Looke vpon Denmarke, Sweden, and those Easterne Countries: How often hath the voice of the Drumme called them vp? Euen now, at this houre, the Marches are there beating. How hath the Sword mowed downe the goodly Fields of Italy? What Massacres hath in our memory beene in France? Oh Germany! what foundations of bloud haue thy Cities beene drowned in? what horrors, what terrors, what hellish inuentions haue not warre found out to destroy thy buildings, demollish thy Free States, and vtterly to confound thy 17. Prouinces? Gods three whips haue printed deepe markes on thy shoulders; the Sword for many yeeres together hath cut thy people in pieces; Famine hath beene wearied with eating vp thy children, and is not yet satisfied; the Pestitence hath in many of thy Townes, in many of thy Sieges and Leagers; plaid the terrible Tyrant. In all these thy miseries, the Spaniard hath had his triumphs; his Fire-brands haue been flung about to kindle and feede all thy burnings; his furies haue for almost foure score yeeres stood, and still stand beating at the Anuils, and forging Thunder-bolts to batter thee, and all thy neighbouring Kingdomes in pieces.
Whilst these dreadfull Earth-quakes haue shaken all Countries round about vs, we haue felt nothing: England hath stood and giuen aime, when Arrowes were shot into all our bosomes. But (alas!) hath this Happinesse falne vpon her because of her goodnesse? Is shee better then others, because of her purity and innocence? Is shee not as vgly as others? Yes, yes, the Sword is how whetting; Dearth and Famine threaten our Cornefields, and the rauing Pestilence in euery part of our Kingdome is digging vp Graues. The three Rods of Vengeance are now held ouer vs.
And shall I tell you why these Feares are come amongst vs? Looke vpon the Weapon which hath struck other Nations; and the same Arme that wounded them, smites now at vs, and for the same quarrell (Sinne.)
The Gospell (and Gods Heralds, Preachers) haue a long time cryed out against our iniquities, but we are deafe, sleepy and sluggish; and now there is a Thunder speakes from Heauen to wake vs.
We flatter our selues, that the Pestilence serues but as a Broome, to sweep Kingdomes of people, when they grow ranke and too full: when the Trees of Cities are ouer-laden, then onely the Plague is sent to shake the Boughs, and for no cause else: As in Turky and Barbary; where when a mortality happens, they fall sometimes ten thousand in a day by the Pestilence. But we that are Christians, and deale in the merchandise of our soules, haue other bookes of account to turne ouer, then to reckon that we dye in great numbers, onely because we are so populous, that we are ready (as the Fishes of the Sea) to eat vp one another.
Our eyes haue beene witnesses, that for two whole Reignes together of two most excellent Princes, & now at the beginning of a third (as excellent as they) we haue liued in all fulnesse: yet at the end of Queene Elizabeths foure and forty yeeres, when she dyed, she went not alone, but had in a traine which followed her, in a dead march of a twelue-moneth long, onely within London and the Liberties, the numbers of 38244. those, who then dyed of the Plague, being 35578. the greatest totall in one weeke being 3385. of all diseases, and of the Plague 3035.
Thus shee went attended from her earthly Kingdome, to a more glorious one in Heauen, it being held fit in the vpper-House of the Celestiall Parliament, that so great a Princesse should haue an Army of her subiects with her, agreeing to such a Maiesty. But what numbers God will muster vp to follow our Peace-maker (King Iames of blessed memory) none knowes: by the beginning of this Prest which Death makes amongst the people, it is to bee feared, they shall be a greater multitude.
To Queene Elizabeth and to King Iames; wee were an vnthankfull and murmuring Nation, and therefore God tooke them from vs; they were too good for vs; we too bad for them and were therefore then, at the decease of the one, and now, of the other, are deseruedly punished: our sinnes increasing with our yeeres, and like the Bells, neuer lying still.
We are punished with a Sicknesse, which is dreadfull three manner of wayes: In the generall spreading; in the quicknesse of the stroke; and in the terror which waites vpon it. It is generall: for the spotted wings of it couer all the face of the Kingdome. It is quicke: for it kills suddenly; it is full of terror, for the Father dares not come neere the infected Son, nor the Son come to take a blessing from the Father, lest hee bee poysoned by it: the Mother abhors to kisse her owne Children, or to touch the sides of her owne Husband: no friend in this battell will relieue his wounded friend, no Brother shake his brother by the hand at a farewell.
This is something, yet this is nothing: many Physicians of our soules flye the City, and their sicke Patients want those heauenly medicines which they ear tyed to giue them, & those that stay by it, stand aloofe.
