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A% º
HY
#4 is
, Leº 3
THE BOOK OF WAGABONDS
A N D BEGGARS.
§



-kºu º
THE
1500ft of Ölagabontjø and 15tggåtñ:
WITH A VOCABULARY OF THEIR LANGUAGE.
M.
EDITED BY
MART IN LUT H E R
IN THE YEAR. I 528.
NOW FIRST TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH, WITH
INTRODUCTION AND NOTES,
BY
Attention Patron:
This volume is too fragile for any future repair.
Please handle with great care.
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN LIBRARY so CONSERVATION & BOOK REPAIR








PREFACE.
jS a pićture of the manners and cuſtoms of the
i Vagabond population of Central Europe before
# the Reformation, I think this little book, the
earlieſt of its kind, will be found intereſting. The fact of
º, Luther writing a Preface and editing it gives it at once
º, ſome degree of importance, and excites the curioſity of the
ſtudent.
In this country the Liber Vagatorum is almoſt un-
known, and in Germany only a few ſcholars and anti-
quaries are acquainted with the book.
In tranſlating it I have endeavoured as much as poſſible
to preſerve the ſpirit and peculiarities of the original.
Some may objećt to the ſtyle as being too antique; but
this garb I thought preſerved a ſmall portion of the original



vi P reface.
quaintneſs, and was beſt ſuited to the period when it was
written.
For ſeveral explanations of old German words, and
other hints, I am indebted to a long notice of the Liber
Wagatorum, which occurs in the “Wiemariſches Jahr-
buch,” Io", Band, 1856,-the only article of any moment
that I know to have been written on the little book.
With reſpect to the facſimile woodcut, as it was too
large to occupy a place on the title, as in the original (of
4to, ſize), it is here given as a frontiſpiece. -
Perhaps ſome apology is required for the occaſional uſe
of plain-ſpoken, not to ſay coarſe words. I can only urge,
in juſtification of their adoption, that the nature of the
ſubjećt would not admit of their being ſoftened,—unleſs
indeed at the expenſe of the narrative. As it is, I have
ſent forth this edition in very much more refined language
than the great Reformer thought neceſſary when iſſuing
the old German verſion.
J. C. H.
Piccadilly,
June 1, 1860.


CONTENTS.
Page
SREFACE . . . . . . . . . . . V
W INTRoduction - - - - - - . . . ix
Mendicant Friars.-Schreiber’s deſcription of
the Golden Age for Mendicants.-Knebel’s
Chronicles of the Trials at Baſle, in 1475–Sebaſtian
Brant.
LIBER VAGATORUM.—Various editions.—Gengenbach’s
metrical verſion; Gödecke's claim for the priority of
this refuted . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv.
MARTIN LUTHER,-Occupied in the work of the Refor-
mation.—Writes ſeveral popular pieces.—Edits the
Liber Vagatorum . . . . . . . . . . . xix
ENGLISH Books on VAGABONDs.-Harman’s Caveat for
commen Cvrſetors.-The Fraternitye of Vacabondes.
—Greene, Decker, and Shakeſpeare . . . . . xxiv.
ANCIENT CUSTOMs of ENGLISH BeGCARS.-Licences with
Seals.-Seals now diſuſed.—Wandering Students or
| Vagabond Scholars . . . . . . . . . . xxviii
German ORIGIN of TRICKS PRACTISED BY ENGLISH WAGA-
BoNDS.-Maſters of the Black-Art.—Fawney Riggers.
—Card-Sharpers.-Begging-Letter-Writers. —Shabby-



- W111 Contemps.
º Page
Genteels.— Mechanics out of employ.—Shivering
Jemmies.—Maimers of Children.—Borrowers of Chil-
dren.—Simulated Fits.-Quack Dočtors.-Treaſure-
Seekers.-Travelling Tinkers . . . . . . . xxxi
OLD GERMAN CANT WoRDs . . . . . . . . xxxvi
LIBER VAGATORUM . . . . . . . . . . I
LUTHER's PREFACE . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
PART I.—THE SEVERAL ORDERS OF WAGABONDs . . . 7
PART II.-NoTABILIA RELATING TO BEGGARS . . . . 43
PART III.-VoCABULARY OF CANT Words . . . . 49

INTRODUCTION.
ºAGABONDS and Beggars are ancient
§ # º 6. blots in the hiſtory of the world. Idle-
Eſº W º neſs, I ſuppoſe, exiſted before civiliza-
*º tion began, but feigned diſtreſs muſt
certainly have been pračtiſed ſoon after.
In the records of the Middle Ages enaëtments
for the ſuppreſſion and ordering of vagrancy con-
tinually occur. In this country, as we ſhall ſee di-
rečtly, laws for its aboliſhment were paſſed at a very
early date.
The begging ſyſtem of the Friars, perhaps more
than any other cauſe, contributed to ſwell the ranks
of vagabonds. Theſe religious mendicants, who had
long been increaſing in number and diſſoluteneſs, gave
b






X Introdućion.
º
to beggars ſundry leſſons in hypocriſy, and taught
them, in their tales of fićtitious diſtreſs, how to blend
the troubles of the ſoul with the infirmities of the
body. Numerous ſyſtems of religious impoſture
were ſoon contrived, and mendicants of a hundred
orders ſwarmed through the land. Things were at
their worſt, or rather both friars and vagabonds
were in their palmieſt days, towards the latter part
of the fifteenth century, juſt before the ſuppreſſion
of the Religious Houſes commenced, and imme-
diately before the firſt ſymptoms of the Reformation
ſhowed themſelves, that great movement which
was ſo ſoon to ſweep one of the two peſts away for
eVer.
In Schreiber's account of the Bettler-induſtrie
(begging practices) of Germany in the year 1475, he
thus ſpeaks of this golden age for mendicants.” His
theory, as to the origin of the complicated ſyſtem of
mendicity, is, perhaps, more fanciful than true, but
* Taſchenbuch für Geſchichte und Aſterthum in Sud-Deutſch-
land, von Heinrich Schreiber, Fribourg, 1839, p. 333. The
Baſle MSS. are here reprinted without any alteration.


Introdućiom. X1
his account is nevertheleſs very intereſting, and well
worth extracting from.
“The beggars of Germany rejoiced in their
Golden Age; it extended throughout nearly two
centuries, from the invaſions of the Turks until after
the concluſion of the Swediſh war (1450 to 1650).
During this long period it was frequently the caſe
that begging was practiſed leſs from neceſſity than
for pleaſure;—indeed, it was purſued like a regular
calling. For poetry had eſtranged herſelf from the
Nobility; knights no longer went out on adventures
to ſeek giants and dragons, or to liberate the Holy
Tomb ; ſhe had likewiſe become more and more
alien to the Citizen, ſince he conſidered it unwiſe to
brood over verſes and rhymes, when he was called
upon to calculate his profits in hard coin. Even the
‘Sons of the Muſes, the Scholars, had become more
proſaic, ſince there was ſo much to learn and ſo
many univerſities to viſit, and the maſters could no
longer wander from one country to another with
thouſands of pupils. -



xii Introdućion.
“Then poetry (as everything in human life
gradually deſcends) began to ally herſelf with beg-
gars and vagrants. That which formerly had been
misfortune and miſery became ſoon a ſort of free
art, which only retained the maſk of miſery in order
to purſue its courſe more ſafely and undiſturbed.
Mendicity became a diſtinct inſtitution, was divided
into various branches, and was provided with a
language of its own. Doubtleſs, beſides the fre-
quent wars, it was the Gipſies—appearing in Ger-
many, at the beginning of the fifteenth century, in
larger ſwarms than ever—who contributed greatly
to this ſtate of things. They formed entire tribes
of wanderers, as free as the birds in the air, now
diſperfing themſelves, now reuniting, reſting where-
ever foreſts or moors pleaſed, or ſtupidity and ſuper-
ſtition allured them, poſſeſſing nothing, but appro-
priating to themſelves the property of everybody,
by ſtratagem or rude force.
“ In what manner and to what extent ſuch beg-
gary had grown up and branched off towards the

Introdućion. X111
cloſe of the fifteenth century, what artifices and
even what language theſe beggars uſed to employ,
is ſhown us in Johann Knebel's Chronicles, the
MSS. of which are preſerved in the Library of the
City and Univerſity of Bâle.”
Theſe MSS. are very curious. They contain the
proceedings of the Trials at Baſle,” in Switzerland,
in 1475, when a great number of vagabonds, ſtrol-
lers, blind men, and mendicants of all orders, were
arreſted and examined. Johann Knebel was the
chaplain of the cathedral there, and wrote them
down at the time. From the reports of theſe trials
it is believed the Liber Vagatorum was compiled;
and it is alſo conjećtured that, from the ſame rich
ſource, Sebaſtian Brant, who juſt at that period had
eſtabliſhed himſelf at the Univerſity of Baſle, where
# Theſe Trials are alſo recorded in an old MS. of Hieron. -
Wilh. Ebner, printed in job. Heumanni Exercitationes iuris -
univerſ, vol. I. (Altdorfi, 1749, 4°.) No. XIII. Obſervatio de -
lingua occulta, pp. 174-180. Both Knebel and Ebner's accounts
differ merely in ſtyle and dialect; in all eſſential points they cloſely
harmonize. - -




xiv Introdu&ion.
he remained until 1500, drew the vivid deſcription
of beggars and begging, to be found in his Ship of
Fools.” -
Knebel gives a long liſt of the different orders of
beggars, and the names they were known by amongſt
themſelves. This account is ſimilar to, only not
ſo ſpirited as that given in the Liber Vagatorum.
The tricks and impoſtures are very nearly the ſame,
together with the cant terms for the various tribes
of mendicants. Knebel, ſpeaking of the manner in
which the tricks of theſe rogues were firſt found
out, ſays:—“At thoſe times a great number of
knaves went about the country begging and an-
noying people. Of theſe ſeveral were caught, and
they told how they and their fellow-knaves were
known, and when and how they uſed to meet, what
they were called, and they told alſo ſeveral of their
cant words.”
* Brant wrote this work, and ſuperintended its progreſs through
the preſs whilſt reſiding in this city.

