now we say, that the same was not a greater year of Mortality than Anno 1625. Now to reconcile these two Positions, we must alledge, that Anno 1625, there was an errour in the Accompts or Distinctions of the Casualties; that is, more died of the Plague than were re-|49|counted for under that name, Which Allegation we also prove thus, viz.
8. In the said year 1625 there are said to have died of the Plague 35417, and of all other Diseases 18848; whereas in the years, both before and after the same, the ordinary number of Burials was between 7 and 8000; so that if we add about 11000 (which is the difference between 7 and 18) to our 35, the whole will be 46000, which bears to the whole 54000, as about 4 to 5, thereby rendring the said year 1625 to be as great a Plague-year as that of 1603, and no greater; which answers to what we proved before, viz. that the Mortality of the two years was equal[1].
9. From whence we may probably suspect, that about ¼ part more died of the Plague than are returned for such; which we further prove by noting, that Anno 1636 there died 10400 of the Plague, the ¼ whereof is 2600. Now there are said to have died of all other Diseases that Year 12959, out of which number deducing 2600, there remain 10359, more than which there died not in several years next before and after the said Year 1636.
10. The next Observation we shall offer is, That the Plague of 1603 lasted eight Years. |50| In some whereof there died above 4000, in others above 2000, and in but one fewer than 600: whereas in the Year 1624 next preceding, and in the Year 1626 next following the said great Plague-year 1625, there died in the former but 11, and in the later but 134 of the Plague. Moreover, in the said Year 1625, the Plague
- ↑ The report of a case of the plague in any family led to the "shutting up" of the house infected, and thus increased the danger of the other members of the household. This danger was probably avoided, in many cases, by bribing the searchers. Creighton, i. 312, 318, 663, 67a, also in Social England, iv. 469. The probable concealment of the plague was noted at the time. Salvetti's Correspondence, 11 July, 1625, Hist. MSS. Com. xi. pt. i. p. 26—27; Rev. Joseph Mead to Sir Martin Stuteville, Birch, Court and Times of Charles I., vol. i. p. 39.
