part6-第3章

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first　infected　person；　for　I　cannot　think　that　anybody　could　be　seized

with　the　contagion　in　a　fatal　and　mortal　degree　for　nine　weeks

together；　and　support　his　state　of　health　so　well　as　even　not　to

discover　it　to　themselves；　yet　if　it　were　so；　the　argument　is　the

stronger　in　favour　of　what　I　am　saying：　namely；　that　the　infection　is

retained　in　bodies　apparently　well；　and　conveyed　from　them　to　those

they　converse　with；　while　it　is　known　to　neither　the　one　nor　the　other。



Great　were　the　confusions　at　that　time　upon　this　very　account；　and

when　people　began　to　be　convinced　that　the　infection　was　received　in

this　surprising　manner　from　persons　apparently　well；　they　began　to　be

exceeding　shy　and　jealous　of　every　one　that　came　near　them。　　Once；

on　a　public　day；　whether　a　Sabbath…day　or　not　I　do　not　remember；　in

Aldgate　Church；　in　a　pew　full　of　people；　on　a　sudden　one　fancied　she

smelt　an　ill　smell。　　Immediately　she　fancies　the　plague　was　in　the　pew；

whispers　her　notion　or　suspicion　to　the　next；　then　rises　and　goes　out　of

the　pew。　　It　immediately　took　with　the　next；　and　so　to　them　all；　and

every　one　of　them；　and　of　the　two　or　three　adjoining　pews；　got　up　and

went　out　of　the　church；　nobody　knowing　what　it　was　offended　them；

or　from　whom。



This　immediately　filled　everybody's　mouths　with　one　preparation　or

other；　such　as　the　old　woman　directed；　and　some　perhaps　as

physicians　directed；　in　order　to　prevent　infection　by　the　breath　of

others；　insomuch　that　if　we　came　to　go　into　a　church　when　it　was

anything　full　of　people；　there　would　be　such　a　mixture　of　smells　at　the

entrance　that　it　was　much　more　strong；　though　perhaps　not　so

wholesome；　than　if　you　were　going　into　an　apothecary's　or　druggist's

shop。　　In　a　word；　the　whole　church　was　like　a　smelling…bottle；　in　one

corner　it　was　all　perfumes；　in　another；　aromatics；　balsamics；　and

variety　of　drugs　and　herbs；　in　another；　salts　and　spirits；　as　every　one

was　furnished　for　their　own　preservation。　　Yet　I　observed　that　after

people　were　possessed；　as　I　have　said；　with　the　belief；　or　rather

assurance；　of　the　infection　being　thus　carried　on　by　persons　apparently

in　health；　the　churches　and　meeting…houses　were　much　thinner　of

people　than　at　other　times　before　that　they　used　to　be。　　For　this　is　to　be

said　of　the　people　of　London；　that　during　the　whole　time　of　the

pestilence　the　churches　or　meetings　were　never　wholly　shut　up；　nor

did　the　people　decline　coming　out　to　the　public　worship　of　God；

except　only　in　some　parishes　when　the　violence　of　the　distemper　was

more　particularly　in　that　parish　at　that　time；　and　even　then　no　longer

than　it　continued　to　be　so。



Indeed　nothing　was　more　strange　than　to　see　with　what　courage　the

people　went　to　the　public　service　of　God；　even　at　that　time　when　they

were　afraid　to　stir　out　of　their　own　houses　upon　any　other　occasion；

this；　I　mean；　before　the　time　of　desperation；　which　I　have　mentioned

already。　　This　was　a　proof　of　the　exceeding　populousness　of　the　city　at

the　time　of　the　infection；　notwithstanding　the　great　numbers　that　were

gone　into　the　country　at　the　first　alarm；　and　that　fled　out　into　the

forests　and　woods　when　they　were　further　terrified　with　the

extraordinary　increase　of　it。　　For　when　we　came　to　see　the　crowds　and

throngs　of　people　which　appeared　on　the　Sabbath…days　at　the

churches；　and　especially　in　those　parts　of　the　town　where　the　plague

was　abated；　or　where　it　was　not　yet　come　to　its　height；　it　was　amazing。

But　of　this　I　shall　speak　again　presently。　　I　return　in　the　meantime　to

the　article　of　infecting　one　another　at　first；　before　people　came　to　right