Introdućion. XV
*HE Liber Vagatorum, or The Book of Wa-
gabonds, was probably written ſhortly after
1509, that year being mentioned in the
work; it is the earlieſt book on beggars and their
ſecret language of which we have any record, pre-
ceding by half a century any ſimilar work iſſued in
this country.
Nothing is known of the author other than
that it was written by one who ſtyled himſelf a
“Reverend Magiſter, nomine expertus in truffis,”—
> >
which proficiency in roguery, as Luther remarks,
“ the little book very well proves, even though he
had not given himſelf ſuch a name.”
None of the early impreſſions bears a date, but the
firſt edition is kown to have been printed at Augſ.
burg, about the year 1512–14, by Erhart Öglin, Or
Ocellus.* It is a ſmall quarto, conſiſting of 12 leaves.
* This printer carried on buſineſs at Augſburg, partly alone,
partly in connection with others, from 1505 to 1516. His
editions of the Liber Vagatorum would ſeem therefore to have
been printed between the years 15 12-16.





xvi Introdućion.
The title:—
ilitict (Haga totum ;
£Det låctict Drijen :
is printed in red. The title-page of this, as of moſt
of the early editions, is embelliſhed with a woodcut,
—a facſimile of which is given in this tranſlation.
The pićture, repreſenting a beggar and his family,
explains itſelf. At the foot of the title is printed,
in black:-Getrucht zu Augſpurg durch Erhart
Óglin. The little book was frequently reprinted
without any other variations than printers' blunders
(one edition having an error in the firſt word,
Lieber Vagatorum) until 1528, when Luther edited
an edition,” ſupplying a preface, and correóting
ſome of the paſſages. In 1529 another edition, with
Luther's preface, appeared at Wittemberg,f and
from this, comparing it occaſionally with the firſt
* Publiſhed at Wittemberg.
+ The title-page of this edition is adorned with a facſimile of
the woodcut which occurs in Oglin’s edition,-the ſame, in-
deed, which is given in this tranſlation.
º
Introdućion. xvii
edition by Ocellus, the preſent Engliſh verſion has
been made. Nearly all the editions contain the
ſame matter; nor do thoſe iſſued under Luther's
authority furniſh us with additional information.
With regard to the Vocabulary, however, I have
made, in a few inſtances, ſlight variations, as given
in two editions of the Liber Vagatorum, preſerved
in the Library at Munich. Wherever there was a
marked divergence in ſtyle I have adopted that as
my text which ſeemed to be the moſt characteriſtic
for the fifteenth and the commencement of the ſix-
teenth centuries, and which is moſtly to be found in
the better claſs MSS. and works of that period.
I ſhould ſtate, however, before proceeding fur-
ther, that a metrical verſion of the Liber Vagato-
rum, in 838 verſes, appeared about 1517–18, writ-
ten by Pamphilus Gengenbach, including a voca-
bulary of the beggars' cant. Although Karl Gö–
decke, in his work, Ein Beitrag zur Deutſchen
Literatur Geſchichte der Reformations zeit (Han-
nover, Carl Rümpler, 1855), has ſtated that
C



XV111 Introdućion.
Gengenbach’s poetical verſion preceded the ſmaller
proſe account, it is impoſſible, upon examining the
two publications, to agree with him on this point.
Gengenbach's book certainly did not appear till
after 1517, and the direct copies from the Liber
Vagatorum, in matter and manner, are too frequent
to admit for one moment of the ſuppoſition of their
being accidental. The cant terms, too, are incor-
rečtly given, and altogether the work bears the ap-
pearance of haſty and piratical compilation. It
never met with that popularity which the author
anticipated, and probably never croſſed the frontiers
of Switzerland. -
The lateſt proſe edition of the Liber Vagatorum
was iſſued towards the cloſe of the ſeventeenth cen-
tury. The title ran – Expertus in truffs. Of
Falſe Beggars and their knaveries. A pretty little
book, made more than a century and a half ſince, to-
gether with a Vocabulary of ſome old cant words that
occur therein, newly edited. Anno 1668 (12°. pp.
I60).

Introdućion. xix
tº HAT Luther ſhould have written a Pre-
§ face to ſo undignified a little work as The
* Book of Vagabonds ſeems remarkable. At
this period (1528-9) he was in the midſt of his la-
bours, ſurrounded with difficulties and cares, and
with every moment of his time fully occupied. The
Proteſt of Spires had juſt been ſigned by the firſt
Proteſtants. Melanóthon, in great afflićtion at the
turbulent ſtate of affairs, 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 directing and aſſiſting his followers, Luther found
time to write ſeveral popular pieces, and kept, we are
told, the book-hawkers of Augſburg and Spires buſy
in ſupplying them to the people. Theſe Chriſtian
pamphlets, D'Aubigné informs us, were eagerly
ſought for and paſſed through numberleſs editions.
It was not the peaſants and townſpeople only who
read them, but nobles and princes. Luther intended



XX Introdućion.
that they ſhould be popular. He knew better than
any man of his time how to captivate the reader and
fix his attention. His little books were ſhort, eaſy
to read, full of homely ſayings and current phraſes,
and ornamented with curious engravings. They
were generally written, too, in Latin and German,
to ſuit both the educated and the unlettered. One
was entitled, The Papacy with its Members painted
and deſcribed by Dr. Luther. In it figured the
Pope, the cardinal, and all the religious orders.
Under the pićture of one of the orders were theſe
lines:—
“We can faſt and pray the harder,
With an overflowing larder.”
“ Not one of theſe orders,” ſaid Luther to the
reader, “thinks either of faith or charity. This
one wears the tonſure, 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-glaſs, there one with a pair of ſciſſors. Each
has his playthings. . . . . Ah theſe are the
palmer-worms, the locuſts, the canker-worms, and



Introdućion. xxi
the caterpillars which, as Joel ſaith, have eaten up
all the earth.”
In this ſtyle Luther addreſſed his readers—
ſcourging the Pope, his cardinals, and all their emiſ-
ſaries. But another claſs of “ locuſts” beſides theſe
appeared to him to require ſweeping away,+theſe
were the beggars and vagabonds who imitated the
Mendicant Friars in wandering up and down the
country, with lying tales of diſtreſs, either of mind
or body. As he ſays in his Preface, explaining the
reaſon of his connection with the book, “I thought it
a good thing that ſuch a work ſhould not only be
publiſhed, but that it ſhould become known every-
where, in order that men can ſee and underſtand how
mightily the devil rules in this world; and I have alſo
thought how ſuch a book may help mankind to be
wiſe, and on the look out for him, viz. the devil.”
Luther further adds—not forgetting, in paſſing,
to give a blow to Papacy—“Princes, lords, coun-
ſellors of ſtate, and everybody ſhould be prudent,
and cautious in dealing with beggars, and learn that,
* D'Aubigné, Hiſ. Ref, vol. iv. p. Io (1853).


xxii Introdućion.
whereas people will not give and help honeſt pau-
pers and needy neighbours, as ordained by God,
they give, by the perſuaſion of the devil, and con-
trary to God's judgment, ten times as much to va-
gabonds and deſperate rogues, in like manner as
we have hitherto done to monaſteries, cloiſters,
churches, chapels, and Mendicant Friars, forſaking
all the time the truly poor.”
This was Luther's obječt in affixing his name to
the little book. He ſaw 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 liſt of their ſecret or cant
words, iſſued under the authority of his name, would
put people on their guard, and help to ſuppreſs the
wretched ſyſtem.
Luther's ſtatement as to his own experience with
theſe rogues is very naïve—“I have myſelf of late
years,” he remarks, “been cheated and ſlandered by
ſuch tramps and liars more than I care to confeſs.”
Both prieſts and beggars regarded him with a
peculiar averſion, and many were the nicknames and





Introdućion. xxiii
vulgar terms applied to him. The ſlang language
of the day, therefore, was not unknown to Luther.
At page 204 of Williams' Leśīures on Eccleſiaſtical

Hiſtory, 4to. (apparently privately printed for the
uſe of the ſtudents of St. Begh's College,) is the
following foot-note:–
Of the violence with which Luther’s enemies attacked his
charaćter, and ſtrove to render his name and memory odious to
the people, we have an example in the following produćtion of a
French Jeſuit, Andreas Fruſius, printed at Cologne, 1582:-
Elogium Martini Lutheri, ex ipſius Nomine et Cognomine.
Depinget et dignis te nemo coloribus unquam;
Nomen ego ut potero fic celebrabo tuum.
Magnicrepus Mendax Moroſus Morio Monſtrum
Ambitioſus || Atrox Aſtutus Apoſtata | Agaſo
Ridiculus Rhetor Rabioſus Rabula Raptor
Tabificus Tumidus | Tenebroſus | Transfuga Turpis
Impius Inconſtans | Impoſtor || Iniquus || Ineptus
Nyétocorax || Nebulo Nugator Noxa Nefandus
Ventoſus Vanus Vilis Vulpecula |Vecors
Schiſmaticus | Stolidus Sedućtor Simia Scurra
Laſcivus Leno Larvatus Latro Laniſta
Ventripotens | Vultur Vinoſus Vappa Voluptas
Tartareus Torris Tempeſtas | Tarbo Tyrannus
Herefiarcha Horrendus | Hypocrita | Hydra Hermaph-
roditus
Erro Execrandus | Effrons Effronis | Eriunis
Retrogradus | Reprobus | Reſupinus | Rana Rebellis
Veſanus Varius Veterator || Vipera Virus
Sacrilegus Satanas Sentina Sophiſta | Sceleſtu
º -
---
---
xxiv. Introdućion.
Each column is an acroſtic of the name MAR-
TIN vs LUTHERVs, making 80 ſcurrilous epithets.
ãº; MUST now ſay ſomething about the little
º § books on vagabonds which appeared in
% this country fifty years after the Liber Wa-
gatorum had become popular in Germany. The firſt
and principal of theſe was edited by Thomas Har-
man, a gentleman who lived in the days of Queen
Elizabeth, and who appears to have ſpent a confi-
derable portion of his time in aſcertaining the artifices
and manoeuvres of rogues and beggars. From a cloſe
compariſon of his work with the Liber Vagatorum, I
have little heſitation in ſaying 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
Caueat for Cvrſetors vulgarely Called Vagabones, ſet
forth for the viſitie and profit of his naturell countrey.
This firſt appeared in 1566. It was very popu-
lar, and ſoon ran through four editions, the laſt


Introdućion. XXV
being “augmented and enlarged by the firſt author
thereof, with the tale of the ſecond taking of the
counterfeit Crank, and the true report of his beha-
viour and puniſhment, moſt marvellous to the hearer
or reader thereof.”
The dates of the four editions are—
William Gryffith . . 1566
ió. Żó. . . . I 567
. . . . . . . . I 567
Henry Middleton . . 1573
The printer of the third edition is not known.
The book is dedicated, ſomewhat inconſiſtently,
conſidering the nature of the ſubječt, to Elizabeth,
Counteſs of Shrewſbury. It gives, like the Liber
Wagatorum, ſhort but graphic deſcriptions of the
different kinds of beggars, and concludes with a cant
dićtionary.
The next work on this ſubječt which appeared
in England was publiſhed nine years later:—
The Fratermitye of Vacabondes, with a Deſcrip-
tion of the crafty Company of Couſoners and Shifters;
d

xxvi Introdućion.
whereunto alſo is adioymed the XXV Orders of Knaues,
other wiſe called a Quarterm of Knaues. Confirmed
for ever by Cocke Lorell. (London by john Awdeley,
4to. I 575.)*
Some have conjećtured that it was an original
compilation by Audley, the printer; but this little
book, perhaps more than Harman's, ſhows traces of
the German work. The “XXV Orders of Knaues”
is nearly the number deſcribed in the Liber Vaga-
torum, and the tricks, and deſcription of beggars'
dreſſes in both are very ſimilar. There are the
rogues with patched cloaks, who begged with their
wives and “doxies;” thoſe with forged licenſes
and letters, who pretended to colle&t for hoſpitals;
thoſe afflićted with the falling ſickneſs, a numerous
number; ſome without tongues, carrying letters,
pretending they have been ſigned and ſealed by the
authorities of the towns from whence they came ;
* Conſiſting of nine leaves only. An edition appeared in
1603, and a reprint of the firſt edition was publiſhed in Weſt-
minſter in 1813 (8”).

