part3-第9章

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bodies　they　were　obliged　to　come　so　near。　　And　had　it　not　been　that

the　number　of　poor　people　who　wanted　employment　and　wanted

bread　（as　I　have　said　before）　was　so　great　that　necessity　drove　them　to

undertake　anything　and　venture　anything；　they　would　never　have

found　people　to　be　employed。　　And　then　the　bodies　of　the　dead　would

have　lain　above　ground；　and　have　perished　and　rotted　in　a　dreadful　manner。



But　the　magistrates　cannot　be　enough　commended　in　this；　that　they

kept　such　good　order　for　the　burying　of　the　dead；　that　as　fast　as　any　of

these　they　employed　to　carry　off　and　bury　the　dead　fell　sick　or　died；　as

was　many　times　the　case；　they　immediately　supplied　the　places　with

others；　which；　by　reason　of　the　great　number　of　poor　that　was　left　out

of　business；　as　above；　was　not　hard　to　do。　　This　occasioned；　that

notwithstanding　the　infinite　number　of　people　which　died　and　were

sick；　almost　all　together；　yet　they　were　always　cleared　away　and

carried　off　every　night；　so　that　it　was　never　to　be　said　of　London　that

the　living　were　not　able　to　bury　the　dead。



As　the　desolation　was　greater　during　those　terrible　times；　so　the

amazement　of　the　people　increased；　and　a　thousand　unaccountable

things　they　would　do　in　the　violence　of　their　fright；　as　others　did　the

same　in　the　agonies　of　their　distemper；　and　this　part　was　very

affecting。　　Some　went　roaring　and　crying　and　wringing　their　hands

along　the　street；　some　would　go　praying　and　lifting　up　their　hands　to

heaven；　calling　upon　God　for　mercy。　　I　cannot　say；　indeed；　whether

this　was　not　in　their　distraction；　but；　be　it　so；　it　was　still　an　indication

of　a　more　serious　mind；　when　they　had　the　use　of　their　senses；　and

was　much　better；　even　as　it　was；　than　the　frightful　yellings　and　cryings

that　every　day；　and　especially　in　the　evenings；　were　heard　in　some

streets。　　I　suppose　the　world　has　heard　of　the　famous　Solomon　Eagle；

an　enthusiast。　　He；　though　not　infected　at　all　but　in　his　head；　went

about　denouncing　of　judgement　upon　the　city　in　a　frightful　manner；

sometimes　quite　naked；　and　with　a　pan　of　burning　charcoal　on　his

head。　　What　he　said；　or　pretended；　indeed　I　could　not　learn。



I　will　not　say　whether　that　clergyman　was　distracted　or　not；　or

whether　he　did　it　in　pure　zeal　for　the　poor　people；　who　went　every

evening　through　the　streets　of　Whitechappel；　and；　with　his　hands　lifted

up；　repeated　that　part　of　the　Liturgy　of　the　Church　continually；　'Spare

us；　good　Lord；　spare　Thy　people；　whom　Thou　has　redeemed　with　Thy

most　precious　blood。'　I　say；　I　cannot　speak　positively　of　these　things；

because　these　were　only　the　dismal　objects　which　represented

themselves　to　me　as　I　looked　through　my　chamber　windows　（for　I

seldom　opened　the　casements）；　while　I　confined　myself　within　doors

during　that　most　violent　raging　of　the　pestilence；　when；　indeed；　as　I

have　said；　many　began　to　think；　and　even　to　say；　that　there　would

none　escape；　and　indeed　I　began　to　think　so　too；　and　therefore　kept

within　doors　for　about　a　fortnight　and　never　stirred　out。　　But　I　could

not　hold　it。　　Besides；　there　were　some　people　who；　notwithstanding

the　danger；　did　not　omit　publicly　to　attend　the　worship　of　God；　even　in

the　most　dangerous　times；　and　though　it　is　true　that　a　great　many

clergymen　did　shut　up　their　churches；　and　fled；　as　other　people　did；

for　the　safety　of　their　lives；　yet　all　did　not　do　so。　　Some　ventured　to

officiate　and　to　keep　up　the　assemblies　of　the　people　by　constant

prayers；　and　sometimes　sermons　or　brief　exhortations　to　repentance

and　reformation；　and　this　as　long　as　any　would　come　to　hear　them。

