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.  were they 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 Centuary 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 other wise 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"  eventually is 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 surpress.

 

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 vagabound  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 vagabounds  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 OF THE HISTORIC STORY OF THE SCOTTISH GYPSIES WILL BE  IN OUR DECEMBER ISSUE  4.