'WHEREAS in the Reign of our late Sovereign King James, 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 the Peace, Mayors, 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 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.
Examiners to be appointed in every Pariſh.
'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-Council of every Ward, by the Name of Examiners, to continue in that Office the Space of two Months at leaſt: And if any fit Perſon ſo appointed, ſhall refuſe to undertake the ſame, the ſaid parties ſo refuſing, to he committed to Priſon until they ſhall conform themſelves accordingly.
The Examiners Office.
'THAT theſe Examiners be ſworn by the Aldermen, 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 find 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.
Watchmen.
'THAT to every infected Houſe there be appointed two Watchmen, one for every Day, and the other for the Night: And that theſe Watchmen have a ſpecial care that no Perſon go in or out of ſuch infected Houſes, whereof they have the Charge, upon pain of ſevere Puniſhment. And the ſaid Watchman to do ſuch further Offices as the ſick Houſe ſhall need and require: and if the Watchmen 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 untill ſix in the Morning.
Searchers.
'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 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 Employment, or keep any Shop or Stall, or be employed as a Landreſs; or in any other common Employment whatſoever.
Chirurgeons.
'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 Chirurgeons, beſides thoſe that do 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 Chirurgeons in every of their Limits to join 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 Chirurgeons 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 foraſmuch as the ſaid Chirurgeons are to be ſequeſtred from all other Cures, and kept only to this Diſeaſe of the Infection; It is order'd, That every of the ſaid Chirurgeons 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.
Nurſe-keepers.
'IF any Nurſe-keeper ſhall remove her ſelf 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 her ſelf, ſhall be ſhut up until the ſaid twenty eight Days be expired.
Orders concerning infected Houſes, and Perſons ſick of the Plague.
Notice to be given of the Sickneſs.
'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.
Sequeſtration of the Sick.
'AS ſoon as any Man ſhall be found by this Examiner, Chirurgeon or Searcher to be ſick of the Plague, he ſhall the ſame Night be ſequeſtred in the ſame Houſe, and in caſe he be ſo ſequeſtred, then, though he afterwards die not, the Houſe wherein he ſickned, ſhould be ſhut up for a Month, after the uſe of the due Preſervatives taken by the reſt.
Airing the Stuff.
'FOR Sequeſtration of the Goods and Stuff of the Infection, their Bedding, and Apparel, and Hangings of Chambers, muſt be well aired with Fire, and ſuch Perſumes as are requiſite within the infected Houſe, before they be taken again to uſe: This to be done by the Appointment of the Examiner.
Shutting up of the Houſe.
'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 Days by the Examiners Direction.
None to be removed out of infected Houſes, but, &c.
'ITEM, That none be remov'd 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 by his own 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 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.
Burial of the Dead.
'THAT the Burial of the Dead by this Viſitation, be at moſt convenient Hours, always either before Sun-riſing, or after Sun-ſetting, with the Privity of the Church-wardens or Conſtable; and not otherwiſe; and that no Neighbours not Friends be ſuffered to accompany the Corps 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.
And further, all publick Aſſemblies at other Burials are to be forborn during the Continuance of this Viſitation.
No infected Stuff to be uttered.
'THAT no Clothes, Stuff, Bedding or Garments be ſuffered to be carried or conveyed out of any infectd Houſes, and that the Criers and Carriers abroad of Bedding or old Apparel to be ſold of 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 towards 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 that buy any Bedding, Apparel, or other Stuff out of any infected Houſe, within two Months after the Infection hath been there, his Houſe ſhall be ſhut up as Infected, and ſo ſhall continue ſhut up twenty Days at the leaſt.
No Perſon to be conveyed out of any infected Houſe.
'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 Alderman of the Ward; and the Houſe of the Receiver of ſuch viſited Perſon, to be ſhut up for twenty Days.
Every viſited Houſe to be marked.
'THAT 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 be watched.
'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, Chirurgeons, Keepers and Buriers are not to paſ 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 go 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.
Inmates.
'THAT where ſeveral Inmates are in one and the ſame Houſe, and any Perſon in that Houſe happens to be Infected; no other Perſon of 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.
Hackney-Coaches.
'THAT care be taken of Hackney-Coach-men, 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 unemploy'd 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.
'FIRST, it is thought neceſſary, and ſo ordered, that every Houſholder do cauſe the Street to be daily prepared before his Door, and ſo to keep it clean ſwept all the Week long.
That Rakers take it from out the Houſes.
'THAT the Sweeping and Filth of Houſes be daily carry'd away by the Rakers, and that the Raker ſhall give notice of his coming, by the the blowing of a Horn, as hitherto hath been done.
Layſtalls to be made far off from the City.
'THAT the Layſtalls be removed as far 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.
Care to be had of unwholſome Fiſh or Fleſh, and of muſty Corn.
'THAT ſpecial care be taken, 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.
'That the Brewers and Tippling-houſes be looked unto, for muſty and unwholſome Casks.
'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, but that ſuch Swine be impounded by the Beadle or any other Officer, and the Owner puniſhed according to Act of Common Council, and that the Dogs be killed by the Dog-killers appointed for that purpoſe.
ORDERS concerning looſe Perſons and idle Aſſemblies.
Beggers.
'FOr ras much as nothing is more complained of, than the Multitude of Rogues and wandring Beggars, 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 have been given to the contrary: It is therefore now ordered, that ſuch Conſtables, and others, whom this Matter may any way concern, take ſpecial care that no wandring Begger be ſuffered in the Streets of this City, in any faſhion or manner, whatſoever, upon the Penalty provided by the Law to be duely and ſeverely executed upon them.
Plays.
'THAT all Plays, 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.
Feaſting Prohibited.
'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 employed for the Benefit and Relief of the Poor viſited with the Infection.
Tipling-Houſes.
'THAT diſorderly Tipling in Taverns, Ale-houſes, Coffe-houſs, 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, Ale-houſe, or Coffe-houſe to drink after nine of the Clock in the Evening, according to the antient Law and Cuſtom of this City, upon the Penalties ordained in that Behalf.
'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 enjoined that the Aldermen, Deputies, and Common-Council-men 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 Meeting whiles their coming may be doubtful. And the ſaid Aldermen, and Deputies, and Common-Councilmen 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 Majeſty's Subjects from the Infection,'
Sir John Lawrence
Lord Mayor
Sir George Waterman
Sir Charles Doe.
Sheriffs
This is a fascinating look at some of the earliest public health regulations intended to deal with a major epidemic.
Defoe wrote in a style that is suggestive of the transition from early modern English (Shakespearean) into the first stages of what we would recognize as modern English. Still we see elements including odd spellings, seemingly random capitalization of words in mid sentence and the use of the the "
long s," an archaic form of lowercase 's' that fell into disuse around the turn of the 19th century.
