and quite as convenient to them, as a perfect toleration would have been. Italy rather suffered, than benefited, by this law; as, by keeping those people in constant motion, they would do more mischief there, than in places where they were permitted to remain stationary.”
It appears from the Dissertation of Grellmann, that he had examined with great care and attention, the continental authorities on the subject of Gypsies. He asserts, that “In Poland and Lithuania, as well as in Courland, there is an amazing number of Gypsies.
“That they are to be found in Denmark and Sweden, is certain, but how numerous they are in those countries we cannot pronounce, and therefore proceed to the south east of Europe.
“The countries in this part seem to be the general rendezvous of the Gypsies; their number amounts in Hungary, according to a probable statement, to upwards of 50,000.
“Cantemir says, the Gypsies are dispersed all over Moldavia, where every Baron has several families of them subject to him.
“In Wallachia and the Sclavonian mountains, they are quite as numerous. Bessarabia, all Tartary, Bulgaria, Greece, and Romania, swarm with them; even in Constantinople they are innumerable. In Romania, a large tract of Mount Hæmus, which they inhabit, has acquired from them the name Tschenghe Valkan, the Gypsey mountain. This district extends from the city Aydos, quite to Phillipopolis, and contains more Gypsies than any other province in the Turkish empire.”
Our countryman Edward Daniel Clark, in his travels in Russia, Tartary, &c. so lately as the year 1800, states, “that after the ceremony of the resurrection at Moscow, a party of Gypsies were performing the national dance, called Barina; others were telling fortunes, according to their universal practice, or begging for presents of oranges or ice.
“This extraordinary people, found in all parts of Europe, were originally one of the Castes of India, driven out of their territory, and distinguished among Indian tribes, by a name which signifies thieves. They have a similar appellation among the Fins, and with the same signification.
“They preserve every where the same features, manners, and customs, and what is more remarkable, almost always the same mode of dress. The extraordinary resemblance of the female Gypsies to the women of India, was remarked by the British officers and men, in Egypt, when General Baird arrived with his army to join Lord Hutchinson. The Sea-poys had many of their women with them, who were exactly like our Gypsies.
“In their dress, they lavish all their finery upon their heads. Their costume in Russia is very different to that of the natives. The Russians hold them in great contempt; never speaking of them without abuse; and feel themselves contaminated by their touch, unless it be to have their fortunes told. Formerly they were more scattered over Russia, and paid no tribute; but now they are collected, and all belong to one nobleman, to whom they pay a certain tribute, and work among the number of his slaves.”
P. 209, he writes: “At Woronetz, the Gypsey tribe are very prevalent, and a mixed race, resulting from their intermarriage with the Russians.”
Dr. Clarke observes, Chap. 18, p. 440, 441 of his Travels, between Kertchy and Caffa, in the Crimea: “In the villages we found parties of Tzigankies or Gypsies, encamped as we see them in England, but having their tents stationed between their waggons, in which they move about the country.
“Poultry, cats, dogs, and horses, were feeding all round them, seeming like members of the same family. The Gypsies are much encouraged by the Tartars, who allow them to encamp in the midst of their villages, where they exercise the several functions of smiths, musicians, and astrologers. Many of them are wealthy, possessing fine horses, and plenty of other cattle; but their way of life, whether rich or poor, is always the same. As we entered their tents they arose, and cast a sheep’s hide over their bodies. The filth and stench of these people were abominable.”
In the second, part of his Travels, p. 644, he writes respecting the Gypsies: “We found this people in Nauplia, under the name they bear in Moldavia, of Tchinganes. How they came thither no one knew; but the march of their ancestors, from the North of India to Europe, so lately as the beginning of the 15th century, will account for their not being found further towards the South; and this is now so well ascertained, that no one would expect to meet a Gypsey, upon any of the southern shores of the Mediterranean.
“To have found them in the Peloponnesus is rather remarkable, considering that their whole tribe at first did not exceed half a million.”
In the travels, written by Bell, of Antermony, Vol. 2, p. 157, he states: “During my stay at Tobolski, I was informed that a large troop of Gypsies had been lately at that place, to the number of sixty or upwards. The Russians call these vagabonds, Tziggany. Their sorry baggage was carried upon horses and asses. The Vice-Governor sent for the chief of this gang, and demanded whither they were going. They answered to China. He stopped their progress and sent them back.”
“Bishop Pococke met with these people, still further to the Eastward. He says, the Chingani, who are spread all over the world, are in great abundance in the North of Syria, and pass for Mahometans. They live under tents, and sometimes in grots under ground.
“They make a coarse sort of tapestry, or carpet work, for hangings of saddles and other uses; and when they are not far from towns, deal much in cattle, and have a much better character than their relations in Hungary, and the Gypsies in England; who are thought by some to have been originally of the same tribe.
“These and the Turcomen, with regard to offence, are under the Pasha and Cadi; though