第10章

FromJanuary3toJanuary107113 \"\"10\"178611 \"\"17\"249515 \"\"24\"31329 \"\"31toFebruary7338 \"February7\"146211 \"\"14\"215213 \"\"21\"282210 \"\"28toMarch75110 —————————— 4824100 FromAugust1toAugust825511 \"\"8\"152368 \"\"15\"222844 \"\"22\"2940610 \"\"29toSeptember538211 September5\"123923…… \"\"12\"1942517 \"\"19\"2642610 \"\"26toOctober31449 ———————— 2916180 Tothedisparityofthesenumbersitistobeconsideredandallowedfor,thataccordingtoourusualopinionwhowerethenuponthespot,therewerenotone—thirdofthepeopleinthetownduringthemonthsofAugustandSeptemberaswereinthemonthsofJanuaryandFebruary。Inaword,theusualnumberthatusedtodieofthesethreearticles,and,asIhear,diddieofthemtheyearbefore,wasthus:— 1664。1665。 Child—bed189Child—bed625 Abortiveandstill—born458Abortiveandstill—born617 ———————— 6471242 Thisinequality,Isay,isexceedinglyaugmentedwhenthenumbersofpeopleareconsidered。Ipretendnottomakeanyexactcalculationofthenumbersofpeoplewhichwereatthistimeinthecity,butI shallmakeaprobableconjectureatthatpartby—and—by。WhatIhavesaidnowistoexplainthemiseryofthosepoorcreaturesabove;sothatitmightwellbesaid,asintheScripture,Woebetothosewhoarewithchild,andtothosewhichgivesuckinthatday。For,indeed,itwasawoetotheminparticular。 Iwasnotconversantinmanyparticularfamilieswherethesethingshappened,buttheoutcriesofthemiserablewereheardafaroff。Astothosewhowerewithchild,wehaveseensomecalculationmade;291 womendeadinchild—bedinnineweeks,outofone—thirdpartofthenumberofwhomthereusuallydiedinthattimebuteighty—fourofthesamedisaster。Letthereadercalculatetheproportion。 Thereisnoroomtodoubtbutthemiseryofthosethatgavesuckwasinproportionasgreat。Ourbillsofmortalitycouldgivebutlittlelightinthis,yetsomeitdid。Therewereseveralmorethanusualstarvedatnurse,butthiswasnothing。Themiserywaswheretheywere,first,starvedforwantofanurse,themotherdyingandallthefamilyandtheinfantsfounddeadbythem,merelyforwant;and,ifI mayspeakmyopinion,Idobelievethatmanyhundredsofpoorhelplessinfantsperishedinthismanner。Secondly,notstarved,butpoisonedbythenurse。Nay,evenwherethemotherhasbeennurse,andhavingreceivedtheinfection,haspoisoned,thatis,infectedtheinfantwithhermilkevenbeforetheyknewtheywereinfectedthemselves;nay,andtheinfanthasdiedinsuchacasebeforethemother。Icannotbutremembertoleavethisadmonitionuponrecord,ifeversuchanotherdreadfulvisitationshouldhappeninthiscity,thatallwomenthatarewithchildorthatgivesuckshouldbegone,iftheyhaveanypossiblemeans,outoftheplace,becausetheirmisery,ifinfected,willsomuchexceedallotherpeople\'s。 Icouldtellheredismalstoriesoflivinginfantsbeingfoundsuckingthebreastsoftheirmothers,ornurses,aftertheyhavebeendeadoftheplague。OfamotherintheparishwhereIlived,who,havingachildthatwasnotwell,sentforanapothecarytoviewthechild;andwhenhecame,astherelationgoes,wasgivingthechildsuckatherbreast,andtoallappearancewasherselfverywell;butwhentheapothecarycameclosetoherhesawthetokensuponthatbreastwithwhichshewassucklingthechild。