Page:Life and prophecies of that faithful minister of God's word, Mr. Donald Cargill.pdf/23

Rh many of the ſtage) of ſuch a nature and manner, that our old phyſicians had never ſeen the like, and could make no help; for all things that uſed to be proper remedies, proved deſtructive: And this was not to be imputed to bad unwholeſome victual, for ſeverals, who had plenty of old victuals, did ſend to Glaſgow for Irish meal, and yet were ſmitten with fluxes and fevers in a more violent and infectious nature and manner than the pooreſt in the land, whoſe names and places where they dwelt I could inſtance.

Theſe unheard of manifold judgements continued ſeven yrars not always alike, but the ſeaſons, ſummer and winter, ſo cold and barren, and the wonted heat of the ſun ſo much withholden, that it was diſcernible upon the cattle, flying fools, and infects decaying, that ſeldom a fly or gleg was to be ſeen: Our harveſt not in the ordinary months; many ſhearing in November and December, yea ſome in January and February; the names of the places I can inſtruct: Many contracting their deaths, and loſing uſe of their feet and hands, ſhearing and working amongſt it in froſt and ſnow: And after all ſome of it ſtanding ſtill, and rotting on the ground, and much of it for little uſe either to man or beaſt, and which had no taſte or colour of meal.

Meal became to ſcarce that it was at two ſhillings a peck, and many could not get it. It was not then with many "Where will we get ſilver ?" But, "Where will we get meal for ſilver?" I have ſeen when meal was all fold in markets, women clapping their hands, and tearing the clothes off their heads, crying, “How ſhall we go home and ſee our children die in hunger ? they have got no meat theſe two days, and we have nothing to give them."

Through the long continuance of theſe manifold judgements, deaths, and burials were ſo many and common, that the living were wearied in the burying of the dead, I have ſeen corpſes drawn in fleds, many neither got coffin nor winding sheet. I was one of