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  THE
  PLAGUE
  AT
  _MARSEILLES_
  CONSIDER'D:


  With REMARKS upon the PLAGUE in General,
  shewing its Cause and Nature of INFECTION,
  with necessary Precautions to prevent the spreading
  of that DIREFUL DISTEMPER. Publish'd
  for the PRESERVATION of the People
  of GREAT-BRITAIN.

  Also some Observations taken from an Original
  Manuscript of a Graduate Physician, who resided
  in LONDON during the whole Time of
  the late Plague, _Anno_ 1665.


  By RICHARD BRADLEY, F. R. S.


  The THIRD EDITION.


  _LONDON_:
  Printed for W. MEARS at the _Lamb_ without _Temple-Bar_. 1721.
  Price 1_s._




  TO
  Sir ISAAC NEWTON
  President of the Royal Society, _&c._


_SIR_,

To Act under Your Influence, is to do Good, and to Study the Laws of
Nature, is the Obligation I owe to the Royal Society, who have so wisely
placed Sir _Isaac Newton_ at their Head.

The following Piece, therefore, as I design it for the Publick Good,
naturally claims _Your_ Patronage, and, as it depends chiefly upon Rules
in Nature, I am doubly obliged to offer it to the President of that
Learned Assembly, whose Institution was for the Improvement of Natural
Knowledge.

  _I am, Sir
     With due Respect,
       Your most obliged,
         Humble Servant,_

           R. BRADLEY.




PREFACE.


_There would be little Occasion for a Preface to this Treatise, if the
last Foreign Advices had not given us something particular relating to the
Pestilence that now rages in the South Parts of_ France; _and what may
more particularly recommend these Relations to the World, is, because they
come from Physicians, who resided at the Infected Places._


The Physician at _Aix_ gives us the following Account.

_The Contagious Distemper, which has become the Reproach of our Faculty
here for above a Month past, is more violent than that at_ Marseilles; _it
breaks out in Carbuncles, Buboes, livid Blisters, and purple Spots; the
first Symptoms are grievous Pains in the Head, Consternations, wild Looks,
a trembling Voice, a cadaverous Face, a Coldness in all the extreme Parts,
a low unequal Pulse, great Pains in the Stomach, Reachings to Vomit, and
these are follow'd by Sleepiness, Deliriums, Convulsions, or Fluxes of
Blood, the Forerunners of sudden Death. In the Bodies that are open'd,
we find gangrenous Inflammations in all the lower Parts of the Belly,
Breast and Neck. Above fifty Persons have died every Day for three Weeks
past in the Town and Hospitals. Most of them fall into a dreadful Phrenzy,
so that we are forc'd to tie them._


_The other is a Letter from a Physician at_ Marseilles, _sent to_ John
Wheake, _Esq; who was so kind to give me the Abstract._

Marseilles _Sept._ 15. 1720.

Sir,

I Arriv'd here the 8_th_, and enter'd the Gate of _Aix_ which leads to the
_Cours_, which has always been esteem'd one of the most pleasant
Prospects in the Kingdom, but that Day was a very dismal Spectacle to me;
all that great Place, both on the Right and Left, was fill'd with Dead,
Sick, and Dying Persons. The Carts were continually employ'd in going and
returning to carry away the Dead Carcasses, of which there were that Day
above four Thousand. The Town was without Bread, without Wine, without
Meat, without Medicines, and in general, without any Succours.

The Father abandon'd the Child, and the Son the Father; the Husband the
Wife, and the Wife the Husband; and those who had not a House to
themselves, lay upon Quilts in the Streets and the Pavements; all the
Streets were fill'd with Cloaths and Houshold-Goods, strew'd with Dead
Dogs and Cats, which made an insupportable Stench. Meat was Sold at 18 to
20 _Sous per_ Pound, and was only distributed to those that had Billets
from the Consuls: This, Sir, was the miserable State of this City at that
Time, but at present, Things have a better appearance; Monsieur _le
Marquis de Langeron_, who Commands here, has caused the Dead to be Buried,
the Cloaths and Goods to be burnt, and the Shops to be open'd, for the
Sustenance of the Publick.

