History of Animal Plagues. 65 



rara, unda plscibus infoecunda permansit, pest'is armenta consu- 

 mit, homines morbus debilitat, fames aggravat/ ^ 



A.D. 1098. ' On the fifth day before the calends of October, 

 in many parts of France, the heavens seemed on fire by night, 

 and this appearance was followed by a dreadful pestilence to 

 cattle, and destruction to crops through the heavy rains which 

 followed.' - In Syria, during the siege of Antioch, ' there was 

 great destruction to cattle from drought/ ^ ' Horses, asses, 

 camels, oxen, and many other animals died.' * In Saxony, ' the 

 heavens appeared on fire, then followed a great death of 

 cattle {viehsterhen), and the fruits of the fields were nearly all de- 

 stroyed.' ^ 



A.D. 1099. Gangrenous erysipelas (ergotism ?) in France in 

 the human species.^ From the severity of the epidemv, we may 

 infer that animals also suffered. There were great inundations 

 in England by the sea and the rivers, whereby people, cattle, 

 and whole towns were drowned.' 



A.D. 1103. Very unhealthy seasons. ^This was a very de- 

 structive year in this land (England), through manifold taxes, 

 and through cattle disease {cvealm),^ and scant produce both of 

 corn and of fruit of all kinds.' ^ An epidemy in the human 

 species followed.^" 



A.D. 11C9. 'Mice eat up all the corn-fields in certain terri- 

 tories in Ireland.' " ' A great cow-mortality.' ^' 



A.D. mo. 'A very great mortality amongst cattle in Eng- 

 land.' ^^ 



1 Ailitothi. Hist. S. Canuti Reg. Langabek. Scrip, rer. Dan., iii. p. 375- 

 See also Saxo Gravimatiais, p. 222. 



- Siegebcrt Gemblac. Chronog. Pistor. Scrip, rer. Germ., i. p. S52. 



■^ VVil. Tyrcns. Lib. iv. cap. 17. Lib. viii. cap. 17. 



* Alb. Aquois. Hist. Hieros., Lib. iii. cap. i, 2. 



* Dresserus. Sachs. Chronic, p. 192. 



* Chronic. Ursperg. Edit. Mylius, pp. 177, 180. 

 " Short. Op. cit., p. 105. 



* The Saxon word cvealm, or ' quahn,' is that used in these Chronicles to sig- 

 nify plague or pest. The Saxon inicel cvealm has its analogue in the Scotch 'sair 

 trouble,' severe illness or misfortune. 



' Gibson. Saxon Chronicles, p. 21 1. 



'" Papott. Chronol. de la Peste, vol. ii. p. 270. 



»' The Annals of the Four Masters. '- Chronicon Scolorum. 



'■' Matt /lew 0/ Paris, p. 62. 



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