A History of the Gipsies: with Specimens of the Gipsy LanguageSimson, Walter
History
A History of the Gipsies: with Specimens of the Gipsy Language
Simson, Walter
Romanies; Romanies -- Languages
He was asked, immediately before his execution, if he had ever performed
any good action during his life, to recommend him to the mercy of his
offended God. That of giving the widow and fatherless the money of which
he immediately afterwards robbed the factor, was the only instance he
adduced in his favour; thinking that thereby he had performed a virtuous
deed. In the morning of the day on which he was to suffer, he sent a
messenger to one of the magistrates, requesting a razor to take off his
beard; at the same time, in a calm manner, desiring the person to tell
the magistrate that, "unless his beard was shaven, he could appear
before neither God nor man." A short time before he was taken out to the
gallows, he was observed reclining very pensively and thoughtfully on a
seat. All at once he started up, exclaiming, in a mournful tone of
voice, "Oh, can ony o' ye read, sirs; will some o' ye read a psalm to
me?" at the same time regretting much that he had not been taught to
read. The fifty-first psalm was accordingly read to him, by a gentleman
present, which soothed his feelings exceedingly, and gave him much ease
and comfort. He was greatly agitated after ascending the platform--his
knees knocking against each other; but just before he was cast off, his
inveterate Gipsy feelings returned upon him with redoubled violence. He
kicked from his feet both of his shoes, in sight of the spectators--to
set at nought, as was supposed, some prophecy that he would die with
them on; and addressed the assembled crowd in the following words: "I am
this day to be married to the gallows-tree, by suffering in the manner
of many of my ancestors; and I am extremely glad to see such a number of
respectable people at my wedding." A number of the band attended his
execution, and, when his body was returned to them, they all kissed it
with great affection, and held the usual lyke-wake over it. His
sweetheart, or widow, I am uncertain which, of the name of Wilson, his
own cousin, put his corpse into hot lime, then buried it, and sat on his
grave, in a state of intoxication, till it was rendered unfit for the
use of the medical gentlemen; it having been reported that he was to be
taken out of his grave for the purpose of dissection. This man boasted
greatly, while under sentence of death, of never having spilled human
blood by committing murder.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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