The Scottish Gypsies Under The Stuarts

Scottish Gypsies Under the Stuarts

Part 1

When the Gypsies first arrived in Scotland and England they were taken as "Egyptians" and it was illegal at the time to be Egyptian. Those found guilty of being Egyptian were transported by ship to penal colonies, in America, Australia, or other parts of the world.

One such case was in 1732 on the 10th of May when a woman named Mary Alston alias Yorstoun (a noted Gypsy name of the time) was tried on the charge of being Egyptian she was acquitted on that charge but found guilty of stealing some Plaids at a fair she was transported as a Thief. Her husband was Mathew Baillie a celebrated Gypsy and the son of "Captain William Baillie" Leader of one section of the South Scottish Gypsies, On his Death in November 1724 Mathew Baillie succeeded his father as Leader of the South Scottish Gypsies.

Mathew Baillie was the Great Uncle of Jane Baillie whose Grand-daughter Jane Baillie Welsh became the wife of Thomas Carlyle, Mrs Carlyle once described Mathew Baillie as "The last of the Gypsies Who would steal a horse from under its owner and leave the saddle behind it".

Gypsies were also know as Tinklers or Tinkers evidence has proved that between 1165 and 1214 a man called James Tinkler held land in the town of Perth and that In 1265 "Editha le Tynekere" lived in Wallingford in Berkshire, In 1273 a Tincker and William de Tyneker lived in Huntingdonshire and in 1294 "Ralf Tincler " had a house in Morpeth Northumberland. All these had acquired land and houses after moving from Scotland. the fact that they now lived in house did not alter the fact that they were Gypsies same as a well known Scottish Gypsy who owned a house in Biggar, Lanarkshire.

A Gypsy man called William marshal was referred to by Sir Walter Scott as the Caird (Tinker) of Barullion, King of the Gypsies of the Western Lowlands, who lived in a cottage at Polnure in Galloway in 1789. So it was not uncommon in these times for Gypsies to live in houses in fact a whole street of houses was named "Tinkler Row" in Kirk-Yetholm. There was also a Tinkler Row in both Edinburgh and Newcastle.

The First Queen of Gypsies was that of "Queen Esther" who was a member of the Blythe Family. By 1816 the colony of Gypsies (Tinklers or Tinkers) had become settled in Yetholm. The males earned their way by mending cooking pots and utensils, most of them held the lease to the property they stayed in which was for nineteen times nineteen years which they paid a small rent yearly for. It is believed that these leases were granted by the Family of the Bennets of Grubet, the last of which was Sir David Bennet. It has been stated that the Yetholm Gypsies of 1770 were a more privileged class than the others as they had houses, allotments and land for a small yearly rent.

By 1835 more Gypsies had come to stay at Yetholm the main names for these families were Faa, Young, Douglas, and Blythe.

While in the village of Middleton in Mid Lothian The gypsy Families of Baillie, Tait, and Wilson resided. In 1839 a Parish priest of Borthwick wrote that these Gypsies had now become intermingled through marriage.

The name of Tinkler continued to appear in documents such as old land charters, one of these charters refers to lands not far from a place called Hightae, where the Gypsy families of the Faa and Kennedy's lived, and it is believed that some of their descendants remain today. They were known as the Kings Kindly Tenants of Lochmaben.

The charter is dated May 31, 1439, the third year of King James II reign.

It was a man by the name of John Halliday of Hodholm (now called Hoddam) who first Wadsetta (Mortgaged) his lands out. Those lands were called Holcroft which had belonged to William de Johnstone and two oxgangs of land which are called the Tynklers lands in the tenement of Hodholm and Lordship of Annandail to John de Carrtheris, Laird of Mousewald.

Lochmaben had a large Gypsy population in the 18th century and it has been said that these Gypsies were from a privileged caste, having been referred to as "The Kings Kindly Tenants." They were also referred to as "Feudal Tenants." These Tenancies would pass down through the family by a sort of "Heraldry Title" to the lands in exchange for a very small annual rent. They were written as old "Nativi" in the Old Charters.

