My Story on Black Death

Virginia Clark

HIS 121-01

12/16/2013

Final paper

My Life Story during the Black Death

This is a story of my life during The Black Death. My name is Virginia Clark. I am a mother of three children Devin who is 13, Coby 8, and Ja'shya 4. One cold and rainy day my husband Charles sat sail out to sea on one of 12 Genoese trading ships. Neither Charles nor the ship's captain knew how long the ship would be out at sail. On that cold, rainy day the children and I had to say goodbye to their father for a while. The kids were so sadden to have to say goodbye to their father. Just having no idea when he would return home was the saddest part. As the ships loaded sailors waved goodbye to their families. I gathered the children and we returned home. It felt so weird having to come home without my husband. Not being able to wake up to his face every morning or hearing the kids running around calling his name. I thought and wondered time and time again when my husband would return home. I had spent months taking care of everything around the house. Cooking, cleaning, and cropping the fields so we would have food to eat.

Then finally one day in October 1348 word came about the village that the ships were about to dock at the Sicilian port here in Messina. The sailors would be arriving home from a long journey through the Black Sea. I was so excited to see if my husband was to be returning home on the ship. As the ship docked our village people were in for a horrifying surprise. There was a deadly disease that had abroad the ship. Many can to find that over half of the soldiers on the ship were dead. Those who were still alive were gravely ill. The ship was covered with men who were seriously ill about to die. They were overcome with fevers. They were suffering from unbearable pain and vomiting. Their bodies were covered with black boils that gushed with pus and blood. Many were so sick you could tell they were not going to make it. I was afraid to find out if my husband was one of those who were dead. After seeing so many women and children in tears terrified and heartbroken that their husband/fathers had not returned or were dead or ill. After time went by looking for my husband I heard a voice through the crowd. "Honey I'm home." I was so happy he made it back home. So we gathered the kids and went home. Soon after the authorities heard and saw the horrible scene of death they ordered the ship to fleet out of the harbor. But not knowing it was too late. The mysterious death disease had already infected our people.

As the day and nights went by people began to drop like flies. Not really knowing the cause of deaths. The people began to think that the deaths were divine punishment retribution of sins against god. They believe it was god's way of punishing the people. So many people were scared to even go to church. The church lost so many people due to the Black Death. Many days had past and families were leaving the village to go elsewhere to live. The people were hoping that the mysterious disease would not follow. Our village was living in fear of not knowing from day to day whether we would die or not. Also many families abandoned their children because of the fear of death. Not even seven days after my husband arrived home he became very ill. Charles ran a fever so high that his eyes were blood shot red. He became so weak that he could not eat. By him not able to eat and get his strength up he became so weak he couldn't even walk must less stand to his feet. I tried my best to keep the kids inside the house as much as I could to avoid them from getting sick. I also had to separate them from their father. Only I was allowed to go out for food and water. Soon after along with the fever thing started to worsen his eyes became darkened and Charles began to get these huge pus bumps all over his body. It was then I had to let the children say their goodbyes and let them tell their father they love him. I knew then it was time to send the children to