5 2 History of A nimal Plagues. 



A.D. 918. In Ireland, ' great cold [coisne) and snow, which 

 brought on mortality of cattle.'^ 



A.D. 929. A most severe winter, and the Thames frozen 

 over. 



A.D. 939. ^ Kalend. Jun. die Sabbati hora nona flammaexivit 

 de mari et incendit phirimas villas et urbes et homines et bestias, 

 et in ipso mari pinnas incendit.^ ^ 



A.D. 940. An epizooty among the cattle in France, Italy, 

 and Germany.^ Probably the ' Rinderpest.' 



A.D. 941. An epizooty of a deadly character in the north of 

 Europe. Thousands of cattle died. 'A comet was seen, and 

 an extensive mortality amongst the oxen followed its appear- 

 ance.' * After this animal plague, which may have been the 

 same as in the previous year, an epidemy broke out in man. 



A.D. 942. Inundations, and subsequently a murrain among 

 cattle in Germany.^ 'A great famine throughout the whole of 

 France and Burgundy, and extensiv^e mortality among the oxen, 

 which increased to such a degree that few remained in these 

 countries.' ® Comets appeared in the month of October, which 

 lasted for twenty-one days, and after that time there happened 

 a disease among oxen.' '' ' In this year (941) a comet appeared 

 in the western heavens. The year following there was a severe 

 murrain among oxen throughout the whole of Germany, France, 

 Burgundy, Aquitaine, and Italy, but it did not last long in the 

 latter country.' * 



In Ireland, a disease or ^ fiirht ' amone: birds. ^ There was 

 contention seen to be between the fowls of the sea and the fowls 

 of the land at Clonvicknose, where there was a great slaughter 

 of crows of one side.' ^ 



A.D. 943. For this year we find the continental historians 



' Chronicon Scotorum. ^ Chronicon Burgens. Espana Sagrada. 



^ Herman. Chronicon. 

 I * Reginon. Chronic. Pistor. Scrip. Rerum German., i. \>. 104. 



^ Widukindi. Lib. ii. Pertz, M. v. p. 446. 



^ Chronicon Frodoardi. Bouquet. Vol. viii. p. 196. 



'' Chronic. Monast. Florent. Bojiquet. Vol. i.x. p. 55. Lobineaii. Hist, de 

 Bretagne. 



'^ Chronic. Andegav. Bouquet. Vol. viii. p. 252. 



" Annals of Clonmacnoise. 



