royalty restored-第34部分

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ience　embodied　many　learned　comments　regarding　it　in　their　〃Philosophical　Transactions；〃　but　the　great　body　of　the　people　regarded　it　as　a　visible　signal　of　God's　certain　wrath。　　They　were　more　confirmed　in　this　opinion；　as　some　amongst　them；　whose　judgments　were　distorted　by　fears；　declared　the　comet　had　at　times　before　their　eyes　assumed　the　appearance　of　a　fiery　sword　threatening　the　sinful　city。　　It　was　also　noted　in　the　spring　of　this　year　that　birds　and　wild　fowls　had　left　their　accustomed　places；　and　few　swallows　were　seen。　　But　in　the　previous　summer　there　had　been　〃such　a　multitude　of　flies　that　they　lined　the　insides　of　houses；　and　if　any　threads　of　strings　did　hang　down　in　any　place；　they　were　presently　thick…set　with　flies　like　ropes　of　onions；　and　swarms　of　ants　covered　the　highways　that　you　might　have　taken　up　a　handful　at　a　time；　both　winged　and　creeping　ants；　and　such　a　multitude　of　croaking　frogs　in　ditches　that　you　might　have　heard　them　before　you　saw　them；〃　as　is　set　down　by　one　William　Boghurst；　apothecary　at　the　White　Hart　in　St。　Giles…in…　the…Fields；　who　wrote　a　learned　〃Treatis　on　the　Plague〃　in　1666；　he　being　the　only　man　who　up　to　that　time　had　done　so　from　experience　and　observation。　　＇This　quaint　and　curious　production；　which　has　never　been　printed；　and　which　furnishes　the　following　pages　with　some　strange　details；　is　preserved　in　the　Sloane　Collection　of　Manuscripts　in　the　British　Museum。＇　And　from　such　signs；　as　likewise　from　knowledge　that　the　pestilence　daily　increased；　all　felt　a　season　of　bitter　tribulation　was　at　hand。

According　to　〃Some　Observations　of　the　Plague；〃　written　by　Dr。　Hedges　for　use　of　a　peer　of　the　realm；　the　dread　malady　was　communicated　to　London　from　the　Netherlands　〃by　way　of　contagion。〃　　It　first　made　its　appearance　in　the　parishes　of　St。　Giles　and　St。　Martin's；　Westminster；　from　which　directions　it　gradually　spread　to　Holborn；　Fleet　Street；　the　Strand；　and　the　city；　finally　reaching　to　the　east；　bringing　death　invariably　in　its　train。

The　distemper　was　not　only　fatal　in　its　termination；　but　loathsome　in　its　progress；　for　the　blood　of　those　affected　being　poisoned　by　atmospheric　contagion；　bred　venom　in　the　body；　which　burst　forth　into　nauseous　sores　and　uncleanness；　or　otherwise　preyed　with　more　rapid　fatality　internally；　in　some　cases　causing　death　before　its　victims　were　assured　of　disease。　　Nor　did　it　spare　the　young　and　robust　any　more　than　those　weak　of　frame　or　ripe　with　years；　but　attacking　stealthily；　killed　speedily。　　It　was　indeed　the　〃pestilence　that　walketh　in　darkness；　and　the　destruction　that　wasteth　in　the　noonday。〃　　In　the　month　of　May；　when　it　was　yet　uncertain　if　the　city　would　be　spared　even　in　part；　persons　of　position　and　wealth；　and　indeed　those　endowed　with　sufficient　means　to　support　themselves　elsewhere；　resolved　to　fly　from　the　capital；　whilst　such　as　had　neither　home；　friends；　nor　expectation　of　employment　in　other　places；　remained　behind。　　Accordingly　great　preparations　were　made　by　those　who　determined　on　flight；　and　all　day　long　vast　crowds　gathered　round　my　lord　mayor's　house　in　St。　Helen's；　Bishopsgate；　seeking　certificates　of　health；　so　that　for　some　weeks　it　was　difficult　to　reach　his　door　for　the　throng　that　gathered　there；　as　is　stated　by　John　Noorthouck。　　Such　official　testimonies　to　the　good　health　of　those　leaving　London　had　now　become　necessary；　for　the　inhabitants　of　provincial　towns；　catching　the　general　alarm；　refused　to　shelter　in　their　houses；　or　even　let　pass　through　their　streets；　the　residents　of　the　plague…stricken　city；　unless　officially　assured　they　were　free　from　the　dreaded　distemper。　Nay；　even　with　such　certificates　in　their　possession；　many　were　refused　admittance　to　inns；　or　houses　of　entertainment；　and　were　therefore　obliged　to　sleep　in　fields　by　night；　and　beg　food　by　day；　and　not　a　few　deaths　were　caused　by　want　and　exposure。

