Dr. Goddard

Dr. Goddard

During the devastating Great Plague of London (1665–1666), many physicians, including Dr. Goddard, fled the city to escape the outbreak. However, when they returned, they faced harsh scrutiny for abandoning their posts.

At a Gresham College meeting on January 22, 1666, Dr. Goddard was directly questioned about his decision to leave. In his defense, he argued that his patients had already fled, leaving him and his colleagues with little reason to stay. He insisted that their departure was justified and that they had been “left at liberty” to make that choice.

Despite his reasoning, Dr. Goddard’s actions were met with skepticism. The plague had ravaged the city, killing nearly all physicians and apothecaries in Westminster, including Dr. Burnett, a friend of Samuel Pepys. While some may have seen his escape as wise, others viewed it as an abandonment of duty during a time of crisis.