ation of Amsterdam was carried off by a
desolating plague. Hamburgh was also grievously afflicted about the same
time, and in the same manner. Notwithstanding every effort to cut off
communication with these states, the insidious disease found its way
into England by means of some bales of merchandise, as it was suspected,
at the latter end of the year 1664, when two persons died suddenly, with
undoubted symptoms of the distemper, in Westminster. Its next appearance
was at a house in Long Acre, and its victims two Frenchmen, who had
brought goods from the Levant. Smothered for a short time, like a fire
upon which coals had been heaped, it broke out with fresh fury in
several places.

The consternation now began. The whole city was panic-stricken: nothing
was talked of but the plague--nothing planned but means of arresting its
progress--one grim and ghastly idea possessed the minds of all. Like a
hideous phantom stalking the streets at noon-day, and scaring all in its
path, Death took his course through London, and selected his prey at
pleasure. The alarm was further increased by the predictions confidently
made as to the vast numbers who would be swept away by the visitation;
by the prognostications of astrologers; by the prophesyings of
enthusiasts; by the denunciations of preachers, and by the portents and
prodigies reported to have occurred. During the long and frosty winter
preceding this fatal year, a comet appeared in the heavens, the sickly
colour of which was supposed to forebode the judgment about to follow.
Blazing stars and other meteors, of a lurid hue and strange and
preternatural shape, were likewise seen. The sun was said to have set in
streams of blood, and the moon to have shown without reflecting a
shadow; grisly shapes appeared at night--strange clamours and groans
were heard in the air--hearses, coffins, and heaps of unburied dead were
discovered in the sky, and great cakes and clots of blood were found in
the Tower moat; while a marvellous double tide occurred at London
Bridge. All these prodigies were currently reported, and in most cases
believed.

The severe frost, before noticed, did not break up till the end of
February, and with the thaw the plague frightfully increased in
violence. From Drury-lane it spread along Holborn, eastward as far as
Great Turnstile, and westward to Saint Giles's Pound, and so along the
Tyburn-road. Saint Andrew's, Holborn, was next infected; and as this was
a much m