The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5): Containing an hundred pleasant NovelsBoccaccio, Giovanni
History
The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5): Containing an hundred pleasant Novels
Boccaccio, Giovanni
Allegories; Frame stories; Plague -- Europe -- History -- Fiction; Storytelling -- Fiction
About the beginning of the yeare, it also began in very strange manner,
as appeared by divers admirable effects; yet not as it had done in the
East Countries, where Lord or Lady being touched therewith, manifest
signes of inevitable death followed thereon, by bleeding at the nose.
But here it began with yong children, male and female, either under
the armpits, or in the groine by certaine swellings, in some to the
bignesse of an Apple, in others like an Egge, and so in divers greater
or lesser, which (in their vulgar Language) they termed to be a Botch
or Byle. In very short time after, those two infected parts were grown
mortiferous, and would disperse abroad indifferently, to all parts of
the body; whereupon, such was the qualitie of the disease, to shew it
selfe by blacke or blew spottes, which would appeare on the armes of
many, others on their thighes, and everie part else of the body: in
some great and few, in others small and thicke.
Now as the Byle (at the beginning) was an assured signe of neere
approaching death; so prooved the spots likewise to such as had them:
for the curing of which sicknesse it seemed, that the Physitians
counsell, the vertue of Medicines, or any application else, could
not yeeld any remedy: but rather it plainely appeared, that either
the nature of the disease would not endure it, or ignorance in the
Physitians could not comprehend, from whence the cause proceeded, and
so by consequent, no resolution was to be determined. Moreover, beside
the number of such as were skilfull in Art, many more both women and
men, without ever having any knowledge in Physicke, became Physitians:
so that not onely few were healed, but (well-neere) all dyed, within
three dayes after the saide signes were seene; some sooner, and others
later, commonly without either Feaver, or any other accident.
And this pestilence was yet of farre greater power or violence; for,
not onely healthfull persons speaking to the sicke, comming to see
them, or ayring cloathes in kindnesse to comfort them, was an occasion
of ensuing death: but touching their garments, or any foode whereon
the sicke person fed, or any thing else used in his service, seemed to
transferre the disease from the sicke to the sound, in very rare and
miraculous manner. Among which matter of marvell, let me tell you one
thing, which if the eyes of many (as well as mine owne) had not seene,
hardly could I be perswaded to write it, much lesse to beleeve it,
albeit a man of good credit should report it. I say, that the quality
of this contagious pestilence was not onely of such efficacy, in taking
and catching it one of another, either men or women: but it extended
further, even in the apparant view of many, that the cloathes, or any
thing else, wherein one died of that disease, being toucht, or lyen
on by any beast, farre from the kind or quality of man, they did not
onely contaminate and infect the said beast, were it Dogge, Cat, or any
other; but also it died very soone after.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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