Orders, thought meete by her Maiestie, and her priuie Councell, to be executed throughout the counties of this realme, in such townes, villages, and other places, as are, or may be hereafter infected with the plague, for the stay of further increase of the same Also, an aduise set downe vpon her Maiesties expresse commaundement, by the best learned in physicke within this realme, contayning sundry good rules and easie medicines, without charge to the meaner sort of people, aswell for the preseruation of her good subiects from the plague before infection, as for the curing and ordering of them after they shalbe infected.

❧Orders thought meete by her Maiestie and her priuie Councel, to be executed throughout the Counties of this Realme, in such Townes, Villages, and other places, as are, or may be hereafter infected with the plague, for the stay of fur∣ther increase of the same.

INprimis, all the Iustices in euery [ 1] Countie, aswell within the liberties as without, immediatly▪ vpon know∣ledge to them giuen, shall assemble themselues together at some one ge∣nerall place accustomed, being cleare from infecti∣on of the plague, to consult howe these orders follo∣wing may be duely put in execution, not meaning that any Iustices dwelling in or nere places infec∣ted, shall come thither whiles their comming may be doubtful. And after their first generall assembly▪ they shal make a distribution of themselues to ••••••∣dry limits and diuisions, as in other 〈◊〉〈◊〉 serui∣ces for the Countie they are accustomed to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for the prosecution thereof.

2 First, they shall inquire, 〈…〉〈…〉 informe [ 2]

habitants of the same Townes and Parishes are, to be hable to relieue the poore that are or shalbe in∣fected, and to be restrained in their houses.

[ 3] 3 Item, thereupon after conference vsed▪ accor∣ding to the necessitie of the cause, they shall deuise and make a generall taxation, eyther by charging the Towne infected with one summe in grosse, or by charging the speciall persons of wealth within the same, to be forth with collected for the rate of one moneth at the first, and so if the sicknesse shall conti∣nue, the collection of the like summe, or of more or of lesse, as time and cause shall require, and the same to be euery first, seconde, third, or fourth weeke em∣ploied to and for the execution of the saide orders. And in case some of the said Townes infected shall manifestly appeare not to be of sufficient habilitie to contribute sufficient for the charges requisite, then the taxation or collection shalbe made or fur∣ther extended to other partes, or in any other fur∣ther 〈◊〉〈◊〉, as by the•• shalbe thought requisite where there shalbe any such Townes or Villages 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and vnable to relieue themselues. And if the said Townes be scituated in the borders and confines of any other shire, then as the Iustices 〈…〉〈…〉 neede for the greatnesse of the ••••arge 〈…〉〈…〉, that the pa••••es of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ioy∣ning to the 〈…〉〈…〉 the next Iustices of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Shire ••o confir••••••g, ••o procure by 〈◊〉〈◊〉 some reliefe, as in 〈…〉〈…〉 they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to relieue them, in respect of 〈…〉〈…〉 of the place, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 infection 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the 〈…〉〈…〉 from the said adioyning places, though they be se∣parated

by name of the Countie.

4 Item, they shal cause to be appointed in eue∣ry [ 4] Parish aswell infected as not infected, certaine persons to viewe the bodies of all such as shall die, before they be suffered to be buried, and to certifie the Minister of the Church and Churchwarden, or other principal officers, or their substitutes, of what probable disease the said persons died: and the saide viewers to haue weekely some allowance, and the more large allowance where the Townes or Pa∣rishes be infected, during the infection, towards their maintenance, to the end they which shal be in places infected, may forbeare to resort into the com∣panie of others that are sounde: and those persons to be sworne to make true report according to their knowledge, and the choise of them to be made by direction of the Curat of the Church, with three or foure substantiall men of the Parish. And in case the said viewers either through fauour or corrupti∣on, shal giue wrong certificat, or shal refuse to serue being thereto appointed, then to cause them to be punished by imprisonmēt, in such sort as may serue for a terror to others.

