Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-03-19

up 20 tHdI Ilnle Was made about the be-
ginning of the sixteenth century, charge
which allied them to witches and associ-
ated them with witchcraft. This was
quickly followed by an accusation that they
had no religion. They may have had a
national religion at the beginning of their
wanderings, but seem to have lost it, for
IN whatever country they were, they adopt
ed or pretended to adopt the religion of
the people. Notwithstanding the fact that
they rendered an apparent conformity to
the religious rites of those by whom they
were surrounded, they mingled with the
adopted religion many secret ceremonies
OF their own, which In time, being dis
covered, added to the Nervousness of their
ofense.
Thus, classed with Migrants, with here
tics, with witches, general crusade was
begun against them, and whatever
faults they had were far more
than punished by the cruelty with
which they were treated. During the
reign of Henry VIII. they were Or
dered out of England, and vessels were
provided for their transhipment, but few
years later we read of fines being inflicted
on shopowners who brought them back.
Indeed, it was found impossible to get rid
OF them entirely, for the people stood in
awe OF them. The mystery of their origin.
the tales as to whence they came. their
claim to deal in the black art, their pre-
tended gift of prophecy, all make them
dreaded by the country people, who were
afraid to complain of them to the author
tiles, and thus enabled them in many dis
trlcts to enjoy comparative immunity.
Nor were they entirely without uses, for
they carried many, though humble, arts
to secluded parts of the country, and for
this reason, too, were protected, or at least
not prosecuted in the remoter rural districts.
Near the cities and towns, however, they
suffered severely. Hundreds were arrest
ed, the men were hanged the women and
children drowned, for no other crime than
that of their birth, as In not few in
stances the sole record is something like
that made in Norwich in 1882: Three
men were hanged and one woman and two
children drowned for being Egyptians"
The seventies passed upon them had the
effect of driving then north, and in Scot
land for a long time they found shelter.
Even here, however they at length fell
into disgrace, presumably on account of
scandalous adventure of James Y. This
monarch was fond of prowling about at
night among his subjects, and CHANGED on
one such excursion to come upon a gypsy
encampment where he became boon
companion of the wanderers in their ca
rousals. Speaking with too much famili-
arity to woman of the tribe, he was as
saulted by one of the men, and forced to
save his life, to discover himself. The
gypsles kept him prisoner for several days
and finally released him only under prom
Use of their immunity from punishment.
In revenge, however, after his escape, he
issued royal proclamation declaring
that # three gypsles be found together
any of his subjects might kill one of the
three without mourning either reproacn or
punishment.
across the island, known as the Debatable
Land, separated England from Scotland.
This territory was the home of refugees,
OF outlaws, of deperadoes, who, in this
district of uncertain jurisdiction, found
immunity from the officers of justice of
both England and Scotland. The Scottish
resorted to this tract as refuge, and In
considerable numbers banded themselves
together both for their own de-
ACio, ebi'o IO' pun oOoCo VI iou'
berry. They formed for many years the
worst class of outlaws, having a regular
organization, with chiefs, pass words,
pickets, detectives and spies in all neigh
boring towns and villages. They even
granted passes for travellers, foot-pads and
high waymen by cultivating an acquain-
lance with the gypsy chief and obtaining
a written pass Or some mere token which
was at once respected.
1t was also popularity of gypsy life
that the wanders adopted the manners and
language of the people among whom they
settled. This was the case In Scotland
also, and manifested in curious way,
for while the Scottish gypsies spoke In
the broad brogue of whatever country they
lived jr, they also adopted the Scottish
clannis mess, and the bands of rival
chiefs soon became as hostile as any set
of clans in the highlands, so that their
feuds and battles made them uncomf0rt-
able neighbors. Many of the Scottish
gypsy chiefs were men of undaunted cOur-
age, and with their thievish dispositions,
were also characterized by occasional
curious fits OF generosity. In their way
they were notable characters, and in the
annals of South Scotland are many gypsy
stories-of Will Fam, who was about to
rob the minister of the parish, but on
learning who was in his clutches, apollo
gised and conducted the revel end gentle
man through "the bad bit of land" of
Macdonald and Jamison, the chiefs who
long defined the law, but at length were
taken and hanged together, and at whose
execution all the military in the country
were paraded for fear Of rescue, and find
ing themselves doomed to certain death,
they bribed the hangman ''to make
good job;' of Jean Gordon, who sheltered
in her barn and preserved from all harm a
gentleman who lad once been kind to
her, of Matt Ballie, who, reproved by a
woman of his tribe for plunderlng a gen
tleman who had given her sixpence, invit-
ed the injurediperson to his tent, placed
twenty or thirty stolen purses before him
and asked him to pick out his own, then
counted the money to make sure the count
was correct, remarking, "See among what
honest people you have fallen;" of Charley
Graham, who gave a poor widow the
money to pay her rent, and robbed her
landlord Of it as he was taking it home,
and, returning. gave her a receipt in full
for the monep ne had loaned her.
We know the English and Scottish
gyps:es better than any other country,
for although the gypsies have no literature
of their own, more attention has been given
them in these two countries than elsewhere.
The persistence of this remarkable people
in their habits of life for 400 years at least
since they appeared in Europe is one of
the strangest Incidents in history. They
are now found elsewhere, it is believed
that pct less than ], 100000 are in Europe
alone. 20 say nothing of those In the.
United States, in Canada, South America,
Africa and Australia. They are abundant
in all parts of Asia, are found even in