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
"The Gipsies committed many enormities similar to those above detailed,
and arrived at such a pitch of audacity as even to threaten the person
of the Landgrave himself; an enormity at which Dr. Wiessenburch, who
never introduces the name or titles of that prince without printing them
in letters of at least an inch long, expresses becoming horror. This was
too much to be endured. Strong detachments of troops and militia scoured
the country in different directions, and searched the woods and caverns
which served the banditti for places of retreat. These measures were for
some time attended with little effect. The Gipsies had the advantages of
a perfect knowledge of the country, and excellent intelligence. They
baffled the efforts of the officers detached against them, and, on one
or two occasions, even engaged them with advantage. And when some
females, unable to follow the retreat of the men, were made prisoners on
such an occasion, the leaders caused it to be intimated to the
authorities at Giessen that if their women were not set at liberty, they
would murder and rob on the high roads, and plunder and burn the
country. This state of warfare lasted from 1718 until 1726, during which
period the subjects of the Landgrave suffered the utmost hardships, as
no man was secure against nocturnal surprise of his property and person.
"At length, in the end of 1725, a heavy and continued storm of snow
compelled the Gipsy hordes to abandon the woods which had long served
them as a refuge, and to approach more near to the dwellings of men. As
their movements could be traced and observed, the land-lieutenant,
Krocker, who had been an assistant to the murdered Emerander, received
intelligence of a band of Gipsies having appeared in the district of
Sohnsassenheim, at a village called Fauerbach. Being aided by a party of
soldiers and volunteers, he had the luck to secure the whole gang, being
twelve men and women. Among these was the notorious Hemperla, who was
dragged by the heels from an oven in which he was attempting to conceal
himself. Others were taken in the same manner, and imprisoned at
Giessen, with a view to their trial.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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