A Journal of the Plague Year

by Daniel Defoe

  At another House, as I was inform’d, in the Street next within Aldgate, a whole Family was shut up and lock’d in, because the Maid-Servant was taken sick; the Master of the House had complain’d by his Friends to the next Alderman, and to the Lord Mayor, and had consented to have the Maid carried to the Pest-House, but was refused, so the Door was marked with a red Cross, a Padlock on the Outside, as above, and a Watchman set to keep the Door according to publick Order.

  After the Master of the House found there was no Remedy, but that he, his Wife and his Children were to be lockt up with this poor distempered Servant; he call’d to the Watchman, and told him, he must go then and fetch a Nurse for them, to attend this poor Girl, for that it would be certain Death to them all to oblige them to nurse her, and told him plainly, that if he would not do this, the Maid must perish either of the Distemper, or be starv’d for want of Food; for he was resolv’d none of his Family, should go near her; and she lay in the Garret four Story high, where she could not Cry out, or call to any Body for Help.

  The Watchman consented to that, and went and fetch’d a Nurse as he was appointed, and brought her to them the same Evening; during this interval, the Master of the House took his Opportunity to break a large Hole thro’ his Shop into a Bulk or Stall, where formerly a Cobler had sat, before or under his Shop-window; but the Tenant as may be supposed, at such a dismal Time as that, was dead or remov’d, and so he had the Key in his own keeping; having made his Way into this Stall, which he cou’d not have done, if the Man had been at the Door, the Noise he was obliged to make, being such as would have alarm’d the Watchman; I say, having made his Way into this Stall, he sat still till the Watchman return’d with the Nurse, and all the next Day also; but the Night following, having contriv’d to send the Watchman of another trifling Errand, which as I take it, was to an Apothecary’s for a Plaster for the Maid, which he was to stay for the making up, or some other such Errand that might secure his staying some Time; in that Time he conveyed himself, and all his Family out of the House, and left the Nurse and the Watchman to bury the poor Wench; that is, throw her into the Cart, and take care of the House.

  I cou’d give a great many such Stories as these, diverting enough, which in the long Course of that dismal Year, I met with, that is heard of, and which are very certain to be true, or very near the Truth; that is to say, true in the General, for no Man could at such a Time, learn all the Particulars: There was likewise Violence used with the Watchmen, as was reported in abundance of Places; and I believe, that from the Beginning of the Visitation to the End, there was not less than eighteen or twenty of them kill’d, or so wounded as to be taken up for Dead, which was suppos’d to be done by the People in the infected Houses which were shut up, and where they attempted to come out, and were oppos’d.

  Nor indeed cou’d less be expected, for here were just so many Prisons in the Town, as there were Houses shut up; and as the People shut up or imprison’d so, were guilty of no Crime, only shut up because miserable, it was really the more intollerable to them.

  It had also this Difference; that every Prison, as we may call it, had but one Jaylor; and as he had the whole House to Guard, and that many Houses were so situated, as that they had several Ways out, some more, some less, and some into several Streets; it was impossible for one Man so to Guard all the Passages, as to prevent the escape of People, made desperate by the fright of their Circumstances, by the Resentment of their usage, or by the raging of the Distemper it self; so that they would talk to the Watchman on one Side of the House, while the Family made their escape at another.

  For example, in Coleman-street, there are abundance of Alleys, as appears still; a House was shut up in that they call Whites-Alley, and this House had a back Window, not a Door into a Court, which had a Passage into Bell-Alley; a Watchman was set by the Constable, at the Door of this House, and there he stood, or his Comrade Night and Day, while the Family went all away in the Evening, out at that Window into the Court, and left the poor Fellows warding, and watching, for near a Fortnight.

  Not far from the same Place, they blow’d up a Watchman with Gun-powder, and burnt the poor Fellow dreadfully, and while he made hideous Crys, and no Body would venture to come near to help him; the whole Family that were able to stir, got out at the Windows one Story high; two that were left Sick, calling out for Help; Care was taken to give them Nurses to look after them, but the Persons fled were never found, till after the Plague was abated they return’d, but as nothing cou’d be prov’d, so nothing could be done to them.