Introdućion. xxvii
»
others, “freſhe-water mariners,” with tales of a
dreadful ſhipwreck, and many more, all deſcribed in
ſimilar words, whether in the pages of the Liber
Vagatorum, Harman, or Audley. It is reaſonable
to ſuppoſe, therefore, that the German account,
being in the hands of the people abroad half a cen-
tury before anything of the kind was iſſued here,
copies muſt have found their way to England, and
that from theſe the other two were in a great mea-
ſure derived.
I might remark that other accounts of Engliſh
vagabonds were publiſhed ſoon after this. The
ſubječt had become popular, and a demand for
books of the kind was the reſult. Harriſon, who
wrote the Deſcription of England, prefixed to Hol-
inſhed's Chronicle (1577), deſcribes the different
orders of beggars. Greene, about 1592, wrote ſe-
veral works, baſed mainly on old Harman's book;
and Decker, twenty years later, provided a ſimilar
batch, giving an account of the vagabonds and looſe
characters of his day. -



xxviii Introdućion.
|
|
Shakeſpeare, too, and other dramatiſts of the
period, introduced beggars and mendicants into
their plays in company with the Gipfies, with
whom, in a great meaſure, in this country they
were allied.
#MONGST thoſe paſſages which refer to
the cuſtoms and tricks of beggars, in the
# Liber Vagatorum, there are few which
receive illuſtration by a reference to the early laws
and ſtatutes of this country.
The licenſes, or “letters with ſeals,” ſo frequently
alluded to, and which were granted to deſerving
poor people by the civil authorities, are mentioned
as cuſtomary in this country in the Aét for the
ordering of Vagrants, paſſed in the reign of Henry
VIII. (1531). It appears that the pariſh officers
were compelled by this ſtatute to make inquiry into
the condition of the poor, and to aſcertain who were
really impotent and who were impoſtors. To a



Introdućion. xxix
perſon ačtually in want liberty was given to beg
within a certain diſtrićt, “ and further,” ſays the
Aćt, “there ſhall be delivered to every ſuch perſon
a letter containing the name of that perſon, witneſſ-
ing that he is authorized to beg, and the limits
within which he is appointed to beg, the ſame letter
to be ſealed with the ſeal of the hundred, rape,
wapentake, city, or borough, and ſubſcribed with
the name of one of the ſaid juſtices or officers afore-
ſaid.” -
I need ſcarcely remark that a ſeal in thoſe days,
when but few public functionaries could write, was
looked upon as the badge of authority and genuine-
neſs, and that as the art of writing became more
general autograph ſignatures ſupplanted ſeals. An
Engliſh vagabond in the time of Elizabeth, when
ſpeaking of his paſſport, called it his JARKE, or
JARKEMAN, viz. his ſealed paper. His deſcendant
of the preſent century would term it his LINEs,
viz. his written paper. The cant term JARKE is
almoſt obſolete, but the powerful magic of a big




XXX Introdućion.
ſeal is ſtill remembered and made uſe of by the
tribe of cadgers. When a number of them at
the preſent day wait upon a farmer with a fićtitious
paper, authorizing them to collect ſubſcriptions for
the ſufferers in ſome dreadful colliery accident, the
document, covered with apparently genuine ſigna-
tures, is generally garniſhed with a huge ſeal.
In Germany it was the cuſtom (alluded to at
page 34) for the prieſts or clerks to read theſe
licenſes 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 caſe of the DüTzBETTERIN, or
falſe “ lying-in-woman,” an anecdote of whom is
told here, the prieſts were deceived by counterfeit
documents.
At page 17 reference is made to the wandering
ſtudents who uſed to trudge over the country and
ſojourn for a time at any ſchool charitable enough
to take them in. Theſe, in their journeys, often fell
in with rogues and tramps, and ſometimes joined
Introdućion. xxxi
them in their vagabond calling, in which caſe they
obtained for themſelves the title of KAMMESIERERs,
or “Learned Beggars.” Now theſe ſame vaga-
bond ſcholars were to be met with in this country
in the time of Henry VIII,_and in Ireland, I be-
lieve, ſo late as the laſt century. Examining again
the Aét for Vagrants, 1531, we find that it was
uſual and cuſtomary for poor ſcholars from Oxford
and Cambridge to tramp from county to county.
The ſtatute provided them with a document, ſigned
by the commiſſary, chancellor, or vice-chancellor,
which ačted as their paſſport. When found with- .
out this licenſe they were treated as vagrants, and
whipped accordingly.
§ and manoeuvres to obtain money from the
§§§ unthinking but benevolent people of Lu-
ther's time ſhould have been pračtiſed in this country
at an early date, and that they ſhould ſtill be found



xxxii Introdućion.
amongſt the arts to deceive thoughtleſs perſons
adopted by rogues and tramps at the preſent day.
The ſtroller, or “Maſter of the Black Art,” de-
ſcribed at page 19, is yet occaſionally heard of in
our rural diſtrićts. The ſimple farmer believes him
to be weather and cattle wiſe, and ſhould his crops
be backward, or his cow “Spot,” not “let down
her milk,” with her accuſtomed readineſs, he croſſes
the fellow's hand with a piece of ſilver, in order that
things may be righted.
The WILTNERs, or finders of pretended ſilver
fingers, noticed at page 45, are now-a-days repre-
ſented by the “Fawney Riggers,” or droppers of
counterfeit gold rings, deſcribed in Mayhew’s Lon-
don Labour, and other works treating of the ways of
vagabonds.
“Card-Sharpers,” or Jon ERs, mentioned at page
47, are, unfortunately for the pockets of the ſimple,
ſtill to be met with on public race-courſes and at
fairs.
The over-SöNZEN-GoBRs, or pretended diſtreſſed

Introdućion. xxxiii
gentry, who went about “neatly dreſſed,” with falſe
letters, would ſeem to have been the original of our
modern “Begging-Letter-Writers.” -
Thoſe half-famiſhed looking impoſtors, with clean
aprons, or carefully bruſhed threadbare coats, who
ſtand on the curbs of our public thoroughfares, and
beg with a few ſticks of ſealing-wax in their hands,
were known in Luther's time as Goos E-shea RERs.
As the reader will have experienced only too fre-
quently, they have, when pretending to be mechanics
out of employ, a particularly unpleaſant practice of
following people, and detailing, in half-deſpairing,
half-threatening ſentences, the ſtate of their pockets
and their appetites. It appears they did the ſame
thing more than three centuries ago.
Another claſs, known amongſt London ſtreet-folk
as “Shivering–Jemmies,”—fellows who expoſe them-
ſelves, half-naked, on a cold day, to excite pity and
procure alms—were known in Luther's time as
SchwANFELDERs, only in thoſe days, people being
not quite ſo modeſt as now, they ſtripped them-
e



xxxiv. Introdućion.
ſelves entirely naked before commencing to ſhiver
at the church-doors.
Thoſe wretches, who are occaſionally brought
before the police magiſtrates, accuſed of maiming
children, on purpoſe that they may the better ex-
cite pity and obtain money, are, unfortunately, not
peculiar to our civilized age. Theſe fellows com-
mitted like cruelties centuries ago.
Borrowers of children, too, thoſe pretended fa-
thers of numerous and ſtarving families of urchins,
now often heard howling in the ſtreets on a wet
day, the children being arranged right and left ac-
cording to height, exiſted in the olden time,
only then the loan was but for All Souls', or other
Feaſt Day, when the people were in a good humour.
The trick of placing ſoap in the mouth to pro-
duce froth, and falling down before paſſers-by as
though in a fit, common enough in London ſtreets
a few years ago, is alſo deſcribed as one of the old
manoeuvres of beggars.”
* See page 21.
Introdućion. XXXV
Travelling quack-doćtors, againſt whom Luther
cautions his readers, were common in this country
up to the beginning of the preſent century.” And
it is not long ago ſince the credulous countrymen
in our rural diſtrićts, were cheated by fellows—
“wiſe-men” they preferred being termed—who
pretended to divine dreams, and ſay under which
tree or wall the hidden treaſure, ſo plainly ſeen by
Hodge in his ſleep carefully depoſited in a crock,
was to be found. This pleaſant idea of a pot full
of gold, being buried near everybody, ſeems to
have poſſeſſed people in all ages. In Luther's time
the nobility and clergy appear to have been ſadly
troubled with it, and it is very amuſing to learn
that ſo ſimple in this reſpect were the latter, that
after they had given “gold and filver” to the cun-
ning treaſure-ſeeker, this worthy would inſiſt upon
their offering up maſſes in order that the digging
might be attended with ſucceſs! -
And laſtly, the travelling tinkers, who appear to
* - * Page 47.

xxxvi Introdućion.
have had no better name for honeſty 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,” ſays the little book.
fºLTH regard to the Rothwelſch Sprache, or
§ { cant language uſed by theſe vagrants, it
7 : appears, like nearly all ſimilar ſyſtems of
ſpeech, to be founded on allegory. Many of the
terms, as in the caſe of the ancient cant of this coun-
try, appear to be compound corruptions,—two or
more words, in ordinary uſe, twiſted and pronounced
in ſuch a way as to hide their original meaning.
As Luther ſtates, in his preface, the Hebrew ap-
pears to be a principal element. Occaſionally a term
from a neighbouring country, or from a dead lan-
guage may be obſerved, but not frequently. As
they occur in the original I have retained thoſe cant
words which are to be found here and there in the
text. Perhaps it would have rendered a peruſal leſs
-




Introdućion. 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 ſhould go forth to the world.
The fimple form of theſe ſecret terms has generally
been given, there being no eſtabliſhed rule for their
inflection. In a few inſtances I found myſelf un-
able to give Engliſh equivalents to the cant words
in the Vocabulary, ſo was compelled to leave them
unexplained, but with the old German meanings
(not eaſy to be unravelled) attached.
JoHN CAMDEN HoTTEN.
Piccadilly, June, 1860.
º


* /t
DF
I C,


*s 3Liber (Aagatorum
T H E B O OK OF V A GA B O N D S AND
B E G G A R S W IT H A P R E-
-
FA C E BY MARTIN
L UT H E R
Printed at WITTEMBERG in the year
M. D., XXIX.



MARTIN LUTHER'S PREFACE.
ºn tº arrate ºr
. *HIS little book about the knaveries of beg-
§§§ §§ gars was firſt printed by one who called
jº himſelf Expertus in Truffis, that is, a
$º: fellow right expert in roguery, which
the little work very well proves, even though he had
not given himſelf ſuch a name.
But I have thought it a good thing that ſuch a book
ſhould not only be printed, but that it ſhould become
known everywhere, in order that men may ſee and un-
derſtand how mightily the devil rules in this world;
and I have alſo thought how ſuch a book may help
mankind to be wiſe, and on the look out for him, viz.
the devil. Truly, ſuch Beggars' Cant has come from
the jews, for many Hebrew words occur in the Voca-
bulary, as any one who underſtands that language may
perceive.




4. Preface.
But the right underſtanding and true meaning of
the book is, after all, this, viz. that princes, lords,
counſellors of ſtate, and everybody ſhould be prudent,
and cautious in dealing with beggars, and learn that,
whereas people will not give and help homeſ paupers
and needy neighbours, as ordained by God, they give,
by the perſuaſion of the devil, and contrary to God’s
judgment, ten times as much to Vagabonds and deſpe-
rate rogues, in like manner as we have hitherto done
to monaſteries, cloiſters, churches, chapels, and mendi-
cant friars, forſaking all the time the truly poor.
For this reaſon every town and village ſhould know
their own paupers, as written down in the Regiſter,
and aſſiſt them. But as to outlandiſh and ſtrange
beggars they ought not to be borne with, unleſs they
have proper letters and certificates; for all the great
rogueries mentioned in this book are done by theſe. If
each town would only keep an eye upon their paupers,
ſuch knaveries would ſoon be at an end. I have my-
| ſelf of late years been cheated and befooled by ſuch
--
|




Preface. 5
tramps and liars more than I wiſh to confeſs. There-
fore, whoſoever hear theſe words let him be warned,
and do good to his neighbour in all Chriſtian charity,
according to the teaching of the commandment.
SO HELP US GOD ! 3imſºn.

