❧ Orders to be vsed in the time of the infection of the Plague within the Citie and Liberties of London, till further charitable prouision may be had for places of receite for the visited with infection.
THat euery Alderman call before him his Deputie, and all the Church-wardens, Constables, Parish Clarkes, Sextons and Bedles within his Warde, and giue them streight and earnest charge from time to time to inquire what houses in euery parish and precinct of that Warde be infected. And that euery Constable doe bring euery day true, distinct, and plaine certificate thereof in writing to the Alderman or his Deputie. And that the Alderman Inquire what houses be infected. Certificate daily to the Alderman. Surueyers of the Parish. Sicke dying remoued. or his Deputie from time to time send the same certificates to the Surueyers of the Parishes, to whom it shall appertaine, to the intent that they haue vnderstanding thereby to see the orders in that behalfe executed accordingly. And here is to be noted, that euery house wherein any shall bee sick of the Plague, is to be iudged and vsed as infected, as wel as where any dyeth thereof. And likewise euery house from whence any person infected shall be remooued to any house or place, shall bee iudged infected, if any eftsoones fall sicke in the same house.
That in euery house infected, the Master, Mistresse, or gouernour, and the House shut xxviii. dayes. whole family and residents therein at the time of such infection, shall remaine continually without departing out of the same, and with the doores and windowes of the hall, shop, or other nether part of the house shut, by the space of xxviii. dayes from the death of the party dying of infection, and vntill the partie sicke, and not dying thereof, shall bee fully recouered, or their sore fully healed: and such person recouering, or healed, to tarry shut vp xx. dayes from such recouerie, or full healing. And that during all that time, no clothes, linnen, Sicke xx. daies after recouery. Prouision. or other like thing, be hanged out, or ouer into the streete.
And that none so to be shut vp, shal go abroad out of the said house, during the time aboue appointed, but one certaine person (and not sundry at sundry times) to be appointed by the Surueyers of that Parish, for prouision of necessaries for the said family. Which person so to be appointed, shall during all the time of his, or her being abroad out of such house carry in their hand openly, vpright in the plainest manner to be seene, one red wand of the length of iii. foot at the least, Red wand. to be deliuered to them by the Surueyers at the charge of the Parish, without carrying it closely, or couering any part of it with their cloke or garment, or otherwise: and in their going in the streetes and lanes shall alway keepe the way close by the chanell side, shunning as much as may be, the meeting and vsuall way of other people. And shall not in any Way by the Chanell. Assembly. Cage. wise come into any throng or presse of publike assembly, on paine of imprisonment by the space of viii. daies without baile or maineprise, in some of the Cages next to the house so infected.
Prouided alway, that it shalbe free to the owner of any house so infected, and his said family, residents, or any of them Remouing. at any time within the said xxviii. dayes, to remoue and depart out of this Citie, and the Liberties thereof, into any other his, or her house, or abiding in the Country, or to any house in the Citie, without being shut vp in such house infected, Returning. so that euery such person so remouing, or departing, doe abstaine from returning into the said Citie, or the Liberties thereof, and from going abroad out of such other house in the City, during the said xxviii. daies, and on pain that euery person so returning, or going abroad within the said xxviii. dayes, shall suffer imprisonment, as is aforesaid.
That the Churchwardens and Constable in euery precinct, prouide, and haue in readinesse, one, or moe sober discreet Prouiders. Women. women, as the case shall require to be prouiders and deliuerers of necessaries for the infected houses, and to attend the persons sick and infected, at the charge of such householders of such houses, if they be able: and if not, then at the charge Charge. Housholders or Parish. Red wands. of the Parish. And that such women once entring into charge of such prouision and attendance, shall carry red wands, goe by the chanell side, and forbeare assemblies, as is aforesaid.
That such as haue Welles or Pumpes, shall cause euery morning before vi. of the clocke, and euery euening after Welles. Pumpes. viii. of the clocke, the same to be drawne, and x. buckets of water at the least to be powred to runne downe the Chanell. And that euery morning and euening at the said houres the streets and Chanels be made cleane, and swept by some one Streets. of euery house against the chanel, but so as the water be not in any wise swept out of the chanel to the sides of the streets nor the stones wet but within the chanel, excepted onely sprinkling for laying of the dust at the sweeping. And that the mud and filth of the streetes be at the said houres taked vp, and swept together in heapes out▪ of the chanell, and not at any other time of the day. And that it be so drawne vp from the chanell, that the water powred downe the chanels may not carry away, or be mingled with such filth.
That the streetes be made cleane by the Scauenger and Raker euery day, except Sunday. Scauenger. Alderman visit Wardes.
That the Alderman himselfe, or his Deputie, doe often visite the Warde to view whether the said orders bee duely obserued, specially touching cleanenesse of the streetes.
That ouer the doore of euery house infected, in a place notorious and plaine for them that passe by to see it, the Clark Lord haue mercy vpon [...]. or Sexton of that Parish cause to be set one Paper printed with these words, Lord haue mercy vpon vs, in such large forme as shall be appointed. And that the Constable of the precinct, and Bedle of the Warde, shall daily view & see that the said Paper remaine there during the said terme of xxviii. dayes without taking away, blotting or defacing. And if any be taken away, blotted or defaced, that a new be set in the place thereof. And if the same be taken away, blotted, or [Page] defaced, with the consent of the inhabitant of that house, that then a new such Paper shall be set in place thereof, and the shutting in of such house with the inhabitants, shall continue xxviii. daies more from such taking away, blotting, or defacing. And whosoeuer shall take away such Paper, shall suffer such imprisonment as is aforesaid.