And　Dissenters　did　the　like　also；　and　even　in　the　very　churches　where

the　parish　ministers　were　either　dead　or　fled；　nor　was　there　any　room

for　making　difference　at　such　a　time　as　this　was。



It　was　indeed　a　lamentable　thing　to　hear　the　miserable　lamentations

of　poor　dying　creatures　calling　out　for　ministers　to　comfort　them　and

pray　with　them；　to　counsel　them　and　to　direct　them；　calling　out　to　God

for　pardon　and　mercy；　and　confessing　aloud　their　past　sins。　　It　would

make　the　stoutest　heart　bleed　to　hear　how　many　warnings　were　then

given　by　dying　penitents　to　others　not　to　put　off　and　delay　their

repentance　to　the　day　of　distress；　that　such　a　time　of　calamity　as　this

was　no　time　for　repentance；　was　no　time　to　call　upon　God。　　I　wish　I

could　repeat　the　very　sound　of　those　groans　and　of　those　exclamations

that　I　heard　from　some　poor　dying　creatures　when　in　the　height　of

their　agonies　and　distress；　and　that　I　could　make　him　that　reads　this

hear；　as　I　imagine　I　now　hear　them；　for　the　sound　seems　still　to　ring　in

my　ears。



If　I　could　but　tell　this　part　in　such　moving　accents　as　should　alarm

the　very　soul　of　the　reader；　I　should　rejoice　that　I　recorded　those

things；　however　short　and　imperfect。



It　pleased　God　that　I　was　still　spared；　and　very　hearty　and　sound　in

health；　but　very　impatient　of　being　pent　up　within　doors　without　air；

as　I　had　been　for　fourteen　days　or　thereabouts；　and　I　could　not　restrain

myself；　but　I　would　go　to　carry　a　letter　for　my　brother　to　the　post…

house。　　Then　it　was　indeed　that　I　observed　a　profound　silence　in　the

streets。　　When　I　came　to　the　post…house；　as　I　went　to　put　in　my　letter　I

saw　a　man　stand　in　one　corner　of　the　yard　and　talking　to　another　at　a

window；　and　a　third　had　opened　a　door　belonging　to　the　office。　　In　the

middle　of　the　yard　lay　a　small　leather　purse　with　two　keys　hanging　at

it；　with　money　in　it；　but　nobody　would　meddle　with　it。　　I　asked　how

long　it　had　lain　there；　the　man　at　the　window　said　it　had　lain　almost　an

hour；　but　that　they　had　not　meddled　with　it；　because　they　did　not　know

but　the　person　who　dropped　it　might　come　back　to　look　for　it。　　I　had

no　such　need　of　money；　nor　was　the　sum　so　big　that　I　had　any

inclination　to　meddle　with　it；　or　to　get　the　money　at　the　hazard　it

might　be　attended　with；　so　I　seemed　to　go　away；　when　the　man　who

had　opened　the　door　said　he　would　take　it　up；　but　so　that　if　the　right

owner　came　for　it　he　should　be　sure　to　have　it。　　So　he　went　in　and

fetched　a　pail　of　water　and　set　it　down　hard　by　the　purse；　then　went

again　and　fetch　some　gunpowder；　and　cast　a　good　deal　of　powder

upon　the　purse；　and　then　made　a　train　from　that　which　he　had　thrown

loose　upon　the　purse。　　The　train　reached　about　two　yards。　　After　this

he　goes　in　a　third　time　and　fetches　out　a　pair　of　tongs　red　hot；　and

which　he　had　prepared；　I　suppose；　on　purpose；　and　first　setting　fire　to

the　train　of　powder；　that　singed　the　purse　and　also　smoked　the　air

sufficiently。　　But　he　was　not　content　with　that；　but　he　then　takes　up　the

purse　with　the　tongs；　holding　it　so　long　till　the　tongs　burnt　through　the

purse；　and　then　he　shook　the　money　out　into　the　pail　of　water；　so　he

carried　it　in。　　The　money；　as　I　remember；　was　about　thirteen　shilling

and　some　smooth　groats　and　brass　farthings。



There　might　perhaps　have　been　several　poor　people；　as　I　have

observed　above；　that　would　have　been　hardy　enough　to　have　ventured

for　the　sake　of　the　money；　but　you　may　easily　see　by　what　I　have

observed　that　the　few　people　who　were　spared　were　very　careful　of

themselves　at　that　time　when　the　distress　was　so　exceeding　great。



Much　about　the　same　time　I　walked　out　into　the　fields　towards　Bow；