notions　of　the　infection；　and　of　infecting　one　another。　　People　were

only　shy　of　those　that　were　really　sick；　a　man　with　a　cap　upon　his

head；　or　with　clothes　round　his　neck；　which　was　the　case　of　those　that

had　swellings　there。　　Such　was　indeed　frightful；　but　when　we　saw　a

gentleman　dressed；　with　his　band　on　and　his　gloves　in　his　hand；　his

hat　upon　his　head；　and　his　hair　combed；　of　such　we　bad　not　the　least

apprehensions；　and　people　conversed　a　great　while　freely；　especially

with　their　neighbours　and　such　as　they　knew。　　But　when　the

physicians　assured　us　that　the　danger　was　as　well　from　the　sound　（that

is；　the　seemingly　sound）　as　the　sick；　and　that　those　people　who

thought　themselves　entirely　free　were　oftentimes　the　most　fatal；　and

that　it　came　to　be　generally　understood　that　people　were　sensible　of　it；

and　of　the　reason　of　it；　then；　I　say；　they　began　to　be　jealous　of

everybody；　and　a　vast　number　of　people　locked　themselves　up；　so　as

not　to　come　abroad　into　any　company　at　all；　nor　suffer　any　that　had

been　abroad　in　promiscuous　company　to　come　into　their　houses；　or

near　them　…　at　least　not　so　near　them　as　to　be　within　the　reach　of　their

breath　or　of　any　smell　from　them；　and　when　they　were　obliged　to

converse　at　a　distance　with　strangers；　they　would　always　have

preservatives　in　their　mouths　and　about　their　clothes　to　repel　and　keep

off　the　infection。



It　must　be　acknowledged　that　when　people　began　to　use　these

cautions　they　were　less　exposed　to　danger；　and　the　infection　did　not

break　into　such　houses　so　furiously　as　it　did　into　others　before；　and

thousands　of　families　were　preserved　（speaking　with　due　reserve　to

the　direction　of　Divine　Providence）　by　that　means。



But　it　was　impossible　to　beat　anything　into　the　heads　of　the　poor。

They　went　on　with　the　usual　impetuosity　of　their　tempers；　full　of

outcries　and　lamentations　when　taken；　but　madly　careless　of

themselves；　foolhardy　and　obstinate；　while　they　were　well。　　Where

they　could　get　employment　they　pushed　into　any　kind　of　business；　the

most　dangerous　and　the　most　liable　to　infection；　and　if　they　were

spoken　to；　their　answer　would　be；　'I　must　trust　to　God　for　that；　if　I　am

taken；　then　I　am　provided　for；　and　there　is　an　end　of　me'；　and　the　like。

Or　thus；　'Why；　what　must　I　do？　　I　can't　starve。　　I　had　as　good　have　the

plague　as　perish　for　want。　　I　have　no　work；　what　could　I　do？　　I　must　do

this　or　beg。'　Suppose　it　was　burying　the　dead；　or　attending　the　sick；　or

watching　infected　houses；　which　were　all　terrible　hazards；　but　their

tale　was　generally　the　same。　　It　is　true；　necessity　was　a　very　justifiable；

warrantable　plea；　and　nothing　could　be　better；　but　their　way　of　talk

was　much　the　same　where　the　necessities　were　not　the　same。　　This

adventurous　conduct　of　the　poor　was　that　which　brought　the　plague

among　them　in　a　most　furious　manner；　and　this；　joined　to　the　distress

of　their　circumstances　when　taken；　was　the　reason　why　they　died　so

by　heaps；　for　I　cannot　say　I　could　observe　one　jot　of　better　husbandry

among　them；　I　mean　the　labouring　poor；　while　they　were　all　well　and

getting　money　than　there　was　before；　but　as　lavish；　as　extravagant；　and

as　thoughtless　for　tomorrow　as　ever；　so　that　when　they　came　to　be

taken　sick　they　were　immediately　in　the　utmost　distress；　as　well　for

want　as　for　sickness；　as　well　for　lack　of　food　as　lack　of　health。



This　misery　of　the　poor　I　had　many　occasions　to　be　an　eyewitness

of；　and　sometimes　also　of　the　charitable　assistance　that　some　pious

people　daily　gave　to　such；　sending　them　relief　and　supplies　both　of

food；　physic；　and　other　help；　as　they　found　they　wanted；　and　indeed　it

