"At their weddings they carry torches, and have paranymphs to give the
bride away, with many other unusual rites.

"It is in reality, almost absurd to talk of the religion of a set of
people, whose moral characters are so depraved, as to make it evident
they believe in nothing capable of being a check to their passions. They
are usually accounted pilferers, cheats, faithless, and abandoned to
dissoluteness.

"They tell fortunes, and play juggling tricks, just as they do in all
other countries where they are to be found. In 1560, they were banished
the kingdom as thieves, cheats, and spies for the Turks. In 1569 and
1685, the order was resumed, but not being enforced, had little effect.

"A Gypsey being brought to trial for a larceny, declared, that his law
allowed him to take as much from others, every day, as sufficed for his
maintenance.

"These people make use of two languages, one Calabrian, with a foreign
accent and pronunciation; the other a peculiar one of their own, which in
sound, seems to have great affinity to the Oriental tongues; and is
spoken when they have secrets to impart to each other. They sleep like
dogs in a kennel, men, women, and children huddled together."

The learned Grellmann states, that "Gypsies were universally to be found
in Italy; insomuch, that even Sicily and Sardinia were not free from
them.

"But they were the most numerous in the dominions of the church; probably
because there was the worst police, with much superstition. By the
former they were left undisturbed; and the latter enticed them to deceive
the ignorant, as it afforded them an opportunity of obtaining a plentiful
contribution, by their fortune-telling and enchanted amulets.

"There was a general law throughout Italy, that no Gypsey should remain
more than two nights, in any one place. By this regulation, it is true,
no place retained its guest long; but no sooner was one gone, than
another came in his room. It was a continual circle, and quite as
convenient to them, as a perfect toleration would have been. Italy
rather suffered, than benefited, by this law; as, by keeping those people
in constant motion, they would do more mischief there, than in places
where they were permitted to remain stationary."

It appears from the Dissertation of Grellmann, that he had examined with
great care and attention, the continental authorities on the subject of
Gypsies. He asserts, that "In Poland and Lithuania, as wel