A Journal of the Plague Year, Written by a Citizen Who Continued All the While in London

by Daniel Defoe

We had no such thing as printed newspapers in those

days to spread rumours and reports of things, and to improve them by the invention of men, as I have lived to see practised since. But such things as these were gathered from the letters of merchants and others who corresponded abroad, and from them was handed about by word of mouth only; so that things did not spread instantly over the whole nation, as they do now.

Tears and lamentations were seen almost in every house, especially in the first part of the visitation; for towards the latter end men's hearts were hardened, and death was so always before their eyes, that they did not so much concern themselves for the loss of their friends, expecting that themselves should be summoned the next hour.

In the first place, a blazing star or comet appeared for several months before the plague, as there did the year after another, a little before the fire.

The apprehensions of the people were likewise strangely increased by the error of the times; in which, I think, the people, from what principle I cannot imagine, were more addicted to prophecies and astrological conjurations, dreams, and old wives' tales than ever they were before or since.

Neither can I acquit those ministers that in their sermons rather sank than lifted up the hearts of their hearers. Many of them no doubt did it for the strengthening the resolution of the people, and especially for quickening them to repentance, but it certainly answered not their end, at least not in proportion to the injury it did another way;

The Government encouraged their devotion, and appointed public prayers and days of fasting and humiliation, to make public confession of sin and implore the mercy of God to avert the dreadful judgement which hung over their heads;

Death was before their eyes, and everybody began to think of their graves, not of mirth and diversions.

some people being removed to the pest-house beyond Bunhill Fields, in the way to Islington,—I

Examiners to be appointed in every Parish.

The Examiner's Office.

Watchmen. 'That to every infected house there be appointed two watchmen,

Searchers. 'That there be a special care to appoint women searchers in every parish, such as are of honest reputation,

'That no searcher during this time of visitation be permitted to use any public work or employment, or keep any shop or stall, or be employed as a laundress, or in any other common employment whatsoever.

Chirurgeons. 'For better assistance of the searchers,

chosen and appointed able and discreet chirurgeons, besides those that do already belong to the pest-house,

join with the searchers for the view of the body, to the end there may be a true report made of the disease.

Nurse-keepers. 'If any nurse-keeper shall remove herself out of any infected house before twenty-eight days 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 twenty-eight days be expired.'

Notice to be given of the Sickness.

within two hours after the said sign shall appear.

Sequestration of the Sick.

house wherein he sickened should be shut up for a month, after

Airing the Stuff.

chambers must be well aired with fire

Shutting up of the House.

None to be removed out of infected Houses, but, &C.

Burial of the Dead.

most convenient hours, always either before sun-rising or after sun-setting,

no neighbours nor friends be suffered to accompany the...

'And that no corpse dying of infection shall be buried, or remain in any church in time of common...

And that all the graves shall be at least six feet deep.

No infected Stuff to be uttered.

No Person to be conveyed out of any infected House.

Every visited House to be marked.

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, "Lord, have mercy upon us," to be set close over the same cross, there to continue until lawful opening of the same house.

Every visited House to b...

'That precise order to be taken that the searchers, chirurgeons, keepers, and buriers are not to pass the streets without holding a red rod or wand of three feet in length in their hands, open and evident to be seen, and are not to go into any other house than into their own,

Inmates. 'That where several inmate,-c are in one and the same house, and any person in that house happens 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;

Hackney-Coaches. 'That care be taken of hackney-coachmen, that they may not (as some of them have been observed to do after carrying of infected persons to the pest-house and other places) be admitted to common use till their coaches be well aired, and have stood unemployed by the space of five or six days after such service.'

ORDERS FOR CLEANSING AND KEEPING OF THE STREETS SWEET. The Streets to be kept Clean.

That Rakers take it from out the Houses. 'That the sweeping and filth of houses be daily carried away by the rakers,

raker shall give notice of his coming by the blowing of a horn, as hitherto hath been done.

Laystalls to be made far off fr...

Care to be had of unwholesome Fish or Flesh, and of musty Corn.

that no stinking fish, or unwholesome 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.

brewers and tippling-houses he looked unto for musty and ...

'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 stray in the streets or lanes, b...

and that the dogs be killed by th...

take special care that no wandering beggars be suffered in the streets of this city

'That all plays, bear-baitings, games, singing of ballads, buckler-play, or such-like causes of assemblies of people be utterly prohibited,