A Journal of the Plague Year

by Daniel Defoe

And yet more or less, maugre all their Caution, there was not a Town of any Note within ten (or I believe twenty) Miles of the City, but what was more or less Infected, and had some died among them. I have heard the Accounts of several; such as they were reckon’d up as follows.

  Another thing might render the Country more strict with respect to the Citizens, and especially with respect to the Poor; and this was what I hinted at before, namely, that there was a seeming propensity, or a wicked Inclination in those that were Infected to infect others.

  There have been great Debates among our Physicians, as to the Reason of this; some will have it to be in the Nature of the Disease, and that it impresses every one that is seized upon by it, with a kind of a Rage, and a hatred against their own Kind, as if there was a malignity, not only in the Distemper to communicate it self, but in the very Nature of Man, prompting him with evil Will, or an evil Eye, that as they say in the Case of a mad Dog, who tho’ the gentlest Creature before of any of his Kind, yet then will fly upon and bite any one that comes next him and those as soon as any, who had been most observ’d by him before.

  Others plac’d it to the Account of the Coruption of humane Nature, which cannot bear to see itself more miserable than others of its own Species, and has a kind of involuntary Wish, that all Men were as unhappy, or in as bad a Condition as itself.

  Others say, it was only a kind of Desperation, not knowing or regarding what they did, and consequently unconcern’d at the Danger or Safety, not only of any Body near them, but even of themselves also: And indeed when Men are once come to a Condition to abandon themselves, and be unconcern’d for the Safety, or at the Danger of themselves, it cannot be so much wondered that they should be careless of the Safety of other People.

  But I choose to give this grave Debate a quite different turn, and answer it or resolve it all by saying, That I do not grant the Fact. On the contrary, I say, that the Thing is not really so, but that it was a general Complaint rais’d by the People inhabiting the out-lying Villages against the Citizens, to justify, or at least excuse those Hardships and Severities so much talk’d of, and in which Complaints, both Sides may be said to have injur’d one another; that is to say, the Citizens pressing to be received and harbour’d in time of Distress, and with the Plague upon them, complain of the Cruelty and Injustice of the Country People, in being refused Entrance, and forc’d back again with their Goods and Families; and the Inhabitants finding themselves so imposed upon, and the Citizens breaking in as it were upon them whether they would or no, complain, that when they were infected, they were not only regardless of others, but even willing to infect them; neither of which were really true, that is to say, in the Colours they were describ’d in.

  It is true, there is something to be said for the frequent Alarms which were given to the Country, of the resolution of the People in London to come out by Force, not only for Relief, but to Plunder and Rob, that they ran about the Streets with the Distemper upon them without any control; and that no Care was taken to shut up Houses, and confine the sick People from infecting others; whereas, to do the Londoners Justice, they never practised such things, except in such particular Cases as I have mention’d above, and such-like. On the other Hand every thing was managed with so much Care, and such excellent Order was observ’d in the whole City and Suburbs, by the Care of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen; and by the Justices of the Peace, Churchwardens, &c. in the out-Parts; that London may be a Pattern to all the Cities in the World for the good Government and the excellent Order that was every where kept, even in the time of the most violent Infection; and when the People were in the utmost Consternation and Distress. But of this I shall speak by itself.

