midling People, and the working labouring Poor; their Fears were predominant over all their Paſſions; and they threw away their Money in a moſt diſtracted Manner upon thoſe Whymſies. Maid-Servants eſpecially and Men-Servants, were the chief of their Cuſtomers; and their Queſtion generally was, after the firſt demand of, Will there be a Plague? I ſay, the next Queſtion was, Oh, Sir! For the Lord's Sake, what will become of me? Will my Miſtreſs keep me, or will ſhe turn me off? Will ſhe ſtay here, or will ſhe go into the Country? And if ſhe goes into the Country, will ſhe take me with her, or leave me here to be ſtarv'd and undone. And the like of Men-Servants.
The Truth is, the Caſe of poor Servants was very diſmal, as I ſhall have occaſion to mention again by and by; for it was apparent, a prodigious Number of them would be turn'd away, and it was ſo; and of them abundance periſhed; and particuly of thoſe that theſe falſe Prophets had flattered with Hopes, that they ſhould be continued in their Services, and carried with their Maſters and Miſtreſſes into the Country; and had not publick Charity provided for theſe poor Creatures, whoſe Number was exceeding great, and in all Caſes of this Nature muſt be ſo, they would have been in the worſt Condition of any People in the City.
Theſe Things agitated the minds of the common People for many Months, while the firſt Apprehenſions, were upon them; and while the Plague, was not, as I may ſay, yet broken out: But I muſt alſo not forget, that the more ſerious Part of the Inhabitants behav'd after another Manner: The Government encouraged their Devotion, and appointed publick Prayers, and Days of faſting and Humiliation, to make publick Confeſſion of Sin, and implore the Mercy of God, to avert the dreadful Judgment, which hung over their Heads; and it is not to be expreſsd with what Alacrity thePeople
