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Itinerary
81
knowing that man is charged with the care of things, though the power of
creating is GodÕs, he sighed and uttered these words, ÒO Lord God! now is
there need of chastening and correcting with holy grace, that if it please thy
mercy that I should be removed from the turmoil of this present life, I have
remained long enough in this army.Ó Scarcely fifteen days after these
words, as if heard by the Lord, he began to feel cold and stiff, and
overcome by a fever, a few days after he slept in the Lord.
Chapter LXVII. Ñ Of the bitterness of the famine amongst our men, and the
enormous price of provisions, which was the cause of their cursing the marquis.
Meanwhile, the want of provisions increased daily, and the middle
and lower classes were tormented at first continuously rather than
constantly by the approaching famine, the more severely as the marquis
prevaricated more shamefully. Nevertheless, he sent provisions secretly to
those accomplices and favourers he had won over to join in his illicit and
impious transaction. And now the higher ranks of the army obtained
hardly sufficient food to sustain life, and the winter was drawing near, a
period when they were usually more prodigal and luxurious, formerly
abundant in all kinds of food, but now with the change of circumstances
threatening want; and the hungry stomach, once overloaded, now became
satisfied with any food it could procure. The greedy table had consumed
their substance, and not satiating the sharp appetite of those who were in
search of it, they were worn away by hunger, being without the common
necessaries of life; and they felt it so much the more severely, as it was the
time when they were accustomed to dainties. The heat of the season, too,
added to the horrors of the impending famine, and want is always felt
more severely by those who have been brought up in affluence. Why need
we say more? A moderate measure of wheat, which a man could carry
under his arm, was sold for 100 aurei, a chicken for twelve sols, and an egg
for six deniers. By these examples, the rates of all other kinds of provisions
may be imagined. The army then cursed the marquis for withdrawing their
means of support, and because through him they stood in danger of
starvation.

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Itinerary
82
Chapter LXVIII. Ñ How our men, while perishing of famine, ate the dead bodies
of their horses, with their intestines.
Famine, as we have said, urges to the commission of crimes, and yet
pardonable ones, for the Lord created all things for man, and gave them
into his hands to be of service to him, that man should not perish while
beasts lived; they therefore slew valuable horses, and without taking off the
skins of some of them, ate horse-flesh with joy; even the intestines were
sold for ten sols. And wherever it was known a horse was killed, they
crowded to it one before the other to buy or steal, and like birds of prey to a
corpse, so the starving soldiers rushed in troops to a dead steed, that they
might devour the bodies of those that once carried them; and thus the
animals who once carried them on their backs were in turn carried
themselves; the dead horse sold for more than a living one, and the words
of the evangelist seemed to apply to them, ÒWhere the body is, there the
eagles are gathered together;Ó saving the mystical interpretation, from the
dignity of which we do not wish to derogate. None of the intestines of the
slain horses were rejected, owing to the pressure of the famine, and the
most worthless part was valued at a high rate: they ate up the head with
the intestines, so that after all was consumed, nay, devoured with avidity,
they licked their fingers with a relish, that while any thing remained, it
might be removed with the tongue rather than wiped away with a napkin.
Hence they held the marquis in detestation for depriving them of the
means of subsistence, since by his means they had been defrauded of their
food, and stood in danger of starvation.
Chapter LXIX. Ñ How he who had some food ate it secretly.
In progress of time, the famine increased exceedingly for want of
provisions, and if any one had any thing appertaining to food, he hid away
secretly for his own use that which was enough for more than once, in
order that it might not be taken away from him by force; and thus it
happened that little was exposed for sale, and whatsoever they had they

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