  One thing, it is to be observ’d, was owing principally to the Prudence of the Magistrates, and ought to be mention’d to their Honour, (viz.) The Moderation which they used in the great and difficult Work of shutting up of Houses: It is true, as I have mentioned, that the shutting up of Houses was a great Subject of Discontent, and I may say indeed the only Subject of Discontent among the People at that time; for the confining the Sound in the same House with the Sick, was counted very terrible, and the Complaints of People so confin’d were very grievous; they were heard into the very Streets, and they were sometimes such that called for Resentment, tho’ oftner for Compassion; they had no way to converse with any of their Friends but out at their Windows, where they wou’d make such piteous Lamentations, as often mov’d the Hearts of those they talk’d with, and of others who passing by heard their Story; and as those Complaints oftentimes reproach’d the Severity, and sometimes the Insolence of the Watchmen plac’d at their Doors, those Watchmen wou’d answer saucily enough; and perhaps be apt to affront the People who were in the Street talking to the said Families; for which, or for their ill Treatment of the Families, I think seven or eight of them in several Places were kill’d; I know not whether I shou’d say murthered or not, because I cannot enter into the particular Cases. It is true, the Watchmen were on their Duty, and acting in the Post where they were plac’d by a lawful Authority; and killing any publick legal Officer in the Execution of his Office, is always in the Language of the Law call’d Murther. But as they were not authoriz’d by the Magistrate’s Instructions, or by the Power they acted under, to be injurious or abusive, either to the People who were under their Observation, or to any that concern’d themselves for them; so when they did so, they might be said to act themselves, not their Office; to act as private Persons, not as Persons employ’d; and consequently if they brought Mischief upon themselves by such an undue Behaviour, that Mischief was upon their own Heads; and indeed they had so much the hearty Curses of the People, whether they deserv’d it or not, that whatever befel them no body pitied them, and every Body was apt to say, they deserv’d it, whatever it was; nor do I remember that any Body was ever punish’d, at least to any considerable Degree, for whatever was done to the Watchmen that guarded their Houses.

  What variety of Stratagems were used to escape and get out of Houses thus shut up, by which the Watchmen were deceived or overpower’d, and that the People got away, I have taken notice of already, and shall say no more to that: But I say the Magistrates did moderate and ease Families upon many Occasions in this Case, and particularly in that of taking away, or suffering to be remov’d the sick Persons out of such Houses, when they were willing to be remov’d either to a Pest-House, or other Places, and sometimes giving the well Persons in the Family so shut up, leave to remove upon Information given that they were well, and that they would confine themselves in such Houses where they went, so long as should be requir’d of them. The Concern also of the Magistrates for the supplying such poor Families as were infected; I say, supplying them with Necessaries, as well Physick as Food, was very great, and in which they did not content themselves with giving the necessary Orders to the Officers appointed, but the Aldermen in Person, and on Horseback frequently rid to such Houses, and caus’d the People to be ask’d at their Windows, whether they were duly attended, or not? Also, whether they wanted any thing that was necessary, and if the Officers had constantly carry’d their Messages, and fetch’d them such things as they wanted, or not? And if they answered in the Affirmative, all was well; but if they complain’d, that they were ill supply’d, and that the Officer did not do his Duty, or did not treat them civilly, they (the Officers) were generally remov’d, and others plac’d in their stead.

  It is true, such Complaint might be unjust, and if the Officer had such Arguments to use as would convince the Magistrate, that he was right, and that the People had injur’d him, he was continued, and they reproved. But this part could not well bear a particular Inquiry, for the Parties could very ill be brought face to face, and a Complaint could not be well heard and answer’d in the Street, from the Windows, as was the Case then; the Magistrates therefore generally chose to favour the People, and remove the Man, as what seem’d to be the least Wrong, and of the least ill Consequence; seeing, if the Watchman was injur’d yet they could read
ily make him amends by giving him another Post of the like Nature; but if the Family was injur’d, there was no Satisfaction could be made to them, the Damage perhaps being irreparable, as it concern’d their Lives.

  A great variety of these Cases frequently happen’d between the Watchmen and the poor People shut up, besides those I formerly mention’d about escaping; sometimes the Watchmen were absent, sometimes drunk, sometimes asleep when the People wanted them, and such never fail’d to be punish’d severely, as indeed they deserv’d.

  But after all that was or could be done in these Cases, the shutting up of Houses, so as to confine those that were well with those that were sick, had very great Inconveniences in it, and some that were very tragical, and which merited to have been consider’d if there had been room for it; but it was authoriz’d by a Law, it had the publick Good in view, as the End chiefly aim’d at, and all the private Injuries that were done by the putting it in Execution, must be put to the account of the publick Benefit.

