Part 1

A BRIEF

JOURNAL

Of what passed in the CITY of

_MARSEILLES_,

While it was Afflicted with the

PLAGUE,

In the YEAR 1720.

Extracted from the REGISTER of the _Council-Chamber_ of the _Town-House_, kept by Monsieur PICHATTY DE CROISSAINTE, Counsellor and Orator of that City, and the King's Attorney in Affairs relating to the good Government of it.

_Translated from the ORIGINAL, Published at_ PARIS, _with the King's Privilege_.

_LONDON_:

Printed for J. ROBERTS, near the _Oxford-Arms_ in _Warwick-Lane_. 1721.

Price, One Shilling.

_ABSTRACT of the_ French _King's Privilege, for the printing and publishing of this Journal._

_Lewis_, by the Grace of God, King of _France_ and _Navarre_. To our beloved and faithful Counsellors holding our Court of Parliament of _Paris_, and to all others whom it may Concern: Greeting. Our well beloved _Nicholas Carré_ of _Paris_, having represented to us, that a Manuscript has been put into his Hands, intitled, _A Brief Journal of what passed in the City of_ Marseilles _while it was afflicted with the Plague_; and most humbly besought us to grant him our Letters of Privilege, for the sole printing and vending thereof throughout our Dominions.----We being willing to treat the Petitioner favourably, and to acknowledge his Zeal for the Good and Benefit of the Publick, do by these Presents grant to him and his Assigns, the sole Liberty of printing and publishing the said Book, for the term of six Years from the Date hereof:--Forbidding all other Persons to print or counterfeit the same, on the Penalty of Confiscation of such Copies, and of a Fine of three thousand Livres, to be paid by every Offender. Done at _Paris_, the 17th of _July_ in the sixth Year of our Reign. By the King in Council.

CARPOT.

_A_ BRIEF JOURNAL _of what passed in the City of_ MARSEILLES, _while it was afflicted with the Plague in 1720_.

THE Coasts of the _Levant_ being always suspected of the Plague, all Ships which come from thence for _Marseilles_ stop at the Islands of _Chateaudif_; and the Intendants of Health regulate the Time and Manner of their Quarantaines, and of purifying their Cargoes, by the Tenor of their Patents (or Bills of Health), and by the State of Health of the particular Places from whence they come.

The Beginning of _May_, 1720. we had Advice at _Marseilles_, that from the Month of _March_ the Plague was rife in most of the Maritime Towns or trading Ports of _Palestine_ and _Syria_.

The 25th of the said Month of _May_, the Ship commanded by Captain _Chataud_, which came from thence, that is to say, from _Sidon_, _Tripoli_, _Syria_, and _Cyprus_, arrives at the said Islands; but his Patents are clean (_i.e._ his Certificates imported there was no Contagion at those Places,) because he came away the 31st of _January_, before the Plague was there. He declares, however, to the Intendants of Health, that in his Voyage, or at _Leghorn_ where he touched, Six Men of his Crew died, but he shews by the Certificate of the Physicians of Health at _Leghorn_, that they died only of Malignant Fevers, caused by unwholesome Provisions.

The 27th of _May_, one of his Sailors dies in his Ship.

The 28th, the Intendants cause the Corpse to be carried into the Infirmary; _Guerard_, chief Surgeon of Health, views it; and makes Report, that it has not any Mark of Contagion.

The 29th, the Intendants settle the purifying of the Goods of this Cargo, to Forty Days compleat, to be reckoned from the Day the last Bale shall be carried from it into the Infirmaries.

The last of _May_, Three other Vessels arrive at the same Islands; _viz._ Two small Vessels of Captain _Aillaud_'s from _Sidon_, whence they came since the Plague was there; and Captain _Fouque_'s Bark from _Scanderoon_.

The 12th of _June_, Captain _Gabriel_'s Ship arrives there likewise from the same Places, with a foul Patent; (_i. e._ importing, that the Plague was there.)

The same Day the Officer, whom the Intendants had put on Board Captain _Chataud_'s Ship to see Quarantain duly performed, dies there; _Guerard_ chief Surgeon of Health views the Body, and makes Report that it has not any Mark of Contagion.

The 14th of _June_, the Passengers who came in the said Ship, are perfumed for the last Time in the Infirmaries; and are allowed to enter the City as usual.

