The Book of Vagabonds and Beggars, with a Vocabulary of Their Language
History
The Book of Vagabonds and Beggars, with a Vocabulary of Their Language
Begging -- Germany; German language -- Slang; Wayfaring life -- Germany
The x^{th} chapter is about the SCHLEPPERS. These are KAMMESIERERS
who pretend to be priests. They come to the houses with a _famulus_
or _discipulus_ who carries a sack after them, and speak thus:—“Here
comes a consecrated man, named Master George Kessler, of Kitzebühel
(or what else he likes to call himself) and I am of such-and-such a
village, or of such-and-such a family (naming a family which they
know), and I will officiate at my first mass on such-and-such a day
in that village, and I was consecrated for the altar in such-and-such
a town at such-and-such a church, and there is no altar cloth, nor is
there a missal, _et cetera_, and I cannot afford them without much help
from all men; for mark, whosoever is commended for an offering in the
angel’s requiem, or for as many pennies as he gives, so many souls will
be released amongst his deceased kindred.” _Item_, they receive also
the farmer (HANZ) and his wife (HANZIN) into a brotherhood, which they
say had bestowed on it grace and a great indulgence from the bishop
who is to erect the altar. Thus men are moved to pity; one gives linen
yarn, another flax or hemp; one table cloths, or towels, or old silver
plate; and the SCHLEPPERS say that they are not a brotherhood like
the others who have _questionerer_, and who come every year, but that
they will come no more (for if they came again they would certainly
be drowned [GEFLÖSSELT]). _Item_, this manner is greatly practised in
the Black Forest, and in the country of Bregenz, in Kurwalen, and in
the Bar, and in the Algen, and on the Adige, and in Switzerland, where
there are not many priests, and where the churches are far distant from
each other,—as are also the farms.
_Conclusio_: To these SCHLEPPERS, or Knaves, give nothing, for it would
be badly laid out.
_Exemplum_, One was called Mansuetus; he also invited the farmers to
his first mass at St. Gallen; and when they came to St. Gallen they
sought for him in the cathedral, but found him not. After their meal
they discovered him in a brothel (_SONNENBOSS_), but he escaped.
+Of the Gickisses, or Blind Beggars.+
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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