// This is a ppgen source file.

// Title      : Orders conceived and published by the Lord Major and Aldermen of the City of London, concerning the infection of the plague
// Author     : Anonymous
// Project ID : projectID64000f62b13c9

.dt Orders conceived and published by the Lord Major and Aldermen of the City of London, concerning the infection of the plague | Project Gutenberg

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<xxl>ORDERS</xxl> | \
<l>CONCEIVED</l> | <s>AND</s> | <l>PUBLISHED</l> | <s>By</s> | \
<l>The Lord <em>MAJOR</em> and Aldermen \
of the City of <sc>London</sc>, | \
concerning the Infection of the Plague.</l>

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<l>Printed by <em>James Flesher</em>, Printer to the Honourable</l>

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<l>City of <sc>London</sc>.</l>

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<xxl>ORDERS</xxl> || \
<xl>Conceived and published by the \
Lord <sc>Major</sc> and Aldermen of the City \
of <em>London</em>, concerning the infection of the \
Plague.</xl>

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Whereas in the first Year of the Reign
of our late Sovereign King <em>James</em>
of happy memory, an Act was
made for the charitable relief and
ordering of Persons infected with
the Plague: whereby Authority
was given to Justices of Peace,
Majors, Bayliffs, and other Head-Officers
to appoint within their several Limits Examiners,
Searchers, Watchmen, Keepers, and Buriers for the
Persons and Places infected, and to minister unto them
Oaths for the performance of their Offices. And the
same Statute did also authorize the giving of other Directions,
as unto them for the present necessity should
seem good in their discretions. It is now upon special
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consideration thought very expedient for preventing
and avoiding of infection of Sickness (if it shall so please
Almighty God) that these Officers following be appointed,
and these Orders hereafter duly observed.

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<i>Examiners to be appointed in every Parish.</i>

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First, it is thought requisite and so ordered, that in
every Parish there be one, two, or more persons of
good sort and credit, chosen and appointed by the Alderman,
his Deputy, and Common-Councel of every
Ward, by the name of Examiners, to continue in that
Office the space of two Moneths at least: And if any
fit Person so appointed, shall refuse to undertake the
same, the said parties so refusing, to be committed to
Prison until they shall conform themselves accordingly.

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<i>The Examiners Office.</i>

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That these Examiners be sworn by the Alderman, to
enquire and learn from time to time what Houses in
every Parish be visited, and what persons be sick, and of
what Diseases, as near as they can inform themselves;
and upon doubt in that case, to command restraint of access,
until it appear what the Disease shall prove: And
if they finde any person sick of the Infection, to give
order to the Constable that the House be shut up; and
if the Constable shall be found remiss or negligent, to
give present notice thereof to the Alderman of the
Ward.
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<i>Watchmen.</i>

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That to every Infected House there be appointed
two Watchmen, one for the Day, and the other for
the Night: And that these Watchmen have a special
care that no person goe in or out of such infected Houses,
whereof they have the Charge, upon pain of severe punishment.
And the said Watchmen to doe such further
Offices as the sick House shall need and require: And
if the Watchman be sent upon any business, to lock up
the House and take the Key with him: and the Watchman
by day to attend until ten of the clock at night:
and the Watchman by night until six in the morning.

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<i>Searchers.</i>

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That there be a special care, to appoint Women-Searchers
in every Parish, such as are of honest reputation,
and of the best sort as can be got in this kind:
And these to be sworn to make due search and true report,
to the utmost of their knowledge, whether the
Persons, whose bodies they are appointed to Search, do
die of the Infection, or of what other Diseases, as near
as they can. And that the Physicians who shall be appointed
for cure and prevention of the Infection, do
call before them the said Searchers who are or shall be
appointed for the several Parishes under their respective
Cares, to the end they may consider whether they are
fitly qualified for that employment; and charge them
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from time to time as they shall see cause, if they appear
defective in their duties.

That no Searcher during this time of Visitation, be
permitted to use any publick work or imployment, or
keep any Shop or Stall, or be imployed as a Landress,
or in any other common imployment whatsoever.

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<i>Chirurgions.</i>

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For better assistance of the Searchers, for as much
as there hath been heretofore great abuse in misreporting
the Disease, to the further spreading of the
Infection: It is therefore ordered, that there be chosen
and appointed able and discreet Chirurgions, besides
those that doe already belong to the Pest-house:
amongst whom, the City and Liberties to be quartered
as the places lie most apt and convenient: and every
of these to have one quarter for his Limit: and the said
Chirurgions in every of their Limits to joyn with the
Searchers for the view of the body, to the end there may
be a true report made of the Disease.

And further, that the said Chirurgions shall visit and
search such like persons as shall either send for them, or
be named and directed unto them, by the examiners of
every Parish, and inform themselves of the Disease of
the said parties.

