J. F. C. Hecker - The Epidemics of the Middle Ages

The appointment of a forty days’ detention, whence quarantines derive their name, was not dictated by caprice, but probably had a medical origin, which is derivable in part from the doctrine of critical days; for the fortieth day, according to the most ancient notions, has been always regarded as the last of ardent diseases, and the limit of separation between these and those which are chronic. It was the custom to subject lying-in women for forty days to a more exact superintendence. There was a good deal also said in medical works of forty day epochs in the formation of the fœtus, not to mention that the alchymists expected more durable revolutions in forty days, which period they called the philosophical month.

This period being generally held to prevail in natural processes, it appeared reasonable to assume, and legally to establish it, as that required for the development of latent principles of contagion, since public regulations cannot dispense with decisions of this kind, even though they should not be wholly justified by the nature of the case. Great stress has likewise been laid on theological and legal grounds, which were certainly of greater weight in the fifteenth century than in more modern times199.

On this matter, however, we cannot decide, since our only object here is to point out the origin of a political means of protection against a disease, which has been the greatest impediment to civilization within the memory of man; a means, that, like Jenner’s vaccine, after the small-pox had ravaged Europe for twelve hundred years, has diminished the check which mortality puts on the progress of civilization, and thus given to the life and manners of the nations of this part of the world a new direction, the result of which we cannot foretell.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Das alte Geisslerlied

NACH MASSMANN’S AUSGABE VON HERRN PROFESSOR LACHMANN MIT DER HANDSCHRIFT VERGLICHEN.

Sve siner sele wille pleghen

De sal gelden unde weder geuen

So wert siner sele raed

Des help uns leue herre goed

Nu tredet here we botsen wille5

Vle wi io de hetsen helle

Lucifer is en bose geselle

Sven her hauet

Mit peke he en lauet

Datz vle wi ef wir hauen sin10

Des help uns maria koninghin

Das wir dines kindes hulde win

Jesus crist de wart ge vanghen

An en cruce wart he ge hanghen

Dat cruce wart des blodes rod15

Wer klaghen sin marter unde sin dod

Sunder war mide wilt tu mi lonen

Dre negele unde en dornet crone

Das cruce vrone en sper en stich

Sunder datz leyd ich dor dich20

Was wltu nu liden dor mich

So rope wir herre mit luden done

Unsen denst den nem to lone

Be hode uns vor der helle nod

Des bidde wi dich dor dinen dod25

Dor god vor gete wi unse blot

Dat is uns tho den suden guot

Maria muoter koninginghe

Dor dines leuen kindes minne

Al unse nod si dir ghe klaghet30

Des help uns moter maghet reyne.

De erde beuet och kleuen de steyne

Lebe hertze du salt weyne

Wir wenen trene mit den oghen

Unde hebben des so guden louen35

Mit unsen sinnen unde mit hertzen

Dor uns leyd crist vil manighen smertzen

Nu slaed w sere

Dor cristus ere.

Dor god nu latet de sunde mere40

Dor god nu latet de sunde varen

Se wil sich god ouer uns en barmen

Maria stund in grotzen noden

Do se ire leue kint sa doden

En svert dor ire sele snet45

Sunder dat la di wesen led

In korter vrist

God tornich ist

Jesus wart gelauet mid gallen

Des sole wi an en cruce vallen50

Er heuet uch mit uwen armen

Dat sic god ouer uns en barme

Jesus dorch dine namen dry

Nu make uns hir van sunde vry

Jesus dor dine wnden rod55

Be hod uns vor den gehen dod

Dat he sende sinen geist

Und uns dat kortelike leist

De vrowe unde man ir e tobreken

Dat wil god selven an en wreken60

Sveuel pik und och de galle

Dat gutet de duuel in se alle

Vor war sint se des duuels spot

Dor vor behode uns herre god

De e de ist en reyne leuen65

De had uns god selven gheuen

Ich rade uch vrowen unde mannen

Dor god gy solen houard annen

Des biddet uch de arme sele

Dorch god nu latet houard mere70

Dor god nu latet houard varen

So wil sich god ouer uns en barmen

Cristus rep in hemelrike

Sinen engelen al gelike

De cristenheit wil mi ent wichen75

Des wil lan och se vor gaen

Marie bat ire kint so sere

Leue kint la se di boten

Dat wil ich sceppen dat se moten

Bekeren sich.80

Des bidde ich dich

Gi logenere

Gy meynen ed sverer

Gi bichten reyne und lan de sunde uch ruwen

So wil sich god in uch vor nuwen85

Owe du arme wokerere

Du bringest en lod up en punt

Dat senket din an der helle grunt

Ir morder und ir straten rouere

Ir sint dem leuen gode un mere90

Ir ne wilt uch ouer nemende barmen

Des sin gy eweliken vor loren

Were dusse bote nicht ge worden

De cristenheit wer gar vorsunden

De leyde duuel had se ge bunden95

Maria had lost unsen bant

Sunder ich saghe di leue mere

Sunte peter is portenere

Wende dich an en he letset dich in

He bringhet dich vor de koninghin100

Leue herre sunte Michahel

Du bist en plegher aller sel

Be hode uns vor der helle nod

Dat do dor dines sceppers dod.

The Ancient Song of the Flagellants.

ACCORDING TO MASSMANN’S EDITION COMPARED WITH THE MS. BY PROFESSOR LACHMANN.

( Translation. )

Whoe’er to save his soul is fain,

Must pay and render back again.

His safety so shall he consult:

Help us, good Lord, to this result.

Ye that repent your crimes, draw nigh.5

From the burning hell we fly,

From Satan’s wicked company.

Whom he leads

With pitch he feeds.

If we be wise we this shall flee.10

Maria! Queen! we trust in thee,

To move thy Son to sympathy.

Jesus Christ was captive led,

And to the cross was riveted.

The cross was reddened with his gore15

And we his martyrdom deplore.

“Sinner, canst thou to me atone.

Three pointed nails, a thorny crown,

The holy cross, a spear, a wound,

These are the cruel pangs I found.20

What wilt thou, sinner, bear for me?”

Lord, with loud voice we answer thee,

Accept our service in return,

And save us lest in hell we burn.

We, through thy death, to thee have sued.25

For God in heaven we shed our blood:

This for our sins will work to good.

Blessed Maria! Mother! Queen!

Through thy loved Son’s redeeming mean

Be all our wants to thee portrayed.30

Aid us, Mother! spotless maid!

Trembles the earth, the rocks are rent200,

Fond heart of mine, thou must relent.

Tears from our sorrowing eyes we weep;

Therefore so firm our faith we keep35

With all our hearts—with all our senses.

Christ bore his pangs for our offences.

Ply well the scourge for Jesus’ sake,

And God through Christ your sins shall take.

For love of God abandon sin,40

To mend your vicious lives begin,

So shall we his mercy win.

Direful was Maria’s pain

When she beheld her dear One slain.

Pierced was her soul as with a dart:45

Sinner, let this affect thy heart.

The time draws near

When God in anger shall appear.

Jesus was refreshed with gall:

Prostrate crosswise let us fall,50

Then with uplifted arms arise,

That God with us may sympathize.

Jesus, by thy titles three201,

From our bondage set us free.