Of Dobissers, or Dopfers, Church-mendicants.
HE vth chapter is about Dobissers. These
beggars (STIRNENSTÖSSER, i.e. spurious
anointers) go hostiatim from house to house,
and touch the peasant and his wife (HANZ und HANZIN)
with the Holy Virgin, or some other Saint, saying
that it is the Holy Virgin from the chapel,—and
they pass themselves off for friars from the same
place. Item, that the chapel was poor and they
beg linen-thread for an altar-cloth (id est, a gown
[CLAFFOT] for a harlot [SCHREFEN]). Item, fragments
of silver for a chalice (id est, to spend it in
drinking [VERSCHÖCHERN] or gambling [VERJONEN]).
Item, towels for the priests to dry their
hands upon, (id est, to sell [VERKÜMMERN] them).
Item, there are also Dobissers, church-beggars, who
have letters with seals, and beg alms to repair a
Pg 17ruined chapel (DIFTEL), or to build a new church.
Verily, such friars do make collections for an edificium—viz.
one which lies not far below the nose, and
is called St. Drunkard’s chapel.
Conclusio: As to these Dobissers, give them
nought, for they cheat and defraud thee. If from
a church that lies ij or iij miles from thee people
come and beg, give them as much as thou wilt or
canst.