Of Dobissers, or Dopfers, Church-mendicants.Of Dobissers, or Dopfers, Church-mendicants.
Of Dobissers, or Dopfers, Church-mendicants.
HE vthchapter is aboutDobissers. These beggars (STIRNENSTÖSSER,i.e.spurious anointers) gohostiatimfrom house to house, and touch the peasant and his wife (HANZundHANZIN) with the Holy Virgin, or some other Saint, saying that it is the Holy Virgin from the chapel,—and they pass themselves off for friars from the same place.Item, that the chapel was poor and they beg linen-thread for an altar-cloth (id est, a gown [CLAFFOT] for a harlot [SCHREFEN]).Item, fragments of silver for a chalice (id est, to spend it in drinking [VERSCHÖCHERN] or gambling [VERJONEN]).Item, towels for the priests to dry their hands upon, (id est, to sell [VERKÜMMERN] them).Item, there are alsoDobissers, church-beggars, who have letters with seals, and beg alms to repair aPg 17ruined chapel (DIFTEL), or to build a new church. Verily, such friarsdomake collections for anedificium—viz. one which lies not far below the nose, and is called St. Drunkard’s chapel.
Conclusio: As to theseDobissers, give them nought, for they cheat and defraud thee. If from a church that lies ij or iij miles from thee people come and beg, give them as much as thou wilt or canst.