The Book of Vagabonds and Beggars: With a Vocabulary of Their Language

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THE BOOK OF VAGABONDS
AND BEGGARS.

r

\

>

\

THE

1000ft of liagalionD^ ani) MtQQaxn:

WITH A VOCABULARY OF THEIR LANGUAGE.

EDITED BY

MARTIN LUTHER

IN THE YEAR 1528.

NOW FIRST TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH, WITH
INTRODUCTION AND NOTES,

BY

JOHN CAMDEN HOTTEN.

LONDON:
JOHN CAMDEN HOTTEN, PICCADILLY.

i860.

OF

OXFOHD

PREFACE.

9S a pi£ture of the manners and cuftoms of the
Vagabond population of Central Europe before
I the Reformation, I think this little book, the
earlieft of its kind, will be found interefting. The fiA of
Luther writing a Prefece and editing it gives it at once
fome degree of importance, and excites the curiofity of the
fiudent.

In this country the Liber Vagatorum is almoft un-
known, and in Germany only a few fcholars and anti-
quaries are acquainted with the book.

In tranllating it I have endeavoured as much as poffible
to preferve the fpirit and peculiarities of the original.
Some may objcfl to the ftyle as being too antique ; but
this garb I thought preferved a fmall ponion of the original

vi Preface.

quaintiiefs, and was beft fuited to the period when it was
written.

For feveral explanations of old German words, and
other hints, I am indebted to a long notice of the Liher
Vagatorum^ which occurs in the '' Wiemarifches Jahr-
buch," 10% Band, 1856, — the only article of any moment
that I know to have been written on the little book.

With refpedl to the facfimile woodcut, as it was too
larg^ to occupy a place on the title, as in the original (of
4to. fize), it is here given as a frontifpiece.

Perhaps fome apology is required for the occafional ufe
of plain-fpoken, not to fay coarfe words. I can only urge,
in juftification of their adoption, that the nature of the
fubjeft would not admit of their being foftened, — unlefs
indeed at the expenfe of the narrative. As it is, I have
fent forth this edition in very much more refined language
than the great Reformer thought neceflary when ifliiing
the old German verfion.

J. C. H.

Piccadilly^
June I, i860.

CONTENTS.

Page

IREFACE V

Introduction ix

Mendicant Friars. — Schreiber's defcription of
the Golden Age for Mendicants. — Knebel's
Chronicles of the Trials at Baile, in 1475. — Sebaftian
Brant.

Liber Vagatorum. — ^Various editions. — Gengenbach's
metrical verfion ; Godecke's claim for the priority of
this refuted xv

Martin Luther. — Occupied in the work of the Refor-
mation.— Writes feveral popular pieces. — Edits the
Liler Vagatorum xix

English Books on Vagabonds. — Harman's Caveat for
commen Cvrfetors. — The Fratemitye of Vacabondes.
— Greene, Decker, and Shakefpeare xxiv

Ancient Customs of English Beggars. — Licences with
Seals. — Seals now difufed. — ^Wandering Students or
Vagabond Scholars xxviii

German Origin of tricks practised by English Vaga-
bonds. — Matters of the Black-Art. — Fawney Riggers.
—Card-Sharpers. — ^Begging-Letter-Writers. — Shabby-

viii Contents.

Page

Genteels. — Mechanics out of employ. — Shivering
Jemmies. — Maimers of Children. — ^Borrowers of Chil-
dren. — Simulated Fits. — Quack Do6lors. — ^Treafure-

Seekers. — Travelling Tinkers xxxi

Old German Cant Words xxxvi

LIBER VAGATORUM i

Luther's Preface 3

Part I. — ^The several Orders of Vagabonds ... 7

Part II. — ^Notabilia relating to Beggars . . . *. 43

Part III. — Vocabulary of Cant Words .... 49

INTRODUCTION.

VAGABONDS and Beggars are ancienr

1 blots in the hiftory of the world. Idle-

nefsj I fuppofe, exifted before civiliza-

' tion began, but feigned diftrefs muft

certwnly have been praftifed foon after.

In the records of the Middle Ages enaAments
for the fuppreffion and ordering of vagrancy con-
tinually occur. In this country, as we Ihall fee di-
redly, laws for its abolifhment were palled at a very
early date.

The begging fyftem of the Friars, perhaps more

than any other caufe, contributed to fwell the ranks

of vagabonds. Thefe religious mendicants, who had

long been increafing innumber and dilTolutenefs, gave

b

X IntroduSiton.

to beggars fundry leffons in hypocrify, and taught
them, in their tales of fiditious diftrefs, how to blend
the troubles of the foul with the infirmities of the
body. Numerous fyftems of religious impofture
were foon contrived, and mendicants of a hundred
orders {warmed through the land. Things were at
their worft, or rather both friars and vagabonds
were in their palmieft days, towards the latter part
of the fifteenth century, juft before the fuppreflion
of the Religious Houfes commenced, and imme-
diately before the firft fymptoms of the Reformation
ftiowed themfelves, — that great movement which
was fo foon to fweep one of the two pefts away for
ever.

In Schreiber's account of the Bettler-induftrie
(begging pradices) of Germany in the year 1475, he
thus fpeaks of this golden age for mendicants * His
theory, as to the origin of the complicated fyftem of
mendicity, is, perhaps, more fanciful than true, but

* Tafchenbuch fur Gejchichte und Alterthum in Sud-Deutfcb'
iandf von Heinrich Schreiber, Fribourg, 1839, p. 333. The
Bafle MSS. are here reprinted without any alteration.

IntroduSiion. xi

his account is neverthelefs very interefting, and well
worth extracting from.

" The beggars of Germany rejoiced in their
Golden Age; it extended throughout nearly two
centuries, from the invafions of the Turks until after
the conclufion of the Swedifh war (1450 to 1650).
During this long period it was frequently the cafe
that begging was pradifed lefs from neceflity than
for pleafure ; — indeed, it was purfued like a regular
calling. For poetry had eftranged herfelf from the
Nobility ; knights no longer went out on adventures
to feek giants and dragons, or to liberate the Holy
Tomb; fhe had likewife become more and more
alien to the Citizen, fince he confidered it unwife to
brood over verfes and rhymes, when he was called
upon to calculate his profits in hard coin. Even the
* Sons of the Mufes,' the Scholars, had become more
profaic, fince there was fo much to learn and fo
many univerfities to vifit, and the matters could no
longer wander from one country to another with
thoufands of pupils.

xii IntroduSiion.

"Then poetry (as everything in human life
gradually defcends) began to ally herfelf with beg-
gars and vagrants. That which formerly had been
misfortune and mifery became ibon a fort of free
art, which only retained the maflc of mifery in order
to purfue its courfe more fafely and undifturbed.
Mendicity became a diftind inftitution, was divided
into various branches, and was provided with a
language of its own. Doubtlefs, befides the fre-
quent wars, it was the Gipfies — appearing in Ger-
many, at the beginning of the fifteenth century, in
larger fwarms than ever — who contributed greatly
to this ftate of things. They formed entire tribes
of wanderers, as free as the birds in the air, now
difperfing themfelves, now reuniting, refting where-
ever forefts or moors pleafed, or ftupidity and fuper-
ftition allured them, poffefling nothing, but appro-
priating to themfelves the property of everybody,
by ftratagem or rude force.

" In what manner and to what extent fuch beg-
gary had grown up and branched off towards the

IntroduSiion. xiii

clofe of the fifteenth century, what artifices and
even what language thefe beggars ufed to employ,
is fhown us in Johann Knebel's Chronicles, the
MSS. of which are preferved in the Library of the
City and Univerfity of Bale."

Thefe MSS. are very curious. They contain the
proceedings of the Trials at Bafle,* in Switzerland,
in 1475, when a great number of vagabonds, ftrol-
lers, blind men, and mendicants of all orders, were
arretted and examined. Johann Knebel was the
chaplain of the cathedral there, and wrote them
down at the time. From the reports of thefe trials
it is believed the Liber Vagatorum was compiled;
and it is alfo conjedured that, from the fame rich
fource, Sebaftian Brant, who juft at that period had
eftablifhed himfelf at the Univerfity of Bafle, where

* Thefe Trials are alfo recorded in an old MS. of Hieron.
Wilb, Ebner, printed in Job. Heumanni Exercitationes iuris
univerjty vol. I. (Altdorii, 1749, 4°*) No. XIII. Obfervatio de
lingua occulta, pp. 174-180. Both Knebel and Ebner's accounts
differ merely in flyle and dialed^ ; in all elTential points they clofely
harmonize.

xiv ^IntroduEiion.

he remained until 1500, drew the vivid defcription
of beggars and begging, to be found in his Ship of
Fools*

Knebel gives a long lift of the different orders of
beggars, and the names they were known by amongft
themfelves. This account is fimilar to, only not
fb fpirited as that given in the Liber Fagatorum,
The tricks and impoftures are very nearly the fame,
together with the cant terms for the various tribes
of mendicants. Knebel, (peaking of the manner in
which the tricks of thefe rogues were firft found
out, fays : — " At thofe times a great number of
knaves went about the country begging and an-
noying people. Of thefe feveral were caught, and
they told how they and their fellow-knaves were
known, and when and how they ufed to meet, what
they were called, and they told alfo feveral of their
cant words."

* Brant wrote this work, and fuperintendcd its progrefs through
the prefs whilll reliding in this city.

IntroduEiion. xv

HE Liier Vagatorumy or The Book of Va-
gaiondSyV/^ probably written fhortly after
1509, that year being mentioned in the
work ; it is the earlieft book on beggars and their
fecret language of which we have any record, — pre-
ceding by half a century any fimilar work iflued in
this country.

Nothing is known of the author other than
that it was written by one who ftyled himfelf a
" Reverend Magifter, nomine expertus in truffis," —
which proficiency in roguery, as Luther remarks,
" the little book very well proves, even though he
had not given himfelf fuch a name."

None of the early impreffions bears a date, but the
firft edition is kown to have been printed at Augf-
burg, about the year 1512-14, by Erhart Oglin, or
Ocellus.* It is a fmall quarto, confifting of 1 2 leaves.

* This printer carried on bulinefs at Augfburg, partly alone,
partly in connexion with others, from 1505 to 15 16. His
editions of the Liier Vagatorum would feem therefore to have
been printed between the years 15 12-16.

xyi IntroduSiion.

The title : —

Hi&et ^agatotum;
2:)er TBetler ©men :

is printed in red. The title-page of this, as of moft
of the early editions, is embelliftied with a woodcut,
— a facfimile of which is given in this tranflation.
The pidure, reprefenting a beggar and his family,
explains itfelf. At the foot of the title is printed,
in black: — Getrucht zu Augfpurg durch Erhart
Oglin. The little book was frequently reprinted
without any other variations than printers' blunders
(one edition having an error in the firft word,
Lieber Vagatorum) until 1528, when Luther edited
an edition,* fupplying a preface, and correding
fome of the paffages. In 1529 another edition, with
Luther's preface, appeared at Wittemberg,f and
from this, comparing it occafionally with the firft

* Publifhed at Wittemberg.

f The title-page of this edition is adorned with a facfimile of
the woodcut which occurs in Oglin's edition, — the fame, in-
deed, which is given in this tranflation.

