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CHAP. I.

Of the Bills of Mortality, their beginning, and progress.

T
He first of the continued weekly Bills of Mortality extant at the Parish-Clerks Hall, begins the 29. of December, 1603, being the first year of King James his Reign; since when, a weekly Accompt hath been kept there of Burials and Christnings. It is true, There were Bills before, viz. for the years 1592,-93,-94, but so interrupted since, that I could not depend upon the sufficiencie of them, rather relying upon those Accompts which have been kept since, in order, as to all the uses I shall make of them.

  2.  I believe, that the rise of keeping these Accompts, was taken from the Plague: for the said Bills (for ought appears) first began in the said year 1592. being a time of great Mortality; And after some disuse, were resumed again in the year 1603, after the Plague then happening likewise.

  3.  These Bills were Printed and published, not onely every week on Thursdays, but also a general Accompt of the whole Year was given in, upon the Thursday before Christmas Day: which said general Accompts have been presented in the several manners following, viz. from the Year 1603, to the Year 1624, inclusive, according to the Pattern here inserted.

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16231624

The generall Bill for the whole Year, of all the Burials and Christnings, as well within the City of London, and the Liberties thereof, as in the Nine out-Parishes adjoyning to the City, with the Pest-house belonging to the same: From Thursday the 18. of December. 1623. to Thursday the 16. of December, 1624. According to the Report made to the King's most Excellent Majesty, by the Company of the Parish-Clerks of London.

Buried this Year in the fourscore and seventeen Parishes of London within the walls } 3386.
Whereof, of the Plague, 1.
Buried this Year in the sixteen Parishes of London, and the Pest-house, being within the Liberties, and without the walls, } 5924.
Whereof, of the Plague, 5.
The whole summ of all the Burials in London, and the Liberties thereof, is this Year, } 9310.
Whereof, of the Plague, 6.
Buried of the Plague without the Liberties, in Middlesex, and Surrey this whole Year, } 0.
Christned in London, and the Liberties thereof, this Year,}6368.
Buried this Year in the Nine out-Parishes, adjoyning to London, and out of the freedom,}2900.
Whereof, of the Plague, 5.
The Total of all the Burials in the places aforesaid, is 12210.
Whereof, of the Plague 11.
Christned in all the aforesaid places this Year 8299.
Parishes clear of the Plague, 116.
Parishes that have been Infected this Year 6.

  4.  In the Year 1625, every parish was particularized, as in this following Bill: where note, That this next year of Plague caused the Augmentation, and Correction of the Bills; as the former year of Plague, did the very being of them.

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16241625

A general, or great Bill for this Year, of the whole number of Burials, which have been buried of all Diseases, and also of the Plague in every Parish within the City of London, and the Liberties thereof; as also in the nine out-Parishes adjoyning to the said City; with the Pest-house belonging to the same. From Thursday the 16. day of December, 1624, to Thursday the 15. day of December, 1625. According to the Report, made to the king's most Excellent Majesty, by the Company of Parish-Clerks of London. 

LONDON Bur.Plag. LONDON Bur.Plag.
Albanes in Woodstreet 18878   Katherine Coleman 263175
Alhallows Barking 397263 Katherine Cree-church 886373
Alhallows Breadstreet 3414 Lawrence in the Jewrie 9155
Alhallows the Great 442302 Lawrence Pountney 206127
Alhallows Hony-lane 188 Leonards Eastcheap 5526
Alhallows the less 259205 Leonards Fosterlane 292209
Alhal. in Lumberdstreet 8644 Magnus Parish by Bridge 13785
Alhallows Stainings 183138 Margarets Lothbury 11464
Alhallows the Wall 301155 Margarets Moses 3725
Alphage Cripple-Gate 240190 Margarets new Fishstreet 12382
Andrew-Hubbard 146101 Margarets Pattons7750
Andrews Undershaft219149 Mary Ab-church9858
Andrews by Wardrobe373191 Mary Aldermanbury12679
Annes at Aldersgate196128 Mary Aldermary9254
Annes Black-Friers336215 Mary le Bow3519
Antholins Parish6231 Mary Bothaw2214
Austins Parish7240 Mary Colechurch2611
Barthol. at the Exchange5224 Mary at the Hill15284
Bennets Fink10857 Mary Mounthaw7658
Bennets Grace-Church4814 Mary Sommerset270192
Bennnets at Pauls Wharf226131 Mary Stainings7044
Bennets Sherehog248 Mary Woolchurch5825
Botolps Billings-gate9966 Mary Woolnoth8250