  It is doubtful to this day, whether in the whole it contributed any thing to the stop of the Infection, and indeed, I cannot say it did; for nothing could run with greater Fury and Rage than the Infection did when it was in its chief Violence; tho’ the Houses infected were shut up as exactly, and as effectually as it was possible. Certain it is, that if all the infected Persons were effectually shut in, no sound Person could have been infected by them, because they could not have come near them. But the Case was this, and I shall only touch it here, namely, that the Infection was propagated insensibly, and by such Persons as were not visibly infected, who neither knew who they infected, or who they were infected by.

  A House in White-Chapel was shut up for the sake of one Infected Maid, who had only Spots, not the Tokens come out upon her, and recover’d; yet these People obtain’d no Liberty to stir, neither for Air or Exercise forty Days; want of Breath, Fear, Anger, Vexation, and all the other Griefs attending such an injurious Treatment, cast the Mistress of the Family into a Fever, and Visitors came into the House, and said it was the Plague, tho’ the Physicians declar’d it was not; however the Family were oblig’d to begin their Quarantine anew, on the Report of the Visitor or Examiner, tho’ their former Quarantine wanted but a few Days of being finish’d. This oppress’d them so with Anger and Grief, and, as before, straiten’d them also so much as to Room, and for want of Breathing and free Air, that most of the Family fell sick, one of one Distemper, one of another, chiefly Scorbutick Ailments; only one a violent Cholick, ’till after several prolongings of their Confinement, some or other of those that came in with the Visitors to inspect the Persons that were ill, in hopes of releasing them, brought the Distemper with them, and infected the whole House, and all or most of them died, not of the Plague, as really upon them before, but of the Plague that those People brought them, who should ha’ been careful to have protected them from it; and this was a thing which frequently happen’d, and was indeed one of the worst Consequences of shutting Houses up.

  I had about this time a little Hardship put upon me, which I was at first greatly afflicted at, and very much disturb’d about; tho’ as it prov’d, it did not expose me to any Disaster; and this was being appointed by the Alderman of Portsoken Ward, one of the Examiners of the Houses in the Precinct where I liv’d; we had a large Parish, and had no less than eighteen Examiners, as the Order call’d us, the People call’d us Visitors. I endeavour’d with all my might to be excus’d from such an Employment, and used many Arguments with the Alderman’s Deputy to be excus’d; particularly I alledged, that I was against shutting up Houses at all, and that it would be very hard to oblige me, to be an Instrument in that which was against my Judgment, and which I did verily believe would not answer the End it was intended for, but all the Abatement I could get was only, that whereas the Officer was appointed by my Lord Mayor to continue two Months, I should be obliged to hold it but three Weeks, on Condition, nevertheless that I could then get some other sufficient Housekeeper to serve the rest of the Time for me, which was, in short, but a very small Favour, it being very difficult to get any Man to accept of such an Employment, that was fit to be intrusted with it.

  It is true that shutting up of Houses had one Effect, which I am sensible was of Moment, namely, it confin’d the distemper’d People, who would otherwise have been both very troublesome and very dangerous in their running about Streets with the Distemper upon them, which when they were delirious, they would have done in a most frightful manner; and as indeed they began to do at first very much, ’till they were thus restrain’d; nay, so very open they were, that the Poor would go about and beg at peoples Doors, and say they had the Plague upon them, and beg Rags for their Sores, or both, or any thing that delirious Nature happen’d to think of.

  A poor unhappy Gentlewoman, a substantial Citizen’s Wife was (if the Story be true) murther’d by one of these Creatures in Aldersgate-street, or that Way: He was going along the Street, raving mad to be sure, and singing, the People only said, he was drunk; but he himself said, he had the Plague upon him, which, it seems, was true; and meeting this Gentlewoman, he would kiss her; she was terribly frighted as he was only a rude Fellow, and she run from him, but the Street being very thin of People, there was no body near enough to help her: When she saw he would overtake her, she turn’d, and gave him a Thrust so forcibly, he being but weak, and push’d him down backward: But very unhappily, she being so near, he caught hold of her, and pull’d her down also; and getting up first, master’d her, and kiss’d her; and which was worst of all, when he had done, told her he had the Plague, and why should not she have it as well as he. She was frighted enough before, being also young with Child; but when she heard him say, he had the Plague, she scream’d out and fell down in a Swoon, or in a Fit, which tho’ she recover’d a little, yet kill’d her in a very few Days, and I never heard whether she had the Plague or no.