The rich man, when hee is dead, is followed by a troupe of Neighbours: a troupe of Neighbours, not a troupe of Mourners. But the poore man is hurried to his Graue by nasty and slouenly Bearers, in the night, without followers, without friends, without rites of buriall due to our Church, due to our Religion, to our Nation, to the Maiesty of our Kingdome; nay, to the decency of a Christian. O lamentable! more honour is giuen to a poore Souldier dying in the field, more regard to many a Fellon, after hee is cut downe from the Gallowes.
I need not write this to you, my fellow Sufferers in London; for you know this to be too true, you behold this, you bewaile this. But I send this newes to you, the great Masters of Riches, who haue for saken your Habitations, left your disconsolate Mother (the City) in the midst of her sorrowes, in the height of her distresse, in the heauinesse of her lamentations. To you that are merry in your Country houses, and fit safe (as you thinke) from the Gun-shot of this Contagion, in your Orchards and pleasant Gardens; into your hands doe I deliuer this sad Discourse, to put you in minde of our miseries, whom you haue left behind you. To you that are fled, and to you to whom they flye, let me tell thus much, That there were neuer so many burials, yet neuer such little weeping. A teare is scarce to be taken of from the cheeke of a whole Family (nay, of a whole Parish:) for they that should shead them, are so accustomed, and so hardned to dismall accidents, that weeping is almost growne out of fashion. Why, saies a Mother, doe I showre teares downe for my Husband or Childe, when I, before to morrow morning, shall goe to them, and neuer haue occasion to weepe any more?
Whilst I am setting these things downe, word is brought me, that this weeke haue departed 3000. soules (within 200.) and that the Plague is much increased. O dismall tidings! O discomfortable Relation! Three thousand men would doe good seruice in desending a City: but when in euery weeke so many thousands and more shall drop downe of our great Armies, what poore handfuls will be left?
To see three thousand men together in Armour in a field; is a goodly sight: but if wee should behold three thousand Coffins piled (in heapes) one vpon another, or three thousand Coarses in winding sheetes, laid in some open place, one on the top of each other, what a sight were this? Whose heart would not throb with horror at such a frightfull obiect? What soule, but would wish to be out of her body, rather then to dwell one day in such a Charnell house?
O London! (thou Mother of my life, Nurse of my being) a hard-hearted sonne might I be counted, if here I should not dissolue all into teares, to heare thee powring forth thy passionate condolements. Thy Rampiers and warlike prouision might haply keepe out an Enemy: but no Gares, none of thy Percullises; no, nor all thy Inhabitants can beate backe the miseries which come rushing in vpon thee. Who can choose but break his heart with sighings, to see thee (O London) the Grandame of Cities, sit mourning in thy Widdowhood? Thy rich Children are runne away from thee, and thy poore ones are left in sorrow, in sicknesse, in penury, in vnpitied disconsolations.
The most populous City of Great Brittaine is almost desolate; and the Country repines to haue a Haruest before her due season, of Men, Women, and Children, who fill their Houses, Stables, Fields and Barnes, with their inforced and vnwelcommed multitudes. Yet still they flie from hence, and still are they more and more feared and abhorred in the Country.
How many goodly streets, full of beautifull and costly houses, haue now few people or none at all (sometimes) walking
in the one, and not so much as any liuing rationall creature abiding in the other? Infection hath shut vp, from the beginning of Iune, to the middle of Iuly, almost (or rather altogether) foure thousand doores. Foure thousand Red-Crosses haue frighted the Inhabitants in a very little time: but greater is their number who haue beene frighted, and fled out of the City at the setting vp of those Crosses.
For euery thousand dead here, fiue times as many are gotten hence: with them must I haue about; to them onely doe I now bend my Discourse.
TO THE RUN-AWAIES FROM LONDON.
WE are warranted by holy Scriptures to flie from Persecution, from the Plague, and from the Sword that pursues vs: but you flye to saue your selues, and in that flight vndoe others.
In Gods Name flye, if you flye like Souldiers, not to discomfort the whole Army, but to retire, thereby to cut off the Enemy, which is, Famine, amongst the poore (your fellow Souldiers) and discomfort amongst your brethren and fellow-Citizens, who in the plaine field are left to abide the brunt of the day.
Fly, so you leaue behind you your Armour for others to weare (some pieces of your Money for others to spend) for others to defend themselues by.