The 23d, being the Eve of St. _John Baptist_, the Grand Prior arrives at _Genoa_ with the King's Gallies; the Sheriffs have the Honour to welcome him, and I to make a Speech to him in the Name of the City.

The same Day a Cabbin-Boy of Captain _Chataud_'s Ship, a Servant employed at the Infirmaries in purifying the Goods of that Ship, and another who was purifying those of Captain _Gabriel_'s Ship, fall sick; the same Surgeon makes Report that they have not any Mark of Contagion.

The 24th, another Servant employed to purify Captain _Aillaud_'s Goods, falls sick likewise; is visited, and the same Report made.

The 24th, and 26th, all Four dye one after another; their Bodies are viewed, and Report made that they have not any Mark of Contagion.

Notwithstanding the Reports thus made, the Intendants consult and resolve by way of Precaution to cause all these Bodies to be buried in Lime; to remove from the Island of _Pomegué_ the Ships of the Captains _Chataud_, _Aillaud_, and _Gabriel_, and send them to a distant Island called _Jarre_, there to begin again their Quarantain; and to inclose the Yard where their Goods are purifying in the Infirmaries, without suffering the Servants employed to air them, to come out.

The 28th of _June_, another Vessel, being Captain _Gueymart_'s Bark, from _Sidon_, arrives at the foresaid Islands with a foul Patent.

The 1st of _July_, the Intendants pass a Resolution, to cause all the Vessels which were come with foul Patents, to Anchor at a good Distance off the Island of _Pomegué_.

The 7th of _July_, two more Servants shut up to purify in the Infirmaries the Goods brought by Captain _Chataud_, fall sick; the Surgeon finds Tumours in their Groyns, and says in his Report that he does not believe however it is the Plague: He pays for his Incredulity, perhaps for not right understanding the Distemper, by dying himself soon after, with part of his Family.

The 8th, another Servant falls sick; the Surgeon finds a Swelling in the upper Part of the Thigh, and then declares he takes it to be a Mark of Contagion, and desires a Consultation.

Immediately the Intendants call three other Master Surgeons to visit the said Servants; their Report is, that they have all certainly the Plague.

The 9th those Patients dye, they are buried in Lime, and all their Apparel is burnt.

The Intendants resolve to cause all the Goods of Captain _Chataud_'s Cargoe, to be taken out of the Infirmaries, and sent to be purified on the Island of _Jarre_; and they repair to the Town-House to acquaint the Sheriffs with what has passed.

The Matter appearing to be of Consequence, they write about it to the Council of Marine, and to the Marshal Duke _de Villars_, Governor of _Provence_; and M. _Estelle_, one of the chief Sheriffs, with two Intendants of Health, are deputed to go to _Aix_ to give an Account of it to M. _Lebret_, first President of the Parliament and Intendant of Justice and of Commerce.

The same Day, M. _Peissonel_, and his Son, Physicians, come to the Town-House, to give Notice to the Sheriffs, that having been called to a House in the Square of _Linche_, to visit a young Man named _Eissalene_, he appeared to them to have the Plague.

That Instant, Guards are sent to the Door of that House, to hinder any one from coming out of it.

The 10th of _July_ that Patient dies, and his Sister falls sick; the Guard is doubled; and it being judged proper to carry both off; to do it the more quietly, and without alarming the People, it is delayed till Night; when at Eleven a Clock M. _Moustier_, another of the chief Sheriffs, repairs thither without Noise, sends for Servants from the Infirmaries, encourages them to go up into the House, and they having brought down the Dead and the Sick, he orders them to carry them in Litters without the Town to the Infirmaries, causes all Persons belonging to the House to be conducted thither likewise, accompanies them himself with Guards, that none might come near them, and then returns to see the Door of the House closed up with Mortar.

The 11th Notice is given, that one _Boyal_ is fallen sick in the same Quarter of the Town, Physicians and Surgeons are sent to visit him; they declare he has the Plague, his House is instantly secured by Guards, and when Night is come M. _Moustier_ goes thither, sends for the Buriers of the Dead from the Infirmaries, and finding the Patient was newly dead, causes them to take the Corpse, accompanies it, sees it interred in Lime, and then returns to remove all the Persons of that House to the Infirmaries, and the Door to be closed up.