Sir Walter Scott had this to say about the Landed Gypsies;

"I cannot dismiss the subject of Lochmaben without noticing an extraordinary and anomalous class of landed proprietors who dwell in the neighbourhood of that burgh. These are the inhabitants of four small villages near the ancient castle called The Four Towns of Lochmaben. They themselves are termed the Kings Rentallers, or Kindly Tenants, under which denomination each of them has a right, of an allodial nature, to a small piece of ground. It is said that these peoples are descendants of Robert Bruce's Menials to whom he assigned, in reward for their faithful service, these portions of land burdened only with the payment of certain "Quit-Rents" and "Grassums," or fines upon the entry of a new tenant...... This possession by rental or by simple entry upon the rent-roll was anciently a common and peculiar sacred species of property granted by a chief to his faithful followers.......

Fortunately for the inhabitants of the Four Towns of Lochmaben the maxim that the King can never die prevents their right of property reverting to the Crown...... (An attempt having been made last Century to dispossess them). The rentallers united in their common defence; and having stated their immemorial possession, together with some favourable clauses in certain "old acts" of Parliament enacting that the King's poor kindly tenants of Lochmaben should not be hurt, they finally prevailed in an action before the Court of Session.......

The Kindly tenants of Lochmaben live (or at least lived till lately) much sequestered neighbours, marry amongst themselves, and are distinguished from each other by sobriquets, according to the ancient border custom. You meet among their writings with such names as JOHN OUT-BYE, WILL IN-BYE, WHITE-FISH, RED-FISH &c.

They are tenaciously obstinate in defence of their privileges of commonty, &c which are numerous. Their lands are in general neatly enclosed and well cultivated, and they form a contented and industrious little community.

To Scotts account, it may be added a reference to another writer who states that the ancestors of "Kindly Tenants" in general were the class of "villeyns" (adscripti Glebse) literally slaves" and that those of Lochmaben were probably freed at the end of the thirteenth century; After which they got the name of "Free Tenants." Then after that became known as the Kings Kindly Tenants.

Part 2

It is evident that the words "Tinkler" or "Tinker" that were often used to describe genuine Gypsies cannot be regarded as actually synonymous with "Gypsy," a similar uncertainty is attached to the word "Faw."

The names of Faw, Faa and Fall were figured to be Gypsy surnames for over 4 centuries, especially around the Border areas. In Northumberland it has been said that the name had become generic to a whole tribe of "Travelling Tinkers and Muggers," however in the Northumberland area, the more prominent name for Gypsies was "FAA" and this was frequently used to describe "Gypsies" calling them "FAAS".

In Cumberland, the term of "Faw -Gang" or "Gang of Faws" referred to a certain man and his followers, called Francis Herron, King of the Faws, who was buried in Jarrow in 1756. The name Faa was not only given to persons whose name may have been Fall but to the Clarkes and Winters who were "Gypsy" families well known in the Borders of Scotland.

In 1862, Mr. Walter Besant wrote in his story "A Christmas Tale," "There were Waggoners to talk with, friendly Hawkers whom the people call muggers (Potters) and Faws or tinkers who are too often robbers and pilferers"

Mr Joseph Lucas in his book "Yetholm History of the Gypsies," shows a number of extracts from Sykes's local records.

From these records we learn that "Faw" has been used around the Borders for some time to describe Gypsy or semi Gypsy castes. Although the people spoken about as "Faws bore the surnames of Winter, Clark, Heron or Rochester only occasionally. They were actually named "Fall" otherwise "Faw".

This name use can be partly explained in two ways one is that an influential family distinguished by the name Faw or Fall, imposed the name on to all the families they classed as inferior, which they held sway over at that time.

Or secondly that the Non-Gypsy population recognised the Faw or Fall name as being the most famous amongst the Gypsies that they just applied it loosely to the whole people.

