royalty restored-第35部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


xecution。　　It　was　computed　that；　in　accordance　with　this　edict；　forty　thousand　dogs；　and　five　times　that　number　of　cats；　were　massacred。

All　plays　bear…baitings；　exhibitions；　and　games　were　forbidden；　as　were　likewise　〃all　public　feasting；　and　particularly　by　the　companies　of　the　city；　and　dinners　at　taverns；　alehouses；　and　other　places　of　common　entertainment；　and　the　money　thereby　spared；　be　employed　for　the　benefit　and　relief　of　the　poor　visited　with　the　infection。〃　　Pest…houses　were　opened　at　Tothill　Fields；　Westminster；　and　at　Bunhill　Fields；　near　Old　Street；　for　reception　of　the　sick：　　and　indeed　every　possible　remedy　calculated　to　check　the　disease　was　adopted。　　Some　of　these；　though　considered　necessary　to　the　well…being　of　the　community；　were　by　many　citizens　regarded　as　hardships；　more　especially　the　rule　which　related　to　closing　of　infected　houses。

The　misery　endured　by　those　in　health　suffering　such　confinement；　was　scarcely　less　than　that　realized　by　the　afflicted。　　And　fear　making　way　for　disease；　it　frequently　occurred　a　whole　family；　when　confined　with　one　infected　member；　speedily　became　stricken　by　plague；　and　consequently　overtaken　by　death。　　It　therefore　happened　that　many　attempts　were　made　by　those　in　health　to　escape　incarceration。　　In　some　cases　they　bribed；　and　in　others　ill…treated　the　watchmen：　　one　of　whom　was　actually　blown　up　by　gunpowder　in　Coleman　Street；　that　those　he　guarded　might　flee　unmolested。　　Again；　it　chanced　that　strong　men；　rendered　desperate　when　brought　face　to　face　with　loathsome　death；　lowered　themselves　from　windows　of　their　houses　in　sight　of　the　watch；　whom　they　threatened　with　instant　death　if　they　cried　out　or　stirred。

The　apprehension　of　the　sick；　who　were　in　most　cases　deserted　by　their　friends；　was　increased　tenfold　by　the　practices　of　public　nurses：　　for　being　hardened　to　affliction　by　nature　of　their　employment；　and　incapable　of　remorse　for　crime　by　reason　of　their　vileness；　they　were　guilty　of　many　barbarous　usages。　　〃These　wretches；〃　says　Dr。　Hodges；　〃out　of　greediness　to　plunder　the　dead；　would　strangle　their　patients；　and　charge　it　to　the　distemper　in　their　throats。　　Others　would　secretly　convey　the　pestilential　taint　from　sores　of　the　infected　to　those　who　were　well；　and　nothing　indeed　deterred　these　abandoned　miscreants　from　prosecuting　their　avaricious　purposes　by　all　methods　their　wickedness　could　invent；　who；　although　they　were　without　witnesses　to　accuse　them；　yet　it　is　not　doubted　but　divine　vengeance　will　overtake　such　wicked　barbarities　with　due　punishment。　　Nay；　some　were　remarkably　struck　from　heaven　in　the　perpetration　of　their　crimes；　and　one　particularly　amongst　many；　as　she　was　leaving　the　house　of　a　family；　all　dead；　loaded　with　her　robberies；　fell　down　lifeless　under　her　burden　in　the　street。　And　the　case　of　a　worthy　citizen　was　very　remarkable；　who；　being　suspected　dying　by　his　nurse；　was　beforehand　stripped　by　her；　but　recovering　again；　he　came　a　second　time　into　the　world　naked。〃

But　notwithstanding　all　precautions　and　care　taken　by　the　Duke　of　Albemarle　and　the　worthy　lord　mayor；　the　dreadful　pestilence　spread　with　alarming　rapidity；　as　may　be　judged　from　the　fact　that　the　number　who　died　in　the　first　week　of　June　amounted　to　forty…three；　whilst　during　the　last　week　of　that　month　two　hundred　and　sixty…seven　persons　were　carried　to　their　graves。　From　the　4th　of　July　to　the　11th；　seven　hundred　and　fifty…five　deaths　were　chronicled；　the　following　eight　days　the　death　rate　rose　to　one　thousand　and　eighty…two；　whilst　the　ensuing　week　this　high　figure　was　increased　by　over　eight　hundred。　　For　the　month　of　August；　the　mortality　bill　recorded　seventeen　thousand　and　thirty…six　deaths；　and　during　September；　twenty…six　thousand　two　hundred　and　thirty　persons　perished　in　the　city。

