the black death and the dancing mania-第7章

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m　was　still　in　its　full　vigour；　the　power　of　the　ecclesiastical　orders　and　brotherhoods　was　revered　by　the　people；　and　the　hierarchy　was　still　formidable　to　the　temporal　power。　　It　was　therefore　in　the　natural　constitution　of　society　that　bigoted　zeal；　which　in　such　times　makes　a　show　of　public　acts　of　penance；　should　avail　itself　of　the　semblance　of　religion。　　But　this　took　place　in　such　a　manner；　that　unbridled；　self…willed　penitence；　degenerated　into　lukewarmness；　renounced　obedience　to　the　hierarchy；　and　prepared　a　fearful　opposition　to　the　Church；　paralysed　as　it　was　by　antiquated　forms。

While　all　countries　were　filled　with　lamentations　and　woe；　there　first　arose　in　Hungary；　and　afterwards　in　Germany；　the　Brotherhood　of　the　Flagellants；　called　also　the　Brethren　of　the　Cross；　or　Cross…bearers；　who　took　upon　themselves　the　repentance　of　the　people　for　the　sins　they　had　committed；　and　offered　prayers　and　supplications　for　the　averting　of　this　plague。　　This　Order　consisted　chiefly　of　persons　of　the　lower　class；　who　were　either　actuated　by　sincere　contrition；　or　who　joyfully　availed　themselves　of　this　pretext　for　idleness；　and　were　hurried　along　with　the　tide　of　distracting　frenzy。　　But　as　these　brotherhoods　gained　in　repute；　and　were　welcomed　by　the　people　with　veneration　and　enthusiasm；　many　nobles　and　ecclesiastics　ranged　themselves　under　their　standard；　and　their　bands　were　not　unfrequently　augmented　by　children；　honourable　women；　and　nuns；　so　powerfully　were　minds　of　the　most　opposite　temperaments　enslaved　by　this　infatuation。　　They　marched　through　the　cities；　in　well…organised　processions；　with　leaders　and　singers；　their　heads　covered　as　far　as　the　eyes；　their　look　fixed　on　the　ground；　accompanied　by　every　token　of　the　deepest　contrition　and　mourning。　　They　were　robed　in　sombre　garments；　with　red　crosses　on　the　breast；　back；　and　cap；　and　bore　triple　scourges；　tied　in　three　or　four　knots；　in　which　points　of　iron　were　fixed。　　Tapers　and　magnificent　banners　of　velvet　and　cloth　of　gold　were　carried　before　them；　wherever　they　made　their　appearance；　they　were　welcomed　by　the　ringing　bells；　and　the　people　flocked　from　all　quarters　to　listen　to　their　hymns　and　to　witness　their　penance　with　devotion　and　tears。

In　the　year　1349；　two　hundred　Flagellants　first　entered　Strasburg；　where　they　were　received　with　great　joy；　and　hospitably　lodged　by　citizens。　　Above　a　thousand　joined　the　brotherhood；　which　now　assumed　the　appearance　of　a　wandering　tribe；　and　separated　into　two　bodies；　for　the　purpose　of　journeying　to　the　north　and　to　the　south。　　For　more　than　half　a　year；　new　parties　arrived　weekly；　and　on　each　arrival　adults　and　children　left　their　families　to　accompany　them；　till　at　length　their　sanctity　was　questioned；　and　the　doors　of　houses　and　churches　were　closed　against　them。　　At　Spires；　two　hundred　boys；　of　twelve　years　of　age　and　under；　constituted　themselves　into　a　Brotherhood　of　the　Cross；　in　imitation　of　the　children　who；　about　a　hundred　years　before；　had　united；　at　the　instigation　of　some　fanatic　monks；　for　the　purpose　of　recovering　the　Holy　Sepulchre。　　All　the　inhabitants　of　this　town　were　carried　away　by　the　illusion；　they　conducted　the　strangers　to　their　houses　with　songs　of　thanksgiving；　to　regale　them　for　the　night。　　The　women　embroidered　banners　for　them；　and　all　were　anxious　to　augment　their　pomp；　and　at　every　succeeding　pilgrimage　their　influence　and　reputation　increased。