IntroduSiion. xvii

edition by Ocellus, the prefent Englifli verfion has
been made. Nearly all the editions contain the
fame matter; nor do thofe iflued under Luther's
authority furnifh us with additional information.
With regard to the Vocabulary, however, I have
made, in a few inftances, flight variations, as given
in two editions of the Liber Fagatorumy preferved
in the Library at Munich. Wherever there was a
marked divergence in ftyle I have adopted that as
my text which feemed to be the moft charaderiftic
for the fifteenth and the commencement of the fix-
teenth centuries, and which is moftly to be found in
the better clafs MSS. and works of that period.

I fliould ftate, however, before proceeding fur-
ther, that a metrical verfion of the Liber Fagato-
runty in 838 verfes, appeared about 15 17-18, writ-
ten by Pamphilus Gengenbach, including a voca-
bulary of the beggars' cant. Although Karl G6-
decke, in his work, Ein Beitrag zur Deutfchen
Literatur Gejchichte der Reformations zeit (Han-
nover, Carl Riimpler, 1855), ^^^ ftated that

c

xviii IntroduEiion.

Gengenbach's poetical verfion preceded th^ fmaller
profe account, it is impoffible, upon examining the
two publications, to agree with him on this point.
Gengenbach's book certainly did not appear till
after 15 17, and the direft copies from the Liber
Vagatorumy in matter and manner, are too frequent
to admit for one moment of the fuppofition of their
being accidental. The cant terms, too, are incor-
redly given, and altogether the work bears the ap-
pearance of hafty and piratical compilation. It
never met with that popularity which the author
anticipated, and probably never crofled the frontiers
of Switzerland.

The lateft profe edition of the Liber Vagatorum
was iflued towards the clofe of the feventeenth cen-
tury. The title ran: — Expertus in truffis. Of
Falfe Beggars and their knaveries. A pretty little
booky made more than a century and a half fince^ to- *
gether with a Vocabulary offome old cant words that
occur therein y newly edited. Anno 1668 (12°. pp.
160).

IntroduEiion. xix

HAT Luther fhould have written a Pre-
face to fo undignified a little work as The
Book of Vagabonds feems remarkable. At
this period (1528-9) he was in the midft of his la-
bours, furrounded with difficulties and cares, and
with every moment of his time fully occupied. The
Proteft of Spires had juft been figned by the firft
Proteftants. Melanfthon, in great affliftion at the
turbulent ftate of aflTairs, was running from city to
city ; and all Germany was alarmed to hear that the
dreaded Turks were preparing to make battle before
Vienna, Yet, the centre of all this agitation, engaged
in direding and aflifting his followers, Luther found
time to write feveral popular pieces, and kept, we are
told, the book-hawkers of Augfburg and Spires bufy
in fupplying them to the people. Thefe Chriftian
pamphlets, D'Aubigne informs us, were eagerly
fought for and pafled through numberlefe editions.
It was not the peafants and townfpeople only who
read them, but nobles and princes. Luther intended

XX IntroduEiion.

that they fhould be popular. He knew better than
any man of his time how to captivate the reader and
fix his attention. His little books were ftiort, eaiy
to read, full of homely fayings and current phrafes,
and ornamented with curious engravings. They
were generally written, too, in Latin and German,
to fuit both the educated and the unlettered. One
was entitled. The Papacy with its Members painted
and dejcribed by Dr. Luther. In it figured the
Pope, the cardinal, and all the religious orders.
Under the pidure of one of the orders were thefe
lines : —

** We can feft and pray the harder.
With an overflowing larder."

" Not one of thefe orders," faid Luther to the
reader, "thinks either of faith or charity. This
one wears the tonfure, the other a hood, this a cloak,
that a robe. One is white, another black, a third
gray, and a fourth blue. Here is one holding a
looking-glafs, there one with a pair of fciflbrs. Each

has his playthings Ah ! thefe are the

palmer-worms, the locufts, the canker-worms, and

IntroduSiion. xxi

the caterpillars which, as Joel faith, have eaten up
all the earth."*

In this ftyle Luther addrefled his readers —
fcourging the Pope, his cardinals, and all their emif-
faries. But another clafe of " locufts" befides thefe
appeared to him to require fweeping away, — thefe
were the beggars and vagabonds who imitated the
Mendicant Friars in wandering up and down the
country, with lying tales of diftrefs, either of mind
or body. As he fays in his Preface, explaining the
reafon of his connedion with the book, " I thought it
a good thing that fuch a work fhould not only be
publiflied, but that it fhould become known every-
where, in order that men can fee and underftand how
mightily the devil rules in this world ; and I have alfo
thought how fuch a book may help mankind to be
wife, and on the look out for him, viz. the devil."

Luther further adds — not forgetting, in pafling,
to give a blow to Papacy — " Princes, lords, coun-
fellors of ftate, and everybody fhould be prudent,
and cautious in dealing with beggars, and learn that,

• D*Aubignh Hiji. Ref. vol, iv. p. lo (1853).

xxii IntroduEiion.

whereas people will not give and help honeft pau-
pers and needy neighbours, as ordained by God,
they give, by the perfuafion of the devil, and con-
trary to God's judgment, ten times as much to va-
gabonds and defperate rogues, — in like manner as
we have hitherto done to monafteries, cloifters,
churches, chapels, and Mendicant Friars, forfaking
all the time the truly poor."

This was Luther's objedt in affixing his name to
the little book. He faw that the Friars, Beggars,
and Jews were eating up his country, and he thought
that a graphic account of the various orders of
vagrants, together with a lift of their fecret or cant
words, iflued under the authority of his name, would
put people on their guard, and help to fupprefs the
wretched fyftem.

Luther's ftatement as to his own experience with
thefe rogues is very naive — " I have myfelf of late
years," he remarks, " been cheated and flandered by
fuch tramps and liars more than I care to confefs."

Both priefts and beggars regarded him with a
peculiar averfion, and many were the nicknames and

IntroduEiion.

• • •

XXlll

vulgar terms applied to him. The flang language

of the day, therefore, was not unknown to Luther.

At page 204 of Williams^ LeSlures on Ecclejiajiical

Hijloryy 4to. (apparently privately printed for the

ufe of the ftudents of St. Begh's College,) is the
following foot-note : —

Of the violence with which Luther's enemies attacked his
charader^ and drove to render his name and memory odious to
the people^ we have ah example in the following produdion of a
French Jefuit, Andreas Frulius, printed at Cologne, 1582 : —

Elogium Martini Lutheri, ex ipfius Nomine et Cognomine.

Depinget et dignis te nemo coloribus unquam ;

Nomen ego ut potero iic celebrabo tuum.

Monftrum

Agafo

Raptor

Turpis

Ineptus

Nefandus

Vecors

Scurra

Lanifla

Voluptas

Tyrannus

Hermaph-

roditus
Eriunis
Rebellis
Virus
Seeleftu

Magnicrepus
Ambitiofus

Mendax
Atrox

Ridiculus

Rhetor

Tabiiicus

Tumidus

Impius

Inconflans

Nydlocorax
Ventofus

Nebulo
Van us

Schifmaticus

Stolidus

Lafcivus

Leno

Ventripotens
Tartareus

Vultur
Torris

Herefiarcha

Horrendus

Erro

Execrandus

Retrogradus
Vefanus

Reprobus
Varius

Sacrilegus

Satanas

Morofus

Morio

Aftutus
Rabiofus

Apoftata
Rabula

Tenebrofus

Impoflor

Nugator

Vilis

Seduftor

Transfuga

Iniquus

Noxa

Vulpecula

Simia

Larvatus

Latro

Vinofus

Tempeftas

Hypocrita

Vappa
Tarbo
Hydra

Effrons

Effronis

Refupinus
Vcterator
Sentina

Rana

Vipera
Sophifta

xxi V IntroduSiion .

Each column is an acroftic of the name Mar-
TiNVS LuTHERVs, making 80 fcurrilous epithets.

MUST now fay fomething about the little
books on vagabonds which appeared in
this country fifty years after the Liter Fa-
gatorum had become popular in Germany. The firft
and principal of thefe was edited by Thomas Har-
man, a gentleman who lived in the days of Queen
Elizabeth, and who appears to have fpent a confi-
derable portion of his time in afcertaining the artifices
and manoeuvres of rogues and beggars. From a clofe
comparifon of his work with the Liber Vagatorum^ I
have little hefitation in faying that he obtained the
idea and general arrangement, together with a good
deal of the matter, from the German work edited by
Luther. The title of Harman's book is: — A
Caueatfor Cvr/etors vulgarely Called VagaboneSy Jet
forth for the vtilitie and profit of his naturellcountrey.
This firft appeared in 1566. It was very popu-
lar, and foon ran through four editions, the laft

IntroduEiion . xxv

being *^ augmented and enlarged by the firft author
thereof, with the tale of the fecond taking of the
counterfeit Crank, and the true report of his beha-
viour and punifhment, moft marvellous to the hearer
or reader thereof."

The dates of the four editions are —

William Gryffitb
ib, ib.

Henry Middleton

1566
1567
1567

>573

The printer of the third edition is not known.
The book is dedicated, fomewhat inconfiftently,
confidering the nature of the fubjedb, to Elizabeth,
Countefs of Shrewfbury. It gives, like the Liber
Vagatorunty fhort but graphic defcriptions of the
different kinds of beggars, and concludes with a cant
didionary.

The next work on this fubjedb which appeared
in England was publifhed nine years later: —

The Fraternity e of VacabondeSy with a Dejcrip-
tion of the crafty Company of Coujoners and Shifters;

d

xxvi IntroduSiion.

whereunto aljo is adioyned the XXV Orders ofKnaueSj
other wife called a Quartern of Knaues. Confirmed
for ever by Cocke Lor ell. (^London by John Awdeley^

4to. 1575O*

Some have conjeftured that it was an original

compilation by Audley, the printer ; but this little

book, perhaps more than Harman's, fhows traces of

the German work. The " XXV Orders of Knaues *'

is nearly the number defcribed in the Uber Vaga-

torumj and the tricks, and defcription of beggars'

drefles in both are very fimilar. There are the

rogues with patched cloaks, who begged with their

wives and "doxies;" thofe with forged licenfes

and letters, who pretended to coiled for hofpitals ;

thofe afflided with the falling ficknefs, a numerous

number; fome without tongues, carrying letters,

pretending they have been figned and fealed by the

authorities of the towns from whence they came ;

• Confining of nine leaves only. An edition appeared in
1603, and a reprint of the firft edition was publilhed in Weft-
minfterin 181 3 (8^°).