Two Hospitals are prepar'd where they carry all the Sick of the Town, good
Orders are daily re-establish'd, and the Obligation is chiefly owing to
Monsieur _de Langeron_, who does Wonders. However, there is not any Divine
Service Celebrated, nor are there any Confessors. The People die, and are
buried without any Ceremonies of the Church; But the Bishop, with an
undaunted Courage, goes thro' the Streets, and into Publick Places,
accompanied with a Jesuit and one Ecclesiastick, to Exhort the Dying, and
to give them Absolution; and he distributes his Charity very largely. The
Religious Order have almost all perish'd, and the Fathers of the Oratory
are not exempt; it is accounted, that there have died 50000 Persons. One
thing very particular is, that Monsieur _Moustier_, one of the Consuls of
the City, who has been continually on Horseback ordering the Slaves who
carried away the Dead in Carts, or those that were Sick, to the Hospitals,
enjoys his Health as well as he did the first Day he began; the Sickness
seems at present to abate, and we have the Satisfaction to see several
whom we took under our Care at the Beginning of the Sickness, promise fair
towards a Recovery. The Sickness however, is of a very extraordinary
Nature, and the Observations we have in our Authors, have scarce any
Agreement with what we find in this: It is the Assistance of Heaven we
ought to implore, and to wait for a Blessing from thence upon our Labours.

I am, _&c._


_We may observe, that the Contagion now spreading it self in Foreign
Parts, has nearly the same Symptoms that were observ'd in the late Plague
at_ London; _so that what Medicines were then used with good Success, may
direct not only the People of_ England _in the way of Practice, if_ God
_Almighty should please to afflict us with that dreadful Distemper, but
be serviceable likewise to the Infected Places abroad. There is room
enough to hope, the approaching Cold, which we naturally expect at this
Season, may prevent its spreading amongst us for some Months, 'till the
Air begins to warm, but the Seeds of that Venom may be brought over in
Merchandizes even in the coldest Months, and according to the Nature of
Insects will not hatch, or appear to our Prejudice, 'till the hotter
Seasons. For to suppose this Malignant Distemper is occasion'd by Vapours
only arising from the Earth, is to lay aside our Reason, as I think I have
already shewn in my_ New Improvements of Planting, _&c. to which my Reader
may refer._

_I suppose there may be such Persons in the World who do not agree with
the Hypothesis I have laid down in the following Sheets, altho' many
Learned Authors have supported it; and again, I expect others to Except
against the Concise way I have taken, in writing upon a Subject, which at
this time ought to be set in the plainest Light; but as I found the Danger
of Pestilence spreading it self more and more every Day, a true Lover of
his Country could not be easie without giving the Publick some Hints to
prevent its dismal Effects, and at the same time to engage the Learned to
write upon such an Occasion._

_And it is with Pleasure I observe, that since the former Editions of
this small Tract has been made publick, our Learned Physicians are
dispos'd to consider the necessary Means to prevent (as far as in them
lies) the spreading of this Calamity, and justly deserve the favour of the
Publick._

_For my own part, I can only say, that the short time I had to put this
Work together, would not allow me to give it with that exactness, that I
would have done, if I could have had more Leisure._




  THE
  PLAGUE
  AT
  _MARSEILLES_
  CONSIDER'D, _&c._


The Deplorable Condition of the _Marseillians_, and the Danger that all
the Trading Parts of _Europe_ are now in, of being Infected by the Plague
which rages in the _South_ Parts of _France_, and every Day spreads it
self more and more over the Neighbouring Countries, gives me occasion to
Publish some Papers which would never have otherwise appeared in the
World.

When I consider the melancholy Circumstances of the People at _Marseilles_
and other infected Places, how they are now divested of Relief, and
brought into that miserable State, that even every Man is terrified at the
Approach of his dearest Friend, and the very Aspect of our Neighbours
strike such Horror and Confusion in us, as if they brought our Death and
Destruction with them; it is then surely time for every one to contribute
all that in him lies to prevent the Progress of so _direful a Calamity_.

