Hamburgh was also grievously afflicted about the same time, and in the same manner.

Notwithstanding every effort to cut off communication with these states, the insidious disease found its way into England by means of some bales of merchandise, as it was suspected, at the latter end of the year 1664, when two persons died suddenly, with undoubted symptoms of the distemper, in Westminster.

Its next appearance was at a house in Long Acre, and its victims two Frenchmen, who had brought goods from the Levant.

Smothered for a short time, like a fire upon which coals had been heaped, it broke out with fresh fury in several places.
The consternation now began.

The whole city was panic-stricken: nothing was talked of but the plague--nothing planned but means of arresting its progress--one grim and ghastly idea possessed the minds of all.