EpiMedDat
The Open Data Collection for Historical Epidemics and Medieval Diseases

1418-09-00-Paris

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Date startStart date of the disease. 1418-09 +
Date endEnd date of the disease. +
SeasonSeason (spring, summer, fall or winter)
Date otherOther mentioned dates.
PlacePlace(s), city or location of the disease. Paris, Île-de-France
RegionHistorical region(s)
CountryCurrent country France
RiverMentioned river(s)
Natural eventMentioned natural event(s)
PersonMentioned persons(s)
GroupGroup(s) of people mentioned
VictimIndication of victims 50.000 absolute +
AnimalMentioned animal(s)
DiseaseMentioned disease(s)
Epidemic waveAssociated epidemic wave
Social responseSocial response that happened in reaction to the disease
LanguageLanguage of the original text French
KeywordFurther keyword(s) Children, Epidemics, Mortality
last edited 23. 12. 2025 by EpiMedDat-Bot.

Great mortality in Paris in September. The loss is estimated to 50 000 dead people in the city, and the epidemic is estimated to be the worst one since 300 years. Young people and children are most at risk

Text originalOriginal text

Item, cedit mois de septembre, était à Paris et autour la mortalité si très cruelle, qu'on eut vu depuis 300 ans par le dit des anciens; car nul n'échappait qui fû féru de l'épidémie, especialement jeunes gens et enfants. Et tant en mourut vers la fin dudit mois, et si hâtivement, qu'il convint faire es cimetières de Paris grandes fosses, où on en mettait trente ou quarante en chacune, et étaient arrangés comme lards, et puis un peu poudrés par dessus de terre; et touours jour et nuit on n'était en rue qu'on ne rencontrât Notre Seigneur, qu'on portait aux malades, et trétous avaient la plus belle connaissance de Dieu Notre Seigneur à la fin, qu'on vit oncques avoir à chrétiens. Mais au dit des clercs, on n'avait oncques vu ni ouï parler de mortalité qui fût si desvée, ni plus âpre, no dont mins échappèrent de gens qui férus en furent, car en moins de cinq semaines trépassa en la ville de Paris plus de 50 000 personnes. Et tant trépassa de gens d'église qu'on enterrait quatre, ou six, ou huit chefs d'hôtel à une messe de notte, et convenait marchander aux prêtres pour combien ils la chanteraient, et bien souvent en convenait payer 16 ou 8 sols parisis, et d'une messe basse 4 sols parisis

Text translationEnglish translation of the text

Item, this September, was in Paris and around the very cruel mortality, which had been seen for 300 years by the elders; for no one escaped who was keen on the epidemic, especially young people and children. And so many died towards the end of that month, and so hastily, that he agreed to make the cemeteries of Paris into large pits, where thirty or forty were placed in each, and were arranged like bacon, and then a little powdered over the ground; and day and night we were always in the street until we met Our Lord, which we brought to the sick, and all had the most beautiful knowledge of God Our Lord at the end, which we saw we had to Christians. But, according to the clerics, they had neither seen nor heard of a mortality that was so desperate, nor more bitter, nor did many people who were fervent about it escape, for in less than five weeks more than 50,000 people died in the city of Paris. And so many churchmen died that four, or six, or eight heads of hotel were buried at a mass of notte, and agreed to bargain with the priests for how much they would sing it, and often agreed to pay 16 or 8 sols parisis, and for a low mass 4 sols parisis.

References

  1. ^ Journal d'un bourgeois de Paris 1990 
  2. ^ Translation by DeepL 

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