done¡¡to¡¡the¡¡watchmen¡¡that¡¡guarded¡¡their¡¡houses¡£
What¡¡variety¡¡of¡¡stratagems¡¡were¡¡used¡¡to¡¡escape¡¡and¡¡get¡¡out¡¡of
houses¡¡thus¡¡shut¡¡up£»¡¡by¡¡which¡¡the¡¡watchmen¡¡were¡¡deceived¡¡or
overpowered£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡the¡¡people¡¡got¡¡away£»¡¡I¡¡have¡¡taken¡¡notice¡¡of
already£»¡¡and¡¡shall¡¡say¡¡no¡¡more¡¡to¡¡that¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡I¡¡say¡¡the¡¡magistrates¡¡did
moderate¡¡and¡¡ease¡¡families¡¡upon¡¡many¡¡occasions¡¡in¡¡this¡¡case£»¡¡and
particularly¡¡in¡¡that¡¡of¡¡taking¡¡away£»¡¡or¡¡suffering¡¡to¡¡be¡¡removed£»¡¡the
sick¡¡persons¡¡out¡¡of¡¡such¡¡houses¡¡when¡¡they¡¡were¡¡willing¡¡to¡¡be¡¡removed
either¡¡to¡¡a¡¡pest¡house¡¡or¡¡other¡¡Places£»¡¡and¡¡sometimes¡¡giving¡¡the¡¡well
persons¡¡in¡¡the¡¡family¡¡so¡¡shut¡¡up£»¡¡leave¡¡to¡¡remove¡¡upon¡¡information
given¡¡that¡¡they¡¡were¡¡well£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡they¡¡would¡¡confine¡¡themselves¡¡in
such¡¡houses¡¡where¡¡they¡¡went¡¡so¡¡long¡¡as¡¡should¡¡be¡¡required¡¡of¡¡them¡£
The¡¡concern£»¡¡also£»¡¡of¡¡the¡¡magistrates¡¡for¡¡the¡¡supplying¡¡such¡¡poor
families¡¡as¡¡were¡¡infected¡¡¡¡¡I¡¡say£»¡¡supplying¡¡them¡¡with¡¡necessaries£»¡¡as
well¡¡physic¡¡as¡¡food¡¡¡¡¡was¡¡very¡¡great£»¡¡and¡¡in¡¡which¡¡they¡¡did¡¡not¡¡content
themselves¡¡with¡¡giving¡¡the¡¡necessary¡¡orders¡¡to¡¡the¡¡officers¡¡appointed£»
but¡¡the¡¡aldermen¡¡in¡¡person£»¡¡and¡¡on¡¡horseback£»¡¡frequently¡¡rode¡¡to¡¡such
houses¡¡and¡¡caused¡¡the¡¡people¡¡to¡¡be¡¡asked¡¡at¡¡their¡¡windows¡¡whether
they¡¡were¡¡duly¡¡attended¡¡or¡¡not£»¡¡also£»¡¡whether¡¡they¡¡wanted¡¡anything
that¡¡was¡¡necessary£»¡¡and¡¡if¡¡the¡¡officers¡¡had¡¡constantly¡¡carried¡¡their
messages¡¡and¡¡fetched¡¡them¡¡such¡¡things¡¡as¡¡they¡¡wanted¡¡or¡¡not¡£¡¡¡¡And¡¡if
they¡¡answered¡¡in¡¡the¡¡affirmative£»¡¡all¡¡was¡¡well£»¡¡but¡¡if¡¡they¡¡complained
that¡¡they¡¡were¡¡ill¡¡supplied£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡the¡¡officer¡¡did¡¡not¡¡do¡¡his¡¡duty£»¡¡or
did¡¡not¡¡treat¡¡them¡¡civilly£»¡¡they¡¡£¨the¡¡officers£©¡¡were¡¡generally¡¡removed£»
