The Plague at Marseilles Consider'd / With Remarks Upon the Plague in General, Shewing Its Cause and Nature of Infection, with Necessary Precautions to Prevent the Speading of That Direful Distemper

by Richard Bradley

‘The Abby of S. Victor, of the Order of S. Benedict, is situate at the Foot of the Citadel. It resembles a Castle, being encompass’d with Walls, and set off with Towers. At the Front of the Church are these Words address’d to S. Victor,

Massiliam verè Victor civesque tuere.

‘In a Chappel on one side of the Epistle, you see the Head of that Saint, in a Shrine of Silver guilt, finely wrought, which was given by Pope Urban V. whose Tomb is on one side of the Choir; there are many other Relicks in this Church. You then descend a large Stair-Case into the Church under Ground, where the Chappels visited by the Curious, are full of Holy Bodies. There they shew you the Tomb of S. Eusebius, and those of forty five Virgins who disfigur’d themselves to terrifie the Vandals who put them to Death. Here also you see St. Andrew’s Cross entire, the Branches whereof are seven Foot long and eight Inches Diameter. In one of these subterraneous Chappels is a little Grotto, wherein S. Mary Magdalen (they tell you,) upon her Landing at Marseilles began to do Pennance. They add, that she Inhabited it six or Seven Years: Her Statue likewise is represented, lying at the entrance of this Grotto. There is also a rich Chappel of our Lady, wherein no Women are permitted to enter. This Order was made, upon the Vulgar Notion, of a Queen’s being struck Blind, who had the Temerity to venture into it.

‘In Marseilles you observe likewise the Monasteries and Churches of the Carthusians, the Monks of St. Anthony, the Trinitarians, Jacobins, Augustins, Barefooted Augustins, Carmelites, Barefooted Carmelites, Cordeliers, Observantins, Servites, Minims, Capuchins, Recollects, de la Mercy, Feuillans, Jesuites, Fathers of the Oratory, and of the Mission. There are also Benedictine Nuns, Dominicans, Nuns of S. Clare, Capuchins, Carmelites, Bernardines, Urselins, Nuns of the Visitation of Mercy, and of the good Shepherd or Repentance; and a Commandry of Malta.

‘The Citadel of Marseilles is near the Port, extending its Fortifications to the Entrance of the same; and yet it commands the Town. The Key which lines this side of the Harbour, from Fort S. Nicolas to the Arsenal, is about fifteen hundred Paces long, and is adorned with handsome Ware-Houses and Dwelling-Houses: Here is the great Hospital for Sick Slaves, which was formerly the Arsenal before the New one was built. Six large Pavilions, as many main Houses, and a great square Place big enough to build several Galleys at a time in, form the Design of it. In this Place are two large Basons, as long and as deep as a Galley, in each of which, when a Galley is ready to launch, they open a small Sluice which kept up the Sea Water.

‘This great Building makes one entire Front of the Port, three hundred Paces in Length; the Harbour of Marseilles, is thirteen hundred Paces long, and the Circumference about three Thousand four hundred and fifty Paces. The Streets of the old Town are long, but narrow; and those of the New are spacious, and well Built. The chief, is that they call le Cours, which is near forty Paces broad, in the middle of which is a Walk, planted with four Rows of young Elms, which, with the Keys, are the Places of publick Resort.

‘The Town-House which they call La Loge, is situate upon the Key over against the Galleys. Below is a large Hall, which serves the Merchants and Sea-faring Men for an Exchange; and above Stairs the Consuls, Town-Councellors, and others concerned in the Civil Administration have their Meeting. The most valuable Piece in this Building, is the City Arms in the Front, Carved by the famous Puget.

‘Marseilles seems still to retain somewhat of the ancient Government, of its four Courts, being divided into four Quarters, viz. S. John, Cavaillon, Corps de ville and Blancaire; each of which hath its Governors and other Officers. The Porte Royalle is well Adorned, having on one side the Figure of S. Lazarus, and on the other, that of S. Victor. And in the middle is a Busto of Lewis XIV. with this Inscription over it, Sub cujus imperio summa libertas.

‘The Town is encompass’d by good Walls, and a Tetragon which commands a Part of it, is the best of the two Citadels, and within Cannon Shot of a Fort call’d Notre Dame de la Garde, whither the Inhabitants frequently go to pay their private Devotion, and from whence they discover Ships at Sea at a great Distance. This Fort is built on the top of a Mountain, upon the Ruins of an ancient Temple of Venus, called Ephesium.

The Country about this City is low and open for two Miles, agreeably adorn’d with Villas, Vineyards, and Gardens of Fig-Trees, and Orange-Trees, with plenty of Water from a good Spring, which being divided into several Branches serves to furnish the City.