Note 541 — Chapter VIII · CHARLES I. NAVY—continued.

These were the Victory, Repulse, and Swallow. From a report of the Officers of the Navy to the Admiralty, on 20th August, we learn that the Repulse had a great many sick on board—“some three or four having died within these two days; some thirty sick were landed at Margate and eight are ill on board. The surgeon is dead, as is said of the spotted fever, full of spots, and it is much doubted that the pestilence is amongst them.” The plague in this and the following year made great ravages in London and at the naval ports, partly from the want of simple precautions—e.g., in this case the sick men were to be discharged “for fear of infection (of the ship) and to cease a needlesse charge.” State Papers, Dom., cccxxx. 61.