thing was done relating to ſuch Trades, but what might be ſaid to be abſolutely neceſſary.
This cauſed the Multitude of ſingle People in London to be unprovided for; as alſo of Families, whoſe living depended upon the Labour of the Heads of thoſe Families; I ſay, this reduced them to extream Miſery; and I muſt confeſs it is for the Honour of the City of London, and will be for many Ages, as long as this is to be ſpoken of, that they were able to ſupply with charitable Proviſion, the Wants of ſo many Thouſands of thoſe as afterwards fell ſick, and were diſtreſſed, ſo that it may be ſafely aver’d that no Body periſhed for Want, at left that the Magiſtrates had any notice given them of.
This Stagnation of our Manufacturing Trade in the Country, would have put the People there to much greater Difficulties, but that the Maſter-Workmen, Clothiers and others, to the uttermoſt of their Stocks and Strength, kept on making their Goods to keep the Poor at Work, believing that as ſoon as the Sickneſs ſhould abate, they would have a quick Demand in Proportion to the Decay of their Trade at that Time: But as none but thoſe Maſters that were rich could do thus, and that many were poor and not able, the Manufacturing Trade in England ſuffer’d greatly, and the Poor were pinch’d all over England by the Calamity of the City of London only.
It is true, that the next Year made them full amends by another terrible Calamity upon the City; ſo that the City by one Calamity impoveriſhed and weaken’d the Country, and by another Calamity even terrible too of its Kind, enrich’d the Country and made them again amends: For an infinite Quantity of Houſhold Stuff, wearing Apparel, and other Things, beſides whole Ware-houſes fill’d with Merchandize and Manufacturies, ſuch as come from
