SC - Cannibals

[Michael P Newton]

On Fri, 24 Oct 1997 12:42:23 +1100 (EST) Charles McCN
<charlesn at sunrise.srl.rmit.edu.au> writes:
>Gesta Francorum Hierusolymitorum (medieval spelling) was written after 
>the first crusade, which it describes, but before 1106, when Bohemond
was 
>flogging it around France. It is an anonymous account of a campaign, not
a cookbook as such. But in Rosalind Hill's edition (London 1962) on page
80 [xxxiii, describing the aftermath of the sacking of Marra (Ma'rat) 
>I found:
>NB this is not for the really squeamsih. It seems odd to me that cooks
would be, but each to their own (horses for courses, except in 
>post-conversion Iceland;)
<snip of orginal>
Her translation is a little loose for me, but goes:
>The Franks stayed in that city for one month and four days, during which
time the bishop of Orange died. While we were there some of our men could
not satisfy their needs, either because of the long stay or becasue they 
>were hungry, for there was no plunder to be had outside the walls. So
they ripped up the bodies of the dead, because they used to find 
>bezants hidden in their entrails, and others CUT THE DEAD FLESH INTO
SLICES AND COOKED IT TO EAT.
>
>(Not really a cookbook, but nor an enemy's propaganda)
>Charles
>
>I think the spits bit was from an arabic >source quoted in Terry Jones'
Crusade >videos, but I can't find it for the minute
Charles,
So, if I understand this correctly, it was a medeival case of the Donner
Party's plight.
Lady Beatrix
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