The　whole　British　nation　was　stricken　with　consternation　at　the　fate　of　the　capital。　　〃In　some　houses；〃　says　Dr。　Hodges；　speaking　from　personal　experience；　〃carcases　lay　waiting　for　burial；　and　in　others　were　persons　in　their　last　agonies。　　In　one　room　might　be　heard　dying　groans；　in　an　other　the　ravings　of　delirium；　and　not　far　off　relations　and　friends　bewailing　both　their　loss　and　the　dismal　prospect　of　their　own　sudden　departure。　　Death　was　the　sure　midwife　to　all　children；　and　infants　passed　immediately　from　the　womb　to　the　grave。　　Some　of　the　infected　run　about　staggering　like　drunken　men；　and　fall　and　expire　in　the　streets；　whilst　others　lie　half　dead　and　comatose；　but　never　to　be　waked　but　by　the　last　trumpet。〃　　The　plague　had　indeed　encompassed　the　walls　of　the　city；　and　poured　in　upon　it　without　mercy。　　A　heavy　stifling　atmosphere；　vapours　by　day　and　blotting　out　all　traces　of　stars　and　sky　by　night；　hovered　like　a　palpable　shape　of　dire　vengeance　above　the　doomed　city。　　During　many　weeks　〃there　was　a　general　calm　and　serenity；　as　if　both　wind　and　rain　had　been　expelled　the　kingdom；　so　that　there　was　not　so　much　as　to　move　a　flame。〃　　The　oppressive　silence　of　brooding　death；　unbroken　now　even　by　the　passing　bell；　weighed　stupor…like　upon　the　wretched　survivors。　The　thoroughfares　were　deserted；　grass　sprang　green　upon　side…paths　and　steps　of　dwellings；　and　the　broad　street　in　Whitechapel　became　like　unto　a　field。　　Most　houses　bore　upon　their　doors　the　dread　sign　of　the　red　cross；　with　the　supplication　for　mercy　written　above。　　Some　of　the　streets　were　barricaded　at　both　ends；　the　inhabitants　either　having　fled　into　the　country　or　been　carried　to　their　graves；　and　it　was　estimated　in　all　that　over　seven　thousand　dwellings　were　deserted。　　All　commerce；　save　that　dealing　with　the　necessaries　of　life；　was　abandoned；　the　parks　forsaken　and　locked；　the　Inns　of　Court　closed；　and　the　public　marts　abandoned。　　A　few　of　the　church　doors　were　opened；　and　some　gathered　within　that　they　might　humbly　beseech　pardon　for　the　past；　and　ask　mercy　in　the　present。　But　as　the　violence　of　the　distemper　increased；　even　the　houses　of　God　were　forsaken；　and　those　who　ventured　abroad　walked　in　the　centre　of　the　street；　avoiding　contact　or　conversation　with　friend　or　neighbour；　each　man　dreading　and　avoiding　his　fellow；　lest　he　should　be　to　him　the　harbinger　of　death。　　And　all　carried　rue　and　wormwood　in　their　hands；　and　myrrh　and　zedoary　in　their　mouths；　as　protection　against　infection。　　Now　were　the　faces　of　all　pale　with　apprehension；　none　knowing　when　the　fatal　malady　might　carry　them　hence；　and　moreover　sad；　as　became　those　who　stand　in　the　presence　of　death。

