the zincali-第5章

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prison；　had　promised　to　shield　them　from　conviction　by　means　of　her　



art。　　It　is　therefore　not　surprising　that　in　the　fifteenth　and　



sixteenth　centuries；　when　a　belief　in　sorcery　was　supported　by　the　



laws　of　all　Europe；　these　people　were　regarded　as　practisers　of　



sorcery；　and　punished　as　such；　when；　even　in　the　nineteenth；　they　



still　find　people　weak　enough　to　place　confidence　in　their　claims　



to　supernatural　power。







The　accusation　of　producing　disease　and　death　amongst　the　cattle　



was　far　from　groundless。　　Indeed；　however　strange　and　incredible　it　



may　sound　in　the　present　day　to　those　who　are　unacquainted　with　



this　caste；　and　the　peculiar　habits　of　the　Rommanees；　the　practice　



is　still　occasionally　pursued　in　England　and　many　other　countries　



where　they　are　found。　　From　this　practice；　when　they　are　not　



detected；　they　derive　considerable　advantage。　　Poisoning　cattle　is　



exercised　by　them　in　two　ways：　　by　one；　they　merely　cause　disease　



in　the　animals；　with　the　view　of　receiving　money　for　curing　them　



upon　offering　their　services；　the　poison　is　generally　administered　



by　powders　cast　at　night　into　the　mangers　of　the　animals：　　this　way　



is　only　practised　upon　the　larger　cattle；　such　as　horses　and　cows。　　



By　the　other；　which　they　practise　chiefly　on　swine；　speedy　death　is　



almost　invariably　produced；　the　drug　administered　being　of　a　highly　



intoxicating　nature；　and　affecting　the　brain。　　They　then　apply　at　



the　house　or　farm　where　the　disaster　has　occurred　for　the　carcase　



of　the　animal；　which　is　generally　given　them　without　suspicion；　and　



then　they　feast　on　the　flesh；　which　is　not　injured　by　the　poison；　



which　only　affects　the　head。







The　English　Gypsies　are　constant　attendants　at　the　racecourse；　what　



jockey　is　not？　　Perhaps　jockeyism　originated　with　them；　and　even　



racing；　at　least　in　England。　　Jockeyism　properly　implies　THE　



MANAGEMENT　OF　A　WHIP；　and　the　word　jockey　is　neither　more　nor　less　



than　the　term　slightly　modified；　by　which　they　designate　the　



formidable　whips　which　they　usually　carry；　and　which　are　at　present　



in　general　use　amongst　horse…traffickers；　under　the　title　of　jockey　



whips。　　They　are　likewise　fond　of　resorting　to　the　prize…ring；　and　



have　occasionally　even　attained　some　eminence；　as　principals；　in　



those　disgraceful　and　brutalising　exhibitions　called　pugilistic　



combats。　　I　believe　a　great　deal　has　been　written　on　the　subject　of　



the　English　Gypsies；　but　the　writers　have　dwelt　too　much　in　



generalities；　they　have　been　afraid　to　take　the　Gypsy　by　the　hand；　



lead　him　forth　from　the　crowd；　and　exhibit　him　in　the　area；　he　is　



well　worth　observing。　　When　a　boy　of　fourteen；　I　was　present　at　a　



prize…fight；　why　should　I　hide　the　truth？　　It　took　place　on　a　green　



meadow；　beside　a　running　stream；　close　by　the　old　church　of　E…；　and　



within　a　league　of　the　ancient　town　of　N…；　the　capital　of　one　of　



the　eastern　counties。　　The　terrible　Thurtell　was　present；　lord　of　



the　concourse；　for　wherever　he　moved　he　was　master；　and　whenever　he　



spoke；　even　when　in　chains；　every　other　voice　was　silent。　　He　stood　



on　the　mead；　grim　and　pale　as　usual；　with　his　bruisers　around。　　He　



it　was；　indeed；　who　GOT　UP　the　fight；　as　he　had　previously　done　



twenty　others；　it　being　his　frequent　boast　that　he　had　first　



introduced　bruising　and　bloodshed　amidst　rural　scenes；　and　



transformed　a　quiet　slumbering　town　into　a　den　of　Jews　and　



metropolitan　thieves。　　Some　time　before　the　commencement　of　the　



combat；　three　men；　mounted　on　wild…looking　horses；　came　dashing　



down　the　road　in　the　direction　of　the　meadow；　in　the　midst　of　which　



they　presently　showed　themselves；　their　horses　clearing　the　deep　



ditches　with　wonderful　alacrity。　　'That's　Gypsy　Will　and　his　gang；'　



