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.

    387/392 (page 359)
    away secretly: one of whom being taken at Cologne ended his life on the Gal- lows. Many also of them perished in woods and desert places of heat, hunger, and thirst: others, having crossed the Alps, as soon as they entered Italy were spoiled and driven back by the Lombards and returned with disgrace. (The destruction of Milan, 1162, had embittered the haired of the Lombards to the Germans.) 15. Chronicle of St. Medard’s, Soissons. [Ex Chronico S. Medardi Suessionis. Apud Acherium, Tom II. Spicileg. in Fol. pag. 489 (a) Ibidem, p. 720— 721. A.] (Dtae 1209.) An innumerable multitude of children and boys from different parts, cities, castles, towns, camps, and farms of France, going out without the permission and assent of their parents, said that they had undertaken to cross the sea in quest of the Holy Cross : but they succeeded not at all. For all, in different ways, were ruined, died, or returned. They say indeed and affirm for a certainty, that every ten years before that wronder happened, fishes, frogs, butterflies, birds, proceeded in like manner, according to their kind and their season. At that time so great a multitude of fishes was caught that all mar- velled greatly. And certain old and decayed men affirm as a certain thing, that from different parts of France an innumerable multitude of dogs gathered together at the town of Champagne which is called Manshymer. But those dogs having divided into two parties, and fighting bravely and bitterly against one another, nearly all slew one another in the mutual slaughter, and very few returned. 16. Thomse Cantipratani Bonum universale de Apibus L. II. c. 2. Edition, without date and place, of the 15th century. 17. Roger Bacon. [Fratris Rogeri Bacon ordinis Minorum Opus majus ad Clementem IV. Pont. Max. primum a Samuele Tebb, M. D. Londini editum 1733. Nunc vero diligenter recusum. Accedit prologus galeatus in reliqua opera ejusdem Autoris. Venetiis 1750. Ap. Franc. Pitteri. Fol. p. 189.] I write these things not only for prudent consideration, but also be- cause of the perils which occur and will occur to Christians and the Church of God through infidels, and especially Antichrist, because he will use the power of wisdom, and turn all things to evil. And by exhibiting words and deeds of this kind ( ? stellificanda verba, &c.), and ordering them with great desire of mischief, with most sure aim, and eager confidence, he will allure to misery not only single persons, but cities and countries. Perhaps ye have seen or heard for certain, that boys of the realm of France collected together in infinite multitude, after a certain evil man, so that they could not be restrained either by their fathers or mothers or friends, and were put in ships and sold to the Saracens, and this not LXIV years ago. In like manner in our times a master shepherd stirred up all Almayne and France, and there ran after him a multitude of people, and he had favour with all the com- mon and lay people, in contempt of the clergy and to the confusion of the Church. And he said to the Lady Blanche, that he would go to her son be- yond the sea, with such words deceiving that most prudent woman. They that were wise did not doubt but they were messengers of the Tartars or Saracens, and had some contrivance whereby they fascinated the common people. And I saw with my own eyes one that bore something openly in his hands, as it wTere a sacred thing, as one carries the relics, and he went bare-