Of the Schwanfelders, Blickschlahers, or Naked Beggars.Of the Schwanfelders, Blickschlahers, or Naked Beggars.
Of the Schwanfelders, Blickschlahers, or Naked Beggars.
HE xijthchapter is about theSchwanfelders, orBlickschlahers. These are beggars who, when they come to a town, leave their clothes at the hostelry, and sit down against the churches naked, and shiver terribly before the people that they may think they are suffering from great cold. They prick themselves with nettle-feed and other things, whereby they are made to shake. Some say they have been robbed by wicked men; some that they have lain ill and for this reason were compelled to sell their clothes. Some say they have been stolen from them; but all this is only that people should give them more clothes, when they sell (VERKÜMMERN) them, and spend the money with lewd women (VERBOLENS) and gambling (VERJONENS).
Conclusio: Beware of theseSchwanfeldersfor it is all knavery, and give them nothing, whether they be men or women, (unless) thou knowest them well.