Part 2
At page 17 reference is made to the wandering students who used to trudge over the country and sojourn for a time at any school charitable enough to take them in. These, in their journeys, often fell in with rogues and tramps, and sometimes joined them in their vagabond calling, in which case they obtained for themselves the title of KAMMESIERERS, or “Learned Beggars.” Now these same vagabond scholars were to be met with in this country in the time of Henry VIII,—and in Ireland, I believe, so late as the last century. Examining again the Act for Vagrants, 1531, we find that it was usual and customary for poor scholars from Oxford and Cambridge to tramp from county to county. The statute provided them with a document, signed by the commissary, chancellor, or vice-chancellor, which acted as their passport. When found without this license they were treated as vagrants, and whipped accordingly.
It is remarkable that many of the tricks and manœuvres to obtain money from the unthinking but benevolent people of Luther’s time should have been practised in this country at an early date, and that they should still be found amongst the arts to deceive thoughtless persons adopted by rogues and tramps at the present day. The stroller, or “Master of the Black Art,” described at page 19, is yet occasionally heard of in our rural districts. The simple farmer believes him to be weather and cattle wise, and should his crops be backward, or his cow “Spot,” not “let down her milk,” with her accustomed readiness, he crosses the fellow’s hand with a piece of silver, in order that things may be righted.
The WILTNERS, or finders of pretended silver fingers, noticed at page 45, are now-a-days represented by the “Fawney Riggers,” or droppers of counterfeit gold rings,—described in _Mayhew’s London Labour_, and other works treating of the ways of vagabonds.
“Card-Sharpers,” or JONERS, mentioned at page 47, are, unfortunately for the pockets of the simple, still to be met with on public race-courses and at fairs.
The OVER-SÖNZEN-GOERS, or pretended distressed gentry, who went about “neatly dressed,” with false letters, would seem to have been the original of our modern “Begging-Letter-Writers.”
Those half-famished looking impostors, with clean aprons, or carefully brushed threadbare coats, who stand on the curbs of our public thoroughfares, and beg with a few sticks of sealing-wax in their hands, were known in Luther’s time as GOOSE-SHEARERS. As the reader will have experienced only too frequently, they have, when pretending to be mechanics out of employ, a particularly unpleasant practice of following people, and detailing, in half-despairing, half-threatening sentences, the state of their pockets and their appetites. It appears they did the same thing more than three centuries ago.
Another class, known amongst London street-folk as “Shivering-Jemmies,”—fellows who expose themselves, half-naked, on a cold day, to excite pity and procure alms—were known in Luther’s time as SCHWANFELDERS,—only in those days, people being not quite so modest as now, they stripped themselves entirely naked before commencing to shiver at the church-doors.
Those wretches, who are occasionally brought before the police magistrates, accused of maiming children, on purpose that they may the better excite pity and obtain money, are, unfortunately, not peculiar to our civilized age. These fellows committed like cruelties centuries ago.
Borrowers of children, too,—those pretended fathers of numerous and starving families of urchins, now often heard howling in the streets on a wet day, the children being arranged right and left according to height,—existed in the olden time,—only then the loan was but for All Souls’, or other Feast Day, when the people were in a good humour.
The trick of placing soap in the mouth to produce froth, and falling down before passers-by as though in a fit, common enough in London streets a few years ago, is also described as one of the old manœuvres of beggars.[9]
Travelling quack-doctors, against whom Luther cautions his readers, were common in this country up to the beginning of the present century.[10] And it is not long ago since the credulous countrymen in our rural districts, were cheated by fellows—“wise-men” they preferred being termed—who pretended to divine dreams, and say under which tree or wall the hidden treasure, so plainly seen by Hodge in his sleep carefully deposited in a crock, was to be found. This pleasant idea of a pot full of gold, being buried near everybody, seems to have possessed people in all ages. In Luther’s time the nobility and clergy appear to have been sadly troubled with it, and it is very amusing to learn that so simple in this respect were the latter, that after they had given “gold and silver” to the cunning treasure-seeker, this worthy would insist upon their offering up masses in order that the digging might be attended with success!
