Thisis my plague letter. we worked onour plague letters for 2 weeks and they are an example of our third quater writting work.

May 12, 1349

My Dear Wife Jane,

How are you? I have watched this curse sweep through the peasants and serfs, and now it is reaching the free men. Has it reached you? I saw one of the servants with bubbles of pus the size of a hen’s egg in his armpits and on his groin. He asked me to pop them, and being a knight, I had to. It was disgusting. There was pus filled with pockets of blood spewing out of the bubbles as I pierced the wretched things with a sharpened stick. When I was done, the servant wiped the pus and blood on his pants, and he went back to work. I heard that two days later he died in deep agony. He is just one of many who have died recently.

There has been a sickly smell in the air. It is the smell of death. I have watched men walk through town whipping themselves until they gush blood, for they believe they must punish themselves as Jesus was once punished on the cross. I have seen these men whip onlooker as well because they believe everyone should be punished so that they can be closer to Jesus. I think they are crazy. I have watched such men pummel peasants to the ground. They beat them until they are covered in blood and unconscious. These men call themselves Flagellants.

The other day I talked to a physician in town who said that this plague is caused by evil vapors, which Gallen called Miasmas. The physician said that to ward off the vapors I should stay near fire and rub sweet smelling flowers on my skin. Especially near my face. I command you and James to do this for I could not stand to lose both my wife and son.

I watched a man in town die. As he died he was shaking like he was doing the dance of the dead. I hope that you and James have not had as bad experienced as to have to watch things like this. I have also seen the graves. They are wretched holes that are about 6 ft deep and filled with bodies. When the grave diggers come down from the mountain they look like procession of grim reapers. When they cover the holes you can sometimes still see the fingers or feet and arms or legs of the dead.

I feel that me being your husband I need to visit you so I am coming to visit you in two weeks time. I hope the servants at the country manner have treated you well with me not there. I received a letter from the huntsman he tells me that he has slayed the finest deer in the forest for you. I also heard the one of the towns that is but 30 minutes from you has this epidemic.

I truly hope that you will not be cursed with this illness

Love from your husband,

Sir William