And for as much as the said Chirurgions are to be sequestred
from all other Cures, and kept onely to this
Disease of the Infection; It is ordered, that every of the
said Chirurgions shall have twelve-pence a Body searched
by them, to be paid out of the goods of the party searched,
if he be able, or otherwise by the Parish.
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<i>Nurse-keepers.</i>

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If any Nurse-keeper shall remove herself out of any
infected House before 28 daies after the decease of
any person dying of the Infection, the House to which
the said Nurse-keeper doth so remove herself shall be
shut up until the said 28 daies be expired.

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<xxl>Orders concerning infected</xxl> | \
<xl>Houses, and Persons sick of the Plague.</xl>

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<i>Notice to be given of the Sickness.</i>

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The Master of every House, as soon as any
one in his House complaineth, either of Botch
or Purple, or Swelling in any part of his body,
or falleth otherwise dangerously sick, without
apparent cause of some other Disease, shall give
knowledge thereof to the Examiner of Health within
two hours after the said sign shall appear.

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<i>Sequestration of the Sick.</i>

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As soon as any man shall be found by this Examiner,
Chirurgion or Searcher to be sick of the Plague,
he shall the same night be sequestred in the same house.
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And in case he be so sequestred, then though he afterwards
die not, the House wherein he sickned shall be
shut up for a Moneth, after the use of due Preservatives
taken by the rest.

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<i>Airing the Stuff.</i>

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For sequestration of the goods and stuff of the infected,
their Bedding, and Apparel, and Hangings of
Chambers, must be well aired with fire, and such perfumes
as are requisite within the infected House, before
they be taken again to use: this to be done by the appointment
of the Examiner.

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<i>Shutting up of the House.</i>

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If any person shall have visited any man, known to be
Infected of the Plague, or entred willingly into any
known Infected House, being not allowed: the House
wherein he inhabiteth, shall be shut up for certain daies
by the Examiners direction.

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<i>None to be removed out of Infected Houses, but, &c.</i>

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Item, that none be removed out of the House where
he falleth sick of the Infection, into any other House
in the City, (except it be to the Pest-house or a Tent,
or unto some such House, which the owner of the said
visited House holdeth in his own hands, and occupieth
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by his servants) and so as security be given to the
Parish whither such remove is made, that the attendance
and charge about the said visited persons shall be observed
and charged in all the particularities before expressed,
without any cost of that Parish, to which any such
remove shall happen to be made, and this remove to be
done by night: And it shall be lawful to any person
that hath two Houses, to remove either his sound or
his infected people to his spare House at his choice, so as
if he send away first his sound, he may not after send thither
the sick, nor again unto the sick the sound. And
that the same which he sendeth, be for one week at the
least shut up and secluded from company for fear of
some infection, at the first not appearing.

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<i>Burial of the dead.</i>

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That the Burial of the dead by this Visitation be at
most convenient hours, alwaies either before Sun-rising,
or after Sun-setting, with the privity of the
Churchwardens or Constables, and not otherwise; and
that no Neighbours nor Friends be suffered to accompany
the Coarse to Church, or to enter the house visited,
upon pain of having his house shut up, or be imprisoned.

And that no Corps dying of Infection shall be buried
or remain in any Church in time of Common-Prayer,
Sermon, or Lecture. And that no children be suffered
at time of burial of any Corps in any Church, Church-yard,
or Burying-place to come near the Corps, Coffin,
or Grave. And that all the Graves shall be at least six
foot deep.
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And further, all publick Assemblies at other Burials
are to be forborn during the continuance of this Visitation.

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<i>No infected Stuff to be uttered.</i>

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That no Clothes, Stuff, Bedding or Garments be
suffered to be carried or conveyed out of any infected
Houses, and that the Criers and Carriers abroad of
Bedding or old Apparel to be sold or pawned, be utterly
prohibited and restrained, and no Brokers of Bedding
or old Apparel be permitted to make any outward
Shew, or hang forth on their Stalls, Shopboards or Windows
toward any Street, Lane, Common-way or Passage,
any old Bedding or Apparel to be sold, upon pain
of Imprisonment. And if any Broker or other person
shall buy any Bedding, Apparel, or other Stuff out of
any Infected house, within two Moneths after the Infection
hath been there, his house shall be shut up as Infected,
and so shall continue shut up twenty daies at the
least.

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<i>No person to be conveyed out of any infected House.</i>

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If any person visited do fortune, by negligent looking
unto, or by any other means, to come, or be conveyed
from a place infected, to any other place, the Parish
from whence such Party hath come or been conveyed,
upon notice thereof given, shall at their charge cause the
said party so visited and escaped, to be carried and
brought back again by night, and the parties in this
case offending, to be punished at the direction of the
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Alderman of the Ward, and the house of the receiver of
such visited person to be shut up for twenty daies.

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<i>Every visited house to be marked.</i>

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That every House visited, be marked with a Red
Cross of a foot long, in the middle of the door,
evident to be seen, and with these usual Printed words,
that is to say, <i>Lord have mercy upon us</i>, to be set close
over the same Cross, there to continue until lawful opening
of the same House.

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<i>Every visited House to be watched.</i>

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That the Constables see every house shut up, and to
be attended with Watchmen, which may keep
them in, and minister necessaries unto them at their own
charges (if they be able,) or at the common charge if
they be unable: the shutting up to be for the space of
four Weeks after all be whole.

