Page:A Journal of the Plague Year (1722).djvu/26

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18
Memoirs of

Cripplegate, Shoreditch, and Biſhopſgate; which laſt two Pariſhes joining to Aldgate, White-Chapel, and Stepney, the Infection came at length to ſpread its utmoſt Rage and violence in thoſe Parts, even when it abated, at the Weſtern Pariſhes where it began.

It was very ſtrange to obſerve, that in this particular Week, from the 4th to the 11th of July, when, as I have obſerv'd, there died near 400 of the Plague in the two Pariſhes of St. Martin's, and St. Giles in the Fields only, three died in the Pariſh of Aldgate but four, in the Pariſh of White-Chapel three, in the Pariſh of Stepney but one.

Likewiſe in the next Week, from the 11th of July to the 18th, when the Week's Bill was 1761, yet there died no more of the Plague, on the whole Southwark Side of the Water than ſixteen.

But this Face of things ſoon changed, and it began to thicken in Cripplegate Pariſh eſpecially, and in Clerken-Well; ſo, that by the ſecond Week in Auguſt, Cripplegate Pariſh alone, buried eight hundred eighty ſix, and Clerken-Well 155; of the firſt eight hundred and fifty, might well be reckoned to die of the Plague; and of the laſt, the Bill it ſelf ſaid, 145 were of the Plague.

During the Month of July, and while, as I have obſerv'd, our Part of the Town ſeem'd to be orſpar'd, in Compariſon of the Weſt part, I went ordinarily about the Streets, as my Buſineſs requir'd, and particularly went generally, once in a Day, or in two Days, into the City, to my Brother's Houſe, which he had given me charge of, and to ſee if it was ſafe: And having the Key in my Pocket, I uſed to go into the Houſe, and over moſt of the Rooms, to ſee that all was well; for tho' it be ſomething wonderful to tell, that any ſhould have Hearts ſo hardned, in the midſt ofſuch