Page:A Journal of the Plague Year (1722).djvu/30

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22
Memoirs of

ſerv'd, yet they were chiefly from the Weſt End of the Town; and from that we call the Heart of the City, that is to ſay, among the wealthieſt, of the People; and ſuch People as were unincumbred with Trades and Buſineſs: But of the reſt, the Generality ſtay'd, and ſeem'd to abide the worſt: So that in the Place we call the Liberties, and in the Suburbs, in Southwark, and in the Eaſt Part, ſuch as Wapping, Ratclif, Stepney, Rotherhith, and the like, the People generally ſtay'd, except here and there a few wealthy Families, who, as above, did not depend upon their Buſineſs.

It muſt not be forgot here, that the City and Suburbs were prodigiouſly full of People, at the time of this Viſitation, I mean, at the time that it began; for tho' I have liv'd to ſee a farther Encreaſe, and mighty Throngs of People ſettling in London, more than ever, yet we had always a Notion, that the Numbers of People, which the Wars being over, the Armies disbanded, and the Royal Family and the Monarchy being reſtor'd, had flock'd to London, to ſettle into Buſineſs; or to depend upon, and attend the Court for Rewards of Services, Preferments, and the like, was ſuch, that the Town was computed to have in it above a hundred thouſand people more than ever it held before; nay, ſome took upon them to ſay, it had twice as many, becauſe all the ruin'd Families of the royal Party, flock'd hither: All the old Soldiers ſet up Trades here, and abundance of Families ſettled here; again, the Court brought with them a great Flux of Pride, and new Faſhions; All People were grown gay and luxurious; and the Joy of the Reſtoration had brought a vaſt many Families to London.

I have often thought, as Jeruſalem was beſieg'd by the Romans, when the Jews were aſſembled together, to celebrate the Paſſover, by which means,an