Gods three arrows plague, famine, sword, in three treatises. I. A plaster for the…Gods three arrovves plague, famine, svvord, in three treatises. I. A plaister for the…

An infinite multitude perished within the City through ¹famine, so that they could not be numbered: for in every place where any show or sign of food was, presently arose a battle, and the dearest friends of all now fought one with another, to take the food from other poor souls, neither did they believe them that were now a dying for famine, but the thieves searched them, whom they saw yielding up the ghost, thinking that they dying for famine, had hid about them some food, but they were deceived of their hope, being like mad dogs, greedy of meat, and fell against the doors like drunken men, searching the self-same houses twice or thrice together in desperation, and for very penury they eat whatsoever they light upon, gathering such things ²to eat, as the most filthy living creatures in the world would have loathed. In brief, they did eat their girdles and shoes, and the skins that covered their shields, so that a little of old hay was sold for four Attics. But what need is it to show the sharpness of this famine by things that want life? I will recount an act never heard of, neither amongst the Greeks, nor any other barbarous people, horrible to be rehearsed, and incredible, so that I would willingly omit this calamity, least posterity should think I lie, had I not many witnesses hereof, and perhaps should incur reprehension, not fully recounting all accidents of them that are dead.

An infinite multitude perished within the City thorow ¹famine, so that they could not be numbered: for in every place where any shew or signe of food was, presently arose a battell, and the dearest friends of all now fought one with another, to take the food from other poore soules, neither did they believe them that were now a dying for famine, but the theeves searched them, whom they saw yeelding up the ghost, thinking that they dying for famine, had hid about them some food, but they were deceived of their hope, being like mad dogs, greedy of meate, and fell against the doores like drunken men, searching the self-same houses twice or thrice together in desperation, and for very penury they eate whatsoever they light upon, gathering such things ²to eat, as the most filthy living creatures in the world would have loathed. In briefe, they did eate their girdles and shoes, and the skins that covered their shields, so that a little of old hay was sold for foure Attiques. But what need is it to shew the sharpnesse of this famine by things that want life? I will recount an act never heard of, neither amongst the Greekes, nor any other barbarous people, horrible to be rehearsed, and incredible, so that I would willingly omit this calamity, least posterity should thinke I lie, had I not many witnesses hereof, and perhaps should incurre reprehension, not fully recounting all accidents of them that are dead.