and¡¡others¡¡placed¡¡in¡¡their¡¡stead¡£
It¡¡is¡¡true¡¡such¡¡complaint¡¡might¡¡be¡¡unjust£»¡¡and¡¡if¡¡the¡¡officer¡¡had¡¡such
arguments¡¡to¡¡use¡¡as¡¡would¡¡convince¡¡the¡¡magistrate¡¡that¡¡he¡¡was¡¡right£»
and¡¡that¡¡the¡¡people¡¡had¡¡injured¡¡him£»¡¡he¡¡was¡¡continued¡¡and¡¡they
reproved¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡this¡¡part¡¡could¡¡not¡¡well¡¡bear¡¡a¡¡particular¡¡inquiry£»¡¡for¡¡the
parties¡¡could¡¡very¡¡ill¡¡be¡¡well¡¡heard¡¡and¡¡answered¡¡in¡¡the¡¡street¡¡from¡¡the
windows£»¡¡as¡¡was¡¡the¡¡case¡¡then¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡magistrates£»¡¡therefore£»¡¡generally
chose¡¡to¡¡favour¡¡the¡¡people¡¡and¡¡remove¡¡the¡¡man£»¡¡as¡¡what¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡be
the¡¡least¡¡wrong¡¡and¡¡of¡¡the¡¡least¡¡ill¡¡consequence£»¡¡seeing¡¡if¡¡the
watchman¡¡was¡¡injured£»¡¡yet¡¡they¡¡could¡¡easily¡¡make¡¡him¡¡amends¡¡by
giving¡¡him¡¡another¡¡post¡¡of¡¡the¡¡like¡¡nature£»¡¡but¡¡if¡¡the¡¡family¡¡was
injured£»¡¡there¡¡was¡¡no¡¡satisfaction¡¡could¡¡be¡¡made¡¡to¡¡them£»¡¡the¡¡damage
perhaps¡¡being¡¡irreparable£»¡¡as¡¡it¡¡concerned¡¡their¡¡lives¡£
A¡¡great¡¡variety¡¡of¡¡these¡¡cases¡¡frequently¡¡happened¡¡between¡¡the
watchmen¡¡and¡¡the¡¡poor¡¡people¡¡shut¡¡up£»¡¡besides¡¡those¡¡I¡¡formerly
mentioned¡¡about¡¡escaping¡£¡¡¡¡Sometimes¡¡the¡¡watchmen¡¡were¡¡absent£»
sometimes¡¡drunk£»¡¡sometimes¡¡asleep¡¡when¡¡the¡¡people¡¡wanted¡¡them£»
and¡¡such¡¡never¡¡failed¡¡to¡¡be¡¡punished¡¡severely£»¡¡as¡¡indeed¡¡they
deserved¡£
But¡¡after¡¡all¡¡that¡¡was¡¡or¡¡could¡¡be¡¡done¡¡in¡¡these¡¡cases£»¡¡the¡¡shutting¡¡up
of¡¡houses£»¡¡so¡¡as¡¡to¡¡confine¡¡those¡¡that¡¡were¡¡well¡¡with¡¡those¡¡that¡¡were
sick£»¡¡had¡¡very¡¡great¡¡inconveniences¡¡in¡¡it£»¡¡and¡¡some¡¡that¡¡were¡¡very
tragical£»¡¡and¡¡which¡¡merited¡¡to¡¡have¡¡been¡¡considered¡¡if¡¡there¡¡had¡¡been
room¡¡for¡¡it¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡it¡¡was¡¡authorised¡¡by¡¡a¡¡law£»¡¡it¡¡had¡¡the¡¡public¡¡good¡¡in
view¡¡as¡¡the¡¡end¡¡chiefly¡¡aimed¡¡at£»¡¡and¡¡all¡¡the¡¡private¡¡injuries¡¡that¡¡were
