them the
most eminent, and of several of the most skilful surgeons. Abundance
of quacks too died, who had the folly to trust to their own medicines,
which they must needs be conscious to themselves were good for nothing,
and who rather ought, like other sorts of thieves, to have run away,
sensible of their guilt, from the justice that they could not but expect
should punish them as they knew they had deserved.

Not that it is any derogation from the labour or application of the
physicians to say they fell in the common calamity; nor is it so
intended by me; it rather is to their praise that they ventured their
lives so far as even to lose them in the service of mankind. They
endeavoured to do good, and to save the lives of others. But we were not
to expect that the physicians could stop God's judgements, or prevent a
distemper eminently armed from heaven from executing the errand it was
sent about.

Doubtless, the physicians assisted many by their skill, and by their
prudence and applications, to the saving of their lives and restoring
their health. But it is not lessening their character or their skill,
to say they could not cure those that had the tokens upon them, or those
who were mortally infected before the physicians were sent for, as was
frequently the case.

It remains to mention now what public measures were taken by the
magistrates for the general safety, and to prevent the spreading of the
distemper, when it first broke out. I shall have frequent occasion to
speak of the prudence of the magistrates, their charity, their vigilance
for the poor, and for preserving good order, furnishing provisions, and
the like, when the plague was increased, as it afterwards was. But I am
now upon the order and regulations they published for the government of
infected families.

I mentioned above shutting of houses up; and it is needful to say
something particularly to that, for this part of the history of the
plague is very melancholy, but the most grievous story must be told.

About June the Lord Mayor of London and the Court of Aldermen, as I have
said, began more particularly to concern themselves for the regulation
of the city.

The justices of Peace for Middlesex, by direction of the Secretary
of State, had begun to shut up houses in the parishes of St
Giles-in-the-Fields, St Martin, St Clement Danes, &c., and it was with
good success; for in several streets where the plague broke out, upon
strict guarding the h