IntroduEiion. xxvii

others, " freftie-water mariners," with tales of a
dreadful fhipwreck, and many more, all defcribed in
fimilar words, whether in the pages of the Liber
Vagatorum^ Harman, or Audley. It is reafonable
to fuppofe, therefore, that the German account,
being in the hands of the people abroad half a cen-
tury before anything of the kind was iflued here,
copies muft have found their way to England, and
that from thefe the other two were in a great mea-
fure derived.

I might remark that other accounts of Englifh
vagabonds were publifhed foon after this. The
fubjeft had become popular, and a demand for
books of the kind was the refult. Harrifon, who
wrote the Defer iption of England^ prefixed to Hoi-
infhed^s Chronicle (isyy)i defcribes the different
orders of beggars. Greene, about 1592, wrote fe-
veral works, bafed mainly on old Harman's book ;
and Decker, twenty years later, provided a fimilar
batch, giving an account of the vagabonds and loofe
charaders of his dav.

xxviii IntroduEiion.

Shakefpeare, too, and other dramatifts of the
period, introduced beggars and mendicants into
their plays in company with the Gipfies, with
whom, in a great meafure, in this country they
were allied.

|MONGST thofe paflages which refer to
the cuilpms and tricks of beggars, in the
Liber Vagatorum^ there are few which
receive illuftration by a reference to the early laws
and ftatutes of this country.

The licenfes, or " letters with feals," fo frequently
alluded to, and which were granted to deferving
poor people by the civil authorities, are mentioned
as cuftomary in this country in the A<5b for the
ordering of Vagrants, pafled in the reign of Henry
VIII. (1531). It appears that the parifti officers
were compelled by this ftatute to make inquiry into
the condition of the poor, and to afcertain who were
really impotent and who were impoftors. To a

IntroduBion. xxix

perfon adually in want liberty was given to beg
within a certain diftridb, " and further," fays the
A<5b, " there fhall be delivered to every fuch perfon
a letter containing the name of that perfon, witneff-
ing that he is authorized to beg, and the limits
within which he is appointed to beg, the fame letter
to be fealed with the feal of the hundred, rape,
wapentake, city, or borough, and fubfcribed with
the name of one of the faid juftices or officers afore-
faid/'

I need fcarcely remark that a feal in thofe days,
when but few public funftionaries could write, was
looked upon as the badge of authority and genuine-
nefs, and that as the art of writing became more
general autograph fignatures fupplanted feals. An
Englifh vagabond in the time of Elizabeth, when
fpeaking of his paflport, called it his jarke, or
jARKEMAN, viz. his fealed paper. His defcendant
of the prefent century would term it his lines,
viz. his written paper. The cant term jarke is
almoft obfolete, but the powerful magic of a big

XXX IntroduEiion.

feal is ftill remembered and made ufe of by the
tribe of cadgers. When a nymber of them at
the prefent day wait upon a farmer with a fiditious
paper, authorizing them to coiled fubfcriptions for
the fufFerers in fome dreadful colliery accident, the
document, covered with apparently genuine figna-
tures, is generally garnifhed with a huge feal.

In Germany it was the cuftom (alluded to at
page 34) for the priefts or clerks to read thefe
Hcenfes to beg from the pulpit, that the congrega-
tion might know which of the poor people who
waited at their doors were worthy of alms. Some-
times, as in the cafe of the Dutzbetterin, or
falfe '' lying-in-woman," an anecdote of whom is
told here, the priefts were deceived by counterfeit
documents.

At page 17 reference is made to the wandering
ftudents who ufed to trudge over the country and
fojourn for a time at any fchool charitable enough
to take them in. Thefe, in their journeys, often fell
in with rogues and tramps, and fometimes joined

IntroduEiion. xxxi

them in their vagabond calling, in which cafe they
obtained for themfelves the title of Kammesierers,
or "Learned Beggars." Now thefe feme vaga-
bond fcholars were to be met with in this country
in the time of Henry VIII, — ^and in Ireland, I be-
lieve, fo late as the laft century. Examining again
the Aft for Vagrants, 1531, we find that it was
ufual and cuftomary for poor fcholars from Oxford
and Cambridge to tramp from county to county.
The ftatute provided them with a document, figned
by the commiflary, chancellor, or vice-chancellor,
which afted as their paflport. When found with-
out this licenfe they were treated as vagrants, and
whipped accordingly.

|T is remarkable that many of the tricks
and manoeuvres to obtain money from the
unthinking but benevolent people of Lu-
ther's time ftiould have been pradifed in this country
at an early date, and that they ftiould ftill be found

xxxii JntroduBion.

amongft the arts to deceive thoughtlefs perfons
adopted by rogues and tramps at the prefent day.
The ftroller, or " Mafter of the Black Art," de-
fcribed at page 19, is yet occafionally heard of in
our rural diftrifts. The fimplc farmer believes him
to be weather and cattle wife, and fliould his crops
be backward, or his cow '* Spot," not " let down
her milk," with her accuftomed readinefs, he crofles
the fellow's hand with a piece of filver, in order that
things may be righted.

The WiLTNERS, or finders of pretended filver
fingers, noticed at page 45, are now-a-days repre-
fented by the *' Fawney Riggers," or droppers of
counterfeit gold rings, — defcribed in May hew' s Lon-
don 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 fimple,
ftill to be met with on public race-courfes and at
fairs.

The ovER-SoNZEN-GOERS, or pretended diftrefl!ed

IntroduEiion^ xxxiii

gentry, who went about *^ neatly drefled," with falfe
letters, would feem to have been the original of our
modern " Begging-Letter- Writers."

Thofe half-famifhed looking impoftors, with clean
aprons, or carefully brufhed threadbare coats, who
ftand on the curbs of our public thoroughfares, and
beg with a few flicks of fealing-wax in their hands,
were known in Luther's time as Goose-shearers.
As the reader will have experienced only too fre-
quently, they have, when pretending to be mechanics
out of employ, a particularly unpleafant pradice of
following people, and detailing, in half-defpairing,
half-threatening fentenccs, the ftate of their pockets
and their appetites. It appears they did the fame
thing more than three centuries ago.

Another clafs, known amongft London flreet-folk
as ^'Shivering- Jemmies," — fellows who expofe them-
felves, half-naked, on a cold day, to excite pity and
procure alms — were known in Luther's time as
ScHWANFELDERS, — Only in thofe days, people being
not quite fo modeft as now, they ftripped them-

xxxiv IntroduSiion.

felves entirely naked before commencing to fliivcr
at the church-doors,

Thofe wretches, who are occafionally brought
before the police magiftrates, accufed of maiming
children, on purpofe that they may the better ex-
cite pity and obtain money, are, unfortunately, not
peculiar to our civilized age. Thefe fellows com-
mitted like cruelties centuries ago.

Borrowers of children, too, — thofe pretended fa-
thers of numerous and ftarving families of urchins,
now often heard howling in the ftreets on a wet
day, the children being arranged right and left ac-
cording to height, — exifted in the olden time, —
only then the loan was but for All Souls', or other
Feaft Day, when the people were in a good humour.

The trick of placing foap in the mouth to pro-
duce froth, and falling down before paflers-by as
though in a fit, common enough in London ftreets
a few years ago, is alfo defcribed as one of the old
manoeuvres of beggars.*

♦ Seepage 21.

IntroduEiion. xxxv

Travelling quack- doftors, againft whom Luther
cautions his readers, were common in this country
up to the beginning of the prefent century.* And
it is not long ago fince the credulous countrymen
in our rural diftrifts, were cheated by fellows —
'' wife-men" they preferred being termed — who
pretended to divine dreams, and fay under which
tree or wall the hidden treafure, fo plainly feen by
Hodge in his fleep carefully depofited in a crock,
was to be found. This pleafant idea of a pot full
of gold, being buried near everybody, feems to
have poflefled people in all ages. In Luther's time
the nobility and clergy appear to have been fadly
troubled with it, and it is very amufing to learn
that fo iimple in this refpeft were the latter, that
after they had given " gold and filver" to the cun-
ning treafure-feeker, this worthy would infift upon
their offering up mafles in order that the digging
might be attended with fuccefs !

And laftly, the travelling tinkers, — who appear to

• Page 47.

xxxvi IntroduEiion.

have had no better name for honefty in the fifteenth
century than they have now, — " going about break-
ing holes in people's kettles to give work to a multi-
tude of others," fays the little book.

|ITH regard to the Rothwelfch Sprache, or
cant language ufed by thefe vagrants, it
appears, like nearly all fimilar fyftems of
fpeech, to be founded on allegory. Many of the
terms, as in the cafe of the ancient cant of this coun-
try, appear to be compound corruptions, — two or
more words, in ordinary ufe, twifted and pronounced
in fuch a way as to hide their original meaning.
As Luther ftates, in his preface, the Hebrew ap-
pears to be a principal element. Occafionally a term
from a neighbouring country, or from a dead lan-
guage may be obferved, but not frequently. As
they occur in the original I have retained thofe cant
words which are to be found here and there in the
text. Perhaps it would have rendered a perufal lefs

IntroduEiion. xxxvii

tedious had they been placed as foot-notes ; but I
preferred to adhere to the form in which Luther was
content the little book fhould go forth to the world.
The fimple form of thefe fecret terms has generally
been given, there being no eftablifhe d rule for their
infledion. In a few inflances I found myfelf un-
able to give Englifh equivalents to the cant words
in the Vocabulary, fo was compelled to leave them
unexplained, but with the old German meanings
(not eafy to be unravelled) attached.

John Camden Hotten.

Piccadilly ^ June, i860.

Tm Stlier ^agatorum

THE BOOK OF VAGABONDS AND

BEGGARS WITH A PRE-

FACE BY MARTIN

LUTHER

r

Printed at Wittemberg in thi year

M.D.XXIX.

MARTIN LUTHER'S PREFACE.

\HIS little book about the knaveries of beg-
gars was firft printed by one who called
him/elf Expertus in Truffis, that iSy a
fellow right expert in roguery y — which

the little work very well proves, even though he had

not given himfelffuch a name.

But I have thought it a good thing thatfuch a book
fhould not only be printed, but that it fhould become
known everywhere, in order that men may fee and un-
derftand how mightily the devil rules in this world;
and I have alfo thought how fuch a book may help
mankind to be wife, and on the look out for him, viz.
the devil. Truly, fuch Beggars* Cant has come from
the Jews, for many Hebrew words occur in the Voca-
bulary, as any one who underftands that language may
perceive.