3Liber (Hagatorum ;
THE BOOK OF WAGABONDS AND
BEGGARS.
Çbe 99enuicant 5totberhood.
HERE follows a pretty little book, called
ºf Liber Vagatorum, written by a high
ºff A º AE and worthy maſter, nomine Expertus in
** Truffs, to the praiſe and glory of
God, ſibi in refrigerium et ſolacium, for all perſons'
inſtruction and benefit, and for the correótion and
converſion of thoſe that practiſe ſuch knaveries as
are ſhown hereafter ; which little book is divided
into three parts. Part the firſt ſhows the ſeveral
methods by which mendicants and tramps get their






8 The Book of W.agabonds
livelihood; and is ſubdivided into XX chapters, et
paulo plus, for there are XX ways, et ultra,
whereby men are cheated and fooled. Part the
ſecond gives ſome notabilia which refer to the
means of livelihood afore mentioned. The third
part preſents a Vocabulary of their language or
gibberiſh, commonly called Red Welſh, or Beggar-
lingo.
* PART THE FIRST of THIS LITTLE Book.
Øf the l6tcgcrg, or 0.52ggatg.
3HE first chapter is about BREGERs. Theſe
are beggars who have neither the ſigns
* of the ſaints about them, nor other good
qualities, but they come plainly and ſimply to
people and aſk an alms for God’s, or the Holy
Virgin's ſake —perchance honeſt 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 honeſt means, for there is
many a godly man who begs unwillingly, and feels
aſhamed before thoſe who knew him formerly
when he was better off, and before he was com-
pelled to beg. Could he but proceed without he
would ſoon leave begging behind him.
Concluſio: To theſe beggars it is proper to give,
for ſuch alms are well laid out.
Øf the $5tabilicts, or 5teau (jatjørcrg,
|HE next chapter is about the STABüLERs.
Theſe are vagrants who tramp through
* the country from one Saint to another,
their wives (KRöNERIN) and children (GATZAM)
going (ALCHEN) with them. Their hats (WETTER-
HAN) and cloaks (wi NTFANG) hang full of ſigns
of all the ſaints, the cloak (wiNTFANG) being made
(VETZEN) out of a hundred pieces. They go to
C
-º-,




I O The Book of Vagabonds
the peaſants who give them bread (LEHEM DIP-
PEN); and each of theſe STABüLERs has ſix or
ſeven ſacks, and carries a pot, plate, ſpoon, flaſk,
and whatever elſe is needed for the journey with
him. Theſe ſame STABüLERs never leave off
begging, nor do their children, from their infancy
to the day of their death—for the beggar's ſtaff
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). Alſo, whitherſoever
theſe STABüLERS come, in town or country, they
beg; at one houſe for God's ſake, at another for
St. Valentine's ſake, at a third for St. Kürine's, ſic
de aliis, according to the diſpoſition of the people
from whom they ſeek alms. For they do not adhere
to one patron or truſt to one method alone.
Concluſio: Thou mayeſt give to them if thou wilt,
for they are half bad and half good, not all bad,
but moſt part.

and Beggars. I I
--~~~~
4Df the Loggners,” or liberately 19tígonerg.
ºHE iijº chapter is about the LossNERs.
# Theſe are knaves who ſay they have lain
* in priſon vi or vij years, and carry the
chains with them wherein they lay as captives
among the infidel (id eff, in the sonNENBoss,
i.e. brothel) for their chriſtian faith; item, on the
ſea in galleys or ſhips enchained in iron fetters;
item, in a ſtrong tower for innocence' ſake; and
they have forged letters (Loe BSAFFOT), as from
the princes and lords of foreign lands, and from
the towns (KIELAM) there, to bear witneſs 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 ſeal they like and they ſay they
have vowed to Our Lady at Einfiedlin (in the
DALLINGER's Boss, i.e. harlot's houſe), or to ſome
* Literally “priſoners let-looſe.”
--~~~~------~~~~~~~~~~-


I 2 The Book of W.agabonds
other Saint (in the schöch ERBoss, i.e. beer-houſe),
according to what country they are in, a pound of
wax, a ſilver crucifix, or a chaſuble; and they ſay
they have been made free through that vow, and,
when they had vowed, the chains opened and
broke, and they departed ſafe and without harm.
Item, ſome carry iron faſtenings, or coats of mail
(PANZER) with them, et ſic de aliis. Nota: They
have perchance bought (KüMMERT) the chains ;
perchance they had them made (VETZEN); per-
chance ſtolen (GEJENFT) them from the church
(DIFTEL) of St. Lenhart.
Concluſio : To ſuch vagrants thou ſhalt give
nothing, for they do nought but deceive (voPPEN)
and cheat (VERBEN) thee; not one in a thouſand
ſpeaks the truth.
--~~~~~~. --~~~~~~~~~~~~


and Beggars. I 3
4Df the İşicnáncrg, Ot QLtippicg,
tº HE iiij" is about the KLENkNERs. Theſe
º are the beggars who ſit at the church-
doors, and attend fairs and church gather-
ings with ſore and broken legs; one has no foot,
another no ſhank, a third no hand or arm. Item,
ſome have chains lying by them, ſaying they have
lain in captivity for innocence' ſake, and commonly
they have a St. Sebaſtianum or St. Lenhartum
with them, and they pray and cry with a loud
voice and noiſy lamentations for the ſake of the
Saints, and every third word one of them ſpeaks
(BARL) is a lie (GEvoP), and the people who give
alms to him are cheated (BESEFELT), inaſmuch
as his thigh or his foot has rotted away in priſon
or in the ſtocks for wicked deeds. Item, one's
hand has been chopped off in the quarrels over
dice or for the ſake of a harlot. Item, many a one.
ties a leg up or beſmears an arm with ſalves, or



14 The Book of Vagabonds
walks on crutches, and all the while as little ails
him as other men. Item, at Utenheim there was a
prieſt by name Maſter Hans Ziegler (he holds
now the benefice of Roſheim), and he had his niece
with him. One upon crutches came before his
houſe. His niece carried him a piece of bread.
He ſaid, “Wilt thou give me nought elſe : " She
said, “I have nought elſe.” He replied, “Thou
old prieſt's harlotl wilt thou make thy parſon
rich : * and ſwore many oaths as big as he could
utter them. She cried and came into the room and
told the prieſt. The prieſt went out and ran after
him. The beggar dropped his crutches and fled ſo
faſt that the parſon could not catch him. A ſhort
time afterwards the parſon's houſe was burnt down;
he ſaid the KLENKNER did it. Item, another true
example: at Schletſtat, 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 off and told the town-

º and Beggars. I 5
ſerjeant. When he ſaw the ſerjeant coming he fled
and left the ſore leg behind him and ran out of the
town—a horſe could hardly have overtaken him.
Soon afterwards he hung on the gallows at Achern,
and the dry leg beſide him, and they called him
Peter of Kreuzenach. Item, they are the biggeſt
blaſphemers thou canſt find who do ſuch things;
and they have alſo the fineſt harlots (GLIDEN), they
are the firſt-comers at fairs and church–celebrations,
and the laſt-goers therefrom. º
Concluſio: Give them a kick on their hind parts if
thou canſt, for they are nought but cheats (BESEF-
LER) of the peaſants (HANZEN) and all other men.
Example: One was called Uz of Lindau. He
was at Ulm, in the hoſpital there, for xiiij days,
and on St. Sebaſtian's day he lay before a church,
his hands and thighs tied up, nevertheleſs he could
uſe both legs and hands. This was betrayed to the
conſtables. When he ſaw them coming he fled
from the town, a horſe could hardly have ran
faſter.

I 6 The Book of Wagabonds
Øf Tobiſſcrg,” or Øopferg, i. e. (Tijutti).
mentitantg.
*HEv"chapter is about DobissERs. Theſe
beggars (STIRNENSTössER, i.e. ſpurious
anointers) go hoſtiatim from houſe to houſe,
and touch the peaſant and his wife (HANZ und HAN-
zIN) with the Holy Virgin, or ſome other Saint, ſay-
ing that it is the Holy Virgin from the chapel,—and
they paſs themſelves off for friars from the ſame
place. Item, that the chapel was poor and they
beg linen-thread for an altar-cloth (id eff, a gown
[cLAFFOT] for a harlot [scHREFEN]). Item, frag-
ments of ſilver for a chalice (id eff, to ſpend it in
drinking [VERSCHöcHERN or gambling [VERJo-
NEN]). Item, towels for the prieſts to dry their
hands upon, (id eff, to ſell [VERKüMMERN] them).
Item, there are alſo DoRISSERs, church-beggars, who
have letters with ſeals, and beg alms to repair a
* Debiſſern.



and Beggars. 17
ruined chapel (DIFTEL), or to build a new church.
Verily, ſuch friars do make collections for an ediff-
cium—viz. one which lies not far below the noſe, and
is called St. Drunkard's chapel.
Concluſio: As to theſe 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
canſt.
fll)f läämmeſictcrg, Ot ilcarned beggatg.
*HEvj"chapter is about the KAMMESIERERs.
Theſe beggars are young ſcholars or young
ſtudents, who do not obey their fathers
and mothers, and do not liſten to their maſters' teach-
ing, and ſo depart, and fall into the bad company
of ſuch as are learned in the arts of ſtrolling and
tramping, and who quickly help them to loſe all
they have by gambling (VERJONEN), pawning (VER-
D





I 8 The Book of Vagabonds
SENKEN), or ſelling (VERKüMMERN) it, with drink-
ing (VERscHöcHERN) 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: Item, that they
come from Rome (id eſt, from the brothel [son NEN-
Boss]), ſtudying to become prieſts (on the gallows,
i. e. DolMAN); item, one is acolitus, another is epiſto-
larius, the third evangelicus, and a fourth clericus
(GALCH); item, 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 ſong. Item, they aſk linen cloth for an alb
(id eff, for a harlot's ſhift, i. e. GLIDEN HANFSTAU-
DEN). Item, money, that they may be conſecrated at
next Corpus Chriſti day (id eſt, in a son NENBoss, i.e.
brothel), and whatever they get by cheating and
begging they loſe in gambling (VERJoNEN), or with
ſtrumpets, or ſpend it in drink (VERSCHOCHERNS
und verBoLENs). Item, they ſhave tonſures on their
heads, although they are not ordained and have no
and Beggars. 19
church document (FoRMAT), though they ſay they
have, and they are altogether a bad lot (Loe vot).
Concluſio: As to theſe KAMMESIERERs give them
nought, for the leſs thou giveſt them the better it
is for them, and the ſooner they muſt leave off.
They have alſo forged FoRMATA: (literae).
4Df Číagrants (Číagittern), or $5ttoilerg.
|HEvij"chapter is about WAGRANTs. Theſe
# are beggars or adventurers who wear yellow
** garments, come from Venuſberg, know the
black art, and are called rambling ſcholars. Theſe
ſame when they come into a houſe ſpeak thus:—
“Here comes a rambling ſcholar, a magiſter of
the ſeven free arts (id eff, the various ways of cheat-
ing [BESEFLEN] the farmers [HANZEN]), an exorciſer
of the devil for hail, for ſtorm, and for witchcraft.”
Then he utters ſome magical words and croſſes his
breaſt ii or iij times, and ſpeaks thus:—



