The Plague Book :: Page 3

Page 1 of the Plague Book

Vernacular Transcript

Orders to be Obserued,

habitants of the same Townes and Parishes are,
to be hable to relieue the poore that are or shalbe in-
fected, and to be restrained in their houses.

3 3 Item, thereupon after conference vsed accor-
ding to the necessitie of the cause, they shall deuise
and make a generall taxation, eyther by charging
the Towne infected with one summe in grosse, or
by charging the speciall persons of wealth within
the same, to be forth with collected for the rate of one
moneth at the first, and so if the sicknesse shall conti-
nue, the collection of the like summe, or of more or of
lesse, as time and cause shall require, and the same
to be euery first, seconde, third, or fourth weeke em-
plored to and for the execution of the saide orders.
And in case some of the said Townes infected shall
manifestly appeare not to be of sufficient habilitie
to contribute sufficient for the charges requisite,
then the taxation or collection shalbe made or fur-
ther extended to other partes, or in any other fur-
ther limittes, as by them shalbe thought requisite
where there shalbe any such Townes or Villages
so infected, and vnable to relieue themselues. And
if the said Townes be scituated in the borders and
confines of any other shire, then as the Iustices
shal see cause and neede for the greatnesse of the
charge requisite, that the partes of the Shire ioy-
ning to the Townes infected be not hable, they shal
write their letters to the next Iustices of the other
Shire so contining, to procure by collection some
reliefe, as in like cases they are to relieue them, in
respect of neere neighbourhood of the place, and for
that the same infection may be the better stayed
from the said adioyning places, though they be se-
                                                             parated

Modern Transcript

Orders to be observed,

habitants of the same Towns and Parishes are,
to be able to relieve the poor that are or shall be in-
fected, and to be restrained in their houses.

3 3 Item, thereupon after conference used accor-
ding to the necessity of the cause, they shall devise
and make a general taxation, either by charging
the Town infected with one sum in gross, or
by charging the special persons of wealth within
the same, to be forthwith collected for the rate of one
month at the first, and so if the sickness shall conti-
nue, the collection of the like sum, or of more or of
less, as time and cause shall require, and the same
to be every first, second, third, or fourth week em-
plored to and for the execution of the said orders.
And in case some of the said Towns infected shall
manifestly appear not to be of sufficient ability
to contribute sufficient for the charges requisite,
then the taxation or collection shall be made or fur-
ther extended to other parts, or in any other fur-
ther limits, as by them shall be thought requisite
where there shall be any such Towns or Villages
so infected, and unable to relieve themselves.  And
if the said Towne be situated in the borders and
confines of any other shire, then as the Justices
shall see cause and need for the greatness of the
charge requisite, that the parts of the Shire joi-
ning to the Towns infected be not able, they shall
write their letters to the next Justices of the other
Shire so continuing, to procure by collection some
relief, as in like cases they are to relieve them, in
respect of near neighborhood of the place, and for
that the same infection may be the better stayed
from the said adjoining places, though they be se-
                                                             parated

[Return to top of page]

© 2007 Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia