Catalan

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Time

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Disease

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Person

Nature event

River

Plague

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Social response

Victims

In Catalan, a total of 12 epidemic events are known so far.

Events

	Date	Summary		Source	Translation	T

1348, March 4 VN: 90 %

A mortality, the Black Death breaks out in Arles and all over the world. 90 percent of the people die.

E en l'an mil CCCXLVIII, la primieyra semmana de carema (4 March), comenset a Bezes la gran mortalitat, et comenset costa le porge d'en Sicart Taborieg, mercadier, costa en P. Perus, qu'es de peyra al cap de la carieyra franceza, et moriron totz los senhors cossols, els clavaris, els escudiers, et apres tanta de gent, que de mil non y remanian cent.

In the year 1348, the first week of Lent (March 4), the great mortality began in Bezes, and the death of Sicart Taborieg, merchant, cost P. Perus, who is from Peyra in head of the French career, all the noble men, the claviers, the squires died, you learned so many people, that out of a thousand there were not a hundred left. (Translation: Thomas Wozniak)

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1361, May – 1361, July VN: 500/day

A mortality breaks out in Montpellier from May to July. People of all social status die. Sometimes 500 persons die in the same day.

Item, aquel an meteys, fon grant mortalitat en crestiandat et duret a Montpelier per tot may et junh et julh en que moriron motz de bos homes et gran colp d’autra gent, tant que lo y ac mot de jorns que morian Vc personas en tre grans e paucas et riquas e pauras.

In this year occured a great epidemic all across Christianhood. In Montpellier, it lasted from May to July, and many rich and poor people died, so that in some days 500 people died altogether. (Translation: Thomas Labbé)

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1374, February – 1374, July

A mortality breaks out in Montpellier from February to July. The members of the town council order the manufacturing of a gigantic candle, to burn day and night at the church of Notre-Dame-des-Tables. This candle has been lighted on the 27th of April.

Item, l’an meteys, fo mortalitat en Montpellier et en diversas autras partz, la cal duret en Montpellier & entorn de Caremantran entro passada la festa de Sant Johan; perque los senhors cossols feron senchar am I fil lo mur de la vila, de la torre nova dessus lo Carme entro a la torre de la Babota, layssan lo mur de la vila que es "Quis quesivit hec de manibus vestris" devers la palissada ; am local fil feron atressi senchar tota la pallissada en que ac entorn XIXc canas per tot ; del cal fil am coton & cera feron far I rezench de cera del dich lonc & del gros del det, lo Montpellier a environ XIXc canes de torn.cal feron metre en Ia roda de fusta nova a l’autar de Nostra Dona de Taulas. Et aqui fo atuzat de lum novel senhat, e lo dich rezench fo senhat per cremar continuament al dich autar a honor de Dieu & de madona Sancta Maria, et per placar Nostre Senhor de la ira sieua, et per far cessar la dicha mortalitat, et que nos dones bona pas. local fo atuzat I digous que era XXVII jorns d’abril.

(Translation needed)

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1392, January 21

A procession is organized in Montpellier to thank God that the mortality that began in June 1391 almost ceased.

Item, dimergue a XXI de genoier, car la dicha pestilencia era cays cessada, la gracia de Dieu, en Montpelier et entorn, et per so car lo gran conseilh de nostre senhor lo rey de Fransa et del rey d’Englaterra devian esser enssems en las partidas de Picardia lo jorn de Nostra Dona la Candeloza per lo fach de la pas, per so, los senhors cossols feron far una autra procession general que dessus, am la ymage d’argent de Nostra Dona de Taulas et lo cors sans et lo cap de monsen sant Cleophas ; et fes lo sermon deavant lo consolat magister P. Borron, magister en theologia, de predicadors ; et cantet la messa dessot la vouta frayre Johan Costea de Montpellier, prior del covent de predicadors d’aquesta vila, per rendre gracias a Nostre Senhor de la dicha cessation de la pestilencia et preguan lo que nos done bona pas.

(Translation needed)

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1396, Summer

Epidemic of smallpox la (picota) all over Languedoc. It affects children and adults.

Item, lo dich an, en los petitz enfans et ausi en mots grans corrie la picota et fonc general en tota Lenguadoc.

This year, smallpox ("la picota") has been virulent among children and adults, and it spread all across the Languedoc. (Translation: Thomas Labbé)

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1397, April – 1398, January

A mortality breaks out in Arles and all over the world. People dies of bosse and of carboncles. The disease kills adults, but mainly children and young people.

L'an M CCC IIIIxx XVII fon granda mortalitat per tot lo mont. Item, en Arles acomenset la Pasqua, que fon lo premier jorn d'abril, e duret tro l'an IIIIxx XVIII del mes de jonoier. Item, morien las gens de boses lo plus, alcuns de carboncles; et moriron y grans gens, plus enfans e gens joves, que autras gens.