2 O The Book of Vagabonds
“Wherever theſe words are ſaid,
No man ſhall ſuddenly fall dead,
No murrain, mildew or other miſerie
y
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 ſorry they have never ſeen a wandering
ſcholar before, and ſpeak to the vagrant:-“ This
or that has happened to me, can you help me I
would willingly give you a florin or iſ"—and he
ſays “Yes,” and cheats the farmers (BESEFELTDEN
den HANZEN ums MEss) out of their money. And
after theſe experiments they depart. The farmers
ſuppoſe that by their talking they can drive the
devil away, and can help them from any trouble that
has befallen them. Thou canſt aſk them nothing
but they will perform thee an experiment therewith ;
that is, they can cheat and defraud thee of thy money.
Concluſio: Beware of theſe Vagrants, for where-
with they pračtiſe is all lies.

and Beggars. 2 I
4Df the Ötantnet.g., Ot ifinance tuitſ, the
failing ºitäneſs,
HE vij" chapter is about the GRANTNERs.
# Theſe are the beggars who ſay in the
farm-houſes (HANSEN-Boss):—“Oh, dear
friend, look at me, I am afflićted with the falling
ſickneſs of St. Valentine, or St. Kurinus, or St. Vi-
tus, or St. Antonius, and have offered myſelf to the
Holy Saint (ut ſupra) with vipounds of wax, with an
altar cloth, with a ſilver ſalver (etcetera), and muſt
bring theſe together from pious people's offerings and
help; therefore I beg you to contribute a heller, a
ſpindleful of flax, a ribbon, or ſome linen yarn for
the altar, that God and the Holy Saint may protećt
you from miſery and diſeaſe and the falling ſickneſs.”
Nota: A falſe (LoB) trick.
Item, ſome fall down before the churches, or in
other places with a piece of ſoap in their mouths,
whereby the foam riſes as big as a fiſt, and they prick




22 The Book of Vagabonds
their noſtrils with a ſtraw, cauſing them to bleed, as
though they had the falling-fickneſs. Nota: this
is utter knavery. Theſe are villanous vagrants that
infeſt all countries. Item, there are many who ſpeak
(BARLEN) thus:—“Liſten to me, dear friends, I am
a butcher's ſon, a tradeſman. And it happened ſome
time ſince that a vagrant came to my father's houſe
and begged for St. Valentine's ſake; and my father
gave me a penny to give to him. I ſaid, ‘father, it is
knavery.’ My father told me to give it to him, but
I gave it him not. And ſince that hour I have been
afflićted with the falling-fickneſs, and I have made
a vow to St. Valentine of iij pounds of wax and a
High Maſs, and I beg and pray pious folks to help
me, becauſe I have made this vow; otherwiſe I
ſhould have ſubſtance enough for myſelf. Therefore
I aſk of you an offering and help that the dear holy
St. Valentine may guard and protećt you evermore.”
Nota: what he ſays is all lies. Item, he has been
more than xx years colle&ting for his iij pounds of
wax and the maſs, and has been gambling (VER-
and Beggars. 23
JoNEN), bibbling (VERscHöcHERN), and rioting
(VERBOLEN) with it. And there are many that uſe
other and more ſubtle words than thoſe given in this
book. Item, ſome have a written teſtimony (BSAF-
FoT) that it is all true.
Concluſio: If any of the GRANTNERs cometh
before thine houſe, and ſimply beggeth for God's
ſake, and ſpeaketh not many, nor flowery words, to
them thou ſhalt give, for there are many men who
have been afflićted with the fickneſs by the Saints;
but as to thoſe GRANTNERs who uſe many words,
ſpeak of great wonders, tell you that they have
made vows, and can altogether ſkilfully uſe their
tongues—theſe are ſigns that they have followed this
buſineſs for a long time, and, I doubt not, they are
falſe and not to be truſted. As to him who believes
them, they take a nut off his tree. Take care
of ſuch, and give them nothing.


24. The Book of Vagabonds
4Df the Dut;crg,
*HE ix" chapter is about the DUTZERs.
Theſe are beggars who have been ill for a
long time, as they ſay, and have promiſed
a difficult pilgrimage to this or that Saint (ut ſupra
in precedenti capitulo) for three whole and entire
alms every day, that they, thereby, muſt go each
day from door to door until they find three pious
men who will give them three entire alms. Thus
ſpeaketh a pious man unto them: “What is an en-
tire alms ?” Whereat the DUTZER replieth: “A
“ plaphart’ (blaffard), whereof I muſt have three
every day, and take no leſs, for without that the
pilgrimage is no good.” Some go for iij pennies,
ſome for one penny, et in toto nihil. And the alms
they “muſt have from a good and correct man.”
Such is the vanity of women, rather than be called
impious they give a double “blaffard,” and ſend
the DUTZER one to another, who uſes 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 ſay
is all lies (GEvoPT). Item, this alſo is DUTziNG, viz.
when a beggar comes to thine houſe and ſpeaks:
“Good woman, might I aſk you for a ſpoonful of
butter; I have many young children, and I want the
wherewith to cook ſoup for them?” Item, for an
egg (BETZAM): “I have a child bedridden now theſe
ſeven days.” Item, for a mouthful of wine, “for I
have a ſick wife,” et ſic de aliis. This is called
DUTZIN G.
Concluſio: Give nought whatſoever to thoſe
DUTZERs who ſay that they have taken a vow not
to gather more per diem than ij or iij entire alms,
ut ſupra. They are half good (HUNT), and half
bad (LóTsch); but the greater part bad.

26 The Book of Vagabonds
4Df $5 chiepperg, or jFalſe 5¢gging 19ticſig,
ºPHE x" chapter is about the ScHLEPPERs.
- Theſe are KAMMESIERERs who pretend to
§ be prieſts. They come to the houſes with
a famulus or diſcipulus who carries a ſack after
them, and ſpeak thus –“ Here comes a conſecrated
man, named Maſter George Keſſler, of Kitzebuhel
(or what elſe he likes to call himſelf) and I am of
ſuch-and-ſuch a village, or of ſuch-and-ſuch a family
(naming a family which they know), and I will
officiate at my firſt maſs on ſuch-and-ſuch a day in
that village, and I was conſecrated for the altar in
ſuch-and-ſuch a town at ſuch-and-ſuch a church,
and there is no altar cloth, nor is there a miſſal, et
cetera, and I cannot afford them without much help
from all men; for mark, whoſoever is commended
for an offering in the angel's requiem, or for as
many pennies as he gives, ſo many ſouls will be re-
leaſed amongſt his deceaſed kindred.” Item, they


and Beggars. 27
receive alſo the farmer (HANZ) and his wife
(HANZIN) into a brotherhood, which they ſay had
beſtowed on it grace and a great indulgence from
the biſhop who is to erect the altar. Thus men
are moved to pity; one gives linen yarn, another
flax or hemp ; one table cloths, or towels, or old
ſilver plate; and the SchLEPPERs ſay that they are
not a brotherhood like the others who have queſ-
tionerer, and who come every year, but that they
will come no more (for if they came again they
would certainly be drowned [GEFLössELT]). Item,
this manner is greatly practiſed in the Black
Foreſt, and in the country of Bregenz, in Kurwa- -
len, and in the Bar, and in the Algen, and on the
Adige, and in Switzerland, where there are not many
prieſts, and where the churches are far diſtant from
each other,-as are alſo the farms.
Concluſio: To theſe ScHLEPPERs, or Knaves,
give nothing, for it would be badly laid out.
Exemplum. One was called Manſuetus; he alſo
invited the farmers to his firſt maſs at St. Gallen ;

28 The Book of Vagabonds
and when they came to St. Gallen they ſought for
him in the cathedral, but found him not. After
their meal they diſcovered him in a brothel (son-
NENBoss), but he eſcaped.
4Df the Öicăiſſeg, or 0.5iinly 52ggarg,
*HExi" chapter is of the GIcKisses, or Blind
Beggars. Mark: there are three kinds of
* blind men who wander about. Some are
called Bloch.ARTs, id eff, blind men—made blind by
the power of God, they go on a pilgrimage, and
when they come into a town they hide their round
hats, and ſay to the people they have been ſtolen
from them, or loſt at the places where they had
ſheltered themſelves, and one of them often colle&ts
ten or xx caps, and then ſells them. Some are
called blind who have loſt their fight by evil-doings
and wickedneſſes. They wander about in the coun-
try and carry with them pićtures of devils, and re-



and Beggars. 29
pair to the churches, and pretend they had been at
Rome, to Saint James, and other diſtant places, and
ſpeak of great ſigns and wonders that had taken
place, but it is all lies and deception. Some of the
blind men are called BROKEN wanDERERs (Bruch
Umbgeen). Theſe are ſuch as have been blinded
ten years or more; they take cotton, and make the
cotton bloody, and then with a kerchief tie this
over their eyes, and ſay that they have been mer-
cers or pedlers, and were blinded by wicked men
in a foreſt, that they were tied faſt to a tree and ſo
remained three or four days, and, but for a merciful
paſſer-by, they would have miſerably periſhed;—
and this is called BROKEN wan DERING.
Concluſio: Know them well before thou giveſt to
them; my advice is only give to thoſe thou knoweſt.

3O The Book of Vagabonds
%Df the ºtbīuanfeitſcrg, Blickſchlaberg, Ot
JBlakcij Beggarg.
ºPHE xij" chapter is about the SchwANFEL-
# #:
# DERs, or BLIcksch LAHERs. Theſe are
: beggars who, when they come to a town,
leave their clothes at the hoſtelry, and fit down
againſt the churches naked, and ſhiver terribly before
the people that they may think they are ſuffering
from great cold. They prick themſelves with nettle-
ſeed and other things, whereby they are made to
ſhake. Some ſay they have been robbed by wicked
men; ſome that they have lain ill and for this rea-
ſon were compelled to ſell their clothes. Some ſay
they have been ſtolen from them; but all this is
only that people ſhould give them more clothes,
when they ſell (vFRKüMMERN) them, and ſpend the
money with lewd women (VERBOLENs) and gambling
(VERJONENs).


and Beggars. 3 I
Concluſio : Beware of theſe ScHwANFELDERs for
it is all knavery, and give them nothing, whether they
be men or women, (unleſs) thou knoweſt them well.
%Df the ([[Upperg, or ºl)emoniacg.
*HE xij" chapter is about the WoppERs.
Theſe beggars are for the moſt part wo-
* men, who allow themſelves to be led in
chains as if they were raving mad ; they tear their
ſhifts from their bodies, in order that they may de-
ceive people. There are alſo ſome that do both,
voPPERY and DUTZING, together. This is voPPING,
viz. when one begs for his wife's or any other per-
ſon's ſake and ſays ſhe has been poſſeſſed of a devil
(tho’ there is no truth in it), and he has vowed to
ſome Saint (whom he names), and muſt have xij
pounds of wax or other things whereby the perſon
will be delivered from the power of the devil. Theſe
are called DUTZING-Vop PERs.