lisped　a　Hebrew　pickpocket；　'we　shall　have　another　fight。'　　The　



word　Gypsy　was　always　sufficient　to　excite　my　curiosity；　and　I　



looked　attentively　at　the　newcomers。







I　have　seen　Gypsies　of　various　lands；　Russian；　Hungarian；　and　



Turkish；　and　I　have　also　seen　the　legitimate　children　of　most　



countries　of　the　world；　but　I　never　saw；　upon　the　whole；　three　more　



remarkable　individuals；　as　far　as　personal　appearance　was　



concerned；　than　the　three　English　Gypsies　who　now　presented　



themselves　to　my　eyes　on　that　spot。　　Two　of　them　had　dismounted；　



and　were　holding　their　horses　by　the　reins。　　The　tallest；　and；　at　



the　first　glance；　the　most　interesting　of　the　two；　was　almost　a　



giant；　for　his　height　could　not　have　been　less　than　six　feet　three。　　



It　is　impossible　for　the　imagination　to　conceive　anything　more　



perfectly　beautiful　than　were　the　features　of　this　man；　and　the　



most　skilful　sculptor　of　Greece　might　have　taken　them　as　his　model　



for　a　hero　and　a　god。　　The　forehead　was　exceedingly　lofty；　…　a　rare　



thing　in　a　Gypsy；　the　nose　less　Roman　than　Grecian；　…　fine　yet　



delicate；　the　eyes　large；　overhung　with　long　drooping　lashes；　



giving　them　almost　a　melancholy　expression；　it　was　only　when　the　



lashes　were　elevated　that　the　Gypsy　glance　was　seen；　if　that　can　be　



called　a　glance　which　is　a　strange　stare；　like　nothing　else　in　this　



world。　　His　complexion　was　a　beautiful　olive；　and　his　teeth　were　of　



a　brilliancy　uncommon　even　amongst　these　people；　who　have　all　fine　



teeth。　　He　was　dressed　in　a　coarse　waggoner's　slop；　which；　however；　



was　unable　to　conceal　altogether　the　proportions　of　his　noble　and　



Herculean　figure。　　He　might　be　about　twenty…eight。　　His　companion　



and　his　captain；　Gypsy　Will；　was；　I　think；　fifty　when　he　was　



hanged；　ten　years　subsequently　（for　I　never　afterwards　lost　sight　



of　him）；　in　the　front　of　the　jail　of　Bury　St。　Edmunds。　　I　have　



still　present　before　me　his　bushy　black　hair；　his　black　face；　and　



his　big　black　eyes　fixed　and　staring。　　His　dress　consisted　of　a　



loose　blue　jockey　coat；　jockey　boots　and　breeches；　in　his　hand　was　



a　huge　jockey　whip；　and　on　his　head　（it　struck　me　at　the　time　for　



its　singularity）　a　broad…brimmed；　high…peaked　Andalusian　hat；　or　at　



least　one　very　much　resembling　those　generally　worn　in　that　



province。　　In　stature　he　was　shorter　than　his　more　youthful　



companion；　yet　he　must　have　measured　six　feet　at　least；　and　was　



stronger　built；　if　possible。　　What　brawn！　…　what　bone！　…　what　legs！　



…　what　thighs！　　The　third　Gypsy；　who　remained　on　horseback；　looked　



more　like　a　phantom　than　any　thing　human。　　His　complexion　was　the　



colour　of　pale　dust；　and　of　that　same　colour　was　all　that　pertained　



to　him；　hat　and　clothes。　　His　boots　were　dusty　of　course；　for　it　



was　midsummer；　and　his　very　horse　was　of　a　dusty　dun。　　His　features　



were　whimsically　ugly；　most　of　his　teeth　were　gone；　and　as　to　his　



age；　he　might　be　thirty　or　sixty。　　He　was　somewhat　lame　and　halt；　



but　an　unequalled　rider　when　once　upon　his　steed；　which　he　was　



naturally　not　very　solicitous　to　quit。　　I　subsequently　discovered　



that　he　was　considered　the　wizard　of　the　gang。







I　have　been　already　prolix　with　respect　to　these　Gypsies；　but　I　



will　not　leave　them　quite　yet。　　The　intended　combatants　at　length　



arrived；　it　was　necessary　to　clear　the　ring；　…　always　a　troublesome　



and　difficult　task。　　Thurtell　went　up　to　the　two　Gypsies；　with　whom　