Hewassurprisedenough,tobesure,but,notwillingtofrightthepoorwomantoomuch,hedesiredshewouldgivethechildintohishand;sohetakesthechild,andgoingtoacradleintheroom,laysitin,andopeningitscloths,foundthetokensuponthechildtoo,andbothdiedbeforehecouldgethometosendapreventivemedicinetothefatherofthechild,towhomhehadtoldtheircondition。Whetherthechildinfectedthenurse—motherorthemotherthechildwasnotcertain,butthelastmostlikely。 Likewiseofachildbroughthometotheparentsfromanursethathaddiedoftheplague,yetthetendermotherwouldnotrefusetotakeinherchild,andlaiditinherbosom,bywhichshewasinfected;anddiedwiththechildinherarmsdeadalso。 Itwouldmakethehardestheartmoveattheinstancesthatwerefrequentlyfoundoftendermotherstendingandwatchingwiththeirdearchildren,andevendyingbeforethem,andsometimestakingthedistemperfromthemanddying,whenthechildforwhomtheaffectionatehearthadbeensacrificedhasgotoveritandescaped。 ThelikeofatradesmaninEastSmithfield,whosewifewasbigwithchildofherfirstchild,andfellinlabour,havingtheplagueuponher。 Hecouldneithergetmidwifetoassistherornursetotendher,andtwoservantswhichhekeptfledbothfromher。Heranfromhousetohouselikeonedistracted,butcouldgetnohelp;theutmosthecouldgetwas,thatawatchman,whoattendedataninfectedhouseshutup,promisedtosendanurseinthemorning。Thepoorman,withhisheartbroke,wentback,assistedhiswifewhathecould,actedthepartofthemidwife,broughtthechilddeadintotheworld,andhiswifeinaboutanhourdiedinhisarms,whereheheldherdeadbodyfasttillthemorning,whenthewatchmancameandbroughtthenurseashehadpromised;andcomingupthestairs（forhehadleftthedooropen,oronlylatched）,theyfoundthemansittingwithhisdeadwifeinhisarms,andsooverwhelmedwithgriefthathediedinafewhoursafterwithoutanysignoftheinfectionuponhim,butmerelysunkundertheweightofhisgrief。 Ihaveheardalsoofsomewho,onthedeathoftheirrelations,havegrownstupidwiththeinsupportablesorrow;andofone,inparticular,whowassoabsolutelyovercomewiththepressureuponhisspiritsthatbydegreeshisheadsankintohisbody,sobetweenhisshouldersthatthecrownofhisheadwasverylittleseenabovetheboneofhisshoulders;andbydegreeslosingbothvoiceandsense,hisface,lookingforward,layagainsthiscollarboneandcouldnotbekeptupanyotherwise,unlessheldupbythehandsofotherpeople;andthepoormannevercametohimselfagain,butlanguishednearayearinthatcondition,anddied。Norwasheeveronceseentoliftuphiseyesortolookuponanyparticularobject。 Icannotundertaketogiveanyotherthanasummaryofsuchpassagesasthese,becauseitwasnotpossibletocomeattheparticulars,wheresometimesthewholefamilieswheresuchthingshappenedwerecarriedoffbythedistemper。Buttherewereinnumerablecasesofthiskindwhichpresentedtotheeyeandtheear,eveninpassingalongthestreets,asIhavehintedabove。Norisiteasytogiveanystoryofthisorthatfamilywhichtherewasnotdiversparallelstoriestobemetwithofthesamekind。 ButasIamnowtalkingofthetimewhentheplagueragedattheeasternmostpartofthetown—howforalongtimethepeopleofthosepartshadflatteredthemselvesthattheyshouldescape,andhowtheyweresurprisedwhenitcameuponthemasitdid;for,indeed,itcameuponthemlikeanarmedmanwhenitdidcome;—Isay,thisbringsmebacktothethreepoormenwhowanderedfromWapping,notknowingwhithertogoorwhattodo,andwhomImentionedbefore; oneabiscuit—baker,oneasailmaker,andtheotherajoiner,allofWapping,orthere—abouts。 