4 Preface.

But the right underftanding and true meaning of
the book isy after all, this^ viz. that princes, lords,
counfellors of fiat e, and everybody fhould be prudent,
and cautious in dealing with beggars, and learn that,
whereas people will not give and help honeft paupers
and needy neighbours, as ordained by God, they give,
by the perfuafion of the devil, and contrary to God's
judgment, ten times as much to Vagabonds and defpe-
rate rogues, — in like manner as we have hitherto done
to monafteries, cloijiers, churches, chapels, and mendi-
cant friars, forjaking all the time the truly poor.

For this reafon every town and village fhould know
their own paupers, as written down in the Regifter,
and ajjift them. But as to outlandifh and ftrange
beggars they ought not to be borne with, unlefs they
have proper letters and certificates ; for all the great
rogueries mentioned in this book are done by thefe. If
each town would only keep an eye upon their paupers,
fuch knaveries would foon be at an end. I have my-
felf of late years been cheated and befooled by fuch

Preface. 5

tramp and liars more than I wifh to confefs. There-
fore^ who/oever hear theje words let him be warned^
and do good to his neighbour in all Chriftian charity^
according to the teaching of the commandment.

SO HELP US GOD ! ameii^

MJbtt ^agatorum ;

THE BOOK OF VAGABONDS AND
BEGGARS.

Cbe aienDicanc XcotfietdooD.

lERE follows a pretty little book, called
Liier Vagatorum, written by a high
and worthy matter, nomine Expertm in
uffis, to the praife and glory of
tbi in refrigerium et folacium, for all perfons'
inllrudion and benefit, and for the correAion and
converlion of thofe that pradife flich knaveries as
are (hown hereafter ; which little book is divided
into three parts. Part the firft ftiows the feveral
methods by which mendicants and tramps get their

God,

8 The Book of Vagabonds

livelihood ; and is fubdivided into XX chapters, et
paulo plusy — for there are XX ways, et ultra^
whereby men are cheated and fooled. Part the
fecond gives fome notahilia which refer to the
means of livelihood afore mentioned. The third
part prefents a Vocabulary of their language or
gibberifti, commonly called Red Welfti, or Beggar-
lingo.

% Part the First of this little Book.

©f ^z TBregers, or TBeffgars.

|HE first chapter is about Bregers. Thefe
are beggars who have neither the figns
of the faints about them, nor other good
qualities, but they come plainly and fimply to
people and aik an alms for God's, or the Holy
Virgin's fake : — perchance honeft paupers with
young children, who are known in the town or
village wherein they beg, and who would, I doubt

and Beggars. 9

not, leave ofF begging if they could only thrive by
their handicraft or other honeft means, for there is
many a godly man who begs unwillingly, and feels
aftiamed before thofe who knew him formerly
when he was better off, and before he was com-
pelled to beg. Could he but proceed without he
would foon leave begging behind him.

Conclufto : To thefe beggars it is proper to give,
for fuch alms are well laid out.

©f ttt ^tabiilew, or TBrean (©atfjererg*

|HE next chapter is about the Stabulers.
Thefe are vagrants who tramp through
the country from one Saint to another,
their wives (kronerin) and children (gatzam)
going (alchen) with them. Their hats (wetter-
han) and cloaks (wintfang) hang full of figns
of all the faints, — the cloak (wintfang) being made
(vetzen) out of a hundred pieces. They go to

c

1 o The Booh of Vagabonds

the peafants who give them bread (lehem dip-
pen) ; and each of thefe Stabulers has fix or
feven facks, and carries a pot, plate, fpoon, flafk,
and whatever elfe is needed for the journey with
him. Thefe fame Stabulers never leave off
begging, nor do their children, from their infancy
to the day of their death — for the beggar's ftafF
keeps the fingers (griffling) warm — and they
neither will nor can work, and their children (gat-
zam) grow up to be harlots and harlotmongers
(gliden und glidesvetzer), hangmen and flayers
(zwickmen und kaveller). Alfo, whitherfoever
thefe Stabulers come, in town or country, they
beg; at one houfe for God's fake, at another for
St. Valentine's fake, at a third for St. Kiirine's, fie
de aliisy according to the difpofition of the people
from whom they feek alms. For they do not adhere
to one patron or truft to one method alone.

Conclufio : Thou mayefl: give to them if thou wilt,
for they are half bad and half good, — not all bad,
but moft part.

and Beggars. \ i

©f tfje iLo00nerg,* or liberated Ipnsonerg.

|HE iij'^ chapter is about the Lossners.
Thefe are knaves who fay they have lain
in prifon vi or vij years, and carry the
chains with them wherein they lay as captives
among the infidel {id ejiy in the sonnenboss,
/. e. brothel) for their chriftian faith ; iteniy on the
fea in galleys or fhips enchained in iron fetters ;
item^ in a ftrong tower for innocence' fake; and
they have forged letters (loe bsaffot), as from
the princes and lords of foreign lands, and from
the towns (kielam) there, to bear witnefs 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 feal they like and they fay they

have vowed to Our Lady at Einfiedlin (in the
dallinger's boss, /. e. harlot's houfe), or to fome

* Literally *' prifoners let-loofe.^^

1 2 The Book of Vagabonds

other Saint (in the schocherboss, i, e. beer-houfe),
according to what country they are in, a pound of
wax, a filver crucifix, or a chafuble ; and they fay
they have been made free through that vow, and,
when they had vowed, the chains opened and
broke, and they departed fafe and without harm.
Item^ fome carry iron faftenings, or coats of mail
(panzer) with them, et fie de aliis. Nota: They
have perchance bought (kummert) the chains ;
perchance they had them made (vetzen) ; per-
chance ftolen (gejenft) them from the church
(diftel) of St. Lenhart.

Conclufio : To fuch vagrants thou ftialt give
nothing, for they do nought but deceive (voppen)
and cheat (verben) thee; not one in a thoufand
fpeaks the truth.

and Be

'ggars.

©f tfte Mtn%xiti%, ot Cripples*

|HE iiij**^ is about the Klenkners. Thefe
are the beggars who fit at the church-
doors, and attend fairs and church gather-
ings with fore and broken legs ; one has no foot,
another no fhank, a third no hand or arm. Itenty
fome have chains lying by them, faying they have
lain in captivity for innocence' fake, and commonly
they have a St. Sebaftianum or St. Lenhartum
with them, and they pray and cry with a loud
voice and noify lamentations for the fake of the
Saints, and every third word one of them fpeaks
(barl) is a lie (gevop), and the people who give
alms to him are cheated (besefelt), — inafmuch
as his thigh or his foot has rotted away in prifon
or in the flocks for wicked deeds. Itemy one's
hand has been chopped off in the quarrels over
dice or for the fake of a harlot. Item^ many a one
ties a leg up or befmearis an arm with falves, or

1 4 The Book of Vagabonds

walks on crutches, and all the while as little ails
him as other men. Item^ at Utenheim there was a
prieft by name Mafter Hans Ziegler (he holds
now the benefice of Rofheim), and he had his niece
with him. One upon crutches came before his
houfe. His niece carried him a piece of bread.
He faid, "Wilt thou give me nought elfe ? " She
said, " I have nought elfe." He replied, " Thou
old prieft's harlot! wilt thou make thy parfon
rich ? " and fwore many oaths as big as he could
utter them. She cried and came into the room and
told the prieft. The prieft went out and ran after
him. The beggar dropped his crutches and fled fo
faft that the parfon could not catch him. A fhort
time afterwards the parfon's houfe was burnt down ;
he faid the Klenkner did it. Iteniy another true
example : at Schletftat, one was fitting 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 beg-
gar. This latter one ran oflF and told the town-

and Beggars. i 5

ferjeant. When he faw the ferjeant coming he fled
and left the fore leg behind him and ran out of the
town — a horfe could hardly have overtaken him.
Soon afterwards he hung on the gallows at Achem,
and the dry leg befide him, and they called him
Peter of Kreuzenach. Item^ they are the biggefl:
bla^hemers thou canft find who do fuch things;
and they have alfo the fineft harlots (gliden), they
are the firfl:-comers at fairs and church-celebrations,
and the lafl-goers therefrom.

Conclufto : Give them a kick on their hind parts if
thou canfl, for they are nought but cheats (besef-
ler) of the peafants (hanzen) and all other men.

Example : One was called Uz of Lindau. He
was at Ulm, in the hofpital there, for xiiij days,
and on St. Sebaflian's day he lay before a church,
his hands and thighs tied up, neverthelefs he could
ufe both legs and hands. This was betrayed to the
confl:ables. When he faw them coming he fled
from the town, — a horfe could hardly have ran
fafl:er.

1 6 The Book of Vagabonds

©f DobilTctg,* ot Dopfetg, /. e. Cftutcft^

mentiicant0.

|HE v*^ chapter is about Dobissers. Thefe
beggars (stirnenstosser, i.e. fpurious
anointers) go hoftiatim from houfe to houfe,
and touch the peafant and his wife (hanz und han-
zin) with the Holy Virgin, or fome other Saint, fay-
ing that it is the Holy Virgin from the chapel, — and
they pafs themfelves off for friars from the fame
place. Item^ that the chapel was poor and they
beg linen-thread for an altar-cloth {id eft^ a gown
[claffot] for a harlot [schrefen]). Item^ frag-
ments of filver for a chalice {id efty to fpend it in
drinking [verschochern] or gambling [verjo-
nen]). item, towels for the priefts to dry their
hands upon, {id eft, to fell [verkummern] them).
Itenty there are alfo Dobissers, church-beggars, who
have letters with feals, and beg alms to repair a

• DebifTern.

and Beggars. 1 7

ruined chapel (diftel), or to build a new church.
Verily, fuch friars do make collections for an edifi"
cium — viz. one which lies not far below the nofe, and
is called St. Drunkard's chapel.

Conclufio: As to thefe 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
canft.

©f ffi^ammefietew, ot Leatnen TBeggaw-

[HE vj*^ chapter is about the Kammesierers.
Thefe beggars are young fcholars or young
ftudents, who do not obey their fathers
and mothers, and do not liften to their matters' teach-
ing, and fo depart, and fall into the bad company
of fuch as are learned in the arts of ftrolling and
tramping, and who quickly help them to lofe all
they have by gambling (verjonen), pawning (ver-

1 8 The Book of Vagabonds

senken), or felling (verkummern) it, with drink-
ing (verschochern) and revelry. And when they
have nought more left, they learn begging, and kam-
MESiERiNG, and to cheat the farmers (hanzen-besef-
len); and they kamesier as follows: //^w, that they
come from Rome {id eji^ from the brothel [sonnen-
boss]), ftudying to become priefts (on the gallows,
i. e. dolman) ; itemy one is acolituSy another is epifto-
lariuSy the third evangelicuSy and a fourth clericus
(galch) ; itemy 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 fong. //<?;», they afk linen cloth for an alb
{id efty for a harlot's fhift, /. e. gliden hanfstau-
den). Itemy money, that they may be confecrated at
next Corpus Chrifti day {id eft y in a sonnenboss, i.e.
brothel), and whatever they get by cheating and
begging they lofe in gambling (verjonen), or with
ftrumpets, or fpend it in drink (verschocherns
und VERBOLENs). Itemy they fhave tonfures on their
heads, although they are not ordained and have no

and Beggars. 1 9

church document (format), though they fay they
have, and they are altogether a bad lot (loe vot).

