History of the Plague in London Part 22

[198] Nearly twenty miles northeast of London.

[199] He. This pleonastic use of a conjunction with the relative is common among illiterate writers and speakers to-day.

[200] Waltham and Epping, towns two or three miles apart, at a distance of ten or twelve miles almost directly north of London.

[201] Pollard trees are trees cut back nearly to the trunk, and so caused to grow into a thick head (_poll_) of branches.

[202] Entertainment. In this sense, the plural, "quarters," is the commoner form.

[203] Preparing.

[204] Peddlers.

[205] "Has been," an atrocious solecism for "were."

[206] To a miraculous extent.

[207] "Put to it," i.e., hard pressed.

[208] There are numerous references in the Hebrew Scriptures to parched corn as an article of food (see, among others, Lev. xxiii. 14, Ruth ii.

14, 2 Sam. xvii. 28).

[209] Supply "(1)."

[210] Soon.

[211] Subst.i.tute "would."

[212] Whom.

[213] Familiar intercourse.

[214] Evidently a repet.i.tion.

[215] "For that," i.e., because.

[216] Singly.

[217] Supply "to be."

[218] Buildings the rafters of which lean against or rest upon the outer wall of another building.

[219] Supply "of."

[220] The plague.

[221] "Middling people," i.e., people of the middle cla.s.s.

[222] At the mouth of the Thames.

[223] Awnings.

[224] Two heavy timbers placed horizontally, the upper one of which can be raised. When lowered, it is held in place by a padlock. Notches in the timbers form holes, through which the prisoner's legs are thrust, and held securely.

[225] The constables.

[226] The carters.

[227] The goods.

[228] In spite of, notwithstanding.

[229] Supply "who."

[230] "c.u.m aliis," i.e., with others. Most of the places mentioned in this list are several miles distant from London: for example, Enfield is ten miles northeast; Hadley, over fifty miles northeast; Hertford, twenty miles north; Kingston, ten miles southwest; St. Albans, twenty miles northwest; Uxbridge, fifteen miles west; Windsor, twenty miles west; etc.

[231] Kindly regarded.

[232] Which.

[233] The citizens.

[234] Such statements.

[235] For "so that," subst.i.tute "so."

[236] How.

[237] It was not known in Defoe's time that minute disease germs may be carried along by a current of air.

[238] Affected with scurvy.

[239] "Which," as applied to persons, is a good Old English idiom, and was in common use as late as 1711 (see Spectator No. 78; and Matt. vi.

9, version of 1611).

[240] Flung to.

[241] Changed their garments.

[242] Supply "I heard."

[243] At.

[244] Various periods are a.s.signed for the duration of the dog days: perhaps July 3 to Aug. 11 is that most commonly accepted. The dog days were so called because they coincided with the heliacal rising of Sirius or Canicula (the little dog).

[245] An inn with this t.i.tle (and probably a picture of the brothers) painted on its signboard.

[246] Whom.