32 The Book of Vagabonds
Concluſio: This is a wicked and falſe way of beg-
ging. They fing,
A beggar's (BREGAR) wench (ERLATIN) will cheat,
And lie (voPPEN) and be full of deceit (FERBEN):
And he kicks and beats her with his ſhoe.
There are alſo ſome VoPPERINAE, id eſt, women,
who pretend that they have diſeaſes of the breaſt.
They take a cow's ſpleen, and peel it on one ſide,
and then lay it upon their boſom—the peeled part
outſide—beſmearing it with blood, in order that
people may think it is the breaſt. Theſe are the
VoPPERINAE.
4Df the ºt)ailingerg, Ot ibangmen,
*HE xiiij" chapter is about the DALLINGERs.
| Theſe are they who ſtand before the
* churches, having been hangmen (although
they have left it off i year or ii ſince), and chaſtiſe
and whip themſelves with rods, and will do pe-


and Beggars. 33
nance and pilgrimage for their fin and wickedneſſes.
Theſe often beg with much ſucceſs. When they
have pračtiſed 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.
4Df the Düt;bettcting, or ilping-in ſomen.
*HE xv" chapter is about the DüTzBETTE-
p
RINs. Theſe are the beggarwomen who
lay themſelves before the churches all over
the country. They ſpread a ſheet over themſelves,
and ſet wax and eggs by them, as tho’ they were in
childbed, and ſay, their babe died xiiij days ago,
altho’ ſome of them have not had one theſe x or xx
years; and they are called DüTzBETTERINs. To
theſe nothing is to be given,_cauſa: There lay once,
at Straſburg, a man underneath a ſheet before the
cathedral, and it was pretended he was a woman in
childbed. But he was taken by the town ſerjeants,
F



34. The Book of Vagabonds
and put into a halfong, and in the pillory, and then
he was forbidden the country. There are likewiſe
ſome women who pretend they have been pregnant
with a monſter and have brought forth ſuch, as did
a woman who came to Pforzheim in the year one
thouſand five hundred and nine. This ſame wo–
man ſaid that a ſhort time before ſhe had given
birth to a child and a live toad; and that this very
toad ſhe had carried to Our Lady at Einfiedeln,
where it was ſtill alive, and that it muſt have a
pound of meat every day, being kept at Einfiedeln
as a miracle. Thus ſhe begs alms as if ſhe were on
her way to Ach, to Our Lady. She had alſo a letter
with a ſeal, which was proclaimed from the pulpit.
The ſame woman, however, had a luſty young man
whom ſhe kept in food by ſuch villany, fitting in
an alehouſe in the ſuburb waiting for her. All this
was found out by the gate-keeper; and they would
have been ſeized, but they had been warned and ſo
took themſelves off. Nota: All this was utter
knavery.


and Beggars. 35
4Df the ºintmegetg, or (pretentict)
Q9urdererg.
*3PIE xvi" chapter is about the SüNTVEGERs.
Theſe are ſtrong fellows who go about the
country with long knives and ſay they have
taken a man's life away, but that it was in ſelf-de-
fence, and then they name a ſum of money which
they muſt have, and unleſs they bring the money
at the right time, they will have their heads cut off.
Item, ſome are accompanied by a fellow on their
begging-rounds who goes in iron chains and fetters
faſtened with rings, and who ſays he was bail for the
other for a ſum of money to the people, and if he
gets not the money in time, both of them muſt
periſh.



36 The Book of Vagabonds
4Df the female ºintbegerg,
º::
*HExvij"chapteris about the FEMALE-SüNT-
# vegers. Theſe are the wives (KRóNERIN),
*; or, in reality, the wenches (GLIDEN) of the
above fellows (ſupra in precedenti capitulo). They
wander over the country, and ſay that formerly they
led a looſe life, but that now they repent and would
turn from their wickedneſs, and beg alms for the
ſake of Sanéta Maria Magdalena, and cheat the
people therewith.
3Df the 15il-meatcrg,” or (pretended)
19tegnant ([10men.
|HExviij"chapteris about the BIL-weARERs.
Theſe are the women who tie old jerkins,
*** or clothes, or a pillow over their perſon,
underneath the gown, in order that people may think
* In the original BILTREGERIN (Bildtragerin), i. e. Billet-wearers.




and Beggars. 37
they are with child; and they have not had one for
XX years or more. This is called GoING witH BILs.”
£Df the (Iirging (3ſungfrauen), or pretentict,
HLCp2tg.
sºHE xix" chapter is about the VIRGINs.
sº
º
Theſe are beggars who carry rattles as
* though they were real lepers, and yet they
are not. This is called GoING witH THE VIRGIN.
4Df the 99timſen, or ºpurioug Beggatg.
ºHE xx" chapter treats of the MüMSEN.
Theſe 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. Theſe ſame men have their women fitting in
out-of-the-way corners alſo following the buſineſs.
This is called GoING witH THE MüMSEN.
* BEULEN, bumps, or protuberances






38 The Book of Vagabonds
4Df the Duct-ºlin;cm-350crg,” or pretentict,
J[20tlemen anti ſãnightg.
3HE xxi" chapter is about Over-SöNzEN-
GOERS. Theſe are vagrants or beggars
$º who ſay they are of noble birth, and that
they have ſuffered by war, fire, or captivity, or have
been driven away and loſt all they had. Theſe
clothethemſelves prettily and with neatneſs, as though
they were noble, though it is not ſo; they have
falſe letters (Loe BSAFFOT); and this they call GoING
over SöNZEN.
ADf the i3andicterg, Ot pretended 99erterg,
ºHExxij"chapter is about the KANDIERERs.
; Theſe are beggarstidily dreſſed; they make
* people believe they had once been mer-
chants over the ſea, and have with them a Loe
* UBERN SöNZEN GANGER.





and Beggars. 39
BSAFFOT, from the biſhop (as common people think),
but the trick has been well related in capitulo tertio,
together with an account of the LossNERs (liberated
priſoners),-how they obtain their falſe letters and
ſeals, ſaying they have been robbed; but it is all
lies. This is called GoING over clan.T.
4Df the ([[ctancting, Ot baptiºctl ſcºutſieg.
º HExxiij" chapter is about the VERANERINs.
Theſe are women who ſay they are bap-
tized Jeweſſes and have turned Chriſtians,
and can tell people whether their fathers or mothers
are in hell or not, and beg gowns and dreſſes and
other things, and have alſo falſe letters and ſeals.
They are called VERANERINs.



4.O The Book of Vagabonds
4Df Chriſtianet.g., Qlaimicrets, or (pretentict)
19ílgtimg.
ãº; HE xxiiij" chapter is about CHRISTIANERs
- # or CALMIERERs. Theſe are beggars who
&º wear ſigns in their hats, eſpecially Roman
veronicas, ſhells, and other tokens, which they ſell to
each other, in order that it ſhall be thought they
have been in diſtant cities and foreign parts. For
this reaſon they wear theſe ſigns, although they have
never come thence, and they deceive people thereby.
They are called CALMIERERs.
4)f the ºcfferg, Ot ºaiuctg.
*HE xxvth chapter is about the SEFFERs.
Theſe are beggars who beſmear themſelves
* all over with ſalve, 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. 4. I
broken out in ſores; but if they go to a bath three
-
days after theſe go away again.
Øf the ºtbfucigerg, or the 3|aunuicci],
ºHExxvi"chapter is about the SchweigERs.
Theſe are beggars who take horſes' dung
and mix it with water, and beſmear their
legs, hands, and arms with it; thereby appearing
as if they had the yellow ſickneſs, or other dreadful
diſeaſe. Yet it is not true; they cheat people there-
with, and they are called ScHw EIGERs.
ADf the Buràbatt.
*HExxvij" chapter is about the BURKHART.
# Theſe are they who thruſt their hands into
gauntlets, and tie them with kerchiefstotheir
throats, and ſay they have Saint Anthony’s penance,
or that of any other Saint. Yet it is not true, and
G





42 The Book of W.agabonds
they cheat people therewith. This is called GoING
on THE BURK HART. -
ADf the 19tatſtbieterg, or 5iinly barperg,
ºHE xxviij" chapter is about the PLAT-
rivº scHIERERs. Theſe are the blind men who
* fit before the churches on chairs, and play
on the lute, and ſing various ſongs of foreign lands
whither they have never been, and when they have
done ſinging they begin to vop (to lie) and FERB in
what manner they had loſt their eye-fight. Item, the
hangmen (PLATscHIERERs) alſo before the DIFTEL
door (church-door) will take their clothes off till
they are ſtark-naked, and laſh themſelves with whips
and ſticks for the ſake of their fins, and they do this
voPPERY to cheat mankind, as thou haſt juſt heard
in the previous chapter; and this is called PLAT-
scHIERING. Alſo thoſe who ſtand on ſtools, and laſh
themſelves with ſtones and other things, and talk
about the ſaints, uſually become hangmen and flayers.


and Beggars. 43
| THE SEconD PART.
This is the Second Part of this Book, which ſpeaketh
of ſeveral Notabilia that relate to the afore-men-
tioned cuſtoms and methods of getting a living, given
in a few words.
W.TEM, there are ſome of the afore-men-
: ; º tioned who neither aſk before a houſe nor
ºft at the door, but ſtep right into the houſe,
or into the chamber, whether any body be within
or no. It is from no good reaſon. Theſe thou
knoweſt thyſelf.
Item, there are alſo ſome that go up and down the
aiſles of churches, and carry a cup in their hands.
They wear clothes ſuitable for this purpoſe, and paſs
about very infirm as tho’ they were ſtrangely ill, and
go from one to the other, and bow towards thoſe
people who are likely to give them ſomething.
They are called PFLüGERs.
Item, there are alſo ſome who borrow children
upon All Souls’ or other Feaſt Day, and fit down




44 The Book of Vagabonds
before the churches as tho’ they had many children,
and they ſay “ theſe children are motherleſs” or
“fatherleſs,” but it is not true. This is done in
order that people may give to them the more will-
ingly for the ſake of ADoNE (God).
Exemplum : In a village in Switzerland, there
is a ſtatute whereby they give to every beggar vs.
hellers on condition that he ſhall for a quarter of a
year at leaſt not beg in the ſame neighbourhood.
Once a woman took theſe ſame vs. hellers on con-
dition that ſhe would not beg any more in the
neighbourhood. After that ſhe cut her hair off,
and begged up and down the country, and came
again to Swytz, into the village, and ſat down at the
church gate with a young child. When the child
was uncovered it was found to be a dog. Then ſhe
had to run away from the country. This perſon
was called Weiſenburgerin; ſhe had been in priſon
at Zurich combing wool.
* Item, there are ſome who put on good clothes
and beg in the ſtreets. They accoſt any perſon, be

and Beggars. 4.5
it woman or man, and ſay, they have lain ill a long
time, and are mechanics who have expended all their
goods and are aſhamed to beg, and aſk that thou
mayeft help them to proceed on their journey. Theſe
are called Goos E-SHEARERs.”
Item, there are likewiſe ſome among thoſe before-
mentioned who pretend they can dig or ſearch for
hidden treaſures, and when they find ſome one who
allows himſelf to be perſuaded, they ſay they muſt
have gold and ſilver, and muſt have many maſſes
celebrated to this ſame end, et cetera, with many
more words added. Thereby they deceive the no-
bility, the clergy, and alſo the laity, for it has not
yet been heard that ſuch villains have found theſe
valuables. But they have cheated people enough.
They are called SEFEL-(dirt-)DIGGERs.
Item, there are alſo ſome among the above who
treat their children badly in order that they may be-
come lame (and who would be ſorry if they ſhould
grow ſtraight-legged) for thereby they are more
* GENSSCHERER, i. e. ganſſcherer.