  It is to be consider’d too, that as these were Prisons without Barrs and Bolts, which our common Prisons are furnish’d with, so the People let themselves down out of their Windows, even in the Face of the Watchman, bringing Swords or Pistols in their Hands, and threatening the poor Wretch to shoot him, if he stir’d, or call’d for Help.

  In other Cases, some had Gardens, and Walls, or Pales between them and their Neighbours; or Yards, and back-Houses; and these by Friendship and Entreaties, would get leave to get over those Walls, or Pales, and so go out at their Neighbour’s Doors; or by giving Money to their Servants, get them, to let them thro’ in the Night; so that in short, the shutting up of Houses, was in no wise to be depended upon; neither did it answer the End at all; serving more to make the People desperate, and drive them to such Extremities as that they would break out at all Adventures.

  And that which was still worse, those that did thus break out, spread the Infection farther by their wandring about with the Distemper upon them, in their desperate Circumstances, than they would otherwise have done; for whoever considers all the Particulars in such Cases must acknowledge; and we cannot doubt but the severity of those Confinements, made many People desperate; and made them run out of their Houses at all Hazards, and with the Plague visibly upon them, not knowing either whither to go, or what to do, or indeed, what they did; and many that did so, were driven to dreadful Exigences and Extremities, and Perish’d in the Streets or Fields for meer Want, or drop’d down, by the raging violence of the Fever upon them: Others wandred into the Country, and went forward any Way, as their Desperation guided them, not knowing whither they went or would go, till faint and tir’d, and not getting any Relief; the Houses and Villages on the Road, refusing to admit them to lodge, whether infected or no; they have perish’d by the Road Side, or gotten into Barns and dy’d there, none daring to come to them, or relieve them, tho’ perhaps not infected, for no Body would believe them.

  On the other Hand, when the Plague at first seiz’d a Family, that is to say, when any one Body of the Family, had gone out, and unwarily or otherwise catch’d the Distemper and brought it Home, it was certainly known by the Family, before it was known to the Officers, who, as you will see by the Order, were appointed to examine into the Circumstances of all sick Persons, when they heard of their being sick.

  In this Interval, between their being taken Sick, and the Examiners coming, the Master of the House had Leisure and Liberty to remove himself, or all his Family, if he knew whither to go, and many did so: But the great disaster was, that many did thus, after they were really infected themselves, and so carry’d the Disease into the Houses of those who were so Hospitable as to receive them, which it must be confess’d was very cruel and ungrateful.

  And this was in Part, the Reason of the general Notion, or scandal rather, which went about of the Temper of People infected; Namely, that they did not take the least care, or make any Scruple of infecting others; tho’ I cannot say, but there might be some Truth in it too, but not so general as was reported. What natural Reason could be given, for so wicked a Thing, at a Time, when they might conclude themselves just going to appear at the Barr of Divine Justice, I know not: I am very well satisfy’d, that it cannot be reconcil’d to Religion and Principle, any more than it can be to Generosity and Humanity; but I may speak of that again.

  I am speaking now of People made desperate, by the Apprehensions of their being shut up, and their breaking out
by Stratagem or Force, either before or after they were shut up, whose Misery was not lessen’d, when they were out, but sadly encreased: On the other Hand, many that thus got away, had Retreats to go to, and other Houses, where they lock’d themselves up, and kept hid till the Plague was over; and many Families foreseeing the Approach of the Distemper, laid up Stores of Provisions, sufficient for their whole Families, and shut themselves up, and that so entirely, that they were neither seen or heard of, till the Infection was quite ceased, and then came abroad Sound and Well: I might recollect several such as these, and give you the Particular of their Management; for doubtless, it was the most effectual secure Step that cou’d be taken for such, whose Circumstance would not admit them to remove, or who had not Retreats abroad proper for the Case; for in being thus shut up, they were as if they had been a hundred Miles off: Nor do I remember, that any one of those Families miscary’d; among these, several Dutch Merchants were particularly remarkable, who kept their Houses like little Garrisons besieged, suffering none to go in or out, or come near them; particularly one in a Court in Throckmorton Street, whose House looked into Drapers Garden.

