Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-09-25
A FAMOUS GYPSY.
The Noted King carew a British
Clergyman's Son.

OlerByman Son.
zone of the most famous Kings of the
British gypsies was Bamfylde- Moore
Carew, the son of Devonshire clergy
man of good family. He Joined band
of gypsies in consequence of an escapade
at school, and became so enamored OF
the life that he was formally initiated in
to the Romani commonwealth, and was
elected king on the first vacancy. His
principal recommendation was his singu-
lar dexterity in mendicancy by the clever
assumption Of various characters. Some
times he appeared as a shipwrecked mar
iner, sometimes as paralytic old man,
sometimes as a gypsy crone, sometimes
as smuggler who had escaped from his
band and revealed to the customs officers
the hiding place of valuable booty. In
the course of a few days, on one occa-
sion, he set all the customs officers
through large part of Devon and Dor
setshire on q wild-goose chase after
smuggled goods, receiving handsome re-
wards for his information, and then es-
Gaping.
But he pursued his calling with con-
siderable risk. At that time-that is,
during the first half of the eighteenth
century-a mendicant gypsy was, by law,
an outlaw. He was liable to be trans
ported to the American colonies and sold
as slave. Ano Bamfylde- Moore -Carew
was, in fact, twice transported, and on
each occasion managed to escape and re-
turn to England. Those were also the
days of the press gang, and the gypsy
king was pressed into the British navy,
to which be likewise managed to give
the slip in the Baltic, and found his way
back to England after series of anus
ing adventures. His adventures in Amer
lea were also exciting. But his presence
of mind and ready wit and resource never
failed him. The most amusing part of
his life is undoubtedly his adventures in
England, exhibiting protcan power of
disguise.
But he once met his match. One day,
as he was begging in the town of Marden
Bradby, from door to door, as ship
wrecked seaman, he saw on the other
side of the road mendicant brother sea-
man, in habit as forlorn as his own,
begging for Gods sake Just like himself.
The stranger crossed the street and nc
costed Carew in the thieves slang. They
compared notes and agreed to beg to-
gether, which they did through various
towns and villages for some days, arriv-
ing at last at Lord Weymouth's mansion.
1t was agreed that Carew was to be
spokesman. The servant, however, bade
them begone unless they could give an
accurate account of the countries they
had Travelled through, for should Lord
Weymouth come and detect them in any
falsehood he would certainly horsewhip
them, according to his custom. They
got some money and food, and pursued
their vocation toward Frome, where they
separated.
"Carew's mendicant companion turned
out to be no. other than Lord Weymouth
himself, who occasionally adopted this
method of discovering the character of
his neighbors of all classes. Lord Wey-
mouth hurried hack to Longleat, and
doffing his disguise (Which was known
only to confidential valet, he had
Carew fetched back and brought before
him. Carew was sternly ordered by his
lordship to bring back his fellow-beggar
on pain of Imprisonment. Having given
this order, Lord Weymouth left the room,
donned his beggar's dress, and was led
into the presence of Carew, with whom
he hurriedly agreed on the story which
they were to tell Lord Weymouth. They
were then separated, and Carew was
again led into his lordship's presence
and was severely cross examined After
thoroughly bewildering and frightening
the gypsy King, Lord Weymouth re-
vealed his identity with the other beggar
and dismissed Carcw with liberal
present.
1t is perhaps not difficult to understand
the fascination which this kind of life had
for well-born and well-educated gentle
man. What is more difficult to under
stand is the code of morals which Carew
adopted without compunction. He was
an upright and honorable man, apart
from the deceptions which he practiced
in mendicancy, and practiced evidently
more from the love of exercising his
powers of disguise than from the sake of
gain; for he might have lived in comfort
and ease had he chosen to return to his
friends. All through his wanderings he
had wife and daughter to whom he
was devotedly attached. -[London Spec
tator.