Such a use of this name tagging existed in Yorkshire, where Boswell or Bosvile were the celebrated Gypsy surnames. From this fact came the local saying "As black as a bozzle" Which denotes as stated by Mr. F.H. Groome "As Black as a Gypsy" whose name was not necessarily "Boswell." The arrival of the Kennedys at Thornhill and neighbouring villages of Dunfriesshire was understood by everyone to mean the arrival of the "Gypsies." Kennedy was the name of most of the families within that Quarter.

However, the word "Fah, Faw, or Fall" may have come from the Anglo Saxon Fah, Faw or Fall which signified Parti- Coloured. An example of this usage of these name words is that of Falkirk which sometimes is still pronounced Fa'Kirk or Faw-Kirk and was formerly written as the Faw-Kirk.

In Latin or Gaelic it was respectively known as Varia Capella and Eaglais Bhreac however, in all three languages it signifies Parti- Coloured.

There are several reasons why the names of Faw or Fall were applied to the Gypsies, but whichever is the right reason it is evident that it is a name of longstanding use.

It has been said that "Faws" have actually lived in Scotland since the 13th century as it was said that Faws stayed between Culter and Biggar in Lanarkshire. Other names such as Caird and Horner were given to Scottish Gypsies both indicating castes and very old occupation in Old Scotland.

Gypsies have often been associated with Kaulkers, Keelers and Keelmen otherwise known as "Ruddlemen." They were also identified as being with these wandering vendors of Ruddle and many Gypsies followed occupations like these as they travelled the lands.

An act of Scottish Parliament passed in the year 1449 which was directed against "Sorners" (people who forcibly quartered themselves upon others), over-liers and masterful beggars with horse, hounds or other goods. This act was aimed as a class answer to the earlier Gypsies of the continent.

We also find that when the name "Egyptian" is eventually named in Scotland and are named within the Scottish Acts of Parliament, it is clear that they also aim that act at the people who had become addicted to the habits which the 1449 act had tried to suppress.

The crime of "SORNING" is closely linked to the Gypsies that Baron Hume considered this while discussing the crime of being Egyptian, some of his remarks allow us to see the position of the Gypsies in the latter part of the Stewarts Period.

Baron Hume observed the Following :

"Along with that of being an Egyptian, we may rank this kindred and also capital offence of Soring; being one of the many evil habits to which that profligate and sturdy crew have everywhere have been addicted. By Soring , we understand the masterful taking of meat and drink without payment; A thing which in the former undisciplined condition of this country was easily accomplished by those numerous bands of dissolute and lawless people, more especially in remote and solitary situations, where they chiefly haunted by the very terror of their looks and language, and their known violence and revengeful temper. The state of Scotland in this respect was indeed deplorable, if we may trust the description that is given of the numbers and the manners of those vagabond fraternities, by one who was able to judge and had the opportunity of knowing."

"Fletcher of Salton affirms, in a treatise, written in 1698 that the numbers who lived as vagabonds amounted to 0ne hundred thousand, who might be seen on all occasions of public meeting, both men and women perpetually drunk, cursing and blaspheming and fighting with each other; who lived without any regard or subjection to the laws of the land, or even those of God or Nature."

This was the description given to the Scottish Gypsies by Fletcher of Salton:

"His account is rather one sided as he leaves out the other side to the Gypsy life and only centres on the bad elements within the Gypsy Community. (nothing has changed much from then till today, still the same focus on the bad forget any good).

It has been said that the Gypsies did not enter Scotland until the 15th Century and finding that there already existed a caste of nomadic magic working tinklers, muggers, pedlars, ballad singers , mountebanks, which undoubtedly there was, they just proceeded to affiliate themselves with those castes, who they eventually leavened to a considerable degree with Romani blood and Romani speech.

Part 3

( SARACENS IN GALLOWAY)

The earliest time that Gypsies are definitely stated to have inhabited Scotland in at the end of the fifteenth century, but even then the evidence is traditional rather than historical.

