508 
DREADFUL PESTILENCE, AND FIRE, OF LONDON. 
sick of one distemper or another. Every illness that appeared in 
the family produced a fresh prolongation of their confinement, till 
at length the plague was actually brought in by those who came to 
inquire into the health of the family ; and almost every person of the 
house died. Many examples of a similar kind happened, and this was 
one of the fatal consequences of shutting up houses. All means of 
stopping the infection proved ineffectual. Multitudes fled into the coun- 
try ; many merchants, owners of ships, &c. shut themselves up on 
board their vessels, being supplied with provisions from Greenwich, 
Woolwich, and farm-houses on the Kentish side, where they were 
safe ; for the infection never reached below Deptford, though the 
people went often ashore to buy fresh provisions. As the violence of 
the plague increased, the ships which had families on board removed 
farther oft'; some went quite out to sea, and put into such harbours 
as they could get at. 
In the mean time the deaths increased rapidly in the city. In the 
last week of July, the number of burials amounted to 2010; in the 
first week of August it rose to 3817 ; then to 3880 ; then to 4237 ; 
the next week to 6102 ; and at last to 7000 and 8000 weekly. In the 
last week of September, however, the fury of the disease began to 
abate: though vast numbers were sick, yet the number of burials 
decreased from 7155 to 5538; next week to 4929; then to 4327 ; 
next to 2665 ; then to 1421 ; and the next week to 1031. 
All this while the poor people had been reduced to the greatest 
distresses by the stagnation of trade, and the sicknesses occasioned 
by their manner of Living. The rich, however, contributed to their 
subsistence in the most liberal manner. The sums collected, on this 
occasion, are indeed almost incredible ; being said to have amounted 
to 100,0001. per week. The king contributed lOOOl. weekly ; and in 
the parish of Cripplegate alone, 17,0001. was distributed weekly among 
the poor inhabitants.. By the vigilance also of the magistrates, provi- 
sions continued remarkably cheap throughout the whole time of this 
dreadful calamity, so that all riots on that account were prevented ; 
and at last, on the cessation of the disease, in winter 1665, the inha- 
bitants who had fled returned, and London, to all appearance, became 
as populous as ever, though it was computed that 100,000 persons 
bad been carried off by the plague. 
The city was scarcely recovered from this desolation, when it was 
almost totally laid in ashes by a most dreadful Fire, which broke out in a 
baker’s shop in Pudding-lane, on Saturday night, September 2, 1666. 
In a few hours Billingsgate was entirely burnt down ; and before morn- 
ing the fire had crossed Thames-street, and destroyed the church of 
St. Magnus. Thence it proceeded to the bridge, and consumed a great 
j)ile of buildings there; but was stopped by the want of any thing 
more to destroy. The flames, however, being driven by a strong east 
wind, continued their devastations in other quarters. All eflTorts to 
stop their progress proved unsuccessful throughout Sunday, when 
it proceeded up as far as Garlic-hithe, and destroying Canon-street, 
invaded Cornhill and the Exchange. On Monday, the flames having 
proceeded eastward against the wind through Thames-street, invaded 
Tower-street, Gracechurch-street, Fenchurch-street, Dowgate, Old 
