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XXV. Observations on the Oriental Origin of the Romnichal, or Tribe miscalled Gypsey and Bohemian

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 September 2009

John Staples Harriot
John Staples Harriot
Affiliation:
Bengal Infantry
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Extract

During my residence in North Hampshire, in the years 1819–20, I was led to pay considerable attention to a race of vagrant men, who, roaming about the high roads and lanes in the vicinity of Waltham, Overton, and Whitchurch, appear almost to be out of the protection of the law (whether in this or any other country), and are known throughout the world under the varied names—

Type
Research Article
Information
Transactions of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland , Volume 2 , Issue 2 , July 1830 , pp. 518 - 558
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal Asiatic Society 1830

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References

page 519 note * Errones nequissimi Gallis nomine Ægyptiorum, et Bohemorum, Italis Zingarorum notissimi proculdubio, sic dicti, quia ob subnigrum, Fuscum colorem Ægyptii vulgo credebantur.—Skinner. Etymologicon Angl.

page 519 note † The Germans call this language ‘Rotwelsh;’ hoc est rubrum barbarissimum.—Munster. 3 X 2 ‘Romnichal;’

‘Romnichal;’ I was favoured with the following derivation by Dr. G.Wilkins: Ramna, Hindi; ‘a park, plain, or champagne;’ and chal, , ‘a rover, wanderer, traveller:’ or perhaps, Rumna, ‘to roam,’ and chal, ‘habit or manner.’

page 521 note * Until the 23d year of the reign of King George the IIId it was felony without benefit of clergy, to be seen for one month together in the company of persons calling themselves Egyptians. F.W.A.

page 521 note † Vide Edinb. Rev. Dec. 1818.Google Scholar

page 522 note * The following ‘anecdote was communicated to me by Mr. Leadbeater, of Overton, Hants. “On the 5th June 1809, I was sent to attend Barbara Ayres in her accouchement. I found her under one of their usual tents; and in the space of an hour after my arrival she was delivered of a female child; The first thing which suggested itself to me, was the necessity of removing her into a house, where she might receive that attention her situation required. A horse and cart, with a bed in it, were sent to convey her to the parish workhouse; but, on reaching the tent, to my great surprize, she was very indignant at our thinking that, under any circumstances, she would ever sleep under the roof of a dwelling-house: her words were, ‘she never had, nor never would.’ The following night a tremendous storm of wind, rain, and thunder came on; the tent under which she lay was blown over the hedge; and for two hours she was exposed to the violence of the storm, without suffering the least after inconvenience.

“It should be observed, that the early part of the month of June 1809 was unusually severe.”

page 523 note * A.D. 1821.

page 523 note † “Luli, A people in Persia called Karāchi; handsome boys and girls.

“Lulian, Nice, delicate; a public singer, a strumpet.”—Richardson's Pers. Diet.

This word was known in Persia at least as early as Hāfiz, who wrote and sung 562 years ago. Faghān'k'īn Luliān, &c.

page 525 note * Sir John Malcolm, in his History of Persia, cites a MS. Persian history, A.D. 420, called Zinȧtut Tavārīkh, and observes,—it was under Bahrām-Gur, that minstrels and musicians were first introduced into that kingdom to the number of twelve thousand. Sir John is of opinion there were always a few of this class in Persia, but that since the days of Bahrām they have abounded; adding, “it is a curious fact, that the dancing and singing girls of Persia are termed Kāoulee, a corruption of Cābuli, Cabul.” Vide Vol. I. p. 117.Google Scholar

page 525 note † Juvenal, enumerating the fortune-tellers and astrologers who frequented Italy in the first and second centuries of the Christian era, mentions distinctly the Phrygian and Indian juggler:

frontemque, manumque

Præbebit, voti crebrum poppysmo roganti.

Divitibus responsa dabit Phryx augur et Indus

Conductus; dabit astrorum mundique peritus.—Sat. 6. v. 582.

The Minstrel, Jungleur, Jogeleur, Juggler of France and of England exercised the same arts, and may possibly have the same eastern origin, although the era is too distant to trace any more immediate connection than the following:—

Merry is it in hall, to hear the harpe,

The mynstrelles synge, the jogeleurs carpe.—Adam Davie, A.D. 1312.

A lousy jogeleur can deceive the,

And parde, yet can I more craft than he.—Chaucer, Friar's Tales.

page 526 note * Vide Travels in Belochistān, by Lieutenant Pottinger, A.D. 1809. Sir John Malcolm, in a note to the second volume of his History of Persia, observes, “Small encampments of Gypseys are frequently met with in Persia; the habits and occupations of the families which we saw in that country appeared very similar to those of the vagrant tribes who wander over England.” Vide p. 596.

page 528 note * A.D. 420 is the age of Babrām-Gūr, and A.D. 1000 that of Firdausi; an interesting fact as it regards the introduction of the Gypseys into Persia. Vide Shah-Namah of Firdausi.

page 530 note * For several characteristic traits regarding the Nat' of Hindustan, vide Capt. Richardson's Essay in the Asiatic Researches. Vol. vii.Google Scholar

page 532 note * A kind of bow with an iron chain, instead of a string, with which the natives exercise their bodies.–Hunter.

page 532 note † A large mallet employed by the native soldiers as we do dumb-bells. Vide Col. Broughton's letters from a Mahratta Camp, for a lively account and representation of these athletic exercises.

page 532 note ‡ Rags are the musical modes of the Hindus.