Two dates in particular stand out 1452-60 and 1470, the first date had an occurrence in the province of Galloway in the South-West of Scotland and it involved the heir of the important family of Maclellan of Bombie, Whose Ancestral Estate was near to the town of Kirkendbright within the province.

It is in the history of this family who were ennobled with the title of "Lord Kirkendbright," a genealogist named "Crawford" stated;

"That after having been forfeited in the middle of the Fifteenth Century -- "The Barony of Bombie was again recovered by the Maclellans, as the tradition goes after this manner. In the reign of King James II of Scotland, it happened that a company of "Saracens or Gypsies" from Ireland Infected the County of Galloway.

The King made a proclamation that whoever shall disperse them and bring their Captain Dead or Alive would be given the Barony of Bombie for their reward .

The Laird of Bombies son was set the task to kill the person for which the reward was offered. He brought the head of the man on his sword to the King and was immediately "Vested" in the Barony of Bombie and to keep the memory of that brave act he took for his crest a More's head on the point of a sword, and THINK ON for his Motto."

Crawford is not the first to mention this tradition. He has been quoted first because he unhesitatingly uses the term "Gypsy" to the "Moors" or "Saracens." Why he believed that all three terms were applicable is not known.

Sir George Mackenzie a famous Scottish Lawyer of the 17th century -- in the course of a "Treatise" upon Crests observed the following;

"Sometimes the crest represents some valiant act done by the bearer, like McLelland of Bombie did and now the Lord Kirkcudbright does bear a naked Arm, supporting on the point of a sword the head of a Mores, because his ancestral estate had be forfeited from his father, the son killed a More who came in with some Saracens to infest Galloway, as the King promised those forfeited lands to the killer."

Here you will note that the term "Gypsy" is not used, which should be noted as the passage was written 36 years before Crawford's version of this event, however it is not made clear by any means that the de-predators of the year in 1554 the English Parliament passed an act that anyone "Importing" Gypsies into England after the 31st of January 1555 should pay a fine of £40.00, however any Gypsy who was imported and remained in England for 1 month should then be deemed a "Felon" and would forfeit his life.

From this it is very evident that it the practice of "IMPORTING" Gypsies had now become intolerable in England by 1554.

According to Crawford The Galloway "Moors" or "Saracens" of 1452 to 1452 to 1460 were Gypsies. He actually wrote in 1716 "When the Gypsies of Galloway were still a formidable body, acting under a certain famous leader whose family are said to have "Tinklers" in the South of Scotland time out of mind."

However, if this is merely an assumption that the Galloway Gypsies of 1716 were the representatives of those "Moors" who had similarly terrorized the provinces during the 15th century, the assumption would be quite natural enough.

It may very much be said that the terms "Moor, Morison, Morris or Mooriah have probably been names used in respect of the Gypsies of that time. It has also been mentioned on several occasions that the "Morris Dance" which is still practiced today in parts of England was in fact practiced first by the Gypsies of Scotland and is the subject of the poems of King James I of Scotland. A written passage in 1783 refers to the "Moreiss Dance" in these words;

"Morrice or Moorish dances, rather slow, solomon movement, performed usually by Gypsies after the "Moorish manner". However, it is not certain that the Morris Dance originated with them, but in Scotland it appears to have been danced by Gypsies."

Another writer called Crofton states that "The sum of 40 shillings was paid to the Egyptians who danced before the King of Scotland in Holyrood House in the year of 1530. There was also recorded a payment of 7 "Scottish Pounds" to a group of "Egyptians" by Kings Command on the 22nd April 1505 to dance before the King."

These two references shows that in the early part of the 16th century, some Gypsies earned money by dancing at the Court of the Scottish Kings. A Scottish Poet of that period whose name was William Dunbar described the amusement of an evening with the nobility and gentry then resident in Edinburgh as; "SOME SINGS SOME DANCES SOME TELL STORIES SOME LATE AT EVEN BRINGS IN THE MOREIS".