Conclujio : As to thefe Kammesierers give them
nought, for the lefs thou giveft them the better it
is for them, and the fooner they muft leave off.
They have alfo forged FORMATiE (Jit era).

©f (Kagtantt (Oaffietetn), ot %)ttollet0*

HE vij* chapter is about Vagrants. Thefe
are beggars or adventurers who wear yellow
garments, come from Venufberg, know the
black art, and are called rambling fcholars. Thefe
fame when they come into a houfe fpeak thus : —
" Here comes a rambling fcholar, a magifter of
the feven free arts (Jd eji^ the various ways of cheat-
ing [beseflen] the farmers [hanzen]), an exorcifer
of the devil for hail, for ftorm, and for witchcraft."
Then he utters fome magical words and crofles his
breaft ii or iij times, and fpeaks thus : —

20 The Book of Vagabonds

** Wherever thefe words are faid.
No man ihall fuddenly fall dead«
No murrain, mildew or other miferie
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 forry they have never feen a wandering
fcholar before, and fpeak 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
fays " Yes," and cheats the farmers (besefeltden
den HANZEN ums mess) out of their money. And
after thefe experiments they depart. The farmers
fuppofe that by their talking they can drive the
devil away, and can help them from any trouble that
has befallen them. Thou canfl: afk them nothing
but they will perform thee an experiment therewith ;
that is, they can cheat and defraud thee of thy money.
Conclufio : Beware of thefe Vagrants y for where-
with they praftife is all lies.

and Beggars. 2 1

€)f t^e (£^rantner0, or i&naties tnit^ t^e

falling %)ic{tnef0.

|HE viij^ chapter is about the Grantners.
Thefe are the beggars who fay in the
farm-houfes (hansen-boss) : — '^ Oh, dear
friend, look at me, I am afflifted with the falling
ficknefs of St. Valentine, or St. Kurinus, or St. Vi-
tus, or St. Antonius, and have offered myfelf to the
Holy Saint {utjufrd) with vj pounds of wax, with an
altar cloth, with a filver falver {etceterd)^ and muft
bring thefe together from pious people's offerings and
help ; therefore I beg you to contribute a heller, a
fpindleful of flax, a ribbon, or fome linen yarn for
the altar, that God and the Holy Saint may protefl:
you from mifery and difeafe and the falling ficknefs."
Nota : A falfe (loe) trick.

Ifem, fome fall down before the churches, or in
other places with a piece of foap in their mouths,
whereby the foam rifes as big as a fifl, and they prick

22 n^e Book of Vagabonds

their noftrils with a ftraw, caufing them to bleed, as
though they had the falling-ficknefs. Nota: this
is utter knavery. Thefe are villanous vagrants that
infeft all countries. Item^ there are many who fpeak
(barlen) thus : — " Liften to me, dear friends, I am
a butcher's fon, a tradefinan. And it happened fome
time fince that a vagrant came to my father's houfe
and begged for St. Valentine's fake ; and my father
gave me a penny to give to him. I faid, ' father, it is
knavery.' My father told me to give it to him, but
I gave it him not. And fince that hour I have been
afflifted with the falling-ficknefs, and I have made
a vow to St. Valentine of iij pounds of wax and a
High Mafs, and I beg and pray pious folks to help
me, becaufe I have made this vow; otherwife I
fliould have fubftance enough for myfelf. Therefore
I afk of you an offering and help that the dear holy
St. Valentine may guard and proted you evermore."
Nota : what he fays is all lies. Ifenty he has been
more than xx years coUefting for his iij pounds of
wax and the mafs, and has been gambling (ver-

and Beggars. 23

jonen), bibbling (verschochern), and rioting
(verbolen) with it. And there are many that ufe
other and more fubtle words than thofe given in this
book. Item^ fome have a written teftimony (bsaf-
fot) that it is all true.

Conclujio: If any of the Grantners cometh
before thine houfe, and fimply beggeth for God's
fake, and fpeaketh not many, nor flowery words, to
them thou flialt give, for there are many men who
have been afflided with the ficknefs by the Saints ;
but as to thofe Grantners who ufe many words,
fpeak of great wonders, tell you that they have
made vows, and can altogether fkilfully ufe their
tongues — ^thefe are figns that they have followed this
bufinefs for a long time, and, I doubt not, they are
falfe and not to be trufled. As to him who believes
them, they take a nut off his tree. Take care
of fuch, and give them nothing.

24 The Book of Vagabonds

|HE ix^ chapter is about the Dutzers.
Thefe are beggars who have been ill for a
long time, as they fay, and have promifed
a difficult pilgrimage to this or that Saint {ut Jupra
in precedenti capitulo) for three whole and entire
alms every day, that they, thereby, muft go each
day from door to door until they find three pious
men who will give them three entire alms. Thus
fpeaketh a pious man unto them : " What is an en-
tire alms ?" Whereat the Dutzer replieth: " A
'plaphart' {hlaffard)^ whereof I muft have three
every day, and take no lefs, for without that the
pilgrimage is no good." Some go for iij pennies,
fome for one penny, et in toto nihil. And the alms
they " muft have from a good and correft man."
Such is the vanity of women, rather than be called
impious they give a double " blafFard," and fend
the Dutzer one to another, who ufes many other

and Beggars. 25

words which I cannot make bold to repeat. Item^
they would take a hundred '^ blafFards" and more a
day if they were given them, and what they fay
is all lies (gevopt). Iteniy this alfo is dutzing, viz.
when a beggar comes to thine houfe and fpeaks;
*' Good woman, might I afk you for a fpoonful of
butter ; I have many young children, and I want the
wherewith to cook foup for them?" Item^ for an
egg (betzam) : '^ I have a child bedridden now thefe
feven days." Item^ for a mouthful of wine, " for I
have a fick wife," et fie de aliis. This is called

DUTZING.

Conclufio: Give nought whatfbever to thofe
DuTZERS who fay that they have taken a vow not
to gather more per diem than iij or iiij entire alms,
ut fupra. They are half good (hunt), and half
bad (lotsch); but the greater part bad.

26 The Book of Vagabonds

|HE x*^ chapter is about the Schleppers.
Thefe are Kammesierers who pretend to
be priefts. They come to the houfes with
a famulus or difcipulus who carries a fack after
them, and {peak thus : — " Here comes a confecrated
man, named Matter George Kefller, of Kitzebiihel
(or what elfe he likes to call himfelf) and I am of
fuch-and-fuch a village, or of fuch-and-fuch a family
(naming a family which they know), and I will
officiate at my firft mafs on fuch-and-fuch a day in
that village, and I was confecrated for the altar in
fuch-and-fuch a town at fuch-and-fuch a church,
and there is no altar cloth, nor is there a miifal, et
ceteruy and I cannot affiDrd them without much help
from all men ; for mark, whofoever is commended
for an offering in the angel's requiem, or for as
many pennies as he gives, fo many fouls will be re-
leafed amongft his deceafed kindred." Item, they

and Beggars. 27

receive alfo the farmer (hanz) and his wife
(hanzin) into a brotherhood, which they fay had
beftowed on it grace and a great indulgence from
the bifliop who is to erefl: the altar. Thus men
are moved to pity ; one gives linen yarn, another
flax or hemp; one table cloths, or towels, or old
filver plate ; and the Schleppers fay that they are
not a brotherhood like the others who have quef-
tionerer^ and who come every year, but that they
will come no more (for if they came again they
would certainly be drowned [geflosselt]). Itemy
this manner is greatly praftifed in the Black

a

Forefl:, and in the country of Bregenz, in Kurwa-
len, and in the Bar, and in the Algen, and on the
Adige, and in Switzerland, where there are not many
priefts, and where the churches are far diftant from
each other, — as are alfo the farms.

Conclujio: To thefe Schleppers, or Knaves,
give nothing, for it would be badly laid out.

Exemplum . One was called Manfuetus ; he alfo
invited the farmers to his firfl: mafe at St. Gallen ;

28 The Book of Vagabonds

and when they came to St. Gallen they fought for
him in the cathedral, but found him not. After
their meal they difcovered him in a brothel (son-
NENBoss), but he efcaped.

©f tfie (©fcltiire0, or 15Unli IBeffffariK*

|HE xi* chapter is of theGiCKissES,orBlind
Beggars. Mark: there are three kinds of
blind men who wander about. Some are
called BLOCHARTS, id ejiy 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 fay to the people they have been ftolen
from them, or loft at the places where they had
fheltered themfelves, and one of them often coUefts
ten or xx caps, and then fells them. Some are
called blind who have loft their fight by evil-doings
and wickednefl!es. They wander about in the coun-
try and carry with them piftures of devils, and re-

and Beggars. 29

pair to the churches, and pretend they had been at
Rome, to Saint James, and other diftant places, and
^eak of great figns and wonders that had taken
place, but it is all lies and deception. Some of the
blind men are called broken wanderers (Bruch
Umbgeen). Thefe are fuch 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 fay that they have been mer-
cers or pedlers, and were blinded by wicked men
in a foreft, that they were tied faft to a tree and fo
remained three or four days, and, but for a merciful
pafler-by, they would have miferably perifhed ; —
and this is called broken wandering.

Conclujio : Know them well before thou giveft to
them ; my advice is only give to thofe thou knoweft.

30 The Book of Vagabonds

%i tf)e ^cl)toanfeltier0, lBUcitfcf)Iaf)er0, or

JSafecu TBcffffar0.

I HE xij* chapter is about the Schwanfel-
DERS, or Blickschlahers. Thefe are
beggars who, when they come to a town,
leave their clothes at the hoftelry, and fit down
againft the churches naked, and fhiver terribly before
the people that they may think they are fufFering
from great cold. They prick themfelves with nettle-
feed and other things, whereby they are made to
fliake. Some fay they have been robbed by wicked
men ; fome that they have lain ill and for this rea-
fon were compelled to fell their clothes. Some fay
they have been ftolen from them ; but all this is
only that people fhould give them more clothes,
when they fell (verkummern) them, and fpend the
money with lewd women (verbolens) and gambling
(verjonens).

and Beggars. 3 1

Conclufio : Beware of thefe Schwanfelders for
it is all knavery, and give them nothing, whether they
be men or women, (unlefs) thou knoweft them well.

flDf ttie (Kopper0, or DemontaciS!.

|HE xiij*^ chapter is about the Voppers,
Thefe beggars are for the moft part wo-
men, who allow themfelves to be led in
chains as if they were raving mad ; they tear their
fhifts from their bodies, in order that they may de-
ceive people. There are alfo fome that do both,
voppERY and dutzing, together. This is vopping,
viz. when one begs for his wife's or any other per-
fon's fake and fays ftie has been poflefled of a devil
(tho' there is no truth in it), and he ]has vowed to
fome Saint (whom he names), and muft have xij
pounds of wax or other things whereby the perfon
will be delivered from the power of the devil. Thefe
are called Dutzing- Voppers.

