ague visibly upon them, not knowing either
whither to go, or what to do, or indeed what they did. And many that did
so were driven to dreadful exigencies and extremities, and perished in
the streets or fields for mere want, or dropped down by[101] the raging
violence of the fever upon them. Others wandered into the country, and
went forward any way, as their desperation guided them, not knowing
whither they went or would go, till, faint and tired, and not getting
any relief, the houses and villages on the road refusing to admit them
to lodge, whether infected or no, they have perished by the roadside, or
gotten into barns, and died there, none daring to come to them or
relieve them, though perhaps not infected, for nobody would believe
them.

On the other hand, when the plague at first seized a family, that is to
say, when any one body of the family had gone out, and unwarily or
otherwise catched[102] the distemper and brought it home, it was
certainly known by the family before it was known to the officers, who,
as you will see by the order, were appointed to examine into the
circumstances of all sick persons, when they heard of their being sick.

In this interval, between their being taken sick and the examiners
coming, the master of the house had leisure and liberty to remove
himself, or all his family, if he knew whither to go; and many did so.
But the great disaster was, that many did thus after they were really
infected themselves, and so carried the disease into the houses of those
who were so hospitable as to receive them; which, it must be confessed,
was very cruel and ungrateful.

I am speaking now of people made desperate by the apprehensions of their
being shut up, and their breaking out by stratagem or force, either
before or after they were shut up, whose misery was not lessened when
they were out, but sadly increased. On the other hand, many who thus got
away had retreats to go to, and other houses, where they locked
themselves up, and kept hid till the plague was over; and many families,
foreseeing the approach of the distemper, laid up stores of provisions
sufficient for their whole families, and shut themselves up, and that so
entirely, that they were neither seen or heard of till the infection was
quite ceased, and then came abroad sound and well. I might recollect
several such as these, and give you the particulars of their management;
for doubtless it was the most effectual secure step that could