第 3 节
作者:
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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 which the watchmen were deceived or
overpowered; and that the people got away; I have taken notice of
already; and shall say no more to that。 But I say the magistrates did
moderate and ease families upon many occasions in this case; and
particularly in that of taking away; or suffering to be removed; the
sick persons out of such houses when they were willing to be removed
either to a pest…house or other Places; and sometimes giving the well
persons in the family so shut up; leave to remove upon information
given that they were well; and that they would confine themselves in
such houses where they went so long as should be required of them。
The concern; also; of the magistrates for the supplying such poor
families as were infected … I say; supplying them with necessaries; as
well physic as food … was very great; and in which they did not content
themselves with giving the necessary orders to the officers appointed;
but the aldermen in person; and on horseback; frequently rode to such
houses and caused the people to be asked at their windows whether
they were duly attended or not; also; whether they wanted anything
that was necessary; and if the officers had constantly carried their
messages and fetched them such things as they wanted or not。 And if
they answered in the affirmative; all was well; but if they complained
that they were ill supplied; and that the officer did not do his duty; or
did not treat them civilly; they (the officers) were generally removed;
and others placed in their stead。
It is true such complaint might be unjust; and if the officer had such
arguments to use as would convince the magistrate that he was right;
and that the people had injured him; he was continued and they
reproved。 But this part could not well bear a particular inquiry; for the
parties could very ill be well heard and answered in the street from the
windows; as was the case then。 The magistrates; therefore; generally
chose to favour the people and remove the man; as what seemed to be
the least wrong and of the least ill consequence; seeing if the
watchman was injured; yet they could easily make him amends by
giving him another post of the like nature; but if the family was
injured; there was no satisfaction could be made to them; the damage
perhaps being irreparable; as it concerned their lives。
A great variety of these cases frequently happened between the
watchmen and the poor people shut up; besides those I formerly
mentioned about escaping。 Sometimes the watchmen were absent;
sometimes drunk; sometimes asleep when the people wanted them;
and such never failed to be punished severely; as indeed they
deserved。
But after all that was or could be done in these cases; the shutting up
of houses; so as to confine those that were well with those that were
sick; had very great inconveniences in it; and some that were very
tragical; and which merited to have been considered if there had been
room for it。 But it was authorised by a law; it had the public good in
view as the end chiefly aimed at; and all the private injuries that were
done by the putting it in execution must be put to the account of the
public benefit。
It is doubtful to this day whether; in the whole; it contributed
anything to the stop of the infection; and indeed I cannot say it did; for
nothing could run with greater fury and rage than the infection did
when it was in its chief violence; though the houses infected were shut
up as exactly and as effectually as it was possible。 Certain it is that if
all the infected persons were effectually shut in; no sound person
could have been infected by them; because they could not have come
near them。 But the case was this (and I shall only touch it here):
namely; that the infection was propagated insensibly; and by such
persons as were not visibly infected; who neither knew whom they
infected or who they were infected by。
A house in Whitechappel was shut up for the sake of one infected
maid; who had only spots; not the tokens come out upon her; and
recovered; yet these people obtained no liberty to stir; neither for air
or exercise; forty days。 Want of breath; fear; anger; vexation; and all
the other gifts attending such an injurious treatment cast the mistress
of the family into a fever; and visitors came into the house and said it
was the plague; though the physicians declared it was not。 However;
the family were obliged to begin their quarantine anew on the report
of the visitors or examiner; though their former quarantine wanted but
a few days of being finished。 This oppressed them so with anger and
grief; and; as before; straitened them also so much as to room; and for
want of breathing and free air; that most of the family fell sick; one of
one distemper; one of another; chiefly scorbutic ailments; only one; a
violent colic; till; after several prolongings of their confinement; some
or other of those that came in with the visitors to inspect the persons
that were ill; in hopes of releasing them; brought the distemper with
them and infected the whole house; and all or most of them died; not
of the plague as really upon them before; but of the plague that those
people brought them; who should have been careful to have protected
them from it。 And this was a thing which frequently happened; and
was indeed one of the worst consequences of shutting houses up。
I had about this time a little hardship put upon me; which I was at
first greatly afflicted at; and very much disturbed about though; as it
proved; it did not expose me to any disaster; and this was being
appointed by the alderman of Portsoken Ward one of the examiners of
the houses in the precinct where I lived。 We had a large parish; and
had no less than eighteen examiners; as the order called us; the people
called us visitors。 I endeavoured with all my might to be excused
from such an employment; and used many arguments with the
alderman's deputy to be excused; particularly I alleged that I was
against shutting up houses at all; and that it would be very hard to
oblige me to be an instrument in that which was against my
judgement; and which I did verily believe would not answer the end it
was intended for; but all the abatement I could get was only; that
whereas the officer was appointed by my Lord Mayor to continue two
months; I should be obliged to hold it but three weeks; on condition
nevertheless that I could then get some other sufficient housekeeper to
serve the rest of the time for me … which was; in short; but a very small
favour; it being very difficult to get any man to accept of such an
employment; that was fit to be entrusted with it。
It is true that shutting up of houses had one effect; which I am
sensible was of moment; namely; it confined the distempered people;
who would otherwise have b