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not　within　the　bills　of　mortality；　and　finding　an　empty　house　there；

inquires　out　the　owner；　and　took　the　house。　　After　a　few　days　he　got　a

cart　and　loaded　it　with　goods；　and　carries　them　down　to　the　house；　the

people　of　the　village　opposed　his　driving　the　cart　along；　but　with　some

arguings　and　some　force；　the　men　that　drove　the　cart　along　got

through　the　street　up　to　the　door　of　the　house。　　There　the　constable

resisted　them　again；　and　would　not　let　them　be　brought　in。　The　man

caused　the　goods　to　be　unloaden　and　laid　at　the　door；　and　sent　the　cart

away；　upon　which　they　carried　the　man　before　a　justice　of　peace；　that

is　to　say；　they　commanded　him　to　go；　which　he　did。　　The　justice

ordered　him　to　cause　the　cart　to　fetch　away　the　goods　again；　which　he

refused　to　do；　upon　which　the　justice　ordered　the　constable　to　pursue

the　carters　and　fetch　them　back；　and　make　them　reload　the　goods　and

carry　them　away；　or　to　set　them　in　the　stocks　till　they　came　for　further

orders；　and　if　they　could　not　find　them；　nor　the　man　would　not

consent　to　take　them　away；　they　should　cause　them　to　be　drawn　with

hooks　from　the　house…door　and　burned　in　the　street。　　The　poor

distressed　man　upon　this　fetched　the　goods　again；　but　with　grievous

cries　and　lamentations　at　the　hardship　of　his　case。　　But　there　was　no

remedy；　self…preservation　obliged　the　people　to　those　severities　which

they　would　not　otherwise　have　been　concerned　in。　　Whether　this　poor

man　lived　or　died　I　cannot　tell；　but　it　was　reported　that　he　had　the

plague　upon　him　at　that　time；　and　perhaps　the　people　might　report　that

to　justify　their　usage　of　him；　but　it　was　not　unlikely　that　either　he　or

his　goods；　or　both；　were　dangerous；　when　his　whole　family　had　been

dead　of　the　distempers　so　little　a　while　before。



I　know　that　the　inhabitants　of　the　towns　adjacent　to　London　were

much　blamed　for　cruelty　to　the　poor　people　that　ran　from　the

contagion　in　their　distress；　and　many　very　severe　things　were　done；　as

may　be　seen　from　what　has　been　said；　but　I　cannot　but　say　also　that；

where　there　was　room　for　charity　and　assistance　to　the　people；　without

apparent　danger　to　themselves；　they　were

willing　enough　to　help　and　relieve　them。　　But　as　every　town　were

indeed　judges　in　their　own　case；　so　the　poor　people　who　ran　abroad　in

their　extremities　were　often　ill…used　and　driven　back　again　into　the

town；　and　this　caused　infinite　exclamations　and　outcries　against　the

country　towns；　and　made　the　clamour　very　popular。



And　yet；　more　or　less；　maugre　all　the　caution；　there　was　not　a　town

of　any　note　within　ten　（or；　I　believe；　twenty）　miles　of　the　city　but　what

was　more　or　less　infected　and　had　some　died　among　them。　　I　have

heard　the　accounts　of　several；　such　as　they　were　reckoned　up；　as　follows：　…



　　　　　In　Enfield　　　　　　　　　　　32　　　　　　　　　　In　Uxbridge　　　　　　　　117

　　　　　〃　　Hornsey　　　　　　　　　　　58　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃　　Hertford　　　　90