5▪ Item, the houses of such persons out of the [ 5] which there shall dye any of the plague, being so certified by the viewers, or otherwise knowen, or where it shalbe vnderstood, that any person remai∣neth sicke of the plague, to be closed vp on all parts during the time of restraint, vz. sixe weekes, after the sicknesse ••e ceased in the s••••e house, in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the said houses 〈◊〉〈◊〉 infected sh••lbe within any Towne ha••ing houses nere adio••ning to the same. And if

the infection happen in houses dispersed in Villa∣ges, and separated from other houses, and that of necessitie, for the seruing of their cattel, and manu∣ring of their ground, the said persons cannot conti∣nue in their houses, then they to be neuerthelesse re∣strained from resorting into companie of others, ei∣ther publiquely or priuately during the said time of restraint, and to weare some marke in their vpper∣most garments, or beare white rods in their hands at such time as they shall goe abroade, and if there be any doubt that the masters and owners of the houses infected, will not duely obserue the directi∣ons of shutting vp their doores, specially in the night, then shall there be appointed two or three watchmen by turnes, which shalbe sworne to at∣tend and watch the house, and to apprehend any person that shall come out of the house contrary to order, and the same persons by order of the Iusti∣ces, shal be a competent time imprisoned in y^e stocks in the highway next to the house infected: and fur∣thermore, some speciall marke shalbe made and fix∣ed to the doores of euery of the infected houses, and where any such houses shall be Innes or Alehou∣ses, the signes shalbe taken down for the time of the restraint, and some crosse or other marke set vp in the place thereof, to be a token of the sicknesse.

[ 6] 6 Item, they shall haue good regarde to chuse honest persons that either shall collect the summes assessed, or shall haue the custodie thereof, & out of the said collection to allot a weekely proportion for the finding of victuall, or fire, or medicines for the poorer sort, during the tyme of their restraynt. And whereas some persons being well disposed to yeeld

almes and reliefe, wil be more willing to giue some portions of victuall, as corne, bread or other meate, the same shall be committed to the charge of some speciall persons, that will honestly and truely pre∣serue the same, to be distributed as they shall be ap∣poynted for the poore that are infected.

7 Item, to appoynt certaine persons dwelling [ 7] within the townes infected, to prouide and deliuer all necessaries of victuals, or any matter of wat∣ching or other attendance, to keepe such as are of good wealth being restrained, at their owne proper charges, and the poore at the common charges: and the said persons so appoynted to be ordered, not to resort to any publique assemblie during the tyme of such their attendance, as also to weare some marke on their vpper garment, or to beare a white rod in their hande, to the ende others may auoyde their companie.

8 Item, that in the shire towne in euery Coun∣tie, [ 8] and in other great townes meete for that pur∣pose, there may be prouision bespoken and made, of such preseruatiues & other remedies, which other∣wise in meaner townes can not be readily had, as by the Physicians shall be prescribed, and is at this present reduced into an Aduise made by the Physi∣cians, and nowe printed and sent with the sayd or∣ders, which may be fixed in market places, vpon places vsual for such publique matters, and in other townes in the bodies of the parishe churches, and chappells, in which aduise only such things are pre∣scribed, as vsually are to be had and founde in all countries without great charge or cost.

[ 9] 9 Item, the Ministers and Curates, and the Church wardens in euery Parish, shall in writing certifie weekely to some of the Iustices, residing within y^e Hundred or other limit where they serue, the number of such persons as are infected and doe not die, and also of all such as shall die within their Parishes, and their diseases probable wherof they dyed, and the same to be certified to the rest of the Iustices at their assemblies, which during some conuenient time would be euery xxi. dayes, and thereof a particular booke kept by the Clerke of the peace, or some such like.