And lastly, the travelling tinkers,—who appear to have had no better name for honesty in the fifteenth century than they have now,—“going about breaking holes in people’s kettles to give work to a multitude of others,” says the little book.
With regard to the Rothwelsch Sprache, or cant language used by these vagrants, it appears, like nearly all similar systems of speech, to be founded on allegory. Many of the terms, as in the case of the ancient cant of this country, appear to be compound corruptions,—two or more words, in ordinary use, twisted and pronounced in such a way as to hide their original meaning. As Luther states, in his preface, the Hebrew appears to be a principal element. Occasionally a term from a neighbouring country, or from a dead language may be observed, but not frequently. As they occur in the original I have retained those cant words which are to be found here and there in the text. Perhaps it would have rendered a perusal less tedious had they been placed as foot-notes; but I preferred to adhere to the form in which Luther was content the little book should go forth to the world. The simple form of these secret terms has generally been given, there being no established rule for their inflection. In a few instances I found myself unable to give English equivalents to the cant words in the Vocabulary, so was compelled to leave them unexplained, but with the old German meanings (not easy to be unravelled) attached.
JOHN CAMDEN HOTTEN.
_Piccadilly, June, 1860._
[Illustration]
+Liber Vagatorum+
THE BOOK OF VAGABONDS AND BEGGARS WITH A PREFACE BY MARTIN LUTHER
[Illustration]
_Printed at_ WITTEMBERG _in the year_ M.D.XXIX.
_MARTIN LUTHER’S PREFACE._
_This little book about the knaveries of beggars was first printed by one who called himself_ Expertus in Truffis, _that is, a fellow right expert in roguery,—which the little work very well proves, even though he had not given himself such a name._
_But I have thought it a good thing that such a book should not only be printed, but that it should become known everywhere, in order that men may see and understand how mightily the devil rules in this world; and I have also thought how such a book may help mankind to be wise, and on the look out for him, viz. the devil. Truly, such Beggars’ Cant has come from the Jews, for many Hebrew words occur in the Vocabulary, as any one who understands that language may perceive._
_But the right understanding and true meaning of the book is, after all, this, viz. that princes, lords, counsellors of state, and everybody should be prudent, and cautious in dealing with beggars, and learn that, whereas people will not give and help honest paupers and needy neighbours, as ordained by God, they give, by the persuasion of the devil, and contrary to God’s judgment, ten times as much to Vagabonds and desperate rogues,—in like manner as we have hitherto done to monasteries, cloisters, churches, chapels, and mendicant friars, forsaking all the time the truly poor._
_For this reason every town and village should know their own paupers, as written down in the Register, and assist them. But as to outlandish and strange beggars they ought not to be borne with, unless they have proper letters and certificates; for all the great rogueries mentioned in this book are done by these. If each town would only keep an eye upon their paupers, such knaveries would soon be at an end. I have myself of late years been cheated and befooled by such tramps and liars more than I wish to confess. Therefore, whosoever hears these words let him be warned, and do good to his neighbour in all Christian charity, according to the teaching of the commandment._
_SO HELP US GOD!_ +Amen.+
[Illustration]
+Liber Vagatorum;+
THE BOOK OF VAGABONDS AND BEGGARS.
+The Mendicant Brotherhood.+
Here follows a pretty little book, called _Liber Vagatorum_, written by a high and worthy master, _nomine Expertus in Truffis_, to the praise and glory of God, _sibi in refrigerium et solacium_, for all persons’ instruction and benefit, and for the correction and conversion of those that practise such knaveries as are shown hereafter; which little book is divided into three parts. Part the first shows the several methods by which mendicants and tramps get their livelihood; and is subdivided into XX chapters, _et paulo plus_,—for there are XX ways, _et ultra_, whereby men are cheated and fooled. Part the second gives some _notabilia_ which refer to the means of livelihood afore mentioned. The third part presents a Vocabulary of their language or gibberish, commonly called Red Welsh, or Beggar-lingo.
¶ PART THE FIRST OF THIS LITTLE BOOK.