The 12th all this is told to the Grand Prior, who still remains at _Marseilles_; the first President is writ to; the Intendants of Health are assembled, to cause all the Vessels come from the _Levant_, with foul Patents, to go back to the Island of _Jarre_, and all their Goods that remain in the Infirmaries to be removed thither likewise: M. _Audimar_, one of the Sheriffs, presided in their Assembly, to influence them to pass this Resolution.

This, and the following Day, the Sheriffs make very strict Enquiry in the Town, to discover all Persons who had Communication with those Dead or Sick of the Plague; the most suspected are sent to the Infirmaries, and the others confined to their Houses.

The 14th, they write an Account of what has passed to the Council of Marine; they resolve not to give any more Patents (or Certificates of Health) to any Vessel, till they can be sure the Distemper is over.

The 15th, left from this Refusal to give Certificates of Health, it should be believed in foreign Countries that the plague is in _Marseilles_; and lest this should entirely interrupt all Commerce, they write to the Officers Conservators of Health at all the Ports of _Europe_, the real Fact; that is to say, That there are several Persons ill of the Contagion in the Infirmaries, but that it has not made any Progress in the City.

The 21st of _July_, nothing of the Plague having since been discovered in the Town, they write it with Joy to the Council of Marine, and continue to provide whatever is necessary in the Infirmaries for the Subsistance of suspected Persons whom they have sent thither, and of those whom they have confined to their Houses.

Already the Publick, recovered from their Fright, begin to explode as useless the Trouble the Sheriffs had given themselves, and all the Precautions they had taken; 'tis pretended, the Two Persons who died in the Square of _Linche_, were carried off by quite another Distemper than the Plague: The Physicians and Surgeons are upbraided with having by their Error allarmed the whole Town. Abundance of People are observed to assume the Character of a dauntless Freedom of Mind, who are soon after seen more struck with Terror than any others, and to fly with more Disorder and Precipitation; their boasted Firmness quickly forsakes them. The Truth is, the Plague is to be feared and shunned.

The 26th of _July_, Notice is given to the Sheriffs, that in the Street of _Lescalle_, a Part of the old Town inhabited only by poor People, Fifteen Persons are suddenly fallen sick: They dispatch thither Physicians and Surgeons; they examine into the Distemper, and make Report; some, that 'tis a Malignant Fever; others, a contagious or pestilential Fever, occasioned by bad Food, which Want had long forced those poor Creatures to live upon: Not one of them says positively it is the Plague. A Man must indeed have been very well assured of it, to say it; the Publick had already shewed a Disposition to resent any false Alarm.

The Sheriffs do not rest wholly satisfied with this Report, but resolve to proceed in the same Way of Precaution, as if those Sick were actually touched with the Plague; to send them all without Noise to the Infirmaries; and for the present to confine them in their Houses.

The 27th, Eight of those Sick dye; the Sheriffs themselves go to their Houses to cause them to be searched; Buboes are found on Two of them: The Physicians and Surgeons still hold the same Language, and impute the Cause of the Distemper to unwholsome Food. Notwithstanding which, as soon as Night comes, M. _Moustier_ repairs to the Place, sends for Servants from the Infirmaries, makes them willingly or by Force, take up the Bodies, with all due Precautions; they are carried to the Infirmaries, where they are buried with Lime; and all the rest of the Night he causes the remaining Sick, and all those of their Houses, to be removed to the Infirmaries.

The 28th, very early in the Morning, Search is made every where for those who had Communication with them, in order to confine them: Other Persons in the same Street fall sick, and some of those who first sicken'd dye. At Midnight M. _Estelle_ (who was come back from _Aix_) repairs thither; causes the Buriers of the Dead at the Infirmaries to attend; makes them carry off the dead Bodies, and bury them in Lime; and then till Day-break sees all the Sick conducted to the Infirmaries.

The People who love to deceive themselves, and will have it absolutely not to be the Plague, urge a Hundred false Reasons on that Side. Would the Plague, say they, attack none but such poor People? Would it operate so slowly?

Let them have but a few Days Patience, and they will see all attacked without Distinction, with the swiftest Rage, and the most dreadful Havock, that ever was heard of.

Some obstinately contend that the Distemper proceeded wholly from Worms: But while they pretend to argue so confidently, trembling with Fear in their Hearts, they make up their Pack to be the readier to fly: What all others are doing, I leave to be imagined; every one has taken the Fright, and is ready to run out of the Town, to seek Refuge any where.

