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.