ermans call
Roth-Welsch: they call it so because there are a great many Latin words
in it, introduced by the priests, who, at the time of the Reformation,
being too lazy to work, and too stupid to preach, joined the bands of
thieves and robbers who prowled about the country. Italy, as you are
aware, is called by the Germans Welschland, or the land of the Welschers;
and I may add that Wallachia derives its name from a colony of Welschers
which Trajan sent there. Welsch and Wallack being one and the same word,
and tantamount to Latin."

"I dare say you are right," said I; "but why was Italy termed
Welschland?"

"I do not know," said the Hungarian.

"Then I think I can tell you," said I; "it was called so because the
original inhabitants were a Cimbric tribe, who were called Gwyltiad, that
is, a race of wild people, living in coverts, who were of the same blood,
and spoke the same language as the present inhabitants of Wales. Welsh
seems merely a modification of Gwyltiad. Pray continue your history,"
said I to the jockey, "only please to do so in a language which we can
understand, and first of all interpret the sentence with which you began
it."

"I told you that my grandfather was a shorter," said the jockey, "by
which is meant a gentleman who shortens or reduces the current coin of
these realms, for which practice he was scragg'd, that is, hung by the
scrag of the neck. And when I said that my father was a smasher, I meant
one who passes forged notes, thereby doing his best to smash the Bank of
England; by being lagg'd, I meant he was laid fast, that is, had a chain
put round his leg and then transported."

"Your explanations are perfectly satisfactory," said I; "the three first
words are metaphorical, and the fourth, lagg'd, is the old genuine Norse
term, lagda, which signifies laid, whether in durance, or in bed, has
nothing to do with the matter. What you have told me confirms me in an
opinion which I have long entertained, that thieves' Latin is a strange,
mysterious speech, formed of metaphorical terms, and words derived from
various ancient languages. Pray tell me, now, how the gentleman, your
grandfather, contrived to shorten the coin of these realms?"

"You shall hear," said the jockey; "but I have one thing to beg of you,
which is, that when I have once begun my history you will not interrupt
me with questions; I don't like them, they stops one, and puts one out of
one's tale, and are not wanted;