done¡¡by¡¡the¡¡putting¡¡it¡¡in¡¡execution¡¡must¡¡be¡¡put¡¡to¡¡the¡¡account¡¡of¡¡the
public¡¡benefit¡£
It¡¡is¡¡doubtful¡¡to¡¡this¡¡day¡¡whether£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡whole£»¡¡it¡¡contributed
anything¡¡to¡¡the¡¡stop¡¡of¡¡the¡¡infection£»¡¡and¡¡indeed¡¡I¡¡cannot¡¡say¡¡it¡¡did£»¡¡for
nothing¡¡could¡¡run¡¡with¡¡greater¡¡fury¡¡and¡¡rage¡¡than¡¡the¡¡infection¡¡did
when¡¡it¡¡was¡¡in¡¡its¡¡chief¡¡violence£»¡¡though¡¡the¡¡houses¡¡infected¡¡were¡¡shut
up¡¡as¡¡exactly¡¡and¡¡as¡¡effectually¡¡as¡¡it¡¡was¡¡possible¡£¡¡¡¡Certain¡¡it¡¡is¡¡that¡¡if
all¡¡the¡¡infected¡¡persons¡¡were¡¡effectually¡¡shut¡¡in£»¡¡no¡¡sound¡¡person
could¡¡have¡¡been¡¡infected¡¡by¡¡them£»¡¡because¡¡they¡¡could¡¡not¡¡have¡¡come
near¡¡them¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡the¡¡case¡¡was¡¡this¡¡£¨and¡¡I¡¡shall¡¡only¡¡touch¡¡it¡¡here£©£º
namely£»¡¡that¡¡the¡¡infection¡¡was¡¡propagated¡¡insensibly£»¡¡and¡¡by¡¡such
persons¡¡as¡¡were¡¡not¡¡visibly¡¡infected£»¡¡who¡¡neither¡¡knew¡¡whom¡¡they
infected¡¡or¡¡who¡¡they¡¡were¡¡infected¡¡by¡£
A¡¡house¡¡in¡¡Whitechappel¡¡was¡¡shut¡¡up¡¡for¡¡the¡¡sake¡¡of¡¡one¡¡infected
maid£»¡¡who¡¡had¡¡only¡¡spots£»¡¡not¡¡the¡¡tokens¡¡come¡¡out¡¡upon¡¡her£»¡¡and
recovered£»¡¡yet¡¡these¡¡people¡¡obtained¡¡no¡¡liberty¡¡to¡¡stir£»¡¡neither¡¡for¡¡air
or¡¡exercise£»¡¡forty¡¡days¡£¡¡¡¡Want¡¡of¡¡breath£»¡¡fear£»¡¡anger£»¡¡vexation£»¡¡and¡¡all
the¡¡other¡¡gifts¡¡attending¡¡such¡¡an¡¡injurious¡¡treatment¡¡cast¡¡the¡¡mistress
of¡¡the¡¡family¡¡into¡¡a¡¡fever£»¡¡and¡¡visitors¡¡came¡¡into¡¡the¡¡house¡¡and¡¡said¡¡it
was¡¡the¡¡plague£»¡¡though¡¡the¡¡physicians¡¡declared¡¡it¡¡was¡¡not¡£¡¡¡¡However£»
the¡¡family¡¡were¡¡obliged¡¡to¡¡begin¡¡their¡¡quarantine¡¡anew¡¡on¡¡the¡¡report
of¡¡the¡¡visitors¡¡or¡¡examiner£»¡¡though¡¡their¡¡former¡¡quarantine¡¡wanted¡¡but
a¡¡few¡¡days¡¡of¡¡being¡¡finished¡£¡¡¡¡This¡¡oppressed¡¡them¡¡so¡¡with¡¡anger¡¡and
grief£»¡¡and£»¡¡as¡¡before£»¡¡straitened¡¡them¡¡also¡¡so¡¡much¡¡as¡¡to¡¡room£»¡¡and¡¡for
want¡¡of¡¡breathing¡¡and¡¡free¡¡air£»¡¡that¡¡most¡¡of¡¡the¡¡family¡¡fell¡¡sick£»¡¡one¡¡of
