Friends, without Means to get their Bread, or without any one to give it them, for many of them were without what we call legal Settlements, and ſo could not claim of the Pariſhes, and all the Support they had, was by Application to the Magiſtrates tor Relief, which Relief was, (to give the Magiſtrates their Due) carefully and chearfully adminiſtred, as they found it neceſſary; and thoſe that ſtay’d behind never felt the Want and Diſtreſs of that Kind, which they felt, who went away in the manner above-noted.
Let any one who is acquainted with what Multitudes of People, get their daily Bread in this City by their Labour, whether Artificers or meer Workmen; I ſay, let any Man conſider, what muſt be the miſerable Condition of this Town, if on a ſudden, they ſhould be all turned out of Employment, that Labour ſhould ceaſe, and Wages for Work be no more.
This was the Caſe with us at that Time, and had not the Sums of Money, contributed in Charity by well diſpoſed People, of every Kind, as well abroad as at home, been prodigiouſly great, it had not been in the Power of the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs, to have kept the Publick Peace; nor were they without Apprehenſions as it was, that Deſparation should puſh the People upon Tumults, and cauſe them to rifle the Houſes of rich Men, and plunder the Markets of Proviſions; in which Caſe the Country People, who brought Proviſions very freely and boldly to Town, would ha’ been terrified from coming any more, and the Town would ha’ ſunk under an unavoidable Famine.
But the Prudence of my Lord Mayor, and the Court of Aldermen within the City, and of the Juſtices of Peace in the Out-parts was ſuch, and they were ſupported with Money from all Parts ſo well, that the poor People were kept quiet, and their Wants every where reliev’d, as far as was poſſible to be done.
Two Things, beſides this, contributed to prevent the Mob doing any Miſchief: One was, that really the Rich themſelves had not laid up Stores of Provi-
