Template:1349-00-00-Limburg

1349 VN: 2.400

The Black Death strikes Limburg, but also Mainz and Cologne. In Limburg, the disease killed 2.400 people. From the fear of the plague arose the flagellants movement. A long description of the flagellants movement and their behaviour and rituals follows this source passage.

Item da man schreip dusent druhundert unde in dem nune unde virzigesten jare da quam ein groß sterben in Dusche lande, daz ist genant daz große erste sterben. Und storben si an den drusen, unde wen daz aneging, der starp an dem dretten dage in der maße. Unde storben di lude in den großen steden zu Menze, zu Collen unde also meistlichen alle dage me dan hondert menschen oder in der maße, unde in den kleinen steden als Limpurg storben alle dage zwenzig oder vir unde zwenzig oder drißig, also in der wise. Daz werte in etzlichen stat oder lande me dan dru virtel jahres oder ein jar. Unde storben zu Limpurg me dan vier unde zwenzig hondert menschen, ußgenommen kinde. Item da daz folk den großen jamer von sterbende sach, daz uf ertrich was, da filen di lude gemeinlichen in einen großen ruwen ire sunde unde suchten penitentien unde daden daz mit eigen willen unde namen den babest unde di heilige kirchen nit zu hilfe unde zu rade, daz große dorheit was unde groß vursumenisse unde vurdampnisse ire selen. Unde vurhauften sich di menner in den steden unde in dem lande unde gingen mit den geiseln hondert zweihundert oder druhondert oder in der maße. Unde was ir leben also, daz igliche partie gingen drißig dage mit der geiseten von einer stat zu der andern unde furten cruze unde fanen als in der kirchen unde mit kerzen unde tortisen. Unde wo si qwamen vur eine stat, da gingen si in einer procession zwene unde zwene bit einander bit in di kirchen; unde hatten hude uf, darane stunden vorne roden cruze, unde iglicher furte sine geiseln vur ime hangen unde songen ire leisen […]

In the year 1349, a great mortality occurred in the German lands, which is called the great first dying. They died of glandular disease, and when it started, people typically died on the third day. People died in the large cities like Mainz, Cologne, and almost daily more than a hundred people or thereabouts, and in the small towns like Limburg, twenty or twenty-five or thirty people died daily, similarly. This lasted more than three quarters of a year or a year in some cities or regions. In Limburg, more than twenty-four hundred people died, children excluded. When the people saw the great misery of the dying that was upon the earth, they generally fell into deep remorse for their sins and sought penance, doing so of their own will without seeking the aid and counsel of the Pope or the Holy Church. This was great folly, a great omission, and damnation of their souls. The men in the cities and the countryside banded together and went with the Flagellants in groups of one hundred, two hundred, or three hundred, or in similar numbers. Their way of life was such that each group went for thirty days with the Flagellants from one town to another, carrying crosses and banners as in church, with candles and torches. And when they came near a town, they would proceed in a procession, two by two, up to the church. They wore hats adorned with red crosses in the front, and each carried his scourge hanging before him, singing their chants [...] (Translation: Martin Bauch); second paragraph with (Translation: ChatGPT-3.5)

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