In June 1665, the biggest outbreak of the plague happened in London. Few people got better. The narrow, crowded streets and poor sanitation helped the disease to spread. To show that someone in a house had the plague, a red cross was painted on the door so that no one would go near it. Many people died that year. The streets of London were empty, shops were closed, and no boats were seen on the Thames. Most people left the city.
Nothing could stop the plague from spreading. The Lord Mayor ordered fires to be burnt in the streets to clean the air. By the end of November, the plague began to slow down. The cold weather in December stopped it at last.
