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 Samuel Pepys' Account of the Great
Plague of London
Samuel Pepys
was born in Fleet Street, London, in 1633. At the time he was
writing these descriptions of the Plague in his diary he was
working as Clerk of the Acts to the Navy Board, a position of
responsibility and some power. He died in 1703.
30th April 1665
...Great fears of the
sicknesse here in the City, it being said that two or three
houses are already shut up. God preserve us all.
7th June 1665
It being the hottest day that ever I felt in my life, and it
is confessed so by all other people the hottest they ever knew
in England in the beginning of June...This day, much against
my will, I did in Drury Lane see two or three houses marked
with a red cross upon the doors, and 'Lord have mercy upon us'
writ there—which was a sad sight to me being the first
of that kind that to my remembrance I ever saw...
20th June 1665
...This day I informed
myself that there died four or five at Westminster of the plague,
in one alley in several houses upon Sunday last - Bell Alley,
over against the Palace gate....
12th August 1665
The people die so,
that now it seems they are fain to carry the dead to be buried
by daylight, the nights not sufficing to do it in. And my Lord
Mayor commands people to be within at 9 at night, all (as they
say) that the sick may have liberty to go abroad for ayre.
3rd September 1665
Up, and put on my coloured
silk suit, very fine, and my new periwig, bought a good while
since, but darst not wear it because the plague was in Westminster
when I bought it. And it is a wonder what will be the fashion
after the plague is done as to periwigs, for nobody will dare
to buy any haire for fear of the infection—that it had
been cut off the heads of people dead of the plague.
16th October 1665
But Lord, how empty
the streets are, and melancholy, so many poor sick people in
the streets, full of sores, and so many sad stories overheard
as I walk, everybody talking of this dead, and that man sick,
and so many in this place, and so many in that. And they tell
me that in Westminster there is never a physician, and but one
apothecary left, all being dead—but that there are great
hopes of a decrease this week: God send it.
22nd November 1665
I heard this day that
the plague is come very low; that is, 600 and odd - and great
hopes of a further decrease, because of this day's being a very
exceeding hard frost...
10th January 1666
To the Change, and
there hear, to our grief, how the plague is increased this week
from 70 to 89.
22nd January 1666
To the Crowne tavern
behind the Exchange by appointment and there met the first meeting
of Gresham College since the plague. Dr Goddard did fill us
with talk in defence of his and his fellow physicians going
out of town in the plague-time; saying that their particular
patients were most gone of town....
23rd January 1666
Up and to the office and then to dinner. After dinner, to the
office again all the afternoon, and much business with me. Good
news, beyond all expectations, of the decrease of the plague;
being now but 79...
7th February 1666
It being the fast day
[for the plague], I stayed home all day to set things to right
in my chamber in the same condition it was before the Plague.....
Read
an account of the Great Plague of London
Copyright © 2001 by Carol
Fisher
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