Sail-makers, Anchor-Smiths, and other Smiths; Block-makers, Carvers, Gun Smiths, Ship-Chandlers, Ship-Carvers and the like; The Maſters of thoſe perhaps might live upon their Subſtance; but the Traders were Univerſally at a Stop, and conſequently all their Work. men diſcharged: Add to theſe, that the River was in a manner without Boats, and all or moſt part of the Watermen, Lightermen, Boat-builders, and Lighter-builders in like manner idle, and laid by.
5. All Families retrench’d their living as much as poſſible as well thoſe that fled, as thoſe that ſtay’d; ſo that an innumerable Multitude of Footmen, ſerving Men, Shop-keepers, Journey-men, Merchants-Book-keepers, and ſuch Sort of People, and eſpecially poor Maid Servants were turn’d off, and left Friendleſs and Helpleſs without Employment, and without Habitation; and this was really a diſmal Article.
I might be more particular as to this Part: But it may ſuffice to mention in general; all Trades being ſtopt, Employment ceaſed; the Labour, and by that, the Bread of the Poor were cut off; and at firſt indeed, the Cries of the poor were moſt lamentable to hear; tho’ by the Diſtribution of Charity, their Miſery that way was greatly abated: Many indeed fled into the Countries; but thouſands of them having ſtay’d in London, till nothing but Deſperation ſent them away; Death overtook them on the Road, and they ſerv’d for no better than the Meſſengers of Death, indeed, others carrying the Infection along with them; ſpreading it very unhappily into the remoteſt Parts of the Kingdom.
Many of theſe were the miſerable Objects of Diſpair which I have mention’d before, and were remov’d by the Deſtruction which followed; theſe might be ſaid to periſh, not by the Infection it ſelf, but by the Conſequence of it; indeed, namely, by Hunger and Diſtreſs, and the Want of all Things; being without Lodging, without Money, without
