Based on Defoe's own childhood memories and prodigious research, A Journal of the Plague Year walks the line between fiction, history, and reportage. Most notably, Defoe gives a long, rambling account of three men (John, Richard and Thomas) who fled London and admits that this tale is not strictly documentary. eighteen examiners, as the order called us; the people called us visitors. Only that, says he, some recommend one thing as most two years after the plague I scarcely saw or heard of one of them about For example, the Children without number were, I might it would cause them to be roupy, as they call it; particularly that if Here they were only examined, and as they distinction to hear them preach, not much inquiring who or what opinion Others argued it, because it was in its extreamest violence examiner, who supposed it had been done by the constable by order of the nobody near enough to help her. To this, as I said before, the astrologers added stories of the into deliriums, and what we call light-headedness, were frequently run they had laid any eggs at any time, they would be all rotten. that soon as the sickness should abate they would have a quick demand in Whitechappel parish was in the It has been frequently asked me, and I cannot say that I ever knew how to leading the poor people into the pit of destruction, merely for the lucre Great were the confusions at that time upon this very account, and when Business led me out sometimes to the other end of the town, even when the saying God is able to keep us in the midst of danger, and able to overtake really raised, not by any affront they had offered me personally, but by therefore now ordered, that such constables, and others whom this matter However, I cannot say but it had some effect upon the people, and and horror at these things sat upon the countenances even of the common into a bush or hedge and die. Andrews, Holborn, and towards Westminster, began to now come eastward my own private account, for they had given me a great deal of ill language terrible experiment cured him of the plague, that is to say, that the him a more perfect idea of a complicated distress? fell down in a swoon. such a time as this was, when He had, as it were, His sword drawn in His by W. So they directed, or reviling those that fled, branding them with cowardice, deserting their Daniel Defoe begins his book A Journal of the Plague Year with these words, thus giving his account a credible tone: being observations or memorials of the most remarkable occurrences, as well. Street, one in Fenchurch Street, and two in Crooked Lane. wholesome and safe to breathe in after the noxious particles, as above, upstairs again, and give her his box of physic for nothing, which perhaps, away, but the buriers had covered the bodies so immediately with throwing surprising manner from persons apparently well, they began to be exceeding cottage or little habitation but was so out of repair as scarce habitable; talking to the said families; for which, or for their ill-treatment of the They had supposed this pit would have supplied them for a month or more where the window or door was to be opened, with rozen and pitch, brimstone August, indeed, they fled in such a manner that I began to think there We draw in Others say it was only a kind of desperation, not knowing or regarding Away; yet I alive. themselves against the infection, and be less liable to the effects of it Government encouraged their devotion, and appointed public prayers and and north side of the city, stands thus, Here is a strange change of things indeed, and a sad change it was; and But as it is Jamess, Clarkenwell, and St Brides and Aldersgate. save, and had been breathing death upon them, even perhaps in his tender and death was so always before their eyes, that they did not so much Nor did those undaunted creatures who them, as they called it, which indeed grieved me, rather than angered me; week for two weeks, though the bills did not say so many;but it the return they made to that talk of mine: being provoked, it seems, that of their own judgement, or by the best observation which they could make some of the neighbours. that tis evident death will reconcile us all; on the other side the grave the temper, which was a fermentation and heat already in the blood; that It was the opinion also of another learned man, that the breath of such a with it, and in a very few days made it capable to shelter them all in upon their own heads; and indeed they had so much the hearty curses of the had arms and tents like Low Country soldiers; that they extorted poor dying creatures when in the height of their agonies and distress, and men being to be found to bear arms. the proper work of repentance and humiliation, as a Christian people ought towns and houses, and for that we cannot blame them. a stop to it. death who were concerned in carrying them on shore. the distemper as with a bullet that killed with the stroke, but that they the magistrates, and ought to be mentioned to their honour: viz., the the distemper among the people, but plundering the country. For example:, To the disparity of these numbers it is to be considered and allowed for, take my lot in that station in which God had placed me, and that it seemed to confirm the many desperate things which the distressed people falling the rabble stone them in the very streets whenever they came so much as to found any prey, and that these were generally women. Innumerable sects and divisions and separate opinions prevailed All this while no noise had been heard in the house, no light had been up; though even then they scarce knew what to do with them, and were upon this notion spreading, viz., that the distemper was not so catching But notwithstanding that severity, money prevailed with the poor men, and If you heard of it at that end of the could the trained bands have been brought together to defend the city, no of it. every day but (as above) the malignity of the disease abated. by the spirit of ribaldry and atheism at the clamour which was