CHAPTER I.

Gipsies: their History and present State -- Gipsies Part and Parcel of the English Landscape -- an essential Portion of our Poetry and Literature -- Uses made of them by many kinds of Writers -- Gipsy Adventure of Sir Roger de Coverley -- Gipsy Sketches by Wordsworth, Cowper, Crabbe, and others -- Inquiries after their Origin -- the Notion of the Ettrick Shepherd of it -- Arab-like Character of Gipsies -- Researches of Grellman and Buttner into the Gipsy Origin -- Account of their Numbers, Treatment, and Habits in all Nations -- their Language -- various Names by which they are and have been known -- M. Hasse’s Theory of their Antiquity -- pointed out by Herodotus and Strabo -- Causes of their more numerous Appearance in Western Europe about the year 1400 -- their first entry into France in 1427, as described by Pasquin -- Banished by Proclamation -- the same Policy pursued in other Countries -- Cruelties practised on them in Spain -- Order to drive them from France with Fire and Sword -- Attempt to expel them from Sweden, Denmark, Italy, and England -- Entry respecting them in the Parish Records of Uttoxeter -- the Inquiries of Mr. Hoyland into their History and Condition -- his Visits to their Haunts at Norwood and London -- their Annual Progresses from London through various Counties -- Mr. Hoyland’s Researches in Scotland -- the Border-Country their chief Resort -- Letter of Sir Walter Scott respecting them -- Remarkable Scene with them at Riding the Marches near Yetholm -- Sir Walter Scott’s recognition of one of them at Kelso Fair -- the Family of the Faas -- Old Will Faa, the Gipsy King’s Journey to see the Laird on his Death-bed -- Meg Merrilies one of their Clan -- the Author’s Visit to Yetholm -- the Gipsy Houses -- the Feud between them and the Shepherds -- Old Will Faa, the present King -- the Importance given him by Sir Walter Scott’s Writings -- his Smuggling and Fighting -- his Portrait by Sir Martin Arthur Shee -- General Review of their Numbers and Condition in these Kingdoms -- Camp near Nottingham, and Death of the Gipsy King -- Peculiarities of the whole Race -- their estimated Numbers in Europe -- Children sent to School in London -- Gipsy Wife reading her Bible to her Children -- Feelings naturally presented by the sight of a Gang -- Gipsies of New Forest -- Exertions of Mr. Crabbe and the Home Missionary Society -- Gipsies’ Advocate published -- Mrs. Southey’s Account of the New Forest Gipsies, and particularly the Stanley family -- Anecdote of George III. and the dying Gipsy -- Curious Accidental Meeting of the Author with two Ladies of Rank acting the Gipsies in Surrey 165