16 
Brother Besson, 
1 assure myself you cannot but have heard ere 
this, how it hath pleased God to lay his hand upon us by 
visiting us with the infection. 
There are sixteen dead thereof in St. Lawrence churchyard, 
and one in St. Margaret’s parish. Heavy tidings, God knows, 
and such as have drawn not only a great deal of danger and 
care, but a heavy burden of charge and cost upon us in our 
several places, in both which we thought ere now we should 
have you here present to have borne your part; which, seeing 
you have hitherto forborne to do, it is thought fit by me and my 
brethren here and the whole Court to desire you (now at least) 
forthwith to make your repair hither, to ease us of some part of 
our burden; and withall to give you to understand that unless 
you so do, it is intended that such a course shall be taken to 
constrain you thereunto as perhaps will not be pleasing to you.” 
A similar letter was addressed to Alderman Belt, who was 
also an absentee, and upon him the Lord Mayor’s gentle hint 
had the desired effect. 
On the 31st August, the orders for a strict watch were repeated, 
and an assessment was laid for the relief of the infected persons. 
Three members of the Court were deputed to see the watch 
carefully set at St Lawrence churchyard, and to select a proper 
place for building booths or pest houses. 
The following letter from the Lord President himself was 
received on the 1st of September :— 
“ After my very hearty commendations, I am sorry to heal¬ 
th at the sickness hath set foot within the walls of this city, and, 
conceiving the danger to be very great, if God of his goodness 
divert not this plague from us, and that it may be the easilier 
prevented in the beginning, than hereafter when it may be our 
ill happ to have it further spread amongst us, I thought good to 
write thus much unto you, being myself this morning to go out 
of town by the King’s direction, about his Majesty’s business. 
You have here, under his Majesty, the charge and govern¬ 
ment of this people, which is to be required at your hands, both 
before God and man, more especially by myself and this Council, 
as persons trusted in chief and accountable as well as yourselves ; 
and therefore, in discharge of my own, not duty only to my 
