(Folio 86v)
(1)
Toto autem
illo tempore fuit tanta pluuie
inundatio die ac nocte
quod non videntes ullo modo
possent credere. Nec ab an-
-tiquis fuit visum ut dice-
-bant. Et dolorem ac penu-
-riam ultra modum totus ex-
-ercitus passus fuit. Quia in
tota illa patria usque ad cur-
-tracum ubi exercitus erat.
Quando tempus est pluuiale
talis est conditionis et in
(Folio 86r)
(1)
hyeme etiam quod extra do-
-mos ibi nullus potest dura-
-re. Et sic fuit tali necessi-
-tate compulsus quod de suo
proposito est frustratus. Et
non potuit adimplere quod
volebat. Et sic cum dolore
cordis maximo et anxius
consilio habito licentiauit
suum exercitum. Et com-
-busserunt sua tentoria. et
logias recedendo prout po-
-tuerunt. Magna autem copia
exercitus cum magno labo-
-re equites et pedites vene-
-runt versus Tornacum. Gu-
-bernatores autem civitatis
et aly cives recolentes de
comite Attrebatensi et de e-
-uentu ante curtracum versus
groninges. clauserunt et
reseraverunt portas. quia
quam plures intraverant. et
nesciebant rei geste veritatem.
Et circa horam vesperarum
quidam de seriuentibus regis/
venerunt nuntiare quod rex
veniebat. Et semper pluebat
in maxima quantitate. Ve-
-nitque rex et intrauit in civi-
-tatem. Et pervenit in mo-
-nasterium Sancti Martini ibidem
moraturus in exaltatione
Sancti Crucis. venitque contra
eum unus monachus. qui du-
-xit eum in loco ubi debebat
(2)
hospitari. Et multum fami-
-ne pressus indigebat de cibo
et potu. Et stetit in monaste-
-rio per dies quatuor. Aperteque
sunt post ingressum regis por-
-te civitatis intrare volentibus
usque ad vesperam. Et intrauit
tanta multitudo gentium et ar-
-matorum et equitum. Quod pene
omnes domus civitatis mag-
-ne et parve. Et ecclie prodna
les erant plene gentibus et
bestys. Et ville forenses cir-
-cumquaque. remansitque ppl’s
multus extra portas. Flan-
-drenses autem et illi qui e-
-rant de curtraco. et extra
videntes recessum regis. et
exercitus eius. exierunt et
venerunt in locum ubi erant
tentoria. et spolia infinita
habuerunt. et quam pluri-
-mum sunt lucrati. quia propter
discrimina viarum multa que
portare non potuerant dimi-
-serunt. Rexque consilio habito
reuersus est parisius.
(3)
Anno codem. venit gauche-
-rus dominus de chastelon. et
conestabellarius franche. post
recessum dicti regis. Et de eius
mandato. feria quarta ante
festum beati martini. cum magna.
copia nobilium armatorum. Et in
(Folio 87v)
(1)
crastino iuit versus espire. u-
bi erant multi flamingi et illi
de patria congregati. et de-
-bella uit eos. cesisque multis
et captis. Et secum deducit
captiuos in tornacum et plu-
-res misit in villam insulensem.
et recessit. Et post redyt in
nocte beati vincenty. et iuit
apud helchin. et ibi cepit
multos flamingos et alios
rebelles. et secum adduxit.
Et in illa nocte tanta prui-
-na et densa fuit. quod nulla
claritas prevalebat
(2)
Eodem anno fuit magnus
defectus vini in franchia quod
in tornaco non bibebantur
nisi vina Sancti iohannis.
(3)
Anno etiam illo post reces-
-sum dicti regis ludouici
pro inundatione pluuie. Et
quia bona terre male recep-
-ta fuerunt. Et in multis lo-
-cis devastata. incepit karisti-
-a bladi et salis in tantum
quod raseria salis. ui. libras
vendebatur. Et de die in di-
-em karistia augebatur
(4)
Anno millo. trecentesimo
sexto decimo circa diem
maij creuerat penuria et kari-
-stia. Et fuit in nostro climate aer
(5)
intemperatus et male ordina-
-tus. Et raseria bladi vende-
-batur. lx. solidis. Et raseria ave-
-ne. xxvij. solidis. Et raseria pisorum
xlv. solidis. Et vix pro pecunia
poterant repperiri. Et cepit
ppl’s in multis locis parum de
pane comedere quia non ha-
-bebant. Et multi fabas or-
-dea. vecias. et grana quecumque
habere poterant miscebant
sicut poterant. de hoc panem
faciendo. et comedendo. Et
propter intemperiem aeris.
et famem validam ceperunt
corpora debilitari. Et infirmi-
-tates nasci. Ex quo secuta
est mortalitas talis ac tan-
-ta. quod ab aliquo tunc viuen-
-te non fuerat visum aut au-
-ditum huius simile. Et te-
-stificor quod in tornaco tam
uiri quam mulieres de poten-
-tibus. de medys. et de medio-
-cribus. senibus et iuuenibus.
