The Red-Crosse: OR, England's Lord have mercy upon us. lamentable Relation of many Visitations by the Plague in times past, as well in other Countries as in the City of London, and the certain causes thereof: With a true number of all those that died in the last great Visitation: And also the number of all those that have died in this present Visitation.  
IT is no doubt, that the corrupti●● of the Air, together with uncleanly and unwholesome keeping of dwelling, where many are pestered together, as also the not-observing to have fires private and publicly made as well within houses, as without in the streets, at times when the Air is infected, are great occasions to increase, corrupt, and produce pestilent Diseases. Neither can it be denied, that the overboldness of many pressing into infected places, and the lewdness of others with Sores upon them, presuming into the open Air, some of wilfulness, but truly many of necessity, contaminateth and corrupteth diverse: as the Leprosy, the Pox, and sundry such unclean diseases do: as by drinking, lying in company, and other such means, where pure complexions and clean bloods are defiled with such as are putrified: and therefore carefully to be avoided. But all these are accidental, and rather effects than the cause. For it plainly appeareth in the Book of Exodus that when it pleased the Almighty God to smite the Egyptians, the Children of Israel were appointed ●o dip Isop in the Blood of the Paschall Lamb▪ and smite off that blood on the outward Posts of their doors, that when the slayer came to destroy in one night all the first borne in Egypt, he might pass over the houses of God's children. So that it is plain, it was an Angel then sent to smite those cruel people with the Pestilence.  
Then first, this City of London, cannot be denied, to have had as great blessings as ever had Jerusalem: for here God hath long time been present by his Word and Sacraments, yet they have abounded in all iniquity, when Jerusalem long since had not a stone left upon a stone.  
Secondly, London is situated as pleasantly as Sodom, and her sister Cities before they sunk, even for the same sins that we have committed: for the sin of Sodom (saith the Prophet Ezechiel) was pride, fullness of bread, and contempt of the poor. That these sins reign in London, who can deny? To them, add fullness of drink; for therein we exceed the Nation, that within these fifty years we hated for drunkenness: and I doubt, That unnameable sin of Sodom is used in too many places of the City. Yet London stands, and so God grant with his mercy it long may.  
Lastly, where in the change of Princes (especially after long peace, as London most happily enjoyed all the time of our late Sovereign Queen Elizabeth, of worthy memory) many Cities have come to miserable spoil, if not to ruin: yet London, by our most potent Lord and King, hath increased in tranquillity, blessing pouring upon blessing: save only now for our negligence, God hath with his own hand smitten us, and sent many to mourn in death after our late Sovereign deceased, whom we had almost ungratefully forgotten in a day.  
In the City, called the great Cairo, there is a Plague once every seven years, which cometh with such a fierceness, that the most part of the people there do dye thereof: and diverse of them that remain alive, lose their eyesight with the vapours and great heat which cometh from the ground.  
In the year of Christ, 81. and in the year 188. there continued a great time a Plague in Rome, of which there daily died two thousand people.  
In the year 254. fifteen Provinces of the Roman Empire, were in a manner consumed with the Pestilence.  
In the year 530. there died in Constantinople 5000. a day, and diverse times 1000 and at that time, in some other parts of Greece, there were not sufficient living men left to bury their dead.  
And in the year 1569. there fell such a Plague in Constantinople, that there died in six months' space, seven hundred thousand persons, and the year following fell such a famine, that a penny loaf of Bread of English money, was worth a crown of gold: by reason whereof, the people died as fast then of the Famine, as they did before of the Plague.  
In the year 540. there began an universal Plague all over the world, that continued 50. years with great violence.  
In the year 1348. in Paris in France, there died a hundred thousand people of the Plague.  
In the year 1359. so great a Pestilence there was in Italy, that there were scarce ten left of a thousand.  
In the year 1521. there died in Rome a hundred thousand of the Pestilence.  
In the years 1576. and 77. in Milan, Milan and Venice, there fell a hundred thousand in every City: and in Bohemia (being but a small Kingdom) there died 300000. the sam● time.  
Soon after the Conquest of King William, Duke of Normandy, when the people were subdued to him, & the Knight's fees rated which he had made, and himself placed with Crown and Sceptre▪ he took number of the Acres of land in all the Realm, and of all the people, and of all the cattle: after which fell so sore a Plague, that the people died in such number, that Tillage decayed, Famine ensued, with rot of cattle, that men were fain to eat flesh of Dogs, Cats and Mice. A fearful example for Princes.  
In the Reign of King Edward the 3. there fell a very great Pestilence in the East-Indies, among the Tartariaens, Saracens and Turks, which lasted the space of seven years: through the fear whereof, many of the Heathens willingly offered themselves to become Christians. And shortly after, by reason of Passengers from one Province to another, the same Pestilence was dispersed in many Christian Kingdoms, and amongst other places brought into England; where it was so forcible all over the Land that not only Men, but also Beasts, Birds and Fishes were smitten therewith, and found dead with Botches upon them. Also among men, the numbers that were alive, were scarcely sufficient to bury their dead. At which time, with the rest that then died of the Plague, Henry Duke of Lancaster, Blanch, Duchess of Lancaster, and the Earl of Warwick ended their lives. So that in one year, in a little plot of ground of thirteen Acres compass, then called Spittle-croft, and now the Charter-house, was buried 50000 persons, besides all them that were buried in the Churchyards and diverse places in the Fields.  
Our Visitations, though our sins exceed, have been more gentle: For in the first great Plague in our memory, after the loss of New-haven from the first of January 1562. to December 1563. there died of the Plague, twenty thousand, one hundred, thirty six.  
In the second great Visitation, from the 20. of December 1592. to the 23. of the same month, in the year 1593. died in all 25886. of the Plague in and about London, 15003. And in the year before, 2000  
In the third great Visitation which it pleased God to strike us with, at the coming in of King James of happy memory, there died from the 17. of December 1602. to the 14. of July 1603. the whole number in London and the Liberties, 4●14. Whereof of the Plague, 3310.  
From the 25. of August, to the 1. of September, there died in London and the Liberties, 3385 whereof of the Plague 3035. being the greatest number that died in one week.  
From the 23. of December, 1602. unto the 22. of December 1603. there died of all diseases, within London and the Liberties 38244. whereof of the Plague, 30578. and the next year following, London was clear of that infection, and then were all the Shires in England grievously visited. Note the work of God.  
And in the last great Plague, 1625. there died from the 6. of January, to the 27. of October, 53265. Whereof of the Plague, 34576.  
Now those that died this present Visitation, 1636. are here set down weekly, for better satisfaction to the Reader.  

