London had become one vast lazar-house, and seemed in a fair way of becoming a mighty sepulchre.
During all this time, Saint Paul's continued to be used as a pest-house, but it was not so crowded as heretofore, because, as not one in fifty of the infected recovered when placed under medical care, it was not thought worth while to remove them from their own abodes.

The number of attendants, too, had diminished.

Some had died, but the greater part had abandoned their offices from a fear of sharing the fate of their patients.

In consequence of these changes, Judith Malmayns had been advanced to the post of chief nurse at the cathedral.

Both she and Chowles had been attacked by the plague, and both had recovered.