　　　　　〃　　Newington　　　　　　　　　17　　　　　　　　　　〃　　Ware　　　　　　　　　　　　160

　　　　　〃　　Tottenham　　　　　　　　　42　　　　　　　　　　〃　　Hodsdon　　　　　　　　　　30

　　　　　〃　　Edmonton　　　　　　　　　　19　　　　　　　　　　〃　　Waltham　Abbey　　　　23

　　　　　〃　　Barnet　and　Hadly　　19　　　　　　　　　　〃　　Epping　　　　　　　　　　　26

　　　　　〃　　St　Albans　　　　　　　　121　　　　　　　　　　〃　　Deptford　　　　　　　　623

　　　　　〃　　Watford　　　　　　　　　　　45　　　　　　　　　　〃　　Greenwich　　　　　　　231

　　　　　〃　　Eltham　and　Lusum　　85　　　　　　　　　　〃　　Kingston　　　　　　　　122

　　　　　〃　　Croydon　　　　　　　　　　　61　　　　　　　　　　〃　　Stanes　　　　　　　　　　　82

　　　　　〃　　Brentwood　　　　　　　　　70　　　　　　　　　　〃　　Chertsey　　　　　　　　　18

　　　　　〃　　Rumford　　　　　　　　　　109　　　　　　　　　　〃　　Windsor　　　　　　　　　103

　　　　　〃　　Barking　Abbot　　　　200

　　　　　〃　　Brentford　　　　　　　　432　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Cum　aliis。





