Of Schleppers, or False Begging Priests.Of Schleppers, or False Begging Priests.
Of Schleppers, or False Begging Priests.
HE xthchapter is about theSchleppers. These areKammesiererswho pretend to be priests. They come to the houses with afamulusordiscipuluswho carries a sack after them, and speak thus:—“Here comes a consecrated man, named Master George Kessler, of Kitzebühel (or what else he likes to call himself) and I am of such-and-such a village, or of such-and-such a family (naming a family which they know), and I will officiate at my first mass on such-and-such a day in that village, and I was consecrated for the altar in such-and-such a town at such-and-such a church, and there is no altar cloth, nor is there a missal,et cetera, and I cannot afford them without much help from all men; for mark, whosoever is commended for an offering in the angel’s requiem, or for as many pennies as he gives, so many souls will be released amongst his deceased kindred.”Item, theyPg 27receive also the farmer (HANZ) and his wife (HANZIN) into a brotherhood, which they say had bestowed on it grace and a great indulgence from the bishop who is to erect the altar. Thus men are moved to pity; one gives linen yarn, another flax or hemp; one table cloths, or towels, or old silver plate; and theSchlepperssay that they are not a brotherhood like the others who havequestionerer, and who come every year, but that they will come no more (for if they came again they would certainly be drowned [GEFLÖSSELT]).Item, this manner is greatly practised in the Black Forest, and in the country of Bregenz, in Kurwalen, and in the Bar, and in the Algen, and on the Adige, and in Switzerland, where there are not many priests, and where the churches are far distant from each other,—as are also the farms.
Conclusio: To theseSchleppers, or Knaves, give nothing, for it would be badly laid out.
Exemplum, One was called Mansuetus; he also invited the farmers to his first mass at St. Gallen;and when they came to St. Gallen they sought for him in the cathedral, but found him not. After their meal they discovered him in a brothel (SONNENBOSS), but he escaped.