distemper would take so sudden a turn as it did, and fall immediately
two thousand in a week, when there was such a prodigious number of
people sick at that time as it was known there was; and then it was
that many shifted away that had stayed most of the time before.
Besides, if God gave strength to some more than to others, was it to
boast of their ability to abide the stroke, and upbraid those that had
not the same gift and support, or ought not they rather to have been
humble and thankful if they were rendered more useful than their
brethren?
I think it ought to be recorded to the honour of such men, as well
clergy as physicians, surgeons, apothecaries, magistrates, and officers
of every kind, as also all useful people who ventured their lives in
discharge of their duty, as most certainly all such as stayed did to the
last degree; and several of all these kinds did not only venture but lose
their lives on that sad occasion.
I was once making a list of all such, I mean of all those professions
and employments who thus died, as I call it, in the way of their duty;
but it was impossible for a private man to come at a certainty in the
particulars. I only remember that there died sixteen clergymen, two
aldermen, five physicians, thirteen surgeons, within the city and
liberties before the beginning of September. But this being, as I said
before, the great crisis and extremity of the infection, it can be no
complete list. As to inferior people, I think there died six-and-forty
constables and head-boroughs in the two parishes of Stepney and
Whitechappel; but I could not carry my list oil, for when the violent
rage of the distemper in September came upon us, it drove us out of
all measures. Men did then no more (lie by tale and by number. They
might put out a weekly bill, and call them seven or eight thousand, or
what they pleased; ’tis certain they died by heaps, and were buried by
heaps, that is to say, without account. And if I might believe some
people, who were more abroad and more conversant with those things
than I though I was public enough for one that had no more business
to do than I had, – I say, if I may believe them, there was not many less
buried those first three weeks in September than 20,000 per week.
However, the others aver the truth of it; yet I rather choose to keep to
the public account; seven and eight thousand per week is enough to
make good all that I have said of the terror of those times; -and it is
much to the satisfaction of me that write, as well as those that read, to
be able to say that everything is set down with moderation, and rather
within compass than beyond it.
Upon all these accounts, I say, I could wish, when we were
recovered, our conduct had been more distinguished for charity and
kindness in remembrance of the past calamity, and not so much a
valuing ourselves upon our boldness in staying, as if all men were
cowards that fly from the hand of God, or that those who stay do not
sometimes owe their courage to their ignorance, and despising the
hand of their Maker – which is a criminal kind of desperation, and not
a true courage.
I cannot but leave it upon record that the civil officers, such as
constables, head-boroughs, Lord Mayor’s and sheriffs’-men, as also
parish officers, whose business it was to take charge of the poor, did
their duties in general with as much courage as any, and perhaps with
more, because their work was attended with more hazards, and lay
more among the poor, who were more subject to be infected, and in
the most pitiful plight when they were taken with the infection. But
then it must be added, too, that a great number of them died; indeed it
was scarce possible it should be otherwise.
I have not said one word here about the physic or preparations that