Thesleepinessandsecurityofthatpart,asIhaveobserved,wassuchthattheynotonlydidnotshiftforthemselvesasothersdid,buttheyboastedofbeingsafe,andofsafetybeingwiththem;andmanypeoplefledoutofthecity,andoutoftheinfectedsuburbs,toWapping,Ratcliff,Limehouse,Poplar,andsuchPlaces,astoPlacesofsecurity;anditisnotatallunlikelythattheirdoingthishelpedtobringtheplaguethatwayfasterthanitmightotherwisehavecome。 ForthoughIammuchforpeopleflyingawayandemptyingsuchatownasthisuponthefirstappearanceofalikevisitation,andthatallpeoplewhohaveanypossibleretreatshouldmakeuseofitintimeandbegone,yetImustsay,whenallthatwillflyaregone,thosethatareleftandmuststanditshouldstandstock—stillwheretheyare,andnotshiftfromoneendofthetownoronepartofthetowntotheother; forthatisthebaneandmischiefofthewhole,andtheycarrytheplaguefromhousetohouseintheirveryclothes。 Whereforewereweorderedtokillallthedogsandcats,butbecauseastheyweredomesticanimals,andareapttorunfromhousetohouseandfromstreettostreet,sotheyarecapableofcarryingtheeffluviaorinfectiousstreamsofbodiesinfectedevenintheirfursandhair？Andthereforeitwasthat,inthebeginningoftheinfection,anorderwaspublishedbytheLordMayor,andbythemagistrates,accordingtotheadviceofthephysicians,thatallthedogsandcatsshouldbeimmediatelykilled,andanofficerwasappointedfortheexecution。 Itisincredible,iftheiraccountistobedependedupon,whataprodigiousnumberofthosecreaturesweredestroyed。Ithinktheytalkedoffortythousanddogs,andfivetimesasmanycats;fewhousesbeingwithoutacat,somehavingseveral,sometimesfiveorsixinahouse。Allpossibleendeavourswereusedalsotodestroythemiceandrats,especiallythelatter,bylayingratsbaneandotherpoisonsforthem,andaprodigiousmultitudeofthemwerealsodestroyed。 Ioftenreflectedupontheunprovidedconditionthatthewholebodyofthepeoplewereinatthefirstcomingofthiscalamityuponthem,andhowitwasforwantoftimelyenteringintomeasuresandmanagements,aswellpublicasprivate,thatalltheconfusionsthatfollowedwerebroughtuponus,andthatsuchaprodigiousnumberofpeoplesankinthatdisaster,which,ifproperstepshadbeentaken,might,Providenceconcurring,havebeenavoided,andwhich,ifposteritythinkfit,theymaytakeacautionandwarningfrom。ButI shallcometothispartagain。 Icomebacktomythreemen。Theirstoryhasamoralineverypartofit,andtheirwholeconduct,andthatofsomewhomtheyjoinedwith,isapatternforallpoormentofollow,orwomeneither,ifeversuchatimecomesagain;andiftherewasnootherendinrecordingit,Ithinkthisaveryjustone,whethermyaccountbeexactlyaccordingtofactorno。 Twoofthemaresaidtobebrothers,theoneanoldsoldier,butnowabiscuit—maker;theotheralamesailor,butnowasailmaker;thethirdajoiner。SaysJohnthebiscuit—makeronedaytoThomashisbrother,thesailmaker,\'BrotherTom,whatwillbecomeofus？Theplaguegrowshotinthecity,andincreasesthisway。Whatshallwedo？\' \'Truly,\'saysThomas,\'Iamatagreatlosswhattodo,forIfindifitcomesdownintoWappingIshallbeturnedoutofmylodging。