our Ships, eſpecially thoſe from London, to come into any of their Ports, much leſs to unlade; there was a Report, that one of our Ships having by Stealth delivered her Cargo, among which was ſome Bales of Engliſh Cloth, Cotton, Kerſyes, and ſuch like Goods, the Spaniards cauſed all the Goods to be burnt, and puniſhed the Men with Death who were concern’d in carrying them on Shore. This I believe was in Part true, tho’ I do not affirm it: But it is not at all unlikely, ſeeing the Danger was really very great, the Infection being ſo violent in London.
I heard likewiſe that the Plague was carryed into thoſe Countries by ſome of our Ships, and particularly to the Port of Faro in the Kingdom of Algarve, belonging to the King of Portugal; and that ſeveral Perſons died of it there, but it was not confirm’d.
On the other Hand, tho’ the Spaniards and Portugueſe were ſo ſhie of us, it is moſt certain, that the Plague, as has been ſaid, keeping at firſt much at that end of the Town next Weſtminſter, the merchandiſing part of the Town, ſuch as the City and the Water-ſide, was perfectly ſound, till at leaſt the Beginning of July; and the Ships in the River till the Beginning of Auguſt, for to the 1ſt of July, there had died but ſeven within the whole City, and but 60 within the Liberties; but one in all the Pariſhes of Stepney, Aldgate, and White-Chappel; and but two in all the eight Pariſhes of Southwark. But it was the ſame thing abroad, for the bad News was gone over the whole World, that the City of London was infected with the Plague; and there was no inquiring there, how the Infection proceeded, or at which part of the Town it was begun, or was reach’d to.
Beſides, after it began to ſpread, it increaſed ſo faſt, and the Bills grew ſo high, all on a ſudden,
