Why a 17th-century bishop blamed new fashion trends for the spread of plague

Health · Published 20 October 2026 · Updated 20 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Lancelot Andrewes, a prominent scholar and advisor to King James I, offered a unique medical diagnosis for the 1603 plague outbreak. He argued that the epidemic was a divine response to societal shifts, specifically criticizing modern dietary habits and changing clothing styles as the primary catalysts for the contagion.

Lancelot Andrewes was a central figure in the religious and intellectual life of England during the transition from the Elizabethan era to the reign of James I. Born in 1555, he rose through the academic ranks at Cambridge before becoming a key architect of the King James Version of the Bible. His influence extended beyond theology; he served as a bishop in three different dioceses and acted as a trusted advisor to the monarchy, frequently preaching on political and social issues of the day.

During the 1603 plague, Andrewes retreated to Chiswick to educate students from Westminster School. In a sermon delivered on August 21, he provided a theological and moral explanation for the disease. He contended that the plague was a manifestation of God's wrath, triggered by human vanity and the adoption of novel customs. He specifically pointed to 'new meats' and 'new fashions in apparel' as inventions that deviated from traditional Christian life and invited divine punishment. His counsel to the public was to avoid contagion by distancing themselves from infected areas, citing biblical precedents regarding leprosy.

While Andrewes is primarily remembered for his rhetorical skill and his role in shaping Anglican liturgy, his plague sermon highlights the intersection of early modern health beliefs and moral philosophy. His perspective reflects a time when physical illness was often interpreted through a lens of spiritual causality. Despite the archaic nature of these views, Andrewes remained a highly respected intellectual, leaving behind a legacy that influenced later writers like T.S. Eliot and Kurt Vonnegut, who famously regarded him as a master of the English language.

Today, Andrewes is commemorated for his contributions to the Church of England and his scholarly output, including his private prayers and extensive sermon collections. His life, spanning from 1555 to 1626, bridges the gap between the Renaissance and the early modern period, illustrating how even the most learned minds of the era integrated their faith with their understanding of the natural world and the crises that afflicted it.

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