From the 31 of March to the 7. of April— 209— whereof, of the Plague— 2  
From the 7 of April to the 14— 213— whereof, of the Plague— 4  
From the 14 of April to the 21— 244— whereof, of the Plague— 14  
From the 21 of April to the 28— 259— whereof, of the Plague— 17  
From the 28 of April to the 5 of May— 251— whereof, of the Plague— 10  
From the 5 of May to the 12— 354— whereof, of the Plague— 55  
From the 12 of May to the 19— 334— whereof, of the Plague— 35  
From the 19 of May to the 26— 3●0— whereof, of the Plague— 62  
This last week there died within the Walls of this City— 3— In the out Parishes— 36  
In Stepney— 22— In Newington— 1.   

A Preservation by way of defence, to be used in common Assemblies, and in open Air.  
WHen you go abroad into the open air, and amongst company, hold a piece of strong Tobacco in your hand to smell to; or the Root called Angelica, to bite now and then, as occasion requireth; as for Tobacco, it hath approbation from the most learned Doctors of the Kingdom, to be a most rare Antidote and Preservative, either being smelled unto, or taken fasting in the morning: provided, that presently after the taking thereof, you drink a deep draught of sixshillings beer, and walk after it.   

¶ A necessary Prayer for the present time.  
O God of glory, Lord of power, distributer of vengeance, and yet the favourable Physician of sick souls and bodies, look down upon thy sinful, yet prostrate servants, the people of the City of London, who are every where heart-strucke with the Arrows of thy angry Visitation: We have sinned, we have sinned, we have grievously offended, and without thy grace there is no help, being now shunned and despised, even of all the Country people round about us; for whom, notwithstanding, we earnestly pray, as for ourselves: beseeching thee, of thy unmeasurable goodness, not to look upon them according to their deserts, but to have mercy on them and us; and stay thy heavy hand from them as well as from us. O Lord God of mercy, be good to us, and look not upon our sins: for if thou weighest the offences of man, no flesh shall stand before thee. We have sinned, we confess, O Lord, we have sinned, there is no righteousness in us, nor any help but thine. O then, let thy Angel stay his hand, as he did at thy merciful appointment, when David offending thee, saw the Sword over Jerusalem. Let the doors of our hearts be sprinkled with the Blood of that Immaculate Lamb, Christ Jesus, that the slayer may pass by us, as he did when the first borne in Egypt were smitten with the Pestilence. O God, thou canst slay and restore again, strike into sickness, and give health; for thou art only a Saviour. O God, the Maker of us all, look mercifully on thy workmanship. O God, the Saviour of us all, be an Intercessor to thy Father for us. O God the Holy Ghost, the Comforter of us all, inspire us with true repentance, that we may humbly seek, and suddenly find mercy from the Holy Trinity; one God in unity, ever to be honoured, while man hath breath, or creatures any being. Have mercy, O God, have mercy, O God: for to thee mercy belongeth, which all true Repentants purchase in our Redeemer Jesus: in whose Name we beseech thee to free us and our Brethren, from this fearful Visitation: concluding these our requests with ●hat absolute form of Prayer, which he himself hath taught us, saying, Our Father which art in Heaven, etc.   
FINIS.   

London, printed for H. Gosson, and are to be sold at his shop on London-Bridge. 1636.