What Made Pretending to Be Egyptian a Serious Offense in Medieval England?

THE WANDERING people, who called themselves Romany, first appeared in England in the early 16th century and were then thought to have come from Egypt. Hence the description 'Egyptians' (and its corruption into 'gypsy') and the legislation against them. Thus in 1530 Henry VIII expelled the 'outlandish people calling themselves Egyptians ... who used great, subtle and crafty means to deceive the people that by palmistry they could tell men's and women's fortunes'. Later legislation provided that if any 'Egyptians shall remain in this realm or Wales one month ... it is felony', and it was also felony to disguise oneself as an Egyptian or to be seen in company with them.