.

During the reign of Henry VIII. a number of Gipsies were sent back to
France, and in the book of receipts and payments of the thirty-fifth of
the same reign the following entries are made:--"Nett payments, 1st
Sept., 36 of Henry VIII. Item, to Tho. Warner, Sergeant of the
Admyraltie, 10th Sept., for victuals prepared for a shippe appointed to
convey certaine Egupeians, 58s. Item, to the same Tho. Warner, to the
use of John Bowles for freight of said shippe, 6 pounds 5s. 0d. Item,
to Robt. ap Rice, Esq., Shriff of Huntingdon, for the charge of the
Egupeians at a special gailo delivery, and the bringing of them to be
carreied over the sees; over and besides the sum of 4 pounds 5s. 0d.
groming of seventeen horses sold at five shillings the peice as apperythe
by a particular book, 17 pounds 17s. 7d. Item, to Will. Wever, appointed
to have the charge of the conduct of the said Egupeians to Callis, 5
pounds."

In 1426 a first-rate horse was worth about 1 pounds 6s. 8d., and a colt
4s. 6d. Twenty-two years later the hay of an acre of land was worth
about 5 pounds.

There were several acts passed relating to the Gipsies during the reign
of Philip and Mary, and fifth of Elizabeth, by which it states--"If any
person, being fourteen years old, whether natural born subject or
stranger, who had been seen in the fellowship of such persons, or had
disguised himself like them, or should remain with them one month at once
or several times, it should be felony without the benefit of the clergy."
Wraxall, in his "History of France," vol. ii., page 32, in referring to
the act of Elizabeth, in 1653, states that in her reign the Gipsies
throughout England were supposed to exceed 10,000. About the year 1586
complaints were again made of the increase of vagabonds and loitering
persons.

The following order is copied from the Harleian MSS. in the British
Museum:--"Orders, rules, and directions, concluded, appointed, and agreed
upon by us the Justices of Peace within the county of Suffolk, assembled
at our general session of peace, holden at Bury, the 22nd daie of Aprill,
in the 31st yeare of the raigne of our Souraigne Lady the Queen's
Majestie, for the punishing and suppressinge of roags, vacabonds, idle
loyterings, and lewde persons, which doe or shall hereafter wander and
goe aboute within the hundreths of Thingo cum Bury, Blackborne,
Thedwardstree, Cosford, Babings, Risbridge, Lackford, and the hundreth of
Exninge, in the sai