Anent Gypsies.
Most of the stories I have I learned orally as a child from
relations, friends & from a marvellous teacher in an oot-bye
one teacher,country primary school.How this lady managed to
educate 25-30 pupils,in seven classes,never ceases to amaze me.
I never knew of any pupil who left that school who was not able
to read & write.Most of the stories are historically based &
over a lifetime of reading I have put flesh on the bones by
adding dates.
The Gutcher[S.E.Grandfather]would often tell of the walking
feats of his old folk, I incorporated this in the interesting
story [oral&historical]behind the old 17th C.ballad "Lord
Spynie" & was shot down by the educated audience who claimed
that walking 50 miles in one day was impossible.
This was 35-40 years back & I can still remember the feeling
when some 2 or 3 months later I was reading the autobiography
of Thomas Carlyle [a scholar&bookish man]there on page 39 he
states that the longest walk he did in one day,from Muirkirk
in Ayrshire to the town of Dumfries,was 54 miles. Given that
he may have been a few miles out I have felt since that time
that oral tradition should never be dismissed out of hand.      

To return to gypsies.
As I understand it they appear in the south of France in 1422
& from historical sources they cross over to Gallowa in 1452.
Anderson, whom I have consulted today for the 1st time, states
clearly gypsies mid 15th C.in Gallowa. My previous info.on this
   must have come from an other source.
This could have been Symsoun,Agnew, McKerlie or an other local
book. Not mentioned in Taylor or Tytler. Dick makes a vague
mention of a local tradition. The date can of course be worked
out from the history of the Earls of Douglas & the McLellands of
Bombie.
My arthritis does not allow me to access the books in my loft so
I cannot be more specific.
If there be any historical truth in the ballad John Fall was not
a gypsie & the Countess a lady of very high degree near sib to
the King.
          Joe.   
                                                                           
                                                                  
                           
                                                      
                                                          bye