![Flea from Hooke's Micrographia [Public Domain: Steve Cook]](https://www.polypompholyx.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/micrographia_flea-300x225.jpg)
For three centuries, the Black Death was routinely epidemic in London. The first outbreak – in 1348 – probably killed half the population of England; the last outbreak – from 1665 to 1666 – probably killed a quarter of the population of London. In 1665, Isleworth was a small village several hours’ walk (or row) from …