for　I　had　a　great　mind　to　see　how　things　were　managed　in　the　river

and　among　the　ships；　and　as　I　had　some　concern　in　shipping；　I　had　a

notion　that　it　had　been　one　of　the　best　ways　of　securing　one's　self　from

the　infection　to　have　retired　into　a　ship；　and　musing　how　to　satisfy　my

curiosity　in　that　point；　I　turned　away　over　the　fields　from　Bow　to

Bromley；　and　down　to　Blackwall　to　the　stairs　which　are　there　for

landing　or　taking　water。



Here　I　saw　a　poor　man　walking　on　the　bank；　or　sea…wall；　as　they　call

it；　by　himself。　　I　walked　a　while　also　about；　seeing　the　houses　all　shut

up。　　At　last　I　fell　into　some　talk；　at　a　distance；　with　this　poor　man；　first

I　asked　him　how　people　did　thereabouts。　　'Alas；　sir！'　says　he；　'almost

desolate；　all　dead　or　sick。　　Here　are　very　few　families　in　this　part；　or　in

that　village'　（pointing　at　Poplar）；　'where　half　of　them　are　not　dead

already；　and　the　rest　sick。'　Then　he　pointing　to　one　house；　'There　they

are　all　dead'；　said　he；　'and　the　house　stands　open；　nobody　dares　go　into

it。　　A　poor　thief'；　says　he；　'ventured　in　to　steal　something；　but　he　paid

dear　for　his　theft；　for　he　was　carried　to　the　churchyard　too　last　night。'

Then　he　pointed　to　several　other　houses。　　'There'；　says　he。　　'they　are　all

dead；　the　man　and　his　wife；　and　five　children。　　There'；　says　he；　'they

are　shut　up；　you　see　a　watchman　at　the　door'；　and　so　of　other　houses。

'Why；'　says　I；　'what　do　you　here　all　alone？　　'　'Why；'　says　he；　'I　am　a

poor；　desolate　man；　it　has　pleased　God　I　am　not　yet　visited；　though　my

family　is；　and　one　of　my　children　dead。'　'How　do　you　mean；　then；'　said

I；　'that　you　are　not　visited？'　'Why；'　says　he；　'that's　my　house'　（pointing

to　a　very　little；　low…boarded　house）；　'and　there　my　poor　wife　and　two

children　live；'　said　he；　'if　they　may　be　said　to　live；　for　my　wife　and　one

of　the　children　are　visited；　but　I　do　not　come　at　them。'　And　with　that

word　I　saw　the　tears　run　very　plentifully　down　his　face；　and　so　they

did　down　mine　too；　I　assure　you。



'But；'　said　I；　'why　do　you　not　come　at　them？　　How　can　you　abandon

your　own　flesh　and　blood？'　'Oh；　sir；'　says　he；　'the　Lord　forbid！　I　do　not

abandon　them；　I　work　for　them　as　much　as　I　am　able；　and；　blessed　be

the　Lord；　I　keep　them　from　want'；　and　with　that　I　observed　he　lifted　up

his　eyes　to　heaven；　with　a　countenance　that　presently　told　me　I　had

happened　on　a　man　that　was　no　hypocrite；　but　a　serious；　religious；

good　man；　and　his　ejaculation　was　an　expression　of　thankfulness　that；

in　such　a　condition　as　he　was　in；　he　should　be　able　to　say　his　family

did　not　want。　　'Well；'　says　I；　'honest　man；　that　is　a　great　mercy　as

things　go　now　with　the　poor。　　But　how　do　you　live；　then；　and　how　are

you　kept　from　the　dreadful　calamity　that　is　now　upon　us　all？'　'Why；

sir；'　says　he；　'I　am　a　waterman；　and　there's　my　boat；'　says　he；　'and　the

boat　serves　me　for　a　house。　　I　work　in　it　in　the　day；　and　I　sleep　in　it　in

the　night；　and　what　I　get　I　lay　down　upon　that　stone；'　says　he；　showing

me　a　broad　stone　on　the　other　side　of　the　street；　a　good　way　from　his

house；　'and　then；'　says　he；　'I　halloo；　and　call　to　them　till　I　make　them

hear；　and　they　come　and　fetch　it。'



'Well；　friend；'　says　I；　'but　how　can　you　get　any　money　as　a

waterman？　　Does　an　body　go　by　water　these　times？'　'Yes；　sir；'　says　he；

'in　the　way　I　am　employed　there　does。　　Do　you　see　there；'　says　he；　'five

ships　lie　at　anchor'　（pointing　down　the　river　a　good　way　below　the

town）；　'and　do　you　see'；　says　he；　'eight　or　ten　ships　lie　at　the　chain

there；　and　at　anchor　yonder？'　pointing　above　the　town）。　　'All　those

ships　have　families　on　board；　of　their　merchants　and　owner