The good Counsels of our Nation, therefore, to prevent as much as possible
the Infection which might be brought among us by Merchandizes coming from
Infected Places, have wisely order'd strict Quarentine to be perform'd,
before either the Sailors or Goods can be brought ashoar.

The Neighbouring Nations of Trade, have follow'd our Example, but the
_Hollanders_ in an extraordinary manner, have even order'd the Burning the
very Ships and Goods coming from _Marseilles_, and have been so cautious,
as to suffer none of the Passengers to come on Shoar, without first being
dis-rob'd of all their Apparel, and even to be well wash'd with Sea Water,
and then likewise to perform Quarentine in a little Island, remote from
the Inhabitants. I could mention many Relations we have had, of the
Sufferings of the poor People belonging to _Marseilles_, who to avoid the
dismal Consequence of the Plague, have flown for Refuge into the Country,
and have either been starv'd to Death, or Murder'd by the Country People;
but yet we find, that notwithstanding all these Precautions, that
Pestilence continues to destroy as much as ever, and makes it Advances
every Day more towards us.

It is computed, that about 60000 are Dead of the Plague at _Marseilles_;
and that there are now (_October 20. N. S._) above 14000, Persons left
in that Town, including 10000 Sick; and at _Aubagne_, out of 10000 who
retir'd thither from _Marseilles_, above 9000 are Dead.

On this sad Occasion of the Ruin of _Marseilles_ especially since there is
talk of Burning that Town, it may not be unseasonable to give an Account
of it.

     '_Marseilles_ is one of the most considerable Cities in _France_, and
     the most Populous and most trading Town of all _Provance_. It is so
     Antient, that it is reckon'd to have been Built upwards of Six
     Hundred and Thirty Years before the Birth of our Saviour. It was once
     a very flourishing Republick; and its University was in such Esteem,
     as drew Students thither from all Parts of _Europe_.

     '_Marseilles_ is situate at the Foot of a Hill, which rises in the
     Form of an Amphitheatre in proportion to its Distance from the Sea.
     The Harbour is Oval, and bounded by a Key about fourteen hundred
     Paces long, upon which stand the handsomest Houses in the Town. It
     affords a very delightful Walk, Part whereof is taken up in the Day
     time by the working Gally-Slaves Stalls, where you may furnish your
     self with Cloaths and other Necessaries; the Entrance of the Harbour
     is shut up by a Chain supported at certain Distances by three
     Stone-Pillars; so that only one large Ship can pass at a time, tho'
     the Haven will contain about Five hundred. And hither are brought all
     sorts of Commodities from all Parts of the known World.

     'The Cathedral Church, call'd _Notre Dame la Majeure_, whereof S.
     _Lazarus_ is Patron, is very Solemn. It was formerly a Temple
     dedicated to _Venus_, or to _Diana_ of _Ephesus_. Its Form is
     Irregular; but it was not thought proper to add or diminish any
     thing. There remain several large Columns, on which stood the Idol.
     The Treasure of this Church is very Rich. Here you see the Head of S.
     _Lazarus_, that of S. _Connat_, a Foot of S. _Victor_, and many other
     Relicks. Near the Cathedral, is a Chappel built upon the Spot where
     (the _Marseillians_ tell you) S. _Mary Magdalen_ preached the Gospel
     to the Idolaters, as they came out of the Temple.

     '_Notre Dame des Acoules_ is also a fine large Church, which was
     formerly a Temple sacred to the Goddess _Pallas_. In that of S.
     _Martin_, which is Collegiate and Parochial, is preserv'd a Silver
     Image of the blessed Virgin, five Foot and half high, the Crown and
     Ornaments whereof are very rich. The Church of S. _Saviour_, now
     belonging to a Nunnery, was anciently a Temple of _Apollo_. All these
     Places are so many Proofs of the Antiquity of _Marseilles_, as well
     as two other Temples near the Port, with two Towers, _viz._ that of
     S. _John_, which is a Commandry of the Knights of _Malta_, and that
     of S. _Nicolas_.

