NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE 121 



abated in the last period of their commonwealth, as may be 

 seen in many passages of the New Testament. 



Some centuries ago this horrible distemper prevailed all 

 Europe over : and our forefathers were by no means exempt, 

 as appears by the large provision made for objects labour- 

 ing under this calamity. There was an hospital for female 

 lepers in the diocese of Lincoln ; a noble one near Durham 

 three in London and Southwark ; and perhaps many more 

 in or near our great towns and cities. Moreover, some 

 crowned heads, and other wealthy and charitable person- 

 ages, bequeathed large legacies to such poor people as 

 languished under this hopeless infirmity. 



It must, therefore, in these days be to an humane and 

 thinking person a matter of equal wonder and satisfaction, 

 when he contemplates how nearly this pest is eradicated, 

 and observes that a leper now is a rare sight. He will, 

 moreover, when engaged in such a train of thought 

 naturally inquire for the reason. This happy change, 

 perhaps, may have originated and been continued from 

 the much smaller quantity of salted meat and fish now 

 eaten in these kingdoms ; from the use of linen next the 

 skin ; from the plenty of better bread ; and from the pro- 

 fusion of fruits, roots, legumes, and greens, so common in 

 every family. Three or four centuries ago before there 

 were any enclosures, sown-grasses, field-turnips, or field- 

 carrots, or hay, all the cattle which had grown fat in 

 summer, and were not killed for winter-use, were turned 

 out soon after Michaelmas to shift as they could through 

 the dead months ; so that no fresh meat could be had in 

 winter or spring. Hence the marvellous account of the 

 vast stores of salted flesh found in the larder of the eldest 

 Spencer^- in the days of Edward the Second, even so late in 

 the spring as the third of May. It was from magazines 

 like these that the turbulent barons supported in idleness 

 their riotous swarms of retainers ready for any disorder or 

 mischief. But agriculture is now arrived at such a pitch 



1 Viz., Six hundred bacons, eighty carcasses of beef, and six hundred 

 muttons. [G. W.] 



VOL. II. Q 