\'Andthustheybegantotalkofitbeforehand。 John。Turnedoutofyourlodging,TomIIfyouare,Idon\'tknowwhowilltakeyouin;forpeoplearesoafraidofoneanothernow,there\'snogettingalodginganywhere。 Thomas。Why,thepeoplewhereIlodgearegood,civilpeople,andhavekindnessenoughformetoo;buttheysayIgoabroadeverydaytomywork,anditwillbedangerous;andtheytalkoflockingthemselvesupandlettingnobodycomenearthem。 John。Why,theyareintheright,tobesure,iftheyresolvetoventurestayingintown。 Thomas。Nay,Imightevenresolvetostaywithindoorstoo,for,exceptasuitofsailsthatmymasterhasinhand,andwhichIamjustfinishing,Iamliketogetnomoreworkagreatwhile。There\'snotradestirsnow。Workmenandservantsareturnedoffeverywhere,sothatImightbegladtobelockeduptoo;butIdonotseetheywillbewillingtoconsenttothat,anymorethantotheother。 John。Why,whatwillyoudothen,brother？AndwhatshallIdo？ forIamalmostasbadasyou。ThepeoplewhereIlodgeareallgoneintothecountrybutamaid,andsheistogonextweek,andtoshutthehousequiteup,sothatIshallbeturnedadrifttothewideworldbeforeyou,andIamresolvedtogoawaytoo,ifIknewbutwheretogo。 Thomas。Wewerebothdistractedwedidnotgoawayatfirst;thenwemighthavetravelledanywhere。There\'snostirringnow;weshallbestarvedifwepretendtogooutoftown。Theywon\'tletushavevictuals,no,notforourmoney,norletuscomeintothetowns,muchlessintotheirhouses。 John。Andthatwhichisalmostasbad,Ihavebutlittlemoneytohelpmyselfwithneither。 Thomas。Astothat,wemightmakeshift,Ihavealittle,thoughnotmuch;butItellyouthere\'snostirringontheroad。Iknowacoupleofpoorhonestmeninourstreethaveattemptedtotravel,andatBarnet,orWhetstone,orthereabouts,thepeopleofferedtofireatthemiftheypretendedtogoforward,sotheyarecomebackagainquitediscouraged。 John。IwouldhaveventuredtheirfireifIhadbeenthere。IfIhadbeendeniedfoodformymoneytheyshouldhaveseenmetakeitbeforetheirfaces,andifIhadtenderedmoneyforittheycouldnothavetakenanycoursewithmebylaw。 Thomas。Youtalkyouroldsoldier\'slanguage,asifyouwereintheLowCountriesnow,butthisisaseriousthing。Thepeoplehavegoodreasontokeepanybodyoffthattheyarenotsatisfiedaresound,atsuchatimeasthis,andwemustnotplunderthem。 John。No,brother,youmistakethecase,andmistakemetoo。I wouldplundernobody;butforanytownupontheroadtodenymeleavetopassthroughthetownintheopenhighway,anddenymeprovisionsformymoney,istosaythetownhasarighttostarvemetodeath,whichcannotbetrue。 Thomas。Buttheydonotdenyyoulibertytogobackagainfromwhenceyoucame,andthereforetheydonotstarveyou。 John。Butthenexttownbehindmewill,bythesamerule,denymeleavetogoback,andsotheydostarvemebetweenthem。Besides,thereisnolawtoprohibitmytravellingwhereverIwillontheroad。 Thomas。Buttherewillbesomuchdifficultyindisputingwiththemateverytownontheroadthatitisnotforpoormentodoitorundertakeit,atsuchatimeasthisisespecially。 John。Why,brother,ourconditionatthisrateisworsethananybodyelse\'s,forwecanneithergoawaynorstayhere。IamofthesamemindwiththelepersofSamaria:\'Ifwestayherewearesuretodie\',I meanespeciallyasyouandIarestated,withoutadwelling—houseofourown,andwithoutlodginginanybodyelse\'s。