And　now　were　the　thoroughfares　of　the　capital　crowded　all　day　long　with　coaches　conveying　those　who　sought　safety　in　flight；　and　with　waggons　and　carts　containing　their　household　goods　and　belongings；　until　it　seemed　as　if　the　city　mould　be　left　without　a　soul。　　Many　merchants　and　shipowners　together　with　their　families　betook　themselves　to　vessels；　which　they　caused　to　be　towed　down　the　river　towards　Greenwich；　and　in　which　they　resided　for　months；　whilst　others　sought　refuge　in　smacks　and　fishing…　boats；　using　them　as　shelters　by　day；　and　lodging　on　the　banks　by　night。　　Some　few　families　remaining　in　the　capital　laid　in　stores　of　provisions；　and　shutting　themselves　up　securely　in　their　houses；　permitted　none　to　enter　or　leave；　by　which　means　some　of　them　escaped　contagion　and　death。　　The　court　tarried　until　the　29th　of　June；　and　then　left　for　Hampton；　none　too　soon；　for　the　pestilence　had　reached　almost　to　the　palace　gates。　　The　queen　mother　likewise　departed；　retiring　into　France；　from　which　country　she　never　returned。

All　through　the　latter　part　of　May；　and　the　whole　of　the　following　month；　this　flight　from　the　dread　enemy　of　mankind　continued；　presenting　a　melancholy　spectacle　to　those　who　remained；　until　at　last　the　capital　seemed　veritably　a　city　of　the　dead。　　But　for　the　credit　of　humanity　be　it　stated；　that　not　all　possessed　of　health　and　wealth　abandoned　the　town。　　Prominent　amongst　those　who　remained　were　the　Duke　of　Albemarle；　Lord　Craven；　the　lord　mayor；　Sir　John　Laurence；　some　of　his　aldermen；　and　a　goodly　number　of　physicians；　chirurgeons；　and　apothecaries；　all　of　whom　by　their　skill　or　exertions　sought　to　check　the　hungry　ravages　of　death。　　The　offices　which　medical　men　voluntarily　performed　during　this　period　of　dire　affliction　were　loathsome　to　a　terrible　degree。　　〃I　commonly　dressed　forty　sores　in　a　day；〃　says　Dr。　Boghurst；　whose　simple　words　convey　a　forcible　idea　of　his　nobility；　〃held　the　pulse　of　patients　sweating　in　their　beds　half　a　quarter　of　an　hour　together；　let　blood；　administered　clysters　to　the　sick；　held　them　up　in　their　beds　to　keep　them　from　strangling　and　choking；　half　an　hour　together　commonly；　and　suffered　their　breathing　in　my　face　several　times　when　they　were　dying；　eat　and　drank　with　them；　especially　those　that　had　sores；　sat　down　by　their　bedsides　and　upon　their　beds；　discoursing　with　them　an　hour　together。　　If　I　had　time　I　stayed　by　them　to　see　them　die。　　Then　if　people　had　nobody　to　help　them　（for　help　was　scarce　at　such　time　and　place）　I　helped　to　lay　them　forth　out　of　the　bed；　and　afterwards　into　the　coffin；　and　last　of　all；　accompanied　them　to　the　ground。〃

