IT is no doubt , that the corrupti●● of the Aire , together with uncleanly and unwholsome keeping of dwelling , where many are pestred together , as also the not-observing to have fires private and publikely made as well within houses , as without in the streets , at times when the Ayre is infected , are great occasions to increase , corrupt , and produce pestilent Diseases . Neither can it be denyed , that the over-boldnesse of many preasing into infected places , and the lewdnesse of others with Sores upon them , presuming into the open Ayre , some of wilfulnesse , but truly many of necessitie , contaminateth and corrupteth divers : as the Leprosie , the Poxe , and sundry such uncleane diseases doe : as by drinking , lying in company , and other such meanes , where pure complexions and cleane bloods are defiled with such as are putrified : and therefore carefully to be avoyded . But all these are accidentall , and rather effects than the cause . For it plainly appeareth in the Booke of Exodus that when it pleased the Almightie God to smite the Aegyptians , the Children of Israel were appointed ●o dip Isop in the Blood of the Paschall Lambe ▪ and smite off that bloud on the outward Posts of their doores , that when the slayer came to destroy in one night all the first borne in Aegypt , he might passe over the houses of Gods children . So that it is plaine , it was an Angell then sent to smite those cruell people with the Pestilence .

Then first , this Citie of London , cannot be denyed , to have had as great blessings as ever had Jerusalem : for here God hath long time beene present by his Word and Sacraments , yet they have abounded in all iniquitie , when Jerusalem long since had not a stone left upon a stone .

Secondly , London is situated as pleasantly as Sodome , and her sister Cities before they sunke , even for the same sinnes that we have committed : for the sinne of Sodome ( saith the Prophet Ezechiel ) was pride , fulnesse of bread , and contempt of the poore . That these sinnes raigne in London , who can deny ? To them , adde fulnesse of drinke ; for therein we exceed the Nation , that within these fiftie yeeres we hated for drunkennesse : and I doubt , That un-nameable sinne of Sodome is used in too many places of the Citie . Yet London stands , and so God grant with his mercie it long may .

Lastly , where in the change of Princes ( especially after long peace , as London most happily enjoyed all the time of our late Soveraigne Queene Elizabeth , of worthy memory ) many Cities have come to miserable spoile , if not to ruine : yet London , by our most potent Lord and King , hath increased in tranquillitie , blessing powring upon blessing : save only now for our negligence , God hath with his owne hand smitten us , and sent many to mourn in death after our late Soveraigne deceased , whom we had almost ungratefully forgotten in a day .

In the Citie , called the great Caire , there is a Plague once every seven yeeres , which commeth with such a fiercenesse , that the most part of the people there doe dye thereof : and divers of them that remaine alive , lose their eye-sight with the vapours and great heat which commeth from the ground .

In the yeere of Christ , 81. and in the yeere 188. there continued a great time a Plague in Rome , of which there daily dyed two thousand people .

In the yeere 254. fifteene Provinces of the Romane Empire , were in a manner consumed with the Pestilence .

In the yeere 530. there dyed in Constantinople 5000. a day , and divers times 1000. and at that time , in some other parts of Greece , there were not sufficient living men left to bury their dead .

And in the yeere 1569. there fell such a Plague in Constantinople , that there dyed in sixe months space , seven hundred thousand persons , and the yeere following fell such a famine , that a penny loafe of Bread of English mony , was worth a crowne of gold : by reason whereof , the people died as fast then of the Famine , as they did before of the Plague .

In the yeere 540. there began an universall Plague all over the world , that continued 50. yeeres with great violence .

In the yeere 1348. in Paris in France , there dyed a hundred thousand people of the Plague .

In the yeere 1359. so great a Pestilence there was in Italy , that there were scarce ten left of a thousand .

In the yeere 1521. there dyed in Rome a hundred thousand of the Pestilence .

In the yeeres 1576. and 77. in Millan , Padua and Venice , there fell a hundred thousand in every Citie : and in Bohemia ( being but a small Kingdome ) there dyed 300000. the sam● time .

Soone after the Conquest of King William , Duke of Normandy , when the people were subdued to him , & the Knights fees rated which he had made , and himselfe placed with Crowne and Scepter ▪ hee tooke number of the Acres of land in all the Realme , and of all the people , and of all the Cattell : after which fell so sore a Plague , that the people dyed in such number , that Tillage decayed , Famine ensued , with rot of Cattell , that men were faine to eate flesh of Dogs , Cats and Mice . A fearefull example for Princes .

In the Reigne of King Edward the 3. there fell a very great Pestilence in the East-Indies , among the Tartariaens , Saracens and Turkes , which lasted the space of seven yeeres : thro●gh the feare whereof , many of the Heathens willingly offered themselves to become Christians . And shortly after , by reason of Passengers from one Province to another , the same Pestilence was dispersed in many Christian Kingdomes , and amongst other places brought into England ; where it was so forcible all over the Land that not onely Men , but also Beasts , Birds and Fishes were smitten therewith , and found dead with Botches upon them . Also among men , the numbers that were alive , were scarcely sufficient to bury their dead . At which time , with the rest that then dyed of the Plague , Henry Duke of Lancaster , Blanch , Dutchesse of Lancaster , and the Earle of Warwicke ended their lives . So that in one yeere , in a little plot of ground of thirteene Acres compasse , then called Spittle-croft , and now the Charter-house , was buried 50000 persons , besides all them that were buried in the Church-yards and divers places in the Fields .

Our Visitations , though our sinnes exceed , have been more gentle : For in the first great Plague in our memory , after the losse of New-haven from the first of January 1562. to December 1563. there dyed of the Plague , twenty thousand , one hundred , thirty six .

In the second great Visitation , from the 20. of December 1592. to the 23. of the same month , in the yeere 1593. dyed in all 25886. of the Plague in and about London , 15003. And in the yeere before , 2000.

In the third great Visitation which it pleased God to strike us with , at the comming in of King James of happy memory , there dyed from the 17. of December 1602. to the 14. of July 1603. the whole number in London and the Liberties , 4●14 . Whereof of the Plague , 3310.

From the 25. of August , to the 1. of September , there dyed in London and the Liberties , 3385 whereof of the Plague 3035. being the greatest number that dyed in one weeke .

From the 23. of December , 1602. unto the 22. of December 1603. there dyed of all diseases , within London and the Liberties 38244. whereof of the Plague , 30578. and the next yeere following , London was cleere of that infection , and then were all the Shires in England grievously visited . Note the worke of God .

And in the last great Plague , 1625. there dyed from the 6. of January , to the 27. of October , 53265. Whereof of the Plague , 34576.

Now those that dyed this present Visitation , 1636. are here set downe weekely , for better sa●isfaction to the Reader .