part3-第1章

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Part　3




When　the　buriers　came　up　to　him　they　soon　found　he　was　neither　a

person　infected　and　desperate；　as　I　have　observed　above；　or　a　person

distempered　…in　mind；　but　one　oppressed　with　a　dreadful　weight　of

grief　indeed；　having　his　wife　and　several　of　his　children　all　in　the　cart

that　was　just　come　in　with　him；　and　he　followed　in　an　agony　and

excess　of　sorrow。　　He　mourned　heartily；　as　it　was　easy　to　see；　but　with

a　kind　of　masculine　grief　that　could　not　give　itself　vent　by　tears；　and

calmly　defying　the　buriers　to　let　him　alone；　said　he　would　only　see　the

bodies　thrown　in　and　go　away；　so　they　left　importuning　him。　　But　no

sooner　was　the　cart　turned　round　and　the　bodies　shot　into　the　pit

promiscuously；　which　was　a　surprise　to　him；　for　he　at　least　expected

they　would　have　been　decently　laid　in；　though　indeed　he　was

afterwards　convinced　that　was　impracticable；　I　say；　no　sooner　did　he

see　the　sight　but　he　cried　out　aloud；　unable　to　contain　himself。　　I　could

not　hear　what　he　said；　but　he　went　backward　two　or　three　steps　and

fell　down　in　a　swoon。　　The　buriers　ran　to　him　and　took　him　up；　and　in

a　little　while　he　came　to　himself；　and　they　led　him　away　to　the　Pie

Tavern　over　against　the　end　of　Houndsditch；　where；　it　seems；　the　man

was　known；　and　where　they　took　care　of　him。　　He　looked　into　the　pit

again　as　he　went　away；　but　the　buriers　had　covered　the　bodies　so

immediately　with　throwing　in　earth；　that　though　there　was　light

enough；　for　there　were　lanterns；　and　candles　in　them；　placed　all　night

round　the　sides　of　the　pit；　upon　heaps　of　earth；　seven　or　eight；　or

perhaps　more；　yet　nothing　could　be　seen。



This　was　a　mournful　scene　indeed；　and　affected　me　almost　as　much

as　the　rest；　but　the　other　was　awful　and　full　of　terror。　　The　cart　had　in

it　sixteen　or　seventeen　bodies；　some　were　wrapt　up　in　linen　sheets；

some　in　rags；　some　little　other　than　naked；　or　so　loose　that　what

covering　they　had　fell　from　them　in　the　shooting　out　of　the　cart；　and

they　fell　quite　naked　among　the　rest；　but　the　matter　was　not　much　to

them；　or　the　indecency　much　to　any　one　else；　seeing　they　were　all

dead；　and　were　to　be　huddled　together　into　the　common　grave　of

mankind；　as　we　may　call　it；　for　here　was　no　difference　made；　but　poor

and　rich　went　together；　there　was　no　other　way　of　burials；　neither　was

it　possible　there　should；　for　coffins　were　not　to　be　had　for　the

prodigious　numbers　that　fell　in　such　a　calamity　as　this。



It　was　reported　by　way　of　scandal　upon　the　buriers；　that　if　any

corpse　was　delivered　to　them　decently　wound　up；　as　we　called　it　then；

in　a　winding…sheet　tied　over　the　head　and　feet；　which　some　did；　and

which　was　generally　of　good　linen；　I　say；　it　was　reported　that　the

buriers　were　so　wicked　as　to　strip　them　in　the　cart　and　carry　them

quite　naked　to　the　ground。　　But　as　I　cannot　easily　credit　anything　so

vile　among　Christians；　and　at　a　time　so　filled　with　terrors　as　that　was；

I　can　only　relate　it　and　leave　it　undetermined。



Innumerable　stories　also　went　about　of　the　cruel　behaviours　and

practices　of　nurses　who　tended　the　sick；　and　of　their　hastening　on　the

fate　of　those　they　tended　in　their　sickness。　　But　I　shall　say　more　of　this

in　its　place。



I　was　indeed　shocked　with　this　sight；　it　almost　overwhelmed　me；

and　I　went　away　with　my　heart　most　afflicted；　and　full　of　the　afflicting

thoughts；　such　as　I　cannot　describe。　just　at　my　going　out　of　the　church；

and　turning　up　the　street　towards　my　own　house；　I　saw　another　cart

with　links；　and　a　bellman　going　before；　coming　out　of　Harrow　Alley　in

the　Butcher　Row；　on　the　other　side　of　the　way；　and　being；　as　I

perceived；　very　full　of　dead　bodies；　it　went　directly　over　the　street　also

toward　the　church。　　I　stood　a　while；　but　I　had　no　stomach　to　go　back

again　to　see　the　same　dismal　scene　over　again；　so　I　went　directly　home；

where　I　could　not　but　consider　with　thankfulness　the　risk　I　had　run；

believing　I　had　gotten　no　injury；　as　indeed　I　had　not。



Here　the　poor　unhappy　gentleman's　grief　came　into　my　head　again；

and　indeed　I　could　not　but　shed　tears　in　the　reflection　upon　it；　perhaps

more　than　he　did　himself；　but　his　case　lay　so　heavy　upon　my　mind　that

I　could　not　prevail　with　myself；　but　that　I　must　go　out　again　into　the

street；　and　go　to　the　Pie　Tavern；　resolving　to　inquire　what　became　of　him。



It　was　by　this　time　one　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　yet　the　poor

