ore useful than their
brethren?

I think it ought to be recorded to the honour of such men, as well
clergy as physicians, surgeons, apothecaries, magistrates, and officers
of every kind, as also all useful people who ventured their lives in
discharge of their duty, as most certainly all such as stayed did to
the last degree; and several of all these kinds did not only venture but
lose their lives on that sad occasion.

I was once making a list of all such, I mean of all those professions
and employments who thus died, as I call it, in the way of their duty;
but it was impossible for a private man to come at a certainty in the
particulars. I only remember that there died sixteen clergymen, two
aldermen, five physicians, thirteen surgeons, within the city and
liberties before the beginning of September. But this being, as I said
before, the great crisis and extremity of the infection, it can be no
complete list. As to inferior people, I think there died six-and-forty
constables and head-boroughs in the two parishes of Stepney and
Whitechappel; but I could not carry my list oil, for when the violent
rage of the distemper in September came upon us, it drove us out of all
measures. Men did then no more die by tale and by number. They might
put out a weekly bill, and call them seven or eight thousand, or what
they pleased; 'tis certain they died by heaps, and were buried by heaps,
that is to say, without account. And if I might believe some people, who
were more abroad and more conversant with those things than I though I
was public enough for one that had no more business to do than I had,--I
say, if I may believe them, there was not many less buried those first
three weeks in September than 20,000 per week. However, the others aver
the truth of it; yet I rather choose to keep to the public account;
seven and eight thousand per week is enough to make good all that I have
said of the terror of those times;--and it is much to the satisfaction
of me that write, as well as those that read, to be able to say that
everything is set down with moderation, and rather within compass than
beyond it.

Upon all these accounts, I say, I could wish, when we were recovered,
our conduct had been more distinguished for charity and kindness in
remembrance of the past calamity, and not so much a valuing ourselves
upon our boldness in staying, as if all men were cowards that fly from
the hand of God, or that those who stay do not sometimes ow