The famine of the City, and the desperation of the 1thieves both increased alike, every day more and more; so that now there was no more corn found. Wherefore the seditious persons brake into the houses, and searched every corner for to find corn; and if after their search they found any, then they did beat the owners for denying it at the first; and if they found none, they tortured the householders, as having more cunningly hidden it: And whosoever was yet strong of body and well liking, him they presently killed; for hereby they deemed him to have store of food, or else he should not have been in so good plight of body as he was. And they that were pined with famine, were by these barbarous seditious people slain, who esteemed it no offence to kill them, who would shortly after die, though they were left alive. Many, both rich, and poor, secretly exchanged all that they had for one bushel of corn, and 2presently shutting themselves in the secretest room of their houses, some of them did eat the corn as it was unground: others made bread thereof, as necessity and fear required. No man in the whole city sate down to eat his meat on a table, but greedily taking it, not boiled from the fire, they (even raw as it was) did ear it. Most miserable was this manner of living, and a spectacle which none without tears was able to behold; for the strongest still got the most, and the weakest bewailed their misery: for now famine was the greatest calamity they endured. And nothing doth arm men more then shame: for during this famine no reverence 3was had towards any man: for wives took the meat even out of their husbands mouths, and children from their parents, ⟨p. 164⟩and mothers even from their infants, which was the most lamentable thing of all. No body had now any compassion, neither did they spare their dearest infants, but suffered them to perish even in their arms, taking from them the very drops of life. Yet could they not eat thus in such secrecy, but presently some came to take away from them that whereon they fed. For if in any place they saw any door shut, presently hereupon they conjectured that they in the house were eating meat, and forthwith breaking down the doors, they came in; and taking them by the throat, they took the meat out of their mouths already chewed, and ready to be swallowed down.
The famine of the City, and the desperation of the 1theeves both increased alike, every day more and more; so that now there was no more corne found. Wherefore the seditious persons brake into the houses, and searched every corner for to find corne; and if after their search they found any, then they did beat the owners for denying it at the first; and if they found none, they tortured the housholders, as having more cunningly hidden it: And whosoever was yet strong of body and well liking, him they presently killed; for hereby they deemed him to have store of food, or els he should not have been in so good plight of body as he was. And they that were pined with famine, were by these barbarous seditious people slaine, who esteemed it no offence to kill them, who would shortly after die, though they were left alive. Many, both rich, and poore, secretly exchanged all that they had for one bushell of corne, and 2presently shutting themselves in the secretest roome of their houses, some of them did eate the corne as it was unground: others made bread thereof, as necessity and feare required. No man in the whole city sate downe to eate his meate on a table, but greedily taking it, not boiled from the fire, they (even raw as it was) did eare it. Most miserable was this manner of living, and a spectacle which none without teares was able to behold; for the strongest still got the most, and the weakest bewaild their misery: for now famine was the greatest calamity they endured. And nothing doth arme men more then shame: for during this famine no reverence 3was had towards any man: for wives tooke the meat even out of their husbands mouthes, and children from their parents, ⟨p. 164⟩and mothers even from their infants, which was the most lamentable thing of all. No body had now any compassion, neither did they spare their dearest infants, but suffered them to perish even in their armes, taking from them the very drops of life. Yet could they not eate thus in such secrecy, but presently some came to take away from them that whereon they fed. For if in any place they saw any doore shut, presently hereupon they conjectured that they in the house were eating meat, and forthwith breaking downe the doores, they came in; and taking them by the throat, they tooke the meat out of their mouthes already chewed, and ready to be swallowed downe.
- 1Joseph de Bello Jud. lib. 6 cap. 11. Houses broken up and searched for corn.Ioseph de Bello Iud. lib. 6 cap. 11. Houses broken up and searched for corne.
- 2All exchanged for bread.
- 3Food snatched out of one anothers mouths.
