A brief Journal of what passed in the City of Marseilles, while it was afflicted with the Plague, in the Year 1720Pichatty de Croislainte
History
A brief Journal of what passed in the City of Marseilles, while it was afflicted with the Plague, in the Year 1720
Pichatty de Croislainte
Plague -- France -- Marseille -- Early works to 1800
Were it not for his Attention to the Wants of the Sheriffs, and his
Care to supply them, they would be in a thousand Perplexities: Twice
or thrice a Day they take the Liberty to write to him, and always with
equal Goodness he exerts himself to answer their Demands, condescending
to give Directions in Matters beneath the Functions of his Ministry;
and as if it were not enough to employ his own Care and Pains Night
and Day, for saving this unfortunate City, he extends his Concern for
it yet further, by chusing to be represented here by M. _Rigord_, his
Subdelegate, who acts with so great Application and Zeal, that tho'
the Plague has ravaged his House, tho' he has seen his Lady perish by
his Side, and all his Family, Clerks, and Servants swept away, these
Horrors have not shaken him, nor drawn him aside one Moment from his
continual Labours for the Relief of the Town.
This Day, upon Information that several Bakers to conceal their
Desertion, have committed their Shops and Ovens to the Management of
their Servants, who appear there only for Show, but do nothing; an
Ordinance is published at my Instance, enjoyning them to return and
look to their own Business, forbidding them to absent themselves again
on Pain of Death. Another Ordinance is issued, to oblige likewise the
Intendants of Health, those of the Office of Plenty, the Counsellors
of the City, and all other municipal Officers, to return within 24
Hours, on the Penalty of a Fine of 1000 Livres, and of being declared
incapable of all municipal Offices.
The same Day the Bishop, to whom the Marquess _de Pilles_ had notified
the Resolutions taken in the Assembly the Day before, sets forth to him
in a Letter several Reasons against burying the infected Dead in the
Vaults of the Churches of the Convents chosen for that Use.
Whereupon the Marquess _de Pilles_, having invited the General Officers
of the Gallies to meet again at the Town-House, with the Sheriffs, and
some other good Citizens: After the Reasons urged in the said Letter
had been well considered, and weighed against that which had determined
them to pass the Resolution for burying in the Churches, which is, the
absolute and indispensible Necessity of doing it; they unanimously
conclude that the said Resolution shall stand, but that the Execution
of it shall be forborn 24 Hours, to see whether in that Interval
the Mortality shall happen to decrease, so that it may be dispensed
with; but that in the mean time, without any Delay, the Vaults in the
Churches shall be got ready, and all the Lime and Water necessary
carried thither.
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Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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