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or¡¡other¡¡of¡¡those¡¡that¡¡came¡¡in¡¡with¡¡the¡¡visitors¡¡to¡¡inspect¡¡the¡¡persons
that¡¡were¡¡ill£»¡¡in¡¡hopes¡¡of¡¡releasing¡¡them£»¡¡brought¡¡the¡¡distemper¡¡with
them¡¡and¡¡infected¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡house£»¡¡and¡¡all¡¡or¡¡most¡¡of¡¡them¡¡died£»¡¡not
of¡¡the¡¡plague¡¡as¡¡really¡¡upon¡¡them¡¡before£»¡¡but¡¡of¡¡the¡¡plague¡¡that¡¡those
people¡¡brought¡¡them£»¡¡who¡¡should¡¡have¡¡been¡¡careful¡¡to¡¡have¡¡protected
them¡¡from¡¡it¡£¡¡¡¡And¡¡this¡¡was¡¡a¡¡thing¡¡which¡¡frequently¡¡happened£»¡¡and
was¡¡indeed¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡worst¡¡consequences¡¡of¡¡shutting¡¡houses¡¡up¡£
I¡¡had¡¡about¡¡this¡¡time¡¡a¡¡little¡¡hardship¡¡put¡¡upon¡¡me£»¡¡which¡¡I¡¡was¡¡at
first¡¡greatly¡¡afflicted¡¡at£»¡¡and¡¡very¡¡much¡¡disturbed¡¡about¡¡though£»¡¡as¡¡it
proved£»¡¡it¡¡did¡¡not¡¡expose¡¡me¡¡to¡¡any¡¡disaster£»¡¡and¡¡this¡¡was¡¡being
appointed¡¡by¡¡the¡¡alderman¡¡of¡¡Portsoken¡¡Ward¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡examiners¡¡of
the¡¡houses¡¡in¡¡the¡¡precinct¡¡where¡¡I¡¡lived¡£¡¡¡¡We¡¡had¡¡a¡¡large¡¡parish£»¡¡and
had¡¡no¡¡less¡¡than¡¡eighteen¡¡examiners£»¡¡as¡¡the¡¡order¡¡called¡¡us£»¡¡the¡¡people
called¡¡us¡¡visitors¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡endeavoured¡¡with¡¡all¡¡my¡¡might¡¡to¡¡be¡¡excused
from¡¡such¡¡an¡¡employment£»¡¡and¡¡used¡¡many¡¡arguments¡¡with¡¡the
alderman's¡¡deputy¡¡to¡¡be¡¡excused£»¡¡particularly¡¡I¡¡alleged¡¡that¡¡I¡¡was
against¡¡shutting¡¡up¡¡houses¡¡at¡¡all£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡it¡¡would¡¡be¡¡very¡¡hard¡¡to
oblige¡¡me¡¡to¡¡be¡¡an¡¡instrument¡¡in¡¡that¡¡which¡¡was¡¡against¡¡my
judgement£»¡¡and¡¡which¡¡I¡¡did¡¡verily¡¡believe¡¡would¡¡not¡¡answer¡¡the¡¡end¡¡it
was¡¡intended¡¡for£»¡¡but¡¡all¡¡the¡¡abatement¡¡I¡¡could¡¡get¡¡was¡¡only£»¡¡that
whereas¡¡the¡¡officer¡¡was¡¡appointed¡¡by¡¡my¡¡Lord¡¡Mayor¡¡to¡¡continue¡¡two
months£»¡¡I¡¡should¡¡be¡¡obliged¡¡to¡¡hold¡¡it¡¡but¡¡three¡¡weeks£»¡¡on¡¡condition
nevertheless¡¡that¡¡I¡¡could¡¡then¡¡get¡¡some¡¡other¡¡sufficient¡¡housekeeper¡¡to
