Page:A Journal of the Plague Year (1722).djvu/250

 ''good have the Plague as periſh for want. I have no Work, what could I do? I muſt do this or beg:'' Suppoſe it was burying the dead, or attending the Sick, or watching infected Houſes, which were all terrible Hazards but their Tale was generally the ſame. It is true Neceſſity was a very juftiſiable warrantable Plea, and nothing could be better; but their way of Talk was much the ſame, where the Neceſſities were not the ſame: This adventurous Conduct of the Poor was that which brought the Plague among them in a moſt furious manner, and this join’d to the Diſtreſs of their Circumſtances, when taken, was the reaſon why they died ſo by Heaps; for I cannot ſay, I could obſerve one jot of better Huſbandry among them, I mean the labouring Poor, while they were well and getting Money, than there was before, but as laviſh, as extravagant, and as thoughtleſs for to Morrow as ever; ſo that when they came to be taken ſick, they were immediately in the utmoſt Diſtreſs as well for want, as for Sickneſs, as well for lack of Food, as lack of Health.

This Miſery of the Poor I had many Occaſions to be an Eye-witneſs of, and ſometimes alſo of the charitable Aſſiſtance that ſome pious People daily gave to ſuch, ſending them Relief and Supplies both of Food, Phyſick and other Help, as they found they wanted; and indeed it is a Debt of Juſtice due to the Temper of the People of that Day to take Notice here, that not only great Sums, very great Sums of Money were charitably ſent to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen for the Aſſiſtance and Support of the poor diſtemper’d People; but abundance of private People daily diſtributed large Sums of Money for their Relief, and ſent People about to enquire into the Condition of particular diſtreſſed and viſited Families, and relieved them; nay ſome pious Ladies were ſo tranſported with Zeal in ſo good a