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many other cases did they know what bodies they had in their cart； for
sometimes they were let down with ropes out of balconies and out of
windows； and sometimes the bearers brought them to the cart；
sometimes other people； nor； as the men themselves said； did they
trouble themselves to keep any account of the numbers。
The vigilance of the magistrates was now put to the utmost trial …
and； it must be confessed； can never be enough acknowledged on this
occasion also； whatever expense or trouble they were at； two things
were never neglected in the city or suburbs either ： …
（1） Provisions were always to be had in full plenty； and the price not
much raised neither； hardly worth speaking。
（2） No dead bodies lay unburied or uncovered； and if one walked
from one end of the city to another； no funeral or sign of it was to be
seen in the daytime； except a little； as I have said above； in the three
first weeks in September。
This last article perhaps will hardly be believed when some
accounts which others have published since that shall be seen；
wherein they say that the dead lay unburied； which I am assured was
utterly false； at least； if it had been anywhere so； it must have been in
houses where the living were gone from the dead （having found
means； as I have observed； to escape） and where no notice was given
to the officers。 All which amounts to nothing at all in the case in
hand； for this I am positive in； having myself been employed a little in
the direction of that part in the parish in which I lived； and where as
great a desolation was made in proportion to the number of
inhabitants as was anywhere； I say； I am sure that there were no dead
bodies remained unburied； that is to say； none that the proper officers
knew of； none for want of people to carry them off； and buriers to put
them into the ground and cover them； and this is sufficient to the
argument； for what might lie in houses and holes； as in Moses and
Aaron Alley； is nothing； for it is most certain they were buried as soon
as they were found。 As to the first article （namely； of provisions； the
scarcity or dearness）； though I have mentioned it before and shall
speak of it again； yet I must observe here： …
（1） The price of bread in particular was not much raised； for in the
beginning of the year； viz。； in the first week in March； the penny
wheaten loaf was ten ounces and a half； and in the height of the
contagion it was to be had at nine ounces and a half； and never dearer；
no； not all that season。 And about the beginning of November it was
sold ten ounces and a half again； the like of which； I believe； was
never heard of in any city； under so dreadful a visitation； before。
（2） Neither was there （which I wondered much at） any want of
bakers or ovens kept open to supply the people with the bread； but this
was indeed alleged by some families； viz。； that their maidservants；
going to the bakehouses with their dough to be baked； which was then
the custom； sometimes came home with the sickness （that is to say the
plague） upon them。
In all this dreadful visitation there were； as I have said before； but
two pest…houses made use of； viz。； one in the fields beyond Old Street
and one in Westminster； neither was there any compulsion used in
carrying people thither。 Indeed there was no need of compulsion in
the case； for there were thousands of poor distressed people who；
having no help or conveniences or supplies but of charity； would have
been very glad to have been carried thither and been taken care of；
which； indeed； was the only thing that I think was wanting in the
whole public management of the city； seeing nobody was here
allowed to be brought to the pest…house but where money was given；
or security for money； either at their introducing or upon their being
cured and sent out … for very many were sent out again whole； and
very good physicians were appointed to those places； so that many
people did very well there； of which I shall make mention again。 The
principal sort of people sent thither were； as I have said； servants who
got the distemper by going of errands to fetch necessaries to the
families where they lived； and who in that case； if they came home
sick； were removed to preserve the rest of the house； and they were so
well looked after there in all the time of the visitation that there was
but 156 buried in all at the London pest…house； and 159 at that of
Westminster。
By having more pest…houses I am far from meaning a forcing all
people into such places。 Had the shutting up of houses been omitted
and the sick hurried out of their dwellings to pest…houses； as some
proposed； it seems； at that time as well as since； it would certainly
have been much worse than it was。 The very removing the sick would
have been a spreading of the infection； and the rather because that
removing could not effectually clear the house where the sick person
was of the distemper； and the rest of the family； being then left at
liberty； would certainly spread it among others。
The methods also in private families； which would have been
universally used to have concealed the distemper and to have
concealed the persons being sick； would have been such that the
distemper would sometimes have seized a whole family before any
visitors or examiners could have known of it。 On the other hand； the
prodigious numbers which would have been sick at a time would have
exceeded all the capacity of public pest…houses to receive them； or of
public officers to discover and remove them。
This was well considered in those days； and I have heard them talk
of it often。 The magistrates had enough to do to bring people to
submit to having their houses shut up； and many ways they deceived
the watchmen and got out； as I have observed。 But that difficulty
made it apparent that they t would have found it impracticable to have
gone the other way to work； for they could never have forced the sick
people out of their beds and out of their dwellings。 It must not have
been my Lord Mayor's officers； but an army of officers； that must have
attempted it； and tile people； on the other hand； would have been
enraged and desperate； and would have killed those that should have
offered to have meddled with them or with their children and
relations； whatever had befallen them for it； so that they would have
made the people； who； as it was； were in the most terrible distraction
imaginable； I say； they would have made them stark mad； whereas the
magistrates found it proper on several accounts to treat them with
lenity and compassion； and not with violence and terror； such as
dragging the sick out of their houses or obliging them to remove
themselves； would have been。
This leads me again to mention the time when the plague first
began； that is to say； when it became certain that it would spread over
the whole town； when； as I have said； the better sort of people first
took the alarm and began to hurry themselves out of town。 It was
true； as I observed in its place； that the throng was so great； and the
coaches； horses； waggons； and carts were so many； driving and
dragging the people away； that it looked as if all the city was running
away； and had any regulations been published that had been terrifying
at that time； especially such as would pretend to dispose of the people
otherwise than they would dispose of themselves； it would have put
both the city and suburbs into the utmost confusion。
But the magistrates wisely caused the people to be encouraged；
made very good bye…laws for the regulating the citizens； keeping good
order in the streets； and making everything as eligible as possible to
all sorts of people。
In the first place； the Lord Mayor and the sheriffs； the Court of
Aldermen； and a certain number of the Common Council men； or
their deputies； came to a resolution and published it； viz。； that they
would not quit the city themselves； but that they would be always at
hand for the preserving good order in every place and for the doing
justice on all occasions； as also for the distributing the public charity
to the poor； and； in a word； for the doing the duty and discharging the
trust reposed in them by the citizens to the utmost of their power。
In pursuance of these orders； the Lord Mayor； sheriffs； &c。； held
councils every day； more or less； for making such dispositions as they
found needful for preserving the civil peace； and though they used the
people with all possible gentleness and clemency； yet all manner of
presumptuous rogues such as thieves； housebreakers； plunderers of the
dead or of the sick； were duly punished； and several declarations were
continually published by the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen
against such。
Also all constables and churchwardens were enjoined to stay in the
city upon severe penalties； or to depute such able and sufficient
hou