Welsh Journals

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^rchae0l0jgia (Eambwttsts. ■j fifth series.—vol. xii, no.xlvi. APRIL 1895. THE PLAGUE AT HAVERFORDWEST, 1651-2. BY THE REV. J. PHILLTPS. Local tradition asserts that the plague was brought to Haverfordwest, on a market day, by sailors from a vessel lying in Milford Haven. The fatal Saturday must have been- the 4th of October 1651, for the first death took place on the following Monday. The only extant record of the mortality is "A note of them that died in the town of all diseases, from the sixth of Octo¬ ber last, 1651, untill the 5th of July 1652, in the iij parishes. The number that died from the foresaid day of October untill the 2 of March last, 1651, is the some of 46." From the 2nd of March to the 5th of July the names and dates of death are given, and five deaths are added, bringing it down to July 7. The total number is 213. It may be assumed that the number of deaths for the five months (October to March) is about double the usual rate. As in the Tyneside epidemic of 1635-6, " the infection rested during the winter cold to begin again in the spring." A rough draft of a paper of sanitary directions is so mutilated that it does not contain one complete sen¬ tence. It begins with an exhortation to repentance and reformation. The inhabitants are counselled to Sthseu., vol. xii. 6