Thereisnolyinginthestreetatsuchatimeasthis;wehadasgoodgointothedead—cartatonce。ThereforeIsay,ifwestayherewearesuretodie,andifwegoawaywecanbutdie;Iamresolvedtobegone。 Thomas。Youwillgoaway。Whitherwillyougo,andwhatcanyoudo？Iwouldaswillinglygoawayasyou,ifIknewwhither。Butwehavenoacquaintance,nofriends。Herewewereborn,andherewemustdie。 John。Lookyou,Tom,thewholekingdomismynativecountryaswellasthistown。YoumayaswellsayImustnotgooutofmyhouseifitisonfireasthatImustnotgooutofthetownIwasborninwhenitisinfectedwiththeplague。IwasborninEngland,andhavearighttoliveinitifIcan。 Thomas。ButyouknoweveryvagrantpersonmaybythelawsofEnglandbetakenup,andpassedbacktotheirlastlegalsettlement。 John。Buthowshalltheymakemevagrant？Idesireonlytotravelon,uponmylawfuloccasions。 Thomas。Whatlawfuloccasionscanwepretendtotravel,orratherwanderupon？Theywillnotbeputoffwithwords。 John。Isnotflyingtosaveourlivesalawfuloccasion？ Anddotheynotallknowthatthefactistrue？ Wecannotbesaidtodissemble。 Thomas。Butsupposetheyletuspass,whithershallwego？ John。Anywhere,tosaveourlives;itistimeenoughtoconsiderthatwhenwearegotoutofthistown。IfIamonceoutofthisdreadfulplace,IcarenotwhereIgo。 Thomas。Weshallbedriventogreatextremities。Iknownotwhattothinkofit。 John。Well,Tom,considerofitalittle。 ThiswasaboutthebeginningofJuly;andthoughtheplaguewascomeforwardinthewestandnorthpartsofthetown,yetallWapping,asIhaveobservedbefore,andRedriff,andRatdiff,andLimehouse,andPoplar,inshort,DeptfordandGreenwich,allbothsidesoftheriverfromtheHermitage,andfromoveragainstit,quitedowntoBlackwall,wasentirelyfree;therehadnotonepersondiedoftheplagueinallStepneyparish,andnotoneonthesouthsideofWhitechappelRoad,no,notinanyparish;andyettheweeklybillwasthatveryweekrisenupto1006。 Itwasafortnightafterthisbeforethetwobrothersmetagain,andthenthecasewasalittlealtered,andthe\'plaguewasexceedinglyadvancedandthenumbergreatlyincreased;thebillwasupat2785,andprodigiouslyincreasing,thoughstillbothsidesoftheriver,asbelow,keptprettywell。ButsomebegantodieinRedriff,andaboutfiveorsixinRatdiffHighway,whenthesailmakercametohisbrotherJohnexpress,andinsomefright;forhewasabsolutelywarnedoutofhislodging,andhadonlyaweektoprovidehimself。 HisbrotherJohnwasinasbadacase,forhewasquiteout,andhadonlybeggedleaveofhismaster,thebiscuit—maker,tolodgeinanouthousebelongingtohisworkhouse,whereheonlylayuponstraw,withsomebiscuit—sacks,orbread—sacks,astheycalledthem,laiduponit,andsomeofthesamesackstocoverhim。 Heretheyresolved（seeingallemploymentbeingatanend,andnoworkorwagestobehad）,theywouldmakethebestoftheirwaytogetoutofthereachofthedreadfulinfection,and,beingasgoodhusbandsastheycould,wouldendeavourtoliveuponwhattheyhadaslongasitwouldlast,andthenworkformoreiftheycouldgetworkanywhere,ofanykind,letitbewhatitwould。 Whiletheywereconsideringtoputthisresolutioninpracticeinthebestmannertheycould,thethirdman,whowasacquaintedverywellwiththesailmaker,cametoknowofthedesign,andgotleavetobeoneofthenumber;andthustheypreparedtosetout。 