94 History of Animal Plagues. 



this disease about the same time.' ^ This was, without doubt, 

 another severe and wide-spread outbreak of anthrax. 



A.D. 1320. At Southampton, according to Mr Rogers' re- 

 searches, ' Ffarsine (farcy) was prevalent among horses in the 

 summer.' ' 



A.D. 1321. An exceeding hot and dry summer in England ', 

 springs and rivers failed, beasts and cattle suffered extremely ; 

 many died for want of drink. ^ 



A.D. 1331, 1323. 'A great destruction of cows throughout 

 all Ireland, the like of which was never known.' * 



A.D. 1324. ' The murrain of cows continued still in Ireland, 

 and was called the " moyle dawine." ' ^ ' The same destruction 

 of cows throughout all Ireland this year, and it was it that was 

 called the "maeldamhnaigh." "^ 'There was a general plague of 

 cows and also other animals, which was called in Ireland '' mal- 

 dow."'^ This was probably the same epizooty that prevailed 

 in England in 13 19. 



A.D. 1325. A great drought in England. ' Here, in the sum- 

 mer of this and the following year, there was so great a drought 

 that it may truly be said concerning this land what Theodolus 

 has applied to it : — 



Anglorum terras jam fervida torruit EEStas, 

 In cancro solis dum volvitur aureus axis. 



' In consequence of the drought, the great rivers were dried 

 up, the springs failed, and in many places water had entirely 

 disappeared. In consequence of this misfortune, great multi- 

 tudes of animals, wild as well as domestic, perished of thirst.' ^ 



Influenza, for the first time in the annals of that country, 

 is mentioned as occurring in Ireland. 'An epidemical disease 

 {teidhm galair) common throughout all Erinn, and which was 

 called " slaedan" (prostration-influenza), which afllected, during 

 three or four days, every person, so that it was second only to 

 death.' "> 



1 Thomas Walsmgham. Historia Anglicana. 



- Hist. Agricult. 



" T. Short. Op. cit., p. 163. * Annals of Connaught. 



•^ Ih'tl. Mbid. ' Annals of Ross. 



* Thomas Walsingham. Op. cit. » Annals of Ulster. 