46 The Book of Vagabonds
able to cheat people with their Loe vots (lying
words). - -
Item, there are alſo others among the above who,
when they come into the villages, have a little coun-
terfeit finger and dirt" upon it, ſmearing it all over,
and ſay they have found it, and aſk if ſomebody
will buy it. Thus a filly peaſant's wife (HANZIN)
thinks it is ſilver, and knows it not, and gives them
vi pennies or more for it, and therewith ſhe is cheated.
In like manner with pater moſters, or other ſigns which
they carry underneath their cloaks. They are called
WILTNERs.
Item, there are alſo ſome QUESTIONERERs (per-
ſons who aſk alms) who make evil uſe of the holy
goods which they receive, be it flax, linen-cloth,
broken filver plate, or other things; they are eaſily
detected by thoſe who are knowing, but the common
man will ſoon be cheated. I give to no QUESTIONER
anything, excepting the four meſſengers, id eff,
thoſe that are here written down, viz. Samóżi Anto-
* In the original Kor, i.e. kat.
and Beggars. - 47
mii, Sanéſi Valentini, Samõži Bernardi, et Spiritus
Samõži. The ſame have been confirmed by the See
of Rome.*
Item, beware of the pedlers who ſeek thee at
home, for thou wilt buy nothing good of them, be it
ſilver, haberdaſhery, ſpicery, or any other wares.
Beware, likewiſe, of the doćtors who travel up
and down the country, and offer theriack and roots,
and make much ado about themſelves, and eſpecially
ſome blind doćtors. One called Hans of Straſburg,
has been a Jew, and was chriſtened at Straſburg at .
Whitſuntide; years ago his eyes were bored out at
Worms, but he is now a phyſician, and tells for-
tunes, and travels from place to place, and cheats and
defrauds every body. How P I need not ſay, I
could tell well enough.
Item, beware of the Jon ERs (gamblers) who prac-
tice BESEFLERY with the BRIEF (cheating at cards),
who deal falſely and cut one for the other, cheat with
BöGLEIN and SPIES, pick one BRIEF (card) from the

* On this paſſage Luther remarks :-" But now it is all over
with theſe too
| 22
-
48 The Book of Vagabonds.
ground, and another from a cupboard; they cheat
alſo with the REGERs (dice); with hearts, the cheft,
in taking off and in laying on, with METZEs, STABS,
GUMNES, PRISSING, with the four knaves ; they uſe
LOE MESS (bad coins), or Loe STETTINGERS (bad
florins), and make uſe of many other rogueries,
ſuch as drawing out, the rot, the ſtake, &c., which I
had better not explain, for your own good.
And theſe ſame knaves eat and drink always at
ſuch houſes as are called the Stick, which means they
never pay the landlord what they owe him, but when
they leave there “ſticks” moſtly ſomething to them |
which commonly departs with them.
Item, there is yet another ſort among the land-
ſtrollers. Theſe are the finkers who travel about the
country. They have women (werBER) who go be-
fore them and ſing and play; ſome go about full
of miſchief, and if thou giveſt them nothing, one of
them mayhap will break a hole in thy kettle with a
ſtick or a knife to give work to a multitude of others.
Et ſic de aliis.


| THE THIRD PART OF THIS
LITTLE BOOK IS THE
VOCABULARY.
: Eğ : #DONE, God. Hebrew, ADHoNAIY, the
jº Lord, i.e. God.
A\º ACH ELN, to eat. Hebrew, AKAL.
ºº: ALCHEN / to go.
ALCH DICH! go! or, go quickly
ALCH DICH U BERN BREITHART'ſ go far away
remove to a diſtance
ALCH DICH UBERN GLENZ / go far away! re-
move to a diſtance |
BARLEN, to ſpeak. French, PARLER.
BESCHöCHER, tipſy. German, BesòFFEN, drunken,
inebriated. -
BETZAM, an egg. Hebrew, BEYTZAH.
BLECH, a BLAFFART, an obſolete coin containing 48
hellers. German, BLECH, a thin piece of metal.
H


5O The Vocabulary.
BLECHLEIN, a kreizer, a ſmaller coin than the pre-
ceding, containing 8 hellers. German, BLECHLEIN,
the diminutive of BLEcH.
BöLEN, HELSEN,+probably the German, HALSEN, to
embrace any one, to jump at one’s neck (HALs); alſo
to Veer.
BOPPEN, to lie; be placed or ſituated.
BOSS, or BETT, a houſe. This term would ſeem to be
from the Hebrew, BETH, a houſe. Bo, or Bos, is a
common prefix in the old Corniſh, and ſignifies a
houſe, as BoscAWEN, BOSPIDNICK.
BOSS DICH / hold thy tongue !
BOSSHART, meat. The Hebrew, BASAR, ſignifies fleſh.
BOSSHART. WETZER, a butcher. Hebrew.
BREGEN, to beg. Both this and the following are pro-
bably corruptions of the German, PREDIGEN, to
pray, to preach ; or they may have come from the
Old German, BRACHER, a pauper. Poſſibly, how-
ever, they are nothing more than corruptions of
BEGHARD, the name given to a low order of friars
before the Reformation. Theſe profeſſed poverty,
and lived on alms. Their orthodoxy and morality
were doubtful. In general they were denounced by
the eccleſiaſtical authorities. See Moſheim, de BEG-
HARDIS et Beguinis. The term evidently comes from


The Vocabulary. 5 I
the Saxon, BEGGEN, mendicare; and HARD, or HART,
a ſervant.
BREGER, a beggar.
BREITHART, far, wide,-BREIT here being equivalent
to broad, or wide; and HART, to very, or exceedingly.
BREITFUSS, a gooſe, or duck,-literally, a “broad-
foot.”
BRESEM, BRücH, to break. The Old German, BRUCH,
ſignifies fračura, ruptura; femoralia; locus paluſiris;
infraćio legis. The Modern German, BRUCH, refers
to a breach or rupture in a perſon, eſpecially a break-
age cauſed by violence.
BRIEF, a playing card. German, BRIEF, a letter.
BRIEFELVETZER, a clerk. Wide FETZEN.
BRIEFEN, to play at cards.
BRISSEN, to denounce.
BRÚSS, a leper.
BSAFFOT, a letter, a cipher. The German, ZIFFER,
ſignifies a cipher, and probably comes from the
Arabic or Hebrew, SáPHER in the latter being
equivalent to writing, a writing, or whatever is written
in a book. -
BSCHIDERICH, a magiſtrate. Probably this term, to-
gether with the following, were merely vulgar adapta-
tions of the German, BESCHEIDEN, to appoint, to be

52 The Vocabulary.
diſcreet. The Old German, BEscHEID-RIK, might
be tranſlated as “powerful in deciſion,” and BE-
scHEIDRUOM, “renowned for diſcretion or modeſty.”
BSCHUDERULM, nobility.
BüTZELMAN, zage. The German, zAGEL, is a
provincial word, and ſignifies a tail. See ScHEIss.
DALLINGER, a hangman. Probably a corruption of
GALGENER,--from the German, GALGEN, a gallows,
or gibbet.
DERLING, a die (plural dice).
DIERLING, the eye. Poffibly a diminutive of the
German, THÚR, a door, or entrance,—not inappropri-
ately applied to the eye, as the little door out of which
all things are ſeen.
DIERN, to ſee.
DIFTEL, a church. Probably a corruption of the Ger-
man, STIFTEL,~a diminutive of STIFT, a cathedral.
STIFTUNG is a foundation, eſtabliſhment; STIFTER, a
founder.
DIPPEN, to give. German, GEBEN.
DOL MAN, the gallows. The German, DOLMAN, pro-
perly ſignifies a peliſſe, the tight-fitting nature of
which may have given riſe to the cant application to
a gallows. -
DOTSCH, vulva. Suppoſed by ſome to be from the


The Vocabulary. 53
5
German, TASCHE, a pocket. The Bavarian words
DOTSCH, DOST, DOSTEN, however, ſtill ſignify vulva.
DOUL (i. e. DöEL,-DAUL), a penny. The fourth part of
a BLECHLEIN, or kreuzer.
DRITLING, a ſhoe. From the Old German, TRIT-
LING, a footſtool, a bench,--a diminutive of TRITT,
gradus, paſſus inceſus, curſus pedeſiris. TRETTEN is
omnes pedum motus, from the Celtic, TRUD ; Ancient
Britiſh, TROED,-ſo that it ſeems very probable that
TRITLING, or DRITLING, may have meant a little
treader, or ſhoe.
Dü EIN HAR, FLEUCH.
EMS, good. The German, EMSIG, is aſſiduous; DIE
EMSIGE BIENE, the buſy bee. It ſeems to come from
the Old German, EMMAZZIG, for UNMUAZIG, occupa-
tus et minime otioſus. After the ſame ſaſhion is de-
rived the French, A-MUSER.
ERFERKEN (ERSECKEN ?), RETschEN.
ERLAT, the maſter. The Welch, HERLOD, is a ſtrip-
ling, lad; HERLODES, a damſel, girl. It is ſuppoſed
that the word “harlot,” which originally ſignified a
bold ſtripling, is from this. Chaucer ſays:—
A ſturdie harlot—that was her hoſtes man, -
He was a gentil harlot, and a kind. -
If ERLAT is from the German, it would be from HERR-
LAUT, a diſtinguiſhed lord, a maſter.



54 The Vocabulary.
ERLATIN, the miſtreſs.
FELING, a grocery, or general ſtore; a grocer's wife.
FETZEN, or VETZEN, to work, to make. Latin, FA-
CERE. The German, FETZEN, ſignifies a piece, or
ſlice.
FLADER, a bath-room, a barber’s ſhop.
FLADER-FETZER, a barber.
FLADER-FETZERIN, a barber’s wife.
FLICK, KNAB. Hilpert refers to FLüGGE, unfledged.
FLOSS, ſoup. From the German, FLOss, a ſtream ;
FLOSSEN, to flow.
FLOSSART, water.
FLöSSELT, drowned. Previous to the time of Luther,
beggars were drowned when caught ſtealing. Wide
Gengenbach.
FLöSSLEN, to make water.
FLOSSLING, a fiſh. German, Flosse, a fin.
FLUCKART, poultry, birds. From the German, FLIEGEN,
to fly; literally, “fly-hard,” or “faſt-flyer.”
FUNKART, fire. German, FUNKE, a ſpark.
FUNKARTHOLE, an earthenware ſtove.
FüNKELN, to boil, cook, roaſt.
GACKENSCHERR, a chicken. German, GACKEN, to
cackle ; SCHARREN, to ſcratch.
GALCH, a parſon, prieſt. The Old German, GALL, is
caſtratus ; the ſame with GELDE,-whence GOL, GEL,

The Vocabulary. 55
ſterile. The German, KELCH, is a chalice, the com-
munion cup. GALCH may be, however, ſimply an
extenſion of GALLE.
GALCHENBOSS, a parſonage.
GALLE, a parſon. Hebrew, KAHAL, a prieſt.
GALLEN, a town.
GANHART, the devil.
GATZAM, a child. Hebrew, GATAM, ſaid to be derived
from an Arabic word, ſignifying any one puny or
thin. Or from the German, KATZCHEN, a little cat, a
kitten.
GEBICKEN, to catch.
GENFEN, or JENFEN, to ſteal.
GFAR, a village. Hebrew, CHAFAR, a village, hamlet.
GIEL, the mouth.
GITZL IN, a morſel of bread.
GLATHART, a table. German, GLATT, ſmooth.
GLENZ, a field.
GL ESTERICH, glaſs. German, GLITZERN, to glitter.
GLID (i. e. GLEID), a harlot.
GLIDENBOSS, a brothel.
GL IDENFETZERIN, a frequenter of brothels.
GLISS, milk.
GOFFEN, scHLAHEN. -
GRIFFLING, a finger. German, GREIFEN, to graſp.