Of　the　physicians　remaining　in　the　city；　nine　fell　a　sacrifice　to　duty。　　Amongst　those　who　survived　was　the　learned　Dr。　Nathaniel　Hodges；　who　was　spared　to　meet　a　philanthropist's　fate　in　penury　and　neglect。　　＇Dr。　Hodges　subsequently　wrote　a　work　entitled　〃Loimologia；　or；　an　Historical　Account　of　the　Plague　of　London；〃　first　published　in　1672；　of　which；　together　with　a　collection　of　the　bills　of　mortality　for　1665；　entitled　〃London's　Dreadful　Visitation；〃　and　a　pamphlet　by　the　Rev。　Thomas　Vincent；　〃God's　Terrible　Voice　in　the　City；〃　printed　in　1667；　De　Foe　largely　availed　himself　in　writing　his　vivid　but　unreliable　〃Journal　of　the　Plague　Year；〃　which　first　saw　the　light　in　1722。＇　　The　king　had；　on　outbreak　of　the　distemper；　shown　solicitude　for　his　citizens　by　summoning　a　privy　council；　when　a　committee　of　peers　was　formed　for　〃Prevention　and　Spreading　of　the　Infection。〃　Under　their　orders　the　College　of　Physicians　drew　up　〃Certain　necessary　Directions　for　the　Prevention　and　Cure　of　the　Plague；　with　Divers　remedies　for　small　Change；〃　which　were　printed　in　pamphlet　form；　and　widely　distributed　amongst　the　people。　　＇We　learn　that　at　this　time　the　College　was　stored　with　〃men　of　learning；　virtue；　and　probity；　nothing　acquainted　with　the　little　arts　of　getting　a　name　by　plotting　against　the　honesty　and　credulity　of　the　people。〃　　The　prescriptions　given　by　this　worthy　body　were　consequently　received　with　a　simple　faith　which　later　and　more　sceptical　generations　might　deny　them。　　Perhaps　the　most　remarkable　of　these　directions；　given　under　the　heading　of　〃Medicines　External；〃　was　the　following：　　〃Pull　off　the　feathers　from　the　tails　of　living　cocks；　hens；　pigeons；　or　chickens；　and　holding　their　bills；　hold　them　hard　to　the　botch　or　swelling；　and　so　keep　them　at　that　part　until　they　die；　and　by　that　means　draw　out　the　poison。　　It　is　good　to　apply　a　cupping　glass；　or　embers　in　a　dish；　with　a　handful　of　sorrel　upon　the　embers。〃＇

The　lord　mayor；　having　likewise　the　welfare　of　the　people　at　heart；　〃conceived　and　published〃　rules　to　be　observed；　and　orders　to　be　obeyed；　by　them　during　this　visitation。　　These　directed　the　appointment　of　two　examiners　for　every　parish；　who　were　bound　to　discover　those　who　were　sick；　and　inquire　into　the　nature　of　their　illness：　　and　finding　persons　afflicted　by　plague；　they；　with　the　members　of　their　family　and　domestics；　were　to　be　confined　in　their　houses。　　These　were　to　be　securely　locked　outside；　and　guarded　day　and　night　by　watchmen；　whose　duty　it　should　be　to　prevent　persons　entering　or　leaving　those　habitations；　as　likewise　to　perform　such　offices　as　were　required；　such　as　conveying　medicines　and　food。　　And　all　houses　visited　by　the　distemper　were　to　be　forthwith　marked　on　the　door　by　a　red　cross　a　foot　long；　with　the　words　LORD　HAVE　MERCY　UPON　US　set　close　over　the　same　sacred　sign。　　Female　searchers；　〃such　as　are　of　honest　reputation；　and　of　the　best　sort　as　can　be　got　of　the　kind；〃　were　selected　that　they　might　report　of　what　disease　people　died；　such　women　not　being　permitted　during　this　visitation　to　use　any　public　work　or　employment；　or　keep　shop　or　stall；　or　wash　linen　for　the　people。　　Nurses　to　attend　the　afflicted　deserted　by　their　friends　were　also　appointed。　　And　inasmuch　as　multitudes　of　idle　rogues　and　wandering　beggars　swarming　the　city　were　a　great　means　of　spreading　disease；　the　constables　had　orders　not　to　suffer　their　presence　in　the　streets。　　And　dogs　and　cats；　being　domestic　animals；　apt　to　run　from　house　to　house；　and　carry　infection　in　their　fur　and　hair；　an　order　was　made　that　they　should　be　killed；　and　an　officer　nominated　to　see　it　carried　into　execution。　　It　was　computed　that；　in　accordance　with　this　edict；　forty　thousand　dogs；　and　five　times