On their Sickness, Death, and Burial.
We have before had occasion to mention the constant good health of these people; and it is fact, that they do enjoy it more uninterruptedly, and perfectly, than persons of the most regular habits, and who pay the greatest attention to themselves. They get no cold nor defluxions, from the inclemency of the air. They are not subject to rashes; even poisons, or epidemical disorders, have no effect upon them. Any prevailing sickness penetrates sooner into ten habitations of civilised people, than it finds its way under a Gipsey’s tent, or into his hut. They are equally liable to the small-pox and measles with other people, though with infinitely less danger; and they are subject to a disorder in the eyes, occasioned by the continual smoke and steam in their huts, during the winter season: excepting these complaints, the Gipseys, in general, experience little inconvenience till the time comes that Nature demands her own back again, and entirely destroys the machine. Though this be not always at a great age, it is generally at an advanced period; it being very uncommon for a Gipsey to die early in life, or during his childhood. Their love of life is excessive; yet they hardly ever take the advice of a physician, or use medicines, even in the most dangerous maladies. They generally leave every thing to nature, or good fortune: if they do any thing, it is, to mix a little saffron in their soup, or bleed and scarify themselves; having observed that their horses use bleeding, as a remedy for disorders. When the sickness indicates danger, and that the universal enemy to life is really in earnest, the Gipsey breaks out into sighs and lamentations, on account of his departure; till at last he gives up the ghost, in his usual place of residence—under a tree, or in his tent.
The preparations for death are usually regulated according to a person’s religious principles; but the Gipsey, who neither knows nor believes any thing concerning the immortality of the soul, or of rewards and punishments beyond this life, for the most part dies like a beast—ignorant of himself and his Creator, as well as utterly incapable of forming any opinion respecting a higher destination.
The Gipsey’s decease is instantly succeeded by the most frantic lamentations: parents, in particular, who have lost their children, appear inconsolable. Little can be said of their burials; only, that on those occasions the cries and bewailings are redoubled, and become very violent. When the leader of a horde dies, things are conducted more quietly. His own people carry him, with great respect, to the grave, where each one appears earnest and attentive; although at the same time employed in a manner to excite laughter.
This is the mode of proceeding when a Gipsey dies a natural death. But it often happens that he loses his life by violent means—not by his own hands for self-murder and infanticide are equally unheard of among them. No Gipsey ever puts a period to his own existence on account of vexation, anxiety, or despair; as, besides his unbounded love of life, care or despair is totally unknown to him.
Even in the greatest distress, the Gipsey is never troubled with low spirits; ever merry and blythe, he dies not till he cannot help it: this often happens on the gallows, attended with scenes ridiculous as the most ludicrous imagination could invent. One man requested, as a particular act of grace, that he might not be hanged with his face towards the high road; saying, “Many of his acquaintance passed that way, and he should be very much ashamed to be seen by them hanging on a gallows.” At another time the relations of a Gipsey who was leading to execution, perceiving, by the discourse and gestures of the criminal, how unwillingly he advanced, not having the least inclination to be hanged, addressed themselves to the magistrates and officers of justice, with the following wise remonstrance: “Gentlemen, pray do not compel a man to a thing for which you see he has no desire nor inclination.” Such scenes happen at almost every Gipsey execution, which are proofs that these people are quite deficient in thought or consideration.
CHAPTER X.
Political Regulations peculiar to the Gipseys.
When the Gipseys first arrived in Europe, they had leaders and chiefs, to conduct the various tribes in their migrations. This was necessary, not only to facilitate their progress through different countries and quarters of the globe, but to unite their force if necessary, and thereby enable them to make a more formidable resistance when opposed: and likewise to carry any plan, they might have formed, more readily into execution. We accordingly find, in old books, mention made of knights, counts, dukes, and kings. Krantz and Munster mention counts, and knights, in general terms, among the Gipseys; other people give us the very names of these dignified men: Crusius cites a duke Michael; Muratori a duke Andreas; and Aventinus records a king Zindelo: not to speak of inscriptions on monuments, erected in different places, to the memories of duke Panuel, count Johannis; and a noble knight Petrus, in the fifteenth century. But no comment is requisite to shew how improperly these appellations were applied. Though the Gipsey chiefs might be gratified with these titles, and their dependants probably esteemed them people of rank, it was merely a ridiculous imitation of what they had seen and admired among civilised people. Nevertheless, the custom of having leaders and chiefs over them prevails to this time, at least in Hungary and Transylvania; probably it may also still exist in Turkey, and other countries where these people live together in great numbers.
Their chiefs—or waywodes, as they proudly call them—were formerly of two degrees in Hungary. Each petty tribe had its own leader; beside which, there were four superior waywodes, of their own caste, on both sides the Danube and Teisse, whose usual residences were at Raab, Lewentz, Szathmar, and Kaschau: to these the smaller waywodes were accountable. It would appear extraordinary that any well-regulated state should allow these people a distinct establishment in the heart of the country, did not the Hungarian writers assign a reason: viz. that in the commotions and troubles, occasioned by the Turkish wars, in former centuries, they were, by means of their waywodes, more easily summoned, when occasion required, and rendered useful to the community. But the Gipseys in Hungary and Transylvania were permitted to choose, from their own people, only the small waywodes of each tribe. The superior waywodes, to whom the Gipseys, in many districts, were subject, have existed till within a few years; but they were appointed by the court, and always selected from the Hungarian nobility. The appointment was by no means despicable; as each Gipsey was bound to pay the superintendent under whom his tribe was classed, a guilder annually, of which one half was demanded at Easter, the other half at Michaelmas. In order to render the levying this tax more certain, the magistrates, in all towns, cities, and villages, were ordered to be assisting to the collectors, where necessary; to protect them also from any violence that might be offered by the Gipseys. These superior waywodes are now no longer appointed, except a single one in Transylvania, who has authority over the goldwashers in those parts. But the Gipseys still continue the custom, among themselves, of dignifying certain persons, whom they make heads over them, and call by the exalted Sclavonian title—waywode. To choose their waywode, the Gipseys take the opportunity when a great number of them are assembled in one place, commonly in the open field. The elected person is lifted up three times, amidst the loudest acclamations, and confirmed in his dignity by presents; his wife undergoes the same ceremony. When this solemnity is performed, they separate with great conceit, imagining themselves people of more consequence than electors returning from the choice of an emperor. Every one who is of a family descended from a former waywode is eligible; but those who are best clothed, not very poor, of large stature, and about the middle age, have generally the preference. Understanding or wise conduct is of no consideration: therefore it is easy to distinguish the waywode from the multitude, by observing his size and clothing. The particular distinguishing mark of dignity, is a large whip, hanging over the shoulder. His outward deportment, his walk and air, also plainly shew his head to be filled with notions of authority.