  But I come back to the Case of Families infected, and shut up by the Magistrates; the Misery of those Families is not to be express’d, and it was generally in such Houses that we heard the most dismal Shrieks and Out-cries of the poor People terrified, and even frighted to Death, by the Sight of the Condition of their dearest Relations, and by the Terror of being imprisoned as they were.

  I remember, and while I am writing this Story, I think I hear the very Sound of it, a certain Lady had an only Daughter, a young Maiden about 19 Years old, and who was possessed of a very Considerable Fortune; they were only Lodgers in the House where they were: The young Woman, her Mother, and the Maid, had been abroad on some Occasion, I do not remember what, for the House was not shut up; but about two Hours after they came home, the young Lady complain’d she was not well; in a quarter of an Hour more, she vomited, and had a violent Pain in her Head. Pray God, says her Mother in a terrible Fright, my Child has not the Distemper! The Pain in her Head increasing, her Mother ordered the Bed to be warm’d, and resolved to put her to Bed; and prepared to give her things to sweat, which was the ordinary Remedy* to be taken, when the first Apprehensions of the Distemper began.

  While the Bed was airing, the Mother undressed the young Woman, and just as she was laid down in the Bed, she looking upon her Body with a Candle, immediately discovered the fatal Tokens on the Inside of her Thighs. Her Mother not being able to contain herself, threw down her Candle, and shriekt out in such a frightful Manner, that it was enough to place Horror upon the stoutest Heart in the World; nor was it one Skream, or one Cry, but the Fright having seiz’d her Spirits, she fainted first, then recovered, then ran all over the House, up the Stairs and down the Stairs, like one distracted, and indeed really was distracted, and continued screeching and crying out for several Hours, void of all Sense, or at least, Government of her Senses, and as I was told, never came thoroughly to herself again: As to the young Maiden, she was a dead Corpse from that Moment; for the Gangren which occasions the Spots had spread [over] her whole Body, and she died in less than two Hours: But still the Mother continued crying out, not knowing any Thing more of her Child, several Hours after she was dead. It is so long ago, that I am not certain, but I think the Mother never recover’d, but died in two or three Weeks after.

  This was an extraordinary Case, and I am therefore the more particular in it, because I came so much to the Knowledge of it; but there were innumerable such like Cases; and it was seldom, that the Weekly Bill came in, but there were two or three put in frighted,* that is, that may well be call’d, frighted to Death: But besides those, who were so frighted to die upon the Spot there were great Numbers frighted to other Extreams, some frighted out of their Senses, some out of their Memory and some out of their Understanding: But I return to the shutting up of Houses.

  As several People, I say, got out of their Houses by Stratagem, after they were shut up, so others got out by bribing the Watchmen, and giving them Money to let them go privately out in the Night. I must confess, I thought it at that time, the most innocent Corruption, or Bribery, that any Man could be guilty of; and therefore could not but pity the poor Men, and think it was hard when three of those Watchmen, were publickly whipt thro’ the Streets, for suffering People to go out of Houses shut up.

  But notwithstanding that Severity, Money prevail’d with the poor Men, and many Families found Means to make Salleys out, and escape that way after they had been shut up; but these were generally such as had some Places to retreat to; and tho’ there was no easie passing the Roads any whither, after the first of August, yet there were many Ways of retreat, and particularly, as I hinted, some got Tents and set them up in the Fields, carrying Beds, or Straw to lie on, and Provisions to eat, and so liv’d in them as Hermits in a Cell; for no Body would venture to come near them; and several Stories were told of such; some comical, some tragical, some who liv’d like wandring Pilgrims in the Desarts, and escaped by making themselves Exiles in such a Manner as is scarce to be credited, and who yet enjoyed more Liberty than was to be expected in such Cases.

  I have by me a Story of two Brothers and their Kinsman, who being single Men, but that had stay’d in the City too long to get away, and indeed, not knowing where to go to have any Retreat, nor having wherewith to travel far, took a Course for their own Preservation, which, tho’ in it self at first, desperate, yet was so natural, that it may be wondred, that no more did so at that Time. They were but of mean Condition, and yet not so very poor, as that they could not furnish themselves with some little Conveniencies, such as might serve to keep Life and Soul together; and finding the Distemper increasing in a terrible Manner, they resolved to shift, as well as they could, and to be gone.

