In 1578, the plague again broke out, and continued to rage nearly two years; destroying 2335 natives and 2482 strangers. During the infection, it was ordered that every person coming from an infected house, should carry in his hand a small wand two feet in length; and that no such person should appear at any court or public place, or be present at any sermon; and that the inscription, “Lord have mercy on us,” should be placed over the door of every infected house, and there remain until the house had been clear of the infection for one month at least. In 1583, the plague broke out once more, and 800 or 900 persons died of it, chiefly “strangers;” and in 1588, the same disease again raged in the city, but not very violently. Notwithstanding all these awful visitations, no proper sanitary measures appear to have been adopted. In 1593, there happened so great a drought, that many cattle perished for want of water; but it is stated that in the year following it scarcely ceased raining, day or night, from June 21st to the end of July. In 1602, the plague again raged with almost unprecedented fury, there dying thereof 30,578 in London, and 3076 in Norwich. This visitation, moreover, was attended with so great a scarcity, that wheat sold for ten, rye for six, and barley for five shillings a bushel—a very high price in those days; and the poor in the city must then have been in a dreadful state of destitution. Again, in the summer of 1609, the city was visited by its former scourge, though but few died of it. The mayor received a letter from the privy council to keep up the ancient strictness and severity of lent, as if the poor had not fasted long enough! In 1625, we find that something like sanitary measures were begun. On July 12th of that year, the mayor received a commission authorising the body corporate to levy a tax on all the inhabitants, to be applied towards scouring the ditches, and the removal of all nuisances in and about the city, the better to prevent the spreading of the plague which had lately broken out in Yarmouth, having been occasioned by the arrival there of some infected persons. These precautions not having the desired effect, the Black Tower, then on Butter Hills, was fitted up for the reception of the afflicted poor. In September, about 40 died in a week, and the plague raged till May, 1626, when it began to abate. As many as 1431 persons died while the disease continued.