easily summoned when occasion required, and rendered useful to the community.
In Transylvania, the magistrates do interfere with regard to the person whom this or that horde hath elected chief, and impose an obligation on him; but it is only that he should be careful to prevent his subjects from absconding, when the time arrives for them to discharge their annual tribute at the Land Regent’s chamber. He has no right to interfere in disputes or quarrels which the Gypsies have among themselves, or with other people, further than to give notice of them to the regular courts of the district, where they happen to be.
Grellmann.
SECTION IV.
Political Regulations on the Continent, respecting Gypsies.
To the ignorance and superstition of the middle age, must be attributed the powerful ascendency which the Gypsies obtained over the minds of men. In addition to the chiromantic deception, practised by the women, they followed also the profession of exorcism; and were greatly in request during the prevalence of a belief in witchcraft.
They were employed to cure bewitched cattle, and to loosen the spells of enchantment; for which they had nostrums of various kinds, consisting of roots and amulets, made of unfermented dough, marked with strong figures, and dried in the sun.
For a long time little attention was paid to them, but at last the evil became enormous, and complaints against them were so loud, that Governments were constrained to take official notice of them. Exemplary punishments were judged necessary; and, at length, the most cruel and barbarous kinds were resorted to. What a blot upon the history of those times, are the dreadful tortures of quartering alive, and breaking upon the wheel! These means being insufficient to prevent the perpetration of crimes; it was thought expedient to banish the Gypsies.
German waiters say, that King Ferdinand of Spain, who esteemed it a good work to expatriate useful and profitable subjects—Jews, and even Moorish families—could much less be guilty of an impropriety in laying hands on the mischievous progeny of Gypsies. The edict for their extermination, was published in the year 1492. But instead of passing the boundaries, they only slunk into hiding-places, and shortly after appeared in as great numbers as before.
The Emperor Charles V. persecuted them afresh; as did Philip II. also. Since that time they have nestled in again, and have been also threatened with another storm, but it has blown over without taking effect.