The epidemics of the Middle Ages / From the German of J.F.C. Hecker. Tr. by B. G. Babington. Completed by the author's treatise on child-pilgrimages.

  • Hecker, J. F. C. (Justus Friedrich Carl), 1795-1850.
Date:
1859
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The epidemics of the Middle Ages / From the German of J.F.C. Hecker. Tr. by B. G. Babington. Completed by the author's treatise on child-pilgrimages. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.

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    small, and even young children, and all had pilgrims’ coats (sclavinas) mark- ed with crosses, and pilgrims’ staves (burdones), and pilgrims’ wallets (scarsel- las), saying that the sea would be dried up at Genoa, and thus they must go to Jerusalem. But many of them were sons of nobles, whom their fathers had provided with harlots. But the Genoese agreed that they must withdraw from the city, partly because they thought they were prompted by levity more than by necessity; partly because they feared lest they should bring dearth into the city; partly because they apprehended danger to the city from so great a mul- titude ; chiefly because the Emperor was then in rebellion with the Church, and the Genoese clave to the Church against the Emperor. After a short time all that thing came to nothing, because it was founded upon nothing. 12. Sicard, Bishop of Cremona, contemporary. [Sicardi Episcopi Cremonensis Chronicon. Muratori Her. Ital. Scriptt. Tom. VII. Mediol. 1725. Fol. p. (col.) 624.] In the same year, 1212, under the guidance of boys seemingly of twelve years, who said that they had seen a vision, and who took the sign of the cross, in the parts of Cologne, an innumerable multitude of poor people of either sex, and of boys, made pilgrimage through Germany, marked with the cross ; and they came into Italy, saying with one heart and one voice, that they would cross the seas dry-shod, and recover the Holy Land of Jerusalem by the power of God. But at the end it all as it were came to nought. In the same year there was so mighty a famine, especially in Apulia and Sicily, that mothers even ate their children. 13. Lambert, monk of St. James’ Monastery, Liege. [Lamberti Parvi, Leodi- nensis S. Jacobi Monasterii monachi Chronicon, a Reinero, ejusdem ccenobii asceta continuatum. Vett. Scriptorum et Monumentorum his- toricorum dogmaticorum moralium amplissima collectio, Edmundi Mar- tene et Ursini Durand. Tom V. Paris 1729. Fol. col. (p.) 40.] A wonderful movement of children as well from the Roman as from the Teu- tonic kingdom, and chiefly of shepherds, both of the male and of the female sex. But they wept most profusely whom their fathers and mothers did not suffer to go. We believe that this was effected by magical arts, because their labour had no results, for at the last they were dispersed, and their journey was brought to nought. But their intention was that they would cross the sea, and, which their fathers and kings had not done, recover the sepulchre of Christ; but because this work was not of God it had no effect. The heat was extremely great in the first xv days of July. 14. Godfrey, monk of St. Pantaleon at Cologne : a Benedictine of the time of the Emperor Frederick II. [Godefridi Monachi S. Pantaleonis apud Coloniam Agrippinam Annales ab a. 1162 ad a. 1237. In: Rerum Ger- manicarum Scriptores ex biblioth. Marquard. Freher ed. Burcard. Gotthelf Struve. Tom. I. Argentorat. 1717. fol. p. 333—381.] In that same year from all France and Germany boys of diverse ages and ranks, marked with the cross, affirmed that they were commanded by God to proceed to Jerusalem, for the succour of the Holy Land. After the example of whom a multitude of youths and women, marking themselves with the cross, set in order to go with them. To whom also some evil-disposed men joining themselves, nefariously and secretly took from them the things they had brought out, and those which they daily received from the faithful, and went