In the church and churchyard of Yarmouth, 7052 were buried in one year. Within six months, in the city of Norwich more than 57,000 died. In London, death was so outrageously cruel that every day saw twenty, sometimes forty, and sometimes sixty or more dead bodies flung into one pit. The churchyards became crowded. Fields and additional places of burial were set apart, and these soon failed to suffice; the number of the dead increasing so rapidly that “they were fain to make deep ditches and pits very broad, wherein they laid a range of carcasses and a range of earth upon them, and then another range of dead bodies,” and in this manner the people, except those of the better sort, were placed in their long home. The cattle died in hedges and ditches by thousands for want of men to attend them. All suits and pleadings in the King’s Bench and other places ceased. The sessions of parliament were stopped. England and France forgot for a time that they were “natural enemies.” County, city, and town witnessed solemn prayers and public processions for days together, and God was implored in highway and in byway to “sheath his angry sword and preserve the residue from the devouring pestilence.” When this pestilence which yet yearly threatens our coast had passed away, it was found that its prey had been chiefly old men, women, and children of the “common sort of people,” and that but few of the nobility of the land had been seized by it. Property was for a long period depreciated: that which was previously sold for forty shillings, only fetched a mark; and the Scots in scorn invented a new oath, swearing in contempt “by the foul deaths of the English.” CHAP. XIV. SELECT COMMITTEE OF 1841.--INSTANCES OF DECEPTION.--PUBLICATION OF ACCOUNTS.--NEW COMPANIES--ASSERTIONS ABOUT THEM--THEIR IMPORTANCE--SUGGESTIONS CONCERNING THEM. A select committee was appointed in 1841 to consider the laws relating to joint stock companies. It concluded its labours in 1843. There was an evident want of amendment in these laws. For about fifteen years prior to 1840, the world had been at the mercy of any one who chose to publish an advertisement, call himself a company, and receive money for assurances and annuities. Vast sums had been obtained, therefore, by daring adventurers of the Montagu Tigg school, who launched with avidity into this branch of business. Besides the loss by the West Middlesex, nearly half a million sterling had passed from the pockets of the public to those of projectors; and the following instances will prove that government were not called upon to interfere without a sad necessity:--