+Of the Bregers, or Beggars.+
The first chapter is about BREGERS. These are beggars who have neither the signs of the saints about them, nor other good qualities, but they come plainly and simply to people and ask an alms for God’s, or the Holy Virgin’s sake:—perchance honest paupers with young children, who are known in the town or village wherein they beg, and who would, I doubt not, leave off begging if they could only thrive by their handicraft or other honest means, for there is many a godly man who begs unwillingly, and feels ashamed before those who knew him formerly when he was better off, and before he was compelled to beg. Could he but proceed without he would soon leave begging behind him.
_Conclusio_: To these beggars it is proper to give, for such alms are well laid out.
+Of the Stabülers, or Bread Gatherers.+
The next chapter is about the STABÜLERS. These are vagrants who tramp through the country from one Saint to another, their wives (KRÖNERIN) and children (GATZAM) going (ALCHEN) with them. Their hats (WETTERHAN) and cloaks (WINTFANG) hang full of signs of all the saints,—the cloak (wintfang) being made (VETZEN) out of a hundred pieces. They go to the peasants who give them bread (LEHEM DIPPEN); and each of these STABÜLERS has six or seven sacks, and carries a pot, plate, spoon, flask, and whatever else is needed for the journey with him. These same STABÜLERS never leave off begging, nor do their children, from their infancy to the day of their death—for the beggar’s staff keeps the fingers (GRIFFLING) warm—and they neither will nor can work, and their children (GATZAM) grow up to be harlots and harlotmongers (GLIDEN und GLIDESVETZER), hangmen and flayers (ZWICKMEN und KAVELLER). Also, whithersoever these STABÜLERS come, in town or country, they beg; at one house for God’s sake, at another for St. Valentine’s sake, at a third for St. Kürine’s, _sic de aliis_, according to the disposition of the people from whom they seek alms. For they do not adhere to one patron or trust to one method alone.
_Conclusio_: Thou mayest give to them if thou wilt, for they are half bad and half good,—not all bad, but most part.
+Of the Lossners,[11] or liberated Prisoners.+
The iij^{rd} chapter is about the LOSSNERS. These are knaves who say they have lain in prison vi or vij years, and carry the chains with them wherein they lay as captives among the infidel (_id est_, in the SONNENBOSS, _i.e._ brothel) for their christian faith; _item_, on the sea in galleys or ships enchained in iron fetters; _item_, in a strong tower for innocence’ sake; and they have forged letters (LOE BSAFFOT), as from the princes and lords of foreign lands, and from the towns (KIELAM) there, to bear witness to their truth, tho’ all the time they are deceit and lies (GEVOPT und GEVERBT),—— for vagabonds may be found everywhere on the road who can make (VETZEN) any seal they like—— and they say they have vowed to Our Lady at Einsiedlin (in the DALLINGER’S BOSS, _i.e._ harlot’s house), or to some other Saint (in the SCHÖCHERBOSS, _i.e._ beer-house), according to what country they are in, a pound of wax, a silver crucifix, or a chasuble; and they say they have been made free through that vow, and, when they had vowed, the chains opened and broke, and they departed safe and without harm. _Item_, some carry iron fastenings, or coats of mail (PANZER) with them, _et sic de aliis_. _Nota:_ They have perchance bought (KÜMMERT) the chains; perchance they had them made (VETZEN); perchance stolen (GEJENFT) them from the church (DIFTEL) of St. Lenhart.
_Conclusio_: To such vagrants thou shalt give nothing, for they do nought but deceive (VOPPEN) and cheat (VERBEN) thee; not one in a thousand speaks the truth.
