all both Sides of the River from the the Hermitage, and from over againſt it, quite down to Blackwall, was intirely free, there had not one Perſon died of the Plague in all Stepwey Pariſh, and not one on the South Side of White Chappel Road, no, not in any Pariſh; and yet the Weekly Bill was that very Week riſen up to 1006.
It was a Fortnight after this, before the the two Brothers met again, and then the Caſe was a little altered, and the Plague was exceedingly advanced; and the Number greatly encreaſed, the Bill was up at 2785, and prodigiouſly encreaſing, tho’ ſtill both Sides of the River, as below, kept pretty well: But ſome began to die in Redriff, and about five or fix in Ratclif-High-Way, when the Sail Maker came to his Brother John, expreſs, and in ſome Fright, for he was abſolutely warn’d out of his Lodging, and had only a Week to provide himſelf. His Brother John was in as bad a Caſe for he was quite out, and had only beg’d Leave of his Maſter the Biſcuit Baker to lodge in an Out-Houſe belonging to his Work-houſe, where he only lay upon Straw, with ſome Biſcuit Sacks, or Bread-Sacks, as they call’d them, laid upon it, and ſome of the ſame Sacks to cover him.
Here they reſolved, ſeeing all Employment being at an End, and no Work, or Wages to be had, they would make the beſt of their Way to get out of the Reach of the dreadful Infection; and being as good Husbands as they could, would endeavour to live upon what they had as long as it would laſt, and then work for more, if they could get Work any where, of any Kind, let it be what it would.
While they were conſidering to put this Reſolution in Practice, in the beſt Manner they could; the third Man, who was acquainted very well with the Sail Maker, came to know of the Deſign, and got Leave to be one of the Number, and thus they prepared to ſet out.
