locked outside, and guarded day and night by watchmen,
whose duty it should be to prevent persons entering or leaving those
habitations; as likewise to perform such offices as were required, such
as conveying medicines and food. And all houses visited by the distemper
were to be forthwith marked on the door by a red cross a foot long, with
the words LORD HAVE MERCY UPON US set close over the same sacred sign.
Female searchers, "such as are of honest reputation, and of the best
sort as can be got of the kind," were selected that they might report
of what disease people died; such women not being permitted during this
visitation to use any public work or employment, or keep shop or stall,
or wash linen for the people. Nurses to attend the afflicted deserted
by their friends were also appointed. And inasmuch as multitudes of idle
rogues and wandering beggars swarming the city were a great means
of spreading disease, the constables had orders not to suffer their
presence in the streets. And dogs and cats, being domestic animals, apt
to run from house to house, and carry infection in their fur and hair,
an order was made that they should be killed, and an officer nominated
to see it carried into execution. It was computed that, in accordance
with this edict, forty thousand dogs, and five times that number of
cats, were massacred.

All plays bear-baitings, exhibitions, and games were forbidden; as were
likewise "all public feasting, and particularly by the companies of
the city, and dinners at taverns, alehouses, and other places of common
entertainment; and the money thereby spared, be employed for the benefit
and relief of the poor visited with the infection." Pest-houses were
opened at Tothill Fields, Westminster, and at Bunhill Fields, near Old
Street, for reception of the sick: and indeed every possible remedy
calculated to check the disease was adopted. Some of these, though
considered necessary to the well-being of the community, were by many
citizens regarded as hardships, more especially the rule which related
to closing of infected houses.

The misery endured by those in health suffering such confinement, was
scarcely less than that realized by the afflicted. And fear making way
for disease, it frequently occurred a whole family, when confined
with one infected member, speedily became stricken by plague, and
consequently overtaken by death. It therefore happened that many
attempts were made by those in health to e