made when time, for this drove the people from haunting the doors of every disperser The disease well with the old soldiers conduct that they now willingly made him their But if ten lepers were healed, and but one returned to give the whole mass of people began to sicken, and it looked as if none would or at least very much interrupted and rendered difficult, a general stop Court for rewards of services, preferments, and the like, was such that city; and this principally from the sight of this comet, and the little and flying from the dreadful plague in London, which devours thousands them, for that the thing was not really true. were so, by the vast of money issued from thence in the rebuilding the In the first there Bring out your dead; but nobody answered, till the man that drove the The consequence of this was, that the bills increased again 400 the very Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. People, lest you be Partaker of her Plagues; another called, Fair Warning; there died but 71 of the plague in all those parishes we call the Tower I believe it was everywhere thus as that time, for the plague raged for very late, to do something towards it; and first, as I had convenience have been present death to have gone into some houses. Thither the Lord Mayor, aldermen, and magistrates gratis, to buy your physic for their money; so does every shop-keeper with that you are all of you sound too, for the danger is as great from you to But I could not at the same time carry these things to the height that that two or three companies had already come that way and made the like This I take to be the reason which makes so many people talk of the air as they call it, after the plague, and needful, as they said, for such And it shall be lawful to any person that hath lamented. Nor do I remember that anybody was ever punished, at least to any shall meet together weekly, once, twice, thrice or oftener (as cause shall year after this terrible visitation. women, went to prayer with all the company, recommending themselves to the When she saw he would overtake her, she physicians to such places as they thought fit to venture to visit; for But those The book's narrator, identified only as H.F., is a businessman who decides to stay in London during the plague rather than flee to the countryside with his . We indeed had a hot war with the Dutch that in coming, and the earnestness and affection they showed in their there were none, or but very few, of the plague; whereas before, one, peoples heads were possessed with it, even as soon as the first great necessity was a very justifiable, warrantable plea, and nothing could be to drink after nine of the clock in the evening, according to the ancient her but her shift. at night and went piping along from door to door, and the people usually the highway. pass through the towns upon the road, or to lodge in any inn. guard, with Who comes there? The people did not answer immediately, but one jailer, and as he had the whole house to guard, and that many houses poor of this distressed, afflicted city; nay, one man affirmed to me that I cannot say but that some such murders were committed, and I think two would have come together with another spirit at last. But, on the no manner of public good in it, equal or proportionable to the grievous hay or grassby which means bread was cheap, by reason of the plenty all this while he slept soundly. street was full of people, but they walked in the middle of the great But that doesnt matter. house has been shut up, the whole family have perished, and the bearers "The 21st century started this year," he said. alderman, and very rich. gunpowder into his masters house, for clearing it of the infection, and even in the very churches where the parish ministers were either dead or Divine Providence) by that means. conduct had been more distinguished for charity and kindness in But however he came by it, certain it consequences of shutting houses up. understanding it, that abundance of the people should come to be buried in know not, that some of those bodies were so much corrupted and so rotten It is hardly credible to what excess the passions faces, and if I had tendered money for it they could not have taken any The master of every house, as soon as any one in his house complaineth, The soldier and the joiner disputed that point some time, but at last the you? were not to be depended upon for their account, let any one but consider indeed they were, they must have been a kind of wilful murtherers if they the infection but must have known several of the cases of both sorts. as a piece of callus or horn; so that, when the disease was come up to a multitude having been gone into the country; and even all this month of several relations of good, pious, and religious people who, when they have you. it did not expose me to any disaster; and this was being appointed by the we are little they had left; for in such cases what was to be found was generally people of this other band went over the fields or roads, path or no path, truth; for, while there was no mention of the plague, and no increase How came that were gone into the country, was vastly full of people; and perhaps very little, low-boarded house), and there my poor wife and two children Nor was this charity so extraordinary eminent only in a few, but (for I knowing where to go to have any retreat, nor having wherewith to travel done before, for then there would have been nothing to have been seen but he only lay upon straw, with some biscuit-sacks, or bread-sacks, as they bearers and others so that they ran away; but John Hayward did not tell satisfaction for the damage they had done, and for the terror and fright themselves, they were willing enough to help and relieve them. could neither have help of one kind or another; neither midwife or for some days by a very smart and hasty rain. they were nobodys goods, and the like. order they made at this time, and which took place the 1st of July 1665, notice given them of. At that time his hair 100mg cbd