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employment£»¡¡that¡¡was¡¡fit¡¡to¡¡be¡¡entrusted¡¡with¡¡it¡£
It¡¡is¡¡true¡¡that¡¡shutting¡¡up¡¡of¡¡houses¡¡had¡¡one¡¡effect£»¡¡which¡¡I¡¡am
sensible¡¡was¡¡of¡¡moment£»¡¡namely£»¡¡it¡¡confined¡¡the¡¡distempered¡¡people£»
who¡¡would¡¡otherwise¡¡have¡¡been¡¡both¡¡very¡¡troublesome¡¡and¡¡very
dangerous¡¡in¡¡their¡¡running¡¡about¡¡streets¡¡with¡¡the¡¡distemper¡¡upon¡¡them
¡¡¡which£»¡¡when¡¡they¡¡were¡¡delirious£»¡¡they¡¡would¡¡have¡¡done¡¡in¡¡a¡¡most
frightful¡¡manner£»¡¡and¡¡as¡¡indeed¡¡they¡¡began¡¡to¡¡do¡¡at¡¡first¡¡very¡¡much£»
till¡¡they¡¡were¡¡thus¡¡restraided£»¡¡nay£»¡¡so¡¡very¡¡open¡¡they¡¡were¡¡that¡¡the
poor¡¡would¡¡go¡¡about¡¡and¡¡beg¡¡at¡¡people's¡¡doors£»¡¡and¡¡say¡¡they¡¡had¡¡the
plague¡¡upon¡¡them£»¡¡and¡¡beg¡¡rags¡¡for¡¡their¡¡sores£»¡¡or¡¡both£»¡¡or¡¡anything
that¡¡delirious¡¡nature¡¡happened¡¡to¡¡think¡¡of¡£
A¡¡poor£»¡¡unhappy¡¡gentlewoman£»¡¡a¡¡substantial¡¡citizen's¡¡wife£»¡¡was¡¡£¨if
the¡¡story¡¡be¡¡true£©¡¡murdered¡¡by¡¡one¡¡of¡¡these¡¡creatures¡¡in¡¡Aldersgate
Street£»¡¡or¡¡that¡¡way¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡was¡¡going¡¡along¡¡the¡¡street£»¡¡raving¡¡mad¡¡to¡¡be
sure£»¡¡and¡¡singing£»¡¡the¡¡people¡¡only¡¡said¡¡he¡¡was¡¡drunk£»¡¡but¡¡he¡¡himself
said¡¡he¡¡had¡¡the¡¡plague¡¡upon¡¡him£»¡¡which¡¡it¡¡seems¡¡was¡¡true£»¡¡and
meeting¡¡this¡¡gentlewoman£»¡¡he¡¡would¡¡kiss¡¡her¡£¡¡¡¡She¡¡was¡¡terribly
frighted£»¡¡as¡¡he¡¡was¡¡only¡¡a¡¡rude¡¡fellow£»¡¡and¡¡she¡¡ran¡¡from¡¡him£»¡¡but¡¡the
street¡¡being¡¡very¡¡thin¡¡of¡¡people£»¡¡there¡¡was¡¡nobody¡¡near¡¡enough¡¡to¡¡help
her¡£¡¡¡¡When¡¡she¡¡saw¡¡he¡¡would¡¡overtake¡¡her£»¡¡she¡¡turned¡¡and¡¡gave¡¡him¡¡a
thrust¡¡so¡¡forcibly£»¡¡he¡¡being¡¡but¡¡weak£»¡¡and¡¡pushed¡¡him¡¡down
backward¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡very¡¡unhappily£»¡¡she¡¡being¡¡so¡¡near£»¡¡he¡¡caught¡¡hold¡¡of
her¡¡and¡¡pulled¡¡her¡¡down¡¡also£»¡¡and¡¡getting¡¡up¡¡first£»¡¡mastered¡¡her¡¡and
kissed¡¡her£»¡¡and¡¡which¡¡was¡¡worst¡¡of¡¡all£»¡¡when¡¡he¡¡had¡¡done£»¡¡told¡¡her¡¡he
