'Finally, they practise every kind of wickedness in safety, by
discoursing amongst themselves in a language with which they
understand each other without being understood, which in Spain is
called Gerigonza, which, as some think, ought to be called
Cingerionza, or language of Cingary. The king our lord saw the
evil of such a practice in the law which he enacted at Madrid, in
the year 1566, in which he forbade the Arabic to the Moriscos, as
the use of different languages amongst the natives of one kingdom
opens a door to treason, and is a source of heavy inconvenience;
and this is exemplified more in the case of the Gitanos than of any
other people.


'THE GITANOS OUGHT TO BE SEIZED WHEREVER FOUND


'The civil law ordains that vagrants be seized wherever they are
found, without any favour being shown to them; in conformity with
which, the Gitanos in the Greek empire were given as slaves to
those who should capture them; as respectable authors write.
Moreover, the emperor, our lord, has decreed by a law made in
Toledo, in the year 1525, THAT THE THIRD TIME THEY BE FOUND
WANDERING THEY SHALL SERVE AS SLAVES DURING THEIR WHOLE LIFE TO
THOSE WHO CAPTURE THEM. Which can be easily justified, inasmuch as
there is no shepherd who does not place barriers against the
wolves, and does not endeavour to save his flock, and I have
already exposed to your Majesty the damage which the Gitanos
perpetrate in Spain.