Venturous and Fearleſs of it, and went about their Employment, with a Sort of brutal Courage; I muſt call it ſo, for it was founded neither on Religion or Prudence; ſcarſe did they uſe any Caution, but run into any Buſineſs, which they could get Employment in, tho’ it was the moſt hazardous; ſuch was that of tending the Sick, watching Honſes ſhut up, carrying infected Perſons to the Peſt-Houſe; and which was ſtill worſe, carrying the Dead away to their Graves,
It was under this John Hayward’s Care, and within his Bounds, that the Story of the Piper, with which People have made themſelves ſo merry, happen’d, and he aſſur’d me that it was true. It is ſaid, that it was a blind Piper; but as John told me, the Fellow was not blind, but an ignorant weak poor Man, and uſually walked his Rounds about 10 a Clock at Night, and went piping along from Door to Door, and the People uſually took him in at Public Houſes where they knew him, and would give him Drink and Victuals, and ſometimes Farthings; and he in Return, would Pipe and Sing, and talk ſimply, which diverted the People, and thus he liv’d: It was but a very bad Time for this Diverſion, while Things were as I have told; yet the poor Fellow went about as uſual, but was almoſt ſtarv’d; and when any Body ask’d how he did, he would anſwer, the Dead Cart had not taken him yet, but that they had promiſed to call for him next Week.
It happen’d one Night, that this poor Fellow, whether ſome body had given him too much Drink or no, John Hayward ſaid, he had not Drink in his Houſe; but that they had given him a little more Victuals than ordinary at a Public Houſe in Coleman-ſtreet; and the poor Fellow having not uſually had a Belly-full, or perhaps not a good while, was laid all along upon the Top of a Bulk or Stall, and faſt a ſleep at a Door, in the Street near London-Wall, towards Cripple