And　such　sights　were　to　be　witnessed　day　after　day　as　made　the　heart　sick。　　〃It　would　be　endless；〃　says　the　Rev。　Thomas　Vincent；　〃to　speak　what　we　have　seen　and　heard；　of　some；　in　their　frenzy；　rising　out　of　their　beds　and　leaping　about　their　rooms；　others　crying　and　roaring　at　their　windows；　some　coming　forth　almost　naked　and　running　into　the　streets；　strange　things　have　others　spoken　and　done　when　the　disease　was　upon　them：　　but　it　was　very　sad　to　hear　of　one；　who　being　sick　alone；　and　it　is　like　frantic；　burnt　himself　in　his　bed。　　And　amongst　other　sad　spectacles　methought　two　were　very　affecting：　　one　of　a　woman　coming　alone　and　weeping　by　the　door　where　I　lived；　with　a　little　coffin　under　her　arm；　carrying　it　to　the　new　churchyard。　　I　did　judge　that　it　was　the　mother　of　the　child；　and　that　all　the　family　besides　was　dead；　and　she　was　forced　to　coffin　up　and　bury　with　her　own　hands　this　her　last　dead　child。　　Another　was　of　a　man　at　the　corner　of　the　Artillery　Wall；　that　as　I　judge；　through　the　dizziness　of　his　head　with　the　disease；　which　seized　upon　him　there；　had　dashed　his　face　against　the　wall；　and　when　I　came　by　he　lay　hanging　with　his　bloody　face　over　the　rails；　and　bleeding　upon　the　ground；　within　half　an　hour　he　died　in　that　place。〃

And　as　the　pestilence　increased；　it　was　found　impossible　to　provide　coffins　or　even　separate　graves　for　those　who　perished。　And　therefore；　in　order　to　bury　the　deceased；　great　carts　passed　through　the　streets　after　sunset；　attended　by　linkmen　and　preceded　by　a　bellman　crying　in　weird　and　solemn　tones；　〃Bring　out　your　dead。〃　　At　the　intimation　of　the　watchmen　stationed　before　houses　bearing　red　crosses　upon　their　doors；　the　sad　procession　would　tarry；　When　coffinless；　and　oftentimes　shroudless；　rigid；　loathsome；　and　malodorous　bodies　were　hustled　into　the　carts　with　all　possible　speed。　　Then　once　more　the　melancholy　cortege　took　its　way　adown　the　dark；　deserted　street；　the　yellow　glare　of　links　falling　on　the　ghastly　burden　they　accompanied；　the　dirge…like　call　of　the　bellman　sounding　on　the　ears　of　the　living　like　a　summons　from　the　dead。　　And　so；　receiving　additional　freight　upon　its　way；　the　cart　proceeded　to　one　of　the　great　pits　dug　in　the　parish　churchyards　of　Aldgate　and　Whitechapel；　or　in　Finsbury　Fields　close　by　the　Artillery　Ground。　　These；　measuring　about　forty　feet　in　length；　eighteen　in　breadth；　and　twenty　in　depth；　were　destined　to　receive　scores　of　bodies　irrespective　of　creed　or　class。　　The　carts　being　brought　to　these　dark　and　weirdsome　gulphs；　looking　all　the　blacker　from　the　flickering　lights　of　candles　and　garish　gleams　of　lanterns　placed　beside　them；　the　bodies；　without　rite　or　ceremony；　were　shot　into　them；　and　speedily　covered　with　clay。　　For　the　accomplishment　of　this　sad　work　night　was　found　too　brief。　　And　what　lent　additional　horror　to　the　circumstances　of　these　burials　was；　that　those　engaged　in　this　duty　would　occasionally　drop　lifeless　during　their　labour。　　So　that　it　sometimes　happened　the　dead…carts　were　found　without　driver；　linkman；　or　bell…man。　　And　it　was　estimated　that　the　parish　of　Stepney　alone　lost　one　hundred　and　sixteen　gravediggers　and　sextons　within　that　year。

During　the　month　of　September；　the　pestilence　raged　with　increased　fury；　and　it　now　seemed　as　if　the　merciless　distemper　would　never　cease　whilst　a　single　inhabitant　remained　in　the　city。　　The　lord　mayor；　having　found　all　remedies　to　stay　its　progress　utterly　fail；　by　advice　of　the　medical　faculty；　ordered　that　great　fires　should　be　kindled　in　certain　districts；　by　way　of　purifying　the　air；　Accordingly；　two　hundred　chaldrons　of　coal；　at　four　pounds　a　chaldron；　were　devoted　to　this　purpose。　　At　first　the　fires　were　with　great　difficulty　made　to　burn；　through　the　scarcity；　it　was　believed；　of　oxy