We may observe that at this time there perished in London more than 30,000 persons; but the great plague, or “black death,” occurred 61 years later (1664–5), which carried off from 70,000 to 100,000 persons. Between these periods, and previously, various parishes in our neighbourhood suffered from this visitation; for instance at Roughton, which is in the soke of Horncastle, there were 43 burials, including those of the Rector and two daughters, in the year 1631–2; while in the adjoining parish of Haltham (also in the soke) although there was no increase of mortality at that date, there had been 51 deaths in the year 1584; there being a note in the register for that year, “This yeare plague in Haltham.” The turn, however, for Horncastle came in the year 1631, when the register shows that between May 3 and Sep. 29, there were no less than 176 deaths; in one case 7 in a family (Cocking), 5 in a family (Halliday), in other cases 4 (Joanes), and again (Hutchinson) 4, (Fawcitts) 4, (Cheesbrooke) 4, &c. In August alone there were 86 deaths, and not a single marriage through all these months, whereas the following year there were only 25 deaths in the whole twelve months. Truly Horncastrians were, at that dread time, living with the sword of Damocles hanging over them. A note in the margin in this year is as follows, “Oct. 5th, buryalls since July 23, 144; burialls since Easter 182.” We have already given the history of the Vicar, Rev. Thos. Gibson, he is referred to in the two following notes in the Register. At the end of folio 81a (1635) we find, after the signature of himself and churchwardens, “Thomas Gibson, Clerk, Master of the free school of Newcastel uppon Tine, one of the Chapleins of the Right Reverend Father in God Barnabas, by Divine P’vidence Lo. Bpp. Carliel, presented by the said Lo. Bpp., was inducted into this Vicarage of Horncastel April xiiij, 1634.” At the end of folio 85a (1639) after similar signatures is this: “The sd Mr. Thomas Gibson, being outed of Horncastle by Cromwell’s Commissioners, removed to Nether Toynton, lived there one yeare, after restored againe, taught some Gentlemen sonnes in his owne house, was afterward called to ye scole at Newark, where he continued one yeare, then was importuned to Sleeford, whether he went ye week after Easter 1650, continued there until May ye first 1661; then, the King being returned, he returned to his Vicaridge, and was by Doctor Robert Sanderson, Bishop of Linkcoln made Preban of Saint Mairie Crakepoule in the Church of Linkcoln.”