Page:The child's pictorial history of England; (IA childspictorialh00corn).pdf/166

 *mer dignity, and beautiful church music was again heard.

43. But, I am sorry to say, the king did not keep his promise to let all persons enjoy their own religion, which caused a great deal of unhappiness, for numbers of families, to escape being put in prison, or having their property taken from them, left their comfortable homes, and went to settle in the new American colonies, where they had to endure many hardships, for it is a long time before the people in new settlements can obtain the means of living in any degree of comfort.

44. About five years after the return of king Charles, the plague broke out in London, and continued to rage for many months with fearful violence.

45. The streets were, at that time, narrow and dirty; the houses mostly of wood, and not airy; nor was the city so well paved or cleansed, nor so well supplied with water, as at present, consequently it was not so healthy; and then, the doctors were not so clever as they are now, so that many died, who perhaps might have been saved.

46. It was a melancholy time. The houses were all shut up; no business was transacted, and scarcely any body was to be seen in the