A journal of the plague year, or, Memorials of the great pestilence in London, in 1665 / by Daniel De Foe.
- Daniel Defoe
- Date:
- 1835
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: A journal of the plague year, or, Memorials of the great pestilence in London, in 1665 / by Daniel De Foe. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.
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![they had been lined with enemies in ambush, that waited to destroy them. In July the Plague increaseth, and prevaileth exceedingly ; the number of 470, which died in one week by the disease, ariseth to 725 the next week, to 1089 the next, to 1843 the next, and to 2010 the next. Now the Plague compasseth the walls of the City like a flood, and poureth in upon it. Now most parishes are infected, both without and within [the walls] ; yea, there are not so many houses shut up by the Plague as by the owners forsaking them for fear of it, and though the inhabitants be so exceedingly decreased by the departure of so many thousands, yet the number of dying persons doth increase fear- fully. Now the Countries keep guards, lest infectious persons should from the City bring the disease unto them. Most of the rich are now gone, and the middle sort will not stay behind ; but the poor are forced through poverty to stay and abide the storm. The very sinking fears they have had of the Plague, hath brought the Plague and death upon many. Some, by the sight of a coffin in the streets have fallen into a shivering, and immediately the disease hath assaulted them; and Sergeant Death hath arrested them, and clapt to the doors of their houses upon them, from whence they have come forth no more, till they have been brought forth to their graves. It would be endless to speak of what we have](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21048721_0021.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
