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 xi^{th} chapter is of the GICKISSES, or Blind Beggars. Mark:
there are three kinds of blind men who wander about. Some are called
BLOCHARTS, _id est_, blind men—made blind by the power of God,—they go
on a pilgrimage, and when they come into a town they hide their round
hats, and say to the people they have been stolen from them, or lost
at the places where they had sheltered themselves, and one of them
often collects ten or xx caps, and then sells them. Some are called
blind who have lost their sight by evil-doings and wickednesses. They
wander about in the country and carry with them pictures of devils, and
repair to the churches, and pretend they had been at Rome, to Saint
James, and other distant places, and speak of great signs and wonders
that had taken place, but it is all lies and deception. Some of the
blind men are called BROKEN WANDERERS (Bruch Umbgeen). These are such
as have been blinded ten years or more; they take cotton, and make the
cotton bloody, and then with a kerchief tie this over their eyes, and
say that they have been mercers or pedlers, and were blinded by wicked
men in a forest, that they were tied fast to a tree and so remained
three or four days, and, but for a merciful passer-by, they would have
miserably perished;—and this is called BROKEN WANDERING.
_Conclusio_: Know them well before thou givest to them; my advice is
only give to those thou knowest.
+Of the Schwanfelders, Blickschlahers, or Naked Beggars.+
The xij^{th} chapter is about the SCHWANFELDERS, or BLICKSCHLAHERS.
These are beggars who, when they come to a town, leave their clothes
at the hostelry, and sit down against the churches naked, and shiver
terribly before the people that they may think they are suffering from
great cold. They prick themselves with nettle-feed and other things,
whereby they are made to shake. Some say they have been robbed by
wicked men; some that they have lain ill and for this reason were
compelled to sell their clothes. Some say they have been stolen from
them; but all this is only that people should give them more clothes,
when they sell (VERKÜMMERN) them, and spend the money with lewd women
(VERBOLENS) and gambling (VERJONENS).
_Conclusio_: Beware of these SCHWANFELDERS for it is all knavery, and
give them nothing, whether they be men or women, (unless) thou knowest
them well.
+Of the Voppers, or Demoniacs.+
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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