Black Death, The
Philip Ziegler
Number of quotes: 1
Book ID: 381 Page: 76
Section: 3H,3A2A
For it took considerable moral courage to stand up for the Jews in 1348 and 1349 and not many people were prepared to take the risk.….
Balavignus, a Jewish physician, was the first to be racked. ‘After much hesitation’, he confessed that the Rabbi Jacob of Toledo had sent him, by hand of a Jewish boy, a leather pouch filled with red and black powder and concealed in the mummy of an egg. This powder he was ordered, on pain of excommunication, to throw into the larger wells of Thonon. He did so, having previously warned his friends and relations not to drink the water. ‘He also declared that none of his community could exculpate themselves from this accusation, as the plot was communicated to all and all were guilty of the above charges.’ Odd scraps of ‘evidence’ were produced, such as a rag found in a well in which it was alleged that the powder, composed largely of ground-up portions of a basilisk, had been concealed. Ten similar confessions were racked from other unfortunates and the resulting dossier sent to neighboring cities for their information and appropriate action.
Quote ID: 8284
Time Periods: 7
End of quotes
Start typing name in text box, or
double click a name in a quote
and then click in this box to open the list.