59 
other places in Cumberland and Westmorland in 1598 ; of this 
plague there died at Kendal ” Here the rest of the informa- 
tion is eaten away by vermin, which is greatly to be regretted, as it 
might possibly have explained the dubious record on the old stone 
tablet, afterwards copied on to the brass plate now on the wall of 
the north chancel aisle of Penrith Church, to which I will refer 
presently. 
The average number of deaths at Penrith for a year in William 
Walleis’ time was about 50; but in 1585-6-7, the number rose to 
79, 105, and 196 respectively ; then for six years fell to 50 again, 
only .to rise in 1597-8 to the frightful magnitude of the great plague 
at Penrith, alluded to in the note on the first page of the register. 
In 1597, September 22, there is this entry :—“ Here began the 
plague, God’s punishment, in Penrith.” This is followed by an 
explanation that ‘‘ all who died of the infection are noted with the 
letter P, and all who were buried on the Fell, with the letter F,” 
and this notation was systematically carried out, except that after a 
short time the word “ Fell” is written in full) Amongst the early 
victims were five Railtons and four Hewers, after which the names 
indicate that every family in the town paid its fatal contribution. 
During the fifteen months of the pestilence, I find 687 deaths in 
all, of which 662 are noted with the ominous letter “ P,” leaving 
only 25 to be set down to ordinary causes. This may, perhaps, be 
accounted for by the supposition that many enfeebled or diseased 
persons who would have died in the ordinary course of things were 
ready victims to the pestilence. Of the 662 plague victims, only 
213 are noted as being buried on the Fell, leaving 450 as buried 
in the Churchyard, Schoolyard, and in some few cases in private 
yards. The term “Fell” to some may require explanation. It 
must be understood that all the Beacon and Beacon Side above 
Brent House Grounds, the top of Arthur Street, and Mr. Robert 
Scott’s house in Wordsworth Street, were then, and for 300 years 
after, all open Common, called Fell, and the place where tradition 
says the plague victims were buried was behind a barn which stood, 
as many will remember, about the top of Mr. Robert Scott’s ground. 
Why so large a proportion of plague victims were buried in the 
