The Gipsies' Advocate: Or, Observations on the Origin, Character, Manners, and Habits of the English Gipsies — John Shaqi
The Gipsies' Advocate: Or, Observations on the Origin, Character, Manners, and Habits of the English GipsiesCrabb, James
Religion
The Gipsies' Advocate: Or, Observations on the Origin, Character, Manners, and Habits of the English Gipsies
Crabb, James
Romanies -- England
The severe and unchristian-like treatment they meet with from many, only
obliges them to travel further, and often drives them to commit greater
depredations. When driven by the constables from their station, they
retire to a more solitary place in another parish, and there remain till
they are again detected, and again mercilessly driven away. But this
severity does not accomplish the end it has in view; their numbers remain
the same, and they retain the same dislike to the crowded haunts of man.
For they only visit towns in small parties, offering trifling wares for
sale, or telling fortunes; and this is done to gain a present support.
In this neighbourhood there was lately a sweeping of the commons and
lanes of the Gipsy families. Their horses and donkeys were driven off,
and the sum of 3 pounds 5_s_ levied on them as a fine to pay the
constables for thus afflicting them. In one tent during this distressing
affair, there was found an unburied child, that had been scalded to
death, its parents not having money to defray the expenses of its
interment. The constables declared that it would make any heart ache to
see the anguish the poor people were in, when thus inhumanly driven from
their resting places; but, said they, _We were obliged to do our duty_.
To the credit of these men, thirteen in number, it should be mentioned,
that, with only one exception, they returned the fines to the people; and
one of them, who is a carpenter, offered a coffin for the unburied child,
should the parish be unwilling to bury it.
In this instance of their affliction and grief, the propensity to accuse
these poor creatures was strongly marked by a report charging them with
having dug a grave on the common in which to bury it; a circumstance very
far from their feelings and general habits. The fact was, some person
had been digging holes in search of gravel, and these poor creatures
pitched their tent just by one of them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account