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
Having endeavoured to describe the ancient nuptial ceremony of the
Scottish Gipsies, I have considered it proper to give some account of an
individual who acted as priest on such occasions. The name of a famous
celebrator of Gipsy marriages, in Fifeshire, was Peter Robertson, well
known, towards the latter end of his days, by the name of Blind Pate.
Peter was a tall, lean, dark man, and wore a large cocked hat, of the
olden fashion, with a long staff in his hand. By all accounts, he must
have been a hundred years of age when he died. He was frequently seen at
the head of from twenty to forty Gipsies, and often travelled in the
midst of a crowd of women. Whenever a marriage was determined on, among
the Lochgellie horde, or their immediate connexions, Peter was
immediately sent for, however far distant he happened to be at the time
from the parties requiring his assistance, to join them in wedlock: for
he was the oldest member of the tribe at the time, and head of the
Tinklers in the district, and, as the oldest member, it was his
prerogative to officiate, as priest, on such occasions. A friend, who
obligingly sent me some anecdotes of this Gipsy priest, communicated to
me the following facts regarding him:
"At the wedding of a favourite Brae-laird, in the shire of Kinross,
Peter Robertson appeared at the head of a numerous band of Tinklers,
attended by twenty-four asses. He was always chief and spokesman for the
band. At the wedding of a William Low, a multerer, at Kinross, Peter,
for the last time, was seen, with upwards of twenty-three asses in his
retinue. He had certain immunities and privileges allowed him by his
tribe. For one thing, he had the sole profits arising from the sale of
keel, used in marking sheep, in the neighbouring upland districts; and
one of the asses belonging to the band was always laden with this
article alone. Peter was also notorious as a physician, and administered
to his favourites medicines of his own preparation, and numbers of
extraordinary cures were ascribed to his superior skill. He was
possessed of a number of wise sayings, a great many of which are still
current in the country. Peter Robertson was, altogether, a very shrewd
and sensible man, and no acts of theft were ever laid to his charge,
that I know of. He had, however, in his band, several females who told
fortunes. The ceremony of marriage which he performed was the same you
mentioned to me. The whole contents of the bowl were stirred about with
a large ram's horn, which was suspended from a string round his neck, as
a badge, I suppose, of his priestly office.[176] He attended all the
fairs and weddings for many miles round. The Braes of Kinross were his
favourite haunt; so much so that, in making his settlement, and
portioning his children, he allowed them all districts, in the country
round about, to travel in; but he reserved the Braes of Kinross as his
own pendicle, and hence our favourite toast in the shire of Kinross,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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