Page:A Journal of the Plague Year (1722).djvu/180

 to whoſe Farm it belong’d, they got leave to make what uſe of it they could.

The ingenious Joyner and all the reſt by his Directions, went to work with it, and in a very few Days made it capable to ſhelter them all in caſe of bad Weather, and in which there was an old Chimney, and an old Oven, tho’ both lying in Ruins, yet they made them both fit for Uſe, and raiſing Additions, Sheds, and Leantoo’s on every ſide, they ſoon made the Houſe capable to hold them all.

They chiefly wanted Boards to make Window-ſhutters, Floors, Doors, and ſeveral other Things; but as the Gentlemen above favour’d them, and the Country was by that Means made eaſy with them, and above all, that they were known to be all ſound and in good health, every Body help’d them with what they could ſpare. Here they encamp’d for good and all, and reſolv’d to remove no more; they ſaw plainly how terribly alarm’d that County was every where, at any Body that came from London; and that they ſhould have no admittance any where but with the utmoſt Difficulty, at leaſt no friendly Reception and Aſſiſtance as they had receiv’d here.

Now altho’ they receiv’d great Aſſiſtance and Encouragement from the Country Gentlemen and from the People round about them, yet they were put to great Straits, for the Weather grew cold and wet in October and November, and they had not been us’d to ſo much hardſhip; ſo that they got Colds in their Limbs, and Diſtempers, but never had the Infection: And thus about December they came home to the City again.

I give this Story thus at large, principally to give an Account what became of the great Numbers of People which immediately appear’d in the City as ſoon as the Sickneſs abated: For, as I have ſaid, great Numbers of thoſe that were able and had