     'The Abby of S. _Victor_, of the Order of S. _Benedict_, is situate
     at the Foot of the Citadel. It resembles a Castle, being encompass'd
     with Walls, and set off with Towers. At the Front of the Church are
     these Words address'd to S. _Victor_,

         _Massiliam vere Victor civesque tuere._

     'In a Chappel on one side of the Epistle, you see the Head of that
     Saint, in a Shrine of Silver guilt, finely wrought, which was given
     by Pope _Urban_ V. whose Tomb is on one side of the Choir; there are
     many other Relicks in this Church. You then descend a large
     Stair-Case into the Church under Ground, where the Chappels visited
     by the Curious, are full of Holy Bodies. There they shew you the Tomb
     of S. _Eusebius_, and those of forty five Virgins who disfigur'd
     themselves to terrifie the Vandals who put them to Death. Here also
     you see St. _Andrew_'s Cross entire, the Branches whereof are seven
     Foot long and eight Inches Diameter. In one of these subterraneous
     Chappels is a little Grotto, wherein S. _Mary Magdalen_ (they tell
     you,) upon her Landing at _Marseilles_ began to do Pennance. They
     add, that she Inhabited it six or Seven Years: Her Statue likewise is
     represented, lying at the entrance of this Grotto. There is also a
     rich Chappel of our Lady, wherein no Women are permitted to enter.
     This Order was made, upon the Vulgar Notion, of a Queen's being
     struck Blind, who had the Temerity to venture into it.

     'In _Marseilles_ you observe likewise the Monasteries and Churches of
     the _Carthusians_, the Monks of St. _Anthony_, the _Trinitarians_,
     _Jacobins_, _Augustins_, Barefooted _Augustins_, _Carmelites_,
     Barefooted _Carmelites_, _Cordeliers_, _Observantins_, _Servites_,
     _Minims_, _Capuchins_, _Recollects_, _de la Mercy_, _Feuillans_,
     _Jesuites_, Fathers of the _Oratory_, and of the _Mission_. There are
     also _Benedictine_ Nuns, _Dominicans_, Nuns of S. _Clare_,
     _Capuchins_, _Carmelites_, _Bernardines_, _Urselins_, Nuns of the
     Visitation of Mercy, and of the good Shepherd or Repentance; and a
     Commandry of _Malta_.

     'The Citadel of _Marseilles_ is near the Port, extending its
     Fortifications to the Entrance of the same; and yet it commands the
     Town. The Key which lines this side of the Harbour, from Fort S.
     _Nicolas_ to the Arsenal, is about fifteen hundred Paces long, and is
     adorned with handsome Ware-Houses and Dwelling-Houses: Here is the
     great Hospital for Sick Slaves, which was formerly the Arsenal before
     the New one was built. Six large Pavilions, as many main Houses, and
     a great square Place big enough to build several Galleys at a time
     in, form the Design of it. In this Place are two large Basons, as
     long and as deep as a Galley, in each of which, when a Galley is
     ready to launch, they open a small Sluice which kept up the Sea
     Water.

     'This great Building makes one entire Front of the Port, three
     hundred Paces in Length; the Harbour of _Marseilles_, is thirteen
     hundred Paces long, and the Circumference about three Thousand four
     hundred and fifty Paces. The Streets of the old Town are long, but
     narrow; and those of the New are spacious, and well Built. The chief,
     is that they call _le Cours_, which is near forty Paces broad, in the
     middle of which is a Walk, planted with four Rows of young Elms,
     which, with the Keys, are the Places of publick Resort.

     'The Town-House which they call _La Loge_, is situate upon the Key
     over against the Galleys. Below is a large Hall, which serves the
     Merchants and Sea-faring Men for an Exchange; and above Stairs the
     Consuls, Town-Councellors, and others concerned in the Civil
     Administration have their Meeting. The most valuable Piece in this
     Building, is the City Arms in the Front, Carved by the famous
     _Puget_.

