56 • Beginningssuccessful against the worst disease of the age than occasional cleansing had
been against lesser maladies. To convince the aldermen and general public
(and possibly himself ) that he was on the right track, he added that health
and safety were their responsibility, and they would neglect it “at their
peril.”^39
To the consternation of Mayor Lawrence, Londoners were slow in com-
plying. Tradespeople with a shop and residence on a main street may have
considered daily watering in front of their building a meddlesome chore, but
they had ready access to water and little excuse for evading their duty. A
poorer artisan or laborer had better reason to resist the mayor’s command.
Living in a miserable alley that was neglected by the authorities and working
elsewhere in the city from dawn to dark six days out of seven, they had
neither the time nor the money to fetch water from the nearest cheap source.
An angry Sir John issued a second mayoral command on May 26 , accusing
citizens of “obstinacy and heedlessness to obey.” All householders must
sweep and water their streets and lanes “to prevent those unsavory and noi-
some smelles and stenches thence ariseing (which hath a pestiferous in-
fluence on man’s body).” Lawrence hinted that the aldermen themselves had
not borne down hard enough on the parish scavengers and beadles to con-
vince people to do their civic duty. Each alderman was to hand in to the
mayor “a weekly certificate of every person failing therein.” Those who did
not obey would face legal prosecution.^40