Transcribed from the 1816 WM. Alexander edition by DavidPrice, . Many thanks to KensingtonLibrary, London, for allowing the use of their copy incross-checking the transcription.
A
HISTORICAL SURVEY
of the
CUSTOMS, HABITS, & PRESENT STATE
of
The Gypsies;
designed to develope
The Origin of this Singular People,
and to promote
The Amelioration of their Condition.
By JOHNHOYLAND,
Author of an Epitome of the History of the World,&c.
York:
printed for the author; and sold by
WM. ALEXANDER, YORK:
darton,harvey, & co.; w. phillips;and w. darton, jun.
london.
1816.
Entered at Stationers’Hall.
Printed by Hargrove,Gawthorp, & Cobb,
Herald-Office,York.
p. iiiINTRODUCTION.
The author of the following Survey, has frequently hadopportunity of observing the very destitute and abject conditionof the Gypsey race, in the counties of Northampton, Bedford, andHerts. The impressions received from viewing a state soderogatory to human nature, induced him to make numerousinquiries, in order to ascertain if necessity compelled theircontinuance, under circumstances so deplorable as their conditionexhibited.
Not meeting with satisfactory intelligence on application tovarious individuals, to whose observation Gypsies are frequentlypresented, the author was excited to an examination of history,for the developement of a case involved in so much obscurity; andaggravated by circumstances so repugnant to the mild and genialinfluences of the Christian Religion.
He must not however omit to state, that in Northamptonshire,William Allen, who is in the profession of the law, at HighamFerrers, and Steward to Earl Fitzwilliam, very warmly interestedhimself on the p. ivsubject. He said it affordedhim much pleasure to find, that some attention was excited to thecondition of the Gypsies, and that he should be glad toco-operate, as far as was in his power, in any measures likely toconduce to the reformation of this greatly neglected class ofBritish subjects.
He volunteered his services to find out the nearest Gypseyrendezvous, and soon procured information of an encampment whichthe writer visited. An account of the visit will appear inthe following sheets. The first assurance that the Gypsiesreally had a language peculiar to themselves, which the authorreceived, was from this intelligent and obliging professor of thelaw, who had