John Moore (1620-1702), merchant, later knighted and elected Lord Mayor of London

1 autograph letter, signed, to his brother Charles Moore at Appleby in Leicestershire, describing the course of the Plague in London.

The full text of Moore's letter runs:

"Loving brother

London 19 June 1665

I hope these lines will finde you and yo[ur]s and all our freinds in the country well as blessed {be god} I am and all my family so long as god pleaseth: for we have {a} very crasie sickly time att London since June came in and are very fearefull it will grow worse every weeke while summer weather continues. for the plague increaseth much and spreads it selfe very strangely in the Citty and suburbs. 17 dyed one week 43 next and last weeke 112 of the plague and of all diseases 558 {last weeke} and much feared this weeks bill will farr exceed the last. it comes not out till Thursday morning. Now knowing young persons are most apt to take infection, [I] thought good to give you an accompt of it, to have your advice about Cusen John, to know your mind - whether you do not desire him home againe, or judge it the best way to have him into the Country againe till these sickly times be gone againe, and lett me know yo[ur] mind p[er] next, if you think fitt to lett him continue at London, I shalbe as carefull of him as my selfe, but as I said before youth is in more danger to take infection then older p[er]sons and if the sicknesse increases we shall have nothing to doe for it will put a stopp to all businesse: If god in mercy to us all put not a stopp to it. pray remember me & wife to yo[ur] brother George & sister & our Cusens Mr Mould & other friends as you see them with kinde love to yo[ur] selfe rest

your lov[ing] brother

John Moore"

{ } curved brackets indicate insertions by Moore

[ ] square bracketes indicate places at which Moore's abbreviations have been expanded.