In Winter fuel was provided. Thus at St Albans, wood was bought for the poor in the reign of Queen Elizabeth[473]. In London there was a coal yard before 1590, and early in the reign of James I. the City authorities obtained permission to import four thousand chaldron of "sea cole" free of duty for the purpose of supplying those in need of help[474]. Payments for fuel formed part of the regular organisation at Norwich[475], and directions to secure a supply to the poor of their district are contained also in the orders to the overseers of 1623[476]. This provision is another illustration of the fact that a great deal of the relief given was designed to protect the people from excessive fluctuations in price. [473] _Corporation Records of St Albans_, A. E. Gibbs, June 10th, 1587, p. 28. [474] _Remembrancia_, I. No. 586, II. No. 255 and VII. No. 193. In October 1630, the store of coal was larger than in former years. _Ib._ VII. No. 50. [475] "Maioris Booke for the Poore" Norwich. [476] See above chapter IX. [Sidenote: 6. Help in times of sickness and plague.] Methods of relieving the poor in times of sickness were also numerous. The Great Plague of London was not an isolated attack; throughout the seventeenth century few years pass without an outbreak in one of the large towns. Special orders were drawn up to prevent the spread of infection; watchmen were appointed to guard stricken houses, and the inmates for the time had to be supported by the community[477]. The cost of this severely taxed local resources. At Cambridge we hear that in 1630, 2800 claimed relief and only seven score were able to contribute. In this case a brief was issued authorising collections from other parts[478], and London and Norwich sent generous contributions[479]. One town seems to have helped another frequently when this scourge broke out: New Sarum sent aid to London, Norwich to Yarmouth, and both New Sarum and Bury thanked the Londoners for the help they had themselves received under like circumstances[480]. [477] In 1638 at Reading 4_d._ a day was allowed to each person shut up in the Conduit Close and 3_d._ a day to each of those confined in Minster Street. _Reading Records_, Vol. III. p. 421. [478] The brief was issued 25th June, 1630. Cooper's _Annals of Cambridge_, III. p. 223. [479] Cooper, Vol. III. p. 225. Some thousands of pounds were collected in London. [480] New Sarum contributed £52 to London. _Remembrancia_, VIII. 180. October, 1636. Bury, _Ib._, VIII. 207, April, 1638. Norwich, see _Norwich Court Books_, 4th Feb., 1626.