Template:1499-06-00-Metz

1499, Summer

Mortality in Metz during the summer. The members of the city council, who fled away from the city, take some measures to ensure the continuity of their duties.

Item, en ycelle année, pourtant que on mouroit fort en la cité, tous lez seigneurs de la cité estoient dehors en leurs forteresses, et n'y avoit que cuicquonques trèses demeurés en la cité; et furent les adjournés et entrées cessées, et ausy les plaits de la court des clercs. Touteffois, pourtant que plusieurs complainctes venoient journellement a messeigneur les trèses de plusieurs querelles, ilz ordonnont de donner audiance tous les jours, pour choses nécessaires. Et tenoient lor audiance et lor entrée en l'aitrie Saint-Girgonne, et ne lassoient venir devant eulx, à la foy, que deux parties, et les déterminoient incontinent. Et y avoit tousiours II ou III sargens pour faire tirer les gens errière, et pour faire taire les gens qui parloient troup hault, autour et dedant la dite aitrie, affin de mieulx oyr et entendre ceulx qui estoient devant justice. Item, ad cause d'icelle mortalité, affin que les gens ne se frémissent, fut ordonne par messeigneurs de justice que, quant il y avoit aucune personne morte en la cité, que on ne meetit nulles torches aux huxes devant les maisons.

In this year, while the mortality was so great in the city, the rulers of the council of the Thirteen fled in their manors in the countryside. It remained no one of the Thirteen within the walls. Subsequently, all meetings and entries ceased, as well as the trials at the clerics court. However, since some cases remained to be solved every day, they commanded that hearings should be held before the cloister of Saint-Girgonne. They let come to them only two people and gave their sentences immediately. Two or three sergeants were always there to prevent people moving forward and to keep everybody in silence during the audiences. Because of this mortality, it has been forbidden by the council, in order not to frighten people, to put candles in front of doors when someone die in the city. (Translation: Thomas Labbé)

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