diuitibus et paiperibus tanta
copia moriebatur cotidie
quod aer erat quasi totus
corruptus. Et quod presbyteri
prochiales sepe qua parte ver-
-ti nesciebant. Et tanta co-
-pia pauperum mendicantium
in vicis moriebantur super fi-
-mis et ubique. quod per consilia-
-rios ciuitatis fuit ordinatum
et commissum certis personis ut
(Folio 87r)
(1)
corpora pauperum sic morien-
-tium portarent circa scaldam
in valle de vignea. et alys
locis et ultra scaldam in loco
vocato folais. ibique eos sepe-
-lirent. Et pro qualibet perso-
-na habebant taxatum sala-
-rium.
(Folio 86v)
(1)Meanwhile, at that time there was such a flood of rain, day and night, that those who did not see it could not believe it. Nor had anything like it been recorded by the ancients. And the whole army endured pain and scarcity beyond measure. In the entire country as far as Courtrai, where the army was, this rainy season created conditions such that in
(Folio 86r)
(1)winter no one could endure being outside the houses there. And thus the king was compelled by such poverty that he was delayed in his purpose, and he could not fulfil his goal. Thus, with an anguished heart and anxious counsel he dismissed his army, and they burned their tents and their lodgings while withdrawing as best they could. Afterwards a great number of the army, both cavalry and infantry, made their way towards Tournai with great effort. However, the governors of the city and the allied citizens, recalling the count of Arras and the events against the Groningen before Courtrai, closed and then opened the gates, because many people had entered the city and they did not understand what was happening. Around evening, one of the king's servants came to announce that the king was coming. At this time, it was still raining heavily. When the king arrived and entered the city, he went to the monastery of Saint Martin where he intended to stay in honour of the Holy Cross. He was greeted by a monk, who led him to the place where he would be
(2)lodging. Greatly oppressed by famine, the king was in need of food and drink, and so he stayed in the monastery for four days. And, until evening after the king's entrance, the gates of the city remained open to the public for anyone who wanted to enter. Such a great number of people, soldiers, and horsemen entered the city that almost all the houses, large and small, as well as the distant churches, were filled with people and beasts. The marketplaces were everywhere, and a great many people remained outside the gates. The Flemish and those from Courtrai, seeing the retreat of the king and his army, went to the place where the abandoned tents were, and they plundered the spoils and gained as much as they could. This was possible because the king’s army had left behind much that they could not carry with them on the roads. Meanwhile the king, after taking counsel, returned to Paris.
(3)That year, after the departure of the king, Gaucherus, lord of Chastelon, and the constable of France, came to Courtrai. He arrived on the Wednesday before the feast of Saint Martin, with a great multitude of armed nobles at his command. And on the
(Folio 87v)
(1)morrow he advanced towards Espire, where there were many Flemings and those of the homeland gathered. Gaucherus fought against them, and he slaughtered or captured many men. And he led the captives with him to Tournai, and sent many to the town of Ypres, and then he departed. After returning on the night of Saint Vincent, he marched on Helchin, and there he captured many Flemings and other rebels, and brought them with him. And on that night, there was such thick frost and darkness that no light prevailed.
(2)In the same year, there was a great shortage of wine in France, such that in Tournai, only wines of Saint John were being drunk.
(3) In the year after the retreat of King Louis X, which was due to floods of rain, and because the crops of the land had been ill received and even devastated in many places, a great scarcity of grain and salt began. The scarcity was to such an extent that a measure of salt, usually sold for six pounds, became more expensive. And from day to day, the scarcity increased.
(4) In the year one thousand three hundred and sixteen, around the month of May, there was a severe scarcity. And the weather in our region was
(5)intemperate and badly ordered. And wheat bran was being sold for sixty shillings, oat bran for twenty-seven shillings, and pea bran for forty-five shillings, and they could hardly be found for money.And in many places, people began to steal and devour bread crumbs because they did not have any food. And many tried to mix whatever beans, barley, old seeds, and grains they might have, for making bread to eat. Because of the intemperance of the air and the severe hunger, the people’s bodies weakened, and pestilence arose. From this followed a great mortality, the likes of which had not been seen or heard of from anyone living in our time. And it is asserted that in Tournai, so many people; men, women, the powerful, the middle class, the commoners, the old, the young, the rich, and the poor, died daily that the air seemed almost entirely corrupted. The parish priests often didn't know which way to turn. And so many paupers died in the streets; on dung heaps and other places, that by the councillors of the city it was ordained and commissioned that certain persons would
(Folio 87r)
(1)carry the bodies of the dead paupers around the scaldam in the Valley of Vignea. And in other places, beyond the scaldam in a place called Folais, they buried them there. Each of the workers (body collectors) had a fixed salary.