In the year 1397, there was a great mortality all over the world. In the city of Arles, it began at Easter Day which occurs the 1rst of April, and it lasted until the month a January in 1398. Most of the people died of bosses, and some of them of carboncles. Some adults died, but the victims were in vast majority children and young people. (Translation: Thomas Labbé)

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1397, July 15

A procession is organized in Montpellier against the mortality that affects the region. The city council orders the manufacturing of a gigantic candle, to be burn in the church of Notre-Dame-des-Tables. The disease lasted from May to December in Montpellier.

Item, dimergue a XV de julh, se fes procession general per la mortalitat la qual era general en las tres senescalcies Tholosa, Carcassona & Belcayre, la qual el dich paÿs acomenset el mes de may sobredig, et duret en Montpellier per tot lo mes de decembre ; la qual mortalitat acomenset en terra de Morolz & apres en la irlla de Rodas, de Chipre, de Genoha, apres el reyalme de Malhorca en Cathaluonha, en Tolsan & puoys segui tot l’autre paÿs. Et se dis una sollempna messa a Nostra Dona de las Taulas per lo dich mossen l’avesque de Magalona ; & se disseron dos sermons, la un davant lo cossolat, per maystre Peyre Borron de l’orde de predicados, et l’autre, per maystre Johan del Cres de l’orde dels augustins, maistres en theologia. Et se portet en la procession la ymagi de Nostra Dona de Taulas, lo cors sans.

Sunday, July 15, there was a general procession because of the epidemic which raged on all three districts of Toulouse, Carcassonne and Beaucaire. It started in this region in May and lasted in Montpellier the whole month of December. This epidemic started in the country of the Moors, passed on the island of Rhodes, then of Cyprus and Genoa; then in the kingdom of Majorca, in Catalonia, in Toulouse, then it continued throughout the rest of the country. A solemn mass was said at Notre-Dame-des-Tables by the Bishop of Maguelone; two sermons were delivered, one before the consulate by Master Pèire Borron, of the order of Preachers, and the other by Master Joan du Crès, of the order of the Augustinians, both masters in theology; during the procession, we carried the statue of Notre-Dame-des-Tables, the relics of Saint Cleophas, and the satue of Saint Sebastian.The same month, the lords consuls, with the alms of the good people of Montpellier, made a cord of wax of 1900 canes long which surrounded the whole city and the palisade, and which burned night and day on the main altar of the church of Notre-Dame-des-Tables. (Translation: Thomas Labbé)

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1397, August 12

A procession is organized in Montpellier against the mortality that affects the region.

Item, dimergue a XII d’avost, fon facha una sollempna procession per mossen de Magalona ont se portet lo precios cors de Jesu Crist per far devota pregueyra sur la pestilencia et mittigar et placar Nostresenhr, ont ac gran multitut de pobol, cascun portan, senhors & donas et enfans, entorta o candela en la man ; & ac y hun trasque sollempne sermon loqual fes maistre Raymon Cabassa, maystre en theologia, per trayre a devocion lo pobol, a coffession, contrection am cor contrit et humiliat. Et foron ordenadas IX processions, la huna per los morgues de Sant Benesech, l’autra per Sant Dyonisi, l’autra per la gleya del Castel, l’autre per la gleya de Nostra Dona de Taulas, l’autra per Sant Fermin & las IIII per los quatre ordes mendigans, otra la general, en las quals se portet lo precios cors de Jesu Crist am los[i] cofrayres de las dichas cofrayries & am las ceras d’aquelas, car la mortalitat es et era tant gran que apenas atrobava hom servidor e tot lo poble stava mot ebaÿt e perterit.

On Sunday August 12, the Archbishop of Maguelone organized a solemn procession in which the precious body of Jesus Christ was carried out to pray against the epidemic and to soften and appease Our Lord. There was a great multitude of people there, lords, ladies and children, carrying torches or candles in their hands. There was a very solemn sermon delivered by Master Raimond Cabassa, master in theology, to bring the people to devotion, confession and contrition and repentance. In addition to the general procession, there were nine supplementary trains of procession, one with the monks of Saint-Benoît, another with those Saint-Denis, another with the church of the castle, another with the church of Notre-Dame-des-Tables, another with Saint-Firmin and the last four with the four mendicant Orders. In these processions, the precious body of Jesus Christ was carried with the confreres of the brotherhoods concerned, with their candles. The epidemic is and was so serious that it was barely possible to find a servant, and all the people were amazed and terrified. (Translation: Thomas Labbé)

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1406, August 10

A procession is organized in Montpellier against the mortality that affects the region.

Item, dimars a X d’aost, que fonc lo jorn de la festa de Sant Laurens, se fes autra procession general en esta vila, per preguar Nostre Senhor que li plagues per la sieua misericordia de donar salut et sanetat a la persona del rey nostre senhor et de metre pas et union en la sancta glieysa de Dieu, et de nos levar la enfermetat et la impidimia que say a tant longament continuat et que s’abrasa fort entorn nos ; et la Verges, madona sancta Maria, la sieua benezecta mayre, et totz los sans e las sanctas de Paradis que l’en vuelhon preguar ; la quala procession fes mossenher lo sagresta de Magalona et foron hy las processions dels quatre ordes et totas las autras glieysas et lo pobol seguic la am gran devocion. Fes lo sermo lo reveren maystre Bertran Vaquier, maystre en la sancta teulogia, dels frayres de Nostra Dona del Carme, davant lo cossolat.

