ſelves ſo much with the Plague’s going off, without reaching them, that they took no Care, either to fly into the Country, or ſhut themſelves up; nay, ſo far were they from ſtirring, that they rather receiv’d their Friends and Relations from the City into their Houſes; and ſeveral from other Places really took Sanctuary in that Part of the Town, as a Place of Safety, and as a Place which they thought God would paſs over and not viſit as the reſt was viſited.
And this was the Reaſon, that when it came upon them they were more ſurprized, more unprovided and more at a Loſs what to do than they were in other Places, for when it came among them really, and with Violence, as it did indeed, in September and October, there was then no ſtirring out into the Country, no Body would ſuffer a Stranger to come near them, no nor near the Towns where they dwelt; and as I have been told, ſeveral that wandred into the Country on Surry Side were found ſtarv’d to Death in the Woods and Commons, that Country being more open and more woody, than any other Part ſo near London; eſpecially about Norwood, and the Pariſhes of Camberwell, Dullege, and Luſum, where it ſeems no Body durſt relieve the poor diſtreſs’d People for fear of the Infection.
This Notion having, as I ſaid, prevailed with the People in that Part of the Town, was in Part the Occaſion, as I ſaid before, that they had Recourſe to Ships for their Retreat; and where they did this early, and with Prudence, furniſhing themſelves ſo with Proviſions, that they had no need to go on Shore for Supplies, or suffer Boats to come on Board to bring them; I ſay where they did ſo they had certainly the ſafeſt Retreat of any People whatſoever: But the Diſtreſs was ſuch, that People ran on Board in their Fright without Bread to eat, and ſome into Ships, that had no Men on Board to remove them farther off, or to take the Boat and go down the River to buy Proviſions where it might be done ſafely; and