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Christ's-Church Parish611371  Martins Ironmonger-lane2518
Christopher's Parish4828 Martins at Ludgate254164
Clements by Eastcheap8772 Martins Orgars8847
Dyonis Black-Church9959 Martins Outwich6030
Dunstans in the East335225 Martins in the Vintry339208
Edmunds Lumberdstreet7849 Matthew Fridaystreet2411
Ethelborow in Bishopag205101 Maudlins in Milkstreet40123
St. Faiths8945 Maudlins Oldfish-street225142
St. Fosters in Foster-lane149102 Michael Bassishaw199139
Gabriel Fen church7154 Michael Corn-Hill15979
George Butlophs-lane3019 Michael Crooked-lane14491
Gregories by Pauls296196 Michael Queenhithe215157
Hellens in Bishopsgate st.13671 Michael in the Quern5330
James by Garlickhithe180109 Michael in the Ryal11161
John Baptist12279 Michael in Woodstreet18968
John Evangelist70 Mildreds Breadstreet6044
John Zacharies14397 Mildreds Poultrey9445
James Duke place310254 Nicholas Aeons3313
Nicholas Cole-Abby8767 Peters at Pauls Wharf9768
Nicholas Olaves7043 Peters poor in Broadstreet5227
Olaves in Hartstreet266195 Stevens in Colemanstreet506350
Olaves in the Jewry4325 Stevens in Walbrook2513
Olaves in Silverstreet174103 Swithins at Londonstone9960
Pancras by Soperlane178 Thomas Apostles141107
Peter in Cheap6844 Trinity Parish14887
Peters in Corn-hill31878

Buried within the 97.Parishes within the Walls of, all Diseases 14340.
      Whereof, of the Plague 9197.

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Andrews in Holborn21901636  Georges Southwark1608912
Bartholmew the Great516360 Giles Cripplegate39882338
Bartholmew the less11165 Olaves in Southwark36892609
Brides Parish14811031 Saviours in Southwark27461671
Botolph Algate25731653 Sepulchres Parish34252420
Bridewel Precinct213152 Thomas in Southwark335277
Bottolph Bishopgate2334714 Trinity in the Minories13187
Botolph Aldergate578307 At the Pesthouse194189
Dunstanes the West860642

Buried in the 16 Parishes without the Walls, standing part within the Liberties, and part without: in Middlesex, and Surrey, and at the Pesthouse  26972
      Whereof, of the Plague  17153

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Buried in the nine out-Parishes.

Clements Templebar1284755  Martins in the Fields1470973
Giles in the Fields1333947 Mary White-chappel33052272
James at Clarkenwell1191903 Magdalens Bermondsey1127889
Katherins by the Tower998744 Savoy Parish250176
Leonards in Shorditch19951407

Buried in the nine out Parishes, in Middlesex, and Surrey  12953
      Whereof, of the Plague  9067

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The total of all the Burials of all Diseases, within the Walls, without the Walls, in the Liberties, in Middlesex and Surrey: with the nine Out Parishes and the Pest-house.  54265
Whereof, Buried of the Plague, this present year, is  35417
      Christnings this present year, is  6983
      Parishes clear this year, is  1
      Parishes infected this year, is  121

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  5.  In the Year 1626. the City of Westminster in imitation of London, was inserted. The grosse accompt of the Burials, and Christnings, with distinction of the Plague being only taken notice of therein; the fifth, or last Canton, or Lined-space, of the said Bill, being varyed into the form following, viz. 

      In Westminster this Year,{
Buried  471
Plague  13
Christenings  361

  6.  In the Year 1626. An accompt of the Diseases, and Casualties whereof any dyed, together with the distinction of Males and Females, making the sixth Canton of the Bill, was added in manner following.

The Canton of Casualties, and of the Bill for the Year 1639, being of the same forme with that of 1629.

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The Diseases, and Casualties this year being 1632.