gentleman　was　there。　　The　truth　was；　the　people　of　the　house；　knowing

him；　had　entertained　him；　and　kept　him　there　all　the　night；

notwithstanding　the　danger　of　being　infected　by　him；　though　it

appeared　the　man　was　perfectly　sound　himself。



It　is　with　regret　that　I　take　notice　of　this　tavern。　　The　people　were

civil；　mannerly；　and　an　obliging　sort　of　folks　enough；　and　had　till　this

time　kept　their　house　open　and　their　trade　going　on；　though　not　so

very　publicly　as　formerly：　but　there　was　a　dreadful　set　of　fellows　that

used　their　house；　and　who；　in　the　middle　of　all　this　horror；　met　there

every　night；　behaved　with　all　the　revelling　and　roaring　extravagances

as　is　usual　for　such　people　to　do　at　other　times；　and；　indeed；　to　such　an

offensive　degree　that　the　very　master　and　mistress　of　the　house　grew

first　ashamed　and　then　terrified　at　them。



They　sat　generally　in　a　room　next　the　street；　and　as　they　always　kept

late　hours；　so　when　the　dead…cart　came　across　the　street…end　to　go　into

Houndsditch；　which　was　in　view　of　the　tavern　windows；　they　would

frequently　open　the　windows　as　soon　as　they　heard　the　bell　and　look

out　at　them；　and　as　they　might　often　hear　sad　lamentations　of　people

in　the　streets　or　at　their　windows　as　the　carts　went　along；　they　would

make　their　impudent　mocks　and　jeers　at　them；　especially　if　they　heard

the　poor　people　call　upon　God　to　have　mercy　upon　them；　as　many

would　do　at　those　times　in　their　ordinary　passing　along　the　streets。



These　gentlemen；　being　something　disturbed　with　the　clutter　of

bringing　the　poor　gentleman　into　the　house；　as　above；　were　first　angry

and　very　high　with　the　master　of　the　house　for　suffering　such　a　fellow；

as　they　called　him；　to　be　brought　out　of　the　grave　into　their　house；　but

being　answered　that　the　man　was　a　neighbour；　and　that　he　was　sound；

but　overwhelmed　with　the　calamity　of　his　family；　and　the　like；　they

turned　their　anger　into　ridiculing　the　man　and　his　sorrow　for　his　wife

and　children；　taunted　him　with　want　of　courage　to　leap　into　the　great

pit　and　go　to　heaven；　as　they　jeeringly　expressed　it；　along　with　them；

adding　some　very　profane　and　even　blasphemous　expressions。



They　were　at　this　vile　work　when　I　came　back　to　the　house；　and；　as

far　as　I　could　see；　though　the　man　sat　still；　mute　and　disconsolate；　and

their　affronts　could　not　divert　his　sorrow；　yet　he　was　both　grieved　and

offended　at　their　discourse。　　Upon　this　I　gently　reproved　them；　being

well　enough　acquainted　with　their　characters；　and　not　unknown　in

person　to　two　of　them。



They　immediately　fell　upon　me　with　ill　language　and　oaths；　asked

me　what　I　did　out　of　my　grave　at　such　a　time　when　so　many　honester

men　were　carried　into　the　churchyard；　and　why　I　was　not　at　home

saying　my　prayers　against　the　dead…cart　came　for　me；　and　the　like。



I　was　indeed　astonished　at　the　impudence　of　the　men；　though　not　at

all　discomposed　at　their　treatment　of　me。　　However；　I　kept　my　temper。

I　told　them　that　though　I　defied　them　or　any　man　in　the　world　to　tax

me　with　any　dishonesty；　yet　I　acknowledged　that　in　this　terrible

judgement　of　God　many　better　than　I　were　swept　away　and　carried　to

their　grave。　　But　to　answer　their　question　directly；　the　case　was；　that　I