On Tuesday August 10, during the feast of Saint Lawrence, we made another general procession in our city to pray to Our Lord that he would like with his mercy to give health and healing to the person of the king, our lord, in the holy Church of God, and to free us from the disease and the epidemic which lasted for so long here and which is unleashed around us; and may the Virgin, Saint Mary, her blessed mother, and all the saints in Paradise interfere for us. This procession was organized by Mgr the sacristan of Maguelone. The four orders and all the other churches participated. And the people followed with great devotion. The sermon was delivered before the consulate by the Rev. Master Bertrand Vaquièr, master in holy theology, brother of Notre-Dame-des-Carmes. (Translation: Thomas Labbé)

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1407, April 24

A sermon is delivered in Montpellier against the mortality that affects the region. The next day, a procession is organized.

Item, dimergue a XXIIII jorns del mes d’abril, de licencia dels senhors generals que ereaan en lo paÿs, de mossenher lo governador et dels autres officiers de nostre senhor lo rey, et de mossen lo vicari de mossenher de Magalona, et a requesta dels senhors cossols sus lo fag de la empedimia et granda mortalitat que era en esta vila, fonc dich I sollempne sermo el plan del cossolat per maystre Johan Cabassol, maystre en la sancta teulogia, de l’orde de frayres menors, apelat lo poble, en presencia del dig mossenher lo vicari, de mossenher lo bayle, los autres curials, los ditz senhors cossols et de tot lo poble aqui ajustat ; et mosenher lo vicari aqui adordenet et fes publicar en lo sermo per lo maystre que, d’aqui en avan, en totas las glyeyas de Montpeylier et dels relegious et relegyosas et autras, la primieyra messa que se dira lo mati sia la messa de la empedimia que comessa "« Recordare »", la quala adordenet papa Clemens VI ; et donet al capela que la dis et a cascun de totz aquelos que la auzon devotamen IIIc jorns de endulgencia et de veray perdon. Procession: Item, l’endeman que fonc lo dilhus et la festa de mossen Sant Marc, euvangelista, se fes en la dicha vila una honorabla, sancta et devota procession general.

Sunday April 24, with the authorization of the lords who were in our region, of the governor and of the other officers of our lord the king, of the bishop's vicar of Maguelone, and at the request of the consulate, because of the epidemic and of the great mortality which raged in our city, a solemn sermon was pronounced on the place of the consulate by Master Joan Cabassòl, master in holy theology, of the order of the Franciscans brothers. It has been delivered in the presence of the vicar, of the baillif and of other curials, as well as of the members of the consulate and of all the population gathered there. The vicar ordered in his sermon that henceforth, in all the churches of Montpellier, the first mass to be said in the morning would be the mass of the epidemic, that which begins with "Recordare", and which was ordered by Pope Clement VI. He granted the priest who say it and each of those who listen to it devoutly 300 days of indulgence and true forgiveness. The next day, on Monday, which was Saint Marc Evangelist Day, we made in our city a worthy, holy and devout general procession. (Translation: Thomas Labbé)

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1413, June 12

A procession is organized in Montpellier to protect the city from the plague that rages in the region of Lodève and Agde.

Item, dilhus a XII del mes de jun, que fonc l’endeman de Pantacosta, se fes en esta vila una honorabla [...] per quatre ho per sinc cauzas : la una, que Nostre Senhor, per la sieuna sancta misericordia, lo poble d’esta vila vuelha preservar de mortalitat et de la pestilencia de la impedimia que renha de present en Lotves et en Agades et en diverses autres luox a nos circumvicis.

Monday, June 12 (1413), which was the day after Pentecost, was organized in our city a worthy, holy and devout general procession [...] for four or five grounds: the first, that Our Lord, by His holy mercy, will preserve the people of this city of death and of the plague epidemic which rages at present in Lodévois, Agathois and in various other places of our neighborhood. (Translation: Thomas Labbé)

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1468, September – 1468, December

Many people, including Bishop Cascant, died of a fever in Valencia.

En lo mes de setembre, fins en lo mes de deembre, en Valencia, e dos legues en torn, foren tantes febres que mes heren los malalts que no los sans. En moriren de les dites febres, entre los quals moriren los segu[e]nts: Mori lo bisbe Cascant […] e molta altra gent que moriren de les febres dintre sis messes.

In the month of September, until the month of December, in Valencia, and two leagues in turn, there were so many fevers that hurt the sick more than the healthy. They died of the said fevers, among which the following died: Bishop Cascant died [...] and many other people who died of fevers within six masses. (Translation: Thomas Wozniak)

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References

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