Another　thing　might　render　the　country　more　strict　with　respect　to

the　citizens；　and　especially　with　respect　to　the　poor；　and　this　was　what

I　hinted　at　before：　namely；　that　there　was　a　seeming　propensity　or　a

wicked　inclination　in　those　that　were　infected　to　infect　others。



There　have　been　great　debates　among　our　physicians　as　to　the

reason　of　this。　　Some　will　have　it　to　be　in　the　nature　of　the　disease；

and　that　it　impresses　every　one　that　is　seized　upon　by　it　with　a　kind　of

a　rage；　and　a　hatred　against　their　own　kind　…　as　if　there　was　a

malignity　not　only　in　the　distemper　to　communicate　itself；　but　in　the

very　nature　of　man；　prompting　him　with　evil　will　or

an　evil　eye；　that；　as　they　say　in　the　case　of　a　mad　dog；　who　though　the

gentlest　creature　before　of　any　of　his　kind；　yet　then　will　fly　upon　and

bite　any　one　that　comes　next　him；　and　those　as　soon　as　any　who　had

been　most　observed　by　him　before。



Others　placed　it　to　the　account　of　the　corruption　of　human　nature；

who　cannot　bear　to　see　itself　more　miserable　than　others　of　its　own

species；　and　has　a　kind　of　involuntary　wish　that　all　men　were　as

unhappy　or　in　as　bad　a　condition　as　itself。



Others　say　it　was　only　a　kind　of　desperation；　not　knowing　or

regarding　what　they　did；　and　consequently　unconcerned　at　the　danger

or　safety　not　only　of　anybody　near　them；　but　even　of　themselves　also。

And　indeed；　when　men　are　once　come　to　a　condition　to　abandon

themselves；　and　be　unconcerned　for　the　safety　or　at　the　danger　of

themselves；　it　cannot　be　so　much　wondered　that　they　should　be

careless　of　the　safety　of　other　people。



But　I　choose　to　give　this　grave　debate　a　quite　different　turn；　and

answer　it　or　resolve　it　all　by　saying　that　I　do　not　grant　the　fact。　　On　the

contrary；　I　say　that　the　thing　is　not　really　so；　but　that　it　was　a　general

complaint　raised　by　the　people　inhabiting　the　outlying　villages　against

the　citizens　to　justify；　or　at　least　excuse；　those　hardships　and　severities

so　much　talked　of；　and　in　which　complaints　both　sides　may　be　said　to

have　injured　one　another；　that　is　to　say；　the　citizens　pressing　to　be

received　and　harboured　in　time　of　distress；　and　with　the　plague　upon

them；　complain　of　the　cruelty　and　injustice　of　the　country　people　in

being　refused　entrance　and　forced　back　again　with　their　goods　and

families；　and　the　inhabitants；　finding　themselves　so　imposed　upon；

and　the　citizens　breaking　in　as　it　were　upon　them　whether　they　would

or　no；　complain　that　when　they　were　infected　they　were　not　only

regardless　of　others；　but　even　willing　to　infect　them；　neither　of　which

were　really　true　…　that　is　to　say；　in　the　colours　they　were　described　in。



It　is　true　there　is　something　to　be　said　for　the　frequent　alarms　which

were　given　to　the　country　of　the　resolution　of　the　people　of　London　to

come　out　by　force；　not　only　for　relief；　but　to　plunder　and　rob；　that　they

ran　about　the　streets　with　the　distemper　upon　them　without　any

control；　and　that　no　care　was　taken　to　shut　up　houses；　and　confine　the

sick　people　from　infecting　others；　whereas；　to　do　the　Londoners

justice；　they　never　practised　such　things；　except　in　such　particular

cases　as　I　have　mentioned　above；　and　such　like。　　On　the　other　hand；

everything　was　managed　with　so　much　care；　and　such　excellent　order

was　observed　in　the　whole　city　and　suburbs　by　the　care　of　the　Lord

Mayor　and　aldermen　and　by　the　justices　of　the　peace；　church…wardens；

&c。；　in　the　outparts；　that　London　may　be　a　pattern　to　all　the　cities　in

the　world　for　the　good　government　and　the　excellent　order　that　was

everywhere　kept；　even　in　the　time　of　the　most　violent　infection；　and

when　the　people　were　in　the　utmost　consternation　and　distress。　　But　of

this　I　shall　speak　by　itself。



One　thing；　it　is　to　be　observed；　was　owing　principally　to　the

prudence　of　the　magistrates；　and　ought　to　be　mentioned　to　their

honour：　viz。；　the　moderation　which　they　used　in　the　great　and　difficult

work　of　shutting　up　of　houses。　　It　is　true；　as　I　have　mentioned；　that　the

shutting　up　of　houses　was　a　great　subject　of　discontent；　and　I　may　say

indeed　the　only　subject　of　discontent　among　the　people　at　that　time；

for　the　confining　the　sound　in　the　same　house　with　the　sick　was

counted　very　terrible；　and　the　complaints　of　people　so　confined　were

very　grievous。　　They　were　heard　into　the　very　streets；　and　they　were

sometimes　such　that　called　for　resentment；　though　oftener　for

compassion。　　They　had　no　way　to　converse　with　any　of　their　friends

but　out　at　their　windows；　where　they　would　make　such　piteous

lamentations　as　often　moved　the　hearts　of　those　they　talked　with；　and

of　others　who；　passing　by；　heard　their　story；　and　as　those　complaints

oftentimes　reproached　the　severity；　and　sometimes　the　insolence；　of

the　watchmen　placed　at　their　doors；　those　watchmen　would　answer

saucily　enough；　and　perhaps　be　apt　to　affront　the　people　who　were　in

the　street　talking　to　the　said　families；　for　which；　or　for　their　ill…

treatment　of　the　families；　I　think　seven　or　eight　of　them　in　several

places　were　killed；　I　know　not　whether　I　should　say　murdered　or　not；

because　I　cannot　enter　into　the　particular　cases。　　It　is　true　the

watchmen　were　on　their　duty；　and　acting　in　the　post　where　they　were

placed　by　a　lawful　authority；　and　killing　any　public　legal　officer　in　the

execution　of　his　office　is　always；　in　the　language　of　the　law；　called

murder。　　But　as　they　were　not　authorised　by　the　magistrates'

instructions；　or　by　the　power　they　acted　under；　to　be　injurious　or

abusive　either　to　the　people　who　were　under　their　observation　or　to

any　that　concerned　themselves　for　them；　so　when　they　did　so；　they

might　he　said　to　act　themselves；　not　their　office；　'　to　act　as　private

persons；　not　as　persons　employed；　and　consequently；　if　they　brought

mischief　upon　themselves　by　such　an　undue　behaviour；　that　mischief

was　upon　their　own　heads；　and　indeed　they　had　so　much　the　hearty

curses　of　the　people；　whether　they　deserved　it　or　not；　that　whatever

befell　them　nobody　pitied　them；　and　everybody　was　apt　to　say　they

deserved　it；　whatever　it　was。　　Nor　do　I　remember　that　anybody　was

ever　punished；　at　least　to　any　considerable　degree；　for　whatever　was

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　wh