CHAPTER XXIX
OF THE CITY IN CHARLES THE FIRST'S TIME.
Charles the First was solemnly proclaimed King of Great Britain on the last day of March, 1625; the mayor, steward, justices, sheriffs, and aldermen, joined by the Bishop Sir Thomas Richardson, Knt. serjeant at law to the deceased King, Sir John Corbet, and many others, being present at the ceremony. On the 13th of May following, Thomas Earl of Arundel and Surrey, Earl-Marshal of England, Knight of the Garter, and one of the privy-council, who resided at his palace here, being appointed Lord Lieutenant of the county of Norfolk, of the city and county of Norwich, and of all corporate and privileged places within those counties and city, as well within the liberties as without, by letters patent the 9th of the same month, did constitute and appoint the mayor of the city for the time being, Sir Tho. Holland, Sir Tho. Hyrne, Knts. Tho. Holl, Esq. the justices of the peace and the sheriffs for the time being, to be his deputy lieutenants in all the city and county thereof, and in all corporate and privileged places therein contained; and on the 19th of the same month, these deputies impressed 50 soldiers in the city for his Majesty's service, and the mayor delivered them to Peter Murford, Gent. to be by him conducted to Plimouth, and there delivered to such captain as should be appointed by the privy council.
On the 12th of July, the King issued a commission directed to the mayor, &c. to scour the city ditches, remove all nuisances in and about the city, repair the walls and turrets, and to tax all residing it, the several wards according to their abilities towards the work in being thought very necessary, in order to stop the plague, which began to spread here, being brought from Yarmouth the latter end of June: for on the 4th of July, the mayor wrote to the bailiffs of Yarmouth, desiring them to order the wherry-men, to carry no persons dwelling in any infected places in their town, to the city; and the constables of every ward gave notice that no person coming from London should be entertained, without notice given to the aldermen of their ward, and watch was set day and night at every gate, to hinder all persons coming from infected places entering the city, and the carriers were commanded to bring no persons, nor any wool whatever; but notwithstanding all this caution, it began to spread, so that on the 23d of July, the aldermen of every ward named a searcher or two in each ward, to be keepers of such persons as were suspected to be sick or die of the plague; and the bellman, by publick proclamation, warned all persons within the city to put away their dogs and swine out of the walls, on pain of being killed: on the 30th of July, the watch of the gates ceased, it being publickly known that the city was infected, 26 dying this week of the distemper, which increased so by the 11th of August that it was resolved that every alderman should have power to send his warrants to the city treasurers for money to relieve the infected persons; and it abating this week, so that 14 only died of it; orders were issued that the doors of all persons that died of the infection should be nailed up and watched; and information of infected houses being taken, it appeared there were 12 in St. Margaret's, four in St. Benet's, two in St. Laurence, and one in St. Martin at the Oak, which were all ordered to be watched, and every one that begged about the street was to be whipped, the poor being to be maintained, so as no one should have any reason to beg for want of victuals: Sir John Hobart generously gave 10s. a week when he left his city house here, because he could not relieve them there, and promised to pay all rates as well to the poor as to the infected persons, during his continuance in the country, the same as if he had been in town; others following his good example, encouraged many to send in sums of money for their relief, as Mr. Augustine Scottow, alderman, &c.
Sept. 1, Mr. Toby de Hem informed the court, that the Dutch congregation had retained Peter Heybaud to look to their infected poor, who was ordered by the court to retire himself from company, and never to walk abroad but with a red wand a yard and half long, and his wife and family the same, and not to go abroad after candlelighting but on absolute necessity.
The 19th of Sept. the Black-Tower on Butter-hills was made up for a reception for infected poor, and Thomas Chambers appointed keeper thereof at 4s. a week, to hinder its spreading.
Nic. Osborn, the new elected sheriff, paid 10l. to the poor, instead of his Michaelmas feast.