32 "The Book of Vagabonds

Conclujio : This is a wicked and falfe way of beg-
ging. They fmg,—

A beggar's (bregar) weiich (erlatin) will cheat.
And lie (voppen) and be fiill of deceit (perben) :
And he kicks and beats her with his ihoe.

There are alfo fome Vopperinae, id ejly women,
who pretend that they have difeafes of the breaft.
They take a cow's fpleen, and peel it on one fide,
and then lay it upon their bofom — the peeled part
outfide — befmearing it with blood, in order that
people may think it is the breaft. Thefe are the

VOPPERINAE.

i3Df tf)e Danm0er0, or hangmen.

|HE xiiij**" chapter is about the Dallingers.
Thefe are they who ftand before the
churches, having been hangmen (although
they have left it off i year or ii fince), and chaftife
and whip themfelves with rods, and will do pe-

and Beggars. 33

nance and pilgrimage for their fin and wickedneffes.
Thefe often beg with much fuccefs. When they
have pradlifed for a while and cheated many people
thereby, they become hangmen again, as before.
Give to them if thou wilt ; but they are all knaves
who beg thus.

©f tf>cDut?ficttcrm0, or JLpinffan d^omen-

|HE xv**^ chapter is about the Dutzbette-
RiNS. Thefe are the beggarwomen who
lay themfelves before the churches all over
the country. They fpread a fheet over themfelves,
and fet wax and eggs by them, as tho* they were in
childbed, and fay, their babe died xiiij days ago,
altho* fome of them have not had one thefe x or xx
years; and they are called Dutzbetterins. To
thefe nothing is to be given, — cauja: There lay once,
at Strafburg, a man underneath a fheet before the
cathedral, and it was pretended he was a woman in
childbed. But he was taken by the town ferjeants,

F

34 ^^ Book of Vagabonds

and put into a halfong, and in the pillory, and then
he was forbidden the country. There are likewife
fome women who pretend they have been pregnant
with a monfter and have brought forth fuch, as did
a woman who came to Pforzheim in the year one
thoufand five hundred and nine. This fame wo-
man faid that a ftiort time before ftie had given
birth to a child and a live toad ; and that this very
toad ftie had carried to Our Lady at Einfiedeln,
where it was ftill alive, and that it muft have a
pound of meat every day, — being kept at Einfiedeln
as a miracle. Thus flie begs alms as if flie were on
her way to Ach, to Our Lady. She had alfo a letter
with a feal, which was proclaimed from the pulpit.
The fame woman, however, had a lufty young man
whom flie kept in food by fuch villany, fitting in
an alehoufe in the fuburb waiting for her. All this
was found out by the gate-keeper ; and they would
have been feized, but they had been warned and fo
took themfelves off. Nota: All this was utter
knavery.

and Beggars. 35

£Df tlie $untt)eger0, or (pretentieD)

8$9urDerer0*

HE xvi* chapter is about the Suntvegers.
Thefe are ftrong fellows who go about the
country with long knives and fay they have
taken a man's life away, but that it was in felf-de-
'fence, and then they name a fum of money which
they muft have, and unlefs they bring the money
at the right time, they will have their heads cut off.
Itemy fome are accompanied by a fellow on their
begging-rounds who goes in iron chains and fetters
fattened with rings, and who fays he was bail for the
other for a fum of money to the people, and if he
gets not the money in time, both of them muft
perifti.

36 Tide Book of Vagabonds

S)f t^e female ^unmegetiB!.

I HE xvij**" chapter is about the female-Sunt-
VEGERS. Thefe are the wives (kronerin),
or, in reality, the wenches (gliden) of the
above fellows {fupra in precedenti capitulo). They
wander over the country, and fay that formerly they
led a loofe life, but that now they repent and would
turn from their wickednefs, and beg alms for the
fake of Sanda Maria Magdalena, and cheat the
people therewith.

jJDf tfje TBiMnearers,* or (prctenDcD)
pregnant Ci^omem

|HExviij***chapteris about theBiL-WEARERS.
Thefe are the women who tie old jerkins j
or clothes, qr a pillow over their perfon,
underneath the gown, in order that people may think

♦ In the original Biltregerin {Bildtragerin), i,e. Billet- wearers.

and Beggars. 3 7

they are with child ; and they have not had one for
XX years or more. This is called going with Bils.*

©f tfje Slirffins (3fungfrauen), or pmenDeD

lepers.

jHE xix* chapter is about the Virgins.
Thefe are beggars who carry rattles as
though they were real lepers, and yet they
are not. This is called going with the Virgin.

©f tfte fls^iimfen, or Spurious TBeggars.

|HE XX* chapter treats of the Mumsen.
Thefe are beggars who go about under the
pretence of begging ; though it is not real,
like that of the Capuchin Friars who are voluntarily
poor. Thefe fame men have their women fitting in
out-of-the-way corners alfo following the bufinefs.
This is called going with the Mumsen.

* Beulen, bumps, or protuberances ?

38 TTie Book of Vagabonds

©f tlje ©ttcr*®on5em®oer0,* or prctcnUeD
iBodlemen anti ^xi\^x%.

|HE xxi* chapter is about Over-Sonzen-
GOERs. Thefe are vagrants or beggars
who fay they are of noble birth, and that
they have fufFered by war, fire, or captivity, or have
been driven away and loft all they had. Thefe
clothe themfelves prettily and with neatnefe, as though
they were noble, though it is not fo; they have
falfe letters (loe bsaffot) ; and this they call going

OVER SONZEN.

£Df tt)e i&antiierer0, or pretentieti ^tiizt%.

|HE xxij°^ chapter is about the Kandierers.
Thefe are beggars tidily dreffed; they make
people believe they had once been mer-
chants over the fea, and have with them a loe

* Ubern Sonzen ganger.

and Beggars. 39

BSAFFOT, from the bifhop (as common people think),
but the trick has been well related in capitulo tertioy
together with an account of the lossners (liberated
prifoners), — how they obtain their falfe letters and
feals, faying they have been robbed ; but it is all
lies. This is called going over clant.

£Df tf)e (Ketanertns, or bapti^ti 3letoeire0.

|HE xxiij"^ chapter is about the Veranerins.
Thefe are women who fay they are bap-
tized Jeweffes and have turned Chriftians,
and can tell people whether their fathers or mothers
are in hell or not, and beg gowns and dreffes and
other things, and have alfo falfe letters and feals.
They are called Veranerins.

40 "The Book of Vagabonds

©f Cfjnflianers, Calmierers, or (pretcnDeD)

Pilgrims.

|HE xxiiij^'* chapter is about Christianers
or Calmierers. Thefe are beggars who
wear figns in their hats, efpecially Roman
veronicas, fhells, and other tokens, which they fell to
each other, in order that it ftiall be thought they
have been in diftant cities and foreign parts. For
this reafon they wear thefe figns, although they have
never come thence, and they deceive people thereby .
They are called Calmierers.

©f tfie ®effer0, or Saltiers*

|HE xxv*^ chapter is about the Seffers.
Thefe are beggars who befmear themfelves
all over with falve, and lie down before the
churches; thus looking as though they had been
ill a long time, and as if their mouth and face had

and Beggars. 41

broken out in fores ; but if they go to a bath three
days after thefe go away again.

i3Df tf)e ^clitoeigers, or tfie 3launDiceD.

|HE xxvj*** chapter is about the Schweigers.
Thefe are beggars who take horfes' dung
and mix it with water, and befmear their
legs, hands, and arms with it ; thereby appearing
as if they had the yellow ficknefs, or other dreadful
difeafe. Yet it is not true ; they cheat people there-
with, and they are called Schweigers.

©f tf)e TButfefjatt.

|HE xxvij* chapter is about the Burkhart.
Thefe are they who thruft their hands into
gauntlets, and tie them with kerchiefs to their
throats, and fay they have Saint Anthony's penance,
or that of any other Saint. Yet it is not true, and

G

42 The Book of Vagabonds

they cheat people therewith. This is called going

ON THE BURKHART.

©f tfje ipiatfcfjierers, or 15UnD harpers*

jHE xxviij*** chapter is about the Plat-
scHiERERS. Thefe are the blind men who
fit before the churches on chairs, and play
on the lute, and fing various fongs of foreign lands
whither they have never been, and when they have
done finging they begin to vop (to lie) and ferb in
what manner they had loft their eye-fight.. Item^ the
hangmen (Platschierers) alfo before the diftel
door (church-door) will take their clothes ofF till
they are ftark-naked, and lafli themfelves with whips
and fticks for the fake of their fins, and they do this
voppery to cheat mankind, as thou haft juft heard
in the previous chapter ; and this is called plat-
scHiERiNG. Alfo thofe who ftand on ftools, and lafh
themfelves with ftones and other things, and talk
about the faints, ufually become hangmen and flayers.

and Beggars. ^ 43

^ The Second Part.

This is the Second Tart of this Book^ which Jpeaketh
of fever al Notabilia that relate to the afore-men-
tioned cuftoms and methods of getting a livings given
in a few words.

TEMy there are fome of the afore-men-
tioned who neither afk before a houfe nor
at the door, but ftep right into the houfe,
or into the chamber, whether any body be within
or no. It is from no good reafon. Thefe thou
knoweft thyfelf

Item^ there are alfo fome that go up and down the
aifles of churches, and carry a cup in their hands.
They wear clothes fuitable for this purpofe, and pafs
about very infirm as tho' they were ftrangely ill, and
go from one to the other, and bow towards thofe
people who are likely to give them fomething.
They are called Pflugers.

Itemy there are alfo fome who borrow children
upon All Souls' or other Feaft Day, and fit down

44 7/^ Book of Vagabonds

before the churches as tho' they had many children,
and they fay " thefe children are motherlefs" or
" fatherlefs," but it is not true. This is done in
order that people may give to them the more will-
ingly for the fake of Adone (God).

Exemplutn: In a village in Switzerland, there
is a ftatute whereby they give to every beggar v s.
hellers on condition that he fhall for a quarter of a
year at leaft not beg in the fame neighbourhood.
Once a woman took thefe fame v s. hellers on con-
dition that fhe would not beg any more in the
neighbourhood. After that fhe cut her hair off,
and begged up and down the country, and came
again to Swy tz, into the village, and fat down at the
church gate with a young child. When the child
was uncovered it was found to be a dog. Then fhe
had to run away from the country. This perfon
was called Weijfenburgerin ; fhe had been in prifon
at Zurich combing wool.

lum, there are fome who put on good clothes
and beg in the flreets. They accofl any perfon, be

and Beggars. 45

it woman or man, and fay, they have lain ill a long
time, and are mechanics who have expended all their
goods and are aihamed to beg, and afk that thou
mayeft help them to proceed on their journey. Thefe
are called Goose-shearers.*

Item^ there are likewife fome among thofe before-
mentioned who pretend they can dig or fearch for
hidden treafures, and when they find fome one who
allows himfelf to be perfuaded, they fay they muft
have gold and filver, and muft have many mafTes
celebrated to this fame end, et ceteruy with many
more words added. Thereby they deceive the no-
bility, the clergy, and alfo the laity, for it has not
yet been heard that fuch villains have found thefe
valuables. But they have cheated people enough.
They are called SEFEL-(dirt-)DiGGERS.

Itemy there are alfo fome among the above who
treat their children badly in order that they may be-
come lame (and who would be forry if they fhould
grow ftraight-legged) for thereby they are more

* Gensscherer^ /'. e, ganfTcherer.

46 The Book of Vagabonds

able to cheat /people with their loe vots (lying
words).

Item^ there are alfo others among the above who,
when they come into the villages, have a little coun-
terfeit finger and dirt* upon it, fmearing it all over,
and fay they have found it, and alk if fomebody
will buy it. Thus a filly peafant's wife (hanzin)
thinks it is filver, and knows it not, and gives them
vi pennies or more for it, and therewith flie is cheated.
In like manner ^m^ pater nofters^or other figns which
they carry underneath their cloaks. They are called

WiLTNERS.

Item^ there are alfo fome Questionerers (per-
fons who aflc alms) who make evil ufe of the holy
goods which they receive, be it flax, linen-cloth,
broken filver plate, or other things ; they are eafily
detefted by thofe who are knowing, but the common
man will foon be cheated. I give to no Questioner
anything, excepting the four mefl^engers, id efty

thofe that are here written down, viz. San£fi Anto-

* In the original kot, i. e. kat.

and Beggars. a^j

niiy SanSli Valentini^ San£li Bernardiy et Spiritus
San£li. The fame have been confirmed by the See
of Rome.*

Item^ beware of the pedlers who feek thee at
home, for thou wilt buy nothing good of them, be it
filver, haberdafhery, fpicery, or any other wares.

Beware, likewife, of the doftors who travel up
and down the country, and offer theriack and roots,
and make much ado about themfelves, and efpecially
fome blind doftors. One called Hans of Strafburg,
has been a Jew, and was chriftened at Strafburg at
Whitfuntide ; years ago his eyes were bored out at
Worms, but he is now a phyfician, and tells for-
tunes, and travels from place to place, and cheats and
defrauds every body. How ? I need not fay, I
could tell well enough.

Iteniy beware of the Joners (gamblers) who prac-
tice BESEFLERY with the BRIEF (cheating at cards),
who deal falfely and cut one for the other, cheat with
BOGLEiN and SPIES, pick one brief (card) from the

* On this pafTage Luther remarks : — ** But now it is all over
with thefe too!"

f THE THIRD PART OF THIS

LITTLE BOOK IS THE

VOCABULARY.

EDONE, God. Hebrew, adhonaiy, the
i Lord, I. e. God.

ACHELN, to eat. Hebrew, akAl.
ALCHEN! to go.
ALCH DICHf go ! or, go quickly !
ALCH DICH iJBERN BREITHART! go far away !

remove to a diftance !
ALCH DICH UBERN GLENZ! go for away! re-
move to a diftance !
BARLEN, to fpeak. French, parler.
BESCHOCHER, tipfy. German, besoffen, drunken,

inebriated.
BETZAM, an egg. Hebrew, beytzah.
BLECH, a blaffart, — an obfolete coin containing 4.8
hellers. German, blech, a thin piece of metal.

so The Vocabulary.

BLECHLEIN^ a kreiizer, — a fmaller coin than the pre-
ceding, containing 8 hellers. German^ blechlein,
the diminutive of blech.

BOLENy HELSEN, — probably the Germany halsen, to
embrace any one, to jump at one's neck (hals); alio
to veer.

BOPPENy to lie ; be placed or fituated.

BOSSy or BETT, a houfe. This term would feem to be
from the HebreWy beth, a houfe. Bo, or bos, is a
common prefix in the old Cornijhy and (ignifies a
houfe, as boscawen, bospidnick.

BOSS DICH! hold thy tongue !

BOSSHARTy meat. The Hebrew y bAsar, fignifies flefh.

BOSSHAR y. VETLERy a butcher. Hebrew.

BREGENy to beg. Both this and the following are pro-
bably corruptions of the Germany predigen, to
pray, to preach ; or they may have come from the
Old Germany bracher, a pauper. Poffibly, how-
ever, they are nothing more than corruptions of
BEGHARD^ the name given to a low order of friars
before the Reformation. Thefe profefTed poverty,
and lived on alms. Their orthodoxy and morality
were doubtful. In general they were denounced by
the eccleiiaftical authorities. See Mofheim, de beg-
HARDis et Beguinis. The term evidently comes from

The Vocabulary. 51

the Saxon J beggen, mendicare ; and hard, or hart,
a fervant.

BREGER, a beggan

BREITHJRTy far, wide, — breit here being equivalent
to broad, or wide ; and hart, to very, or exceedingly.

BREITFUSSy 2L goofe, or duck,— literally, a "broad-
foot."

BRESEMy BRUCH, to break. The OJd German^ bruch,
fignifies yr^^«r^, ruptura ; femoralia ; locus palu/iris;
infra£iio legis. The Modern German^ bruch, refers
to a breach or rupture in a perfon, efpecially a break-
age caufed by violence.

BRIEFy a playing card. German^ brief, a letter.

BRIEFELVETZERy a clerk. Vide fetzen.

BRIEFENy to play at cards.

BRISSENy to denounce.

BRUSSy a leper.

BSJFFOTj a letter, a cipher. The Germany ziffer,
figniiies a cipher, and probably comes from the
Arabic or HebreWy — s£pher in the latter being
equivalent to writing, a writing, or whatever is written
in a book.

BSCHIDERICHy a magiftrate. Probably this term, to-
gether with the following, were merely vulgar adapta-
tions of the Germany bescheiden, to appoint, to be

52 The Vocabulary.

difcreet. The Old German^ bsscheid-rik, might
be tranflated as '* powerful in decifion," and be-
SCHEIDRUOM, *' rcnowned for difcretion or modefty.'*

BSCHUDERULM, nobility.

BUTLELMJN^ zagel. The German^ zagel, is a
provincial word, and figniiies a tail. See Scheiss.

DALLINGERj a hangman. Probably a corruption of
GALGENER, — from the German^ galgen, a gallows,
or gibbet.

DERLING^ 2L die (plural dice).

DIERLINGf the eye. Poffibly a diminutive of the
German^ thur, a door, or entrance, — not inappropri-
ately applied to the eye, as the little door out of which
all things are feen.

DIERNy to fee.

DIFTELj a church. Probably a corruption of the Ger^
mafij STIFTEL, — a diminutive of stift, a cathedral.
Stiftung is a foundation, eftablifhment ; stifter, a
founder.

DIPPENy to give. German^ geben.

DOLMJNy the gallows. The German, dolman, pro-
perly fignifies a pelifle, — the tight-fitting nature of
which may have given rife to the cant application to
a gallows.

DOTSCHj vulva. Suppofed by fome to be from the

The Vocabulary. 53

German^ tasche, a pocket. The Bavarian words
DOTSCH, DOST, DosTEN, however, ftill fignify vulva.

DOUL (/. e. DOEL, — daul), a penny. The fourth part of
a BLECHLEiN, or kreuzer.

DRITLINGy a (hoe. From the Old German^ trit-
LING, a footftool, a bench, — a diminutive of tritt,
gradusy pajfus incejfus^ curfus pedejiris, Tretten is
omnes pedum motusy from the Celtic^ trud ; Ancient
Britijhy TROED, — fo that it feems very probable that
TRiTLiNG, or DRiTLiNG, may have meant a little
treader, or flioe.

DV EINHAR^ FLEUCH.

EMSy good. The Germany emsig, is ailiduous; die
EMSiGE BiENE, the bufy bee. It feems to come from
the Old German^ emmazzig, for unmuazig, occupa-
tus et minime otiofus. After the fame fafliion is de-
rived the French^ a-muser.

ERFERKEN {ERSECKEui)j retschen.

ERLJTj the mafter. The Welchy herlod, is a ftrip-
ling, lad; herlodes, a damfel, girl. It is fuppofed
that the word *' harlot," which originally fignified a
bold ftripling, is from this. Chaucer fays : —

A fturdie harlot — that was her hoftes man^
He was a gentil harlot^ and a kind.

If ERLAT is from the German^ it would be from herr-
LAUT, a diftinguiihed lord, a mafter.

54 7/5^^ Vocabulary.

ERLATIN^ the miftrefs.

FELINGj a grocery, or general ftore 5 a grocer's wife.

FETZENy or vetzen, to work, to make. Latin^ fa-
cere. The German^ fetzen, fignifies a piece, or
flice.

FLADER^ a bath-room, a barber's fhop.

FLADER^FETZER, a barber.

FLADER-FETZERIN, a barber's wife.

FLICK^ KNAB. Hilpert refers to flugge, unfledged.

FLOSS J foup. From the G^r;wtf», floss, a ftream;

FLOSSEN, to flow.

FLOSSARTy water.

FLOSSELTy drowned. Previous to the time of Luther,

beggars were drowned when caught ftealing. p^ide

Gengenbach.
FLOSSLENy to make water.
FLOSSLINGj a filh. German^ flosse, a fin.
FLUCKAR r, poultry, birds. From the Germany fliegek,

to fly ; literally, « fly-hard," or " faflr-flyer."
FUNKARTy fire. Germany funke, a fpark.
FUNKARTHOLEy an earthenware ftove.
FUNKELNy to boil, cook, roafl:.
GACKENSCHERRy 2l chicken. Germany gacken, to

cackle ; scharren, to fcratch.
GALCHy aparfon, prieft. The Old Germany gall, is

cajlratus; the fame with gelde, — whence gol, gel.

The Vocabulary. ^5

fterile. The German^ kelch, is a chalice, the com-
munion cup. Galch may be, however, fimply an
extenfion of galle.

GJLCHENBOSSy a parfonage.

GJLLE^ a parfon. Hebrew^ kAhal, a prieft.

GALLEN^ a town.

GANHART, the devil.

GATZAMy 2L child. Hebrew^ gatam, faid to be derived
from an Arabic word, fignifying any one puny or
thin. Or from the German^ katzchen, a little cat, a
kitten.