This last statement as we can see denotes the "Morris-Dancers," and if they were usually Gypsies, as the writer of 1783 states in his account of history, then it is fair to assume that the "Moreis" of Dunbar were in fact the "Egyptians" (Gypsies) who travelled from Galloway to Edinburgh and are recorded as being there in 1505 and 1530.

Given that both the term "Egyptian and |Gypsy" have been recorded in historical records alongside the names of Morrow or Moor it is safe to assume that the name Morrow or Moor signified the Gypsies of Scotland...........

Part 4

CAPTAIN IN EAST LOTHIAN:

We start this part of our history of Gypsy's in Scotland by taking a look at the traditionary notice of gypsies in Scotland during the fifteenth Century.

Like the Galloway story, this also is linked to the history of a Noble Family. The event is dated around 1470, however it did not come to notice until 1835 where it formed the ground work of a Romantic story.

Hermiston or Herdmanston, an estate in the parish of Salston in East Lothian, in 1835 there was still some ruins of an ancient castle and fortalice of the Sinclair Family. In 1470 Sisters Marion and Margaret Sinclair co- heiresses of Polwarth, being in full possession of their estates of Polwarth an Kimmergham, were decoyed by their Uncle Sinclair to his castle of Herdmanston which was situated in East Lothian. There the two sisters were detained as prisoners.

The "Feudal" system reigned at that time in all its horrific glory and every Baron had the power over life and death within his own territory. The two heiresses were in great danger and terror.

Marion who was the eldest was able to convey a letter by the hands of Johnny Faa, Captain of a gang of local Gypsies, to George home. The young Baron of Wedderburn, Marion and the young Baron were lovers. In the letter she told him of her and her sister's dangerous and life threatening situation. Upon receiving his loves letter the baron and his brother Patrick set out with a hundred men to free Marion and her sister, which they achieved but not without loss of life on both sides as Sinclair put up a powerful resistance with all the forces he could muster.

The above story serves to prove that the Faa's or Faws had been established in the South-East of Scotland by 1470.

The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland shows that in 1507, a "John Faw" and a "Patrick Faw" each occupied a half- bovate of land in the county of Wedderburn, however they were not part of the "Kingly Tenants" of Kirk Yetholm, a certain coat of arms of the fifteenth century bears reference to this. The design was painted along with several other amorial bearings in 1461, on the wooden ceiling in the dinning hall of Nunraw castle which was situated only a few miles from the castle of Herdmanston, the scene of this traditional tale of Marion and Margaret Sinclair in 1470.

It is a fact, not without some significance, that the three adders borne on the shield that was assigned to the "King of Egypt" are very closely duplicated in Gypsy Designs in Hungary. The serpent is also engraved as a crest on silver buttons of the Gypsy Chiefs.

A few of these designs and the shield of 1461 were brought together in the Journal of the Gypsy Lore Society. The resemblance between the former and the latter were seen to be very striking. Now whether this resemblance is fortuitous or whether the shield, John Faw of 1507 and the hero of the tale in 1470 are connected, is a matter of individual opinion.

Studies of Gypsy History in Europe show that armorial bearings were assigned to more than one "Gypsy Chief". Writer Groome's in his book "In Gypsy Tents" records that three emblazoned monuments of Gypsy Chieftains that are buried in Christian churches.

The first was reared at Stienbach in 1445 to the high born Lord, Lord Panuel, who held the title "Duke of little Egypt" and Lord of Hirshhorn in the same land. The second was at Bautma in 1453 to the Noble Earl Peter of Klienschild. The third was at Pforzheim (Read Pfortzen) in 1498 to the high born Lord Johann, Earl of "Little Egypt".

There was also a certain Gypsy Leader who was at Zutphen in Guelderland in 1459 who was called the "King of "Little Egypt".

With this information it could be considered quite daring to assume that the arms assigned to the "King of Egypt" in a Scottish Castle in 1461 were intended to represent those of a Gypsy Chief.