Page:A Journal of the Plague Year (1722).djvu/217

 (2.) Neither was there (which I wondred much at) any want of Bakers or Ovens kept open to ſupply the People with Bread; but this was indeed alledg’d by ſome Families, viz. That their Maid-Servants going to the Bake-houſes with their Dough to be baked, which was then the Cuſtom, ſometimes came Home with the Sickneſs, that is to ſay, the Plague upon them.

In all this dreadful Viſitation, there were, as I have ſaid before, but two Peſt-houſes made uſe of, viz. One in the Fields beyond Old-Street, and one in Weſtminſter; neither was there any Compulſion us’d in carrying People thither: Indeed there was no need of Compulſion in the Caſe, for there were Thouſands of poor diſtreſſed People, who having no Help, or Conveniences, or Supplies but of Charity, would have been very glad to have been carryed thither, and been taken Care of, which indeed was the only thing that, I think, was wanting in the whole publick Management of the City; ſeeing no Body was here allow’d to be brought to the Peſt-houſe, but where Money was given, or Security for Money, either at their introducing, or upon their being cur’d and ſent out; for very many were ſent out again whole, and very good Phyſicians were appointed to thoſe Places, ſo that many People did very well there, of which I ſhall make Mention again. The principal Sort of People ſent thither were, as I have ſaid, Servants, who got the Diftemper by going of Errands to fetch Neceſſaries to the Families where they liv’d; and who in that Caſe, if they came Home ſick, were remov’d to preſerve the reſt of the Houſe; and they were ſo well look’d after there in all the time of the Viſitation, that there was but 156 buried in all at the London Peſt-houſe, and 159 at that of Weſtminſter. By having more Peſt-houſes, I am far from meaning a forcing all People into ſuch Places. Had the