第 8 节
作者:
月寒 更新:2022-08-21 16:33 字数:9322
along; finding two dead bodies lie upon the stall; they took them up
with the instrument they used and threw them into the cart; and; all
this while the piper slept soundly。
From hence they passed along and took in other dead bodies; till; as
honest John Hayward told me; they almost buried him alive in the
cart; yet all this while he slept soundly。 At length the cart came to the
place where the bodies were to be thrown into the ground; which; as I
do remember; was at Mount Mill; and as the cart usually stopped
some time before they were ready to shoot out the melancholy load
they had in it; as soon as the cart stopped the fellow awaked and
struggled a little to get his head out from among the dead bodies;
when; raising himself up in the cart; he called out; 'Hey! where am I?'
This frighted the fellow that attended about the work; but after some
pause John Hayward; recovering himself; said; 'Lord; bless us!
There's somebody in the cart not quite dead!' So another called to him
and said; 'Who are you?' The fellow answered; 'I am the poor piper。
Where am I?' 'Where are you?' says Hayward。 'Why; you are in the
dead…cart; and we are going to bury you。' 'But I an't dead though; am
I?' says the piper; which made them laugh a little though; as John said;
they were heartily frighted at first; so they helped the poor fellow
down; and he went about his business。
I know the story goes he set up his pipes in the cart and frighted the
bearers and others so that they ran away; but John Hayward did not
tell the story so; nor say anything of his piping at all; but that he was a
poor piper; and that he was carried away as above I am fully satisfied
of the truth of。
It is to be noted here that the dead…carts in the city were not
confined to particular parishes; but one cart went through several
parishes; according as the number of dead presented; nor were they
tied to carry the dead to their respective parishes; but many of the
dead taken up in the city were carried to the burying…ground in the
out…parts for want of room。
I have already mentioned the surprise that this judgement was at
first among the people。 I must be allowed to give some of my
observations on the more serious and religious part。 Surely never city;
at least of this bulk and magnitude; was taken in a condition so
perfectly unprepared for such a dreadful visitation; whether I am to
speak of the civil preparations or religious。 They were; indeed; as if
they had had no warning; no expectation; no apprehensions; and
consequently the least provision imaginable was made for it in a
public way。 For example; the Lord Mayor and sheriffs had made no
provision as magistrates for the regulations which were to be
observed。 They had gone into no measures for relief of the poor。 The
citizens had no public magazines or storehouses for corn or meal for
the subsistence of the poor; which if they had provided themselves; as
in such cases is done abroad; many miserable families who were now
reduced to the utmost distress would have been relieved; and that in a
better manner than now could be done。
The stock of the city's money I can say but little to。 The Chamber of
London was said to be exceedingly rich; and it may be concluded that
they were so; by the vast of money issued from thence in the
rebuilding the public edifices after the fire of London; and in building
new works; such as; for the first part; the Guildhall; Blackwell Hall;
part of Leadenhall; half the Exchange; the Session House; the
Compter; the prisons of Ludgate; Newgate; &c。; several of the wharfs
and stairs and landing…places on the river; all which were either
burned down or damaged by the great fire of London; the next year
after the plague; and of the second sort; the Monument; Fleet Ditch
with its bridges; and the Hospital of Bethlem or Bedlam; &c。 But
possibly the managers of the city's credit at that time made more
conscience of breaking in upon the orphan's money to show charity to
the distressed citizens than the managers in the following years did to
beautify the city and re…edify the buildings; though; in the first case;
the losers would have thought their fortunes better bestowed; and the
public faith of the city have been less subjected to scandal and reproach。
It must be acknowledged that the absent citizens; who; though they
were fled for safety into the country; were yet greatly interested in the
welfare of those whom they left behind; forgot not to contribute
liberally to the relief of the poor; and large sums were also collected
among trading towns in the remotest parts of England; and; as I have
heard also; the nobility and the gentry in all parts of England took the
deplorable condition of the city into their consideration; and sent up
large sums of money in charity to the Lord Mayor and magistrates for
the relief of the poor。 The king also; as I was told; ordered a thousand
pounds a week to be distributed in four parts: one quarter to the city
and liberty of Westminster; one quarter or part among the inhabitants
of the Southwark side of the water; one quarter to the liberty and parts
within of the city; exclusive of the city within the walls; and one…
fourth part to the suburbs in the county of Middlesex; and the east and
north parts of the city。 But this latter I only speak of as a report。
Certain it is; the greatest part of the poor or families who formerly
lived by their labour; or by retail trade; lived now on charity; and had
there not been prodigious sums of money given by charitable; well…
minded Christians for the support of such; the city could never have
subsisted。 There were; no question; accounts kept of their charity; and
of the just distribution of it by the magistrates。 But as such multitudes
of those very officers died through whose hands it was distributed;
and also that; as I have been told; most of the accounts of those things
were lost in the great fire which happened in the very next year; and
which burnt even the chamberlain's office and many of their papers;
so I could never come at the particular account; which I used great
endeavours to have seen。
It may; however; be a direction in case of the approach of a like
visitation; which God keep the city from; … I say; it may be of use to
observe that by the care of the Lord Mayor and aldermen at that time
in distributing weekly great sums of money for relief of the poor; a
multitude of people who would otherwise have perished; were
relieved; and their lives preserved。 And here let me enter into a brief
state of the case of the poor at that time; and what way apprehended
from them; from whence may be judged hereafter what may be
expected if the like distress should come upon the city。
At the beginning of the plague; when there was now no more hope
but that the whole city would be visited; when; as I have said; all that
had friends or estates in the country retired with their families;
and when; indeed; one would have thought the very city itself was
running out of the gates; and that there would be nobody left behind;
you may be sure from that hour all trade; except such as related to
immediate subsistence; was; as it were; at a full stop。
This is so lively a case; and contains in it so much of the real
condition of the people; that I think I cannot be too particular in it;
and therefore I descend to the several arrangements or classes of
people who fell into immediate distress upon this occasion。 For example:
1。 All master…workmen in manufactures; especially such as belonged
to ornament and the less necessary parts of the people's dress; clothes;
and furniture for houses; such as riband…weavers and other weavers;
gold and silver lace makers; and gold and silver wire drawers;
sempstresses; milliners; shoemakers; hatmakers; and glovemakers;
also upholsterers; joiners; cabinet…makers; looking…glass makers; and
innumerable trades which depend upon such as these; … I say; the
master…workmen in such stopped their work; dismissed their
journeymen and workmen; and all their dependents。
2。 As merchandising was at a full stop; for very few ships ventured to
come up the river and none at all went out; so all the extraordinary
officers of the customs; likewise the watermen; carmen; porters; and
all the poor whose labour depended upon the merchants; were at once
dismissed and put out of business。
3。 All the tradesmen usually employed in building or repairing of
houses were at a full stop; for the people were far from wanting to
build houses when so many thousand houses were at once stripped of
their inhabitants; so that this one article turned all the ordinary
workmen of that kind out of business; such as bricklayers; masons;
carpenters; joiners; plasterers; painters; glaziers; smiths; plumbers; and
all the labourers depending on such。
4。 As navigation was at a stop; our ships neither coming in or go