In the mean while, the Distemper continuing in the Street of _Lescalle_, the 29th of _July_, and 10 Days after successively, the Sheriffs are obliged to give Nightly the same Attendance, and in the Daytime to make continual Search after all those who had Communication with the Sick or Dead: People fall sick in several other Parts of the Town; they are confined in Places by themselves by Guards; some of them Dye, and every Night M. _Estelle_ and _Moustier_, go by Turns to see them carried off, to remove the rest to the Infirmaries, and to fasten up or perfume Houses; Labours as dangerous as toilsome, especially when after having sat up and staid all Night in the Street, they find themselves obliged to apply all the Day after to a thousand other Things no less troublesome.

M. _Audimar_ and _Dieudé_, the other Sheriffs, are fatigued on their part with continual Care and Pains, arising from the Increase of necessary Business in a Town, where the common Course of Occurrences takes up all the Time the Civil Magistrate can bestow. M. _Dieudé_, however, goes two Nights together, to accompany the Officers at removing the Dead and the Sick.

The Marquis _de Pilles_, the Governor, is perpetually co-operating with them all; he is every Day, from Morning till Night, at the Town-House, applying himself indefatigably to all that his Zeal and Prudence suggest to him; and to all that the maintaining of good Order requires on such an Occasion.

The whole Sum in _Specie_ at this time in the City-Treasury, is but 1100 Livres; and 'tis manifest, that if the City come to be thoroughly infected, all must perish for Want of Money: This obliges the Sheriffs to write to the First President, to press him earnestly to be pleased to procure Money for them.

Bread-Corn being scarce, is immediately run up to an exorbitant Price; to prevent therefore its being hoarded up to make it dearer, an Ordinance is issued at my Instance, to forbid the hoarding it, on severe Penalties. Two other Ordinances are published at the same time, forbidding all Persons to have and keep in the Town, any thing that might contribute to the spreading of the Contagion.

The 30th of _July_, a general View and Inventory is taken of all the Provisions in the City; and the Sheriffs finding hardly any Bread-Corn, Meat, or Wood, and little Money in the Treasury to buy Stores with; all things excessively dear; Disorder increasing; the Populace as poor as frighten'd; all the Persons of Condition and the Rich already fled: They write to M. _le Pelletier des Forts_, and representing to him the deplorable Condition of _Marseilles_, beseech him to intercede with his Royal Highness to grant them some Supplies.

The 31st of _July_, another Ordinance is issued at my Instance, to oblige all strange Beggars to depart the City this Day; and those settled in the Town, to retire into the Hospital _de la Charité_, on the Penalty of being whipped.

But this Ordinance is not put in Execution, because we learn the same Day, that the Chamber of _Vacations_ of the Parliament of _Aix_, on the Rumour that the Plague is in _Marseilles_, has publish'd an _Arrêt_, forbidding the _Marseillians_ to stir out of the Bounds of their own Territory; the Inhabitants of all the Towns and Places of _Provence_ to communicate with them, or to harbour them; and all Muleteers, Carriers, and all others, to go to _Marseilles_, for what Cause, or under what Pretext soever, on Pain of Death.

In this Condition, how could 2 or 3000 Beggars, that were then in the City, be turned out of it? Not being able to pass beyond the Limits of the Territory, they would be constrained to stay there, and to ravage it for Subsistance.

The 1_st_ of _August_, M. _Sicard_, Father and Son, Physicians, come to the Town-House, to tell the Sheriffs, that it is not to be doubted the Distemper in the City is really the Plague, but that they make sure Account they shall put an end to it, if they will do what they shall prescribe; which is to buy up a great Quantity of Wood, Brushes and Faggots; to lay them in Piles, at small Distances, along the Walls of the Town, and in all publick Walks, open Places, Squares, and Markets; to oblige every private Person to lay a Heap of them before his House, in all the Streets in general; and to set them all on fire at the same time, in the Beginning of the Night; which will most certainly put an End to the Plague.

Every body being willing to make this Experiment; and all the other Physicians, who are called daily to the Town-House to give an Account of the Progress of the Distemper, not disapproving it; the Sheriffs forthwith cause all the Wood, Faggots, and Brushes that can be found, to be bought up; and M. _Audimar_ and _Dieudé_ go with the utmost Ardour to see them placed along the Walls, and in the publick Walks and Places.

