Sold – 1349: Year of the Black Death

The Black Death spread all over continental Europe in 1348. By the spring of that year, soldiers returning from the war with France brought back to England terrible stories of people dying in huge numbers and in great agony. The frightened populace flocked to the churches to pray for protection from this new disease, but to no avail. The first case in England was reported in the Dorset port of Melcombe Regis in September 1348.

By the end of December it was firmly established, and in January 1349 London reported more than six times its normal mortality (in February it was fourteen times). The disease also ravaged the rest of southern England, including the county of Sussex, at the same time. It is now believed that between 50%-60% of the population of England (and indeed Europe) perished from the Black Death, resulting in enormous upheavals in every realm and aspect of life; it was clearly one of the formative events in world history. Yet because it took place so long ago, documents contemporary with it are virtually non-existent on the market.

Document Signed in Latin, conveying land in Wordyng (now Worthing in Sussex), in the parish of Braedwater (now Broadwater), between Robert of Launcyng (now Lancing, also in Sussex) and John and Christina of Wordyng. It is dated January 28, 1349, meaning it is a document contemporary with the Black Death. “Let those now and in the future know that I, Robert, son of Martin Swift of Lancing, have given, granted and with this my present charter, confirmed, to John Macy of Wording and his wife Christina, one piece of arable land containing two acres and a half and one rod of land enclosed on all sides with hedges and ditches called Rente, with its appurtenances, at Wording in the parish of Broadwater, to have and to hold all the aforesaid land with said hedges and ditches with their appurtenances, to aforesaid John and his wife Christina and the heirs or assigns of that John from the chief lords of the fee for the services owed and accustomed forever. And I, said Robert and my heirs will warrant against all people forever the whole piece of land with the aforementioned hedges and ditches with its appurtenances to said John Macy and his wife Christina and the heirs or assigns of that John. In witness of which matter, I have placed my seal on this present charter. With these as witnesses: Humphrey de Merwe, William Lucas…Thomas de Merwe junior, Robert Frank , Ricardo Pointel, Henry de Hyen junior…Given at Wording on the following Wednesday after the feast of the conversion of Saint Paul in the 23rd year of the reign of King Edward III and the tenth year of his reign over France..”

It would be interesting to know how many of these people were still alive a year later. A fascinating question has recently arisen as to whether the Black Death was really the Plague, as has been thought for 100 years. A recent (and rather convincing) theory holds that it lacked the characteristics of Plague (which in its most common form is not contagious) and contradicted descriptions of the disease in the contemporary accounts. The surmise is that it was some highly contagious virus that came on suddenly, as did AIDS in our time.