56 The Vocabulary.
GRIN (i.e. GRYM*), food.
GRUNHART, a field, i.e. very green, or green-like.
GUGEL FRANZ, a monk.
GUGEL FR ENZ IN, a nun.
GURGELN, LANTSKNECHTBETLIN, i. e. GURGELN
LANTSKNECHT, would ſeem to refer to a begging
foot-ſoldier.
HANFSTAUD, a ſhirt, literally “ hemp-ſhrub.”
HANS WALTER, a louſe. HANZ literally means Jack
or John. The old word HANSA refers to a multi-
tude; Old German, HANSE, a ſociety; HANs, a com-
panion.
HANS /ON GELLER, coarſe bread.
HAR, FLEUCH.
HANZ, a peaſant. See HANs WALTER.
HANZIN, a peaſant’s wife.
HEGIS, a hoſpital. The Old German, HAG, is a houſe
(from HAGEN to hedge in, incloſe), quaſ locus ſeptus
habitandi cauſa. The Old German, HEGEN, is to
nouriſh, feed, to receive into one's houſe and com-
pany. The Su, Goth. HAEGA, is to ſerve.
HELLERICHTIGER, a florin.
HERTERICH, a knife or dagger.
HIMMELSTEIG, the Lord’s Prayer, literally, “Hea-
ven's ſteps.”
* “Güt und greym,” giit.


The Vocabulary. 57
HOCKEN, to fit, to lie.
HOLDERKAUZ, a hen.
HORK, a peaſant.
HORNBOCK, a cow.
ILTIS, a conſtable, town ſergeant. The Modern German,
ILTISS, or ILTIs, ſignifies a pole-cat, fitchet; and
ILTISFALLE is a trap for catching pole-cats, or, as Dr.
Johnſon calls them, “ſtinking beaſts.” The Icelandic,
ILLTUR, is malus ; and the Cymrie, YLLTYR, is talpa,
a mole.
70HAM, wine. From the Hebrew, YAH'-YIN, wine.
Gengenbach renders this JoHIN.
jQNEN, to play,+at cards, or other game of chance.
French, Jouer
jQNER, a player, a gambler.
jLFFART, DER DA ROT IST oper FREIHEIT.
jLIVERBASSEN, to ſwear.
KABAS, a head. Latin, caput.
KAFFRIM (JAcoBSBRüDER), a pilgrim to the grave of
St. James.
KAMMESIERER, a learned beggar.
CAVAL, a horſe. Latin, CABALLUS.
CAVELLER, a flayer, a butcher. Modern German,
KAFILLER.
KERIS, wine. Modern German, XERESWEIN, ſherry;
I

58 The Vocabulary.
or, from KIRSCHE, a cherry, KIRSCHEN-wAsser,
cherry-water.
CHRISTIAN (JAcoBSBRüDER), a pilgrim to the grave of
St. James.
KIELAM, a town.
KIMMERN, to buy. German, KRAMEN, to trade.
CLAFFOT, a dreſs, a cloak. In Gengenbach’s metrical
verſion of the Liber Vagatorum, this is rendered
KLABOT, clothes.
CLAFFOT-FETZER, a tailor.
KLEBIS, a horſe, literally, “a clover-biter.”
KL EMS, puniſhment, impriſonment. The German, KLEM-
MEN, ſignifies to pinch.
KLEM S EN, to arreſt, impriſon.
KLENKSTEIN, a traitor.
KLINGEN, LEIER ;—perhaps one who plays upon a
lyre, from the German, KLINGEN, to ſound, KLIN-
GELN, to tinkle.
KLINGENFETZERIN, LEIERIN, probably a female
player upon the lyre.
KRACKLING, a nut. From the German, KRACHEN,
to crack.
KRAX, a cloiſter.
KRóNER, a huſband. From the German, KRONEN, to
crown, to appoint as head or principal.

The Vocabulary. 59
KRöNERIN, a wife.
LEFRANZ, a prieſt.
LE FRENZIN, a prieſt’s harlot.
LE HEM, bread. Hebrew. A cotemporary of
Luther, Gengenbach, ſpells the word LEM.
LINDRUNSCHEL, corn-gatherers.
LISS-MARKT, the head, literally, “the louſe mar-
ket.”
LÖE, bad, falſe. From Belgian, LOH, Daniſh, LAAG,
low; Saxon, Loh, a pit, or gulf.
LöE ÖTLIN, the devil, literally, “the wicked gentle-
man.”
LüSSLING, the ear. Old German, LoseN, or Lusen, to
liſten. Beggars formerly had their ears cut off when
detected ſtealing.
MACKUM, the town.
MEGEN (or MENGEN), to drown.
MENG, KESSLER.
MENKLEN, to eat. .
MESS, money, coin. The German, MESSING, ſignifies
braſs.
MOLSAMER, a traitor.
NARUNG-TüN, to ſeek, or look out for food. German,
NAHRUNG, livelihood; THUN, to do, make.
PFLÜGER, an alms-gatherer in churches.




60 The Vocabulary.
PLATSCHEN, to go about preaching.
PLATSCHIERER, a preacher, from tubs, &c.
PLICKSCHLAHER, a naked perſon.
POL ENDER, a caſtle, a fort. Perhaps conne&ted with
the German, BOLL, BOLLIG, hard, ſtiff; BOLLwARK, a
baſtion, bulwark.
2UIEN, a dog. Latin, CANIs.
2UIENGOFFER, a dog-killer
RANZ, a ſack, pouch. German, RANZEN.
RAULING, a baby.
RAUSCHART, a ſtraw matraſs. German, RAUScHEN,
to ruſtle.
REEL, St. Vitus’ Dance.
REGEL (or REGER), a die (plural dice). From the Ger-
man, REGEN, to move -
REGENWURM, a ſauſage, literally, “a rainworm.”
RIBLING, dice.
RICHTIG, juſt.
RIELING, a pig.
RIPPART, SECKEL.
ROL, a mill, German, Roll EN, to roll.
ROLVETZER, a miller.
ROTBOSS, a beggar's houſe of call, beggar's home.
RÚBOLT, freedom.
RÚREN, to play, German, RUHREN, to touch, rattle.
The Vocabulary. 6 I
RUMPFLING (or RUMPFFING), muſtard. From the
German, RüMPFEN, to wriggle
RUNZEN, to cheat in dealing cards, gambling, &c.
SCHEISS (SCHIESs), ZAGEL,-a tail. German, SCHEISSE,
excrement, dung; scHEISSEN, to dung (imperative,
scHEISs); scHIESSEN, to ſhoot, dart (imperative,
SCHIESS). Old German, SCHIESSEN, labi, praecipitari,
celeriter moveri. See BüTZELMAN.
SCHL ING, flax, linen. German, scHLINGEN, to entwine.
SCHLUN, SCHAFFEN,-to cauſe, get, make, procure, or
produce anything.
SCH MALKACHEL, a ſlanderer. German, KACHEL, a
pot, literally, “a ſlandering-pot.”
SCH/MALN, to ſlander. Modern German, SCHMALEN.
SCHMUNK, melted butter.
SCHNIEREN, to hang, German, scHNUR, a ſtring.
SCHôCHERN, to drink. Modern German, scHENKEN,
to fill, retail liquor; schENKE, a drinking-houſe, ale-
houſe; schENKWIRTH, a beer-draper.
SCHöCHERVETZER, an innkeeper.
SCHOSA, vulva. This is ſuppoſed to be from the
Sileſian, DIE schoos, the lap; Bavarian, GSCHOSL.
SCHREF, a harlot. -- "
SCHREFENBOSS, a houſe of ill fame.


62 The Vocabulary.
SCHREILING, a child,- diminutive formed
scHREIEN, to cry.
SCHRENZ, a room.
SCHÚRNBRANT, beer.
SCHWENZEN, to go.
SCHWERZ, night. German, SchwARz, black.
SEFEL, dirt. Hebrew, SHAFAR, humble, mean :
SEFEL BOSS, a houſe of office, dirt-houſe.
SEFELN, to evacuate.
SENFTRICH, a bed. German, SANFT, ſoft.
SONNENBOSS, a brothel.
SONZ, a nobleman, gentleman.
SONZIN, a lady. -
SPELTING, a heller,-the ſmalleſt coin.
from
SPITZLING, oats. Modern German, SPITzling, oat-
graſs; SPITZE, the point of anything; SPITz, pointed,
peaked. The term appears to be a diminutive.
SPRANKART, ſalt. German, SPRENKELN, to ſcatter.
STABUL ER, a bread-gatherer.
STEFUNG, ZIL. Old German, ZIL, is finis, limes, ter-
minus temporis et loci ; alſo meta jaculantis, ſcopus agen-
tis, terminus oculi et mentis.
STETTINGER, a florin, perhaps one minted at Stettin.
STOL FEN, to ſtand.
STREIFLING, trouſers. German, STREIFEN, to ſtrip.

The Vocabulary. 63
STROBORER, a gooſe, literally, “a ſtraw-borer.”
STROM, a brothel. Poſſibly an alluſion to STRUMMEL,
the Old Engliſh Cant for ſtraw, with which houſes of
this deſcription may have been littered. The cant ex-
preſſion, STRUMMEL, was probably introduced into
this country by the gipſies and other vagabonds from
the Continent, in the reign of Henry VIII.
STROMBART, a foreſt.
STUPART, flour. Old German, STOPPEL, cauda fru-
menti, from the Latin, STIPULA.
TERICH, the land, or country. Latin, TERRA.
/ERKIMMERN, to ſell. See KIMMERN.
WERLÜNSCHEN, VERSTEEN.
WERMONEN, to cheat.
WERS ENKEN, to pawn, literally, “to ſink.”
WOPPART, a fool. Modern German, FoppeN, to mock.
WOPPEN, to lie, tell falſehoods.
WENDERICH, cheeſe. -
WETTER HAN, a hat, literally, “a weathercock.”
WINTFANG, a cloak, literally, “a wind-catcher.”
WISSULM, ſilly people.
WUNNENBERG, a pretty young woman. German,
won NE, pleaſure.
ZICKUS, a blind man. Latin, CAECUs.


64 The Vocabulary.
Z//ENGERING, a jacket. German, zwäNGEN, to
force.
ZWICKER, a hangman. German, Zwicken, to pinch.
ZWIRLING, an eye.
NoTHING witHouT REASON.
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