It　was　not　merely　some　individual　parts　of　the　country　that　fostered　them：　　all　Germany；　Hungary；　Poland；　Bohemia；　Silesia；　and　Flanders；　did　homage　to　the　mania；　and　they　at　length　became　as　formidable　to　the　secular　as　they　were　to　the　ecclesiastical　power。　　The　influence　of　this　fanaticism　was　great　and　threatening；　resembling　the　excitement　which　called　all　the　inhabitants　of　Europe　into　the　deserts　of　Syria　and　Palestine　about　two　hundred　and　fifty　years　before。　　The　appearance　in　itself　was　not　novel。　　As　far　back　as　the　eleventh　century；　many　believers　in　Asia　and　Southern　Europe　afflicted　themselves　with　the　punishment　of　flagellation。　　Dominicus　Loricatus；　a　monk　of　St。　Croce　d'Avellano；　is　mentioned　as　the　master　and　model　of　this　species　of　mortification　of　the　flesh；　which；　according　to　the　primitive　notions　of　the　Asiatic　Anchorites；　was　deemed　eminently　Christian。　　The　author　of　the　solemn　processions　of　the　Flagellants　is　said　to　have　been　St。　Anthony；　for　even　in　his　time　（1231）　this　kind　of　penance　was　so　much　in　vogue；　that　it　is　recorded　as　an　eventful　circumstance　in　the　history　of　the　world。　In　1260；　the　Flagellants　appeared　in　Italy　as　Devoti。　　〃When　the　land　was　polluted　by　vices　and　crimes；　an　unexampled　spirit　of　remorse　suddenly　seized　the　minds　of　the　Italians。　　The　fear　of　Christ　fell　upon　all：　　noble　and　ignoble；　old　and　young；　and　even　children　of　five　years　of　age；　marched　through　the　streets　with　no　covering　but　a　scarf　round　the　waist。　　They　each　carried　a　scourge　of　leathern　thongs；　which　they　applied　to　their　limbs；　amid　sighs　and　tears；　with　such　violence　that　the　blood　flowed　from　the　wounds。　　Not　only　during　the　day；　but　even　by　night；　and　in　the　severest　winter；　they　traversed　the　cities　with　burning　torches　and　banners；　in　thousands　and　tens　of　thousands；　headed　by　their　priests；　and　prostrated　themselves　before　the　altars。　　They　proceeded　in　the　same　manner　in　the　villages：　　and　the　woods　and　mountains　resounded　with　the　voices　of　those　whose　cries　were　raised　to　God。　　The　melancholy　chaunt　of　the　penitent　alone　was　heard。　　Enemies　were　reconciled；　men　and　women　vied　with　each　other　in　splendid　works　of　charity；　as　if　they　dreaded　that　Divine　Omnipotence　would　pronounce　on　them　the　doom　of　annihilation。〃

The　pilgrimages　of　the　Flagellants　extended　throughout　all　the　province　of　Southern　Germany；　as　far　as　Saxony；　Bohemia；　and　Poland；　and　even　further；　but　at　length　the　priests　resisted　this　dangerous　fanaticism；　without　being　able　to　extirpate　the　illusion；　which　was　advantageous　to　the　hierarchy　as　long　as　it　submitted　to　its　sway。　　Regnier；　a　hermit　of　Perugia；　is　recorded　as　a　fanatic　preacher　of　penitence；　with　whom　the　extravagance　originated。　　In　the　year　1296　there　was　a　great　procession　of　the　Flagellants　in　Strasburg；　and　in　1334；　fourteen　years　before　the　Great　Mortality；　the　sermon　of　Venturinus；　a　Dominican　friar　of　Bergamo；　induced　above　10；000　persons　to　undertake　a　new　pilgrimage。　　They　scourged　themselves　in　the　churches；　and　were　entertained　in　the　market…places　at　the　public　expense。　　At　Rome；　Venturinus　was　derided；　and　banished　by　the　Pope　to　the　mountains　of　Ricondona。　　He　patiently　endured　allwent　to　the　Holy　Land；　and　died　at　Smyrna；　1346。　　Hence　we　see　that　this　fanaticism　was　a　mania　of　the　middle　ages；　which；　in　the　year　1349；　on　so　fearful　an　occasion；　and　while　still　so　fresh　in　remembrance；　needed　no　new　founder；　of　whom；　indeed；　all　the　records　are　silent。　　It　probably　arose　in　many　places　at　the　same　time；　for　the　terror　of　death；　which　pervaded　all　nations　and　suddenly　set　such　powerful　impulses　in　motion；　might　easily　conjure　up　the　fanaticism　of　exaggerated　and　overpowering　repentance。

