Ceremonial Customs of the British Gipsies. 345
Turkish gipsies Paspati '-"' observed that they were placed in the latter position.
The manner of clothing the corpse also varies. Some of the tinklers, according to Simson,'-*^ used only to put a paper cap on the head, and paper round the feet of their dead, leaving all the rest of the body bare, except the breast opposite the heart, where they placed a circle made of red and blue ribbons ; but what reliance can be placed on this statement I do not know. Isaac Heme was clothed in pantalets, socks, and a white shirt, whilst one suit of best clothes and an overcoat, all turned inside out, were placed in the coffin under his body.^** Pyramus Gray was buried in full walking-dress, the coat being turned inside out. In the case of Tom Brown, however, none of the splendid graveclothes that he wore, — green "cut-away" coat, plush waistcoat, doeskin riding-breeches, and silk stockings, — were turned inside out, for this custom seems to be confined to some few of the Hemes and Grays, He did not wear any boots or shoes, for that, according to my informant, Adelaide Garratt {nee Lee), would have been contrary to Gipsy custom. Neither she nor Lavinia Smith ijiee Boswell) approved of Jack Lee being buried in red morocco slippers, ^^ nor of the corpse of Cecilia Chilcott being supplied with satin shoes. The latter was dressed in a Scotch plaid gown and silk stockings, but another member of the same family was buried in white silk, because she was an unmarried girl. Eliza Heme, less ' gdji'^o.di' than these two Chilcotts, was buried in the red cloak and bonnet beloved of Gipsy fortune-tellers a century ago. Major Boswell was covered with a white sheet, and a tuft of grass was placed on his chest, according to a common custom in Staffordshire, where he died.^°° At Wigton, in Cumberland,
^^ Journal of the Gypsy Lore Society, O.S., vol. i., p. 5. " Op. cit., p. 128. ^'^ Journal 0/ ike Gypsy Lore Society, N.S., vol. v., pp. 41-4. " London Evening News, 191 1.
•"" Morwood, op. cit., p. 171 ; quotation from Staffordshire .Advertiser.
Z
