Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

or backward to work, they are whipped; but if they work hard, they are well used and treated without any mark of reproach, only the lists of them are always called at night, and they are then shut up. They suffer no uneasiness, except this of constant labour; for as they work for the public, so they are well entertained out of the public stock. This is done differently in different places: in some places, whatever is bestowed upon them is raised by a charitable contribution; and though this way may seem uncertain, yet so merciful are the inclinations of that people, that they are plentifully supplied by it: in others, public revenues are set aside for them, or there is a constant tax of a poll-money raised for their maintenance. In other places again, they are not set to any public work; but every private man, who is in want of workmen, goes to the market-place, and hires them of the public a little lower than he would a freeman: and, if they go lazily about their task, he may quicken them with the whip. Thus, there is always some piece of work or other to be done by them; and, beside their livelihood, they earn somewhat still for the public. They all wear a peculiar habit of one certain colour, their hair is cropped a little above their ears, and a piece of one of their ears is cut off. Their friends are allowed to give them either meat, drink, or clothes, so they are of their proper colour; but it is death, both to the giver and taker, if they furnish them with money: nor is it less penal for any freeman to take money from them, upon any account whatsoever; and it is, also, death for any of these slaves' (so they are called) to handle arms. Those of each division of the country are distinguished by a peculiar mark, which it is capital

4

[ocr errors]

for them to lay aside, as it is likewise to go beyond their bounds, or to talk with a slave of another jurisdiction; and the very attempt of an escape is not less penal than an escape itself: it is death for any other slave to be accessary to it; and if a freeman engages in it, he is condemned to slavery; those who discover it are rewarded, if freemen, in money; and if slaves, with liberty, together with a pardon for being accessary to it: that so they may find their account, rather in repenting of their having countenanced such a design, than in promoting it.

These are their laws and rules in relation to robbery; and they are obviously as advantageous, as they are mild and gentle: since not only is vice destroyed, and men preserved, but they are treated in such a manner as to make them see the necessity of being honest, and of employing the rest of their lives in repairing the injuries which they have formerly done to society. Neither is there any hazard of their falling back to their old customs. And so little do travellers apprehend mischief from them, that they generally make use of them for guides from one jurisdiction to another for there is nothing left them, by which they can rob, or be the better for it; since they are disarmed, and the very having of money is a sufficient conviction. And as they are certainly punished, if discovered, so they cannot hope to escape; for their habit being in all it's parts different from what is commonly worn, they can only have a chance of escaping naked, and even then their cropped ear would betray them. The only danger to be feared from them is, their conspiring against the government: but those of one division and neighbourhood can do

:

nothing to any purpose, unless a general conspiracy were laid among all the slaves of the several jurisdictions and this is impossible, as they cannot meet or talk together; nor will any venture upon a design, where the concealment would be so dangerous, and the discovery so profitable. None are quite hopeless of recovering their freedom, since by their obedience and patience, and by giving good grounds to believe that they will change their manner of life for the future, they may expect at last to obtain their liberty: and some are annually restored to it, upon the good character that is given of them."

[ocr errors]

'When I had related all this, I added, that I did not see why such a method might not be followed in England with more advantage, than could ever be expected from that severe justice, which the counsellor so much magnified.' To this he answered, that it could never take place in England, without endangering the whole nation:' shook his head, made some grimaces, and held his peace. All the company seemed of his opinion except the Cardinal, who said, that it was not easy to form a judgement of it's success, since it was a method that never yet had been tried:' but "if," said he, "when sentence of death is passed upon a thief, the Prince would reprieve him for a while, and make the experiment upon him, denying him the privilege of a sanctuary; then, should a good effect be produced upon him, it might take place; and if it did not succeed, the worst would be, to execute the sentence on the condemned person at last. And I do not see (added he) why it should be either unjust if convenient, or at all dangerous, to admit of such a delay. In my opinion too, Vagrants ought to be treated in the same

[blocks in formation]

manner; against whom, though we have made many laws, yet we have not been able to gain our end." This motion, as made by the Cardinal, they all commended, though they had despised it when it came from me; but more particularly what related to Vagrants, because it was his own observation.'

163

JOHN FISHER,

BISHOP OF ROCHESTER.*

[1459-1535.]

FROM the close connexion between the memoirs and the fate of this illustrious prelate with those of Sir Thomas More, the total omission of his history might mislead the reader into an opinion, that the Chancellor was the sole victim to the King's exasperation on the contested points of his divorce and his supremacy.

John Fisher was the son of a merchant of Beverley, in Yorkshire, where he was born in the year 1459. His father dying while he was young, the care of his education devolved upon his mother, who with the view of preparing him for the church sent him to Cambridge in 1484. In 1491, he was admitted M. A; and in 1495 was appointed one of the Proctors of the university, and elected Master of Michael House, the college in which he had been educated.†

* AUTHORITIES. Biographia Britannica, Bailey's Life of Fisher, Walpole's Catalogue of Royal and Noble Authors, and Burnet's History of the Reformation.

+ Now incorporated into Trinity College.

« FöregåendeFortsätt »