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countries that are desolate； and her cities among the cities that
are laid waste shall be desolate forty years： and I will scatter
the Egyptians among the nations； and will disperse them through the
countries。' Ezek。； chap。 xxix。 v。 12。 'Yet thus saith the Lord
God； at the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians from the
people whither they were scattered。' v。 13。
'Thus saith the Lord； I will make the multitude of Egypt to cease；
by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar； king of Babylon。' Chap。 xxx。 v。 10。
'And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations； and disperse
them among the countries； and they shall know that I am the Lord。'
Chap。 xxx。 v。 26。
The reader will at once observe that the apocryphal tale which the
Romas brought into Germany； concerning their origin and wanderings；
agrees in every material point with the sacred prophecy。 The
ancient Egyptians were to be driven from their country and
dispersed amongst the nations； for a period of forty years； for
having been the cause of Israel's backsliding； and for not having
known the Lord； … the modern pseudo…Egyptians are to be dispersed
among the nations for seven years； for having denied hospitality to
the Virgin and her child。 The prophecy seems only to have been
remodelled for the purpose of suiting the taste of the time； as no
legend possessed much interest in which the Virgin did not figure；
she and her child are here introduced instead of the Israelites；
and the Lord of Heaven offended with the Egyptians； and this legend
appears to have been very well received in Germany； for a time at
least； for； as Aventinus observes； it was esteemed a crime of the
first magnitude to offer any violence to the Egyptian pilgrims； who
were permitted to rob on the highway； to commit larceny； and to
practise every species of imposition with impunity。
The tale； however； of the Romas could hardly have been invented by
themselves； as they were； and still are； utterly unacquainted with
the Scripture； it probably originated amongst the priests and
learned men of the east of Europe； who； startled by the sudden
apparition of bands of people foreign in appearance and language；
skilled in divination and the occult arts； endeavoured to find in
Scripture a clue to such a phenomenon； the result of which was；
that the Romas of Hindustan were suddenly transformed into Egyptian
penitents； a title which they have ever since borne in various
parts of Europe。 There are no means of ascertaining whether they
themselves believed from the first in this story； they most
probably took it on credit； more especially as they could give no
account of themselves； there being every reason for supposing that
from time immemorial they had existed in the East as a thievish
wandering sect； as they at present do in Europe； without history or
traditions； and unable to look back for a period of eighty years。
The tale moreover answered their purpose； as beneath the garb of
penitence they could rob and cheat with impunity； for a time at
least。 One thing is certain； that in whatever manner the tale of
their Egyptian descent originated； many branches of the sect place
implicit confidence in it at the present day； more especially those
of England and Spain。
Even at the present time there are writers who contend that the
Romas are the descendants of the ancient Egyptians； who were
scattered amongst the nations by the Assyrians。 This belief they
principally found upon particular parts of the prophecy from which
we have already quoted； and there is no lack of plausibility in the
arguments which they deduce therefrom。 The Egyptians； say they；
were to fall upon the open fields； they were not to be brought
together nor gathered； they were to be dispersed through the
countries； their idols were to be destroyed； and their images were
to cease out of Noph！ In what people in the world do these
denunciations appear to be verified save the Gypsies？ … a people
who pass their lives in the open fields； who are not gathered
together； who are dispersed through the countries； who have no
idols； no images； nor any fixed or certain religion。
In Spain； the want of religion amongst the Gitanos was speedily
observed； and became quite as notorious as their want of honesty；
they have been styled atheists； heathen idolaters； and Moors。 In
the little book of Quinones'； we find the subject noticed in the
following manner：…
'They do not understand what kind of thing the church is； and never
enter it but for the purpose of committing sacrilege。 They do not
know the prayers； for I examined them myself； males and females；
and they knew them not； or if any； very imperfectly。 They never
partake of the Holy Sacraments； and though they marry relations
they procure no dispensations。 （35） No one knows whether they are
baptized。 One of the five whom I caused to be hung a few days ago
was baptized in the prison； being at the time upwards of thirty
years of age。 Don Martin Fajardo says that two Gitanos and a
Gitana； whom he hanged in the village of Torre Perojil； were
baptized at the foot of the gallows； and declared themselves Moors。
'They invariably look out； when they marry； if we can call theirs
marrying； for the woman most dexterous in pilfering and deceiving；
caring nothing whether she is akin to them or married already； （36）
for it is only necessary to keep her company and to call her wife。
Sometimes they purchase them from their husbands； or receive them
as pledges： so says； at least； Doctor Salazar de Mendoza。
'Friar Melchior of Guelama states that he heard asserted of two
Gitanos what was never yet heard of any barbarous nation； namely；
that they exchanged their wives； and that as one was more comely
looking than the other； he who took the handsome woman gave a
certain sum of money to him who took the ugly one。 The licentiate
Alonzo Duran has certified to me； that in the year 1623…4； one
Simon Ramirez； captain of a band of Gitanos； repudiated Teresa
because she was old； and married one called Melchora； who was young
and handsome； and that on the day when the repudiation took place
and the bridal was celebrated he was journeying along the road； and
perceived a company feasting and revelling beneath some trees in a
plain within the jurisdiction of the village of Deleitosa； and that
on demanding the cause he was told that it was on account of Simon
Ramirez marrying one Gitana and casting off another； and that the
repudiated woman told him； with an agony of tears； that he
abandoned her because she was old； and married another because she
was young。 Certainly Gitanos and Gitanas confessed bef