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said） two swellings upon him which could not be brought to break or
to suppurate； but； by laying strong caustics on them； the surgeons had；
it seems； hopes to break them … which caustics were then upon him；
burning his flesh as with a hot iron。 I cannot say what became of this
poor man； but I think he continued roving about in that manner till he
fell down and died。
No wonder the aspect of the city itself was frightful。 The usual
concourse of people in the streets； and which used to be supplied from
our end of the town； was abated。 The Exchange was not kept shut；
indeed； but it was no more frequented。 The fires were lost； they had
been almost extinguished for some days by a very smart and hasty
rain。 But that was not all； some of the physicians insisted that they
were not only no benefit； but injurious to the health of people。 This
they made a loud clamour about； and complained to the Lord Mayor
about it。 On the other hand； others of the same faculty； and eminent
too； opposed them； and gave their reasons why the fires were； and
must be； useful to assuage the violence of the distemper。 I cannot
give a full account of their arguments on both sides； only this I
remember； that they cavilled very much with one another。 Some were
for fires； but that they must be made of wood and not coal； and of
particular sorts of wood too； such as fir in particular； or cedar； because
of the strong effluvia of turpentine； others were for coal and not wood；
because of the sulphur and bitumen； and others were for neither one
or other。 Upon the whole； the Lord Mayor ordered no more fires； and
especially on this account； namely； that the plague was so fierce that
they saw evidently it defied all means； and rather seemed to increase
than decrease upon any application to check and abate it； and yet this
amazement of the magistrates proceeded rather from want of being
able to apply any means successfully than from any unwillingness
either to expose themselves or undertake the care and weight of
business； for； to do them justice； they neither spared their pains nor
their persons。 But nothing answered； the infection raged； and the
people were now frighted and terrified to the last degree： so that； as I
may say； they gave themselves up； and； as I mentioned above；
abandoned themselves to their despair。
But let me observe here that； when I say the people abandoned
themselves to despair； I do not mean to what men call a religious
despair； or a despair of their eternal state； but I mean a despair of their
being able to escape the infection or to outlive the plague。 which they
saw was so raging and so irresistible in its force that indeed few
people that were touched with it in its height； about August and
September； escaped； and； which is very particular； contrary to its
ordinary operation in June and July； and the beginning of August；
when； as I have observed； many were infected； and continued so many
days； and then went off after having had the poison in their blood a
long time； but now； on the contrary； most of the people who were
taken during the two last weeks in August and in the three first weeks
in September； generally died in two or three days at furthest； and
many the very same day they were taken； whether the dog…days； or； as
our astrologers pretended to express themselves； the influence of the
dog…star； had that malignant effect； or all those who had the seeds of
infection before in them brought it up to a maturity at that time
altogether； I know not； but this was the time when it was reported that
above 3000 people died in one night； and they that would have us
believe they more critically observed it pretend to say that they all
died within the space of two hours； viz。； between the hours of one and
three in the morning。
As to the suddenness of people's dying at this time； more than
before； there were innumerable instances of it； and I could name
several in my neighbourhood。 One family without the Bars； and not
far from me； were all seemingly well on the Monday； being ten in
family。 That evening one maid and one apprentice were taken ill and
died the next morning … when the other apprentice and two children
were touched； whereof one died the same evening； and the other two
on Wednesday。 In a word； by Saturday at noon the master； mistress；
four children； and four servants were all gone； and the house left
entirely empty； except an ancient woman who came in to take charge
of the goods for the master of the family's brother； who lived not far
off； and who had not been sick。
Many houses were then left desolate； all the people being carried
away dead； and especially in an alley farther on the same side beyond
the Bars； going in at the sign of Moses and Aaron； there were several
houses together which； they said； had not one person left alive in
them； and some that died last in several of those houses were left a
little too long before they were fetched out to be buried； the reason of
which was not； as some have written very untruly； that the living were
not sufficient to bury the dead； but that the mortality was so great in
the yard or alley that there was nobody left to give notice to the
buriers or sextons that there were any dead bodies there to be buried。
It was said； how true I know not； that some of those bodies were so
much corrupted and so rotten that it was with difficulty they were
carried； and as the carts could not come any nearer than to the Alley
Gate in the High Street； it was so much the more difficult to bring
them along； but I am not certain how many bodies were then left。 I
am sure that ordinarily it was not so。
As I have mentioned how the people were brought into a condition
to despair of life and abandon themselves； so this very thing had a
strange effect among us for three or four weeks； that is； it made them
bold and venturous： they were no more shy of one another； or
restrained within doors； but went anywhere and everywhere； and
began to converse。 One would say to another； 'I do not ask you how
you are； or say how I am； it is certain we shall all go； so 'tis no matter
who is all sick or who is sound'； and so they ran desperately into any
place or any company。
As it brought the people into public company； so it was surprising
how it brought them to crowd into the churches。 They inquired no
more into whom they sat near to or far from； what offensive smells
they met with； or what condition the people seemed to be in； but；
looking upon themselves all as so many dead corpses； they came to
the churches without the least caution； and crowded together as if
their lives were of no consequence compared to the work which they
came about there。 Indeed； the zeal which they showed in coming； and
the earnestness and affection they showed in their attention to what
they heard； made it manifest what a value people would all put upon
the worship of God if they thought every day they attended at the
church that it would be their last。
Nor was it without other strange effects； for it took away； all manner
of prejudice at or scruple about the person whom they found in the
pulpit when they came to the churches。 It cannot be doubted but that
many of the ministers of the parish churches were cut off； among
others； in so common and dreadful a calamity； and others had not
courage enough to stand it； but removed into the country as they found
means for escape。 As then some parish churches were quite vacant
and forsaken； the people made no scruple of desiring such Dissenters
as had been a few years before deprived of their livings by virtue of
the Act of Parliament called the Act of Uniformity to preach in the
churches； nor did the church ministers in that case make any difficulty
of accepting their assistance； so that many of those whom they called
silenced ministers had their mouths opened on this occasion and
preached publicly to the people。
Here we may observe and I hope it will not be amiss to take notice
of it that a near view of death would soon reconcile men of good
principles one to another； and that it is chiefly owing to our easy
situation in life and our putting these things far from us that our
breaches are fomented； ill blood continued； prejudices； breach of
charity and of Christian union； so much kept and so far carried on
among us as it is。 Another plague year would reconcile all these
differences； a dose conversing with death； or with diseases that
threaten death； would scum off the gall from our tempers； remove the
animosities among us； and bring us to see with differing eyes than
those which we looked on things with before。 As the people who had
been used to join with the Church were reconciled at this time with
the admitting the Dissenters to preach to them； so the Dissenters； who
with an uncommon prejudice had broken off from the communion of
the Church of England； were now content to come to their pa