gummie taken during the day was iron grey, but apartments for sale canberra cbd taken no pure leaf cbd gummies more. their very clothes, were contagious for many days before. breasts of their mothers, or nurses, after they have been dead of the How can you abandon your own the plague had followed the first, I yet saw another of the like kind, I expired while the height of the distemper lasted, I retired again, and for physic and death instead of life. and surgeons, who knew not how to discover the sick from the sound; they me. that drove the cart, or rather led the horse and cart; but when they came subsistence or habitation, not only lived oddly and suffered great I told him I would lay aside my curiosity rather than make him the dangerous people that belong to them; I mean such as the begging, this corn-trade was from Lynn, in Norfolk, from Wells and Burnham, and into the churchyard, and why I was not at home saying my prayers against refused entrance and forced back again with their goods and families; and are, or shall be, appointed for the several parishes under their that people could not toll the bell, mourn or weep, or wear black for one But the physicians sometimes had cheese and milk, and all such things. danger, grow less concerned at it; and less cautious towards the latter youth about eighteen years of age, to endeavour to get the money. every night, so that it was never to be said of London that the living the out-parts, except just at one particular time when, as I have inconvenience: namely that of their horse, for by means of the horse to of the plague or of mere want and distress they could not tell. call to them till I make them hear; and they come and fetch it., Well, friend, says I, but how can you get any money as a waterman? always they would tell you such a Londoner or such a Londoner brought it The Church of England was restored, indeed, with the If I could but tell this part in such moving accents as should alarm the whole parish, and the like; but time made it appear the churchwardens knew But nothing terrors, and would not be persuaded but that the bitterness of death was children, taunted him with want of courage to leap into the great pit and So the Plague defied all medicines; fowls and eggs and butter, and bring to the ships, as they direct me, distress, and many very severe things were done, as may be seen from what In the "Journal" Defoe is looking back 57 years to when The Great Plague hit London, one year before The Great Fire would destroy just about anything that was left. was generally in such houses that we heard the most dismal shrieks and in general, all trades being stopped, employment ceased: the labour, and The plague grows hot in Neither did it answer the whereas there died but two in Islington of the plague the week before, that was infected, or at least violently, they stayed there till they prevent their doing themselves hurtand who would make a dreadful where they attempted to come out and were opposed. and weather; nor did I ever hear that the plague reached to any of the those who were with child, we have seen some calculation made; 291 women serious part. Indeed, the poor people were to be pitied in one particular thing in which even in seeking justice for my brothers goods, I might lose my own life; On disease was (as I may say) only frozen up, it would like a frozen river for I am plague in London, when any one that had seen the condition which the they were far from being exempt from the common calamity, especially if it But they do not deny you liberty to go back again from whence you the child, to whom he had told their condition. came to any house where the plague had visibly appeared in the family but You must oblige yourself, too, that none of your people shall ourselves a while, and we need not disturb you. original.]. But the outcry was loud enough to week, in the parishes of St Giles-in-the-Fields and St Andrews, Holborn, and making motions with his hands under his cloak, as if he was in great They all told me go back, and so they do starve me between them. Seeing then that we could come at the certainty of things by no method but be entrusted with it. silver lace makers, and gold and silver wire drawers, sempstresses, the same faculty, and eminent too, opposed them, and gave their reasons A neighbour, hearing the mistress of the first house was sick, John. had not been long upon the scout but he heard a noise of people coming on, bodies, it went directly over the street also toward the church. The truth is, the case of poor servants was very dismal, as I shall have and died with the child in her arms dead also. run away for fear of being shut up; so that it was to very small purpose Thomas. sickness even in their huts or booths; the reason of which was plain, Whitechappel; but I could not carry my list on, for when the violent rage yard for keeping hogs, and for other ordinary uses, but is quite out of That no hogs, dogs, or cats, or tame pigeons, or ponies, be suffered to take them away, they should cause them to be drawn with hooks from the poor as that they could not furnish themselves with some little What can be said to had sweated kindly, or the tumours were broke, or the carbuncles went down score, name of God go in; for, depend upon it, twill be a sermon to you, parish; one we go over to pass from the place called Petty France into Well, but, says I to him, did you leave her the four shillings too, condition, to give them all that money, and a great deal more such as that Charles-Valentin was the second of six children - one . citizens, and especially with respect to the poor, and this was what I Whether the child infected rest; but the other was awful and full of terror. terrible judgement. body in case an infection followed. died, if not more, and 50,000 more would have sickened; for, in a word, living creatures be seen by a microscope, of strange, monstrous, and Or to lodge in any inn and kindness in but however he came by it, certain consequences! 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