Black Assize of Exeter 1586

The Black Assizes is an epithet given to several outbreaks of "gaol fever" which struck various prisons and court-houses in England in the late 16th century and which caused the deaths of not only many prisoners awaiting trial but also the magistrates in the court buildings holding assizes.

Causes

The basic cause was fever spreading from insanitary jails via prisoners into dirty and overcrowded courtrooms.[1]

Notable outbreaks

The most notable Black Assizes were:[2]

Exeter Black Assize 1586

The Black Assizes at Exeter Castle were the Lent Assizes held from 14 March 1586 by Sir Edmund Anderson (1530–1605), Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas,[6] who survived the disease. Exeter Prison was situated underneath the royal Exeter Castle and the courtrooms were within the castle buildings. The cause according to modern medical opinion was typhus transmitted by the human body-louse.[7] Among the dead victims were 8 judges,[8] 11 of the 12 jurors, several constables,[9] and the surrounding population which was ravaged by the disease for several months. Amongst the dead were the following, many being prominent members of the Devonshire gentry:

Descriptions

An historical account written by Alexander Jenkins (1841) stated "A noisome and pestilential smell came from the prisoners who were araigned at the crown bar which so affected the people present that many were seized with a violent sickness which proved mortal to the greatest part of them".[9]

Contemporary accounts

By John Hooker

The best contemporary account of the outbreak is by John Hooker (c.1527–1601), published in Holinshead's Chronicle (1587). He suggests three possible causes:[20]

By Adam Wyote

Adam[21] Wyote (or Wyatt) was town clerk of Barnstaple in North Devon and kept a personal journal from 1586 to 1611. The first entry records the Black Assize of Exeter, and lists the names of eight of the gentry of Devon who died from "gaoll sickness" as follows: "to wit one of the Justices of Assize, Mr Flowerdewe, Sir Barnard Drak, Mr Welrond, Mr Cary of Clovelly, Mr Cary (sic, should be "Carew") of Hackome, Mr Fortescue, Mr Rysdon, Justices of the Peace, Sir John Chichester".[22]

1750's

Outbreaks of Gaol Fever were still common in the 1750s.[23]

Sources

References

  1. Cockburn, p.53
  2. Cockburn, p.53
  3. Cockburn, p.53
  4. Cockburn, p.53
  5. Cockburn, p.53
  6. 6.0 6.1 Hooker, John, published in Holinshead's Chronicle, 1587 edition, pp.1547–8, quoted by Creighton, p.383
  7. Kohn, George C., Encyclopedia of Plague and Pestilence: From Ancient Times to the Present, 2008, p.122
  8. Hasler, P.W., Biography of Arthur Bassett published in History of Parliament, House of Commons 1558–1603, London, 1981
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 Jenkins, p.125
  10. Vivian, p.47
  11. 11.0 11.1 Vivian, p.174
  12. Vivian, p.157
  13. Vivian, p.144
  14. Vivian, p.297, pedigree of Drake of Ash
  15. Lamplugh, Lois, Barnstaple: Town on the Taw, South Molton, 2002, p.47
  16. Vivian, Walrond pedigree pp.768–770
  17. Vivian, p.768, pedigree of Walrond of Bradfield
  18. Vivian, p.768
  19. Vivian, p.649, pedigree of Risdon
  20. Hooker, John, published in Holinshead's Chronicle, 1587 edition, pp.1547-8, quoted by Creighton, p.383
  21. Although his name was given as "Philip Wyote" by William Palmer, 17th century mayor of Barnstaple who transcribed his journal, it is now believed his brother Adam Wyote was the town clerk and author of the journal (Lamplugh, Lois, Barnstaple: Town on the Taw, South Molton, 2002, pp.45–6
  22. Lamplugh, Lois, Barnstaple: Town on the Taw, South Molton, 2002, p.47
  23. Cockburn, p.53, quoting Campbell, Chief Justices, vol.III, p.75