  Another infected Person came, and knock’d at the Door of a Citizen’s House, where they knew him very well; the Servant let him in, and being told the Master of the House was above, he ran up, and came into the Room to them as the whole Family was at supper: They began to rise up a little surpriz’d, not knowing what the Matter was, but he bid them sit still, he only came to take his leave of them. They ask’d him, Why Mr.——where are you going? Going, says he, I have got the Sickness, and shall die to morrow Night. ’Tis easie to believe, though not to describe the Consternation they were all in, the Women and the Man’s Daughters which were but little Girls, were frighted almost to Death, and got up, one running out at one Door, and one at another, some down-Stairs and some up-Stairs, and getting together as well as they could, lock’d themselves into their Chambers, and screamed out at the Window for Help, as if they had been frighted out of their Wits: The Master more compos’d than they, tho’ both frighted and provok’d, was going to lay Hands on him, and thro’ him down Stairs, being in a Passion, but then considering a little the Condition of the Man and the Danger of touching him, Horror seiz’d his Mind, and he stood still like one astonished. The poor distemper’d Man all this while, being as well diseas’d in his Brain as in his Body, stood still like one amaz’d; at length he turns round, Ay! says he, with all the seeming calmness imaginable, Is it so with you all! Are you all disturb’d at me? why then I’ll e’en go home and die there. And so he goes immediately down Stairs: The Servant that had let him in goes down after him with a Candle, but was afraid to go past him and open the Door, so he stood on the Stairs to see what he wou’d do; the Man went and open’d the Door, and went out and flung the Door after him: It was some while before the Family recover’d the Fright, but as no ill Consequence attended, they have had occasion since to speak of it (you may be sure) with great Satisfaction. Tho’ the Man was gone it was some time, nay, as I heard, some Days before they recover’d themselves of the Hurry they were in, nor did they go up and down the House with any assurance, till they had burnt a great variety of Fumes and Perfumes in all the Rooms, and made a great many Smoaks
of Pitch, of Gunpowder, and of Sulphur, all separately shifted; and washed their Clothes, and the like: As to the poor Man whether he liv’d or dy’d I don’t remember.

  It is most certain, that if by the Shutting up of Houses the sick had not been confin’d, multitudes who in the height of their Fever were Delirious and Distracted, wou’d ha’ been continually running up and down the Streets, and even as it was, a very great number did so, and offer’d all sorts of Violence to those they met, even just as a mad Dog runs on and bites at every one he meets; nor can I doubt but that shou’d one of those infected diseased Creatures have bitten any Man or Woman, while the Frenzy of the Distemper was upon them, they, I mean the Person so wounded, wou’d as certainly ha’ been incurably infected, as one that was sick before and had the Tokens upon him.

  I heard of one infected Creature, who running out of his Bed in his Shirt, in the anguish and agony of his Swellings, of which he had three upon him, got his Shoes on and went to put on his Coat, but the Nurse resisting and snatching the Coat from him, he threw her down, run over her, run down Stairs and into the Street directly to the Thames in his Shirt, the Nurse running after him, and calling to the Watch to stop him; but the Watchmen frighted at the Man, and afraid to touch him, let him go on; upon which he ran down to the Stillyard Stairs, threw away his Shirt, and plung’d into the Thames, and, being a good swimmer, swam quite over the River; and the Tide being coming in, as they call it, that is running West-ward, he reached the Land not till he came about the Falcon Stairs, where landing, and finding no People there, it being in the Night, he ran about the Streets there, Naked as he was, for a good while, when it being by that time High-water, he takes the River again, and swam back to the Still-yard, landed, ran up the Streets again to his own House, knocking at the Door, went up the Stairs, and into his Bed again; and that this terrible Experiment cur’d him of the Plague, that is to say, that the violent Motion of his Arms and Legs stretch’d the Parts where the Swellings he had upon him were, that is to say under his Arms and his Groin, and caused them to ripen and break; and that the cold of the Water abated the Fever in his Blood.