They lie, however, for they do not lead the life of
penitents, but of dogs and thieves. A learned person, in the year
1540, prevailed with them, by dint of much persuasion, to show him
the king's letter, and he gathered from it that the time of their
penance was already expired; he spoke to them in the Egyptian
tongue; they said, however, as it was a long time since their
departure from Egypt, they did not understand it; he then spoke to
them in the vulgar Greek, such as is used at present in the Morea
and Archipelago; SOME UNDERSTOOD IT, others did not; so that as all
did not understand it, we may conclude that the language which they
use is a feigned one, (67) got up by thieves for the purpose of
concealing their robberies, like the jargon of blind beggars.'
Still more abundant, however, than the mixture of Greek, still more
abundant than the mixture of Sclavonian, is the alloy in the Gypsy
language, wherever spoken, of modern Persian words, which
circumstance will compel us to offer a few remarks on the share
which the Persian has had in the formation of the dialects of
India, as at present spoken.
The modern Persian, as has been already observed, is a daughter of
the ancient Zend, and, as such, is entitled to claim affinity with
the Sanscrit, and its dialects.
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