had¡¡the¡¡plague£»¡¡and¡¡why¡¡should¡¡not¡¡she¡¡have¡¡it¡¡as¡¡well¡¡as¡¡he£¿¡¡¡¡She¡¡was
frighted¡¡enough¡¡before£»¡¡being¡¡also¡¡young¡¡with¡¡child£»¡¡but¡¡when¡¡she
heard¡¡him¡¡say¡¡he¡¡had¡¡the¡¡plague£»¡¡she¡¡screamed¡¡out¡¡and¡¡fell¡¡down¡¡into
a¡¡swoon£»¡¡or¡¡in¡¡a¡¡fit£»¡¡which£»¡¡though¡¡she¡¡recovered¡¡a¡¡little£»¡¡yet¡¡killed¡¡her
in¡¡a¡¡very¡¡few¡¡days£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡never¡¡heard¡¡whether¡¡she¡¡had¡¡the¡¡plague¡¡or¡¡no¡£
Another¡¡infected¡¡person¡¡came¡¡and¡¡knocked¡¡at¡¡the¡¡door¡¡of¡¡a¡¡citizen's
house¡¡where¡¡they¡¡knew¡¡him¡¡very¡¡well£»¡¡the¡¡servant¡¡let¡¡him¡¡in£»¡¡and
being¡¡told¡¡the¡¡master¡¡of¡¡the¡¡house¡¡was¡¡above£»¡¡he¡¡ran¡¡up¡¡and¡¡came¡¡into
the¡¡room¡¡to¡¡them¡¡as¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡family¡¡was¡¡at¡¡supper¡£¡¡¡¡They¡¡began¡¡to
rise¡¡up£»¡¡a¡¡little¡¡surprised£»¡¡not¡¡knowing¡¡what¡¡the¡¡matter¡¡was£»¡¡but¡¡he¡¡bid
them¡¡sit¡¡still£»¡¡he¡¡only¡¡came¡¡to¡¡take¡¡his¡¡leave¡¡of¡¡them¡£¡¡¡¡They¡¡asked¡¡him£»
'Why£»¡¡Mr¡¡¡£»¡¡where¡¡are¡¡you¡¡going£¿'¡¡'Going£»'¡¡says¡¡he£»¡¡'I¡¡have¡¡got¡¡the
sickness£»¡¡and¡¡shall¡¡die¡¡tomorrow¡¡night¡£'¡¡'Tis¡¡easy¡¡to¡¡believe£»¡¡though
not¡¡to¡¡describe£»¡¡the¡¡consternation¡¡they¡¡were¡¡all¡¡in¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡women¡¡and
the¡¡man's¡¡daughters£»¡¡which¡¡were¡¡but¡¡little¡¡girls£»¡¡were¡¡frighted¡¡almost
to¡¡death¡¡and¡¡got¡¡up£»¡¡one¡¡running¡¡out¡¡at¡¡one¡¡door¡¡and¡¡one¡¡at¡¡another£»
some¡¡downstairs¡¡and¡¡some¡¡upstairs£»¡¡and¡¡getting¡¡together¡¡as¡¡well¡¡as
they¡¡could£»¡¡locked¡¡themselves¡¡into¡¡their¡¡chambers¡¡and¡¡screamed¡¡out
at¡¡the¡¡window¡¡for¡¡help£»¡¡as¡¡if¡¡they¡¡had¡¡been¡¡frighted¡¡out¡¡of¡¡their£»¡¡wits¡£
The¡¡master£»¡¡more¡¡composed¡¡than¡¡they£»¡¡though¡¡both¡¡frighted¡¡and
provoked£»¡¡was¡¡going¡¡to¡¡lay¡¡hands¡¡on¡¡him¡¡and¡¡throw¡¡him¡¡downstairs£»
being¡¡in¡¡a¡¡passion£»¡¡but¡¡then£»¡¡considering¡¡a¡¡little¡¡the¡¡condition¡¡of¡¡the
man¡¡and¡¡the¡¡danger¡¡of¡¡touching¡¡him£»¡¡horror¡¡sei
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