Of  the  Git^as  aud  their  practices,  I  shall
have  much  to  say  on  s  (titure  occasion,  when
speaking  of  those  of  the  present  time,  with  many
of  whom  I  hare  liad  no  little  inleicourse. All
thu  ancient  Spanish  authors  who  mention  theae
women,  speak  of  them  in  unmeasured  terms  of
abhorrence,  cmplojing  against  them  every  abusire
word  contained  in  tiie  language  in  which  they
HTote. Amongst  other  vile  names,  they  have
been  called  harlots,  though  perhaps  no  fentoles  on
earth  are,  and  have  ever  been,  more  chaste  in
their  own  persons,  though  at  all  times  willing  to
encourage  liceutiousness  in  others,  from  a  hope
of  gain. It  is  one  thing  to  be  a  procuress,  and
another  to  be  a  harlot,  though  the  former  bae
assuredly  no  reason  to  complain,  if  she  be  con-
founded with  the  latter. "  The  Gitauas,"  ears
Doctor  Sancho  de  Moncada,  in  his  discourse  con-
cerning the  Gypsies,  which  I  shall  presently  lay
before  the  reader,  "  are  public  harlots,  common,
as  it  is  said,  to  all  the  GiUinos,  and  with  dances,
demeanour,  and  filthy  songs,  arc  the  cause  of  in-
finite barm  to  the  souls  of  the  rassals  of  your
Majesty,  (Philip  III.,)  as  it  is  notorious  what  in-
finite harm  they  have  caused  iu  many  lionourable
houses. The  married  women  whom  they  have
separated  from  their  husbands,  and  the  maidens
whom  they  have  perverted;  and  finally,  in  the
best  of  these  Gilauas,  any  one  may  recoguise  all


TRICES  OP  THS  aiTANAS. 