     '_Marseilles_ seems still to retain somewhat of the ancient
     Government, of its four Courts, being divided into four Quarters,
     viz. S. _John_, _Cavaillon_, _Corps de ville_ and _Blancaire_; each
     of which hath its Governors and other Officers. The _Porte Royalle_
     is well Adorned, having on one side the Figure of S. _Lazarus_, and
     on the other, that of S. _Victor_. And in the middle is a Busto of
     _Lewis_ XIV. with this Inscription over it, _Sub cujus imperio summa
     libertas_.

     'The Town is encompass'd by good Walls, and a Tetragon which commands
     a Part of it, is the best of the two Citadels, and within Cannon Shot
     of a Fort call'd _Notre Dame de la Garde_, whither the Inhabitants
     frequently go to pay their private Devotion, and from whence they
     discover Ships at Sea at a great Distance. This Fort is built on the
     top of a Mountain, upon the Ruins of an ancient Temple of _Venus_,
     called _Ephesium_.

The Country about this City is low and open for two Miles, agreeably
adorn'd with Villas, Vineyards, and Gardens of Fig-Trees, and
Orange-Trees, with plenty of Water from a good Spring, which being divided
into several Branches serves to furnish the City.

As to the Inhabitants, they are for the most part Poor and uncleanly, and
chiefly Eaters of Fruit, Herbs, and Roots with such like meagre Fare, nor
do they take any Pains to clean the Streets where the meaner Sort have
their Habitation. Their Bread is very coarse and high priz'd; and perhaps
what has principally contributed to the Progress of the Plague among them,
was the great Numbers of those which Lodged together in the same House, as
I shall explain hereafter; when I have examin'd the State of _London_,
when it suffer'd by the Plague in the Year 1665.

_London_, at the time of the Plague, 1665 was, perhaps, as much crouded
with People as I suppose _Marseilles_ to have been when the Plague begun;
the Streets of _London_ were, in the time of the Pestilence, very narrow,
and, as I am inform'd, unpaved for the most part; the Houses by continu'd
Jetts one Story above another, made them almost meet at the Garrets, so
that the Air within the Streets was pent up, and had not a due Freedom of
Passage, to purifie it self as it ought; the Food of the People was then
much less invigorating than in these Days; Foreign Drugs were but little
in Use, and even _Canary_ Wine was the highest Cordial the People would
venture upon; for Brandy, some Spices, and hot spirituous Liquors were
then not in Fashion; and at that time Sea-Coal was hardly in Use, but
their firing was of Wood; and, for the most part, Chestnut, which was then
the chief Furniture of the Woods about _London_, and in such Quantity,
that the greatest Efforts were made by the Proprietors, to prevent the
Importation of _Newcastle_-Coal, which they represented as an unwholsome
Firing, but, I suppose, principally, because it would hinder the Sale of
their Wood; for the generality of Men were (I imagine) as they are now,
more for their own Interest than for the common Good.

The Year 1665 was the last that we can say the Plague raged in _London_,
which might happen from the Destruction of the City by Fire, the following
Year 1666, and besides the Destroying the Eggs, or Seeds, of those
poisonous Animals, that were then in the stagnating Air, might likewise
purifie that Air in such a Manner, as to make it unfit for the Nurishment
of others of the same Kind, which were swimming or driving in the
Circumambient Air: And again, the Care that was taken to enlarge the
Streets at their Rebuilding, and the keeping them clean after they were
rebuilt, might greatly contribute to preserve the Town from Pestilence
ever since.

But it was not only in the Year 1665 that the Plague raged in _London_, we
have Accounts in the Bills of Mortality, of that dreadful Distemper in the
Years 1592, 1603, 1625, 1630 and 1636, in which Years we may observe how
many died Weekly of the Plague, and Remark how much more that Distemper
raged in the hot Months, than in the others, and serve at the same time as
a Memorandum to the Curious.

A _TABLE_, Shewing how many Died Weekly, as well of all Diseases, as of
     the Plague, in the Years 1592, 1603, 1625, 1630, 1636; and the Year
     1665.

