Collected Works of Martin Luther

by Martin Luther

  I might remark that other accounts of English vagabonds were published soon after this. The subject had become popular, and a demand for books of the kind was the result. Harrison, who wrote the Description of England, prefixed to Holinshed’s Chronicle (1577), describes the different orders of beggars. Greene, about 1592, wrote several 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.

  Shakespeare, too, and other dramatists of the period, introduced beggars and mendicants into their plays in company with the Gipsies, with whom, in a great measure, in this country they were allied.

  Amongst 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 Act 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 person actually in want liberty was given to beg within a certain district, “and further,” says the Act, “there shall be delivered to every such person a letter containing the name of that person, witnessing 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 aforesaid.”

  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 genuineness, 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 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 fictitious paper, authorizing them to collect subscriptions for the sufferers in some dreadful colliery accident, the document, covered with apparently genuine signatures, 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 congregation might know which of the poor people who waited at their doors were worthy of alms. Sometimes, 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 them in their vagabond calling, in which case they obtained for themselves the title of KAMMESIERERS, or “Learned Beggars.” Now these same vagabond scholars were to be met with in this country in the time of Henry VIII, — and in Ireland, I believe, so late as the last century. Examining again the Act 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 acted as their passport. When found without this license they were treated as vagrants, and whipped accordingly.

  It is remarkable that many of the tricks and manœuvres to obtain money from the unthinking but benevolent people of Luther’s time should have been practised in this country at an early date, and that they should still be found amongst the arts to deceive thoughtless persons adopted by rogues and tramps at the present day. The stroller, or “Master of the Black Art,” described at page 19, is yet occasionally heard of in our rural districts. 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 represented by the “Fawney Riggers,” or droppers of counterfeit gold rings, — described in Mayhew’s London Labour, and other works treating of the ways of vagabonds.

  “Card-Sharpers,” or JONERS, mentioned at page 47, are, unfortunately for the pockets of the simple, still to be met with on public race-courses and at fairs.

  The OVER-SÖNZEN-GOERS, or pretended distressed 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 GOOSE-SHEARERS. As the reader will have experienced only too frequently, 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 themselves, 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 themselves 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 excite pity and obtain money, are, unfortunately, not peculiar to our civilized age. These fellows committed like cruelties centuries ago.

  Borrowers of children, too, — those pretended fathers 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 according 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 produce 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 manœuvres of beggars.

  Travelling quack-doctors, 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 districts, 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 silver” to the cunning 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 have had no better name for honesty in the fifteenth century than they have now,— “going about breaking holes in people’s kettles to give work to a multitude of others,” says the little book.

  With regard to the Rothwelsch Sprache, or cant language used by these vagrants, it 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 country, ap
pear 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 appears to be a principal element. Occasionally a term from a neighbouring country, or from a dead language 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 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 simple form of these secret terms has generally been given, there being no established rule for their inflection. In a few instances I found myself unable 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.

  MARTIN LUTHER’S PREFACE.

  THIS LITTLE BOOK about the knaveries of beggars was first printed by one who called himself Expertus in Truffis, that is, a 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 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. Truly, such Beggars’ Cant has come from the Jews, for many Hebrew words occur in the Vocabulary, as any one who understands that language may perceive.

  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 honest 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 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.

  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 myself of late years been cheated and befooled by such tramps and liars more than I wish to confess. Therefore, whosoever hears 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! Amen.

  Liber Vagatorum;

  THE BOOK OF VAGABONDS AND BEGGARS.

  The Mendicant Brotherhood.

  Here follows a pretty little book, called Liber Vagatorum, written by a high and worthy master, nomine Expertus in Truffis, to the praise and glory of God, sibi in refrigerium et solacium, for all persons’ instruction and benefit, and for the correction 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 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.

  Of the Bregers, or Beggars.

  THE 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 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 compelled 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.

  Of the Stabülers, or Bread Gatherers.

  The 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 (WETTERHAN) and cloaks (WINTFANG) hang full of signs of all the saints, — the cloak (wintfang) being made (VETZEN) out of a hundred pieces. They go to the peasants who give them bread (LEHEM DIPPEN); 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 (GATZAM) 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.

  Of the Lossners, or liberated Prisoners.

  The iij^{rd} 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 est, 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 Einsiedlin (in the DALLINGER’S BOSS, i.e. harlot’s house), or to some other Saint (in the SCHÖCHERBOSS, 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); perchance 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.

  Of the Klenkners, or Cripples.

  The iiij^{th} is about the KLENKNERS. These are the beggars who sit at the church-doors, and attend fairs and church gatherings 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 o
r for the sake of a harlot. Item, many a one ties a leg up or besmears an arm with salves, or 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 harlot! 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 sitting 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 beggar. This latter one ran off and told the townserjeant. 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.

  Conclusio: Give them a kick on their hind parts if thou canst, for they are nought but cheats (BESEFLER) 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.