That precise order be taken that the Searchers, Chirurgions,
Keepers and Buriers, are not to pass the streets
without holding a red Rod or Wand of three foot in
length in their hands, open and evident to be seen, and
are not to goe into any other house then into their own,
or into that whereunto they are directed or sent for, but
to forbear and abstain from company, especially when
they have been lately used in any such business or attendance.
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<i>Inmates.</i>

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That where several Inmates are in one and the same
house, and any person in that house happen to be
infected; no other person or family of such house shall
be suffered to remove him or themselves without a Certificate
from the Examiners of Health of that Parish; or
in default thereof, the house whither he or they so remove,
shall be shut up as in case of Visitation.

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<i>Hackney Coaches.</i>

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That care be taken of Hackney Coachmen, that they
may not (as some of them have been observed to
doe) after carrying of infected persons to the Pesthouse,
and other places, be admitted to common use, till their
Coaches be well aired, and have stood unimployed by
the space of five or six daies after such service.

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<xl>Orders for cleansing and keeping of the Streets sweet.</xl>

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<i>The Streets to be kept clean.</i>

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First, it is thought very necessary, and so ordered,
that every Householder do cause the street
to be daily pared before his door, and so to keep
it clean swept all the Week long.
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<i>That Rakers take it from out the Houses.</i>

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That the sweeping and filth of houses be daily carried
away by the Rakers, and that the Raker shall give
notice of his coming by the blowing of a Horn as heretofore
hath been done.

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<i>Laystalls to be made farre off from the City.</i>

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That the Laystalls be removed as farre as may be out
of the City, and common passages, and that no
Nightman or other be suffered to empty a Vault into
any Garden near about the City.

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<i>Care to be had of unwholesome Fish or Flesh, and of musty Corn.</i>

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That special care be taken, that no stinking Fish, or
unwholsome Flesh, or musty Corn, or other corrupt
fruits of what sort soever, be suffered to be sold
about the City or any part of the same.

That the Brewers and Tipling-houses be looked unto,
for musty and unwholsome Cask.

That no Hogs, Dogs, or Cats, or tame Pigeons, or
Conies be suffered to be kept within any part of the
City, or any Swine to be, or stay in the Streets or
Lanes, but that such Swine be impounded by the Beadle
or any other Officer, and the Owner punished according
to Act of Common-Councel, and that the Dogs
be killed by the Dog-killers appointed for that purpose.
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<xl>Orders concerning loose Persons and idle Assemblies.</xl>

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<i>Beggers.</i>

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Forasmuch as nothing is more complained of,
then the multitude of Rogues and wandering
Beggers that swarm in every place about the
City, being a great cause of the spreading of
the Infection, and will not be avoided, notwithstanding
any Order that hath been given to the contrary: It is
therefore now ordered, that such Constables, and others
whom this matter may any way concern, do take special
care that no wandering Begger be suffered in the
Streets of this City, in any fashion or manner whatsoever
upon the penalty provided by the Law to be duly
and severely executed upon them.

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<i>Playes.</i>

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That all Playes, Bear-baitings, Games, Singing of
Ballads, Buckler-play, or such like causes of Assemblies
of people, be utterly prohibited, and the parties offending,
severely punished by every Alderman in his
Ward.

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<i>Feasting Prohibited.</i>

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That all publick Feasting, and particularly by the
Companies of this City; and Dinners at Taverns,
Alehouses, and other places of common entertainment
be forborn till further order and allowance; and that
the money thereby spared, be preserved and imployed
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for the benefit and relief of the poor visited with the
infection.

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<i>Tipling-houses.</i>

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That disorderly Tipling in Taverns, Alehouses, Coffee-houses
and Cellars be severely looked unto, as
the common Sin of this time, and greatest occasion of
dispersing the Plague. And that no Company or person
be suffered to remain or come into any Tavern, Alehouse
or Coffee-house to drink after nine of the Clock
in the Evening, according to the ancient Law and custome
of this City, upon the penalties ordained in that
behalf.

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And for the better execution of these Orders, and such
other Rules and Directions as upon further consideration
shall be found needful; It is ordered and enjoyned
that the Aldermen, Deputies, and Common-Councelmen
shall meet together Weekly, once, twice, thrice or
oftner (as cause shall require) at some one general place
accustomed in their respective Wards (being clear from
infection of the Plague) to consult how the said Orders
may be duly put in execution; not intending that any
dwelling in or near places infected, shall come to the said
meetings whiles their coming may be doubtful: And
the said Aldermen and Deputies and Common Councelmen
in their several Wards may put in execution any
other good Orders that by them at their said Meetings
shall be conceived and devised, for preservation of his
Majesties Subjects from the Infection.

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<xl><i>FINIS.</i></xl>

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<b>Transcriber’s Notes:</b>

Some inconsistencies in spelling, hyphenation, and punctuation have been
retained.

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This file uses <i>underscores</i> to indicate italic text.
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New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the public domain.
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