Ithappenedthattheyhadnotanequalshareofmoney;butasthesailmaker,whohadthebeststock,was,besideshisbeinglame,themostunfittoexpecttogetanythingbyworkinginthecountry,sohewascontentthatwhatmoneytheyhadshouldallgointoonepublicstock,onconditionthatwhateveranyoneofthemcouldgainmorethananother,itshouldwithoutanygrudgingbealladdedtothepublicstock。 Theyresolvedtoloadthemselveswithaslittlebaggageaspossiblebecausetheyresolvedatfirsttotravelonfoot,andtogoagreatwaythattheymight,ifpossible,beeffectuallysafe;andagreatmanyconsultationstheyhadwiththemselvesbeforetheycouldagreeaboutwhatwaytheyshouldtravel,whichtheyweresofarfromadjustingthateventothemorningtheysetouttheywerenotresolvedonit。 Atlasttheseamanputinahintthatdeterminedit。\'First,\'sayshe,\'theweatherisveryhot,andthereforeIamfortravellingnorth,thatwemaynothavethesunuponourfacesandbeatingonourbreasts,whichwillheatandsuffocateus;andIhavebeentold\',sayshe,\'thatitisnotgoodtooverheatourbloodatatimewhen,foraughtweknow,theinfectionmaybeintheveryair。Inthenextplace,\'sayshe,\'Iamforgoingthewaythatmaybecontrarytothewind,asitmayblowwhenwesetout,thatwemaynothavethewindblowtheairofthecityonourbacksaswego。\'Thesetwocautionswereapprovedof,ifitcouldbebroughtsotohitthatthewindmightnotbeinthesouthwhentheysetouttogonorth。 Johnthebaker,whobadbeenasoldier,thenputinhisopinion。 \'First,\'sayshe,\'wenoneofusexpecttogetanylodgingontheroad,anditwillbealittletoohardtoliejustintheopenair。Thoughitbewarmweather,yetitmaybewetanddamp,andwehaveadoublereasontotakecareofourhealthsatsuchatimeasthis;andtherefore,\' sayshe,\'you,brotherTom,thatareasailmaker,mighteasilymakeusalittletent,andIwillundertaketosetitupeverynight,andtakeitdown,andafigforalltheinnsinEngland;ifwehaveagoodtentoverourheadsweshalldowellenough。\' Thejoineropposedthis,andtoldthem,letthemleavethattohim; hewouldundertaketobuildthemahouseeverynightwithhishatchetandmallet,thoughhehadnoothertools,whichshouldbefullytotheirsatisfaction,andasgoodasatent。 Thesoldierandthejoinerdisputedthatpointsometime,butatlastthesoldiercarrieditforatent。Theonlyobjectionagainstitwas,thatitmustbecarriedwiththem,andthatwouldincreasetheirbaggagetoomuch,theweatherbeinghot;butthesailmakerhadapieceofgoodhapfellinwhichmadethateasy,forhismasterwhomheworkedfor,havingarope—walkaswellassailmakingtrade,hadalittle,poorhorsethathemadenouseofthen;andbeingwillingtoassistthethreehonestmen,hegavethemthehorseforthecarryingtheirbaggage;alsoforasmallmatterofthreedays\'workthathismandidforhimbeforehewent,helethimhaveanoldtop—gallantsailthatwaswornout,butwassufficientandmorethanenoughtomakeaverygoodtent。Thesoldiershowedhowtoshapeit,andtheysoonbyhisdirectionmadetheirtent,andfitteditwithpolesorstavesforthepurpose;andthustheywerefurnishedfortheirjourney,viz。,threemen,onetent,onehorse,onegun—forthesoldierwouldnotgowithoutarms,fornowhesaidhewasnomoreabiscuit—baker,butatrooper。 Thejoinerhadasmallbagoftoolssuchasmightbeusefulifheshouldgetanyworkabroad,aswellfortheirsubsistenceashisown。 Whatmoneytheyhadtheybroughtallintoonepublicstock,andthustheybegantheirjourney。