watchmen placed at their doors, those watchmen
would answer saucily enough, and perhaps be apt to affront the people
who were in the street talking to the said families; for which, or for
their ill treatment of the families, I think seven or eight of them in
several places were killed. I know not whether I should say murdered or
not, because I cannot enter into the particular cases. It is true, the
watchmen were on their duty, and acting in the post where they were
placed by a lawful authority; and killing any public legal officer in
the execution of his office is always, in the language of the law,
called "murder." But as they were not authorized by the magistrate's
instructions, or by the power they acted under, to be injurious or
abusive, either to the people who were under their observation or to any
that concerned themselves for them, so that,[235] when they did so, they
might be said to act themselves, not their office; to act as private
persons, not as persons employed; and consequently, if they brought
mischief upon themselves by such an undue behavior, that mischief was
upon their own heads. And indeed they had so much the hearty curses of
the people, whether they deserved it or not, that, whatever befell them,
nobody pitied them; and everybody was apt to say they deserved it,
whatever it was. Nor do I remember that anybody was ever punished, at
least to any considerable degree, for whatever was done to the watchmen
that guarded their houses.

What variety of stratagems were used to escape, and get out of houses
thus shut up, by which the watchmen were deceived or overpowered, and
that[236] the people got away, I have taken notice of already, and shall
say no more to that; but I say the magistrates did moderate and ease
families upon many occasions in this case, and particularly in that of
taking away or suffering to be removed the sick persons out of such
houses, when they were willing to be removed, either to a pesthouse or
other places, and sometimes giving the well persons in the family so
shut up leave to remove, upon information given that they were well, and
that they would confine themselves in such houses where they went, so
long as should be required of them. The concern, also, of the
magistrates for the supplying such poor families as were infected,--I
say, supplying them with necessaries, as well physic as food,--was very
great: and in which they did not content themselves with giving the
necessary