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 Peoples travelling; and that the Towns on the Road, would not ſuffer People from London to paſs, for fear of bringing the Infection along with them, though neither of theſe Rumours had any Foundation, but in the Imagination; eſpecially at firſt.

I now began to conſider ſeriouſly with my Self, concerning my own Caſe, and how I ſhould diſpoſe of my ſelf; that is to ſay, whether I ſhould reſolve to ſtay in London, or ſhut up my Houſe and flee, as many of my Neighbours did. I have ſet this particular down ſo fully, becauſe I know not but it may be of Moment to thoſe who come after me, if they come to be brought to the ſame Diſtreſs, and to the ſame Manner of making their Choice and therefore I deſire this Account may paſs with them, rather for a Direction to themſelves to act by, than a Hiſtory of my actings, ſeeing it may not be of one Farthing value to them to note what became of me.

I had two important things before me; the one was the carrying on my Buſineſs and Shop; which was conſiderable, and in which was embark'd all my Effects in the World; and the other was the Preſervation of my Life in ſo diſmal a Calamity, as I ſaw apparently was coming upon the whole City; and which however great it was, my Fears perhaps as well as other Peoples, repreſented to be much greater than it could be

The firſt Conſideration was of great Moment to me; my Trade was a Sadler, and as my Dealings were chiefly not by a Shop or Chance Trade, but among the Merchants, trading to the Engliſh Colonies in America, ſo my Effects lay very much in the hands of ſuch, I was a ſingle Man 'tis true, but I had a Family of Servants, who I kept at my Buſineſs, had a Houſe, Shop, and Ware-houſes fill'd with Goods; and in ſhort, to leave them all as things in ſuch a Caſe muſt be left, that is to