The 2d of _August_ they publish an Ordinance, commanding all the Inhabitants to make each a Bonfire before his House, and to light it at 9 a-Clock at Night, the Moment those along the Walls and in the publick Places shall be lighted. This is executed: It is a magnificent Sight, to behold a Circuit of Walls, of so large, so vast Extent, all illuminated; and if this should cure the City, it would certainly be cured in a most joyful and agreeable manner.

The Magistrates, who to satisfy the Publick, and to avoid all Reproach, make such Experiments, cannot however sleep upon the Success promised from them; Prudence requires they should pursue proper Measures, and not be with-held by vain Hopes: They write to the First President, and desire him, since the Roads are barricaded against them, to be pleased to dispatch for them a Courier to the Court, to represent their Misery, and the Inconveniences they have ground to fear, as being without a Penny of Money, while they are in Dread of wanting every thing, and of having the Calamity of Famine superadded to that of the Plague.

They write to the Council of _Marine_ likewise, acquainting them what Number of Sick they actually have, and how many Dead they have carried to, and buried at the Infirmaries.

The same Day, in the Assembly held daily at the Town-House with the municipal Officers, and such of the chief Citizens as have not yet fled, M. _de Pilles_ presiding, it was resolved:

1. That whereas the Number of the Sick increases more and more, especially in the Street of _Lescalle_, a _Corps de Garde_ shall be posted at every Avenue of that street, to hinder any one's going into, or coming out of it; and that Commissaries of Victualling shall be appointed to go and distribute Provisions to the Families inhabiting that Street.

2. That all the Captains of the City shall each raise a Company of 50 Men of the Militia, to be paid by the City: And that however, the Five Brigades called the Brigades _du Privilege du Vin_, with their Officers, shall serve every where as a Guard to the Sheriffs in their Marches in the Night, to see the Dead and Sick carry'd off to the Infirmaries.

3. That the Physicians and Surgeons already employ'd, may be induced to serve with the greater Diligence, and not to demand any fee of the Sick, they shall have Salaries from the City, and be allowed _Sarrots_ of oiled Cloth, and Chairs, for their more easy Conveyance every where.

4. That seeing the City has no Money, and that it must indispensibly be had, Advertisements shall be publickly affixed, for taking Loans of Money at 5 _per Cent._ to try to get some by that means: And that the Treasurer not being able to come to reside at the Town-House, M. _Bouys_, First Clerk of the Records, shall be Cashier there.

The 3d of _August_, the Marquess _de Pilles_, and the Sheriffs, being reassembled with the same Citizens, appoint 150 Commissaries in the 5 Parishes of the City, to look each in the Quarter assigned him to the Wants of the Poor; to distribute to them Bread, and other Subsistance, at the Charge of the City; and to do whatever else they shall be directed for the publick Good and Welfare.

In that Part of the Town called the _Rive Neuve_, which lies beyond the Port, and extends from the Abbey of St. _Victor_ to the Arsenal, the Chevalier _Rose_ is appointed Captain and Commissary General.

And in the Territory, (_i.e._ the Country belonging to _Marseilles_) which is like a vast City, there being above Ten thousand Houses, called _Bastides_, in the 44 Quarters and dependent Parishes, of which it is composed, besides several pretty large Villages; one Captain and some Commissaries are appointed for each, to take the like Care.

The same Day, for preventing Communication among Children, who, as it is said, are most susceptible of the Plague, the College and all the Publick Schools are shut up.

As for the Fires advised by the Two _Sicards_, they are forborn: Notice is given, that those Two Physicians have deserted the City; besides, there is no Wood, Faggots, or Brushes, to be had; but a Quantity of Brimstone is bought up, and distributed among the Poor, in all Quarters of the Town, and the Insides of all the Houses are order'd to be perfumed.

In the Evening, the Marquis _de Pilles_ and the Sheriffs, being still assembled in the Town-House, Notice is given them, that four or five Hundred of the Populace are got together in the Quarter called _l'Aggrandissement_, and are very disorderly, crying out they will have Bread; the Bakers of that Quarter, by reason of the Scarcity of Corn, not having made the usual Quantity, so that many Persons could not be served: The Marquess _de Pilles_ and M. _Moustier_ hasten thither, followed by some Guards; their Presence puts a Stop to the Tumult, and they entirely appease the People, by causing some Bread to be given them.