My Imaginary Brooklyn

Page from The Plague Book.

“the infection happen in houses dispersed in Villa-

ges, and separated from other houses, and that of

necessitie, for the seruing of their cattel, and manu-

ring of their ground, the said person cannot conti-

nue in their houses, then they to be neuerthelesse re-

strained from resorting into companie of others, ei-

ther publiquely or priuately during the said time of

restraint, and to weare some marke in their vpper-

most garments, or beare white rods in their hands

at such time as they shall goe abroade, and if there

be any doubt that the masters and owners of the

houses infected, will not duely obserue the directi-

ons of shutting vp their doores, specially in the

night, then shall there be appointed two or three

watchmen by turnes, which shalbe sworne to at-

tend and watch the house, and to apprehend any

person that shall come out of the house contrary to

order, and the same persons by order of the Iusti-

ces, shal be a competent time imprisoned in ye stocks

in the highway next to the house infected: and fur-

thermore, some speciall marke shalbe made and fix-

ed to the doores of euery of the infected houses, and

where any such houses shall be Innes or Alehou-

ses, the signes shalbe taken down for the time of the

restraint, and some crosse or other marke set vp in

the place thereof, to be a token of the sicknesse.

6 6 Item, they shall haue good regarde to chuse

honest persons that either shall collect the summes

assessed, or shall haue the custodie thereof, & out of

the said collection to allot a weekely proportion for

the finding of victuall, or fire, or medicines for the 

poorer sort, during the tyme of their restraynt. And

whereas some persons being well disposed to yeeld

                                                                  almes”