^8 History of Animal Plagues. 



chanced the same year a great murrain, and death of sheep and 

 deer, so that of whole flocks and herds scarce the half escaped/^ 

 ' On that same day (St Gregory's), too, the severity of the frost 

 gave way, which has lasted uninterruptedly for nearly the whole 

 winter; at least, ever since the night of circumcision, when there 

 was seen the wonderful apparition of the ship in the sky, or a 

 cloud very like a ship. The apparition was believed, at the time, 

 to be a sign of coming tempestuous weather, and was, moreover, 

 followed by such a deadly disease amongst sheep and wild 

 beasts, that the sheep-folds were void of sheep, and the forests of 

 wild beasts; indeed, in large flocks scarcely one half survived.' ^ 



A.D. 1257. ' In July were excessive rains and floods, and a 

 great scarcity of horses and cattle in Englandc All the marshes 

 were like a flooded desert.^ ^ 



A.D. 1258. 'In this same year, the calm temperature of 

 autumn lasted to the end of January, so that the surface of the 

 water was not frozen in any place during that time. But from 

 about this period, that is to say, from the purification of the 

 blessed Virgin until the end of March, the north wind blew 

 without intermission, a continued frost prevailed, accompanied 

 by snow and such unendurable cold, that it bound up the face of 

 the earth, sorely afflicted the poor, suspended all cultivation, and 

 killed the young of the cattle to such an extent, that it seemed 

 as if a general plague was raging amongst the sheep and lambs.'* 

 ' On the eve of St John the Baptist (June 23rd) this year, such 

 a violent tempest of rain fell on the waters of the Severn from 

 Shrewsbury towards Bristol, as had not been seen in our 

 days.'^ 



A.D. 1259. ' In this year was a great hunger, that men and 

 beasts died for default of meat.'*' 



A.D, 1260. A great inundation on the Rhine, fatal to multi- 

 tudes of people and cattle.'' 



A.D. 1264. A comet was seen from the beginning of August 

 until the middle of October. Its appearance in Germany was 



' Holiiished. Op. cit. 



- Matthew of Jaris. Op. cit. ^ f Short. Op. cit. p. 150. 



* Mattht-cO of Paris. Op. cit. ^ Matthew of IVcstniiitstcr. 



* Capgrave. Chronicles of England. ' T. Short. Op. cit. p. 151. 



