Medieval European beggars inflicted wounds and faked seizures to win alms

Evidence

There were the malingreux … [who] were covered with sores, most of which were self-inflicted, or they pretended to have swellings of some kind, and stated that they were about to undertake a pilgrimage to St. Meen, in Brittany, in order to be cured … The sabouleux … were in the habit of frequenting fairs and markets, or the vicinity of churches; there, smeared with blood and appearing as if foaming at the mouth by means of a piece of soap they had placed in it, they struggled on the ground as if in a fit, and in this way realized a considerable amount of alms… The convertis pretended to have been impressed by the exhortations of some excellent preacher, and made a public profession of faith; they afterwards stationed themselves at church doors, as recently converted Catholics, and in this way received liberal contributions. — Lyn H. Lofland, World of Strangers_ Order and Action in…, 951

Categorization

• CANDY: The sabouleux faking epileptic fits with soap in their mouth is vivid, grotesque cocktail-party material.