before. Plague nurses were numerous, but too often these were women
of the worst character, bent rather upon plunder than desirous of
relieving the sufferers. Grim stories were told of their neglect
and rapacity. Yet amongst them were many devoted and excellent
women, and the physicians who bravely faced the terrors of the time
and remained at their post when others fled from the peril, deserve
all honour and praise; the more so that many amongst these died of
the infection, as indeed did numbers of the examiners and searchers
who likewise remained at their post to the end.

It will therefore be well understood that good Master Harmer and
his sons had no light time of it, and ran no small personal risk in
their endeavours to serve their fellow citizens in this crisis.
Although the pestilence had not as yet broken out in this part of
the town with the virulence that it had shown elsewhere, still
there were fresh cases rumoured day by day; and it often appeared
that when one case in a street was reported, there had been many
others there before of which no notice had been given, and that
perhaps half a dozen houses were infected, and must be forthwith
shut up. At first neglectful persons were brought before the
Magistrates; but soon these persons became too numerous, and the
Magistrates too busy to hear their excuses. An example was made of
one or another, to show that the laws must be kept; but Newgate
itself becoming infected by the disease, it was not thought fit to
send any malefactor there except for some heinous offence.

Dan joined the force of the constables, and day by day had exciting
tales to tell about determined persons who had escaped from
infected houses either by tricking or overpowering the watchman.
All sorts of clever shifts were made to enable families where