History of the Plague in London

23

See Matt, xxvii. 40; Mark xv. 30; Luke xxiii. 35.

24

Denial.

25

The civil war between the Royalists and the Parliamentarians, 1642-51.

26

Whom.

27

This argument is neatly introduced to account for the narrator's staying in the city at all, when he could easily have escaped.

28

Explained by the two following phrases.

29

Whom.

30

"Lay close to me," i.e., was constantly in my mind.

31

Kept safe from the plague.

32

"My times are in thy hand" (Ps. xxxi. 15).

33

Dorking is about twenty miles southwest of London.

34

Rather St. Martin's-in-the-Fields and St. Giles's.

35

Was.

36

Charles II. and his courtiers. The immunity of Oxford was doubtless due to good drainage and general cleanliness.

37

Eccl. xii. 5.

38

Have seen.

39

Nor. This misuse of "or" for "nor" is frequent with Defoe.

40

The four inns of court in London which have the exclusive right of calling to the bar, are the Inner Temple, the Middle Temple, Lincoln's Inn, and Gray's Inn. The Temple is so called because it was once the home of the Knights Templars.

41

The city proper, i.e., the part within the walls, as distinguished from that without.

42

Were.

43

The population of London at this time was probably about half a million. It is now about six millions. (See Macaulay's History, chap. iii.)

44

Acel´dama, the field of blood (see Matt. xxvii. 8).

45

Phlegmatic hypochondriac is a contradiction in terms; for "phlegmatic" means "impassive, self-restrained," while "hypochondriac" means "morbidly anxious" (about one's health). Defoe's lack of scholarship was a common jest among his more learned adversaries, such as Swift, and Pope.

46

It was in this very plague year that Newton formulated his theory of gravitation. Incredible as it may seem, at this same date even such men as Dryden held to a belief in astrology.

47

William Lilly was the most famous astrologer and almanac maker of the time. In Butler's Hudibras he is satirized under the name of Sidrophel.

48

Poor Robin's Almanack was first published in 1661 or 1662, and was ascribed to Robert Herrick, the poet.

49

See Rev. xviii. 4.

50

Jonah iii. 4.

51

Flavius Josephus, the author of the History of the Jewish Wars. He is supposed to have died in the last decade of the first century A.D.

52

So called because many Frenchmen lived there. In Westminster there was another district with this same name.

53

"Gave them vapors," i.e., put them into a state of nervous excitement.

54

Soothsayers.

55

In astrology, the scheme or figure of the heavens at the moment of a person's birth. From this the astrologers pretended to foretell a man's destiny.

56

Roger Bacon, a Franciscan friar of the thirteenth century, had a knowledge of mechanics and optics far in advance of his age: hence he was commonly regarded as a wizard. The brazen head which he manufactured was supposed to assist him in his necromantic feats; it is so introduced by Greene in his play of Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay (1594).

57

A fortune teller who lived in the reign of Henry VIII., and was famous for her prophecies.

58

The most celebrated magician of mediæval times (see Spenser's Faërie Queene and Tennyson's Merlin and Vivien).

59

Linen collar or ruff.

60

Him.

61

The interlude was originally a short, humorous play acted in the midst of a morality play to relieve the tedium of that very tedious performance. From the interlude was developed farce; and from farce, comedy.

62

Charles II. and his courtiers, from their long exile in France, brought back to England with them French fashions in literature and in art.

63

To be acted.

64

Buffoons, clowns.

65

About 62½ cents.

66

About twenty-five dollars; but the purchasing power of money was then seven or eight times what it is now.

67

Strictly speaking, this word means "love potions."

68

Exorcism is the act of expelling evil spirits, or the formula used in the act. Defoe's use of the word here is careless and inaccurate.

69

Bits of metal, parchment, etc., worn as charms.

70

Making the sign of the cross.

71

Paper on which were marked the signs of the zodiac, – a superstition from astrology.

72

A meaningless word used in incantations. Originally the name of a Syrian deity.

73

Iesus Hominum Salvator ("Jesus, Savior of Men"). The order of the Jesuits was founded by Ignatius de Loyola in 1534.

74

The Feast of St. Michael, Sept. 29.

75

This use of "to" for "of" is frequent with Defoe.

76

The Royal College of Physicians was founded by Thomas Linacre, physician to Henry VIII. Nearly every London physician of prominence is a member.

77

The city of London proper lies entirely in the county of Middlesex.

78

Literally, "hand workers;" now contracted into "surgeons."

79

Cares, duties.

80

Consenting knowledge.

81

Disposed of to the public, put in circulation.

82

That is, by the disease.

83

Happen.

84

Engaged.

85

Heaps of rubbish.

86

A kind of parish constable.

87

The writer seems to mean that the beggars are so importunate, there is no avoiding them.

88

Fights between dogs and bears. This was not declared a criminal offense in England until 1835.

89

Contests with sword and shield.

90

The guilds or organizations of tradesmen, such as the goldsmiths, the fishmongers, the merchant tailors.

91

Were.

92

Chemise.

93

This word is misplaced; it should go before "perish."

94

Before "having," supply "the master."

95

Fences.

96

From.

97

This old form for "caught" is used frequently by Defoe.

98

Came to grief.

99

"Who, being," etc., i.e., who, although single men, had yet staid.

100

The wars of the Commonwealth or of the Puritan Revolution, 1640-52.

101

Holland and Belgium.

102

"Hurt of," a common form of expression used in Defoe's time.

103

Manager, economist. This meaning of "husband" is obsolete.

104

A participial form of expression very common in Old English, the "a" being a corruption of "in" or "on."

105

Were.

106

"'Name of God," i.e., in the name of God.

107

Torches.

108

"To and again," i.e., to and fro.

109

Were.

110

As if.

111

Magpie.

112

This word is from the same root as "lamp." The old form "lanthorn" crept in from the custom of making the sides of a lantern of horn.

113

Supply "be."