Possible Clues:

• Severe physical or mental suffering
• Pester or tease unmercifully
• Physical or mental pain
• The anguish of men in the wrong
• That's taught yer, by the sound of it
• Wrong to be holding fellows in distress
• Extreme mental or physical distress
• Plague
• The distress of gold workers in dry environment?
• Harass bishops, say, in breach of duty