20 
The peremptory and dictatorial tone of Lord Wentworth’s 
letter is highly characteristic of the writer. It was not the first 
time that he had given the civil rulers of York “ a taste of his 
quality.” The Lord Mayor and his brethren would probably 
wince under the Lord President’s arrogant assumption of 
authority over them within their own municipality, yet they 
could not but acknowledge the value and importance of his 
advice and directions, and they appear to have carried them 
scrupulously into effect. 
Orders were immediately issued for a daily account to be taken 
of those persons who dispersed their families or removed any of 
their household, and of any that were sick, with the nature of their 
disease; for the cleansing of all the channels, and streets, and 
for shutting up the houses of infected persons. Attention was 
chiefly directed to the spot where the disease first broke out. 
Persons living without Walmgate Bar were not to be admitted 
within the walls. Two members of the Corporation were 
specially appointed to see the watch carefully set and kept at 
St. Lawrence churchyard, and the infected places thereabouts. 
Fishergate Postern was to be kept shut, and opened only for the 
prisoners to fetch water from the well. The watch to be con¬ 
tinued at St. Lawrence churchyard, and to be newly set at St. 
Nicholas Lane end, and going up to Green-dykes, passengers to 
be told not to enter the city by Walmgate. The kyne that go to 
pasture on the common out of Walmgate Bar to go there still, but 
to be taken by the owners themselves only as far as the bar, and 
then driven to the common by a hirde, to be chosen at St. Nicho¬ 
las, and by him brought back to the bar at night, and left there to 
be fetched home by the owners. All the milkmaids to be re¬ 
strained and stopt at the bar, and not permitted to go forth to 
milk. Persons dwelling within the bar not to go out, nor come 
within five yards of any without the bar. Because the inhabitants 
without and within Walmgate Bar bring corn mostly to the mill 
in Heslington field on the backside of St. Nicholas, and the 
milner dwells without the bar, and has maintenance (being in¬ 
fected), therefore the mill shall be shut up and no corn ground 
there. 
Six persons to be appointed to watch, day and night; two at 
