A brief Journal of what passed in the City of Marseilles, while it was afflicted with the Plague, in the Year 1720

by Pichatty de Croislainte

The 18^th, another Pit is opened, below the Ramparts between the Gate of Aix and the Tower of St. Paule, sixty Foot long and thirty broad: M. de Langeron wrote the Day before to the Captains of the Territory, to send in Peasants: The Chevalier de Soissans goes at Day break to the Entrance of the Suburbs, to conduct them to this Work, which they were extremely averse to, because of the Nearness of other Pits already filled thereabouts. New ones are also opened on the Side of that Ground, by which the Church-yard of the Parish of St. Ferriol was formerly enlarged; this Quarter is the finest and best Inhabited of the City, where M. Serre, no less a good Citizen than a famous and excellent Painter, one of the Commissaries appointed there, zealous even to the Sacrificing of his own Life for the Relief of his Country, has taken upon himself alone the laborious and perillous Care to see carried off and buried, the dead Bodies from thence, with some Carts which the Sheriffs have given him, and a Brigade of Slaves put under his Direction by the Officers of the Gallies, whom he carefully subsists and lodges at his own Expence. A Citizen that so loves his Country, deserves to be beloved by it.

The 19^th the Desertion from the City continuing, so that none can be found to carry into the Store-houses of the Community the Corn brought up by Boats from the Barrier of Lestaque, M. de Langeron appoints for that Service twenty six Gally-Slaves, with four of their Companions to dress Victuals for them; no Persons being found fit to be put to do so much as that.

The time of Vintage approaching, it is considered that the Vapours of the new Wine, in a Town where so prodigious a Quantity is made, might contribute very much towards dis-infecting the Houses; and it is called to mind that it was by this Means the last Plague which afflicted Marseilles was stopt: Whereupon an Ordinance is issued, in the Names of M. de Langeron, the Marquess de Pilles, and the Sheriffs, importing that the Vintage shall be got in as usual.

This Day arrive three other Physicians of the Faculty of Montpellier, who came Post from Paris by Order of his Royal Highness, viz. M. Mailhes Professor of the University of Cahors, M. Boyer de Paradis of Marseilles, and M. de Læbadie, accompanied by two Master-Surgeons of Paris: They are provided with excellent Instructions, which they received from M. Chirac first Physician to his Royal Highness, and Sur-Intendant of the Royal Physick-Garden, who has not neglected any thing that might be for the Relief of this unfortunate City: Physicians so well chosen, and so well instructed, cannot fail of doing good Service; the Event will soon shew it.

The 20^th, there are no Medicines nor Drugs to be found in the City, by Reason of the Flight and Desertion of all the Apothecaries, Druggists, and Grocers; the Sick dye without being able to use the Liberty of making their Wills, the Royal Notaries having all fled; Women with Child are delivered without any Assistance, the Midwives being all fled likewise: An Ordinance at my Instance is issued by M. de Langeron, the Marquess de Pilles, and the Sheriffs, to oblige them all to return within twenty four Hours on Pain of Death: The Royal Notaries only obey readily. The ordinary Term of letting or quitting Houses being Michaelmas-Day, and almost all the Houses being infected, it would be dangerous to suffer such removing with Houshold-Goods mostly infected; another Ordinance forbids it, till it be otherwise ordered.

The 21^st, the Sheriffs have an Increase of Care and Trouble; the Persons who for a long time had the Direction and Management of the Office of Plenty of Corn, and of the Shambles, dye of the Plague; this obliges the Sheriffs to take that Business upon themselves, while they have so much already upon their Hands: M. de Langeron, to facilitate their going through with it all, persuades them to take each a certain part of the Work: Accordingly, M. Estelle is charged with the Dispatch of all the current Affairs at the Town-House, with the Correspondences, and with the Orders for the good Government of the City; M. Audimar with the Shambles; M. Moustier with all that relates to the carrying off and burying of the Dead, the Pits, and the Church-yards, the cleaning of the Streets, the Carts, the Gally Slaves and their Subsistance; and M. Dieudé with what relates to Bread-Corn, Meal, Wood for firing, and the Bakers.

The 22^d, new Pits are to be made, M. de Langeron sends his Guards into the Territory, to bring in one hundred and fifty Men to dig them; and the 23^d one is opened of one hundred thirty two Foot long, forty eight wide, and fourteen deep, in the Garden of the Observantines near the Ramparts.

The 24^th, at the Time when Misery and Calamity are at the Heighth; when all is groaning, lamenting, dying, as well in the Country, as in the Town; when those whom the Fury of the Distemper has spared, are overtaken by Famine, and fall into Despair, more cruel and terrible than the Plague it self; when the Fountains of Charity, which had run till now, are dried up; when, as the Scripture expresses it, the Heavens seem to be of Brass, and the Earth of Iron; and when no Hope at all remain'd, but of Dying; 'tis then a charitable Hand extends it self from afar to this unhappy City.

The 25^th, the Heaps of infected Cloaths and Houshold-Goods, with which all the Streets are incumbered, being a greater hindrance to the passing through them, than the dead Bodies and Sick that lye in them; Mons. de Langeron sets twenty five Gally-Slaves to work, to carry all off in Carts, and twenty others to cleave Wood for Firing, for the Use of the Bakers; no other Hands being to be had.