+Of the Klenkners, or Cripples.+
The iiij^{th} is about the KLENKNERS. These are the beggars who sit at the church-doors, and attend fairs and church gatherings with sore and broken legs; one has no foot, another no shank, a third no hand or arm. _Item_, some have chains lying by them, saying they have lain in captivity for innocence’ sake, and commonly they have a St. Sebastianum or St. Lenhartum with them, and they pray and cry with a loud voice and noisy lamentations for the sake of the Saints, and every third word one of them speaks (BARL) is a lie (GEVOP), and the people who give alms to him are cheated (BESEFELT),—inasmuch as his thigh or his foot has rotted away in prison or in the stocks for wicked deeds. _Item_, one’s hand has been chopped off in the quarrels over dice or for the sake of a harlot. _Item_, many a one ties a leg up or besmears an arm with salves, or walks on crutches, and all the while as little ails him as other men. _Item_, at Utenheim there was a priest by name Master Hans Ziegler (he holds now the benefice of Rosheim), and he had his niece with him. One upon crutches came before his house. His niece carried him a piece of bread. He said, “Wilt thou give me nought else?” She said, “I have nought else.” He replied, “Thou old priest’s harlot! wilt thou make thy parson rich?” and swore many oaths as big as he could utter them. She cried and came into the room and told the priest. The priest went out and ran after him. The beggar dropped his crutches and fled so fast that the parson could not catch him. A short time afterwards the parson’s house was burnt down; he said the KLENKNER did it. _Item_, another true example: at Schletstat, one was sitting at the church-door. This man had cut the leg of a thief from the gallows. He put on the dead leg and tied his own leg up. He had a quarrel with another beggar. This latter one ran off and told the townserjeant. When he saw the serjeant coming he fled and left the sore leg behind him and ran out of the town—a horse could hardly have overtaken him. Soon afterwards he hung on the gallows at Achern, and the dry leg beside him, and they called him Peter of Kreuzenach. _Item_, they are the biggest blasphemers thou canst find who do such things; and they have also the finest harlots (GLIDEN), they are the first-comers at fairs and church-celebrations, and the last-goers therefrom.
_Conclusio_: Give them a kick on their hind parts if thou canst, for they are nought but cheats (BESEFLER) of the peasants (HANZEN) and all other men.
Example: One was called Uz of Lindau. He was at Ulm, in the hospital there, for xiiij days, and on St. Sebastian’s day he lay before a church, his hands and thighs tied up, nevertheless he could use both legs and hands. This was betrayed to the constables. When he saw them coming he fled from the town,—a horse could hardly have ran faster.
+Of Dobissers,[12] or Dopfers,+ _i.e._ +Church-mendicants.+
The v^{th} chapter is about DOBISSERS. These beggars (STIRNENSTÖSSER, _i.e._ spurious anointers) go _HOSTIATIM_ from house to house, and touch the peasant and his wife (HANZ und HANZIN) with the Holy Virgin, or some other Saint, saying that it is the Holy Virgin from the chapel,—and they pass themselves off for friars from the same place. _Item_, that the chapel was poor and they beg linen-thread for an altar-cloth (_id est_, a gown [CLAFFOT] for a harlot [SCHREFEN]). _Item_, fragments of silver for a chalice (_id est_, to spend it in drinking [VERSCHÖCHERN] or gambling [VERJONEN]). _Item_, towels for the priests to dry their hands upon, (_id est_, to sell [VERKÜMMERN] them). _Item_, there are also DOBISSERS, church-beggars, who have letters with seals, and beg alms to repair a ruined chapel (DIFTEL), or to build a new church. Verily, such friars _do_ make collections for an _edificium_—viz. one which lies not far below the nose, and is called St. Drunkard’s chapel.
_Conclusio_: As to these DOBISSERS, give them nought, for they cheat and defraud thee. If from a church that lies ij or iij miles from thee people come and beg, give them as much as thou wilt or canst.
+Of Kammesierers, or Learned Beggars+.
The vjth chapter is about the KAMMESIERERS. These beggars are young scholars or young students, who do not obey their fathers and mothers, and do not listen to their masters’ teaching, and so depart, and fall into the bad company of such as are learned in the arts of strolling and tramping, and who quickly help them to lose all they have by gambling (VERJONEN), pawning (VERSENKEN), or selling (VERKÜMMERN) it, with drinking (VERSCHÖCHERN) and revelry. And when they have nought more left, they learn begging, and KAMMESIERING, and to cheat the farmers (HANZEN-BESEFLEN); and they KAMESIER as follows: _Item_, that they come from Rome (_id est_, from the brothel [SONNENBOSS]), studying to become priests (on the gallows, _i.e._ DOLMAN); _item_, one is _acolitus_, another is _epistolarius_, the third _evangelicus_, and a fourth _clericus_ (GALCH); _item_, they have nought on earth but the alms wherewith people help them, and all their friends and family have long been called away by death’s song. _Item_, they ask linen cloth for an alb (_id est_, for a harlot’s shift, _i.e._ GLIDEN HANFSTAUDEN). _Item_, money, that they may be consecrated at next Corpus Christi day (_id est_, in a SONNENBOSS, _i.e._ brothel), and whatever they get by cheating and begging they lose in gambling (VERJONEN), or with strumpets, or spend it in drink (VERSCHOCHERNS und VERBOLENS). _Item_, they shave tonsures on their heads, although they are not ordained and have no church document (FORMAT), though they say they have, and they are altogether a bad lot (LOE VOT).