That in or for euery Parish there shall be appointed two sober ancient women, to be sworne to be viewers of the bodies 2. Viewers of bodies dead. 2. Viewers of sicke. of such as shall die in time of infection, and two other to be viewers of such as shall be sicke, and suspected of infection, which women shall immediately vpon such their viewes, by vertue of their oath, make true report to the Constable of that precinct, where such person shall die, or be infected, to the intent that true notice may bee giuen both to the Alderman or his Deputie, and to the Clarke of the Parish, and from him to the Clarke of the Parish Clarkes, that true certificate may be made as hath been vsed. And that euery of the said women, Constable, or Clarke, failing in the premisses, shall suffer imprisonment as is aforesaid. And euery woman so sworne, and for any corruption, or other respect falsely reporting, shall stand vpon the Pillorie, and beare corporall paine by the iudgement of the Lord Maior Pillorie. Red wands. and Court of Aldermen. They at their going abroad to beare red Wands, goe neare the Chanell, and shun assemblies, as before.
That euery woman, or other appointed to any seruice for the infected, and refusing, or fayling to do that seruice, shall Pension. Hospitall. not haue any pension out of the Hospitall or Parish.
That the Lord Maior cause publike Proclamation to be made, that no person from the sixth day after such Proclamation, Dogges, &c. shall keepe any Dogge, or Bitch, but such as they will keepe within their owne dores, without suffering them to go loose in the streets not led in slip or string, nor within their owne doores making howling or other annoyance to their neighbours. And that the common Huntsman shall haue speciall charge to kill euery such Dogge or Bitch, as shall be found loose in any streete or lane of this Citie or the Suburbes thereof. And for the killing of euery such Dog or Bitch, and burying the same foure foote deepe at the least in the fields, shall haue two pence allowed by the hands of the Chamberlayne of the Citie. And if he be remisse and negligent, and wittingly spare and shew fauour in not killing any such Dogge or Bitch, he shall lose his place and seruice, and suffer imprisonment as is aforesaid. And if any Dog or Bitch kept within doores shal with howling or noyse be noyous to any neighbour, the Alderman of the Ward vpon complaint shall commit the offendor to warde, till order be taken vpon his submission by the Alderman, and such Dog or Bitch killed.
That no Corps dying of infection shall be buried or remaine in any Church in time of common Prayer, Sermon, or Corps dying of infection. Church, Burial Lecture. And that no children bee suffered at time of buriall of any Corpes in any Church, Churchyard, or burying place, to come neare the Corps, Coffin or Graue. And that all the Graues shall be at the least six foot deepe. And that at the buriall dinners, or attendance on the Corps, or other solemnitie of any dying of infection, there shall be no assembly of people in the house where such person shall die, within the time of xxviii. dayes after such death.
That during the said terme of xxviii. dayes: no person be admitted to come into any such house infected, other then the Resort to houses infected. persons of the same family, residing therein at the time of the infection, or such as for necessary reliefe of the same family shalbe appointed by the Surueyers, on paine that the house shall remaine shut in, and the same with the family be in all things vsed as infected, for other xxviii. dayes, from the time of suffering any other so to come into the same.
That diligent care be had for amending of the pauements where any holes be wherein any water or filth may stand Pauements. to increase corruption and infection.
That whosoeuer shall go abroad with a sore running, shalbe imprisoned in the Cage for xxviii. dayes, & further grieuously Goe abroad with sore. punished by corporall paine, by the iudgement of the Lord Maior and Court of Aldermen.
That no dunghils out of stables, brewhouses, or other places be suffered to be made in the street, or other open place Dunghils. of this Citie or the Suburbes thereof, on paine of imprisonment of the offenders, till the same at the offenders charge be remoued, and the offenders bound to the Chamberlaine of this Citie, neuer to commit the like offence againe.
That restraint be made of Enterludes or Playes, assemblies of Fencers, or other prophane spectacles, and of going Enterludes, Playes, &c. with Drummes, Proclamations, or calling of people to the same within this Citie and liberties thereof. And humble sute be made to the most Honourable Counsell, that the like restraint be in places of other Counties adioyning to the said Citie.
That in euery Parish there be appointed two substantiall and discreet Citizens, or moe as need shall require, to be Surueyer, Clerkes, Sextons, Beadles sworne. chosen monethly by the Alderman of the Ward, to be Surueyers, which Surueyers shall daily and diligently see the orders to be obserued, as is aboue said, and the Surueyers, Clarkes, Sextons, and Bedles, shall be sworne before the Alderman to doe their diligence faithfully therein. And if any such person so appointed, shall refuse or faile to take his oth, or being sworne, shall neglect his duty therein, that forthwith the Alderman commit such person to Ward, there to remaine, vntill he be discharged from thence by the Court of the Lord Maior and Aldermen.
That order be taken and treatie had with the Colledge of Phisicions, that some certaine and conuenient number of Phisisians. Phisicions and Surgeons be appointed and notified to attend for the counsell and cure of persons infected, and none to deale with the infected but those: and the same to deale with no other patients but the infected, during the time of infection. And for their counsell and trauell to be recompensed by and for the persons of hability at their owne charge: and for the poore at the charge of the Parish.
That whosoeuer shall by any subtilty or inuention defraud the good intent of any of these orders, shall receiue double Defraud Order. as much punishment as he that openly or plainely offendeth.
That the housholders of houses infected, be charged to aire the houses and things therein within the said xxviii. Ayring houses, clothes. dayes, and that no clothes or other things about the persons infected be giuen or sold, but either destroyed, or well and sufficiently purified. On paine of punishment by discretion of the Lord Maior and Aldermen.
God saue the King.