Page:A Journal of the Plague Year (1722).djvu/19

 ſay, without any Overſeer or Perſon fit to be truſted with them, had been to hazard the Loſs not only of my Trade, but of my Goods, and indeed of all I had in the World.

I had an Elder Brother at the ſame Time in London, and not many Years before come over from Portugal; and adviſing with him, his Anſwer was in three Words the ſame that was given in another Caſe quite different, (viz.) Maſter ſave thy ſelf. In a Word, he was for my retiring into the Country, as he reſolv'd to do himſelf with his Family; telling me, what he had it ſeems, heard abroad, that the beſt Preparation for the Plague was to run away from it. As to my Argument of loſing my Trade, my Goods, or Debts, he quite confuted me: He told me the ſame thing, which I argued for my ſtaying, (viz ) That I would truſt God with my Safety and Health, was the ſtrongeſt Repulſe to my Pretentions of loſing my Trade and my Goods; for, ſays he, is it not as reaſonable that you ſhould truſt God with the Chance or Riſque of loſing your Trade, as that you ſhould ſtay inſo imminent a Point of Danger, and truſt him with your Life?

I could not argue that I was in any Strait, as to a Place where to go, having ſeveral Friends and Relations in Northamptonſhire, whence our Family firſt came from; and particularly, I had an only Siſter in Lincolſhire, very willing to receive and entertain me.

My Brother, who had already ſent his Wife and two Children into Bedfordſhire, and reſolv'd to follow them, preſs'd my going very earneſtly; and I had once reſolv'd to comply with his Deſires, but at that time could get no Horſe: For tho' it is true, all the People did not go out of the City of London; yet I may venture to ſay, that in a manner all the Horſes did; for there was