Page:A Journal of the Plague Year (1722).djvu/258

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250
Memoirs of

County, and of every conſiderable Town, neceſſary, I ſay, by this means the Plague was firſt or laſt ſpread all over the Kingdom, as well in London as in all the Cities and great Towns, eſpecially in the trading Manufacturing Towns, and Sea-Ports; ſo that firſt or laſt, all the conſiderable Places in England were viſited more or leſs, and the Kingdom of Ireland in ſome Places, but not ſo univerſally; how it far'd with the People in Scotland, I had no opportunity to enquire.

It is to be obſerv'd, that while the Plague continued ſo violent in London, the out Ports, as they are call'd, enjoy'd a very great Trade, eſpecially to the adjacent Countries, and to our own Plantations, for Example, the Towns of Colcheſter, Yarmouth, and Hull, on that ſide of England, exported to Holland and Hamburgh, the Manufactures of the adjacent Counties for ſeveral Months after the Trade with London was as it were entirely ſhut up; likewiſe the Cities of Briſtol and Exeter with the Port of Plymouth, had the like Advantage to Spain, to the Canaries, to Guinea, and to the Weſt Indies; and particularly to Ireland; but as the Plague ſpread it ſelf every way after it had been in London, to ſuch a Degree as it was in Auguſt and September; ſo all, or moſt of thoſe Cities and Towns were infected firſt or laſt, and then Trade was as it were under a general Embargo, or at a full ſtop, as I ſhall obſerve farther, when I ſpeak of our home Trade.

One thing however muſt be obſerved, that as to Ships coming in from Abroad, as many you may be ſure did, ſome,who were out in all Parts of the World a conſiderable while before, and ſome who when they went out knew nothing of an Infection, or at leaſt of one ſo terrible; theſe came up the River boldly, and delivered their Cargoes as they were oblig'd to do, except juſt in the two Months of Auguſt and Sep-tember,