_Conclusio_: As to these KAMMESIERERS give them nought, for the less thou givest them the better it is for them, and the sooner they must leave off. They have also forged FORMATÆ (_literæ_).
+Of Vagrants (Vagierern), or Strollers.+
The vij^{th} chapter is about VAGRANTS. These are beggars or adventurers who wear yellow garments, come from Venusberg, know the black art, and are called rambling scholars. These same when they come into a house speak thus:—“Here comes a rambling scholar, a magister of the seven free arts (_id est_, the various ways of cheating [BESEFLEN] the farmers [HANZEN]), an exorciser of the devil for hail, for storm, and for witchcraft.” Then he utters some magical words and crosses his breast ii or iij times, and speaks thus:—
“Wherever these words are said, No man shall suddenly fall dead, No murrain, mildew or other miserie Shall touch this ground to all eternitie;”
and many more precious words. Then the farmers (HANZEN) think it all true, and are glad that he is come, and are sorry they have never seen a wandering scholar before, and speak to the vagrant:—“This or that has happened to me, can you help me? I would willingly give you a florin or ij”—and he says “Yes,” and cheats the farmers (BESEFELTDEN den HANZEN ums MESS) out of their money. And after these experiments they depart. The farmers suppose that by their talking they can drive the devil away, and can help them from any trouble that has befallen them. Thou canst ask them nothing but they will perform thee an experiment therewith; that is, they can cheat and defraud thee of thy money.
_Conclusio_: Beware of these _Vagrants_, for wherewith they practise is all lies.
+Of the Grantners, or Knaves with the falling Sickness.+
The viij^{th} chapter is about the GRANTNERS. These are the beggars who say in the farm-houses (HANSEN-BOSS):—“Oh, dear friend, look at me, I am afflicted with the falling sickness of St. Valentine, or St. Kurinus, or St. Vitus, or St. Antonius, and have offered myself to the Holy Saint (_ut supra_) with vj pounds of wax, with an altar cloth, with a silver salver (_et cetera_), and must bring these together from pious people’s offerings and help; therefore I beg you to contribute a heller, a spindleful of flax, a ribbon, or some linen yarn for the altar, that God and the Holy Saint may protect you from misery and disease and the falling sickness.” _Nota_: A false (LOE) trick.
_Item_, some fall down before the churches, or in other places with a piece of soap in their mouths, whereby the foam rises as big as a fist, and they prick their nostrils with a straw, causing them to bleed, as though they had the falling-sickness. _Nota_: this is utter knavery. These are villanous vagrants that infest all countries. _Item_, there are many who speak (BARLEN) thus:—“Listen to me, dear friends, I am a butcher’s son, a tradesman. And it happened some time since that a vagrant came to my father’s house and begged for St. Valentine’s sake; and my father gave me a penny to give to him. I said, ‘father, it is knavery.’ My father told me to give it to him, but I gave it him not. And since that hour I have been afflicted with the falling-sickness, and I have made a vow to St. Valentine of iij pounds of wax and a High Mass, and I beg and pray pious folks to help me, because I have made this vow; otherwise I should have substance enough for myself. Therefore I ask of you an offering and help that the dear holy St. Valentine may guard and protect you evermore.” _Nota_: what he says is all lies. _Item_, he has been more than xx years collecting for his iij pounds of wax and the mass, and has been gambling (VERJONEN), bibbling (VERSCHÖCHERN), and rioting (VERBOLEN) with it. And there are many that use other and more subtle words than those given in this book. _Item_, some have a written testimony (BSAFFOT) that it is all true.