Liue not (as Captaines doe in the Low-Countries) vpon dead pay; you liue by dead pay, if you suffer the poore to dye, for want of that meanes which you had wont to giue them, for Christ Iesus sake, putting the Money vp into your fugitiue purses.
How shall the lame, and blinde, and halfe starued be fed? They had wont to come to your Gates: Alas! they are barred against them: to your doores, (woe vnto misery!) you haue left no Key behinde you to open them; These must perish.
Where shall the wretched prisoners haue their Baskets filled euery night and morning with your broken meat? These must pine and perish.
The distressed in Ludgate, the miserable soules in the Holes of the two Counters, the afflicted in the Marshallseas, the Cryers-out for Bread in the Kings Bench, and White Lyon, how shall these be sustayned? These must languish and dye. You are fled that are to feed them, and if they famish, their complaints will flye vp to heauen, and be exhibited in the open Court of God and Angels, against you. For, you be but Gods Almoners; and if you ride away, not giuing that siluer to the needy, which the King of Heauen and Earth puts into your hands to bestow as he inioynes you, you robbe the poore, and their curse falls heauy where it once lights. This is not good, it is not charitable, it is not Christianlike.
In London, when Citizens (being chosen to be Aldermen) will not hold, they pay Fines; why are they not fined now, when such numbers will not hold, but giue them the slip euery day?
It were a worthy act in the Lord Maior, and honourable Magistrates in this City, if, as in the Townes to which our Merchants, and rich Tradesmen flye, the Countrey-people stand there, with Halberds and Pitchforkes to keepe the¯ out; so, our Constables & Officers, might stand with Bils to keepe the rich in their owne houses (when they offer to goe away) vntill they leaue such a charitable piece of Money behinde them, towards the maintenance of the poore, which else must perish in their absence. They that depart hence, would then (no doubt) prosper the better; they that stay, fare the better, and the generall City (nay the vniuersall Kingdome) prosper in blessings from Heauen, the better.
To forsake London, as one worthy Citizen did, were noble; it would deserue a Crowne of commendations: for hee, being determined to retyre into the Countrey, sent for some of the better sort of his Neighbours, asked their good wils to leaue them, and because (the poyson of Pestilence so hotly reigning) hee knew not whether they and he should euer meet againe, he therefore deliuered to their hands, in trust, (as faithfull Stewards) fourescore pounds to be distributed amongst the poore. I could name the Gentleman, and the Parish, but his charity loues no Trumpet. Was not this a rare example? but, I feare, not one amongst a thousand that goe after him, will follow him.
But you are gone from vs, and we heartily pray, that God may go along in all your companies. Your doores are shut vp, and your Shops shut vp; all our great Schooles of learning (in London) are shut vp; and would to Heauen, that, as our numbers (by your departing) are lessened, so our sinnes might be shut vp, and lessened too. But I feare it is otherwise: For all the Kings Iniunction of Prayer and Fasting, yet on those very dayes (acceptable to God, were they truely kept, and comfortable to our soules) in some Churches you shall see empty Pewes, not filled as at first, not crowding, but sitting aloofe one from another, as if, whilest they cry, Lord, haue mercy vpon vs, the Plague were in the holy Temple amongst them. Where, if you looke into the Fields, looke into the Streetes, looke into Tauernes, looke into Ale-houses; they are all merry, all iocund; no Plague frights them, no Prayers stirre vp them, no Fast tyes the¯ to obedience. In the Fields they are (in the time of that diuine celebration) walking, talking, laughing, toying, and sporting together. In the Streets, blaspheming, selling, buying, swearing. In Tauernes, and Ale-houses, drinking, roaring, and surfetting: In these, and many other places, Gods Holy-day is their Worke-day; the Kings Fasting-day, their day of Riot. I wash an Aethiope, who will neuer be the whiter for all this water I spend vpon him, and therefore let mee saue any further labour.
And now to you, who, to saue your houses from Red Crosses, shift your poore seruants away to odde nookes in Gardens: O take heed what you doe; in warding off one blow, you receiue sometimes three or foure. I haue knowne some, who hauing had a Childe or Seruant dead, and full of the TOKENS, it has beene no such matter, a little bribe to the Searchers, or the conniuence of Officers, or the priuate departure and close buriall of such a party, hath hushed all; but within a day or two after, three, foure, or fiue haue in the same House deceased, and then the badge of Gods anger hath beene worne by them, as openly as by other Neighbours.
For, God will not haue his Strokes hidden: his markes must bee seene: Hee strikes not one at once, (when hee is vexed indeed) but many one may bee couered, many cannot. As his mercy will bee exalted in our weekely Bills (when the totall summes fall) so will hee haue his iustice and indignation exemplified, in the increasing of those Bills: and therefore let no man goe about to abare the number: His Arithmerick brookes no crossing.