was　mercifully　preserved　by　that　great　God　whose　name　they　had

blasphemed　and　taken　in　vain　by　cursing　and　swearing　in　a　dreadful

manner；　and　that　I　believed　I　was　preserved　in　particular；　among　other

ends　of　His　goodness；　that　I　might　reprove　them　for　their　audacious

boldness　in　behaving　in　such　a　manner　and　in　such　an　awful　time　as

this　was；　especially　for　their　jeering　and　mocking　at　an　honest

gentleman　and　a　neighbour　（for　some　of　them　knew　him）；　who；　they

saw；　was　overwhelmed　with　sorrow　for　the　breaches　which　it　had

pleased　God　to　make　upon　his　family。



I　cannot　call　exactly　to　mind　the　hellish；　abominable　raillery　which

was　the　return　they　made　to　that　talk　of　mine：　being　provoked；　it

seems；　that　I　was　not　at　all　afraid　to　be　free　with　them；　nor；　if　I　could

remember；　would　I　fill　my　account　with　any　of　the　words；　the　horrid

oaths；　curses；　and　vile　expressions；　such　as；　at　that　time　of　the　day；

even　the　worst　and　ordinariest　people　in　the　street　would　not　use；　for；

except　such　hardened　creatures　as　these；　the　most　wicked　wretches

that　could　be　found　had　at　that　time　some　terror　upon　their　minds　of

the　hand　of　that　Power　which　could　thus　in　a　moment　destroy　them。



But　that　which　was　the　worst　in　all　their　devilish　language　was；　that

they　were　not　afraid　to　blaspheme　God　and　talk　atheistically；　making

a　jest　of　my　calling　the　plague　the　hand　of　God；　mocking；　and　even

laughing；　at　the　word　judgement；　as　if　the　providence　of　God　had　no

concern　in　the　inflicting　such　a　desolating　stroke；　and　that　the　people

calling　upon　God　as　they　saw　the　carts　carrying　away　the　dead　bodies

was　all　enthusiastic；　absurd；　and　impertinent。



I　made　them　some　reply；　such　as　I　thought　proper；　but　which　I　found

was　so　far　from　putting　a　check　to　their　horrid　way　of　speaking　that　it

made　them　rail　the　more；　so　that　I　confess　it　filled　me　with　horror　and

a　kind　of　rage；　and　I　came　away；　as　I　told　them；　lest　the　hand　of　that

judgement　which　had　visited　the　whole　city　should　glorify　His

vengeance　upon　them；　and　all　that　were　near　them。



They　received　all　reproof　with　the　utmost　contempt；　and　made　the

greatest　mockery　that　was　possible　for　them　to　do　at　me；　giving　me　all

the　opprobrious；　insolent　scoffs　that　they　could　think　of　for　preaching

to　them；　as　they　called　it；　which　indeed　grieved　me；　rather　than　angered　me；

and　I　went　away；　blessing　God；　however；　in　my　mind　that　I　had　not　spared　them；

though　they　had　insulted　me　so　much。



They　continued　this　wretched　course　three　or　four　days　after　this；

continually　mocking　and　jeering　at　all　that　showed　themselves

religious　or　serious；　or　that　were　any　way　touched　with　the　sense　of

the　terrible　judgement　of　God　upon　us；　and　I　was　informed　they

flouted　in　the　same　manner　at　the　good　people　who；　notwithstanding

the　contagion；　met　at　the　church；　fasted；　and　prayed　to　God　to　remove

His　hand　from　them。



I　say；　they　continued　this　dreadful　course　three　or　four　days　…　I　think

it　was　no　more　…　when　one　of　them；　particularly　he　who　asked　the

poor　gentleman　what　he　did　out　of　his　grave；　was　struck　from　Heaven

with　the　plague；　and　died　in　a　most　deplorable　manner；　and；　in　a

word；　they　were　every　one　of　them　carried　into　the　great　pit　which　I

have　mentioned　above；　before　it　was　quite　filled　up