The Plague  
S Spring advanced, the Plague came on amain. Houses were shut up, some empty, some with infected People in them under Guard, ne’er to be let out, save in perfect Health or to be cast into the Dead-cart. Swarms of People hurried out of Town, some in Health, some already infected: never was such a Blockade of Carts, Coaches, and Horsemen on the Bridge; and I was told, on the northern and western Roads ’twas still worse. Every Horse, good and bad, was in request, at enormous Hire: as soon as they had done Duty for one 135Party, they came back for another, so that the poor Things had an ill Time o’t. The Court set the Example of running away; the Nobility and Gentry followed it; the Soldiers were all sent to Country Quarters, the Tower was left under the Guard of a few Beef-eaters, all the Courts of Law were closed, and even the middle and lower Ranks that could not well afford to leave their Shops and Houses, thought it a good Matter to escape for bare Life, and live about the Country in removed Places, camping in the Fields, and under Hedges.
 
Houses were shut up, some empty, some
with infected people in them
Thus the City, which had previously been so over-filled as to provoke the comparing of it with Jerusalem before the last Passover, was in a Manner so depopulated, that though vast Numbers remained in its By-streets and Lanes, whole Rows of Houses stood empty. Those that walked 136abroad kept the Middle of the Streets for Fear of Infection; Grass began to grow between the Paving-stones; the Sound of Wheels was scarce heard, for People were afraid of using the Hackney-coaches; Beggars, and Street-singers, and Hawkers, had altogether disappeared; so that there was nothing to break the awful Stillness save the Shrieks of dying Persons in lone Houses, or the Rumbling of the Dead-cart.
Meanwhile, though the Distemper was raging on both Sides of us and all about us, it came not on the Bridge. Crowded Assemblages of Buyers and Sellers at Markets, &c., being much to be avoided, we laid in as much Stock as our small Premises would hold and our small Family require, of Soap, Candles, Groceries, Cheese, Bacon, salt Butter, and such-like. And whereas the Plague 137raged worse than Anywhere among the Butchers’ Stalls and low Fishmongers, we made a Merit of Necessity, and fasted from both Fish and fresh Meat, as well for our Health as our Sins, which, if sundry others had done in a proper Frame and Temper, ’tis likely they might have been spared.
Thus we kept close and went Abroad little, except to Public Prayers; reading and meditating much at Home, and considering, as Noah and his Family probably did in the Ark, that if our Confinement were irksome, ’twas a cheap Price to pay for Safety. Of the Blenkinsops we saw nothing after the regular Outburst of the Calamity; but we knew that Mistress Blenkinsop was not only resolved not to stir, but that she would not so much as lay in Stores for daily Consumption; perversely and cruelly persisting in sending 138her Servants into the Danger, she feared not for herself to purchase Pennyworths of Things she might have bought wholesale.
 
Keeping the Gates.
Meantime, though our Bridge, by reason of its being one of the great Thoroughfares of London, could not well be shut up, yet the Bridgewardens took all the Care of us they could, keeping the Gates with much Jealousy, and burning large Fires of resinous and strong-smelling Substances. Early in the Season, there was one Person who took a mighty Panic at her own Danger, which was Mistress Armytage. She had left her Lodgings, ostensibly to be with Kitty during her Confinement, but in Reality, as the Event proved, to be out of the Reach of Infection. However, the News of each Day, which she greedily gathered, becoming dismaller, and the Crowds of 139People pouring out of Town exciting her Desire to be among them, she wearied Hugh Braidfoot with Entreaties that he would promise to go into the Country as soon as Kitty got about again; and, one Night, a Coffin leaping into her Lap out of the Fire, her Fears for herself could no longer be allayed, but she declared she must go the next Morning, come what would. I heard much sobbing and loud talking through the Wall overnight; and the next Morning at Day-break, saw the Widow departing with a small Bundle in her Hand, and a young Lad carrying her heavy Box. However, the End, which was impressive, was this. She over-heated herself in her selfish Flight, slept in a damp Bed the next Night, and took a Hurt which ended her Life before the Year was out, though not by the Plague.
140Soon after, Kitty gave Birth to twin Daughters, the sweetest little Dears that ever were seen, whom she very prettily insisted on naming Violet and Cherry. But now, the Plague being more and more talked of, and she being unable to nurse both, it became a momentous Question with her whether to bring one up by Hand or send it to a Foster-nurse in the Country. At length, the latter was decided upon; and little Violet............