This law was attended with the same success as the others; the
Gitanos left their places of domicile whenever they thought proper,
frequented the various fairs, and played off their jockey tricks as
usual, or traversed the country in armed gangs, plundering the
small villages, and assaulting travellers.
The same monarch, in October, published another law against them,
from St. Lorenzo, of the Escurial. From the words of this edict,
and the measures resolved upon, the reader may form some idea of
the excesses of the Gitanos at this period. They are to be hunted
down with fire and sword, and even the sanctity of the temples is
to be invaded in their pursuit, and the Gitanos dragged from the
horns of the altar, should they flee thither for refuge. It was
impossible, in Spain, to carry the severity of persecution farther,
as the very parricide was in perfect safety, could he escape to the
church. Here follows part of this law:-
'I have resolved that all the lord-lieutenants, intendants, and
corregidors shall publish proclamations, and fix edicts, to the
effect that all the Gitanos who are domiciled in the cities and
towns of their jurisdiction shall return within the space of
fifteen days to their places of domicile, under penalty of being
declared, at the expiration of that term, as public banditti,
subject to be fired at in the event of being found with arms, or
without them, beyond the limits of their places of domicile; and at
the expiration of the term aforesaid, the lord-lieutenants,
intendants, and corregidors are strictly commanded, that either
they themselves, or suitable persons deputed by them, march out
with armed soldiery, or if there be none at hand, with the
militias, and their officers, accompanied by the horse rangers,
destined for the protection of the revenue, for the purpose of
scouring the whole district within their jurisdiction, making use
of all possible diligence to apprehend such Gitanos as are to be
found on the public roads and other places beyond their domiciliary
bounds, and to inflict upon them the penalty of death, for the mere
act of being found.
Pages:
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210