The　manner　and　proceedings　of　the　Flagellants　of　the　thirteenth　and　fourteenth　centuries　exactly　resemble　each　other。　　But；　if　during　the　Black　Plague；　simple　credulity　came　to　their　aid；　which　seized；　as　a　consolation；　the　grossest　delusion　of　religious　enthusiasm；　yet　it　is　evident　that　the　leaders　must　have　been　intimately　united；　and　have　exercised　the　power　of　a　secret　association。　　Besides；　the　rude　band　was　generally　under　the　control　of　men　of　learning；　some　of　whom　at　least　certainly　had　other　objects　in　view　independent　of　those　which　ostensibly　appeared。　　Whoever　was　desirous　of　joining　the　brotherhood；　was　bound　to　remain　in　it　thirty…four　days；　and　to　have　fourpence　per　day　at　his　own　disposal；　so　that　he　might　not　be　burthensome　to　any　one；　if　married；　he　was　obliged　to　have　the　sanction　of　his　wife；　and　give　the　assurance　that　he　was　reconciled　to　all　men。　The　Brothers　of　the　Cross　were　not　permitted　to　seek　for　free　quarters；　or　even　to　enter　a　house　without　having　been　invited；　they　were　forbidden　to　converse　with　females；　and　if　they　transgressed　these　rules；　or　acted　without　discretion；　they　were　obliged　to　confess　to　the　Superior；　who　sentenced　them　to　several　lashes　of　the　scourge；　by　way　of　penance。　　Ecclesiastics　had　not；　as　such；　any　pre…eminence　among　them；　according　to　their　original　law；　which；　however；　was　often　transgressed；　they　could　not　become　Masters；　or　take　part　in　the　Secret　Councils。　　Penance　was　performed　twice　every　day：　　in　the　morning　and　evening　they　went　abroad　in　pairs；　singing　psalms　amid　the　ringing　of　the　bells；　and　when　they　arrived　at　the　place　of　flagellation；　they　stripped　the　upper　part　of　their　bodies　and　put　off　their　shoes；　keeping　on　only　a　linen　dress；　reaching　from　the　waist　to　the　ankles。　　They　then　lay　down　in　a　large　circle；　in　different　positions；　according　to　the　nature　of　the　crime：　　the　adulterer　with　his　face　to　the　ground；　the　perjurer　on　one　side；　holding　up　three　of　his　fingers；　&c。；　and　were　then　castigated；　some　more　and　some　less；　by　the　Master；　who　ordered　them　to　rise　in　the　words　of　a　prescribed　form。　　Upon　this　they　scourged　themselves；　amid　the　singing　of　psalms　and　loud　supplications　for　the　averting　of　the　plague；　with　genuflexions　and　other　ceremonies；　of　which　contemporary　writers　give　various　accounts；　and　at　the　same　time　constantly　boasted　of　their　penance；　that　the　blood　of　their　wounds　was　mingled　with　that　of　the　Saviour。　　One　of　them；　in　conclusion；　stoop　up　to　read　a　letter；　which　it　was　pretended　an　angel　had　brought　from　heaven　to　St。　Peter's　Church；　at　Jerusalem；　stating　that　Christ；　who　was　sore　displeased　at　the　sins　of　man；　had　granted；　at　the　intercession　of　the　Holy　Virgin　and　of　the　angels；　that　all　who　should　wander　about　for　thirty…four　days　and　scourge　themselves；　should　be　partakers　of　the　Divine　grace。　　This　scene　caused　as　great　a　commotion　among　the　believers　as　the　finding　of　the　holy　spear　once　did　at　Antioch；　and　if　any　among　the　clergy　inquired　who　had　sealed　the　letter；　he　was　boldly　answered；　the　same　who　had　sealed　the　Gospel！

All　this　had　so　powerful　an　effect；　that　the　Church　was　in　considerable　danger；　for　the　Flagellants　gained　more　credit　than　the　priests；　from　whom　they　so　entirely　withdrew　themselves；　that　they　even　absolved　each　other。　　Besides；　they　everywhere　took　possession　of　the　churches；　and　their　new　songs；　which　went　from　mouth　to　mouth；　operated　strongly　on　the　minds　of　the　people。　Great　enthusiasm　and　originally　pious　feelings　are　clearly　distinguishable　in　these　hymns；　and　especially　in　the　chief　psalm　of　the　Cross…bearers；　which　is　still　extant；　and　which　was　sung　all　over　Germany　in　different　dialects；　and　is　probably　of　a　more　ancient　date。　　Degeneracy；　however；　soon　crept　in；　crimes　were　everywhere　committed；　and　there　was　no　energetic　man　capable　of　directing　the　individual　excitement　to　purer　objects；　even　had　an　effectual　resistance　to　the　tottering　Church　been　at　that　early　period　seasonable；　and　had　it　been　possible　to　restrain　the　fanaticism。　　The　Flagellants　sometimes　undertook　to　make　trial　of　their　power　of　working　miracles；　as　in　Strasburg；　where　they　at