fection, take even the Cloths off, of the dead Bodies, and the Bed-cloaths from others where they lay dead.
This, I ſuppoſe, muſt be the Caſe of a Family in Houndſditch, where a Man and his Daughter, the reſt of the Family being, as I ſuppoſe, carried away before by the Dead-Cart, were found ſtark naked, one in one Chamber, and one in another, lying Dead on the Floor; and the Cloths of the Beds, from whence, tis ſuppoſed they were roll’d off by Thieves, ſtoln, and carried quite away.
It is indeed to be obſerv’d, that the Women were in all this Calamity, the moſt raſh, fearleſs, and deſperate Creatures; and as there were vaſt Numbers that went about as Nurſes, to tend thoſe that were ſick, they committed a great many petty Thieveries in the Houfes where they were employed; and ſome of them were publickly whipt for it, when perhaps, they ought rather to have been hanged for Examples; for Numbers of Houſes were robbed on theſe Occaſions, till at length, the Pariſh Officers were ſent to recommend Nurſes to the Sick, and always took an Account who it was they ſent, ſo as that they might call them to account, if the Houſe had been abuſed where they were placed.
But theſe Robberies extended chiefly to Wearing-Cloths, Linen, and what Rings, or Money they could come at, when the Perſon dyed who was under their Care, but not to a general Plunder of the Houſes; and I could give an Account of one of theſe Nurſes, who ſeveral Years after, being on her Death-bed, confeſt with the utmoſt Horror, the Robberries ſhe had committed at the Time of her being a Nurſe, and by which ſhe had enriched her ſelf to a great Degree: But as for murthers, I do not find that there was ever any Proof of the Facts, in the manner, as it has been reported, except as above.
They did tell me indeed of a Nurſe in one place, that laid a wet Cloth upon the Face of a dying Patient, who ſhe tended, and ſo put an End
