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Observations upon the Cities of London and Rome.

3. Anno 1665 one fifth part of the then People of London, or 97 thousand died of the Plague[1], and in the next year 1666, 13 thousand Houses or one fifth part of all the Housing of London were burnt also.

4. At the Birth of Christ, old Rome was the greatest City of the World, and London the greatest || at the Coronation of King James the Second, and near 6 times as great as the present Rome, wherein are 119 thousand Souls besides Jews[2].

5. In the years of King Charles the Second his death, and King James the Second his Coronation (which were neither of them remarkable for extraordinary Sickliness or Healthfulness) the Burials did wonderfully agree, viz. Anno 1684, they were 23202, and Anno 1685 they were 23222, the Medium whereof is 23212. And the Christnings did very wonderfully agree also, having been Anno 1684, 14702, and Anno 1685, 14732, the Medium whereof is 14716[3], which consistence was || never seen before, the said number of 23212 Burials making the People of London to be 696360, at the rate of one Dying per annum out of 30.

6. Since the great Fire of London, Anno 1666 about 7 parts of 15 of the present vast City hath been new built, and is with its People increased near one half, and become equal to Paris and Rome put together, the one being the Seat of the great French Monarchy, and the other of the Papacy.

FINIS.

  1. In 1665 97,306 died, but only 68,596 were returned of the plague.
  2. "A Rome il meurt plus de 3000 personnes par an parce qu'il y a plus de cent mil ames. l'année passée il y en avoit 119825 sans les Juifs qui sont pres de trent milles. On meurt moins a Rome parce qu'il n'y a pas d'enfants a proportion des autres Villes, et bien des gens y vienent demurer ayant passé le temps auquel on meurt d'advantage. la sobriete et le soin qu'on a de la sante fait qu'on y meurt moins qu'en une Ville ou on est debauché.".... Extract from a letter of H. Justel to the Royal Society, read 27 October, 1686; Royal Society's Letter Book, vol. x., p. 26.
  3. 14716 should be 14717.