Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1851-06-19

nigh: be given to show the deep distress
of that day; people might be heard even
in the streets, calling upon God for mer-
cy through Jesus Christ, and saying. l
have been an adulterer I have been a
murderer and the like and none burst
stop to make inquiry into such things, or
to give comfort TO the poor creatures
Many were the warnings that were then
given by dying penitents, to other, not
to put off and delay their repentance to
day of distress. l wish, says the author,
l could repeat the very sound of those
groans and explanations that heard
from some poor dying creatures, when
in the height of their agony and distress.
In the beginning Of September, the num-
Der of burials increasing, the church
wardens of Aldgate parish ordered
large pit to be dug, to hold all the dead
which might die in a month ; it was
about forty feet long and sixteen broad
Some blamed the church wardens for
suffering such a frightful gulf to be dug F.;
nevertheless i'll two weeks they had
thrown more than thousand bodies in
to it, when they were obliged to fill it up
as the bodies were come within six feet
of the top. Ny curiosity drove me to
go and see this pit, when there had been
nearly four hundred people buried in it
I got admittance into the rch-yard by
means of the sexton, who was a sensible
and religious man. He would have per-
suaded me not to go, saying that it was
indeed their duty to venture, and in it
they might hope to be preserved; but
that as l had no particular call thought
my curiosity could not justify my run
ming the hazard I told him i had
great desire in my mind to go; and that
perhaps it might be an instructive sight
Nay says the good man, if you will
venture upon that score, 60 in; it will be
a sermon to you: it may be the best that
ever you heard in your life.' Hearing
the bell man and the cart loaded with
dead bodies appearing, l went in. When
| came to the pit. / saw man muffled
in cloak, who appeared in great agony
The buriers Immediately gathered about
him, supposing he was one of those poor
delirious Or desprate creatures. who
would sometimes run to the pit, wrapt in
blankets, and throw themselves in
When the buffers came to him, they
soon found that he was neither desper-
ate nor distempered in mind, but one
oppressed with IA dreadful weight of grief
having his wife and several children all
in the cart that was just come in with
him. He calmly desired the buriers 10
let him alone, and said he would only
see the bodies thrown in and 60 away
5" they left lmportuaIDg him; but n"
soone was the cat TUNED round and
the bodies shot into the pit altogether,
which was surprise to him, but he
cried alJud. unable to contain himself.
and fell down in IL swoon. The burer>
ran to him, and took him up and when
he came to himself. led him to a place
where he was taken care Of.
The cart had in it sixteen or sew
enteen bodies. Some were wrapt up
in linen sheets, some in rugs, some were
little otherwise than naked, or so loosely
clad, that what covering they had, fell
from them in the shooting out of the cart
and they fell quite naked among the rest
they were huddled together into the COM
mon grave of mankind for here was no
difference. rich and poor went together.
John Hayward, under sexton, grave dig
ger, and one of the buriers, never had the
distemper at all, but lived about twenty
years after. His wife was employed to
nurse the infected people, vet she never
herself caught it. The only thing he
used to keep off the Infection, was hold
ing garlick and rue in his mouth, and
smoking tobacco; this account I had
from himself; his wife used to wash her
head in vinegar, and if the smell of any
Of those she waited upon was more than
usually bad, she snuffed vinegar up her
nose-put it over her cap and held
handkerchief with it to her mouth.
And here must not omit mentioning
the disposition Of the people of that day
with respect to their charities. which in
deed were very large, both in a public
and private way. Some pious ladie.
were SO jealous in this good work, and ST.
confident of protection OF Providence, IN
the discharge of this great duty, that
they went about giving aims, and visiting
the poor families that we're infected, IN
their very homes appointiDg nurses and
apothecaries 10 supply them with what
they wanted; thus giving their blessings 10
the poor. in solid relief. as we'll as hearty
prayers for them. From the middle of
August to the middle of September. the in
fection still increased. and spread itself
with wonderful power, and it was reckoned
that during that time. there died no less
tnan sixteen hundred day. 1t was then
that the confusion and terror of the people
was inexpressible; the courage of those
appointed to carry the dead began to fail
them. The watchfuIness ofthe magistrates
was now put to the severest trial.
At last the violence of the disorder came
to such height, that the people sat still
looking upon one another, and seemingly
quite abandoned to despair. In a word,
81, osL1>