Itseemsthatinthemorningwhentheysetoutthewindblew,asthesailorsaid,byhispocket—compass,atN。W。 byW。Sotheydirected,orratherresolvedtodirect,theircourseN。W。 Butthenadifficultycameintheirway,that,astheysetoutfromthehitherendofWapping,neartheHermitage,andthattheplaguewasnowveryviolent,especiallyonthenorthsideofthecity,asinShoreditchandCripplegateparish,theydidnotthinkitsafeforthemtogonearthoseparts;sotheywentawayeastthroughRatcliffHighwayasfarasRatcliffCross,andleavingStepneyChurchstillontheirlefthand,beingafraidtocomeupfromRatcliffCrosstoMileEnd,becausetheymustcomejustbythechurchyard,andbecausethewind,thatseemedtoblowmorefromthewest,blewdirectlyfromthesideofthecitywheretheplaguewashottest。So,Isay,leavingStepneytheyfetchedalongcompass,andgoingtoPoplarandBromley,cameintothegreatroadjustatBow。 HerethewatchplaceduponBowBridgewouldhavequestionedthem,butthey,crossingtheroadintoanarrowwaythatturnsoutofthehitherendofthetownofBowtoOldFord,avoidedanyinquirythere,andtravelledtoOldFord。Theconstableseverywherewereupontheirguardnotsomuch,Itseems,tostoppeoplepassingbyastostopthemfromtakinguptheirabodeintheirtowns,andwithalbecauseofareportthatwasnewlyraisedatthattime:andthat,indeed,wasnotveryimprobable,viz。,thatthepoorpeopleinLondon,beingdistressedandstarvedforwantofwork,andbythatmeansforwantofbread,wereupinarmsandhadraisedatumult,andthattheywouldcomeouttoallthetownsroundtoplunderforbread。This,I say,wasonlyarumour,anditwasverywellitwasnomore。Butitwasnotsofarofffrombeingarealityasithasbeenthought,forinafewweeksmorethepoorpeoplebecamesodesperatebythecalamitytheysufferedthattheywerewithgreatdifficultykeptfromgoutintothefieldsandtowns,andtearingallinpieceswherevertheycame; and,asIhaveobservedbefore,nothinghinderedthembutthattheplagueragedsoviolentlyandfellinuponthemsofuriouslythattheyratherwenttothegravebythousandsthanintothefieldsinmobsbythousands;for,inthepartsabouttheparishesofStSepulcher,Clarkenwell,Cripplegate,Bishopsgate,andShoreditch,whichweretheplaceswherethemobbegantothreaten,thedistempercameonsofuriouslythattherediedinthosefewparisheseventhen,beforetheplaguewascometoitsheight,nolessthan5361peopleinthefirstthreeweeksinAugust;whenatthesametimethepartsaboutWapping,Radcliffe,andRotherhithwere,asbeforedescribed,hardlytouched,orbutverylightly;sothatinawordthough,asIsaidbefore,thegoodmanagementoftheLordMayorandjusticesdidmuchtopreventtherageanddesperationofthepeoplefrombreakingoutinrabblesandtumults,andinshortfromthepoorplunderingtherich,—I say,thoughtheydidmuch,thedead—cartsdidmore:forasIhavesaidthatinfiveparishesonlytherediedabove5000intwentydays,sotheremightbeprobablythreetimesthatnumbersickallthattime;forsomerecovered,andgreatnumbersfellsickeverydayanddiedafterwards。Besides,Imuststillbeallowedtosaythatifthebillsofmortalitysaidfivethousand,Ialwaysbelieveditwasneartwiceasmanyinreality,therebeingnoroomtobelievethattheaccounttheygavewasright,orthatindeedtheywereamongsuchconfusionsasI sawthemin,inanyconditiontokeepanexactaccount。