A Historical Survey of the Customs, Habits, & Present State of the GypsiesHoyland, John
History
A Historical Survey of the Customs, Habits, & Present State of the Gypsies
Hoyland, John
Romanies
German waiters say, that King Ferdinand of Spain, who esteemed it a good
work to expatriate useful and profitable subjects—Jews, and even Moorish
families—could much less be guilty of an impropriety in laying hands on
the mischievous progeny of Gypsies. The edict for their extermination,
was published in the year 1492. But instead of passing the boundaries,
they only slunk into hiding-places, and shortly after appeared in as
great numbers as before.
The Emperor Charles V. persecuted them afresh; as did Philip II. also.
Since that time they have nestled in again, and have been also threatened
with another storm, but it has blown over without taking effect.
In France, Francis I. passed an edict for their expulsion; and at the
Assembly of the States of Orleans, in 1561, all Governors of cities
received orders to drive them away with fire and sword. Nevertheless, in
process of time, they had collected again, and increased to such a
degree, that, in 1612, a new order came out for their extermination.
In the year 1572, they were compelled to retire from the territories of
Milan and Parma; and at a period somewhat earlier, they were chased
beyond the Venetian jurisdiction. They were not allowed the privilege of
remaining unmolested in Denmark, as the code of Danish law specifies:
“The Tartars, _Gypsies_, who wander about every where, doing great damage
to the people, by their lies, thefts, and witchcraft, shall be taken into
custody by every magistrate.”
Sweden was not more favourable, having attacked them at three different
times: A very sharp order for their expulsion came out in 1662. The Diet
of 1723 published a second, and that of 1727, repeated the foregoing with
additional severity.
They were excluded from the Netherlands under pain of death, partly by
Charles the Vth, and afterwards by the United States, in 1582. But the
greatest number of sentences of exile, have been pronounced against them
in Germany. The beginning was made under Maximilian I, at the Augsburgh
Diet, in 1500, where the following was drawn up, respecting those people
who call themselves Gypsies, roving up and down the country.
“By public edict, to all ranks of the empire, according to the
obligations under which they are bound to Us, and the Holy Empire; it is
strictly ordered, that in future they do not permit the said Gypsies,
since there is authentic evidence of their being spies, scouts, and
conveyers of intelligence, betraying the christians to the Turks, to pass
or remain within their territories; nor to trade; neither to grant them
protection, nor convoy. And that the said Gypsies do withdraw
themselves, before Easter next ensuing, from the German dominions;
entirely quit them, nor suffer themselves to be found therein: as in case
they should transgress after that time, and receive injury from any
person, they shall have no redress, nor shall such person be thought to
have committed any crime.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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