ABortive, and Stillborn445  Grief11
Affrighted1  Jaundies43
Aged628  Jawfaln8
Ague43  Impostume74
Apoplex, and Meagrom17  Kil'd by several accidents46
Bit with a mad dog1  King's Evil38
Bleeding3  Lethargie2
Bloody flux, scowring, and  Livergrown87
  flux348  Lunatique5
Brused, Issues, sores, and  Made away themselves15
  ulcers,28  Measles80
Burnt, and Scalded5  Murthered7
Burst, and Rupture9  Over- laid, and starved at
Cancer, and Wolf10    nurse7
Canker1  Palsie25
Childbed171  Piles1
Chrisomes, and Infants2268  Plague8
Cold, and Cough55  Planet13
Colick, Stone, and Strangury56  Pleurisie, and Spleen36
Consumption1797  Purples, and spotted Feaver38
Convulsion241  Quinsie7
Cut of the Stone5  Rising of the Lights98
Dead in the street, and  Sciatica1
  starved6  Scurvey, and Itch9
Dropsie, and Swelling267  Suddenly62
Drowned34  Surfet86
Executed, and prest to death18  Swine Pox6
Falling Sickness7  Teeth470
Fever1108  Thrush, and Sore mouth40
Fistula13  Tympany13
Flocks, and small Pox531  Tissick34
French Pox12  Vomiting1
Gangrene5  Worms27
Gout4 

Christened { Males
Females
In all
4994
4590
9584
} Buried { Males
Females
In all
4932
4603
9535
} Whereof,
of the
Plague.8

Increased in the Burials in the 122 Parishes, and at the Pest-
  house this year
993
Decreased of the Plague in the 122 Parishes, and at the Pest-
  house this year
266

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  7.  In the year 1636, the Accompt of the Burials, and Christnings in the Parishes of Islington, Lambeth, Stepney, Newington, Hackney, and Redriff, were added in the manner following, making a seventh Canton, viz.

In Margaret
Westminster
{ Christned
Buried
Plague
440
890
0
Islington { Christned
Buried
Plague
36
131
0
Lambeth { Christned
Buried
Plague
132
220
0
Stepney { Christned
Buried
Plague
892
1486
0
Newington { Christned
Buried
Plague
99
181
0
 
Hackney { Christned
Buried
Plague
30
91
0
 
Redriff { Christned
Buried
Plague
16
48
0
The total of all the Burials in the seven last Parishes this Year2958
Whereof of the Plague0
The total of all the Christnings1645

  8.  Covent Garden being made a Parish, the nine out-Parishes were called the ten out-Parishes, the which in former years were but eight.

  9.  In the year 1660. the last-mentioned ten Parishes, with Westminster, Islington, Lambeth, Stepney, Newington, Hackney, and Redriff, are entered under two Divisions, viz. the one containing the twelve Parishes lying in Middlesex, and Surrey, and the other the five Parishes within the City, and Liberties of Westminster, viz. St. Clement-Danes, St. Paul's-Covent-Garden, St. Martin's in the Fields, St. Mary-Savoy, and St. Margaret's Westminster.

  10.  We have hitherto described the several steps,

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whereby the Bills of Mortality are come up to their present state; we come next to shew how they are made, and composed, which is in this manner, viz. When any one dies, then, either by tolling, or ringing of a Bell, or by bespeaking of a Grave of the Sexton, the same is known to the Searchers, corresponding with the said Sexton.

  11.  The Searchers hereupon (who are antient Matrons, sworn to their office) repair to the place, where the dead Corps lies, and by view of the same, and by other enquiries, they examine by what Disease, or Casualty the Corps died. Hereupon they make their Report to the Parish-Clerk, and he, every Tuesday night, carries in an Accompt of all the Burials, and Christnings, hapning that Week, to the Clerk of the Hall. On Wednesday the general Accompt is made up, and Printed, and on Thursdays published, and dispersed to the several Families, who will pay four shillings per Annum for them.

  12.  Memorandum, That although the general yearly Bills have been set out in the several varieties aforementioned, yet the Original Entries in the Hall-books were as exact in the very first Year as to all particular, as now; and the specifying of Casualties and Diseases, was probably more.

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