is　a　debt　of　justice　due　to　the　temper　of　the　people　of　that　day　to　take

notice　here；　that　not　only　great　sums；　very　great　sums　of　money　were

charitably　sent　to　the　Lord　Mayor　and　aldermen　for　the　assistance　and

support　of　the　poor　distempered　people；　but　abundance　of　private

people　daily　distributed　large　sums　of　money　for　their　relief；　and　sent

people　about　to　inquire　into　the　condition　of　particular　distressed　and

visited　families；　and　relieved　them；　nay；　some　pious　ladies　were　so

transported　with　zeal　in　so　good　a　work；　and　so　confident　in　the

protection　of　Providence　in　discharge　of　the　great　duty　of　charity；　that

they　went　about　in　person　distributing　alms　to　the　poor；　and　even

visiting　poor　families；　though　sick　and　infected；　in　their　very　houses；

appointing　nurses　to　attend　those　that　wanted　attending；　and　ordering

apothecaries　and　surgeons；　the　first　to　supply　them　with　drugs　or

plasters；　and　such　things　as　they　wanted；　and　the　last　to　lance　and

dress　the　swellings　and　tumours；　where　such　were　wanting；　giving

their　blessing　to　the　poor　in　substantial　relief　to　them；　as　well　as

hearty　prayers　for　them。



I　will　not　undertake　to　say；　as　some　do；　that　none　of　those　charitable

people　were　suffered　to　fall　under　the　calamity　itself；　but　this　I　may

say；　that　I　never　knew　any　one　of　them　that　miscarried；　which　I

mention　for　the　encouragement　of　others　in　case　of　the　like　distress；

and　doubtless；　if　they　that　give　to　the　poor　lend　to　the　Lord；　and　He

will　repay　them；　those　that　hazard　their　lives　to　give　to　the　poor；　and

to　comfort　and　assist　the　poor　in　such　a　misery　as　this；　may　hope　to　be

protected　in　the　work。



Nor　was　this　charity　so　extraordinary　eminent　only　in　a　few；　but　（for

I　cannot　lightly　quit　this　point）　the　charity　of　the　rich；　as　well　in　the

city　and　suburbs　as　from　the　country；　was　so　great　that；　in　a　word；　a

prodigious　number　of　people　who　must　otherwise　inevitably　have

perished　for　want　as　well　as　sickness　were　supported　and　subsisted　by

it；　and　though　I　could　never；　nor　I　believe　any　one　else；　come　to　a　full

knowledge　of　what　was　so　contributed；　yet　I　do　believe　that；　as　I　heard

one　say　that　was　a　critical　observer　of　that　part；　there　was　not　only

many　thousand　pounds　contributed；　but　many　hundred　thousand

pounds；　to　the　relief　of　the　poor　of　this　distressed；　afflicted　city；　nay；

one　man　affirmed　to　me　that　he　could　reckon　up　above　one　hundred

thousand　pounds　a　week；　which　was　distributed　by　the　churchwardens

at　the　several　parish　vestries　by　the　Lord　Mayor　and　aldermen　in　the

several　wards　and　precincts；　and　by　the　particular　direction　of　the

court　and　of　the　justices　respectively　in　the　parts　where　they　resided；

over　and　above　the　private　charity　distributed　by　pious　bands　in　the

manner　I　speak　of；　and　this　continued　for　many　weeks　together。



I　confess　this　is　a　very　great　sum；　but　if　it　be　true　that　there　was

distributed　in　the　parish　of　Cripplegate　only；　17；800　in　one　week　to

the　relief　of　the　poor；　as　I　heard　reported；　and　which　I　really　believe

was　true；　the　other　may　not　be　improbable。



It　was　doubtless　to　be　reckoned　among　the　many　signal　good

providences　which　attended　this　great　city；　and　of　which　there　were

many　other　worth　recording；　…　I　say；　this　was　a　very　remarkable　one；

that　it　pleased　God　thus　to　move　the　hearts　of　the　people　in　all　parts　of

the　kingdom　so　cheerfully　to　contribute　to　the　relief　and　support　of　the

poor　at　London；　the　good　consequences　of　which　were　felt　many

ways；　and　particularly　in　preserving　the　lives　and　recovering　the

health　of　so　many　thousands；　and　keeping　so　many　thousands　of

families　from　perishing　and　starving。