This was the largest populated town in Britain and plague deaths were first reported in April and May 1665. By July, the plague was widespread in London. Many who had the option, fled from the city into their countryside estates. For the poor people of London, there was no option but to stay and brave the epidemic.

The authorities made every effort to contain the epidemic:

Orders to restrict the movement of people in and out of the capital were made but it was difficult to enforce this
Theatres and other places of large public gatherings were closed
A house containing someone suffering from the plague had to be sealed for 40 days with a red cross and words 'Lord have mercy upon us' marked on the door
Dogs and cats were to be caught and killed; people believed they were spreading the disease
All bodies were to be buried at night to reduce the spread of the disease

These measures failed and the disease spread like wildfire during the heat of summer. By the end of 1665, the worst of the plague had occurred. An estimated 70,000-100,000 had died. It was the Great Fire of 1666 that helped cleanse the city of the disease.

Historical Context: The Plague