ed a letter to be despatched to the lord mayor as soon as possible,
giving details of the engagement and the losses on either side, and
assuring the citizens of the safety of the Duke of York.(1285) Tuesday the
20th was appointed a day of public thanksgiving.(1286)

(M657)

Such a victory at another time would have been hailed with unbounded joy.
As it was the enthusiasm of the citizens was damped by the presence among
them of the most awful scourge that had ever yet visited the city. Towards
the close of 1663 there had been rumours of an outbreak of plague on the
continent, and more especially at Amsterdam and Hamburgh. The king
communicated with the lord mayor to learn what measures had formerly been
taken in like case to prevent the spread of infection. It was suggested by
the Court of Aldermen that, after the custom of other countries, vessels
coming from infected parts should perform quarantine at Gravesend or the
neighbourhood, where a lazaretto should be established. The proposal was
accepted,(1287) and to these precautions, taken on the instigation of the
city authorities, was largely due the immunity from infection which the
city enjoyed for the next fifteen months. In June, 1664, the lords of the
council adopted similar precautions as their own and wrote to the lord
mayor, in view of the increase of the plague in the Netherlands, desiring
him "by all waies and meanes possible to be careful that no person or
persons, goods or merchandises whatsoever be permitted to be received or
harboured within the citty of London which come from Holland, Zealand or
any other places infected with the plague, without certificates from the
farmers of the customs or their officers that they have performed their
quarantain."(1288)

(M658)

The plague made its first appearance in the city in June, 1665. The
atmosphere had been very sultry--the 7th June being recorded by Pepys as
the hottest day he had ever felt in his life--and the heat caused the
infection to spread among the crowded population of the city with amazing
rapidity. Many followed the example set by the king and court and fled to
the country.(1289) The lord mayor, however, stuck to his post, and the
aldermen were forbidden to leave the city without giving notice of some
reasonable cause, those who had already absented themselves being ordered
to return.(1290) The good example thus set was unhappily not followed by
the city rectors. Many of them, to their shame, for