_Buried of all Diseases in the Year 1592._

                                        _Total_   _Pla._
                           March 17       230       3
                           March 24       351      31
                           March 31       219      29
                           April 7        307      27
                           April 14       203      33
                           April 21       290      37
                           April 28       310      41
                           May 5          350      29
                           May 12         339      38
                           May 19         300      42
                           May 26         450      58
                           June 2         410      62
                           June 9         441      81
                           June 16        399      99
                           June 23        401     108
                           June 30        850     118
                           July 7        1440     927
                           July 14       1510     893
                           July 21       1491     258
                           July 28       1507     852
                           August 4      1503     983
                           August 11     1550     797
                           August 18     1532     651
                           August 25     1508     449
                           Septemb. 1    1490     507
                           Septemb. 8    1210     563
                           Septem. 15     621     451
                           Septem. 22     629     349
                           Septem. 29     450     330
                           October 6      408     327
                           October 13     522     323
                           October 20     330     308
                           October 27     320     302
                           Novemb. 3      310     301
                           Novem. 10      309     209
                           Novem. 17      301     107
                           Novem. 24      321      93
                           Decemb. 1      349      94
                           Decemb. 8      331      86
                           Decem. 15      329      71
                           Decem. 22      386      39

                                                 ----
  _The Total of all that have been buried is,_  25886
  _Whereof of the Plague,_                      11503


_Buried of all Diseases in the Year 1603._

                       _Total_    _Pla._
         March    17     108        3
                  24      60        2
                  31      78        6
         April     7      66        4
                  14      79        4
                  21      98        8
                  28     109       10
         May       5      90       11
                  12     112       18
                  19     122       22
                  26     122       32
         June      2     114       30
                   9     131       43
                  15     144       59
                  23     182       72
                  30     267      158
         July      7     445      263
                  14     612      424

         _The Out Parishes this Week were joined with the City._

                  21    1186      917
                  28    1728     1396
         August    4    2256     1922
                  11    2077     1745
                  18    3054     2713
                  25    2853     2539
         Septemb.  1    3385     3035
                   8    3078     2724
                  15    3129     2818
                  22    2456     2195
                  29    1961     1732
         October   6    1831     1641
                  13    1312     1149
                  20     766      642
                  27     625      508
         Novemb.   3     737      594
                  10     545      442
                  17     384      251
                  24     198      105
         Decemb.   1     223      102
                   8     163       55
                  15     200       96
                  22     168       74

                                 ----
  _The Total this Year is,_     37294
  _Whereof of the Plague,_      30561


_Buried of all Diseases in the Year 1625._

                 _Total_      _Pla._
  March     17       262           4
            24       226           8
            31       243          11
  April      7       239          10
            14       256          24
            21       230          25
            28       305          26
  May        5       292          30
            12       232          45
            19       379          71
            26       401          78
  June       2       395          69
             9       434          91
            16       510         161
            23       640         239
            30       942         390
  July       7      1222         593
            14      1781        1004
            21      2850        1819
            28      3583        2471
  August     4      4517        3659
            11      4855        4115
            18      5205        4463
            25      4841        4218
  September  1      3897        3344
             8      3157        2550
            15      2148        1612
            22      1994        1551
            29      1236         852
  October    6       833         538
            13       815         511
            20       651         331
            27       375         134
  November   3       357          89
            10       319          92
            17       274          48
            24       231          27
  December   1       190          15
             8       181          15
            15       168           6
            22       157           1

                                ----
  _The Total this Year is,_    51758
  _Whereof of the Plague,_     35403


_Buried of all Diseases in the Year 1630._

                     _Total_   _Pla._

  June      24           205     19
  July       1           209     25
             8           217     43
            15           250     50
            22           229     40
            29           279     77
  August     5           250     56
            12           246     65
            19           269     54
            26           270     67
  September  2           230     66
             9           259     63
            16           264     68
            23           274     57
            30           269     56
  October    7           236     66
            14           261     73
            21           248     60
            28           214     34
  November   4           242     29
            11           215     29
            18           200     18
            25           226      7
  December   2           221     20
             9           198     19
            16           212      5

  Buried in the 