Of Schleppers, or False Begging Priests.
HE xth chapter is about the Schleppers. These are Kammesierers who pretend to be priests. They come to the houses with a famulus or discipulus who carries a sack after them, and speak thus:—“Here comes a consecrated man, named Master George Kessler, of Kitzebühel (or what else he likes to call himself) and I am of such-and-such a village, or of such-and-such a family (naming a family which they know), and I will officiate at my first mass on such-and-such a day in that village, and I was consecrated for the altar in such-and-such a town at such-and-such a church, and there is no altar cloth, nor is there a missal, et cetera, and I cannot afford them without much help from all men; for mark, whosoever is commended for an offering in the angel’s requiem, or for as many pennies as he gives, so many souls will be released amongst his deceased kindred.” Item, they[Pg 27] receive also the farmer (HANZ) and his wife (HANZIN) into a brotherhood, which they say had bestowed on it grace and a great indulgence from the bishop who is to erect the altar. Thus men are moved to pity; one gives linen yarn, another flax or hemp; one table cloths, or towels, or old silver plate; and the Schleppers say that they are not a brotherhood like the others who have questionerer, and who come every year, but that they will come no more (for if they came again they would certainly be drowned [GEFLÖSSELT]). Item, this manner is greatly practised in the Black Forest, and in the country of Bregenz, in Kurwalen, and in the Bar, and in the Algen, and on the Adige, and in Switzerland, where there are not many priests, and where the churches are far distant from each other,—as are also the farms.
Conclusio: To these Schleppers, or Knaves, give nothing, for it would be badly laid out.
Exemplum, One was called Mansuetus; he also invited the farmers to his first mass at St. Gallen; and when they came to St. Gallen they sought for him in the cathedral, but found him not. After their meal they discovered him in a brothel (SONNENBOSS), but he escaped.
Of the Gickisses, or Blind Beggars.
HE xith 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[Pg 29] 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.