Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1844-08-16
THE PLAGUE IN MILAN.

IL FL AZ I l. IN NJ l. AIN.
An ancient couplet, preserved for ages by
tradition, forctold that in the year 1880, the
devil would poison all Milan. Early one
morning in April, and before the peslilencc
had reached its height, the passengers were
surprised 10 see that all the doors in the prn-
cipa part of the city were marked with a
curious daub, or spo,-aS If ii sponge, filled
with the purulcnt matter otthc plague sores,
had been passed against them. The whole
population were speedily in movement to re-
mark the strange appearance, and the great
est alarm spread rapidly. Every means was
taken TO discover the perpetrators, but IN
vain. At last the ancient prophecy was re-
mcmbcrod; and prayers were offered up in
all the churches that the Vaccinations of the
evil one might be defeated. Many persons
were Of opinion that the emSsaries of for
cign powers were employed to spread nlec
lous poison over the CITY but by far the
greater number were convinced that the
powers Of he'll had conspircd against them,
and that the infection WAS spread by super
natural agencies. In the mranlne, the
plague increased fcariulN. D,stiu>t and
thing was believed to have been poisoned b,
the devil; the waters Of the wrII the stand
ing corn in the fields. aud the irnii upon the
trees. 1t was believed that all objects of
touch were poisoned; the wells Of the houses,
the pavcmcnls of the streets. and the very
handles Of the doors. The populace were
raised to a pitch of ungovrruabe fairy. A
strict watch was kept for the devils cmissa-
ries and any man who wanted to be rid Of
an enemy, had only to say that he had seen
him bcsmcaliHg a door with ointment--his
fate was certain death at the hands of the
mob. An old man, upwa.ds of eighty years
of aye, IA daily trcqnenter of the church of
St. Antonio, was seen, on rising from his
knees, to W pc with the skirt Of his cloak the
stool on which he was about TO SIT down. \
cry was raised Immediately that he was be-
smearing the seat with poison. y mob of
women, by whom the church was crowded,
seized hold Of the feeble old man, and drag
gcd him out by the hair of his head, with
horrid oalls and imprecatiUns. lie was
trailed in this manner through the mlre TO
the house of the municipal judge, that he
might be put to the rack, and forced to dis
cover his accompIlccs but he expired on
the way. Many other victims were sacri-
feed to the popular fury. Oae Mora, who
appears TO have been half a chemist and hall
IA barber, was accused Of being in league
with the devil to poison Milan. His house
was surrounded, and number of chemical
Preparations were found. The poor man
asserted that they were intended as prescrva-
lives against infection; but some physicians
to whom they were submitted, declared they
were poison. Mora was put to the rack
where for IA long time he asserted his limo
cence. lie confessed al last, when his cour.
age was worn down by torture, that he was
in league with the devil and foreign power.
to poison the whole city that he had an,
nointcd the doors and infected the fountain.
Of water. lie named several persons as hi,
accomplices, who were unprecedented and pu
to "A similar torture. They we're all founC
guilty and executed. Morals house was razet
to the ground, and IA column erected Oh the
spot, with an inscription to commemorate
his guilt. While the public mind was GIIet
with these marvellous occurrences the playa,
continued to increase. The crowds tina
were brought together to witness the cxccu
tons spread the infections among one an
other. But the fury Of their passions, anc
the extent Of their cleduliiy, kept pace will
the violence Of the plague every wonderful
and prepostcrous story was believed. ON
in particular occupied them, to the exclusion
|. for long time, Of every other. The dew
himself had been seen he had lakena hous
in Milan, in which he prepared his polsonou
: ungents, and furnished them to his cmissarie
for distribution. One man had brooded owe
such tales I'LL Inc became firmly convinced tia
the wild flights olhis own fancy were real
ties. lie stationed himself in the market
place of Milan, and related the following stor
to the crowds that gathered round him I'll
was standing, he said, at the door Of the cathe
f dral, late in the evening, and when there wa
\ nobody nigh; he saw dark colored chario
2 drawn by six milk white horses, stop clos
, beside him. The chariot was followed by
numerous train of domeslics, in dark liverie
$ mounted ON dark coloured steeds. In tn
, chariot there sat a tall stranger of "A maicst
= aspect, his long black hair floated in the wine
f fire flashed from his large black eyes, and
e curl of inellable scorn dwet upon his lip
Y The look of the stranger was 50 sublime til,
he was awed, and lrembled with fear when i
: gazed upon him. HIS complexion was niue
d darker Than that ofany man he had ever see
! and the atmosphere around him was hot ar