THE KING ISSUES "PLAGUE ORDERS"
Primary Source: Rules and Orders Published by His Majesties Special Command. www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/lessons/2267-popup.htm
Rules and Orders Published by His Majesties Special Command
By 1666, the plague was out of control. Thousands of people were dying each week. The King tried to control the panic by writing the Rules and Orders, listed below, for the people to follow in hopes of keeping the disease from killing all of England.
Some of the rules were:
Some of the rules were:
- No one was allowed was allowed to leave London without a clean bill of health.
- No animals should be allowed in London, dogs and cats should be killed
- Infected Houses and their residents were locked in their house and not allowed out for 40 days
- Infected Houses should have a Red Cross and the words "Lord Have Mercie on this House" painted on the door.
- Guards were stationed in front of infected houses to ensure no one escaped.
- Dead Bodies were picked up only at night by Death Carts
- After the 40 day quarantine, the house had to be cleaned and washed with Lime.
- Nothing from the house should be given to anyone else, anything from a marked house should be burned.