he　seemed　to　be　acquainted；　and　with　his　surly　smile；　said　two　or　



three　words；　which　I；　who　was　standing　by；　did　not　understand。　　The　



Gypsies　smiled　in　return；　and　giving　the　reins　of　their　animals　to　



their　mounted　companion；　immediately　set　about　the　task　which　the　



king　of　the　flash…men　had；　as　I　conjecture；　imposed　upon　them；　this　



they　soon　accomplished。　　Who　could　stand　against　such　fellows　and　



such　whips？　　The　fight　was　soon　over　…　then　there　was　a　pause。　　



Once　more　Thurtell　came　up　to　the　Gypsies　and　said　something　…　the　



Gypsies　looked　at　each　other　and　conversed；　but　their　words　then　



had　no　meaning　for　my　ears。　　The　tall　Gypsy　shook　his　head　…　'Very　



well；'　said　the　other；　in　English。　　'I　will　…　that's　all。'







Then　pushing　the　people　aside；　he　strode　to　the　ropes；　over　which　



he　bounded　into　the　ring；　flinging　his　Spanish　hat　high　into　the　



air。







GYPSY　WILL。　…　'The　best　man　in　England　for　twenty　pounds！'







'THURTELL。　…　'I　am　backer！'







Twenty　pounds　is　a　tempting　sum；　and　there　men　that　day　upon　the　



green　meadow　who　would　have　shed　the　blood　of　their　own　fathers　for　



the　fifth　of　the　price。　　But　the　Gypsy　was　not　an　unknown　man；　his　



prowess　and　strength　were　notorious；　and　no　one　cared　to　encounter　



him。　　Some　of　the　Jews　looked　eager　for　a　moment；　but　their　sharp　



eyes　quailed　quickly　before　his　savage　glances；　as　he　towered　in　



the　ring；　his　huge　form　dilating；　and　his　black　features　convulsed　



with　excitement。　　The　Westminster　bravoes　eyed　the　Gypsy　askance；　



but　the　comparison；　if　they　made　any；　seemed　by　no　means　favourable　



to　themselves。　　'Gypsy！　rum　chap。　…　Ugly　customer；　…　always　in　



training。'　　Such　were　the　exclamations　which　I　heard；　some　of　which　



at　that　period　of　my　life　I　did　not　understand。







No　man　would　fight　the　Gypsy。　…　Yes！　a　strong　country　fellow　wished　



to　win　the　stakes；　and　was　about　to　fling　up　his　hat　in　defiance；　



but　he　was　prevented　by　his　friends；　with　…　'Fool！　he'll　kill　you！'







As　the　Gypsies　were　mounting　their　horses；　I　heard　the　dusty　



phantom　exclaim　…







'Brother；　you　are　an　arrant　ring…maker　and　a　horse…breaker；　you'll　



make　a　hempen　ring　to　break　your　own　neck　of　a　horse　one　of　these　



days。'







They　pressed　their　horses'　flanks；　again　leaped　over　the　ditches；　



and　speedily　vanished；　amidst　the　whirlwinds　of　dust　which　they　



raised　upon　the　road。







The　words　of　the　phantom　Gypsy　were　ominous。　　Gypsy　Will　was　



eventually　executed　for　a　murder　committed　in　his　early　youth；　in　



company　with　two　English　labourers；　one　of　whom　confessed　the　fact　



on　his　death…bed。　　He　was　the　head　of　the　clan　Young；　which；　with　



the　clan　Smith；　still　haunts　two　of　the　eastern　counties。











SOME　FURTHER　PARTICULARS　RESPECTING　THE　ENGLISH　GYPSIES











It　is　difficult　to　say　at　what　period　the　Gypsies　or　Rommany　made　



their　first　appearance　in　England。　　They　had　become；　however；　such　



a　nuisance　in　the　time　of　Henry　the　Eighth；　Philip　and　Mary；　and　



Elizabeth；　that　Gypsyism　was　denounced　by　various　royal　statutes；　



and；　if　persisted　in；　was　to　be　punished　as　felony　without　benefit　



of　clergy；　it　is　probable；　however；　that　they　had　overrun　England　



long　before　the　period　of　the　earliest　of　these　monarchs。　　The　



Gypsies　penetrate　into　all　countries；　save　poor　ones；　and　it　is　



hardly　to　be　supposed　that　a　few　leagues　of　intervening　salt　water　



would　have　kept　a　race　so　ent