To arme you therefore with patience (in this great day of Battell, where so many thousands fall) take a strong heart, a strong faith vnto you; receiue your wounds gladly, beare them constantly, be not ashamed to carry them about you, considering vnder what Commander you receiue them, and that is, The great Omnipotent Generall of Heauen.
Why should any man, (nay, how dare any man) presume to escape this Rod of Pestilence, when at his back, before him, round about him, houses are shut vp, Coarses borne forth, and Coffins brought in? or what poore opinion, what madnesse fastneth that man, who goes about to conceale it, when the smiting Angell goes from doore to doore, to discouer it? Hee makes choyce in what Roomes, and what Chambers such a disease shall lye, such a sicknesse bee lodged in, and where Death must (as Gods Embassadour) be entertained. There is no resisting this authority, such Purseuants as these cannot be bribed.
Stay therefore still where you are, (sicke or in health) and stand your ground: for whither will you flye? Into the Countrey? Alas! there you finde worse enemies then those of Breda had in Spinola’s Campe. A Spaniard is not so hatefull to a Dutch-man, as a Londoner to a Country-man. In Terme-time, a Sergeant cannot more fright a Gentleman going muffled by Chancery-lane end, than a Citizen frights one of your Lobcocks, though hee spies him fiue Acres off.
In middest of my former compassionate complaynings (ouer the misery of these times) let mee a little quicken my owne and your spirits, with telling you, how the rurall Coridons doe now begin to vse our Run-awayes; neyther doe I this out of an idle or vndecent merriment (for iests are no fruit for this season) but onely to lay open what foolery, infidelity, inhumanity, nay, villany, irreligion, and distrust in God (with a defiance to his power) dwell in the bosomes of these vnmannerly Oasts in these our owne Netherlandish Dorpes.
When the Brittaines heere in England were opprest by Pictes and Scots, they were glad to
call in the Saxons, to ayd them, and beate away the other: The Saxons came, and did so, but in the end, tasting the sweetnesse of the Land, the Brittaines were faine to get some other Nation to come and driue out the Saxons. So, the Countrey people, being of late inuaded by the Pictes, (beaten with wants of Money to pay their rackt Rents to their greedy Land-lords) with open armes, and well-comming throats, call’d to them, and receiued a pretty Army of our Saxon-Citizens; but now they perceiue they swarme; now they perceiue the Bels of London toll forty miles off in their eares; now that Bils come downe to them euery Weeke, that there dye so many thousands; they would with all their hearts call in very Deuils (if they were but a little better acquainted with them) to banish our briske Londoners out of their grassy Territories.
And for that cause, they stand (within thirty and forty miles from London) at their Townes ends, forbidding any Horse, carrying a London load on his back, to passe that way, but to goe about, on paine of hauing his braynes beaten out: and, if they spy but a foot-man (not hauing a Russet Sute on, their owne Country liuery) they cry, Arme, charge their Pike-Staues, before he comes neere them the length of a furlong; and, stopping their noses, make signes that he must be gone, there is no roome for him, if the open Fields be not good enough for him to reuell-in, let him pack. O you that are to trauell to your friends into the Countrey, take heed what Clothes you weare, for a man in black, is as terrible there to be looked vpon, as a Beadle in blue is (on Court-dayes at Bridewell) being called to whip a Whore-master for his Letchery. A treble Ruffe makes them looke as pale, as if, in a darke night, they should meet a Ghost in a white Sheet in the middle of a Church-yard. They are verily perswaded, no Plagues, no Botches, Blaynes, nor Carbuncles can sticke vpon any of their innocent bodies, vnlesse a Londoner (be he neuer so fine, neuer so perfumed, neuer so sound) brings it to them. A Bill printed, called, The Red Crosse, or, Englands Lord haue mercy vpon vs, being read to a Farmers Sonne in Essex, hee fell into a swound, and the Calfe had much a doe to be recouered. In a Towne not farre from Barnet (in Hartfordshire) a Citizen and his Wife riding downe to see their Childe at Nurse, the doores were shut vpon them, the poore Childe was in the Cradle carryed three Fields off, to shew it was liuing: the Mother tooke the Childe home, and the Nurses valiant Husband (beeing one of the Traind-Souldiers of the Countrey) set fire of the Cradle, and all the Clothes in it.
Complete Dramatic Works of Thomas Dekker Page 259