MONFORTE ALREADY SUFFERED A MAJOR EPIDEMIC IN 1598

In the book that Father Esteban Martínez wrote about the Colegio de Nª Sª de la Antigua, he gives news of an epidemic that severely affected the works. He tells us like this:

“The works continued, at the beginning of 1598, under the direction of Juan de Tolosa; but, a few months later, they suffered another stoppage, perhaps due to the shortage of workers caused by a terrible epidemic that, coming from France, spread rapidly through Spain, becoming more serious in Santander and Galicia. Six of this Jesuit community died, among them the Rector, Fr. Juan Sa, and his successor, Fr. Juan de los Cobos, “an amateur and expert in architecture, who was not content to encourage the workers, but he He himself was working so that the College could be used as soon as possible.

Others left, after resisting for some time, leaving only, for two or three months, Brother Valentín Rodríguez, guarding the house and other property, in the company of some dogs. “

Thus we find news about this epidemic of which it was said.

«La ronda de pan y huevo», obra pintada hacia 1624 por Luis Tristán (1585-1624) – Museo de Santa Cruz

“Starting from the Cantabrian Sea, the plague ravaged Castile between 1598 and 1602, being more virulent in the north and west of the peninsula. Historians such as Bennassar and Pérez Moreda underlined its intensity, with an average mortality rate of over 60%, as well as its dire consequences for the economic development and social balance of the neighborhoods. ” (ABC Toledo 03/05/2020)

“« The plague that struck Vigo in 1598 only left 22 of the 800 existing houses without being infected » Jorge Lamas, Vigo / La Voz 04/11/2020

Felipe Aira, historian from Monforte published in the Voice of Galicia an article in this regard, entitled -Monforte, closed at the end of the 16th century due to the plague and a “cold epidemic” from which we take part of a municipal document of the time.

«En la villa de Monforte de lemos a catorce dias del mes de julio del nobenta y ocho años, el licenciado Ruy gomez corregidor desta villa dixo que por quanto las puertas de esta villa y los postillos de la cerca en las partes que estan caidas y la puerta de nuevo se hiço en la puente y otras que estan en Santo antonio estan mal hechas y todo tiene necesidad de repararse de nuevo y de cerrarse del todo algunos caminos para guardedela peste y que no entren en estadha villa y suarrabaldo persona ninguna de los pueblos inpcionados».

This epidemic was the culprit of another stoppage in the works of the College.

J.A.G.

Tú carrito