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…

In King William the Conquerors days there was such a ¹dearth through all England, especially through Northumberland, and the countries next adjoining, that men were fain to eat horse-flesh, cats, dogs, and mans flesh. For all the land that lay betwixt Durham and York lay waste without Inhabitants, and people to till the ground for the space of nine years, except only the territory of Beverlake.

In King William the Conquerours daies there was such a ¹dearth thorow all England, especially thorow Northumberland, and the countries next adjoyning, that men were faine to eate horse-flesh, cats, dogs, and mans flesh. For all the land that lay betwixt Durham and Yorke lay waste without Inhabitants, and people to till the ground for the space of nine yeares, except onely the territory of Beverlake.

1. 1Stow in his general Chron of Engl. In the 5. year of W. Conq. 1069.Stow in his generall Chrō of Engl. In the 5. yeare of W. Conq. 1069.

In King Henry the thirds reign was a great dearth and pestilence: so that many poor folks died for want of victuals: ¹and the rich men were stricken with covetousness, that they would not relieve them. Amongst these is to be noted Walter Grey, Arch-Bishop of York, whose corn being five years old, doubting the same to be destroyed by vermin, he commanded to deliver it to the husbandmen that dwelt in his manors, upon condition to pay as much new corn after harvest; and would give none to the poor for Gods sake. But when men came to a great stack of corn nigh to the town of Ripon belonging to the said Arch-bishop, there appeared in the sheaves all over the heads of worms, serpents, and toads. And the Bailiffs were forced to build an high wall round about the corn, and then to set it on fire, least the venomous worms should have gone out and poisoned the corn in other places.