  One of them had been a Soldier in the late Wars, and before that in the Low Countries,* and having been bred to no particular Employment but his Arms; and besides being wounded, and not able to work very hard, had for some Time been employ’d at a Bakers of Sea Bisket in Wapping.

  The Brother of this Man was a Seaman too, but some how or other, had been hurt of one Leg, that he could not go to Sea, but had work’d for his Living at a Sail Makers in Wapping, or there abouts; and being a good Husband, had laid up some Money, and was the richest of the Three.

  The third Man was a Joiner or Carpenter by Trade, a handy Fellow; and he had no Wealth, but his Box, or Basket of Tools, with the Help of which he could at any Time get his Living, such a Time as this excepted, wherever he went, and he liv’d near Shadwel.

  They all liv’d in Stepney Parish, which, as I have said, being the last that was infected, or at least violently, they stay’d there till they evidently saw the Plague was abating at the West Part of the Town, and coming towards the East where they liv’d.

  The Story of those three Men, if the Reader will be content to have me give it in their own Persons, without taking upon me to either vouch the Particulars, or answer for any Mistakes, I shall give as distinctly as I can, believing the History will be a very good Pattern for any poor Man to follow, in case the like Publick Desolation should happen here; and if there may be no such Occasion, which God of his infinite Mercy grant us, still the Story may have its Uses so many Ways as that it will, I hope, never be said, that the relating has been unprofitable.

  I say all this previous to the History, having yet, for the present, much more to say before I quit my own Part.

  I went all the first Part of the Time freely about the Streets, tho’ not so freely as to run my self into apparent Danger, except when they dug the great Pit in the Church-Yard of our Parish of Aldgate; a terrible Pit it was, and I could not resist my Curiosity to go and see it; as near as I may judge, it was about 40 Foot in Length, and about 15 or 16 Foot broad; and at the Time I first looked at it, about nine Foot deep; but it was said, they dug it near 20 Foot deep afterwards, in one Part of it, till they could go no deeper for the Wat
er: for they had it seems, dug several large Pits before this, for tho’ the Plague was long a-coming to our Parish,* yet when it did come, there was no Parish in or about London, where it raged with such Violence as in the two Parishes of Aldgate and White Chapel.*

  I say they had dug several Pits in another Ground, when the Distemper began to spread in our Parish, and especially when the Dead-Carts began to go about, which was not in our Parish till the beginning of August. Into these Pits they had put perhaps 50 or 60 Bodies each, then they made larger Holes, wherein they buried all that the Cart brought in a Week, which by the middle, to the End of August, came to, from 200 to 400 a Week; and they could not well dig them larger, because of the Order of the Magistrates, confining them to leave no Bodies within six Foot of the Surface; and the Water coming on, at about 17 or 18 Foot, they could not well, I say, put more in one Pit; but now at the Beginning of September, the Plague raging in a dreadful Manner, and the Number of Burials in our Parish increasing to more than was ever buried in any Parish about London, of no larger Extent, they ordered this dreadful Gulph to be dug; for such it was rather than a Pit.

  They had supposed this Pit would have supply’d them for a Month or more, when they dug it, and some blam’d the Church-Wardens for suffering such a frightful Thing, telling them they were making Preparations to bury the whole Parish, and the like; but Time made it appear, the Church-Wardens knew the Condition of the Parish better than they did; for the Pit being finished the 4th of September, I think, they began to bury in it the 6th, and by the 20, which was just two Weeks they had thrown into it 1114 Bodies’* when they were obliged to fill it up, the Bodies being then come to lie within six Foot of the Surface: I doubt not but there may be some antient Persons alive in the Parish, who can justify the Fact of this, and are able to shew even in what Part of the Church-Yard, the Pit lay, better than I can; the Mark of it also was many Years to be seen in the Church-Yard on the Surface lying in Length, Parallel with the Passage which goes by the West Wall of the Church-Yard, out of Houndsditch, and turns East again into White-Chappel, coming out near the three Nuns Inn.*