GEBICKEN^ to catch.

GENFENy or jenfen, to fteal.

GFAR^ a village. Hebrew ^ chXfXr, a village, hamlet.

GIELj the mouth.

GTTZLIN^ a morfel of bread.

GLATHARTj a table. German^ glatt, fmooth.

GLENZy a field.

GLESTERICH^ glafs. German^ glitzern, to glitter.

GLID (/. e. gleid), a harlot.

GLIDENBOSS, a brothel.

GLIDENFETZERINy a frequenter of brothels.

GLISS, milk.

GOFFEN, SCHLAHEN.

GRIFFLINGj a finger. German^ greifen, to grafp.

56 T'he Vocabulary.

GRIN {i.e. GRYM*), food.

GRUNHJRTj a field, /. e. very green, or green-like.
GUGELFRANZ, 2l monk.
GUGELFRENZIN, a nun.

GURGELNy LANTSKNECHTBETLIN, t. e. GURGELN

LANTSKNECHT, would feem to refer to a begging
foot-foldier. '

HANFSTAVD, a fhirt,— literally " hemp-fhrub."
HANS WAL TER^ a loufe. H anz literally means Jack
or John. The old word hansa refers to a multi-
tude 'y Old German^ hanse, a fociety ; hans, a com-
panion.
HANS VON GELLER, coarfe bread.

HARj FLEUCH.

HANZj a peafant. See Hans Walter.

HANZINy a peafant's wife.

HEGISy a hofpital. The Old German^ hag, is a houfe
(from HAGEN to hedge in, inclofe), quaji locus feptus
habitandi caufa. The Old German^ hegen, is to
nourifh, feed, to receive into one's houfe and com-
pany. The Su, Goth, h^ga, is to ferve.

HELLERICHTIGER, a florin.

HERTERICHj a knife or dagger.

HIMMELSTEIG, the Lord's Prayer,— literally, " Hea-
ven's fteps."

• " Giit und greym," giit.

The Vocabulary. sy

HOCKENy to fit, to lie.

HOLDERKJUZ, 2l hen.

HORKy a peafant.

HORNBOCKy 2L cow.

ILTISy a conftable, town fergeant. The Modern German^

iLTiss, or iLTis, fignifies a pole-cat, fitchet ; and

ILTISFALLE is a trap for catchir^ pole-cats, — or, as Dr.

Johnfon calls them, *' ftinking beafts." The Icelandic^

ILLTUR, is malus ; and the Cymriey ylltyr, is talpa^

a mole.
JOHJMy wine. From the Hebrew^ yah'-yin, wine.

Gengenbach renders this Johin.
yONENy to play, — at cards, or other game of chance.

Frenchy JOUER ?
JONERy 2l player, a gambler.

JUFFJRTy DER DA ROT 1ST ODER FREIHEIT.

yUFERBJSSENy to {we^i.

KJBJSy a head, Latiriy caput.

KJFFRIM {jACOBSBRiJDER)y z, pilgrim to the grave of

St. James.
KAMMESIERERy a learned beggar.
CAVALy a horfe. Latiriy caballus.
CAVELLERy a flayer, a butcher. Modern Germany

KAFILLER.

KERISy wine. Modern Germany xereswein, Iherry;

I

58 The Vocabulary.

or, from kirsche, a cherry, — kirschen-wasser,

cherry-water.
CHRIS TUN {jacobsbkHdek) J a pilgrim to the grave of

St. James.
KIELAM^ a town.

KIMMERN^ to buy. German^ kramen, to trade.
CLAFFOT^ a drefs, a cloak. In Gengenbach*s metrical

verfion of the Liber Vagatorum^ this is rendered

KLABOT, clothes.

CLAFFOT'FETZER, a tailor.

KLEBISj a horfe,— literally, " a clover-biter.*'

KL EMSy punifliment, imprifonment. The German^ klem-

MEN, fignifies to pinch.
KLEMSEN^ to arreft, imprifon.
KLENKSTEIN, a traitor.
KLINGEN^ LEiER; — perhaps one who plays upon a

lyre, from the German^ klingen, to found, klin-

GELN, to tinkle.
KLINGENFETZERIN, leierin,— probably a female

player upon the lyre.
KRACKLING^ a nut. From the German^ krachen,

to crack.
KRAXy a cloifter.
KRONER^ a hufband. From the German^ kronen, to

crown, to appoint as head or principal.

TTie Vocabulary. 59

KRONERIN.zWik.

LE FRANZ ^ a prieft.

LEFRENZIN, a prieft's harlot.

LEHEMj bread. Hebrew. A cotemporary of

Luther^ Gengenbach, fpells the word lem.

LINDRUNSCHELy corn-gatherers.

LISS-MARKTj the head,— literally, " the loufe mar-
ket."

LOEj bad, falfe. From Belgian j loh, Danijh^ la AG,

low ; Saxon^ loh, a pit, or gulf.

• • • •

LOE OTLIN, the devil,— literally, " the wicked gentle-

man.**

LUSSLINGj the ear. OldGermariy losen, or lusen, to
liften. Beggars formerly had their ears cut off when
detected ftealing.

MACKUMy the town.

MEGEN (or mengen), to drown,

MENGy KESSLER,

MENKLENy to eat.

MESSy money, coin. The German^ messing, fignifies

brafs.
MOLSAMERy a traitor.
NARUNG'TUNy to feek, or look out for food. Germany

NAHRUNG, livelihood ; thun, to do, make.
PFLUGER, an alms-gatherer in churches.

6d The Vocabulary.

PLATSCHEN^ to go about preaching.
PLJTSCHIERER, a preacher,— from tubs, &c.
PLICKSCHLJHER, a naked perfon.
POLENDERj a caftle, a fort. Perhaps connedled with

the German f boll, bollig, hard, ftifF; bollwark, a

bailion, bulwark.
^lEN.z dog. Z^//«, CANis. ? S^'^-'^^?
^lENGOFFER, a dog-kUler ?
RANTi^ z fack, pouch. German^ ranzen.
RAULING, a baby.
RJUSCHJRTj a ftraw matrafs. German^ rauschen,

to ruftle.
REEL^ St. Vitus' Dance.
REGEL (or reger), a die (plural dice). From the G^r-

»ztfw, REGEN, to move ?
REGENTVURM^ 2l faufage,— literally, " a rainworm."
RIBLING, dice.
iJ/Ci/r/G, juft.
RIELING, a pig.

^/PP^^r, SECKEL.

ROLj a mill. German, rollen, to roll.

ROLFETZER, a miller.

ROTBOSSy a beggar's houfe of call, beggar's home.

RUBOL T, freedom.

RURENy to play. German, ruhren, to touch, rattle.

The Vocabulary. 6i

RUMP FLING (or rumpffing), muftard. From the

German^ rumpfen, to wriggle ?
RUNZENj to cheat in dealing cards, gambling, &c.
SCHEISS (scHiEss), ZAGEL,— a tail. German^ scheisse,

excrement, dung; scheissen, to dung (imperative,

scHEiss) ; SCHIESSEN, to flioot, dart (imperative,

SCHIESS). Old German^ scHiESSEUylabiypracipitari^

cekriter moveri. See butzelman.
SCHLINGy flax, linen. German, schliugeNj to entwine.
SCHLUNj scHAFFEN, — to caufe, get, make, procure, or

produce anything,
SCHMJLKJCHELj a flanderer, German^ kachel, a

pot, — literally, " a flandering-pot.*'
SCHMALN^ to flander. Modern German^ schmalen.
SCHMUNKy melted butter.

SCHNIERENj to hang. German^ schnur, a ftring.
SCHOCHERN, to drink. Modern German^ schenken,

to fill, retail liquor ; schenke, a drinking-houfe, ale-

houfe ; schenkwirth, a beer-draper.
SCHOCHERVETZERy an innkeeper.
SCHOSAy vulva. This is fuppofed to be from the

Silejian^ die schoos, the lap ; Bavarian^ gschosl.
SCHREFy a harlot.
SCHREFENBOSS, a houfe of ill fame.

62 The Vocabulary.

SCHREILING^ a child, — diminutive formed from
SCHREIEN, to cry.

SCHRENZ, a room.

SCHURNBRANT, beer.

SCHfFENZ EN, to go.

SCHfFERZy night. Germany schwarz, black.

SEFELy dirt. Hebrew^ shAfar, humble, mean ?

SEFELBOSSy a houfe of office, dirt-houfe.

SEFELNj to evacuate.

SENFTRICHy a bed, German^ sanft, foft.

SONNENBOSS, a brothel.

SONZj a nobleman, gentleman.

SON Z IN, a lady.

SPELTING, a heller,— the fmalleft coin.

SPITZLING, oats. Modern German, spitzling, oat-
grafs; spitz E, the point of anything ; spitz, pointed,
peaked. The term appears to be a diminutive.

SPRANKAR r, fait. German^ sprenkeln, to fcatter.

STABULERy a bread-gatherer.

STEFUNG, ziL. Old German, zil, is ^nis, limes, ter-
minus temporis etloci; aifo meta jaculantis,fcopus agen-
tis, terminus oculi et mentis*

STETTINGER, a florin, — perhaps one minted at Stettin.

STOLFEN, to ftand.

STREIFLING, troufers. German, streifen, to ftrip.

The Vocabulary. 63

STROBORER, a goofe,— literally, " a ftraw-borer."

STROM^ a brothel. Poffibly an allufion to strummel,
the Old Englijh Cant for ftraw, with which houfes of
this defcription may have been littered. The cant ex^
preffion, strummel, was probably introduced into
this country by the gipfies and other vagabonds from
the Continent, in the reign of Henry VIII.

STROMBART, a foreft.

STUPJRT^ flour. Old Germany stoppel, cauda fru-
mentty from the Latin^ stipula.

TERICHj the land, or country. Latin^ terra.

FERKIMMERN^ to fell. See kimmern.

FERLUNSCHEN, versteen.

VERMONEN, to cheat.

FERSENKEN, to pawn,— literally, " to fink."

FOPPJRTj a fool. Modern German^ foppen, to mock.

VOPPEN^ to lie, tell falfehoods.

WENDERICH, cheefe.

WETTERHAN^ a hat,— literally, " a weathercock."

WINTFANG^ 2i cloak,— literally, *' a wind-catcher."

WISSULM, filly people.

fFUNNENBERG^ z pretty young woman. Germany
WONNE, pleafure,

ZICKUSy a blind man. Latiny c^cus.

64 The Vocabulary.

ZWENGERINGy a jacket. Gennan^ zwangen, to

force,
ZWICKER^ a hangman. German^ zwicken, to pinch.
ZWIRLING^ an eye.

Nothing without Reason.

CUISWICK PRESS : — PRINTED BY WHITTINGHAM AND WILKINS,
TOOKS COURTy CHANCERY LANE.