[ 10] 10 Item, to appoynt some place apart in each parish for the burial of such persons as shal die of the plague, as also to giue order that they be buryed af∣ter sunne setting, and yet neuerthelesse by daylight, so as the Curate be present for the obseruation of the rites and ceremonies prescribed by the lawe, fore∣seeing as much as conueniently he may, to be distāt from the danger of infection of the person dead, or of the companie that shall bryng the corse to the graue.

[ 11] 11 Item, the Iustices of the whole Countie to assemble once in xxi. dayes, to examine whether those orders be duely executed, and to certifie to the lordes of the priuie Councell their proceedings in that behalf, what townes and villages be infected, as also the nombers of the dead, and the diseases wherof they dyed; and what summes of money are taxed and collected to this purpose, and howe the same are distributed.

[ 12] 12 Item, the Iustices in the hundred, where a∣ny

such infection is, or the Iustices next adioyning therunto, to assemble once a week, to take accompt of the execution of the said orders, and as they finde any lack or disorder, either to reforme it themselues, or to report it at the generall assemblie there, to be by a more common consent reformed.

13 Item, for that the contagion of the plague [ 13] groweth and increaseth no way more, then by the vse and handling of such clothes, bedding and other stuffe as hath bene worne and occupyed by the in∣fected of this disease, during the time of their disease: the sayde Iustices shall in the places in∣fected take such order, that all the saide clothes and other stuffe, so occupied by the diseased, so soone as the parties diseased of the plague are all of them either well recouered or dead, be either burnt and cleane consumed with fire: or els ayred in such sort as is prescribed in an especiall article conteyned in the Aduise set downe by the Physicians. And for that peraduenture the losse of such apparell, bed∣ding and other stuffe to be burnt, may be greater then the poore estate of the owners of the same may well beare: it is thought very good and expedient, if it be thought meete it should be burnt, that then the said Iustices, out of such collections as are to be made within their Counties for the reliefe of the poorer sort that be infected, allowe also to them such summe or summes as to them shall be thought rea∣sonable, in recompēce of the losse of their said stuffe.

14 Item, the said Iustices may put in executi∣on [ 14] any other orders that by them at their generall assemblie shall be deuised and thought meete, ten∣ding

to the preseruation of her Maiesties subiectes from the infection, and to the end their care and di∣ligence may the better appeare, they shall certifie in writing the sayde orders newly deuised, and if any shall wilfully breake and contemne the same or any the orders herein specified, they shal either presently punishe them by imprisonment, or if the persons so contemning them, shall be of such countenance as the Iustices shall thinke meete to haue their faults knowen to her Maiestie, or to the Councell, they shall charge and binde them to appeare before vs, & the contempt duely certified, that there may bee a more notorious sharpe example made by punish∣ment of the same by order of her Maiestie.

[ 15] 15 Item, if there be lacke of Iustices in some partes of the shire, or if they which are Iustices there shall be for the tyme absent, in that case the more nomber of the Iustices at their assemblie shal make choyse of some conuenient persons to supply those places for the better execution hereof.

[ 16] 16 Item, if there be any person Ecclesiastical or laye, that shall holde and publishe any opinions (as in some places report is made) that it is a vayne thing to forbeare to resort to the infected, or that it is not charitable to forbid the same, pretending that no person shall dye but at their tyme prefixed, such persons shalbe not onely reprehended, but by order of the Bishop, if they be ecclesiasticall, shalbe forbid∣den to preache, and being laye, shalbe also enioyned to forbeare to vtter such dangerous opinions vpon payne of imprisonment, which shall be executed, if they shall perseuer in that error. And yet it shall ap∣peare

manifestly by these orders, that according to Christian charitie, no persons of the meanest degree shalbe left without succour and reliefe.

17 And of these things aboue mencioned, the [ 17] Iustices shall take great care, as of a matter speci∣ally directed & commanded by her Maiestie vpon the princely and naturall care shee hath conceyued towards the preseruation of her subiectes, who by very disorder, and for lacke of direction do in many partes wilfully procure the increase of this general contagion.